2.28.2010

New Release ~ Julie James - Something About You

You all may remember (or not) that I attempted to review Just The Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James back in March 2009. I'm not a great reviewer, in fact, I'm not a reviewer at all, but I was so impressed with the book that I just had to tell someone. Don't you all feel lucky?? Anyway, Julie James has a new book coming out on March 2, 2010 it's called Something About You and you can pre-order it at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Here's a little excerpt for y'all:

FATE HAS THROWN TWO SWORN ENEMIES. . .

Of all the hotel rooms rented by all the adulterous politicians in Chicago, female Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde had to choose the one next to 1308, where some hot-and-heavy lovemaking ends in bloodshed. And of all the FBI agents in Illinois, it had to be Special Agent Jack Pallas who gets assigned to this high-profile homicide. The same Jack Pallas who still blames Cameron for a botched crackdown three years ago—and nearly ruining his career…

. . .INTO EACH OTHER’S ARMS

Work with Cameron Lynde? Are they kidding? Maybe, Jack thinks, this is some kind of welcome-back prank after his stint away from Chicago. But it’s no joke: the pair is going to have to put their rocky past behind them and focus on the case at hand. That is, if they can cut back on the razor-sharp jibes—and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension…

SAY cover

Unedited Advance Excerpt from Chapter Two

“This is getting ridiculous. I have rights, you know.”

Cameron faced off against the cop guarding the door to her hotel room, determined to get some answers.

The young police officer nodded sympathetically. “I know, ma’am, and I do apologize, but I’m just following orders.”

Maybe it was her frustration at being cooped up in her hotel room for what was now going on five—yes, five—hours, but Cameron was going to strangle the kid if he ma’am-ed her one more time. She was thirty-two years old, not sixty. Although she’d probably given up the right to be called “Miss” somewhere around the time she had started thinking of twenty-two-year-old man-boy police officers as kids.

Deciding that throttling a cop was probably not the best way to go when presumably dozens more stood right outside her door (she couldn’t say for sure; she hadn’t been permitted to even look out into the hallway, let alone step a toe out there), Cameron tried another tactic. The man-boy clearly responded to authority, maybe she could use that to her advantage.

“Look, I probably should’ve mentioned this earlier, but I’m an assistant U.S. attorney. I work out of the Chicago office—”

“If you live in Chicago, what are you doing spending the night in a hotel?” Officer Man-Boy interrupted.

“I’m redoing my hardwood floors. The point is—”

“Really?” He seemed very interested in this. “Because I’ve been trying to find somebody to update my bathroom. The people who owned the place before me put in this crazy black and white marble and gold fixtures and the place looks like something out of the Playboy Mansion. Mind if I ask how you found a contractor to take on a job that small?”

Cameron cocked her head. “Are you trying to sidetrack me with these questions, or do you just have some weird fascination with home improvement?”

“Possibly the former. I was under the distinct impression that you were about to become difficult.”

Cameron had to hide her smile. Officer Man-Boy may not have been as green as she’d thought.

“Here’s the thing,” she told him, “you can’t keep me here against my will, especially since I’ve already given my statement to Detective Slonsky. You know that, and more important, I know that. There’s clearly something unusual going on with this investigation, and while I’m willing to cooperate and give you guys a little leeway as a professional courtesy, I’m going to need some answers if you expect me to keep waiting here. And if you’re not the person who can give me those answers, that’s fine, but then I’d like it if you could go get Slonsky or whoever it is that I should be talking to.”

Officer Man-Boy was not unsympathetic. “Look—I know you’ve been stuck in this room for a long time, but the FBI guys said that they’re gonna talk to you as soon as they finish next door.”

“So it’s the FBI who’s running this, then?”

“I probably wasn’t supposed to say that.”

“Why do they have jurisdiction?” Cameron pressed. “This is a homicide case, right?”

Officer Man-Boy didn’t fall for the bait a second time. “I’m sorry, Ms. Lynde, but my hands are tied. The agent in charge of the investigation specifically said I’m not allowed to talk to you about this.”

“Then I think I should speak to the agent in charge. Who is it?” As a prosecutor for the Northern District of Illinois, she had worked with many of the FBI agents in Chicago.

“Some special agent—I didn’t catch his name,” Officer Man-Boy said. “Although I think he might know you. When he told me to guard this room, he said he felt bad for sticking me with you for this long.”

Cameron tried not to show any reaction, but that stung. True, she wasn’t exactly buddy-buddy with a lot of the FBI agents she worked with—many of them still blamed her for that incident three years ago—but with the exception of one particular agent who, fortunately, was miles away in Nevada or Nebraska or something, she hadn’t thought that anyone in the FBI disliked her enough to openly bad-mouth her.

Officer Man-Boy looked apologetic. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re so bad.”

“Thanks. And did this unknown special agent who allegedly thinks he knows me have anything else to say?”

“Only that I should go get him if you start acting fussy.” He looked her over. “You’re going to start acting fussy now, aren’t you?”

Cameron folded her arms across her chest. “Yes, I think I am.” And it wouldn’t be an act. “You go find this agent, whoever he is, and tell him that that the fussy woman in room 1307 is through being jerked around. And tell him that I would appreciate it very much if he could wrap up his little power trip and condescend to speak to me himself. Because I would like to know how long he expects me to sit here and wait.”

“For as long as I ask you to, Ms. Lynde.”

The voice came from the doorway.

Cameron had her back to the door, but she would’ve recognized that voice anywhere—low and as smooth as velvet.

It couldn’t be.

She turned around and took in the man standing across the room from her. He looked exactly the same as he did the last time she’d seen him three years ago: tall, dark, and scowling.

She didn’t bother to mask the animosity in her voice. “Agent Pallas . . . I didn’t realize you were back in town. How was Nevada?”

“Nebraska.”

From his icy look, Cameron knew that her day, which had already been off to a most inauspicious start, had just gotten about fifty times worse.

2.24.2010

I know it will get better, I know it will get better

ARGH! I'm currently listening to The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell. I love Patricia Cornwell, L O V E her. When I was working data entry full time, I believe the year was 1996, someone said, you should listen to Cruel and Unusual by Patricia Cornwell. I said, okay, thanks for the recommendation and instantly fell in love with her work. I love the reader, although I can't think of her name right now, and I love the characters. So please tell me WHY am I struggling with this particular book????

I was at work yesterday, listening to The Scarpetta Factor on my mp3 player and I got through two tracks, which was approximately 2.5 hours of listening before I had to switch it to music for a bit. There are 14 tracks for this book, each track at approximately 1.25 hours. I don't know if I can get through another 12 tracks if it doesn't get better.

Have any of you read this book? Is it worth my time? Please help me.

Cornwell Fan at Heart

2.22.2010

LSM Monday

You all know this man....I think.






















But am I the only woman alive who didn't know he was also this man?

























Thank you Silver for introducing us. I am forever grateful.

2.19.2010

Such is Life....

Mark Twain once said, "It is not likely that any complete life has ever been lived which was not a failure in the secret judgment of the person who lived it".

What does that say about the human race? I know what it says about me, but I'm going to keep that to myself for a bit. Do you think it's all human beings? I think it's probably the major of human beings.

What is it that makes people want to accomplish more than is humanly possible in a short amount of time? Okay, what is it that makes me want to accomplish more than is humanly possible in a short amount of time? I'm trying to figure it all out, trying to make it all work and I'm failing pretty badly at it. :)

I don't think I set unrealistic expectations. Initially. For example, my friend is having a baby (yeah, I'm so excited) and I wanted to make her something for the baby. I found this really great growth chart that I could cross-stitch for the baby. It's super cute. She's due in May, I might have it done by the time she's in college.

At the beginning of the year I signed up to read 100+ books in 2010 on J. Kaye's book blog, audio books count, re-reads count. I figured I could do this without a problem, not so much the case. I need to read 10 books a month (or so) and I'm only at nine books between what I have completed and what I have in progress. I'm running a little bit behind.

I also have multiple characters from two different stories that are running around in my head begging me to be written but alas, I am ignoring them. I can only hope that they don't give up on me and leave before I make the time to get their thoughts down on paper.

Did I mention I have two kids, two dogs, a husband and a house? They all want a piece of my time too. Maybe instead of focusing on the things I haven't finished I should focus on the things that I accomplished. For example, I made my son breakfast this morning, I followed up on some phone calls that I needed to take care of and I went to work today. I made dinner. While I was at work, I listened to Dogs and Goddesses and think I'm only a couple of chapters away from done. I blogged and I spent time with my daughter catching up on some televisions shows that we watch. These are all positive things. Wow, I was really busy, no wonder I'm exhausted! :0)

So spill, what did you accomplish today?

2.18.2010

Dirty Minds Winner...

This was a very close game but there is a winner. The winner is Venus with 7 correct answers! Venus, I already have your e-mail so I'll get you your gift certificate ASAP.

The correct answers are:

1. Motorcycle
2. Fork
3. Maid
4. Surf/Wave
5. Headache
6. Taste
7. Bell
8. Sneeze
9. Quilt/Sheets/Comforter
10. Candle/Wax

Congrats to Venus and thanks for playing this game with me!

2.17.2010

Dirty Minds? Anyone?

Hello my friends! I know it's been a while since I've come out to play, I have excuses but they're boring and non-productive. Let's play a game shall we?

The game is called "Dirty Minds" (brought to you by TDC Games Inc.) and the clues are dirty but the answer is clean. I'm thinking there should be a prize, how about a $10 gift card to Amazon.com? Comment to leave your answers and tomorrow I'll announce the winner.

Let's get started...

1. I vibrate, I'm a lot of fun between your legs, I can handle two at a time

2. I start with an "F", I end with a "K", If you can't get me, you have to use your hands

3. I can do it upstairs or down, I usually come in the rear, I sometimes make my living on my knees

4. You have to be brave to ride me, I can pound it day and night, I swell before I come

5. Sometimes you take me to bed with you, It's hard to stop my pounding, When I come in your head, you're miserable.

6. You do me with your tongue, When I'm bad you spit, When I'm good, you swallow

7. I've got a lot of dongs in me, I have to be hung to work well, I can get you up in the morning

8. I happen when you itch inside, I'm a sudden ejaculation, You know when I'm ready to come

9. I get on top of you in bed, Housewives spread me in the morning, Women sometimes do me by hand

10.When I get hot, I drop, I'm long and hard until I'm overheated, A total stranger dips my wick

Okay, now get your minds out of the gutter and get to guessing...I love this game. :)

2.09.2010

LSMs and what nots....

I am struggling to get through Night Pleasures, while I'm sure it'll get better, I just can't seem to keep my interest. Tell me ladies, does it get better??

To keep our minds off our every day struggles and junk I give you the LSMs of the week.



2.08.2010

The Things Our Children Will Never Know

I stopped by Maureen Child's blog today to put in my two cents worth of "Today In History", but it wasn't there, this was instead and it's definitely worth reading. Please visit Maureen's blog and read her post, especially if you have loved ones in school.

The LSMs will return tomorrow.

http://maureenchild.blogspot.com/

2.03.2010

New (to me) Author


I have been hearing about author Sherrilyn Kenyon for a while now from all of my reader/writer friends, you know who you are, so for Christmas I asked Santa to bring me the first couple books in her Dark Hunter series.

I must admit, at first I was skeptical, Fantasy Lover? Really? I read the back of the book and had absolutely no sympathy for our hero Julian, BUT I was determined to give this book a fair shake. . . I finished it in a weekend.

I love the way she writes. I love everything about it. The dialogue that comes across as real conversation. Conversation that I know I would have with my best friend if I found a book with a "Greek love slave" in it. (she needs to get laid too) The wine, the pizza, the sarcasm, it was all real. I loved it. And Julian....well, there just aren't words. I cried for his losses, loved his attitude towards his brother Eros and at the end when he chose to...well, I don't want to give anything away, but at the end. I had to leave the room my family was in and go read in my bedroom so I could cry fat sloppy tears without getting any grief from the peanut gallery.
So, to all my friends who have been raving about Sherrilyn Kenyon while I sat back and said, "Sure. Whatever you say." this big huge thank you is to you. I am a fan and an addict. Anyone who enjoys paranormal and hasn't picked her up, this chick is DA BOMB.
THANK YOU!!!!

2.01.2010

Monday LSM

Happy Monday Ladies! Another week another Monday. Here's hoping these guys help you get through it. Tomorrow I have a character interview so with any luck I'll have the interview posted on Wednesday. Please tune in and check it out.





This man has become my favorite male actor recently. I love him regardless of his state of dress...