Julia Barrett's World

My Cat is a Newt Addict

Did you know that newts are poisonous? They have glands on their skin that secrete a neuro-toxin. The toxin is similar to that of a pufferfish. Did you know that ingesting one rough skin newt can kill a large college student? In fact, the second most poisonous newt in the world is the California Newt.

The picture above is of an Arboreal Newt. My cat brings in three to four of these a night - all sizes. Apparently, now that our court is half-empty and has been for over a year - with neighbors turning their homes over to the bank, nature has returned with a vengeance and we are overrun with Arboreal Newts. I really don’t care…they’re kinda cute in a squishy sort of Martian-like yucky way, but they are poisonous and my cat carries his newt around as if it’s a delicate crystal figurine, gagging and wheezing and frothing at the mouth all the while. He drops it on my foot - if I happen to be awake, or on my neck, if I happen to be asleep.

As a consequence, I’ve stopped sleeping. I’m terrified he’ll drop a newt on my face and it will crawl into my mouth. This habit he’s developed is taking a toll on me. I go flying out of bed at the slightest movement, sound, imagined slow-motion newt wiggle.

I’m trying to decide what the fascination is - does my cat get this weird newt high from the toxin, you know…like toad licking? Or does he just want me to know newts are intruding upon his territory? Or does he want me to lick them and join in on his newt-induced acid trip? He doesn’t eat them - he would be very dead if he did, and he doesn’t kill them either. We release them in various areas and the next night, he finds more. My husband says the cat is probably building up an immunity to newt toxin much like the Dread Pirate Roberts did in The Princess Bride with iocaine poison.

The interesting thing about our lack of neighbors is the very notable increase in birds, frogs, hawks, owls, newts, snakes…we’ve always had raccoons and possums, skunks and squirrels, but now we’ve got a bobcat hunting in the court - he grabbed a raccoon off our roof recently. Those of us remaining on the court have noticed a dramatic increase in wildlife - we live just a road away from open space - in a single year of decreased human activity.

Tonight I’m locking the cats in.

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The following is an article I wrote for a woman’s magazine.

It was rejected. Pity.

Does the Perfect Pair of Jeans Exist?

Shopping for jeans is the very worst thing a woman can do next to trying on a bathing suit – which is THE VERY WORST thing a woman can do. Duh, no shit.

I recently went on line to purchase a pair of $200 “designer” low-rise, stretch jeans that guaranteed a womanly fit - not too low rise and no gapping in the back. Their stylish and very appealing ad promoted their supposed philosophy that jeans should be made for the real woman. I bought a pair online because they weren’t available at any store in my area. My jeans arrived today and within 30 minutes, mired in a pit of self-loathing, I’d repackaged them and sped to my neighborhood mailing center to return them.

Yes, they were sized correctly and they fit, but not as advertised. To describe these jeans as low rise was an understatement. They reminded me of my plumber when he’s repairing my dishwasher. The gap in back could best be described as, Grand Canyon-sized. I believe the average American woman is 5′4″ tall. I’m 5′6″ tall, but these jeans have apparently been designed for the women of the WNBA. I found myself stepping on at least six extra inches of leg and I don’t think I should have to pay $200 plus shipping and then fork over the cash to have them altered. In case you were wondering, the website didn’t offer a choice of lengths.

So I have to ask myself, what does the term womanly fit mean to a designer? As far as I can tell, the phrase means Twiggy in her hey-day will be wearing the jeans, not you, no matter what the claim.

Are we all built like prepubescent boys? Some of us have hips and butts. Oh, once I lost mine, when I was anorexic and starved myself into negative numbers. But, gee, silly me, I nearly died. So what’s a woman to do? Stop wearing jeans? They’ve been the staple of my baby boomer wardrobe for well over 35 years. I may not wear purple when I’m an old woman, but I plan to wear jeans until the day I die. My will states that I will be buried in my favorite pair of frayed and ripped blue jeans - the jeans I’ve worn since I was fourteen.

Instead of all my Levi’s and Lee’s, I’d like to buy one single pair of designer jeans. I find myself with a few extra bucks and I’m willing to part with them for the right denim. What is so difficult about producing well-fitting jeans for women sizes 8-12? Oh wait, I get it, they want designer jeans on the body of Kate Moss, because she’s a walking advertisement. I’m not. Do you know that there is a designer label that advertises and embraces the fact that they are not made to fit every woman? Their honesty, while pretty insulting, is also refreshing. At least I don’t have to waste my time and my money on their product.

If I sound angry, it’s because I am. My good old fashioned American Woman self-esteem hangs by a thread in the best of times. For nearly two generations, I’ve been bombarded by images of fabulous fashion icons who maintain their looks by spending a lot of money and time on personal chefs, trainers and shoppers, and have estheticians, dermatologists, plastic surgeons and those high-colonic guys on speed dial.

While the media worships them, at the same time we’re told that by that same media that we shouldn’t try to emulate them — that they are unreal women — talk about mixed messages! Fat people only make the cover of People if they’ve lost weight. How many times and on how many magazine covers at the check-out line do I have to look at the newest starlette’s disappearing body or read about her anorexia-related death? I guess until my eyes glaze over and I lose 50 IQ points.

The newest media darling, whoever she may be, is just as much a victim of our preoccupation with appearance as I am. Except she can probably find designer jeans to fit her concentration camp minus 8 butt a whole lot easier than I can find a regular size 8. Am I the only person who sees a problem here?

How hard could it be to market to me? And women like me? I don’t mean pretend marketing, like the maker of the jeans I just returned. There are a lot of us real women out here in the real world with real money to spend who don’t wear a size zero. I challenge some designer who’s managed to hang onto a few IQ points and common sense to rethink his/her world view. I’d like some jeans that fit, please.

*I wrote this article a year ago…here’s an update to the above post – boyfriend jeans fit me great! I have three pairs and I love them! Thank you makers of boyfriend jeans! And considering today’s economy, I’m glad I didn’t waste $200 on a pair of jeans!*

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I may be a very weird person

but I never, not once, allowed my children to watch a horror or slasher film. Gratuitous killing was and is not welcome in my house. Now…on the other hand, if there was a good film that included sex and/or adult language, that was a different story. By a certain age, after discussion, my kids were allowed to watch a movie that contained sex.

I have never understood the appeal of slasher/torture/horror films. Yes, I know…studies indicate that in the same way amusement park thrill rides appeal to us, we like scary movies. We like to be scared out of our wits. We love that adrenaline rush. But I have never understood how a society can accept and even glorify violence on the one hand and be so incredibly prudish about sex and nudity on the other. Not talking about porn here - not in any way shape or form. I will not even go there. Porn, in its various manifestations, is another subject altogether and I am not a fan.

I flat out don’t get it. Allowing small children to immerse themselves in violent movies, television shows and video games is okay, but a naked body is not?

My children are now adults. Young adults, but adults. I am pleased to say that none of them has any interest in slasher films. They read, they play computer games that do not involve murder, mayhem and violence against women and they watch great cinema. I’m not the perfect parent, but in this one thing, I did achieve my goal.

I repeat, I really don’t get it. Violence good. Sex bad? Don’t. Get. It.

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I’m the first to admit that I have a potty mouth. Some days, well, lately, it seems like every other word out of my mouth is the ‘ef’ word. It’s not my fault! It’s the way I was raised!

No, not really. I was raised to be quite lady-like, but that’s one thing I’m not - know how to be…can be if it’s really important…but these days the ‘ef’ word fits the bill. I need an appropriate and very descriptive expression of my inner frustration and outer hair pulling. And it’s use is probably good for my cardiovascular system.

My website seems to be on the mend after a three-week long ethersphere illness - not quite up to par but improving daily thanks to two hard-working professionals.

But you know, what really got to me was something so insignificant that it is ridiculous for me to even think about it. I entered a writing contest and received the critiques from four judges. Fortunately for me, I guess, the contest coordinators dropped the lowest score. I had three fab scores and one so low as to be an ‘ef’. If this was high school, I would have failed the class. I read the critique from the low scoring judge, figuring I might learn a thing or two. I learned, in reading this judge’s own words, that he or she was offended by my use of the ‘ef’ word, so offended, in fact, that she couldn’t read the story. Which makes me wonder why oh why did this person volunteer to read an erotic romance. Erotica is loaded with words, that in my opinion, are waaaaay worse than the ‘ef’ word.

Besides, the ‘ef’ word is a good, solid all-purpose Anglo-Saxon word with multiple levels of meaning and many appropriate uses. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t resort to the ‘ef’ word under the appropriate circumstances!

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I don’t have a release date, but I received some fabulous cover files from the artist at Cobblestone Press.

The results are stunning. She managed to get the visuals exactly right, from the bodies to the tattoo to the L.A. skyline.

Here’s a blurb for this work of romantic/suspense.

Security consultant Ben McCall is alone. His wife and unborn child are dead, victims of an assassination attempt meant for someone else. Grieving, he disappears. When his best friend is in danger Ben resurfaces, only to find his friend isn’t the target of a murderer, he is along with his sister Angel. On the night of his return, Ben unexpectedly comes face to face with a woman from his past. She needs his help. He learns that he needs hers even more.
Grace Adams is one of the walking wounded. Her husband died two years ago. One night she is incapacitated. A man comes to her aid. He’s the man she fell in love with years before, Ben McCall. As the passion between them reignites, Grace too becomes a target of the madman who stalks Ben. She, Angel and Ben must use their wits to stay alive as they fight a man desperate for revenge.

Coming soon!

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was kind enough to answer some questions for me.

I love the site: http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is amusing, irreverent, informative and it tops my daily must read blog list. When I emailed Sarah about an interview, I didn’t really expect a response. I figured…why would she bother? But sometimes you want to know a little about what’s behind the public persona. Here ya go!

I’ve read about you on your site, but I’d love to hear, in your own words, where you are coming from. I’d like a little background, nothing too personal, but…for instance, have you been reading since you were, say, three years old? Was reading valued in your family? What genres do you read? Only romance, or do you throw in some nonfiction, biographies, straight science fiction? Do you have a favorite all time book?

I learned to read late, and had a lot of trouble with it. I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t want to read or because of my eyesight or what, but I was moved backwards in reading groups and got it into my head that I wasn’t intelligent. This is how I discovered romance: when I saw the class valedictorian in high school reading a huge thick paperback, I got all angsty but worked up the nerve to ask what she was reading. It was Catherine Coulter, and she dragged me over to the romance paperback rack to tell me all about the different books. I was hooked from there.

Reading was valued in my family, but my tendency to go completely deaf and become completely absorbed into the book was not terribly valued or popular!

I read romance, mysteries, nonfiction, and a LOT about cooking and the science thereof. I don’t have an all-time favorite book but I have some that never lose their power with me:

Lamb, by Christopher Moore
The Duke and I, by Julia Quinn
Bitten, by Kelley Armstrong
Cry Wolf, Patricia Briggs
Charms for the Easy Life, by Kaye Gibbons

Be honest, do you read romance for the sex? Or do you read romance for the story? Or are both a must? How do you feel if a book has great sex, but the story sucks, or if the sex is merely insert tab a into slot b, but the story rocks? I would like to know what you think about the fact that romance/erotica has become increasingly graphic - both scenes and language - in recent years.

I absolutely do not read romance merely for the sex. I read for the story, the emotional power of a writer who can truly communicate the risk and fulfillment of a happy ending, knowing that no matter how bad the circumstances may become, it will all work out in the end. Sex is optional. I dislike it intensely when sex is, pardon the visual, wedged into the story for whatever reason. Sex is a complication, a form of progress or regression in a relationship - and its role or absence in a romance is important, but not the only reason I read.

I think erotica is popular for the same reasons that paranormal stories are popular: there are a lot of people who want to read them, and if that’s what someone wants to read, more power to ‘em. I think people should be able to read whatever they want, without comment or judgment.

How do you feel about authors who jump on the bandwagon, say switch from historical to steampunk or YA simply because it sells? Do their voices sound inauthentic, or can a very special artist successfully pull it off? Among the authors you’ve read or follow, who is able to switch voices and genres in a very satisfying way?

It always depends on the author. I don’t think a writer needs to be limited to any one subgenre. Many have written across genre lines and done marvelously well with it. Some haven’t. It depends on many factors, most of which rest on the talent of the writer.

Are vampires dead? LOL! Is the genre dead or is there life within it yet? Has it been done to death? Do you miss the good old days of bad vampires or do you like the new and improved versions? What about the shift to were-animals? Interesting? Not? I’ve skimmed a couple stories in which the characters have sex while in animal form and I’m not a big fan.

I’m very tired of vampires, personally. I am way over tales of angsty courtship with maudlin immortals. I do love were stories, particularly those that explore violence, anger, and gender roles, but I haven’t encountered many that feature graphic depictions of sex in animal form.

I may be taking my life into my hands here, but are you a Twilight fangirl, or would you prefer to say, no comment, and sparkle on your hard as marble merry way? Oh, and I must ask, Eric or Bill?

I read Twilight and gave it a D, but was very fascinated by the power and draw Edward as a character had and continues to have over a large group of fans. If folks are into Edward, they can sparkle on, though I wish they wouldn’t do creepy things like mail actors pictures of the hey nanner nanners because Lord that’s unnecessary. Eric or Bill? Neither, thanks!

Are you a BSG-er? Or perhaps you prefer Lost? Or are you more of a Thirty Rock kind of gal?

I’m a big ol’ loser in that question! My favorite shows to date are Bones and NCIS, and a few cooking shows I cannot get enough of. Sorry!

Tell me about your toughest post? I mean, what did ya’ll put on your website that drew the most ire or caused the most controversy? Do you ever back off because of controversy or do you dig in your heels and stick to your guns?

Toughest post? I honestly don’t know if there’s one that was hardest to write. I know the post I wrote after Kate Duffy died was among the most painful to write, because I wanted to say so much about her, and was afraid I wouldn’t say nearly enough.

The posts that drew the most controversy and ire were those that revealed the rampant plagiarism of Cassie Edwards. I didn’t think the story would get that much attention but it grew over the course of a week until The New York Times covered it in the weekend edition. We didn’t back off, though, even though a lot of mud was slung our way for being the bearer of unpleasant tidings.

Favorite meal/wine/do you cook? What do you think about fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies and would you like my insanely good recipe?

Favorite meal: it’s cold out, so soup with barley, please. Wine: cabernet or malbec are my current faves. And yes! Cookies! Bring it on!

Favorite weekend away? If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be and why?

Favorite weekend away? Anywhere with a beach and a book. And visiting: I’m absolutely hopping to go to Australia and New Zealand. Someday I will.

Anything else you’d care to share with my readers and your fans? Books? Movies? Politics?

I think the best part of running my website is the fact that I’m always meeting new and enthusiastic romance fans. I love how many intelligent, savvy people read romance and love to discuss it.

Thanks for answering my questions, Sarah. I have to come clean…I am an NCIS addict. Got it bad!

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Check out Lesli Richardson, over at her blog: http://www.leslirichardson.com/

Here’s the link for the original post…and I love the title - You Are Not A Special Snowflake!

http://leslirichardson.blogspot.com/2010/01/writing-how-to-you-are-not-special.html

She put together a marvelous, informative, coherent manifesto on how to do what we do best…write. I felt her blog was so important that I contacted her and asked her to elaborate on a few of her answers. She graciously agreed and took the time to get into a little more detail.

Thanks for having me! I appreciate you asking me to be here.

I don’t think any new writers are served by getting a pat on the head and false reassurances they can do it if they put their mind to it. There’s a lot more to it. On the other hand, the fact that it IS doable if a person wants to work hard for it-just like any other career path-should actually comfort them. There is no magic formula, just a lot of hard work.

A. It’s a lot of frakking work! When you talk about work, are you talking about the mere craft of writing or are you talking about writing, editing, putting yourself out there, risking failure and rejection yet persisting? Are you talking about promotion and contacting individuals who might be interested in your book despite knowing that they may never respond? For instance - not only writing books, but blogging, commenting on other blogs, asking for interviews and reviews, really stretching your comfort zone…

As slow as traditional publishers have been to embrace e-publishing, some writers have been even slower. I don’t understand why. Maybe it’s they feel cheated that they worked hard all those years just to have someone else come up from the ranks and make money the “easy” way. (HA! It’s NOT easy, believe me!)

If your goal as a writer is to make money, then you HAVE to write smart. If your goal as a writer is to write and be an artist and you don’t care if you publish or not, then go the self-publishing route through Lulu.com or someone like that, you’ll make about the same amount of money that way and can claim you’re “published.”

But just like the Edsel didn’t survive, neither will traditional publishing if they don’t shift their business paradigms. Let’s face it-Harlequin started Carina, they see the money they’re losing by not embracing e-publishing. They’re not the only one seeing the light. Over the next few years, I see the big publishers struggling for money and more readily embracing e-publishing now that the little guys have proven it’s more than doable, it can be profitable if an author wants to work hard.

But traditional publishers, despite bleeding red ink from their coffers, didn’t want to take the risk until someone else proved it could make money. Just like erotica, now lots of traditional publishers put out erotica lines. Now it’s e-publishing. We’ve proven there is a viable and rapidly growing market for it, especially as more people get smart phones like iPhones and BlackBerries that can double as e-readers (I use my BB as an e-reader when out and about and stuck in a line).

I’m not saying traditional publishing is dead. The old-fashioned publishing MODEL is dying, however. It cannot sustain itself in the current environment. It will have to change to embrace new technology and reader desires. Look at the current backlash among Kindle readers over windowing e-book releases after hardcovers. Publishers will be forced to start listening to their readers, because they will start losing those customers-and authors-to those readers. I’m surprised more A-list writers haven’t actively started self-publishing. Once you have name recognition, you don’t need to fight a distribution stream battle, you are automatically in the door. I think (and I’m not the only one who’s said this) that you’ll start seeing more writers becoming publishers and cutting agents and traditonal publishers right out of the mix.

Thanks, Lesli, for these words of wisdom!

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Katiebabs over at Babbling About Books gave me a nice review for Captured. Thanks, Katiebabs! Here’s a partial quote:

Julia Rachel Barrett really takes some chances with Captured, her science fiction romance. Mainly, because Mari is thought of as food. Her eventual love interest, Ekkatt even thinks of her like that at first, as well as the belief she’s a mindless animal. This is a major hurdle, but because Mari is a strong, smart and quick thinking, she’s able to save her life and change Ekkatt’s opinion, who comes to many new conclusions because of the way Mari is able to stand up for herself.

It took me a while for Ekkatt to grow on me because he is the type who goes along with the status quo. As soon as Mari gets under his skin, that’s when he really makes an impression. He is a bit innocent in his thinking as he tries to understand Mari. He has always assumed things were one way. It takes the redheaded Mari to open his eyes. Ekkatt then must grapple with breaking the rules he lives by, as well as his growing feelings for a creature that goes against everything he’s been taught. Once he’s willing to embrace these feelings, his love for Mari is wonderful. Mari introduces him to new ways of loving such as mouth kissing and using her mouth to pleasure other body parts Ekkatt was never aware of before. These scenes smolder in their intensity.

Ekkatt and Mari’s quest for a Utopian society becomes a very important part of Captured and one that you hope they both find before a certain enemy comes upon them and destroys their new found happiness.

Captured has an almost erotic feel to it, and Ekkatt and Mari’s love for one another is very believable and emotional. Julia has written a nice sold romance.

Check it out for yourself - she also gives a nice review to Stephanie Julian and Kiss of Midnight.

http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/2010/01/book-reviews-kiss-of-moonlight-and.html

I’m also interviewed today over at Love, Romances and More:

http://loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/2010/01/welcome-to-julia-rachel-barretts-guest.html

Check it out - I love your comments!

Announcement: Just received a call that Captured is a finalist in the Gotcha ! Contest. Wow. Check it out!

http://www.svrwa.com/gotcha

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A Guest Blog

http://www.loveromancepassion.com/

Come check my final stop on my virtual tour! You can win a copy of my romance/suspense - full length - Cara!

In other news, we have horizontal rain, wind, darkness…waiting for hail and locusts, possibly rivers running red with blood - and I had to walk my dog because he refuses to set foot in the backyard. Despite my layers, I was soaked to the skin within fifty yards. Oh well…fresh air.

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Come Visit.

You’ll find the link on my sidebar - every time I try to upload it here, it goes all funky on me! I’m blogging in Germany so get your passport and come visit! Totally a day behind thanks to work and the holiday!

In other news, my friend, the Goddess of Poetic Prose, Mia Watts, has a new release, Open Sesame. Her style makes me drool like Pavlov’s dog.

Alister Baban overheard a business discussion which netted him and his Uncle Cassimer a lot of money. When the Simsim Group stock crashes and declares bankruptcy within weeks, the owners immediately suspect the Babans of playing dirty.

Oz Adamo, one of four brothers who owned Simsim Group, agrees to abduct Alister to obtain information and win back the lost pensions of former employees.

Tied to a bed and lusting after his captor, Alister fights the sexual attraction he has for Oz. They want information and he isn’t about to give it. But Oz loves a good challenge and shrewd, serious, sexy Alister is naked and his—at least for now.

Cool excerpt:

He stood off to the side, forcing Alister to completely look away from the first three to see him. Like the others, he had an olive complexion with a head full of dark straight hair. This brother’s hair swept off his face to skim the top of his broad shoulders. Trimmed but unrelenting black brows slashed over his mahogany colored eyes with very little arch. The color reminded Alister of finely polished wood reflecting undertones of reddish tints. Like the sunlit glass of port had been spilled over one of Cassimer’s antiques.

Chiseled and angular, there was nothing pretty about him. He was beautiful, startling, in the way ancestry had selected the best traits and bestowed them on this man. Alister couldn’t help but stare. The white dress shirt had been rolled up his forearms, tucked neatly into charcoal slacks. He stood an inch taller than Cain, with a silence of conserved energy and motion. As Alister watched, the man folded his arms across his wide chest. Letting his gaze fall, Alister noticed the substantial disturbance in the line of the man’s slacks.

Buy link: http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/

Oh, Mia, you are so fucking good!

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Today’s Post Script

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKGKB5bc9DU

When it comes on, I run screaming from the room.

My daughters close their eyes and switch the channel.

My son has nightmares.

My sister is ready to send me one of those for forwarding her the commercial.

I heard my manly husband shriek like a little girl last night.

I sent it to my dad, can’t wait for his reaction!

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Definitely saving the world

one book at a time!

I got a sweet review from Teagan over at Bookwenches. She gave me 4.5 stars. I’ll quote part of the review:

Captured is such a pleasant surprise, that I find myself rethinking my previous feelings about romantic science fiction. I love science fiction, and I love romance but have never sought out the two together due to previous reading in this category that did nothing for me. Ms. Barrett has completely changed my mind. Captured is well-written, well thought out, and will have the reader in its grip throughout. When I started the book, it was a bit alarming since the writing pulled me in and made me think how I would feel if I was in Mari’s place. Her terror came across the pages but her level-headed thinking quickly made her survival instincts kick in. I love a strong female character.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone that is looking for an entertaining and heartfelt romantic science fiction. I am already a fan of Ms. Barrett, and she has just solidified that. I look forward to reading more of her work.

http://www.bookwenches.com/

I had this really bad dream that a reviewer put Captured on her do-not-buy list because she said my heroine, Mari, was TSTL. I woke up this morning and I couldn’t remember if I’d actually read that or if I dreamed it and it’s bugged me all day long. I am not especially fond of heroines who are TSTL and to my knowledge I’ve never written one. Of course, I also dreamed my husband said he wanted a separation for God only knows what reason, so I took off my wedding ring and threw it at him and I would have punched him in the side of his head, but the phone rang in real life…so I didn’t. Lucky him.

Watched Inglorious Bastards tonight - violent, irreverent, classic Quentin Tarantino. A for acting, B- for plot.

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With Romance Junkies!

http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog

A guest blog, a contest, and a promo for Captured!

Drop by and check it out. I love reading your comments.

On the heavier side, just finished watching Gran Torino, with Clint Eastwood. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect. One daughter didn’t like it. She claimed the acting was amateurish. The other daughter thought the movie was okay.

Baby girls, it was way more than okay. The acting wasn’t amateurish, it was real. Once again, just as occurred when I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, my eyes were riveted on the screen. Clint Eastwood, is, of course, riveting all by himself, but the Hmong actors were outstanding as well, the story heartrending. For me, the themes were personal. I work in neighborhoods like this. I have patients who are the spitting image of Walt Kowalski and I love them, while I have other patients who are part of a community just like the Hmong community of Thao Vang Lor. And I have to watch out for the gang bangers when I make my home visits.

Gran Torino, five stars out of five. Thanks, Mr. Eastwood.

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to post.

Gotta go earn a living…oh yeah…my other living. Sorry WIP!

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Susie, over at her site, The Geeky Bookworm,

which is a great name for a site, by the way, posted the cutest review of Captured. Maybe she was disappointed in the ending, but I did leave the door open for a sequel…

Check out her site on my sidebar.

Her site really is worth bookmarking - she’s got an awful lot of fun stuff going on.

Here’s a little of what she says:

The book starts a bit alarmingly. We wake up together with Mari in a room full of naked woman in cages, not only human ones but many different species, and two hunky men watching over them. First thing I thought was: OMG not the Stockholm syndrome again! But after that I thought: isn’t it greedy to have a whole ship of sex-slaves? But as it shows it’s not the way my dirty mind pictured it. The women aren’t kidnapped to being raped, their even worse future is being sold on the meat market. Yep, you read that right! There are species enjoying nothing more than a human steak. So ick!!!! But okay, we need a bad party in this book. Even worse for me was the attitude of the “smugglers”(who are vegetarians by the way- love that part). They think humans are nothing more than animals without any feelings and higher cognitive functions. You feel charmed already?

The Geeky Bookworm is a charming site! Thanks, Susie.

And many thanks to Erotic Romantic Crush Junkies for hosting my guest blog and contest yesterday. It’s not too late to leave a comment!

Announcements: Go check out my friend, Tina. http://www.tinadonahue.com/blog/

Read all about her new book, Deep, Dark and Delicious! Yum!

*A word about Haiti - relief supplies are arriving. The problem, as always in poor nations, is distribution. Don’t be fooled by fake charities asking for donations. Give to a well-established charity like the Red Cross that knows how to reach the people who need help. Thanks. Julia

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