Valentine’s Day Asteroid, Near Apocalypse?

Okay it’s the geek in me coming out and maybe I do watch waaay too much Big Bang Theory. Does the idea that an asteroid will pass close to earth on Friday bore you? Closer than some satellites? If that doesn't spark your interest, then you can skip this blog. If it does, read on: I love when science fiction becomes science fact.

Asteroid 2012 DA14 will fly by the earth on February 15^th traveling at 7.8 kilometers per second. That’s about eight times the speed of a bullet from a high powered rifle. Don't worry it will not hit. No apocalyptic event and nothing like the movie Armageddon! No need to eat of all your Valentine’s Day chocolates before Friday. But the asteroid will come about 17,100 miles from the planet’s surface, closer than some satellites. That’s very close.

 

Remember the distance from the earth to the moon is 238,900 miles! I can’t help but think how many times the astrophysics calculated and recalculated the path trajectory of this object to make sure they weren’t making a math mistake. Any slight error in their vector angle calculation and BOOM! Giant hole somewhere on earth.

If this asteroid were to hit—and it won’t—it would have the impact of 2.4 megatons of TNT. It would level trees over an area of 820 miles, about 2/3 the size of Rhode Island. This would be equivalent to the meteor event in Tunguska, Russia in 1908.

Meteorites enter earth’s atmosphere all the time but they’re very small (from grains of sand to fist-size) and may be seen as ‘shooting stars’. Most burn up before landing on the surface.

For the stargazers and telescope enthusiasts: Eastern Europe, Asia and Australia will have the best telescopic-aided view of the 2012 DA14 asteroid. Sadly, it can’t be seen by the naked eye. NASA please take lots of pictures and share!

 

Need a sexy Science Fiction romance where a natural event destroys a world and hunky guy steps in to rescue, but risks losing his love forever?

Dragon Witch by Ellora's Cave. It was a PRISM finalist.

 

 

How's Your New Weightloss/workout Going? #diet #exercise

How's your new workout and diet going so far? It's been over a month since most people have started that new diet and/or workout routine from their New Year's Resolution. Are you seeing results, or getting discouraged? I think I heard somewhere it takes at least three months for new habits to take hold so if you haven't started seeing results, hang in there. But also you may need to make some adjustments.

The following tips are from the people at Beachbody who give great advice on fitness and diet. They say one of the easiest ways to see quick results is to increase the percentage of protein in your diet.  The extra protein in your diet will also help curb your appetite when you're trying to cut back on calories. You do need some carbs especially when you're working out, because your workouts are fueled primarily by blood sugar and glycogen (stored carbs). Over time, you'll understand your own threshold balance between protein to carbs. If you're not seeing results: try to increase the intensity of your workouts, cut back on the carbs while increasing protein and vegetables in your diet. When you see the decrease in weight, keep at it until you reach your goal weight, then slowly introduce more carbs. When the weight starts creaping up again, that's your threshold. It's all about eating healthier and you may need to talk to your doctor if you have any health issues. This will help you eat healthier in the long run.
However, this high-protein phase should be just that: a phase. You'll reach a point at which you'll need to introduce more carbs back into your diet. If not, your body will tell you that you're depleting your stores of energy.

Here are some signs you need to start eating more carbs:

• Your overall progress starts to plateau
• You notice that your performance is suffering
• You're often (or always) tired
• You feel like you physically hit a wall during your workout (also known as "bonking")
• You throw up

Here are a couple breakfasts to try. You shouldn't skip breakfast. Most can be made in 15 minutes or less.

Breakfasts:

Goat Cheese, Tomato, and Parsley Scramble (Body Beast®)
These eggs are seasoned with the slightly tart flavor of goat cheese. The sweet tomatoes offer a delicious balance.
(Makes 1 serving)

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 dash sea salt
• 1 dash ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley (or 1 tsp. dried parsley)
• 1/4 cup crumbled soft goat cheese (1 oz.)

Preparation:

1. Combine eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; whisk to blend.
2. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add egg mixture; cook slowly, stirring frequently, until eggs are almost set.
3. Stir in tomato and parsley. Sprinkle with cheese; cook for 1 minute or until eggs are fully cooked.

Sagi's Variations: You can substitute the same amount of feta cheese for the goat cheese. You can use fresh basil, cilantro, or chives instead of parsley. You can use chopped zucchini, asparagus, or broccoli instead of tomatoes.
Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories	Fat	Saturated Fat	Cholesterol	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
303	23 g	8 g	385 mg	521 mg	6 g	2 g	4 g	19 g

Egg Sandwich with Canadian Bacon (ChaLEAN Extreme®)
Great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this sandwich pairs well with a simple green salad.
(Makes 1 serving)

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted
• 1/2 oz. Canadian bacon, warm
• 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Combine egg and egg white in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Set aside.
2. Heat medium nonstick skillet lightly coated with spray over medium heat. Add spinach; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted. Remove from skillet. Set aside.
3. Add eggs to skillet; cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until eggs are set.
4. Top toast with Canadian bacon, spinach, eggs, and cheese.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories	Fat	Saturated Fat	Cholesterol	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
246	10 g	4 g	206 mg	545 mg	16 g	4 g	2 g	24 g

Proatmeal (INSANITY®)
This high-protein oatmeal gets a flavor boost from fresh berries and walnuts. A great way to jump-start your day.
(Makes 1 serving)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen berries
• 1 scoop Beachbody® Whey Protein Powder, Chocolate or Vanilla flavor
• 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk (or unsweetened almond milk, rice milk, or soy milk)

Preparation:

1. Bring water to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oats; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Combine oatmeal, berries, Whey Protein Powder, and walnuts in a medium bowl; mix well.
3. Top with milk.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories	Fat	Saturated Fat	Cholesterol	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
299	8 g	2 g	37 mg	107 mg	33 g	6 g	14 g	26 g

5 Super-Quick Breakfasts:

Berry Healthy Cereal
3/4 cup high-protein, whole-grain cereal (such as Kashi® Go Lean) topped with 1 cup nonfat milk and 1/2 cup berries
Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 266, Protein: 13 g, Fat: 3 g, Carbs: 50 g
Cottage Cheese On-the-Go
1 cup 1% cottage cheese served with 1 medium apple, or 1 medium pear, or 1 cup cubed melon, or 1 cup berries
Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 257, Protein: 28 g, Fat: 3 g, Carbs: 31 g
Crunchy Greek Yogurt
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt with 3/4 cup high-protein, whole-grain cereal (such as Kashi® Go Lean) mixed in
Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 285, Protein: 23 g, Fat: 3 g, Carbs: 45 g
The Hulk Greentealogy
1.5 scoops (or 1-1/2 packets) Greenberry Shakeology® blended with 1 Tbsp. matcha green tea powder, 1 Tbsp. all-natural peanut butter, 1/2 cup nonfat milk, 1 cup water, and 1/2 cup ice (optional)
Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 377, Protein: 32 g, Fat: 9 g, Carbs: 44 g
Yogo Berry
1 scoop (or 1 packet) Greenberry Shakeology blended with 1 cup strawberry halves, 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt, 1 Tbsp. raw honey, 1 cup nonfat milk, and 1/2 cup ice (optional)
Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 401, Protein: 32 g, Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 69 g

**Good luck on your workouts and healthy eating routines. What's your favorite workout? Dh is training for his first 5K run this year.












 

Good to Great: A Writer's Path to Excellence #amwriting

 

Good is the enemy of Great. Have you found yourself saying: This is good enough? Then you have work to do. How does a writer cross the threshold from GOOD to GREAT? What does it take to become a winner and a success? What do top-selling authors, successful business people, and Olympic athletes have in common? Are they just lucky or is there something else?

Next Saturday, February 9^th, I’ll be giving a workshop at the Pocono Lehigh Romance Writers (www.plrw.org ) on this topic and I thought I’d give a little introduction on the topic.

While taking an online class with Bob Mayer a while ago, I was surprised to see NY Times bestselling author Susan Mallery also taking the class. She has published well over 100 novels and is a huge success, why was she taking this class? At one point in the class, I made a comment saying I felt my writing was good but not great. I was trying to figure out how to make it great. I was thrilled to get a private email from Susan. She recommended a book: “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. I asked her why she was taking this class when she was so successful. She said the key to becoming a great writer is always striving to be better. There’s always something to learn, even after 100 or 200 books.

When a NY Times bestselling author recommends a book on how you can become a great writer or gives you any advice: LISTEN!! I did and bought the book and audio. I continue to listen to it in my car over and over. Since then, I’ve found other personal development books/audio. I listen to them and read 10 pages a day. They give me the drive and focus to set goals. In addition, I also read writing How To books and take workshops and online classes.

I’m signed up for Angela James 3-week workshop Before You Hit Send, a self-editing class starting February 11. http://nicemommy-evileditor.com/before-you-hit-send/

 

Here are a couple tips for becoming a GREAT writer: I’ll add more tips in future posts.

·         Create a Stop Doing List. Great authors don’t spend all their time on what TO DO, but focus on what TO STOP DOING. Create a STOP DOING LIST. Find more time for the important things, like writing.

·         The Black Hole of the Internet. Have your ever tracked the time you spend on the internet? Facebook, Tweeting, email, texting, etc.? Yes, authors have to do promotion but there must be a balance. Go to: http://www.online-stopwatch.com/ when you get onto FB or Twitter and clock your time. You may think you only spend 15 minutes, but it may be 2 hours. Clock your actual writing time too. Pause the clock if you get up to get a drink, use the bathroom, etc. Tracking your time helps to keep you focused.

·         Discipline people, discipline thought, discipline action=Success!!

And that’s one step for becoming GREAT!!

·         Set goals. Goals are dreams with deadlines. Write them down!

 

Good is the enemy of great because it’s the path of least resistance. Do you want to be a good writer or a great writer? What steps are you taking?

Recommended read: Damned & Defiant #amreading #erotic

Review for Damned and Defiant by Gravetells Reviews

~Gives 4 Hearts and Recommended read~

http://gravetells.com/2013/01/22/damned-and-defiant-demons-in-exile-3-by-kathy-kulig

Memorable Quotes in the novel:
There's just something about her that made her different from all the rest...
He couldn't leave her. He didn't know why but he couldn't do it.
The moment when everything he's ever been taught goes out the window...
A Drone is created to seduce and collect chi, not resist advances. Did he even have the power to resist?
Being a mortal isn't for everyone...
Everything he ever loved as a mortal had been taken from him. The horror of near death was an experience he didn't want to repeat. He couldn't stay, and he couldn't take Haley with him.
Amazon: Link
BN: Link

Intro to Haley, Heroine in Damned and Defiant:

Haley was a fun character to write. She’s from what some people would call the wrong side of the tracks. People have called her dirt road trailer park trash. Can’t get much lower than that. She also comes from tragedy which is revealed in Damned and Defiant. She’s determined to escape that label, escape her past and make a life and name for herself and gain respect. She’s defiant about it. Dante, the hero and demon is also defiant in his goals, but are his goals the right ones? Haley challenges him, makes him face himself and go to the dark places he doesn’t want to go. Haley discovers that she too, can’t hide from her dark past.

Haley claims to have psychic abilities. Some of her skills include seeing auras and horse whispering. In Texas, she worked with horses and knows them well. Dante needs a horse whisperer so he can bring his horses into his demon world.

The few friends she’s made in Sedona thinks she’s a bit quirky and don’t necessarily believe in her psychic abilities but she’s well liked, a hard worker and has a big heart.  

Dante knows differently when it comes to her psychic skills. He detects that she has exceptional powers, many have yet to be developed. Haley is what his kind call a Sha Warrior—a mortal with naturally high essence of lifeforce energy. A gold mind for the demons of his world. The demons need to collect lifeforce energy in order to survive and Haley has a fountain of energy. It’s like the life-blood for vampires. Dante is torn between his feelings for her and using her source of power for his kind. Other demons want her for their own personal gain.

Haley may seem a bit flighty but she has guts. She’s a survivor and when she knows what she wants, she has a defiant will and courage to fight for it.

Blurb: Mortal women surrender to Dante’s seductions. He is a Drone, an immortal who feeds off their lifeforce energy—the chi that keeps his kind alive. When his dimension is on the edge of destruction, Dante must seek the help of one special woman.

Haley Moore is a Sha Warrior—a mortal with excess lifeforce energy. She has always had a strong attraction to Dante and when they meet again he thinks luck is on his side because his quota of chi energy would be obtained after one scorching scene with this mortal. But the problem is that he is overwhelmingly attracted to her and once with this woman won’t be enough.

Haley tries to draw out the man buried deep within the demon. Their fierce, undeniable passion unravels his plans and threatens her life. Can Dante bear to abandon her when he leaves Earth forever? Dante will have to choose whether to return to his world or to give up his immortality and share his future with Haley.

10 Ways to Meet Hot Guys, #Dating #Romance

10 Ways to Meet Hot Guys, #Dating, #Romance

Do you feel that men misrepresent themselves on those dating sites? Does the idea of getting back into the dating world after several years sound as enticing as getting a root canal? The dating world at any age can be challenging and frustrating. Here are 10 suggestions, and maybe a few extras.

1.           One of the best ways to meet guys is through friends or coworkers. Ask around if they know someone. Check through your friends Facebook page. If you find a single guy on their page, ask your friend about them. Is his profile private? Ask to be introduced. Since FB isn’t an online dating site, the pressure is off. It’ll give you a chance to chat and get to know each other first.

2.           Keep informed on current events. Seriously. CNN, NPR, MSNBC, etc. Subscribe to http://theweek.com for an quick breakdown of the week’s hot news stories. Smart in-the-know girls are appealing to men. Makes it easy to start up a conversation too.

3.           Tweet a date. Send a Tweet that you’re meeting friends at a popular pub. “Tell your followers”. You may get to meet new people and have something to talk about if you follow #2.

4.           Don’t be afraid to go to a movie, sushi bar, coffee shop, etc. alone. Why? Men are put off by a pack of women. But a friendly looking, happy woman alone is more open and approachable. Hang out at a Starbucks with your laptop, take a walk in a park.

5.           Party invitation solo? Yes! Don’t turn down an opportunity to meet people like going to a party because you’re alone. Same holds for going to a wedding.

6.           Get active. Join a hiking, biking, or other sport club or team. Learn to scuba dive. You may not meet someone on the team but the people you’re with may KNOW single men.

7.           Take a class. Local colleges offer adult education classes on all kinds of topics. Pick something that you think men might enjoy. (Probably not How to Knit scarves) Libraries also have lectures.

8.           If you still want to try online dating. There are other offbeat site. Glamour magazine suggests you search: Online dating plus your favorite hobby. Some examples: www.gk2gk.com (geek to geek). www.intellectconnect.com (for intellectual singles). www.datemypet.com (pet lovers).

9.           Increase your circle of female friends. Women are natural matchmakers and you can never have too many friends.

10.        Sporting events. Small local ones. Men have softball leagues. Check out the local games and baseball diamonds in your area.

11.        Comedy or acting classes. If you’re the outgoing type. If not, try a scriptwriting class, or film making class.

12.        Business conferences and seminars. Improve your own working skills while meeting new people and potential dates.

13.        Sci-Fi conventions. These might the slightly geeky type if that’s okay.

14.        Car or boat shows. Easy way to start a conversation: “Hey, nice car.”

Please share your suggestions. Dating can be fun but it does take time, patience and a good sense of humor doesn’t hurt. Keep positive. Many times that special someone appears when you least expect it.

Menage Romance 2013 Fan Choice Awards

http://marywhispers.blog.com/?p=1302

 

 Do you love menage romance? Here's your chance to VOTE for your favorite. Mary Naughty's Whispers is hosting the awards and there will be prizes for fans and awards for the best books.

 

Nominate your favorite author and book!

 

From January 5th to 31st Nominate your favorite author and book using the form at this LINK 



Nominations will close on January 31st at midnight and on February 2-28th you can VOTE (poll) your favorite.

 

*Date of publication for book nominated must be between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012.

 

Here is what you'll need to make a nomination:

•  Author First Name (*)
•  Author Last Name (*)
•  Title of Menage story (*)
• Series with #  (if applicable)
• Publisher (optional)
• URL direct buying link (optional)  
• (*) are mandatory 

Winners will be announced on March 1st!

 

If you'd like to be a sponsor of the event please send an email to Mary at: menagereviewer  @gmail.com or patriciambates  @gmail.com  No spaces. With "Sponsor Menage Romance 2012 Fan's Choice Awards Nominations" in the subject line. All sponsors will get a special banner and link back to their websites during the contest. 

 

Disclaimer: All information collected is solely for the purpose of the award and will not be kept, loaned out, borrowed or sold in any other manner shared. Prizes are awarded based upon the votes of peers.

 

Prizes to win for each category:

 

Best Contemporary Menage

Best Vampire Menage

Best Shapeshifter Menage

Besst Western/Cowboy Menage

BDSM Menage

Light Bondage Menage

Sci Fi Menage

Fantasy/Supernatural/Paranormal Menage

Historical/Time travel Menage

Multicultural/Interracial Menage

Full-figured Heroines Menage

Holidays Menage

Menage in a Series

Best Straight Menage

Best Bisexual/Transexual menage

 

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR/BOOK HERE

 

I'll be giving away copies of my menage stories: Secret Soiree and Spring Break and the print anthology Work and Play

 

   

 

 



A Perfect Way to Start the New Year

Author and good friend Autumn Jordon is starting the year off with a BANG!! She has lots to celebrate. Her new Christmas release: PERFECT recently hit the Amazon Best Seller's list.
Here's Autumn's words on how she ended up writing this fabulous story. If you need a feel good story, check it out.

My life has been in a funk the last few years, to say the least. Sometimes, I don’t know which way I’m going and for what reason. I’m sure many of you, if not all, have had times when you’ve felt the same way.

Several months ago, after some heart-wrenching news, I opened my file to continue work on my next romantic suspense—because you need to keep putting one foot in front of the other, you know— and the words simply weren’t there. Tears rolled down my cheeks and my chest was so tight with pain. My fingers were stilled on my keyboard. I just couldn’t bring myself to write and put someone in danger. I needed laughter and love in my life at that moment. So, I did what any sane writer should do. I closed my romantic suspense file and started a new work. It was the best thing I could’ve done.
I found myself submersed in the lives of one down-on-her-luck Charleston, S.C. restaurateur and one yummy maple tree farmer who had one goal.

No. Not to fall in love.

After totally screwing up Thanksgiving, Dylan’s goal is to make Christmas special for his two, small nieces whose parents were deployed overseas and would be absence for the holidays. However, when Darcy Witherspoon arrives in Black Moose, Vermont, his thoughts do turn to the forever kind of love that suddenly seems apparent all around him. My fingers flew across the keyboard, and with my crazy-ass schedule in a little over six weeks I wrote the end to my new holiday novella, PERFECT.

Now, some might question whether writing a contemporary holiday novella, with not a suspenseful word in it, will dilute my brand as a romantic suspense author. BRAND seems to be big a BIG word in the publishing world—a rule of sorts for marketing. To them I say, “I don’t know. I like reading both. Maybe, I’ll bring a non-romantic suspense reader over to the darker side.” And, actually, I think I’m marketing myself—a unique writer with many likes.

All I know is if I hadn’t written PERFECT, I might still be sitting in front of my laptop, getting frustrated, and perhaps depressed because I needed happy, happy and wasn’t listening to my own needs. Instead, I went with my gut, finished a novella that made me chuckle, and while doing so, the oddest thing happened. Near the end of PERFECT my muse turned back to my unfinished romantic suspense.  I’m now ready to dive back into the second of the C.U.F.F series with renewed enthusiasm. I hope to finish the rough draft during the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood’s Winter Writing Fest. ( http://www.rubyslipperedsisterhood.com/mark-your-calendars-the-ruby-winter-writing-festival-is-on-its-way/ )

I truly believe if you listen and give yourself what you need, in the end you will be a much happier person.

To find out more about Autumn Jordon and her books: http://www.autumnjordon.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Autumn-Jordons-Fan-Page/316852659005?ref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJORDON
Blog: http://autumnjordonsnotes.blogspot.com/