The Never Ending Meme!

Amy C tagged me for this meme. Whew, it's the never-ending list because you add a question at the end!

1. What is your occupation?
Housekeeper, Accountant, Nurse, Cook, Tutor, Chauffeur, Personal Assistant (to husband), Elder Care Giver (to my father-in-law), Landscaper/Gardener, Entertainment Director, Party Planner, Therapist (what? I have a teenage girl!).... did I miss something?

2. What color are your socks right now?
Not wearing any but if I were they would be white.

3. What are you listening to right now?
My husband playing guitar.

4. What was the last thing that you ate?
An amazing meal at a local Indian restaurant with friends from out of town. So delicious.

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
Yes. I learned on one and even took my driver's license test on one. It was all my family had.

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Mauve.  I asked my family. Husband said mauve and both girls said pink, so be it.

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
My contractor.

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
Very much so.

9. Favorite drink?
Coffee.

10. What is your favorite sport to watch?
Tennis or The Olympics.

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
Once in college.

12. Pets?
Four cats: Peekaboo, Noel, Mona and Gigi

13. Favorite food?
Ice cream. It is my weakness.

14. Last movie you watched?
Dan In Real Life. Very good movie. A bit predictable, but very enjoyable.

15. Favorite Day of the year?
The sunny ones. And the snowy ones. 

16. What do you do to vent anger?
Mostly I rant to whoever is around. Sometimes I do whatever I'm doing a little more roughly. Then I cry.

17. What was your favorite toy as a child?
My baby dolls.

18. What is your favorite, fall or spring?
No answer. That's like asking a mom who her favorite child is! The bottom line is that I love the change of seasons.

19. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs and kisses from my husband or children. Hugs from anyone else.

20. What kind of pie?
Yes. Oh, wait. I have to pick just one? It's a tie between Blueberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Apple. With ice cream, of course. Ooo! Or pumpkin pie! Argh! I can't pick one.

21. Living arrangements?
I live in a house with my husband, two daughters, elderly father-in-law and four cats.

22. When was the last time you cried?
Friday afternoon because of the idiots in my town's building department who are on some pathetic power trip, making my application for construction a grueling process and delaying it by weeks just because they can. Even my contractor says their actions are becoming abusive. Assholes.

23. What is on the floor of your closet?
Plastic containers of various craft supplies. Mostly for cross stitching.

24. Favorite smell?
My grandmother's rose garden.

25. What inspires you?
People who overcome adversity. Or at least strive to.

26. What are you afraid of?
Losing my husband or children.

27. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
Cheese!

28. Favorite car?
My powder blue VW bug I had in college. It was so me.

29. Favorite cat breed?
The regular ones you can adopt at animal shelters. :)

30. Number of keys on your key ring?
Four

31. How many years at your current job?
Thirteen years, four months, eighteen days. 

32. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday.

33. How many states/provinces have you lived in?
One.

34. How many countries have you been to?
Three. USA, Mexico, and Canada. I've also been to Bermuda, but it's a British overseas colony, not a country.

35. How much do you love "Knowing Me, Knowing You" by ABBA?
I don't know it very well.

36. The name of the first person you kissed (romantically)?
Marcus Allen. Or was his name Allen Marcus? Huh.

37. Are you the oldest child, youngest child, middle or only?
I was the middle child. Only girl.

38. Last book you read?
Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon

39. Favorite flavor of ice cream:
Vanilla. So I can add my own various toppings to mix up the flavor. Like chocolate, peanut butter, berries, peaches, nuts, coconut, crushed cookies, etc.


Ok, now it is my turn to tag two people. I tag dd03, DarlingDiva. I'll also tag Katiebabs because good things come in threes. No worries if you don't want to play. If you do, don't forget to ask your own new question! :)

Just Peachy

I love ThePioneerWoman.com. I learned about the site earlier this summer from Jaci Burton who mentioned it on her blog because of a post she read on Kwana's blog--who's post that day was inspired by The Pioneer Woman. Don't you just love the power of blog hopping? ;) Anyway, I think I spent over an hour that day getting lost in The Pioneer Woman's website, and now it's part of my daily blog visits. I could spend a whole post just gushing over this site that I find heart warming, inspirational, educational and often very amusing, but instead I suggest you just go spend a few minutes at the site and poke around on your own. Even if the content of the blog is not your cup of tea, you can't deny the fact that Ree--who is the Pioneer Woman--is an amazing photographer. I'm constantly mesmerized by how well captures the beauty of her life and her loved ones on film. So much so that mesmerization has turned to inspiration. 

My first Pioneer Woman inspired post . . . Confessions of a Suburban Woman? ;p

Earlier this week, my girls and I headed out to a local farm to go peach picking. We got our basket from the farm stand and started our way up the hill to the orchard. Of course, you're never too old or too much a suburbanite to not say hello to the farm animals. Or should that be the other way around? 

Hello beautiful white rooster. 

 

Hello beautiful peacock. 

Enough pleasantries. Time to get to the orchard and pick some peaches . . . 

Deciding on the perfect specimen.

She chooses.

She picks. And inspects. 

And goes to put it in the basket. The basket? The basket! The one that I left at the bottom of the hill back by the farm stand when I stopped to take pictures of the rooster and peacock. Yours truly sets off to retrieve the basket. 

In the meantime, a pile in the grass will do. 

(this photo taken by Maria).

Look at this beauty! And the peach look good, too! ;)

I think she's inspecting for bugs. 

Sometimes a little teamwork is required to get that perfect peach.

And sometimes the reward is more than the fruit itself. 

Life is just peachy . . . 

Night Huntress Cover Art

Jeaniene Frost, NY Times and USA Today best selling author of the Night Huntress series has just revealed the cover art for her upcoming novel, At Grave's End and it is absolutely stunning!



It gets even better. The inside cover stepback features the hero, Bones in an embrace with our heroine, Cat Crawford.


The current release date for At Grave's End is December 28, 2008, which is perfect for this novel and as it is set in Canada on New Year's Eve. I can't wait to read this book!!!

Visit Jeaniene's blog HERE for more info including the blurb from the back of the book. Jeaniene's website is also really great and includes even more information about the author and the Night Huntress world.

In case you're not familiar with Jeaniene Frost's work, The Night Huntress series is a paranormal romance series that follows the adventures--and sometimes misadventures--of half human, half vampire Cat Crawford, the feisty and somewhat naive vampire slayer and her lover, the powerful and sexy vampire, Bones. The first two Night Huntress novels are Halfway to the Grave and One Foot in the Grave. Halfway to the Grave was one of my Favorite Books of 2007 and you can read my review of One Foot in the Grave HERE.

Monday is Chapter Day at Romance Book Wyrm

My friend Amy has been a romance reader for several years and has recently had a book of her own, Bound by Magic, a paranormal erotica story, published with Red Rose Publishing. She has also been writing the sequel titled Bound by Fate. In addition, she has recently finished writing a story from a different world, Spirits Unveiled which will be self published with LULU.com.

Amy has recently realized, however, that while she enjoys writing stories, she doesn't enjoy any of the parts that follow the creative writing process in order to get published. For her, the best and most rewarding part of writing--aside from the creative outlet of the writing process itself--is the feedback she gets from her friends when she shares her stories. So she has decided to leave the stress of publishing behind and focus on the fun--simply sharing her stories with her friends, which she will do on her blog Romance Book Wyrm.

Amy will be posting one chapter at a time every Monday on her blog starting today with her story Spirits Unveiled. Here is the cover art and the story blurb to whet your appetite:

Raina fears not the enemy she liberates, but a threat from her own clan. The intensity of their attraction tastes of destiny, and together they will right a terrible wrong.

In a land where people carry within themselves an animal spirit lives four clans; Bear, Wolf, Hawk and Tiger.

Darien, leader of the Wolf clan, finds himself captured and imprisoned by his enemy, the Bear clan.

Emotionally battered her entire life, Raina, daughter of the Bear clan leader, fears a forced marriage to a horrid man looming in her future. A plan forms--free the prisoner in exchange for his protection to find her safety.

Inexplicably drawn to each other, Darien struggles with his inner yearnings. They are from rival clans. Yet with every touch, every heated kiss, he is unable to deny what his body craves.

Secrets and visions are revealed and hope lies within Darien and Raina if they can only embrace who they truly are, for the Spirits have destined the two to make right a terrible wrong that took place a thousand years ago.

Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Click HERE to go read the first chapter of Spirits Unveiled now.

Be sure to join me in making Amy's blog one of your routine blog stops on Monday mornings and sample some of her work. It's free, it's fun, and what better way to start your week than with a fun and sexy read?

If you enjoy Amy's stories, you can purchase her first novella, Bound By Magic at Red Rose Publishing HERE. You can read reviews of Bound By Magic at Night Owl Romance here and at Paranormal Romance Reviews here.

Win $200 Worth of Books!

Want a chance to win $200 worth of books from the bookseller of your choice?

Of course you do!

Then enter this amazing contest from the book contest diva, author extraordinaire, and the really cool Ann Aguirre!

[By the way, I happen to know she's really cool, not only from frequenting her blog, but also because I met Ann in July! I completely neglected to blog about a really fun evening I had last month when Ann organized an author-reader rendez vous during her stop over in the NY Metro area. About fifteen readers, bloggers, aspiring authors, and authors met with Ann for dinner and conversation at Dallas BBQ in Manhattan. I had a wonderful time talking with everyone, especially Ann who is so very smart, witty, friendly and down to earth. Now she's on my favorite person list as well as my favorite author list. :) ]

Back to the contest . . .

Ann Aguirre, author of Grimspace--the exciting, action packed sci fi romantic adventure of space jumper Sirantha Jax-is giving away $200 worth of books to one lucky reader. All you need to do is purchase Ann's upcoming novel and sequel to Grimspace--Wanderlust-- either by pre-order any time or in a bookstore on its release date this coming Tuesday, August, 26, 2008. Then post your order number or your receipt number from your bookstore receipt in the comment section of the contest post on her blog to be entered in the drawing.

Be sure to visit Ann's blog HERE for further contest details.

You must enter before midnight on September 2, 2008.

Hesitating because you haven't yet read Grimspace? Buy both Grimspace and Wanderlust next week! You won't be disappointed reading this tale of futuristic interplanetary politics, space adventures and the touching relationships of Jax and her crewmates. Especially her new found love and pilot, March. Ann keeps the action rolling nonstop and the intricacies of the plot continue to unfold right to the very end.

ADVANCED REVIEWS of Wanderlust:

Katie(babs) at Ramblings on Romance

Kmont at Lurv à la Mode

Azteclady at It's My Blog and I'll Say What I Want To

Kimberly at Darque Reviews

REVIEWS of Grimspace:

Jane at Dear Author

Katie(babs) at Ramblings on Romance

Azteclady at It's My Blog and I'll Say What I Want To

(even though it's not Azteclady's blog LOL)

Kimberly at Darque Reviews

Ana at The Booksmugglers
Thea at The Booksmugglers

Cross (stitch) My Heart

I started cross stitching the summer after I graduated college (i.e., a long time ago). I used to spend my lunch hours cross stitching at my desk and one day a young woman with whom I was acquainted stopped to talk to me when she saw me stitching. It turns out that she had recently picked up cross stitching, too, and we quickly became friends. We started out exchanging patterns and visiting cross stitch shops together, and before we knew it, we were the best of friends. In fact, three years later she was the bridesmaid in my wedding.   

While visiting Jace's blog at Jace Scribbles the other day, I came across a post in which Jace shared some pictures of a cross stitch project she was working on and I became inspired. I decided it was time to revisit some unfinished projects of mine.

When I first started stitching all those years ago, I made so many beautiful wedding, baby, anniversary and housewarming samplers as gifts for friends and family, but never made anything for myself. When my first daughter was born, I finally managed to stitch a birth sampler for my own home. I thought I had a birth sampler started for my second daughter, but I can't find one. I'll stitch one for her. Hopefully before she graduates high school. 

She's nine now. 

At one point, I started the love sampler below that would be for my and my husband's 10th wedding anniversary, but didn't manage to pull that together in time. 

This is what the final project should look like:  

(Of course with our names and wedding date stitched in .... )

Pattern by Bent Creek.

This is what I have so far: 

(click on the photo for enlarged view)

And you know, I just missed finishing it for our 15th wedding anniversary-- because, well, we just celebrated that today. [Okay, how'd that happen? One day we were newlyweds, and then Poof! Here we are married for 15 years!  ]  

I have come up with a new deadline, though. Since we are doing an addition to our house which includes a new master bedroom, I am going to finish this sampler--and have it framed-- before we are ready to spend our first night in our new love shack bedroom.  

This is another unfinished project that I started even earlier than the love sampler. This one I will try to finish in time to hang in my future renovated kitchen. 

(click on photo for enlarged view)

Can you believe that? I got stuck on R for Rooster. I only have S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z left! 

Who else cross stitches or does any other form of embroidery or needle crafts? 

What about any other craft projects like beading or jewelry making?

Scrapbooking or stamping? 

(I have a friend who makes beautiful homemade cards). 

Decoupage? Paper mache? 

Basically, what's your craft thing?

Romance in the Olympic Commercial Breaks

The 2008 Olympic Games have been the center of family life in my household for the last week and a half, starting with the amazing opening ceremonies on August 8. Every night we gather in front of the screen and watch the games with rapt attention until the late hours of the night. Even my teenager wants to be home every night to watch the games. I love it! :)

We've been allowing the girls to stay up until midnight or later to watch the games, which means they're sleeping late every morning. It's going to be really tough getting them back to normal sleep schedules for school in two weeks, but I don't really care. I'm really enjoying this quality family time right now. By the time the next Summer Olympics rolls around in 2012, the girls will be 17 and 13 and I'm thinking they might not want to sit home with mom and dad every night for two weeks then.

Anyway, with all the hours spent watching the Olympic Games every night, we've also watched a lot of commercials. But there's one commercial that I absolutely adore. It's the GE Healthcare Re-imagined (China) commercial. Have you seen it? 

Romance with a happily ever after.  My favorite kind. 

I love the music, too. It's from the last minute or so of the song "In Summer" by Cao Fang. 

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer: A Mom & Daughter Chat

My daughter and I have both read the Twilight Saga novels by Stephenie Meyer over the last two years and just recently we've both finished reading the latest and last novel in the series, Breaking Dawn. There are numerous reviews of Breaking Dawn available on the internet by now, so my daughter and I decided to do something a little different and post an IM discussion we had about the book.

C: is Christine, the *beep* year old Mom. ;p

M: is Maria, the 13 year old daughter.

WARNING: THIS CHAT CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!!

AIM IM with Maria 8/17/08 9:18 PM
C: hi
M: why hello, christine.
C: lol very funny
M: ha ha.

C: look we have matching icons

C: you copied me

M: lol mine's better

C: uh. no
C: mine's better
M: suit yourself mum
C: brb gotta get ur sis a bowl of cereal
M: otay
C: ok i'm back
C: shall we get started?
M: sure im multitasking so dont worry if i dont respond right away. is that ok
C: lol yes. i'm sure your sister will interrupt us a few more times.
M: kk
C: plus i'm watching the olympics
M: kk
C: let's start with the first part of BD told from Bella's perspective
M: okey dokey
M: What did you think of Bella's wedding??
C: it was okay. i didn't think Bella was so into it.
M: Yeah she just wanted to get it over with. Kinda like she was just doing it for the benefits afterwards.
C: i agree. i think if the whole vampire thing wasn't there, she would have waited till after college.
C: do you think she just agreed to the wedding so Edward would turn her to a vampire?
M: Yeah.
M: def. :]
C: the best part of the wedding was when Jacob showed up
M: Yeah I know! I was so sad when he had to leave.
C: I loved that scene. I loved the dialogue between Jacob and Bella when they were dancing.
C: He made me cry. :(
C: I heart Jacob. :D
M: Me too. As soon as he showed up I cried.
C: Me too.
C: I also liked the part when Bella and Edward tell Charlie they're getting married.
C: It was rather charming.
C: And the tone of the scene was reminiscent of the earlier books. I liked it.
M: Yes! Charlie and Edward said some of the funnies things in the book in that scene. Like that quote about not hanging up his gun. What was that again?
C: Edward wanted to start to talk to Charlie right away, but Bella protested and told Edward to wait until Charlie hung up his gun.
C: That was funny.
M: Yeah. Bella and Edward have really cute conversations. Were you surprised they slept together on the honeymoon?
C: No. They were married, so I figured it was going to happen.
C: Were you surprised?
M: Yeah, at first, I didn't really know it was happening until they started talkin in the water. Which reminds me, I wish Esme Island existed!
C: LOL I'm sure there are places like that in the world.
M: Haha :] I laughed when the pillows were ripped up in the morning
C: I thought that was kind of silly.
C: I was disappointed that it was written such that Edward actually hurt Bella.
C: I wanted Edward to have more control.
C: I expected him to.
M: I thought it was realistic. He didn't hurt her on purpose he just.... huged(?) her too tightly.
C: hugged*
M: :]
C: I know. I just don't think it was necessary.
C: so were you surprised that Bella got pregnant right away?
M: YES! Omg, I almost thought I was reading the wrong book! Lol... But I can see how Stephenie wanted the story to go that way.

C: Yeah... the whole pregnancy birth infant toddler thing seemed awfully rushed.
C: Don't you think it was unrealistic that they didn't even think they could possibly conceive?

C: Bella --as a human-- should have asked if it were possible
M: I think Bella would've thought of the question if it hadn't happened so quickly. I was surprised at Edward though, because he always worries about little things and this thing was big...
C: Edward-- as the ever so knowledgeable and overly cautious about EVERYTHING with Bella, didn't once wonder if he could get a human pregnant?
C: Oh I think Bella knew they were going to have sex on their honeymoon
M: Yeah.
C: she wanted to since Eclipse.
M: Since Twilight! Haha... just kidding.
C: Haha. She still should've thought about birth control.

M: Yeah.

M: I thought it was really cool that Jacob became Alpha of his new pack. He deserves that.,
C: oh yeah... lets move on to Jacob's part
C: My favorite part in this whole monster of a book was Jacob's part
M: Haha, not my favorite but I did enjoy it,
C: Really? I thought Jacob's voice was the only one that rang true to his character in the whole book.
M: You're right about that... But the storyline was more interesting in Bella Part III
C: slow down! I want to talk about Jacob!!! LOL
M: Okay. LOL
C: I liked the scene when Jacob came to see Bella at the Cullen's house.
C: And he came to see what was right... about Bella and the Cullens. That they were good people and didn't deserve to die just for existing.
M: Agreed.
C: And when he went back to his pack and realized he just couldn't be part of them any longer.
M: I was so proud!
C: I could feel Jacob's turmoil
C: I was, too! But I was so proud that he followed his instincts about what was the right thing to do
C: JACOB was the hero in this book
M: Yeah... Good wolf.
C: from beginning to end he did heroic things when everyone else was careless
M: Look who's Team Jacob. :]
C: ME! :D
C: Were you surprised that Seth followed him?
M: No, I've always thought Seth was kind of like Jacob. Loyal, but still stays true to what he believes in. You know what I mean?
C: Yes. Seth is a good pup. I like him.
M: He's my favorite wolf besides Jacob.
C: I was surprised that Leah followed them at first. But it turned out to be perfect for them
M: Yeah. I could see how she followed because of her past with Sam.
C: Yeah. That was sad when she talked to Jacob about that... and when she explained to Jacob that she understood Bella and Rosalie's position on the pregnancy.
That was such a great discussion. I totally admired Leah after that.
M: I know! It was a woman thing.
C: yes.
C: What did you think of Jacob imprinting on Renesmee?
M: I thought it was perfect! He's just what she needs and she's just what he needs.
C: From the outside it probably looks creepy. Jacob imprinting on Bella and Edward's human-vampire hybrid baby.
C: But it felt right somehow.
M: Yeah definitely. I'm so happy for Jacob that he just actually imprinted.
C: And the way he was with Renesmee for the rest of the story felt natural
M: Yeah. Just like how Quil was with Claire in one part of the story. I thought that part was adorable.
C: Yes. That was very sweet.
C: I secretly hope Stephenie Meyer writes a short story on Jacob & Renesmee when she's all grown up.
C: I can picture their future in my head... but I'd love to read it anyway.
M: I know! Renesmee is so cute. She's the perfect combination of Edward and Bella.
C: I think her gift was very clever.
M: Yeah what did you think of Bella's gift?
C: Well, it certainly came in handy against the Volturi in the last part.
C: Do we ever find out WHY she was unreadable as a human?
I get how it is related to her gift as a vampire.... but why was she that way before?
M: I don't think so. I think of it like she's always had a certain forcefield or block in her head... but that's unrealistic.
C: yeah.
C: too convenient.
M: Yup.
C: maybe I have to go back and reread a few parts. just to make sure it wasn't explained and I forgot the reasoning behind it.
M: I didn't remember reading an explanation either.
C: I thought Part III-back to Bella's perspective- was way too drawn out
and rather anticlimactic
M: Agreed. Way too fluffy. Like the part about Jenks.
M: That guy was pretty funny though
C: The only time I got the least bit emotional in the last part was when Bella showed Edward the locket she got for Renesmee for Christmas
C: And when Bella put Renesmee in Jacob's care when they thought they were going to die at the Volturi's hands and both Bella and Edward professed their love and trust in Jacob
M: I was so sad at that part even though I knew they couldn't die! That would suck.
C: I know. But it was still so emotional
C: And I NEEDED Bella, Edward and Jacob to be comfortable with their relationships
C: And that scene finally gave them all closure
M: Yeah. I was relieved when Alice showed up.
C: Me too!
C: I was happy she found another hybrid like Renesmee.
M: Yeah! I find it amazing how this book goes all over the world lol. Like one minute they can be in Forks, and then the next, in Australia. But that's vampires for ya.
C: LOL
C: I'm glad that Bella has such a pivotal role in the outcome with the Volturi.
C: She finally got to feel important and valuable
C: I think she finally felt like a Cullen.
C: Besides a mom will do anything to protect their babies
M: Aww :] Renesmee was my favorite character.
C: Jacob is my favorite.
M: So overall are you happy with the ending?
C: Yes. I think so.
C: Bella and Edward got their happily forever after.
M: And Jacob, too!
C: Yes, and Jacob imprinted on someone worthy of his love.
C: I think Charlie's acceptance and understanding of the paranormal was kind of weak, but oh well.
M: Yeah wish it wasn't the last book.
C: I'm glad its the last Bella & Edward book.
C: But I'd be open to a book about Jacob and Renesmee when she's grown up.
M: Same.
C: So what grade would you give Breaking Dawn?
M: B or -B
M: You?
C: well.. which is it? B or B-?
C: Your teachers don't give you open ended grades like that!!
M: B!
C: LOL okay
C: I would give it a B- or C+
C: :P
M: Ooh. I see :]
M: wait..... u have to pick one!
C: LOL
C: I'm going to go with C+
C: Too many plot flaws. Too drawn out. Most of the story was kind of boring.
M: Okey dokey.
M: Peace Out.
C: Peace Out.

How the Twilight Saga measures up in our house:

Maria: Christine:

Twilight A+ Twilight A+

New Moon A New Moon A

Eclipse A Eclipse B

Breaking Dawn B Breaking Dawn C+

Sherrilyn Kenyon NYC Book Signing

I trekked into Manhattan yesterday evening for Sherrilyn Kenyon's Acheron book signing at the Columbus Circle Borders. Sherrilyn is the talented author of the Dark Hunter and Dream Hunter series as well as several other series that I have not yet read. Sherrilyn is not only a talented and successful author, she's also a gracious, kind and warm person. She truly deserves all the success she has achieved in her writing career.

I took the train from my suburban town in New Jersey to New York Penn Station and had my trip planned so that I'd get to the Borders a bit before 7 pm. I didn't check the weather forecast before leaving home and was surprised that sunny blue skies gave way to gray skies and a sudden thunderstorm upon coming out of Penn Station. After walking in the rain for maybe 10 blocks, I found a sidewalk vendor selling umbrellas for $5 (just before a pair of street cops shut him down for lack of proper permits, I might add! Phew for me!). I still got drenched, though. I arrived at the Columbus Circle Borders just moments before 7 pm and Kate got there at the same time. Imagine our disappointment when we learned that the start time for Sherrilyn Kenyon's Booksigning and Talk got changed to 6 pm!

We missed the entire talk and Q&A!!! Yeah, so sadly I have no tidbits or Kenyon news to report on that end.

Here's a picture of me and Kate shortly after we arrived at Borders:
Surprisingly, we don't look like drowned rats. I think my hair was still very damp and I honestly don't think my shoes or jeans ever dried out that night.

I would guess that there were a good 100 readers there to meet Sherrilyn and get their books signed. Shortly after arriving, Kate and I met up with a few familiar faces. We chatted with authors and fellow twitterers Liz Maverick and Marianne Mancusi, and also aspiring author, book reviewer, and book seller Stacey A. (I'm leaving off her last name, because I'm not sure if she would want her last name revealed). I had met both Liz and Stacey a few weeks ago at a dinner rendez vous that Ann Aguirre arranged when she was on stop over in the NY/NJ area last month, so it was fun meeting up with them again so soon. I also got to see my friend and fellow JR Ward fan, Terri, a.k.a. moonwindt, who is also an upcoming author of paranormal romance. I also chatted with other readers there--it's just so easy to strike up conversations with fellow romance readers.

There was a dude there posing as Acheron, but in my humble opinion, he didn't quite have the stature or attitude to pull off Ash. But really, who could possibly pull that off?
Liz and I decided to he was really a Squire posing as Ash.

And look! I got to try on THE Acheron jacket:
All throughout the signing, author Dianna Love --who is a dear friend of Sherrilyn Kenyon and co author of the novel titled Phantom In The Night -- raffled away a slew of Dark Hunter promotional material. Dianna was great and kept the readers entertained. At the very end, Kate and I each finally won something-- some cool manga Dark Hunter posters that we got Sherrilyn to sign.

Finally, it was my turn to chat with Sherrilyn and get my Acheron book signed. This was my fourth time coming out to meet Sherrilyn in the last year, and I was touched that she remembered me. Like I said in the beginning of this post, Sherrilyn Kenyon is such a warm and gracious person. She makes each of her fans feel special and appreciated and she is truly thankful for all of her readers and adores each and every one.
I don't think I'll ever get tired of meeting this fun and amazing woman. I hope she comes back to the NJ/NY area soon so I can visit with her again.

To learn more about Sherrilyn Kenyon, you can visit her website here. Thanks to Kat at the blog Wit and Sin, who has made tidy lists of her favorite book series, you can also check out the book orders of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series here, and her novels written as Kinley MacGregor here.

Just for kicks, here's a picture of a double decker train. I was on a very very PACKED double decker train out of NY Penn Station heading to New Jersey after 11 pm last night. NYC is truly the city that never sleeps.

Isn't that cool?

The Demonica Series by Larissa Ione

Pleasure Unbound is the first novel in a new dark paranormal romance series called Demonica and was released June 24, 2008. This phenomenal novel is brimming with the perfect doses of all the elements of paranormal romance that I've come to love. It's dark, edgy, sexy, emotional, tense and at times very amusing. The world is unique and well developed and the characters are neither righteous or sinful, but perfect shades of gray. Pleasure Unbound is my new favorite paranormal romance novel in 2008, if not ever.

Desire Unchained (Shade's story) will be released in March 2009 and Passion Unleashed (Wraith's story) will be released in April 2009. I. Want. Them. NOW.

In the meantime, visit The Midnight Moon Cafe blog where Larissa Ione is being interviewed today and enter for a chance to win a copy of Pleasure Unbound.  Also check out Larissa's website here to learn more about the Demonica series and read some excerpts, too!