Having hit a few lulls this past week and experiencing a case of Writer’s Doubt, I had been at a loss on what to write about for my blog. Then I received an email from LR Café stating, “Congratulations, you have been nominated in the following category: Best Series 2009: Si’Ludo Prophesy Series.”
I was stunned and excited and all sorts of things. I wanted to shout woo-hoo at the top of my lungs but didn’t think my hubby or cat would have been appreciative of the noise. What a joy it is to know someone thinks highly of my work and wanted to include it in the running for an award this year. I’m thrilled to have received the nomination. A big thank you to Dawn and the others at LRC!
Voting will begin next Monday (2/15) & I’ll send out details then, but for now I wanted to share the great news.
The Si’Ludo Prophesy books are available at http://devinedestinies.com
~ Postponing Eternity ~ Book 1 ~ Available ‘Here‘
Facing one’s past, present and future along with discovering the use of supernatural powers can be challenging
~ Prelude to Eternity ~ Book 2 ~ Available ‘Here‘
Only she knows what the past means for the future.
~ Into Eternity ~ Book 3 ~ Available ‘Here‘
If she fails, it will be the death of her love and maybe of them all.
Hugs and love to all my fans/readers! Thank you all for your support!
=)
C.
I’m probably not alone in saying I am so glad that 2009 is over and done with. For me, it wasn’t one of the best years of my life. Combined with a handful of horrid colds & other medical issues, hours cut at work, a husband being laid-off, and lack of sales, I could say it was one of the worst out of forty and it had started at the end of November 2008…so it lasted a LONG time.
Then again, not all of 2009 was bad. It had its moments that I am grateful for. I met some wonderful people and gained a few new, terrific friends. The bad that happened helped me figure out what the good is and what I want out of life. And, I received some wonderful comments on my work.
To point out a few:
~ “C.R. Moss has an incredible ability to bring scenes alive and making the reader connect with each character on multiple levels.” ~ Kristy Bock, PNR Reviews
~ “CR Moss is one of the best story tellers I have ever read, and I look forward to each new release!” Rie McGaha, author of Blood Line
~ The Decision (Wheel of Fortune, eXtasy Tarot series) was a Reviewers Top Pick! In the review, Jes said, “The Decision is a beautifully written story by C.R. Moss, with intuitive scenes that shifted and changed with the character … and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in paranormal erotica.” Check out the whole review here: http://thepaganandthepen.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/book-review-the-decision-by-c-r-moss
~ “Okay, so now I’m hooked and understand what the big buzz is concerning CR Moss–now to go find myself a prophecy, a man, some magic and some …well you get the picture.”
If you’re interested in reading the full reviews, please visit my website at: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cr_moss/id5.html & visiting the links there.
But now that 2009 is over and 2010 is shiny and brand new and the start of this year feels quite different than last year’s did, I’m ready to make and meet new goals. On a personal level I hope to reverse the fiscal fiasco the world market caused my family to have and to whip myself back into shape. I gained too much weight after I quit smoking seven+ years ago, and over the course of time, and it’s reached the point where I have to take the pounds off. And maybe once I get back to my pre-quit weight, I’ll have new photos taken and share what I look like on my sites. But don’t hold me to that! I seem to have developed an aversion to the camera in the past few years. 
On a professional level, I have a lot of exciting projects planned for 2010 and more great releases coming out. Look for my first 2010 release, Beautiful People, at extasy books on March 1. That’s a psychological thriller with a hint of romance. Ash’s offspring, Michael, will be visiting my Dirty Little stories series in Dirty Little Girl and that’s slated for release on May 15 at extasy books. He and the heroine from Dirty Little Girl will revisit the story line in a longer work (which I will be shopping to publishers as part of an anthology because I want to expand my publishing base in 2010) tentatively titled Dirty Little Demons. Along with those stories, a series called Look What the Cat Dragged In will be released via Devine Destinies during the spring and summer. The first story ‘For Evelyn’ will be released on April 1. No joke! ;D My other projects include a story line I want to shop to NYC, so you’ll probably be seeing posts about my progress in regard to that. There’s a romantic suspense story line I’m developing for a new publisher. Then there’s the vampire/werewolf series I’ll be getting back to writing. Yes, I plan to be very busy with my writing along with guest blogging at various loops and participating in chats this year.
I want to thank you all for your support and readership over the past two years! I appreciate all my readers and hope to continue bringing you the terrific tales you’ve come to enjoy.
Here’s to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010!
Happy reading,
C.R. Moss
The Art of Bathing ~ Simple Recipes to Soothe Mind and Body
From bubble baths to essential oils to Dead Sea salts, prepared bath products are designed to enhance a bathing experience, but they can be expensive.
Instead of spending the extra money on special bath products, try one of these natural, simple bath recipes with ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard or refrigerator.
~ Epsom Salts ~
Add 2 cups Epsom salts to bath water. Magnesium sulfate, or Epsom salts, has been used for centuries as a folk remedy, and research now confirms its numerous benefits. The second most abundant element in human cells and a crucial component for bone health, magnesium is also needed for muscle control, energy production, and the elimination of toxins. Magnesium eases stress, aids sleep, and improves concentration while reducing inflammation, joint pain, and muscle cramps. Sulfates help to flush toxins from the body, prevent or reduce headaches, and even improve brain function.
Most American diets are deficient in magnesium. However, one of the best ways to boost dietary intake is by bathing in Epsom salts, which are readily absorbed through the skin.
~ Milk ~
Add 2-4 cups milk or buttermilk to bath water. Rich in calcium, protein, and vitamins, milk replenishes the skin, while lactic acid found in milk acts as a natural exfoliant. A member of the alpha hydroxy acid family, lactic acid breaks the glue-like bonds between the outer layer of dead skin cells. Soak in a milk bath for 20 minutes, then gently scrub skin with a loofah or washcloth.
~ Honey ~
Add 1/4 cup honey to bath water. A fragrant, natural humectant, honey helps skin attract and retain moisture. Its antibacterial and anti-irritant properties make it an ideal cleansing and soothing additive to a warm bath.
This article is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to diagnose and/or treat any conditions. Please check with your physician to make sure it’s all right to use new products and/or change your regimen.
Newsletter article courtesy of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
Twas the Night Before a Redneck Christmas
by Tianna Xander
Twas the night before Christmas when all through the town, the drivers were driving their cars just like clowns.The Santas rang loud bells by their buckets with flair in hopes that some people would throw money in there. The children were crying for electronic presents not caring their parents were poor little peasants.
With Bubba in his t-shirt and me in my gown we sat by the window to watch that white crap come down. When up on the roof was raised such a racket Bubba spit his beer on the TV and hit Buddy Hacket. I jumped from the sofa and to the window I flew where I saw reindeer, not one but a slew!
The spotlight gleamed down on the glistening snow giving illusions of rhinestone cowboys in the front yard below. Then what to my startled eyes should appear but a little fat man with a twelve pack of beer.
The ale was an off brand no doubt bitter and skunky I grimaced at Bubba who was also quite chunky. The little fat man gave Bubba the beer then turned to me full of good cheer. He winked and grinned his face filled with glee, “Where’s your bathroom, ma’am? Have I gotta pee.”
I showed him the way as Bubba chugged his drink it’s a good thing too because he puked in the sink.
He turned to me, his eyes red and glassy, “Next year I’ll be sure to drink something more classy.”
I watched as he walked, stumbled and clamored I’ll tell you, the man sure as hell was hammered.
Before he went up the chimney he set down his glass, dropped his pants and showed me his ass.
As rosy red cheeks stared me in the face I cried out alarmed and stepped back a pace.
Out in the yard we heard a loud blast, “I have to get going, my deer are out classed.” He pulled up his drawers and turned with eyes wide, “Oh, no,” he exclaimed. “I think Rudolf just died.” As he entered the fireplace to quickly depart he shot up the chimney with a great giant fart.
“Now Hokey! Now Pokey
Now Dumbo! Now Don!
On Surly! On Burly!
On Crapper and Jon!”
We heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
“I’ll get you, you bastard, you shot out my light!”
Hibernating is for the Bears ~ Plan to Stay Fit This Winter
Winter’s here, and you’ve moved your running shoes to the back of the closet until April. Yet that piece of pumpkin pie has your name on it.
With the onset of colder weather, shorter days, and snow-covered streets, we eat more and exercise less, waiting for the spring thaw to get back in shape. Instead of having to make New Year’s resolutions to lose holiday weight and join a health club, why not set goals to stay fit this winter?
Move Fitness Indoors
Winter is the perfect time to start a weight-training program. When it’s sunny and warm in summer, you’d rather be outside cycling or rock climbing. When it’s snowing, why not lift weights for 30 minutes during lunch? Statistics show that more people suffer heart attacks in winter from shoveling snow, often because they’re out of shape. With regular strength training, you’ll be able to shovel that snow and get a head start with outdoor sports when spring comes around.
Walk Outside on Weekends
Going for a jog or walk during mid-day when the sun is high is a great time to get outside and catch a few rays. Be sure to dress warmly, wear sunscreen, and drink plenty of water. Dehydration is most common in colder months when you’re less aware of fluid loss.
Take a Dance Class
Accept that invitation to the New Year’s Eve celebration and take a class in ballroom dancing. While you’re dancing, you’re not hanging around the buffet table or the bar, and your waistline will thank you for it.
Rediscover Ice Skating
Whether it’s on a frozen pond or at a rink, ice skating provides seasonal exercise opportunities, especially good for the legs. And it’s great fun, bringing out the kid in all of us.
Consider Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is just a matter of strapping snowshoes onto your boots and walking. Snowshoes make hiking trails and snowy city parks accessible and can be rented from sporting goods stores at a relatively inexpensive price.
This article is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to diagnose and/or treat any conditions. Please check with your physician to make sure it’s all right to use new products and/or change your regimen.
Newsletter article courtesy of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
The Scoop on Meditation ~ A Simple Practice with Profound Benefits
People who meditate regularly appear internally and externally five to 10 years younger than their non-meditating peers, according to author Deepak Chopra. That’s good news for the estimated 10 million people who practice meditation on an ongoing basis and experience the resulting calm it cultivates.
The rich benefits come from doing something that looks like nothing: Sitting still, being quiet, and breathing deeply. Meditation works simply but profoundly by defusing the onslaughts of life — a racing mind, busyness, deadlines, commutes, all of which have physiological effects on well-being.
Meditation calms the nervous system, decreases metabolic rate, heart rate, and blood pressure, and lowers levels of cholesterol, stress hormones, and free radicals. It also has a direct effect on breathing, slowing and deepening respiration so more oxygen circulates throughout the body. Not only that, meditation is said to lessen feelings of anxiety and depression and improve memory and concentration. And all of this culminates in slowing the aging process, as Chopra notes.
There are many meditation techniques, including focusing on a mantra, a sacred word or phrase, or your breath. But the basic intent of all meditation is focus and attention. And it doesn’t take hours a day in an ashram to meditate effectively. Benefits kick in with even a short period of devoted time.
How to begin? Wear comfortable, unrestrictive clothes, sit on a cushion or chair with your back straight (think once again, comfort), rest your hands on your legs, let your eyes go soft and out of focus or close them, breathe slowly and deeply, and — the hardest part — attempt to empty your mind of thoughts and quiet the internal dialogue.
When thoughts flit through your mind, let them pass without judging them and come back to your focus (your mantra, counting, etc.) and breathing. Start with this sitting meditation technique for five minutes a day, and add on time as you get more at ease with the process. For more information on techniques and benefits, check out
www.abc-of-meditation.com.
This article is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to diagnose and/or treat any conditions. Please check with your physician to make sure it’s all right to use new products and/or change your regimen.
Newsletter article courtesy of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
I am not a shopper. In fact, I hate it. I do, however love to find a good bargain–especially around the holidays. I can remember my mother going to the holiday sales. I never really liked to go. My sisters did, though. To this day, they will get up at three in the morning to hit a particular set of black Friday sales while I stay at home warm in my bed.
So how do I find good bargains? I can’t tell you. My ma tells me that I can smell a sale. I will not enter a particular store for months, then one day I’ll decide it’s time I went in to see what they have to offer and they will have exactly what I need for a price much lower than I expected to pay. He just stands around and shakes his head, though I’m pretty sure he likes it.
When we went shopping for our cruise wardrobe this past fall, I dragged him into several stores looking for just the right thing. I usually found what I was looking for. One store had most of everything I needed. We walked out of the store with four large bags and later discovered we had purchased $563.00 worth of clothing for $92.43. You can’t get much better than that.
Now that the holidays are here I don’t want to go shopping but I know I must. I’m just waiting to feel the special, I-really-need-to-go-to-this-store-for-some-reason feeling and off I will toddle with my plastic in hand waiting to get the deal of the century. For now though, I think I’ll just sit here and write.
Until next time…
High Time for Tea ~ Discover the Healing Properties of Taking Tea
The health research is enough to make you forego the latte for strong brewed tea instead. Name your color — black, white, green, even red — teas are packed with disease-preventing antioxidants (more than some fruits and vegetables) and contain vitamins, minerals, and at least half the caffeine of coffee.
Fortified with free radical-fighting polyphenols, tea drinkers have a reduced risk of many different cancers, in particular stomach, colorectal, and even skin cancer. Tea drinkers also have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and high cholesterol. Containing anti-inflammatory and arthritis-preventing properties, tea also helps stimulate the immune system and protect the liver against toxins.
But you have to drink up. Most research points to five or so cups of brewed tea each day to reap the health benefits. Decaf tea loses some but not much of its health punch, due to extra processing.
All traditional tea — white, green, oolong, and black — is derived from the leaves of an evergreen tree called the Camellia sinensis, and all contain the health-promoting polyphenols. White tea is made from young tea leaves, dried in the sun without fermentation or processing. Green tea is dried with hot air after picking, so it retains its color but is not fermented. Oolong tea, sometimes referred to as “brown” tea, is fermented but not processed to the point of black tea. Black tea, on the other hand, is fully fermented, which accounts for the color of the leaves and its stronger flavor.
Rooibos, or red tea, is naturally caffeine-free and from the Aspalathus linearis, a shrub that grows only at high altitude near Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
Herbal teas are made from a variety of plants, roots, bark, seeds, and flowers and are technically herbal infusions rather than tea. Though they don’t contain the same antioxidants and haven’t received the same research-based accolades as traditional tea, the herbs in these infusions have certain healing properties that have been used for centuries to treat many common health issues.
This article is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to diagnose and/or treat any conditions. Please check with your physician to make sure it’s all right to use new products and/or change your regimen.
Newsletter article courtesy of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
What’s in a name?
Jared, is one of the men’s names I have always loved. I’ve recently done some research on the spelling and found that there are many, many different ways to spell it. There is Jared, Jarad, Jarid, Jarod, Jarrad, Jarrard, Jarred, Jarrid, and many more. That’s just the Js If you research it long and hard enough, you will find that it is also spelled in just as many ways with a G. I can see how someone seeing the name spelled Jarrard, Garrard, Gerard, Jerard and Garard can miss pronounce this wonderful male name. However, I have had the opportunity to meet a few of these Garrards and found that though their name makes your brain immediately think Gerard, it is still pronounced Jared. Strange, huh?
Some places say the name is derived from the Hebrew word meaning descent as the first Jared was the son of Cain and a close descendant of Adam and Eve. Other sources say that it is a Hebrew name meaning “to shout and sing.” Whatever the meaning, it’s a beautiful name for any man, not to mention sexy and should never be confused with the usual pronunciation of Gerard. I need only be corrected once. 
I know this was most likely boring and not usually the kind of thing I post but I wanted to share this with everyone because one of the characters in my December 15th release is named Jared. I wanted to give it one of the different spellings like Gerrad or Gerard but I didn’t want any of my readers confused on the pronunciation of this wonderful name that never fails to inspire me.
Until next time,
Tianna
With the holiday season just beginning and all the stress that it can bring, over the next few weeks I’ll be posting articles on how to keep the stress to a minimum and stay healthy. Happy Holidays!
Easing Holiday Angst ~ Five Stress Busters for a Joyous Season
You enter the holiday season with the best of intentions — looking forward to time spent with family and friends, decorating, shopping, baking. But as soon as you pile holiday activities on top of an already busy life, you’re likely to find yourself relating more to Ebineezer Scrooge than Martha Stewart.
Consider these five suggestions to keep holiday stress at bay:
1. Determine a Shopping Budget
For many, gift giving is an important part of the holidays, serving as a way to express love and appreciation for friends and family. But when the credit card bills arrive in January, you may discover you’ve extended your holiday stress well into the New Year. Plan your budget in advance, determine what you can spend, and stick to the plan.
2. Create a Time Budget
Many will make a shopping budget, but what about making a time budget? Before accepting every invitation this year, decide ahead how many parties you can and want to attend while maintaining your sanity. Make choices about your time commitments based on what you’d really like to do this year, rather than what you think you should do or what you’ve always done. Don’t forget to leave time for yourself.
3. Set Food-Intake Boundaries
You’ll likely be tempted to eat in excess, and don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t stick to your pre-holiday eating standards. But do decide ahead of time just how much you’ll deviate from your eating routine.
4. Stick to Your Exercise Regimen
Regular exercise is a powerful stress buster. You’ll feel better, sleep better, avoid weight gain, boost your immune system, and maintain a positive outlook about yourself. While it may seem like an easy time concession to make, don’t give in to the idea. Stick to exercise, and you’ll thank yourself for it.
5. Take Time to Rest
Take time from your schedule to honor the cycles of the season. The holidays fall during winter solstice — the shortest day of the year. Learn from nature, and get plenty of rest.
This article is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to diagnose and/or treat any conditions. Please check with your physician to make sure it’s all right to use new products and/or change your regimen.
Newsletter article courtesy of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals
