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
The avatar dating video?
http://datemyavatar.com/index_nohd.html
How about the Urban Dictionary’s idea of what a Cosby Sweater is?
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cosby+sweater
(Wonder if that should be taboo in stories like golden showers…)
Have a great week all and try to find some humor in your days.
thought i’d share some links to some funny music vids… (well, i got a kick out of them but eveyone’s humor is different…)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pXfHLUlZf4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8T095mFdW8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJsQcnB6GC0
Have a great week!
Good evening and Happy happy Thursday all!!
Well I’ve been really remiss in blogging the last few weeks and months but most of you know that my health has been up and down to say the least and that I’m currently in the hospital…again. I’ve been able to get a lot of reading done the last few weeks though even though I’ve not been able to do much writing. I read Trinity by Lauren Dane which was just fabulous, and Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan was one of her better Dark books in quite a while. Dana Marie Bell’s Only In My Dreams that came out on Tuesday was fantastic and Janet Chapman’s A Highlander Christmas was an awesome addition to the Highlanders of Maine series. I also read The Mane Squeeze by Shelley Laurenston and laughed my butt off. Another great read of hers. And you can’t go wrong with Nalini Singh’s new release Blaze of Memory either. It was fantastic. It had me crying in parts but was one of the best in the series in my opinion. So, like I said, I found some awesome books to read lately.
And I’m sooo looking forward to New Moon which is releasing on November 20th. Have you all seen the trailer for that one? If not, take a look below…
I just hope that I’m out of the hospital it time to go and see the movie pretty close to release day. Then again, who wants to stand in line with a whole bunch of screaming fans? Let’s see, what else have I been up to? I found out that The Protector’s Destiny will be available at Amazon.com and B&N.com sometime in the next week or two in print and I’m so very, very stoked about that. It’s the first book I ever wrote and holds a lot of sentimental value for me. I can’t wait to hold it in my hands. My author copies should be on their way to me and should arrive sometime next week I think. I’ll probably cry when I get them. I’ll have to have the DH take pics and put them on my blog when they come in.
Other than that, I’m hard at work on Ryan’s Hope, am planning to start Seduction by Design this weekend, and am currently working with Tianna Xander on finishing up Twilight’s Caress, book 4 in the Kinross Series. Once those projects are done, I’m not quite sure what I’ll be working on. So, there you have it in a nutshell. My life the last few weeks. Hospital, books, and what’s in the works. LOL
Until next time…
I’ve been neglectful and I admit it. I’ve been out of town for the last ten days or so. I’ve just returned from a visit to my sister’s house and her twenty-fifth anniversary get together and she also invited us to go on a cruise with her and others.
Our cruise was a blast. We went to Grand Cayman Island and Cozumel Mexico. It’s the first time I’ve ever been anywhere other than Canada. While Canada is a beautiful country and I love visiting there, like Goldie Hawn said in Protocol, it doesn’t count because, it’s like attached.
I know now why the line calls their cruise ships the fun ships. There was never a lack of anything to do and we found ourselves constantly on the go. There were waterslides, hot tubs a swimming pool, mini golf a jogging track, weight room and a seemingly never ending schedule of live shows and games.
And the food…OMG! I consider myself lucky that I disembarked weighing only one pound more than when the cruise first began. If anyone out there has any plans to take a vacation and you’re wondering what you should do, a cruise is the best value for your buck. It’s an all inclusive vacation where they will pamper you every day you are on board. I would do it again in a second.
I apologize for not posting in a while, but as my life settles down and we head into the holidays, I hope to get better at posting more often and more regularly.
Next, I’ll post on the Nanowrimo and let everyone know how far behind I am everyone else since I’m just starting my story tonight. Have a great day everyone!
Tianna
Going Zen ~ Breathe deep
Stress is not fun and when in the throes of worrying and a run-a-way-mind sometimes it’s hard to step back from the trouble and strife. But it’s when you’re deep in the mire that you do need to stop, close your eyes, breathe and just be. In Lao-tse’s book Tao Te Ching it says
Tao never does;
Yet through it
All things are done.
Basically you can’t force issues. According to Lao-tse the more one interferes with the natural balance of life and universal laws the further away harmony retreats. In a troubled time one needs to become like the uncarved block ~ return to a simple state because one’s natural power and state of being is easily lost when the simplicity of a matter is changed. One needs to become simpleminded. No not stupid but still, calm, reflecting. The uncarved block just is.
So take a deep breath, become like the block and enjoy the simple and the quiet and you may be surprised how the kinks get worked out.
RETURNING TO THE ROOT ~
It is only by means of being
that non-being may be found.
When society changes
from its natural state of flux,
to that which seems like chaos,
the inner world of the superior man
remains uncluttered and at peace.
By remaining still, his self detatched,
he aids society in its return
to the way of nature and of peace.
The value of his insight may be clearly seen
when chaos ceases.
-Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
Now to remember this and put it into practice…
Hello, all.
Stephani wrote about her most memorable halloweem.
I remember, going out with my sister in tow, dressed in a costume of Moe Howard, of the Three Stooges. I just loved that costume. My dad would be standing by the curb with his flash light guiding us. Every time we would finish with a house, my dad would turn on his flashlight to guide us to the next house. I think about that now, and wonder, geeze did my dad think we would get lost in our own neighborhood? LOL
My mom had taken photos of me in that costume. I wish I knew how to download photos because I would love to show them to you. Yeah, I looked like a dork at the time, but you know what, being six years old, and practically stepping off the plane arriving here in the US from Italy, I didn’t know any better. Still, I had a blast.
I used to like halloween because, being a Catholic, this day was also called All Soul’s Day. However, the next day was All Saint’s Day and…we were off school. Yea!!!! Course it was also a holy day of obligation which meant I hate to go to church. grrrrrrr which kind of put a damper on being off school.
…and how was your week?
It’s no secret I love Halloween. I mean what paranormal author doesn’t? Ghosts, vampires and all things that go bump in the night is our specialty. But even before I became a writer the holiday has been special to me. Some of my best childhood memories are of carving pumpkins, going out Trick or Treating with my dad and then all of us sitting down to pizza after. It’s a tradition that carries on to this day. Dad, or Grandpa as he’s called nowadays, still takes my kids around to collect candy and we all continue to gather around for that pizza.
This is the second year that my teenager is boycotting the whole costume thing and I’m a bit sad. Part of the joy of Halloween is being able to dress up and become someone different for the day. To live out a fantasy. That doesn’t mean he has given up the spirit of the holiday though, just the other day he went Erebus, supposedly the biggest haunted house in the world. Four stories high, it took him nearly an hour to get through and he said it was a real trip. Not only that, but he’s demanded that I get a pumpkin for him to carve too.
So I want to wish all my readers and fellow authors a very Happy Halloween and remind everyone to be safe. Here are some fun videos for you to enjoy. Just a bit of warning, they aren’t kid safe.
-Stephani
Make sure to look for my Halloween release, Salem’s Seduction. This is the first book in a new series with my coauthor, Patti Shenberger.
Salem’s Seduction
Misfits of Mt Olympus Book 1
By: Stephani Hecht & Patti Shenberger
Coming October 31st at www.extasybooks.comWatch out world, the new goddess of love is determined to solve everyone’s problems one Happily Ever After at a time.
BLURB:
Gabrielle, the younger sister of Athena, is sick of always living in her sister’s shadow. Born from a human mother, Gabrielle not only has sporadic powers, but she always seems to make a mess of things. Dismayed that she hasn’t ended up in the history and story books like big sis, Gabrielle sets out to make herself known.
She travels to different places in time, trying to set up couples and make them find their HEA. Whether they want it or not. Of course, things never go the way she plans. Off on her adventures, Gabrielle drags her lovers along. Adam, son of the goddess Nyx, and Mnemosyne’s son, Carter.
How bad can it get, you ask? Well, the Chicago Fire wasn’t started by a cow. You have three guesses, but the first two don’t count as her two companions are innocent.
EXCERPT:
Gabby pulled back and looked up from under her dark lashes. “Will you go to the party with me, then?” She ran the tip of one perfectly manicured nail up the underside of Carter’s erection.
Adam almost laughed at how hard his friend jerked.
“Yes, fuck yes,” he moaned.
Adam smirked. If the usually perfect mannered Carter was cussing, then he really did work himself up.
“And do you promise to forgive me for you having to be Medusa’s personal sex toy for those two horrible months?”
“Yes, you know I was never really mad at you for that. Now finish me, please.”
Adam knew that Carter wanted nothing more than to grab her by the back of the head and urge her on, but he held himself back. A surge of pride went through him. In all their years together, they had always treated Gabby like the treasure she was.
Gabby went back to work, having mercy on poor Carter. It only took a few minutes before his body grew stiff and he threw his head back with a groan. For a second, her hair fell to the side, obscuring Adam’s view, but Carter quickly moved it out of the way. Adam knew it was for both their benefit, for as much as Adam liked to watch, Carter liked when Adam watched him.
Adam rubbed himself through his jeans as he watched Gabby’s slender throat work as she swallowed Carter’s seed. It wasn’t until his body was totally relaxed and he’d opened his eyes that she stood up and gave him another kiss.
“I don’t think you persuaded Adam yet.” Carter looked over at him, a wicked flash playing in his blue eyes.
Now it was Carter who dropped to his knees. Leaving her skirt on, he reached underneath and peeled off her lacy white thong. He tossed it to Adam who caught it neatly in one hand. A groan slipped past his lips when he felt how wet it already was from her slick pussy. Unable to resist, he brought it to his nose so he could inhale her familiar sweet scent. Honey and milk. He could live another millennia and never tire of it.
Carter put his hands under her skirt again and started to rub his fingers along her pussy, making her gasp in pleasure. For a second, Adam thought her legs were going to give out on her, but Carter’s free arm shot out and wrapped around her hips, supporting her.
“Go to Adam,” he urged as he removed his fingers and licked them clean.
Adam was already undoing his pants before she had even started walking his way, so by the time she approached him, he had his cock out and ready. Leaving the rest of their clothes on, she straddled his hips and slowly impaled herself on him.
Adam closed his eyes as his erection bathed in her moist heat. She leaned forward and kissed him and he could taste the salty aftertaste of Carter’s semen still lingering on her lips. Adam savored it. Even though he and Carter shared Gabby countless times and took her at the same time, this was the closest he’d ever allowed himself get to actually being with Carter. Desperate for more, he brought her tongue into his mouth and sucked hard, wanting to wrench every last bit away.
“You know you could always go straight to the source,” she whispered in his ear.
Adam jerked, stunned that she’d managed to figure that one out. He scrambled his mind, wondering what hints or clues he could have dropped about his desire for Carter, but came up blank. Damn her cute little hide for being so smart. It shouldn’t have come as such a shock though, despite the dumb blonde image she often tossed around, Gabby had always been too sharp for any of their good.
“I wish,” he whispered back, only for her benefit.
www.stephanihecht.com www.pattishenberger.com
Four other authors and I have been parading around the internet this past month chatting about the holiday and our releases. We also asked each other questions about the season like ‘What’s the sexiest Halloween costume you’ve ever worn?,’ ‘What would be the scariest thing in a Haunted House for you?,’ ‘Do you have any Halloween traditions? If so, what?’ and ‘What Halloween creature would you bring on a deserted island?’.
Here are my questions with their answers:
1. Do you like/dislike the Halloween season & why?
C.R.: I’ve always liked the Halloween season – the crisp air, the colors, the sense of the macabre and all the horror films that come out. Then there’s the candy… 
The night of Halloween is subdued. I meditate and reflect on the past year and coming year and honor those who have gone beyond the veil.
Angela: I LOVE Halloween. It is absolutely my favorite holiday. I love everything about it - I like the fun, the chills, the great scary movies, the bags of insanely addictive candy, the costumes, the innocence, the darkness…. I could go on for hours. And being someone of somewhat pagan inclinations, I love the symbolism, traditions and meanings in so much of what modern culture calls “fun”. I love embracing the dark, the whimsy, and the inherent fun in poking at our fears. So, yes, I’m very pro Halloween! Will have a bit of a party this year, co-hosted by my sister!
Courtney: I love Halloween. It has always been one of my favorite holidays because it is so much fun to dress up and be someone different, even if it is just for one night.
Jambrea: I’m not fond of the weather getting colder, but I love to see all the kids in their costumes.
Laura: I love it because it’s the one time in the year that spirits, ghosts, saints, goblins, monsters and whatever other fantastic creature, good or evil, actually becomes alive.
2. What is/was your favorite Halloween candy?
C.R.: Love Kit-Kats and Hershey Mini’s and Crunch bars. The mini-Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are awesome too!
Angela: Okay, hands down, my favorite Halloween candy is (no, not all of it!) is the mini-Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! I *LOVE* those things, and I’m sorry, the seasonal ones are better than their normal variety. Maybe they’re fresher, I don’t know, but give me one of those and I’ll kiss your feet. Give me a bag…well, it’s pretty shameless. Second - it’s a tie - Mary Jane’s and Bit-O-Honey’s. YUM. Excuse me now. I need to go to the store…
Courtney: I have two, Candy Corn and Reeses peanut butter pumpkins. Yummy!
Jambrea: I don’t even know what they are called. They come in the orange and black wrappers. I THINK they might be called Mary Jane’s. But I’m not sure. I LOVE those things.
Laura: None, I prefer salty to sweet treats.
3. Do you carve pumpkins?
C.R.: I used to when I was younger but not so much anymore. If I put out a jack-o-lantern, it’s a ceramic one. Less fuss and mess.
Angela: Oh yes! It’s been a few years, but yes, I do love carving them. The last time was a few years ago when I hosted a Halloween party. I live in the country and in the US South, so without a real compelling reason to carve one (they tend to mold and begin to rot pretty quick with the heat and humidity), I don’t usually indulge. This year, my sister and I will host a small get-together, to I’m already looking for ideas of what I will carve!
Courtney: We do usually carve pumpkins, anymore I don’t carve one of my own but help my girls with theirs. I love the smell of pumpkin’s being carved and it is so much fun to see them lit up at night. Then we usually roast the seeds.
Jambrea: I didn’t, but now that I have a 5 year old, we’ve been carving them. He loves it.
Laura: Never did before and never will if I stay in Italy because it certainly isn’t among our traditions. In fact, we don’t even celebrate Halloween, but the All Hallows Day, which is the 1st of November, also known as All Saints Day.Want to learn more about us and see the answers to the questions I mentioned at the beginning of the blog? Please visit the following links:
For Courtney: http://lindsaysromantics.blogspot.com/2009/10/xrated-halloween-at-extasy-books.html
For Jambrea on 10/14: http://internationalheat.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/x-rated-halloween/
For Laura (running Oct 26 to November 1): http://cyberbookshelf.blogspot.com/
For Angela (posts throughout the month): http://blog.angelacaperton.com
Our October releases…
In the Spirit by C.R. Moss – Release date Oct. 15th
Reincarnated Death Wish by Courtney Breazile – Release date October 15th
Bloody Passion by Laura Tolomei – Release date Oct. 31st
Green Flash by Angela Caperton – Release date Oct. 31st
Unseen Path by Jambrea Jones – Release date Oct. 31st
