Neither Snow, Nor Ice, Nor Stomach Upset...

I did it! The sequel to Voyeur...EDGE...is not only complete but submitted to the editor tonight! Yes, despite the fact that we had almost a foot of snow...and I would have rather been snow hiking...Or the Ice which left 100,000 Ohioans without electricity but spared me, or the flu which...well, I won't share the humiliating details...

However, I will send a big huge "SMOOOOCH" to Xandra Gregory who proof-read when I couldn't see straight and offered insight into what the ending lacked to give us all closure...I couldn't have done it today without her.

I love Xandra! Not only is she beautiful and sexy...she's also intelligent as hell. She's been my critique partner for over a decade, seen me through a failed marriage, multiple disastrous rebound-relationships, and into marriage again...while also helping me focus on the voices in my head.

So EDGE is now in the hands of my Loose-Id editor...and I'm both nervous and excited because it's a new relationship after losing my last editor to...ah...lands unknown...but I am assured she is the very best.

I sure hope she isn't squeamish about edgeplay!

Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz...

3:30am and I sit scrolling blogs, watching news, and wishing I had anything in the house for nausea...

I know, I know, TMI, not what you expect in a romance writer's blog...
But seriously, after watching family and friends fall ill over the last few weeks, I am now one of the casualties of the flu season...

Note to self: the news is damn depressing at 3am...the alternative though was Wow, Wow, Wubbzy...and my stomach isn't up to that!

It's snowing again tonight on top of the 4" snow, 1/4" ice, 6" snow we got Wednesday...I hope you are safe and warm...and I am worried about those who aren't.

Here's a book I wish I had to read tonight.

A Gay Prime Minister

Well, we didn't end up with a female president but I celand is going to have a female Prime Minister...at least for a few months until elections can be held...and get this, she's gay!

Johanna Siguardardottir, Iceland's social affairs minister, is set to become the country's interim prime minister. A former flight attendant and union organizer, she is openly gay. Recent polls have showed Sigurdardottir, 66, to be the nation's most popular politician. She will lead until new elections are held, probably in May.

I'm not sure what happened to the other Prime Minister...but I do know that Iceland has struggled worse than the US in these economic hard times. Iceland's banks collapsed last fall; so perhaps their government fell under the weight of tension over high inflation and no jobs.

Regardless, of their woes...I'm thrilled that they are open minded enough to have both a woman, and a woman who is an open lesbian step up to the plate.

Computer Drama...Snow Coming...

So, I picked up hubby from the airport on Friday morning...play, play, play...then Sunday I get online again and yikes...the server isn't letting me surf the net...

I can log in...but that's it, stuck at my home page...

It's been mega drama ever since...
I had no idea how dependent I'd become of the web: It's my news source, my weather source, my television guide, my movie guide, it is the way I take care of 90% of my business...
And how frustrating that I feel like I cannot function if I'm not connected...it's stressful!

Finally this morning, we think we figured out the problem, still not one hundred percent sure but his work computer may be running interference with the rest of the systems here at the house. So he's off, I'm on...I have ten minutes then he has an online staff meeting...

So here's hoping there is a cure to this drama in the very near future...

If anyone else wants to share any web-drama...jump in with both feet.

In other Ohio news, we supposedly have the biggest snow of the season on its way. I'm just gonna say, I won't hold my breath after three wrong weather forcasts...all declaring big snows.
Watch us get really dumped on...

I won't complain either way because I have a good book to read...

Vampires In My Life...

No, don't get too excited..I'm not leaving BDSM erotica to write about ice cold men with fangs...
I'm talking more along the lines of personal energy vampires; people who come into your life just to suck you dry...

I am like the freshest juiciest morsel to anyone in a three state vicinity...I think it has to do with the fact that I'm a Reiki Master...I purposely send positive energy out...and end up drawing a lot of negative, needy people in...

My first dom handed me a book once about energy vampires and said, "read it." I did, I had no idea why he had given me the book...he asked, "How many people in your life are sucking you dry?"

I still didn't get it; he had to explain it to me and started naming names until I "got it."
I worked really hard to get control over the people in my life. Of course, back then...every time I allowed someone to take a little too much advantage of me...I was punished. Spanked. OTK...

I'm really not sure how that was incentive...lol.

I realized today, a decade later, that my life is being tromped on, my energy stores are drying up...it's not to the point that it was before...I've caught it in time...I'm taking control over the part of what makes me lovable and "me", the part of me that gives, gives, gives; nurtures, nurtures, nurtures...and saying, enough.

I'm saying no again to anyone and everyone who is sucking me dry...
But anyone who wants to send some positive energy my way...feel free...I need it!

I'm hard at work on Voyeur's sequel : Edge. At 33K goal 50K.
Ditto for my short story: working title Tied-Up. At 12K goal 24K.
Ditto for the long ass, never ending novel: Lovers. At 88K goal 100K.

**Side note: the coyotes are serenading tonight on full tilt! Spring must be in the air because it sounds like a lot of horny hounds in my back forty...

It's Scandalous...

It's official...we have a new president of the Unites States.
Finally!

Last night I was glued to my television, I had MSNBC.com streaming live video feed...and I still just couldn't get enough of this couple. I think by now, everyone who reads this blog, my friends, and family have all figured out that I am a voyeur...I like to watch people...I like to catch the intimacies that happen between two people when they think no one is looking...

Except last night everyone was looking...
And with bated breath I waited for each caress, each whisper, each stolen look...and I wasn't disappointed. Goddess, they are a beautiful, intriguing couple. And America is in love with that! It isn't just me watching and catching the glimpses of their shared moments...
Steff at Best Sex Bloggers commented on it (and did a very good job btw)
Eric Mathew, a guy, noticed how much they love each other and commented...
USWeekly even did a story on their Love Story...
Can you ever remember a first couple who were in love...I mean obviously IN LOVE? It's like a fairy tale except this Prince Charming and his Lady Love are real...I really want to believe in this couple...that they have what it takes to not disappoint us. I hate that jaded voice in the back of my head that still believes HEA doesn't exist...because I want to believe that it does so desperately.

Did anyone see their innaugral dance last night (x10)...the same repeated lines, the same repeated moves, the same laughs at almost the same moments...

I so wanted to be a spider on her shoulder, listening when he leaned in and whispered into her ear. What was he saying? Was he telling her to hang in there, keep smiling, four down and six to go? Or was he telling her all the naughty things he wanted to do to her during their first official night in the White House?

I know, it's scandalous...me, just a normal shmoe, speculating on the first couple's sex life...I'm just saying, if it was my first night in a new house...I'd have to break it in properly...

Not that the Obama's are kinky...
But what if they are?
They're obviously in love...
Passionate in public...

I love this couple!
Welcome to the White House Mr. President and First Lady...
Welcome!

Everything Butt...

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Sex In The News...

Every once in a while I just have to shake my head...

Boy George arrested and given fifteen months in jail after hiring a male escort, chaining him to a wall and beating him. No one sent Boy the memo that their are lots of social sites where one can find a more than willing man to not only chain to the wall but "play with" as well... Obviously, the male escort pressed charges...

Teen Sexting is out of control... ok I ignored this one last week, but it seems someone in Pennsylvania didn't. Six Greensburg, Pennsylvania high-schoolers, found out to be exchanging nude pictures of themselves via text message this past November, have now been charged with child pornography, according to FOX News. I'm not sure who thought up this brilliant idea of arresting and prosecuting these teenagers...but the girls who sent the texts, age 14 and 15, and the boys who received them, aged 16 and 17, can now add "child pornography" and "sex offender" to their college applications.

And after today, I would give anything to have my virginity back...
It seems a 22-year-old woman is selling her virginity online — offering her body to bidders nationwide in an auction that reportedly has netted a $3.7 million offer.

When A Friend Emails Happiness...

I love surprises in my email...

I woke up this morning to a beautiful note from a beautiful man, Lord Shadow, who has been my friend for more than a decade and my soulfriend for more than one lifetime.

So as Sir Hotness French pressed coffee and I swigged Pepsi...we woke up to the lovely sounds of this collaborative effort by playingforchange.com

Stand By Me:

When Two People Create A Baby...

Controversy is brewing in the Ohio Valley...
Reported on WLWT-5 out of Cincinnati is the story of a gay man, Scott Mullen, and a lesbian woman, Kelly Mullen, who decided to have a child. Their daughter is now the center of a huge custody battle...

It seems Scott and Kelly are completely amicable even though they live separately with their same sex partners...they wish to share custody...so no problems, right?

Wrong.

A third party has entered the picture, Kelly Mullen's ex, the woman she was living with when her daughter was born...the woman who has (I assume) helped raise "their" daughter...

And because of a living will that listed the ex as the mother's choice to raise the child should Kelly die, a Hamilton County judge has awarded a temporary visitation schedule based on custodial rights to the ex...currently both Scott and Kelly have united to "fight against" this ruling, stating that, "this isn't a Gay Rights issue..."

I really am not sure what this is...if not a gay rights issue...
And I'm hoping to find out more, although multiple searches on the Internet have given me nothing...I'm not really a big fan of the local news team who seems to sensationalize a bit...

I'd like more facts...

Right now, as sympathetic as I am for the biological parents, I am also sympathetic to the ex...the woman that Kelly obviously loved enough to name in her living will...the woman who obviously loves the child enough to want to stay in her life...

Of course WLWT-5 is pandering to the attentions of the religious crowd (it seems) stirring things up a bit to increase ratings maybe by leading with "a same sex custody battle that will change parental rights in Ohio..." and further stating that the way this case ends could "open the door for any third party, including caretakers/ babysitters"...

I'm sorry, but if I lived with a woman, loved her, went through a pregnancy with her, and brought home a baby with her that I loved as my own...I would expect more rights than the babysitter...

Of course, I would also hope that the woman I loved wouldn't ban me from her child's life when she kicked me to the curb for the "new girl"...

I'll try to find out more as this story progresses...
But for now, I'm asking...what are your thoughts?

So Many Social Networks...So Little Time

To write?
Or to Social Network?
That is bound to be the question on the minds of so many writers in 2009.

Admittedly, I've joined my share of social networking groups over the years...
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter
Reddit-which btw if you have read Voyeur, please comment on reddit...this is my lastest venture into the land of social media circles and by far the most confusing lol
Fetlife - which btw is the best little BDSM networking/social site EVER...and where I hang for fun...and since you can only visit my page by being a member...go over pronto and sign up if you're even a little bit kinky inclined...
LinkedIn - under my RL name so if you find me yay...if not...oh well
Care2
and honestly a dozen other places I barely remember and hardly ever find my way back to...so the question killing every author out there, is does going to any of these places really increase sales anyway?

Because visiting them, updating them...and keeping up with all of the friends, and the cocktail hours, and save a places attached to hanging out...is insanely time consuming. And I don't know about other authors, but I really do need every spare minute to write (and maintain my blog cause that's my second favorite place besides being inside my own head creating worlds...)

Next question:
Forums...time waster or career creator?
Ok, not brave enough to face that one? Me either...

Taking Stock...

So, here we are mid-full moon, and I'm wondering, is it just my house that goes totally berserk...or is this something that happens across the board? And no worries, I'm not talking berserk in a crazy everyone is in fighting mood way....but rather, everyone is freaking about about their career paths and what the 2009 journey holds...

Middle daughter is here...fretting about her career "future prospects" (even though she has a good job) and wanting desperately to move to Alaska...

Youngest daughter is dropping/ adding classes at the last possible moment because she has decided that she doesn't want to be an EMT on her greater journey to be a nurse and doesn't want to be a nurse...but does want to stay in a science/medical field...sports medicine or pharmacology...

And...before anyone panics...I am not changing career paths...just stressed, wishing I could type faster...think faster...create faster...

I have two current WIP's moved forward as most important...the WIP "Edge" which is the sequel to "Voyeur" and the WIP "Blind Date" which is being targeted for an anthology. So I feel like I am on target to meet my 2009 writing goals...

I did get Good News Tonight! I was notified that I have a short story going into an anthology published by Ravenous Romance...more to come soon...

And hubby's plane took off (delayed an hour to de-ice) and landed safely...whew. Very happy he is all tucked in his hotel room.

Another Full Moon

Tonight is supposed to offer us the largest brightest moon that we will see in 2009 because of the way the planets are aligned...and we don't get to see it because the sky is so thick with clouds. How fair is that?

That's okay. I know it's there...
I've thought all day about walking a circle around the property line...
Filling my bedroom with sweet incense and flickering candles; making love to my husband...

I do so love full moon nights.

How are you celebrating the night?

Join Me At The Femmes Guide To Absolutely Everything

I'm posting over at the Femmes Guide to Absolutely Everything today about the marvelous social networking site: FetLife.

So, if you are dreaming about starting your year out with a little Kink...join me over at the Femmes Guide and I'll help you get started...

Even if you don't want to get kinky...join me anyway...

Go There Now.
http://femmesguide.com/archives/ready-to-start-your-new-year-out-kink-style/

Snowy, Blustery Days...

It snowed non-stop yesterday...hours and hours of falling snow...and we have almost no accumulation to show for it. I think it was too warm...34 degrees F...maybe it melted as it fell...

I'm not sure what happened...wehould have accumed inches...

But I loved it anyway...
Me and the puppy took a long walk in it while it was falling...

Here's a few pics from the day:

All Romance Ebooks

I just got word that All Romance Ebooks is now carrying Voyeur and all of my Loose-Id releases, which is exciting because it gets my 'babies' in front of more readers...

I also feel like Voyeur is one of my best...

So this post celebrates their decision to carry my work, stop by All Romance and check them out if you've never been by there.

Here is what my Voyeur page looks like!
Voyeur
By: Roxy Harte Other books by Roxy Harte
Published By: Loose Id LLC
ISBN # 978-1-59632-790-0

Word Count: 50040
Heat Index:


Available in: Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, HTML, Mobipocket
Price: $6.99




I was really excited by the selected excerpt that All Romance Ebooks has decided to use because it is one of my favorite scenes! So here it is:


The Excerpt:

She rethought. I have a date. She giggled, remembering the stolen kiss. She'd never thought to see him again, no matter how intrigued she'd been, no matter how wonderful the kiss had been. And Jonas on the bus...oh my...intrigue spiked to a whole new level. She was definitely looking forward to their date. Maybe she would actually have something to share for the next Saturday morning confessional.

With a hopeful smile, she entered the elevator that would take her back upstairs to the club. The elevator doors closed, shutting out the traffic noise.

"Hello."

Autumn jumped, spinning to face a man standing in the corner that she hadn't realized was there. Small slurping noises drew her eyes down to where a bleached blonde sat on her knees delivering a blowjob. Eyes wide, jaw dropped, Autumn spun around to face the front of the car.

Be calm, be calm. It's just a man getting a blowjob.

Oh shit! Be calm! Becalmbecalmbecalm! she chanted, though it didn't matter that she'd been chanting her mantra all night...this moment was no more conducive to being calm than any of the others, including her baptism by stage show. She was still not sure how she'd missed realizing the woman on stage was a man -- until after he'd raised his skirt and revealed the very naked truth of the matter. Or a woman who wanted to hook up and allow her boy toy to watch. This was just one more very uncalm moment to join the list. She watched the blinking numbers announce each floor. Why was the club all the way at the top?

The slurping grew louder and she considered getting off on the next floor, but her fingers wouldn't reach out to touch one of the glowing buttons. She thought they'd be as embarrassed as she, but glancing over her shoulder, she decided, not him; he looked entirely too smug. Why hadn't the woman jumped up to adjust her clothing? If it were her, she knew she would be cringing behind the man with embarrassment. No, what was she thinking? She would never be caught in such a compromising position.

Juliet would. Kim would too. And Delilah had already revealed in too much detail an incident eerily similar a few months earlier on their legendary Saturday morning conference calls...though she had been the one giving the blowjob.

What did that say about her friends? She knew for a fact that they weren't sluts. She reminded herself to have a serious discussion with herself later as to what specifically did define slut these days, just to clarify; they were just fun loving. And yes, Autumn liked to think of herself as fun loving too; however, she never seemed to luck into the opportunities her friends did and she wasn't brave.

They would see this as a primo opportune, but that led to the question, what to do with the opportunity? She didn't have a clue...she was after all...just a watcher. She sighed, nonchalantly looking over her shoulder to check out the man. At first glance, he'd been incredible. And at second glance? Devastating. He looked as if he'd walked out of the pages of a glossy magazine, a model, or someone famous, or someone who should be famous. His shoulder-length black hair fell around his face as he looked down at the woman sucking his cock. With a mere lift of his eyes, mysterious hazel irises surrounded by the thickest set of lashes she'd ever seen on a man, he captivated Autumn.

He winked. She jumped, seeming to wake from a dream that concealed the woman still on her knees between this man's legs. Yes, he still leaned into the wall of the elevator, casual as could be, even though a woman greedily slurped between his thighs.

Normally, she enjoyed a good voyeuristic moment...but this was pushing it. She'd never watched so openly before, or in such close proximity. Don't look there!

Autumn forced her eyes to focus above his shoulders, examining closer the strong face with chiseled features and a black goatee that made him deadly as sin. Shadows now hid his eyes but his nose was strong and nicely shaped, if a little crooked, like it had been broken before.

He looked like Rick Springfield. Knowledge dawned slowly. She gaped, knowing without a doubt that she was looking at Master M.

But wasn't he with Juliet?

Unless...he'd already made her fly and now he was...

"Damn. That was fast."

He lifted his brow at her comment, then looked down at his dick. "No, not really."

Autumn ducked her face, snickering. Maybe he'd never had a chance to hook up with Juliet...well, obviously he hadn't because there hadn't been enough time...right? Flying would surely take more than a few minutes, and if he hadn't made Juliet fly, Autumn couldn't lie and say she wasn't relieved. Flying seemed...dangerous.

She took another peek at the man's face and decided he looked dangerous.

He wore a leather vest, his tanned chest bare, exposing a nice line of muscles over his stomach that led to his pelvis like a sharp arrow. Faded blue jeans rode low on his hips, unzipped and opened...

She looked. Shit! She glanced away as quickly as she could but not before noticing the long, thick penis sliding in and out of the woman's mouth.

"Like what you see?"

The smug bastard! In a flash, she turned to face him, ready to give him a piece of her mind, tired as she was of all men being bastards, when the peculiarity of the moment dawned on her... Shouldn't he be enjoying the attention of the woman between his thighs? Shouldn't he be lost in bliss, moaning and whispering encouragement? Shouldn't he be coming by now? But as his gaze snagged hers, his look smoldered challenge and she got lost in the depths of his teasing hazel eyes and sinfully thick dark lashes.

He isn't enjoying her performance at all.

"Well?" he demanded.

She looked him over.

She drawled, "You're easy on the eyes," turning away with a blush and determined to not keep looking at him. She steeled her eyes on the faded gray elevator doors.

Proud of herself for being so brave, Autumn forced away her blush; this had gone beyond insanity. This was something she could tell her friends about! Finally, her very own great adventure...

She could almost hear the silence of their bated breath, waiting for her to tell all for a change.

Autumn sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, seeing the picture in her mind as they waited...and realizing she had absolutely nothing to tell. Oh yeah, except for the challenge she'd felt emanating from those incredible bedroom eyes. A challenge she'd met with a smart comeback. Great. Awesome story.

"That's it? I'm easy on the eyes?" His voice was loaded with mock challenge and, strangely, disappointment.

Oh, she thought with despair, what would her friends do? She snorted. Kim or Delilah would offer to do him next and she certainly wouldn't go there. What would Juliet do? No, no. She imagined an erotic Juliet sandwich and knew she would definitely not go there! But possibly, just possibly, she was capable of a naughty stunt of her own, especially since the likelihood of ever seeing him again was beyond remote. Her eyes flew up to the lighted numbers above the elevator doors, counting up their ascent. Still, seven floors to go. Time. She had time. But to do --

No time to think, Autumn, just do something. Do something!

For the first time in her life, she did what she felt compelled to do and backed up and leaned against the elevator wall, putting her side to side with the man. She didn't look down at the woman on her knees who -- despite Autumn's arrival in the elevator -- kept sucking. She forced her eyes to his face. Another step found her brushing against his body. She reached to touch him, grazing her fingers over his jaw. She smoothed her fingers over his face, then wrapped her hand around the base of his neck. He didn't move, not one inch, though his dark eyes widened and the smirk left his face. She grew bolder, knowing he hadn't expected this.

She felt his rising chest go still beneath the press of her breasts as she moved even closer. She wanted to believe that she was responsible...that somehow because of her nearness he'd forgotten to breathe...but then his breath left in a hiss.

His eyes closed, briefly, long enough for her to gather enough bravado to press her lips to his wide mouth, but only to plant soft kisses at the corners of his lips. His lips were as soft as rose petals and she longed to sweep out her tongue, just for a little taste, but she didn't dare. His eyes opened and for a second she was caught in their wonder. Seeking safer haven than their golden-flecked depths, she lowered her eyes to his chest, her hands traveling where her eyes wandered...over his collarbone, down the line between his pecs.

He still hadn't moved a muscle to touch her, but he was definitely paying attention to her, and his breathing had kicked up a notch. She leaned her head back to look directly into his eyes and saw hunger.

He wants me.

It was enough to spur her further, enticing her mouth to succumb to temptation.

Just a little taste, she promised herself as her lips sealed over his. The result was a long, deep kiss. Her tongue, not satisfied with its promised taste dove deep, then deeper.

The kiss spiraled out of control, because even though he still hadn't moved to touch her, the power had somehow shifted. She felt a pull from deep within her soul as she was filled with a mind-numbing lust unlike anything she'd experienced before. Clutching his shoulders, her knees weak enough to collapse, she felt the tension building within the man, a screaming need waiting to be vented.

What just happened?

He was close to coming, she could feel it...so close...when a moment before he'd been bored. I did this to him.

The elevator chimed and she froze, knowing the elevator door was going to open. Her mouth pressed to his, tongues mingled, she held her breath. The door opened and after a long pause, closed again. Their ascent continued.

He took control of the kiss, hungrily and greedily demanding more from her mouth. Her knees went weak and her pussy tightened but her mind stayed in control. She pulled her lips away from his and for a long moment held his gaze, feeling the small jerks of his taut abdomen and chest muscles beneath the press of her palm.

She couldn't help smirking as she leaned into the tender spot behind his right ear. She inhaled deeply, noisily. Lost in his scent and almost forgetting her motive, she sighed.

"You smell incredible too," she said and she knew her words had pushed him over the edge. He was a goner. The muscles beneath her hand grew rigid and locked in spasm. Autumn held on to him, feeling his fall as his orgasm went on and on, his growl sounding too painful to bear, and his heartbeat drumming out of control beneath her hand.

The elevator chimed, doors opening for a second time.

Autumn managed a wink at the girl still on her knees as she rushed through the barely opened gray doors.

So, that's it...end of excerpt...I'm excited...hopefully you as my reader will want to read it now...because I'm working really hard on its sequel now! The working title of the sequel is EDGE and follows the menage of Autumn, Jonas, Michael (Master M) and their dangerous version of play...

Did I mention that Jonas is a clinically diagnosed Sadist?
Yeah, he has issues...

Control Review...

Victoria of TwoLipsReviews.com sent me her review of Control over the weekend!

Here is part of what she had to say:
"Have a toy or two handy when you read Control by Roxy Harte, because believe me, you’re going to need it! When Taylor decides to go on a quest towards ultimate fulfillment, she holds nothing back. Meeting Mistress Minerva is exactly what she needs. Quickly succumbing to her, Taylor wonders if these techniques will work on Stephen."

You can go to the Two Lips Reviews site to read the full review...
Just remember to come back and grab your own copy of Control ;)

More Kilt...

So it's a foggy gloomy day in Ohio...did I say fog? Make that FOG!

And it's pretty glum in my heart since Sir Hotness is flying out today for another stretch of business trips...although only three weeks this time instead of three and a half months...

So, I'm sharing another fav photo...and another man in a kilt;)
It just makes me want to crawl over on my hands and knees and peek...

Enjoy the eyecandy...

Tomorrow I start writing in earnest to finish Voyeur's sequel, the WIP currently titled EDGE!

Kilts...

I love a man in a kilt and not surprisingly, my hubby was wearing a kilt when I met him;) This photo isn't my husband but it sure helped warm up a cold January day;)

Enjoy the eyecandy!

Are We Ready?

Ready or not, a New Year is here and according to Kiplinger, despite the fincial crisis it will be a better year.

I know I'm just happy that gas prises are below $1.75 and we are every day closer to a new president!

I'm looking forward to a year of productive writing...what are you looking forward to?