Not Sure I'm A Fan Yet...

Sunday night has once again become a television night, thanks to HBO. First up, True Blood, and I admit to being a hard core addict. Don't even think about coming between me and the television while it is airing...the result would be bad.

A new show debuted this last Sunday night, directly following Sookie and Bill, called HUNG. It's about Ray (Thomas Jane) a well-endowed high-school teacher forced by debt to become a gigolo. I'm not sure I'm going to be a big fan. The side kick, a poet and past lover, Tanya, played by Jane Addams, is thus far my favorite character. She's a little flaky, skinny, and is fairly cheeky.

So here's my problem...if HBO would have made the story about a female teacher, trying to survive the economic times, doing the dirty for money on the side, it wouldn't be a show. In this country a female sex worker is still seen as the dredge of society; but twist that plot and make it a male teacher with a big dick and suddenly it's marketable. Yep, I'm having issues...

Will I watch Episode Two? Yep, if only to see where this train wreck is heading. I hope it surprises and delights me. I'm not counting on it though. If you didn't see it, here's a link to what TIME had to say, courtesy of an email from Susan.

And if you don't have HBO but you want to see what the fuss is about:
Watch True Blood Season Two (rent season One first -- its on video) at:
www.watchtrueblood.org
Watch Hung's premier episode for free at: www.watchhungonline.org

Did Anyone See This?

I want to thank Xandra Gregory for bringingt o my attention this article in the Washington Post: all about Loose-Id. Here's the link.

This week I will be working on my Secretary tale...at least through Wednesday since Thursday I pick up hubby at the airport:) in time for the holiday.

Mmm Yummy Eyecandy

Eye Candy for the Weekend!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend:)
I'm off to play with my hubby who is home for the weekend...yay

Healing The World Through Sex Toys...

I'm taking a break from tooting my own horn to bring your attention to a site I stumbled across: Mominatrix, Banging Out Sex Advice who is holding a survey today titled: Sexual favors for a Father's Day Gift -- hot or not?

I know, really, how do I find these sites?

Anyway, aside from a few articles that were amusing, a few that bordered on eww, or eek, which for me is saying something, I ran across her article, Heal The World Through Sex Toys, the idea may or may not eek you out. After some flat humor about the economy and the viability of affording a new dildo (possibly stealing the PB&J from your kids mouth) **hey, she said it, not me** she finally got to the point of the article which was a push for Sex Toys for Kids.

Get your mind out of the gutter, people.

Sex Toys for Kids was started by a parent who wanted to make a difference for kids in Malipampang, Phillipines, Sex Toys for Kids uses commissions from a group of popular sex shops, including Babeland (a Mominatrix fave) to help provide elementary aged children with an education. Instead of collecting donations, the site asks you to shop via their links which allows your store to track your purchase and give anywhere from 7% to 30% of it to Sex Toys for Kids.

I admit, I eeked at their company name. However, after going to their site and reading their tagline: "An educated child, another and another...can make a difference. Not only for them but also for the people around them." I was nodding in agreement.

Plus, according to their site, 20% of a $25. purchase goes to ST4K. Which translates to (in their economy and again quoted from the ST4K site): "...enough to send a child to school and give him/her ten to twenty pisos allowance to eat and snack while attending school for one to two weeks."

Sex Toys For Kids has partnered with: Ashleys Sex Toys, Babeland, Discreet Romance, Eden Fantasys, and Good Vibrations.

All I'm saying is, the next time you need the next drop dead gorgeous, top of the line, 24-setting dual vibrator, check one of these companies first. 'Cause if you are going to lay out $200. for all the bells and whistles (and a silent motor) maybe $40. of that should go toward a kid in need.

Throwing More Confetti!

Yesterday, I received another acceptance letter in my email! This time from Samhain for my F/F working title piece Porn Star. (The title of which I've been asked to change to something else. Which is okay. I'm not necessarily attached to the title.)

Honestly, I'd given up. They'd had it for awhile (since August 2008) and I'd made revisions (around Christmas) and resubmitted with no word.

I was worried to the point of querying a few other publishers to see if they'd like to see it and got the same standard reply...not really interested in F/F because it doesn't sell as well.

You will notice the photo I attached to this post, a M/F/F menage...which even though the story is not a menage, the blonde in the middle (my pornstar) is in love with both a man and a woman. I swear, my friend Susan must have some psychic connection because this photo was in my email this morning when I woke up:) And it is perfect.

Well, readers...
I hope you help me prove the critiques of female bisexual and lesbian erotic romance wrong! I know there is an audience! I know there is. So, it's going to be up to us to get the word out! Who's with me?

Prodigal Slave is Coming Soon...

I am soooo excited!
Prodical Slave is coming!

Woot! Throwing confetti!

I know, I know...I'm overly anxious and it will be months before edits are done and cover art and...and...and...

I'm pacing the floor like a 1950's dad waiting outside the delivery room.

Thankfully, I am not the only one who is excited. My critique partner, Xandra Gregory, (who incidentally has Jolly Rogered coming out at LSB soon) is equally excited. She is the one who has prodded me over the years to finish the story with the red bustier...

And this morning I woke up to a wonderful email from a friend, Susan, who sent me a group of photos from Morgana Femme Couture's LiveJournal. The corset for todays post came from her collection:)

So here's an excerpt (Chapter One):

Prodigal Slave - Ch 1

PRODIGAL SLAVE Coming Soon to LSB!

Whew! Signed the contract, filled out the cover art form...

I am sooo excited to announce that Prodigal Slave is coming to LSB!

I can't even tell you how long I have been working on this book...years...forever it was known only as The Red Corset Story because it began as a short story, evolved into a novella, and just kept growing. It is at 45K right now but after edits I can assume it will be 50K. I always add more during edits...

Here is the quick blurb:

Prodigal Slave
by Roxy Harte
45k BDSM, M/F, M/M, MMF Rom

Recently divorced paralegal extraordinaire and soccer mom, Charlotte Sullivan, has a secret past life that has just returned to haunt her in the form of a red bustier that arrives perfectly gift wrapped in time for her birthday. With it is a summons from her once Master Francois Rene de Hart, “Come to me.”

With her twin teenage daughters in Europe for the summer with her parents, she finds herself with the perfect opportunity to relive her youth with a man she once loved, but can her heart survive the temptation of the man a second time around? Pure lust awaits a mere train ride away but does she dare make a journey that she fears may break more than her heart this second time around?

Added surprise awaits when she meets Francois’s lover Pierre-Louis and discovers she can only be truly reunited with her Master if she learns to love the other man.

I'm not sure why I love this book so much, or the characters, but it probably has to do with where I was in my life when it began. I was starting over after a marriage of fifteen years and wanted to rediscover who I really was after what I was seeing as my mispent youth trying to be something I wasn't. I wanted time back, I started longing for all of the "what might have beens" if I had just followed a different path...

With Prodigal Slave, I allowed Charlotte to revisit her past by returning to her Master, a man she left when she married a man she hoped to find "normal" with. House, Dog, picket fence, 2.5 children...and she was happy...she loved her life. Post-divorce, after her teen daughter's graduation from high school and the impending empty nest...she started to realize how hum-drum and sexless her normal life had become.

And then her Master of two decades before summoned her, calling her the slave name he'd given her so long ago: Cassiopeia.

And if that wasn't enough of a world shaker...
I had to add in her Master's other lover: Pierre-Louis.

I loved writing this story. It's real life, not fantasy. It explores what happens when you are both a loving mother...and a kinky, sensual woman...trying to keep your life separated into nice tidy compartments...and all that emotion that comes to the surface when your worlds suddenly collide and you can't just hide the truth any more.

I hope all of my readers love reading this story as much as I loved writing it.

Yeah, I Wrote My Senator...and My Governor

So, I can't even say it's a rare thing that I wrote my senator...or my governor ...so, it's not like a big announcement or anything that I wrote him...again.

I only mention it because to my readers who live in Ohio, I want to get the word out that Ohio's libraries are in crisis, following Governor Ted Strickland's press conference Friday to outline his plan to balance the budget. One of the highlights of the press conference was the governor's vow to support expanded gambling within the state, something he had long been against. Hidden away within the proposal, however, was an outline calling for a 50 percent reduction in state funding to Ohio's libraries. This is his answer to a projected $3.2 billion revenue shortfall over the next two years.

Is anyone out there still buying that our country is in the grip of a major recession? And the answer is to cut the money going to the one free source of family entertainment our country offers??? I don't know about anyone else but the summer reading program at my public library saved my ass more than one summer when I was broke and facing bored kids. Its a tradition my oldest daughter is following, taking my granddaughters to the Summer Reading program in her town.

I can't believe a 50% cut has been proposed during this time in our countries history which will undoubtedly be written about in the future as being the worst economic crisis since the great depression. Even before hard times hit for the nation, I had a few years of my own personal hard times where I relied on the public library; so I can easily believe media reports that, "Libraries have seen an increase in use - from higher levels of foot traffic to increasing demands for computers - and have become a lifeline for many of Ohio's unemployed and under-employed hoping to apply for unemployment, benefits, and even new jobs."

It isn't too late. The cuts are not set in stone. Please, if you live in Ohio...write your representative!
Contact Gov. Strickland

Solstice/Father's Day

Today is Summer Solstice
And Father's Day

So, Blessed Solstice and to the father's reading, enjoy your day!

Hoping this series isn't a total disappointment...
Merlin on NBC tonight


Today I am helping Sir Hotness do laundry and pack...then its off to Chicago for him.
Yesterday I laid in the sun, working on my tan for the Florida vaca we are planning...and I got so sunburned. OUCH!

Monday, its back to work on the secretary WIP...hoping to wrap it up in the next two weeks. Cross fingers!

The Cougar is "In"

I snorted when I saw there was a reality show much like the Bachelorette but starring a COUGAR (read older woman)

Now, there is The Proposal starring Sandra Bullock (who is 44 btw and her 90% nude shot made me realize I really need a personal trainer)

I saw the Proposal today with two of my daughters. Personally, I love the older woman, younger man theme. Probably has something to do with my suddenly finding myself in the position of suddenly being older than every hot guy or gal I take notice of. Okay, so I'm going off on a tangent here but I find this totally shocking. I'm not sure when it happened, or how I never noticed before, but suddenly I am older. The only thing I can think of as an explanation is that I've never been a big fan of mirrors...those pesky laughlines just crept in around my eyes and I didn't notice...really. Okay, tangent over...

The cougar is "in" it seems...
Except in romantic fiction.

I love to find novels where the heroine is 40+
I really love when the hero is slightly younger...
But they are rare gems.

I'm thinking my next book is going to be older woman/younger man...I may not find a publisher but it seems fun:)

All Romance E-Books

EDGE is now available at All Romance E-books and there is an awesome excerpt there too:)

A Hug For You

I am so glad you stopped by my blog, I try to post tidbits about my life, rants, cheers, occasionally an entertaining excerpt...but today, I am writing...I am on a deadline and if the book doesn't get done in time I am going to be very sad...

So please ubderstand, posts may be sporadic the next few days...then again, they might not...I can't say for sure, it is all up to my muse.

So, since you stopped by...here is a hug for you...love you bunches!

Couple's Eye Candy

And not to cheat the couples...because there is some amazing Couple Eye Candy out there:) Which one is your favorite? I think they are all HOT!

cameo

A Response...

After reading my rant at the Femmes Guide earlier in the week, a friend emailed me this video. If you watch it, you have to watch til the end...lol.

With that, I present:
The Sex Has Made Me Stupid

Robots In Disguise - The Sex Has Made Me Stupid

Holy Crapola, It's A BEAR!

I just heard a black bear was sited just miles from where I live!
This is crazy!
I didn't even know black bears were ever seen in Ohio until I googled to see if the bear sighting rumors were a prank. The video shows a real bear!
And it's hit the news!

The local news is calling him "Buckeye the Bear"



So, I call Sir Hotness to tell him...because this is really exciting news to me...I think black bears were last seen in any numbers in Ohio in the 1800's! But after googling I found that several bear sightings are reported every year...

News to me. Not to Sir Hotness. In his words, "Baby, you thought coyotes were only seen out west until we moved." Smartass...yes, there are coyotes in our backyard every night. Again. Who knew? Not me.

The most surprising thing was how fast this bear seems to be moving, supposedly covering three counties in two days. Just where does he think he's going? And why?

And if I take the grandbabies hiking, do I now have to worry about running into a black bear? And I thought my biggest worry was the strange old man who seems to be always walking his dogs every time I'm at the park and seems WAY TOO CHATTY...

FYI, for local readers of the blog:
Black bears are an endangered species in Ohio and hunting them is illegal...
Do not call 911 if you see the bear, but do call the local police non-emergency number to report the sighting because his movements are being tracked.

Escapee Dogs!

Don't you just love it when you are all set to work (in my case type sexy hot stories) and a case of All Hell Breaks Loose sets a new course of events into action? Yesterday was a grey, rainy day and the dogs were playing in the living room, my daughter kissed me on the cheek goodbye before taking off on the first day of summer mayhem with friends...

And I look out my window to find my dog Jazzi running across the back yard and into the farmers field behind the house...

And I think "that's strange"...

Then there was the "Oh shit moment."

How did you get out of the house?

Followed by "where's Petey?" (the obstinant male dog)

You guessed it. Already across the farmers field and headed straight for the ponds. If you live in the country, you are probably scratching your heads thinking, "So?" Which we kind of live in the country ... if lots of fields count...but we also have a main road out front with lots of traffic. And both of my dogs are mostly indoor dogs which are kept on a lead at all times when outdoors.

So my heart was in my throat because unlike the good little Lassies that come when they are called on television shows, when my dogs get a whiff of freedom they shoot off like a bat out of hell...and the harder you chase, the faster they run.

Of course not realizing the implications of giving chase, I grabbed the leash and took off through the rain and mud after the dogs... twenty minutes later I gave up the chase and returned home angry and defeated...and worried "now what?" with the hope they might come home on their own because I'd lost sight of them when they hit the thistle thicket.

Having left the back door open, I was only slightly surprised to find two wet, muddy dogs waiting for me and dripping on my laminant floor...I can only assume they ran the ravine home.

They were rewarded with cheese (their favorite) and a long walk in the rain:)

Jazzi and Petey, looking much more innocent than they truly are...

Ranting at The Femmes Guide Today!

I haven't really blogged a lot at the Femme's Guide To Absolutely Everything lately, so since Bonnie and Laura took today's post at the Flog Blog (see below) you can find out what I'm ranting about today (the usual) by visiting the Femme's Guide:)

Editing and Writing Today...Then Grandbabies

This morning the grandbabies are in preschool...until 4pm...so I am editting Reaper for Liquid Silver. Then crossing my fingers I will be able to crank out a few thousand words on the secretary WIP for Loose-Id.

Then grandbabies will be here to pick strawberries, help make s'ketti, and wreak general havoc.

Full Moon Weekend

It was a stay at home weekend...
Daughter graduated on Saturday! YAY!

Then Saturday night since SirHotness was actually HOME on a full moon night, we walked a protection circle around the house...then Sunday we sat around a "Full Moon" Fire since he's missed the last few Sabbats.

And now he's on another business trip...seems like the summer is taking on the same theme as last year...home weekends, gone M-F. I'm kind of sad about that.Trying to work some "long weekends" into the summer to get away, and really looking forward to a vacation. He's requesting off two weeks...today, if he doesn't get blindsided by work stuff and forget...so cross your fingers!

Needed Inspiration

So last few days have been a bust as far as the WIP goes...
Needed inspiration and found some here...

photo found here but unless you want to see very explicit not work safe nudity don't click.
and here....

photo by Andrei Petrosyan

You've Heard of Air Guitar?

Now comes air sex...

VIMBY - Air Sex

Four-Star EDGE Review!

Kimberley Spinney from sensual.ecataromance.com "Roxy Harte has written a novel that is definitely not for the faint of heart. The story is graphic and startling, yet it has a sensual draw that will definitely leave the reader sweating. Edge will bring you to the very limits of your comfort zone and press against all of your previous ideas of what is sensual. This is a dazzling story of suspense, intrigue, discovery and the sensual boundaries we face in the name of sexual discovery."

"Roxy Harte delves into tough topics and deep aspects of BDSM that will leave any reader breathless. While this is definitely not your typical romance, it definitely delivers a sensual feast of love and devotion that is hard to compare to. Edge is definitely four star material and I am looking forward to seeing if Ms. Harte has more in store for these three very unique characters."

Not To Wish Summer Away, But...

I just found out that Diana Gabaldon's An Echo in The Bone releases on Sept 22...which for Claire and Jamie addicts seems like forever away.

Fun App For Your Profile...

Always looking for fun and challenging ways to break-up the monotony of my current writer's block...I'm not worried...It won't last...but thinking about it makes it worse...and distracting myself makes me a little less anxious...

So today, along came Yay Genderlabel!...hmmm...the possibilities...

Here's what the my label looked like after I played with it a bit...

Hello My name is

Roxy Harte

I am

kinky

Who are you?

Here is the link to the Yay Genderlabel! App Form
I think the original purpose of the following form was a data collection, but in the hands of programmer and voila...we can all say about ourselves whatever we want and post it for the world to see.

**Kudos to MrSexsmith for posting this to Twitter