tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11431897725541751732024-02-19T10:22:07.452-05:00Paid by the WeirdLynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.comBlogger374125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-30594135646085426222016-07-15T04:00:00.000-04:002016-07-15T04:00:11.372-04:00Guest Star, V.L. Locey presents Top 5 Hockey Movies<i>You've all met my friend V.L. Locey before; she writes some of my favorite romances... so here she is to tell you all about her new release.</i><br />
<h2>
Top 5 Hockey Movies</h2>
There is nothing like sitting down in the offseason to enjoy a good hockey flick! Of course, enjoying a hockey movie during season is quite enjoyable as well. Just don't forget to plan your movie time to coincide with the game that night! Here are five of my favorite hockey movies in no particular order. Do they match yours? If so or if not tell me your favorite hockey movies in the comments section!<br />
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<b>1 - Slap Shot -</b> This movie is a classic, and one of the funniest sports flicks I have ever seen. In addition to the humor we get the joy of watching Paul Newman *sigh* and Michael Ontkean *sighs again* playing on the same team.<br />
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<b>2 - Goon -</b> Goon was easily as funny as Slap Shot but it had a nice little romance included. For me, that romance made the film less gritty than Slap Shot, but just as endearing.<br />
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<b>3 - Mystery, Alaska -</b> This is a wonderful little comedy about the residents of Mystery, Alaska, and how the team from Mystery that plays special "Saturday Night" games finds itself playing a televised game against the New York Rangers.<br />
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<b>4 - Miracle -</b> What a great movie! Based on the amazing 1980 USA Olympic teams win over the seemingly unbeatable Russian team, this film will make anyone stand up and cheer, be they a hockey fan or not.<br />
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<b>5 - The Mighty Ducks -</b> One of the most endearing and entertaining movies that you and your family will ever watch. The Ducks is a feel good film for kids and adults that spawned a couple of sequels as well as an animated series.<br />
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<h3>
Buy Links:</h3>
Amazon - <a href="http://tinyurl.com/zt8vncq">http://tinyurl.com/zt8vncq</a><br />
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Smashwords - <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/646762">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/646762</a><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/B&N-http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tape-to-tape-v-l-locey/1124036811?ean=2940153103211">B&N-http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tape-to-tape-v-l-locey/1124036811?ean=2940153103211</a><br />
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Kobo - <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/tape-to-tape-the-venom-series-3">https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/tape-to-tape-the-venom-series-3</a><br />
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<h3>
Blurb:</h3>
Venom defensive coach Dot "The Shadow" West has made a nice life for herself. She's found a new position on an up-and-coming women's professional hockey team, her daughter is thriving, she gets along well with her fellow coaches and her players admire and respect her. She's proud to have accomplished so much by herself. Everything is running smoothly in her life with no help from anyone, thank you very much.<br />
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Sadly, there's one annoying glitch in Dot's new life, and it's in the form of good-looking Theo Grier, former Wildcat goalie and co-host of a controversial sports talk radio show based in Philadelphia, home of the Venom. When Dot loses her cool and calls in to spar with Theo on the air her structured and solitary existence takes a sudden unexpected turn. Before she can hip check the smug fool out of her life she somehow ends up working with him on a new talk radio sports program.<br />
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Can she defend her heart against the unwanted feelings Theo is stirring up? Or will she continue to guard herself, and her past decisions, against the offensive moves being made by the ex-goalie? The only man to ignite her passions - and ire - in years?<br />
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<h3>
Excerpt:</h3>
"Security lets you down here?" I asked.<br />
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"I'm an old 'Cat. They love me down here," he informed me. I walked past him and began to pull on a mitten. "I thought maybe we could grab a cup of coffee and discuss the show next Monday." That made me pause for a scant moment but just for a moment. I kept walking and dressing. Theo caught up to me with ease. His legs were as long as a thoroughbred's. "Did you hear me?"<br />
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"Yes, I heard you. I then chose to ignore you." I wrapped a red and black scarf around my neck, nodded at Eddie the security guard stationed by the staff/players entrance, and then stepped out into a freezing cold Philadelphia night.<br />
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"You plan on treating me this coldly forever?" Theo asked as I slid past him. If he thought holding the door open for me would chill me out, he was sorely mistaken.<br />
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"Probably," I said with my eyes locked on my blue Honda Pilot. "My grandmother always said that the best way to deal with a wart was to freeze it."<br />
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"Ouch," Theo chuckled while keeping up with my pace easily. Each breath out clouded in front of my face. "I hope I'm just a finger wart and not an anal wart."<br />
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"Oh, you're an anal wart. One of the biggest ones that I have ever had the misfortune to encounter," I parried as my Honda got closer and closer. Theo jumped ahead of me to bar my path. I gave him a lethal glare. He smiled and held out his hand. I eyed it warily as if it were an asp ready to strike.<br />
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"Coach West, I think we need to start over," Theo said as his hand hung in the cold air. I raised my eyes from his big hand to his face. Then I gave him a strong "Please spare me" look. The man didn't have the sense to stop trying to be sexy. A gust right off an iceberg howled around the Houseman, lifting Theo's white scarf high into the air behind him. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Coach West. I'm Theo Grier, ex-goalie and world's largest walking anal wart."<br />
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I snorted and glanced up at the LED parking lot light wobbling overhead.<br />
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"Could that have been a smile I saw on 'The Shadow's' face?" Theo asked. I rolled my eyes then shook my head.<br />
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"It was a tiny sneeze."<br />
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"Right, a sneeze," he said with just a hint of skepticism. "Maybe you should shake my hand so you can get out of this nasty cold weather. A hot cup of coffee at the Black Boar Bar & Grill might be just what you need to help thaw out, Coach West."<br />
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"For your information, Mr. Grier, I do not need to thaw out. I'm quite comfortable, toasty warm, hot even," I replied keeping my arms crossed over my chest.<br />
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"Yes, that you are," Theo said in a vibrating voice that had dropped just a smidgeon. There was something about his voice, the way he held himself, and that damned large hand of his still waiting for mine that made me feel a trifle too warm inside my coat.<br />
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"Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Grier." I pushed around him.<br />
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"How about honesty then," he said and then planted his massive self in front of me once again.<br />
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"You're persistent, I'll give you that," I sighed.<br />
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"When I see something I want, I go after it."<br />
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"And you want me?" I asked.<br />
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"Yeah, I want you to shake my hand and join me for coffee," he countered smoothly. I studied his face then with a huff extended my hand, all toasty warm in my mitten, to him. His fingers curled around mine, making my hand glow like a red coal in a fire pit. We shook slowly, one could have said sensuously, but handshakes with mittens blocking the skin-to-skin can't be sensual, can they?<br />
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<h3>
ABOUT THE AUTHOR</h3>
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<br />
V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and two Jersey steers.<br />
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When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand. She can also be found online on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and GoodReads.<br />
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<h4>
Author Links:</h4>
Website - <a href="http://vlloceyauthor.com/">http://vlloceyauthor.com/</a><br />
Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/VL-Locey/124405447678452">https://www.facebook.com/pages/VL-Locey/124405447678452</a><br />
Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/vllocey">https://twitter.com/vllocey</a><br />
Pinterest - <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/vllocey/">http://www.pinterest.com/vllocey/</a><br />
Goodreads - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5807700.V_L_Locey">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5807700.V_L_Locey</a><br />
My blog- <a href="http://thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/">http://thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/</a><br />
tsú - <a href="https://www.tsu.co/vllocey">https://www.tsu.co/vllocey</a><br />
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<h4>
Gone Writing Publishing Backlist Books and Upcoming Releases</h4>
Pink Pucks & Power Plays (Book One of the To Love a Wildcat Series)<br />
A Most Unlikely Countess (Book Two of the To Love a Wildcat Series)<br />
O Captain! My Captain! (Book Three of the To Love a Wildcat Series)<br />
Reality Check (Book Four of the To Love a Wildcat Series)<br />
Language of Love (Book Five of the To Love a Wildcat Series)<br />
Final Shifts (Book Six of the To Love a Wildcat Series)<br />
Clean Sweep (Book One of the Venom Series)<br />
Twirly Girl (Book Two of the Venom Series)<br />
Tape to Tape (Book Three of the Venom Series)<br />
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Coming Nov. 16…Roster Addition (a To Love a Wildcat hockey romance novella)<br />
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Torquere Press Backlist and Upcoming Releases</h4>
Two Guys Walk Into an Apocalypse (Part of the He Loves Me For My Brainssss anthology)<br />
Two Guys Walk Into an Apocalypse 2: It Came From Birmingham<br />
Two Guys Walk Into an Apocalypse 3: He's a Lumberjack and He`s Undead<br />
Love of the Hunter<br />
Goaltender`s Penalty<br />
All I Want for Christmas - A Toms & Tabbies Tale<br />
Early to Rise - A Toms & Tabbies Tale<br />
Every Sunday at One (Part of the 2013 Charity Sip Anthology)<br />
Night of the Jackal<br />
An Erie Halloween<br />
An Erie Operetta<br />
An Erie Garden Party<br />
Back to the Garden (Also part of the Mythologically Torqued Anthology)<br />
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Ellora`s Cave Backlist and Upcoming Releases</h4>
Bound, Boarded and Bagged<br />
Two Man Advantage<br />
Game Misconduct<br />
Full Strength<br />
Shutdown Pair<br />
Long Change<br />
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Independent Releases</h4>
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Coming October 5, 2016…On Broadway (part of the Changing on the Fly M/M hockey romance charity novella)<br />
Coming Dec. 20, 2016…Holly & Hockey Boots (a gay erotic holiday hockey romance)<br />
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Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-31457413820515683912016-06-25T06:00:00.000-04:002016-06-25T06:00:11.001-04:00Tiny Little ThingsWhen I was a girl, I wanted a dollhouse more than anything (well, maybe not more than I wanted to Millennium Falcon action figure ship from Kenner.)<br />
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Not because I liked playing with dolls, although I did my fair share of that, too (including one time burning all the hair off one of my barbies because I tried to use a light fixture as a hair dryer. Don't ask. I was handy with a screwdriver, but not always very foresighted. PS - burning plastic smells terrible. PSS - my parents didn't have a smoke detector and I don't think my mother ever knew that I did that...)<br />
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But no, because I was stupidly in love with tiny things.<br />
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I'm still obsessed with Tiny Things.<br />
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See my on-again, off-again, currently off-again photo project (which I would be More On if I hadn't spent the last 10 months now dealing with chronic illness... it's getting better, I promise, but still...) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tinytrexbigworld/">Tiny T-Rex</a> ...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of a card game that I never played</td></tr>
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I love miniatures and china figurines. I like snow globes and music boxes.<br />
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When I was in high school, I spent a while being crafty -- I wish cameras had been as ubiquitous as they are now, because I don't have any photos of these things -- I built a castle from cardboard and wooden skewers. Working drawbridge and portcullis... if I removed the keep from inside the walls, my cat could sit inside it. (Pretty sure my mother actually does have a picture of Puff inside the castle, but I don't know where it is...)<br />
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I also made my own dollhouse, after being denied one for so long. I cross-section cut shoe boxes so they were open to the light, used scrap material as wallpaper and cut and glued together chair-rails and floorboards. I made beds from tall grill matches and paint. I even melted down a candle to dip tiny candles (using floss for wicks) Took me the better part of a year to make out four rooms, two bedrooms, a dining room, and a living room (with built in bookshelves and tiny little books)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this llama came in a matchbox as a set</td></tr>
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I also have a stupidly large collection of tiny china figurines that are up on the walls in my office in old printer's trays...<br />
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I mostly stopped buying the china figurines in college; for years I didn't have anywhere to display my shelves safely. They've only recently come out of storage... </div>
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But even without collecting china, I've been known to buy other tiny things, just because they're tiny... this is an eraser that I bought on impulse a few years ago. I never do anything with it, it just lives on my desk and sometimes I look at it... little tiny things make me stupidly happy.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">it's like a dick, only smaller</td></tr>
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And because I do what I do, one of my friends sent me this tiny bag of dicks... </div>
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These days, though, I collect Pop Figures... tons and tons of Pop Figures. If you ever want to get me a present... I don't even care, most of the time, what they're from because they are Sooooo Cute....</div>
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Like this lovely one of Harley <a href="http://www.stacyjgarrett.com/#!the-door/tqu6j">Quinzel</a>...</div>
<br />Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-6978838892040104932016-06-10T10:45:00.000-04:002016-06-10T10:52:15.780-04:00Yelling "Shut the Fuck Up" And Other Events<h2>
<b>notes for the beginning</b></h2>
<div>
<b>Trigger Warnings</b>: discussions of PTSD obliquely, discussions
of privilege, links to graphic articles about rape and rape culture, general
swearing and rambling off subject. feminism 101</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>TL:DR</b> People can be good people and still be assholes. My
page, my rules. Do not fuck with my friends. Don’t be a dick. Why is this so
hard?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>First Note:</b> I’ve spoken with 2 of the 3 people involved in yesterday’s
kerflumph… two of them are okay with my discussing what happened yesterday. The
other one defriended and blocked me, so he doesn’t get a chance to protest.
Sorry, not sorry. I’m not going to name names and I want to say that I still
like both of these people very much, even though I disagree with one of them on
a number of topics, we’ve managed to work out our differences like adults, and
I appreciate that to no end. I would have even been willing to forgive and work
with Guy2, if he’d been willing to even look at what he did and why it was
wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Second note:</b> I’m using Ms. Clinton and Mr. Sanders because I
believe it is polite. We never called President Obama “Barak” during his campaign
and I don’t like that we’re calling them Hillary and Bernie. It seems weird. I
am also calling Bernie Bros just that, because it’s the name for them as a
group. Sometimes Berners, too. But since they’re acting like Bros, I’m calling
them Bros.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Third Note</b>: None of this has anything to do with my writing career, but I spent a lot of time on it, and it's not going to fit in a Facebook post.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Final Note:</b> not all men. Not all women. Not all feminists. Not
all gamers. Not all. not all. not all. and YOU FUCKING KNOW THAT so don’t you
even fucking say it. Just like you know when you say “I have a broken leg” and
I say “I’m sorry,” that I am not <i>taking blame</i> for your goddamn injury, you
pedantic headache causing nitwit. You’re just being an ass and it’s time for
you to stop.<br />
<br />
If the shoe fits, however, lace that fucker up and go for a walk.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>I’m going to start with the obvious; I have opinions. </b></h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are some of them:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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** I’m happy that Ms. Clinton is the presumptive nominee.
Bernie Bros pushed me further and further away from Mr. Sanders, and then there
was the doxing of super delegates. Once Sanders supporters started acting like
GamerGaters, I was done. It was a movement I no longer wanted to be a part of.
GamerGaters often say they disagree with the tactics of doxing and threatening,
but they stay in the movement. That’s not me. I’m judged by the company I keep,
and that’s company I don’t want. I stepped away from being a supporter to being
a “I’ll vote for him if he gets the nod.” Then I moved all the way over to
being in Ms. Clinton’s camp. Don’t get me wrong, as a person, I do not LIKE
Hillary Clinton. And it’s not my business, really, if she chose to stay with a
cheating, lying spouse. But that’s her personal concern. The rest of it, I
like. She’s a fucking BRICK WALL of dealing with harassment after harassment.
She took the Bengazi hearings like a motherfucking BOSS and I have all the
respect in the world for that. Does she have her faults? Of course she does,
she’s a human being, just like the rest of us. And, as someone who’s changed
her mind about things, who’s checked her fucking privilege, and who’s grown
over the years, I have to say that evolution as a person is a thing. If we don’t
allow Ms. Clinton to change her mind, why would someone else ever do it? And
isn’t the whole point to BRING PEOPLE OVER TO OUR SIDE? To convince people to
see that LGBTQ people are people. That black people are people? That disabled /
persons with disabilities are people. </div>
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<br /></div>
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(*sidenote: I personally prefer “people
with disabilities,” but as there’s been a wonderful thought-provoking piece…
this is not that article, but it’s another one talking about how various people
to whom the labels have been applied feel… <a href="http://themighty.com/2015/08/should-you-use-person-first-or-identity-first-language2/">http://themighty.com/2015/08/should-you-use-person-first-or-identity-first-language2/</a>
If I find the other article, I’ll let you know. But the basic premise is the
same; the person being labeled gets to decide what the label is.) </div>
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<br /></div>
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(added: oh,
look, here it is. My friend Barbara found it for me, so thanks to her. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-blahovec/basic-myths-about-the-dis_b_9560556.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-blahovec/basic-myths-about-the-dis_b_9560556.html</a>
)</div>
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<br /></div>
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** Bon Jovi is a terrible band.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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** James Bond is a sexist asshole who leaves a slime trail wherever
he goes like a slug.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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** White people. Men. The Financially-well-off. The educated.
The straight. The cis-gender. ALL OF US NEED TO CHECK OUR FUCKING PRIVLEDGE.
Yes, even you. This is one area where I’ll say we all have work to do. ALL OF
US. Me. You. My husband. My parents. EVERYONE. No one is exempt. We live in a
terrible, hate-filled culture that thrives on the idea of meritocracy without
actually being one. (Yes, even me, see this blog entry from a few years ago <a href="http://paidbytheweird.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-stupid-mouth.html">http://paidbytheweird.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-stupid-mouth.html</a>
I was stupid and awful and the more I look at it, the more awful I realize that
I was.)<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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** Twilight is a fun, silly book that works people up for no
good reason.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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** Basketball stars are not role-models. Book characters are
not role-models. Nobody is a role-model. The whole idea of role-models is
ridiculous. But that’s another essay entirely and I don’t have time to do it
justice today.</div>
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<br /></div>
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** I don’t like arguing. It’s not <i>fun</i>. I don’t have a
memorized list of back-up data for all my opinions. I don’t like being angry. I
don’t like being outraged. I don’t get off on telling people how wrong they
are. I don’t like to play intellectual games with the background radiation of
my life. The devil has enough lawyers, thank you.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<h3>
-My House, My Rules-</h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Yesterday, I posted two very controversial articles… <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://hecatedemeter.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/managing-your-feelings-is-not-my-job/">https://hecatedemeter.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/managing-your-feelings-is-not-my-job/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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This one I posted because I’m seeing a lot of Bernie or Bust
in my feed. Where people will rather have Trump as president… where people
insist on acting like the 2 – party system isn’t firmly entrenched in American
Politics. Should it be that way? Probably not. But here’s the thing; I don’t
live in a world where rainbows are farted out of unicorn butts. I live in the
real fucking world, where there will be real fucking consequences if Trump
takes the Presidency.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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( <a href="http://www.cracked.com/blog/what-i-learned-accidentally-managing-trumps-campaign/">http://www.cracked.com/blog/what-i-learned-accidentally-managing-trumps-campaign/</a>
) Not even Trump took Trump seriously from the get-go. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“If you are a Bernie Sanders supporter who will not vote for
Hillary Clinton--You are literally saying that you put your personal privilege
and sanctimonious bullshit above my personal physical safety. You are literally
saying you'd rather protest vote than see to it that my life, my safety, and my
civil rights have a chance to be heard and protected. You don't have to like
her. I'm not asking for that but the possibility of the rest of my life
existing under a Trump controlled Supreme Court terrifies me and it should
terrify you.” – Cara R.</blockquote>
<h4>
On Safe Spaces and the Use of Facebook</h4>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Almost immediately after posting that article, I had two
friends arguing over it. I cannot, honestly, remember what the particular bit
was, except that Guy1 was going through Yet Another List of Why Ms. Clinton Is
Terrible and Why the System is Broken. I agree that the system is broken. But
it wasn’t specifically broken to spite Mr. Sanders, or because the super
delegates think it’s Ms. Clinton’s “turn” like politics is a fucking slide at
the playground and Mr. Sanders is breaking the line. </div>
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<br />
( <a href="http://www.politifact.com/personalities/hillary-clinton/">http://www.politifact.com/personalities/hillary-clinton/</a>
)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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( <a href="http://www.snopes.com/hillary-clinton-freed-child-rapist-laughed-about-it/">http://www.snopes.com/hillary-clinton-freed-child-rapist-laughed-about-it/</a>
)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Girl1, who is upset because she’s not being allowed to be
happy about Ms. Clinton without dealing with multiple feelz from slighted
Bernie Bros, sends me an anxious message, telling me she’s upset and she doesn’t
want to continue to engage and she’s getting herself spun up. She does that;
whenever she posts to a thread of mine and the thread turns hostile, she’ll
back away, but she wants me to know that I’m not the person upsetting her and
that she’s moving away for her own emotional safety. I approve. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I glance at the stuff Guy1 has posted. It’s nothing I haven’t
seen before. (Seriously, I promise. You can’t tell me anything new about the
email scandal, or the real estate scandal, or bengazi, or whatever the hell the
bee is in your bonnet that I can’t find elsewhere. I promise you, darling,
special snowflake, that information is out there, it’s being shoved down my
throat, and I have read it.) It’s nothing that’s adding to the discussion of
being happy about our candidate and it’s frankly backing up the claims that
Bernie Bros need to not see Clinton Supporters Celebrating Because It’s Making
Them Sad. And honestly, I don’t want to read it right now. I don’t think there’s
anything wrong with wanting 24 hours of celebration before we have to get down
to the grueling work of “reaching out” to Mr. Sander’s supporters; work that is
going to be ugly and time-consuming, and probably in the end, worthless. (My
husband has voiced the opinion a few times that the people claiming Bernie or
Bust were probably not going to vote anyway, and therefore their opinion and their
vote aren’t worth trying to salvage.)</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, both because I love my friend and I don’t want her to be
upset, and because I don’t want to be upset, and because the <i>entire fucking
purpose of this thread</i> is to say “Today, I will be happy. Tomorrow I will get
down in the mud with you again and attempt to be reasonable and rational, but
today, I want to be happy. So stop fucking raining on my parade” I deleted all
dissenting opinions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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( <a href="http://www.damemagazine.com/2015/04/14/i-am-voting-my-vagina-hillary-clinton-president">http://www.damemagazine.com/2015/04/14/i-am-voting-my-vagina-hillary-clinton-president</a>
)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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( <a href="http://www.lennyletter.com/politics/a249/theres-no-such-thing-as-voting-with-your-vagina/">http://www.lennyletter.com/politics/a249/theres-no-such-thing-as-voting-with-your-vagina/</a>
)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I believe that Facebook is my front porch; you’re all
invited to come up, grab a rocker, have some lemonade. But this is MY front
porch and there are discussions I don’t want to have. There are discussions I
don’t want to have today and then there are discussions I don’t want to have,
ever. And I will delete commentary. I don’t have to justify that to you. If someone
put a Vote Trump sign down in my front yard, you can be damn fucking sure I’m
going to rip that sucker up and toss it in the trash. I’m not leaving it there
because “censorship.” You don’t get to tell me what conversations you get to
have in my house, on my property. I have thrown my father out of my house
because he wouldn’t stop arguing with me. I have thrown stuff at my brother –
who has thrown stuff at me, too, so there – for not being able to shut up.
Politics is sometimes a null-discussion in my house because believe it or not,
my husband and I are not a hive mind. (on the other hand, he’s never voted in a
major election for a candidate that’s won and I have a yen to try to convince
him to vote for Trump to carry on that lovely tradition.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And no, it doesn’t always matter how “polite” you are. I’ve
known a goddamn rapist who was polite as a southern lady in public and a gas-lighting,
sleep-depriving bastard in private.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So, I delete the thread, run off to do the shopping, and get
back in my car to Guy1 complaining about me censoring him. Admittedly, when I delete
people’s comments, I usually tell them why, but I had errands to run and didn’t
want to engage beforehand. Oh boy, did we engage afterward, though.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our first big difference of opinion is obviously what
Facebook is: To me, it’s sitting on my porch with friends. (not inside the
house with friends, mind you. There are some people who have that connection
with me, and I’m usually pretty welcoming in real life – how I met Chuck and
Colleen comes to mind – but I’d be a fool to allow any random person into my
home. Even the front porch isn’t always safe.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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To him, I’m standing on a street corner, yelling, and having
my Gestapo shoot people who disagree. (okay, I am exaggerating a BIT. He didn’t
say that, specifically. But he did continue to argue with me about what My
Facebook Page Is for quite a while. See above note about not liking to argue.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then I made the Ultimate Mistake in arguing with a man;
I brought feelings into it. I said, specifically “And right now I care more
about her mental health than yours. I don't want to argue about politics right
now, I just want to be happy.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He said: “As for your friend, you did what you felt was
right. But, in my opinion, sheltering her incorrect of historic events isn't
helping her to grow. It's just keeping her sheltered and frankly, ignorant. If
she can't debate something civilly, and factually, wtf is she gonna do when
someone who actually hates her comes along?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: I’m sheltering her? You’re DAMN FUCKING SKIPPY, I am.
She’s upset, near tears with frustration because she’s not being allowed to be
HAPPY anywhere – given where she lives, being a Clinton supporter is not
winning her any friends – without someone telling her she’s wrong, she’s
stupid, Ms. Clinton is a terrible person. Someone who really hates her? What
the FUCK do you know about how much hatred she has to deal with? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It took me a while to put my finger on exactly what upset me
here, but it boils down to this; Guy1 is saying that it’s okay to upset and
hurt my friend now because someone else might hurt and upset her more, later.
Emotional pain’s not like physical pain, where if you get hit 100 times in the
face, the 101<sup>st</sup> blow isn’t going to sting as much. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Unlike with physical pains, if you apply repeated or
deliberate mental stress to a brain instead of toughening up, it will hardwire
a response to the type of stimulus that caused the stress to the sympathetic
nervous system; which will essentially mean that you cause problems for that
person the rest of their life. …while exposure therapy can make me better, that
requires there to be a highly controlled environment and enough safe guards so
that I don't feel panicked. Random bozos hitting the trigger in uncontrolled
situations rather than helping reinforce the pathways making things worse.” –
Girl1</blockquote>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Guy1 and I talked most of yesterday, on and off… I do like
him, I do value his opinions, and in this case, I still think his opinion is…
unhelpful for Girl1 and me. You can do that, you know. Have an opinion that
doesn’t work for someone else. That’s okay. I don’t make my bed every day. I am
never going to make my bed every day. Nothing you ever say or post or do is
going to change that because making my bed every day DOES NOT WORK FOR ME. I
agreed to be quicker for explanations – or preemptive on my “I’m going to shut
this topic down now and this is why”. He agreed that it is my right to take
down any comments that I want. No information is being suppressed; any reader
on my Facebook page is welcome to share the article on their page and talk
about whatever they want over there. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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For right now, my Facebook page is a safe place for Clinton
Supporters. You don’t want to support her, that’s fine. There’s your Facebook
page. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<h3>
On “Not All Men” and the Stanford Rapist who can swim
well</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was just getting over my mad-on about the other thing… One
thing, if you don’t know me well… I’m a muddle when put on the spot. I don’t
like to argue. I do, however, know how to debate. When I have time to prepare
my arguments, cite my sources, do my research, I can go through and debate
point for point. (as you see here) I’m very good at research. (I snopes the shit
out of everything, too. I hate posting stuff and finding out later that it’s
false. Sometimes I still get caught out, but I try… )<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then I posted this article<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
( <a href="http://www.theestablishment.co/2016/06/07/men-see-themselves-in-brock-turner-thats-why-they-dont-condemn-him/">http://www.theestablishment.co/2016/06/07/men-see-themselves-in-brock-turner-thats-why-they-dont-condemn-him/</a> )<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This article is brutal as fuck. No holds barred, in your
face, criticism of rape culture. And here’s the thing about Rape Culture. It’s
culture. That means none of us is untouched. Rape culture surrounds us and
binds us like some squicky sort of Force… it’s invisible and the most visible
thing there is. It’s in everything from media to classroom dress code
inequities ( <a href="http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/the-apparently-immoral-shoulders-of-my-five-year-old-daughter-7372634">http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/the-apparently-immoral-shoulders-of-my-five-year-old-daughter-7372634</a>
) It’s in nursery rhymes. Georgie Porgie kissed the girls and made them cry… Did
you know that the original version of Sleeping Beauty that there’s quite a bit
more than a kiss to wake her up?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
( <a href="http://www.shakesville.com/2009/10/rape-culture-101.html">http://www.shakesville.com/2009/10/rape-culture-101.html</a>
Side Note: this is one of the best Feminist 101 sites I’ve ever come across.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
“Everyone can agree that rape is objectively wrong, but
problems crop up when we try to parse exactly what rape is and under what
circumstances it occurs. I’m willing to bet that more than a few men read the
victim’s letter and had a pang of recognition—not of her experiences, but his.
Because most men <i>have</i> done at least some of what Turner did.
They’ve gone to parties with the intention of hooking up with someone; they’ve
zeroed in on the vulnerable girls, the drunk girls, the girls who seem like
they’d be easy to take home; they’ve assumed that silence or a lack of clear
refusal is the same as consent. And when these men read the account of what
Brock Turner did, even if they recognize it as awful, there’s a louder voice in
their heads saying <i>something like this could have been written about me</i>.”</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m going to say this to be 100% clear; as a college
student, I didn’t know shit about boundaries, either. Not guarding mine, not
respecting other people’s. Because we’re taught that men always want it, that
women always have to be convinced, I’ve done some things of which I am not
proud. People were wounded in the fallout. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would never, ever murder someone.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I might think about it. I might viciously imagine
ramming your car when you cut me off and driving you into oncoming traffic. I
might spend a dinner party staring at you over the table and making nice
conversation and wondering how it would look if I cut your throat with a steak
knife. I would never, ever… but I did grab a baseball bat and trek across
campus one time with the full intent of clunking … Christ, I can’t even
remember the guy’s name now. He wasn’t in his dorm at the time, and I think
that was lucky for both of us… and if I was a conceal carry type, I
abso-fucking-lutely would have shot the guy that punched me in the face at the
Best Buy some four years ago. Without. A fucking. Doubt. And I’m glad I don’t
conceal carry, because I would have had to live with that guilt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course it’s a controversial article; it’s pretty damned
hostile and I think it has every right to be, because I’ve seen those men, I
know those men. I know the rapists who are charming in person and wake you up
every 10 minutes after you’ve worked a 16 hour shift to ask if you’re sure you
don’t want to have sex until you eventually lay there and take it because you
need some goddamn sleep and you’re crying while he’s hovering over you and when
he rolls off, he thanks you for it and says he loves you. And he doesn’t think
he’s done a damned thing wrong. And you get to the point where you never say
no, because you know that no doesn’t matter and you may as well get it out of
the way early rather than fight about it, because that’s what’ll happen and you
don’t want to fight anymore, but you don’t want sex and you can’t ever see a
time, ever again, that you will.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And if you’ve been following along… you know what comes
next.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The very first fucking thing someone says is “Not all men.” (He
didn’t say it using those exact words, but he did say “What about all the men
who denounce…”) Not someone being obnoxious and thinking that being an annoying
twit is somehow ironic and funny, but someone who honestly thinks he has to
stand up for the men who don’t rape.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Honey, we’re not talking about those men, and you don’t get
a goddamn gold star for being a decent human being. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“My house is on fire.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Not all houses catch on fire.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well, that’s fucking delightful. Mind getting out of the
way of the fire truck?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/05/27/not_all_men_how_discussing_women_s_issues_gets_derailed.html">http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/05/27/not_all_men_how_discussing_women_s_issues_gets_derailed.html</a>
)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: LOTS of men have spoken out... I'm glad the case
has gotten such national coverage, because this is one of those really
obviously who is wrong cases... this is -literally- the stranger in the alley.
and still, he gets nothing. The people who are so worried about false rape
accusations can suddenly see that even undeniable rape cases, the rapist gets
so little punishment... it's opening a dialogue that needed to happen. </div>
<h3>
In Conclusion</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have no conclusions. I spent yesterday wanting to be happy
and being burning, furiously angry instead. I got support from some of my
friends, and from my husband who spent most of the pre-dinner hour raging about
the Brock Turner case because he’s so desperately affronted. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
( <a href="http://jezebel.com/brock-turner-will-spend-more-time-in-jail-than-97-perce-1781032260">http://jezebel.com/brock-turner-will-spend-more-time-in-jail-than-97-perce-1781032260</a>
)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think it may be the first time that he’s realized, really
gut-down-deep where you have those life changing moments, that rapists don’t go
to jail. #notallrapists <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had decent discussions with one of the people who pissed
me off (and who I pissed off as well; I’m not discounting his feelings about the
thing. Yes, he has feelings. He may call them opinions and facts and rational
arguments, but they’re still feelings. He has them, and I injured them, and I
acknowledged his right to feel slighted without abandoning my right to act as I
see fit. Thank you Steve Miller and Sharon Lee)<o:p></o:p></div>
Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-27628792786097696932016-05-15T03:00:00.000-04:002016-05-15T03:00:14.548-04:00Capturing the Moment World Tour<b>Hey readers and fans, I'd like to introduce you to my friend Delilah -- pretty sure she's been on this blog before, because she is awesome. I have the honor to be one of the beta readers for this particular novel and I have to tell you, even in rough, it was an amazing story and you are going to LOVE IT.... </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>So, tell my audience a little about yourself... </b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJy5VFXyaWRY6_bs225wP2yJjuzZjrGfT4qQAKS1HfmZS9Y_fQWwV5pvofXcCipVINewbpkA3sI7msbIo5yVpsqbAUkNiLeaVWIVxqKZsYQ0eJJxbaybP57DvVqE-g-DvJQHy2unype7U/s1600/Delilah+Night+Author+Photo+Official-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJy5VFXyaWRY6_bs225wP2yJjuzZjrGfT4qQAKS1HfmZS9Y_fQWwV5pvofXcCipVINewbpkA3sI7msbIo5yVpsqbAUkNiLeaVWIVxqKZsYQ0eJJxbaybP57DvVqE-g-DvJQHy2unype7U/s320/Delilah+Night+Author+Photo+Official-.jpg" width="161" /></a>I'm Delilah. I spent the first 31 years of my life in the chilly Northeast before my partner's work took us to Singapore six years ago. Although I grew up telling and imagining stories, writing them was at best a part-time hobby. I was first introduced to erotica when my ex-boyfriend showed me Literotica.com. I was a senior in college with a thesis due, so obviously the best use of my time was to start writing erotica and erotic fan fiction. Thanks to Literotica, I found my first writing community, and physical friends when I made the move to NYC for grad school.<br />
<br />
<b>I've heard a lot of about Literotica -- oddly enough, I myself have never explored its archives, but several of the writers I know got their start there, or in the various fanfic universes, like AO3... Any interesting stories from that world you particularly remember? </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Lit is such a great resource for new writers. There's so much support and love for new writers (and yes, there are trolls sometimes, but that's the internet). I haven't been involved in the website in over five years, but I just re-joined under Delilah_Night if anyone wants to connect there. A lot of my friends have moved on.<br />
<br />
I wouldn't have had a social life in NYC if it weren't for Literorica. There was a Boston vs NYC thread, and through that I met most of my friends in NYC. We had "lit-togethers" where we'd meet up for dinner and hang out.<br />
<br />
If you mean actual stories, I couldn't find it on lit anymore, but a writer I knew on the site wrote the best crossover fanfic "Harry Potter and the Eagle of Truthiness" which imagines that Steven Colbert (in his Colbert Report persona) was the Defense against the Dark Arts Teacher at Hogwart. HILARIOUS<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>~~~~</b></div>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div>
After grad school, writing became something I had to squeeze in between teaching, getting married, having a highly medical child, and a move to Singapore. Just as Literotica helped me find community in NYC, blogging about expat life helped me create community in Singapore. After the birth of my second daughter, my husband encouraged me to start submitting my work professionally. In the years since I've appeared in a dozen anthologies. Recently, my first solo project, Capturing the Moment, was published. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b>Do you remember the first time you got an acceptance letter? (I ask because my 5th year acceptance-iversary just passed and I'm remembering what it was like to read that email for the first time...)</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I actually found out that my story had been accepted into Irresistible because I was following Rachel Kramer Bussel on Twitter. She said that she had three stories with Jewish characters, and I thought *hmmmm.* An hour later I got the email. I screamed, grabbed my husband, and may have cried. I was post-partum though, so I cried at the drop of a hat at that point in my life.</div>
<br />
<div>
Capturing the Moment is my first solo title, and my first professional attempt at something longer than five thousand words. In 2014, I took a solo vacation to Siem Reap, Cambodia to check a significant item off my bucket list--taking a photograph of the 12th century temple, Angkor Wat, at dawn, mirrored in the small lake in front of it. Over the course of four days, I saw a number of ancient temples, visited a silkworm farm, attended an apsara dance performance, and met a number of wonderful people willing to share their stories with me.</div>
<br />
Last January, I decided to write a novella. I remembered how it felt to physically be at the water's edge in the dark, at five am, waiting for the sunrise. How heartbreakingly beautiful that sunrise was. How proud I am of the photos I took. I pictured a woman doing the same thing, only to turn around and run into her ex-boyfriend. From there, Capturing the Moment evolved into not only the story of a visit to Siem Reap, but of two ex-lovers reconnecting. The setting is a character as well--the history, art, and locations are very real. Almost every photo that Meg takes is one I have taken. Every place they visit, I've visited/shopped at/eaten at/etc. Darany the tuk tuk driver is a composite of the three drivers and the tour guide I hired. They talked to me about everything from how the school system works to how their families were apart by the bloody reign of the Khmer Rouge, their goals in life (one was working on his English in hopes of becoming a tour guide because they make more money), how they tend the small rice paddy they've cultivated to feed their family, and so much more that did and didn't make its way into the book. They enriched my experience and made my visit so much less superficial than it would have been without them.<br />
<br />
<b>Blurb</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBO9SK5x1Nb78r_QkwMtDcZMZY3C5PAmSa6u_48-04XImKaur_Ogm5qaZ1miZtH_flpifJIr-zsrTX1aXs3X641UdnqvIb8av9_75wU3U5_tG4w5oqg7wtpLoIReEKSPmEJL_cm-mFcio/s1600/capturing+the+moment+cover+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBO9SK5x1Nb78r_QkwMtDcZMZY3C5PAmSa6u_48-04XImKaur_Ogm5qaZ1miZtH_flpifJIr-zsrTX1aXs3X641UdnqvIb8av9_75wU3U5_tG4w5oqg7wtpLoIReEKSPmEJL_cm-mFcio/s320/capturing+the+moment+cover+2.jpg" width="199" /></a>You never forget your first love…<br />
<br />
Meg and RJ were passionately in love. But that was six years and a broken engagement ago.<br />
<br />
Meg has only one day in Siem Reap, Cambodia, before she must leave for her sister’s wedding in Bali. She fulfills her dream of taking a photograph of the sun rising behind Angkor Wat, one of the oldest temples in the world. But her joy is short-lived when she turns around to see RJ standing behind her.<br />
<br />
RJ threw himself into work after Meg ended their relationship. He’s built a successful business, but it’s a hollow victory. He’s come to Siem Reap to win back the woman he’s never stopped loving. But first he has to convince her to spend the day with him.<br />
<br />
Meg is as physically attracted to RJ as she ever was. Maybe the secret to finally getting over him is a one day only, no strings attached fling.<br />
<br />
Can RJ win Meg back, or will she love him and leave him?<br />
<br />
<b>How long have you known you wanted to be a writer?</b><br />
<br />
It's always been my dream. I'm a bookworm. Every time I went into a library or bookstore, I dreamt of what it would be like to see my name on the spine of book. I'm so thrilled that I have an e-book, but in truth, my next goal is to reach that moment when I can hold a physical novel I've written in my hands.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Was there a perfect moment that crystallized for you, solidified this amazing job?</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGccZXzsUfwUHWTFIS-gx4nJvufpuOi389bXQ1CS9_8f33EFYYi4PIGvQr17hVWwtbk-n0bwR2ymQIfNtJji7ZkKtKK3_dCdeJrNRi6hlZFFUdOd17B0y__CN21YUHsxb6HVkenxUNg0A/s1600/third+grade+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGccZXzsUfwUHWTFIS-gx4nJvufpuOi389bXQ1CS9_8f33EFYYi4PIGvQr17hVWwtbk-n0bwR2ymQIfNtJji7ZkKtKK3_dCdeJrNRi6hlZFFUdOd17B0y__CN21YUHsxb6HVkenxUNg0A/s320/third+grade+book.jpg" width="180" /></a>Although I was a reader, the first series I remember wishing I'd written was "The Baby-Sitters Club" by Ann M. Martin. I would imagine stories where I was one of the BSC members (what I now know would be fanfic). It made me want to have the writing stamina to actually write a book. In third grade we had an English project where we made books. We wrote the stories, typed them out (on a typewriter--I feel so old), illustrated them and bound them. Holding my magnum opus about unicorns that escaped to the mountains of Florida and became friends with hostile Peguses was perhaps the moment the hunger to be author crystallized for me.<br />
<br />
<b>I did that project, too, only we did it in 5th grade, and our books were handwritten -- I grew up in a small, rural town, and it was unlikely that anyone in my 5th grade class had access to a typewriter. Do you still have yours? I know exactly where mine is. </b><br />
<br />
We used the school typewriters for ours. But my family had a typewriter all the way through high school. I remember typing out a fifteen page research paper for my AP History Class on that damn thing. I think it was sold, or perhaps broke while I was at college? I still do double spaces between sentences. When I'm editing I do a search and replace to convert double spaces into single spaces. <br />
<br />
<b>Of course, all writers have their favorite authors, novels, that influence them in their own work (and feel free to mention a few of these, as well), but who are some of your -other- inspirations? Favorite teachers, an old boss, best friend from high school. Who in your life can you honestly say "without them, I wouldn't be here?"</b><br />
<br />
Authors whom I read that inspire me include Mercedes Lackey's early work (especially Magic's Pawn), Anne Bishop's Black Jewel's series, Alison Tyler, Tamsin Flowers, Alisha Rai, and of course Lynn.<br />
<br />
<b>Awww. thanks! One of the unexpected benefits to this job has been the absolutely wonderful people I've met and worked with.</b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Growing up as a poor kid with a single mom, I encountered a lot of people who expected me to fail. That I would become a teenage mom and continue the cycle of poverty. The people who really made a difference in my life include (but are not limited to) the following. My grandmother, for telling me that I was going to go to college so much that I knew that to be a fact before I even knew what college was. Ms Vincent, my first grade teacher, who pushed me to read more challenging books. My high school history teacher for pushing us to write our own research papers and think independently. Two of my college professors--Laura Prieto and Catherine Allgor for pushing me to become a better writer and researcher. The two rocks in my life, though, are my best friend and my husband. I met my best friend at JC Penny's in 1996, when we both worked in the bed and bath department. Whether we lived ten minutes or ten thousand miles apart, we are in constant contact, and I would be lost without her support. She knows details about me that I've forgotten (and vice versa). My husband and I were married in 2006. From the moment we started emailing, there was something there. He is the first person I want to call when something goes good or bad. He is my first beta reader, and does dual duty as my toughest critic and biggest cheerleader. I have two close friends in Singapore with whom I have a 24/7 chat going. We beta read each other's work, support each other when we're down, and talk about everything from our kids and cats to politics to books to anything. In my current writing community, Lynn and Tamsin have become two of my closest friends and cheerleaders. They beta read Capturing the Moment and helped shape it into a story worthy of publication.<br />
<br />
<b>Ha! Must be nice to have your spouse so involved with your work -- mine flat-out refuses to read anything that I wrote. He says it's enlightened self-preservation, and if you've ever seen me pissed off, you might agree with him. Does it ever cause you conflicts with your husband?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
My husband is my biggest supporter and my toughest critic. I recently submitted a paranormal story, but when I gave him the first draft he was really unhappy with it. I sulked for a while and then I told him I was ready to listen to his critiques. Not the first nor the last time that was my reaction. I let him know when I'm feeling too fragile or depressed to handle the hard criticisms. <b> </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~~~~</div>
<br />
<b>Now that you're finished with Capture the Moment, what new stories and ideas are you working on, now? Any goals for the rest of the year?</b><br />
<br />
I actually just finished the first draft of what I hope will be my second book, Plunder. There is a short story version coming out in Rogues this month, but Bree and William demanded a novel. Editing Plunder over the summer in time to submit in the fall is my biggest goal. Here's my blurb for Pluner--Sparks fly when the Caribbean’s most fearsome pirate falls under the spell of a sexy spitfire who’d rather send him to Davy Jones’s locker.<br />
<br />
I've written three (four?) short stories this year and I have another three or four planned, including another installment in my North Pole series. (New on the Naughty List is in Coming Together for the Holidays and A Reindeer by Any Other Name is in Coming Together: Strange Shifters)<br />
<br />
Within the next few months, I plan to start a paranormal romance that will hopefully begin a series. The first installment will be called The Lioness and the Mouse.<br />
<br />
I also have a few ideas for another contemporary kicking around, including the story of an expat leaving Singapore. After living here for six years, and seeing a number of close friends moving on, I've begun to contemplate what the emotional process of leaving after so long would be. How much more complicated does that experience become when you fall in love with someone who is staying put?<br />
<br />
<b>There's a country-western song I particularly like called Why Can't Dallas Be In Tennessee, which is about someone moving on and someone staying put and the eventual break up of their relationship. I spend a lot of time yelling at the male singer... "Oh, there's something wrong with you moving to Texas with her? Really?"</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
LOL. Well if they're Singaporean, getting a visa might make it tough to move to the US :)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Excerpt</b></div>
<b></b>
<b><br /></b>The quiet game had begun in their dorm rooms when they were first dating. One night, Meg was sleeping over in RJ’s room. They’d gone to bed wearing pajamas, cuddling until the lights were turned off. Silently, they had waited for Tom to start snoring, signaling that it was safe to hook up.<br />
<br />
RJ’s hands had slipped up under Meg’s T-shirt to touch her while they kissed. He’d whispered, “Shh, we have to be quiet,” reminding her that she couldn’t scream when she came. He’d slid a hand into her pajama pants and she had rubbed against his eager fingers.<br />
<br />
RJ had rolled on top of her. Missionary position had carried less risk of dislodging bedding and exposing themselves to Tom if he woke up. The thin layers between them did nothing to hide his erection. Her eager mouth had explored his neck, his chest, his nipples, always returning to his full lips.<br />
<br />
Their desire had mounted until they couldn’t resist any longer. Pajama bottoms had been discarded. RJ lay on top of her, their legs entangled.<br />
<br />
“Be quiet or Tom will hear you,” RJ had reminded her.<br />
<br />
It had been an erotic charge to try to keep their tryst from revealing any skin above the blanket and to stay as silent as possible.<br />
<br />
RJ had made it harder. He’d taken his time, whispering dirty suggestions as he’d thrusted into her. “What would you do if I invited Tom to join us? Would you suck his cock while I fucked you from behind? Don’t you want to let him hear you? You’d love it if I tossed this blanket off us right now and he could see us fucking.”<br />
<br />
Fantasies Meg had confessed to RJ while he’d gone down on her in the basement of the library. Hearing him suggest them back to her had aroused Meg until she had been panting. She’d moved her hips eagerly, meeting his. She’d whimpered when his fingers had slipped between them to stroke her clit.<br />
<br />
“If you can’t be quiet, I’ll have to spank you,” RJ admonished her. “Of course, you want to be spanked again, don’t you?”<br />
<br />
The idea of a spanking had triggered her orgasm. She’d turned her head and buried it in a pillow to muffle her screams. RJ had known how to play her like a violin.<br />
<br />
Voyeuristic fantasies had become a regular part of their sex life. The idea of Tom seeing them, or of RJ sharing her with Tom had always gotten her off. The following year he’d gotten a single dorm, which had simplified their sex life, although Meg had missed the thrill of near discovery.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * *</div>
<br />
<br />
They were alone in a hotel room but it was time to play the quiet game again. RJ’s tongue worked its magic, flicking the swollen bud faster. The fire that had been building blazed. Meg ground her teeth. She grabbed a pillow to let out a soft moan.<br />
<br />
“Bad girl,” he murmured. His teeth nipped her and she was ready to beg.<br />
<br />
“RJ, fuck me, please. I need you.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, her tone urgent.<br />
<br />
When he licked her aggressively, she couldn’t help it. She gave herself over to the inferno. Writhing beneath his merciless tongue, she screamed, “Oh, God, RJ! Yes! Don’t stop!”<br />
<br />
He chuckled. “Your broke the rules. Turn over.”<br />
<br />
You never forget your first love…<br />
<br />
Meg and RJ were passionately in love. But that was six years and a broken engagement ago.<br />
<br />
Meg has only one day in Siem Reap, Cambodia, before she must leave for her sister’s wedding in Bali. She fulfills her dream of taking a photograph of the sun rising behind Angkor Wat, one of the oldest temples in the world. But her joy is short-lived when she turns around to see RJ standing behind her.<br />
<br />
RJ threw himself into work after Meg ended their relationship. He’s built a successful business, but it’s a hollow victory. He’s come to Siem Reap to win back the woman he’s never stopped loving. But first he has to convince her to spend the day with him.<br />
<br />
Meg is as physically attracted to RJ as she ever was. Maybe the secret to finally getting over him is a one day only, no strings attached fling.<br />
<br />
Can RJ win Meg back, or will she love him and leave him?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Capturing the Moment is on sale everywhere!</b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Capturing-Moment-Sexy-Delilah-Night-ebook/dp/B01D1LT2VM?ie=UTF8&keywords=9781786510204&qid=1458900787&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1">Amazon kindle</a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=eZC_CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT4&lpg=PT4&dq=capturing+the+moment+delilah+night&source=bl&ots=RXN8VpLCtY&sig=ShhNkhSpQsV2ohKfuae68ffkyn4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0p_64-9HLAhVKBo4KHc13DFUQ6AEIGzAA#v=onepage&q=capturing%20the%20moment%20delilah%20night&f=false">Google Books</a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/capturing-the-moment/id1093426579?mt=11">iBooks </a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/capturing-the-moment">Kobo</a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/capturing-the-moment-delilah-night/1123563542?ean=9781786510204">Nook</a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="https://www.totallybound.com/book/capturing-the-moment">Totally Bound</a></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Bio</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>After 30 years of snowy New England winters, Delilah Night moved to steamy Southeast Asia. While she doesn’t miss shoveling snow, she does miss shopping for bargains at Target.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>In 2014, Delilah visited Cambodia for the first time and fell in love with Siem Reap. Many of her misadventures from that vacation (including the one with the monkey) made their way into this story.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b></b><br />
<b>Connect with Delilah on her <a href="https://delilahnight.com/">blog</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Delilah_Night">Twitter</a>, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DelilahNight">Facebook</a></b>Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-17459503138175115902016-05-10T10:00:00.000-04:002016-05-10T10:00:20.233-04:00Science Fiction, Double-Feature... picture show.... Anticipaaaaaaaaaaaaa<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
aaaaaaation....<br />
<br />
(sorry, had to)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://indigomarketingdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Theory-of-Love-Banner.jpg"><img alt="Theory of Love Banner" class="aligncenter wp-image-3016 size-full" src="http://indigomarketingdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Theory-of-Love-Banner.jpg" height="256" width="640" /></a><strong>Title</strong>: Theory of Love</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Authors</strong>: Kayla Bashe, Alain Bell, M.D. Grimm, Asta Idonea, D. C. Juris, Dale Cameron Lowry, Lila Mathews, Charles Payseur, Jessica Payseur, Maia Strong, Lynn Townsend, K.S. Trenten.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Edited by Deelylah Mullin</strong></div>
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<strong>Publisher</strong>:<strong> </strong>Torquere Press</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Cover Artist: </strong>Kris Norris</div>
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<strong>Release Date</strong>: May 18, 2016</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Heat Level</strong>: 5</div>
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<strong>Pairing</strong>: both M/M and F/F stories</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Length</strong>: 80,000 words</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Genre/Tags</strong></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Romance</strong> - Contemporary, Erotic Romance, F/F Romance, M/M Romance</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Science Fiction</strong> – Hard Science, Romantic, Futuristic</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://indigomarketingdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/theoryoflove1400.jpg"><img alt="theoryoflove1400" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3018" src="http://indigomarketingdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/theoryoflove1400-200x300.jpg" height="300" width="200" /></a></h2>
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Synopsis</strong></h1>
In <em>Theory of Love</em>, we wave our geek flag high! Tales from deep space, sci-fi realities, technology, academia, and cosplay are brought together in this collection. In Dale Cameron Lowry’s <em>Far From Home</em>, long-distance spouses fan the flames of passion while fighting to save humanity.<em> Meat Space</em> by Lynn Townsend, brings virtual space and the real world crashing into a new reality. Asta Idonea’s <em>Captive</em> shows us that love can form in any manner of situations. <em>Beta Tester</em> by Charles Payseur immerses the reader—and the characters—in a virtual reality that brings a friendship to a whole new level. K.S. Trenten’s <em>A Symposium in Space</em>, love is a different meal to every guest. <em>Unexpected Dilemmas</em> by Jessica Payseur long-distance lovers face hijacking and natural disaster to be together. Kayla Bashe’s <em>Medic to the Hivemind</em> a stranded student is saved by a mysterious voice with secrets. <em>Being Jake</em> by Lila Mathews shows readers that smart is sexy. In D.C. Juris’ <em>Torn Apart</em>, love provides the will to survive. <em>Shattered Space</em> by Alain Bell shows how love can grow from destruction. Maia Strong’s <em>All ‘Ships May Sail</em> connects cosplay, fandoms, and something more. <em>Trash and Treasures</em> by M.D. Grimm gives us a deal made in interstellar space that could be more than either party bargained for.
In theory, love is easy.
<br />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Excerpt</strong></h1>
<strong>From <em>Trash and Treasure</em> by M.D. Grimm</strong>
Some of the coldness left Ronan’s eyes. He seemed confused again. Why did Tucker seem to confuse Ronan so much?
Then it happened. Ronan nodded. “Deal.”
Tucker barely stopped himself from gaping again. It <em>worked</em>? He was going to have sex? He was going to have sex! He didn’t let himself think about how long it had been since his last partner. It would only depress him. He knew what to do... mostly.
Tucker tossed the ball underhand to Ronan, who caught it with a startled expression.
“What?” Tucker said. “It’s not like you can go anywhere. Your ship’s caput and even if you tried to hack into my navigation system, you wouldn’t get far. My ma designed it and she was the best there was. Just letting you know in case you had a thought of bashing me over the head and commandeering my ride."
Ronan looked insulted. “I would never do such a thing. I am not a thief or vagabond.”
“Then what are you?”
Ronan’s mouth pulled into a thin line. Tucker shrugged. “Fine. Keep your secrets. Come on, follow me. Let’s both take a well-needed shower.” A blush suddenly crept up his face. “I mean, a shower separately. Let’s take a shower—oh, never mind. Just come on.”
He turned his back on Ronan and called himself an idiot. He dearly hoped he wasn’t making a huge mistake. But he wouldn’t go back on it now. He really, really wanted to have sex.
<br />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Purchase</strong></h1>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76&products_id=4659" target="_blank">Torquere Press</a></h2>
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<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Giveaway </strong></h1>
<strong>Rafflecopter Prize:</strong> One winner will be selected to win an eBook copy of Theory of Love<br />
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~~~~~</div>
Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-42836908327412144762016-05-02T16:34:00.001-04:002016-05-02T16:34:34.823-04:00Queer Eye for Sci Fi -- the booklistSo...<br />
<br />
I went to RavenCon this weekend -- a smallish, book and science fiction/fantasy convention with the prerequisite dealer's room, author GOHs, filkers and panels.<br />
<br />
I had a good time, got to see some musicians I liked (Blibbering Humdingers, Jonah Knight), a band I hadn't seen before (Positronic Cats) and a band I used to like and don't like anymore (Paradox Machine)<br />
<br />
I met my favorite authors (Steve Miller and Sharon Lee) and got autographs and got to listen to a reading of Chapter Seven from their upcoming novel Alliance of Equals, due out sometime this summer...<br />
<br />
I also got drafted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NicoleJamisonWriter/">Nickie Jamison</a> to help her with a panel; Queer Eye for Sci Fi...<br />
<br />
Which is a cool panel name, and I approve 110%.<br />
<br />
Which is how I ended up essentially reciting my reading list over the last two years to a fairly large group of strangers (there were, I think, about 30 people there for the panel, which made me really nervous right up until I actually opened my mouth,,,)<br />
<br />
Last year, 2015, was the year of No White Men for me, as far as reading went. I made one exception, any white male whose books I was already reading (Jim Butcher, the above mentioned Steve Miller, Rick Riordan, etc) I would read IF they had books come out in a series that I was already invested in. But if not, I wanted to make sure I read women writers and persons of color writers only.<br />
<br />
Not entirely unbelievably, I got epic amounts of shit for this decision, mostly on Facebook, but I had one particular guy who cared enough to track down my email address and send me like 30 or so obscene photographs and threats. (We're not even talking about just dick pics, but actual torture porn, because that's sure to change my mind...) You know, my $40 a month book allowance going entirely to women is going to make some white guy starve to death. Absolutely. I take full responsibility for that.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I was asked where I got my reading lists from -- obviously some science fiction is m/m romance or erotic romance, which is a growing, but still not main-stream market -- and honestly, it's kinda a grab bag. The nicest -- and worst -- thing about having a kindle is that I can impulse buy the shit out of books.<br />
<br />
<b>PEOPLE</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/mary.a.mohanraj">Mary Anne Mohanraj</a> -- Author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stars-Change-Mary-Anne-Mohanraj-ebook/dp/B00GMLLDD4/">The Stars Change</a>, which is a Circlet Press novel -- talks a lot about science fiction, romance, polyamory, race, sexuality, and a general amount of geekery. Also, she has cute kids and interesting stories about her life as a college professor. She's posted several books to her facebook page that I've bought and enjoyed, as well as her own work. I believe she does the con-circuits out in the mid-West from time to time. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/laura.antoniou">Laura Antoniou</a> -- Lamda Award Winning Author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Killer-Wore-Leather-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00B6U14SA/">The Killer Wore Leather</a> -- is a nerdy sort, altho her books are not in genre (or at least, if there are, I haven't read them. The stuff I've read is hard core BDSM) That being said, her page has been a great place for me; she posts some book lists from time to time and there are always interesting discussions there. She's not taking friend requests at this time, but you can follow her.<br />
<br />
<b>BOOK LISTS</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4343.Best_Science_Fiction_Books_with_Gay_Main_Characters">Goodreads Best Science Fiction with a Gay Main Character</a></b><br />
I obviously haven't vetted everything on this list, but I do check it out from time to time.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/books/gay-lesbian-fiction/gay-lesbian-science-fiction-fantasy-horror/_/N-29Z8q8Z10mc">Gay and Lesbian Science Fiction that Doesn't Suck</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://bestsciencefictionbooks.com/gay-science-fiction.php">Best Science Fiction Books.com Gay list</a><br />
<br />
<b>Specific Books (Listed in no Particular Order)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Space-Lisa-Henry-ebook/dp/B00AHZRE34/">Dark Space</a> -- Lisa Henry -- This book contains explicit material, but is completely fantastic. Love it. I own, but have not yet read, the sequel, Darker Space.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Forever-War-Joe-Haldeman-ebook/dp/B00PI184XG/">The Forever War</a> -- Joe Haldeman -- no explicit material and the LGBT stuff is toward the end of the book, but has some interesting ideas of how sexuality might evolve...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sharon-Lee/e/B000APHWO2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1462220635&sr=8-1">The Liaden novels</a> -- Steve Miller and Sharon Lee -- several bisexual characters and characters that have gay relationships, including Theo Waitley, the main character in Fledgling, Saltation, Ghost Ship and Dragon Ship, and Priscilla Mendoza from Conflict of Honors and several subsequent novels. There are 18+ or so books in this series, but well worth the read. The books don't carry the theme of being LGBT, but they treat it as very normal.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Left-Hand-Darkness-Ursula-Guin-ebook/dp/B00YBA7PGW/">The Left Hand of Darkness</a> -- Ursula K. LeGuin -- not explicit, an interesting look at a gender-swapping society. My copy of this book is so battered from multiple re-reads. Every time I read it, I find something new in there<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ascension-Tangled-Novel-Jacqueline-Koyanagi-ebook/dp/B00E40MX70/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">Ascension, a Tangled Axiom novel</a> -- Jacqueline Koyanagi -- this book is a checklist of diversity, we've got characters of color, we've got characters with a chronic illness, we've got lesbians, and we've got a damn good story. By far my favorite read from last year.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gumshoe-Witch-Virtual-Corpse/dp/1892065053?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_lmf_tit_11">The Gumshoe, The Witch, and the Virtual Corpse</a> -- Keith Hartman -- I have not actually read this yet, but it's been recommended to me about 80 times now, so there's that.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ash-Malinda-Lo-ebook/dp/B002L4EXMO/">Ash </a>-- Malinda Lo -- Young adult lesbian version of Cinderella. Brilliant and a finalist for a lot of awards... Absolutely, you should read this.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dreamships-Melissa-Scott/dp/0812513029?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_lmf_img_1">Dreamships </a>-- Melissa Scott -- gay cyberpunk story...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Percy-Jackson-Complete-Rick-Riordan-ebook/dp/B00DH4BL8Q/">Percy Jackson</a> -- Rick Riordan -- this is a 10 book series and the one (two?) gay characters aren't actually outed as gay until book 9 and is a side character at best, so... a lot of emotional investment in a book series, but they are fun, and they do treat being gay as an ordinary sort of thing.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Mortal-Instruments-6-Books/dp/B00NQ6ZFX2/">The Mortal Instruments</a> -- Cassandra Claire -- Young adult books with a gay supporting character, as well as his love-interest and quite a lot of parental issues about it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/MOTHERS-LAND-Elisabeth-Vonarburg/dp/055329962X">In the Mother's Land</a> -- Elisabeth Vonarburg -- Translated from French, which sometimes makes the sentence construction a little odd, but bear with it, because this book is brilliant, but very hard to get a hold of. It is the sequel to The Silent City, but I didn't actually read that one.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Handmaids-Tale-Margaret-Atwood/dp/038549081X/">The Handmaiden's Tale</a> -- Margaret Atwood -- really, this should be recommended reading for just about everyone.<br />
<br />
Marion Zimmer Bradly came up during the conversation, and I may mention her work with some caveats, the first of which is, I've never personally read anything she's written and two, her real-life stuff is problematic for me, given the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marion_Zimmer_Bradley#Child_sex_abuse_allegations">accusations of child molestation</a>. Her backlist profits are currently going to charities to help abuse victims, so if you haven't read her before, the money you give toward those books will help. At the same time, I feel very uncomfortable recommending her books, so take away from that what you will.<br />
<br />
For those of you wanting the title of that South African novel I mentioned, I'm sorry, I can't FIND it. It was a loaner and I gave it back when I was done. I'm trying to remember who lent it to me so I can ask them. The problem with reading as many books as I do is that sometimes books and titles just slip out of my mind and I can't recall...Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-46563973645505889182016-04-14T09:38:00.002-04:002016-04-14T09:38:18.358-04:00Fool for Love Release. Contest!<a href="http://indigomarketingdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Fool-for-Love-Banner-v1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-2839"><img alt="Fool for Love Banner v1" class="aligncenter wp-image-2839 size-full" src="http://indigomarketingdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Fool-for-Love-Banner-v1.jpg" height="256" width="640" /></a>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Title</strong>: Fool for Love</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Authors</strong>:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jessica Chase</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Keelan Ellis</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
L.J. Hamlin</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Asta Idonea</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
DC Lowry</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Lila Mathews</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Cassandra McMurphy</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Charles Payseur</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
DM Roberto</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Lynn Townsend</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Monica Wang</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Edited by B. Luckowski</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Publisher</strong>:<strong> </strong>Torquere Press</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Cover Artist: </strong>Kris Norris</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Release Date</strong>: April 20, 2016</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Heat Level: </strong>5</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Pairing</strong>s: Male/Male, Female/Female</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Length</strong>: 59,800</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Genre/Tags: </strong>Contemporary, BDSM, Fantasy, Paranormal, Humor, Lesbian Romance, M/M Romance</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29630357-fool-for-love-anthology" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></h2>
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<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Synopsis</strong></h1>
Not every love story starts out pretty, and <em>Fool for Love</em> has plenty of pranks, blunders, and misunderstandings to prove it. Whether it’s two college students assuming the worst or a visit from “The Trickster” himself, this collection of romantic near-misses and second chances shows that a rough beginning might very well lead to the happiest ending of all.<br />
<br />
In <em>Can’t Stand the Heat</em> by Keelan Ellis a not-so-friendly prank on a would-be sous chef’s competition goes too far, and backfires in more ways than one.<br />
<br />
L.J. Hamlin’s <em>Cherry Bomb</em> introduces us to a world-weary Dom and a young fraternity brother who get off on the wrong foot, but learn that trying something new might be exactly what they need.<br />
<br />
In <em>Coffee and Chaos</em> by Jessica Chase, an ambitious detective believes that his new partner is a joke, but soon realizes that he may not be quite so perfect himself.<br />
<br />
In Lynn Townsend’s <em>Had Me at Cheese Fries</em>, an orderly and a nurse discover that, if they can survive April Fool’s Day in the emergency room, they can make it through anything, as long as they do it together.<br />
<br />
In <em>Kangaroos Next 200km</em> by Asta Idonea, a young man learns that taking a drunken dare in the outback might not have been a very wise thing to do, but being rescued by a sexy, older trucker on a tight schedule could be the best thing that’s ever happened to him.<br />
<br />
A secret admirer teaches a Valentine’s Day-hating baker that romance isn’t dead in <em>Moonlight Masquerade</em> by D.M. Roberto.<br />
<br />
In DC Lowry’s <em>Rough Love</em>, two college classmates discover that being perfect for one another may not be enough to keep them together unless they learn how to communicate before things fall apart.<br />
<br />
Fifteen years is a long time to make up for, but in Lila Mathews’ <em>Rough Waters</em>, two former best friends realize that forgiveness is sometimes the only way to a new beginning.<br />
<br />
In <em>Tomatoes and Mangoes</em> by Monica Wang, two geeky game-night enthusiasts discover that nothing says “I love you” like a never-ending stream of tricks and teases.<br />
<br />
An unexpected encounter turns a college student’s ideas about his own sexuality inside out in Cassandra McMurphy’s <em>The Date</em>.<br />
<br />
Nothing would delight Loki more than humiliating the god of thunder himself in <em>Trickster69</em> by Charles Payseur—too bad his heart won’t get with the program.<br />
<br />
Love is love—no matter if it happens by misdeed or mayhem—and these short stories cover it all. From uncertain flirtations to the most determined pursuits, everyone has the potential to be a <em>Fool for Love</em> in the end.<br />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Excerpt</strong></h1>
<b>From Monica Wang’s <em>Tomatoes & Mangoes:</em> </b><br />
<br />
Having completed the uneven trade, Kei acquired Becca’s resources and soundly defeated everyone, especially Becca. Even as she was gloating, Kei stayed fixed to her exact place on the couch. She wondered if Becca noticed at all that their legs were still in contact, however minor. Or, on a negative note, what if Becca just didn’t move away because it might have seemed impolite?
“Good game,” Becca beamed at her. She didn’t seem to mind that Kei lied to her about the wheat, though she wasn’t a competitive player to begin with; for most of the games, only Cory and Kei fought to win.
“Thank you,” Kei said. With the distraction of the game gone, she was almost painfully aware of the gentle warmth emanating from Becca and flowing into her. Although the contact point between their thighs was limited, Kei could feel her body reacting in several other places where tension and heat were building into a wonderful sort of discomfort. She hadn’t felt like this since her early teens. She hadn’t felt like this about anyone ever.
When Cory came over and split them up by walking across the couch in heavy, wobbling steps to grab a game guide from the shelf on the other end, Kei could have beaten him with the hardcover tome. Never mind that he was the one who introduced them in the first place and continued to bring them together week after week.
Since Becca rarely sent her messages, Kei tried not to send her too many, either, not wanting to be a bother. One of her favourite text conversation with Becca was from the night there was a low-magnitude earthquake in their city.
<em>Did you feel the earthquake just now?! Scary!</em>
<em>Nope,</em> Kei wrote back. She had been eyeing the coffee table before her, wondering if she should pull out all the clutter under it so she could Duck and Cover in case of an aftershock. Now she cast earthquake safety aside and tapped out on her phone: <em>Are you okay?</em> <em>Feeling like there’s an earthquake is a symptom of the flu that’s been going around</em>.
<br />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=200&products_id=4641" target="_blank">Torquere Press</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fool-Love-Anthology-Jessica-Chase-ebook/dp/B01DYCG6QM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1460480646&sr=8-2&keywords=fool+for+love+anthology" target="_blank">Amazon</a></h2>
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Giveaway </strong></h1>
<strong>Rafflecopter Prize:</strong> One winner will be selected to win an eBook copy of Fool For Love
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Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-5065966226036709602016-03-15T05:00:00.000-04:002016-03-15T05:00:12.098-04:00Riverdance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-25884605374165982862016-03-13T04:00:00.000-04:002016-03-13T04:00:03.330-04:00Going Bats!Back at Halloween, my second anthology with Coming Together was released. Coming Together: Strange Shifters, is a collection of erotic short stories featuring shifters of another sort.<br />
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Werewolves, like vampires, are the monsters of the moment, and probably much like you, I was getting a bit tired of them. Surely there were other shape-shifters in the world that could use some love.<br />
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A few years back, I read a really cut novel that featured a were-Chinchilla... as the fur-mommy of two adorable chins, myself, I found the writer's portrayal of the sometimes human / sometimes Chinchilla to be just spot on. The character had a lot of the personality traits that I see in my boys, and it was just an all around great read.<br />
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So I started seeking out other shifter books; harder than you might think, altho I did come across a few.<br />
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As I've been told several times: If you can't find the book you want to read, write it.<br />
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There are a lot of great charities, and I work with several of them, donating time, or money, or both... One of the ones I'm particularly fond of is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/batworld/">Bat World Sanctuary</a>. I stumbled across them on Facebook, started following the page, and fell in love with the little creatures there, and the people that help them out.<br />
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I've always been fond of bats -- someday I'll tell you a funny story about my grandmother and trying to get a bat out of the lake cabin -- and thought they were misunderstood creatures.<br />
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So I wrote to Bat World to see if they'd want to receive the donations from our collection of smutty stories. Because their Facebook page is considered family friendly, they can't really advertise our book, but they have a burlesque group that does a fund-raiser for them once a year... and that decided me... We'd support Bat World...<br />
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And a few weeks ago, I got two of these little babies in the mail as thanks for our donations and time... isn't she cute?<br />
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So, I have a signed copy of Coming Together: Strange Shifters (signed by Nickie Jamison, Elizabeth L. Brooks, Lynn Townsend, and T.B. Bond,) as well as one of these little batty babies to give away.<br />
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So, leave a comment on this blog. Leave a <a href="http://paidbytheweird.blogspot.com/">c</a>omment on my blog, "like" me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LynnTownsendwriter/">Facebook,</a> follow my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Townsend/e/B005OQA0AA/">Amazon profile</a>, or follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/tisfan">twitter</a> (Let me know on my Facebook page, or in your comments that you did these things -- sometimes they don't notify me.) between now and April 1st, and you'll be entered to win... you'll get an entry for each one of these tasks!<br />
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<br />Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-74269770547812705542016-02-07T06:00:00.000-05:002016-02-07T08:12:54.213-05:00Following the Rules, Breaking the Rules<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Let's give a warm welcome to my friend, and one of my favorite writers, Lisabet Sarai...</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">first</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">began</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">writing</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">romance</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">in</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">2006,</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">when</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><a href="https://www.totallybound.com/index.php?route=product/author/book&format=eBook&author_id=17">Totally
Bound</a><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">invited</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">me</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">to</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">submit</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">to</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">them.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Before</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">that,</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">d</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">published</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">novels</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">and</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">stories</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">that</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">would</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">probably</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">be</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">labeled</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">as</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">erotica,</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">though</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">they</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">often</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">had</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">romantic</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">elements.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">didn</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">t</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">take</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">me</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">long</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">to</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">realize</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">that</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">erotic</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">romance</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">had</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">a</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">whole</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">new</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">set</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">of</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">rules.</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">focus</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">romance</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">book</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">must</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">be</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">on</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">developing</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">relationship</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">between</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">protagonists.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">
</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">All</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">sexual</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">activity</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">must</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">deepen</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">that</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">protagonists</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">should</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">not</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">be</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">sexually</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">involved</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">with</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">anyone</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">else</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">during</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">course</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">protagonists</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">must</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">struggle</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">against</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">obstacles</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">—</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">internal,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">external</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">or</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">both</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">—</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">which</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">threaten</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">destroy</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">their</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">relationship.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">By</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">end</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">book,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">characters</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">must</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">have</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">surmounted</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">these</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">barriers.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">reader</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">must</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">be</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">convinced</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">they</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">ll</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">remain</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">together</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">in</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">HFN</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">(Happy</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">For</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Now)</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">or</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">HEA</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">(Happily</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Ever</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">After)</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">situation.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">In</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">many</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">ways,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">my</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">new</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">release</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Gazillionaire</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">
</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">and</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Virgin</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">is</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">classic</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">romance.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">hero</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">and</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">heroine</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">begin</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">by</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">mistrusting</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">and</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">misunderstanding</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">one</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">another.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">As</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">they</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">give</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">in</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">their</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">mutual</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">attraction,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">they</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">fall</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">in</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">love,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">even</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">though</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">they</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">have</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">very</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">different</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">lives,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">expectations</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">and</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">values.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">sexual</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">chemistry</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">between</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">them</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">overwhelms</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">these</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">real</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">world</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">concerns.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Then</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">one</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">characters</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">unintentionally</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">violates</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">trust</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">other,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">tearing</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">relationship</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">
</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">apart.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">It</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">takes</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">both</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">imagination</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">and</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">hard</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">work</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">bring</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">them</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">back</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">together,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">but</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">course</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">by</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">end</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">book,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">they</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">ve</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">reconciled.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">At</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">same</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">time,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">this</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">novel</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">breaks</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">lot</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">rules</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">—</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">or</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">perhaps</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">I</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">should</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">say</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">traditions</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">—</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">BDSM</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">erotic</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">romance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">hero</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">is</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">not</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">in</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">any</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">sense</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">an</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">alpha</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">male.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">In</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">fact,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">he</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">s</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">socially-awkward,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">porn-influenced</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">
</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">virgin</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">who</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">has</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">made</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">an</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">intensive</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">study</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">sex</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">but</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">has</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">never</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">had</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">chance</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">put</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">his</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">research</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">into</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">practice.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">(He</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">is</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">dominant</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">and</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">moderately</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">hunky,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">though</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">this</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">isn</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">t</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">necessarily</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">obvious</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">at</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">first.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">heroine</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">is</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">brilliant</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">billionaire</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">CEO</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">used</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">getting</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">what</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">she</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">wants.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">She</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">s</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">good</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">deal</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">more</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> “</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">alpha</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">”</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">in</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">fact,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">than</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">hero.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">She</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">has</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">submissive</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">desires,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">but</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">it</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">s</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">hard</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">for</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">her</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">put</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">aside</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">her</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">natural</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">bossiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">hero</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">is</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">not</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">attracted</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">heroine</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">s</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">wealth.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">In</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">fact,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">he</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">despises</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">her</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">luxury</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">lifestyle.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">You</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">won</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">t</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">find</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">all</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">that</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">many</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">BDSM</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">erotic</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">romances</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">where</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">hero</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">has</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">anxiety</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">attacks,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">or</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">where</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">heroine</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">treats</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">hero</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">$2000</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">dinner.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">This</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">probably</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">sounds</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">very</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">strange.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Why</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">didn</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">t</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">I</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">follow</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">traditional</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">BDSM</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">billionaire</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">romance</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">script?</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Honestly?</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Because</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">I</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">m</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">really,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">really</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">bored</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">with</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">that</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">story</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">line.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">I</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">wanted</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">see</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">what</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">would</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">happen</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">if</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">I</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">twisted</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">few</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">tropes.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Actually,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">I</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">m</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">delighted</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">with</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">results.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">The</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Gazillionaire</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">and</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Virgin</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">has</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">all</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">heat</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">and</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">heart</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">traditional</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">romance</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">—</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">but</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">lot</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">more</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">surprises.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">~</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">
</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">~</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">~<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">post</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">is</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">part</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">my</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Gazillionaire</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">and</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Virgin</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">blog</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">tour,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">running</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">from</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">February</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">1<sup>st</sup></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">15<sup>th</sup>.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Leave</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">me</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">comment</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">on</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">this</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">post,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">including</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">your</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">email</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">address,</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">and</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">ll</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">enter</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">you</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">win</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">a</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">$50</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">bookstore</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">gift</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">certificate</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(first</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">prize)</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">or</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">an</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">autographed</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">print</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">copy</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">of</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">new</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">book</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">(second</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">prize).</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Visit</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">all</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">stops</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">for</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">more</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">chances</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">to</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">win.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">You</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">ll</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">find</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">the</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">full</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">list</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">here:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu serif" , serif;"><a href="http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2016/01/blog-tour.html">http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/2016/01/blog-tour.html</a></span><span style="font-family: "dejavu serif" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Book Information</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Excessica,
2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Contemporary
BDSM erotic romance (Five flames)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Approximately</span><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"> 62,000 words, 240 pages in print<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">HEA</span><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"> ending<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">ISBN
9781504501675<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">#bdsm</span><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"> #eroticromance #lisabetsarai #bondage #discipline #dominance
#submission #sextoys #artificialintelligence
#virtualworlds #SiliconValley #onlineenvironments<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tag
Line<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Trust
can’t be bought—it has to be earned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Long
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When
Silicon Valley entrepreneur Rachel Zelinsky meets reclusive genius Theo Moore, she
finds him strangely compelling. Theo is both arrogant and socially awkward, but
he has an aura of power that speaks to Rachel’s carefully-hidden submissive side.
Disturbed and aroused, she tries to focus on her original objective—a deal to incorporate
his Artificial Intelligence software into her company’s popular virtual world. Rachel’s
not a woman who lets pleasure interfere with business, but for some reason, she
can’t resist Theo’s geeky appeal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Theo
Moore can’t be bought. His past battles with poverty make him deeply suspicious
of the billionaire CEO. Still, with her voluptuous curves and brilliant mind, Rachel
embodies his ultimate sexual fantasy. Too bad his knowledge about sex derives from
extensive research and a stash of kinky porn rather than real-world experience.
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That
doesn’t bother Rachel, however. In his bed—in his arms—in his bonds—she discovers
the bliss of total surrender. Rachel may be Theo’s first lover, but Theo is Rachel’s
first true Master—and the first man to truly touch her heart. It seems that love
may harmonize their differing goals and values, until Rachel’s unwitting violation
of Theo’s trust threatens to tear them apart forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Short
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Silicon
Valley entrepreneur Rachel Zelinsky is not a woman who lets pleasure interfere with
business, but when she meets reclusive genius Theo Moore, she can’t resist his geeky
appeal. Though Theo’s knowledge about sex derives from extensive research and a
stash of kinky porn rather than real-world experience, he is Rachel’s first true
Master—and the first man to truly touch her heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Lisabet
Sarai writes the most beautiful erotic prose. Her stories tease at the senses and
transport you to a world of sexual pleasure.” ~ Desiree Holt, queen of BDSM erotic
romance and author of <i>Forward Pass<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I’ve always been a fan—Lisabet Sarai's erotic fiction is certain
to captivate, dominate, and leave readers begging for more." ~ Alison Tyler,
best-selling author of erotic BDSM memoirs <i>Dark Secret Love</i> and<i> Even Deeper</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ebook Buy</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"> Links (Print coming soon!)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon
US<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B76B95K/"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B76B95K/</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01B76B95K/"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01B76B95K/</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin-lisbet-sarai/1123327821?ean=2940157884932"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin-lisbet-sarai/1123327821?ean=2940157884932</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegazillionaireandthevirgin-1974313-354.html"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thegazillionaireandthevirgin-1974313-354.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;">Goodreads:
</span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28766414-the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28766414-the-gazillionaire-and-the-virgin</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "dejavu serif" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><b style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About</span></b><b style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"> Lisabet</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">LISABET
SARAI occasionally tackles other genres, but BDSM will always be her first love.
Every one of her nine novels includes some element of power exchange, while her
D/s short stories range from mildly kinky to intensely perverse. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You</span><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;">’ll find information and excerpts from all Lisabet’s books
on her website (</span><a href="http://www.lisabetsarai.com/books.html"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">http://www.lisabetsarai.com/books.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">),</span><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"> along with more than fifty free stories
and lots more. At her blog Beyond Romance (</span><a href="http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">),</span><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"> she shares her philosophy and her
news and hosts lots of other great authors. She’s also on </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/83387.Lisabet_Sarai"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">Goodreads</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"> and finally, on </span><a href="https://www.twitter.com/lisabetsarai"><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lohit Devanagari";">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">She’s not what I expected. She’s soft and full, not lean and angular like most Californians. None of the gym-toned muscles everyone sports here in the land of sunshine. And she’s young, much younger than someone so filthy rich has any right to be. Her designer watch must have cost more than two months of my professor’s salary. On the other hand, I can hardly complain about her wealth, can I, since my pet project is the beneficiary of her largesse? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">Hunkering down in the leather-upholstered back seat of her disgustingly opulent vehicle, I try to calm myself. I’m sweating like a pig, and my muscles are in knots. I gulp down orange juice from the bar I’d ridiculed and focus on my breathing the way Dr. Hopkins has taught me. I force myself not to count the telephone poles whizzing by. I know that will only make it worse. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">When I pat my pocket, I can’t help grinning a bit. Two hundred fifty thousand! We can equip a new mobile development lab and hire two trainers for a year. Or take our outreach into junior high schools. Or even expand to some of the Rust Belt cities where the recession has hit particularly hard...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">No, this wouldn’t be enough for that. But Dr. Zelinsky—Rachel—had indicated there might be more. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">Rachel. Bringing up the search engine on my phone, I type in her name. I should have done this before the meeting, of course, but I was much too nervous. Up until the moment her limousine pulled up in front of my building, I still thought I might back out. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">The screen fills with images and links. There’s even a Wikipedia article. I flip through the text, digesting the basics. Born in Brooklyn. An MBA from Harvard and a PhD—in physics!—from MIT. Looking Glass is her third company. She sold the first to IBM and the second to Microsoft. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">A real high roller. And MirrorWorld is a huge hit—the main article on the virtual environment runs pages and pages. Since the Looking Glass IPO almost two years ago, the company stock has increased in value by an unbelievable 224%.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">She can afford a quarter of a million for charity. For her, that’s petty change. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">By the time we arrive back at my complex, I’m pretty much back to normal. At least what counts as normal for me. I nod at the uniformed driver who opens the door for me, trying to pretend I do this every day. The Vietnamese gardener is spreading new mulch on the flower beds in front of my building. Averting my eyes and ignoring his greeting—after all, I can barely understand his English— I hustle up the wooden steps to my second floor condo. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">It’s quiet and cool inside. The soft hiss of the air conditioning soothes me. I flip on the stereo, something by Brahms, turn the volume down low, then stretch out on my bed, fully clothed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">I made it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">The money is mine, free and clear. I’ll ask my sister to deposit it tomorrow. I don’t need to see Rachel Zelinsky again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "dejavu sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.4px;">I can’t stop thinking about her, though. I recall one of the pictures from the web article, a black and white photo of a skinny teenager with a mop of curls, standing in front of some science fair project. She didn’t have those curves yet. No, but I recognize the expression, that determined set of her mouth and those laser-sharp eyes under the dark eyebrows. She was going to win—there was no question.</span></span></div>
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Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-60996365591146749022016-01-04T10:17:00.004-05:002016-01-04T10:17:55.634-05:002015 in ReviewI'd meant to write this post up in November, like I have for the last 2 years, but I've been really <a href="http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/">low on spoons</a>. I usually use this phrase only to refer to my mental state -- as a person with bipolar disorder, I sometimes run low on mental spoons, especially if I'm in a downswing. This year, it's meant a little more (or less, depending on how you look at it.)<br />
<br />
Starting in October, I've been suffering from a chronic condition. The problem is hives, and by themselves they're about a six on the annoying scale. When they go away promptly. MOST of the time, it's not actual pain, just itchy and a bit of swelling that can lead to sore spots on my skin. But it's very hard to function when your skin feels like it's being poked with hot, sharp things all the time. And the medication used to treat it makes me exhausted. (Also I can't drink, and while I was never a full fledged alcoholic like Vin, his problems and situations didn't exactly come from nowhere -- which may be why if you ever wrote me an email or a review about how much you hate addicts, I didn't respond to you... because if you can't say anything nice...)<br />
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If I don't take the medication, I have hives pretty much constantly, although they'll move around. Sometimes my legs, sometimes my arms, sometimes on my torso. Once, really badly, on my face.<br />
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I haven't been responding well to conventional treatments. As soon as I go down in dosage, I hive out again. Because my husband's company got bought out, we're changing health insurance, so the series of shots couldn't be started until I had the new insurance. It can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 8 weeks for the injections to be approved, and then they're 1 to 2 shots every 3 weeks for three months. We're looking at May, maybe, before I start to be normal again? Ug.<br />
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Anyway, so... what did I do this year?<br />
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<b>Stuff that Happened in late 2014 and all of 2015</b><br />
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- A Wanted Woman accepted by Vamptasy<br />
- A Marked Man published by Vamptasy<br />
- <b>Cleis got bought out by Smart Books</b>, which resulted in my getting several short stories back because they failed to meet their obligations. (Fair Game, Tanked, Dreaming the Hardest, and Live Every Second)<br />
- novel Blues published by Torquere Press<br />
- Dead in the Water came out on Audiobook format<br />
- Deep Breath came out on Audiobook format<br />
- Howling Bitch was published by Vamptasy<br />
- A Wanted Woman was published by Vamptasy<br />
- Living Proof finally released with Antimatter Press<br />
- I put out the call for Strange Shifters anthology by Coming Together<br />
- Cascade Failure accepted for publication in anthology Family Time by Torquere Press<br />
- In The Closet published in Dirty 30 by Stupid Fish Press<br />
- Fair Game, in Love of a Soldier accepted for publication, Circlet Press<br />
- Heat Wave: Burlington accepted and published by JMS Books LLC<br />
- Blood Cries Up, republished in Encounters by JayHenge Publishing<br />
- Classic published by Torquere Press<br />
- Celibate Cold accepted for publication by Torquere Press<br />
- <b>Vamptasy Press shed a bunch of authors and contracts, including all of mine</b><br />
- found a new home for the Demoniac Codex and Forging of Souls with Gone Writing Press<br />
- Sins of Angels written and accepted for publication by Gone Writing Press<br />
- <b>Antimatter Press shuts down</b><br />
- Living Proof accepted for Encounters II anthology with JayHenge Press<br />
- Finding Balance accepted for publication by Torquere Press<br />
- Pistols & Guns re-published in Coming Together: Keeping Warm<br />
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This year was harder to keep track of than last year, with all sorts of publisher problems and reprints. I didn't do as much writing as I would have liked, only finishing one novel (Sins of Angels), even though I had five released. I did write and publish (or get accepted) a bunch of short stories and novelette length pieces.<br />
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I have a bunch of homeless stories now, primarily male/female couples... including an 8,000 word sweet-romance (no sex) steampunk story called Hold the Dirigible.<br />
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I also have "plans" to write a bunch of short stories this year with the idea of appearing in all or most of Torquere's anthologies. To that end, I've already had the first three of the year written and accepted, altho The Pricking of Tom Thumb was just accepted yesterday and I don't think it counts for last year.<br />
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On my plans for this year:<br />
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- edit Sins of Angels<br />
- finish writing All that Jazz (60,000 novel)<br />
- write Ghost Magic (60,000 novel)<br />
- write 8 more short stories for Torquere anthologies (3 - 8k each) due the 15th of each month, 3 months prior<br />
- finish Desire is the Key (short story, 3 - 10k due Feb 15)<br />
- write 10,000 word novella for Men at Work, (follow up to Heat Wave: Burlington, due Feb 29th)<br />
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<br />Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-55189044759688270332015-12-21T09:54:00.002-05:002015-12-21T09:54:48.483-05:00Pre-Order a Little Stocking Stuffer for yourself<div class="tr_bq">
So, last book of the year is out on the 25th of December,,,</div>
<br />
Pick up your steaming hot copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Together-Keeping-Alessia-Brio-ebook/dp/B019MFRCO0/">Coming Together: Keeping Warm</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-sD2-t0YAelJdlh3EX_isMKGwluapWupGhpoQ5ToziI1CKERs_AqrOxpKP2e75RhTnhrOzxv8Sjc0RrwHrTh-v220oHVSe2Mi-hSI3G-hfM_wsz7WIigiStPEcBle2VQoSdNTYKAups/s1600/51EI6yPI2WL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-sD2-t0YAelJdlh3EX_isMKGwluapWupGhpoQ5ToziI1CKERs_AqrOxpKP2e75RhTnhrOzxv8Sjc0RrwHrTh-v220oHVSe2Mi-hSI3G-hfM_wsz7WIigiStPEcBle2VQoSdNTYKAups/s320/51EI6yPI2WL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Coming Together: Keeping Warm is a collection of erotic fiction edited by Alessia Brio. Proceeds benefit <a href="http://www.operationwarm.org/">Operation Warm</a>.<br />
<br />
FEATURING STORIES BY:<br />
<br />
Sommer Marsden<br />
Lisabet Sarai<br />
Allison Wonderland<br />
Leigh Ellwood<br />
Xan West<br />
Robert Buckley<br />
Peach Robidoux<br />
Lynn Townsend<br />
Annabeth Leong<br />
Delilah Night<br />
Jim Reader<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So, there you have it; heat up your kindle and support a good cause.<br />
<br />
My story in this collection is Pistols & Guns, previously published by Hot Ink as a stand alone short.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
The difference is knowing when to shoot...</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Half Scot, half Irish, all hot-head, Turner Gillespie ain't about to tolerate no horse-thief taking what is his. Especially when the thief is a scrawny, under-fed kid with a big gun.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Eppie just wants to get away from Ellis Ballard, the man who murdered her mother and forced her into an intolerable marriage. She has money, Turner has a horse; why is this a problem?</blockquote>
<blockquote>
When Eppie reaches for her gun and finds herself holding onto a tool of a different sort, sparks fly in the hot, western desert...</blockquote>
<blockquote>
But will they learn to trust each other before Ballard comes looking for his wayward bride?</blockquote>
Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-68485926061074407782015-11-23T06:00:00.000-05:002015-11-23T06:00:05.363-05:00Coming Together: Thanksgiving -- Giving Back<b>I am giving away $10 in OmniBucks to <a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/index.html">AllRomance</a> for one lucky commentor. Normally, I would give Amazon gift cards, but with Christmas / Holidays coming up, I want my winner to buy something for THEMSELVES, not use the gift card to buy something for a present... I am guilty of this behavior myself, so...</b><br />
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<br />
To be quite honest, <i>giving back </i>wasn't what I had in mind the very first time I worked with Coming Together.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9zGXrMEKuvqk4AzNcJymhYZ59sVssKj2RtZQH1oF6tivbJn_QRuqAnCgLcCAaJAWZDLHYJ7ZqSwGTN_IEkWOxB-akr0HT05UAKnjER41pn1gqeXKSX-MKNyqhE3_Tquc6_QAoxklzmI/s1600/Hungry+for+Love+%2528200x300%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9zGXrMEKuvqk4AzNcJymhYZ59sVssKj2RtZQH1oF6tivbJn_QRuqAnCgLcCAaJAWZDLHYJ7ZqSwGTN_IEkWOxB-akr0HT05UAKnjER41pn1gqeXKSX-MKNyqhE3_Tquc6_QAoxklzmI/s1600/Hungry+for+Love+%2528200x300%2529.jpg" /></a>The first time I ever even heard of Coming Together, my favorite smut writer, (now) friend, and all around awesome human being, <a href="http://sommermarsden.blogspot.com/">Sommer Marsden</a> was running an open call for submissions for Hungry For Love, a zombie anthology that benefited American Diabetes Association.<br />
<br />
I really admire Sommer -- I have since I didn't know who she was or much of anything about her, except that her work was awesome and made me laugh -- and that hasn't changed since getting to know her and seeing glimpses of her personal life. She's had a rough time -- her husband died from cancer not long ago -- and we've talked a lot on line. Exchanged a couple of Christmas cards and postcards. It's a casual acquaintanceship, but it means a lot to me.<br />
<br />
We've had a few chats about how weird and uncomfortable it is when someone praises you -- you've done so much, I don't know how you do it, oh, you're so strong -- and outside you're nodding with that slightly apologetic look on your face like you're sorry you're making the other person feel weak because you're barely managing to hold on to your life with both hands and inside you're screaming "What the fuck ELSE do you think I'm going to do? I manage my life because WHAT THE FUCK?? Really?"<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfQ7cvQ9Srt1jo-KNGBzMj1k87m74Cy1J-pgtp193KLhnurpAM8gRVU9yGpVEO6Db1KcIbjj8iNLnjO4o9oRzXSIsj33ARCUuyqVyePQ4KKmJyhp6kTITLQLpRGS_kis0pQKTvmlivVk/s1600/10648901_554223944681360_8967606302125004271_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfQ7cvQ9Srt1jo-KNGBzMj1k87m74Cy1J-pgtp193KLhnurpAM8gRVU9yGpVEO6Db1KcIbjj8iNLnjO4o9oRzXSIsj33ARCUuyqVyePQ4KKmJyhp6kTITLQLpRGS_kis0pQKTvmlivVk/s320/10648901_554223944681360_8967606302125004271_o.jpg" width="320" /></a>Anyway... got off track a bit there. The point is, I wasn't really thinking about charity so much as I was thinking "I want this woman to notice my work."<br />
<br />
So, that was the first time. This was back in the day when I still threw up regularly after hitting the send button on a submission. (Thank FSM that doesn't happen anymore. In fact, most of the time, I'm pretty chill about it. I feel comfortable with my work, most of the time.)<br />
<br />
By the way, <a href="http://www.thekissmequicks.com/2015/03/15/dead-in-the-water-by-lynn-townsend/">Dead in the Water</a>, the story that I submitted for Hungry for Love, is available as an audio reading from Rose Caraway, who is also awesome...<br />
<br />
After some time -- and because another friend of mine was going through a rough time and her illness is one of those weird, rare things that most people never heard about, and I desperately wanted to do something for her -- I thought I'd try my own hand at doing an anthology.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvOjNKLLsPaJWpA5tgkdl5CqRTAW1CtDWKtSm3FA65NBV41aSThNHtLoZbMhB4LVXjzhj9g1VPZ9vVjQqPmZAaXcBFaIC8X6YIbvaZXkbH_CU3-8xQGHYOXGclNSOteKOXmT8m-3uOU4/s1600/Among+the+Stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvOjNKLLsPaJWpA5tgkdl5CqRTAW1CtDWKtSm3FA65NBV41aSThNHtLoZbMhB4LVXjzhj9g1VPZ9vVjQqPmZAaXcBFaIC8X6YIbvaZXkbH_CU3-8xQGHYOXGclNSOteKOXmT8m-3uOU4/s320/Among+the+Stars.jpg" width="213" /></a>Talk about leaping before I looked! I had no fucking clue what I was doing, and I hope it doesn't show too much. I got a lot of advice from other CT editors (including the brilliant and amazing Nobilis Reed) and editors of other collections.<br />
<br />
I put together a proposal for Coming Together: Among the Stars, to benefit International Still's Disease Foundation and to my surprise and pleasure, Alessia was onboard with me right away. We put together the call and I collected well over 60 stories...<br />
<br />
Editing an anthology was a whole different kettle of fish -- but it was a learning experience, I got to meet a whole ton of really talented writers, and I enjoyed it so much that I ended up doing a second one this year.<br />
<br />
(I've also had my share of weird problems as being an editor -- attempted plagiarism, people who really cannot read the submission guidelines, a whole lot of authors who turn in stories without their contact information -- seriously, people, don't do that! -- authors who are hard to work with, weird hostility, and male writers who seem to think that, as a female editor, I am obligated to look at pictures of their dicks as well as their stories. No, dudes. Just no.)<br />
<br />
But Among the Stars was a good enough experience that this year, I did it again, and just recently, Strange Shifters made its way into the world...<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGgwn630rKQGlkt9NSDhzr7l-zOEQWTFUIhLhY-2JzjZsnBElIjt90bOtjXgJRHY0kKNlSiYMZuSr3MGV2IVXbc78-peKpqqA7LNpyUyPjIujsVhgt6YLEsSlm4foe8GrlNGz12qO-2U/s1600/Strange+Shifters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGgwn630rKQGlkt9NSDhzr7l-zOEQWTFUIhLhY-2JzjZsnBElIjt90bOtjXgJRHY0kKNlSiYMZuSr3MGV2IVXbc78-peKpqqA7LNpyUyPjIujsVhgt6YLEsSlm4foe8GrlNGz12qO-2U/s320/Strange+Shifters.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
And wow, am I happy to see it. This book was a lot more work because... well, 2015 has just been the year of Fuck You. I have had annoying real life problems of every kind imaginable. Nothing horrible -- mostly -- but just... one would be annoying, two would be difficult, and one pretty much every month of this year has been fucking exhausting. I'm amazing and impressed with myself that Strange Shifters got finished on time, and I gotta hand it to my writers, you guys were amazing! Good stories, easy to work with, understanding when I was behind...<br />
<br />
Thanks!<br />
<br />
Proceeds for Strange Shifters goes to Bat World Sanctuary, one of my own personal favorite charities. I love bats and the people at Bat World do a lot of cool stuff to preserve these little flying foxes. You should check them out, their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/batworld/">facebook</a> page is pretty awesome.<br />
<br />
I'm working on ideas for an anthology next year... I have a million pet causes and I want to do a little something for all of them...<br />
<br />
Comment on this blog for the little prize... there will be a bigger prize from Coming Together [insert that when available] and there are lots of other Coming Together authors and editors who are on the Hop... so stop by and see them [also, link]<br />
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<br />Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-27219061657574789782015-11-21T06:00:00.000-05:002015-11-21T06:00:03.265-05:00New PublisherOn Wednesday, I had a long, involved conversation with my new publisher.<br />
<br />
Yes, you heard that right -- I have found a home for my litter of orphaned kittens; which is to say, the Forging of Souls Duology and the Demoniac Codex novels have all been signed to <b>Go Writing Publishing.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Great news</b><br />
<br />
The Forging of Souls Duology will be re-released with <b>new covers </b>and will be available again on <b>March 8th</b> for A Marked Man and <b>May 3rd</b> for A Wanted Woman.<br />
<br />
In addition to being available on Amazon, GWP offers other sales platforms, which means a wider release for those of you who do not have kindles... Paperback copes will also be available again.<br />
<br />
<b>All four novels of the Demoniac Codex will be released.</b><br />
<br />
Blood Sight and Howling Bitch will have <b>all new covers</b>, and some slight edits will be done to both -- there were some errors that slipped by in the first printing, and the epilogue for Blood Sight will be adjusted slightly. If you've already bought the books and you just want to know the epilogue changes without buying a new copy, I'll post something on the web page to update you.<br />
<br />
Blood Sight will be re-released on<b> January 12th</b><br />
Howling Bitch will be re-released on<b> April 6th</b><br />
<br />
Sins of Angels will come out <b>July 1st</b>. I know that's a long wait for those of you who were reading on the other schedule, but... you won't have to wait as long for Ghost Magic, which was originally contracted for March of 2017 and will now be released on<b> November 9th, 2016..</b>..<br />
<br />
All books will be released simultaneously as paperback and e-book, so those of you who spent months waiting for the paperbacks will not have to do that anymore, either. Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-69632936298612454492015-11-15T06:00:00.000-05:002015-11-15T06:00:00.749-05:00Celibate ColdSo, last night I was sitting around the table with my two best girlfriends, mostly chatting and eating soup and cupcakes (It was Liz's birthday dinner and I made my famous Cream of Reuben Soup) when I got an email...<br />
<br />
Celibate Cold, which is the first of the stories for the Torquere line this upcoming year, has been accepted for publication. Celibate Cold will be in the <i>Snowed In</i> anthology, available in January, 2016... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jnzddszFFCfwWmkNJTbt1HyvzT6rVgkyBQhGiLv5e-xSoAGcWzHlYj-Na-urxCbiPyaXqtw5NRmpT9iDPmXfMFqG6NyRflCo3fmOy2TGgrlrY4i3DbzaQtgCWqNsUzZHVfx_IPvn3cQ/s1600/Winter_wonderland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jnzddszFFCfwWmkNJTbt1HyvzT6rVgkyBQhGiLv5e-xSoAGcWzHlYj-Na-urxCbiPyaXqtw5NRmpT9iDPmXfMFqG6NyRflCo3fmOy2TGgrlrY4i3DbzaQtgCWqNsUzZHVfx_IPvn3cQ/s400/Winter_wonderland.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div class="Standard">
Chase sighed. He tried to concentrate on the falling snow,
the faint whistle of wind, but his good mood was shattered again. He needed to
leave town. If he could just afford to do so. Or find a reason to stay. But he
was stuck, stuck in place, both indecisive and unwilling to take risks. Yeah,
that sucked. Big time.<br /></div>
<div class="Standard">
“Fuck it,” he said. His voice was swallowed by the snow and
the darkness. “I’m going inside.”</div>
<div class="Standard">
He straightened, tugged his shirt down to clear the wrinkles
from crossing his arms over his chest, and took one last glance out at the
snowy night. And then he saw something moving out in his yard. Something large
and white and staggering right toward him. Like a fucking yeti.</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br />“What the hell?”</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br />Chase squinted. Of course it wasn’t a yeti, he thought. But the
creature who was stumbling in his direction was covered in snow from the thighs
down and his coat was thick with ice-crystals. He had a hat crammed low down
over his ears, but no gloves, and his sleeves were crusted with more snow. He’d
probably fallen a few times, to judge by the smears of white down his front.</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard">
By the time Chase had identified the intruder as being
nothing more than a man, his visitor was nearly to the porch. The man’s teeth
were chattering so hard that he couldn’t seem to force intelligible words out.
Chase caught a few mumbled syllables.</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br />“Well, you look like three miles of bad road,” Chase said. He
helped the man up the stairs and then impartially started brushing snow off his
back, not really paying attention to where his hands were until the man
startled when Chase’s hands came down on his ass, smacking snow away.</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br />The stranger whirled, his brown eyes wide.</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br />Chase held his hands out to his sides, harmless. “No point in
trackin’ that all in m’house, man, and you look a bit chilled to do it
yourself.”</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br />The man nodded, stomped off his feet as best he could, which
wasn’t very well. Chase sighed. The guy was wearing fucking Oxfords, for
Christ’s sweet sake. He’d be lucky if he had any toes left at all. Fool.</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br />“Sex,” the man said.</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br />“What?” Chase had to have misheard that. He stuck a
finger--snow covered, and cold--into his ear as if to clear it out. Or wind up
his brain. “What did you say?”</div>
<div class="Standard">
<br />“Six. Six miles of bad road.”</div>
<br />
<div class="Standard">
<br />“Jesus, fella,” Chase said. “Come in and get warm. There’s a
fire at the hearth. Leave your shoes out here.”</div>
Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-325630229469031272015-11-09T15:21:00.001-05:002015-11-09T15:21:54.528-05:00Update and StuffSo... most of you know that there's been a "thing" over at Vamptasy / CHBB / Hot Ink and all my rights have been returned to me. (The Marked Man series, and the Demoniac Codex series are returned, as well as Pistols & Guns) I don't even have enough bandwidth to be upset about this... I'm not even sure I would be upset, if I had the bandwidth. I've enjoyed working with V/CHBB/HI/Alphabet soup for a while (altho I never did find a convenient way to refer to the publishing company)<br /><br /><b>For the time being,</b> you can still get the <b>paperback </b>copies of both books on Amazon until the imprint is done, then there won't be anymore available, but the kindle copies are already down... if you really really need a copy -- and of course you do! -- just send me an email at lynntownsend.writer at gmail dot com and we can work out some sort of donation for the time being to get the e-reader copy...<br />
<br />
I've sent the novels out to look into reprints with one publisher, and hopefully I will hear something back... if not, I have some other places to try... worst comes to worst, for those of you who are reading the <i>Demoniac Codex</i> and are sad not to finish it, I will make those available as an e-book format, self-pubbed or donation-payments or something, so that you can at least finish the series... Check back with me in March for an update, if you don't hear anything beforehand.<br />
<br />
(On the plus side, both books for Forging of Souls are available in the public library system in New York... )<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~~~~~~~</div>
<br />
I've also been recently diagnosed with a chronic illness, because you know, stuff just has to suck. It's called Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria, which essentially means "your body is being stupid and you have hives and we don't know why, and we're not sure how to fix it." Despite sounding like doctors are dumb, they're really not and this condition affects a LOT of people.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKWAUZBuljeTqS7-pbwusQfQSPA3RR4Tt1d__gUgXCKNf-ygxb74eGzCwe0xgLQG6GXxKwnVV6nLzuYLy-2spky5UPvLs8zou6YEovefjw3bXMrZz97q7yahc2qFu9HIzyK0DAAuydKc/s1600/2015-10-09+09.50.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKWAUZBuljeTqS7-pbwusQfQSPA3RR4Tt1d__gUgXCKNf-ygxb74eGzCwe0xgLQG6GXxKwnVV6nLzuYLy-2spky5UPvLs8zou6YEovefjw3bXMrZz97q7yahc2qFu9HIzyK0DAAuydKc/s320/2015-10-09+09.50.39.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now, imagine all those red spots are on fire. <br />This is how I feel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
*** this is your only warning that I do not need or want suggestions, woo-medical advice, suggested diet changes, no, it's not my fucking laundry detergent, I have been sick for almost 7 weeks now, it if was easy or find-able, I would have found it by now, or anything like that. I am working with my doctors on relieving the symptoms and we're going to try a recently approved medical injection series that might help me a lot. Any medical advice unless given to me by a doctor will promptly be deleted. I thank you for your concern, but computer tech and medical advice seem to be two subjects where non-experts abound. I know you probably mean well, but it's annoying me, so please stop. (If you weren't going to say anything, this isn't directed at you. If you were going to make suggestions, please don't. I'm saying please, but I'm already annoyed from my real life. Please don't add to my burden by stressing me out over here, too.) ******<br />
<br />
Because I have been ill since the 6th of October, I'm not going to be competing in NaNo this year. I was going to, and I really did try, but I had another relapse around the 4th of November and I'm on more medication than a hyperactive kangaroo, so I'm exhausted. In addition, I'm hungry, tired, thirsty, have dry skin, have been having random hives outbreaks, have blurred vision, have hot flashes, headaches, and random swelling of my hands, feet, and face. I am, in a word, miserable.<br />
<br />
It makes writing kinda hard. I'm trying to finish off my Riverdance story, since I'm like 5k into that and I'd like to hand it in, but Hector's story, while I'm about 5.5k into it, is just going to have to take its sweet time getting written because I'm not going to try to force it while I'm dealing with this illness.Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-36102711834685418632015-10-19T09:06:00.003-04:002015-10-19T09:06:46.759-04:00Spooky Stories for your Kindle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Coming Together: Strange Shifters is a collection of shifter erotica edited by Lynn Townsend. Sales proceeds benefit the Bat World Sanctuary.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Werewolves get all the glory and attention. What about the shy were-deer or the aggressive were-badger? Where are their stories? Calling all skin-changers. There's nothing sexier than a lover who isn't afraid to let their inner animal out!</blockquote>
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<b>You can pre-order Strange Shifters today and have it on your kindle Halloween!</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016SUZTX8">Amazon Buy Link</a><br />
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or<br />
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<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/586006">Smashwords Buy Link</a><br />
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The paperback copies should be available for pre-order before next week. Remember that all proceeds go to <a href="https://batworld.org/">Bat World Sanctuary</a> and you can like them on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/batworld">Facebook</a>.<br />
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Bats are highly sensationalized and misunderstood creatures, but for the most part are very sweet and very useful. If for no other reason, we should all help them out because they eat thousands of POUNDS of bugs every year... can you imagine what a summer evening would be like without bats?<br />
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I'd like to take a moment to thank all my wonderful authors and contributors; Jaap Boekestein, Lukas Scott, Lisabet Sarai, Adrik Kemp, Delilah Night, Elizabeth L. Brooks, Emma Whitehall, Leigh Ellwood, Lynn Townsend, Daniel Burnell, Marie Piper, Nickie Jamison, Lily Malone, T.G. Haynes, T.B. Bond, and Margot McGuire. A special thanks also to Alessia Brio, who continues to take in my crazy anthology ideas, and also Jenn Nixon, who helped me get our cover art situated, and especially to every reader out there who takes a chance on my stories and anthologies. I hope you love this collection as much as I do.Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-45176138841726984872015-10-05T11:16:00.001-04:002015-10-05T11:16:38.909-04:00Coming Together: Strange Shifters Cover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzT7RBLumtPho4B39TupOctXxzrq4j2QcIv5mgFocEfBAXCou3QMN-sKzKmNjkQrrXBkAi7aPH5uHcIAePLE2O2fL9M4juPy4DqVri_2_XvjQQ-wTazoNv8PsxNtBlL46bbEhJeymyisg/s1600/Strange+Shifters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzT7RBLumtPho4B39TupOctXxzrq4j2QcIv5mgFocEfBAXCou3QMN-sKzKmNjkQrrXBkAi7aPH5uHcIAePLE2O2fL9M4juPy4DqVri_2_XvjQQ-wTazoNv8PsxNtBlL46bbEhJeymyisg/s640/Strange+Shifters.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-17592669851449997312015-09-29T08:00:00.000-04:002015-09-29T09:02:25.582-04:00Coming Together: Strange Shifters -- Table of ContentsI've got all the contracts back, done all the editing, and am awaiting like 2 stories left for final versions...<br />
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Which meant that it was time for me to buckle down and set the order for the stories, which can be a really tricky task. You want to start with a bang and end with a boom, and keep the tension up for the entire book. It's tough, and it's a skill I'm still not sure I've mastered -- this is only my second anthology, after all...<br />
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But, here's what we got....<br />
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<br />
<br />
Introduction: The Animal Inside... <br />
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Bored in Heaven Daniel Burnell<br />
A Hand Outstretched Elizabeth L. Brooks<br />
Gator Tail Leigh Ellwood<br />
Mine Emma Whitehall<br />
Small Change Adrik Kemp<br />
Moonlight Ride Marie Piper<br />
Water & Fire Jaap Boekestein<br />
Circus Nickie Jamison<br />
The Storyteller Tony Haynes<br />
The Dive Lukas Scott<br />
A Reindeer by Any Other Name Delilah Night<br />
Tar Pit Triage Lily Malone<br />
Valkyrie Nickie Jamison<br />
Champ Margot McGuire<br />
Woman without a Shadow Bruce Meyer<br />
Rezoned T.B. Bond<br />
Mouse Games Lynn Townsend<br />
Snowbound Lisabet Sarai<br />
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Author Bios<br />
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<br />Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-80440848382489528402015-09-25T05:30:00.000-04:002015-09-25T05:30:02.854-04:00Sooo busyIt's funny, in a way. I get so busy actually working that I don't write blog entries.<br />
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I've been working really hard to get ready for Coming Together: Strange Shifters. (I wish I did cover art, because we still don't have any and I need some, but I'm a terrible graphics editor)<br />
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I've gotten all my stories edited and most of them returned, so I'm doing the final check-through for 16 of them and getting them mapped out in the anthology file.<br />
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I've written two short stories in the last two weeks, which has to be some sort of record, for me, at least. One of them is about 7,000 words and I wrote it from scratch, starting on the 10th and I finished it Tuesday, so 12 days. The other was half-finished a while back, I started it in February of 2014, and for reasons that I can't recall, never finished it. Then, this morning, I saw a story call and thought "did I ever finish that... no, no I didn't." I dug up the file, pulled it out, read it, decided it was actually fairly good and would meet the requirements for the call nicely.<br />
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I figured it would take me a week or so to finish it off, but no, apparently something started turning in my head and I cranked out almost 3,000 words today, did some quick editing, and sent it off to the publisher.<br />
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According to my calendar, on Monday I'll start writing my Twisted Fairy Tale story, which I'm calling Small Problems, and is a Tom Thumb m/m story.<br />
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For some reason, I decided that I'll try to write a short story for every one of Torquere's anthology calls for 2016. They have rather a lot of topics that I think I can work with. (I'm pretty sure I won't, actually, get all of them, but I might get at least seven done, and that's more short stories than I've done in a while... I think. I don't know, I lose track a lot...)<br />
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October will see me finishing off the Strange Shifters anthology -- the current anticipated publication date is October 31st, but if we don't get a cover soon, I'm concerned. (Do you have mad cover design skills? Want to donate some time? Please contact Alessia Brio at erotic.cocktail at gmail dot com for more information!) and writing a short story about Irish dancing. I have't decided much about that short story yet, but I do have some friends who do Irish dancing who've agreed to help me with the technical details...<br />
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And then I'll be doing NaNoWriMo again this year. I'm not what you'd call the best NaNo person, but I do want to finish writing All that Jazz by hopefully the end of this year, for fall publication of next year.<br />
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After that, I'll get Sins of Angels back from my betas and finish edits on that...<br />
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Which takes me through the end of the year...<br />
<br />Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-46512253242351094782015-09-10T10:20:00.000-04:002015-09-10T10:20:16.604-04:00Short Story Call, Coming Together: On Wheels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdzfRCDYNnES4HYYEQMlpSvKX_UwR5RAsMwFZw6X3V-HWupOARgfIeKjfRPRrYSmD-j6U9-OoGabbQzakhzEzR2120roucPlJljwWOfJi8qTIfia_Txkb1GTuUSSIhO4tNhLE4VyiCpw/s1600/coming+soon+%2528200x300%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdzfRCDYNnES4HYYEQMlpSvKX_UwR5RAsMwFZw6X3V-HWupOARgfIeKjfRPRrYSmD-j6U9-OoGabbQzakhzEzR2120roucPlJljwWOfJi8qTIfia_Txkb1GTuUSSIhO4tNhLE4VyiCpw/s1600/coming+soon+%2528200x300%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>Your Regular Author: Let me hand you over to Leigh Ellwood, who has a short story upcoming in my Strange Shifters anthology (look for it at your favorite ebook retailer end of October)</i><br />
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<br />
Recently Alessia Brio at Coming Together gave us a short update about current and coming projects. I already knew about <i>Strange Shifters </i>because I have an M/M short, "Gator Tail," included. If anybody wanted to do something for 2016, just holler.
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I recalled the fun I had putting together <i><b>Coming Together: Girl on Girl</b> </i><b>(<a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-comingtogethergirlongirl-1259489-362.html">ARe</a> ~ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ECF79SA/&tag=ctogether-20">AMZ</a> ~ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-together-leigh-ellwood/1116398432?ean=9781491286180">BN</a> ~ <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/coming-together-girl-on-girl/id686821964?mt=11">ITUNES</a> ~ <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/344220?ref=comingtogether">SMASH</a>)</b>. That book was a finalist for the AAD Bookie Award and the GCLS Goldie. Since its publication, I thought often about another project for CT, and with the recent news of refugees I realized an idea.<br />
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This book won't be out for a while, but the charity it will benefit will always need help. While you wait, of course, you can research organizations that help global refugees and donate. Right now, though, I'm happy to announce calls for <b><i>Coming Together: On Wheels.</i></b><br />
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</i></b></div>
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<b>SUBMIT</b>
Submissions of short erotica and erotic romance are sought for the upcoming collection <i>Coming Together: On Wheels</i>, edited by Leigh Ellwood, to benefit <b><a href="http://www.unhcr.org/">UNHCR</a>. </b>UNHCR assists refugees around the world in seeking asylum and rebuilding their lives.
For this anthology, we're looking for stories about sexy, badass heroes and heroines on wheels. We want tattooed and leather-clad bikers, daredevil stock car drivers, daring street racers... fast on the streets but hot between the sheets, or in the backseat.
We welcome all sub-genres and pairings for this project. We'll take futuristic or historical, BDSM or romcom, M/F or anything in the LGBTQ spectrum. If they ride, we'll read. We are looking for believable characters and strong and sizzling prose guaranteed to melt any digital reader.<br />
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<b>SUBMISSION GUIDELINES </b>
Direct all submissions to <a href="mailto:ffcomingtogether@gmail.com">ffcomingtogether@gmail.com</a> and CC <a href="mailto:submissions@the-erotic-cocktail.com">submissions@the-erotic-cocktail.com</a>.
Include “Coming Together On Wheels Submission” in the header of your e-mail. In your e-mail message, include a short summary of your story, a two-line blurb, and a short biography, about 150 words.
Stories between 3,000 and 7,500 are preferred. The editor will consider stories as long as 10,000 if she finds them truly exceptional.<br />
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Coming Together contracts non-exclusive rights to publish, so previously published work may be considered. Please note it in your query, but remember you must own the rights to the work you submit. Stories over 5,000 words may be released individually through Coming Together as well, with the sales proceeds benefiting UNHCR.
Please use RTF, DOC, or DOCX format when submitting a manuscript. Include your real name and pen name and a working e-mail address. The editor will only consider manuscripts in the aforementioned formats attached to the query e-mail. DO NOT paste your story in the body of your message.
Please use Times New Roman font, size 12, and one-inch margins. Double-space paragraphs and set indentations to .3 – DO NOT use tabs or spaces to indent.<br />
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<b>Coming Together is a non-profit organization, and all CT authors and editor have generously donated their talents to various causes. Compensation for inclusion in this work is a PDF contributor copy of the finished product and the satisfaction of knowing you are helping an amazing organization that is helping people around the world find better living solutions. </b></div>
Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-20283498726671034762015-09-07T05:30:00.000-04:002015-09-07T05:30:00.941-04:00Wedding March, the full story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I almost missed the end of the story; I wrote parts one through four for the blog tour like two weeks ago, and then I was all, oh, I'll finish this off in a few days, no problem...<br />
<br />
And I got all wrapped up in working on Strange Shifters, and I had my annual garden club Social that I had to plan, and my daughter's going back to school next week, so there's been a lot of planning and running around for that...<br />
<br />
My husband's friend at work went to the Philippines for vacation and brought back some foreign virus, that he then generously spread around the office and that my husband brought home for me. Yesterday my sinuses were so badly infected that it looked like someone had punched me in the eye. Half my face was swollen up and I had a fever and a headache. (I got anti-biotics and I'm feeling much better now, so that's good, but yesterday I was pretty much useless.)<br />
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All of the sudden it's Sunday; I'm planning to post the full story on Monday, and it's not written.<br />
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Fortunately for you -- and me -- Beau and Vin's world is so easy for me to slip into these days that the rest of the story just poured out of me Sunday morning....<br />
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So, here you are, I hope you enjoy it.<br />
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<a href="http://paidbytheweird.blogspot.com/p/wedding-march-bonus-rainbow-connection.html">Wedding March</a> -- I'm keeping it as a separate page so people can find it easier when this blog post is archived.<br />
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Thanks especially to everyone who hosted the story as I wrote it, Em, Vicki, and the two Delilah's. I love you all and you're wonderful...<br />
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If you would like this story in a .mobi or .pdf or .pub version for your electronic devices, just shoot me an email at lynntownsend.writer (at) gmail (dot) com and tell me what you want. Otherwise, wait a few weeks, come back here, and I'll have links posted for downloading. (Provided that I can figure out how to do that, thus the few weeks.)Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-64826430097886006352015-08-31T10:38:00.000-04:002015-09-06T09:18:32.718-04:00Classic Blog TourHello everyone...<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_39629434"></span><span id="goog_39629435"></span>You know, it's hilarious that I spend so much time writing short stories, novels, novellas, editing, and otherwise doing my job that I don't seem to have lots of leftover time to write about writing about...<br />
<br />
And by funny, I mean slightly annoying...<br />
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<span id="goog_1103427969"></span><span id="goog_1103427970"></span><span id="goog_1964551379"></span><span id="goog_1964551380"></span>THAT being said...<br />
<br />
I'm doing a little blog hop for Classic, which comes out on Wednesday, so that's awesome, right...<br />
<br />
You can pre-order <a href="http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=4486">Classic</a> from Torquere, but the links for Amazon aren't up yet, which is both weird and disappointing....<br />
<br />
I decided to do something a little different for this tour (Thanks to <a href="http://oopswrongcookie.com/">Nickie Jamison</a> for the fantastic idea) and I wrote a little short story about Beau and Vin that takes place several years after Classic ends.<br />
<br />
Classic is (probably. Maybe.) the last novel in the Rainbow Connection series that takes place from Beau and Vin's points of view. The next novel, All that Jazz, is about Hector, and the fifth novel, Punked Up, is about Ann-Marie. Readers will still see Vin and Beau as they go about their lives, but what's going on in their lives won't be central anymore; they'll be side characters. In terms of when, this novel takes place somewhere between All that Jazz and Punked Up, maybe about eight months before Punked Up. And it covers an event that would not, otherwise, be discussed, so this was the opportunity to tell that story.<br />
<br />
I wrote the story in five parts, and each blogger on the tour is hosting a 2-3 page segment of the story, along with the various links and promo material for Classic...<br />
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I hope you enjoy it. I'll keep this page updated as the tour progresses, and then next Monday, I'll post the entirety (with part five, for those of you who do math) to this page for you to enjoy.<br />
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V.L. Locey is the first to host me on her blog, <a href="http://thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/2015/08/monday-authorbook-spotlight-lynn.html">Thoughts from a Yodeling Goat Herder</a><br />
Em Lynley is hosting me on Wednesday at <a href="http://www.emlynley.com/blog/2015/09/connection-classic-townsend/">EM Lynley.com</a><br />
Delilah Devlin's got me on Thursday at <a href="http://www.delilahdevlin.com/blog/2015/09/03/lynn-townsend-wedding-march-part-three-free-read/">Delilah Devlin.com</a><br />
and then another lovely Delilah has me on Friday, at <a href="http://delilahnight.com/2015/09/04/guest-post-lynn-townsend/">Delilah Night.com</a><br />
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So, drop by, give these ladies some love, and I'll see you on the flipside!Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-58912774045875967162015-08-13T05:00:00.000-04:002015-08-13T05:00:07.622-04:00Guest Post : Heat Wave: Plattsburg by Thomas Grant Brusso<i>Your usual blogger: I'm really excited to have Thomas Grant Brusso here. When JM put out the call for submissions, I decided where I wanted to host my story before I decided the content of my story. Lake Champlain is a really lovely area, and I spent a lot of summers taking the ferry back and forth from Plattsburgh, NY to Burlington, Vermont. I chose the Vermont side of the water for my story. Imagine my delight when Mr. Brusso selected the Plattsburgh side of the same body of water. </i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCGSyAMhDlHuw7ZXLiSAIbha5kG8UqypEB9y2yfZhyphenhyphene6yKcPENqSVgoV75E5bKbCT1Gocyh9tgPA7pOPrn4msiNt7CeabH7e5BjhytToJGDzSdAODuhiBkOLult3BB2UllvX1_W-hV3M/s1600/heatwaveplattsburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCGSyAMhDlHuw7ZXLiSAIbha5kG8UqypEB9y2yfZhyphenhyphene6yKcPENqSVgoV75E5bKbCT1Gocyh9tgPA7pOPrn4msiNt7CeabH7e5BjhytToJGDzSdAODuhiBkOLult3BB2UllvX1_W-hV3M/s1600/heatwaveplattsburgh.jpg" /></a>I started publishing my short fiction in August 2014 when JMS Books LLC accepted my first short story, “A Light in the Dark,” a gay contemporary romance. Then in April 2015, my second romance story, “Something Beautiful Remains,” was released. “Heat Wave: Plattsburgh” is my third and most recent story. I had fun writing it. Setting the story in my hometown in upstate New York gave me the opportunity to include the theater at SUNY Plattsburgh as a backdrop for the story. The theater is a magical place and I captured all the dramatic elements of it during those scenes.<br />
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“Heat Wave: Plattsburgh” centers around two young men, Jace and Germain, who meet by chance, slowly build an amiable, romantic relationship, and find ways to escape the heat wave that has assaulted the small community. It is a gay contemporary romance.<br />
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My story is one of 18 that are included in the Heat Wave anthology series distributed by JMS Books LLC through July and August. Check out the other stories written by the wonderfully talented authors at JMS Books. It is an honor to be part of the series.<br />
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“<a href="http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=183&products_id=1480">Heat Wave: Plattsburgh</a>” is now available at JMS Books LLC. It will be released through other online distributors on August 16, 2015. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heat-Wave-Thomas-Grant-Bruso-ebook/dp/B012PQF9TS/">Amazon Pre-Order</a>Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1143189772554175173.post-60782662621000148492015-07-29T14:38:00.000-04:002015-07-29T14:44:10.774-04:00Very Small Cat; Very Large Give-away<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So... We finally got a new cat.<br />
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After we lost Grendel, back in May, I had kinda a downswing with my depression. 2015 has sort of been the year of death by 1,000 paper cuts (or in my more angry moments, I call it the year of "Fuck You!") My blog post on depression, <a href="http://paidbytheweird.blogspot.com/2015/07/last-chance.html">Last Chance</a>, seems to have struck a chord with a lot of people. In the week since I wrote it, it's become the third-most read entry on this blog of all time, behind my two different calls for submissions (if you haven't gotten your story to me, Saturday is your deadline!!) <br />
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Mostly everything's been mostly medium-sized fuckery and not anything completely life-wrecking or (like in the cases of the severe illness of a dear friend's father, who I love a lot, the death of my cousin's husband, and the death of my cat) nothing I can <i>change,</i> but they've been constant.<br />
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Broken glasses, broken teeth, unexpected bills (I forgot that buying a new car would mean that we'd actually have to pay a personal property tax that had some bite to it, rather than just the $30 or so a year we pay to have a 22 year old car), work problems, friend drama (break ups, new boyfriends, stuff like that, some of it's not bad news or anything, and it doesn't directly affect me, aside from you know, loving and caring about my friends, but it can still be tiring.) vet bills for our cat that died, the dentist double-billing us, flat tires...<br />
<br />
If you've read my story in Family Time, Cascade Failure...<br />
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That's the kind of year we're having. Nothing's unendurable, nothing's catastrophic. Just little to medium sized problems, constantly. It's more than halfway through the year and I'm ready for it to be next year.... just, oh, my god.<br />
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So, yeah, new cat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil94nLhE1XYmIO9tXgNT2k7XrAnCdsX9_DPPil1ZNTP2og7NBH7m8ETDDYkUTBu5o7qDnaoHTbVddxDamK30yA3tGQa_3L5Pue6tXGdpSfw30sjKNCGl_7pB_t5RY2FiHsR_Zb0TCeVXo/s1600/2015-07-28+19.22.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil94nLhE1XYmIO9tXgNT2k7XrAnCdsX9_DPPil1ZNTP2og7NBH7m8ETDDYkUTBu5o7qDnaoHTbVddxDamK30yA3tGQa_3L5Pue6tXGdpSfw30sjKNCGl_7pB_t5RY2FiHsR_Zb0TCeVXo/s320/2015-07-28+19.22.01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Kitten, actually. He's about 10 weeks old and we've named him Oreo. (My fault. The shelter named him Noodles, which none of us liked as a name, and I was throwing ideas out there randomly, and when I said Oreo, the husband said "so, if he gets fat, can I call him Double-Stuff?" which set me and the childthing laughing, so Oreo it is...)<br />
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And after a chest cold and getting his bits snipped, he's home...<br />
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Which leads me to the contest / sell-a-thon thingie...<br />
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Our old cat was, aside from being old, always very calm. Grendel didn't play, he didn't climb, he didn't... do much of anything, really. Every once in a blue moon, he'd attack the shadow of the ceiling fan in the kitchen. Other than that, he ate, he slept, he tolerated affection with a certain amount of "I can see the floor, can I get down now?" Which means our house is NOT very ... childproof? I guess might be the best word.<br />
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I've spent the last two days moving things and attempting to teach the kitten not to climb on kitchen counters, the dining room table, into the trash, etc, etc, and trying to move things from "if this gets knocked over it will break" to "when this gets knocked over, it'll make a mess."<br />
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Oreo has staked out a spot on my desk where he now likes to sleep when I'm working that's surprisingly not in my way, and to encourage this behavior, I cleared the spot out so that it's nice and comfortable for him.<br />
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Unfortunately, this is right where all my contributor copies were. (he shoved several of them out onto the floor until I cleared the space)</div>
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I moved them, but now they're cluttering up my regular bookshelf in stacks and I don't have really a good place for them. So...</div>
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I'm going to sell them.</div>
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If you want a book, they will cost $10 per paperback with $5 for shipping and handling, no matter how many books you order. This is between $2 and $6 less than their normal retail price... </div>
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--Disclaimer: I am probably not making money on this. What people don't always know is that indie writers seldom get more than 1 or 2 copies of a book as part of their contracts and some companies don't give away contributor copies at all. Sometimes, depending on the company, we can get more books for a 40 - 60% discount for the purposes of selling them at trade shows or cons. I'm not saying this to complain, I want people to know why I'm not giving away 30 paperbacks.... (also, why I want to smack people who ask for free books...)<br />
--For those who care, I did <i>not </i>buy the Coming Together books at discount; I paid full retail price for them, so all royalties that go to charity have already been paid to those charities.</blockquote>
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Now, if you're interested in these books, I am having a contest for people who purchase now...</div>
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1 copy of Blood Sight</div>
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1 copy of Howling Bitch</div>
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9 copies of Blues</div>
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1 copy of Roll</div>
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5 copies of London Steam</div>
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1 copy of Coming Together: Among the Stars</div>
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1 copy of Coming Together: Pro Bono</div>
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1 copy of Coming Together: For the Holidays</div>
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1 copy of Encounters</div>
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2 copies of Family Time</div>
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1 copy of Marked Man</div>
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1 copy of Sexy Librarian's Big Book of Erotica</div>
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1 copy of Cupid's Chokehold (out of print and unavailable anywhere)</div>
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4 copies of Whetting the Appetite</div>
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1 copy of Ladies of Steampunk Magazine, Vol 1</div>
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All books will be signed by me (and if you order Whetting the Appetite, I can probably get Elizabeth L. Brooks to sign it, too)</div>
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In addition, if you buy a book, you'll be entered to win a Grand Prize -- a Vin & Beau tote bag, a USB drive which includes e-copies of ALL my current books to date, (which will include a copy of Classic!) and a $10 gift card to Amazon / Barnes and Noble / JMS books or Torquere Press. </div>
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(~$100 value, give or take...)<br />
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You will get one entry per book purchased!</div>
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I will keep this contest open until I either sell all the books (titles on a first come, first served basis, and I will post when books have sold) or until September 2.</div>
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I accept payment through personal check, Paypal or Cash app. You can comment on this blog, email me at lynntownsend (dot) writer (at) gmail (dot) com or Facebook me or bother me on twitter, or use the donate button at the top left of my blog to send money and I'll email you from there. (What I'm saying is, I'm easy to get in touch with!)</div>
Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13102363251376084521noreply@blogger.com0