I’m a writer, so I spend many hours a day on the computer. When I heard about treadmill desks, I checked out the prices first. Anyone following my blogs will know that low prices and saving money figures into every major purchase.

During my treadmill desk research I learned the following:

Treadmill desks are expensive. Very expensive. A consumer can easily spend upwards of $2,000 for an elaborate treadmill desk.





Scratch that option. I was looking for a “desk” I could place on my existing Wal-mart treadmill. (Which I love, BTW).

My internet search brought me to Amazon.com. For $39.99, the perfect treadmill desk was available with free shipping, the surf shelf treadmill desk for my laptop or Ipad. It was easy to install on my treadmill and I use it for an hour or two.

I now write, check emails, etc., while walking 1 mile per hour. Sure, it’s not a lot, but the calories add up. It’s my new walking work-station. :)





What about you? Do you multi-task?

Added bonus today! Amazon.com is offering a bonus code (rare) of 30% off for any book. Use holiday30 at checkout.
Sorry, not valid for Kindle purchases.





Some folks think I'm cheap. I say I'm frugal. I spent my thanksgiving with 2 different friends.  The food was wonderful at both places and I took leftovers.

My older friend, June Kinion and I had the Thanksgiving special at Mimi's Restaurant in Buford, Georgia  I didn't grab a photo of that meal, but my friend was joyous and bragged that she was having dinner with a published author. I grinned!   What a smile!


Then Scarlet and I had a bounteous mean with her family. Her daughter put on a spread like Mama did in the old days.







There was some serious cookin' goin' on!

I took my containers for leftovers rather than have the ladies try to wrap food on paper plates.  When I mentioned cooking leftover bird carcuss, they laughed but sent it home with me.



I wasn't kidding! There was plenty of meat on the bones and I'll have stock to freeze!  I am doubly blessed!

Do you use leftover bones to add flavor to your meals?

A Dave Barry Thanksgiving

Posted by Josie | 9:14 AM | 5 comments »

Enjoy a laugh because today I'm sharing the brilliant comic writer Dave Barry's classic turkey recipe. Enjoy!

"You probably have your own turkey recipe, but you have not had turkey until you taste it the way I make it. People will take just one bit of my turkey and exclaim: "Aren't you supposed to remove this plastic bag containing turkey organs before you put it in the oven?" Not me, pal. Those organs are scary. I'm not putting my hand inside a dark turkey orifice with them until I'm sure they are dead. So i recommend cooking the tar out of the turkey, then firing a couple of machine-gun bursts into it just in case. We call this "Turkey, Miami-style."



Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Callie was recently a guest on my blog, and I liked the sound of her book, so I bought it on Amazon.  I was very happy that I couldn't put the "book" down, but read it in two sittings.

The story is about a world-renowned concert pianist and an intellectual property attorney--an unlikely couple, but Ash's Fire pulls you in and keeps you turning the pages.  Set in Tel Aviv, in the first chapter, the heroine's husband asks her if she will condone his having an affair with his gym coach.  Here is the link to my review:   http://www.amazon.com/Ashs-Fire-Ash-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00NMKMIZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416588341&sr=8-1&keywords=ash%27s+fire

If you'd like to learn more about the book, read an excerpt and learn a little about Callie, please visit her post on my blog:  http://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/2014/11/06/ashs-fire-by-callie-gold/

Here's just a teaser:



“Did you tell Sam?” Judith asked.

“Immediately.”

“Good girl. And it’s a good thing he knew you were seeing someone,” she said. “How did he take it?”

“Fine, I think,” Jordan said. “No major blowups.”

“Jordan, what are you guys doing? This is seriously dangerous,” Judith said.

“I know.”

“So are you going to end your fling with Ari?”

“I don’t think it’s a fling, Jude,” Jordan heard herself say. “And I’m not giving him up.”
          
“We’re going to have a serious conversation about all of this, you know,” Judith said, exhaling.

“But for now, tell me, can you work like that?”

“I can work just fine,” Jordan said.

“You’re the worst liar in the world.”

“Sam said the same thing.”

“Was Ari shocked to see you when you walked in the office?” Judith asked.

Jordan paused. “No, he wasn’t.”

Happy Friday everyone!!!

Mary Marvella, Melba Moon, and Jackie Rod are more excited than they can express! They just published an anthology of short stories you need. Each of the 12 stories will touch your heart. Some will even tickle your funny bone.


Praise for A Stone Mountain Christmas:  From elves and Santa to gifts that bring joy.  Twelve Christmas stories that will put a smile on your face and warm your heart.
--NYT Best-selling author, Rebecca York author of the Decorah Security Series

You must get A Stone Mountain Christmas Anthology now. Don't wait!

In Matt's Christmas Angel by Mary Marvella read about Gwen, whose great grandmother has been altering the family wedding gown. G. Granny says Gwen will need the gown to marry Matt, Gwen's best friend. Marriage has never been mentioned, but she and Matt have twelve days of good deeds to do before Christmas. "Matt's Christmas Angel" should make you feel like doing good things for others. 




http://amzn.to/1ELlkN4


Ask Melba to tell you about her story.



ALSO: If you love a bargain,
Haunting Tales of Spirit Lake is 99 cents for this week only. Grab it before the price goes back to normal.  You can enjoy 9 spooky stories about a phantom ship that appears in a North Georgia Lake. Each author tells how the ship got there and why. 

http://amzn.to/1oYOmF8

What would you do if your dream pirate  came to take you away from your boring life?
Read "Vivian's Secret Desire" to see what the librarian did.

"Do Your Own" Holiday scent

Posted by Josie | 9:18 AM | 5 comments »

Writers incorporate tastes and scents into their books to immerse the reader into the world the writers are creating.

As we near the Holiday season, many of us share favorite recipes. I’m assuming your Thanksgiving menu is planned so instead I’ll share a recipe for a “Do Your Own” holiday scent you can keep simmering on top of the stove all day long.

You’ll need:
1 orange- slice the peel and add a couple orange slices (eat the rest)
1 or 2 cinnamon sticks
1 cut up apple—use the peel and apple
Cloves



Place all ingredients in a pot of water, bring to boil, then simmer.
The fragrance is warm and inviting and you can use this recipe throughout the holidays to give your home the perfect welcoming fragrance.



My novels are set in Tudor England, and I’ve learned to incorporate the foods used during that time period, such as roasted fresh meat and game, desserts such as sweet marzipan and figs, as well as the scents of large, smokey fireplaces for warmth.


I Hate Winter

Posted by Scarlet Pumpernickel | 2:09 AM | , , , , , , | 9 comments »

I committed to post something today, but since there is a really big storm heading our way, my thoughts ran to escape. So, if you're looking for escape, come with me on a guided tour. I love to travel, don't you? This is the Grand Canal in Venice. 

Remember the movie where the girl wanted to kiss under Rialto Bridge? This is it.

This is a shot of the caldera from the top of Santorini. I love the color of the water. I'd always thought this was just photoshopped, but no, it really is this blue. Beautiful. Feeling warmer yet? 

This is a shot of a restaurant on the Grand Canal in Venice.  We were in a water taxi on a private tour. Awesome, they even served us wine while we cruised the Grand Canal.

This lovely place is the party capital of the Mediterranean. Mykonos, Greece is beautiful, we loved strolling through the cobbled streets and meeting the shop keepers.

This a shot of old town Bari, Italy. We walked all around the old town area, it was lovely.

See the laundry hanging above the street? People live above the shops and hang their laundry like you see on television. They ride motor bikes and have really tiny streets in the old town.

That is our cruise ship in the background. It was wonderful. MSC Cruise Line and the ship was Musica. This was the port where we took the bus to Olympia. 

This is a ruin of a temple at Olympia. It was amazing to see all these site.

I think this is a shot of Dubrovnik Croatia and I was sitting somewhere in the shade having lunch while my daughter walked around taking photos.

This is a shopping area in Corfu, Greece. We enjoyed walking and people watching.

Isn't this a beautiful shot? I've forgotten where we were, but I loved the view.

And of couse we must have a nude in the show, right? Now, don't you feel warmer?


This past week I saw something amazing happen. And I'd like to share it with you.
This, my friends, is Rocco.


  • Image result for pictures of boxers
Rocco belongs to a neighbor of mine. He lives on the next block and his name is Roger. He's
a quiet, unassuming, older guy. He has a fairly thick accent and has had a stroke so he is a bit
hard to understand. He lives very frugally and he loves Boxers. He lives on a low fixed income.
They have tried to get Roger to go into a place that will care for him. But, he is fiercely independant
and all he has is his furbaby. I think he does just fine, considering he is all alone.

Roger and Rocco walk the blocks of Northwood, in West Palm Beach, and everyone knows who they are. Rocco isa rescued dog, so was already grown when Roger got him. So his love for running when he gets free is a problem for Roger. Who tries to be very careful, but can't run anymore to catch him.

Roger is the neighborhood dog walker and will walk your dog while you work. No one worries cause Rocco is the only dog who ever got away from him. Usually Rocco heads for the local dog park.

Four days ago, Roger, frantically knocked on our door. It took us a few minutes to get to the door.
Roger was despondent, Rocco got away and was not at the park. Roger got rides to look for Rocco,
by us and others. The guy across the street walked his own dog looking for days for Rocco.

Now here's the good part. In addition to dozens and dozens of our community looking for Rocco, I
saw a side of my neighborhood I didn't think existed. Strangers looked for Rocco. It was posted on
Twitter, Facebook, Google, you name it. It was shared by a whole gang of strangers on these media
sites. I was shocked. After three days, I was afraid that Rocco was gone. We were in the front yard when we saw Roger with Rocco, on a triple leash. Not the best of contraptions, but the best Roger could do not to lose him. Boxers have no head to hold their collars on and his just slips off. So he needs a harness.

Rocco had been found on Facebook! Imagine that! People who don't even know other people, shared and looked for this dog. It made me feel that the power of social media is not all bad. Without it, Rocco might never have been found. He spent three days being taken care of by people quite a ways from his home. Roger was beaming and Rocco was behaving. People on Facebook are human, they care and they made a difference.

We all worried about Roger and knew without Rocco, he might give up. Thanks to all who helped find Rocco...people looking out for other people is just plain refreshing!!!

Me, I am gonna find Rocco the best harness I can buy for Roger, so his "baby" never gets away again. 

A Vibrating Fork

Posted by Josie | 10:24 AM | 6 comments »

Yes, you read it right.

The newest item in the weight loss world is the vibrating fork. It’s called the HAPIfork, although anyone trying to use it might consider it the UNHAPIfork. The price, $99.99, with free super saver shipping on Amazon.com, is a bit prohibitive, but maybe that’s just me. After all, it’s bluetooth enabled and touted as the tool to coach you into healthier eating habits.

This fork is advertised as a “must-use” item for every kitchen. The fork will force you to eat slowly, because it will vibrate in your mouth if you eat too fast. The ideal amount of time between bites is 67 seconds. Think you can manage? Or should we wait until January to start our new diets?



My latest WIP, Seeking Faith, is an Inspirational Historical romance featuring an overweight heroine in Tudor England. She’s fearless, and, unfortunately, faithless due to terrible circumstances when the story begins. But one utensil Faith will not be using in Tudor England, I assure you, is a HAPIfork.



Angels are androgynous, and above the baser cravings of humankind.

Above reproach.

However, in the Book of Enoch, we meet the Grigori or Watchers.

Angels were considered sexless and above reproach, which presented a challenge to the church—to explain how they mated with mortal women.  The thirteenth-century Bishop of Paris adopted a typical compromise.  According to his theory, there were nine orders of angels but it was a separate one, the tenth that fell.  These Sons of God saw the Daughters of Man and, we are told in Genesis 6, lusted after seductive flesh and took themselves wives from among them.

This was an efficient solution to a theological catch twenty-two—the difficulty in reconciling a theology that insisted angels were sexless with evidence from the Scriptures showing these lusty celestials enthusiastically proving the opposite. 

In angelic lore, the Grigori are nearer in form, genes and sexual interest to human beings, and that they had a genuine friendship and desire to teach humankind the secrets of Heaven. Azazel, the protagonist in my Night Before Doomsday taught women the arts of seduction—makeup, how to dress, etc.  He also taught men the skill of making weapons.

By the fourth century, the ten leaders of the Grigori, once illustrious angels, were all listed as fallen.  Of the two hundred angels who descended to Earth, nine-tenths fell to lust, siring the Nephilim.  The Bible has this to say about the Nephilim:  The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

Anyone who has seen Supernatural or the short-lived series The Fallen will be familiar with TV’s version of the Nephilim. 

The Night Before Doomsday, an alternate history, is the tale of the Grigori told in first person from the leader Azazel’s POV.  The picture to the right is the sigil (a mark given at his creation to each angel) of the angel Azazel.  The sigil and the characters of any angel, light or dark, are used in alchemy to summon that angel.  There were nights when I was writing The Night Before Doomsday and I, Azazel, an as yet unpublished novel, when the hair at my nape would stir, and I’d curl closer in my bed.

Blurb:  The angels sent to Earth to teach Mankind how to survive after Eden lost heaven to lust—or was it love?  Azazel fights temptation until the wrong woman comes along.

Excerpt:

Eyes lined with charcoal as I’d taught them, lips rouged by my own hand mocked me.  A bold hand slid beneath my robe, up my thigh, and gripped my shaft.  The hot vibration deep inside trembled along my organ, growing longer and stiff.
Like a spider's web touched by a candle's flame, memories of Home shriveled.
Gentle Magdalene smoothed the hair back from my face, staring at my shocked expression.  “Oh, Azazel.” A fingertip traced my cheek. “Did we hurt you?”
“No.” I clamored to my feet, bewildered by the feelings torturing me.
None would meet my gaze.  Lord of Hosts, if they were afraid of me, I was doubly afraid of them. I’d never felt desire or the effect passion had on the body.  If I had experienced sexual longings, I’d ignored them.  Now, I could no longer pretend.  My body yearned for something I’d believed to be the province of Man and the beasts. 
Ruth winked a painted eyelid.  In her dark eyes, amusement twinkled.
“Ungrateful rabble.”  I tossed my hair back and folded my wings around me, brushing the dust from my feathers.  “I make you alluring.  You repay me by rolling me in the dirt and trying to tickle me to death.”
“You’re an angel.”  Ruth undulated her shoulders.  The lush breasts pointed at me swayed. “You can’t die.”
Oh, but I was dying. More than they could possibly know.  Dying to touch them, dying for them to touch me, caress me there again.  Before my face revealed forbidden desire, I schooled my expression stern.
I wheeled, tossing a command over my shoulder. “Back to work.  Embroidery I think.”
A chorus of groans rose from the women.
Fighting a smile, I folded my arms across my chest and faced them. “I know you love the fine, detailed work—”
"Sometimes you act like a brother, Azazel.”  Mary laughed.  “A very overbearing brother."
I smiled, tucked blonde hair behind her ear. “You’re all my sisters…in a way.”
A sly smile parted Ruth’s lips.  She winked at me. “Then the other angels, we’re their sisters too?”  She danced backwards, pointing at Mary.  In a sing-song voice, she accused, “Mary has lain with her brother.”
The petite blonde’s cheeks flamed.  Her lips trembled as she tried to speak, but no excuse or denial interrupted the stillness. On a cry, she fled the field.
“Ruth,” I scolded, “you mustn’t say such things.”
She shrugged.  “Tis true.  Your brothers have gone into women.”
You’ve made them more beautiful for us.  Amarazak’s words echoed in my ears.
Ruth stroked my wing. “Do you have a lover, Azazel?”
Desire and heat blazed through me.  I yearned for her to continue caressing my wing.  If she did, I would pull her to me…Stop.
“No.” I bent, retrieved a skein from the ground and handed the fine blue thread to her. “I am your teacher.”  My gaze brushed each pretty face.  I shrugged.  “Too many from which to choose.”
It was true, wasn’t it?  If the choice were mine, I didn’t know which I’d take to my bed.  What was I thinking?  Love was one thing; lust quite another. 
Ana caught a wingtip, spun me to face her.  “Thank you, Azazel, thank you.  I’ve always dreamed what it would be like to fly.  I’m sorry I spoiled it.”
“I shouldn’t have flown so high.” 
“Take me!  Take me.  I want to go flying!”
Quiet at the center of the cacophony of voices, Ruth stared at me.
Red lips smiling...perfect white teeth...black hair falling over her face.... 
She flung herself into my arms, covered my startled gasp with a hungry mouth.  A warm tongue plunged into me.  I went rigid, considered shoving her away, but a sensation like pain tightened in me.  A need, that I’d never experienced, pulsed between my legs.  I surrendered totally to feeling.
“Ruth, get off him.”  Magdalene’s voice sliced through the haze of passion. “Why do you do these things?  Help me get her off him, Ana.  Azazel doesn’t ask for favors. Help me, Elwen.  It’s not funny anymore.”
Like a blanket, they plucked the heat of Ruth's body off mine. Ana’s gaze swept down me.  Her eyes widened.  Mortified, I gaped at the tent in my angelic robe.  I had an erection.  Men not angels got hard.  The girls stared at me.  No, they were staring at the long weapon I couldn’t control.
“So the chaste Azazel falls.” Ruth laughed and, thank God, my erection wilted.


The Night Before Doomsday is available from Amazon for $.99.

Visit my website http://lindanightingale.com for Vampyre Hunt, a sexy vampire read.

  We have a guest! Make room for her in front of the fireplace!

Hello! My name is Melissa Snark,

Welcome Melissa. Grab a cup of hot tea or coffee and tell us about yourself.

 I'm a fantasy and romance author. If I could have a moment of your time, I'd like to ask for your help as a reader. Please consider nominating my Norse folklore fantasy novel Battle Cry on Kindle Scout.



Amazon's new publishing program is called Kindle Scout, an innovative platform that provides readers with a sneak peek at unreleased books as well as the opportunity to have a say in what gets chosen. The timing of Scout was amazing. The announcement came just as I neared completion of my novel. The terms being offered are attractive. As a publisher, Amazon has as much clout as one of the traditional publishers. This simply seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass on, so I submitted Battle Cry for consideration.

Per the FAQ: How does Kindle Scout benefit readers?
Kindle Scout readers get to preview new, never-before-published books and influence which ones are made available to millions of readers on Amazon. In addition, any time a reader's nomination gets published, they will receive a free copy.

I appreciate your support!  To nominate Battle Cry, you only need to be logged into your Amazon account. You can head over to the Kindle Scout website and view Battle Cry's profile page. If you like what you see, please consider voting for Battle Cry.  Thank you so much!


BATTLE CRY

Book #2 in the Loki's Wolves series
Melissa Snark
Genre: Norse folklore fantasy
Number of pages: 375 approx.
Word Count: 95,000

Cover Artist: Farah Evers


Tags: #Fantasy #Amreading #Kindle @MelissaSnark

Promo Tweet: One man dares defy Fate. Please nominate BATTLE CRY on #KindleScout. #Fantasy #Norse #amreading @MelissaSnark

Logline: One man dares defy Fate.

Survival demands sacrifices; healing requires forgiveness.

Men revere him; monsters fear him. Jake Barrett, the notorious Hunter King, values loyalty to family and followers above all else. When the daughter of his closest ally murders Daniel, his oldest son, it sets off a chain reaction of violence and destruction that claims the lives of both wolves and hunters. Determined to avenge his son, Jake seeks the truth at any cost.

After losing her lover and then her mate, Victoria Storm simply wants to get on with building a new life in Sierra Pines, California. A vengeful Jake Barrett and his organization aren't going to make that easy, especially with the unwelcome attraction between her and the Hunter King's second son. Perils beyond the mortal coil plague Victoria.

When the Norse Fates predict Victoria will destroy the world, her duties as a priestess of Freya come into conflict with her responsibilities as a Valkyrie of Odin. When they tell her she will do it to save her unborn child, she's not so sure they are wrong.

Sawyer Barrett has been trying to kill Victoria for so long, he doesn't know whether he loves her or hates her. Desperate to end the war, he's willing to take chances with everything–except his heart. The hunter harbors a deadly secret he can't reveal without risking the ceasefire and his life.

At Sawyer's urging, Victoria agrees to peace talks with Jake. All the while, an ancient vampire plots the destruction of wolves and hunters alike. If the embittered rivalry between hunters and wolves doesn't end—and fast—there is no hope for Victoria's pack... or for their world.

Attribution: Norns weaving destiny, by Arthur Rackham (1912).  Public domain.

Short excerpt (PG):

Shade enshrouded Skuld, and her voice manifested upon the air, thick and oppressive, closing in from all sides. "Your daughter will not grow to adulthood in Midgard."
Victoria's heart slammed against her breastbone. Her breath expelled in a horrified gust. The bowl dropped from her hands and flew to protect her abdomen. "What do you mean?"
"Your daughter will be taken from you on the eve of her third birthday," Skuld said. "The one you trust most, a member of your own pack, will give the child over to your greatest enemy."
A growl trembled in Victoria's throat, and her entire body shook under the dual assault of fear and rage. The suggestion of betrayal from within her own pack filled her with disbelief to the core of her being. It was unthinkable. Gritting her teeth, she sought a solution, refusing to dwell on it. "How am I to prevent this?"
"We speak of what will come to pass," Verðandi said in a sympathetic tone.
"Your predictions are not carved in stone," Victoria said. Arguing with Fate was a foolish endeavor, but she refused to accept their prophecy.
The old woman, Urðr, smiled with a frightening gleam in her eyes. "Predictions, carved into the trunk of the World Tree, carved into the spiritual fabric of the world."
Stubborn determination settled over Victoria like armor. Her mother had taught her there was no absolute fate, just as there was no absolute free will. Life consisted of a wide range of possibilities between the two extremes. She refused to allow her daughter to die at three years of age. She would move worlds, alter fate, slay gods.
Whatever it took.
"Do you wish to save your child?" Skuld asked.
Victoria answered without thought. "Yes. I'll do anything. Tell me. Please."
"The final days are upon us," Verðandi said.
Skuld took over speaking. "To save your daughter, you will side with Loki against the Aesir. You will use your enchanted dagger to cut the binding of the great wolf Fenrir. You will be responsible for freeing the beast that kills Odin."
Victoria's stomach turned. Her head shook in automatic denial. "When the gods imprisoned Fenrir, my people pledged fealty to the Aesir. We have served them loyally ever since. Even when we were driven from the homeland, almost a millennium ago, we remained faithful. I will never cut Fenrir's bonds. To do so would end the world we live in and doom us all."
Skuld's gaze held steady. "You will."
Victoria snarled her denial. "No. I will never become the servant of the Trickster or willingly take part in bringing about Odin's death."
Skuld turned her head and pinned Victoria with one black eye that rolled in its socket like a liquid marble. "To save your daughter, you will."



Fast Facts About Melissa Snark:

·      Melissa Snark is published with The Wild Rose Press & as an Indie author with five unique titles: A CAT'S TALE, THE MATING GAME, LEARNING TO FLY, THE CHILD THIEF, and HUNGER MOON.
·      Her Loki's Wolves series includes THE CHILD THIEF, HUNGER MOON and BATTLE CRY.
·      She lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband, three children and a glaring of cats.
·      She is a professional cat herder and unrepentant satirist who blogs about books and writing on The Snarkology.

Connect with Melissa Snark:
Email: melissasnark@gmail.com
Twitter: @MelissaSnark
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Battle Cry Kindle Scout Giveaway

1.      Nordic Lights Jewels of the Moon Pendant Amulet Talisman for Psychic Ability by Maelstrom Odssonn 

2.      (3) Signed Paperbacks of HUNGER MOON

3.      (2) $10 Gift Cards to Amazon

Rafflecopter HTML:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rafflecopter direct url: 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YjkwNjI0Nzk0NTYxZDE3MDFkNGY3NWJlNDc3MjlmOjEx/