Just Another Day @MichelleGAuthor #4thofJuly

I knew I should have scheduled this post weeks ago, but my bad habit of procrastinating got me again, only this time it's complicated by being on vacation.

So as I sat down to compose this post I realized that I had missed my posting day and the 4th of July was already over. *facepalm*

Please tell me I'm not the only one who goes through this! When I'm working, I can tell you the date, and often the time within 5 minutes because everything is highly scheduled. But on vacation?

No frigging clue.

Realizing that it is on vacation, my brain has shut down all but the most basic of functions. I have reading to do. And writing! And editing. Instead, I can't concentrate on anything for more than a

Squirrel!

And my parents are moving out of their house so we've been helping them pack. It seems like every day there's more crap to be gone through. I have surgery coming up this week (nothing major - no worries) which is also going to knock me out of commission for a few days. Hubby's on afternoons which messes up my schedule because he likes it when I'm awake when he gets home (at midnight), but I have to actually do things during the day and can't sleep until noon so I'm running on very little sleep.

Shit, this post just turned really whiny. I'll stop now.

Next month, I'll be coming at you from Romancing the Capital in Ottawa. I'm attending as a reader which is lots of fun because I can fan girl on some of my favourite authors, and get ideas for someday when I can do cons like that, too. I'll be sharing tons of photos on my Instagram account, so feel free to follow me there.

On that note, I'm out of here! Thanks for listening!

National Hug Your Cat Day @MichelleGAuthor #HugYourCat

Yesterday, we received word of two new terrorist incidents in London. I'm intentionally keeping the tone of this post light because we could all use something cheerful when ugliness like this rears its head. And because hugging your cat can make you feel better!

So here are the Top 10 Reasons to hug your cat according to PetMD.com (Original post here). And if you don't have a cat, I'm sure the same logic applies to a dog or a person.

10. Hugs are good for you! They release endorphins and help get rid of the blahs.

9.  Cat health improves with cuddling. It stands to reason that if hugs are good for us, they're good for the cats, too.

8.  Strengthen the pet/human bond. Your kitty needs to bond to feel secure. Hugs help!

7.  Unsure if you're ready to adopt? You'll know the right kitty by giving him or her a snuggle. This was so true of our cat. Hubby picked her up for the first time and she snuggled right into his arms. We were sold.

6.  Free stress therapy.  Hugs are a lot cheaper than a trip to the spa.

5.  Improves cat behaviour. More hugs makes for a friendlier, relaxed kitty.

4.  Loving Reassurance. Hugs will help cats when there are changes to their environment or routine.

3.  Maximum Purr-fection. Cat purrs have healing powers! They can help to get rid of pain.

2.  Empty Nest Syndrome. Hugging a cat can help for those whose kids have left the home or outgrown hugs. Or for those who've never had kids but like caring for something else. Fur babies are way cheaper than human babies, too.

1.  Celebrate June 4th all year long! It's nice that there's a day devoted to cat hugs, but luckily it's something we can enjoy any day.

Have a purr-fect day!

Top 10 Carrie Fisher Quotes #MayThe4thBeWithYou @MichelleGAuthor

Of course I have to do something Star Wars related on Star Wars Day, but I had no idea what. In truth, it didn't take long to figure it should be something related to Carrie Fisher, an iconic writer and actress, whose death impacted me more than I would have expected. As a little girl seeing Star Wars for the first time, I fell in love with the spunky Princess Leia who wasn't afraid to speak her mind or do what needed to be done.

So in the spirit of speaking my mind, here are my Top 10 Favourite Carrie Fisher quotes (from this article in Rolling Stone).

10. "They always do [ask me to lose weight]. They want to hire part of me, not all of me. They want to hire about three-fourths, so I have to get rid of the fourth somehow. The fourth can't be with me."

9.  "Everyone drives someone crazy. I just have a bigger car."

8.  "I don't think I was ever suicidal, and that's probably because of drugs."

7.  "Instant gratification takes too long."

6.  "I feel I'm very sane about how crazy I am."

5.  "I'm not happy about being older, except what are the options?"

4.  "Resentment is like drinking a poison and waiting for the other person to die."

3.  "The only exercise I get lately is running of at the mouth and jumping to conclusions..."

2.  "Shame is not something I aspire to."

1.  "Sometimes you can only find Heaven by slowly backing away from Hell."

It's fair to say that the world lost a brilliant mind when Carrie passed away. Thank goodness we can still enjoy her words through her books and the wonderful internet!

I can't sign off without letting you know about my latest release, Running Home, that's in the Owned By the Alpha anthology from Evernight Publishing.

NEW Dark Paranormal Romance Stories by Bestselling Evernight Authors!

 

OWNED BY THE ALPHA 

The Alpha lives for the hunt...

Driven by instinct, an Alpha shifter recognizes his fated mate from one scent, one touch. He'll pursue his woman, regardless of the cost, and anyone else would be smart to get out of his way. He won't stop until he takes possession of his prize.

Although the hunter doesn't need convincing, his mate certainly does. The Alpha will have to prove himself as a lover and convince his woman that he plays for keeps.

160,000 words

Scent of Destiny by Rose Wulf

Taken Mate by Sam Crescent

Finders Keepers by Stacey Espino

The Hunt by Doris O’Connor

Alpha at Altitude by Lily Harlem

Fated to the Razorback Demon by Maia Dylan

Running Home by Michelle Graham

Alpha’s Sunshine by Elyzabeth M. VaLey

Checkmate by Wren Michaels

Frozen Heart by Beth D. Carter

Wolf Hunter by Elena Kincaid

Returning to the Coyote by Roberta Winchester

Amazon Kindle

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

iBooks

Print

Las Vegas, Reflections on Virginity, & A New Release @MichelleGAuthor

Howdy, friends! It was touch and go to see if I'd get this posted in time but the internet gods have smiled upon me and restored my connection.

So much to discuss! But where to start?

First, I promised some details about my trip to Vegas. As expected, I had an amazing time! We spend just under a week there and crammed in so much that I couldn't possibly go into it all here. Instead, here's the highlights:

You can't visit Vegas without taking in at least one adult show, and we chose to see Fantasy at the Luxor hotel. The singing and dancing was good, the mostly naked girls, even better. After the show, they signed calendars for those who bought them (us included). I was nervous about being a female in the audience, but I was amazed at how many women and couples were there. We also saw Zumanity from Cirque du Soleil and it also featured mostly naked people, women AND men, but the show was so artistic that it couldn't even compare to Fantasy. If you have the chance, definitely check it out! Hubby and I sat in the love seats in the first row and at one point I had two hot guys wearing only thongs making out beside me. *fans self* WOW!

On the G-rated portion of our trip, we visited the Grand Canyon. Absolutely breathtaking! It was a 4 hour drive through the desert but it was worth it.

Taken from a ways back because I was really nervous about getting too close to the edge.

I'd never seen a real Joshua Tree before. They're really beautiful in a deserty kind of way.

A wise warning.

But I figure you mostly want to hear about the naughty stuff. ;)  We went to the Erotic Heritage Museum. I found the historical pieces particularly interesting. When you see a stone dildo that's more than a thousand years old, you realize how central sexuality is to the human existence.

This delightful piece of art is made out of pennies.

The museum is right beside a Gentleman's club (which we didn't visit) and an adult store (which we totally visited). This was my purchase!

Oh my.

Part of the exhibit in the museum included information about the physiological side of the reproductive system, as well as about sexual identity and sex and society. And these next two pics provide a nice segue into my latest release.

What is virginity? In a nutshell, it's a social construct which has little to do with whether or not a woman has a hymen. Although in our time the definition of virgin has expanded to include men, in its strictest definition it's about a sexually inexperienced woman. These days, it's hard to define it as only penis-in-vagina intercourse given the varying gender identities and multitude of 'sexualities' out there. I love this quote from the large blue box: "[S]houldn't we think in terms of what was gained - a new experience, intimacy with a partner, pleasure, a better idea of likes and dislikes?" We as a society tend to be so uptight about sex, worrying constantly about perceptions and moral absolutes, that we forget that being sexual creatures is central to the human condition.

Who says three's a crowd?

This is part of the reason why my Losing It series (apart from the first book) doesn't deal strictly with women with no sexual experience. Book one, Losing It In Vegas, involves a woman who's decided to take charge of her sexuality and finally experience the joys of sex. The second book, Losing It All Over Again, is the wish fulfilment of a woman who's prior sexual experiences were unsatisfactory. Losing It In the Closet has no women at all, but rather a young man who wants to experience sex with another man for the first time. And in my most recent release, Losing It Two At A Time, two women who are married to each other want to have a baby and they decide to go the 'old-fashioned' route to conceive, despite the fact that neither one has been with a man before. I wanted my series to focus less on the act of "losing it" and more on gaining those first experiences.

Whew! This is a long-winded post. Thanks for sticking with me. My latest book, Losing It Two At A Time, just released!

Blurb
Alexa and Vivian Parker have been together since high school. Neither one has ever been with a man, nor have they feel the need. Until they want a baby and can only get one the old-fashioned way. So they turn to hook-up site, Losing It, to find a sperm donor.

Carter Michaels didn’t anticipate having two virgins to please, but he’s more than up for the task, and he’ll help them as often as needed.

None of them planned on it being more than a one-shot deal.

Available now!

And the first book in the series, Losing It In Vegas, is on sale for a limited time.

Blurb
Many people remember losing their virginity as an awkward experience filled with pain and followed quickly by regret. Online hook-up site Losing It, hopes to change that. For those who’ve made it to adulthood with their virtue intact, Losing It matches virgins with experienced lovers who will make their first time unforgettable, with no embarrassing emotional entanglements.

Losing It in Vegas is the story of twenty-one year old Rowan Cassidy who is sick of being a virgin. With no romantic prospects in sight, she turns to Losing It to find her a man willing to do the deed and leave it at that. Bruce McGovern is between lovers and stuck in a dry spell so he takes a chance with Losing It. He and Rowan meet up in Las Vegas and somewhere in the midst of all the hot sex, feelings emerge that neither of them expected.

$0.99 for a limited time!

 See you next month!

Sin City, Here I Come! @MichelleGAuthor #LasVegas

According to my research, there are a number of "days" today. For example, it's Pound Cake day, Toy Soldier day, Grammar day, March Forth and Do Something day, and (my favourite) Hug A GI day. I could think of lots of things to say about any of those, but I'm a bit distracted because in just one short week, the hubby and I will be leaving the Great White North to head to Las Vegas!!!

This trip marks the first time we've really gone on vacation together in our 20+ years together. We've had weekend excursions alone and done several trips around Canada and the Northeaster US with the kids, but as a couple, we've never really had a vacation like this.

And we figured if we weren't taking the kids, we might as well go someplace with loads of adult entertainment!

We'll be doing the usual tourist things like going to the Grand Canyon, walking the strip, gambling a bit, and hanging by the pool, but we're looking forward to some spicier activities.

Did you know there's an Erotic Heritage Museum in Las Vegas? We had no idea, but you can bet as soon as we found out, it got put on the list. According to their website, the museum "is dedicated to the belief that sexual pleasure and fun are natural aspects of the human experience, that such pleasure must be made available to all, and that our individual sexuality belongs to each of us." Amen! (Apparently it was co-founded by a preacher?!?)

In the spirit of sexy fun, we're planning to take in a burlesque show, though we haven't decided which one yet, and hubby wants to do a tour of some of the strip clubs. I can't say that watching someone take their clothes off onstage has ever done much for me, but if he's happy, I'm happy. And with a visit to the Hustler Hollywood store on our list, I suspect we'll both be feeling fine.  😉

I'm looking forward to lots of writing inspiration on this trip. Losing It In Vegas, the first book in my Losing It series, was written without my ever having been there. My characters don't spend a lot of time outside the bedroom so it didn't matter as much, but nothing compares to actually being there when it comes to writing descriptions.

Losing It In Vegas

Many people remember losing their virginity as an awkward experience filled with pain and followed quickly by regret. Online hook-up site Losing It, hopes to change that. For those who’ve made it to adulthood with their virtue intact, Losing It matches virgins with experienced lovers who will make their first time unforgettable, with no embarrassing emotional entanglements. 

Losing It in Vegas is the story of twenty-one year old Rowan Cassidy who is sick of being a virgin. With no romantic prospects in sight, she turns to Losing It to find her a man willing to do the deed and leave it at that. Bruce McGovern is between lovers and stuck in a dry spell so he takes a chance with Losing It. He and Rowan meet up in Las Vegas and somewhere in the midst of all the hot sex, feelings emerge that neither of them expected.

Have you been to Vegas? What were some of your favourite things to do? What would you like to see there? Next month, I'll share some of my pics and stories!

Hot Soup With A Side of Hot Fiction @MichelleGAuthor #recipes #romance

It's February. Yay. 'Nathan Burgoine's post yesterday really resonated with me. Winter is not a happy time for me usually and I have issues with everything from mood to attention span. Everything seems crappier and my coping mechanisms are stretched very thin.  All I really want to do is be at home, by the fireplace, reading or watching TV with my comfort food of choice. This quote from Edith Sitwell expresses it nicely:

Well, today happens to be National Homemade Soup day; it's the perfect comfort food for a cold, dreary winter day. A few days ago LD Blakeley shared her recipe for Carrot Butternut Squash soup. And here's my "recipe" for turkey soup.

Turkey Soup a la Michelle

1. Put the turkey carcass in a stock pot and fill with water to cover carcass and come within a couple inches of the rim. Put the pot on the stove and set on high. 

2. Quarter 2 onions and toss them in. 

3. Add seasonings. I used sage, summer savoury, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, sea salt, and whole peppercorns. Maybe a tablespoon of each? I didn't measure. 

4. Boil the crap out of it. Like at least two hours. I had it on for about 3.5. 

5. Pull out the big bones and chunks with tongs. Then pour the stock through a strainer to get everything out. Return the stock to the pot. 

6. At this point try the stock and see how the flavour is. You can add more seasonings if you want, or a couple OXO cubes or something similar. 

7. Chop up celery (I used about half a bunch) and carrots (I used 6) and add those to the stock. You can add more onions now too or just pick out the ones from before and toss them back in. You could add other veggies, too but I like to keep it simple. Turn the burner on low. 

8. Let the turkey bones/meat that you strained out cool a bit until you can handle it with your fingers. Then go through and pick all the usable meat off (if you boiled it long enough the bones will be almost completely cleaned and easy to pull out). If you have leftover slices of turkey, you can cut that into chunks and toss it in, too. 

9. The water will have boiled down a lot so add more in, especially if you're going to add noodles or rice. I added 2.5 cups of rice and it sucks up a lot of liquid. 

10. Cook for a while longer - 30-45 minutes or so. Then it's ready. Add more stock or seasonings if you want.

Now this takes a while to make, so what to do with all that downtime? You could clean or something, but that would be foolish. Better to settle in with a hot book to warm you up.

One of my publishers, Evernight Publishing, has a special line called Romance On The Go - stories of 15, 000 words or less that are designed to be read quickly. Like while you're waiting for turkey soup.

Here are some of my favourite Romance On The Go:

• Payback's A Bitch by our very own Kacey Hammell
• Dominating the Doctor by Laura Jardine
• Ready for Love by Jules Dixon
• Stranded by Pelaam

Of course, I have to mention that I have a few titles in this line - my Losing It series, the latest of which won the Readers' Choice Award for best Romance On The Go. I'm also thrilled that Evernight has recently contracted the 4th book in the series, Losing It Two At A Time, due out in April.

I hope you find some excellent short stories to read and enjoy your homemade soup today!

www.MichelleGrahamBooks.com

#CelebrateLife @MichelleGAuthor

Hi all! Michelle Graham here and I'm so excited to be a regular contributor in 2017. Thanks to Kacey Hammell for inviting me!

Since I’ll be blogging here on the 4^th of every month, I went on a search for different National Days (granted the days are probably American, but we’ll play along anyway) for inspiration. Did you know that today is National Spaghetti Day? And National Trivia Day? Both of those could be fun, but on one site they also listed some of the National Weeks and that’s when I decided my topic.

January 1-7 is Celebrate Life Week.

I’m writing this as 2016 comes to a close. It was a year marked by what seemed to be an extraordinary amount of loss. At least once a week I’d log on to Facebook to see yet another celebrity had passed. As the cries of, “Fuck you, 2016!” rose up among the internet masses, yet another group of people began to criticize the mourning of those celebrities as insensitive since many of us lost loved ones, people actually in our lives, during the year.

It’s true that a personal loss will hit close to home, but it’s also clear that even though the vast majority of us never had a relationship with these celebrities, their contributions to our lives were numerous. They touched our lives with their beautiful music, brilliant writing, and heart wrenching performances.

Not long after each loss, the tributes would begin – articles, pictures, and videos celebrating the lives and contributions of those who had passed. Whether for a celebrity or someone’s grandmother, I love seeing these and getting a glimpse of the impact of those people on my own friends and family.

So for Celebrate Life week, I think it’s important for us to remember that we mourn because people have touched us. Just because we haven’t met them doesn’t mean our grief is unfounded. And those who’ve experienced a more personal loss will tell you that the pain eases when we tell others about why those people meant so much to us.

Celebrate the lives of those who have touched you. Share stories and pictures. Do all you can to remember them.

But don’t forget to also celebrate the lives of those who are still with us. Spend time with your loved ones. Let them know you care. Treasure the time you have to make new memories.

Celebrate Life.

Lots of love,

Michelle
www.michellegrahambooks.com