Monday Musings: A contract for Her Master's Gift!

I'm quite pleased to announce that Decadent Publishing has offered a contract for Her Master's Gift! I can't explain how excited this makes me, but I might've danced around the living room when I got the news.

I wanted to wait to make the announcement (which came in last week) because my printer decided it didn't want to connect to my new computer, and I wanted the contract signed, sealed, and delivered before making a formal post.

So, I got creative and examined my printer (about 3 years old now), and found the USB drive that allowed me to scan again so that I could actually get my signed contract back to the publisher. *grins* I'd only ever done wireless printing and scanning, but apparently the drivers don't agree with my new computer any longer for the purpose of scanning. Ah well. This new way is actually a bit easier, so that's something!

There's work ahead, from edits to excerpts, but I can't wait to do it, and I know that Decadent is the best home possible for the tale of Katie and Sam's journey of love, lust, and trust.

Monday Musings: I fail at browsing

So, my previous computer, a lovely little HP laptop, has been retired. It refused to consistently register the internet via either wi-fi or ethernet, and at 4 years old, wasn't running the way it needed to. The way I needed it to, for my work-work and my writing work.

Yesterday, hubby and I went out to "browse" for my new computer. You know, price check, compare, etc. We found the perfect computer, for a really fantastic price (compared to the prices of lesser machines I found online), and bought it immediately.

We don't browse well. We had similar experiences when shopping for our respective wedding rings (at 2 different stores!). We said, "Oh, we'll go browse. No pressure to buy now." Of course, this led us to find our perfect rings. Yeah. We can't browse.

Back to the new computer. I love new gadgets, but I always feel so bad for the old ones! I loved my old computer, and I feel this sense of guilt. It's been through so much with me. Through school and the writing of many stories, through the long distance portion of mine and hubby's relationship...so much!

As for this new shiny toy, I have nifty new programs on it to play with, and will try to only take a day or two of getting easily distracted by things like the games. I also have the new version of Microsoft Office, and have been playing with Word and Excel for a couple hours now. I like them!

Hopefully one day I'll learn how to browse, but until then...at least I got the computer I needed rather quickly.

What about you guys? Any new gadgets, or any who also fail at browsing?

Thursday Thirteen: My Top 13 Favorite Colors

Thursday Thirteen is a weekly meme with a simple theme: each Thursday you blog a list of 13 things. What kind of things? Any kind! Just come up with a list theme and run with it!

I have this tendency to anthropomorphize inanimate objects, including computers, household appliances, vegetables at the store, the car, and even colors. It's something I did as a child, and I just never really stopped. It may sound crazy, but I'm okay with that. *grins*  With that said...

I don't believe in liking just one color. The other colors then get sad that they weren't picked, and then you have to deal with that guilt every time you see crayons, markers, and rainbows. And really, who wants to deal with that kind of guilt?

My favorite colors are as follows:

  1. Royal Purple
  2. Maroon
  3. Spring Green
  4. Blood Red
  5. Raven Black (the kind that glints blue in the light)
  6. Periwinkle
  7. Fuschia
  8. Sea-foam Green
  9. Golden Yellow
10. Heather
11. Silver
12. Royal Blue
13. Indigo

Well, there you have it. Thirteen of my very favorite colors. What are your favorite colors?

Monday Musings: Owned by a Dachshund

As you see by the title of this blog, I am currently owned by a dachshund. Actually, my entire family is owned by the dachshund. He has decided to write today's post, so...here we go!

My humans are are many things to me. Cuddle partners. Bringers of food. Holders of the leash as I walk them. Horrible pullers of the leash when I am interested in a sniff across the street and they're going, "CAR!" Whatever that is.

Their schedule revolves around me, which is as it should be. I am older distinguished, and will be turning 14 next month. I insist on a proper brushing to keep my coat nice and shiny. I look like a dog half my age! Seriously, people comment on how young I look in such an admiring fashion that I may, MAY, allow them to pet me.

I likes to sit next to my humans whenever possible. They prop me up and provide cuddling services. Also, I do not sleep, I rest my eyes. I do NOT snore, despite what my owners may claim, I just have loud breathing.

I expects my meals on time, and I shall greet each one by leaping from the chair I graciously share and racing to the bowl. My server may then leave me to eat in peace.

I enjoy long walks through the neighborhood, and do my part to keep my humans in better shape, leading them on non-linear, wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey walks. I really do take good care of them.

Finally, at night, they vacate my bed for good and give me a nicely folded cover to burrow into. My humans are good, and I give them the pleasure of my presence, the structure of my schedule, every day. I must be the best owner ever to exist!

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*ahem* So, there you have it. A day in the life of a dachshund who owns humans.

Are any of you guys owned by your pets? What sorts of things do they have you do? We must band together!

Monday Musings: Romancing the Brrrr!

I live in Florida. I always have, and I foresee staying here for a long time to come. But recently, I moved from South Florida to Central Florida. You wouldn't think it would be that big of a difference, but you'd be wrong. The mercurial temperatures (yesterday it was 72°F, and tomorrow it'll be 34°F) has been a bit jarring, definitely enough to make me wish I had a better cold-weather wardrobe! 

Still, there are some benefits to beautiful chilly weather. One of my favorites is cuddling. Lots of closeness and grabbing onto my hubby to curl up in his arms. To share our warmth with each other, and to spend some good quality time together.

Human touch is very important, and the more good energy we put behind each touch, the better! Hugging has been shown to improve mood in the same way that laughter does. I know that I get more relaxed with some nice cuddling.

Of course, cuddling can lead to other fun things. *winks*

Any of you taking advantage of the cooler weather for fun times? How do you turn the cold into something warm and romantic? 

2014 - A New Year

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a lovely evening last night, and that the year has started off as you wish it to!

2013 has been a full year for me, with a move across the state, the release of my novella Feeding the Beast, and the start of this awesome blog of mine! *grins*

It ended with spicy tuna (for good luck, one apparently has to end the year eating fish), sauvignon blanc (surprisingly yummy!) and a slightly drunk kiss from my hubby with the fireworks booming in the distance.

It is a new year, complete with all of its new chances to get things done, make things happen, and create magic on the page! I'm plotting out several stories now, working on Lady of the Pack, and in general making the first day of this new year count.

It's also been raining, which tends to have one of two effects on me: sleepy or inspired. Today, we'll go with inspired!

What chances are you going to take this year? What things will you guys make happen? I'd love to hear from y'all!

Christmas Eve and Anticipation

Anticipation is delicious. The heart races, attention sharpens, excitement brings boatloads of energy and enthusiasm!

Christmas, with decorating the tree, candlelight services, and of course the gifts, has always been a time of anticipation. After Thanksgiving, when December begins, it's like a countdown. Decorations come out, there's a radio station dedicated to the music of the season, and the bell people come out of the woodwork in front of every store.

Christmas Eve was the height of it all. The night before, when the thrill had built over each passing day, the pile of gifts growing beneath the tree, the curiosity of it all just couldn't be denied. Shaking boxes, making guesses as to what was what. It was a family game to figure out what everyone was getting.

We got to open one present on Christmas Eve. It was like whetting our appetites for the next day, giving some satisfaction, but still...there were the rest of them! Just waiting. And of course, try getting us to sleep when we got home after the midnight candlelight service.

Still, we waited for the gifts until the next day, when we could really enjoy them. The next day, it was all about ripping up paper, exploring our gifts and our imaginations, and being incredibly thankful that we could experience it all together.


This year I'm thankful for the people I have in my life, each and every one! Love is the true gift this year. Well, that and the Doctor Who Christmas special, but...I'm a geek that way!

What are your Christmas Eve traditions? Do you agree about the anticipation that precedes Christmas?

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it! May you have joy on this day.

Happy Thanksgivukkah! - Stuffing, and other adventures.

Well, for the first time since 1888, these two holidays (which do seem to revolve around fatty/oily foods) have coincided. And it'll be roughly 78,000 years (according to the people hosting the Macy's parade) until it happens again! Wow! That is impressive.

Today I've made stuffing from scratch for the first time. I might have had some help from my hubby and my fantastic MIL. Yes, I have been blessed with an awesome MIL. We will also be having creamed onions, which I've never heard of before, using pearl onions. No doubt I will enjoy this (as I'm a fan of onions). Still, getting my hands all messy, breaking up bread, the enticing scents of sage and thyme...it was a lot of fun!

These two holidays are pretty special to me. Chanukah is all about miracles, being able to keep going long beyond what you envisioned possible. Thanksgiving is about being thankful for all the good things in your life.

So, today I'm thankful for food with lots of butter and herbs and yummy goodness! And for having food at all this year. There have been years in my life where food on the table was in question. And other years where our food went way beyond what we thought it would. Both have helped me to have an appreciation for those times when food is plentiful.

I'm also thankful for a muse who keeps me inspired with awesome story ideas, a life full of love and friendship, and a toy bag full of fun things to play with after dark!

And, of course, getting annoying music stuck in my husband's head. It's a special form of torture. Oops?

I wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving, and a wonderful Chanukah if you celebrate it!

Welcome!

Hello everyone!

It's Samhain tonight, and that speaks to me of the perfect time to begin something new. So, here I am, with a brand new blog of my very own that I'll hopefully keep up with.

Sometimes my attention span leaves a bit to be desired.

Still! I have had a wonderful evening, filled with cute costume-goers coming to my door, and it's put me in a fantastic mood. I also reached a milestone on a story I'm working on, Lady of the Pack, which makes me even happier.

I'll see if I can add to this blog twice per week, if not more often, with information about what I'm writing, what I'm reading, and perhaps even some kinky treats that I'd love to delve into. BDSM is a huge part of my life, and I think about aspects of it on a daily basis.

For tonight though, have a beautiful evening!