tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54461031258607642552024-03-14T01:28:58.054-07:00Leigh Daley WritesLeigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-81614800975542440102017-02-10T07:28:00.000-08:002017-02-10T07:28:10.569-08:00New Release and New Beginnings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qUXDF3995o/WJ3bDrBMT8I/AAAAAAAAE3k/6kXEn2OGxsckaWuvoOyUBoVVH36LJHMWQCLcB/s1600/515N8Uo7C3L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Buy it today at Amazon or your favorite online retailer!" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qUXDF3995o/WJ3bDrBMT8I/AAAAAAAAE3k/6kXEn2OGxsckaWuvoOyUBoVVH36LJHMWQCLcB/s320/515N8Uo7C3L.jpg" title="" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06WRP4M83/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486738906&sr=8-1&keywords=mid-winter+healing" target="_blank">Mid-Winter Healing</a> is out! That's the big news! I am so excited to be working with one of my long time favorites Sara Daniel and one of my new favorites Carolyn Spear. <br />
<br />
If you enjoy romance with a touch of the fantastic, I do recommend you visit the Wiccan Haus series at Decadent Publishing. I fell head over heels in love with the world of the Wiccan Haus years ago when I read the first book by the series creator Dominque Eastwick. Since then, this shared world has gotten more and more fascinating with every release. <br />
<br />
In short, the Wiccan Haus is a spa for the paranormal world, which coexists alongside ours, but secretly. Humans sometimes get to come to the island retreat, but even if they show up oblivious to the real nature of the spa, they have a tendency to fall neck-deep into the magic of the place and of course in love as well!<br />
<br />
The series itself covers a wide range of pairings and heat levels, so there is something for everyone. Mid-Winter Healing has three MF pairings and heat levels that will not scorch your eyeballs out! Here are the short blurbs for you:<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: yellow;">SOLACE FOR THE PSYCHIC SOUL:<br />Dex Seer has spent his life on the wrong side of the law, working for anyone who will pay him enough to afford the medicine his sister needs to keep from going blind. But the medicine no longer exists. In desperation, he books a stay at the Wiccan Haus to heal his sister. With a sexy government spy following him through the portal, he stands to lose everything he’s spent his life protecting.<br /><br />After too many years reading the evil, sadistic thoughts of her government’s enemies, Monica Smic is exhausted and cynical. Worse, her soul discovered its mate in a lawless bounty hunter, and staying away from him is destroying her from the inside out. When she passes out on the job, her boss forces her to take a week off at the Wiccan Haus to get her act together.<br /><br />Despite their mutual distrust, the more time Dex and Monica spend in each other’s company, the more their battered souls find solace in the other’s. But Dex’s first loyalty is to his sister, and Monica’s is to her government. On the Winter Solstice, they will either heal each other or lose everything in winter’s fiercest storm.<br /><br /><br />ALINA’S LIGHT:<br />Alina Argal hopes to mix in a little pleasure when she visits her childhood friend Sarka Rowan at Wiccan Haus. She badly needs a boost to her battered ego following a humiliating breakup of her arranged engagement to Thad Yates ,the eldest son of one of the most powerful magical families. A little R and R at the lighthouse should help her get her feet back under her. The last person she expects to find sharing the small lightkeeper's house with is Thad's brother Sean.<br /><br />Long the black sheep of the family for being born without magic, Sean Yates has always gone his own way. A former Army infantry officer, he now suffers a slight limp and PTSD. His one desire is to win Alina's love now that his brother is out of the picture. But is he really?<br /><br />Will Alina open herself to the one brother she needs and deserves or marry for duty?<br /><br />LOVE’S MAGICK:<br />Soren Feodor has never backed down from a challenge. But when his attempt to unlock a treasure fails miserably, his sole hope lies with Emma van Pelt, the only human who ever successfully resisted him. A trip to the Wiccan Haus could heal his body, but Emma knows nothing about the dangers of the magical work that lies before them. <br /><br />When a chance encounter brought Emma face to face with the mages of the paranormal world, mysterious Soren tried and failed to make her forget it ever happened. Now she’s the only chance he has at revealing the powers of a legendary magical item, provided he will even let her try to help. <br /><br />Can the two learn to work together and unravel the wards of the Tears of Therin, or will love’s magick be the death of them?</span></em><br />
<br />
I personally had a wonderful time writing<em> Love's Magick</em>. Okay, that's a lie. I wrote it twice. The first time it never felt right to me. The characters weren't true to themselves. So I started over. Some things happened exactly the same way, but so much shifted as Soren and Emma showed their real natures and their true selves. I am very happy with this story of a prideful mage and a co-opted historian. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I've decided to start blogging again, not just about writing and books and such but about some of the things I've been doing lately for myself. I feel really good these days and think I should probably share some of them. <br />
<br />
Right now, my two biggest inspirations/sources of feeling great are the following:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dietdoctor.com/">www.dietdoctor.com</a> (your gateway to getting off the food crazy train and finding health through High Fat Low Carb eating. So far I've lost 25 pounds by putting cream on everything. Sort of.)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gwynniebee.com/">www.gwynniebee.com</a> (a way to dress beautifully without filling your closet with things)<br />
<br />
However, the honest truth is I hate to blog. I hate to put things out there into the datastream that never go away. I am all about the ephemeral. I hate to look back. <br />
<br />
Nevertheless, there comes a time when one's voice needs to be heard. I guess now is as good a time as any. Welcome back to my blog. Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-19867001777667153762015-12-02T18:42:00.001-08:002015-12-02T18:42:54.470-08:00Why You Do and Don't Want a Maltese Dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uI62cQUJJSQ/Vl-r93rP3oI/AAAAAAAADM8/sQImuRaH0UY/s1600/2015-12-02_20.41.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uI62cQUJJSQ/Vl-r93rP3oI/AAAAAAAADM8/sQImuRaH0UY/s320/2015-12-02_20.41.21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I live with the most wonderful little dog in the world. He is a Maltese named Scooter and he is preciously adorable, smart, playful, loving, and all-around delightful. However, when my husband was asked by a coworker if he recommended the Maltese as a breed, he said, “Absolutely not!”<br />
<br />
Imagine my surprise!<br />
<br />
“My Maltese baby is the light of my life, my little precious angel, the most adorably wonderful dog I ever met! Why on earth would my husband tell others to stay away from the breed?” I wondered as I cuddled my soft snugglebunny.<br />
<br />
Then I forced myself to take a step back from the ridiculous dog-crush I have on my Scootiebug and evaluate him logically. In truth, I have to admit, my baby dog’s breed has its faults.<br />
<br />
First of all, if you are considering a Maltese, be certain you can treat him like a big dog, not like the sweet baby you know in your heart that he is. A small dog that is over-pampered and overly catered to can become a holy terror of need---a barking, snappish, dependent, terrified little bundle of noise and teeth.<br />
<br />
It is vital that babydog walks from room to room and explores the world like a big dog. She’s tougher than you think and needs the socialization that comes from four feet on the ground and interaction with a variety of people, situations, and other dogs. She needs to know that her place in the world is a confident one and that she has nothing to be afraid of.<br />
<br />
Also, Maltese are prone to separation anxiety through no fault of their own. We create these needy little bark machines when we make the dog feel like every departure is the end of the world. If you have a freak-out fit of weepiness and cuddling before you leave him, he’ll learn to associate your departure with horrible emotional turmoil. Downplay your comings and goings from the house as if it is absolutely no big deal to you, so that he too will be totally cool with your leaving and coming home.<br />
<br />
Of course, I understand that your heart breaks completely at being separated from your little angel for more than a few minutes but never show that to the dog. Wait until you are in the car, then collapse into a pool of quivering emotion as you clutch his photograph. Just never let him see it! Ever! You are a person and understand that you are coming back. He is a dog and will only understand what you teach him. Teach him to be cool and confident with your routine and he will be happy all day long. Teach him to fear your departure and wonder if you are ever coming back any time you walk out the door and he will bark and cry all day long, making him seriously unhappy and fragile and making your neighbors furious.<br />
<br />
In the same way, be wary of over-comforting Little Bit when he is upset or afraid. Doing so only reinforces the idea to him that the thing he fears truly is every bit as terrifying as he believes it to be. This leads to incessant barking at said vacuum cleaner or visitor or bug or raindrop. These things should be no big deal at all to a well-adjusted dog. Worse, should your baby decide that you need his protection from the terrifying world, you can expect him to leap to your defense by barking at or even worse biting everyone who attempts to hug, kiss, talk to, or otherwise interact with you. You can forget having a love life if your dog decides he is your personal bodyguard.<br />
<br />
Maltese are also much smarter than they get credit for. Dogs are frequently judged by how willing they are to learn and perform as the measure of their intelligence. Well, I’ve had smart dogs and dumb sweethearts and I have to say Scooter is a very intelligent little dog. However, as much as a Maltese knows, he is often too stubborn to be very obedient. Scooter knows lots of tricks but refuses to work without immediate food reward. Plus, the Maltese can be a pain to house train because of his small bladder and tendency to just pee wherever the hell he wants. I highly recommend crate training and indoor pee pads. Scooter will hold his poop pretty well until he goes outside, but uses a variety of pee pads through the house . . . usually. If you aren’t good with this, don’t get a Maltese. On the upside, they are very little dogs and their messes are also very little. Just deal with it.<br />
<br />
When Scooter was a puppy, I made every attempt to socialize him as a confident dog. Now that he is grown, he handles separation very well. To the best of my knowledge, he is quiet at home alone and is content to pretty much sleep and gnaw on chew sticks while we are away. However, he does have a tendency to be vocal (that means bark his fool head off) when we have visitors until he is certain they present no threat. He also warns us whenever there is a moth in the house. This makes him a great guard dog; unfortunately the volume and timbre of his bark gets right under my husband’s skin. I have to vacuum the house with the dog outside or in another room entirely. In Scooter’s world, that vacuum cleaner is the spawn of Satan and must die a horrible death, pulled apart by tiny dog teeth. I think it is adorable.<br />
<br />
Despite its challenges, the breed has many wonderfully positive traits that more than make up for their tendency to develop small dog syndrome. They do not shed and have the softest, most luxurious coats ever. If you’ll keep him bathed twice a month and trimmed up in a puppy cut every six weeks or so, he’ll have a relatively easy-care coat that is about as hypoallergenic as a dog gets.<br />
<br />
But the best thing about a Maltese is she loves your lap. Well over two thousand years of breeding nothing but cuddly sweethearts culminates in your very own precious white bundle of snuggledom.<br />
<br />
A Maltese loves to cuddle against you and sleep and stretch in precious ways. There is no place on earth she prefers to your arms as you walk around the house, and she’s small enough to carry everywhere (even though you shouldn’t since she’s a big dog and sometimes needs to walk like a big dog so she will remember that). Everything a Maltese does is precious to watch. They play and tumble and cuddle like perpetual puppies that never grow up, especially with a short cut. They also don’t need much room to exercise. A game of fetch in the living room can be enough to wear them out. Top that off with a round of tricks to work their brain and most of their excess energy will be consumed so you can lie on the couch and watch TV or read a book together in cuddly bliss.<br />
<br />
Sadly, it is the Maltese’s complete adorability that is its worst enemy. It’s so easy to smother them in love that they become spoiled terrors who bark incessantly for even more attention. Apartment dwellers choose them because they are small and don’t need a lot of space. However, those barks can pierce walls and the neighbors will complain constantly if the dog is unhappy alone. If you aren’t willing to put in the effort to make sure your baby dog is well-socialized and trained, stay away from the Maltese.<br />
<br />
In both Australia and Seoul, South Korea, the Maltese is the number one breed dumped at dog shelters, usually due to barkiness. This fact is particularly heartbreaking because these dogs adore their owners so completely. The owner creates a dog who is terrified of being alone, then because the dog barks constantly when alone, the owner dumps the dog in a shelter---alone and without the owner it needs so desperately. I donate each month to Maltese Rescue to help unfortunate sweethearts like these find homes with new owners who can love them through the rough spots until they are happy little dogs again.<br />
<br />
My Scooter brings me so much joy each and every day and loves me so thoroughly that I could not imagine owning another breed. I have had other wonderful breeds and dogs that I loved with all my heart, but Scooter is special. The mix of intelligence, adorability, personality, and cuddliness in a Maltese can’t be matched. For those willing to invest themselves in their dogs (and willing to put up with some crap --- sometimes literally), I cannot recommend a Maltese highly enough.Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-15004023199055768642015-08-28T07:48:00.000-07:002015-08-28T07:48:53.071-07:00"Talk Dirty to Me": Pillow Talk and the Blog PostOne of my biggest issues in writing sex scenes (yes, I write sex scenes) is the dialog. <br />
<br />
Quite frankly, I have a terrible time with coming up with what people actually say during sex versus what many romance novels have them say during sex. "Harder faster oh yes right there" only goes so far. <br />
<br />
The truth is in my personal sexual experience and probably lots of other folks' experience as well, there's not a lot of talking going on. Maybe some moaning and stuff but not any real exchanging of information. <br />
<br />
I know there's plenty of turn-on mileage in "talking dirty" during sex, but Sweetie and I just don't go there. Maybe we're too self-conscious. Maybe it's because "f*** me harder" or "that is some sweet c***" isn't something likely to come out of either one of our mouths during our daytime conversations. <br />
<br />
Or maybe it's because sex has a tendency to unleash crazy stuff in one's head. If I started saying aloud some of the ideas that run through my mind during orgasm, Sweetie might decide I need help and not just from Dr. Ruth. <br />
<br />
I feel the same way about blogging. I freaking hate to blog. For the most part, the things in my head that I might truly blog about are the scary things, the uncomfortable things---like the issue I have with bedroom dialog. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, if I want people to know who I am as a writer so they will (I hope) want to read my books, I need to be genuine. Sure, I can post a thousand pieces about crocheting or my favorite paleo recipes, but what does that tell anybody about the kind of books I write or whether you'll want to read them? <br />
<br />
So, despite the fact the people who know me in real life and know my penname will likely get way more information from me than they want to know, I'm going to start blogging about the things going on in my writing. It's personal. It's sometimes TMI. But it's real---just like the talking during sex thing.<br />
<br />
My current manuscript in progress is a science fiction romance mostly because I have wanted to combine two of my favorite genres forever, but also because I had a idea about a way to explore the role of sex in a relationship. <br />
<br />
Due to cool sci-fi plot points I won't get into right now, my two leads have a biochemically induced sort of telepathic connection to each other that is fueled by oxytocin and vassopressin (the two hormones that flood the brain during orgasm). That means that their pillow talk turns into pillow thought and as such is much harder to control, especially for our newbie Evan. <br />
<br />
This has driven me to ask questions like "What truly goes through a 22 year old guy's head during sex?" and "What kinds of memories might churn up inside him?" I don't know about you, but sex, especially sex early in the relationship, stirs up all kinds of embarrassing and deeply locked away things about myself. <br />
<br />
What if the dialog wasn't so much "you're so tight, I'm coming" as a thought stream of real vulnerability? What if he remembered how it felt to have a crush on a teacher as a kid and the mortifying embarrassment of having all his friends point out his unstoppable hard-on right in front of her? What if he's the only one sharing this kind of information because his link partner Dayna has done this before and knows how to control it? What kinds of trust issues does this stir up between them?<br />
<br />
Sex with Sweetie still makes me confront myself and our relationship even after 18 years together. I believe sex is a powerful force that goes way beyond the physical, a force that we have a tendency to sensationalize and romanticize in order to titillate (what a great word!) rather than explore deeply. <br />
<br />
So as I continue to work through this new MS, I'll do my best to blog about the ideas I'm playing with. Should I hit TMI territory, please feel free to not tell my mother about it. But if I'm going to blog and I'm going to write, I'm going to be honest with my readers of both.<br />
<br />
What about you? Ideas on pillow talk? Blog honesty? TMI in general?Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-29939959628023055592015-07-20T10:13:00.001-07:002015-07-20T10:13:06.195-07:00Arley Cole: How Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Ruined ...<a href="http://arleycole.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-willie-wonka-and-chocolate-factory.html?spref=bl">Arley Cole: How Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Ruined ...</a>: Back a few weeks ago, the husband and I took the kids to see the new movie Inside Out . If you haven’t seen it, and you should, one of th...Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-36985310034018944672014-03-03T13:31:00.000-08:002014-03-03T13:31:23.368-08:00Lifebound is here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KxSSz6qZSbI/UxTx_5m50_I/AAAAAAAABNY/X7_9-CvgnUQ/s1600/lifebound-510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KxSSz6qZSbI/UxTx_5m50_I/AAAAAAAABNY/X7_9-CvgnUQ/s1600/lifebound-510.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
About four years ago, my teenage daughter developed a huge crush on snowboarder Shaun White and forced me to watch any number of YouTube of this incredible, red-haired phenomenon. In no time, I had my own Shaun White obsession, which bled over into watching the crazy stunts of extreme snowboarders and skateboarders like Tony Hawk and Bob Burnquist. <br />
<br />
It was out of this cougarish fascination with these super-hot (see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Burnquist" target="_blank">Bob Burnquist</a>), crazy-talented young men that Josh Trenton, the hero of <a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25&products_id=748" target="_blank">Lifebound</a>, took over my dreams. But I needed a heroine. Adriana Velen springs out of my long fascination with poetry from the Romantic period and the concept of the lamia. With apologies to Coleridge and Keats, my lamia spins out of their idea of the beautiful woman who drains life by touch while giving back creative energy to her victim. <br />
<br />
When this classically educated, polished young woman runs headlong into the extreme energy of our skateboarding hero, all kinds of sparks fly! <br />
<br />
Buy here!! <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25&products_id=748" target="_blank">Musa Publishing</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lifebound-Wiccan-Haus-Leigh-Daley-ebook/dp/B00IK6OWHS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1393717235&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
Here's a brief excerpt. <br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Lifebound (The Wiccan Haus)</h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>by Leigh Daley</em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em><strong>A fine line divides ecstasy and death; they are about to
cross it.<o:p></o:p></strong></em></span></div>
<em>
</em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Lamia Adriana Velen doesn’t want another host. She has come
to Wiccan Haus to learn to balance her energies without draining the life of a
human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when extreme
skateboarder Josh Trenton comes near, his energy practically leaps into her. Josh
just wants space to recover from an accident that could end his career, but one
touch from Adriana threatens to enslave him---body and soul. Can they walk the
fine line between ecstasy and death or will she consume him utterly?</em> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-0-</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
Adriana had done plenty of ice-skating as a girl, which paid
off as she found her balance pretty quickly. The board responded to her as she
shifted her weight, curving back and forth across the pavement.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her
attention. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Josh had borrowed a board and
was also gliding along, weaving in and out of the benches that bordered the
edges.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
“You guys need to work on grinding these benches and
popping ollies over them,” he said. “This could be a great place to skate.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
“Something tells me Sarka would not approve of us
grinding her benches,” Joseph warned.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
Adriana suddenly remembered her promise to Sarka that
she would go to her room and stay far away from Josh Trenton. She sighed then. The
morning had been surprisingly enjoyable. But for her own good, she needed to
pack it in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
Sadly, she pushed off back toward the group of guys. “I’m
going to have to call it a day,” she said as she drew closer to them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
“For real?” Josh asked, disappointment in his voice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
“Yes, I’ve got to get some work done,” she lied as she
rolled up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
Just as she reached the edge of the pavement where the
group stood, her front wheel hung on a pebble, stopping the board suddenly and
throwing her forward. She threw out her hands to catch herself, but Josh got
there first.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
He reached out to grab her arms to keep her from
falling, and despite her best effort to roll away from him, he caught her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
They hit the ground hard.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
But it was done.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
His fingers gripped her shoulders as he pulled her into
him, and the contact between them completed with a rush of energy that left her
lightheaded.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
Time stopped as his human strength surged between them,
as it soaked up the overflow of power that had built in her, as it gave back
its own life in return.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
The first contact with a prospective host generally felt
a bit uncomfortable, almost like a negotiation, as her energies shifted and adjusted
to be compatible with the host. With Tom it had taken months of casual
touches—the barest brush of fingertips as she passed him a pen, a hand laid
briefly on his arm through layers of clothing—before she could begin to allow
any real interchange of energy flow between them. And even while she sat hand
in hand with him in the ambulance, the flow had been controllable—at least for
a while.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
What she felt now was not controllable. She lay on the
ground on top of Josh, his hands gripping the bare skin of her arms tightly,
their legs tangled together on the ground, her cheek pressed against his. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her focus zeroed in on the soft sensation of
his breath against her neck and the warmth that surged from him as their bodies
touched their entire length separated by only the thinnest layers of cotton. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
Their energies synchronized effortlessly and began to
surge back and forth between them like raw current. He poured into her like she
was a dry well, and she soaked him up as if she could never get enough. His
life flowed quicksilver-smooth in her veins. Her skin tingled and glowed as his
essence washed over her in a flood of pure elation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
But as much as she tried to give the flow back to him,
she knew she took even more in an insidious unstoppable drain of his energies.
She was going to hurt him. She was going to pull his life completely away from
him if she didn’t break the connection—soon. She clamped down on her abilities,
she couldn’t stop up a fire hose with a piece of bubblegum.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
Desperately, she twisted against his grasp, but he held
her tightly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
“Josh, please,” she whispered into his ear, “you’ve got
to let me go.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
Finally, his hold relaxed enough for her to push herself
away to sit a few feet from him on the ground. He sat up and looked at her, his
breath coming in deep ragged gasps. He was pale and shaking.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
“I’m sorry.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MusaBodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
“For what?” he asked, then his eyes fluttered shut and
he passed out cold on the grass.<o:p></o:p></div>
Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-56982675597319032962014-02-21T07:24:00.001-08:002014-02-21T07:24:17.118-08:00Musa Publishing: NEW RELEASE for LEIGH DALEYNew release! This book was so much fun to write. Check it out!<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/2014/02/new-release-for-leigh-daley.html?spref=bl">Musa Publishing: NEW RELEASE for LEIGH DALEY</a>: Musa Publishing is excited to announce Lifebound , a wonderful addition to the Wiccan Haus series by Leigh Daley , is now available. A ...Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-8687696773946205502013-06-21T07:34:00.001-07:002013-06-21T07:34:11.127-07:00Alcide and Other Obsessions: Leigh Daley crowes about her obsession<a href="http://alcideandotherobsessions.blogspot.com/2013/06/leigh-daley-crowes-about-her-obsession.html?spref=bl">Alcide and Other Obsessions: Leigh Daley crowes about her obsession</a>: For Leigh Daley her last man standing is Russell Crowe For many years he has owned the top three spots on my Five Guys My Husband Couldn&#...Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-91435921620616467092013-06-21T07:12:00.001-07:002013-06-21T07:12:28.753-07:00Musa Publishing: The Blog is Up for Grabs!<a href="http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-blog-is-up-for-grabs.html?spref=bl">Musa Publishing: The Blog is Up for Grabs!</a>: (NOTE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, our scheduled interviewer is unable to attend, so questions for Kyle Mathis will be asked by one of ...Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-52390323371726318712013-03-13T00:30:00.000-07:002013-03-13T00:30:02.620-07:00My Guest, Holley Trent<em>First of all, I read and LOVED</em> <strong>Her Resident Jester. </strong><em>Shane is such a fun heroine! I loved her voice and she had me laughing out loud so much. </em><br />
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Here's Holley Trent!</b> </div>
<br />
There’s this bit in my new release <em><b>Her Resident Jester</b></em> where my protagonist, Shane, waxes poetic about her identity: <br />
<blockquote>
I’d almost forgotten about that ultrasound. I didn’t generally volunteer for medical studies, but one of my coworkers’ kids was on the investigative team and I got strong-armed into it because I’m from an underrepresented ethnic group. That is to say <em>no</em> particular ethnic group. I’m more mixed up than Vin Diesel, but far less coy about it. I leave that to Marcia. She’s really uptight about that sh*t.</blockquote>
Shane and Marcia are sisters (you’ll meet Marcia formally in April in <em><b>Love by Premonition</b></em>), and constituents of the Great American Melting Pot. They can’t simply itemize what they are, because at some point in the family tree the colors blur. They’re sort of a lot of things and nothing in particular. Shane’s fine with that. She’s okay with her ambiguity and having people ask her about it. Culturally, she’s North Carolinian, Southern, and American. <br />
<br />
Marcia is far more sensitive about her perceived identity. She’s not self-hating, exactly, but as a lapsed physicist, she sort of likes being able to put things into neat little boxes. So, when people question her on what she is (and isn’t), she dances around the subject and deflects. It’s not easy for her to answer, and she doesn’t like other people guessing about it, either. She could hedge and say “I’m black,” but she isn’t. Bi-racial wouldn’t be accurate, either. Tri-racial would work, but it’d be imprecise. Shane doesn’t mind imprecision so much, but it makes Marcia twitchy. <br />
<br />
I made this a “thing” with Marcia because I think people should sometimes come in shades of gray (even if they don’t have cool names for themselves like <a href="http://www.blogger.com/“http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/galleries/2009/04/23/photos-americas-famous-interracial-families.html#slide8”">Cablinasian</a>)…and I think sometimes they should be sensitive about not having a tidy label. Although I identify very well with characters like Shane and Marcia (good luck trying to itemize all my components), they make requesting cover art extremely tedious. I could spend an hour scanning through stock art depositories looking for models who are suitably ambiguous and only come up with one or two. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_SlktqUHvqE/UQGXIZxgxCI/AAAAAAAAFLE/O2ZGy64TiDM/s1600/2-1%2Bherresidentjester-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_SlktqUHvqE/UQGXIZxgxCI/AAAAAAAAFLE/O2ZGy64TiDM/s320/2-1%2Bherresidentjester-500.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
For <em><b>Her Resident Jester</b></em>, we stepped around that casting issue and put the hot doctor Derek on the cover instead of Shane or a couple. (Isn’t he pretty?) We’ll see what happens with Marcia’s story. Here’s the gist of <em><b>Her Resident Jester</b></em>: Marketing executive Shane Andrews’s reluctant participation in a research study leads to the stunning discovery she needs immediate surgery. <br />
<br />
Out of sorts, and in a moment of spectacular tactlessness, she insults a man wearing a red rubber nose and big floppy shoes. He turns out to be Derek Palmer: Edenton’s hottest young surgeon…and the resident observing her operation. With her body and pride both on the mend, Shane hides out to prevent further humiliation. She can’t avoid the gorgeous clown too long, however. Edenton is a small town, and Derek isn’t content with letting her wallow. What kind of clown would he be if he did? <b><i></i></b><br />
<b><i></i></b><br />
<b><i>Her Resident Jester</i></b> is available for purchase in most major eBook formats at the <a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_29&products_id=537"><b>Musa</b></a> store and also at third-party retailers like Amazon and All Romance eBooks. To learn more about <b>Holley Trent</b>, visit her <a href="http://www.holleytrent.com/"><b>website</b></a> or watch her navel gaze on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/holleytrent">Twitter</a>. Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-84355526821602417302013-03-05T11:00:00.000-08:002013-03-05T11:00:05.050-08:00Clarissa Johal, Super Cool Person<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pqLsTencdgo/US5kAGxDFJI/AAAAAAAAAKU/PBUkkcHsTl4/s1600/2-3+trampoline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pqLsTencdgo/US5kAGxDFJI/AAAAAAAAAKU/PBUkkcHsTl4/s320/2-3+trampoline.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<em>Clarissa Johal is the one of the coolest people I know. Don't believe me? See how she spends her free time!</em><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">My Top Ten Hobbies <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: large;">by Clarissa Johal<o:p></o:p></span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Hobbies, those things you do before you have children. Most
of my hobbies took a back seat after my kiddos were born. They were replaced by
(in chronological order) washing cloth diapers and making baby food, cleaning
up after Polly Pockets and My Little Ponies, scheduling play-dates, and acting
as a taxi service to-and-from martial arts classes and swim lessons. Now that
my daughters have hit that ‘tween age however, my hobbies have been creeping
back, one by one. Here are some that I’ve managed to start up again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
1. Ballet<o:p></o:p></div>
I’ve taken over 20 years of dance and I can safely say; I
think, live and breathe ballet. If I’m listening to music—I’m choreographing in
my head. If I have a writer’s block—I work on my pliés. I manage one class a
week when I’m not in the throes of writing.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
2. Photography<o:p></o:p></div>
My husband is the real “photographer” in the house. He can
tell you about apertures, shutter speeds and all that technical stuff. A couple
of years ago, he jokingly challenged me to join Project 365 (an online
community wherein you post a photo a day), which I did. A year later, I had
over 1000 followers and found that I LOVED taking pictures. I still can’t tell
you what an aperture is, but oh well, I take pretty pictures.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
3. Taking in Strays<o:p></o:p></div>
Do you want one? We have plenty. Haha. As a kid, I was never
allowed pets because we moved around so much. In fact, I remember bringing home
a half-dead cockroach. I named it Sticky. My mom was thrilled. Good thing I had
a pet rock as a back-up plan. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
4. Fencing<o:p></o:p></div>
Swords—how can you go wrong? In college, I joined the
fencing team. I was the only girl at the time, which was good and bad, but
loved it. I still fence but don’t have anyone to practice with these days. My
neighbors probably snicker at me when I’m practicing in our back yard, but hey,
it’s a great stress-buster.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
5. Herb gardening <o:p></o:p></div>
I wish I had a green thumb, I really do. I over-water
everything which means I’m continually replacing my basil plant with a “bigger
and better” plant that Can’t Possibly Die. My dream is to have a fully-stocked
herb garden growing in my kitchen. As of now, I have a very soggy-looking
peppermint plant and working on the death of basil plant #4.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
6. Running with my dog<o:p></o:p></div>
Three years ago, we adopted a very hyper Rottweiler/shepherd
at the local shelter. I love him to pieces but he needs exercise…constantly.
We’ll come back from an hour-long run and a minute later, he’s forgotten and
wants another.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
7. Coffee drinking<o:p></o:p></div>
Hey, it’s a hobby. Peet’s Sumatra: creamer, no sugar. I have
to keep up with my dog somehow.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
8. Vegetarian cooking<o:p></o:p></div>
I used to do more of this before kids. Now, I’m at the mercy
of their taste buds. Green vegetables receive little love in my house, even
when they’re hidden in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And yes, that’s
worked for me…once. My kiddos make their own sandwiches now and for the life of
me, I can’t figure out why. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
9. Trampoline<o:p></o:p><br />
I love my trampoline. Nothing beats that feeling of flying
up in the air. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
10. Reading<o:p></o:p></div>
The hobby of hobbies. What did you expect? Mythology is my
favorite genre but I read everything from classics by Gustave Flaubert and Theodore
Dreiser, to fantasy/horror from Neil Gaimen and Brom.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
If you like reading (and I assume you do!) here’s a
paranormal read to check out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">BETWEEN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
by Clarissa Johal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How far would you go
to redeem yourself?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
As a young girl, Lucinda was able to see spirits, a gift
that didn't come without its problems. Now, a dedicated young veterinarian, she
is committed to the idea that every life can be saved. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
After a devastating accident, Lucinda tries to escape her
past by moving to a small town. There, she meets a newcomer and feels an
immediate connection with him. But there is another mysterious stranger to the
small town, one that stirs within her a mixture of unease and desire. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
As Lucinda is drawn into a bitter tug-a-war from the forces
around her, she is likewise pulled into a dangerous twist of past and present
events. Forced to make difficult choices, she finds that the two men are locked
in not only a battle for her life...but a battle for their salvation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Excerpt:<o:p></o:p></div>
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">A young woman
stood beside the bed, anguish on her face. She looked vaguely familiar, though
Lucinda couldn’t place her. The forgotten colors of her blousy dress had faded
into indistinct shades of grey. The woman grasped Lucinda’s hand and pressed a
key into it. Lucinda felt the jagged, metal edges pricking her skin. Somewhere
in the distance, a car engine roared to life. The woman’s lips moved but the
growling engine drowned out all other sound. The sound became louder.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="BodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Growling. Darwin was growling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">“Darwin?” Lucinda
woke with a start.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="BodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">The shepherd growled again and hopped off the bed, padding
into the living room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">A quiet knock sounded from the front door. Lucinda rolled
out of bed to answer it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="BodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Pushing Darwin aside to open the door, she peered sleepily
into the moonlit night. A breeze blew across the clearing, stirring the grass.
Confused, she shut the door before the breeze could make its way inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">“Come on back to bed, Darwin. Nobody there.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">As she pulled the blanket up to her chin, the knocking
started again.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Lucinda slipped out of bed and walked back into the living
room. The sound clearly came from the other side of the door, faint but
unmistakable. She slid her hand quietly over the knob. At once, the knocking
stopped. Turning the knob slowly, she pulled the door open a crack, heart
pounding in her chest.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="BodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">“Hello?” An icy breeze slipped by her thigh as the scent of
ozone assailed her senses. Her heart beat erratically. “Darwin, no!” The dog
tried to push past her, growling once more. Rattled, Lucinda closed the door
with a bang and locked it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Lucinda lay in bed and shivered, unable to get warm. A chill
slipped under her covers, stealing up her spine. The smell of roses clung to
her blanket, the warmth from their scent seemed to be at war with the cold. An
hour passed and she finally dropped off to sleep. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">For the remainder of the night, the two unseen presences in
her room remained at an impasse.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="BodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
BETWEEN buy links:<o:p></o:p></div>
Musa Publishing: <o:p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/avnxerk" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/avnxerk</a></o:p><br />
Amazon.com: <o:p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/bp74a64" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/bp74a64</a></o:p><br />
Barnesandnoble.com: <o:p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/cc3bjfr" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/cc3bjfr</a></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Bio: <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Clarissa Johal has worked as a veterinary assistant,
zoo-keeper aide and vegetarian chef. Writing has always been her passion. When
she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing or taking
photographs of gargoyles. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Clarissa shares her life with her husband, two daughters and
every stray animal that darkens the doorstep. One day, she expects that a
wayward troll will wander into her yard, but that hasn’t happened yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="BodyText1" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt; text-indent: 0in;">
Author website:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p><a href="http://clarissajohal.com/" target="_blank">http://clarissajohal.com/</a></o:p></div>
Author Blog:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p><a href="http://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://clarissajohal.blogspot.com/</a></o:p><br />
Twitter <o:p><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/ClarissaJohal" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/#!/ClarissaJohal</a></o:p><br />
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/clarissa.johal.9"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.facebook.com/clarissa.johal.9</span></a><o:p></o:p>Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-53846862507315746672013-02-26T17:11:00.000-08:002013-02-26T17:11:30.255-08:00My Guest, Liz DeJesus<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why I write...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em>By Liz DeJesus<o:p></o:p></em></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I get asked this question pretty often (all the time
actually). Why do I write? And there are a lot of reasons why I choose to be a
writer, why I pour my heart out day after day. It really depends what mood I'm
in because the answer changes. So because I feel like telling you...here's a
list of reasons why I'm a writer. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. My mom is a writer and I wanted to be just like my mom.
This is very true. I remember waking up every morning to the sound of my mom
tapping her fingers against her keyboard (back then it was a typewriter). The
gently click clack of the keys was the best thing to wake up to. I kinda miss
that sound. Anyway, one day my mom gave me her typewriter (she bought a new
one) and I felt as though I had been given the greatest gift of my life. At ten
years old I felt like this moment would be forever etched in stone. I've been
in love with the written word ever since. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2. I was lonely. Actually...I was a lonely, shy, nerdy,
introverted girl with only a couple of friends. The rest of the time I was at
school being bullied by the students (and some of the teachers) because I was
different. So I spent most of recess hiding in the library where no one could
find me. I felt safe surrounded by books. They never hurt, or insulted me.
Never told me to shut up. So it was only natural that I would gravitate towards
the one thing in life that made me feel safe. Books.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. I loved books. I remember this one book that I read over
and over again when I was twelve. It's titled The Curious Clubhouse by
Christine Govan. It was my very first grown up book (it had a lot of chapters).
It was another important moment for me. This was the one book that made me feel
as though I wasn't the only one that was being picked on or pushed aside. I
wanted to write a book for that girl that was lonely just like me. I wanted to
write a story that would let that person know that he/she wasn't alone in the
world. That they matter. That they're important. That it's okay to be different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. I have a very overactive imagination. I'm pretty sure if
I didn't write my brain would literally explode. And I mean....KABOOM! Brain
chunks everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. I once had a boyfriend tell me that my manuscript would
be dipped in red ink if an editor ever got a hold of it. So I wrote another
novel out of revenge. And it got published and I'm still getting royalty
checks. So it's okay to write out of revenge. (And yeah....I dumped his sorry,
un-supportive ass).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">6. Because someone told me I couldn't write in a specific
genre. A long time ago someone left a comment on my blog saying that I would
never be able to write a horror novel. Challenge accepted! I wrote a horror
short story and a novel and both got published (under my pen name, I recently
got the rights back to that novel and I'm revising it to submit it to another
publisher).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">7. To impress a boyfriend. When I was thirteen I got into
poetry to impress my first boyfriend. He was cute. Don't judge me....you
would've done the same. Turned out I was actually pretty good so I stuck with
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">8. Another boyfriend told me that I would never amount to
anything (yeah...I had a really bad string of boyfriends, I had to kiss a lot
of frogs before I found my prince) and I told him that one day he would see my
name in lights. Still working on that. And knowing me the way I do...I'll make
it happen. ;-)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">9. Because I heard an awesome song and all of a sudden a
scene popped into my head that was begging to be written.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">10. Crazy dreams. Trust me, that's how I get my most amazing
ideas.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And these are some of the reasons why I write. Anyway I hope
you enjoyed my little blog post. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<em>Thanks for coming by, Liz!! And it's kind of scary how many of our reasons overlap!</em> <br />
<br />
<em>Check out her books at </em><a href="http://www.musapublishing.com/"><em>www.musapublishing.com</em></a> <em>and of course on Amazon, B&N, etc.!</em> Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-75235441572440732332013-02-01T05:36:00.002-08:002013-02-01T11:31:41.568-08:00S. G. Rogers on The Ice Captain's DaughterFirst of all, I LOVE S. G. Rogers and thoroughly enjoyed her Victorian Romance <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AZDI342" target="_blank">The Ice Captain's Daughter</a>. So I am thrilled to have her on my blog today!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">The Upper Tens</span> Fishbowl of 19<sup>th</sup>
Century England<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1mbGblADwc/UQwX8KY16GI/AAAAAAAAAKE/VE9ZYyNH7Pw/s1600/TICDFINAL.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1mbGblADwc/UQwX8KY16GI/AAAAAAAAAKE/VE9ZYyNH7Pw/s320/TICDFINAL.jpeg" width="213" /></a><o:p><span style="font-family: Cambria;"> </span></o:p><v:shape alt="TICDFINAL.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_0" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" style="height: 4in; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 7.85pt; position: absolute; visibility: visible; width: 191.9pt; z-index: 251657216;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">
<v:imagedata o:title="TICDFINAL" src="file:///C:\Users\Rhonda\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg">
<w:wrap side="right" type="square">
</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Thanks
for having me on your blog, Arley!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Members of society in 19<sup>th</sup> century England lived life
very much in a fishbowl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With only ten
thousand people in the upper class, every nuance of conduct was under
scrutiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An improper lingering glance,
the purposeful flick of a fan, and even the ill timing of a social call would
set tongues wagging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore,
servants would most certainly report the salacious details of any scandal
undiscovered by one’s peers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inadvertent
infractions of written and unwritten rules of conduct served to trip up even
the most proper of ladies and gentlemen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">This is the setting of my Victorian romance, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Ice Captain’s Daughter</i>. As Miss
Jillian Roring travels to her first Season in London, a kidnapping attempt
sends her into the arms of Mr. Mackenzie Logan, the most jaded bachelor in
England. When Logan and Jillian unwittingly violate the rigid rules of
propriety in Victorian-era England, he is obliged to make her an offer of marriage.
Because she aspires to be more than an obligation, Jillian refuses the match.
Logan thereafter follows her to London to woo her properly, but his scheming
ex-fiancée has other plans. Can Logan convince Jillian that his love for her is
real or will the cruel gossip and sharp tongues of London society tear their
budding relationship apart?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">The parties, balls, clothes, and social activities that
characterized the Season lent the Victorian era glamour and gaiety, but the
devil was in the details. Personally, I’d much rather write about 19<sup>th</sup>
century England than live in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although Jane Austen wrote about the Regency era, she remained single
her entire life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps she felt the
same way?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">~ S.G. Rogers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Ice Captain’s
Daughter</i> is available for the Kindle at </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AZDI342"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Cambria;">Amazon</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria;"> ($0.99).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4H-izu-t7C4/UQvETCvpIWI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/r6uQJpCZR-I/s1600/Suzlightshadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4H-izu-t7C4/UQvETCvpIWI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/r6uQJpCZR-I/s200/Suzlightshadows.jpg" width="157" /></a><v:shape id="_x0000_s1027" style="height: 108pt; margin-left: 5in; margin-top: 5.4pt; position: absolute; width: 85.2pt; z-index: 251658240;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">
<v:imagedata o:title="Suzlight&shadows" src="file:///C:\Users\Rhonda\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg">
<w:wrap side="left" type="square">
</w:wrap></v:imagedata></span></v:shape><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Author Bio:<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">S.G. Rogers has lived in some of the most romantic places in
America, including La Jolla, California, Asheville, North Carolina, and
currently Savannah, Georgia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s owned
by two hairless cats, Houdini and Nikita, and lives on an island populated by
exotic birds, deer and the occasional gator. Tab is her beverage of choice, but
when she imbibes, a cranberry vodka martini doesn’t go amiss. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">To learn more, visit her blog at </span><a href="http://www.childofyden.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Cambria;">www.childofyden.wordpress.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-54952947845753534562013-01-10T05:17:00.001-08:002013-01-10T05:17:27.719-08:00Euterpe ~ YA Imprint by Musa Publishing: Jumpstart Your Writing Process with Some Creative ...<a href="http://euterpe-ya.blogspot.com/2013/01/jumpstart-your-writing-process-with.html?spref=bl">Euterpe ~ YA Imprint by Musa Publishing: Jumpstart Your Writing Process with Some Creative ...</a>: In an ideal world, writing would be my full time job. Unfortunately, like many authors, I have to balance a day job with taking care of a fa...Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-43067756049452690622012-12-05T04:46:00.001-08:002012-12-05T04:46:12.791-08:00Musa Publishing: Why I Write SexIt's blog day for Leigh Daley!!! I'm also at the Musa blog talking sex---again!!! Come by and visit!!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/2012/12/why-i-write-books-with-sex-in-them.html?spref=bl">Musa Publishing: Why I Write Sex</a>: I write under two pennames—Arley Cole for my YA-friendly fantasy and Leigh Daley for my steamy romance. Arley Cole keeps it out of the bedro...Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-61058105147362866422012-12-05T04:42:00.001-08:002012-12-05T04:42:23.080-08:00Across the Plain of Shining Books: Leigh Daley: Storm DutyI'm guesting today at Pat McDermott's cool blog! Writing romance short fiction has some challenges. Come by and let me know what you think!! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://acrosstheplainofshiningbooks.blogspot.com/2012/12/leigh-daley-storm-duty.html?spref=bl">Across the Plain of Shining Books: Leigh Daley: Storm Duty</a>: The Plain welcomes romance author Leigh Daley, here today to write about the challenges of building romantic tension in a short story. Leig...Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-88653576924183038092012-10-31T17:55:00.003-07:002012-10-31T18:10:36.843-07:00Let's Hear It for the Boy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6JIjE0_NQzA/UJHGeR-JkRI/AAAAAAAAAIk/zIQBiNAdXc4/s1600/stormduty-510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6JIjE0_NQzA/UJHGeR-JkRI/AAAAAAAAAIk/zIQBiNAdXc4/s320/stormduty-510.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
I recently read a very interesting blog post from a romance author/reader who described her deep and abiding love for Alpha males in all their smoldering, dominant glory. She loved their "take no prisoners" attitude and thought they were especially hot when shapeshifting into various powerful animal forms. <br />
<br />
Now, I am not going to knock that. There is something special indeed about a growling werewolf, pirate captain, or imperious aristocrat that makes the heart go pitter-patter. <br />
<br />
However, I continually find myself drawn to another type of romantic hero--the Regular Guy. <br />
<br />
I am married to a Regular Guy. He's in his mid-fifties, bald, paunchy--and unbelievably sexy to me (though my daughter wonders what I ever saw in this perfect specimen of middle management). <br />
<br />
Regular Guys don't shapeshift or conquer kingdoms. They go to work, come home, barbecue, give the kids a bath, and make love to their wives. Most of the time, we never really see the warrior that lurks within. <br />
<br />
But I swear to you, each morning, somewhere deep in their psyches these Regular Guys gear themselves up for the day with the same attitude as the knights of old. They strap on their swords and head out to do battle with their customers or machinery or paperwork, knowing that each conquest carves out more space for their families to dwell in a land of peace and prosperity---aka suburbia. <br />
<br />
I LOVE Regular Guys! I love those hardworking men who take care of business, then cut the grass. <br />
<br />
I have known a bunch of these men and watched a number of them fall head over heels in love with the Regular Gal who makes all their priorities realign. I've also watched a number of them get their hearts broken savagely when said Regular Gal turns out to be a Regular Bitch. <br />
<br />
If I have to be honest--and I do becaue this is a blog post--I have to tell you that I love to read these kinds of stories. They make me appreciate my own man and his regular, balding, incredibly sexy self. <br />
<br />
My latest story, "Storm Duty (Finally Ever After)" follows a Regular Guy in the middle of restoring power to his destroyed community after the April 27 tornado disaster. Unfortunately, his ex-wife shows up to help work storm duty--rekindling all kinds of feelings from both parties! There are excerpts at the Musa site and the Amazon site. Feel free to drop by and see how sexy a Regular Guy can be! <br />
<br />
Musa Publishing: <a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_29&products_id=412"><span style="color: blue;">http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_29&products_id=412</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Amazon: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=storm+duty+leigh+daley"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=storm+duty+leigh+daley</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
B&N: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/storm-duty-leigh-daley/1113529211?ean=2940015492804"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/storm-duty-leigh-daley/1113529211?ean=2940015492804</span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">All Romance E-books: </span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-stormduty-973779-149.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-stormduty-973779-149.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-38317491919190158312012-09-29T19:45:00.000-07:002012-10-01T05:42:52.344-07:00Musa Publishing Rocks!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cx7I8XV3a-4/UGerT5mHsxI/AAAAAAAAAH8/DJdJReVz9cU/s1600/anniversarybutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cx7I8XV3a-4/UGerT5mHsxI/AAAAAAAAAH8/DJdJReVz9cU/s1600/anniversarybutton.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Woohoo!! Happy birthday, Musa Publishing!</span></strong></div>
<br />
And welcome to this fabulous hop! If this is your first stop, you are in for a treat! You have the opportunity to meet a truly amazing group of authors and hear about (and enter to win) an incredible lineup of books as well as win a KINDLE FIRE! <br />
<br />
One thing that Musa does is encourage all kinds of author participation. One of those bits of encouragement resulted in the "Finally Ever After" line of stories. Each one brings a couple back together again for a second chance at love. <br />
<br />
The instant I heard this idea, I wanted in, and my new release, <em>Finally Ever After: Storm Duty</em> will debut on October 12. The story takes place in the immediate aftermath of the terrible April 27, 2011 tornado outbreak which took place almost literally in my backyard. <br />
<br />
I was horrified by the devasation to the towns I knew so well and put my hero and heroine right in the middle of trying to get power restored so that rebuilding could begin. Writing about such a frightening event helped me personally as I got the chance to voice some of the strong emotions I had felt during that time. I hope seeing this couple revive their relationship will renew my readers' hope and belief in love. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_29&products_id=412" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3o_bry8OSA/UGeuMp2pGRI/AAAAAAAAAIU/824LM3phK44/s320/stormduty-510.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<br />
<em><strong>Can Kyle and Jenna find each other again in the midst of the devastation? Or will their jobs pull them apart and leave not only their homes but their hearts shattered?</strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<strong>In the aftermath of a series of tornadoes, Kyle Mathis just wants to guide his linemen to restore power to the devastated town of Milton. When reinforcements in the form of corporate deskjockeys come to work storm duty, he’s glad for the extra bodies to help serve food and support the crews working eighteen hour days.</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>But Kyle is not prepared to face one of the latest arrivals, his ex-wife Jenna. Jenna left him years ago, choosing her career over their marriage. However, being back together in their home town brings back memories and desire—for both Kyle and Jenna.</strong><br />
<br />
CONTEST: To win your own pdf copy of <em>Finally Ever After: Storm Duty </em>(perfect for reading on that Kindle Fire you can win), just follow this blog and leave me a comment with your email address. And I am sweetening the pot to include a $10 MUSA PUBLISHING gift card. Yes, I want you to read my stuff, but I want you to read other Musa authors as well!! Don't forget that the more you comment, the better your chance to win the Kindle Fire grand prize! <br />
<br />
In case you don't feel lucky, just click <a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_29&products_id=412" target="_blank">here to buy your own copy from Musa Publishing</a>! Pre-orders are available. Amazon and Barnes & Noble links will go live October 12. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Here are the rules one more time:</strong></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
1)
HAVE FUN!!!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
2)
INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
3)
THIS TOUR STARTS: October 1, at Midnight (pst)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, October 7, at Midnight (pst)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Winners will be drawn and posted October 9th! ***</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Come
Join the Party on October 7th at The Romance Review Forum to enter to win more
prizes. <a href="http://www.theromancereviews.com/forum/"><span style="color: #681712;">http://www.theromancereviews.com/forum/</span></a> (Exact
address will be posted as soon as I get it)</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
4)
PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE
BLOGS YOU HOP and COMMENT ON, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY
AUTHOR & BOOK PAGE IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE
SURE TO SHOW THEM SOME LOVE!</div>
<br />
5) Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire is for US and Canada
mailing addresses only. International winners will receive a $50.00 Musa Gift
Card. Winner will be announced on October 7, 2012 at 11 est at The Romance
Review Forum.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
6) DID
I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? ***Authors & Book Pages have full discretion to
choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s)
within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win,
whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject
to these rules***</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Here are the links to go to your next stop! Thanks so much for coming by!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=162666" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script --><br />Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-7098518947281743672012-09-04T18:49:00.002-07:002012-09-04T18:49:44.537-07:00<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tvw35mHP4Uk/UEaqTR8dXeI/AAAAAAAAAHI/zb4TXds4Bk0/s400/queen+tutt+hunt+pic.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 27pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Wicked Pleasure Scavenger Hunt Blog Hop </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 27pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 27pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> </span></div>
<div align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 18.0pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong><span style="border: 1pt windowtext; color: #373737; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">Sponsored By:</span></span></strong><span style="color: #373737; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><span style="border: 1pt windowtext; color: #373737; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://booktrailershowcase.com/" style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;" target="_blank"><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="color: #1982d1; font-family: "inherit","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Batang;">Book & Trailer
Showcase</span></span></strong></a></span><span style="color: #373737; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /><span style="font-family: Batang;">
</span></span><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt windowtext; color: #373737; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">and</span></strong><span style="color: #373737; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span><strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt windowtext; color: #373737; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://queentuttsworldofescapism.com/" style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1982d1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Queentutt’s World of Escapism</span></a> </span></strong><span style="color: #373737; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" style="background: white; font-style: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 18.0pt; outline: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="font-style: inherit; outline: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt windowtext; color: #373737; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 24pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Sept 7th thru Oct 7th</span></strong><span style="color: #373737; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Welcome to my little corner of the scavenger hunt! Thanks
for coming by today! <o:p></o:p></div>
When I was considering just what to post, I thought it might
be interesting to talk a little about the background of my latest story, Finally Ever After: Storm Duty. Last
April 27, a series of powerful tornadoes devastated my home state of Alabama,
and I lived through every minute of it, less than 50 miles from two towns
completely leveled by EF5 storms. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
At my dayjob as a customer service representative of an
electric utility (yes, I am that mean woman in the power office—LOL), I got a
firsthand view of the incredible damage wrought by these storms and the
inspirational hard work and commitment of the linemen who literally worked day
and night to get the power back on. <o:p></o:p></div>
These guys were out on the ground while the winds were still
blowing to make sure that people were safe. Then crews from all over the
Eastern United States showed up by the hundreds to help restring lines to
hospitals and schools and neighborhoods so that life could get back to normal
and rebuilding could start. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
I have never been so proud to be associated with a group as
I was to be part of the massive restoration effort that took place those five
days after the storms. <o:p></o:p></div>
Finally Ever After:
Storm Duty is really a love letter to my linemen, those ordinary yet heroic
guys I know so well. So many of them had lost their own homes, but still made
their job their first priority. Getting the electricity back on in a community
isn’t just their job—they serve as front line responders in times of disaster and
they treat power restoration as a vital part of the rescue and recovery work to
be done. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
I love these guys and wanted to be sure they got their due.
Plus, I am here to tell you that linemen are HOT! It takes real muscle to do
the work they do, plus brains to figure out the complexities of the modern electrical
grid! <o:p></o:p></div>
So the next time the wind blows hard or the ice falls and
the power goes out, remember that somebody’s husband or boyfriend or father
(wife, girlfriend, or mother too—props to my girl linemen out there ‘cause
those ladies ROCK!) is out there right in the middle of it so that you can pop
microwave popcorn and watch movies until the storm passes. Be nice to them! <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">FINALLY EVER
AFTER: STORM DUTY<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><em>
</em>By Leigh Daley<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">Their careers drove them apart--could disaster bring them back
together?<o:p></o:p></span></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><em>
</em>In
the aftermath of a series of tornadoes, Kyle Mathis just wants to guide his
linemen to restore power to the devastated town of Milton. When reinforcements
in the form of corporate deskjockeys come to work storm duty, he's glad for the
extra bodies to help serve food and support the crews working eighteen hour
days. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">But
Kyle is not prepared to face one of the latest arrivals, his ex-wife Jenna.
Jenna left him years ago, choosing her career over their marriage. However,
being back together in their home town brings back memories and desire--for
both Kyle and Jenna.<br />
<br />
Can Kyle and Jenna find each other again in the midst of the devastation? Or
will their jobs pull them apart and leave not only their homes but their hearts
shattered?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<em>Finally Ever After: Storm Duty</em> will be
out October 12 from Musa Publishing and will be available for purchase at <a href="http://www.musapublishing.com/">www.musapublishing.com</a> as well as
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance Ebooks, and loads of other places. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
Come visit me at <a href="http://www.leighdaleywrites.blogspot.com/">www.leighdaleywrites.blogspot.com</a>
or as my fantasy writing alter ego Arley Cole at <a href="http://www.arleycole.blogspot.com/">www.arleycole.blogspot.com</a>. I’m on
Facebook as Arley Cole with a Leigh Daley page. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
I am also on <span style="font-size: large;">Twitter</span> as @arleycole and on <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/~arcole">www.fanfiction.net/~arcole</a>! I am a
serious fanfiction writer and do not apologize for it one bit. When I’m writing
fanfiction, all my work improves and goes faster. So I keep writing fanfiction
to keep those creative wheels greased. Come see me there! My WIP is a crazy
urban romance called “You’re in Good Hands” that features the SUPERHOT Mayhem
from the Allstate commercials and that pretty girl eating Werther’s caramels. I
double-dog dare you to follow it! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Now for my SCAVENGER HUNT QUESTION to win a $10 gift card from </span><a href="http://www.musapublishing.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Musa Publishing</span></a><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">!</span> <span style="background: white; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
<span style="background: white; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><strong>Storm Duty is set during what natural disaster? </strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><strong>(Hint: I mention it early on!)</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4f6ec921/" id="rc-4f6ec921" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
<!-- start LinkyTools script -->
<script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=154690" type="text/javascript"></script>
<!-- end LinkyTools script -->
Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-27256467021797228442012-09-01T08:22:00.000-07:002012-09-01T08:24:59.953-07:00"The Bitch Is Back" (Thanks, Sir Elton John)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-It-ixjOLflA/UEIoqZoamQI/AAAAAAAAAG4/a4ZnTHT_z-o/s1600/AllstateLogo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="90" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-It-ixjOLflA/UEIoqZoamQI/AAAAAAAAAG4/a4ZnTHT_z-o/s320/AllstateLogo.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Well, I am a wretched blogger. I never blog, primarily because I live in fear of what I might blog about. I am really bad to tell the actual truth in blog posts. For instance, my last post involved killing my muse through a variety of neglectful and malicious activities. <br />
<br />
This time, though, I have good news and thought it might be nice to blog about it. <br />
<br />
The bitch is back. <br />
<br />
And my muse is most certainly a bitch. She did produce a nice <a href="http://thewiccanhaus.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Wiccan Haus</a> submission, but instead of editing it as requested for resub, she's turned her attention to fanfiction. <br />
<br />
Why in the hell did she decide my next project needed to be---get this 'cause it's insane--an Allstate insurance fanfiction urban romance called "You're in Good Hands" starring Mayhem and the pretty girl off the Werther's candy commercials??? <br />
<br />
Yes. That is where my time and attention are going these days. I'm hooking up a couple of TV commercial characters in what is rapidly turning into a really fun project. I double-dog dare you to start following it at <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/~arcole">www.fanfiction.net/~arcole</a> just for the hell of it. Believe it or not, it does have reviews. I'm not the only person out there captive to an unhealthy attraction to Mayhem. Dean Winters is super hot. <br />
<br />
But I've learned a couple of things the hard way in the past few years. The first is that I never <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/" target="_blank">need to eat wheat</a> ever again. It does awful things to my body. The second is that if writing is not FUN, I will not do it. Or I'll just write out of some kind of terrible pressure to perform/succeed/begin-a-profitable-writing-career-that-will-take-me-away-from-all-this-and-make-all-my-dreams-come-true. <br />
<br />
And when the FUN goes, the crap writing starts and my muse begins to die a slow choking death from stress. <br />
<br />
Now, I am not turning my focus completely away from my original pursuits. In fact, during all this I have actually got other work started as well (<em>The Merchant's Son</em> by <a href="http://www.arleycole.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Arley Cole</a>--the fantasy penname). <br />
<br />
But I am having FUN again at last. And since statistics show that most writers barely cover their expenses with their stuff, I figure the FUN factor has got to be the most important one. I don't want to spend all my days stressed out and dissatisfied with my life. <br />
<br />
And don't even get me started on that whole <a href="http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2012/05/22/25-reasons-you-should-quit-writing/" target="_blank">25 Reasons to Quit Writing</a> by Chuck Wendig. I have considered every damned one and known in my heart that he's 100% right. But it doesn't change anything. I have to write, and damn it, it had better be FUN. <br />
<br />
So thanks for coming back from the brink of death, Muse. I'm glad to have you here, even if the rest of my family thinks I'm insane. <br />
<br />
Now if you'll excuse me, I have FUN writing to do. I left <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Blacksmiths-Daughter-ebook/dp/B005Y0XFPI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1343575589&sr=1-1&keywords=the+blacksmith%27s+daughter+by+arley+cole" target="_blank">Nerian Elidor</a> being attacked by giant bloodsucking wasps and Mayhem from Allstate in bed with the candy girl--though not like you think. Best of all, it's FUN. Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-23313123802535431742012-06-17T15:13:00.001-07:002012-06-17T15:13:12.437-07:00How to Poison Your Muse<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.ask.com/fr?q=pre-raphaelite+painting+lady+of+shalott&desturi=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oilpaintingsgallery.com%2Fgallery%2Foil-painting%2Fitem-CL-2064-KA--Hughes__Arthur__England_1832_to_1915-Knight-The_Lady_of_.asp&initialURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ask.com%2Fpictures%3Fqsrc%3D1%26o%3D0%26l%3Ddir%26q%3Dpre-raphaelite%2Bpainting%2Blady%2Bof%2Bshalott&fm=i&ac=511&fsel=2&ftURI=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.ask.com%2Ffr%3Fq%3Dpre-raphaelite%2Bpainting%2Blady%2Bof%2Bshalott%26desturi%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.oilpaintingsgallery.com%252Fgallery%252Foil-painting%252Fitem-CL-2064-KA--Hughes__Arthur__England_1832_to_1915-Knight-The_Lady_of_.asp%26imagesrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.oilpaintingsgallery.com%252FProdImages%252F_Arthur_Hughes_The_Lady_of_Shalott_ZCL-2064.JPG%26thumbsrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fmedia1.picsearch.com%252Fis%253FDOFL-3fo9lYDm0yr2duw_9CLHldiluDyFz_cq-rWicQ%26o%3D0%26l%3Ddir%26thumbuselocalisedstatic%3Dfalse%26thumbwidth%3D128%26thumbheight%3D72%26fn%3D_Arthur_Hughes_The_Lady_of_Shalott_ZCL-2064.JPG%26imagewidth%3D800%26imageheight%3D450%26fs%3D93%26f%3D2%26fm%3Di%26fsel%3D2%26ftbURI%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ask.com%252Fpictures%253Fq%253Dpre-raphaelite%252Bpainting%252Blady%252Bof%252Bshalott%2526page%253D1%2526o%253D0%2526l%253Ddir%2526pstart%253D0&qt=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pzHkDF6a3Qw/T95T3P7-W4I/AAAAAAAAAGA/pSleFkc_BsA/s400/shalott5+crop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Section of Arthur Hughes' <em>The Lady of Shalott</em></u></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I think I have poisoned my muse. She's been silent now for freakin' months. Sometimes I think I've killed her. <br />
<br />
In case you've decided that writing is a mind-sucking, finance-draining, life-eroding waste of your time and mental energy, here's how I think I did it, so you can too. <br />
<br />
1. <strong>Quit writing.</strong> Yep, finding the time and energy to write after every other freaking thing in your life can and has gone wrong quite simply sucks. So don't. Deal with the crap coming apart around you, the day job that leaches away every last piece of humanity and creativity you possess, and just quit opening the literary floodgates daily. Eventually that flood of words you've been counting on will just drain away to nothingness out the back corners of your brain and you won't have to worry about it anymore. <br />
<br />
2. <strong>Quit reading.</strong> I can't remember whose advice it was to read 2,000 words a day and write 2,000 words a day, but damn it, that was awesome advice. (Somebody credit that one so I can give credit where credit is due!) By the way, reading Yahoo News does not count as reading, so feel free to keep up with Snooki's baby and the never-ending tide of Kardashianness. Just quit reading good stuff by people who are doing cool things with language and character. Quit stoking that fire and it'll go out. <br />
<br />
3. <strong>Quit moving. </strong>Walking makes our mental processes sharper and that is an actual scientific fact. Heck, I used to plot out entire books at the ironing board. Ditch the treadmill and the morning walk. Ditch the cathartic rounds of housecleaning or leaf-raking or car-washing that used to rejuvenate you. Just sit on the couch and watch endless reruns of <em>Family Feud</em>. Include the family so you can disguise it as "bonding time." <br />
<br />
4. Speaking of that, <strong>start watching more TV</strong>. Between endless reruns of <em>Pawn Stars</em> and <em>Family Feud</em>, my household's viewing habits have become downright toxic to brain cells. Our deepest topics of conversation involve debating the merits of Family Feud hosts. Steve Harvey is pretty damned funny---but don't bother with Richard Karns. You can tell he just doesn't want to be there. And John O'Hurley absolutely needs to just go to the house. See what I mean? My muse has tried to guess Top Answer Number 3 so many times that her brain has melted out her ears. <br />
<br />
5. In the absence of TV, be certain to <strong>surf the internet</strong> for any and all meaningless dodges of your real interests. Stay on Facebook looking for funny pictures--does George Takei have anything better to do with his time than put up hilarious pics? George, do a convention! Take a class! Remodel the great room! Find a hobby! Please! <br />
<br />
In general, quit engaging with your creative life at all. Don't blog. Don't challenge yourself to think. Fail to make time for the writing part of your life that used to consume you and trust me, your muse will drop dead of neglect and starvation. <br />
<br />
But the quiet that comes from your muse's demise won't be peaceful. It'll be a bitter, agonizing long silence that echoes back whispers of what you wanted to do, what you used to be. Your brain will transform into a mausoleum filled with the dead bones of characters you never fleshed out and walled up passages that used to lead to adventures you'll never have and places you'll never visit. <br />
<br />
Well, that's how it feels in the graveyard of my creativity right now. <br />
<br />
Okay, Muse, I've blogged--that counts as writing. I read something really good today (Ted Mendelssohn's <em><a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=254" target="_blank">The Wrong Sword</a></em> which was SO funny and really well written--go buy it). The TV is OFF (at least as far as I am concerned--yes indeed, my son is watching <em>Pawn Stars</em> but I am NOT), and I'm about to go iron clothes then take a walk. <br />
<br />
Muse, I expect you back on your feet and full of creative juice when I return. Damnit, I've got books to finish!Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5446103125860764255.post-22640405533378079432012-05-24T19:37:00.002-07:002012-05-24T19:37:59.509-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xgZQKulfBvE/T77wNskTg3I/AAAAAAAAAE0/l-BGrgU6mLw/s1600/memorial+blog+hop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xgZQKulfBvE/T77wNskTg3I/AAAAAAAAAE0/l-BGrgU6mLw/s1600/memorial+blog+hop.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy Memorial Day!</span></strong> </div>
<br />
And welcome to the Musa Publishing Blog Hop! First of all, I want to express my sincere thanks to all the troops and veterans who serve all of us in such an important and unselfish way. I also want to thank the families of these soldiers who share their loved ones with all of us. My sister is married to a Naval pilot, so I know first hand how many sacrifices have to be made as a member of the armed forces and as the spouse or child or parent of these courageous warriors. My hat is off to all of you! <br />
<br />
I am Leigh Daley, author of the upcoming story "Storm Duty" to be published by Musa. I write fantasy/YA fantasy as Arley Cole, but Leigh Daley is all about romance. <br />
<br />
"Storm Duty" takes place immediately after the tragic tornadoes of April 27, 2011, in a small Alabama town where Kyle Mathis, an electric company engineer, is trying to get the power back on for his community. However the return of his ex-wife Jenna Harlow complicates the restoration efforts as the both of them confront the devastation before them---as well as their feelings for each other, long buried, but not forgotten. <br />
<br />
Leigh Daley needs some followers!! So one lucky follower of this blog will win a free copy of "Storm Duty" on its release as well as a copy of my other book, <em><strong><a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=14" target="_blank">The Blacksmith's Daughter</a></strong></em> by Arley Cole. Just follow this blog and leave a comment that you have done so with your email address and preferred method of e-book format. <br />
<br />
To get back to the Musa Publishing Memorial Blog Hop just click <a href="http://musapublishingbloghops.blogspot.com/">HERE</a>! <br />
<br />
Thanks for dropping by!Leigh Daley/Arley Cole/mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12656545583560694329noreply@blogger.com12