A Fabulously Fascinating Leap Day Note

Have you ever heard of Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Gerald Hubert Irvin John Kenneth Lloyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenberdorft Sr.?

The gentleman was born in Germany and later emigrated to the US, Philadelphia in specific, where is set up as a typesetter.  His full name, a Christian name starting with each letter of the alphabet happens to make his name the longest at 746 letters used by a single person.  The shortened version he went by was Hubert Blaine Wolfe­schlegel­stein­hausen­berger­dorff, Sr. (or Wolfe+585, Senior).

While all that is interseting, what actually brought him to my attention was his birthday - February 29 1904.  He was a leap day baby with a wonderfully long name that, when at its shortest, is even cooler!  Wolfe+585, Senior!

I wish I could find a photo of him and I'd post it...love this fabulously fascinating leap day fact, but because it's Hump Day, I thought I'd post Antonio Sabato, Jr. who was born on February 29 1972 and is a sexy 10 years old.

An #AADNOLA Reading Challenge Review of Summer Surrender: Sun Moon by @Bronwyn Green @aadconvention

Summer Surrender by Bronwyn Green
Shapeshifter Erotic Romance + Ménage a Trois
Published by Resplendence Publishing

Buy ebook from All Romance│Amazon│BN│Resplendence Publishing

Hollis Chambers came to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to teach summer school at a small rural high school. She’d planned on hanging out on the shores of Lake Superior, taking walks in the woods and studying the wildlife. She never imagined that she’d meet one man, let alone two, to have a hot summer fling with.

Lynx shifters Daniel Cichosz and Josiah Wilder know a good thing when they see it and they’re fairly certain that the gorgeous, full-figured substitute teacher is just who they’ve been looking for. Hollis surrenders to their seduction, but how will she feel about being mated to shifters, particularly when Daniel’s brother is added to the mix?

This was one of those books I couldn’t put down. I had to finish Summer Surrender: Sun Moon and then swiftly moved on to the next by Ms. Green, Autumn Sacrifice: Blood Moon. The draw for me to these books was the characters first and foremost, and then came the shifter and hot ménage a trios aspects.

Ms. Green builds characters in a way that makes you feel like you know them already, just not all the intimate details. Maybe it’s who she writes about, relatable people that make them so enjoyable to read. Hollis Chambers is a teacher from New York City working for the summer in Michigan. Daniel Cichosz, vice principal, and Josiah Wilder, teacher, are also working summer school. They’re locals who make Hollis feel at ease in a new place so different from the city as well as the reader. While I have visited Michigan a few times, even stopped off at one of the lakes, Ms. Green ensured I want to go again and spend more time there.

One thing that I often find awkward in books that contain a ménage a trois is how the scenario is introduced. The opening lines of Summer Surrender: Sun Moon put the multiple partner lifestyle there as already an unconventional yet established way of life, which enables the reader no room to query its existence but leaves room for it to grow into a potential reality for the heroine.

Okay, I admit I know Bronwyn Green and am honored to call her sister. We’re both Green(e)’s which means we’re often sat next to her at conventions and so I’ve been able to get to know her in what could be a stressful situation. No matter what’s happening, she’s a gentle soul that I can now attest is an unmentioned thread that comes out in her work. Summer Surrender: Sun Moon was the book you can’t put down because you want to know what happens next, not only next, but how it all ends. I know they’ll be happy, but will they be together? Remember, Hollis Chambers is there for the summer, so…sorry, you’ll have to read it to find out.

Ms. Green will be at Authors After Dark Readers Convention in New Orleans so make sure and read her before the event.  Here are some links to find her and her books, friend her, like her, but most of all, read her books!

Website: http://www.bronwyngreen.com/

Blog: bronwyngreenblog.blogspot.com

Twitter: twitter.com/Bronwyn_Green

Facebook: facebook.com/bronwyn.green.author

Pinterest: pinterest.com/bronwyn_green

* * * *

On a personal note this happens to be my first review for the Authors After Dark 2012 Reading Challenge hosted by Midnyte Reader.  I would like to thank MamaMia over on MamaKitty Reviews for writing Anatomy of a Review.  While I am often on the recieving end of a review, I have never written one before and the only thing I knew not to do was give any surprise plot happenings away - so thank you!

Naughty Thought for Monday

Fashion Weeks are happening across the globe these days and so fashion is on my mind and I stumbled across Miro Moreira as photographed by Hugo Toni for Made in Brazil on Homotography.  Dare I say, the pants would defintiely catch your attention if they were worn out on you local High Street/Main Street.

Wow!

Now, inquiring minds want to know:  Would you dare wear underwear with these or go bare?

Plucking the Pearl by Afton Locke

Plucking the Pearl by Afton Locke
Interracial Historical Erotic Romance
Ellora's Cave Publishing
Release Date: 17 February 2012

eBook ISBN: 978-14199-38993

www.aftonlocke.com

Buy Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9941-plucking-the-pearl.aspx

Video Trailer: Coming Soon!

Blurb:

When Pearl's sheltered life shatters in the 1930s when her mother dies, her only option is to move in with poor family relations and shuck oysters in the local plant on Oyster Island, Maryland.

Determined to live a morally proper life, the last thing she wants is an affair with a white man, but Caleb, the plant owner, knows a pearl when he sees one. The successful widower is the “oyster king” of the island, but his intense desire for his forbidden new employee, a woman of color, threatens everything he’s built.

What begins as a private sexual liaison flowers into strong feelings that don't fit the social mores of the island. When their secret is discovered, they risk losing everything. They dared to pluck the pearl, but will their love be strong enough to keep it forever?


An Excerpt From: PLUCKING THE PEARL

Copyright © AFTON LOCKE, 2012
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

“You’re standing awfully close,” she whispered.

“I am, aren’t I?” he whispered back. “Do you want me to move?”

Yes! No! Oh Lord, help me. I’ve never felt so weak.

“Show me the next step—with the oyster, that is,” she said quickly.

“Certainly.” He gripped her hand around the knife again and made deft movements to cut the meat from the shell. “Cut here and there. That’s all there is to it.”

“You make it look so simple,” she said, realizing he could pull her out of her shell just as easily.

When he stepped away from her, her legs nearly gave out. It was as if the hardness that had been nestled against her was the only thing that had been keeping her standing upright in front of the table.

He stepped beside her and she watched, fascinated, as he tipped the oyster half with the meat on it to his mouth. Watching the wet creature slide past the dark hairs of his moustache intrigued her in a way she couldn’t explain.

When he bent forward to kiss her, she was too aroused to refuse. His pale blue eyes came closer than they ever had and all she could do was stare helplessly into them. It was as if she floated higher and higher into the sky, never to set foot on firm earth again.

She felt his moustache first, hot and coarse, and then his lips, cooler and wetter. As his mouth worked over hers, something pushed between her lips. His tongue? She met it with hers, stroking with an abandon she refused to acknowledge as her own.

He tasted of the sea. No, not just one tongue. Two? She was too distracted by the heat boiling through her belly to care. When he removed his mouth, she realized he’d put the oyster inside her mouth.

Without thinking, she spit it out and it landed on the floor.

Caleb tipped his head back and laughed. It was a beautiful man’s laugh, musical and deep. Unfortunately she didn’t feel very amused.

“Now Ernie would have a fit if he saw you messed up his clean floor,” he said. “I take it you don’t care for oysters.”

She crossed her arms. “No, I don’t. I thought you had swallowed it. And you shouldn’t have kissed me.”

He wiped his hand on one of the clean rags nearby and she did the same. Then he leaned an elbow against the table and looked at her.

“Why not, honey? We’re not married.”

“In case you haven’t noticed,” she said, “we’re not the same color—or social class, for that matter. You’re the owner of this establishment and I’m just a poor—”

He put two fingers to her lips to quiet her. The lingering scent of oysters drifted from them, making her breathe faster. She was beginning to like oysters…

Buy Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9941-plucking-the-pearl.aspx

Afton Locke
Unlock your fantasies…

www.aftonlocke.com

A work of art, a game and, well, it is actually so much more...

... it's One Red Dot by David A Carter's, A Pop-Up Book for Children of All Ages series!

These books, 5 thus far, are simply wonderful for all people to play with and enjoy.

After turning a page, the imagine-filled work explodes open with a burst of color and activity, and the reader must find a particular item* located somewhere within the piece.  It is a 3D, 360 degree search and not always as easy as you think it would be.

What's hidden throughout the pages is what each book in the series is titled.  In the case to the right, it's *One Red Dot, but others are Blue 2, Yellow Square, 600 Black Spots and White Noise.

Imaginative fun with books is there for all ages, pop-up books in particular.  This week of indulging my love for paper engineering feats I've shared the non-fiction and history of, fairytales and poetry, and finally the silly yet practicale fun to be had with a good pop-up and that was just 5 books.  I have so many more sitting on my shelves that are interseting and am always open to acquiring another - can't wait to see what pop's up on the horizon!

There is beauty in swinging and pulling, yet all is...

... calm in Fishing for the Moon and other Zen stories pop-up by Lulu Hansen.

Not all 3D books need to have elaborate happenings to make them enjoyable, it really does depend on the text itself as to what type of mechnical magic brings a sparkle to a pop-up.

In A Rock in Your Head page to the right, the rock above the gentleman in blue's head actually strated out closer to the edge of the page.  As the page is opened, it has a wonderful shooting action that sends the meaning to the viewer that the missile is about to hit his head.  I won't go into the meaning of the story, but suffice it to say he had the wrong answer and went back inside for more training.

This pop-up is wonderfully constructed, each device to bring the magic was well chosen, and is one I've gifted to others.  It's a peaceful, thoughtful, book with beautiful illustrations.

Delicate and yet sturdy, pretty and still mechanically inclined...

... I'm talking about Cinderella, the pop-up book by Matthew Reinhart.

The reins are silver ribbon and the wings on the fairy godmother are thin, clear, painted plastic.  The carriage resembles a pumpkin, but your eye can't help but go to the rat peeking through the window in the corner packet.  When it's opened, the pesky beast turns into a jolly coachman and is swiftly followed with another page turn and lizards become footmen.

That is a brief explanation of just one page this book.  Both Reinhart and Sabuda are known to offer a cornucopia of paper engineering and story details that entertains with every page in each of their books - they are a must have for every pop-up lover.

Allow me to introduce you to the first true self-erecting...



Photo borrowed from The Popuplady

 ... pop-up!

S. Louis Giraud [1879-1950], a newspaper publicist, entered the world of movable books with a page-activated, 360 degree, 3D paper constructions.  While collaborating with Theordore Bown, an inventor of optical entertainments - pop-ups as we know them today - were included in the 1929 Daily Express Children's Annual.

Where did I learn this fabulous information?

From A Celebrat10n of Pop-Up and Movable Books, published in 2004 by the Movable Book Society as a Special Limited Edition.  It's a must have for the paper engineer lover as a wonderful fount of information on the development of over 700 years of pop-ups.  The book is difficult to find, but if you stumble across one, pick it up and enjoy.

This year the Movable Book Society holds its 9th Biennial Conference in Salt Lake City, UT [September 27-29] and if you're in the area, go and be enthralled by the magic that happens between the covers of a book!

How did you start the day?

I woke up this morning and, after mentally noting what I needed to do today, I remembered it was President's Day, I thought about Robert Sabuda's America the Beautiful pop-up.

Why?

Well, besides truly adoring my pop-up collection, I thought there was one of Mount Rushmore in the book - which has Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln - and went to see if I was right.  I was, but the doubt is always there I think because they aren't in date order, if they were, then Lincoln would come before Roosevelt.

Weird hang up, I know, but there it is and the result makes me query who are the four presidents on Mount Rushmore.

Anyway, Happy President's Day!

Unique Shoes from trip to Venice and I mean UNIQUE!

Walking through Venice I was astounded by the shoes I was seeing in shop windows.  They were unlike any I'd ever seen before and clicked away to share some of the fun. 

Ready to shell out $1200 for glittery wonders with a fuzzy tale?

Are you ready to purchase a pair with a snake head at the toe and wear them down your local High Street or Main Street?

Don't forget the men in your life...would any of these strike their fancy?

Get Ready...I'm visiting the Righteous Perverts!

That's right, the wonderful Kris Cook has invited me to visit the Righteous Perverts tonight at 8pm cst [9pm est] and I can't wait - it's going to be a hoot so stop by and enjoy the fun!

An Ancient Greek for Hump Day Hottie

Since it's been an Ancient Greek week thus far, although not on purpose, allow me to introduce you to Adonis Bosso as photographed by Rainer Torrado and found on Homotography.

Valentines Day a big day for Zeus, a big day of no sex!

Zeus, King of the gods, God of the Sky and Thunder, knows he has a pretty good existence, except for when it comes to Valentine's Day. For some unknown reason, this was the one day out of the 365 that his desires are ignored by all. With unfulfilled desire pushing him closer to being dangerously angry, he's ready to demand answers from the Moirae when a woman from his past comes to the throne room.

Suddenly, the day of hearts and love isn't looking so bad. Or is it? Leda is someone he wronged in the past and wouldn't blame her if she denied him again, but he cares for her, deeply.

He is ready to do whatever it takes to have her again, but will she forgive his past mistakes?

Excerpt

“Feeling lonely?”

The two words were whispered so quietly, he wasn’t sure he actually heard them or if it was a culmination of what he had been thinking pushed the idea into his head. Casting a quick look around the cavernous room revealed no one else was there, but neither did he consider himself lonesome. Usually whenever he was in this room, he was surrounded by a crowd of people, many who were looking for something from him. The one good thing about being alone was that it rarely happened and it allowed him to think about what he wanted to reflect further upon, not what others put in front of him.

Relaxing back against the back of his throne, he took another drink from his cup and closed his eyes to savor the peace and quiet.

Except for his dislike of this particular day, his life was actually pretty good. There was nothing he lacked, although there were mistakes he’d made in the past, a few he wished he could go back and do over again.

“No women for the God of the Universe on Valentine’s Day?”

“Who is there?” A mere mortal couldn’t survive the wrath of his voice, much less the glare in his eyes as he stood up and searched the corners of the room. Whoever was out there had invaded his private time and he wouldn’t allow that to go unpunished. “Show yourself immediately or I’ll—”

“You’ll what?”

From behind the last column at the far end of the room stepped a delicate figure in a bright blue short chiton. Because of the lighting and distance between them, he couldn’t see the woman well enough to identify her by name, but he was able to see enough for his cock to stiffen between his legs.

“Who are you?” Now that he knew it was a beautiful woman, Zeus asked for help in identifying his visitor. Already he was turning away from intimidation and looking toward seduction. Hopefully The Fates would be too busy working on another string to see how his was changing.

“You know who I am, lover.”

“Lover? We’ve been together before?”

“Yes, we have.” The woman stopped moving and bowed to him. Instead of the usual gold rope twining around and through her dark brown hair, there was something white and fluttered in the light breeze. The more he saw of her, the more intrigued he was to discover everything.

“Don’t you remember me, Zeus?”

©Tilly Greene, 2009

"Together Again?", the second installment in the Mythological Messes Redux series, is available at All Romance eBook [ARe] and Amazon.

Who is Cupid?

Originally posted February 11 2008

In two days time it’s Valentine’s Day.

One day out of the year we dedicate to roses, chocolates and diamonds, mixed in with pink and red visions of romance and a baby wearing wings, carrying a bow and arrow. Wait a minute, a baby with a weapon? That's right. So, what makes Cupid right for the job? I'm not so sure he is, Eros might actually be better qualified for the position.

Both Ancient Greece and Rome had their own mythology and pantheon of deities to worship. Over the centuries the two groups have been combined, separated or listed side by side for comparison. Needless to say it’s sometimes difficult to know what’s true to their mythology and what isn’t. That said we definitely know that Eros was the God of Love for the Ancient Greeks and Cupid is the God of Erotic Love and Sex for the Romans. Unfortunately, that’s where it stops being clear-cut and simple.

In Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Edith Hamilton states Eros was depicted as a “beautiful serious youth”. H.J Rose’s says in A Handbook of Greek Mythology that he was “handsome young athlete”, but before both of these characterizations were made he represented love, lust and intercourse as one of the oldest gods in Greece. Where worshipping of the god was important it’s been discovered he was the deity for attractive young men and boys. Across the Adriatic, Cupid was depicted as a child who had the same traits as those already noted. Like Janus, it was questioned whether Cupid had two distinctive sides to his persona or was actually two separate individuals.

After gaining Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, as his mother along with three prospective fathers, Eros image of male lust and sex was further encouraged. One probable father was Hermes, a phallic god and another was Ares, God of War. It seems even in the ancient world a warrior encouraged a woman’s desire to grow exponentially. The third potential was Aphrodite’s father, Zeus. This union was viewed as sexual passion so strong and out of control it has no limitations. This association with the uncontrollable made Eros a dangerous god. The parent issue was similar for Cupid. Jupiter and Venus were also noted as his parents, as were Nyx and Erebus. Both possible couples helped define and solidify various qualities of his character.

Both Cupid and Eros seem fairly interchangeable at this stage, except for their appearances and the Ancient Greek god having elements of danger associated with him. It's at this point the two figures actually appear to swap personalities.

It wasn’t until Alexandrian times that women come into picture for Eros. This happened when the ideal relationship between men and women moved from being mere sexual desire to one of love from the heart. Because of this supposed softening to his characterization, the God of Love’s importance to men was lessened. With this change in attributes, as well as society moving away from worshipping gods and goddess, he became a chubby child with a wicked bow, seen mainly in connection with Aphrodite and subordinate to others.

Cupid gained some clout as a god of love with an appearance on the romantic stage with the Cupid and Psyche’s love story, written in the second century [A.D.] by Apuleius. The story depicted Cupid as a young man and involved very adult issues found in romance like love, jealousy, mistrust and forgiveness. Unfortunately, it seems as if it wasn’t enough to allow him to be depicted as anything but a baby for Valentine’s Day.

So, what do you think? Does it make sense for Cupid to be the image of Valentine's Day? He is a child afterall. Maybe Eros [erotic love] would be better suited for the holiday that encourages lovers to put their hearts out there for their lovers to see and experience.

February Means Chocolate Time - Day 5!

The fifth and final stop on my hot chocolate hunt was in Munich and also one on the list of Best Hot Chocolate from Travel & Leisure Magazine I've been using as inspiration and trial since 2007.

Trachtenvogl Cafe-Lounge [Reichenbachstr. 47]

"Thirty flavors of hot chocolate fill the menu at this cozy-chic retreat in the lively Isarvorstadt distrct.  Our favorites: vanilla Cream, Chestnut, Orange Cinnamon, and the signature cuppa, Hot Chocolate Aztec, with its blend of chile, cloves, peanuts, and extra-bitter cocoa.  Soy milk in on hand for nondairy drinkers."

That's what Charolotte Druckman, the author of the list of four establishments, had to say and I don't disagree.  It was fun, unique, hip in how it used a 50's vibe in a bright, front room kind of setting.

The cutie was there and he speaks German so he ordered for me, a heisse schokolade, a hot chocolate.  I can't remember which he said it was, the menu was extensive, what I do know is that I enjoyed the delightful cup.

Was it my favorite of the four, actually two since that's all I've been to on the list, no but it was very good and the place was fun to sit and chat.  What I've learned from this latest hunt is that the cafe itself played a part in how much I liked a cup of hot chocolate, but I'd also recommend you visit any that I've listed - there were others that, for some reason, didn't make the cut or even rate a mention.

Oooo, I'm so tough!  I guess I am when it comes to a fantastic cuppa cocoa :-)

February Means Chocolate Time - Day 4!

I took the hot chocolate hunt to a new country, The Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam.

This was a last minute stop and I had no clues what to do besides visit the museums and snack on frites with satay sauce.  Well, I didn't end up having any of the latter, but through the Knopf MapGuides Amsterdam*, we found a gem of a place that I intend to take my cutie to when we go to Amsterdam.  Yes, it was that good, in fact, it was my favorite cup of hot chocolate through the entire 2 months of travel and that's saying a lot!

De Bakkerswinkel [Roelof Hartstraat 68]

"Very popular bakery and tearoom, renowned for the quality and freshness of its products.  It has an extensive snack menu and excellent teas and coffees."*

It was the cat in the window that encoruaged us to walk in even though the place was packed.  We shared a large family-style dinner table with 9 other people and the garden at the back.  I had a croque monsiuer and the other two I was with ordered the special...not one of us was disappointed.

The space isn't huge, its a neighborhood spot, and the smells coming from the kitchen teased the senses.  The people who worked there were friendly, I mean genuinely happy, and the folks who we sat closet to at the table were a local family, older, and absolutely lovely to talk to.  They finished their lunches off with a scone, cream and lemon curd and recommended we do the same.  We did, of course, and oh yes, that was so very tasty.

Are you getting the gist of what happened at Bakkerswinkel?  I'm not a fan of food, but everything about the place rang my bells.

Okay, okay, on to the hot chocolate!

As you can see from my pics above, it came in a glass with chunks of chocolate with a few other bits of nuts settled on the bottom, and a frothy layer at the top.  Using the long spoon, I stirred it up and then set the spoon to cool down before repeating the process.  The older gentleman we spoke with helped me out on this one - explaining the science of it all [that part made me miss the cutie].  Let the spoon cool and stir with it to get the hot chocolate down to drinking temp. 

This glass of hot chocolate was light yet tasty, just a hint of spice and fabulous from the first sip to the last!  If you ever make it to Amsterdam, make a point to visit Bakkerswinkel and enjoy the experience.

February Means Chocolate Time - Day 3!

I've given you my suggestion for best hot chocolate in Rome and Florence so that leaves Venice.

From what I could gather through the various travel books and talking to folks who had been, there was no great place for sweets much less hot chocolate - shocking, because it would be a great place sure to thrive on the romantic aura of the city.  Shame, but all was not lost.  I actually found a wonderful cup of the liquid brown nirvana in:

Pizzaria Antico Panifico [Campiello Del Sol]

After walking over the Bridge of Sighs, we made a random left and stumbled upon this gem of a place looking for someplace to have lunch.  It was perfect.  Don't let the exterior fool you, I'd recommend this place in a heartbeat for more than the ciocolata.  The pizza and pasta were to die for and I don't say that easily - not a fan of tomatoes or mushrooms, two things which tend to show up too frequently and in great quantity in American-style Italian food.

Inside this restaurant was a bright open feeling with a lunch crowd that was distinctly not touristy.  You always hope to find those types of places and enjoy more of what they themselves like, not what a guide book says they like.

As for the ciocolata, it was thick and lovely.

There was no cream and that was fine, this was a cup of joy and needed no fussing.  I find it interesting how, both in France and Italy, sugar is offered as if the hot chocolate needs it and I don't think it does.  The flavor is perfectly balanced, the occassional dollop of cream is all that I personally want to stir in, but even it isn't necessary.

For me, Italy offered yummy ciocolata.

February Means Chocolate Time - Day 2!

Yesterday was Rome and today is Florence.

There were so many piazzas with their own cafes dotted all around the historic district where we stayed and spent most of our time.  We tried at least one on everyday, but only one place did we go to twice - okay, we were so tired we didn't remember we'd been there for dinner two days before.  We don't consider it a mistake, we truly enjoyed:

Rivoire [Piazza della Signoria]

Even though it was November, the weather was so nice, we sat outside and watched tourists and Florentines alike make there way through the bustling piazza.  This was also the one that had the David statue I wrote about earlier.  Knopf MapGuides for Florence says:

"This smart confectioner opened in 1872 to sell what it is still famous for today: a heavenly thick hot chocolate.  Unbeatable location too, on the city's most beautiful square."

It was all true.

The cioccolato con panna [hot chocolate with cream] was thick, not spoon stand up and stay up thick, but a sipable thickness that loosened with each dollop of cream added.  Maybe it was the atmosphere again that helped push me to think this was the best of Florence because it was utterly delightful - who wouldn't enjoy sipping on something lovely while overlooking a piazza dotted with larger than life sculptures depicting many of the ancients.

After sampling hot chocolate in Rome and in Florence, I can say what I found was unfussed with hot chocolate that wasn't overly sweet but neither was it bitter.

February Means Chocolate Time - Day 1!

On my recent travels I partook, as I almost always do, in hunt for the best hot chocolate and thought I’d share my findings. This all started with a list of four places the articles author noted back in a 2007 Travel and Leisure magazine. I’ve been to one place on the list, Angelina’s in Paris, but sought other cafes out at the same time and found, while wonderful in chocolate offering and ambiance, it was one of a few that were also good. The list is not final or by any means the ultimate list, it was and continues to be a starting point.

Now, back to this last trip when I visited a second of the four on the list, but because my brain works in a funny way, I’ll begin where the trip started, in Rome, and my favorite cup there was found at:

Antico Caffe Greco [86 Via Condotti]

“Stendhal, Leopardi, Ungaretti…all have sat in this prestigious café, founded in 1760 and concealed between the boutiques of the Via Condotti. The interior retains its velvet chairs, marble-topped tables, red -colored walls, pictures, sculptures and tail coated staff. Pastries, coffees and ice cream. Cheaper if you sit at the counter.”

Is what the Knopf Mapguides to Rome said and, yes, it’s all true and so much more. People came in and had a quick drink as they went through the day, others sat and read while drinking something delicious, and then there were those like us who were just taking a break and talking while I enjoyed the delightful café.

There were little room, hallways and a more private nook that were filled with tables and all were enticing. The front has a counter and glass cabinets full of sugary treats, but we chose to sit in the room beyond the front two with a great view of most of the happenings.

I ordered a  cioccolato con panna [hot chocolate with cream] and the cup came with a separate of cream which I stirred a dollop in whenever I felt it was needed.  By no means was this a large cup, but it was large on flavor.  Not sugary sweet, but pure delightful unadorned chocolate.  The consistency was a bit thick, which makes me think it was made with full fat milk.

Yes, I enjoyed this cup as much as I loved the cafe.  The atmosphere was exactly what I expected from the brief description above.

Do You Know What Today Is? Think Red!

It's Go Red for Women day!

Put on something red and stop women having heart disease and strokes.  No, it's not the simple, but every bit helps and if your red dress or t-shirt reminds a woman you know to take control of her health, then it was worth it!

Authors After Dark is in New Orleans, August 8-12 and it's quickly running out of space!

The hotel is right there in the heart of Bourbon Street and there are some seriously cool happenings scheduled.  Personally, a few of the things I'm doing is talking odd shifters, BDSM and contemporaries, reading a menage scene or two, and going on a pub crawl...watch out NOLA!

I'll be there and hope you can make it as well.

Sharing the Love Blog Bash starts on Hump Day!

Normally I'd share a super hot guy but I thought I'd share some super hot news instead.  The Coming Together, Erotic Alturism, group of authors are Sharing the Love on Lisabet Sarai's Beyond Romance blog throughout the month.  We're going to tell personal stories, offer sizzling excerpts and host a contest or more - there's a $50 All Romance eBooks gift certificate and Alessia Brio, the creator and editor for the Coming Together books, is putting up a Kindle Fire to be won by a commenter.

The lineup for the month of passion is:

1st - Alessia Brio

2nd - Lisabet Sarai

3rd - Remittance Girl

4th - Heather Lin

5th - Ann Regentin

6th - Victoria Blisse

7th - Lisabet Sarai

8th - Sacchi Green

9th - Gia Blue

10th - Xan West

11th - Erobintica

12th - Andrea Dale

13th - Jean Roberta

14th - Rick Reed

15th - Robert Buckley

16th - Brenna Lyons

17th - C. Sanchez-Garcia

18th - Amelia June

19th - M. Christian

20th - Teresa Lamai

21st - Tilly Greene [and yes I shall be giving something away as well :-)]

22nd - Giselle Renarde

23rd - Aliyah Burke

24th - Annabeth Leong

25th - Raziel Moore

26th - Allison Wonderland

27th - Gayle C. Straun

28th - Daniel Burnell

29th - Lee Benoit

That's an author every day, including leap day - shall be fun!