Wait, what? One good wreath deserves another? Isn’t that supposed to be one good turn deserves another? True, that’s how the old saying goes. A good act leads to another, and thus goodness is spread. Well, this year for me this came true this past Christmas. Let me explain.
I go all out decorating my house inside and out for Christmas. With the uproar and upset caused by waiting for the 2020 election results I decided to started my Christmas decorating in November. I wasn’t alone. My neighbors were doing the same.
The good feeling then extended through the neighborhood to the beginning of the new year. I didn’t want the feeling to end so for the first time I created a wreath for New Year then decided to leave it up for the whole month of January. As February approached, I wanted to keep the positive vibes going through Black History month as well. Needless to say, Women’s History month and St. Patrick’s Day couldn’t be left behind.
Nor could I slight Easter in April. I then created a wreath with the May flowers brought by April showers and the rainbow created by the showers of love in Pride Month.
I was on a roll, so I made a July 4th wreath for my house and for my sister too, as well as a special wreath in honor of my 32nd wedding anniversary.
I’m up to August, celebrating summer and designing a birthday wreath for reaching the 65th year milestone.
You see what I mean? I’m such a regular at the Dollar Store, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby I ought to look into buying stock. I’m looking forward to keeping the good feeling going to the end of the year as ideas for wreaths for the remaining months are on the drawing board. The additional benefit is all I need to do is rinse and repeat these wreaths in 2022. So for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card, share in the comments how you honor or celebrate special days or seasons.
The Patience of Unanswered Prayer from Cowboys featured in Cowboys
A feisty businesswoman about to become the next victim of Post-Civil War revenge receives rescue from an unexpected source
Excerpt from “The Patience of Unanswered Prayer”
Eleanor Taylor lay on her side, kinks knotting her back, cramps burning her thighs. Her muscles strained with each attempt to ease her discomfort. Instead of relief, the movement tightened the rope pinning her arms to her body. The blanket beneath which Sheriff Radcliffe concealed her smelled of horse sweat. Its scratchy wool surface set her cheeks afire.
Dirt coated the cloth he’d stuffed into her mouth. She moaned, unable to avoid swallowing the grit now smeared across her teeth and tongue. Afraid she’d wretch, she raised her head, an action that forced the grimy gag further down her throat.
“Keep still, you uppity mulatto bitch.”
She shuddered at the menace in Radcliffe’s tone. The same menace glinted in his icy blue eyes when he’d entered her cell and tried to violate her. He’d covered her mouth, but she’d sunk her teeth into his hand, eliciting a satisfying pain-drenched yowl from the bastard. A well-placed kick to the balls had laid him low. His groan flooded her huntress spirit with joy.
If his deputy hadn’t rushed in, she’d have gotten away.
The coppery tang from Radcliffe’s blood renewed her desire to be the hunter, not the hunted. Tapping carefully into that desire had enabled her to thwart the hostilities all independent Black business owners faced in this post-Reconstruction era. Acting on that desire now, however, could lead to her death. She had to find another avenue of escape before that desire resurfaced and revealed what no one should know about her.
“Seems your fears about the jail being overrun by her foes was misplaced, Sheriff.”
Radcliffe snorted. “Better safe than sorry, Jim. Something could’ve happened before we got her on the stage in the morning.”
The sounds of horse hooves clopping, drunken laughter, and saloon music had faded long ago. Only chirruping crickets, croaking bullfrogs, and Sheriff Radcliffe’s lies penetrated Eleanor’s covering. Where were they taking her?
The wagon wheels creaked with every rut they hit. Eleanor wheezed, desperate for fresh air. Nausea roiled at the base of her throat. Would she die choking on her own vomit? Fear squeezed her chest as yes flit through her mind like a lightning bug.
The wagon lurched to the right. Her nausea intensified.
“Mind how you go there, boy. We don’t want to be accused of mistreating the prisoner.”
Being arrested on false charges didn’t count as mistreatment? How about being abducted by ones sworn to uphold the law? Eleanor’s agony mirrored that of Christ’s on the cross.
My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?
She moaned, her spirit smothered by despair. The pressure at the small of her back eased only to be followed by a sharp jab to her spine.
“Shut up, damn you,” Radcliffe snapped. “Your days of troubling me will soon be over.”
“What was that you said, Sheriff?”
“Thank God this trouble’ll soon be over. We’ll have delivered her safe and sound to the county seat tomorrow.”
“Safe and sound,” Deputy Jim Flyte said. “Thank the good Lord.”
His tone, full of innocence and ignorance, penetrated Eleanor’s cloth prison and killed all hope that he’d be of any help. She stifled a groan lest her tormentor kicked her again. Flyte was too young to know that safe and sound to Sheriff Hobart Radcliffe meant only one thing: Eleanor’s death.
So, it’s time to shed some pounds!!!! Not because I want to be slim. I don’t. I’ve done that, and it’s too much work to maintain. I just want to feel better, less sluggish. Simple as that. I figure 30 pounds ought to do it.
I loaded the Weight Watchers app on my iPhone. I filled the fridge with healthy, nutritious snacks like celery, hummus, cottage cheese, eggs… There are sardines and crackers in the cabinet. I like snacking, so I try not to sabotage myself with chips and nuts (Gawd, I love nuts!). I’m a salt person, not a sweetaholic. My dd already cooks nutritious dinners, so I just have to navigate every other meal throughout the day. I’ll count the points!
What I have to do is up my activity. Yeah, I love the pool, but I like to float. I can do some lunges, some kicks holding onto the pool noodle…all that…no problem, but I figure if I add music to my housecleaning/organizing, I’ll be more apt to dance while I do it. You know, something fun instead of the old treadmill.
So far, I have “Walk This Way” by Run DMC and Aerosmith, “Happy” by Ferell, and “Wild Things” by the Troggs. So, help me fill out my playlist to get my a$$ in gear to work up a bit of sweat.
I love Heavy Metal, Classic Rock, and some Pop. Suggest away for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, and if you have suggestions for low-impact exercises, feed those to me, too!
I am addicted to heroes because, to me, they are, well, heroic! The person who puts themselves in harm’s way to save another is the iconic hero. For me, it goes even further, with much admiration for the military Special Forces – SEALs, Green Berets, Delta Force, Force Recon Marine, Army Rangers (forgive me if I inadvertently omitted something). I know that’s the reason they are all my heroes and have given rise to my series THE PROTECTORS in Susan Stoker’s Special Forces World.
My most recent one, PROTECTING SUSAN, is dedicated to, well, Susan Stoker, a woman who is strong, smart, and compassionate, just like my heroine, Susan Stryker. It all began with PROTECTING MADDIE, which was originally written as a stand-alone. If you haven’t dived into the series yet, here’s a brief rundown to, I hope, whet your appetite.
PROTECTING MADDIE
When Maddie Winslow talked a student out of his gun in her classroom, she never figured it would set off a chain of events that put her life in grave danger, and the lives of her parents. She needs a protector desperately. Hunter “Hawkeye” St. John, a Delta Force team member, is on medical leave recuperating in Tampa and chafing for some action. When he and Maddie meet, the sparks flying between them sizzle the air. But if Hawkeye wants to move forward with Maddie he first has to keep her safe and then eliminate the bad guys.
PROTECTING CASSIE
Sam Alvarez is newly discharged from the SEALs with a bad injury to his left arm that ended his career. The tiny isolated cabin in Maine former SEAL John “Tex” Keenan found for him gives him an escape from people. Physical therapist Cassie Malone by accident she discovered her boyfriend one of Boston’s drug kingpins. Now she’s hiding out in tiny Castile and scared he’ll find her. When Fate throws Cassie and Sam together, neither of them counted on or expected the hot, hot attraction blazing between them. When drug smugglers show up and put everyone in danger, including Cassie, it’s up to Sam to use his skills to take them down and save the woman he’s come to love.
PROTECTING AMY
Amy Ressler was a vivacious, outgoing person until the murder of her family sent her into hiding with a growing case of agoraphobia. Quinn McCoy had been part of the Teams for eighteen years and suddenly an injury left him with no place to go, except to visit his friends Melody and Tex Keenan. Where they introduce him online to KitCat, Amy in her online disguise, a terrified woman who needs a bodyguard. When Matthew Baker escapes from jail the hunt is on, led by the US Marshals. But with Amy helpless in her self-imposed prison, Quinn accepts the job as her personal bodyguard, and they discover that what starts online can explode n the bedroom. As long as he can keep her alive.
PROTECTING ARIZONA
She’d never see him again so she could indulge every need and desire she had with this hot, sexy, intense, troubled man. Now DEA task force she’s on prepares to take down dangerous drug kingpin Luca Vasquez. Then a personal tragedy causes her to leave the task force to find her missing niece. A disastrous mission ended Clint “Razor” DaCosta’s career with the SEALs. Dreams of raw sex with a passionate redhead are the only things that keep the nightmares at bay. No one is more shocked than Razor and Arizona when he answers her call for help. They must to put aside their memories of their scorching sex to find her niece and avenge her sister’s murder. And hope they both don’t get killed in the takedown.
PROTECTING TERRA
When Terra Oenning and Griffin Dunne were paired in a Department of Homeland Security Op, neither of them expected the heat that exploded between them like the cabin they were surveilling. When the trail on the op takes them to Maine, even the icy tempt isn’t enough to cool them down. Still, the assignment comes first. Terrorists, computer hackers, and the Croatian Mafia are combining to destroy the United States and Terra and Griff must focus on destroying them. But when it goes awry and Terra is caught in the crosshairs, it will be up to Griffin to rescue her, a wake-up call for both of them that maybe, just maybe, what they have between them is real.
PROTECTING SUSAN
For Susan Stryker, the chance to start a new life with a new name, halfway across the country from her abusive ex, was like a miracle. But she can’t forget Levi Hawke, the troubled former SEAL she met on that journey. Two years later she’s about to spend two weeks on a farm where she will teach self defense skills to abused women. Tex Keegan, who helped her create her new life, insists she take a bodyguard with her, despite her objections. When Levi Hawke shows up, all those buried emotions come raging to the surface. Then all hell breaks loose, from both the past and present. For Levi this is a must-succeed mission, to save the woman he admits he loves. For Susan, it’s a chance to finally bury the past.
This post will seem a little strange to some of y’all. Or maybe you’ll just think I’m really, really old (although my dd feels the exact same way!). Today, our family decided to do away with our landline. You know, the old-fashioned phone you plug into the wall that never lets you down, power or no power. After all, we have five cell phones in the house that have proven they work and connect in the worst of conditions.
You’d think we would’ve cut the cord long ago because, at $40 a month, it’s not an expense we need to pay. We never used it except when we (okay, I) called my cellphone number to find the damn thing.
However, that landline, with that number, holds a lot of nostalgia for our family and extended family. My parents had that number since the ’70s. When it was first installed, I remember we had a “party line.” For those who’ve never experienced it, a party line was shared with neighbors. When you made a call, you lifted the receiver to listen to know whether someone else was using the line. It was a pain in the ass when one neighbor hogged the line. You’d be polite the first time you picked up and quietly disconnect. The second time, you might clear your throat. The third or maybe fourth, you’d butt into the call and ask how much longer she would be. Fun times.
My mother was the hub for family information and reunions for the extended family. Everyone knew our number and would call regularly to chat. When my brother and I were stationed all over the world, we’d call that number to let the folks know how we were doing or when we’d be coming home for a visit. That line, that number, is part of our family history.
But today, it is no more. I’m heaving a big, heavy sigh.
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, is there some object or service you had trouble letting go of because of the memories attached to it?
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I sent this out in my newsletter yesterday, so sorry if this is a repeat for you… 🙂
I recently received the rights back to some of my older titles. I didn’t immediately republish them. I sat on them while I thought about what exactly I wanted to do with them. They are stories that take me back to my roots in this industry writing erotic romance.
First, I had a series with Avon over a decade ago. A dark, erotic paranormal series, Dark Realm. They gave me back the three short stories associated with the series and the first two novels out of four. I was majorly bummed they didn’t give me back all the books. I did nothing while I wondered what could I do with only the first two titles? I’ve decided I’m going to republish them, and then write some other stories related to that world. Something tangential to the original plotline. The first two stories are full-length novels, something I don’t write anymore because I suffer from W.A.D.D. — Writer’s ADD. (It’s only a real thing to me.) So, the follow-on stories will be short novels. If you’re ready to sink into something very sexy and dark, with creatures based on my favorite mythologies, you’ll love my Dark Realm series. I’m releasing a short story next week, Sleeping with the Enemy, that’s a SHORT STORY related to the series. Have to say that twice because folks sometimes complain when the story was short even when they were warned! Don’t worry, it’s FREE in KU and only $0.99 if you purchase it. But it will give you a little tasty bite of what’s to come.
The other story I’m excited about, is yes, another vampire story. This one’s set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world — Texas to be exact. I wrote one story for Samhain years ago, but it’s one that I’ve had readers ask me for the sequels many times over the years. I plan a trilogy of stories in the Texas Vampires series, but first, I’m re-editing the story that was originally known as Undeniable. Now, it’s Her Sanctuary. And yes, it’s sexy as hell.
There are a couple more books in the works that will be more familiar to you. Something for everyone, I hope.
Happy Reading!
~DD
Sleeping with the Enemy
Sleeping with the Enemy: A Paranormal Vampire Short Story Dark Realm series
Releases August 10th!
A lone rogue vampire mingles among his hunters in a blood bar, undetected…until a beautiful woman snares his attention. Suddenly, he’s running, leading her on a chase until she corners him, stake dangling from her slender fingertips. Now he has a couple of choices, play it sexy or safe?
Her Sanctuary Texas Vampires, Book 1
Releases August 24th!
A woman surviving on the edge of a dark frontier strikes a sensual bargain with a handsome stranger hiding a dangerous secret…
In a post-apocalyptic future, creatures who’ve hidden in the shadows for millennia are freed to roam in a world shrouded in darkness. Rancher Kate McKinnon runs Sanctuary Ranch—a last refuge on the western frontier. While running herd over her cowhands and integrating refugees into their self-sufficient refuge, she escapes her responsibilities the only way she has left—via radio to pockets of other survivors. One man, Ty Bennett, is her confidante, and she thinks she might be falling in love with his deep, rasping voice. Although they’ve never met, he seems to know her heart.
On a patrol to scavenge supplies, Kate and her cowboys are surrounded by a gang of renegades intent on claiming her. Rescue comes unexpectedly by a militaristic band led by the man she’s spent so many hours talking to through the dark nights. She brings him home only to discover she’s brought vampires inside the refuge.
Already half in love with the human woman, Ty offers added muscle to her defenses and promises to move her people to safety. Fighting his own nature and appetites, he seeks redemption for his many sins but can’t control his hunger to possess Kate. Getting past her prejudice and choking responsibilities tests his seductive powers.
Note: This story was previously released under the title Undeniable. It has since been revised and expanded and will be the first in at least a trilogy of new stories.
Cowboys: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology
Releases October 12th!
Cowboys is filled with tales of those rough and rugged cowboys, whether they’re riding a fence line in Texas or Australia, or herding animals on a newly colonized planet!
If you crave a sexy tale about those gruff, capable men, this collection will embody that earthy alpha male hero who isn’t afraid to show the gentle, nurturing side of his complex nature along with his rough and rugged ability to protect those he loves.
Get ready to fall in love with tales filled with the earthy scent of horses, cows, and crisp, clean sweat; the sight of sun-leathered skin and crow’s feet; the feel of work-hardened thighs and arms; and the sound of a deep-voiced drawl…
Dark Legacy Dark Realm, Book 1
Releases November 16th
How could everything have changed for Natalie Lambert so radically, so quickly?
Escaping from a tragic past, the virginal beauty arrives in New Orleans and falls victim to a series of strange, unearthly attacks. Now, for the first time in her life, Natalie aches with sexual desire. Confused, frightened, out of control, she struggles desperately to understand a world that is transforming around her. But soon she will be powerful and magnificent in ways she could never have imagined…
A ruggedly handsome Cajun policeman, Detective Rene Broussard has come to rescue Natalie in her time of greatest need. And when he inexplicably wakes in bed beside her—both burning with a lust impossible to deny—he doesn’t care that a dark and vengeful enemy has brought them to this moment. All that matters is the irresistible curve of her body, the heat of her passion…and the forbidden pleasures the night promises.
With one sharp, sensuous, biting kiss, he will be hers for life…and beyond.
Note: This book was originally released as Into the Darkness. The author is re-releasing the book and continuing the series. There will be new stories to tell!
