Strange Offer

Jake Riordan (see photo) from the Adrien English Mysteries my DIK hut is here today to tell you about a very Strange Offer.

Jake: No. I'm not.

LBea: Why must you be difficult? I just need you to step up on this box, right here, and tell people about the one time, special offer, interview with the love of your life, Adrien--

Jake: I never said that.

LBea: Out loud--no, but, sweetie, you totally love him.

Jake: ::sighs:: What do you want me to do?

LBea; Tell everyone about the interview you guys did with your very good friend, Josh Lanyon.

Jake: Friend? Did Lanyon tell you that? I think you misunderstand the meaning of that word.

LBea: I don't! I think you're just mad because everyone thinks you're a nit and it's slightly his fault.

Jake: ::stony silence::

LBea: I don't think you're a nit.

Jake: Get on with it, LBea. And keep that bastard Nate Hawkins away from my side of the hut. He calls me 'boy' one more time...

LBea shudders delicately: That is so....sexy.

Jake: You have your alpha beta pairings confused.

LBea: Do I? Just tell the ladies here on the Island what's going on, and I'll keep Nate from spanking you. Yes? That's a good deal. Then I can give some free books away, drink my Jamaican Butter Rum coffee, and write my own books!

Jake: Who the hell is this guy?

LBea: You like? He looks like ADRIEN! No?

Jake: No. Here's the news. Pay attention. I'm only saying this once.

::crinkle of paper::

A Strange Offer

Order Strange Fortune, the new spec fiction novel by Josh Lanyon through the Blind Eye Books website by midnight on November 20^th and uncover a small fortune in exclusive promotional plunder.

Jake: Did you just make me say 'plunder'?

LBea: Nope. Not I.

Order between November 5th and November 20th and receive:

• Sketches of Hidush. A PDF sketch book containing 6 pages of gorgeous original illustrations from Strange Fortune by noted artist Dawn Kimberling.

• A Cookbook for Gentlemen featuring one recipe from each of Josh’s works. From Italian margaritas to rabbit pie, there’s something for every appetite in this little gem.

• Adrien and Jake: A Private Conversation. Josh’s most popular characters answer a host of questions posed by their creator and a score of readers in this “private” interview.

• “The French Have a Name for It.” An original short story by Josh Lanyon. This story is only a

vailable through this offer.

• Vintage bookplate template of mysterious swami chap.


Remember, like all things magical…there’s a catch. You must order before midnight on November 20th. When the clock strikes twelve all this lovely loot vanishes like white smoke from a Hidushi temple sacrifice.


LBea: See that wasn't painful at all. Thank you, Jakey. ::pats hand::

Jake: Well, the cookbook looks interesting.

***In honor of my birthday, which is All Saints Day, and rightly so, I'm tossing two copies of Josh's I Spy Something Wicked out to the crowd. It's a Halloween story. Happy Birthday to me!

Just leave a comment in the, er, comment section, and I'll pick someone by midnight on Sunday. WOOT!

Jake: Does that DIK banner say all the heroes here are naked in their huts?

LBea leers: Yup. Even you, sweetie.

Who Doesn't Love a Bad Boy?

Not me - that's for sure! I love them. As with many other romance readers I'm sure, the 'bad boy' is one of my favourites. My latest read had a bad boy hero and while thinking about what to do for my day at the island, this topic came to me very quickly.

So here are some of my favourite bad boys

Mick Brody in Toni Blake's One Reckless Summer

It's tough to play it cool on a sultry summer night . . .
The perfect daughter. The perfect prom queen. The perfect wife. Jenny Tolliver's been the good girl all her life, and it's gotten her nowhere. Now that her marriage has been busted up by her cheating ex, she's decided it's time to regroup and rediscover herself. This summer she's headed back to her hometown of Destiny, Ohio, to the very lakeshore cottage where she grew up, to figure out what life holds in store for her next.
She never dreamed the answer would be Mick Brody, Destiny's #1 hellraiser. He comes from the wrong side of the tracks (or in his case, the lake), and he's landed in hot water more times than he can count. He's exactly the kind of guy Jenny's always kept her distance from . . . but soon the good girl and the bad boy are caught in a raw heat that's out of control. Too bad Mick's got a secret that threatens to tear them apart and ruin Jenny's perfectly, passionately reckless summer . . .

Johnny Harris in Karen Robards' One Summer

He was pure unadulterated trouble

Johnny Harris is home again, his too-tight jeans and damn-your-eyes belligerence honed to perfection by a ten-year stretch in federal prison for murder. Now he's out on parole and ready for the job Rachel Grant has promised to help him begin a new life. Unlike the rest of the town, Rachel has always believed in her former student's innocence. But one thing has changed...

The sullenly handsome boy she remembered is still sullen, still handsome ...but no longer a boy. And now the small Kentucky town is alive with gossip and whispers of scandal, as friendsh

ip turns to passion and Rachel abandons a lifetime of propriety in the ex-con's arms. Then the killer strikes again. All evidence points to Johnny Harris, but Rachel knows he is innocent. And she knows she is next ...as a shattering truth is uncovered and dark passions explode in the relentless summer heat.

Alec Tyron in Karen Robard's Tiger's Eye

The man with the golden eyes

He was the tawny, golden-eyed king of London's underworld. She was an aristocratic heiress, born to the satin sheets of an ancient family. Their two proud hearts struck a flame that would consume them both in the blaze of a love that no society could allow--and a passion that neither could deny.

Lady Isabella St. Just is shocked to learn the identity of the daring champion who comes to her aid -- for the man who rescues her from desperate felons is none other than Alec Tyron, the notorious king of London's underworld. Now she is beholden to an outlaw who is respected and feared throughout the city and stunned by her own intense desire for this dark man of mystery. Fate has united these strangers from opposite lives -- the beautiful aristocrat and the brazen criminal outlaw. And now that the flame has been lit, no power on Earth will quench the fire of their passion...or destroy a love that society cannot allow.

Billy Blade in Gaelen Foley' s Lady of Desire

A handsome scoundrel running from a secret past, Billy Blade has never met a woman like Jacinda -- her fiery innocence and blossoming sensuality set his rebel's heart ablaze. Having turned his back on the privilege of his tyrannical father's house years before, he vows to return to reclaim his title, Earl of Rackford -- to win the love of the ravishing beauty who has stolen his heart.

Impetuous Lady Jacinda Knight is the daughter of a scandalous woman. Though society predicts she'll follow in her mother's footsteps, the spirited beauty stands unashamed of her passionate nature. Then one night, in flight from an arranged and loeless marriage, Jacinda finds herself alone on a dangerous street face-to-face with Billy Blade, the notorious leader of a band of thieves. His stolen kisses awaken in her a longing for a man she can never possess.

Luke Turner in Lisa Gregory's The Rainbow Season

Luke Turner, an outcast, they called him "bad blood" from his boyhood in a tarpaper shack to his nights in a prison cell.

Sarah McGowan, her roots were deep in the Texas soil. But her secret shameful love for her sister's husband kept her from happiness.
Pride and their love of the Texas land threw them together in an unlikely marriage. Then, as unexpectedly as a spring flood, long pent-up passion exploded in a storm that was to consume them both...

Luke McGuire in Justine Davis' The Return of Luke McGuire

You always want

Luke didn't need the town's nasty stares to know that Amelia was off-limits. But then, reformed or not, he'd never been one to abide by the rules. He only hoped that the quiet beauty would fall for the man he had become instead of the one he used to be.

What you can't have
Luke McGuire was everything shy Amelia Blair had been fascinated by as a girl but too terrified to go near. And now here she was, the only person in the whole town decent enough to give him the time of day, caring enough to stand up for him...brave enough to get close.

Lobo from Patricia Potter's Lawless

His name was Lobo .... The notorious, Apache-raised gunslinger was hired to scare a lady rancher off her land using his dangerous reputation and his cold eyes-and worse, if it was necessary. He thought it would be the easiest bounty he'd ever earned, until he came face-to- face with Willow Taylor. No woman had ever touched his heart before, and now
Lobo faced the toughest challenge of all. Did he dare to reveal his true self to this spirited, giving woman?

Within her heart there lived a love of the open frontier - and a passion for a lawless gunman
Her name was Willow .... Strong and determined, she survived in a tough land taking on the challenges of the wild West as she worked her ranch with the small band of outcasts she'd claimed as her family. There was nothing she couldn't handle on her own-until a silent and mysterious gunman came to town and haunted her with his piercing gaze and his fiery touch ....

So what is it about the bad boy that we find so appealing? There are many things but one of the big ones for me is they never really feel like they fit it. In most cases they come from the 'wrong' side and overcompensate their sense of isolation by being bad. But what they really want is to belong but because of their backgrounds, they aren't sure.

So it's up to the heroine in many cases to make them feel really wanted and she is the one who fills that empty spot. That is so appealing for me.

Another appeal - bad boys are basically loners and it's just enjoyable to see a loner open his heart to love. They seem to have lived their lives almost waiting for the right heroine with the right key to open their hearts.

And of course it goes without saying that the bad boys of romance are always hawt!!

I did a recent list of my top 16 favourite romance books and it's no surprise that some of the bad boy heroes here are in my top 16 books

So now you know a few of my favourite bad boys and a few of my reasons why I love them. How about anyone else. Who are your favourite bad boys and if you love them like I do, why is it you love them so much? Inquiring minds want to know.

And I will leave you with a treat, though not a hero in a book, here is one of my Very Favourite Bad Boys

Nummies for Monroe

*Sigh…it’s hot out here! The sun is bright, the sand it hot, and JEEZ I’ve got sweat running down my back, between the "twins" and some other really uncomfortable places…but oh wait…look who’s coming…my cabana boys with my drinky-poo! ;o) Lets see who makes the roll call. (btw…yes I know some are vamps…my island is magical and the sun just doesn’t bother them lol – these are in no particular order)

1.) Edward Cullen – The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
…ya I’m a teenager at heart. I’d scream, claw, and faint if I saw Mr. Cullen in my hut! I can’t help but melt all through reading those Twilight books. Edward is so effing romantic with all of his poetic thoughts and words! Mmm…Bella is one lucky gal! ;o)

2.) Luc Martineau – See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson
I LOVE HOCKEY (Go Red Wings) and this hockey player has one horseshoe tattoo that I’d love to run my tongue across! Yowza! He rough, tough and let me tell you that you won’t mind all the penalties for high sticking! ;o)


3.) Calvin Morrisey – Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
This man oozes with charm and good looks. He is your typical hot-shot lover and knows how to have a good time! Cal appreciates a curvy woman and to me there’s nothing sexier than a man that will feed you all the carbs you want! Lol

4.) Henry De Tamble – The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Oh man, I loved Henry in this book. He was so angst ridden in his life. You seriously wanted to hug him and tell him everything would be alright. At the same time he was so passionate with everything in his life. And let me tell you this man is STEAMY! He can time travel to my island anytime!





5.) Eric Northman – The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris
OH MAN! Eric hold a special place in my little heart.


6.) Derek Craven – Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
This man lives a fast and exciting life! :o) Derek is a dark lover with a dirty dirty past…I think I’ll take him into the ocean and clean him off! Lol

7.) Gage Travis – Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas
Rich…hot…and has great sex in a limo! Lol Can he take his limo moves to my hut? I THINK HE CAN!!! Gage is my fav Travis man (although Id love to take them all on!) I always picture him in a hot and sexy suit…I don’t think his clothes will make it in the plane crash to the island!

8.) Jacob Black – The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
COME ON…could I REALLY have Edward and not Jacob?!? NOPE! This boy makes me just as hot. I LOVE me some Were’s. They are aggressive and possessive! Mmmm…this man (ya I say man even though he's pretty young) can make me howl at the moon!

You can visit Monroe at her "normal" home at Monroe with a Twist. Thanks for visiting Monroe!

A Big Thank You!

We want to send out a big thank you to DIK lady Lea for taking the time to do a little makeover on the blog. She did a great job and it's greatly appreciated!

Here's a cookie for you. :)

Vampires and vampire music and vampire cats, oh my!

Hi, everyone, and thanks for inviting me to visit you here on the island today! *waves wildly*

Sadly, I haven't been able to figure out who to bring with me to the island without poaching on y'all. So I guess I'll just be sitting down here on the beach, watching the waves, enjoying the fact that I'm not in cold and rainy Minneapolis right now, and listening to music.

What I am I listening to? I'm listening to Vampire Life, which is a mix I put together for day(or night)dreaming about hunky vampires. Sure, I'll share it with you... if you'll think about sharing some of those hunky heroes y'all are hoarding... ;)

Please note that some of these songs are a bit obscure. I've tried to link to youtube videos and a preview/purchase link for each song, but, alas, that wasn't always possible.

1. Andy Martinez - Born in Blood: preview at cdbaby
2. The Chrysler - First Blood: preview at amazon
3. Bon Iver - Blood Bank: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
4. Destroyer - Your Blood: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
5. Ben Weaver - Blood: preview at amazon
6. Bright Eyes - Devil Town (Daniel Johnston cover): watch at youtube
7. Mercury Rev - Vampire Blues (Neil Young cover): preview at amazon
8. A. A. Bondy - Oh the Vampyre: watch at youtube - download free'n'legal from from Daytrotter
9. The Catholic Comb - Vampire Life: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
10. Pete Yorn - Vampyre: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
11. Jonathan Richman - Vampire Girl: preview at amazon
12. Gooding - Clap If You Love Vampires: preview at cdbaby
13. Future Bible Heroes - I'm a Vampire: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
14. People in Planes - Vampire: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
15. Roky Erickson - Night of the Vampire: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
16. The Go Betweens - Spirit of a Vampyre: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
17. Ash - Vampire Love: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
18. Inkubus Sukkubus - Vampire Erotica: watch at youtube - preview at amazon
19. Peel - Love Soaked in Blood: preview at amazon
20. Mystery Jets - Bleeding Love (Leona Lewis cover): watch at youtube

And now for the furriest, least hunky vampire of them all...

Thanks for letting me visit the island!
Chris - Stumbling Over Chaos

Getting Ready for Halloween, Y'all!

(I'm going to apologize for this post - it's pretty rambly)

Can you smell it in the air? Can you feel it in your bones? It's that subtle atmospheric eeriness that can only mean one thing: It's HALLOWEEN.

The Cylon Jack-o-lantern says it is Halloween.

Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. For a week (or in some cases, like SyFy's), cable channels play horror movies back to back. Stores have these deliciously tempting Halloween cookies and treats. Theme parks transform at night into giant haunted festivals (for example, tonight I am going to Universal Studios' awesome Halloween Horror Nights event). What's not to love about Halloween?

It also can be an infuriating time of year though. One thing I both love and hate is the inevitable process of picking out a costume. When we were younger it was a whole lot easier to pick the perfect costume (or at least it was in my mind!). In elementary school, I was a ballerina princess, a vampire killer (inexplicably my "vampire killer" also happened to be a vampire. I don't know. I thought it was really cool at the time), Morticia Adams (because even though I was ten, I didn't want to be Wednesday), a devil lady, and Leonardo. From the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

But now that we're older, things have become a whole lot more complicated. There are plenty of costumes out there and a plethora of specialty stores, but it's a challenge to get the PERFECT outfit (that hopefully no one else will be wearing). I have a long term boyfriend who is less enthusiastic about Halloween, and doing couple costumes has gotten increasingly tough over the years. Walking into a costume store is a nightmare - they are jammed full of frantic people, and overpriced, poorly made garb.

And then there's the question that every girl must face (at least out here in California for twenty-five year old me it's a big deal) - do you go with the Super!Slutty!Costume-in-a-bag? Or do you attempt to do something different, unique, and with a little more dignity?

I've always tried to shy away from the Super!Slutty!Costume-in-a-bag route (though I admit I've been a ridiculous ladybug before. It was my first year in college. I didn't know better!). You know what costumes I'm talking about, right? They're regular occupations or storybook characters or animals, just made Super!Slutty. Case in point:

Super!Slutty!Police Officer and Super!Slutty!Bumblebee

The thing is, you see a billion of these costumes - multiple people wearing the SAME. SLUTTY. COSTUMES. at any Halloween party. It's ridiculous. So the challenge then becomes, to come up with something that is fun, clever, current, and hopefully that no one else will be wearing at the event.

Unfortunately, as a book geek, my favorite costume ideas by and large get no love or recognition - for example, this year I wanted to do Katniss and Peeta from The Hunger Games/Catching Fire (some kind of variation on Cinna's costumes for them during the presentations during the books). I even have a mockingjay pin! But the boyfriend and everyone else shot down this idea (i.e. "What the heck is a Katniss? PETA like the organization?" etc, etc). So I resort to films. The year before Batman Begins came out, the boyfriend and I were Batman and Robin. We've also done Star Wars (Padme/Anakin), and a completely inappropriate but funny Full Metal Jacket style Army guy and South East Asian Woman (as I'm half caucasian and half Filipino, I feel like I can own this joke). Lately it's been rough trying to find a costume that fits the both of us well so we've done a few solo jobs (Snow White with Native American Indian, Lara Croft with Mr. Clean). But THIS year, I think we've found a great one.

For 2009, we've finally at long last come up with a costume idea that I think is pretty solid. After trying and discarding a number of ideas (Rufio and Peter Pan, Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog) we've settled on:

The Comedian and Sally Jupiter, the original, real Silk Spectre! (My dress isn't nearly that short though, thank goodness. And the boyfriend will be the Comedian from his death scene - bathrobe, cigar, bloody smiley face button and all)

Granted, a lot of folks probably won't know who we are, but it's more widely known than Katniss and Peeta. Sigh. Plus, the boyfriend agreed to it.

So my question to you, dear DIK-ers is: What are YOU going to be for Halloween? Any costume stories you want to share? I'm all ears!

And finally, I leave you with my contribution to the "Freaky Tunes" segment here on DIK. I give you....the BOLLYWOOD THRILLER!!!!!!!!!!! Beware. This WILL make you laugh uncontrollably.



Lyrics (These are NOT the real lyrics, but are based on what the lyrics sound like in English - transcribed by some clever soul):

I think I’m the evil of the people…

(Praise the glory of the evil!)

GIRLY MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
Girly Man!
Girly man, man, man, man, man!

Gosh, my old calculator ain’t got no bow!
Nipply man I met, he ate my motorboat!
Calm down and park that comfy shin guard armor!
Welcome the dude who ain’t the buyer of mugs.

Girly Man!
Girly man, man, man, man, man!

RRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPYOURMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN

A Golden Era - Movies.

Is there an era you're particularly fond of? Do you have movies or TV from the era that are a must see? I not only like books from this era, but movies and telly too. I thought for my final DIK day I'd share a few of my favorites... :)

Joan Hickson was the best, in my humble opinion, Miss Marple ever! I have all her Agatha Christie work on DVD and she is a favorite holiday watch!

A Very Long Engagement (Un long dimanche de fiançailles) is simply beautiful. It is VERY long, but the color and beautiful Audrey Tautou are so worth it! Set in the trenches during the Battle of the Somme, this film has everything and a love story that made me a bit sniffly.

My friend and I bawled so much during the The English Patient we both had soggy cleavage. I detest sad movies as a rule, but this one is a must see.

Indiana Jones remains as one of my favorite movie series of all time. Swashbuckling, suave and romantic he is truly one of my favorite heroes.

Chinatown is an oldie, but a goodie! Jack at his best in this story of adultery, murder and more twists than you can shake a stick at!

Heat of the Sun was a random British series I watched in the late 90's. Set in Africa Trevor Eve is a detective far from home who gets mixed up with the fair Emma Fitzgerald played by Susannah Harker. Great drama and an incredible location.

Gosford Park is also amazing and not just because Clive Owen is in it. The cast is stellar and I have such a jones for Helen Mirren!!

Easy Virtue is great, light and fluffy viewing. And, although I did shudder at times at Jessica Biel's lack of talent, Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas make it all better though. As for Ben Barnes... omnomnom.

Band of Brothers is one of the only war movies, well series, that I've watched more than once. It is absolutely brilliant and poignantly good watching. It has stayed with me and I remember when I saw actual footage of Major Winters I got just a little misty. Compulsive viewing.

Thanks for having me on the DIK Blog, it's been a blast!

Sarah - Rain on the Roof.

Sean Kennedy on the Golden Era.

Sean writes gorgeous novels and is a bit of a clever pants. I really enjoy his books and was so pleased to see he and Catt Ford were putting out a book set in the 30's. He's written this very cool piece about the era which made me smile much. I think I had the same childhood, minus the yabbies. We called them crawlies! Enjoy!

Thanks to Sarah for allowing me to tag along on her getaway to the desert isles! Our setting is quite fortunate, seeing my latest book is set on the largest desert island of all – Tasmania.

Everybody loves an adventure. There is something about the thought of leaving the ordinary world behind and being thrown into some madcap fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants thriller where anything that can happen will. It’s the stuff dreams are made of.

My love of adventure probably can be blamed on Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series. I wanted to be able to jump on my bicycle and do tours on the hols, evading smuggler gypsies and exploring haunted train tunnels and local castles. Unfortunately, that

was a bit hard to do growing up in Western Australia where the biggest adventure you could have was sneaking through the hole in the fence at the local council dam and collect yabbies. And there were no farmers’ wives from whom we could buy fresh

eggs, ginger beer and tomatoes with twists of salt collected in wax paper.

But the best thing about adventures is the hero. And none comes bigger than Indiana Jones. Handsome, swarthy, witty, and unable to show fear in the face of danger, everybody either wants Dr Jones, or wants to be him. Possibly both if you’re an extreme narcissist. The Indiana Jones movies are hom

ages to the adventure serials pumped out by the major movie studios during the golden age of film. The precursor to soaps, stories such as Flash Gordon, The Perils of Pauline and Dick Tracy kept people returning to the cinema week after week just to see how their heroes got out of their latest impossible fix.

Of course, the era always adds to the story. There is a certain mystique to setting stories in the past, precisely because we romanticise the past. We always think of it as an easier or more innocent time. Plus, it was a time when there was still so much to be discovered. It was the cusp of a time where the world was still opening up to us, but with hindsight we realise that it was also the end of an era. World War II was just around the corner, and with it the world would change all over again.

When Catt Ford and I decided to pen an adventure series, we really wanted it to be an homage to those adventure stories we loved, but we also wanted it to have a bit of a post-modern bent, where mistakes humans made with their world would be realised or foreshadowed, whether it had to do with the treatment of our indigenous people or the way we destroyed land and animals in the name of colonisation. Plus, with hot, gay, lovable men. The result was Dash and Dingo: In Search of the Tasmanian Tiger. The thirties were the ideal time for the setting, and it happened to coincide with a story that I always wanted to tackle – that of the Australian Thylacine, an animal now thought to be extinct, with the last known tiger dying in an Australian zoo in 1936. What better basis for an adventure, in which two heroes battle the Australian ‘jungle’ in search of an elusive creature on the edge of extinction?

The pulp fiction genre is ripe for just cutting loose and having fun with its tropes. We could incorporate action scenes, battles with ‘monsters’, passion, thrills, sex and over-the-top villains. There could be a mixture of locations, our story starts in the repressed

halls of a gloomy British academic institution, and vacations in exotic Siam before coming to the ultimate destination of the far-flung ‘colony’ of Australia.

But the best thing about writing the first in this series of action adventure novels was that I could become that kid again, who adventured around the suburbs on his bicycle, making up impossible and far-fetched stories in my head. But now I can share them.

Dash and Dingo: In Search of the Tasmanian Tiger is now available from Dreamspinner Press.

A Golden Era - Books.

I love books and movies set in the 1920's to 1940's. It was such an incredible time of change, adventure and a move away from traditional mores and values. Technology, fashion and the evolving roles of women make for wonderful reading. I heard, when younger, wonderful stories shared with me by my great aunt and nan about what it was like growing up then. They went hiking into the mountains on the weekend, skiing, riding and even hunting with their father. They also donned dresses and attended socials and evening dances in the small halls scattered through the district. They sent their brothers off to war and looked after things when they were gone. They put themselves through nursing school and university and for all their experiences were two incredible, strong woman who I admire immensely.

Stories of my aunts travels in particular have always been a treasure. She traveled in a time when not many women did much adventuring and certainly not a woman on her own! And adventures they truly were. Climbing Mount Kenya with two ratbag guides, canoeing down a river in Czechoslovakia, climbing through Oberamagau, tramping through Kenya, time spent in the Hindu Kush an

d along the way making friends she would keep for life. Indiana Jones did not have a patch on my nt.

I don't have a huge amount of romance novels set during these years, but what I do have are treasures. Some of them are rather naughty, some tragic and some heartbreakingly romantic. I really do I wish writers would do more set in this per

iod! Below are a few I have that I have loved reading. If you have more, do leave a comment and leave suggestions. I am slowly making my way through the list on Speak Its Name, but the day job does interfere somewhat!

Look out tomorrow for an wonderful post from Sean Kennedy, who is vastly more eloquent than I! :) He has written a piece discussing the era and the process he went through researching the book he and Catt Ford write. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Sarah - Rain on Roof Blog.

Bwahaaaa!!! Scary Tune With Lots Of Monsters and Weirdness... :P

Songs don't really scare me but this one always did give me the creeps. Maybe it's the Michael Jackson werewolf transformation? Or, the choreographed Zombies bursting from graves which then dance along with other monsters?

Or, maybe it's Michael's red leather jacket? Yikes... Werewolves, Zombies and space aliens... Oh my!
Then there is Vincent Price's very distinct deep scary voice narrating..... Now that was Halloween creepy...
Darkness falls across the landThe midnite hour is close at handCreatures crawl in search of bloodTo terrorize y'alls neighbourhoodAnd whosoever shall be foundWithout the soul for getting downMust stand and face the hounds of hellAnd rot inside a corpses shellThe foulest stench is in the airThe funk of forty thousand yearsAnd grizzy ghouls from every tombAre closing in to seal your doomAnd though you fight to stay aliveYour body starts to shiverFor no mere mortal can resistThe evil of the thriller

You Take My Breath Away

Following my post at Kiss and Tell Girls last week, where I dig deep to expose my worst, most embarrassing Junior High crushes--Renee brought up the one heartthrob that even I was TOO embarrassed to post. Yes. Rex Smith of Sooner or Later fame. Did you read the book? I did. Several times. I loved that book and was thrilled when, in 1979, it was brought to the small screen.

At that time in my life (13), I thought a 13 year old falling for a 17 year old (Rex Smith who is so obviously like 23) and hiding her age for lurve--he thinks she's 16 or something (with her Robin's Egg Blue eye shadow and earnest guitar playing)-- was pretty damn super neato cool. She had an OLDER BF!





1979. Creep me the flip OUT. I have a couple of gut reactions-ONE how the flip can any man be so skinny in women's jeans? Two, never like a guy who spends more time on his hair than you do. Three, I have a 13 year old now and your ass would definitely be in jail. Four, he went from looking a little like William Katt in Greatest American Hero to looking a lot like a modern day KC in KC and the Sunshine Band (creepy).

More Scary Tunes! The Moody Blues Are Zombies

Katiebabs here bringing you some more spooky music that will make you run and hide under your bed!

Carolyn aka CJ, mommy of demon child Lil CJ and caretaker of prude Miss Doreen has started a trend here at the DIK Blog. We are posting songs that send chills throughout our bodies. They are spooky tunes perfect for Halloween that is right around the corner.

What do you think?
.
Nights in White Satin by The Moody Blues is one of my favorite songs but also a bit scary. It never fails to give me the chills. And this video is a bit freaky also! The band kind of looks like zombies and the one guy's mustache could come alive and eat you. I think it's an alien life form on his upper lip.



Nights in white satin,
Never reaching the end,
Letters Ive written,
Never meaning to send.

Beauty Id always missed
With these eyes before,
Just what the truth is
I cant say anymore.

cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you.

Gazing at people,
Some hand in hand,
Just what Im going thru
They can understand.

Some try to tell me
Thoughts they cannot defend,
Just what you want to be
You will be in the end...

MsMoonlight's Creepy Halloween thingy

Following with the current theme of creepy Halloween thingies, I offer the following songs that make my Creepy Song List. Enjoy...

First up... the Boogie Man!! Run!! Hide!! Save yourselves! *grin*


I'm Your Boogie Man lyrics:
I'm your boogieman
That's what I am
I'm here to do whatever I can
Be it early mornin', late afternoon
Or at midnight, it's never too soon

to want to please you
to want to please you
I wanna do it all, all for you
I wanna be your, be your lover boy
I wanna be the one, ya love most of all - oh yeah

I'm your boogieman, boogieman (Turn me on)
I'm your boogieman, boogieman (Do what you want)
I'm your boogieman, boogieman (Turn me on)
I'm your boogieman, boogieman (Do what you want)

I'm your boogieman
That's what I am
I'm here to do whatever I can
Be it early mornin', late afternoon
Or at midnight, it's never too soon

to want to hold you
I want to hold you
I wanna give me all, all to you
And I want you, to completely understand
Just where I'm at, and where I am - oh yeah

I'm your boogieman, boogieman (Turn me on)
I'm your boogieman, boogieman (Do what you want)
I'm your boogieman, boogieman (Turn me on)
I'm your boogieman, boogieman (Do what you want)

I'm your boogieman
That's what I am
I'm here to do whatever I can
Be it early mornin', late afternoon
Or at midnight, it's never too soon

I wanna be with you
I wanna be with you
Yeah we'll be together, you and me
I wanna see you
Ah get near you
I wanna love you
Ah from sundown sunup - oh yeah oh yeah

I'm your boogieman
That's what I am
I'm here to do whatever I can
Be it early mornin', late afternoon
Or at midnight, it's never too soon
To want to please you
I wan to keep you
To wanna do it all, all for you
I wanna be your, be your lover boy
I wanna be the one
Ya love most of all
I'm your boogieman
---

and because I HATE spiders...creepy crawly Boris the Spider- EEEKK!!


Boris The Spider lyrics:
Look, he's crawling up my wall
Black and hairy, very small
Now he's up above my head
Hanging by a little thread

Boris the spider
Boris the spider

Now he's dropped on to the floor
Heading for the bedroom door
Maybe he's as scared as me
Where's he gone now, I can't see

Boris the spider
Boris the spider

Creepy, crawly
Creepy, crawly
Creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly
Creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly
Creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly
Creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly

There he is wrapped in a ball
Doesn't seem to move at all
Perhaps he's dead, I'll just make sure
Pick this book up off the floor

Boris the spider
Boris the spider

Creepy, crawly
Creepy, crawly
Creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly
Creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly
Creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly
Creepy, creepy, crawly, crawly

He's come to a sticky end
Don't think he will ever mend
Never more will he crawl 'round
He's embedded in the ground

Boris the spider
Boris the spider
---


OK, those just give me the creepys! The spider lyrics are the stuff my nightmares are made of!

Scary Halloween thingy #2, with possible TMI...Haunted!

At some point during 1970's, I began to realize songs actually had lyrics. Some, of course, were unintelligible. (Like Manfred Man's Blinded by the light. Wrapped up like a deuce, you know the Rolos in the night, or Billy Idol's How's about a date, there is no human race.)

Unfortunately for child hypochondriac Carolyn Crane, Seasons in the Sun was perfectly intelligible.

I remember the first time I actually listened to it was in the waiting room of an eye doctor's office and it FRIGHTENED THE STUFFING OUT OF ME!

As a child, I was well aware that anybody could get a horrible disease and die; in fact, I obsessed about it frequently, but this song made it a terrifying reality. Lyrics that particularly upset me: Goodbye Papa it's hard to die. Like, this poor fellow is dying, and saying goodbye to his parents? I imagined me having to say goodbye to my parents, my dog. Even my sisters. Or, Goodbye to you, my trusted friend. We've known each other since we're nine or ten. Together we climbed hills or trees. I had friends I played with, too! And like, that would just be over?

I think part of it was the powerlessness. This guy has a horrible disease and none of the adults could help him, as proved by this song.

I don't know where my childhood hypochondria came from--probably a stew of things, but this song definitely made it worse, because it made a little story out of the whole thing that I could imagine myself into. Sometimes it would stick in my head for days and haunt me. I swear, I'm not being flip - it would run in my head and haunt me for days. Some kids had monsters in the closets, the boogie man. I had Terry Jacks.

I'm a lot better now, though obviously I think about it enough that I made my main character in my book a hypochondriac. Oh well, at least I can listen to this song without freaking.

Creepy Halloween writing observation #1

One thing about being a writer is that you have to learn to see the world from many different characters' mindsets, even those most strange and frightening to you.

As a writer, I strive to understand all darkness, not just in my current characters, but all possible characters. How does a vampire feel when he sucks the last drop of blood from a victim? Where is the pleasure in feeling the corpse limp in ones hands? I need to be able to understand the quivering anticipation a strangler in the 1600's felt, approaching a lonely girl on the streets, hands itching to tighten over a nubile neck.

What is that killer's mind like? How does life feel to him or her?

What is it like to be a hungry werewolf, or an insane god? What is that mind like?

I find, if I really want to, I can key into most any kink and "get" what's sexy about it, at least enough to write about it if I want--jock sniffing, poop eating, even the most depraved role playing.

However, the other day while I was running, switching around stations on my radio headphones set, I came across this song and it baffled and disturbed me.

What is the world like to the mind that wrote this song? People somewhere thought it was sexy. How is that possible? I was a child when it came out. Was I affected? What manner of darkness of the soul produced this?

Watch the video closely. Is it possible these two are being forced by a third party? They seem a bit under duress. Who smiles while singing about muskrats having sex? Captain makes sex sounds with his keyboards. Surely a grown man wouldn't do this without some sort of threat, perhaps an sinister presence lurking just outside the camera lens.

Please advise!

xoxo Carolyn Crane (aka Carolyn Jean)

LB Gregg Three Days of DIK:Give It To Me Baby

Desire

I had an interesting conversation with CJ (see photo) the other day while avoiding my snooping neighbor and using the free internet in the local Panera. Since we're going to be roomies at a certain upcoming event, we were gabbing about this and that. The word Urgency came up.

Urgency! How authors build it, why it's weird to be a blogger promoing, and what books we feel the URGE to read. Also how we're part of the machine (but lets ignore that part of the equation).

You know what I'm talking about as a reader, yes--the books we want As Soon As Possible.

I tried to come up with a list, but my writing and my obsession with crappy tv got in the way. Admittedly, Jim and Pam's wedding was high on my list of priorities last night. They did not disappoint!

Such a fan.

Two Example of Authors whose Books I HAD to HAVE.

1. JR Ward scammed led us by the straps of our knock off Coach bags-- right to the check out line. Ca-ching! (For me this ended with the pothead book. Still, she's a smart one.) Series bating, fresh hooky kind of writing, and sex on a stick Vamps you just hated to love. She's the queen of crack, yes.
   
   
2. JK Rowling kept me up until fucking midnight making wands out of pipe cleaners and casting spells with glitter (kill me) alongside my kids more than once. I still have wrist bracelets and all kinds of promotional BE THERE FOR MIDNIGHT stuff crammed in desk drawers. I forked over $$$ for the Harry Potter books willingly...nay, gladly...because of my kids. Wonderful.

So. What books do you have to have? Not just want them, but you cannot imagine not reading them on day one of its release. You know, as soon as you can find a place (side of the road; McDonald's parking lot; stop light) to crack that sucker open and crease its spine?

Here are LB's top most anticipated books

Tad Williams releases the third book in this tres magnifique series, Shadowrise, and I'm DESPERATE for it. It comes out about two weeks before my first novel and I can guarantee you I'll be nose in this book. YEARS I've waited. (OK, not just me, but fans in general). Cliff hanger anyone?

On the fantasy front, I'm also eager for Josh Lanyon's Strange Fortune, which looks incredible. BEB's releases this yum yum on G's birthday. Do you think G would like a copy? He loves fantasy. Josh will be here next month (when I host in my lisabea guise) to tell us MORE about it. It's gorgeous.

JL Langley's Without Fear--Stirling and Rhys' story. No cover. No information. Who cares? I'm in, baby! I'll just post this photo of Nate (from My Fair Captain ) to fill some space, yes?

No. There's no book that I know of coming next, but I dream that someday, some way, there will be a new installment to Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series. Yes, I'm a Discworld fan, but Tiffany Aching stole my heart (and the Nac Mac Feegles stole my wallet).

This book. Look at this scary chick in that creepy urban setting. I'm eager for Ms. Carolyn Crane's debut UF novel. Carolyn says "...in a nutshell, Mind Games is the first in an urban fantasy trilogy about a hypochondriac who joins a psychological hit squad. It takes place in a fantastical Milwaukee/Chicago."

She had me at hypochondriac.

Pretend this is the new one.

Finally--the number one book I'm waiting for comes as no surprise to anyone, I'm sure--Adrien English V-The Dark Tide. I have no information on this book--only that Adrien and Jake are entering a new phase in their relationship, and I must know what happens next.

Conversely, there's this book.

I'm going to admit something to you, I've not read Suze Brockmann's latest book, Hot Pursuit. And here's why (and, this is terrible!)...she revisited an established couple and I didn't feel a burning desire to crack it open. Buy it? Of course! It's Suze! But...I want the conflict in my romances to be between the hero and the heroine, and I'm worried this Sam and Alyssa book will fall flat. Which is frankly ridiculous. Because if there is one thing my hero Suze does, it's to surprise me at every turn. Rule breaker!

So. What are YOU waiting for this year? I expect to hear Kresley Cole, Lisa Kleypas, Charlaine Harris, Elizabeth Hoyt, Joanna Bourne, Ann Aguirre....let me know!