Monday, December 26, 2011

What is your New Year’s Resolution for 2012?

When is comes to romance dating and relationships, we would like to know the one resolution you plan to make for 2012.

It can be serious or hilarious. No matter what it is, post your promise in our Comment Box.

Have fun!


Monday, December 19, 2011

It is That Time Again

How fast the time goes. We cannot believe that 2011 is almost ending.

We at One World Singles Magazine Blog would like to take this time to thank you again for your continued support, for visiting our site and for leaving great comments to our articles. We also want to extend our thanks and appreciations to the guest bloggers for making our blog a great success.

The staff is going on hiatus and will return on Monday, January 9, 2012.

Wishing you a joyous and safe holiday and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

One World Singles Magazine Team

Monday, December 12, 2011

Kent Manor Inn – Romantic Perfection on Maryland’s Eastern Shore By Niambi Brown Davis


Kent Manor Inn at Night

If Kent Manor Inn was the clue in a word association game, “romance” would be the answer.  I was there for an evening jazz concert on the lawn, but even at dusk, maybe especially at dusk, the wonderful water view, acres of beautifully landscaped grounds was unexpected perfection. 

My first sight of Kent Manor Inn was at the end of a long, tree-lined lane. Just after sundown, with every window of the manor house lighted, it was hold-your-breath beautiful.  Inside, the atmosphere was both elegant and inviting.  Although I was only there for an evening, I was able to see the Atrium, one of the Inn’s lovely dining rooms. The windows faced the water and I imagined the experience of sunset and an exquisitely prepared meal in that space. There are three others, some with Italian marble fireplaces, to warm a fall or winter meal. My favorite discovery on the grounds was the glass-enclosed Garden House. It looks out over a lush green lawn and beyond to Thompson’s Creek. What a beautiful place for a water-side wedding and reception!

Kent Manor Inn is located in Stevensville, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The main house holds 24 rooms, each one radiating “the warmth, intimacy and attention to detail that’s expected of an historic country manor inn.” Marble fireplaces, sumptuous four-poster beds, window seats and porches add to the Inn’s romantic charm.

It doesn’t take a wildly romantic imagination (such as my own) to craft a four-part romantic play with Kent Manor Inn as the setting:  the introductory first dinner date, perfect wedding, festive reception and grand finale wedding night!

Click on the link to see for yourself. www.kentmanor.com

Monday, November 28, 2011

Too Perfect to Date


So you think you’re hot. You’ve got the right clothes, the right car, and the right looks to tempt any potential suitor. Why are you still single? Well, you may be just a little too perfect.
How can anyone be too perfect? Easy. If you never let anyone see your flaws, you are not letting anyone see you. People interested in serious relationships know that everyone has issues. True, you don’t want to scare people away with your fondness for Star Trek or your habit of rocking out to Taylor Swift, but no one wants to date a robot, either.
Learn to balance. Show the flaws that aren’t completely repugnant to strangers (your love of cheesy horror movies) and hide the really bad ones until they get to know you better (your collection of Beanie Babies). Yes, they are supposed to love you for who you really are, but don’t blind them all at once.
Remember that you want a real person too. Be who you want to date. The Golden Rule isn’t just for school kids.
~*~
Mary Edwards is one of the contributors and editors for dating websites. She is passionate about thought leadership writing, regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting and online dating community. She can be reached at edwardsmary936@gmail.com

Monday, November 21, 2011

Help Lily and Tony Name Their Book Contest

Niambi Davis, author of Sanctuary is running a contest titled What's In A Name.

For additional information, please go to Arrow Publications.

Soon, we will be bringing you some fascinating details about this multi-talented author.

So keep coming back for upcoming news and events.

Monday, November 14, 2011

The Book club Short Story Project by Brenda L. Foster plus 11 Contributing Authors


Brenda L. Foster, CEO/Owner
Treasure Books N' More

The Book Club Short Story Project is a compilation of 12 short stories based on the 12 months of the year and the significant of each month be it holiday or change of season.

You get to enjoy 12 contemporary urban romance short stories without all the drama. These stories are family friendly, feel good stories.

Excerpt:

        “This ish look good girl! I can’t wait to dig in! Dang, why you don’t have white rice to go with this grub?” Inca was used to her Korean mother fixing a pot of rice with every meal she prepared; even if it was spaghetti.

        “Inca girl you better get used to eating food without rice. You’re an American now!” Monique is thick and loves to cook and eat. But she is also the only one who will stay behind and help clean up the mess. After a party. It usually wins her the privilege of taking home the leftovers.

        “Shall we get started ladies?” says Gwen. “I’m glad we chose to do the short story thing. My life is way too hectic to be tryin’ to get all this reading done. So, the first story on our agenda is Black Eyed Peas and White Rice.”

        “What a coincidence,” Inca says laughing. The women fill their plates and glasses and switch on their Kindles. The room gets quiet and they begin to read a short Blasian Romance.

        This is it…

        The Book Club Short Stories


About The Author

Brenda L. Foster is a three time self-published author and the CEO/Owner of Treasure Books N’ More. You can find out everything you want to know about her and what she does at her Website. She just released a poetry anthology, and The Book Club Short Story Project is due to be released in the spring of 2012. She currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Shi Tzu and feisty McCaw.

Links:



Monday, November 07, 2011

Author Lendy Demetrius Returns With His Second Novel I Live, You Move On

Lendy Demetrius, Author
No one does seduction and suspense like Lendy Demetrius. He possesses an intense voice, and his words bring chills in his writing. A story that is powerful, nail biting and touching. An ingeniously moving story, inspiring, profoundly real.


Gripping, limitlessly creative, going to be read for a long time to come.

After several years in hiatus, author Lendy Demetrius has return to bookshelves nationwide with the release of his second novel, I Live, You Move On. Set in New York City, the story follows the lives of two strong, driven career women who find their love lives will not be as easily conquered as their professional lives have been.

Lendy made his return to the literary scene with the vivid tale of two dynamic women, one Latina and one African-American, seeking to find balance between their personal and professional lives without having to sacrifice one for the other. “As minorities, our lives are so diverse,” Lendy says of his style of writing. “I love to bring to light the challenge in not only revealing that diversity, but also synergizing the layers that take us beyond the collective African-American or Hispanic experience, to the unique individuality of each character.”


A Summary of the Characters


JULISSA LONGORIEZ never intended to let her personal life derail her work. In fact, Julissa made it a point to avoid attachment and love. Besides, getting too close to any man would force her to have to come to terms with a past she has worked so hard to bury. But her latest conquest has a different plan in mind. Despite his current relationship with another woman, Avery knows that Julissa is the one he wants. Moreover, with the rapidly changing circumstances of her life, Julissa must decide if keeping her past secret is more important than building the future she never thought would be hers.

Demetrius’ other protagonist, NAHLA VOYAS, is almost the exact opposite of her friend Julissa. For years, Nahla has played doting wife and mother, ignoring her husband’s philandering ways and sacrificing her dreams to keep their home life as close to perfect as possible. But when the truth about his extramarital activities becomes too much to ignore, Nahla decides she must love herself and her daughter more than this man. She must do what it takes to put herself first and become the role model her child deserves. However, getting there may not be that simple.

As with his first novel, There Could Be Joy and Pain in the Long Run, Lendy Demetrius demonstrates a true mastery of his subjects in I Live, You Move On. He delivers Julissa and Nahla’s first person accounts in an engaging manner that keeps the readers glued to the pages as they discover the circumstances that have made these two women who they are. With each twist of the present and revelation of the past, Demetrius creates a world so vivid that it could very well be unfolding on screen.


An Interview With The Author

Who are your favorite authors? How have they impacted your writing? I would say Eric Jerome Dickey, Victoria Schmidt and Douglass Adams. I liked Eric Jerome Dickey’s book a lot. His books are very well written & I learned a great deal about character development. Victoria Schmidt's books incorporate her incomparable interests in different paths that allow me to imagine things differently about various topics while presenting me with realistic tools to examine things on my own. “45 Master Characters” is like a bible to me, especially if I am stuck somewhere in my writing. It helps me think of the different possibilities. My beloved book has been unquestionably “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglass Adams. His comical aspect is unconquerable and his satire lasts for days. He commences his book by saying he came up with the idea while intoxicated in an arbitrary field in London. He is honest and I find that to be loved in a person’s character.

In the years since you were last published, what has changed in your life? How has that affected your writing? What hasn’t changed! It seems like every facet of my life has changed through the years. Each evolution brought it's own challenges and lessons. Overall, it's caused me to learn to be more submissive and to accept that I can't always be in control. I've learned to relinquish control over the writing process too. Now, I just write. Even if it’s precisely five minutes a day. I realize that everything I write doesn't have to be my best work. I just have to create thoughts and write, without worrying about the outcome or how it will be received by others.

Where did you find the inspiration for Julissa & Nahla? Julissa & Nahla, both came from different aspects of my life and what I see around me. Their being comes from everywhere: situations I find myself in, songs, movies, conversations I’ve overheard. I would sit on the train and watch people and get inspired there. New York has millions of characters and therefore I am able to do my best writing on the rush hour train.

What's the relationship between the two women? They’re high school friends. Nahla is Julissa’s only girlfriend. Julissa is the type that has a problem with almost every other woman. In her mind, all women hate her because of the attention she gets. Julissa normally gets along more with men than women. Nahla is not the type to judge her, which is what has kept their friendship so strong over the years.

How different are the characters in this book in comparison with the ones in your previous effort? They're hard to compare because they evolve in completely different spaces, experiences, and different settings. Also, since Julissa & Nahla are older, everyone involved in their lives deals with situations with more maturely.

Is there any aspect of the book or the characters' lives that you left out of the final product? I took a character out. I didn’t feel I developed her enough. She would have been so overpowered by Julissa and Nahla and the twists and turns in their lives, that writing her in would have been a waste of a good plot line. So I will use her for another project.

What is the one personal thing that has the biggest effect on your writing? My past relationships, from dark to light, and everywhere in between. I use different stages of emotions in my writing, even if it has nothing to do with the situation. I use it to my advantage.

Is there a process or ritual that you use to find creativity when writing? What lesson from your experience with the last book did you apply to writing this book? I normally write on the train. I have to have noise around me or something going on. I guess it reminds me of high school days when I would ride on the train and do homework on my way to school. Or when I would turn on the radio when I am home and do my homework. Once I had created the characters and understood who they were, their lives just unfolded! I would much rather write than edit or revise or even do research. I went a bit deeper in the thought process and the emotions with I Live, You Move On. I learned that the more involved your readers are with the characters' emotional state, the easier it is to take them on the exact journey you want to lead them on.

What advice would you offer to up-and-coming writers today? I would say just do what you do. Write what you know and write for you. It is a lot easier to draw audiences into a story you know how to tell than it is to try to figure out what they want.


About The Author

The oldest of four children, Manhattan-born author Lendy Demetrius was introduced as a teenager to the escape that would become his life’s passion – writing. A high school teacher, who took the initiative to not only provide Lendy with guidance, but also to encourage and nurture his talent, made the introduction. “Mr. Bailey showed me that writing was a way to process and express what was going on in my life,” he recalls. “He showed me how to be still and take time for myself; writing was what made me still in moments of chaos.” Lendy quickly discovered that writing was something he could do and do well.

While in college, though he had not yet decided to pursue writing professionally, Lendy drew inspiration from everything including creative writing courses and the works of his favorite authors that helped to develop his written voice. That voice captures and relates themes of contemporary romance and drama, wrought in the African American and Hispanic experience.

Lendy also infuses his writing with tales of overcoming life’s trials, as he has had to do. “I feel every action we play in our lives leaves an etching, like a drawing,” he says of his writing style. “Writing novels for me is like connecting to a framework composed of our lives, culture, history, our pains, and our indulgences. I want to be able to tell a story that draws the reader in and open their conceptions.” In 2002, at the age of 21, Lendy became a published author, releasing There Could Be Joy and Pain in the Long Run.

Currently working as an accountant for a corporate real estate firm, Lendy Demetrius is also working on a transition or expansion into screenwriting.


Purchasing Links

Amazon

Barnes&Noble


You can check out the Author’s Web Site at http://www.lendydemetrius.com/

Lendy Demetrius is available for interviews, book signings and readings. For more information, please contact Youseline Obas with the Seline Media Group at youseline@selinemediagroup.com or (347) 234-6297

Monday, October 31, 2011

Shades of Deception has Been Completely Revised


Imagine lonely people searching for love, romance or a lifetime partner on an online dating site, at a social function, through a pen pal service, at a social network or through a chance meeting and believe they have found true love and happiness, only to discover that they have been deceived by heartless con artists.


Shades of Deception is a collection of ten fictional short stories centering on diverse men and women who in their speedy search for love, romance and bliss, become the targets and victims of deceit, betrayal, fraud, revenge and scandal. Each chapter tells a story as to how ordinary citizens who are sophisticated, successful and financially smart fall prey to insightful predators that use love, romance, lust and money as embellishments to destroy lives. You can now sample or read the entire book at http://www.publicbookshelf.com/contemporary/deception/

You will not be able to download this book. If you wish, you can purchase the book at the Public Bookshelf or at the following :

Amazon's Kindle Store

Monday, October 24, 2011

Why Some Smart Women Fall for Men Behaving Badly by Miss Know It All


Why do women, who have so much going for themselves, end up with losers? When it comes to selecting their educational and career choices, women make good decisions. However, with some women, there seems to be a breakdown in common sense when it comes to selecting men without substance.

What I am saying is that women have to be more selective when it comes to finding a mate. Just as you would exam a house before buying it, or do your research before purchasing a car or a major appliance, you would apply these same assessments when it comes to meeting and establishing a relationship with the opposite sex.

“With age comes wisdom.” Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Take for example the teenage girl who met her boyfriend in high school. It was love at first sight. Then, the boy began to exhibit some shady behavior throughout their relationship, dropped out of high school and partook in criminal activities. She went to college, got her BS degree, took the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and is now preparing to become a lawyer and will eventually take the bar exam. Yet, she still stayed with this person, because she loved him and thought she could change him.

The ultimate humiliation came when she lent him money, and he refused to pay back the loan. She took him to small claims court and sued him for the money. Mind you, she had him sign a promissory note. In this instance, she used good old common sense and applied what she learned in contract law. However, to add more insult to injury, he swore the signature on the note was not his. When the judge compared the signature on his driver’s license to the signature on the promissory note, they were a perfect match, and she won her case.

When it comes to romance, many women mistake bad behavior as an act of love and actually believe they can change that individual for the better. So take note: You will never be able to change anyone unless that individual decides to change on his own.

Therefore, the next time you meet someone, take a step back, do your homework and watch how that person conducts himself, which will tell you whether this individual is worth being in your life.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Meet Michelle Scott, Author of Straight to Hell



Michelle Scott, Urban Fantasy Author

On her virtual book tour, Michelle Scott stopped by and was gracious enough to let us delve into her life as an Urban Fantasy author. Indeed Michelle, who lives in Detroit, is a creative writer who has penned several books. We had the opportunity to chat about her writings, characters, and her advice to future authors.

Thank you, Michelle, for allowing us to interview you and letting us host your virtual book tour.

What are some of the most valuable lessons you have learned from writing? Patience! This is a lesson that I must learn over and over again. I have to be patient with the writing process because the muse moves according to her own schedule and not mine. I must also be patient and take the time to revive my material over and over again, and then patiently wait as the editor makes her comments. In many ways, writing is a waiting game.

What type of characters do you enjoy creating? I love placing ordinary characters in extraordinary circumstances. Like having an elementary school teacher discover that she is contractually obligated to serve the devil. Or putting a demon in the path of a teenage girl who’s biggest concern is that her parents won’t get her a car for her sixteenth birthday. It’s these kinds of situations where people find out what they’re really made of.

Which authors have influenced you the most? I always jokingly say that Stephen King taught me how to write. When I was in high school and college, I’d read and re-read his novels, trying to figure out how he made them so riveting. I also love Margaret Atwood who is able to make anything sound creepy.

Who or what inspired you to become an author? Like Lady Gaga says, I was born this way.

From where do you get your story ideas? Like I said, I live in Detroit, and the city inspires me quite a bit. Detroit isn’t half as violent or frightening as people seem to think it is, but it has some very gritty areas. When I worked downtown, I saw rats that were as big as cats. (No, I’m not making that up.) There’s something about all those abandoned buildings and weedy lots that gets my mental wheels turning.

Are your stories based on true current or past events? Not the stories themselves, so much, but there are references to events that really happened. I love the history of Michigan. In “Blood Sisters”, for example, one of my characters talks about The Purple Gang, which really was a violent group of bootleggers back in the 1920’s.

Are you planning to write any more books in the near future? I’m nearly finished with a sequel to Straight to Hell which is called Straight Shot. Also, I’m wrapping up a dystopian YA novel.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about writing a book? Do it! Don’t wait! Seriously. Right this second. Go grab a pencil and get to work. Chop, chop!!

~*~

Following is an introduction and an excerpt from Straight to Hell:




The moment Lilith Straight dies, the Devil appears to claim her soul and cash in on a longtime family curse. Now, Lilith has no choice but to work for him as a succubus. The job is bad, the boss is worse, and she can’t imagine how she’ll explain her new reincarnation to her eight-year-old daughter. But then an arrogant, yet oh so yummy, incubus shows up…and hell heats up just a little more.


Chapter One

   A year ago I, Lilith Straight, was the woman you always wanted to be.
   I was married to someone better looking than your husband, and his salary climbed into figures so high that you’d have to be married to six men before their incomes equaled his. We lived in the house that you always wanted but never could have afforded, and drove cars that would have made you ashamed of yours. My husband and I went to those exclusive parties you read about in the newspapers – yes, those parties – and we rubbed elbows and other body parts with actors and politicians and professional athletes – yes, those athletes, the ones you also read about in newspapers. My daughter attended a small, very exclusive, private school where your child would not have been allowed even if you could have afforded the tuition.
   But within the span of twelve months, all of that changed. My marriage dissolved, my house burned down, and the only job I could find, substitute teaching, hardly paid for a week’s worth of bills. On top of that, I’d suddenly gained custody of my antisocial, eleven-year-old niece, Ariel, when her mother dropped her off at my doorstep and drove off with hardly a backward glance. And a week later, my bent-for-hell stepsister Jasmine moved in after her mother kicked her out of the house.
   So when I was hit by a car and died for the first time, I thought that my life had already gotten as bad as it could get.
   Boy, was I wrong.


   The day I died was a Monday. Specifically, the Monday after a two-week Christmas school break, and all of us – even Drinking Tea, our cat – had slept through the alarm. Had I still been married, this never would have happened since Dr. Theodore Dempsey, my ex, woke me up every morning at five by groping me under the covers. But my recent divorce gave me certain privileges, such as being able to sleep in without having someone squeeze my breasts like they were testing mangoes for ripeness.
   So when I finally did wake up and realize what time it was (7:15), I leapt out of bed and began shouting orders to my daughter and my niece. “Grace, get up! Ariel, move it!”
   I used to live in a house that had more square-footage than the city library, but after Ariel had accidentally set the place on fire, the four of us had been forced to relocate to a seedy townhouse the size of a walk-in closet. My voice carried through the paper-thin walls without a problem, but at the same time, those thin walls also allowed me to hear my daughter’s whine, “Do I have to go to school?”. Followed by my niece’s muttered, “F.U.”.
   Luckily, I didn’t have to be to work that morning. As a substitute teacher, I got to pick my own hours, and I’d given myself the day off. It was almost like I knew that this was going to happen. I spared a moment to throw on my robe, then ran downstairs, so intent on getting into the kitchen that I almost didn’t notice the strange, young man sprawled on my couch. He wore nothing but a pair of boxers, and the most interesting thing about him – aside from the snarling dragon tattoo encircling his bellybutton, and the line of metal rivets punctuating his forehead – was the fact that he was the most hairless creature I’d ever seen. Not only was he bald, but his legs were so smooth that I was a little jealous. His chest was as pink and clean as a newborn’s. He had no eyebrows. Nor, for that matter, armpit hair – a fact I realized when he groaned and raised his arms over his head to stretch. I eyed his boxers, wondering just how far the hairless area extended
   For an instant, I considered chasing him out of the house before Grace noticed him, but she was already pounding down the stairs. So instead, to hide the hairless spectacle from her, I tossed a blanket over him. He muttered a ‘thanks’ and immediately went back to sleep.
   “Mom! Mom!” Grace skidded to a halt. “Hey, who’s that guy?”
   “A friend of Jas’s, I’m sure,” I said. I was going for the coffee, but halfway across the tiny kitchen, I stepped into a puddle of water and soaked my slippered feet. The entire floor was underwater.
   “Ah, shit!,” I said. I grabbed an armload of dishtowels from the drawer and began mopping up the mess, tracing the puddle to the washing machine which sat innocently by the back door.
   I wanted to cry. A broken appliance was the last thing I needed right then. I’d spent the last of my savings to make my car insurance payment, and had nothing left over to buy a new washer. In fact, I didn’t even have the ten quarters it would have taken to go to the Laundromat. “Goddamn, shit!!”
   “You broke rule number one. Now you need to put two quarters in the swear jar.” Grace stood in the doorway, looking solemnly at the mess. She’d dressed herself in the same t-shirt and jeans she’d worn the day before. And the day before that. She was brushing the top layer of her brown hair smooth over a bottom layer of wicked snarls.
   For a moment, I flashed back to a year ago. Back to the days of private school when my daughter, wearing a plaid skirt and navy blazer, would have been eating an egg white omelet in the breakfast nook while I braided her hair. The scene, once ordinary, was now so surreal that I might have dreamed it up.
   “I know, Darling. I know,” I agreed. I dropped the soaking wet rags into the sink and put down another layer of towels.
   “You also broke rule number nine.” Standing behind Grace was a very triumphant-looking Ariel. She loved catching me in the middle of bad behavior.
   The rules the girls were referring to were known as the “Ten Commandments of the Straight Household.” I’d posted a list of them on the refrigerator. And on the mirror above the bathroom sink. And next to the computer, on the doors of all the bedrooms, and on the dashboard of the car.
   I’m nothing if not thorough.
   Rule number nine had been written specifically for my stepsister. It said, “Thou shalt not let strange boys sleep overnight (either on the couch or in your bed).”
   “You’re right. I did break the rule,” I told Ari, thinking of the man on the couch.
   “And eight, too,” she added.
   For a moment, I couldn’t even remember rule number eight. And when it finally came to me, I was shocked. Eight was: “Thou shalt not leave prophylactics (either used or unused) lying about the house.” Again, this rule was for my sister because I hadn’t needed prophylactics since long before my divorce. Jasmine, however, had a very active love life.
   “I never broke that rule,” I argued.
   “Really?” Ariel held up several square, foil packages.
   “Give those here,” I said, furious. “Where did you get them?”
   “They were on the end table next to the couch. They probably belong to that bald guy.” Ariel’s eyes were alight with evil mischief. “But you should have thrown them away, so you just broke number eight.”
   I snapped my fingers at her to make her hand the condoms over. She looked smug, but surrendered them. It never occurred to me to ask how she knew what those things were. Ariel’s mother had given her the flipside education to the ‘no boys, no drugs’ message most kids get at home. Grace, however, looked on with heartbreaking innocence. “What are those things, Mom?”
   “Nothing.” I shoved the condoms into the pocket of my robe. “Just grab your coat and get going before you miss the bus.”
   “But I need to change my clothes!”
   I’d gotten careless with my laundry duties over vacation, and now dirty clothes piled on the floor like the slopes of Kilimanjaro. The previous night, I had tried to do a load before I went to bed. But now, seeing the condition of the washing machine, I knew nothing had gotten clean. There goes rule number two, I thought. (Rule number two: Thou shalt not pick dirty underwear out of the hamper and re-wear it.) “I guess we’ll all be wearing dirty clothes,” I said.
   If there was any silver lining to this disastrous situation, it came from the fact that no one from my old neighborhood or Grace’s old school was there to witness it. Because if they had been, every woman in the subdivision would have been roasting me alongside their coffee beans.
   “What about breakfast?” Grace whined.
   I grabbed an apple from the bowl on the counter and shoved it at her. “Here, take this.”
   “That’s not breakfast!” Then Grace started to cry, and Ariel rolled her eyes and told her to grow up. And then Jasmine shouted up from the basement for all of us to, “Shut the hell up already. Some of us are trying to sleep!”
   So that’s the way my morning started off. Compared to other Monday mornings, it wasn’t all that bad, really.


   With the two younger girls out of the house, I finally had a chance to deal with the other member of our tribe: my stepsister.
   The townhouse had three-levels. Ariel and Grace shared one tiny bedroom upstairs, and I occupied the one across the hall from them. Jasmine dominated the basement. Between us, like a kind of demilitarized zone, lay the living room and kitchen. Ignoring the hairless wonder who was still gently snoring on the couch, I went downstairs and pounded on the basement door. “Wake up!”
   “Go ‘way.”
   I opened the door and flipped on the lights. Jasmine pulled the covers over her head, but I yanked them down again. ““It’s Monday, Jas. You promised you’d go find a job today.”
   Jasmine is twenty-three; a college dropout who is convinced that the only thing standing between her and a career as a high-paid fashion designer is a run of bad luck and not a deficiency of talent, drive, and energy.
   But what Jas lacks in skill and knowledge, she makes up for in looks. I don’t mind admitting that I’m good looking – at nearly thirty-five, I have no wrinkles, I can still fit into my high school cheerleading costume, and not a single gray thread mars my auburn hair – but Jasmine is absolutely gorgeous. Hers is a blend of our father’s Asian features – hair like black silk, flawless toffee-colored complexion, dark, exotic eyes – and her mother’s perfect cheekbones, impressive height and natural grace. Needless to say, men fall for her. Hence, the need for those two commandments on my list.
   Jas glared at me and tore the covers out of my hands, pulling them back over her head. “I’ll find a job tomorrow.” Her voice was muffled from under the covers. “Just let me sleep in today.”
   “That’s what you said last week. Which is now last year, in fact. But you also promised to make a New Year’s resolution to get a job. Remember?”
   On New Year’s Eve, Grace, Ariel and I had put on our pajamas and sat on the couch to watch the ball drop in Times Square, but I’d fallen asleep even before Ryan Seacrest had begun the countdown. Jasmine, on the other hand, stayed out all night, not coming in until ten the next morning. She was missing one of the shoes she’d borrowed from me, had put a dent in the front fender of my car, and was still drunk. But she had promised to find a job, and I wasn’t about to let her slip out of it now.
   “Jasmine, you getting up?”
   At the sound of the male voice, I let out an ‘eep’ of surprise and turned around to face the hairless wonder who stood behind me in the narrow hall.
   At least he had done the decent thing and wrapped the blanket around his waist to hide his skivvies. He grinned good-naturedly and held out his hand. “Tommy LaFevre. Nice to meet you.”
   “Lilith Straight.”
   “Jas’s stepsister.” His smile widened. “Yeah, she talks a lot about you.”
   I’ll bet, I thought. “That’s funny because she doesn’t talk about you at all.” I said it in order to make him flinch, but he only smiled serenely.
   “Tommy’s my spiritual advisor,” Jasmine said.
   I snorted, unimpressed. Was she kidding? But, no, I could see by her reverent expression that she was not. Only my step-sister would be willing to take spiritual advice from an unemployed bum with a demon tattoo and more metal in his face than the hardware section of Home Depot.
   “I’m helping Jasmine find her path,” Tommy said and glanced at Jas who was sitting on the end of her bed wearing nothing but a tiny chemise and a thong. Watching him watch her, I wasn’t fooled for a moment. Tommy could call himself a minister, a shaman, a monk, or even a witch doctor, but his eyes were crawling over Jasmine like a greedy bumblebee on the center of a daisy. Spiritual advisor, my ass.
   “Well, maybe you can help her find a path to the employment agency,” I said. I started to walk past him to return upstairs, but he blocked my way.

   “You don’t believe me, do you?” He looked troubled, like a little kid who had drawn a picture of a horse only to have the teacher call it a dinosaur.
   I’m a master in the art of sarcasm. I can draw blood at fifty paces. “Of course I do. And I think it’s wonderful that Jas is interested in religion.”
   “Not religion,” Jas chided. “Spirituality.”
   I narrowed my eyes at her. “Whatever.”
   “Here, let me see your palm,” Tommy said and took my hand. In the narrow confines of the hallway, it was impossible to maneuver out of his reach, so I unwillingly relented, if only to prove to Jasmine how inane all of this was. His touch was surprisingly gentle as he lifted my hand close to his eyes and examined my palm. “H-m-m.”
   I was curious in spite of myself. “H-m-m what?”
   “Your lifeline is very short. It stops here, but picks up again here.” He tapped the center of my palm.
   “Oh, let me see. Let me see!” Jasmine was suddenly crowding against me.
   He studied my face and frowned, looking worried. “And there’s something strange about your aura.”
   I yanked my hand back. “Oh, please.” If there’s anything worse than a cliché, it’s a religious cliché.
   “I’m not kidding,” he said. “Something’s off. Possibly something serious.” He tugged at one of the holes in his ear. “My sister’s aura was bloody red on the day… Well, it was bloody red.”
   “What’s going to happen to her?” Jasmine’s eyes glowed. She looked as excited as Ariel when she catches me breaking a rule.
   “I have to use the bathroom,” I said, shoving myself in-between them.
   “I know you don’t believe me, but do yourself a favor, okay?” Tommy said. “Be careful today. Wear your seatbelt. Don’t give rides to strangers. You know, that kind of thing. Just in case.”
   Jas made a farting noise through her lips. “Are you kidding me? Lilith wouldn’t cross the street without looking five ways. She wouldn’t even dare talk to a stranger, let alone give one a ride. For her, leaving the house without an umbrella is risky. And she’d never…”
   “Okay, Jas, we get the picture,” I said.
   “I’m just saying, you’re a careful person, that’s all.”
   I glared at her and started up the stairs. “I’m leaving in an hour, and Jas – I’ll expect you to be gone by then as well. And before you go, be sure to take out the trash.”
   “That’s not my job,” Jasmine howled. “That’s Ari’s…”
   “That’s not what she meant, Jas,” the hairless wonder said. “She’s talking about me.” This time, I was pleased to see that he did look hurt.


   When I was in elementary school, I was always the fat kid. Not obese, mind you, but chunky. The kind of girl who had to wear vertical stripes to look slimmer and never dared to be seen in a two-piece bathing suit. This was because I had (and still have) the habit of eating whenever I got nervous. And my mother was always making me nervous.
   Now, I can see that my poor Grace is heading down the same path. Nowadays, of course, we’d never say she was fat. We use other terms like ‘unhealthy’ or ‘past her ideal BMI’. But already, I can see she has a little gut overhanging the top of her jeans. Don’t get me wrong – I love her the way she is. But when I recall those days from elementary school when my classmates called me ‘Jiggle Belly’, I know that I have to save poor Grace from all of that.
   Hence rule number three of the Straight Ten Commandments: no junk food.
   But that afternoon, only twenty minutes before coming face-to-grill with the white Volvo, I was standing in line waiting to get my double Bates burger, large fry and a large Coke. A real Coke, that is. Diet is for wimps and diabetics. After I’d paid, and the girl at the cash register placed the greasy, white bag on the counter, I grabbed my food with the enthusiasm of a junkie plunging a needle into her vein. I was in fast food heaven.
   Stopping for the Bates burger also made me late for my appointment, which also meant I’d broken rule number six (thou shalt not be late.) And after I saw the SALE sign hanging in the boutique window across the street, I probably would have broken number seven (thou shalt not spend money frivolously), but I died before I had the chance.
   Breaking these rules isn’t what sent me to hell, of course, but it certainly entered into the equation. Because if I been paying more attention to where I was walking instead of fiddling with my cell phone, I probably would have seen the car before it hit me. In fact, I might have even changed my destiny. Who’s to say? But one thing’s for sure. If I hadn’t been trying to text my sister, I wouldn’t have broken the biggest rule of them all: number ten. Thou shalt not upload or download porn from the Internet.
   But then again, whether or not I actually broke number ten is a matter of opinion. After all, I think everyone agrees that the definition of porn is subjective. What’s pornographic to me, probably isn’t so bad for you. If, for example, you think that using your cell phone to snap a picture of an enormous dildo that is peeking up at you from over the top of a middle-aged woman’s shopping bag and then e-mailing said picture to your stepsister because you want to prove to her that you are not a prude is pornographic, then so be it.
   But it probably says a lot more about you than it does me.
   The truth is, the sight of that ridiculously huge vibrator gave me the giggles. The owner – a fifty-something, bleached-blonde, leather coat wearing woman – had just come out of a store called the Love Nest. The Love Nest was a porn shop, but a classy porn shop. Classy, because everything in that neighborhood, even the Bates Burgers, was upscale. The woman’s paper shopping bag, unbeknownst to her, had a large rip in the side and the dildo was leaning out of it like it was thinking of escaping. It kept wagging up and down in time to her stride as if trying to make up its mind. This struck me as hilarious.
   So, thinking quickly, I took out my cell phone. And the moment I had snapped my picture and sent it to Jas, I looked up in time to see the oncoming car. I caught a glimpse of the vehicle, a white Volvo, and the driver, a man in a white suit, before I felt a terrible jolt as if the hand of God had suddenly jerked me upwards by the back of my collar and hoisted me into the heavens.
   It was only later that I understood I hadn’t gone up at all. In fact, I’d gone in the exact opposite direction. The express elevator, as it were, straight to the very bottom.
   Hell.

~*~

Buy links:



Monday, October 03, 2011

Something to Share by Deneale K McElhaney Williams



I have something to share that is perfect for anyone and everyone; and in more ways than one.

Now I bet you’re wondering - ‘How can that be?’ Well allow me to explain! 
  • Do you like to feel good?
  • Do you like to relax? 
  • Do you like to make your partner feel good and/or relax? 
  • Would you like to learn more about making you and your partner experiences more pleasurable? 
  • Would you like to sample, smell, and taste new things? 
  • Would you like to get to know our products one on one before you buy them? 
  • Do you like to have fun when you have a party? 
  • Do you like to get together with your friends? 
  • Wouldn’t ‘you’ like to get some things for FREE?
If you, or your partner answered yes to any of these questions, then I might just have something that would ‘peak’ your interest!

Have you ever heard of Pure Romance? I imagine you may have. There are a lot of us Consultants around; and why is that? Because Pure Romance is fun to sell, and easy! And Pure Romance is something many people want, and you don’t have to be ‘sexually active’ to want it either! We don’t just sell ‘sex!’ We sell sexual enhancement products, and attire, and we are also sexual health counselors. Each and every consultant is able to offer you advice, and help. And let us not forget, we also sell massage oils, lotions, and other items to help individuals relax. Not everything is about sex, with Pure Romance.

Our goal is satisfaction, with our customers, hostesses, their friends, our clientele, and so much more. We can lead you in the right direction, we can offer advice, even suggestions, samples, and more. We are here to help you, one on one.

When ordering, we take our customers into a private ordering room, so as not to embarrass them. This way it is discreet. No one knows, except for the consultant and the customer. Your order will then be hand delivered to you, or if you end up out of area, arrangements can even be made between you and the consultant. We are always reasonable.

Our goal is complete and total satisfaction. Sometimes our product line changes, along with our catalogs, but we promise you only the best products designed and made to satisfy and please the individual they are designed for.

And if you didn’t already know, Patty Brisben is the founder of the “Patty Brisben Foundation.” Here is that link: http://www.pattybrisbenfoundation.com/   which is designed to enhance women's sexual health and well-being through research and education.

Patty Brisben herself, went through traumatic experiences; and with her experiences, she has destined to make life better for herself and for women around the World! When you order from myself, or your own Pure Romance consultant, don’t forget to check out and maybe even buy her book! It will enlighten you in more ways than one!

My own personal web site for Pure Romance is: http://www.denealewilliams.pureromance.com/ where you can order online 24/7 in the convenience of your own home, and in your PJ’s. You can also book your parties through me here, and get my contact information, just in case you have questions for me. I also have a facebook LIKE page: http://www.facebook.com/pureromancedeneale feel free to join in and tell your friends too!

Even if you are single, Pure Romance can still satisfy you and your needs. We have all kinds of amazing products, and I don’t just say that because I represent them! I say it, because I too, am completely and totally pleased with everything they have to offer, not just for women, and couples everywhere alike.

You will not be disappointed.

And you might want to know that my hostesses-love their hostess gift baskets. I make a care package worth dying over! Products and samples, and a few extra’s. And everyone loves my parties because the games are such fun! Everyone is laughing and giggling, and enjoying themselves! It is like nothing you have ever experienced before, you will be glad you did it! Such fun, and so memorable you will be telling everyone you meet. Your friends will thank you! You will be the life of the party, and they will always remember, who led them to their new Pure Romance Consultant!

You only live once, so what are you waiting for?!?!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Mark Your Calendar For These Upcoming Events


Start: Dec 1, 2011 3:00 PM
End: Dec 4, 2011
Location: Charlotte, NC

LeatherFET is a convention that combines fun, play, games, education, shopping, socializing, Leather, fetish, and theme rooms all into one weekend. This is a great place for new curious people to learn all about the vast realm of many alternative lifestyles, as well as a place for those who have known and lived an alternative lifestyle for many years. Come enjoy all that LeatherFET has to offer. Meet new friends, learn new things, see old friends and share in your own experiences. The event Protocols & courteous Security assure every attendee a fun & safe experience, and the freedom to express yourself in your own unique way!

To learn more, visit their site at http://www.leatherfet.com/


~*~

Start: Feb 24, 2012 at 09:00 AM
End: Feb 26, 2012
Location: Hilton Garden Inn; 1325 Creekshire Way; Winston-Salem, NC 27103

Beautiful Trouble Publishing, Red Stiletto Book Club, Malloy/Jordan East Winston Heritage Center will be having a conference for women from February 24-26th 2012 at the Hilton Garden Inn and the library. They will have workshops on Friday as well as a library tour. They will also have Meet & Eat with Authors & Fans as well as other activities throughout the weekend. This promises to be an EXCITING, ENTERTAINING, EDUCATIONAL and EMOTIONAL weekend!

This would be an EXCELLENT opportunity for you to meet other authors, connect with your fans, learn new things and just have a GOOD OLD TIME! They ALREADY got the hotel booked and are working HARD at getting this conference MOVING FORWARD and KNOW that YOU would like to be a part of what they hope to become an ANNUAL EVENT!

For addition information and details, send an e-mail to scalesrb@forsyth.cc or nooniemom@yahoo.com

Monday, September 19, 2011

Capture Flash Video and Audio from Web Sites


Have you ever wondered how to download video and audio from flash players on internet sites like YouTube, Google Video, MySpace, DailyMotion, Metacafe, Break, and Blog sites of your friends with embedded audio and video content?

Well, JCopia does it all. It captures flash video, audio, or stream from any website to your computer as files. Just play your media online and watch as JCopia saves any clip, music, or movie to your computer.

JCopia detects and begins to download any clip, video, music, radio stream, video stream, Flash game or presentation that is played in your browser.

Increase your video and audio collection with JCopia now!

Jiteco, the company that created the product, is conducting a giveaway if you do a review of JCopia on your blog/forum/twitter/facebook, etc.

You can visit Jetico, and check out JCopia to do a review. Send a link to your review to Jennifer Johnson at jjohnson@jiteco.com

~*~


Links:
 
Jennifer Johnson on Facebook
Jiteco on Facebook
Jiteco on Twitter

Monday, September 12, 2011

Meet Vicki Brooks, Founder and Editor of EMbraceUS Multicultural Magazine


Vicki Brooks, Editor
EMbraceUS Multicultrual Magazine
Since a young child, I have always been interested in other cultures and ways of life. I have always enjoyed reading stories and watching movies with a diverse line-up of characters - the more diversity the better. When I would read about different regions of the world, I would imagine myself being in and enjoying these places. Needless to say, I have always enjoyed being around different people. One of my favorite television shows is House Hunters International because it takes me into homes and countries around the world from my sofa. One of my BIGGEST dreams is to visit other countries to study the cultures and lifestyles of others around the world.

I have three beautiful children, whom I have raised to always base their relationships and life encounters with people on character and principle, instead of differences.#

That was such an inspirational introduction. Please share with our readers more about the magazine. EMbraceUS Multicultural Magazine was created to highlight topics of interest revolving around the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic communities and is a magazine for people who are connected through that intangible thing - "the SOUL." This magazine is for those who are culturally diverse and ethnically eccentric. EMbraceUS Multicultural Magazine allows souls to connect without skin color, gender, religion or culture being a differentiating factor.

What inspired the magazine? The inspiration for this magazine came when I was visiting the magazine section of a bookstore and saw nothing that resembled EMbraceUS. As Oprah would say, “I had an Aha moment.” Instead of merely voicing my opinion, I decided to make a difference by creating EMbraceUS Multicultural Magazine.

What do you hope to achieve with the magazine? I hope to enlighten and educate individuals by sharing culturally diverse lifestyles and experiences from around the corner, as well as, around the world. I also hope that this magazine will reach the masses who feel there is limited literature available to reach those of Blended Beauty.#

Thank you, Vicki, for giving our readers a snapshot into the world of EMbraceUS Multicultural Magazine. We wish you every success in your endeavors.

For additional information and subscription price, please visit EMbraceUS Multicultural Magazine.

You can also follow them on Facebook.