Friday, August 30, 2013

Ivy Entwined Giveaway Candy Basket and Swag Bags

Laura Simcox is here to hold a GIVEAWAY, discuss writing out of season, and present her new release "Ivy Entwined." 

Let's give her a welcome and check out this interesting new novel. The giveaway rafflecopter is below her post.


Blurb: When Ivy Callahan returns to her hometown as mayor, she doesn’t expect much to have changed. But now her ex-fiancĂ© is the town planner, the biggest business is closed, and the only store interested in Celebration, NY is a Megamart. On top of it all, the liaison for the big, bad, box store is Marcus Weaver, her childhood crush. And he’s still as dangerously delectable as ever.

Marcus unwillingly spent his teens in Celebration with his vindictive, drunken uncle. As far as Marcus is concerned, the town’s only use is to cement his rise up the corporate ladder. He needs that Megamart opened, and Ivy is his ticket. But the sexy, stubborn mayor could also be his downfall.


As the unemployed townspeople put on the pressure, Ivy needs to do something. With a fresh downtown-renewal project in the works, Ivy could stop Marcus and his Megamart before they kill the town’s spirit. But with sparks flying between Ivy and Marcus, they each need to decide what’s more important: their careers or their hearts. 


Writing Out of Season
by Laura Simcox

I live in an old house.

It’s hard to keep cool in the summer and drafty in the winter. The weird little room that I have claimed as my office has three giant windows, which certainly help me stare off into space, slack jawed, when I need to pause while I’m writing.

Which is often.

 But when I’m too hot, I can’t concentrate. Early last summer,on a day when the bushes outside my window were already wilted in the morning sun, I tried valiantly not to fixate on them because I was supposed to be running a marathon.

 Or at least, my fingers were…since I was sprinting toward the finish of Ivy Entwined. I was cranky, a constant sweating glass of iced tea sitting next to my lap top. Why couldn’t there have been a blizzard outside my window just like there was outside Ivy’s window in my book?

Then a light bulb went on.

 Duh.

 For all intents and purposes I was living in my book, anyway. Well, except for showering and brushing my teeth. (And doing grocery shopping, preschool pick up and watching Curious George…but I digress.) So I could choose to be cold. I could shut the office door, stick a towel under it and let the wrought iron air grate in the floor blow cold air all over me.

 I could wear my favorite sweater. And in my head- in my town of Celebration, NY, it was December. I could decorate a Christmas tree. Go shopping. Eat pumpkin pie and go to a town Christmas festival. All from the comfort of my pleather chair with the cat claw slashes, and all during the second week of June.

 Once I realized that, the rest of my book flew out of my brain, down my arms, through my fingers and onto the screen. I had so much fun in Celebration that I was tempted to pull some nutcrackers out of a box and set them up on the fireplace mantle. 

It’s very entertaining to ‘write out of season’ and what’s making my nerdy author self jump for joy? I’m doing it again. The second ‘Something to Celebrate’ story begins in the spring time, and I’m writing it this fall.

 While the leaves fall off the trees, I’m going to wear some white flip-flops with flowers on them and as Halloween approaches, I will be obsessed with Easter candy. Little malted milk eggs, my fave. Cadbury eggs! Marshmallow ducks.

 Trick-or-Peeps, anyone?

 Wait, do they make Halloween Peeps? 

Sign me up, if so. 

So readers, what’s your favorite out of season or holiday to dream about

a Rafflecopter giveaway




After spending twenty years in professional theater as a costume designer, with a few of those years also spent as a college instructor, Laura abandoned the nomadic lifestyle to sit in a comfy pleather office chair at a beat up ginormous second hand oak desk and write. The result? Romance novels! 

Her favorite thing ever since she was, oh, about twelve. She writes contemporary, light novels and enjoys creating quirky characters and funny dialogue. Still, the love story is the focus and Laura has a huge soft spot for a sappy, happy ending. She lives in North Carolina with her husband (true love is real!) and her adorable, high energy four year old son who is currently obsessed with pirates. When not playing mamma pirate, she loves hearing from readers and you can find your favorite way to say hi via the social media buttons on her website:

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Book Review: He Watches Me





I envision a giant purple alien watching me masturbate, his humanoid body naked, his cock overly large and extremely hard. 


After reading that line, I was a little taken aback, but I said F it! I'll follow you down the rabbit hole. . .I'll see just how far this author will take me.





"Yes, Blaine," I cry out, the waves surround me growing rough, my body tossed on a sea of sweet turbulence. "Yes."




I thrust hard, slam the heel of my hand against my clit, throw back my head and scream. the darkness bursts with color and light. The stars spin around my head. My p.... clenches down on emptiness. 




I don't know about you, but I needed a smoke after that.





So this was a novella that is drenched in a heroine's sensual moments as a rich guy watches her.

Now the premise seems intriguing  but it really isn't as amazing as it sounds when reading the book.

I feel like there was some great opportunity for amazing exploration within a story, but instead the watered down version was handed to me.

This isn't to say that the novella isn't good. It just wasn't Fangirl-Mania-Keep-me-up-all-night Awesomeness.

This is a good, quick hot read for those who want a good quick hot read. That being said, I'm not sure I'll be checking out the next book in the series.





















Monday, August 26, 2013

Book Review: Escaping Reality





"You have no idea just how demanding I can be." And with that erotic promise, his tongue slices into my mouth, a silky, hot caress that seems to touch every inch of my now tingling body.






"We aren't strangers anymore, and I find the idea of occupying your time increasingly appealing." His eyes light. "So use me, baby."

The air crackles between us and there is no denying the growing attraction I have for this man.





I enjoyed this book very much.

Why did I give it three stars?

Well the ROMANCE for me gets:



The Mystery/Suspense part of her life and why she was running from it gets:


It was so badly done that it pissed me off. I don't feel I got any damn answers in the first book. 
And then the ending to me was kind of like a 

What the Fuck?


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That being said, the passion and romance in the book was enough to keep me going and I won't lie. . .I'm DEFINITELY going to read book 2, just to see how the Hero is going to explain himself.

Friday, August 23, 2013

The Power of Pussy Giveaway!





Today I'm giving away 


Let me start this off by saying that I'm a happily married women, but I gained weight, got really busy with writing, and woke up one day looked into the mirror and realized three things:

One- I have gray hair (it's hard to see but if you look real close in the center without squinting. . .Boom. Right there).

gray hair photo: gray hair unbenannt.jpg


Two- My weekend wardrobe consists of yoga pants, sneakers, and a shirt with a weird saying about mommies on it. I no longer have the energy or desire to be sexy on the weekend!


yoga pants photo: white-yoga-pants-still-rule white-yoga-pants-still-rule.jpg



Three- I have no idea where I put my vagina. I mean. I thought it stayed between the. . .you know. . .legsish area. . .but mine woke up before me after my third kid and said, "Peace!"


searching gif photo: Searching looking.gif
Have you seen my vagina????




And then I found. . .THE POWER OF THE PUSSY!

I know. I know. I know. 

The title is a bit. . .embarrassing, but that's what the book is about so why not call it that! lol!

I learned many things. Here are a few:

The Power of Controlling My Emotions

The Power of The Pussy (of course)

The Power of Confidence

The Power of Being the Game

The Power of Taking Out the Trash

The Power of Selective Attraction

The Power of Acting like a Man

The Power of Appreciation

Everything changed after this book. I thought I was in a great marriage. . .now I'm in a Fabulous marriage. My husband bought the freaking print book he was so happy. 

It wasn't that the sex improved. It was more that I found myself again. I returned back to the living and remembered how to be fun, sexy, and me.

Due to this changing my life, I would like to give it to a lucky winner out there.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, August 22, 2013

ILL ART: Miami Art Walk for August



Every month I go to Miami's 2nd Saturday art walk with my hubby and see the most amazing things. Lot's of it is just inspiring, while some of it is. . .huh? 

Either way, here's the ILL ART for this month.


Morbid Reality meets Pop Art.

Old Bruce Lee



Old Marilyn Monroe


Afrocentric Fantasy








When I saw this I considered a new urban fantasy series. . .if I have time it may work out.


Unusual, yet Interesting Art

Vending Machine Dictators 

Freaky cool



Unusual Performance Art

Same Performance Art Piece
































That's it for now. There were a lot more fascinating pieces, but these were my favorites. 

Be sure to return next month for September's Miami second Saturday art walk preview.

Most cities have art walks. Do you go to yours? Are there any awesome pieces that you've seen? If yes, send them to fantasy floozies so we can check them out.


Tuesday, August 20, 2013

My Book Trash May Be Your Book Treasure?


The more a person reads, reads, and reads, the more the person hits a couple duds on the road.

Some months you might hit nothing but duds. I mean you're reading the book and you're like. . .


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But then I go to the book's Goodreads page and people are like:


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"I LOVE THiS BOOK!!


So what does that mean?

Clearly that other people are wrong, and I am freaking right! But even more important, it means that what I may think is utter garbage may very well be someone else's most prized possession.

So here's my trash for this month and perhaps you find some books that you may want to read out of the pile.


WHY TRASH: This just didn't catch me. The premise was great and fun. The main character basically does mediation for mystical creatures. Many of them are dragons. The writing was good. I just didn't care. I was in the mood for something dark and at the time this was really light and humorous.




Why Trash: This book was just hard for me to read. I get into lots of books so it's not that I'm illiterate or anything. . .I just struggled with getting into the story. The world was amazing. . .the stuff I could understand, but. . .I just had to dnf it.




Why Trash: I just dragged through this book. If I hadn't been made to read it by authors Alicia, Megan, and Dara for the Fantasy Floozies book of the month discussion, I would have DNF'd much much earlier.




Why Trash: This book just makes me too damn sad. It's Megan Hart so of course it is beautifully written. She just has that way of writing that makes you think so deeply about things, but it was just too sad.

The heroine just depressed the shit out of me, and FOR ME. . .that is HUGE! I love dark erotic romance. . .but this was just more Sad Erotic Romance. She just was depressed, feeling old, and like she'd wasted her life in a marriage that was too me, not bad at all.




Why Trash: I just wasn't able to get into the story. It just started off like any New Adult or Young Adult novel to the point where it felt really predictable and even boring.  



Well that's my list. What are some books you think are trash, but may be treasures for me or anyone else?


Monday, August 19, 2013

Book of the Month Chat: Gameboard of the Gods, by Richelle Mead

Welcome to our book of the month chat. Like last month, Kenya and I (Alicia) again welcome authors D.T. Dyllin (also known as Dara) and Megan D. Martin to our blog. For July, I chose Gameboard of the Gods, by Richelle Mead. Tune in below for our discussion!


GAMEBOARD OF THE GODS
by Richelle Mead

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.


Dara: Yay! About time we had this discussion, chicas! :p

Alicia: Some of us have day jobs, ya know.

Kenya: Yes. Alicia works on the streets. The streets are hot now. Corner work is no joke!

Alicia: Not during the day. Business would be too slow.

Kenya: Awww.

Alicia: Okay, so let's kick off this discussion.

Dara: I'm ready! (to get it over with) :p

Kenya: Can I say that our book discussions get around 2000 views on the blog? Pretty cool.

Alicia: For July, I picked Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead.

Kenya: I feel like it's due to me.

Alicia: Can I go on? x-(

Kenya: *waits for you all to thank her*

Dara: Yes, continue...

Megan: Of course.

Kenya: So Gameboard of the Gods, or as I like to say it...constipation of the soul.

Alicia: Throughout the month, there was lots of grumbling about the book on Twitter. So the first thing I wanna know is, besides me, who finished it?

Megan: I did...not...

Dara: I quit as soon as I got to 30%. I couldn't take it. AAAAAHHHH!

Alicia: And if you didn't finish it, how far did you get?

Megan: 30%

Kenya: My doctor said I couldn't finish because it was battering with my insides. 30%.

Alicia: Honestly, I would have quit too, if I hadn't picked the book. Plus, I didn't want us to be on this chat with everyone having quit.

Kenya: Why not?

Alicia: Then we'd just be like an angry mob. Not so great for a discussion.

Kenya: Awww. Richelle Mead suck up.

Megan: I kind of like being an angry mob. With our chain poms.


Dara: I don't DNF very many books and I happen to love Richelle Mead's other series, but...this...ummm... *yawn*

Alicia: I found some good things about the book—kind of. So I will attempt to be the devil's advocate.

Megan: Good luck.

Alicia: I'm gonna need it. So what did you guys think about Mae, the main character?

Megan: Boring!

Kenya: Boring!!

Alicia: And Justin?

Dara: Meh.

Kenya: Meh.

Alicia: Could you be more specific please?

Kenya: Really boring.


Dara: I have no feelings for Mae. I just couldn't...I just couldn't...meh.

Alicia: You ladies do realize that one purpose of these discussions is to inform readers about the book? You're failing at that.

Kenya: She came off cold and one-dimensional. If I was given a quiz about her, I couldn't pass it. What does she like? Does she smile?

Dara: Okay...how about this: I think I fell asleep during the sex scene.


Megan: The first scene at the funeral practically put me to sleep. I just didn't care.

Alicia: Thank you, Megan, for a useful comment!

Kenya: What makes her happy? Sure she can fight, but I can't relate to her at all.

Megan: Lol, I know it's bad when you say my comments are useful.

Alicia: I’m being a cheerleader.

Dara: I just wasn't emotionally invested at all.

Megan: I wish she would have given us a little more background about RUNA and the world.

Kenya: I didn't care if the hero or heroine died. In fact, their deaths would have been an improvement.

Dara: I thought the world building was too much. We get it. Damn...more emotions please.

Kenya: There was no world building, just the placement of insignificant details of futuristic shit!

Megan: I didn't even know what RUNA stood for until I went back and read the blurb.


Kenya: It fucking pissed me off!

Alicia: You know how when it's a home game and your team is getting slaughtered, and it's clear to you why they're getting slaughtered, but it's your job to cheer? This is me. And I have to disagree that there was no world-building

Dara: Ummm...there was tons of world building. Too much. I like to use my own imagination, thank you.

Alicia: But I also think a lot of details about the world that seemed all over the place came together toward the end.

Dara: Well I wouldn't know about the end.

Alicia: Early on, I was thinking: Why do I care about the Cain disease, which has nothing to do with nothing? But it turned out to be relevant.

Kenya: The RUNA is the Republic of North America. I searched it on Goodreads.

Megan: Lol!

Alicia: And all these religious groups, and religions being outlawed, and genetic scores...Why? But it came together.

Kenya: When? At 50% of the damn book?

Alicia: Even though I thought the world-building made sense and was not superfluous, I also thought the presentation of material was not well done.

Megan: I thought the POV of the younger girl was super boring.

Kenya: Dear god, yes.

Megan: I wanted to scratch my eyes out.

Kenya: I mean seriously? WTF, Richelle? WTF?

Alicia: Oh yeah, that chick's POV was totally pointless—that's coming from someone who read the entire book, by the way. It never got better.

Dara: I wanted to quit when the sex scene bored me. I mean...how can a sex scene make me yawn? But it did.


Kenya: Let's discuss what drugs the author was doing at the time of writing it. We all do drugs when we write, right?

Megan: LOL @ Kenya! Yes that sex scene...oh man that was bad.

Alicia: Wait. For a minute there, I forgot I was the cheerleader. Okay..cheerleader's back.

Kenya: I get when you don't want to info-dump the world building, but goodness throw us a bone. And throw the bone in the first 5%.

Alicia: Do you guys know why the sex scene was boring? Why didn't it work for you?

Kenya: Because it had boring characters involved in the sex...

Megan: ‘Cause we are sick fucks?

Dara: I just wasn't emotionally connected to the sexy time she had going on. I'm honestly not even sure why.

Alicia: I'm seeing like a 22% effort from you ladies at providing helpful comments. Can we bring that up to 50% please?

Dara: Hey, hey, I bet our chat is more interesting at 22% than the book.

Kenya: How about you kiss my ass! You assigned this drivel!

Alicia: Yeah...sorry about that. :-/

Kenya: Back to Bukakke and its relation to this book? Anybody?

Alicia: Okay, so I’m ignoring Kenya, and now I am going to say good things...

Kenya: After reading 30%, I felt like someone spurted all over my face! And not just one…many.

Dara: *sigh* Kenya

Megan: I am laughing so hard...my dog thinks I'm nuts.

Alicia: The last 25% or so of the book was actually not bad. It became clear that some gods were struggling for power. Justin got more in touch with his spiritual self. They both interacted with supernatural beings. There was fighting and stuff. So back to you guys: Is there anything at all that you liked about the book? Any redeeming characteristics?

Dara: I liked that I didn't have to read any more after 30%.

Kenya: So can you answer this for me, Alicia? Did you end up being glad you finished?

Alicia: Kenya, if I hadn't picked the book, I would have quit at about 5%. Quitting at 50% would have been the worst-case scenario, because then I would have put in a lot of investment and gotten zero payoff. I did think there were some good scenes toward the end. That being said, did I enjoy the book?...I am the cheerleader...so...I'm gonna pass on that question.

Kenya: Richelle can write, but we all know that. I think she was being more experimental this time, and it just didn't work.


Dara: The concept of the book was good, but my major problem was the snooze fest. The characters just didn't make me want to care about them. I still love Richelle, just not this book.


Kenya: I mean seriously? WTF, Richelle? WTF?

Megan: I can't really think of anything about the book that I liked.

Megan: I didn't get the impression that Justin was a doctor or whatever in the beginning. That just didn't fit how she presented him.

Alicia: He wasn't a doctor. Where did you get doctor from?

Kenya: He was a scientist.

Alicia: No, he wasn't. Wow, people. Wow.

Megan: Yes, but he had a doctorate title is what I mean.

Kenya: Wtf was he?

Dara: He was boring.

Kenya: He talked to people in his head. And he invented shit.

Megan: Lol @ the crows in his head!

Kenya: Oh, they were crows?

Dara: The crows were messengers of the Gods. Or I'm guessing since I didn't finish reading it.

Kenya: I thought they were spirits in his head. The shit isn't clear.

Alicia: You're right, Dara! Gold star,

Dara: Yay! Gold Star! Whoot-whoot!

Alicia: Messengers from just one god, actually.

Dara: See, I didn't need to read it.

Alicia: He's a "servitor." His job was basically make sure religious cults stayed in line, and to take away their licenses to practice as needed.

Kenya: Yeah but before that. He was a doctor.

Megan: I thought he was just nuts.

Alicia: I don’t think he was a doctor.

Kenya: He was so a fucking doctor!

Megan: They called him Dr. Whateverhisnamewas.

Kenya: Thanks, Megan. You tell her!

Alicia: You didn't even read the book. Shush. You know nothing, Kenya Wright.

Kenya: You know nothing, Alicia Snow!

Dara: He wasn't a doctor, guys. Just like, technically, you can call anyone with a PhD a doctor. Smh.

Alicia: Thank you, Dara. He wasn't a medical doctor!

Megan: Right, he had his doctorate though?

Dara: He was an equivalent of a profiler of some sort.

Kenya: That's what I meant.

Megan: Can we start calling me Dr. Megan? I think I am more qualified than Justin.

Kenya: But didn't he invent stuff beforehand?

Dara: Dr. Dara has a nice ring to it. ;)

Alicia: I have a Master's. You may call me Master Alicia. Thanks for your cooperation.


Kenya: So…Bukkake…

Dara: Call me Domme Dara. ;)

Alicia: I think we're done beating this dead horse. We’re not even interested in the book enough to actually discuss it.

Kenya: Yes. Dear god!

Alicia: Star ratings, people. How much did you hate it? I bet Dara declines to rate, ‘cause she's a pussy.

Dara: I'm back to my "no comment" policy. ;)

Alicia: Told ya so.

Megan: I don't really even want to rate it...but I will give it one star.


Kenya: I give this 1 star.


Dara: Don't care. You can call me whatever. :p

Alicia: Okay, pussy.

Kenya: Smdh. So mature, Alicia.

Alicia: That's Master Alicia

Kenya: Dear god.

Megan: Oh hell.

Kenya: What is your star rating, Alicia?

Alicia: 2 stars :-/


Kenya: Smdh. Why a second star? Such a suck up.

Dara: Wow, after all of that only 2 stars?

Alicia: I know *hangs head* worst cheerleader ever.

Kenya: Ever!

Megan: You're off the squad!

Alicia: The squad makes me work too hard anyway. It's tough work cheering for a losing team.

Kenya: Well at least I know you have taste.

Dara: Now we can put this book behind us and forget it ever existed. Except in my nightmares.