Celebrating New Year's Eve

I plan to watch The Twilight Zone marathon. This has been a tradition ever since my children were small. No matter how many times I watch, I never get tired of seeing it.

I hope everyone stays safe and enjoys the night how ever you choose to celebrate.

Susan

Holiday

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Mine was quiet, but very relaxing and enjoyable.

Website Updated

I updated my website and added some new links. It was an almost three day endeavor, but I'm very happy with it. 

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. 

Susan

Christmas Party Day 2!

Join eXtasy as the party continues!

http://extasychat.com

Party! 

Party!

eXtasy is having a Christmas party! Please click the link below to join the fun.

http://extasychat.com

Party! 

New Goals!

If all goes according to schedule, I should have three mystery/thriller novels completed sometime in 2013. I also have several romantic/sensual short stories in the works.

I'm also working on my latest screenplay and hope to have that completed in the next couple of months.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday.

Susan

Loss

October was a very difficult month for me. My beautiful eleven-year-old golden tabby Scootchie passed away suddenly after a brief illness. It caught me totally off guard as she had shown no signs of being sick. She was my constant writing companion. She may be gone, but she'll never be forgotten.         

Update

I came through Hurricane Sandy with everything intact, but the destruction to the Jersey Shore is heartbreaking. It's hard to imagine that so many places are gone forever. Even if it's rebuilt, it will never be the same.

The tragic loss of lives and the property damage in New Jersey and New York is unbelievable. Please continue to keep those who were in the direct path of the storm, and those who are still suffering from the devastation in your thoughts and prayers.

Quote Of The Week - Confucius

Acquire new knowledge whilst thinking over the old, and you may become a teacher of others. - Confucius

Hurricane Sandy

I've spent most of the weekend doing what I can to prepare for this storm. I have plenty of water, batteries, candles, food, and other essentials in the event power goes out. In past storms we were fortunate not to lose power, and we only lost our back fence and numerous personal possessions when the basement  flooded. But we came out unharmed.

Many predicted storms have passed us by with only minimal damage. I was hoping that Sandy would pass us by, too, but watching the weather reports tonight, I don't think we'll be so lucky this time. All I can do is wait out the storm here in South Jersey and pray not only for the safety of my family in Philadelphia and Virginia Beach, but for everyone in the path of this monstrous storm.

Fun Halloween Links

Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween.   

History and Facts About Halloween

http://www.history.com/topics/halloween 

Halloween Recipes and Tips On Everything Halloween

http://www.yumsugar.com/Halloween

Free Printables,  Crafts, and Games

http://funschool.kaboose.com/fun-blaster/halloween/

Halloween Crafts and Decorating Ideas

http://www.hgtv.com/topics/halloween/index.html

Halloween Party Ideas and Recipes

http://www.foodnetwork.com/halloween/package/index.html

Quote Of The Week - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The height of great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Quote Of The Week - Michelle Buckley

Writing is the indelible fingerprint of my soul on paper. - Michelle Buckley

Quote Of The Week - Ray Bradbury

You fail only if you stop writing - Ray Bradbury

Quote Of The Week - A. J. Liebling

I can write better than anybody who can write faster, and I can write faster than anybody who can write better. - A. J. Liebling

Blogger Problems

Hi Everyone,

I'm sorry for not answering comments. I don't know what happened, but no comments were showing up or allowing me to reply. I think the problem is now fixed, but some comments have disappeared.

 Thanks for understanding.

Sue

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Weekend Swap

Tyler Thornton convinces her strait-laced best friend Kay Reagan to swap husbands to add some excitement to their sex lives, or in Kay's case, to show her what she's been missing. What Tyler doesn't know is the deep dark fantasy that Kay has been harboring for years.

Excerpt


"Touchdown!" Will Thornton's voice carried from the living room to the kitchen where his wife Tyler sat sipping coffee with her best friend Kay Reagan. 

"It's too bad he can't score a touchdown in the bedroom," Tyler mumbled.

Quote Of The Week George Bernard Shaw

We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw

Tempting Thursday Excerpts The Fix-It Man

When Madison meets the new maintenance man, she uncharacteristically tries to seduce him. When her efforts backfire, she thinks she doesn"t stand a chance until he comes knocking on her door.

Excerpt

Lucy blushed. Her pretty face turned a bright shade of pink. "Hey, I'm free and single." 

"We know," Madison said with a wink to Gwen. Lucy's sexual escapades were notorious, at least to Madison and Gwen. She had a voracious sexual appetite and loved sharing the intimate details of her encounters. If they weren't so fond of Lucy they might have been appalled. But her recreational sex didn't label her a slut in their minds. 

Quote Of The Week Jonathan Swift

A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying... that he is wiser today than yesterday.

Jonathan Swift

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Christmas Dreams

Morgan and Davis have been best friends since they were children and even Davis' move to Maine didn't affect their deep friendship. When Morgan's relationship with her fiancee falls apart, at Davis' urging, she moves to Maine to make a fresh start. She soon realizes that her feelings for Davis run much deeper than friendship.

Excerpt


A gentle hand touched her shoulder causing her to jump. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Davis laughed. 

Morgan grinned up at him. "This is a great party. I'm glad I came." 

"Thanks." His eyebrows knitted together. "There are a couple of guys interested in getting to know you. What do you think? Are you ready to start dating again?" 

She frowned. "I'm sure they're nice, but I'm just not ready, Davis."

Quote Of The Week Jane Austen

Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.
Jane Austen

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Cabin Fever

When Kayla North's car is run off the road during a blizzard, she begins walking down an unfamiliar desolate back country road hoping to find shelter from the worsening storm. Later she awakens naked in a strange bed wondering how she got there.

Excerpt

Kayla slowly opened her eyes. She was warm. She wiggled her toes, relieved that she could feel them again. Where was she and how did she get here? The last thing she remembered was being out in the storm and falling. And being colder than she had ever been before. She glanced around the cozy room. A fire was crackling merrily in a fireplace, a heavy comforter was tucked around her, and a fluffy pillow placed under her head. She breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that she hadn't frozen to death, and thankful to whomever had rescued her and brought her here. She tried to pull herself to a sitting position, but a jabbing pain between her eyes forced her to settle back against the pillow. 

"Hello," she called. 

Seconds later a tall muscular form appeared in the doorway. He hurried to the bed. 

"How are you feeling?" 

"You found me?" 

He nodded. "I was worried about you. You'd lost consciousness." 

Quote Of The Week Mitch Albom

If you're always battling against getting older, you're always going to be unhappy, because it's going to happen anyhow.
Mitch Albom

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Hidden Desires

When Sage Ralston takes a job at Boylston Electronics, she soon finds out that her job is more than she bargained for. Under the guise of assistant to the company's owner Charles Boylston, she has actually been hired to spy on her fellow employees. As Sage tries to determine who is sabotaging the company, all evidence points to Connor Michaels who works in the research lab. After getting to know Connor, Sage has her doubts that Connor is the person leaking information about the company and joins forces with the woman to find out who the real culprit is.

Excerpt




He grew hard as he remembered how wonderful it felt ramming his rock-hard cock into her hot pussy as she screamed for more. His forehead creased. But Connor had ruined everything. Why couldn't she have just enjoyed being a woman who had all the comforts she could ever want and a man who knew how to fuck her the way a woman should be fucked? But no, she had to have a career. When he'd voiced his opposition, she'd become angry. 

Quote Of The Week Bram Stoker

How blessed are some people, whose lives have no fears, no dreads; to whom sleep is a blessing that comes nightly, and brings nothing but sweet dreams.
Bram Stoker

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Hearts On Fire

When Brianna Jackson pays a long overdue visit to her Aunt Emily to heal from her broken engagement, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with her Aunt's new sexy gardener Chandler Russell. As the passion heats up between Brianna and Chandler, her Aunt fears Brianna's reaction if she finds out about Chandler and her beloved 'adopted' Aunt Jo's past steamy love affair.

Excerpt


Chandler brought his truck to a stop in the spacious driveway of the Winslow Gardens. The Winslow Gardens was one of the finest estates he'd ever seen, and he'd seen plenty in the years from his birth home in Georgia to where he now called home in Rowlings, Connecticut. 

He stepped out of his air-conditioned truck and immediately felt the scorching sun searing into his flesh. He shielded his eyes and looked skyward. Not a cloud in the deep blue sky and the humidity was rising. A sudden downpour would feel good about now. He smiled longingly, imagining how the cool raindrops would sizzle against his blistering skin. He made his way over to the edge of the flower garden. Amazingly, everything looked healthy and thriving, even without the much-needed rain. He made a mental note to tell Bill James that the new fertilizer he'd recommended was working like a charm. He stooped down and tenderly touched a petal. 

"Hello, Chandler," a soft sultry voice greeted him. 

Quote Of The Week William Strunk, Jr

Make definite assertions. Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, non-committal language.
William Strunk, Jr.

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Broken Promises: A New Beginning

Farrel Drake wants a normal family life for herself and her two daughters from her first marriage. She meets and marries Robert, and their two families combine. Shortly after their marriage, verbal abuse, beatings, and broken promises become an almost everyday occurrence.

Excerpt


Farrel locked the bathroom door, quickly turned on the fan and the cold water tap and filled the basin. She dipped a face cloth into the cold water, then pressed the cloth against her right eye, wincing with pain as she held it there for a few minutes. She willed her mind to go blank, anything to erase the scene which had transpired less than five minutes ago. She didn't dare raise her eyes to the mirror above the sink--not yet. She needed time to think up an excuse for her latest 'accident'. 

She sighed defeatedly as she slumped to the floor, giving in to her emotions. She winced again in pain as a salty tear slid down her raw cheek. What was she going to do? Where could she go? Was it really her fault? Robert always warned her not to make him angry. He constantly reminded her that he was the head of the household and, as his wife, she was to submit to him without question. There was no middle ground. 

Quote Of The Week Franklin Pierce Adams

You do not know what you can miss before you try.
Franklin Pierce Adams

Tomatoes!

I am thrilled to report that my garden is thriving! I have an abundance of large, juicy tomatoes! It's about time after all the years my garden failed me. LOL

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Deadly Tales

These five stories take you on a journey to the dark side of human nature and delve into the world of the unexplained. Take a journey into the dark side of human nature in The Ducks and The Ticket, then delve into the unexplained in The Stranger, I'm Waiting For You, and It's You.

Purchase 

Quote Of The Week Douglas Adams

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.
Douglas Adams

Favorite Recipes

My cooking mood continues! Last week I decided to dig out some favorite recipes. It's been a while since I've made some of my favorites, but the end result was worth it. I made a fantastic lasagna and a hearty beef stew.

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Twisted Lives

Daniel Trevors finds his peaceful life rocked when a series of murders and a rekindled love affair intrude on his mundane life, forcing him to question everyone and everything.

Daniel and his partner, Ben Wilson, are hot on the trail of a murderer who appears to kill just for the pleasure of it, but they soon realize that the case is more complicated than they thought.

Excerpt


Lightning streaked through the late afternoon sky, followed by ear splitting cracks of thunder. Rain pelted the lifeless form lying on the sodden ground. 

"Trevors, get over here!" 

Daniel Trevors moved away from the crowd of curious onlookers that had gathered, at the same time wondering what it was about tragedies that brought people out. He motioned for two officers to relieve him, then rushed to his partner's side. "What's up, Ben? I thought you said the guy had a heart attack or something." 

"Take a look at this." Ben pointed at the corpse lying face down. 

Cooking Mood

The other day I was in the mood for some good southern fried chicken. Usually when the mood strikes I head out to a fast food place to get some. In the past, my attempts at frying some left a lot to be desired. But I decided to try my hand at it again since it had been so long since I've made any. Surprisingly, it couldn't have turned out any better. It was delicious! 

Quote Of The Week Chinua Achebe

Art is man's constant effort to create for himself a different order of reality from that which is given to him.
Chinua Achebe

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Over The Edge

"Brant Evans has Cedar Pines under his very heavy policeman's thumb. His wife Janna controls the town's social and political levers with her money. The two of them work hard to ruin the lives of anyone they don't like, or anyone who crosses them. Maggie Allen is caught up in their web of hate. Brant has special plans for Maggie, plans that include arrest, imprisonment, and ruin." -Wanda Keesey, Reviewer

Excerpt

Maggie Allen stood behind the counter eyeing the customers beginning to fill the booths. She grabbed her order pad and a pencil. A familiar couple seated themselves in her station. Inwardly, she seethed with anger as she watched them, but outwardly, she was bright and cheerful. She hated having to put on a false front, but knew it was a requisite of the job to treat all of her customers with friendliness, even those she couldn't stomach. 

"Hi, Brant. Janna," she said in the cheeriest voice she could muster. She flipped the order pad to a clean page. "What can I get you two?" 

"Coffee. Hon?" The man nodded toward the beautiful petite blond at his side. 

"The same." She smiled at Maggie. "Did you hear about our new house?" 

Maggie looked into her sparkling baby blue eyes. "Yes, I hear it's quite a showplace." She forced a tight smile. She'd give anything to be called away from their table instead of enduring their phony attempts at friendliness. They were up to something. That she was sure of. 

Quote Of The Week William Strunk, Jr.

A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.
William Strunk, Jr.

Tempting Thursday Excerpts The Stalker

Nothing or no one can stop him as he makes his way from Pittsburgh to Boston in search of the only woman who ever cared about him.
 
Jeremy Talbot is a lonely, troubled young man whose only friends are the demon voices he hears in his mind. His obsession with a young woman named Rebecca Walker leads him on a murderous rampage; he tries in vain to win her love and prove that the demons are wrong when they taunt him, declaring that she doesn't care for him.

 Excerpt

He watched from the window, the same streaked window from which he watched every morning. He'd been watching her for ten long years. He licked his lips in anticipation; his heart thudded irregularly in his chest just like it did every time he knew he would be seeing her. He moved the curtain slightly to get a better view.

Quote Of The Week Goodman Ace

The best cure for hypochondria is to forget about your body and get interested in someone else's.
Goodman Ace

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Silent Dreams

Blaine Kirsten unwittingly gets pulled into a prostitution ring when her best friend, Kami Matthews, introduces her to Josh Barnes. When Blaine refuses to become a part of his operation, she faces brutal consequences.

Detectives Jane Adams and Casey Jorgan are assigned to the case. Almost immediately, Casey finds herself unable to separate her personal emotions from this case, which jeopardizes her career.

 Excerpt

Kami Matthews gazed out of the grimy window watching the day slowly fade into dusk. She turned her blonde head and glanced at the clock on the stained wall. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "I didn't realize it was so late! I've got to get out of here." She gave her friend a quick hug. "Don't worry," she said brightly. "Everything will work out. You'll see. Be thankful that nothing worse happened."

"I guess so," Blaine Kirsten mumbled, staring down at her faded jeans. "I wish you could stay a little longer, though." She raised her eyes to Kami's "Please?" she pleaded. "I ... I don't want to be alone. I'm scared, Kami. Please stay for just another hour." She twisted her hands together. 

Quote Of The Week Henry David Thoreau

A perfectly healthy sentence, it is true, is extremely rare. For the most part we miss the hue and fragrance of the thought; as if we could be satisfied with the dews of the morning or evening without their colors, or the heavens without their azure.

Henry David Thoreau

Happy Fourth of July!

Quotes For July 4^th

 This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.  ~Elmer Davis

Let freedom never perish in your hands.  ~Joseph Addison

Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.  ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.  ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail?  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Liberty is the breath of life to nations.  ~George Bernard Shaw

Where liberty dwells, there is my country.  ~Benjamin Franklin

It is the love of country that has lighted and that keeps glowing the holy fire of patriotism.  ~J. Horace McFarland

We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.  ~William Faulkner

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.  ~Abraham Lincoln

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood

There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.  ~William J. Clinton

Quote Of The Week Benjamin Franklin

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.

Benjamin Franklin

Beautiful Day!

I wish everyday could be as perfect as today was. The weather was absolutely beautiful! The garden is doing very well and I believe this year I will actually get something from it! LOL.

Quote Of The Week Joseph Addison

A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world.
Joseph Addison

Tempting Thursday Excerpts The Cats-Kill

When Matt Rogers brings his beautiful young wife Peggy home to his New England hometown, no one suspects the tortured past she is escaping from...not even Matt.

After a series of murders, the local sheriff and a Boston investigator scrutinize the brutal crimes targeting the Rogers family. Although the evidence points to Peggy, Matt refuses to believe she could be responsible. Soon, however, he is forced to succumb to the harsh reality that his wife could be the killer. Could the woman he gave his heart to have committed such cold-blooded crimes against his family?

Excerpt

Matt Rogers sat at his kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee and watching a breeze gently lift the red and white checkered curtains on the window. It was an unusually warm evening for early May. He stood up and set his coffee cup in the sink when an explosion rattled the pictures on the wall. Sirens sounded in the distance. 

"What the hell was that?" he asked, turning toward his wife. 

"Probably kids setting off firecrackers," Peggy replied. She glanced at her wristwatch. It was exactly nine o'clock. 

"It didn't sound like firecrackers to me. Something exploded," he said. 

Quote Of The Week Ernest Hemingway

We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.

Ernest Hemingway

Quote Of The Week Norman Mailer

Writing books is the closest men ever come to childbearing.

Norman Mailer

My Garden

For the past few years my vegetable garden has been pathetic. It didn't matter what I did, it would not produce. This year it already looks much better. Maybe it knows that I made the decision if it didn't produce it would turn into another flower garden. LOL Actually, the flower gardens have always bloomed beautifully.

Tempting Thursday Excerpts Angel's New Friends

The first story in The Adventures Of Angel introduces the new friends Angel, a curious bunny, meets when she goes exploring into the forbidden forest, ocean and farm in search of new friends.

Purchase

Quote Of The Week Gaston Bachelard

A word is a bud attempting to become a twig. How can one not dream while writing? It is the pen which dreams. The blank page gives the right to dream.

Gaston Bachelard

Hectic!

I completed a script that consumed much of my time for the past several weeks. It's not my usual genre and challenged me every step of the way. I'm very pleased with the outcome and now await it's fate.

I will be posting updates on my website.

EPIC's Ebook Competitions

Entries are now being accepted for EPIC's Ebook Awards and Ariana Ebook Cover Art Awards. Visit epicorg.com for more information.

Review For Weekend Swap

Ever entertain the idea of being with your best friend’s husband? What if you or your best friend falls in love with the other’s husband? Two best friends explore this scenario over a weekend in a sexy romp that could destroy their lifelong friendship. This story presents the intriguing situation of what could possibly happen when close friends who want to liven things up.

Weekend Swap is a story that lives up to its title, giving the reader a glimpse into the swinging lifestyle. If you are looking for a quick and satisfying sizzling read, Weekend Swap would fulfill your needs.

Reviewed by Lotus
Long and Short Reviews

Happy Easter!

For those who celebrate, I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Easter.

Susan

Cafe Press Store

I almost forgot I had this shop! LOL I've added some new items and hope to add much more!


http://www.cafepress.com/droney

Broken Promises: A New Beginning Now In Print!

Broken Promises: A New Beginning is finally available in print.

Purchase: http://tinyurl.com/8y2g28n

The ebook version has a new cover.

Purchase: http://tinyurl.com/82tyv9c


Farrel Drake wants a normal family life for herself and her two daughters from her first marriage. She meets and marries Robert, and their two families combine. Shortly after their marriage, verbal abuse, beatings, and broken promises become an almost everyday occurrence. Robert makes sure she is isolated, with no friends. But during a trip to the hospital, Farrel meets a woman who recognizes her suffering and refers her to a counselor.

Deadly Tales

These five stories take you on a journey to the dark side of human nature and delve into the world of the unexplained.

Take a journey into the dark side of human nature in The Ducks and The Ticket, then delve into the unexplained in The Stranger, I'm Waiting For You, and It's You.


To Purchase: http://tinyurl.com/6lu9ttx

New Release!

Weekend Swap is now available from Whiskey Creek Press.

Tyler Thornton convinces her strait-laced best friend Kay Reagan to swap husbands to add some excitement to their sex lives, or in Kay's case, to show her what she's been missing. What Tyler doesn't know is the deep dark fantasy that Kay has been harboring for years.

Ghillie Girl

My daughter, Jessica, and grandson, Gabriel, are featured in this new series! Check it out at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3gaGLrL2X4