About Me

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I am an avid reader, animal lover, devourer of guacamole, storyteller and the author of An Unexpected Obsession, A Dose of Reality, Witch Way, A Coven by Christmas, Love Spells, Summer Solstice (coming soon), Flirting With Death, Flirting With Murder and the rest of the upcoming Assassins Anonymous series. I attended Arizona State University (go Sun Devils!) and make my home in the Valley of the Sun with my husband and three pampered pets. I like to discuss everything funny, sexy, sassy and absurd. But mostly I like to talk about books... and shoes... and outrageously expensive purses... and Chanel sunglasses ...oooh, and anything sparkly... or fluffy! So, come on in and let's chat!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Paranormal Activity 2 = Pure Torture

I saw Paranormal Activity 2 on Saturday night and it was exactly what I anticipated...a phenomenal waste of time and money. I had hoped that Entertainment Weekly's review rating of B+ meant I would at least be scared, but that was too much to hope for. At least the first movie had decent acting (or writing?), although this one did make me jump 2 more times (pathetic that I know the exact number). Not surprisingly, with so few horror films out, the movie hit #1 at the box office, but how did it manage to score decent reviews? I really wish I'd gone to see Jackass 3D instead.

I did jump exactly three times, but by that point (an hour into the film) any loud noise would have startled me after a numbing duration of time filled with ambient noise and security camera footage where the most dramatic thing was the filmmakers inability to be consistent with the props. (ie, curtain closed, open, closed and ducky here, there, turned a bit to the left). I don't think these inconsistencies were intentional but with so little going on in the film, I found myself looking for anything that might possibly entertain me.

**Spoiler Alert**

The most predictable and disturbing scene for me was when the "entity" attacked the dog. Any time an animal is injured in a film intentionally, it makes me want to hunt down the writers and break their legs. Unnecessary and uncool! The film would have gotten a thumbs down from me for that alone, but there were so many other things to dislike that it didn't need the extra boost to send it straight into my least enjoyed movies of all time pile.

Don't bother with this movie! I wish someone would have told me that and saved me the time and expense. I was more entertained by Lifetime Movie Network's Secret's in the Walls. I wouldn't even recommend renting Paranormal Activity 2 when it comes out on DVD...nope, not even from RedBox (even a $1 is too much to spend).

Do you really want to be scared? Read Stephen King's The Shining. Wonderfully frightening and worth every penny (even at $7.19 for the Kindle addition)!

Friday, October 22, 2010

What are you reading this weekend?

Ahhhh! The weekend is almost here and I, for one, can't wait!

How are you going to pass the time? Me? I'm reading Compromising Positions by Jenna Bayley-Burke. I am only a quarter of the way in, but am enjoying the story so far. I am hoping the sexual pace picks up a bit as I am an instant-gratification kind of girl, but it is well written and the characters are fun.


And don't you just love the cover? I do!

But back to reading...do you like a slow-build or instant "action"? I'd rather skip most of the foreplay and get right down to business, but I don't have much patience. If the "will they, won't they" back and forth goes on too long, I get bored and begin skimming. And what's the point in that? I have a feeling things are going to heat up pretty quickly in this flirty story, so my weekend will be spent enjoying Compromising Positions!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Divorced, Desperate and Dating by Christie Craig

Christie Craig's Divorced, Desperate and Dating is a fun, easy read. I enjoyed the humor, the down-to-earth characters and the bit of mystery involved in this story about a writer who becomes the victim of one of her own plots.

I downloaded this as a freebie and had the sense that it was still under construction, so I am sure the distracting formatting issues have been resolved. It is now on sale for $4.69, so I would recommend downloading the sample chapters first to make sure the annoying breaks in words (ie. pan ties, to night, I  'd and several others which appear frequently from the beginning and are quite distracting) have been fixed.

There is some good humor in this book, my favorite is what I'm referring to as the "condom countdown"...I can see someone doing this and it made the character more real in my brain. As a consumer who reads a lot of "chick-lit", I'm not sure I'd recommend this book at it's current cost. Luckily, it is available in ebook format and you can try before you buy...take a look and see if you agree with my comments. At a lower cost, I would recommend this for an easy weekend read.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

The 24-Hour Bookstore!

I just discovered a miraculous invention...eBooks. Actually, I didn't just discover the books themselves or even how to buy them--I've been doing that for months. But for the first time tonight I finished a book and didn't have a backlog on my Kindle. What was a girl to do?

My mind was not in a place to work on the book I'm writing, I wasn't sleepy, there was nothing to watch on TV...ah, the internet.

After cruising the forums looking for recommendations, I spent a few bucks and am now the current owner of three new ebooks (I'll get reviews out as soon as I'm done). What a wonderful world we live in that at any time of the day or night I can cruise through a bookstore in my jammies. Hell, I could do it naked if I wanted and not get arrested (or propositioned). I didn't have to waste any gas or take a shower...fantastic!

So the next time you're bored, I highly recommend you try it out! Don't have a Kindle (or a Nook, iPad, etc.)? No problem there either! If you have a Smartphone or even a computer, you can download the Kindle app for free and be reading a great book in no time. And just so I don't get accused of being biased, all the ereaders have somewhere to do the same thing. Barnes & Noble, the iBookstore and Smashwords are just a few that I would recommend.

What are you waiting for?

Thursday, October 14, 2010

A Dose of Reality

I started a new book last weekend and want to know what you think of the premise. Does it sound interesting? Is it something you'd want to read? I'm not quite far enough in to have fleshed out all the characters, but here is a brief synopsis:

Sophia Vespucci has lived a life most people only dream of. The pampered heiress to a pharmaceutical empire, her days are filled with shopping and her nights spent among the rich and beautiful. Everything seems perfect until she receives a phone call informing her that her brother has died. When her father asks her to step in, to continue her brother's research into an elusive mystery of the past that may hold the cure to disease, it is a challenge Sophia can't resist.

But what starts as an epic adventure turns violent as greed and lust collide. From an estate in the Hampton's to an untamed island in the Bermuda Triangle, Sophia searches for answers. But when life turns into a dangerous scavenger hunt, can a spoiled little rich girl find the courage to succeed on her own?

Mystery, Lust, Deceit: It all begins with A Dose of Reality.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Are Free eBooks Worth the Price?

I know, it might seem like a silly question...what could the cost possibly be, right? But I have found that I need to be as discerning with my free ebook "purchases" as I would with any book I was going to pay money for. Even with slightly lower expectations, I found my desire to read waning after indiscriminately downloading a Kindle-full of freebies.

There are some gems, and it is a great way to amass a following if your book is good, but be sure to read the reviews the book has received before dedicating any of your precious free time to it. I have found that reviews are remarkably good indicators of how well I will enjoy any book, and especially freebies. (if a reviewer can't find anything good to say about a book that was free...it must be really bad!)

If you have the time to search, self-pubbed authors often release their books for free for a limited time and some of the established publishing houses also offer up free books occasionally. So, is the cost worth it? Of course!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Haunted Houses-The Nest-The Good, The Bad, and The Scary

Got my scare on at The Nest last night. Located on the grounds of Rawhide, one of the best attractions was the headless horseman galloping through the streets of the western town. I have to admit that I am usually VERY scared at haunted houses, but either I've outgrown the fear or it wasn't very scary this year. I felt a little ripped off by how sparse the actual "actors" were (after paying $25 buck for an hour of being frightened, I want people scaring me, not inanimate silicone). The haunted "house" is actually a 10,000 sqft. giant tent and there are several different theme rooms to travel through. The new 3-D attraction was incredibly cool and one of my faves (clowns are always scary, right?). The dark maze would have been great if we hadn't had to keep stopping and if the volume of the train horn going off hadn't left my ears bleeding (seriously, bring ear plugs for this portion, I'm pretty sure there was permanent damage done). The actual area that resembled a house was good, the mental hospital and autopsy suite even better. Getting chased out by leatherface was a treat not to be missed and made my BFF run screaming, abandoning her 6'4" husband in favor of a very large woman ahead of us (it didn't make sense to us either, but it sure was entertaining).

The Nest was voted scariest haunt in America by MSN, a claim that had us forking over the dough without question. The actors were great, lots of interaction and decent costumes. Definitely a must-see for teens (I wouldn't recommend bringing children, although there were some there). There was one area that actually elicited a scream from me...rickety bridge, surrounded by swamp...and overall it was a good time. My recommendation would be to go on a night less crowded (not Friday or Saturday) as the wait--I'm not talking about the line to get it, that wasn't so bad--was ridiculous to get from one area to the next and really took some of the "Scary" out of the experience.

I know it sounds like I didn't enjoy it very much, but I did. We had a great time and I thoroughly recommend The Nest to anyone who enjoys haunted houses.

For more information click here

Happy Halloween!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Smash Cut by Sandra Brown

Smash Cut is another great novel of suspense from Sandra Brown. I haven't been disappointed by her yet and this was no exception. The story moves at a great pace and the main characters are likable and realistic. There is plenty of tension to keep you turning the pages.

My only complaint is that the antagonist was a bit flat and obvious, but I read so much it really takes a lot to truly surprise me anymore. If you like Sandra Brown, you'll enjoy this book as well and if you haven't tried her yet, Smash Cut will be a satisfying read.

The Kindle price is $8.99, which is high in my opinion. It is a dollar less than the paperback, but that is full retail and I have seen them for as low as $5.59 in stores. Until the price comes down, the paper version is the way to go, IMO.

$2.99!!! An Unexpected Obsession for NOOK!!!

It's official! An Unexpected Obsession is available for NOOK through Barnes & Noble (BN.Com)!

Buy it here:

An Unexpected Obsession--NOOK!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

An Unexpected Obsession Available at Barnes & Noble...

Well, almost. I received an email from B&N today letting me know their digital publishing system was up and running and ready for me to download my book for their NOOK customers. I immediately went through the process of setting up an account, uploading my cover and content, importing reviews, etc. (about a three-hour endeavor). I read the fine print, checked the box to confirm I agreed to their terms, hit send and...received an error message stating, "We are experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again later. We apologize for the inconvenience."

Okay. I waited a bit, re-entered the information that had magically disappeared during said technical difficulties, hit send...same message.

So...for all of you NOOK owners anxiously awaiting my eBook (hey, I read The Secret), you can still download An Unexpected Obsession using the links below, you just can't download it directly thru B&N...yet.

An Unexpected Obsession-Amazon
An Unexpected Obsession-Smashwords

Stuart Woods is one of my top-5 favorite authors...But,

I am always disappointed by the tone of his Author's Note at the back of his books. He goes into great detail telling his fan's NOT to send him certain types of email such as chain letters, prayers, anything with an attachment. I can certainly understand him not opening email of this sort, but is it necessary to chastise his reader's in such a derogatory manner?

I can only hope to someday have such a dilemma, but I would never intentionally alienate the people buying my books because certain types of email annoy me. The author's afterword certainly hasn't kept me away from the checkout register every time a new book of his comes out, but I always think about it.

What do you think? Do you even read the author's notes, acknowledgement's, etc.? Does it effect your purchasing decision?

Monday, October 4, 2010

Dan Brown's - The Lost Symbol

I finished Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol today and enjoyed it every bit as much as the previous novels featuring Robert Langdon as the main character. It is definitely a thrilling read and I really enjoy the alternative religious views expressed. The ending is unexpected and believable, shocking and exciting all wrapped up with a pretty bow and perfectly delivered.

A thoroughly enjoyable read!

Check It Out! An Unexpected Obsession has 100% 5-Star Reviews!

An Unexpected Obsession

Sunday, October 3, 2010

The Unsuspecting Heiress

I began working on my next novel this weekend and the pages are flying by! The title of this post is my working title for the book...not sure I love it, but the actual title always seems to present itself as the characters reveal themselves to me. Sophia Houston is my newest main character and she's already taken up residence in my every waking though...and some of my dreams. I'm only 5,000 words in, but I have a feeling this story is going to fly out of my imagination quicker than any before.

In the meantime, don't miss out on reading An Unexpected Obsession

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Need Something to Read?

It's football season...I'm not really interested, but my husband loves to watch. So what do I do if I don't want to be a football widow? I settle on the couch next to him and read a good book. There are thousands of ebooks out there on Kindle and other e-readers for you to check out--you can even download Kindle to your Smartphone...if you haven't already, give it a try. It's actually a very comfortable reading experience!

I'm reading Compromising Positions at the moment (there was an article the other day questioning banning books that people felt were pornographic and Compromising Positions was mentioned...so, of course, I had to see what it was about!).

Curious? It's a contemporary romance with a lot of great sex in the mix...exactly what I love to read:). Chick-lit, not porn, but the controversy got me to download it and I'm enjoying the read so far.

I suppose if it can be considered pornography, or even erotica, my book could be as well. I'll let you judge for yourself...download a copy of An Unexpected Obsession and let me know what you think!

An Unexpected Obsession for Kindle

An Unexpected Obsession (SmashWords-for other e-reading devices)

Friday, October 1, 2010

Get it FREE!!! Today Only!!!

An Unexpected Obsession was published on smashwords today for ebook readers. TODAY ONLY, get it free! Use coupon code: ZC77S

100% 5-Star reviews on Amazon!

An Unexpected Obsession Free on Smashwords!!!

Priceless by Nicole Richie...

I just finished reading Priceless, by Nicole Richie. I really enjoyed this book! Great story, fast pace, exciting celebrity inspired premise...a must read for the Chick-Lit genre lover!

If you've already read Priceless and agree with my assessment, you might also enjoy An Unexpected Obsession! Both are available on Amazon.com for quick and easy download...start reading in under a minute and have a relaxing, fun weekend!

Did you know that you can read Kindle books on your iPad, Android phone, computer and many other places by downloading the free Kindle apps? I've been reading on my Droid for awhile now and have found it to be a great experience! And, many digital books are less expensive than their paper counterparts. Try it out today!