Love Lines

February is the month of lovers, and tomorrow is Valentines Day. Are you feeling romantic? If not, maybe some of these romantic lines will get you in the mood. 

So sit back, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy some great love lines from some great books. Maybe one will strike your fancy and you’ll want to read the whole book. Don’t worry.  Buy links are included with every line. 

 

From Lilly Gayle’s 2011 release Wholesale Husband:

“Aye, Clarissa,” he said, his face now serious,

“you can do whatever you want, have as many

children as you want, be anything you want, just as

long as you love me.”

Wholesale Husband is available from http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=176_135&products_id=4631 and http://www.amazon.com/Wholesale-Husband-Lilly-Gayle/dp/1601549768/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325870062&sr=8-1

 

From Bianca Swan's Celestial Sin:

Cam-ael stroked her cheek, shook his head. “As I told Heaven’s General, the choice was mine. No regrets, my love, none at all.” An angel’s soft lips caressed hers. “How beautiful you are. I’d risk anything to be with you. I love you.”

Celestial Sin available from: http://www.wilderroses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=87&products_id=826

 From Katherine Grey's 2011 release Impetuous:

Mateo took her in his arms. "Your heart is a priceless treasure
second to none." A brilliant smile curved his lips.
"And I would know. After all, I am a thief like no other."

Impetuous is available from http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=905 and http://www.amazon.com/Impetuous-ebook/dp/B005J7K52M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1325970919&sr=1-1

 

From Brenda Whiteside’s 2011 Release 

 HONEY ON WHITE BREAD

“You know what honey does to plain white bread?” He kissed my cheek softly, his lips like the touch of a butterfly wing. “You dribble it on, slow…and…thick. The bread soaks the honey in and changes.” His lips caressed my earlobe. “Well, I’m white bread to your honey.”

Hone On White Bread available from:

http://www.melange-books.com/authors/brendawhiteside/honey.html

From Lilly Gayle’s Slightly Tarnished:

 “You make me

forget there was anyone before you.”

Available from: http://www.amazon.com/Slightly-Tarnished-Lilly-Gayle/dp/1601549237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325879639&sr=8-1 and http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=176_138&products_id=4516

 

From Mimi Barbour’s 2011 release: My Cheeky Angel

Tyler grinned. “I know you’re the cutest thing I’ve seen today, and I just walked past the puppies in the pet store window.”

My Cheeky Angel available from:
http://amzn.to/sItpZJ

 

From Brenda Whiteside’s 2010 release SLEEPING WITH THE LIGHTS ON

He leaned across the table to rub the back of my hand with his. “What I said is exactly what I meant.” He lowered his voice, and I lost my peripheral vision to the point that we were the only two people in the restaurant. “Sandra, when a gal’s figure fills in the spaces to make it a woman’s body, a man can lose all common sense just lookin’.”

 Sleeping with the Lights On available from: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/brenda-whiteside-m-726.html?zenid=df2623a0f03265ec26b02f245944e12a

From Leigh D’Ansey’s 2011 release: The Duke's Blackmailed Bride:

'She had not even reached the gates when she brought a gloved hand shakily to her mouth and pressed it against lips that still savored the taste of Northbridge.'

The Dukes Blackmailed Bride available from: http://tinyurl.com/6nxch9y

From  Darcy Lundeen's Find You Again:

“You responded to me. You were afraid to, but you finally let yourself go. That’s one of the nicest things you could have done for me.”

Finding You Again available from: 

 

Wild Rose Press Page: http://bit.ly/yTRLZR 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/Am85si

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/vZKcF3

 

And, we have two great lines from A.Y Stratton's Buried Heart:

1-

1-   "I want you to reach for my hair at least once a day and tell me what a slob I am. I want to hear your thoughts. I want to share mine with you. I even want you to correct my grammar."

 &

    "You're amazing. Before I met you I never knew that word."

Buried Heart is available from: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=A.Y.+Stratton+&x=23&y=12

 &

    http://www.amazon.com/Buried-Heart-Y-Stratton/dp/160154572X/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329100781&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Unexpected Journey

Earlier this month, I made an unexpected trip to Germany to visit my daughter. She was having some minor surgery and needed her mom. So, off to Europe I went.

I flew out of RDU in Raleigh, NC the last Friday in January for a week-long vist. It was 70 degrees that day, which is unusual, even for North Carolina. But we've been having a mild winter. It's not uncommon to have wild temperature swings in February and March. During those months, it can be sunny and 70 one week and below freezing and snowing the next. But I've never gone from 70 to 17 degrees in less than twenty-four hours before. I did that day.

My connecting flight was in Philadelphia where I expected it to be much colder than in NC. Apparently, Philly is having a mild winter this year too. I arrived at the airport in the City of Brotherly Love late in the afternoon and the temp was still hovering around 58 degrees. Not bad. I had on a sweater so I didn't even put on my coat when I stepped off the plane and rushed through the airport to make my connecting flight to Munich. But when I arrived in Germany nine hours later, I was in for a real surprise. It was snowing.

As we circled the runway, the pilot announced the current time and weather. The time was 8:00 a.m. and the temperature outside was 17 degrees Fahrenheit with snow flurries.

Flying over Munich

Munich Airport

Flurries? I could see the snow covered fields from the sky.
I about froze the moment I stepped off the plane.

 Luckily, my daughter had warned me about the bitter cold so I was prepared. And my son-in-law's car has heated seats.

It's 193 kilometers or approximately 120 miles from Munich to Weiden, where my daughter was recovering from surgery at the hospital there. But thanks to the autobahn and no speed limits in sections, my son-in-law made the trip in just under two hours, despite the snow. Than again, the snow plows and brine trucks had started clearing the snow the moment it started falling. Despite the somewhat scary speed at which we traveled, I was able to enjoy the beauty of the Bavarian countryside. 

(Left)Hops field covered in snow.Windmill in background.(Right) German Village outside Munich.

I've been to Germany twice before but this trip was different. It wasn't a vacation, and I hadn't planned for it. I'd gone to be with my daughter after her surgery, which turned out to be less invasive than originally expected and with a much better outcome. While I was there, I got to visit a German hospital which isn't something I'd normally do on a visit to another country. But it was educational.

In the US, I work in a hospital, but it's nothing like the one I visited in Weiden. For starters, US hospitals don't sell beer in the hospital cafeteria. The hospital in Weiden did! 

The rooms look similar, but the beds looked more like glorified stretchers. Some of the equipment looked the same as in the States but in the US, most hospitals use IV bags. My daughter's IV was in a plastic bottle the hospital recycles. 

Thank God, my daughter's hospital visit was brief and she recovered quickly--more quickly than anticipated. So, what started out as a visit to take care of her turned into something fun. We got to spend quality time together without her having to stay in bed.

near my daughter's neighborhood.

View of Rauher Kulm from Eschenbach

 By the middle of the week, we were able to get out and take a walk through her neighborhood and town.

Downtown Eschenbach

We ate at a nice Chinese restaurant where I enjoyed a nice, dark Dunkelweizen. We visited some of my daughter's friends, went to a German deli, and on the last day of my visit, we went shopping in Weiden.

Although this wasn't my first trip to Germany, it was the first time I'd every traveled alone. I was a bit intimidated at first, but on my international flight to Munich, I slept with a handsome 31 year old man. Just kidding!

My "seat mate" on the plane was a cutie from Texas and we did sleep a bit on the plane. He was traveling to Munich on business. He'd previously spent two years in Germany while working for the same management firm. The woman who'd taken his place when his work Visa expired was taking some time off for maternity leave and my handsome seat mate was going back to Germany to fill in for her.

Although we never exchanged names, he was a nice young man. He was also quite handsome. Standing well over six feet tall, he reminded me of Matthew Perry from the Friends TV series. We had a nice chat and I thought of several ideas for a possible romance novel that could start on a plane. Imagine falling in love on an international flight and getting separated in the airport only to realize you'd never exchanged names or information to help you find that person again.

I was intrigued by the concept of writing such a story. But I write historical and paranormal romance. Perhaps I could change the plane to a coach. Or, my handsome Matthew Perry look-a-like could be a werewolf returning to Germany in search of a cure. Since the first recorded Werewolf sighting was around the countryside of German town Colonge and Bedbur in 1591, I could incorporate some of the sites I've seen in Germany. Or, maybe I'll have to try my hand at writing romantic suspense.

What do you think?

Politics-Ug!

In John F. Kennedy’s 1961 presidential inaugural speech, he said, “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.”

Today’s politicians seem more interested in using America—or the American media—to propagate political smear campaigns against their opponents. In the last several elections, I’ve learned very little about what each candidate thinks he/she can do for the country. I haven’t heard a lot about the candidate’s credentials or political views. Instead, each candidate seems more focused on defending themselves against attack or slinging mud at the other candidates. These campaigns have been so effective, many candidates are defeated before we learn much about them.

Herman Cain seemed to be a fine candidate for president. He’s a pro-business family man who had a lot to offer to the Republican campaign—until rumors of infidelity and sexual harassment surfaced, and the media went on the attack. 

Television, radio, and more recently, the internet, have increased the speed at which political rumors fly. If a candidate steps out of a cab at midnight in New York with lipstick on his collar and his fly open, there’ll be a video on You Tube before dawn and a news broadcast at noon. 

The term “living in a fishbowl” has never been more true than in today’s media hungry society.

But political smear campaigns are nothing new. The mid eighteen hundreds was a time of anti-Catholic sentiment in the America. During Abraham Lincoln's political campaign, his opponents spread rumors that he was a Catholic. 

And in 1884, Grover Cleveland’s political opponents insisted the presidential candidate had an illegitimate child. Their rally cry became: "Ma, ma, where's my pa? Off to the White House, ha ha ha!"

Woodrow Wilson was a brilliant student, teacher, and statesman. He led the nation through the First World War. And yet, he wasn’t  immune to nasty political rumors. First Lady, Ellen Axon Wilson died just one year after her husband was elected president. When Wilson remarried a year later, rumor mongers claimed he murdered his first wife so he could marry his true love. 

The rumors didn’t stop him from getting re-elected. 

Rumors that President Obama is a Muslim and not a US citizen didn’t prevent him from getting elected either. 

Now it’s election time again. The old rumors are resurfacing and the President has the added burden of defending his presidency.   But he’s not alone in the political hot seat. 

Newt Gingrich’s ex-wife accused him of asking for an open marriage while he was already engaged in an affair with his current wife. And according to some other political rumors, Mitch Romney is Mexican.

So, what’s fact and what’s fiction? Is there a single candidate running for office who doesn't have a ghost in his/her closet? 

This election, Americans will have to vote for the candidate whose "ghosts" are least likely to affect his/her ability to lead a nation. Either that, or flip a coin.

Happy New Year!

New Year’s Day—January 1—is a time to forget the past and make a clean start. For many in the south, the year begins with a traditional meal of black-eyed peas with stewed tomatoes and greens. According to Southern folklore, the first food to be eaten on New Year's Day for luck and prosperity throughout the year is black-eyed peas with stewed tomatoes. According to Southern tradition, eating black-eyed peas and stewed tomatoes on New Year's Day brings good luck for the coming year. And eating cooked greens like cabbage, collards, and spinach represents money. In the south, the more greens consumed on the first day of the year, the greater the increase in wealth.

  And it’s not just a southern tradition in the south either. The Danish eat stewed kale sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon and the Germans consume sauerkraut.

When my grandmother was alive, I ate black-eyed peas with stewed tomatoes. I’m not fond of collards, so I never ate those. I guess that’s why I’ve never amassed a great fortune. But now that my grandmother has passed, I no longer eat those traditional foods. In fact, I spent New Year’s at the beach. My husband and I ate supper at Texas Steak House and ate leftovers for lunch.

Sadly, there were no greens. So, I don’t suppose I’ll be winning the lottery. I also failed to follow any of the other typical, New Year’s Day traditions.

Although, I did wear new clothes…

Superstition dictates that people should wear new clothes on New Year's Day. Wearing new clothes will ensure new garments and prosperity for the coming year.

Crying is a bad idea on New Years as it could indicate a continued pattern of sadness for the coming year. Lucky for me, I didn’t cry.

One should also avoid letting money leave the house on the first day of the year. I’m not sure what that means. I didn’t know it was possible to go an entire day without spending money. And since we went to the coast for New Year’s, we had to spend money on gas. Good thing I didn’t buy lunch. We at left overs.

But I didn’t pay any bills today, which is good. It’s bad luck to pay bills or lend things to anyone on the first day of the year. Some folks extend this superstition to not taking out the garbage or dusting their carpets on this day to ensure that nothing goes out of home during the year. If you must take something out of the house, let someone come inside the home first.

Another superstition? Open all the doors and windows at midnight to allow the old year to escape unimpeded. I wonder if a person would want to do this if the old year was awesome? If I had a really awesome, prosperous year, I don’t think I’d want it to escape.

It is also believed that cupboards stockpiled with food and wallets filled with money on the first day of the year will bring prosperity throughout the New Year while empty pockets or empty cupboards on New Years Eve are portent of poverty for the coming year.

My cupboards were semi-stocked and my wallet contained more money than usual. Then again, I rely heavily on my ATM card and don’t normally carry much cash. So, I’m not sure how to interpret that one!

In some cultures, washing dishes and doing laundry on New Year's day will lead to a death in the family during the year. Some people don’t even wash their hair on New Years day.

I didn’t wash clothes but I had to wash my hair and the dishes. My head was itchy and we were at our camper at the beach. I wasn’t about to leave unwashed dishes until the next chance we got to go to the coast.

Doing a small amount of work New Year's Day is said to ensure advancement in career, but beginning serious work project is unlucky—I hope washing dishes counts as work!

Making noise on New Years will scare away evil. That’s why some religions ring the church bells at midnight. I sat by a firebox with my husband at midnight, watching fireworks over the inter-coastal waterway. I didn’t make much noise at all, but maybe the fireworks scared those evil spirits away.

It’s also a good idea to pay off loans and debts before New Years Eve, but I have car loans and a mortgage, not to mention a credit card. Guess I’ll be in debt forever!

It is also believed that a kiss midnight will ensure affections and ties will continue throughout the New Year. I think I’m good here. ;-)

To dance in the open air, especially round a tree, on New Year's Day ensures love, prosperity and health. I didn’t dance this year. But I did ride a bicycle with my husband so my feet were moving.

And lastly, by draining the last dregs from a bottle of drink on New Years Eve, you ensure good fortune. Hubby and I had a couple of beers sitting by the fire pit. I hope that means we’ll have good fortune in 2012.

I hope you all have good luck, great love, and good fortune in the year to come.

Now, if someone could just tell me what it means to see a woodpecker on New Years…

Happy New Year!