Friday Awesome Sauce

It's Friday, yeah,yeah,yeah!!! It occurred to me that there is a lot of good things happening around the blogging community so I'm going to give a little shout out to my fellow writers and friends.

Julia Phillips Smith has a new story out, Bound By Dragonsfyre, Book 1 of the Dragonsfyre trilogy. A fantasy epic that you so do not want to miss. I'll be posting my review here soon.

My friend Jeremy from Retro-Zombie has his incredible artwork available on T-Shirts now. Go on and check them out. I collect tee shirts and I can't wait to get some. Yay Jeremy!!

K.C. Kendricks, author of some of the best erotica out there has a new book out, River Walk. It's the third in a series about a shapeshifter named Sundown and his lover, Fallon, a detective. I am addicted to the series.

Need help marketing your books? I know I do. We should head right on over to Gail M. Baugniet's blog. She is hosting author and marketing guru, Phyllis Z. Miller. Phyllis is talking about  tips for using Amazon and Facebook to spread the word out about our stories.

You Should Know

I've been so neglectful of this lately, but I'll be getting back to this more frequently. Today's You Should Know is Mina over at Some Dark Romantic. I've just started getting to know her and she is incredibly fun, outspoken and smart. Her tag line is brilliant "...middle-aged Goth Mom whose dreams haven't quite breathed their last." Mina blogs on Mondays and Thursdays. She is very supportive of her fellow writers and dreamers. Go one and check her out, she's fantastic.

Have a great weekend and don't forget to come back tomorrow when I post my 50 Favorite Movies in a She Said He Said dual post with Brent at Criminal Movies. And you know there is going to be a whole host of creatures on this list...Werewolves, Elves, Ax Murderers...LOL

Off With A Bang: An Award And Some Kink

Well, now didn't that title just get you going? LOL It;s the first day of a brand new year and I am starting things off with a dose of red hot awesome sauce. First, I wan to say that I hope you all celebrated with style whether it involved doing something quiet or a Saturnalian revelry of epic proportions. If the revelry is the case, please email me the salacious details. ;)

Jeremy, ofiZombie Lover and jmh digital has graciously gifted me with the Zombie Rabbit Award. Isn't it wicked cool?

And now for that kink. You know were dying to hear about this. ;)

So I was looking for something different to read as my 2011 wound to a close when this naughty little number caught my eye. Kink and the City: An Englishman In New York is a salacious memoir that is also an honest, irreverent look at the insular world of kink and BDSM. John Smith with his engaging, tongue-in-cheek style takes the reader on a voyeuristic journey into a realm that is misunderstood and often mocked by those who have never entered its gates.

As an erotica writer, I found myself by turns impressed, laughing out loud and simply sitting there with my jaw agape. He spares no detail and shares everything from play times to techniques in single tail whipping along with a veritable glossary of terms to expand one's knowledge of this world.

A subversive, edgy work with an almost philosophical air, it is also an engrossing satire the likes of which I have never read before. Most definitely not a book for the average reader. But, if you are willing to set aside preconceived notions and open your minds, you are in for one hellagood, entertaining reading experience.

I'm A Zombie

Check this out...I could totally be in The Walking Dead

Jeremy at iZombie Lover turned me into a zombie. Don't I look grotesquely cool? What an amazing artist he is. Thank you, Jeremy! Now if I could find someone to turn me into a werewolf...;)

By the way, my birthday is Thursday and we will party here like it's the end of the world. LOL To kick things off, Captain Ninja, himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, will be here on Wednesday. Whoo Hoo!!

And let me say that in the midst of my ongoing mess, I am finding incredible inner strength and am seeing how truly super blessed I am in my friends. I could not ask for better people at my six. Now here's a bit of Pat Benatar to fire up your day. She's one of my fave rockers. Don't you just love the late 80's early 90's vibe of this vid? Why it's Attack of the Mullets. Movie script, perhaps? Seriously, though it's simple song with a very strong message. It perfectly describes my new found attitude toward all this crap. May we all have a kickass week!

I Do Believe In Ghosts, I Do Believe In Ghosts...MOMMY!!!!!

LOL, love that title? It's Halloween and not only is it time for scary movies, monsters, serial killers and of course Trick R Treating, it's also time for ghosts. Chicago is one hell of a haunted town. We have so many ghosts running around, we're also known as Undead Central. Our ghosts even vote. Just ask former Mayor Daley. ;)

Before I get started with my post, let me share my You Should Know person for this week. Because it's Halloween and his blog centers around zombies, I think you should get to know Jeremy at iZombieLover.

Jeremy is a talented graphic artist with a hellagood, slightly skewed sense of humor. His artwork is incredible. It's creepy, it's intense and it's definitely unique. He'll turn you into a zombie, too, if you dare...Imagine that Christmas card going out to family. As if being an incredible artist isn't creative enough, the guy is also an amazing writer with a graphic novel out called Chatterbox.

Now on to my ghostly post. We have some very cool haunted places here in Chicago and places that are just plain notorious and infamous for grisly happenings. These sites have been known to have some residual spiritual activity or outright ghosts and phantoms. I've had some eerie encounters at these places and no, not full-bodied ghosts and stuff, but things. Here's a couple that creeped the hell out of me and made me want my mommy.

Mt. Carmel Cemetery is located in suburban Hillside, not far from Queen of Heaven where my grandparents are buried. This is where Julia Buccola Petta, the Italian Bride, has her permanent resting place. Julia died in childbirth in 1921 and within a few months her mother began having dreams that her daughter was still amongst the living and needed her help. For six years the dreams continued and in all that time, her mother tried to get Julia's grave opened. Finally, she succeeded and when the coffin was exhumed and opened, Julia's body was found to be entirely in tact, no decay whatsoever. Take a gander.

The picture was taken when they opened her casket and you can see the perfect condition of her body while the coffin is muddy and looks the worse for wear. Now, they say you see a woman in white near her grave, but I didn't see anything when I was there with my friends. HOWEVER, I did feel something when I got a few feet from her grave. Something took my right hand. Seriously. It was like someone slipped their hand in mine, but it was as if that hand were made of ice. I sucked in all the oxygen around me in a slow, hard breath. Every hair was on end. Now granted it was winter, but I had my gloves on and it was only my right hand. I choose to believe that I had a haunted encounter and you won't convince me otherwise anytime soon.

Another time, I attempted to go into Bachelor Grove, one of the most haunted cemeteries in America. The activity here ranges from mysterious balls of light to disappearing car and a strange woman. The picture at the left is purported Madonna of Bachelor Grove. She's been photographed dozens of times over the decades. A few years ago I went by myself, during the day, of course, to see what I could see. I never made it past the No Trespassing sign as dread froze me in my tracks. I tried walking, but my legs would not move. I was overwhelmed with fear. I don't know how long I stood there until I was able to run back to the car. I am planning to go with some friends this time and we'll see what we see. Call me a nut job, but I want to face this dread and see if I encounter anything inside the place.

Cornucopia Of Awesomesauce Thursday

I've decided that today will be Cornucopia of Awesomesauce Thursday. I wanted to take some time and share with you all some amazingly exciting news from friends of the Imaginarium. Jeremy at the wicked fun blog iZombie Lover has an exciting interview with the group, The Blanks, on his site Two Thumbs, Eight Fingers. They are an A Capella group who probably best known as "Ted's Band" on the tremendously popular television show Scrubs. Member Sam Lloyd appeared on all nine seasons as "Ted Buckland."

In other awesome news, Angela Felsted , from My Poetry and Prose Place, is running a contest because her new book, Cleave, will be out January 12 from Finishing Line Press. Cleave is going to rock because it is a poetry chapter book. Check out the trailer, Angela created it herself. I love it.




In more spectacular book news, MPax, from Wistful Nebulae, has her novel Semper Audacia releasing on Oct. 4. Yay! Here's a little bit about Semper as well as the gorgeous cover from M's site.

Alone. Leda is the last living member of the brigade, the sole defender of her world. War took everyone she knew, leaving her in the company of memories and ghosts. Or is it madness?

The siren blares. The enemy is coming. Or is it? The approaching vessel isn't a friendly design, but it answers with the correct code. Leda must figure out whether the arrival is reinforcements or the final assault. In an aging flyer, she ventures out to meet her world's fate, the last stand.

Sounds utterly brilliant, doesn't it? I can't wait to get my copy.

Finally, my newest, Nathan's Angel drops on Oct. 16 from Amber Allure, I'll post the blurb tomorrow.