Back from Yellowstone

We went on vacation at the end of summer to Yellowstone National Park. I had never been to Yellowstone before, but my husband had gone with his family many, many, many (OK, you get the picture) years ago. When my husband went to Yellowstone, bears were a big problem. Or rather, the humans were the problem. He said the bears would approach the cars on the roads through Yellowstone and people would actually feed the bears out their car windows! The rangers have done a great job educating the public about the dangers of bears, and the garbage dumps have been removed from the park. So the bears no longer expect food from people and generally keep their distance. We didn’t see one wild bear. We had to visit them in the Grizzly and Wolf Center just outside the park.

We did see several bison. They look harmless enough but we were warned that they can charge, reaching speeds of up 30 mph. We also saw bald eagles, muledeer, coyotes, and assorted small animals.

We’re a pretty active family, so we went white water rafting one day on the Galatin River in Montana and another day we went on a six-mile, ranger-led hike to Fairy Falls in the park. Because we had a hearty group, the ranger took us a mile further to see a geyser. Yellowstone’s landscape is incredible – geysers, hot springs, fumeroles, and mud pots comprise the thermal features of the park. On the morning of the hike, we had to meet at 7:30 AM. Driving into the park at the hour with the temperature at about 38 degrees was amazing. Steam and mist filled the air and hung over meadows and rose from the rivers.

We stayed at a lodge in one of the cabins that ringed the lodge. The lodge occupied several acres of land that contained a pond and a river. We had a private hot tub on our back porch, which was great after a chilly day rafting on the river (one of our fellow rafters was a contestant on Season 9 of Survivor – I told her that made me feel better in case we got stranded on the banks of the Galatin – LOL). We also went to a rodeo one night, and my younger son chased a calf around the ring along with other 9 – 11 year olds to pull a ribbon off the calf’s tail. He and another boy were the strong favorites until they muscled each other out and a girl waltzed off with the prize! Our lodge had a place for a campfire too and all the ingredients for s’mores. So we went out, built out own campfire, and slapped together some s’mores.

Of course we waited around for Old Faithful to erupt. The rangers time it for every 60 to 90 minutes depending on how long the previous eruption lasted, and they post the approximate eruption time in the Old Faithful Inn. The Inn itself is also incredible, built in the early 1900's. There's an even older hotel by the lake, which was built in the 1890's.

We had a great time, and the boys were almost ready to go back to school yesterday. Me? I’m ready for another vacation!

The Wedding - Romantic Event or Performance?

Over the Labor Day weekend, I attended a weekend wedding. By that, I mean, an entire weekend of wedding festivities. Yes, the days of a wedding ceremony followed by a reception are gone the way of the twentieth century. This was a full weekend event, and we were informed that our presence was expected throughout. I have to attend the rehearsal dinner? Neither I, nor anyone in my family, was in the wedding. Of course, as it turns out, we were in the wedding as “the audience”.


And here's how a 21st century wedding unfolds.

The rehearsal dinner is fun. No more than 100 handpicked guests. We do have to listen to at least ten speeches, but some of them are quite funny. Even the slide show is okay, though this is where I begin to realize we are the audience, not the guests.

But it takes the wedding itself to show me how much things have changed since I married. Start with the photography. Four photographers plus a video photographer take over the wedding room. Cameras are mounted on 15 foot tall stanchions on both sides of the room. A huge klieg light is mounted on the altar in front of the bride and groom and faces directly into the audience. We won't sleep through this ceremony. We won't see it either, due to the blinding spotlight which remains on for the entire ceremony. The spotlight is reinforced by flashbulbs that pop randomly just when you think you've located a vista uninterrupted by the kleig. The photographers buzz the altar like pit bulls seeking prey. They stand in the aisle. They discuss their work among themselves in stage whispers. My daughter observes that we seem to be the studio audience in a reality tv show.

When the bride and groom exit down the aisle, they are preceded by two photographers scuttling backwards to record the event for all posterity. Do we actually get to see the bride and groom? No. But I guess they’ll enjoy seeing themselves in perfect photos forevermore.

The string quartet plays beautifully before the ceremony and during the following cocktail reception. But I miss the organ pumping out ‘Here Comes the Bride’. I comment to a close friend, “Did you realize the gown was made to order?” She looks at me like I’ve just rolled off the turnip truck (and she is not fond of turnips, nor anyone who travels with them). “All gowns are made to order,” she informs me.

We move into the ballroom for dinner. Despite an ample buffet during the cocktail reception, the men are starting to get hungry. It’s about 8:30 pm. The music from the dance band is so loud we quickly exit the ballroom, posting a sentry to watch for dinner. Folks start searching for the parents of the bride. If the music isn’t toned down we’ll all require pacemakers. My chest hurts from the noise (which is something I’ve never experienced. Rock concerts are quieter.) My teenaged nephews can’t even take it. The bride’s SIL sends her twin 8 year olds back to the hotel for good. She wants their hearing to remain intact.

Dinner fails to materialize. At 10:00 pm my husband storms the kitchen to procure a plate of chicken tenders and French fries for our youngest, who is on the verge of passing out. She doesn’t eat chicken, but I spot her guarding the fries with her arms literally over her plate. Her tablemates are hungry. The groom even comes over and high fives her for scoring food. The chicken tenders she doesn't want are brought back to our table and broken into pieces for the adults to share. Now I know the conditions under which civilized adults will dispense with silverware.

Two entire tables of guests have cleared out by the time the food arrives at 10:40. The meal is delicious, though few guests take the time to appreciate it. Mainlining it is preferable. The bride and groom cut the cake, I think. No one can see them due to the photographers circling them like vultures over a kill. (Maybe they hadn’t received dinner yet.)





The band plays on. It's the first band I've ever heard that never takes a break. They do play very well (once the parents get the volume toned down.) But as midnight approaches, the volume increases. The dancing gets frenetic, and that part is fun. Lots of fun. But the old folks and the young ones are getting tired as midnight passes. I proclaim that no one can leave until the bride and groom do. But this is another custom that apparently has gone the way of the dodo bird.



The bride and groom aren't leaving. No honeymoon for them. The bride started law school last week and classes continue this week. I guess the groom is going back to work. Huh? Where’s the romance? Where are the special memories to savor when marital life has its bumps? Where is the chance to take a break from busy individual lives and begin to meld your lives together with fun and pleasure? (You know what I'm talking about.)

Yes, they had lived together before the wedding. Yes, they’d been engaged for two years. (It takes that long, the mother of the bride told me, to line up all these props that go into such a performance...ummmm wedding.)

This wedding was beautifully planned and, for the most part, executed. No expense was spared. The only thing missing was the romance.

But it did get me thinking. How would I like my daughters to get married? The mother of this bride told me you get caught up in the whole rigamarole. You must have rose petals strewn down the aisle. You must have the imported wedding dress. You must have an invitation packet consisting of several pages plus individually printed cards for the “goodie bags” for every guest.
But, I ask you, is all of this necessary? Has anyone attended a special, romantic wedding not built around props? Or are we all doomed to such extravagance to show we love our children?

Cover Envy

This past week I was lucky enough to see several drafts of covers for my upcoming Red Sage Presents short story, The Better to Eat You With. Lucky, because my editor asked for my opinion and input on the cover. The first cover idea, although it was a nice cover, just didn't fit the story and my editor agreed. (If you can't tell from the title, it's a twist on Little Red Riding Hood and my editor and I have taken to calling it my "big bad Wolfe" story.)

Now I have such admiration for cover artists. They take the few bits of information we give them and design marvelous works of art that will hopefully give readers an idea of the story and tempt them to want to read the story. While I may be somewhat creative with words, I have no visual creativity at all. I simply can't imagine what a cover should look like, but in this case I did mention I'd love to somehow depict a "big bad Wolfe."

I was given two options and they were both awesome. One, my editor and I agreed, was perfect for my Red Riding Hood reunion story. And I'm posting that sexy cover below for your sneak peek. But the other option...wow, was it hot!!! This cover, a headshot of a wet, sexy guy, made my mouth water. I wanted this cover too! I knew it would attract readers. I knew I wanted a hero who looked just like that, who took brooding bad boy to a whole new level. So I may have begged to my editor, only half in jest, to let me have both covers. And I promised an awesome story to go along with the second cover.

Here's the cover for The Better to Eat You With, a November 1st release from eRed Sage. I love the muscular, slightly older, definitely wolfish hero.



And no, I can't show you the other cover yet, but the wonderful art department is holding the cover for me. So now I'll have to write this hero's story. I can't wait. I've already printed out the headshot for inspiration. :-)

So how important do you think covers are?

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com.

Tall, Dark and Handsome...Hardly All a Woman Wants

Fortunate is the woman who finds a loving, commitment-focused man early in her life. A man who remains dedicated to strengthening their romance from the first day they meet until death parts them. Real-life heroes are hard to find, but once we find them we do our best to return their affection and share a life with them—a life filled with hope and happiness.

For all the heroes there are also sexy diversions in disguise…

Flirty guys who dance into our lives for a few moments or a season. A fling with them may prove fun, but it seldom makes for monogamy or a happily-ever-after.








Bad boys are born to wreak havoc with a woman’s heart, and they delight on living life in the fast line. Balancing on the blade of the proverbial knife suits their lifestyle, and they don’t mind skipping out if something they temporarily find more interesting crosses their Harley’s path.







What do I find most appealing about a man I’d consider a perfect significant other?

Rugged hero. He’s the guy who doesn’t let anything stand in the way of his love or life with his heroine. Sure he has his separate pursuits, and she has hers, but together the make a team capable of withstanding life’s turmoil.








Helpful guy around the house. He knows dividing household tasks doesn’t take away from his masculinity. He’s secure in his love and knows you’ll show your appreciation for his kindness a thousand-fold. The couple that keeps house together has a better chance of staying together, IMO.









True romantic. He scatters rose petals over the sheets and sips from the same spot on the champagne glass where your lips touched. Despite a hectic work schedule, he always finds time for date nights and cuddling with you on the living room couch.








Outdoorsman. He knows how to build a campfire and start a fire in your heart. You’ll never be lost when this godsend with a built-in compass takes your hand along the pathways of devotion.








Guy who’ll go to great depths for your welfare and to satisfy your passions and wildest desires.








Thoughtful guy. He always remembers what you like and delights in surprising you on a day when everything in your world has been turned upside down. He’s all about face value, too. No sneaking around or hidden agendas.








Protector. This man will go to the mat to win your love and keep you safe from harm. He won’t run at the first sign of danger or demand his way is the only way.








These are some of the many traits I find appealing and necessary in any man I’d consider for a real-life hero. Tall, dark and sexy…? Those are great, but I’d trade them in a heartbeat for a shorter, fairer and average-looking guy if he possessed the heroic traits I’ve mentioned. Looks fade. A meant-to-be relationship filled with love, caring, open conversation, and commitment lasts. While I truly enjoy writing those Alphas and bad boys as heroes, I prefer commitment over devil-may-care. This Cinderella is definitely being careful where she drops her slipper ;)

Would love hearing your thoughts on this topic, readers. Hope you all are having a fantastic holiday weekend!

Wishing you all many happy reading moments,

Shawna Moore
TO HELLE AND BACK AGAIN -- Ellora's Cave Exotika
TORMENTED -- Ellora's Cave (Recommended Read)
ROUGHRIDER -- Ellora's Cave Exotika
HELLE IN HEELS -- Ellora's Cave Exotika
Shawna's Myspace
Helle's Myspace

Anger and Angst - Can there be too much?

by Kristin Daniels

I’m this close to finishing my WIP—an anger-filled, angst-ridden erotic novella. And as I’m writing, layering and editing it, I’ve had to stop more than once to wonder: can there be too much anger and angst in a story?

I’m a firm believer that there can’t be, but I also love the emotional roller-coaster that characters go through when they’re growing and learning. I have to wonder if all readers, especially erotic readers, feel the same way. Is that something you love to experience right along with the characters, or are you more of the let’s get on with it already type? I’d love to hear your opinions.

Music and Monogamy: "Baby, every song is our song…"

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Every couple is supposed to have an “our song,” that one melody of significance that characterizes the strength, depth and resilience of their relationship. That one tune that will be played at the wedding and every anniversary thereafter, even if the kids complain about it making their ears bleed and forcing their blood glucose levels through the roof as they watch mom and dad sneak some much needed kisses. It’s hard to believe that a simple melody can represent the complexities of eternal devotion and love. Or is it?

How important is a song to a relationship? I’ve noted that I haven’t seen the “love song” as a part of many stories lately. Actually, I can’t remember reading a story recently that includes one, or any kind of music connection really (except, of course, unless it’s a main plot point).

Have you ever used music in your romances or erotica? Can music, the rhythm of life wrapped in melody and harmony, be erotic or romantic within the written word? Being a social dancer, I love all kinds of music and it’s natural to think about it when I’m writing. Almost all my stories have a song that I have connected to them, even if it doesn’t appear anywhere in the final product.

For example, I always liked John Denver’s You Fill Up My Senses, which is a bunch of similes chained together by a fast 1-2-3 waltz beat, and when I wrote Second Nature, in which Wis, the hero, duly fills up his mate’s senses beyond her wildest dreams, I had that song in my mind. In Snow Job, the hero, Aleksi, chooses his favorite Russian waltz—based on one of my favorites—as the song his intended, but not intentional, bride will walk up the aisle to. It’s vibrant, joyful, and captures the passionate spirit of their union--scarves, wooden stakes, and all.

For shy cowboy Randy Stide and his lady love, literature professor Rumani Gladstone, in Ride 'Em, Girlfriend!, Forever by Vince Gill seemed to suit, and I also couldn’t resist a scene where he introduces her to the rumba and the tango while they're naked. I mean, how often does THAT opportunity knock?

While writing Pleasure 2035, a campy futuristic paranormal, I must have listened to Disturbia by Rhiannon a million times, and even have Mayflower, the beleaguered heroine, perform her own cover of it, among other, um, musical performances she gives throughout the book, in an effort to distract the villain (if you count shouting during sex scenes music...lol).

What about you? How does music play a role, if any, in your stories or your writing process? Do your couples have a song that characterizes them to you as you write, or have you ever given your couples an “our song”? Do you and your significant other have a favorite song?

I guess I’ve never used an “our song” element per se in a story, at least not so it would be noticeable to the reader, but I do find I like to incorporate some kind of musical element. Maybe it’s because my husband and I have never really had an “our song.” Early on, we sort of did, but it kept changing, from the Everly Brothers’ Dream to Aerosmith’s Don’t Want to Miss a Thing to our favorite ballroom tune at the time. So finally, being the ever-logical, sexy cad he is, my husband said, “Baby, every song is our song.” And I believe him. :)

Monogamy - Myth or Magic?

Who thinks that swans and penguins and voles are monogamous? Well, the voles (so far) are still soul mates for life, but as for the swans and penguins and the vast majority of other animals (including birds and insects), science is dispelling our favorite beliefs.

If, in fact, there is virtually no monogamy in the animal kingdom, should humans still be paired off for life? The short answer is yes, they should. Otherwise, who would need romance novels?

The longer answer is…well, you decide.

Swans have long been viewed as a romantic symbol of lifelong devotion. Not only are they beautiful and graceful, but they supposedly mate for life. Nope. Scientists in Australia tested the DNA of baby swans and discovered that 1 in 6 were not fathered by the male partner. That is so disappointing, you swans!

And, of course, this finding leaves open the possibility that the female swan is getting additional nookie which doesn’t result in pregnancy. So how loyal are they? Maybe no more so than humans.

More than any other animal, birds are very likely to form pair bonds to breed. But they cheat, apparently quite widely. One study found that when male blackbirds were given vasectomies (to control the population), their partners were still hatching fertilized eggs. Naughty blackbirds!

DNA testing (of many bird species) has revealed that up to 40% of baby birds were not fathered by the resident male. Apparently birds practice social monogamy, but not sexual monogamy. Another myth busted.
(Yes, science does take the romance out of a lot of things.)

Many people believe in the lifetime pairing of penguins, at least partly because of a recent popular movie. The good news about penguins is that they do form an annual bond during the breeding season. For some varieties of penguins, the bond only lasts for one season. For others, they will return to their breeding grounds and, if the female finds the same male easily, she'll choose him. It's not quite a marriage, but it's not promiscuity, either.

But, how cute is that picture? Penguins actually walk many miles from their feeding grounds in the sea, back to where the nest, or baby penguin is. They do make a big effort to successfully raise their young. They alternate care of the egg and the baby, and they don't seem to fight about who's doing the chores, either!

Of the thousands of mammal species, only 3-5% form lifelong pair bonds. (Wolves do, which makes them excellent shapeshifters, but if a wolf’s partner dies or becomes sexually unavailable, they move on pronto.)

In the animal kingdom, you can find any type of pairing "normal" to some species. There are birds which practice polyandry. That is, one female bonds with several males. Hmmmm, maybe this isn't such a bad deal. Except, when you add children to the mix, I would venture to say the female will never know another moment of peace.

There are many more animals which practice polygyny, where one male is bonded with several females. Elk, horses, baboons and yes, men (a little redundant when I've already mentioned baboons).

And some animals are just outright Cassanovas – never making even a pretense of a bond – call this the hump and dump category. This group includes bears, chimps, and the (appropriately named) wildebeests. I guess we have to add men to this list, too. Yup, seems like the human male can fit in every category. (I don't really mean to pick on men. Females seem to be equal opportunity cheaters everywhere in the animal kingdom.)

Which brings me to the bottom line. Any type of pairing can be found, both in nature, and among humans. So why are we so enamoured of monogamy (a product of Western civilization, btw)?

It is believed that monogamy is important in humans because of the long childrearing stage, where the presence of two attentive parents is useful in helping the child reach adulthood. I wonder if, as society takes over more of a role in providing for children, will this be true 200 years from now? What do you think?

Also, is the raising of children the only reason for monogamy among humans? Or do we have a different emotional need to form a bond that lasts for life? The consumption of romance novels would indicate we have a strong need to seek and achieve a long lasting emotional bond with a mate. What do you think?