October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

We all know October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. The important message about awareness and prevention gets through loud and clear every year at this time, but for a change of pace, here’s a sexy reminder that recently had me paying VERY close attention, LOL!  Make sure you watch all the way to the end credits. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsyE2rCW71o

 

Until next month,

Jenna

www.jennaives.com

 

On the Subject of Twerking

Since I wrote about bosoms last week in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought this week I would write about bums, as in gluts. As in our bottoms.

I’m writing about butts because it only seemed fair and because, well, I need to set the record straight on something. As anyone who reads this blog knows, I love to dance. I’m not particularly good at it, but I love it. After the sensational Miley Cyrus twerking incident at the VH1 music awards, I got some very personal questions about my opinion of the whole thing that included the full-out solicitation of my thoughts on the dance move itself. There was even some hinting about whether or not I, myself, have twerked. Let me set the record straight right here and right now…

I think before I twerk. I can twerk. I have twerked. I simply choose not to twerk.

I have nothing against the dance move, which you can see by going to Youtube and typing “twerking” in the search box. FAIR WARNING: This will bring up all kinds of demonstrations of twerking, from the least obscene one can make it to the most bizarrely pornographic. Miley Cyrus’s version, I thought, was fairly tame compared to most I’ve seen. If done correctly, it can be a viable option for choreography, depending on the dancer, audience, venue, and music, but it's not for everyone. Most of the objections to it come from the fact it basically looks very sexual, kind of like the dancer is dry humping air.

To me, it’s not quite so sexual as frightening. When dancers really get going, it looks more to me like someone trying to give birth and failing, kind of like the dancer is desperately trying to expel something from her body. That, coupled with the driving beat it’s usually danced to, give it a horror movie vibe, and I find myself sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what will erupt from the dancer, kind of like the feeling one gets when watching Alien movies.

There are some women who can do this move so that it actually looks like their butts are moving independently of the rest of their bodies, which is kind of surreal if you watch it long enough. It ceases to be sexual and instead becomes either comical or optical illusion-ish, so much so that it detracts from the dancing itself.

The other part of twerking is that if you don’t do it correctly, you can really hurt your lower back. You really have to use your core and tilt your pelvic, or you can risk serious injury. In ten years, most of the teens who are at this very minute twerking just to irritate their parents will find themselves at the doctor’s office with lower back pain. Imagine a 20-something hobbling in to see her GP, completely befuddled as to why her lower back is so sore all the time. The doctor will knowingly ask whether his recalcitrant patient ever twerked back in the day, and she will have to sheepishly admit that, yes, indeed, she bowed to peer pressure and did her best Miley Cyrus impression at senior prom, and well, she hasn’t walked quite the same since.

It’s because of the latter, the potential for injury, that I choose not to twerk. I suppose if I really felt the urge to impersonate Grace Jones in that one movie where it looks like she’s giving birth to a bottle of perfume, I would do it, but those urges rarely occur. How about you? Do you twerk? Have you? Come on, do tell!

Day Three...

I normally don't advertise that I'm a smoker. It's not something I'm especially proud of and unless your family or a close friend, you probably don't know. I don't smoke at work and I'm one to shower if I'm going out because I hate smelling like a cigarette. You'd think all these things would've got me to quit smoking long before now, but nope. I actually enjoy it, which is the truly crappy part.

I quit once about twelve years ago after smoking for ten years. I picked up the bad habit when I was fifteen. The then DH and I decided we wanted kids, we were both smokers, so we quit. And we stayed quit for a little over five years. Then things started going south with the marriage, we started smoking as we tried working out our difference and now here I am six years later, still smoking. A lot. Unfortunately, I'm also a writer now too and I smoke while I write. BIGGEST MISTAKE I HAVE EVER MADE!

I've reached that point. I knew it was coming. I'd been tossing around the idea for awhile now. But I have a 22 year history with smoking. You can't be tossing around the idea. You have to be ready or you're not going to succeed. I'm ready to quit. I'm seriously tired of the hold smoking has on my life. I'm tired of spending the money. I'm tired of feeling dirty inside after I've had a marathon writing/editing session. I'm simply tired of smoking.

Three days ago, I "quit." Just decided Sunday that would be my last pack of cigarette. Mostly because I felt like complete crud after a 35 hour non-stop editing session. There was a five hour nap in there. A nap. I do not call five hours a sleep, lol. But I smoked so much in those hours I was disgusted with myself with how much I'd smoked. Unfortunately that is how entwined smoking and my writing has become. And its not good. It has to change.

I am now on Day 3. I'm not going to pretend I've gone cold-turkey. I have not. But I have went from smoking over a pack a day to having no more than three cigarettes. The only reason I had those was because I was seriously fearful for the lives of those around me. You laugh, but I'm not joking.

That's the thing. I don't remember it being this HARD last time. I swear I remember it being easy to quit last time. Like it was a piece of cake. Duuuude. Noooo. I've gone through withdrawals. Day One was horrible. Absolutely horrible. I don't remember withdrawals last time. Now I did wear the patch back then, which maybe is why I didn't have the nausea, dizziness and feeling like there is so much pressure in my head that its going to explode. Today hasn't been as bad. There is still a fuzziness to my mind. Like I can't completely concentrate, but the nausea, so far, is gone.

The worst part has been the cravings. This consuming, overwhelming, gnawing craving for a smoke that Oh. My. God. drive you insane. Makes you tense, edgy, angry. And in that moment you would do ANYTHING for a cigarette. These moments seriously piss me off, because it reminds me of how addicted I am to something and how I am now struggling to let go of it.

I'm having the hardest time writing. Like I said above, smoking while I write was the biggest mistake I have ever made. It is my biggest trigger. I sit down, open up my MS and I'm immediately ready to reach for my pack of cigs. While I have been writing this blog post, I have already been up five times, paced around the house, fisted my hands in my hair, and I'm already getting the urge to get up again. Why? Because I have the urge to smoke. And because I tend to smoke the entire time I write, the urge is constantly there. So I power through. I know it will take time to adjust, and stop linking writing with smoking, but it really, really, really sucks right now.

Any ex-smokers have any advice?
Abby

Corrieshalloch Gorge, Scotland

On July 30 of this year, we visited Corrieshalloch Gorge in Ross-shire, Scotland. It is around ten miles south of Ullapool. I had seen photos of this waterfall online but I didn't know much about it or what to expect. Even before we reached the falls, we heard it roaring.

Corrieshalloch means "ugly hollow" in Gaelic, but I didn't find anything ugly about it. This is one of the most beautiful Nature Reserves I've visited. This slot gorge or box canyon was carved out by glacial melt waters between 2.6 million and 11,500 years ago. The River Droma flows through the gorge. In less than a mile, the river drops over 328 feet through the gorge in a series of waterfalls. The most dramatic of these waterfalls is the Falls of Measach, which drops over 147 feet. In Gaelic, the name of the waterfall is Easan na Miasaich which means "fall of the place of the platters." The platters term refers to the smooth rounded boulders of the riverbed above the falls.

Standing on the suspension bridge, looking down.

If you're afraid of heights, a visit to this gorge might be a bit uncomfortable or even frightening. It is a long way down from the 82 foot long suspension bridge which spans the gorge, especially since it sways gently in the wind or if someone else is walking or running across it. This bridge was built in 1874 by Sir John Fowler, one of the designers of the Forth Rail Bridge. This bridge is actually over the falls.

The suspension bridge

 Most of the freshwater in Scotland is tinged slightly brown. This is because the water runs through the peat of the moors and bogs before going into the streams. This is also what makes most of the lochs in Scotland dark and very reflective of the sky.

A close up of the Falls of Measach taken from the viewing platform downriver.

  It was only a short walk down from the car park to the suspension bridge over the ravine. Once we crossed the bridge, we took another short walk through the woods to the metal viewing platform. It hangs out high over the gorge for an awesome view of the falls beneath the bridge.

The waterfall with the suspension bridge above it, taken from the viewing platform.

The trail through the forest.

 Woods surround most of the gorge though some trees had been cut in the past few years. These trees include birch, rowan, oak, hazel, elm and pine. Some rare and unusual plants grow in the deepest levels of the gorge, such as mountain sorrel, germander speedwell and saxifrage. Ravens next on the ledges of the gorge and trout swim in the deep pools.

The vertical cliff with lots of ferns and plants.

Wildflowers

Looking across the gorge to the viewing platform we'd stood on earlier.

The wonderful woodland trail

 After going back across the suspension bridge, we walked a trail that follows the edge of the gorge. It is far enough away to be safe, but it's easy to see the gorge from the trail. There is an especially nice viewpoint down into the gorge at one spot. The trail circles around and up a hill through beautiful heather and other wildflowers. At the top of this hill is a spectacular view out over Strath Broom, Loch Broom, and the mountains in the distance (toward Ullapool). The whole walk is probably around a mile, so not too difficult.

Here I am checking out the posted info. :)

Heather

Wildflowers by the trail leading up the hill.

Heather beside a log

 This National Nature Reserve is owned and cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.

View over Strath Broom and Loch Broom

Thanks for taking the tour with me through Corrieshalloch Gorge! Are you afraid of heights? Do you love waterfalls and walks through nature?

Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

Beautiful and fiercely protective of those she loves, Lady Seona Murray captured Keegan MacKay’s attention when she first set foot in Dunnakeil Castle. Though she is a chief’s daughter and forbidden, Keegan has fallen in love with her from afar and burns to possess her. But so does the clan traitor, Haldane, an obsessive outlaw bent on murder and kidnapping.

Sinfully handsome, Keegan MacKay is a fearsome guard as well as the chief’s cousin, but Seona’s father would never consider him a worthy husband for her because he is not a titled laird. Seona has secretly watched the sensual, tawny-haired warrior from across the crowded great hall for months, but when he is tasked with escorting her across Scotland, back to her home, their simmering attraction flames into sizzling passion with just one kiss.

Though she fears she is endangering Keegan’s life, Seona cannot resist his seductive charm or his spellbinding kisses. Keegan sets fire to the memories of her sad past and shows her what it means to truly live. But her father has other plans. He’s arranged for her to marry a wealthy Lowland laird. Is Keegan daring enough to steal her away? Or will the vindictive Haldane snatch her first?

How Do You Keep Up With Me?

Voluptuous released a month ago. In the next few weeks, I'm going to be having a couple new releases (Her Royal Romance and the print release of Silken Canvas) and I'm looking at several in 2014. In order to help all my readers keep up with what's going on with Natasha Moore, I've been told I need to rely more on social media. I've had a website for years www.natashamoore.com and I hope readers know they can always stop by there to check on what's available and what's coming up.

I've also decided to start a mailing list, so I can shoot my readers a quick update to remind them when something new is going on. You can sign up for it here. (I promise I will not flood your inbox. This is a new release only mailing list.)

Then there's the social media. I have a Facebook page. If you "like" it, you'll get more frequent updates in your feed, like when my characters are driving me crazy, or when I suddenly decide to give away a few freebies.

I'm on Twitter too. If you'd like to follow me there, aside from updates on releases, you'll find out what coffee I'm drinking and how much I need that glass of wine after a frustrating day and the occasional picture of the little guy.

I've recently jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon. For a long time I thought it would be a time waster (and maybe it is some days) but I've started boards for current projects and those in the planning stages, and agree that the visual inspiration is helpful. And yes, drooling over hot guys and sexy clinches is part of my job. You can check out my boards or follow me there also.

I know there are other places like Tumblr or...I don't know...a lot of others but I have to have some time to write so these are the ones I visit. So now I have a question for our readers. Do you think a presence on social media is important for an author? As a reader, do you check out Facebook, etc. for info on an author or do you just hop over to their website? Do you rely on a newsletter popping into your inbox to remind you when a new book is coming out? How exactly do you keep up with authors and their new releases? Am I wasting my time on Facebook or Twitter? Is there someplace else I should be making my presence known? I want to spend most of my time writing new books, so knowing the best way to spend the rest of my time is important. So please, Fierce Romance readers, let me know.

Natasha
Voluptuous - available now
Her Royal Masquerade - coming Oct 21
Silken Canvas - in print Nov 5 - available now for download
Playing for Real - coming Feb 4
www.natashamoore.com

On the Subject of Boobs

I try to post something every year for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in honor of the people I’ve loved and lost to the disease. This year is especially bittersweet, as just after I finished this post, I found out a friend has been diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Although it’s not breast cancer, it’s a beast in its own right, although her prognosis is excellent. My time today on the blog is especially fitting because my friend loves to read, although she’s more into mystery than humor, and I'm writing about a book I discovered. So, on to the original post.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year, I’d like to post a book recommendation. Not one of mine, mind you, although there are plenty of breasts in my books. No, this is one I found while browsing my latest publisher’s website.

I came across a book titled, ironically, Boobs. I read the description and was immediately intrigued. The title refers not just to the kinds of boobs at risk for cancer, but the kind of boobs who make the main characters on Dumb and Dumber look like rocket scientists. Two brothers, Harlan and Ernie, are pretty much down on their luck until they literally stumble across the wrong buxom woman, who, to teach Harlan a lesson, makes him an offer he can’t refuse. If he gets huge breast implants for thirty days and doesn’t tell anyone why, he wins $100,000. If anyone finds out he did it on a bet or if he doesn’t make it for the whole thirty days, he loses.

Harlan, not being the brightest individual, takes the bet, and his life spirals completely out of control as he walks a mile in someone else’s very large bra. The story is hilarious, yet poignant in a way, and regardless of the title, it’s not about how important breasts are, but how important it is to be who you really are to be happy, no matter what form that takes. As Harlan struggles to keep his dignity and his secret, everyone in his orbit holds on for one of the wildest rides of their lives until they realize that love knows only its own ideal of beauty, not anyone else's.

If you like quick humor and metaphor, you might like Boobs. And even though the title refers more to the main characters' IQs than to a body part, I hope if you do read it, you remember all those dealing with the myriad of issues that cancer brings to their lives, like my friend. People who need a laugh or just a few minutes away from reality that a really good read—no matter what it is—can provide.

So this is yet another post about boobs, those mammary glands that come in all shapes and sizes and that need checked every month—not just during Breast Cancer Awareness Month—to help in the effort to maintain their health and yours.

May you read today, love today, and survive today.

Cameo

A Walk Through the Heather

Bell heather

One of the reasons I wanted to visit Scotland in summer (aside from it being our anniversary) was to see the heather in full bloom. On earlier trips, I'd seen small patches of heather blooming in June and some in September. In late July, the first flush of heather paints the hills slightly pinkish-purple or magenta. There are several different varieties of heather which bloom at different times, but mid-August would probably be the peak, depending on the location. Flowering is dependent on the local weather and temperatures, as well as altitude and how far north or south the heather grows. The nice part about this is that you can possibly see some heather blooming somewhere in Scotland from late spring to early fall.

The cliff and trees in the distance.

 I love taking walks in nature, especially in a place as beautiful as Scotland. We started our walk on the opposite side of Ullapool at the large free parking lot. In the photo below, that would be at the center, a few hundred feet from the loch's edge. Once we'd crossed town and walked on a sidewalk along one of the main roads, we followed the signs and headed up toward Ullapool Hill. Thankfully the beginning of the hillside trail wasn't too steep and it had a nice gravel surface. Rain was misting slightly at the beginning of the walk, but soon the sun came out and shined a bit, then it was nicely overcast. Not too hot, nor too cool. Great for walking.

Ullapool

 We encountered a few other hikers and even a group of mountain bikers riding down the sometimes very rough and rocky trail. I didn't envy them. :)

We paused often to take in the spectacular views out over Ullapool, Loch Broom, the Summer Isles as well as the surrounding mountains.

Click to enlarge. View out to the Summer Isles

Heather above Ullapool and Loch Broom

Ullapool Hill is a part of the Rhidorroch Estate. This working estate features several businesses, such as agriculture, fishing, deer stalking and tourism. There's also a quarry nearby. They have restocked a local river with salmon fry.

Ullapool Hill

Click to enlarge. Mountain indicator board.

The mountain indicator board sits on a flat area with wide-open views all around. The board is a map of the surrounding hills, mountains and islands. I loved the poem on it! We also encountered a few benches, some of which we made use of. :)

A nice smooth portion of the trail and the Summer Isles in the background.

One of the most north-westerly pine forests in Scotland exists on the estate. It once covered a much wider area. It is now being restored using seeds from the few pines remaining from the original Caledonian Forest. Other native trees that have been planted here include birch, alder, and rowan. Ullapool Hill used to be a cattle and sheep pasture, but these animals have been moved out so that the woodland can be restored.

We estimated that we walked around six or seven miles that day (including the walk through town) and I was tired by the end of it, but I'd love to do it again. :)

Both types of heather growing together.

There were a couple of types of heather coming into full bloom during our trip in the Ullapool area. The main one was bell heather (Erica cinerea) which is magenta or pinkish-purple. Another type which was blooming had even smaller pale pink flower clusters. Both were gorgeous.

This was a very special day to me. I enjoyed spending it with my husband surrounded by incredible natural beauty.

I hope you enjoyed this walk through the heather with the incredible views around Ullapool!
Thanks!
Vonda

P.S. I found this wonderful new reader review on Amazon for My Brave Highlander:



5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book
I really enjoyed this book. I could not put it down. This author is awesome and I have enjoyed her books.
 by candace

Battle-hardened warrior Dirk MacLerie isn't who everyone thinks he is. He's Dirk MacKay, heir apparent to the MacKay chiefdom and Dunnakeil Castle on the far north coast of Scotland. When he returns home after a long absence, will his clan know him and will the duplicitous enemy who tried to murder him twelve years ago kill him in truth this time?

Lady Isobel MacKenzie is a beautiful young widow betrothed to yet another Highland chief by her brother's order. But when her future brother-in-law accosts her and threatens to kill her, she is forced to flee into a Highland snowstorm. When she runs into a rugged and imposing man she thought dead, she wonders if he will turn her over to her enemy or take her to safety.

Dirk remembers the enchanting, dark-eyed Isobel from when he was a lad, but now she is bound to another man by legal contract—an important detail she would prefer to forget. She wishes to choose her own husband and has her sights set on Dirk. But he would never steal another man's bride… would he? The tantalizing lady fires up his passions, testing his willpower and honor at every turn, even as some of his own treacherous clansmen plot his downfall.