Turquoise Morning Press

Yesterday, I signed a contract with Turquoise Morning Press for my newest romance novel, "Cat-Fish." This is the same novel that I was previously 11,000 words into when my computer crashed. It's a fun story, and yes, there's a cat in it. And fish. Hence the name.

My book won't be ready for a few months, but you can check out this wonderful new publisher here:

http://www.turquoisemorningpress.com/

I'm very much looking forward to working with them!

My Enemy, the Horsefly

If you're like me, projects around the house seem to take on a life of their own. I headed outside at 10:00 this morning, ready to scrape decrepit, unsightly paint from the ceiling of my huge wraparound front porch. I thought an hour, maybe two for the job. Then I could come back inside and work on my newest romance novel manuscript, which I've been looking forward to. But Five hours later, I'm questioning the sanity of this particular job. I mean, the paint ceiling-peelings in an icky shade of green (who paints a porch ceiling green anyway?) seemed to mutate and propagate the more I scraped.

While I scraped, flicked, and basically made a big mess, a stupid horsefly the size of an eagle, zipped and buzzed around my head. I hate those things! Having been bitten by them before, I don't recommend the experience. It buzzed my head. I swatted at it with my hand. It buzzed my left ear. I tried to smack it with a broom. Thankfully, I didn't hit my ear. That would have given the horsefly a good laugh, I'm sure. But all I touched was air, which probably looked kind of insane to my neighbor who happened to be looking in my direction right about then.

It flew around, staying just far enough away so I couldn't hit it. But then the stupid bug had the audacity to land on the back of my leg. My leg! That fly got what was coming to him. I smacked my calf, which of course hurt me, but I also stunned him, it, or whatever. The fly lay groaning on the cement floor of the porch. It gasped, begged, and made its last will and testament. With no second thought, I swished its dying body into the mulch under the bushes surrounding the porch. Mission accomplished.

Later, I looked out our backroom window to watch our hummingbirds at the feeder. I looked closer. That's no hummingbird. It's a horsefly! It couldn't be the same one, could it? It landed on the outside of the screen I happened to be looking through. I honestly think it was mocking me. Giving me the wing, if you will. When I head back out to the porch tomorrow to begin re-painting it, I'm sure that resurrected fly will be waiting. Hmmm. Maybe my husband would like to paint the porch.

Pillow Talk

I just found out that "Pillow Talk," my contemporary romance about a tooth fairy falling in love with her dentist, will be released August 15th by Class Act Books.

(I'd Like) to Kill a Mockingbird

Deep South Magazine, an online publication of all things southern. Click below for my story about my family reunion.


http://www.deepsouthmag.com/?page_id=127.

Guest Post by Michele Paiva

There is nothing more romantic than truly loving yourself. Though I am not a romance writer, I am someone who helps people find the love within themselves. Statistically over 70% of the people reading this are either overweight or suffer from Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, insomnia or more. None of this, nor blood pressure or cholesterol nor hormonal issues, should you feel you need to put up with. Some people will need to tend to this medically forever, but starting on a safe, easy program, may in fact, eliminate the need to suffer and, medicate. Losing weight, decreasing stress and empowering oneself to a life of living to the highest quality possible are the goals that I have for readers.


My site is set up so that I offer incentives to purchase the book as well as complimentary items like easy download shopping lists, a forum, and more.

But for right now, let's be timely. Let's discuss the BP oil leak. As of this morning the news said it has reached Gulf states. It amazes me that the H1N1 struck more fear in people than this spill, where this spill is not something you get "over" in a few days nor can get a vaccine to protect you from. It's a mix of chemicals that are both cancer causing as well as corrosive. What can you do? The first and foremost is avoid areas with the spill. But the spill and leak will soon disperse and be just as toxic but harder to see and avoid.

The second and most powerful thing you can do for yourself and loved ones, is to be as healthy as possible. The less toxins you have in you the less you will reach that "overload" that causes you to feel badly.

Following a plan of stress reduction, eating well, being as fit as you can within your limits if you have such, and coping skills with physical and psychological stress are the key ingredients to achieving wellness.

Five things to do to love yourself into health:

1. Drink more water. Water is needed for life, and it helps to flush out toxins.

2. Eat more oats. If you can, eat oats daily. High in fiber and protein and helps you digest and cleanse your system.

3. Create a new attitude. Every day try to find one more thing to be happy or thankful about. See the silver lining in black clouds. Laugh more. A little character change goes a long way in how you cope with physical issues that may crop up or, little stressors that come into all of our lives.

4. Play eclectic music. If you are reading a victorian romance, why not spend the week enjoying victorian music? How about a romance set in Ireland? Play that music as well! Transport yourself and ignite many areas of your body, mind and spirit. It is both stimulating and stress reducing.

5. Lastly, eat less processed food. More vegetables, more fruit... not from packages but fresh. Even if you live alone, learn to treat yourself like a queen and eat in luxury! Food is a luxury we take for granted and it is delicious and fuels us. Embrace it!





Do visit www.loseyourfinattitude.com and keep reading romance and ...start with loving yourself!

Michele Paiva

Wellness Expert and Guest Blogger :)

Sneak Peak - Whispers of the Muse

Click below for another installment sneak peak for "My Life in Mental Chains."


http://whispersofthemuse.org/AuthorSpotlight/SpotlightFrame.html