We’ve become awfully jaded in this world. We don’t even bat an eye when we hear yet another report about Britney losing her mind or Eddie Murphy breaking up with his bride of two weeks. We feed the trolls known as the paparrazi (and I’m guilty of it, I do love me some TMZ) but they trail after those celebrities constantly and I can’t imagine living that life. It would make me insane (hmm is that Brit’s problem then?).

I guess you sign up for that if you become a celebrity but to that extent? I’m seeing it in its full glory today with the sudden death of Heath Ledger. On the TMZ site for instance the reports are updated every few minutes - I swear they even had a live stream feed at his apartment, waiting for them to bring the body out. That’s just wrong.

I’m saddened by his death. Not because he was my favorite actor (though he was awesome in The Patriot), but just because it was so shocking, so horrible! I feel for his family, especially his two year old daughter. He was only twenty eight. Such a waste.

So…there’s a new reality tv kid in town, Moment of Truth

Contestants competing on The Moment of Truth will be hooked-up to a lie detector and asked to answer 21 questions without fibbing for the chance to win the $500,000 grand prize.  Not surprisingly, the questions’ subject matter grows more difficult with each correct answer given and — as friends and family members watch from the studio audience — owning up to the truth becomes harder.

There’s something sick and fascinating about the show…like the trainwreck that is Rock of Love (BTW Apparently that’s back on), how can you look away from folks telling the truth to win money–even if it hurts.

Would you?  Would you tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth for money?

Here’s a few…let’s give it a try………..

Would you leave a relationship because the sex sucked?

What would you do if you caught your spouse watching TV over your shoulder while you were having sex?

Have you ever thought about someone other than you SO during sex?

What would you do if you caught your spouse cheating on you?   Have you ever cheated on an SO?

How do you feel about porn? Do you agree with those who say it degrades women? :evillaugh:  Or does it really get you off?

So I’ve been upping my gym time lately, trying to get my health back on. And so all this extra time there has given me extra time to ogle the men and their choice of attire. Which is silly since I show up into a pair of Victoria’s Secret yoga pants that refuse to withhold my secrets, and a big blue t-shirt that says Reading is Sexy with a picture of Jane Austen on it. Obviously, I wouldn’t want to be judged. But I must judge the men, because it’s too much fun. There are really so many varieties of men that show up.

You have your die hards who want to show off their body–they’re in spandex shorts and tight shirts. We’re talking every muscle and bulge is on display. And that so doesn’t do it for me. Actually, it kind of makes me gag.

Then we have the guys who look like they walked in straight from the mall. Jeans, sneakers, and a baggy shirt. Umm, okay, don’t get that AT ALL. I always look at these guys and think

There’s a few more, but then there’s what I find the sexiest. I spotted him alone and looking mighty proud of himself. My gaze moved from his head to his toes. And here’s what I saw. On the head a Boston Red Sox baseball cap (not sure he needed the hat, but it did make him look hot.) Around the nicely built torso was a simple gray t-shirt. Oh his lower half was a pair of nylon athletic pants? Anyway–he was hot. That’s what does it for me. That’s what makes Shelli sigh at the gym.

So what do you like to see a man wearing when he’s feeling the burn?

In any case, I guess we should just be happy that this isn’t allowed…

Too quick to not watch.

I believe contests can be a great way for an aspiring author to get her work in front of their dream editor. I’ll never forget my first contest. It was the FF&P contest, and I still remember getting my manuscript together, looking for the right kind of clips, and mailing off the three copies. It was my first real “submission” and I was a nervous wreck. But I did final, and Raelene from EC read it. That story, Dance of the Plain Jane, ended up being my first ever work in print.

I really feel like the right contest can be a huge boost to an aspiring author’s career. This is why I encourage anyone out there who is serious about getting published in erotic fiction to enter Passionate Ink’s Stroke of Midnight contest. Our own Shelli has won or finalled in this contest at least twice!

Check out the lineup of judges (including my own fabulous agent!):

The top five finalists in each category will be ranked by the following industry professionals:

Contemporary: Kate Seaver, Berkley

Historical: Hilary Sares, Kensington Aphrodisia

Futuristic/Fantasy/Sci-fi: Angela James, Samhain Publishing

Paranormal/Time Travel: Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency

Novella: Raelene Gorlinsky, Ellora’s Cave

So consider entering! You can find out more information here!

“I have a tendency, when I’m working on one thing, to doodle around and work on other things, to avoid what I’m doing.”

– George Lucas

I just read this quote tonight in February’s issue of Vanity Fair (which I had to buy cos Shia Labeouf is on the cover and I have a little crush on him and he looks so damn cute on the cover with Harrison Ford!  But that’s another blog post. Wait I already did that blog post!) and it really hit home.  I do this all the time, though George is referring to, oh you know, working on a current movie and then deciding to fiddle with another Star Wars idea or something. Much more productive than, ahem, me.

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So last night, while laying in bed, after drinking coffee at 9 PM (what was I SMOKING?  :pirate:  ) I came up with the most fabulous blog post……..*sigh* then the cat started licking my hair and I fell asleep (this after listening to him wheeze in my ear for an hour).

I do remember it was about writing so I’m going to ramble a while and see if it comes back to me.  I’m currently working on what will be my fifth Kensington manuscript…but like my *gulp* fifTEENTH manuscript (not all of them finished, one I rewrote, 2 twenty five page proposals, lots and lots of words).  Even though I’m probalby less than fifty pages in, writing SCREWED has been an amazingly pleasant experience.  I don’t think I’ve felt this relaxed writing in a book in…years.

Yes, years. (more…)