Month: May 2013

REBLOG: Memories and Memorials by @VicDougherty

Ooh interesting post by Victoria Dougherty!

Yesterday, Jack (my husband) and I received a text from our good friend Dave Bellon. Dave is a four time combat veteran (2 in Iraq, 2 in Afghanistan) and Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. He and my husband go way back. As in back to 6^th Grade. And they have indulged in every kind of adolescent antic together – from sneaking whiskey and cigarettes on the railroad tracks, to jumping off Dave’s roof and into his pool (beers in hand) while Dave’s parents were out of town, to doing shameful things to girls who let them while they raged on Spring Break at some God-awful, dorm-like hotel in Daytona Beach.

Although we live several states apart, Dave and Jack still indulge in those meandering, soul-scrutinizing spaghetti bowl conversations that so many men quit having with their friends right around the time they graduate from college. For those…

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It’s HERE! The new cover for Second of All (Downey #2)!! #ASMSG |

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Isn’t it puuuurty?!

Yeah, I know, I said that about First, I Love You.

Remember, just like with First, I Love You, if you purchased it from Smashwords, Apple, or B&N you can get the new cover by simply downloading the book again to whatever device for free (delete the old one)!!!

(Supposedly, Amazon will do this for you as well if you ask them nicely. It’s kind of a pain, I know.)

Just like before, I got some postcards, magnets, and bookmarks to give away to my loyal fans:

In FACT, you could win a signed paperback with the above “swag” by entering the Rafflecopter drawing here or on Facebook!

🙂 Yay for giveaways!!! 🙂

Second of All is the second book in the Downey series, and you really need to read First, I Love You first (no pun intended).

Back Blurb:

“…for there is nothing so perfect as a thing with no ending and no beginning such as a family of souls intertwined…”

This introspective sequel to First, I Love You takes you deeper into a tale of interwoven roles, divided loyalties, and personal conflicts.

Detective Tommy Gates and Agent Ginny Sommers struggle to balance their growing personal relationship with their task of finding his father. Back home, Kiki Downey and James Hoffman are facing their own internal and external pressures. After Mary Gates is led on a different trail by Mickey’s Irish kin, they are all given pieces of a puzzle that it will take the whole family to solve. Interlocked within the narrative are glimpses into how Mickey Downey became the man he is today.

Throughout their journeys, past and present, they all must struggle with what loyalties and loves come first, and what comes… second of all.

And an EXCLUSIVE excerpt:

Ginny stood a bit on her now bare tiptoes and rested her chin on his shoulder. Tommy turned his head to kiss her temple, his lips lingering and then moving whisper-soft towards her ear. She struggled to hold back the shudder of pleasure, selfishly enjoying the intimacy and romantic thrill of the moment.

“Thank you,” Tommy said softly.

“For what?” Ginny asked.

“For being my Ginny.”

She didn’t think about her resolution to not make any moves, she wasn’t thinking about anything but their complicated friendship and her own frustrated feelings as she pulled her hands free, moved to the side and then in front of him. She placed her hands on his upper arms and his hands moved to her hips. She looked him straight in the eyes and ignored the returning twinge of sympathy she felt at the obvious fatigue on his features and the thrill she felt from the look of sexual longing in his eyes.

“Tommy, you have to stop this. It’s killing me. You’re giving me mixed messages,” Ginny began, trying desperately to use her professional ‘put him in his place’ tone but it came out a bit plaintive for her tastes. He winced and closed his eyes.

“I know. I’m sorry,” Tommy said then opened his eyes again. “It’s just… you mean something to me, Gin, and I’m afraid if we take it to the next level – have sex – it will mess it up, our friendship. If it was anybody else, I’d take that chance, but you, you’re different than the rest. In just six months you’ve become… Hell, I can’t explain it.”

He let out a harsh breath and she expected him to remove his hands from her hips to run them through his hair but instead he only gripped them tighter. She floundered in confusion. Ginny wasn’t one to mince words, in fact she was often accused of using too many, but she had never been able to express herself properly around Tommy. She struggled with a thousand different tactics and persuasive arguments until her mind just seemed to jam from all the different permutations.

Kryptonite, indeed.

Author Bio:

Genevieve Dewey is the author of The Downey Trilogy (First, I Love You & Second of All) and the short stories Bird Day Battalion & V-Day Aversion. She is a wife, mother, sister, friend and Anthropologist. She was raised mostly in Nebraska, partly in Arizona. She has a Master’s in Anthropology and worked as an Applied Anthropologist for years (even ran her own research company for a while) before deciding to be a stay at home mom. She loves passionate (rational) debates, reading, and libraries… oh, and Chicago and high-heels and chocolate and target practice and gangster flicks and anything with the FBI in it and run-on sentences. She lives in Nebraska with her three brilliantly diabolical children and one incredibly funny husband.

You can find me online at:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/GenevieveDewey

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GenevieveDewey

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6441991.Genevieve_Dewey

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Genevieve-Dewey/e/B00936QL2S/

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/genevievedewey/

Hee! Dedicated to all the “challenging” women out there. wink

An interview with @Penelope_Prose (Bad Penny) on the what’s wuut! #ASMSG |

YAY another guest interview with my dear friend Penelope Jones, aka Bad Penny, aka Sweet P. You can find her blog here: The very Bad Penny I invited her here to talk a bit about her new shorts The Babysitter Extraordinaire and The Exception, as well as the REBIRTH of the fabulous Iniquitous Solace: The Aftermath, the sequel to Iniquitous Solace, a book she co-wrote with Max but is sadly out of print.

Gen: Hi Penny! Thank you for taking the time to tell us about what’s new in your corner of the famous (or should I say infamous) #Naughtycouch!

Bad Penny: Hi ya, gorgeous friend of mine. I’m thrilled to have our sections of the #naughtycouch catch up! *giggles*

Gen: Me too! We seem to be knee-deep in book writing! All work and no play makes for a cranky Cupcake. *wink*

SO, let’s start with this poetry book of yours, Iniquitous Solace: The Aftermath, can you tell us a little bit about the premise?

Penny: I never expected actually to write “The Aftermath”, however, with everything in life, things change, and “Iniquitous Solace: The Aftermath” was born. The premise? Well… I think I want any girl or boy, man or woman who reads my poetry to feel like they’re watching a romantic story unfold, and although it didn’t end the way many hoped it would; that maybe one day happily ever after is around the corner for us all.

Gen: I am, as you know, hopelessly addicted to the Happy Ever After (…after some suffering)

*Penny chuckles*

Gen: You know I always ask you to rate for my blog followers, on a scale of naughty to cupcake how would you rate it?

Penny: Honestly after evaluating the book, the parts that are naughty are very naughty, but they are probably only 25% of the book, so I would say that it’s cupcake with a super-size of naughty. *winks*

Gen: What made you decide to write it?

Penny: Oh, Genevieve Dewey— If I knew your middle name I’d call you by it right now. *cringes* That’s a very hard question to answer and continue my high road of excellence, *giggles* but I’ll try!

Gen: It’s not a visit to Cupcake’s corner of the couch without me surprising you with an awkward and painful question… you know you like it. *giggle*

Penny: *Giving Gen the side-eye* My original Iniquitous Solace poetry book was unpublished by my co-author. It was my idea, my creation, my creative juices that were poured into that book. So, while I was very sad my book was unpublished and very angry with the way things went down… I can’t say that it wasn’t for the best, for all involved!

Iniquitous Solace: The Aftermath is for all those that believe in love, know that it isn’t perfect, and still want to champion for it.

Gen: You have a promotion for your brand new short story, the Babysitter Extraordinaire, that just started yesterday, how long will it be free and where can we get a copy?

Penny: Oh… I’m glad you finally asked. I’ve been bursting at the seams over here. *giggles* Pink was about to explode onto the #Naughtycouch!

*Gen snorts*

Penny: The Babysitter Extraordinaire is a brand new short BDSM fantasy that I’ve decided to share with the world for free until May 28^th, 2013. Anywhere #Amazon is available is where you can find it, but for easy access, here is the US, UK, and Canada links. *grins*

Gen: Ahem, and the rating?

Penny: I give it a full Naughty rating with only a little cupcake! Also you can find a sneak peek at my novel, “The Beautiful Catastrophe”! What more could you ask for when it’s free? *laughs*

Gen: Ooohhh! That alone would be worth it at full price. Of course, you know I already downloaded it. I love your stories! Speaking of short stories, recently you released one called The Exception, can you tell us a little about it?

Penny: Funny you ask, I find that the first thing I blurt out when asked about it is … “Oh, that’s my vampire smut.” But really it’s more than that. I do not like to brag, but recently someone told me that I had a knack for building an entire story, complete with emotions, and throw in some amazing sex. I write to grab your heart, and hope your down yonder parts appreciate me too. *giggles*

Doyle tells Allyce he’s a vampire and is now faced with hunting her down, and delivering “The Exception: an eternal kiss” in Amazon stores nearest you or Smashwords!

Gen: On a scale of naughty to cupcake how would you rate it?

Penny: I would say it’s not super naughty… it’s romantic, and most of my readers are true hardcore erotica fans, and they mentioned it was quite smushy romantic. *laughs*

Gen: Ok, about your novel (The Beautiful Catastrophe) in the works, can you tell us a bit about the premise?

Penny: Well… most of it’s in the free promotion I’m giving away this weekend, but here’s a short version! *winks*

Catastrophe had never given into her attraction to men; actually, she never even thought of them that way, until Slade E. Masters bumped into her life, literally. In fact, she spent her entire adolescent years and adult life buried in learning how to take over her father’s business, Morgan Inc., Limo Service to the rich and famous. Her father, Oscar Morgan, had spent his entire life trying to make sure she stayed grounded, and knew nothing was handed to her on a silver platter… and men were always after something.

Mr. Masters hired Morgan Inc. to drive him around on business but that wasn’t the only driving force between the couple. Strophe’s life was turned upside down the moment she met Mr. E, and then tragedy struck in the same place twice, and no one was sure where to turn next…

Look for it this fall! *crossing fingers and toes*

Gen: Ugh! I seriously cannot wait! I super love when you get all smushy and you’ve told me there’s smushy in this one. But, of course, the naughty scale?

Penny: I’m going to give this a number… the sweet, smushy, romance totally outweighs the naughty factor, so I’d say it’s a 7!

Gen: Ok, a few fun questions, just because. If you could pick a flower to represent you what would it be?

Penny: The Gerbera Daisy! It’s my favorite flower, and it comes in so many different shades of colors. There are many layers of petals before you arrive at the center of the flower… just like me! *grins and winks*

Gen: If you could have a dream date, what would it entail?

Penny: Something completely from my date’s imagination! I’m really NOT high maintenance, but I think imagination and originality count for everything. So if he or she is imaginative and original, I’m betting that would be my next favorite dream date!

Gen: What is your favorite adjective/adverb, and the one you hate most?

Penny: My favorite adverb/adjective is Poppycock! I’ve found over the years that word has saved many people from getting “the beat down”!

*grins*

My least favorite would be the words gay or retarded. Words that were meant to classify certain types of people have been turned into dirty words. Something isn’t retarded nor can something be gay. Nor should it be considered derogatory to be referenced as either term. People, wise up… it’s horrible to use those terms in a derogatory fashion… Shame on you! Stop it!

Gen: *whispers, I love it when you get feisty* Ahem, What is one of your fondest hopes for the remainder of the year?

Penny: I can’t wait to see my novel come to life on page and kindle… and who knows— maybe happily ever after is just around the corner!

Gen: Ya never know!

Penny: Thanks, Gen, for having me. *snuggles Gen tight* Oh… I heard from a little birdie that the next 7 days your book babies will be visiting my blog! I can’t wait. I lovers you long time!!!

Gen: I know! I’m so excited and it means the world to me that you’re participating in the Blog Tour for my Downey babies. Thank you, Sweet P, for coming and visiting me! I always love having you! *hugs*

That’s it for today folks!

Please check out Penny’s links:

Penelope Jones’ BIO:

Penelope Jones, the Iniquitous Bad Penny, is a saucy little minx who will drive you insane with her naughtiness and cheek! A writer of super sexy poetry and erotic romance – prepare to love both the woman and her works. Whether you seek a ‘happy-ever-after,’ or a ‘randy-romp for a night,’ Penelope’s the girl for you. She’s the sauce behind ‘Naughtyville’ and ‘Little Miss Notoriety,’ so come check out her blog for other writing projects, and what’s next for her at Bad Penny’s Always to Blame! It’s a visit you’ll never forget!

Social Networking:

Email: LittleMissNotoriety@Gmail.com
Blog: http://thepenelopejones.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Penelope_Prose https://twitter.com/Penelope_Prose
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ThePenelopeJones
Facebook personal: https://www.facebook.com/penelope.jones.564
Fetlife: TheVeryBadPenny https://fetlife.com/users/2142473
Goodreads: PenelopeJones http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6915959.Penelope_Jones
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Penelope-Jones/e/B00B9MVJJO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

US Buy links for Penny’s books-

http://bit.ly/BE-PJ The Babysitter Extraordinaire (Free May 26-28^th)

http://bit.ly/IS_TA Iniquitous Solace: The Aftermath

http://bit.ly/TE-Am The Exception: an eternal kiss

Downey Trilogy Playlists

Some of you may have heard, I made a YouTube Page where I can log the songs that I’ve enjoyed listening to while I write or that remind me of certain characters. If I get a book trailer made it will be there too. 🙂 Here are the Playlists so far:

My First, I Love You Playlist:

My Second of All Playlist:

My Third Time’s The Charm Playlist (so far…):

Thoughts on the use of the adjective “vanilla” (ADULT subject matter)

I apologize for the serious and random nature of this post—no wait, I totally don’t. #RandomGen has fused with #RantyGen today with just a titch of #BitchyGen for extra “sprinkles” on my cupcake as my dear friend Penny always says. Feel free to back out of the post if you don’t want to hear it and/or are easily offended.

The number one definition of Vanilla (adj) in the Urban Dictionary is: Unexciting, normal, conventional, boring.

In Websters: (adj) lacking distinction, plain, ordinary, conventional

And for the Brits in the room, the Oxford definition: (adj) having no special or extra features; ordinary or standard.

I was thinking the other day, and not for the first time, why the use of the word vanilla as an adjective rubs me the wrong way. Think: nails on a chalkboard, Styrofoam squeaking, “Are we there yet?”… sort of irritation. It’s not like I haven’t used the word myself on occasion, or have friends who use the word and I think nothing of it when they do. It’s true. But I came to the conclusion it’s because amongst these few individuals and I, (and you know who you are) we know what we mean by that adjective and it is NONE of those definitions. It simply means “not living a Dominant/submissive relationship or regularly practicing the BDSM lifestyle”. No value-judgment, just a simple manner of categorization so as to know to what particular activities we might be referring in a conversation/book recommendation. So, yeah, “vanilla” is easier to say than all that in a conversation with each other. We understand each other just fine.

But when others use it… man.

I tell you what, nothing irks me more than individuals who want to be understood and accepted for their own choices and yet they, in turn, feel they have a right to judge the value of others’ lifestyles. By its very definition above (and by that I mean Urban Dictionary, Websters, Oxford, common parlance, the manner in which it is used on blog, and in writing) it places an inherent value, or more correctly, de-value on something.

The very definition is judgmental.

Ordinary… BORING… lacking distinction… unexciting.

My dear blog followers, I count myself blessed and lucky to have friends from all walks of life, cultures, and lifestyles, from the ultra-conservative to the ultra-liberal, from countries near and far. So, I can’t fathom what on EARTH entitles a person in any culture/subculture to make a judgment about the sexual satisfaction a perfect stranger receives no matter HOW they like to get jiggy wid it. What makes certain folk think because some people DON’T engage in a D/s relationship or practice all the elements of BDSM on the regular that their sexual life is “vanilla” ie, as we’ve defined above, BORING, LACKING DISTINCTION, UNEXCITING?

Geeeeeeee, ok. /Sarcasmfont

For YOU, you meant to say, right? RIGHT?

‘Cause I’m down with that. We are beautiful, amazingly diverse creatures, us human beings. We are all different and we all like different things even within a sub-culture. For ME, receiving a spanking would be BORING, UNEXCITING, ORD—well, not ordinary—but HAVING NO SPECIAL FEATURES. Just like for one who craves, with their mind, emotions, physical being, a good ass-paddling NOT getting that would be—I’m extrapolating from the ubiquitous use of the term above—quite mundane in nature and lacking in appropriate stimulation (physically or psychologically). I don’t know for sure though, I’m just guessing. Because you see, otherwise, I don’t understand the use of the word vanilla AT ALL. Surely you don’t mean that because I don’t lead a D/s sexual life that my sexual life is somehow unfulfilling or boring or ordinary or lacking excitement or having no special features. And yet… there. it. is. Inherent in the use of the word itself, which you just used to describe me.

So I say with kindness in my heart (believe it or not) check your prose the next time you speak, just like I make sure and never use value-laden words such a “freaky” “perversion” “abnormal”… Hell, I even stop and cringe before I use the word “alternative” which I know many of my friends engaged in so-called “alternative” lifestyles have no problem with me using. I dithered, I kid you not, for HOURS before I used the word “naughty” on my “Cupcake’s Naughty Corner”, because that word also carries connotations that sex is somehow “not good”. I don’t like using words that place judgment on such a natural human act. After all, I would never want to assume I have the arrogant right to deem another’s sexual life to be “lacking”, “unexciting”, or “boring” because they don’t have heterosexual, monogamous, spank-free sex like I do.

A wise man once said:

Different Strokes for different folks…

And a wise woman once said:

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters.”

PS–Join me on Monday when I interview Bad Penny on What’s What with the What’s New in her BDSM/Erotica writing universe. YAY! Fun on Cupcake’s Corner of the #NaughtyCouch!

REMINDER: First, I Love You & Second of All Giveaways ending SOON! #ASMSG |

You can enter the Goodreads giveaway of First, I Love You until MAY 30th for a chance to win one of two copies along with a magnet, post card, and bookmark!

You can enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here or on Facebook until JUNE 3rd to win a paperback of Second of All (4 runners up get an eBook of Second of All).

Are you ready to blog rock? I am!

SUPER excited for this Blog Tour coming up hosted by Literati Literature Lovers! I might be even more excited about that than I am the NEW cover for Second of All coming May 30th!

REBLOG: It’s all fun and games until someone dies! #ASMSG #socialmedia

A thoughtful post by Bad Penny on Living Wills and other such morbid, but necessary responsibilities we have to our loved ones.

It’s all fun and games until someone dies! #ASMSG #socialmedia.

Tropes and Themes and Take-Charge Women, oh my! #ASMSG |

I was thinking about tropes and themes this morning. I just finished re-reading The Great Gatsby, which I am sure quite a number of you might have done as well… No? Just saw the movie? Oh well, doesn’t matter…

It was a pretty good book, not as great as I had remembered it, but it had my mind pleasantly engaged thinking about themes and language and stylistic maneuvers that might not be tolerated in today’s publishing world (he doesn’t even reveal Nick’s name until about 15 pages in! Modern editors just urped a little reading that…) But all of that was good because it allowed me to like it a lot more than I might have. I’ve recently come to terms with the fact I rarely like books written from the 1st person perspective. It make me feel like I’m getting gossip instead of a good yarn. The one notable case in which this sensation works to advantage is in the Stephanie Plum series. Love those… or at least the first dozen or so, I mean after a while I was all, “Piss or get off the pot”– Tommy Gates.

Speaking of which, one of the reasons I really enjoyed writing Second of All was because you don’t often see a woman pursuing a man romantically. On the rare occasions I see it on TV or literature it is in an entirely different manner: she’s a stalker, criminal, whore (always written in a pathetic/broken fashion), out for revenge (usually encompasses the three previous elements) and she rarely ‘gets her man’. Almost punished in a way for making the first move, or the second. and the third.

I like how Ginny never gave up on Tommy, but other than maybe the *ehem* handcuff thing, for me, her persistence and patience was as romantic as a man pursuing a woman. Maybe it’s that romance, even as a multi-faceted genre, caters heavily towards women. And I supposed a lot of women like the trope of being swept off their feet. Maybe sweeping a man off his feet seems like…work. But I see it more from a Pretty Woman sort of aspect:

“And she rescues him right back…”

What do you think?

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