Monday, December 31, 2007

Those darn resolutions...

Why do we make New Year's Resolutions anyway? Why not Arbor day resolutions? Cinqo De Mayo resolutions? I figure it's to make our hangovers feel even worse when we break them in the first few hours of New Year's Day.

So this year, I'm going to survive THIS particular Monday by being VERY careful about my personal new year's resolutions. Here they are.

1) I resolve not to give in to George Clooney. Sorry, George. You're a wonderful guy but it wouldn't work between us. Sigh.

2) I resolve to not buy a new shampoo until I've finished the old one. That way I won't feature in a headline screaming "New England writer killed by landslide from her own bathroom cabinet. Husband presses wrongful death lawsuit against Revlon".

3) I will not read/watch/glance at anything involving anyone with the last name of Spears.

4) I will let my eyebrows fill in. (I was told to do this, since I apparently overpluck. Who knew?)

5) Once a week I will turn on the radio and listen to something by an artist I haven't heard of. I will do so with a bottle of aspirin and earplugs if necessary, but at least if I'm asked what I think of "Nuts and Bolts in a Tin Can"'s latest release, I will know the group.

6) I will water my plants before they droop and gag harshly.

7) I will never forget to get my coffee ready last thing at night. (Mornings tend to be ugly when this happens.)

8) I will remember that eBay is a financial black hole that swallows money. I do NOT need more than one Timmy Woods purse.

9) I will attempt to learn how to use my new iPod, thus losing my i-virginity. If this fails, I will at least design my own skin for it so it looks like I know how to use it.

10) I will try to tell important people in my life how much they matter. I shall ignore my kid's groan, my husband's casual grin and my friends' rolling eyes. Don't care. You matter? You're gonna hear it.

Hey...you...yes, you reading this... You MATTER!!! A lot! And I wish you a wonderful New Year with buckets of love and happiness!

So there we are. I've already kept one resolution...what are yours?
(Oh...er...I did sort of flunk one of 'em though. George? Call me, honey - maybe we can work something out...)

Sunday, December 30, 2007

2007 was great. In 2008 ....



Yep, 2008 is going to be spectacular!

From all The Hussies to all of our readers, fans, supporters, fellow authors and Hussy Sistahs on Yahoo... thank you for making 2007 a great year. We look forward to you being part of our lives (and fun) in 2008!

May the New Year bring all your dreams come true and bless you with health, happiness and lots of Hussy fun!

Cheers :)
The Hussies: Ciana, Sally, Sahara, Nic and Nicole

Saturday, December 29, 2007


Spank that Alpha Geek!

We sometimes laugh at them. We sometimes wish they'd just lose the khaki pants and light blue shirt and get themselves some wicked pair of Diesel jeans and urban warfare shoes to match. We *see* the potential for hotness in these beta males. Didn't we all shake our heads at the show "Beauty and the Geek" and think, damn, that one geek over there only needed a haircut and some clothes and BOOM, instant hunk. Yes, ladies, we're talking about what some call losers, geeks, nerds, beta (or even omega) males, too-nice-for-his-own-good, the splinter group gifted with stealth charisma (yeah, baby, turn this one over and chuckle), and a massive, er, imagination. Me, I like to call them Alpha Geeks. Because they are both.

I love me some geekiness in a man. Yes, sure, muscles are nice and firm and oh-so shiny. But you know what, it's not that important in bed or in life. Not that exterior beauty (whatever it is) means something is lacking inside. We're talking stereotypes and generalities here. As much as I enjoy watching a gorgeous man or a master's grand tableau for the sheer perfection of lines, you can bet your last teabag that it's the Alpha Geek whom I'll take home to spank his bum with the computer mouse wire! And I suspect most women have a penchant for the Alpha Geek as well. So what do guys think about this? Want to hear about a man's view of the Alpha Geek? Read that excerpt from Christopher Moore, author extraordinaire and Pepsi-out-the-nose funny:

"While Alpha males are often gifted with superior
physical attributes -- size, strength, speed, and good looks -- selected over
the eons by the strongest surviving and, essentially, getting all the girls, the
Beta Male gene has survived not by meeting and overcoming adversity, but by
anticipating and avoiding it. That is, when the alpha males were out charging
after mastodons, the beta males could imagine in advance that attacking what was
essentially an angry, wooly bulldozer with a pointy stick, might be a losing
proposition, so he hung back at camp to console the grieving widows whose
Alpha-male mates had been stomped into mastodon moss. When alpha males set out
to conquer neighboring tribes, to count coup and take heads, beta males could
see in advance that in the event of a victory, the influx of female slaves was
going to leave a surplus of mateless women cast out for younger trophy models,
with nothing to do but salt down the heads and file the uncounted coups, and
many would need find solace in the arms of any beta male smart enough to
survive." (
http://bbs.chrismoore.com/viewtopic.php?t=7415)

Yes, I know, it's firing stereotypes in all directions. But, damn, isn't it the funniest thing you've ever read?

Keeping in mind we're talking generalities and that beauty doesn't necessarily equate or negate brains, which one would you take home for some one-on-one with the spanky end of the whip? The Alpha Male or the Alpha Geek? (and yes, you naughty hussy, you have to choose only ONE)


Friday, December 28, 2007

Is it real? When it is, you know.


There have been hoaxes, charlatans, fakes, and frauds in the paranormal field for as long as there have been paranormal encounters. How do you authenticate the paranormal? How can you prove it is real? Disprove it is real?

Modern day ghost hunters have tools they claim measure electromagnetic discharges created by spirit manifesting. I dunno. Maybe. Or maybe it is underground ore or other rock formations or something else we've yet to understand about earth science and the relationship to EMFs. But hey, at least someone is trying with science even if science can't adequately evaluate the paranormal. EVPs are amazing, but open to interpretation as to what is being said. And perhaps they are no more than an imprint recorded in the universe's records and playing over and over.

And then there are those who don't even try and just put it out there for the public to draw their own conclusions. Especially when it comes to television shows. After all, this is TV and the keyword here is entertainment.

For those who are sincere and dedicated in their work in the field of the paranormal, such 'entertainment' can be frustrating and eventually impairs their work. Each success is harder to gain validity because well, we've seen it all hoaxed before and when the real thing appears no one believes.

So how many times can the paranormal cry wolf before the public quits trying to believe? I've watched most of the paranormal reality TV shows and it's clear they are in their medium - entertainment.

So the next time you are watching such a show, just remember this:

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Gettin' Naughty - Recovering from Christmas

Hey there! I’m glad to see you survived Christmas. I had a wonderful day with my family, who totally spoiled me. I hope your day was filled with love and peace.

Whew, take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back for living to tell about your holiday. After weeks of planning, decorating, shopping, wrapping, cleaning, cooking and parties…sheesh! After all your careful attention to making the packages beautiful—expensive wrapping paper, tying them up with pretty ribbons and bows only to watch them be ripped open in all of about five minutes. That’s all the longer it takes. Five minutes to rip open the packages, dump the loot out of the stockings and Christmas is over for everyone but you.

Then you get to spend hours cleaning up all the debris from the annual orgy of greed. It’s up to you to save all the instructions, assemble all those items which require it, breakdown all the boxes and toss all the shredded paper, ribbons and tags. You do all this while slaving in the kitchen to prepare the feast as everyone else goes off to play with their new must-have frobble gleamers.

Oh, but that’s not the end of your job. Now you have to head back to the stores for all those returns and exchanges of clothes that didn’t fit or items they didn’t really want. Then its time to get some exercise to work off those post-holiday blues, along with those post-holiday pounds.

Only 363 days ‘til Christmas ’08.

The Twelve Days After Christmas





The lyrics:

The first day after Christmas my true love and I had a fight,
And so I chopped the pear tree down and burned it just for spite.
Then with a single cartridge, I shot that blasted partridge,
My true love, my true love, my true love gave to me.

The second day after Christmas, I pulled on the old rubber gloves,
And very gently wrung the necks of both the turtle doves.
My true love, my true love, my true love gave to me.

The third day after Christmas, my mother caught the croup;
I had to use the three Frech hens to make some chicken soup.

The four calling birds were a big mistake,
for their language was obscene.

The five gold rings were completely fake
and they turned my fingers green.

The sixth day after Christmas, the six laying geese wouldn't lay,
I gave the whole darn gaggle to the A.S.P.C.A.

On the seventh day what a mess I found,
All seven of the swimming swans had drowned.
My true love, my true love, my true love gave to me.

The eighth day after Christmas, before they could suspect,
I bundled up the eight maids a milking, nine pipers piping, Ten ladies dancing, 'leven lords a leaping, Twelve drummers drumming and sent them back collect.

I wrote my true love, "We are through, love",
and I said in so many words,
"Furthermore your Christmas gifts were for the birds!"

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Ready, Set ....


Go!

Okay, you've done the sexy Santa thing. You've hollied and you've jollied and now it's time for one of two things. (a) the after Christmas bargains, or (b)the annual "gifts to be exchanged or returned" chore. And if you ARE planning on joining the crowds today, here's a few tips:

1. Make sure you fuel up before you go because every restaurant, fast food joint and mall food court will be slammed and waiting in these lines only adds stress. So eat before you go and save yourself some aggravation.

2. Be a good scout and go prepared. Got those receipts? Woe unto you if you do not.

3. You better think! Yep, before you make that impulse purchase today, think about it. Is this something you REALLY want or are you going to be going out again next week to take this back?

4. Plan your strategy. If your goal is just to exchange or refund, then plan your strategy. Work as a team. Everyone take their cell phones and scope out the stores. Who has the smallest return line. Rush to that one first.

5. Once you've accomplished your mission, take a load off, chill out. Have a drink and toast yourself for a job well done.

And remember to conserve a little energy this week so you'll be ready to send 2007 off in style and welcome in 2008.

Hoping your after-Christmas events are stress free and fun.

This is Ciana (who is sending the men folk out to do exchanges and returns. After all THEY'RE the ones who bought this stuff!)

Cheers :)

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Book Talk



Merry Christmas and welcome to Book Talk. I hope everyone is having a fabulous week and got everything they wanted from Santa. Not very PC of me, I know, but there are good reasons they call me the "naughty hussy." *g*

I'd like to take a moment to praise the members of the Ellora's Cave art department. Y'all do an incredible job of creating attractive covers which suit each story and make it shine!

And now, on to the books available from Ellora's Cave Publishing this week.

By clicking on the title and author's name below the covers, you will be taken to the blurb and/or excerpt for the book.

Releasing Wednesday:



Washed Away, Lacey Thorn

His Magical Student, Mary Winter

The Perfect Cover, Claire Thompason

Stealing Carmen, Gail Faulkner


Releasing Friday:



Going Against Orders, Carol Lynne

Embrace The Wind, Charlotte Boyette-Compo

Djinni And The Greek, Cindy Spencer Pape

Zarius, L.A. Day

I can see I'll be spending a fortune once again because yes, I am a total book hussy. One of my goals in life is to own (and find to to read) every book Ellora's Cave publishes. Considering the size of my to-be-read stack, I'll never catch up.

Which books look good to you? Have you been waiting impatiently for any of them? Please share your insight to help other readers make their book selections.

Happy reading!

Monday, December 24, 2007

Merry Christmas



Yep - you've made it to Christmas Eve! Bravo - give yourself a round of applause. The worst of it all is behind you - the shopping, the wrapping, the scratching your head over what to give that one person who's got everything - you know the kind of thing. So today - you don't need to survive - you need to ENJOY. Tomorrow will be chaos for most of us. Today? It's a special moment to take a breath and wish the world a Merry Christmas. A day to smile at a stranger, hug a friend and tell those dear to you that you love them. Maybe taking time away from the kitchen to watch a favorite Christmas special - did you catch the Grinch this year? Or maybe put on a radio station playing Christmas carols, and sing along.

However you spend your day, try to relish every moment. If possible, see today through the eyes of the child inside you. The excitement, the awe as the Christmas lights come on - they shine a little brighter today, don't they? All of us forget sometimes that Christmas didn't used to be about video game systems or fifteen foot pre-lit trees that rotate to music. It used to be about a house smelling of fresh baked goodies, evergreen wreaths over the fireplace and the knock on the door as friends dropped by. It is still about those things...or it can be. Let some of that true Christmas spirit into your heart today. Smile,laugh, forgive your little one for asking you AGAIN if Santa's gonna make it to your house even though you don't have a chimney!

Share the love today, folks. Even if it's just a funny email to an old friend. It'll do wonders for your stress levels and release those pleasure endorphins. And tonight, hold that lover of yours close if you can. Let visions of sugarplums dance their way into both your heads - and if you have small children you might want to skip the sex tonight, since kids tend to wake up every hour on the hour to check under the tree! (Mine used to, anyway! LOL)

Merry Christmas to all - today will be a Monday to cherish rather than survive! I hope everyone can feel the warmth of the season and share some Hussy Happiness!!

Sunday, December 23, 2007

From the Hussies with love



It's time to say Happy Holidays and thanks to all of you who've supported us, cheerer us on, and joined us in our innocently naughty fun this year. For myself, Nic, Nat, Sally and Sahara, I wish each and every one of you the best that life has to offer - love, laughter, good health and success. And more hussy fun in tne new year, of course.

Much love, peace and joy (an a little naughty fun for good measure).

Ciana, Sally, Sahara, Nic and Nathalie

Saturday, December 22, 2007

I want to leave you (and 2007) with a laugh, which will hopefullytranslate into even MORE laughs for 2008. We always need a good chuckle, so what better way than to laugh at ME!

I had a good one happen to me while getting my brother from the aiport on Monday...

I was held prisoner at an automated parking.

Yes. Prisoner! Held against my WILL!

Get this. My son and I pick up my brother and his kid in Amsterdam airport. So we leave our old Dodge Caravan in a tiiiiiny Dutch train station parking (the kind with a titanium reinforced steel gate),take the train, get to Amsterdam airport, get our folks, then comeback. So when it's time to pay, I realize they only take plastic. SoI have this fistful of euro coins that won't do any good, none of mycards work. The instructions are in Dutch and German. Not French, notEnglish, not Latin, not anything I can understand.

I swear, brother and I spent at least, AT LEAST 15 minutes in front of the machine, looking like Neanderthals faced with a burning log. We almost started grunting and picking each other's lice. Anyway, there's this button that says "Helfen". Now this, I know. It's Help. So I press it, the girl is very nice but she can't help me, I have to provide a credit card, bla,bla, bla. But the #%#$ machine won't accept mine, I exclaim in the intecom (and exclaim loudly too).

So.

The only way I could get my car out of there was to yell my Visa number into the intercom for her to note (and she's sitting in a call center an hour's drive away) and force the system to punch my ticket and let me out.

Yes, yell it. My credit card number.

My blood pressure must have been scary. I swear, there was a good five minutes that brother and I were plotting ways to bust the gate. Seriously!! He's just as "action-oriented" as I am, worst even because of his job (army sharp-shooter dude). So we're there, scheming to just drive through the damn thing. Until we do a recce mission and see the actual gate. A fortified castle's portcullis wouldn't have looked more forbiding. Damn. No way in hell a poor Dodge Caravan is busting out of that parking. Plus, we would have to drive over the curb. Of course, one of the kids had to go pee bad...

It was that kind of day. Good thing we both have a sense of humor. So while he provided safety background noise in the form of French drinking songs, I yelled my Visa number into the speaker of a public parking lot...

Do you understand when I tell you that I wanted to spank that machine bad?

Merry Christmas to you and all your loved ones!

Nat

Friday, December 21, 2007

A concerned ghost



I'm always asked about my real life ghostly encounters and thought I'd share this one I blogged about the day after it happened.

In July 2006, my husband and I took a fantastic road trip to his family's reunion in Oklahoma. We decided to go to the Gulf Coast in a long way back home. We stopped and spent the night in Gulfport. The following is the blog entry I did on my personal blog the day after the encounter. For the sake of the story I've inserted my penname for the last name.(G)

----------
July 5, 2006

Last night's ghostly encounter during our one-night stay in Gulfport was certainly unexpected. We stayed in a Hampton Inn about 3 miles from the beach. Newly remodeled and comfy.

Around 3:30 a.m. I was awakened by a man shaking the bed (well, my husband. He was yelling at my husband, "Mister Painter, Mister Painter, are you all right?"

Groggy and very fuzzy headed, all I could think was, "Why is someone from the hotel in our room shaking my husband and trying to wake him up?"

It was dark, and the intruder was a shadow bent over the bed, hands on my husband's shoulders, jostling him so hard the bed was shaking.
I could tell he was about 6'2" or so, thin very wiry build and dressed in a type of serving suit, with a double breasted short waist jacket. His clothes were 1800s circ. He was so distraught, almost in a panic and desperate to wake my husband up.

All I could think of, still in my sleep fog, was why was this guy from the hotel in our room? I stirred and lifted up on my elbow to ask him what he was doing in our room when he froze, as though shocked I was looking at him. He didn't say anything. Just this moment of silence and then he just disappeared into thin air.

That was when I realized it was a ghost.

I asked my husband if he was okay. He mumbled something about why was everyone shaking him and who was that guy?

Exhausted, I plopped back down on the pillow and went back to sleep, mumbling under my breath how distrubing it was to be in a room with a ghost who over-reacted to snoring.

I'm still not sure why the ghost was so worried about my husband. Guess I'll never know. But he definitely woke us both from a sound sleep.

The next morning, my husband asked me who was in our room last night and why had I been shaking him so hard. When I explained, he just shook his head.

I guess after 17 years, he's used to it. (g)

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Gettin' Naughty - Faking it


Have you ever faked it? Many women have for various reasons. According to some articles I’ve read as many as 60 to 70% of women admit to having faked orgasm at least once in their lives.

Orgasm or climax is considered the goal and conclusion to a sexual encounter. The release is characterized by intense physical pleasure, accompanied by pelvic muscle contraction, and followed by feelings of satiation, contentment and lethargy.

Orgasm also has many variances and classifications. They can be multiple, spontaneous or simultaneous. They can also be focused on specific anatomy—vaginal, anal, G-spot, P-spot, breast or whole body.
Reasons we fake it
• To keep a partner from feeling inadequate
• Lacking confidence to express sexual needs
• Growing tired and wishing to bring the session to an end
• To encourage a partner to take their pleasure

Remember that great scene from When Harry Met Sally...


Can guys fake it? The answer may surprise you, but yes, they can! While it may not be as easy for a man to fake climax, especially during oral sex or masturbation, it is still possible if condoms are used. Unless the partner removes the condom for him, who’s to know? And some men have learned to climax without ejaculation, making it possible to achieve multiple orgasms.

Male fake orgasm...


Of course, I have to bring up the negative aspect and talk about the dishonesty. What effect does it have on the relationship if faking is an ongoing event? Does that little white lie cause more harm than you think? If he suspects you are faking it, his confidence and interest in sex will decline. What if he discovers you’ve been faking it? He may never trust you again. And finding out you haven’t been getting as much as he thought out of sex may make him feel worse about himself. He may also be hurt more to know you didn’t trust him with the truth.

The primary issue here is communication. The degree to which you feel comfortable communicating with your partner is one of the truest barometers for a relationship. By lying during sex, you are closing down channels of communication and possibly damaging the emotional connection. Consider the potential to improve your bond by using this as an opportunity for open communication about your sex life. And imagine how much better your sex life could be if you discuss what each of you like/dislike. Confide in your partner, encourage discussion, and you are nourishing the essential ingredients for a healthy, lasting relationship—communication, honesty and trust.

Remember it’s not necessary to climax every time depending on what you want to achieve from the session. Sex feels good whether you reach orgasm or not. It is the most intimate and loving act we can share with another. Some people enjoy the closeness and connection with their partner, and those feelings can be what makes the experience special, not reaching orgasm. Imagine taking the pressure and stress to perform out of sex, having no expectations, and just enjoying the intimacy, reveling in the sensations, feeling loved and appreciated.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Beware the Frobble Gleamer!!!

Are your frobbles gleamed? Are they as shiny as they could be? No? Well, in that case, YOU need a Frobble Gleamer. With one simple click of a switch, you can have the shiniest frobbles in your neighborhood and be the envy of your friends! And what a great gift. Think about it! If you order now, we'll send you not one but TWO Frobble Gleamers, one for yourself and one to give away. (Batteries not included)...

Okay - so it sounds like a commercial written by Dr. Seuss, but it's familiar... There are Frobble Gleamers in everyone's closet. Hands up if you've got a Veg-O-Matic. Or a Salad Shooter. Or an electric rice-steamer. How about a pore cleansing sauna? Hot, steam-powered rollers? A garlic baker? A rotating brush to clean your tub? (If your bath's that dirty, you might want to rethink your career choices!!!)

This year's Frobble Gleamer? The digital photo frame! Of COURSE we love photos. Kids are cute, puppies and kittens bring a smile to everyone's face and that tropical sunset....priceless. BUT...before you rush out and buy one, consider this. There's a photo out there of you pulling a wedgie out of your butt. Also one of you with your face screwed up and your mascara running as you sneeze. What's going to end up on that rotating digital display? Yep. You guessed it. And you KNOW that thing is going onto someone's desk at work, not deep in their basement where they only look at it once every other full moon.

So if you MUST go out and buy your hubby/mother/friend a Frobble Gleamer this year, do yourself a favor. Pre-load it with the best photos you can afford from a professional photo service. So your backyard looks more like Hawaii, but who cares? Are those your legs or Julia Robert's legs? If you can't see a face, tell everyone they're yours!!!

Then stick a paperclip into the USB port and gently break something. Ta Da. No uploads of the worst photos anyone's ever taken of you and no wiping those gorgeous National Geographic shots. Everybody's happy.

Of course, you can avoid this issue in the first place by staying away from Frobble Gleamers this year - and every year to come. Don't fall for the hype. These digital things can be expensive and Lord knows what next year will bring. There's nothing wrong with a gorgeous silk scarf. Or a hug and a smile and a plate of home-baked cookies.

Your Frobbles are perfect just as they are. And if you fall victim to the ad campaign, remember this...you might have to move your Veg-O-Matic aside to make room for it. Do you even know what else is in that cabinet? Are you brave enough to go find out?

I'm not. I'm going to bake cookies!!!

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Book Talk

There are lots of interesting new books releasing from Ellora's Cave Publishing this week. And those covers...wowza!

I for one like to have time to mull over the blurb and excerpt before release day. Time to ponder my purchases. Ever the intrepid hussy, I tracked down links to blurbs and/or excerpts for this week's releases. By clicking on the book titles below the covers, you'll be taken to the author's website and the information they have posted.

Releasing on Wednesday:




Mad About Mirabelle, Amarinda Jones (Contemporary)

Naked Lust, SL Carpenter (Erotica)

Double Entry, Desiree Holt (Contemporary/Menage)

Two Spirits, Jory Strong (Paranormal/Shape-shifter/Gay)


Releasing on Friday:



Home For The Holidays, Stephanie Vaughn (Contemporary/Menage/Christmas)

A Naughty Noelle, Ann Bruce (Contemporary/Christmas)

Dead Awakening, Mackenzie McKade (Vampire)

Raptvyn's Rogue, Kate Hill (Shapeshifter / Menage)


And a special release day on Saturday, book 4, the final in this years Cavemen anthologies.




Ellora's Cavemen: Seasons of Seduction IV

Jaid Black - Bossie & Clyde – No info available
Katherine Cross – No info available
Anna J. Evans – The Best of Both Worlds
Lynn LaFleur – Premonition
B.J. McCall – Silk – No info available
Natasha Moore - Taste of Honey

The hussies would like to extend a special welcome to Stephanie Vaughn and Ann Bruce, two authors new to Ellora's Cave. We wish you all the best, ladies!

Christmas, Contemporary, Erotica, M/M, Menage, Paranormal, Shifters, Vampires...whew! Its a great week for books. So, which ones look good to you? Which ones have you been dying to get your hot little hussy hands on?

Happy shopping!

Monday, December 17, 2007

Take a BATH!!!


No, that wasn't a comment on your personal hygiene - the Internet's good, but not that good yet. Thank heavens.

I'm talking about soaking in an honest-to-God tub full of hot bubbly water!!! In this day of rapid fire conversation, sound bites and instant everything, we tend to "grab a shower" more often than not. In, lather, rinse, repeat and out. We're clean, but are we soothed?

Right now Mondays are hectic, crammed with last minute holiday stuff and your shower is probably even quicker than usual. So here's my suggestion for surviving Monday this week.

Hit your local drug store, fork out four bucks for a tube of something flowery and fragrant in the way of shower/bath gel (lavender is lovely - and so is jasmine!) and then treat yourself to something fun - a foot care brush with scrubber or something. Don't spend over nine or ten dollars total. This isn't about lazing around with champagne and candles and your lover. If you've got the time and the cash, great. If you've got a lover with that kind of time to spare, even better - and more power to you. Most of us haven't.

So - you've got your little treats. All you need is ten minutes!!! Turn on the tub and put a good dollop of your gel under the water. While the tub is filling with fragrant bubbles, clean the sink, change the towels and do those bathroom chores you always do. Why waste time waiting for the tub to fill? It's about multitasking these days. When the tub is ready for you, get your hair out of the way and sink in, letting that warm scented air fill your lungs as you do so.

Now....wash. Just the same as if you were in the shower. You may not be lingering, but you ARE relaxing. Grab your foot care gizmo and lather your feet - then treat them to exfoliation, stimulation, a good scrub and a wee bit of massage. Combined with the soothing sensation of warm water cradling your body and a pair of feet that have been tenderly nurtured...well, hell, girl - you're ready for anything!!!! (If you've overdone the bubbles, drain the tub and then turn on the shower briefly just to rinse them away. Er..make sure you stand back a bit in case the shower water is cooler than the bath water. That falls under the heading of "eeek"!!)

See? Ten minutes - not much longer than that shower - and you have a clean bathroom, fresh towels and best of all... a mind and body that are calm, relaxed and ready to embrace whatever the day may bring. At the very least, you'll be soothed enough not to kill anything. Given the demands of the holiday season, I think that state of mind is a good thing!!

If anyone needs me, I'll be in the tub. I might just stay there until Spring!!! (grin)

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Hussy Time on The EC Chat list

Click to Mix and Solve

Have some fun solving the puzzle of one of our OFFICIAL HUNKS, Scott Fleissner.

Join us on the EC chatlist from 11 am EST today, December 15 until 5 pm EST!

Friday, December 14, 2007

Love Beyond the Grave


There are thousands, no millions of ghost stories about star-crossed lovers. Their love is so strong and passionate that it transcends even death.

One such true ghost story began in 1760 during a Cherokee siege on the British Fort Loudon in Athens, Tennessee. One woman pleaded for the life of her young son and Chief Attakulla-Kulla not only took mercy on the woman and child but later married her and had a daughter, Nocatula Cooweena.

Nocatula was a renowned beauty and many men in the village wanted to marry her, including Mocking Crow. Nocatula didn't like him because he was arrogant and vulgar, but he was unrelenting with presents. Still she rejected him.

One day her father and several men of the tribe were out hunting and came upon a dying British soldier. They took the man back to their village and nursed him back to health. Well you can imagine how this story played out. Nocatula and the soldier (now called Connestoga) fell in love and were married. Mocking Crow ambushed Connestoga and stabbed him to death. When Nocatula saw her dead husband, she plunged a knife into her heart.

When they were buried, Chief Attakulla-Kulla put an acorn in Connestoga's hand, and a hackberry seed in Nocatula's hand. Eventually those seeds grew into an oak and hackberry which was considered a very good omen that their love lived on.

In 1857, Tennessee Wesleyan College was founded on the very land where the lovers were buried and special care was given to the two trees until they died in 1940. For165 years those trees marked the lives of these lovers and a marker now takes their place.

Ever since the college was built, there have been reports of ghostly figures moving about the premises, especially where the trees once stood. Voices and even whispers have been heard, but no one has ever reported malevolent spirits, only those of two lovers.



There are many tales of a woman in white who walks the grounds of her home waiting for her lost lover or mourning her lover’s death. Such is the setting of the 16th century Ross Castle set along the shores of Lough Sheelin in Ireland. A lady in white walks the shores searching for her lover.



Another is about an angry bride is the story of the daughter of Michel La Neuf de la Valliere, who was the governor/commandant of Acadia, and changed the Missaguash River's name to Riviere Marguerite, in honor of his daughter. He bethroed his daughter to a stranger as was custom.

The man was of noble birth and a soldier, but unfortunately, Marguerite had fallen in love with someone else and the couple eloped. When her father learned of the secret marriage, he was enraged and swore he'd never speak to her again and even changed the name of the river in retaliation back to its original one, Missaguash.

The tales of a ghostly female figure walking the banks of the Missiguash, swinging a lantern as she defies her father and runs away with her lover have followed the tale of the river for nearly three hundred years.

A famous lovers' ghost story comes from Charleston, SC of a young woman named Annabel Lee (no documentation that Poe every heard of this story, but many like to attribute this story to Poe's inspiration.). Annabel met a sailor from Virginia and fell hopelessly in love.

Her father disapproved of the sailor and his background and forbade Annabel to see the young man. As in all cases when such decrees are made, Annabel was only more determined to be with her lover and they would meet in the Unitarian Cemetery until her father caught her sneaking into the cemetery.

Her punishment was being confined to her room and during the months that passed, the sailor was shipped out as the Navy was returning him to Virginia. As fate would have it, he received the news his beloved had been bitten by a mosquito and died from Yellow Fever.

The poor man returned to Charleston to say goodbye, but Annabel's father's heart was so hard he refused to allow him even that. But her father's spite went further.

He had all of the family graves dug up for three feet and then her grave the typical six feet so when the sailor attempted to visit her grave, he was unable to tell which one was his beloved's final resting place.

Many people have claimed to see her ghost wandering around the Unitarian Cemetery.

So are these truly ghost hauntings or are they what are called residual energy patterns?
What is the difference?
An actual haunting involves some form of interaction with the person witnessing it where as the residual haunting is similar to a video playing over and over. It’s an imprint of energy from typically a tragic event.
Oftentimes this kind of haunting is the scene of a brutal murder. The emotions of the victim were so intense somehow her/his energy imprinted and tied itself to the area. The soul of the victim is long gone, but the residual energy of her/his emotions remains.

The other kind, which is a typical haunting, the ghost is aware of her/his witnesses and will interact with them by touching, making sounds, responding to questions with the answers being caught on EVPs.
We know so little about what a ghost really is or what a haunting is or even why there are such things. The only thing we do know is that nearly every place on earth has stories of ghosts and many of these stories are about love living beyond death.
What do you think?

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Gettin' Naughty - Cybersex


Cybersex or cybering is virtual sex between two or more people via computers online. The participants’ send sexually explicit messages in instant messages or chat rooms, describing their actions and responding to their chat partners to stimulate sexual feelings and fantasies. It is a form of role-playing dependent on the participants’ abilities to evoke vivid mental images. Cybersex can also be conducted visually with real time video over webcams.

As with anything else, there are good and bad points to cybersex. It can be a physically safe way to relieve sexual tension without the risk of STDs and pregnancy. Cybersex and even bridge physical distance between couples, allowing them to be sexually intimate while apart. Participants can act out fantasies they would not otherwise experience in real life. And it has been used in therapy for those too shy or unsure of reentering the dating scene.

On the negative side, cybersex can be a form of infidelity. Those who debate the morality of cybering are either staunch opponents or steadfast supporters with little to no middle ground. Even though it is not physical cheating, it can result in taking an emotional and intimate connection from a committed relationship and sharing it elsewhere. I’ve read articles that claim survey respondents considered cybersex cheating on the same level with a physical cheating. To many women it’s not the physical sex that matters, but the betrayal of intimacy and spending time with someone else.

There is also the potential for becoming addicted to the activity and the unhealthy use of cybersex to take the place of other real life relationships. And you must also consider who you are cybering with. The person you are sexing up online may not be who they claim. That thirty-something single white male may actually be an underage or female, and more than likely any physical description provided is not accurate. Consider descriptions to be that person's fantasy apperance.

A wide variety of virtual domains exist where you can partake in role-playing games. Some of these include the possibility of engaging in cybersex with other players. There are even virtual worlds devoted entirely to cybersex where players can design an avatar with a very human-like appearance then interact with others in various scenes such as clubs or private sex rooms.

Should you decide to participate, in order to get good cyber, you need to also give good cyber. Here are some tips:

* Remember to include all the senses. Provide explicit imagery of smells, tastes, touches, sounds and sights.
* Set the mood and the scene. Think romantic and sexy.
* Pay attention to your partner’s cues and extend the story based on those factors.
* Ask about specific fantasies your partner enjoys but would not engage in real life.
* Get dirty. Many people respond to dirty talk and particular words.
* Make sure you have the time and will not be interrupted at the penultimate moment.
* Build up. Take your time and move forward with a gradual progression from flirting to cybering.
* Don’t get hung up on typos or self-conscious about your writing.
* Remember what turned you on in the latest erotic romance you read and recreate the mood.
* Relax and enjoy.

Be smart about your online interactions. You already know from last week’s discussion, Virtual Love, not to give out personal information such as your address, phone number, etc. Beware of the potential for addiction and emotional trauma. Writing and sex are powerful and among the most intimate connections we can create. You may become emotionally caught up in a play partner, resulting in work, family and friends being neglected. Don’t let playtime take over to the exclusion of everything else.

Here are a few videos to drive home the point that you never know exactly who you’re talking to online.







IMHO, if everyone is having fun and playtime is not taking away from real life or relationships, then have fun.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

This Week's Releases

This is a very good week for new books! Two of my hussy sistas have books out this week, one of them the first in The Hussies series. Woohoo! Congrats Nat and Ci! I can't wait to charge through the doors and grab the books. Contemporary, Paranormal, Historical Menage, Shifters and some m/m action ... oh my!

Releasing on Wednesday:



Shades of Silver - Nathalie Gray (Paranormal)
At Love's Command - Samantha Kane (Regency Historical / Gay / Menage)
Winter Hearts - Anny Cook (Shapeshifter / Christmas)
One of the Guys - Shiloh Walker (Contemporary)

Releasing on Friday:



All in Time - Ciana Stone (Paranormal)
Thorn's Kiss - Myla Jackson (Werewolf)
Barely Undercover - Sedonia Guillone (Contemporary / Gay)
Chasing Phoenix - Christine d'Abo (Contemporary)

Which books look good to you? What have you been dying to get your hot little hussy hands on?
You can find all of this weeks fabulous books at Ellora's Cave Publishing

Monday, December 10, 2007

Share that Hussy Heart...

We're stressed, no two ways about it. It's that frazzling, frustrating, teeth-gritting time of the year when pressure builds in our heads like corn ready to POP. Even Hussies feel the pain - there's no escaping the fact that this season of Joy is occasionally peppered with a large dusting of angst.

So here's my suggestion for surviving not only Mondays, but every day throughout the holidays. Give the most valuable gift of all to yourself and everyone you meet.

Give your heart!!!

By this, I mean practicing random acts of kindness, making someone smile and getting that snuggly feeling that tells you you done good!!! Case in point? Saturday I was shopping for a new pillow with my Hubby. Next to us was a woman with a full cart and a weary expression. I rummaged through the pillows and found a "firm" one, looked at the price - and gasped. Thinking hubby was behind me, I said "Ohmigod. A hundred twenty bucks for a pillow? This had better come with George Clooney and a back rub for that kind of money!" Of course, hubby had moved and I was talking to the other woman. Who looked at me, then smiled, then started to laugh. REALLY laugh. She held her sides and we both laughed together. Finally she took a breath and said "Lord, that's the best laugh I've had all month."

I felt wonderful. I'd made someone laugh and forget the stress for a bit. She gave ME a gift and I'd like to pass it on. Let that old lady have that parking space. You can still walk a block to the mall. Help that mom with two small kids, a stroller and a bunch of shopping bags. Let that woman go first at the register - she's somebody's mom. And doing something nice - well the payback is amazing. A smile, a sigh, a laugh, a thankyou... these are gifts that don't need wrapping, pricing or fancy ribbons, and they're gifts that are never returned or exchanged.

Every now and again, it's good to remember what Christmas is all about. Giving doesn't mean a gift in a fancy package or something with a huge price tag. It means a whole lot more. So go make someone smile today by doing something unexpectedly nice. It'll make them happy, make you feel wonderful and maybe the whole idea will catch on. Wouldn't that be great?

Saturday, December 08, 2007

You're telling me I can't buy ....

... a Sex Toy? Yes, In Alabama that's exactly what lawmakers have said (for nine years). This past week, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to have nothing to do with a case that's been working it's way through the court system since 1998, namely Williams v. Alabama.

Specifically, this case involves a law that was intended to shut down adult establishments like strip joints, but sex shops got thrown into the mix so that children wouldn't be exposed to adult retail shops. Yep, you can imagine the collective scream when law makers told women they couldn't buy vibrators.

Okay, time for a Hussy rant. What's the message here? That parents can't be responsible enough to keep children out of adult stores? That business owners can't be trusted to follow the rules about covering windows or not displaying sex toys in windows? Or that women shouldn't be allowed to shop in stores that sell items for physical gratification? Jeeze!!

Now had this law banned things like erection drugs and condoms, you can bet your bippy that men would have had it overturned in record time. But erectile drugs and condoms were not on the banned list. Neither was anything relating to semen extraction businesses, such as in livestock and horse breeding. Hmmm, guess the lawmakers haven't figured it out. It's a known fact that a pissed-off stallion can take a grizzly bear. But just think what a pissed off woman can do!! Oh my, that could be downright frightening. But this law had to specify human genitals so they didn't infringe on breeders and such.

Only humans.

Now they did not prohibit internet shopping, because hey, that's had to do unless you ban internet access. They just prohibit the sale of sex toys in retail stores. But still, what if you want to get a first hand look before you buy, for texture, size, vibratory features?

I find it ridiculous in the extreme. It's legal to buy laptops with the capabilities of running virtual environments where, let's face it, people act out virtual sex acts and lives and lifesize posters of Johnny Depp, which no, aren't specifically designed to stimulate the human sex organs, but nonetheless have the potential to do so by way of that organ we call the brain.

Come on, Alabama. Put the burden of decision on the consumer. If they want to visit such a shop, fine. If they don't, then don't walk in. And put the burden on parents to manage their kids. That's our job after all, as parents. Shop owners are bound to tell any child that enters that they're not allowed. But at least give people the freedom to choose. That is, after all, the American way.

Realistically, how much long can laws like this stand? Isn't this a sign that although the "war in sex" isn't over, it's developing a case of erectile dysfunction with the American population?

Personally, I don't think it can possibly withstand the magnitude of the wave of female sexual empowerment that's happening online. We women are communicating and bonding in online forums and groups. We're demanding that our sexual natures no longer be viewed as something taboo or immoral. And we're instrumental in helping to normalize the concept of bringing technology into sex play.

Yep, we women are indeed changing the world. Look at what we've done for romance in the last decade. It's no longer our grandmother's vanilla tales where a gal is lucky to get a kiss at the front door. Now we have fiction that allows us to see inside house, but takes us into the bedroom and gives us an up close and personal look at the action happening between the sheets. And for those who like to scoff and see if as a "passing fad" or something without power ... well, wake up. We're here and our numbers (and sales) are growing daily.

So, the good news is, that while there's still a way to go, we're making progress. In another ten to twenty years laws such as this one in Alabama will have passed into oblivion, like the law prohibiting putting an ice cream cone in your back pocket on Sunday.

For me, I say, YAHOOOOOO, bring it on. Let's change the world, empower our sisters and let the world know that female sexuality is HEALTHY. Let's put lawmakers and prudes on notice. The women of today are no longer cowering little wimps willing to sit back and let others decide for them. No, indeed. This Age of Aquarius is going to be a time of great change, and exploring our sexuality is part of it. Which goes to show that not only are we in the Age of Aquarius, darlin, we're in the Age of the Hussy! Taking charge of our lives and exploring all the facets of our diverse natures.

Ain't it cool?

This is Ciana, for the Hussies, saying have a hussicilious day, and celebrate your sexuality :)
Office Christmas Parties – Sequined Thongs, Photocopier Fun and Salmonella

What holiday season would be complete without an office or work party squeezed in there on that Friday night where you’d wanted to tackle the extra bit of house cleaning? Of course, you have to go. Wouldn’t look good if, come Monday morning, you were the only one who went on and on about that AWESOME movie at the theater on Friday, like, my gosh, was he ever sexy in that role?!

So you *have* to go. But wait! Fear not! Here at the Hussy, we thought we could crack our whip and dole out the advice. Reasonable advice? You know it won’t be. Commonsense? What’s that! Comfortable, sensible shoes? Pfft!!

In the spirit of sharing and all that, here’s some office parties advice, Hussy style:

What to Wear
That new blouse you paid too much for, the one your friend convinced you to buy, that pulls between buttons and would let the claims department guys get an eye full? Wear it, baby! Get some two-sided tape, sew it shut, staple it to the bra if you have to, but you’re going to wear that sexy thing and pretend it’s not clingy and showing just how cold you really are while you’re trying to decide if you should join the clump of smokers outside having one. And does it look good too.

Next, comes the bottom. You want something that will flatter your curves but not end up “stuck in the pulley”. So you’re going to jackhammer the idea into your skull that you want, you need that pencil skirt. The one that rides up and does a quarter turn whenever you try to sit. The one that comes with a nice cardboard-lined belt. You know what? We don’t care what the belt backing is made from! Those skirts make a great ass and usually are so tight you won’t even need to worry about panty lines.

Now for shoes. You want the sexiest, highest, most uncomfortable strappy sandals you can find. You *know* you’re not going to wear them again anyway. There goes another thirty bucks. But damn, for that one evening, you’re going to have legs up to here, beautifully cramped calves and if you’re lucky enough to have someone with a shoe fetish on staff, you’re set for drinks for the rest of the night.

Makeup
Take it from me: if ninety-five pound, pouting little nymphs in the care of professionals under perfect lighting can’t make baby blue eye shadow look good, neither will the rest of us under fluorescents. So instead of trying to convince Crayola you want to be their human billboard ad, go easy on the stuff. You’re cute as it is, who needs the rest? A bit of lip gloss, a bit of that glitter cream and BOOM, instant babe!

Having Fun
Who said you can’t sit on a photocopier to copy your butt? Huh, says who?! Granted, it’s a delicate operation, fraught with dangers. But it is possible. Okay, here’s how it’s done—I’ll deny everything if you’re caught. First, enlist the help of a friend (sober works best), and while you stand on a chair, balance your bum over the screen. Time the event carefully because if you lower the “subject” on the glass too long before your friend recuperates from giggling fits to help, your arms will give and THEN, it won’t be pretty. Smirking hospital staff pulling glass shards out of your crack is not festive. Preset the number of copies to ten (at least ten, no more than 100...think of the Rainforest). So now that you’re in position, hold your weight off on either side of the machine, gently press your backside to the glass, preferably with sequined thongs for added merriment. Your friend should then press copy right away. VoilĂ !

If everything goes well, you’ll be on your way to the buffet table, toasting to your awesome dorkiness with your co-conspirators and plotting for the next bit of fun in between boring speeches. Because if the photocopier was a riot, wait ’til you hear what you can do with a fax machine.

On a final note: feel good about yourself, babe. Have fun and be Hussy...erm, merry. Hey, be a Merry Hussy!


Friday, December 07, 2007

Cats - Magical? Mystical? Or Just Playful?

Recently, we adopted a rescued cat that had been severely abused by her previous owners. They broke her leg and it was never set and mended crooked and bent. They then ran over her with a vehicle and broke her hip and crushed her pelvis. Again, they didn’t take her to the vet or give her any kind of assistance. They allowed her to suffer and yet, she survived.

Not only did she survive, she is the friendliest, sweetest and most loving cat I’ve ever known.

Her name is Sophie and over the past weeks, my heart has been captured by her. I began to think about the mystical and almost magical nature of cats and why they appeal to us as pets.

History is full of cats and what they are and aren’t. So as Sophie and our older cat, Bow, adjust to each other, I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve learned over the years of having cats as my pets.

The first - I am a servant to their whims. I feed them, pet them, and play with them when they want. Never when I want. (g)

One of the most intriguing facts I learned about cats was how they became Egyptian demi-gods. I was surprised to learn it was the result of practical necessity. The pharaoh was besieged with a severe granary problem- Mice and rats. Rodents were getting into the granaries and eating and ruining the wheat. So a clever idea began to formulate. Cat owners were ordered to take their pets to the granaries at sunset and return for them at sunrise.

To encourage loyal participation in this new program, the owners were paid a rental fee for the use of their cats. Next, the pharaoh made the cats demi-gods to assure their owners treated them well. If the cat owners failed to treat their esteemed felines like gods, then they were penalized severely. The cats did their job and the granaries were spared being ruined by mice and rats.

Other folklore is full of various tales of a cat’s magical powers. For instance, it was said if a cat jumped over a dead body then the corpse would become a vampire. Of course, the cure was to kill the cat. Poor kitty!

And even more grotesque was the belief that a cat boiled in oil was the perfect dressing for wounds. Another superstitious belief was a cat could consume the illness of a human being and then the cat was killed or taken away from the home to assure a cure. And likewise a cat could create a disease.

From the Norsemen to China and India, cats have been revered and feared.

The ultimate belief that black cats were evil ‘familiars’ of witches thrived during the time of witch trials and persecution. There is an actual case from a witch trail where the woman accused of witchcraft owned a cat named, Pyewackett. It was argued that such a name was not something created by a human, but the devil.

In the B&W movie, Bell, Book, and Candle starring Kim Novak and James Stewart, Novak plays a witch whose familiar is named Pyewackett.

Cats are incredible creatures and our two keep us amused and bring so much love into our lives.