Sunday's Hunk of the Day!

Wow. The last day of July. Gotta find a really awesome hunk to mark the occasion.
How about this one?



























Nah. I can do better than that. I'll keep looking. . . .
Here's one!



























The winner in yesterday's ARC giveaway is..... NANCY BRISTOW!!! Congrats, Nancy!

I'm blogging on Casablanca Authors today. Something about getting the call, I think. Maybe I'll just post a picture of the guys I wish had called me instead of that editor. . . . It's a thought!

Saturday's Hunk of the Day!

Happy Birthday, Mary G! Hope you get that router fixed soon. We miss you!





















And now for Saturday's Hunk! Looks like you're gonna have to use your imagination on this one.
But I'm pretty sure you're up to it!



























The release date is less than a week away, so, to tweak your imaginative skills, how about a giveaway of an ARC of Occupational Hazards?

Just post a comment telling me what you'd like to do with today's hunk, and I'll pick a winner tomorrow!



























In the meantime, enjoy your Saturday!

Friday Fun!

A Real Man

A real man is a woman's best friend. He will
Never stand her up and never let her down.
He will reassure her when she feels insecure
And comfort her after a bad day.

He will inspire her to do things she never
Thought she could do; to live without fear
And forget regret. He will enable her to
Express her deepest emotions and give in to
Her most intimate desires. He will make sure
She always feels as though she's the most
Beautiful woman in the room and will enable
Her to be the most confident, sexy,
Seductive and invincible.



No wait... Sorry...
I'm thinking of wine.

It’s wine that does all that shit.

Never mind.
Just finish brushing your teeth, sweetie. Then you can massage my feet and make me believe this is real, and not simply a wine-induced fantasy....

Thursday Thoughts

Hmm... I'm thinking that a picture like this will eclipse any thoughts I might have. Especially seeing as how I'm writing this on Tuesday night at 11:30 with a totally fried brain and my thoughts aren't terribly coherent.

BTW, this picture and several others come to the CBEB courtesy of Sharon, our own Professor Penis, whom some of you may remember as the source of many a great hunk pic. She travels a lot, but follows the blog when she has the chance.

Okay. The furry thing he's laying on is starting to look better than he does. Guess that means I'd better hit the sack.

Enjoy the day!

Whopping Weasel Wednesday!

Well....


You can't say he lacks enthusiasm.


Me, I have to work tonight, which might be a good thing because my right hand keeps going numb on my mouse. Obviously I've been writing too much. You wouldn't think writing could be hazardous to your health, but sometimes it is.

Not gonna stop though!


Enjoy your Wednesday--um, Hump Day!

Tasty Tuesday Grilled Greek Zucchini!

It's that time of year again!


The zucchini are trying to take over the world!!!


Fight back with this tasty recipe from our own Diva Donna!

Grilled Greek Zucchini

Ingredients

• 4 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup pitted ripe olives, halved
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 4 teaspoons olive or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the zucchini, tomato, olives and onion. Combine oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic salt and pepper; pour over vegetables and toss to coat. Place on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 23 in. x 18 in.). Fold foil around vegetables and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
   
2. Enjoy with our favorite Greek hunk, Marco Mastronelli! He's hot and ready to go!

If there was ever a guy who could be a Zetithian without too much effort, this is the one! He's got the hair, the body, and almost has the right YD! Purrrrr!!!!!

Monday Moons!

Yeah, I know it's not Tuesday, and you can't really see his buns all that well, but I think we can forgive Ben in light of the next picture Donna sent me.

Sort of a belated birthday present for Ana.



























Funny... I wouldn't have thought he could get it all in one hand. ;)

Sunday's Hunk of the Day!

Enjoy your Sunday with Justin!



















I know I will...

Saturday's Hunk of the Day!

For some reason I'm feeling really into bad boys this weekend.



Dunno what's wrong with me!



Not sure I want to be cured, though.



Enjoy your Saturday!

Friday Fun!

Donna sent me this one. She thought it might be Alicia, practicing.


Alicia???


Is that really you?






Nah. Alicia practices on stuff like this.


Don't you, Alicia?


Please say you do.


Don't spoil the myth....

Thursday Thoughts

After spending an inordinate amount of time on yesterday's post, I find myself devoid of thoughts. So here's a Thursday hunk for your viewing pleasure.

Same smiling guy as last Saturday.


Slightly different angle.


Same jeans.


*sigh*

Whopping Weasel Wednesday!

I'm looking through my Unused Hunk file, and I'm just not finding any new whoppers that aren't, well... grotesque.

Except maybe this one.




















But you can't see his face. He might be totally hideous.

Others are more artistic, but here again, you can't tell what he looks like.















Others have a nice face, but don't quite make the Whopper grade. I'm sure this fellow has tremendous potential, but he's not giving us his all.






















Sad to think that there are so few hunks that measure up to the CBEB's Wednesday standard. I even considered dipping into my Used Hunk file, as I did for yesterday's post, but I keep hoping to find some new drool-worthy hunks.

In desperation, I scoured my files again and found this one, but though I love the lighting and the position, he really wasn't what I had in mind, either.


















So I ventured forth to Google images where I found a pic of Justin Seitz that I hadn't seen before, and I decided that all you have to do is imagine these bodies with Justin's face, and you've got the perfect CBEB hunk.






















Come to think of it, Justin IS the perfect CBEB hunk. Or he would be with a bit more fur.






















Never mind....

Tasty Tuesday Creamy, Fruity Greek Yogurt!

In the mood for something creamy, delicious, and relatively non-fattening?

No, Alicia. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about yogurt. Since I've been having to avoid the sweet stuff as much as possible, I've missed having yogurt on occasion. True, they make a fat-free or light versions, but they're still loaded with sugar.

I bought some Stevia in the Raw a while back, thinking I'd use it in lots of things. It's sweet, natural, and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, sugar isn't the only bad ingredient in most desserts, so the bag sat around, unopened, for a long time.

Then I discovered fat-free plain Greek yogurt. If you've never tried it before, it is thicker and creamier than regular yogurt, and can pass for sour cream without any trouble at all. No cholesterol, very few carbs, and plenty of protein. I bought a carton of Dannon's plain Greek yogurt and added some raspberry extract. It wasn't bad, but I missed the pieces of fruit.

Then one day, I bought some strawberries. I used to make jam all the time, and nothing I've ever bought in a store can compare with the homemade variety. I miss it. I miss the smell of strawberries on the boil, pouring it into jars, and listening for the pop when the lids seal. Since I can't eat it anymore, I've stopped making it. But I hit on the idea to chop up the strawberries (about a cup), add 2 heaping tablespoons of Stevia in the Raw, stir it up, stick it in the microwave, let it boil for a minute or so, and see what happens. I let the sugar-free "jam" cool in the refrigerator, and then added it to the Greek yogurt.

OMG!!!! It's thick, creamy, fruity, sweet, cool, and delicious!!!! Plus, it's fat-free and the only sugar is what's in the fruit!

Since then, I've tried it with blueberries and raspberries, but I still like the strawberry the best.


















And since this is the CBEB and the Cat Master must not let the Yah Yahs down, good ol' Justin is here to provide us with the other kind of delicious creamy stuff!



























Enjoy your Tuesday!

Lovely Lilies and Monday Moons!

I thought I'd share my lilies with my Yah Yahs. Too bad you can't smell them, they would brighten up the bluest Monday.





















I think I'm suffering from post "something-I-was-looking-forward-to" syndrome. You know what I'm talking about. The vacation is over, I've been to New York, and Christmas is months away.

A while back, I was saying that all I needed to do was to get through June, and things would settle down. Well, they have, sort of. Now I just have to write that last CSC book. It hasn't been easy. It takes a different mindset than the other stuff I've been doing and writing. It's slower, with more buildup to the climaxes involved.

Sort of like a long, hot summer drifting past. Do you believe that July is already more than half over? The long-awaited last Harry Potter movie is now in theaters. I promised Peaches and the horses a bath this month. I finally got Sex, Love, and a Purple Bikini published. Sam wants to see an orthodontist about getting braces, and I finally made the appointment, but it won't be until August 4th. My garden is producing cucumbers faster than I can pick them. Why, oh, why did I plant the entire package of seeds?????





















I did manage to get some green beans picked and ready to cook. They were good, too! Some things, like lilies and green beans, are worth the trouble of getting out and digging in the dirt.





















Now I just have to find some buns that are pretty enough to go along with the flowers.



























Will these do?

Sunday's Hunk of the Day!

As hot as it's been around here lately, all I can think about is going swimming.

Unfortunately, this is as close as I've been to a pool since I left Myrtle Beach.


Cody wasn't in that pool, either.


*sigh*

Saturday's Hunk of the Day!

When I went hunk hunting the other day, I found some really cute ones, including this guy.


Sorry he's not naked.


Well, he is naked, but he's shy.


He needs the Yah Yahs to break him of that.


Go for it, gang!

Friday Fun!

And now for some truly blatant and probably totally inappropriate cross-promotion. . .

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 has it's USA release today. I don't know about you, but I can hardly wait to see it. I just wish it wasn't the end.



























Sex, Love, and a Purple Bikini has been on Kindle for about a week. Maybe if I post them together, SLPB will sell as many copies as the Deathly Hallows did.



























Nah. Probably not. . . .

Then again, reviews like this one couldn't hurt! Sex, Love and a Purple Bikini: Not a Fashion Statement.

And, better late than never, today's hunk!

Thursday Thoughts

I think I used up all of my thoughts on yesterday's post. Funny how that works out sometimes. Maybe I'll just skip the thoughts and post a thoughtful-looking whopper instead.

Let me check my files. . . .

He looks to be deep in thought. Kinda makes you wonder what's outside that window, doesn't it? Any ideas?



























Me, I think he's gazing wistfully out the window wondering why he went through the pain and anguish of having all his body hair removed when he knows the Yah Yahs like their men furry!

Whopping Weasel Wednesday!

I went hunk hunting last evening, and I found some whoppers, but none as cute as this guy. And you know how much I like the cute ones!

I'm seeing some sales on the Purple Bikini (SLPB) book, but not anywhere near the kind of numbers reported by other writers. Perhaps I'm too impatient. Budley keeps telling me to quit checking the sales pages, but it's becoming an obsession. I've heard some other authors say they do the same thing, so I know I'm not alone.

However, I'm beginning to understand why the big name types have other people to answer their mail and such. It gets to the point that you don't have time to write. Not that I'm complaining about getting mail. It's just very easy to get distracted from the real work of writing by hopping over to check the sales ranking of SLPB, which is improving all the time.

Not long ago, I heard a story about the Amazon sales ranking and how it translates to actual sales. A big promotion was undertaken and the ranking on a particular book dropped substantially (a lower number equals a higher rank). When they looked into the number of actual books sold, it turned out to be three.

So why do we bother looking at it? I must say, ignorance is often bliss, but when the numbers look good, like they did when Virgin was released, Hero was on sale, and Outcast was free, it's easy to get hooked. The graphs looked awesome! Now they're beginning to slide. I shouldn't look at them any more than I should drool over the cute young hunks. It's addicting, but at the same time kind of depressing.

Maybe I'll steer clear of the hunks for a while too.

Nah!

Tasty Tuesday

Once again, the time of year has come when my zucchini is growing to outrageous proportions and I've got to figure out some way of getting Budley to help me eat it. He is not, I repeat, NOT, a big fan of squash--or any vegetables, for that matter--which makes me wonder why I bother growing veggies at all when I end up giving most of them away, but I digress.

Budley has, on occasion, wanted to be vegan or vegetarian, and I have learned to laugh at this notion, and continue to serve him hamburgers, pot roast, and barbecued ribs. Thus it was, that as I gazed at the huge mound of squash sitting on the kitchen table, in desperation, I took my recipe for zucchini souffle and added ground beef to it. And voila! We have a new way to trick Budley into eating vegetables!

Hamburger Zucchini Souffle


Saute:
1 onion, chopped or grated
1 lb lean ground beef, seasoned with meat seasoning of your choice, or a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder
4 cloves garlic, minced

Mix together:
1 large zucchini, grated (about 2-3 cups)
1 cup or more grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 long pkg saltines (whole wheat or regular), crushed
2 tsp of a salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder mixture (Paula Deen's House Seasoning)

Beat together:
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2 tbsp pesto

Now, mix all of this stuff together, put it in a greased 9 x 13 pan (glass or metal) and bake for about an hour at 350 degrees, or longer if you're like Budley and don't like your casseroles juicy. Let it set a few minutes before enjoying with the hunk of your choice!



























Oh, yeah... I almost forgot. Now that I've used up some of the squash, I've got to figure out what to do with all these cucumbers. Something tells me that my Yah Yahs will have some very interesting suggestions...

Monday Moons and Purple Bikinis!

Friday evening at about 8PM, I did one of the scariest things I've ever done. I self-published Sex, Love, and a Purple Bikini to Amazon.

It doesn't sound all that scary until you take into consideration that in that book, I've broken several contemporary romance genre rules.

Take a look at the blurb, and you'll have an idea of what I'm talking about.

Executive assistant Terri Marshall has never fallen for a man in her life, but Cupid’s arrow finds its mark when she meets Benjamin Tremaine. Unfortunately, he’s the husband of Terri’s employer, aka the Boss from Hell.

Trapped in what amounts to a marriage of convenience, Ben is giving it one last shot before throwing in the towel. But when his wife brings her assistant along to a conference in Myrtle Beach, Ben realizes what has been missing from his life.

Now that two handsome beach boys have made Terri an offer she can’t refuse, Ben is left with a wife who won’t agree to a divorce and a woman he knows he can’t have.

Contains explicit sex, M/F/M, M/F, Hero is separated, DP

When it comes to my writing, I tend to write what I want to read. Back when I began this whole author adventure, I wasn't aware that there were any rules. I wrote in first person because I liked books that were written that way. I wrote about characters you might meet anywhere, not just billionaires and movie stars. I wrote explicit sex because I was sick to death of reading books where a man's penis was referred to as "his manhood." *shudder* That still makes me want to barf. And yes, I wrote this story in which the hero is still married to someone else and the heroine gets together with two guys that she does not have a happily ever after with. Maybe it isn't romance in the strictest sense, but it was a fun book to write, and I still wasn't tired of it even after reading through it a bajillion times.

So now, I wait to see what readers think of it and go back to work on CSC #9.

In the meantime, here are some buns for your Monday enjoyment!

Sunday's Hunk of the Day!

Sex, Love, and a Purple Bikini is now available on Kindle! Whoo hoo! I'll get it on Nook and Smashwords soon!



























Sharing is now on Kindle, too!




























To celebrate, here are two more pics of Big Chief Dan!



























Be gentle with him!