Check out these dear from Cades Cove.  Aren’t they gorgeous?? LOL

Below are some other pics from the Cove.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. I had a busy one. I got to spend some time with my grandson. He’s so adorable. He was supposed to have open heart surgery a couple of weeks ago to repair a whole in his heart, but he came down with the flu, so they’ve rescheduled it for December 11th.

Part of me wishes they would do it and get it over with. Another part of me was glad I got to spend some time with him. He has the most adorable laugh.

After Thanksgiving dinner with the family at my brother’s house, instead of shopping, we headed to Cade’s Cove in the Smokey Mountains. I got a great shot of a buck jumping the fence as it crossed the road in front of us I’ll post later. I still have to download it from the camera to the computer.  It felt so good to be back in the mountains again. Memphis is okay, but I’d much rather be in the mountains.

Oh well. The holidays are over, for a few weeks anyway, until Christmas arrives. Tonight, I’m going to rest up after that 7 hour drive, then tomorrow it’s off to the mall to finish up the shopping and then to the gym to work off all that food…lol.

Woohoo!!! check out this great review from Paranormal Romance Reviews!!

“This book is Hot, Hot, Hot!”

Bethany had a hard childhood. Her step-father Tom had beaten and raped her for over ten years. When she was “discovered” by Jacob Matthews dancing in a strip club she was reluctant to take his offer of a place to live, no sex attached. Years later, she was his friend, like a daughter to him but lonely and still hurting.

She hadn’t had sex since her stepfather years ago and that, of course, wasn’t sex – it was punishment. She wanted to, needed to. but her nerves got in the way. However…Jacob had a police officer son, Derrick who was a hunk and a half. Derrick had a friend named Nathan, head of Jacob’s security for his businesses and his home. They had a reputation of dating women together and this attracted Beth like a moth to a flame. She wanted both.

The boys had always shared everything. Rooms, cars, girls, whatever. When it came to Bethany it was different. They were both in love with her, it didn’t stop at just lust. Could they make it work?

Then, Tom is paroled on “good behavior” and comes straight after Bethany. She is his! He won’t share her with anyone else. Who wins? Nathan, Derrick, Tom, Jacob or Bethany?

An interesting premise for a scorchingly hot book. My goodness! I needed a fan!! Good characters, good plot and extrememly sexy. A one night read for sure.

Reviewed by Nancy Eriksen
Posted October 16, 2009

Big thanks, Nancy…:)

A fabulous blue ribbon rating of 5 from Noelle at Romance Junkies.

Stacy Bevins was a woman on a mission. After her best friend died because of a new drug, Stacy had to stop the spread. Banned from helping with the case, she decided to do some investigating on her own, and found herself staking out a club that catered to some interesting personalities. But none of the people she observed at the club was more interesting then the two owners. Stunned by her immediate attraction to the two handsome men, but suspicious of their involvement, she tried to keep them at arms length, but what happens when their desires overwhelm her good sense? Will she be able to keep her job from destroying her new relationship?

  Vincent and Jason had a problem. As wizards, they had been asked to investigate the new drug derived from vampire blood. Making things more difficult, most of the women killed by the drug frequented their nightclub. As the owners, they found themselves under the surveillance of a very sexy police officer. When they offered to show her around, the sparks flew, and they found themselves showing her a lot more then they had planned. But a dangerous drug, a shadowy villain, and vampires bent on revenge conspire to end their new happiness, and Stacy may be the one who suffers the consequences.

 With a riveting cast of supporting characters and an intriguing mystery to solve, DEADLY CRIMSON is a page turner from start to finish. Jason and Vincent have such different personalities, they each bring their own benefits to their relationship with Stacy. She is my favorite type of heroine, strong in her own right and able to take care of herself without having to wait for her men to rescue her. The love scenes between the three of them are red-hot, with some really intense emotions. Well done!

Woohoo, thanks, Noelle…:)

For a sexy excerpt, click here…http://tristaannmichaels.com/my-books/deadly-crimson/

I hope everyone is having a wonderful thanksgiving…:)

I love movies. I would rather watch a movie than just a show, unless it’s the new Stargate Universe, which we’ll talk about later…lol.

Below is an excerpt from Shutter. Before I post it, though, I have to give a big thanks to poet, Larson Caine for his help with the wickedly demented poetry throughout the story.

Excerpt…

“Right here,” he whispered.

His hand came up to touch the side of her face. A gentle touch so full of concern and tenderness, it took her by surprise. He leaned forward and brushed his lips over her forehead. Just a soft touch, nothing more, but it made her stomach flutter. He moved his lips lower, brushing over her eyelids, then across her cheek. She slid her leg farther up his thigh, moving to settle over his hip as his leg shifted upward, putting gentle pressure against her sex.

She drew in a soft breath of air, inhaling his musky smell. Warm, soft lips pressed against the corner of her mouth, and her lips fell open in silent invitation, her body reacting with sheer instinct, her need guiding her and silencing the nagging arguments racing through her head.

The door to her bedroom opened, and Bethany turned to see Nathan step in the room. He stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes narrowing dangerously at Derrick, his whole body tense, his fingers fisting around the doorknob in a white-knuckle hold.

Bethany jumped away from Derrick in guilt as her gaze moved back and forth between the two of them. What was going on? She thought they shared, but if the murderous look in Nathan’s eyes was any indication, he wasn’t in a sharing mood.

Derrick returned the look; their gazes locked in some sort of silent battle Bethany could only guess at.

“I need to see you downstairs,” Nathan snapped.

Bethany blinked in shock at the anger emanating from his tone, the tension hardening his body and eyes.

“I’ll be down in a minute,” Derrick replied.

“Now!” Nathan yelled back.

Derrick raised an eyebrow but remained silent as he climbed from the bed. Bethany stood as well, but apparently too fast. The room began to spin, and she quickly grabbed the bedpost to steady herself. Nausea rolled through her stomach, and she gasped, putting her hand over her mouth to keep from losing what little was in her stomach.

Nathan appeared in front of her almost instantly, grabbing her shoulders to help steady her.

“You all right?” he asked.

The anger in his eyes was gone, replaced with concern.

She nodded as Derrick came to stand behind Nathan, his gaze also full of worry. “It must be the sedative,” she whispered.

“They have that effect. Take it slow, okay?” Derrick said.

Nathan glared at him over his shoulder before turning back to Bethany. “Go back to bed for a while. I’ll have the kitchen bring you up something to eat. Stay there until you get something on your stomach. We’ll be downstairs if you need us.”

Bethany climbed back under the covers and watched them go. Something was going on with those two. She’d never seen them glare at one another like that. Pursing her lips, she wondered what had pissed them off.

Nathan came to a stop by the massive picture window overlooking the front yard and frowned, his gaze never leaving the manicured front lawn and fountain. “I’ve changed my mind.”

Derrick wasn’t sure he’d heard him correctly. He knew something had set Nathan off the second he saw him in the doorway, but he hadn’t expected this. “Changed your mind about what?”

“I don’t want to share Beth.”

Derrick was silent for a moment, trying to get his anger under control. They’d shared women for years; why all of a sudden was he becoming stingy?

“What the hell brought this on?” Derrick asked.

“What I felt when I saw her in your arms. I don’t want you to touch her, Derrick.”

“Fuck you,” Derrick snarled. “I’m not about to walk away.”

Nathan turned to stare at him head-on, the full force of his anger shining in his eyes. “I tried for years to get you to make a move on Bethany, but you kept coming up with reasons not to. I kept out of it, letting you take the lead, but I got damn tired of waiting, Derrick. I want her, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let you anywhere near her now.”

Derrick’s anger rose as well as he took a step closer to his friend. “I don’t think it’s your decision, Nathan. It’s hers. And whether you like it or not, I’m not letting her go without a fight.”

“Why now?” Nathan snapped. “Huh, Derrick? Is it just to keep me from having her?”

“That’s bullshit, and you fucking know it!”

“What the hell is going on in here?”

They both turned to stare at Jacob as he stood in the doorway. The frown on his face spoke volumes as he came farther into the room and shut the massive double doors behind him.

“I heard you two lunatics all the way down the damn hallway. Half the staff knows what the two of you are arguing over.”

“Sorry,” they both mumbled.

Derrick glanced at the floor and dragged his hand through his hair in agitation. This was bad…very bad. He and Nathan had been through a lot over the years. He couldn’t imagine letting a woman come between them, but no way in hell could he stand back and not be a part of her life, not hold her, kiss her. After yesterday, he knew the feelings he had for her went beyond attraction, beyond physical. He needed her, and he’d be damned if he’d let Nathan have her all to himself. Not if he stood a chance to be there too.

“Let me make myself perfectly clear,” Jacob ordered, pointing a finger at each of them and making Derrick feel as though he were twelve again. “Bethany is not a prize for one of your little games. You’re not to play tug-of-war with her. You’re to guard her, take care of her, and keep her safe, not hurt her in any way, shape, or form. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” they replied in unison, then turned to glare at each other in silent warning.

“And I suggest these little catfights of yours had better stop. The last thing I want is for Bethany hearing the two of you argue over who gets her! She’s not a damn toy; she’s a grown woman with her own mind, and if the two of you don’t realize that real quick, you’ll push her away. If you really want to compete for her heart, how about doing it the right way…by showering her with affection, not bickering between yourselves. It’s her choice, after all, not a testosterone competition between the two of you.”

“Point taken,” Derrick said as he let out a tired sigh.

His father was right. It wasn’t between him and Nathan, or about who was the strongest or most stubborn. It was who was right for Bethany, and Bethany was the only one who could make that decision.

“Derrick, Chief is being groomed. I want you to walk the red carpet with Beth.” Nathan started to say something, but Jacob pointed a finger at him. “Don’t start. Derrick walks that carpet every year with Chief. You handle your job. No one gets in here who doesn’t belong.”

Nathan nodded, clamping his lips into a firm line, agitation creasing his forehead. Derrick could tell his friend was pissed. His whole body was tense and ramrod straight. He was sure Nathan wanted to be the one close to her, protecting her, but right now, Derrick didn’t give a rat’s ass.

If Nathan wanted a battle, he’d damn sure get one.

I’ve had several people ask me advice about writing menage stories. The only bit of advice I have is to keep it real.

When writing a menage, you have to remember there’s more to it than just one women and two men getting together. There are all kinds of psychological issues and social ramifications to such a union.

Jealousy is a big one. No matter how much you share or how much you might enjoy sharing, there’s always that slight ping of jealousy when you see the person you love touch someone else.

There’s also the sex issue. Seriously. No matter how happily married you are, there will be times when the thought of sex just turns your stomach. Now image not one man who wants sex, but two. It can be very overwhelming and it would definitely cross the heroines mind at some point.

Social ramifications are another big issue. We live in great times, but we would be incredibly nieve to believe that what we do or who we live with, doesn’t have some sort of effect on us socially.

In order to have a believable menage, you must incorporate more than just the physical. Think about your characters, their life, their feelings. Put yourself in their shoes. Imagine being in a menage relationship. Would the neighbors notice? How would you handle giving each man equal time? How would you feel about the sex? A threesome might be fun for a night, but just imagine doing it for a lifetime. How would that make your heroine feel? Or your heroes?

Bringing in the emotional aspects can really deepen your menage and give you a story your readers will love.

Spent another cool morning at the zoo. This time we got to see the new addition, Teton Trek. We warmed our hands by the fire before heading to the observation deck on the back of the cabin where there was a great view of the bear habitat. After admiring the grounds, we headed out to see the animals.

 Hope you enjoyed the pics as much as I enjoyed the animals…:)

Do you ever have a day when you just want to throw your computer out the window? I’m having one of those days. I’m trying to set up the email account for the new site and I’m doing a lousy job of it. I do good to find the on button so when it comes to complicated stuff, I’ll screw it up every time…lol. You wouldn’t think setting up an email would be hard, but…it is me that’s doing it, so…

I need to go to the grocery store, so I may just take a break and go get some groceries. I don’t need much, just enough milk and a few snacks to get us through Tuesday. We leave Wednesday to head to my mother’s for Thanksgiving. It’s always fun to visit with family over the holidays.

At Christmas, everyone comes to my house. Fun fun…:) I love company…on the day they leave…ha ha. I know, that’s terrible…lol. I actually enjoy it when family comes to visit. It helps to break up the monotony.

I’m also still working on Dead Wreckening. It’s slowly but surely coming along. I’m hoping to be done with it in a couple of weeks.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend…:)