My daughter and I have gotten into scrapbooking. It’s alot of fun. She loves it and can spend hours doing it.

She did the one on the left all by herself. It’s a picture of me and her on a hike to the water falls just outside Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The one on the right is my grandson’s first picture with Santa Clause. He’s such a cutie…:)

Scrapbooking gives us something to do on cold, winter afternoons or raining Saturdays. Sometimes, we don’t talk, we just work and I can come up with story ideas. They always seem to come when I’m working on something else and not when I really want them to.

That can at times be incredibly annoying…lol

Hope everyone is doing well…:) I guess it’s back to the writing grind for me.

The latest installment of the Entwined Fates series is in the hands of my greedy little editor, being bled all over…lol. It will be out before you know it, but until then, I”m posting a blurb and excerpt below. Just a little teaser…:)

Hope you enjoy.

BLURB

Lin Morlin, daughter to Galactic Senator Nicah Morlin, is headstrong and determined – anything but a submissive, but she goes undercover as a submissive in order to rescue her friend from slave traders. Her actions begin a chain reaction of ripples that flip the lives of everyone from traders all the way up to the Galactic Senate itself.

Captain Anthongy Carrigton is sent in by the Marcones to rescue Lin. Undercover as a Dom, he finds he wants to keep Lin as his slave forever and the independent woman enjoys submission much more than she expected.

Unfortunately, her rescue becomes much more complicated than either of them ever imagined, for the traders know exactly who both of them are and why they’re there. Lin’s father will become the key to everything and Lin will find herself not only questioning who she is, but who she will become.

EXCERPT

“How can you live with this?”

Lin stared at her father in disbelief, her heart sinking further with every passing second. The Senate had just refused her plea for help to find her missing friend, Keeran. All the while, her senator father sat in silence, not once coming to her aid.

“I told you, lIN,” Senator Morlin said. “The Senate will not intervene in this matter–”

“But you didn’t even try. You just sat there. Is that what you would do if it were me?”

Her father stiffened, his brow creasing in anger. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“You know what these slave barons are doing and yet you do nothing. Why?” she demanded.

Her father’s age was becoming increasingly apparent these days as he slowly shuffled behind his desk and sank tiredly into the thick, leather chair. Behind him was the massive picture window overlooking Rhinari. She had to squint as the bright Rhinari sun sank below the massive Senate Building, casting a shadow over the smaller, attached office buildings and apartments reserved for the senatorial elite. The room darkened, mimicking her mood as she stood her ground, glaring at her father.

Her father sighed, but wouldn’t meet her gaze head on. “There are some men, Lin, even the Senate won’t touch.”

“Stefan Marcone would not have allowed this when he was a Senator,” she growled.

“The former Senator Marcone has the resources and the balls to go after the man himself, without the aid of the Senate. I’m afraid I do not.”

“Even if it were me?” she asked quietly.

“Let’s not forget, daughter. It’s not you. I know she was your best friend. I understand you’re upset, but I do not have the connections to go after him.”

“What does he have over your head, Father?” Lin strolled to the desk and leaned her palms against the gleaming black granite. Her father wouldn’t meet her stare and she tensed, doubts about her father and his honesty entering her mind.

“Nothing, Lin. He’s very powerful and I am very old.”

Lin pushed upright in anger. “I’m not asking you to go after him yourself. Just put someone on the inside, find out who they sold her to.”

“It’s not that simple!” he snapped.

“The hell it’s not!”

His eyes narrowed in anger. “I’ve heard enough, Lin. She’s gone. Accept it. This man is way too powerful, has too many connections. Going after him would be a death sentence for both of us.”

“Fine,” she snarled. “If you won’t do it…then I will.”

She turned to leave the apartment, her heart breaking at the cold callousness of her father. How could he do this? How could he allow a man who sold young girls off as sex slaves to get away with it? Slave trading was supposed to be illegal, but apparently not for Laird Ballack.

He’d made a fortune over the years selling off young girls, most of which didn’t live past a year. There were rumors he even supplied slaves to Senators. She wondered vaguely if her father had been one and swallowed down a sudden onslaught of tears.

If he did participate, it would kill her.

“Lin, don’t do this,” her father pleaded as he followed her across the room.

Lin ignored him, determined to handle this herself.

With her hand on the doorknob, she turned to face her father and lifted her chin in steadfast resolve. “I may put myself in danger, but one thing I will never do is turn my back on her. I will find her…with or without your help. Which is it?”

Her father shook his head. “I’m sorry, Lin. Without.”

“Fine.”

Tears gathered in her eyes as she left her father’s apartment and slammed the door closed behind her, effectively shutting out her father for good. It was the final straw.

She’d never been able to depend on him, not like she should. He’d disapproved of her career, her friends. It seemed no matter what she did, he found fault. It apparently didn’t matter how well she’d done or how much respect she’d earned as a bio-chemist.

Whenever he’d needed her at some senatorial function, she’d been there. Would it be so hard for him to be there for her? He did it time and again. And time and again, she kept hoping that next time…

“Oh, hell,” she grumbled and swiped at a tear as it fell down her cheek.

No point crying over it now. It was done. Now she needed to focus on finding her friend and she knew just where to start.

Woohoo!! Blood Rite has gone into print!!

I got my author copies today and they look fabulous! The cover looks amazing in print, I just love it.

So hop on over to my books page, click on Blood Rite and have a look at the excerpt.

Hope everyone is having a great night.

Happy reading…:)

I thought it might be fun to post a joke ever so often just to keep us smiling. If you’re like me, you could use something to laugh at sometimes.

Below is the first of many…weekly funnies.

THE END IS NEAR

A priest, a rabbi and a pastor from the local churches are standing by the road, pounding a sign into the ground, that reads: “The End is Near! Turn Yourself Around Now Before it’s Too Late!”

As a car sped past them, the driver yelled, “Leave us alone, you religious nuts!”

From around the curve they heard screeching tires and a big splash.

The pastor turns to the other two and asks, “Do you think the sign should just say: ‘Bridge Out’?” 

I’m sure everyone has seen the commercials for the new Bachelor. Oh, and this guy is even a pilot to boot.

snort.

Trust me, ladies. A pilot in this day and age, isn’t that great of a catch. If you’re in it for the money, you better look elsewhere. The high pay of the 70’s is long gone. What’s left is low pay, horendous hours, days at home alone for the wives and parenting? You’re basically a single parent.

A pilot’s first day home is usually spent sleeping off their exhaustion of three nights in a row of reduced rest and four days of rigorous flying. Domestic pilots have it the worst with sometimes as many as 8 landings and takeoffs a day. The stress alone would wear you down.

I think it’s funny the commercials show this new backelor flying a 737. If the rumors floating around the pilot lounge are true, he flies for regional carrier ASA. That airline doesn’t fly 737’s. They fly regional jets. There’s also rumors he’s in the hiring pool at Southwest. Hiring pool just means your on hold for a job with them if an opening becomes available. That opening may or may not come.

I just think it’s funny how they’re making such a big deal out of him. These stary-eyed women are probably imaging some glamorous jetsetting life filled with endless travel and free airfare. Come spend a few minutes with me…I’ll set you straight to the real life of a pilot’s wife.

Glamorous?? Hardly. Hope his pick is independant because she’ll be spending lots of her married life alone. 

What a day. It’s freezing here. Very little snow, but lots of cold. Hope everyone out there is keeping warm on this cold, wintery night.

I miss my fireplace. Sitting here watching the history channel, feeling the draft come under the living room door…god, I hate renting…I really miss my fireplace. I miss the warmth, the crackle of the wood, the flickering firelight.

I wonder if I could just cozy up to the screen and get warm?? lol

Yeah, I don’t think that would work either.

As I sit here, thinking of reasons not to write, but knowing I need to be, I wonder how to keep it going…the flow of ideas.

Sometimes, I think I can’t possibly come up with another idea, but inevitably, the second I start on a story, another is nagging at the back of my brain. Sometimes, I think of a scene or a character, but can’t for the life of me figure out where to go with it.

And titles, for me, are the absolute worst. I HATE coming up with titles. Sometimes, I’m lucky and I come up with a title first and sometimes, the story is finished and I still haven’t come up with a good title. Which is one of the problems I’m having now. I have a romantic suspense that is yet untitled, but finished.

So how about you? Does your title come first or your story?

My son has a bad habit of not wiping up the water in the floor when he gets out of the shower. I’ve spoken to him about it time and time again…well, okay, let’s be real…I yelled.

sigh…so what do I do? I walked into the bathroom in my three inch heel black books, slip on the water and fall right into the tub. My pants were drenched, my side and arm bruised, my pride stinging, my temper fuming.

Let’s just say my son won’t be leaving the floor wet anymore…lol.

I’m still a little sore today, but I survived. I at least got a little more done on my story…:) That’s the one good thing that came out of this. And maybe the other is a dry floor for a change…lol

You can count on author Trista Ann Michaels to craft a sensual, emotional, and poignant love story with tinges of suspense and chills. This author is a master at creating vividly detailed pictures that allows readers to escape between the pages of her books time and time again. From the very first page of this book, Ms. Michaels draws the reader in and then blasts them directly into this riveting tale making it impossible to put down. Shutter is filled with unforgettable characters, simmering passion, and gripping tension, mixed together the result is one powerful and delightful story. Every character was richly portrayed – even the secondary ones seemed to have full personalities that seemed to enhance the story. Readers will marvel at Bethany’s backbone as she struggles for not only her future, but also for the past that has the ability to hurt not only her but the ones that she loves. Derrick and Nathan are two friends different in many ways but united in their ability to be strong and protect the one woman who is the center of their universe. The connection between Bethany, Derrick, and Nathan was not only deeply evident but the jealousy struggles were a realistic touch to the relationship. The chemistry between the characters sizzled and the scenes of intimacy whether they were M/F or M/F/M where pulsing with a sensuality and heat that was spellbinding. There is just the right amount of danger and suspense that adds a compelling edge to the romantic plot without making it too dark.

Once again Trista Ann Michaels delivers another winner!

Overall rating: 5 hearts
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Shannon
October 9, 2009

Shutter is available at Loose Id, Amazon, Kindle addition, All Romance Ebooks, and Fictionwise.

I finally got microsoft word onto my HP Mini. And considering how computer stupid I am, that’s quite an accomplishment…lol.

Having word on there makes it so much easier to write. I don’t have to worry about reformating it later or what formating that’s already there getting messed up when I move from one program to another. I was such a pain, but now it’s fabulous…:)

Now if I could just get the keys to type for me by the power of my mind alone, I would be a happy camper in deed…lol.

Ringing in the new year brings new years resolutions. I’ve broken more resolutions than I can count…lol. Some last a day, some a week. If I’m lucky, they last a month.

What’s my resolution for this year. Well…like always I have a few. For starters, losing all the baby weight from my third child. My daughter was a tough pregnancy. Due to complications, I was forced to quit my job and  had to spend most of my pregnany on my ass. And because of the inactivity, said ass widened, big time.

After she was born was the heaviest I have been in my life. I bounce between a size fourteen and a twelve. Not too terribly bad, since I’m bigboned and carry the weight pretty well, but still. I know I’ll never be in a bikini again, but I would certainly like to get back into my skinny jeans.

It’s tough, though. Losing weight is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. If I can go to the gym on a regular basis I do much better, but as always, life happens and I get out of the habit and then have to start all over again. Then there’s also my addiction to ruffles.

Hello my name is Trista and I’m a potatoe chip a holic…:)

My second resolution…write more.

I have so many stories running around in my head, sometimes it’s hard to think of anything else. This year I plan to get those stories down much faster…:)

So what do you say?? I’ll stick with my resolutions if you stick with yours? We’ll do it together.

Happy new year and remember to crack those whips…:)