Sunday, March 23, 2014

Since Yesterday's Blog

Was just a little depressing, I thought I'd do something fun today.

Let's talk strange addictions peoples! Yep, that's right, what are you addicted to that you wouldn't normally admit to anyone...

I'll tell you mine and then I want to hear yours.

So, here goes.

*looks around the blog-o-verse, leans in close and whispers...*

I'm addicted to JAMMY PANTS!

Yep, that's right. You heard it here first peeps. I'm am totally obsessed with Pajama Pants! (I only bring it up because I'm doing laundry and I counted them...) *hangs head, lowers voice again...* I have 30 pairs...

The sad thing is, the more unusual they are, the more I love them! And sadly, I wear them whenever I can!

I've mentioned I work at home - for the day job - and I'm happy to say this only feeds my addiction. (My work is my enabler!!!! So, I'm gonna blame them for the fact that I can't walk by the sleepwear section without checking to see if they have anything new...and if they do, and it's cute enough, it's goin' in the cart!!!!)

Just to tell you how *awful* my addiction is, I have...

Cookie Monster ones...


I have Zebra Stripe ones...


 
I have Hot Pink Zebra Striped ones...

I EVEN have RAINBOW Striped Zebra ones...


*sighs...*

"Hi, my name is Margaret and I'm a Jammy-pant-o-holic..."

I don't know when this started either! That's the worse part. I mean, I love to be comfortable, I won't deny that, but I've found as I get older and more settled in my ways, I just don't give a damn and want to *stay* comfortable!

So, I wear them ALL THE TIME!

Now, don't get me wrong, if I have to go to the office, or do something other than just running to the store, I dress appropriately...but *stomps a foot* only because I *have* too! The minute I'm back at the house though, off comes the "monkey suit" and on go the Jammies...

Anyway, that's my deep, dark secret folks. Please don't tell anyone???

Oh, who am I kidding. I don't care. Go ahead, shout it to the world! And then tell me your addiction.

Is it Febreeze? Like my good friend Kristen Lamb? Or is it shoes like my other Author friend Liliana Hart??

Come on, spill folks! I promise, your secret is safe with me!!!!!

Thanks as always for stopping by.

Until next time.

Margaret Taylor




Saturday, March 22, 2014

I know, I know...

I'm sorry. I haven't posted in awhile and I've been suspiciously absent from Facebook and Twitter too so for that I apologize.

Things have just been, well, busy.

The day job has been a little crazy and I've been dealing with some personal stuff outside of that too, so yeah, you've been neglected...*sighs*

Because of it, I'm taking away my own cookies for a whole week, cause I haven't been fair to you...*gasp, shock, horror!*

Don't try to stop me now! *holds out a hand and locks away the cookies* No, no, I deserve it, so...*turns the key and hides that away until such time that she's worthy again...*

Anyway, today I want to talk to you folks about #insecurities...

A little background first though.

I've always dealt with depression. It stems from the fact that I'm adopted (Another blog for another day, trust me, cause it's well, complicated!) and deep down I've always had this hole that wasn't quite filled.

Now, don't misunderstand. My adoptive parents were AWESOME!!! I never hated them, I never disliked them, hell, I never even thought twice about their level of love for me. (Even when my mom and I - both very strong personalities - would go at it, did I question whether either of my parents loved me. Ever.) But there's always been a part of me that felt, unwanted.

Please realize, I totally get why I was put up for #adoption when I was barely a few days old. I understand - always have - the circumstances behind the choice my natural mother made. And I recognize it was the right one. (Yes, I knew my natural mom and while we never talked about it, I got the full story from my adopted one. As I said, it's complicated and one day maybe I'll lay it all out there. Maybe.)

Anyway, knowing this about me, I can hear you saying, "Well, if you're that insecure, how can you be an Author?"

*laughs* It's because of that insecurity though that I developed a very, very thick skin. Most of the time at least. Once and awhile though, it cracks and it's those times that it does, that have me questioning if I should keep writing/publishing.

Now, let me tell you what spawned this post today...

Earlier in the week, I was invited to an event by a co-worker. She asked me to come along to her Church last night after she'd bought some of my books. She has a young friend - about 16-17 or so, also a member of her church - that wants to be a writer.

Yeah, yeah, I hear you over there. "But, Margaret, doesn't everyone have a young friend that wants to be a writer??"

*laughs* Sometimes.

My co-worker asked me to meet with her youngin' at the event and give her some pointers on getting started. (And she wanted me to sign a set of paperbacks she'd bought for the kidlet too, so hey, how can I refuse that, right???)

Anyway, we'd planned to meet about 7pm or so and she'd intro me to the kidlet and we could talk. (They were having some local bands around to perform for the evening, so yeah, there would be plenty of people there.)

So, off I go. I drive across town, find the place easily enough...and wait. And wait. And wait. And then wait some more...

(She was late and I had no clue who I was supposed to be meeting - other than my co-worker - so I just stood there, looking and feeling like a complete and utter idiot.)

Don't get me wrong, everyone was nice enough, but I had no clue who anyone was, or who I needed to look for (the kidlet), so yeah. And, to top it off, I've gotten a new phone, so I'd forgotten to get my co-workers number...*slaps hand* I know, I know! Bad me!

Now, here's where the old, high-school years of "I-really-don't-belong-here-little-green-monsters" started poking their ugly little scaly noses into my business! (The bastards!)

As I paced in the parking lot, watching each car arrive and looking for my friend, all those moments of: "Why am I here?" "What do I do?" "Can the earth just open up and swallow me now?" "Is everyone looking at me?" popped into my head and just wouldn't go away...

Normally, I'm very confident in unknown situations. I have to be for the day job, but socially, I'm about as wall-flower as you can get, especially if I'm depending on someone else - IE: Supposed to be meeting someone and it's "their" thing, not mine.

I'm on the verge of tears, thinking some not so pleasant thoughts and just about to get in my car and leave, when my co-worker arrives. She's a wonderful person, she really is, and immediately put me at ease and I ended up having a great time chatting with the kidlet, I really did!

As only writers can do, we talked about stories and characters and plots and books and just connected as only two kindred spirits can. I was happy to give her some basic pointers on how to take her work from where it is now to where it needs to be and I'm sure I'll continue to help her along the way - once she takes that first step. She's a great kid, she really is, has a firm head on her shoulders and I think really wants to be a writer.

(My author friends know the type and she fits it, she really does.)

Anyway, I had a great time. So much so, that when I was leaving - two hours later - her father said to me: "I'm not sure what you two talked about, but thank you. She doesn't get that often because half the time we have no idea what she's saying..." (Apparently the kidlet is one of the few in the family that's creative, so yeah.)

All in all, it ended up being a great evening! And it really reinforced why I write and probably always will. It's so I can revel in moments like last evening and have someone to talk to that doesn't think I'm totally insane! :D

Now, here's where you come in. I want to hear about your "Ugly Little Green Monster" who pokes his (or her) nose where it doesn't belong at the most inopportune moments! Share with me my friends. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone...*winks*

Thanks as always for stopping by...

Until next time.

Margaret Taylor

Thursday, March 13, 2014

A Cover Reveal with the lovely J.S. Scott!!!!!


Synopis
Dr. Talia Maris had lived her entire life as a freak—a too tall, too plain, too odd a woman who sees and senses the presence of otherworldly entities.  A total recluse, Talia spends all of her time on her research, living a contented, quiet life with only her loyal feline companion for company.  Until that sedate existence comes crashing down around her when she starts being pursued by demon Evils.  And if there’s one thing she hates…it’s demons.  She ditches every one of them until Sentinel demon, Drew Winston, finally wins the game of pursuit by trapping her with a deceitful, underhanded trick.  Not only is she infuriated by Drew’s stunt, but when he tells her she’s his mate, Talia wonders if the too handsome, too tall, too sexy Sentinel demon needs some serious psychological help.  All she wants is to get rid of Drew as quickly as possible! But the stubborn Irishman isn’t budging, and her resistance slowly crumbles as she gets pulled deeper and deeper into the world of the Sentinels by the relentless attempts of the Evils to capture her.  And what is she supposed to do with Drew Winston, a Sentinel demon who would do anything, even sacrificing his own life, to protect her? 
There are two things Drew Winston loves about his life: being a billionaire Sentinel demon and food.  He loves having everything he wants, and he’s perfectly happy slaying Evils and rescuing unsuspecting humans, until the irritating Dr. Talia Maris evades him one time too many.  Yeah…sure…maybe he was a little devious in the method he used to finally meet her face-to-face, but he ends up being the one who is actually surprised when he discovers the elusive woman is actually his mate.  Worse yet, she’s being pursued by ancient Evils, and it brings every protective instinct he has to the surface, making him want to kill anything that might hurt Talia.  Maybe Drew had never wanted or expected a mate of his own, but once he has Talia in his grasp, he’s determined to keep her safe and make her want to stay with him forever. 
 
Excerpt:
 “I’m not bringing you back,” Drew informed her casually.  “You’re being pursued by Evils, and you’re not safe here.  I have no idea why they’re after you, but they obviously are.  You’ll stay with me.  You’re my mate, and that’s something we have to work out.” 
“It doesn’t mean we have to do anything about it.  You could find someone else.”  Strangely, that thought didn’t sit well with her at all, and she felt a sharp, proprietary instinct as she said the words, a jolt of negative reaction to her own statement fluttering in her belly.  She didn’t want him to find anyone else. 
“There is no one else, Talia.  A Sentinel has one mate.  Period.  There isn’t anyone else for me but you.”  He turned to her, his eyes turbulent and stormy.  “It isn’t a choice, and you have no idea how I feel right now.” 
“How do you feel?”  Talia wasn’t sure why she asked.  She could see the truth on his face.  Gone were all traces of his earlier humor, the carefree look replaced with the expression of a predator that had found its prey. 
Pressing her back against the arm of the sofa, his body imprisoned her, enthralling her with the heat radiating in waves from his muscular form.  “Like a demon,” he answered hoarsely, his eyes dropping possessively to her mouth.
 
 
Other Books In The Series
 
A Dangerous Bargain - Now Only .99c!  Links below cover!
 
 
 
 
 
 
SYNOPSIS
The first book In The Sentinel Demon Series, a paranormal romance by NY Times and USA Today bestselling author J.S. Scott.

27 year old Kat Larson is haunted by demons. Literally. And how was she to know that there was more than one type of demon? The Evils want to destroy her soul, while billionaire Sentinel demon, Zachary Winston, claims that he wants to protect her. Kat opts for Zach’s protection…but it doesn’t come without a price. It requires a demon bargain…and what he suggests surprises poor Kat almost as much as the fact that demons really do exist. Why would the handsome billionaire want to make such an agreement with a curvy, plain redheaded woman like her?

Billionaire Zachary Winston has a mission and it’s one that he vows to complete. As a Sentinel demon, his task is to protect Kat from the Evils that will corrupt her soul. His only problem is that she is his “radiant,” the one woman who can lighten the darkness of his demon existence and be his eternal mate. Zach has to fight an internal war between man and demon as he protects Kat, not quite sure which one will win. He’s one part demon, one part man, but they both yearn for Kat’s lush, full figured body and kind, compassionate heart. As Zach becomes more and more enchanted with Kat, he’s hoping she can learn to love a lonely man/demon that’s only slightly wicked.

This paranormal romance contains graphic language, steamy love scenes, and lovable alpha males that also happen to be mythological demons.

About the Author
 
 
J.S. Scott is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of steamy romance. She's an avid reader of all types of books and literature. Writing what she loves to read, J.S. Scott writes both contemporary erotic romance stories and paranormal romance erotics. They almost always feature an Alpha Male and have a happily ever after because she just can't seem to write them any other way!

Please visit me at:  Facebook  Amazon

I personally can't wait to read this!

Thanks as always for stopping by!

Until next time...

Margaret Taylor