22 Things You Needed To Know About Me

If you don't follow the wonderful Frankie Diane Mallis, you need to. She is laugh-out-loud funny and cute as can be. I want her to be my friend. Anyway, she was donned the Liebster Award and instead of officially tagging folks in award-forwarding, Miss Frankie tagged anyone who read the blog post. And I read her blog post.

So as to not disappoint, I will now participate. Besides, the rules of 'eleven' appeals to me for reasons I state below. Without further ado, the rules:

1. 11 random facts about me.
I can totally do random. It's like my specialty.

2. 11 questions answered for the person who nominated me.
Okay, questions are good. Improv is not my strongest asset.

3. I nominate 11 picks for the award, and make up another 11 questions for them to answer.
Frankie cheated, so I'm following her bad example. :) If you're reading this, wa-bam! Consider yourself tagged.

4. Nominated peoples will be listed below with their 11 questions of DOOM.
Heh. Again, not good at improv so, my lovely taggees, feel free to answer the awesome questions below.

5. Nominated people do the same; paste the award badge to your blog, give us 11 random facts about yourself, answer my 11 questions, and choose your nominees…but you cannot nominate the blog who nominated you.
And away we go...!

11 completely random facts you may or may not have ever wanted to know:

1. My birthday is on 11/11 so I totally geek out over 11s. It's my fave number. Once doubled my money betting on 11 playing Roulette.

2. As a kid, I didn't like reading because we had to for school. I think I associate reading with oral book reports, which were like kryptonite for shy gals like me. I didn't get bitten by the reading bug until my early 20s.

3. Classic introvert. Many people have thought I was a total beotch when first meeting me because I don't talk much. I'm totally not a beotch, and these people usually ended up being my closest friends. 

4. I'm artistic, but not crafty. There's a BIG difference. I can sketch and stuff, but I can't walk into a Hobby Lobby and come out with a project. I actually envy those people.

5. I didn't go to traditional college. I'm an online graduate.

6. Besides my initial introversion, I'm a complete and utter goofball. I'm waiting for the day my son begins to roll his eyes at me rather than laugh along with me. It will come, I know it.

7. The color pink and I have a hate/hate relationship. I don't like it and it looks horrible on me. Earth tones are more my gig.

8. I prefer 'boy toys' to 'girl toys' and always have. Boy toys are so much cooler. 

9. Kind of a Tom Boy. I own one dress and I got married in it. I own one pair of heels (that are more than an inch high) and I have yet to wear them outside my closet. 

10. I have a nervous tick of biting my lip, or picking at my fingers (I blame my father, he does the same thing) and I'm that person who makes a sarcastic comment when tensions are too high. In other words, not great at handling awkward situations.

11. I can do an uncanny impression of the Sand People from Star Wars. My hubs hates it when I do it. I think I embarrass him. 

That wasn't so bad, now was it? *snortle* And now for the 11 random questions to answer:

1. What do you LOVE? (Not a person, but a thing)

Holy mother of all things addictive! Reese's Peanut Butter cups! I would eat them on a boat. I could eat them with a goat. I would eat them on a train. I could eat them in the rain...

2. What do you HATE? (again, not a person--this could be a pet peeve of grammar or glitter or whatever).

Holy mother of all illiteracy! People who say 'supposebly' instead of supposedly. For the love all things that are green, there's NO 'B' IN SUPPOSEDLY! Okay, whew. I feel better. OH! And people who don't know how to merge into traffic.

3. Favorite Author?

Oy vey. I seriously don't have a favorite. Some of the authors who I totally fangirl are Myra McEntire, Cassandra Clare, Jennifer L. Armentrout and Jeri Smith-Ready.

4. Favorite period in history? why?

It's a toss up between Victorian London and the 1920s. They are both very romantic times to me. The industrial revolution with proper etiquette in one and mobsters, bootlegging and speakeasies in the other. To be honest, the only time I ever paid attention during History class was during the 1920s studies.

5. What's your favorite Myth (or fairy tale)? why?

Oh my... Faeries, will-o-the-wisps... On a completely different path, the Native Skinwalkers have always fascinated me too.

6. What's your favorite god/goddess in mythology?

Demeter. :) Long story there...

7. Which character of your own would you most like to have show up on your doorstep?

I'm not gonna lie. Kennon. He's my fave and I LOVE writing him.

8. For Friendship or Romance? Why?

Um, duh. Romance! I feel like such a cougar. Well, technically he's a lot older than he looks so that would be okay then... I need to stop thinking about it.

9. Which character of someone else's would you most like to have show up on your doorstep?

I think it's because I just read DEFIANCE, but I would love to have Logan McEntire show up. Grrrrrr...

10. For Friendship or Romance? Why?

Definitely romance. And totally a cougar on this one. Rawr.

11. What book have you read the most? Or if you don't reread books, what book do you most remember the experience of reading?

I haven't re-read it...yet, but Clockwork Prince from Cassandra Clare. The pain she inflicts on her characters... I bow to her. After finishing, I was so twisted up with emotions I couldn't speak for like an hour.


So there you go! This was actually kind of fun. And as Frankie did, I pass the torch to anyone who decides to participate in this. Share a bit of yourself, or you can comment on the questions below. It's all about sharing, right?

The 4th Annual No Kiss Blog Fest

It's a new year and a new round of No Kissing going down! Miss Frankie Diane Mallis hosts the No Kiss Blog Fest (#nokissblogfest over the Twittersphere) and I was crazy enough to sign up. Actually, this should be fun. I do l-o-v-e me some kissy scenes, and the ALMOST kissy scenes....double swoon! Please stop by Frankie's blog to see all of the other attendees and hop around for the 4th Annual No Kiss Blog Fest!

Without further ado... *Disclaimer* This is a rough and unedited excerpt from one of my WIPs, Blood Shift.

My stomach flipped over when I saw Kennon. He leaned against the wall near the various pamphlets on vaccinations, flea treatments, and senior dog dental care. My boring Friday grew infinitely more interesting. “Hey!”

“Bree?” Rebecca forced my attention to her. “You got the front? I need to run in the back for more printer paper.”

I frowned in confusion at her. We didn’t keep printer paper in the back. It was all under the desk for easy access. She knew this.

“I’ll be back in just a sec.” She glanced at Kennon and winked at me.

It all sank in. Love that Rebecca.

Still grinning at Rebecca’s departure, I walked up to the reception counter, fidgeting with my smock hem. “How’d you find me?”

He stepped forward to stand on the other side of the counter, eyes mischievous and smirk rocking. “Cascade Locks is no metropolis. Did you know there’s only one vet office here?”

“I did.” I fought the girl-giggle over the way his British accent curled around the word ‘metropolis.’ A flirty tone crept into my voice. “But that doesn’t answer my question.” I tapped my foot in mock impatience.

“Does it not?”

“So what’re you doing here?”

“What? No ‘Hi, nice to see you?’”

His sexy half smile made my toes want to curl. The late afternoon sun reflected light off the counter, making his green eyes shine. I raised an eyebrow at him, but couldn’t keep the goofy grin off my face.

Kennon chuckled and pulled out a lens from his pant pocket. “In your haste to be rid of me Wednesday, you seemed to have lost this.” He gently placed it on the counter between us. It was the 35 mm I’d taken off my camera before the sunrise shots. “I found it in the floor board yesterday.”

I leaned forward on the counter and idly fingered the lens. “Let me get this straight.” I looked up at him, still failing to keep a silly grin from sliding over my lips. “You drove all the way from Portland to return a camera lens?”

“And why wouldn’t I? I thought you might need it.”

“You could have just returned it in class tomorrow.”

He leaned over the counter across from me. My breath caught. The camera lens was practically the only thing separating us. His arms crossed in front him and I’d swear his body heat radiated to mine. He leaned in so close his sigh stirred the loose curls that had escaped my sloppy knot. I swallowed hard. Kennon’s eyes searched mine, probing in a teasing way.

“What if I said I found myself in the area and felt the need to return the lens as quickly as possible? You never know when you’ll find yourself in dire need of a mere 35 mm lens.”

My heart sputtered around and my stomach tumbled to reside somewhere near my kneecaps. Kennon’s grin still dripped with mischief, matching the playful intensity of his deep mossy eyes.

“I think you’re full of it.” I told him, meeting his gaze. For a brief microsecond, my brain screamed shut up, you don’t know what you’re doing, but I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.

“Is that so?” A corner of his grin quirked higher.

“I think you just couldn’t wait to see me again and had to drive forty-five miles out of your way to do so.”

“Is that what you think?” His eyes blazed back at me, sucking me in.

“Are you going to attempt to deny it?” Without permission, my gaze wandered to his mouth. The subtle pout of his bottom lip and perfect archers bow of an upper lip called to me. Teased. Begged.

“I’m not denying anything at the moment,” he whispered.

Raising my eyes to his, I think I stopped breathing. Kennon’s fiery green eyes were focused on my mouth. Slowly, his eyes raked over every inch of my face. I watched in fascination as his pupils dilated a hair as his gaze traveled over my lips again. The air around us sizzled with an electric charge. Chill-bumps washed over my skin, raising the fine hairs of my arms and the back of my neck. My legs had gone to Jell-O. The fact I leaned on the counter was the only reason I remained vertical. My heart thumped around. The tingle of anticipation swelled in my belly and spread down my thighs. My lips parted, pulling in a shaky breath. Kennon leaned in slightly. My eyes closed, every cell of my body hyper aware of how close his lips were. The feel of his lips consumed me. I wanted to taste them. Needed to.

The vet clinic door chimed and I almost jumped out of my skin. Kennon shot backward, standing a couple feet from the counter. I glanced at him as an elderly gentleman brought a Chihuahua up to the counter. Kennon frowned slightly, but otherwise appeared perfectly composed. Suddenly sort of weak and drained, I turned my attention to the man.

“Hi Mr. Kent.” I cleared my throat. The husky shakiness of my voice brought heat to my cheeks. “What’s going on with Harley?”

“Bree darlin’, he’s got a tick on his backside that won’t budge and I was hoping you could help.”

Oh just fantastic! I shot a look at Kennon. His lips twitched and he ran a hand over his chin, hiding a smile.

“Okay. If you’ll please sign him in, we’ll get him fixed up.”

“Thank you, dear.”

While Mr. Kent filled out the paperwork, I glanced at Kennon. He’d slid over toward the exit door, making his great escape from my torment of humiliation.

“I will see you tomorrow, Bryony.” He winked and walked out the door with the biggest shit-eating grin on his stupid perfect face.

Please — Kill me — NOW.

4th Annual No-Kiss Blogfest!!!

It's here! It's here! Let the angst, the painful pauses, the bad timing, the frustrating interruptions that push you to near-violence begin!

The No-Kiss Blogfest hath come.

Miss Frankie can give you the low-down on how the shiz works so please check out her blog. As for me, I'm crazy enough to join in. That's right, y'all. I've signed up for some smoldery (totally a word) almost action.

Get those WIPs whipped into shape and join the fun! Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! Tell your boss! Okay, so maybe not your boss. And don't forget to hash it! #nokissblogfest

Stay tuned for January 2, 2013 for the official blog-a-round!