Favorite Author Award

Book Utopia Mom has named me her Favorite Author of 2009! Wow. I can hardly believe anyone outside of my family would declare me their favorite author. But there it is.

Once again, I'm thrilled and honored and surprised. I can only hope that my next book will entertain her.

Really. I mean, the pressure is on now, right? I'll probably have a nightmare tonight that BUM panned my third Be-Wished book. Oy vey.

Best Novella Award!

I'm thrilled to announce that Book Utopia Mom named my story, Losing It, her very favorite novella of 2009. This lady reads a lot of electronic books and she's extremely discerning, so I consider it a great honor to have made her year-end list. I'll even admit I was actually awaiting the posting of her year-end lists to see if I made it on! Tee hee. Yes, I'm that greedy for recognition.

Here's a link to her original review of Losing It.

Here's a link to buy it, if you feel so inclined. ;)

Spammers

Alas, I've had to turn on the word verification thing. I was getting more and unwanted, erroneous comments. Sorry!

Thankfulness Guest Blog

I was invited to blog at Romance in the Backseat recently. They're doing an entire month on thankfulness. Here's what I wrote. You could win a copy of my book ALL IN if you comment. :)

Real Life Imitates Art

Wow! I'm checking my email today and I see a headline, "21-year-old becomes youngest WSOP champion ever." I immediately click on the link because, if you look at WSOP and scratch your head in confusion, it stands for World Series of Poker.

I know. You're probably still confused. So, Kate's into poker. So what?

Well, in my very first Be-Wished book, All In, the hero was a pro poker player, but when I was researching I couldn't really look up the average salary of poker players. I had to just look at the winning pots and speculate. I watched a few hours of the WSOP and was surprisingly engaged. So today, I read the article. Most of it was a summary of the head to head combat between the two lead players throughout the tournament, but the cool thing I found out is that Joe Cada "chose cards over college." And that's kind of what my character did too, despite a full scholarship to Stanford. And the pile of chips Joe Cada ended up with? EIGHT POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. Yeah. My hero, Tucker, could easily afford the lifestyle I had him living.

It's probably not any big deal to anyone else, but I was tickled.

Recently, I offered as a prize the opportunity to be a character in one of my books. A woman named Amanda won. :) So, in Leap of Faith there is a character named Amanda, a noble and brave woman who attempts to save the hero. The real Amanda emailed me yesterday to tell me how exciting it was for her to read the book, waiting to see what I had done with her name. The fictional Amanda doesn't appear until about three quarters of the way in, so she had to read almost the whole story. Still, she seemed pleased.

I'd definitely offer up a character naming as a prize again. It was fun.

WINNERS!

Congratulations, Fallon and Jeanette Murray! You two have won a free e-book from my backlist. Choose your title and email me at kate_willoughby at yahoo dot com. Thanks for participating. :)

My Pants Are on Fire

Okay, I lied. I'm sorry. I didn't get the names up. It was my mother's birthday yesterday and my sister and I were cooking a Chinese feast all day long. Literally. Chopping up stuff all over the place. Ten courses. The works. I completely forgot about the blog.

I apologize.

I have a long shift at the day job, so will post winners tonight.

Will Draw Names on Sunday

Two more days before the awarding of the books! Make a comment on any of the Leap of Faith posts and you'll be entered into the drawing. I'd sure love to see more mad lib suggestions. :)

Leap of Faith Celebration - Day 5

Being an erotic romance author, I know a lot sex occurs in my books. Hello. I put it there. LOL

When a new book comes out, I always like to take a good hard look at exactly how much sex got in. Here are how the numbers fall for Leap of Faith, which you can buy here. :)

Sex scenes: 4
Shortest sex scene: 269 words
Longest sex scene: 1283 words
Sex percentage: 15%

Hmm. Only 15%.

Well, it's quality, not quantity, right?

Today's question: Have you ever skimmed over the sex scene in a book? Why? Answer in the comment section and you may win a free e-book from my backlist.

Leap of Faith Celebration - Day 4

The Incan civilization was grand. Although, I learned a lot researching for this story, I took some creative liberties, especially concerning the punishment for defiling a Sun Virgin. But hopefully the result justifies the tweaking of historical fact.

I was going to make up a trivia quiz for today's blog entry, but saw that there are many perfectly good quizzes already out there. Why reinvent the wheel (which the Incans didn't have, by the way)?

Take this quiz if you want. If you'd like the chance to win a free e-book from my backlist, to to the comment section and let me know something you learned about the Incas that you didn't know before.

My score: 40% (How embarrassing!) The quiz was hard!

If you'd like to purchase the book in which those creative liberties were taken, go here. :)

Leap of Faith Celebration - Day 3

Turns out that no one would be brave enough to try cuy. Maybe I shouldn't have answered myself. Maybe I turned people off to the idea of roasted guinea pig...

Since no one wanted to do my Mad Lib, I decided to have a go at it. You were supposed to think up

• a period of time
• a name
• a verb
• four nouns
• an adjective

And here is the Leap of Faith blurb with the Mad Lib words inserted:

A split second ago, Vladimir blew up the Incan flip flops and has since been condemned to a life of pancakes and dirt. Only through tongue will he find forgiveness. But is it his tongue that is required, or that of the young woman who stumbles into his busty world?

Well, that was pretty funny, if I do say so myself! Feel free to provide a list of zany words, and I'll insert them tomorrow.

Today I'm posting a short excerpt from Leap of Faith. I hope you enjoy it. I even hope you buy it!

Sometimes what seemed enchanting at night lost its glamour by light of day, especially when it came to men, but even in the bright sun Amaru was one spectacular example of masculinity. The man was all muscle, not a scrap of fat on him, and although his face wasn’t handsome in the classic sense, the rugged, primitive strength Kira saw there was just as appealing as any of the pretty boy looks she might find on the pages of a men’s magazine.

He thrust his head under the stream, washed his unshaven face, then combed his hands through his hair. The water ran in rivulets down his neck to be soaked up by his tunic. Until today, she’d never considered necks to be particularly sexy, but if her lips had had free will they would have been on his neck like magnets on a fridge.

Reluctantly, she pulled her eyes back up to his face, but judging from his smile, he knew she’d been ogling him and he didn’t mind one bit. In fact, still grinning, he said, “It is already hot today and I am somewhat sweaty from working the garden."

And sweat never looked better.

Then, to her shock and delight, he stripped off his tunic to reveal his magnificent body clothed in nothing but an honest-to-goodness loincloth. Having never seen a loincloth in person before, she realized now how little they actually covered.

Her lips suddenly had a different destination in mind.

Question for today: Would you prefer your hero garbed in a loincloth, chaps, a tux, or a kilt? Answer in the comment section and you may win a free book at the end of the week.

Leap of Faith Celebration - Day 2

Well, the Mad Libs thing was a roaring success.



But I shall blithely go forward.

In the course of revising Leap of Faith, which you can buy here, I found out that Peruvians like to eat guinea pigs. Roasted on a spit. I don't find this disgusting, like eating live baby octopi, but I don't know if I could ever taste guinea pig. Especially since they serve it still looking like a rodent. If it was like a McGuinea Pig Strip, I might try it, but otherwise...

Anyway, today's question is, would you try "cuy" as it's called in Peru? Answer the comment section and you might win a free e-book from my backlist.

Leap of Faith Celebration - Day 1

It's release day! Leap of Faith is now available for purchase. I'm going to be celebrating all week. Make a comment any day this week and I'll enter your name in a drawing to win any electronic title from my backlist. If 10 people comment, I'll pull five names. If 12 people comment, I'll pull six names. I suck at math, but I think that might mean you have a 50% chance of getting a free book.

Let's do a Mad Libs sort of thing today.

Think of:

• a period of time
• a name
• a verb
• four nouns
• an adjective

Put your answers in the comments and I'll insert them into the mini-blurb for Leap of Faith and post the (hopefully hilarious) results tomorrow.

Can you wait three more days?

Leap of Faith is going to be released on October 26. I can hardly wait. This story was previously published by another e-publisher, but during a time of intense turmoil for that company. Hence, Leap didn't get the exposure or the sales that it might have. Years later, I submitted it to Liquid Silver, where Maria Rogers, my editor, helped me strengthen the story and in three days you can see the result.

Here's a blurb:

Kira de la Fuente’s vacation to the land of her ancestors turns into a nightmare when her guide abandons her in the mountains of Peru. Without provisions or shelter, she is relieved when the enigmatic Amaru comes to her rescue. A powerful, self-assured man in his prime, he possesses an uncanny knowledge of ancient Incan ways. And for good reason.

Ever since he crossed the sun god centuries ago, Amaru has been paying the price—a life of isolation and misery, prayer and atonement. Kira’s arrival brings many good omens and Amaru comes to believe she might be the one to finally free him from his unearthly prison. But one last test has yet to be revealed, and it is Kira, not Amaru, who must pass it.

Booksigning Tomorrow

I will be signing copies of Ellora's Cavemen: Seasons of Seduction, Volume 3 tomorrow. It's an anthology of six hot stories. Mine is called "A Man of Vision."

Location: Barnes & Noble Encino, corner of Hayvenhurst and Ventura.

Time: 12:30 - 2:00(?) I'm not sure of the ending time, but I'll stay until the enormous line of fans dies down. LMAO

I'll also be passing out the personalized M&Ms I got just for this occasion. If you come and buy a book (or books) make sure you take one of Los Angeles Romance Authors' (LARA) flyers and bring it to the register with you. LARA gets a percentage of the sales. The money will help our organization continue to provide support and education for published and aspiring Los Angeles area romance authors.

Woot! Great review of A Wolf at Her Door, by Book Utopia Mom. She's one tough cookie and was impatient for the sex to be over with so she could get to the meat of the story. I can see how someone could feel that way. That makes me think about the third Be-Wished book and consider changing a couple of things.

Anyway, here's the link if you're interested in reading what she said. I got a 42/50. Yay!

Choco-Promo

No, it's not a new cereal! It's my newest promotional tool. See the pretty picture? These are my new sexy business cards and some personalized M&Ms that say:

QUIRKY ROMANCE
FUNNY ROMANCE
EROTIC ROMANCE
MAGICAL ROMANCE

I'm handing these out at my very first book signing evah, October 18, from noon to 2 p.m., at the Encino Barnes & Noble. Here's a flyer with all the information. Come visit if you're in the neighborhood. You get free chocolate! (And my book, too, but that you have to pay for.)

I'm very very sad. Kate Duffy, the editor of my dreams, has passed away. She told me once I "was a wonderful writer." Those words are etched in my memory. I can even hear her scratchy voice in my head saying them. She also told me, after reading the first three chapters of Losing It, that "it had one too many virgins." LOL

Kate was a mesmerizing speaker and wasn't afraid to tell it like it is and cut through the crap. She was oh so sharp, talented, funny as hell, and one of the brightest stars in the editorial sky.

I will miss her terribly.

Promo Goodies

Okay, I just ordered some of those customized M&Ms for my booksigning. I can't wait until they arrive. They're cheaper than they used to be. I almost got some of the Dove squares that have customized wrappers, but those came out to be like a buck a piece! Outrageous and ridiculous. When the M&Ms arrive, I'll post a picture of them. I think I was able to choose four messages and I chose:

Funny Romance
Erotic Romance
Quirky Romance
Paranormal Romance

Book Utopia Mom Loved ALL IN

My friend Evie Byrne sent me an email to day to tell me that Book Utopia Mom reviewed ALL IN and loved it! In a rush I went to see, and sure 'nuff, Evie was right. I was thrilled to read the review. This reviewer is very tough and doesn't hesitate to say exactly what she thinks. However, she's very articulate and thoughtful and has the ability to zero in on the weaknesses and strengths of a book, unlike many online reviewers.

So, click here to see the review.

Leap of Faith Update

I just turned in the final line edits of Leap of Faith. It's a novella that was once briefly offered by Phaze Books, but is now being released by Liquid Silver Books. Yay! It's been revamped a bit. Ended up adding another sex scene.

The release date is sometime in October. That's about all I know.

The first chapter opens with the heroine crossing a dangerous bridge and lo, I found a picture of an Incan bridge. How cool is that?

Here's a short blurb for the book:

Centuries ago, Amaru defied the Incan sun god and has since been condemned to a life of isolation and misery. Only through faith will he find forgiveness. But is it his faith that is required, or that of the young woman who stumbles into his closed off world?

Cougar on the sly

My air conditioner broke. I called the repair people. The guy comes out within 40 minutes.

HE'S GORGEOUS. He's even gorgeous with those paper booties he has to keep putting on and taking off.

I'm all a-drool. He's probably 20+ years younger than me. He could have sold me on ten year's worth of air filters or a service contract.

Imaginations sometimes need to be reined in. I'm just sayin'.

Together Again

I heard from Liquid Silver Books about Leap of Faith. Maria Shaink is going to be my editor again on this one. :) She was also my editor on Hostile Takeover, my best selling title, bar none. Soon I'll be revisiting L of F, adding, tightening, revamping. I'm interested to see what Maria wants done to it.

Sale!

I got word today from Johnene Granger of Woman's World magazine. They are buying my short romantic story, "Truth or Dare!" I am still on cloud nine. I intend to remain there for a while.
This means a seventh feather in my cap and $800. Wonder if I can justify a Sony eReader...

Revamp Announcement

I'm going to try changing my blog habits to allow more time for writing. I think it may be more professional to rein in my tendency for TMI.

My plan is to post at least once a week with news about my writing. So, here we go!

I recently spoke with Tina Burns at Liquid Silver about the recently contracted story, Leap of Faith. They have information from me about the cover art. I should be seeing some cover art in the next couple of months. My editor will contact me soon regarding revisions, too. We're looking at a release near the end of the year. :)

Weekly Wrap-Up #8: Ice Cream

In this last week did you eat any ice cream? Yes.

What flavor? I had some coffee, caramel macchiato, and mocha almond fudge. Yeah, it was on sale at the market.

Where's your favorite place to go for ice cream? Oh...Italy. LMAO. Really. I love gelato.

Do you own an ice cream maker? No.

Would you like to? I have mixed feelings. I would adore being able to make my own, but I don't have much room for another appliance, and I'd probably get really fat.

Your turn:

In this last week did you eat any ice cream?
What flavor?
Where's your favorite place to go for ice cream?
Do you own an ice cream maker? Would you like to?

Thursday 3: Quirky But Good Movies

Thursday 13 is too much trouble. I only do 3.

This week I'm listing three movies that I liked but are a little "out there."

1. Martian Child - The romantic drama Martian Child stars John Cusack as a recently widowed science fiction writer who forms an unlikely family with a close friend (Amanda Peet) and a young boy he adopts that claims to be from Mars. The new couple ignores some sage parenting advice from the widower’s sister (Joan Cusack) and gets more than they bargained for when a series of strange occurrences lead them to believe that the child’s claim may be true.

I love John Cusack. While I didn't buy some of the events that occurred in the movie, it was poignant and funny, both things John seems to excel at.

2. Lars and the Real Girl - In this comedy, Lars Lindstrom is an awkwardly shy young man in a small northern town who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law's home. The only problem is that she's not real - she's a sex doll Lars ordered off the Internet. But sex is not what Lars has in mind, but rather a deep, meaningful relationship. His sister-in-law is worried for him, his brother thinks he's nuts, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet natured boy that they've always loved.

This was a very strange movie. I didn't like it at first, but like the character Lars, eventually I went along with it until I was invested in what happened to him. Nicely done.

3. Perfume - Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in the stench of eighteenth century Paris, is born with a superior olfactory sense. His work, however, takes a dark turn as he tries to preserve scents in the search for the ultimate perfume.

I read the book this movie was based on decades ago, but still remember it as being amazing. I also love Alan Rickman. The movie is definitely edgy and graphic, so be prepared.

Listen Hard!

If you have ever been burned by Spellcheck, watch this.

Who Asked Them?

Recently California had an election, intended to help solve the budget problem in our state. As usual, the airwaves were bombarded with ads. As usual, the ads ended with a litany of the organizations behind such and such position.

At one time, I paid attention to whom they listed. I respect firefighters, the police, nurses, teachers, and the PTA. I respect the professions and/or mission, to be more accurate. Their jobs are vital, important, difficult, and valued. At times, that respect colored my thoughts about whatever proposition they were endorsing. I would think, "If the firefighters think that Prop X is a good thing, then it must be."

However, I now think that is somewhat naive, like buying a certain brand of lipstick because the celebrity in the ad is beautiful.

I was a member of the California Teachers Association and the National Education Association. I don't recall ever being asked to give an opinion on what ballot measure I supported. Which makes me wonder, just how much the police, nurses, firefighters and parents and teachers really back this or that proposition.

Best Foods is Best

Ralphs brand mayonaise sucks. It's oily and sub-par. That is all.

Weekly Wrap-Up #7: Pets

This week's topic: pets

Are you a pet person? Sort of.
What was your first pet? I seem to remember a small green turtle with red streaks on its neck. I was a little mean to that turtle.
How old were you when you got it? Hm. School age. Second grade, I think.
Do you have any pets now? We have a dwarf hamster and a betta fish. I wish I could have a cat but my older son is allergic.

Your turn!

Are you a pet person?
What was your first pet?
How old were you when you got it?
Do you have any pets now?

Thursday 3: Paperwork

Thursday 13 is too many. I only do 3.

This week I'm listing three types of paperwork and the length of time you need to keep them, according to Real Simple magazine.

1. Credit card statements - 7 years

2. Paycheck stubs - 1 year, after that, just keep your W2

3. Tax returns - 7 years

Fast-paced, exceedingly funny erotic romance

It's official. I love Book Utopia Mom. Here's her review of Losing It (Eppie Award Finalist).

If you want some highlights:

I laughed more in the first 700 words of this novella, than I have at most full-length stories in a very long time.

I can’t emphasize enough how real the interactions in this novella felt. That’s the very root of why I loved the romance in this so very much.

Ms. Willoughby is the most exciting new author I’ve found so far this year. This was an exhilaratingly funny, wonderfully sexy romance. I can’t wait to get my hands on more of her work.

WOOT!

Summertiiiiiime!

Got plans for the summer? My one son is attending Show Choir Camp for two weeks. He auditioned and made it onto the intermediate boys and girls show choir at the high school, a group that sings and dances. My other son wants to take Health in summer school so he doesn't have to take it during the school year.

There are no immediate plans to travel anywhere. We have week-long trip to Honolulu planned for January, so funds will be needed for that.

Do you have summer excursions lined up?

Losing It Review

Oooh. Book Utopia Mom plans to post a review today of Losing It (published by Liquid Silver Books). As soon as it's up, I'll post a link. She said she liked it, so I can't wait.

(Hey, I just realized her acronym is BUM. LOL) BUM is notorious for being right up front about what she thinks. She's not afraid to talk about what didn't work for her, which I admire. Many reviewers are card-carrying members of the "If you can't say anything nice" club, which is all well and good, but if their purpose is to advise readers about which books to purchase and all they ever say is nice things, that would mean you should buy every single book they review.

Anyway, I didn't mean to go off on a rant, so I'll just go and check if the review is up yet.

Again.

LOL

Weekly Wrap-Up #6: Seasons

This week's wrap-up acknowledges the beginning of a new season...summer!

In the past week have you done anything to usher in or out a season? Nope. In LA we don't get too much of a season change.

Which of the four seasons is your favorite? Why? I like fall. It means the hot weather is going away soon! I like Thanksgiving, even though it's a hassle. And my birthday is in November. :D

What's your favorite seasoning? Oh, that's easy. Garlic salt. I use it all the time!

Your turn:
In the past week have you done anything to usher in or out a season?
Which of the four seasons is your favorite? Why?
What's your favorite seasoning?

Thursday 3: Green Goings-On

Thursday 13 is too much. I only do 3.

This week I finally FINALLY did some work in my garden. I haven't made it pretty for probably a year. I give the neighbors credit for dealing with the spartan look for so long. Here are three things I planted.

1. Geraniums (They're hardy. 'Nuff said.)

2. Rosemary (I make some killer roasted potatoes with rosemary.)

3. Lavender (I hear bees like this, and I like bees.)

Do you garden?

Tennis, Anyone?

It's been a while since I did Manly Thoughts. Forgive me if I'm rusty.

"Aaarrgggh! Who put Krazy Glue on my tennis racquet? And who stole my pants?"

Still Lost!

Happy Anniversary to my novella Losing It! The story of Charlotte and Ben was published by Liquid Silver books three years ago. It's hard to believe that much time has gone by. That story made it to the finals of the Eppies that year, but didn't win. I was still thrilled to have finaled, though.

So, to celebrate, I have a giveaway offer good for today only.

One of the main characters, Charlotte, loses her virginity. Was your cherry-losing experience a good one? Comment yea or nay, email me your email address, and I'll give you a free copy of Losing It.

Matchmaker Story

I haven't mentioned my other blog in a while. I post analyses of Woman's World stories there for those who want to publish very short romantic fiction with them. Click here to see this week's "lesson."

Offline for a week

I'm taking a short break from the blog. I should be back next Monday, June 1st.



Don't forget about me! :)

Honor the Fallen

Weekly Wrap-Up #5: Spend, spend, spend!

In the past week, have you spent more or less than usual? The same.
What was your biggest purchase? Probably the ticket to Disneyland for my youngest DS. The eighth grade goes as a class at the end of the year.
What made you decide to buy it? The obvious reason. It was $65 for the ticket and the bus transportation.
Do you typically mull over purchases or are you an impulse buyer? Both! That's bad, isn't it.
Did you enjoy the shopping you do or do you prefer to get in and out quickly? Depends on my mood and what I'm shopping for. I love to browse scrapbooking and craft shops, book stores.

Your turn:
In the past week, have you spent more or less than usual?
What was your biggest purchase?
What made you decide to buy it?
Do you typically mull over purchases or are you an impulse buyer?
Did you enjoy the shopping you do or do you prefer to get in and out quickly?

Big Bad Chuck

Thursday 13 is too much for me to deal with. I only do three. :)

Chuck Norris is an entertainment martial arts icon. I've recently become aware of Chuck Norris jokes that make fun of his toughness. Here are three that I thought were hilarious.

1. When Chuck Norris was born, the only person who cried was the doctor. Never slap Chuck Norris.

2. Chuck Norris' calendar goes straight from March 31st to April 2nd. No one fools Chuck Norris.

3. Chuck Norris once roundhouse kicked someone so hard that his foot broke the speed of light, went back in time, and killed Amelia Earhart while she was flying over the Pacific Ocean.

Video Madness!

I have become obsessed with this game. It's so much fun. The music is fun. The graphics are beautiful. You can't get bored because here is always something new, even after you beat the game. Crazy Dave is hilarious.

You don't want to start playing. Really. It's addicting. But if you feel the need to ignore my warning, go here to play for one free hour.

I've always liked Legos, so I thought this puzzle calendar was a neat item. However, the practicality of rearranging all the blocks every month...seems like one more thing to have to do. That's why I don't like those day planners where you have to write the days yourself. I like 'em pre-printed!

But if you have a little kid, it might be a fun way to teach him/her about the days of the week and calendars.

Your call!

Funny Kid Meme

My friend Robin Bielman posted this on her blog and I thought it was hilarious. It's twenty-one questions you ask your kids. I found it humorously enlightening. These are the answers my younger son (14 years old) gave.

1. What does your mom always say to you?
Did you remember to get your lunch?

2. What makes mom happy?
When I get good grades. Obviously.

3. What makes mom sad?
When Dad does annoying stuff. Wait. Sad? Getting a rejection from the Woman’s World people. Because when Dad does annoying stuff, you get annoyed.

4. What does your mom do that makes you laugh?
When she shows me something funny on someone else’s blog.

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Short. (laughs) She didn’t have to wear glasses back then. I don’t really know that much else.

6. How tall is your mom?
Short. (snickers) I’m sorry. There’s nothing else I can say. (Obviously I've raised a smart ass.)

7. What is her favorite thing to do?
Maybe play computer games on her computer, the various games she finds on the internet.

8. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Same stuff she does all the time.

9. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Writing romance books, or just books in general.

10. What is your mom really good at?
Writing. And cooking. And yoga from what I can tell.

11. What is your mom not very good at?
Most video games. (Not true! I can kick ass at Plants vs. Zombies, Bookworm, and Bejeweled Twisted.)

12. What does your mom do for her job?
She puts all of her personality into making sure that the customers at Starbucks feel welcome and that they have a pleasant time at the store.

13. What is your mom's favorite food?
Lasagna! Wait… I don’t know! (I don't even know what my favorite food is.)

14. What makes you proud of your mom?
Raking in the bucks from the stories she writes for Woman’s World and for being such a nice person to all of her customers at Starbucks because some of my friends go there and I like to know they’re being taken care of.

15. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
A mix of Pinky and that rat from Pinky and the Brain, a mixture of them.

16. What do you and your mom like to do together?
Watch the old movies and classic musicals pretty much. And speaking of that we really need to rent Chorus Line. (I told him we should see the play and not the movie.)

17. How are you and your mom the same?
We are both mildly funny with a positive outlook on life. (Hrumph. Only mildly???)

18. How are you and your mom different?
Height. Definitely. (laughs some more) I get she was a lot smarter than I was when she was a kid.

19. How do you know your mom loves you?
She says it everyday and she makes me very very very very very nice dinners. (Ah, even at this young age, the way to a man's heart...)

20. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Hawaii. Specifically the island of Kauai. The people there thought she was a native. (Well, I like Hawaii, but I think I'd rather go to Italy.)

21. Where is your mom's least favorite place to go?
I would imagine boats on the ocean. (This was the strangest answer he gave! I have nothing against boats.)

Weekly Wrap-Up #4: Research

This week's wrap-up topic is researching.

Did you do any sort of research in the last week? Yes, my brother and his wife are now writers for Examiner.com in Dallas. I'm interested in doing that for L.A., so I was researching what's involved and what topic I might take up. Since there are already a couple of Food Examiners for Los Angeles, I may try to specialize and be the Coffee Examiner.

Was it for work or play? Work. Apparently you get paid per click on your articles.

Learn anything you’d care to share? Some of the Examiners out there are not publishing articles within their topic. For instance, there were a couple of One Pot Meal Examiners that wrote about dishes that weren't complete meals, which is the whole point of One Pot Meals--that you don't have a bunch of dishes to clean afterward. Also, while researching a local coffee roaster, I cried when I read an account of how his beloved brother passed away from cancer.

Do you have a hunger for knowledge or are you more passive? I love learning stuff. I can easily get carried away for hours researching.

Do you like the learning (aka school?) I loved school. That's probably why I eventually became a teacher. If I had the time and money, I'd so go back to college and get a second degree. I would love to learn how to speak Italian.

Your turn!
Did you do any sort of research in the last week?
Was it for work or play?
Learn anything you’d care to share?
Do you have a hunger for knowledge or are you more passive?
Do you like the learning (aka school?)

Unnecessary Knitted Item

I saw this in my Real Simple magazine and couldn't believe it. It's a knitted coffee cup sleeve. Guess how much it retails for!

No, really, guess!

$18.00, no lie. I suppose there might be some eco-freaks out there who might drag this thing into Starbucks to use. (If you're one of them, I'll knit you one for only five bucks.)

This is the place where you can get the original if you want it. They also have slingshot pencils, hair clips that look like googly eyes, and tiny herb gardens whose pots are porcelain eggs. Those things are kind of cool.

Excerpt "Monday": Secrets of the Jin Hakku

A bunch of romance writers I know participate in Excerpt Monday once a month. The deal is we all post a little snippet of something we've written and read everyone else's. Last month it was a lot of fun, so here's Round Two! (Note: Because of technical difficulties, I have to publish this on Sunday.)

This 500 word snippet is from Secrets of the Jin Hakku, just released in print (the Torrid Topaz anthology) from Ellora's Cave. It's also available on it's own.

Warning: The following contains a whip, M/F/M, and anal mischief.
____________

“Look alert now, girl,” Kai said. “I have a potential buyer coming in a few moments.”

Again, Hana started slightly in surprise at this turn of events but recovered quickly. The slave market game was another of their favorites. Joran wondered which persona she would take on tonight.

“I told you before,” she said, lifting her chin imperiously. “I’m not for sale. You are making a grave mistake.”

Joran smiled as he handed Kai the quirt. He might have known she’d choose the furious princess after having just played the wholly subservient prostitute.

“My father will have you flayed alive when he discovers what has happened.”

“You have no idea how many others have claimed the very same thing,” Kai said. “It’s never true. Now listen carefully. This buyer has paid for a privileged assessment. Do you know what that means?”

Hana spat forcefully in Kai’s general direction. Chuckling silently, Kai leapt out of the way and exchanged a look of amusement with Joran before clucking his tongue and giving her rump a sharp taste of the lash.

“Ow!”

“Behave or you’ll get worse than that. Now hold still while I put this in you. He might want to explore your back passage.”

Hana hissed as Kai inserted the oiled konsu, giving it a slight tug to make sure it was set in place.

“There we go. Just in time,” Kai said. “Here he comes.”

That was Joran’s cue. Assuming an arrogant expression, he took her chin in his hands. Hana flinched, her nostrils flaring, but she said nothing. The reddened mark on her rear explained why.

“She’s a beauty, is she not?” Kai said. “Feast your eyes on this unusual adornment, how the dragons are poised to devour her.”

Joran grunted noncommittally. Grasping her throat with one hand, he took hold of her breast with the other. He squeezed it, hefted it in his palm. Hana turned her face aside, but submitted. Her nipples were hard. He flicked one of them with his index finger.

“Those luscious melons are as responsive as any you’ve tried before. I’ve had a turn at them myself.” Kai poked her with the handle of the quirt. “Arch your back, girl. Let him get his mouth on you.”

With a falsely apathetic sigh, Joran lowered his head and took a sweet, sweet peak into his mouth. Hana made a muffled sound as he sucked. Again and again he swirled his tongue around, teasing with nips of his teeth, pulling with his lips. When he finally let go with a smacking sound, her nipple was swollen and red and she was panting but trying not to show it.

“What did I tell you, my lord? If you think that was something, wait until you fuck that tight, juicy kachi.” Kai applied the whip lightly to her thigh. “Spread your legs now and be quick about it. His lordship doesn’t have all day.”

____

And here are some other folks who, like me, write hot. Click on the links to read some more interesting snippets!

Leah Braemel, Contemporary Erotic Romance (R)
Evie Byrne, Paranormal (R)
Jax Cassidy, Erotic Contemporary (R)
Cate Hart, YA (R)
Inez Kelley, Rom Com (R)
Ainslinn Kerry, Paramornal Romance (R)
Elise Logan, Paranormal/contemporary (R)
Suzanne McLeod, Urban Fantasy (R)
Annie Nicholas, Paranormal Romantic Suspense (R)
Vivienne Westlake, Historical Erotica (R)

Ella Drake, Erotic Paranormal Romance (NC-17)
Kirsten Saell, Erotic Romance/Fantasy (NC-17)

Weekly Wrap-Up #3: Food Glorioius Food

TGIF! This week's wrap-up topic is Food.

In the past week have you had any restaurant food (whether deliver or you went out)? Yes, we went out for my BIL's birthday. A restaurant called Granville in Burbank. It was delicious! Mr. Kate and I shared: Caesar salad (yummy) and a thick pork chop, garlic mashed potatoes, and sauteed spinach. OMG. It was fantastic.

What is your favorite restaurant? I think it might be Macaroni Grill. It's hard to choose.

What is your favorite food? That's equally hard to pin down. French fries, maybe.

How often do you go out to eat/order delivery? About once every two weeks.

Your turn:

In the past week have you had any restaurant food (whether deliver or you went out)?
What is your favorite restaurant?
What is your favorite food?
How often do you go out to eat/order delivery?

Thursday 3: Going Green

Thursday 13 is the norm. I only do 3 because I'm lazy.

Here are three reasons why you should go to your nearest Kohl's store and invest in several of these reusuable grocery bags.

1. It's an easy way to be part of the green movement. Don't those plastic bags just pile up? We always used or recycled them, but now I don't have to do either. We aren't consumers of plastic grocery bags anymore. (And the way my family goes through groceries, this is a big thing.)

2. They are the most user-friendly bags I've found. The one I had from Whole Foods had a cardboard base, which was good. The ones from Vons were floppy, with no base. I didn't like the unorganized mess they made in my car. These, on the other hand, from Kohl's are absolute heaven!

These bags, like the Whole Foods bags, have bases, so when you fill it with packages of crackers, cereal or whatever, it has structure. Excellent. But, unilke the Whole Foods bags, THEY FOLD UP AND SNAP CLOSED into a neat, flat seven inch square. (You can see the little snap flap in the picture.) Oh, the ecstasy! The straps are also long enough so you can hook a couple bags on each shoulder, grab two in your hands and make it into the house with five heavy bags!
(I gave away my other substandard ones.)

3. Finally, they're only $2 a piece. I have six of these bags. That was an investment of $12. I look at it like a donation to Mother Earth.

Jason Stratham

While looking for a movie to rent, I happened upon Transporter 3. It looked good. But we'd never seen the first two Transporters. So, I opted for the first one. It was a total testosterone fest, but I really liked it. Jason Statham was fantastic as the taciturn, hard-as-iron, kick-ass loner who has a softer side. In other words, your perfect romance hero. Unfortunately, there wasn't any romance. But actually, I'm okay with that because if they'd tried to include a romantic sub-plot, they probably would have botched it. Better to focus on the real story and do that really well.

Just two days ago, my younger son and I watched Transporter 2 and we liked that just as much! I'm always surprised when I like a sequel as well as the first. Oh, there was a lot more that I had to roll my eyes at, plausibility-wise, but it was still a fun adventure. I'm really looking forward to number three.

Star Wars Silliness

This video made me laugh. It's the Star Wars saga retold by someone who hasn't seen it. Enjoy!

Roasted Pepper Pasta Stuffed Peppers

1/2 pound short whole wheat pasta
4 large red bell peppers, tops cut off and reserved, seeds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
4 jarred roasted red peppers
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 small portobello mushroom caps, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 sprigs rosemary, stems discarded and leaves chopped
One 28-ounce can fire-roasted, crushed, or diced tomatoes
2 cups arugula or baby spinach (a few generous handfuls)
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1 cup grated pecorino-romano cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.

2. Trim the bottoms of the bell peppers, without cutting a hole, so that they stand. Season inside with salt and black pepper. Turn the peppers bottom side up in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, set the tops alongside and drizzle with EVOO. Roast for 20 minutes.

3. Using a food processor, puree the roasted red peppers. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the red onion, garlic, mushrooms, crushed red pepper and rosemary and cook until softened, 7 minutes. Stir in the pureed peppers and the fire-roasted tomatoes; season with salt and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pasta and toss. Add the arugula and basil and cook until wilted.

4. Preheat the broiler. Turn the peppers upright; fill with pasta. Top with the cheese and broil until melted, 2 minutes. Cover with the tops and serve with any extra pasta.

Weekly Wrap-Up #2: Gimme Popcorn!

TGIF! This week's wrap-up topic is The Movies.

In the past week have you gone to the movie theatre? Yes.

If so, what did you see? Hubby and I got away to see State of Play with Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck. I liked it. I expected another governmental military cover-up story, of which I'm somewhat tired, but it wasn't. I liked that it gave the audience credit for having a brain. Helen Mirrin was excellent as usual. I just love her. Ever see Calendar Girls? LOVED that one. She's hilarious in it.

Do you frequently see movies in theatres or wait until they are out on DVD or TV? We usually wait. Movies are so expensive these days.

Have you ever gone to a movie during its opening? Did you wait in line? Do you get excited for movie openings? Yes. I saw Star Wars The Phantom Menace. There was a line. We drank hot chocolate from a thermos. I was teaching full time then and some of my colleagues and I went to the Too Goddamn Early showing and we drank hot chocolate from a thermos while we waited. Afterward, we went to breakfast and then staggered in like zombies to work. The act of going with my friends was more fun than the movie, which I thought was sub-par. I will sometimes get excited about movie openings, but usually wait to see them. I don't like fighting crowds.

Your turn...

In the past week have you gone to the movie theatre? If so, what did you see?
Do you frequently see movies in theatres or wait until they are out on DVD or TV?
Have you ever gone to a movie during its opening? Did you wait in line? Do you get excited for movie openings?

Thursday 3: Wii Fit

The real meme is called Thursday 13, but I only do 3.

I recently bought a Wii system specifically so I could also buy the Wii Fit "game." I had tried Wii Fit while on vacation last year and thought it might just be the only way ever invented to get me to do tortur--er, exercise.

Here are my three favorite yoga poses from Wii Fit.

1. Sun Salutation - This pose requires you to bend over and touch your toes. I'm an inflexible, crotchety middle-aged woman. I can't do that without bending my knees, but actually, I'm getting there. When I first started Wii Fit, I was about eight inches away from touching my toes. Now I'm about 3! I'm getting more flexible. The crotchety part still applies.

2. Bridge - This pose I feel a lot in my butt and thighs.

3. Cobra - This pose is a little tough on my sore shoulder, but I like how it stretches out my lower back.

Do you have a Wii Fit? What are your favorite yoga poses? If you don't have a Wii Fit, do you want one?

Heaven for Your Nose

This is the Pumpkin Brulee candle. It smells AMAZING and makes me feel cuddly and warm and comforted when ever I light it.

You can get it at Kohl's. I love Kohl's.

Hostile Takeover 1 Year Anniversary

One year ago today, Liquid Silver Books released my novella, Hostile Takeover. This was the first story I ever finished. When I wrote it, I never imagined making any money from it, but to my great surprise, it's sold the most copies out of all my books. I think it's because this is a no-holds-barred dubious-consent-leads-to-love story and many publishers shy away from this politically incorrect theme.

So, to commemorate this "momentous" occasion, I'm holding a month long contest. For every ten entries, I'll give away one copy of Hostile Takeover.

All you have to do to enter is send me an email (kate_willoughby at yahoo dot com) if you'd like to be included in the drawing so I can contact you on May 28 if you win. Too often I've held contests where the winner never came back to the blog to collect the prize.

Get All Fifty!

Do you know your United States geography? I thought I did. This site proved me wrong.

http://jimspages.com/States.htm

After a couple of tries, I got 92%, largely because I got some key states first and was able to use those to orient others whose locations I was more fuzzy on.

Have fun!

And don't forget about my Writing for Woman's World Magazine blog. A new story analysis is up there.

Weekly Wrap-Up #1: Fuggedaboudit

You know, I'm tired of blogging about art. I blog for fun. And for the past couple of months, finding art for Friday has become a chore. So, I'm nixxing the Friday Art feature, which hung around for 118 posts.

Instead I'm going to do a Weekly Wrap-Up. This meme originates here.

This week's topic is Forgetting.

Have you forgotten anything in the past week? If so, what?
--I forgot what I forgot. LOL. I'm old.

Are you usually scatter-brained or more organized? I used to be very organized. Mind like a steel trap. Ever since I had kids...my trap isn't quite so steely.

Do you use any sort of planner or agenda for your dates? I LIVE by my planner. A few months ago, I lost it for about an hour (thought I'd left it in a Target shopping cart) and I was sick to my stomach until I found it (at the restaurant we'd had lunch at after leaving Target.)

Does it help to not forget? Yes, without it, I would be a mess. (However, with the stomach upset, maybe I'd be thinner due to lack of appetite.)

What do you feel about the phrase “forgive and forget?” I think it's a goal, but, to be honest, I sometimes fall short of that.

What about you?

Have you forgotten anything in the past week? If so, what?
Are you usually scatter-brained or more organized?
Do you use any sort of planner or agenda for your dates? Does it help to not forget?
What do you feel about the phrase “forgive and forget?”