Still waiting - and an interview

I love Christmas – and of course I’m still waiting on it! January 5^th is Christmas this year and I’m like a five-year-old peeping up the chimney every few minutes. We have had some Christmas already. We spent Christmas Eve with Nick’s family and it was a good one. I think everyone is doing all right.

My sister and BIL came on Christmas evening and I fixed dinner for them and one of Mollie’s old friends. Mollie will be flying cross country mid-January to be in this girl’s wedding. We had a great time, too much food, but it was fun.

I’m hoping some of you got some Amazon gift cards and I’m taking today to remind you of Cassie’s latest book, Cassie’s Life. Having it come out right at Thanksgiving wasn’t my preferred time. There’s a lot going on then. But if you have a little time now and maybe a gift card to use I hope you’ll give it, or any of my books, a try. If you’re still not convinced check out what Ella had to say about it. If you’ve read the book, or plan to, and if you like it, I hope you’ll consider leaving a review on Amazon. You can do it anonymously if you like.

Meanwhile here is an interview I did for Blushing when it came out.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

It was a long fight. I loved making up stories in my head, but writing them? That sounded like work. You must know grammar, spelling, tense, even how to type! All I wanted to do was make up stories. But my characters wouldn’t leave me alone. They insisted I sit down and write their stories. Nearly a dozen years ago, I finally gave in.

What is your writing day like?

It’s great now that I’m retired. I get up, eat a bite of breakfast while I watch GMA and check my blogs and my emails. Then I make a cup of coffee and head to my sun room/ writing room. I gently shove the cats far enough aside to get to the key board and have at it. Often I’m staring into space or even have my eyes closed as I watch and listen to a scene unfold in front of me. Then I simply write what I’ve seen and heard.

Why do you enjoy writing series?

Many of my characters have been with me most of my life. These imaginary friends of mine didn’t go away when I grew up. I know them, I love them, and I still find their stories interesting. As a reader, I love series. I love getting to know a character, their friends, their whole lifestyle and see how they react in different situations that life throws at them.

When you finally win that big lottery, what’s your first purchase?

I want that beautiful mountain cabin. I want a large deck with a view down into the valley. I want to enjoy the cool mountain breeze in the summer and to sit inside by a big fire and watch the snow come down in the winter. I think this would be the perfect spot for my husband and me to live out our days.

What do you love most about books?

To reference Star Trek – it’s the closest we’re going to come to a combination transporter/holodeck. With books, I can go anywhere, be anybody, do anything. I can have a new adventure every day, or I can go back and relive a favorite over and over. Books are magic.

What books would sit beside Cassie’s Life and the Cassie’s Space series and the Cal’s Law series on a shelf at the bookstore?

My books should be firmly between ‘How to Improve Your Marriage’ and ‘Fifty Shades of Gray.’ I think a little spanking could improve many humdrum marriages, and that more people should give it a try. I’d want it next to Fifty Shades because that’s the only title many of the readers I’m looking for have ever heard. While Fifty Shades hasn’t been listed under great literature, the stories certainly intrigued many people and got them to consider reading spanking stories. I think they would like my characters and their lifestyle very much.

There are many different types of books even within the spanking genre, what is your favorite?

I enjoy most spanking fiction. I’ll read about spanking in historical stories, cowboy stories, paranormal stories, science fiction and occasionally stories about sex clubs with dark dungeons. But my all-time favorites are the stories that could really happen. These are the stories I enjoy reading and writing. I like exploring how spanking could be incorporated into a real marriage. Could this be your neighbor’s life style, maybe your boss, or maybe even you?

Whether you are reading my books or ones by someone else – please read!

I wasn't expecting that

I asked Nick the question from my last post – What’s the worst thing I do, something that really pisses you off? Something you’d really like to spank heck out of me for?

As I suspected, he didn’t have a clue what I was talking about. He’s laid back and I really don’t do much to bother him. His answering email said in part,

Since you are almost perfect, of course, there is little to complain about. I will have to be more aware.  If you have something in mind you can ask how I feel about it.

I can’t fault him for not knowing since I’ve spent more than thirty-five years, on and off, hiding it from him. What is this horrible, despicable thing I do?

I pull away from him. I shut him out and live peacefully in my head for long stretches.

I don’t scream and yell, I don’t curse and throw things. I slip away so quietly and so undetected that I’m sure he rarely knows I’m doing it. I don’t pout, I don’t give him the silent treatment, but I rarely start conversations. I don’t even give him dirty looks or eye rolls. I just go way where nothing he says or does affects me. It’s the ‘sure, fine, whatever’ mode. This may not seem so horrible, but it can seriously damage a relationship.

Sometime I wish he noticed. Sometimes I wish he’d call me on it. Sometimes I wish he’d give me a hard, serious spanking to snap me out of it. And if he doesn’t think I’m truly ‘back’ when he’s finished, I wish he would spank me again. Sometimes.

Other time I’m glad he doesn’t notice.

Boy, I can hear Nick’s thoughts on this. “Let me get this straight, I don’t know when you’re even doing this, but I’m supposed to recognize when it happens – even though you’re giving me no hints at all. But if I think it’s happening I should bust your ass, unless it’s one of the times you really don’t want me to notice, and then I should just leave you alone. Is that about it?”

Well, yeah, sorta.

When I was writing this post, and got to this point, I went into true writing mode, meaning I was staring into space trying to formulate what I wanted to say, when something happened. In all these years, it had never happened before so I simply sat stunned listing to what I can only call a lecture from one of my best friends. Here’s what Cassie had to say.

~o~

Enjoy your husband. Pay attention, and enjoy your husband. Enjoy him when he is in a happy, loving, playful mood. Enjoy him when he’s tired and crabby and withdrawn. Enjoy him when he’s mowing, doing the laundry, and cooking. And enjoy him when he’s sitting beside you quietly watching TV or reading or even napping.

Enjoy him for who he is. You chose one another above all others in this world to share your lives together. And most importantly, after more than three decades you’re both still there. Do you know how many women would give their eye teeth to be in your place?  To have a man who truly loves you. A man you can trust completely and who is completely loyal to you. You’ve never had to worry about infidelity. You’ve never had to worry about drunken binges or abuse. You have a man who cares for you and will listen to you – if you will just talk to him.

Enjoy him when he’s annoying you. Enjoy him when he’s being inconsiderate or thoughtless. Enjoy him when he hurts your feelings or snaps at you for no reason. Enjoy him, but you don’t have to ignore these things. I’m telling you to be a wife, not a wimp. Tell him if he’s annoying you or being inconsiderate or thoughtless. Tell him if he hurts your feelings. What do you think is going to happen? You tell him these things and he gets mad and says, “That’s it, I’m leaving. Marriage over.” You know that’s stupid. So, you argue, big deal – you’ll both get over it.

Talk to the man! Tell him when you’re happy, tell him when you’re mad. Stop living in your head and enjoy this wonderful man you have. When you’re mad or hurt, you need to tell Nick and stop thinking in your head, “Well, Tom would have… or Tom wouldn’t have…” – because I know you do this sometimes. Remember, Tom is mine and only mine. No one else would put up with him. Trust me, you would hate being married to him. I have the occasionally dream of being able to do anything I want any time I want with no worry about the ivory brush. Everyone has ‘the grass is greener…’ feelings at times. But never stay there more than a minute or two.

You’re living on the fringe of your marriage, it’s like you’re scared to get involved.  You’ve chosen peace and harmony rather than fire and passion. Maybe try it the other way for a while. You don’t have any big problems in your marriage. Quit nursing the little ones and learn to enjoy what you have.

Enjoy your husband!

This was out of the blue. Cassie tells me her stories, but she’s always stayed out of my business. I know, I know, Cassie is just another part of me. So perhaps I was lecturing to myself, but it didn’t feel that way. Regardless, she wasn’t wrong. I think I’m going to try to take her advice. Hmm… taking Cassie’s advice on marriage, it should either bring Nick and me closer or I’m going to  get my ass spanked. Sounds like a win/win to me.

Ideas and a dubious purchase

I have no doubt I’ve ask for help along these lines before, but I’m doing it again. Maybe we can all help one another. Christmas is looking us right in the eye. I enjoy Christmas very much. I like decorations (not quite yet, but soon), I like buying for my loved ones, getting together, hearing carols – I like it all. My problem is that my brain is completely worn out trying to think of things to give my loved ones.

I can’t be alone in this. Do you all have problems too? I have a wonderful husband and a grown son and daughter. Mollie will be easy for several reasons. One she’ll share a list with me as long as my arm and even without suggestions she has a new house. But the guys live in the big city in a tiny apartment and everything will have to fit in their suitcases or I have to mail it to them.

I’m not expecting you to come up with my Christmas shopping list – but could you think back over the past five year or so and tell me the best gift you got for your husband and if you have them, your grown kids. I’m just trying to get a sea of ideas started. You can leave a comment or if you have a blog tell me there.

Mine are:

Nick – Kindle, camera

LJ and Collin – toboggans with wireless speaker built in, Apple TV

Mollie –  Apple TV, stuff (toilet paper, paper towels, dish washing and clothes washing pods, over the counter medicines, tissue, shampoo, kitty litter) as she says these aren’t exciting, but they cost a lot. She’s buying the house and has no roommate, so I guess so.

Now on a slightly different note, I know you aren’t supposed to buy things for yourself right before Christmas but I needed a new

backscratcher – no, not for that. I needed it to scratch my back. I have a bamboo back scratcher and beside doing a lousy job scratching my back, Nick sees it as a great implement. I hate it, it’s all pain and sting at the moment of impact and none of the wonderful afterglow. So I try to keep that sucker hidden.

I found a great one! Best back scratcher ever! But do you think I should keep this one hidden too?

Don’t forget to give me your best gift ideas and remember to come by for some questions and answers from Tom and Cal tomorrow at the Reading Room.

And one more thing, there will be a brand new Fantasy Friday this week - and my new friend's arm is only slightly bruised from my twisting it.