Big Girls Rock

n in I must confess that like most women born in the last 100 years, I am conscious of my weight and size and am almost never happy with it. So I love it when beautiful women aren't afraid to show off their bodies, even when they don't typically fit today's beauty norms. I'm not brave enough to get in a bikini, but here's a photo I adore of a woman who isn't. She rocks.

Spring Has Sprung

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, so we're supposed to have six more weeks of winter. But I'm happy to report that spring has sprung. To celebrate, I'm serving you another reason to get sprung :)

Always On My Mind

He didn't write the song or make it famous, but for some reason I've become obsessed with Willie Nelson's version of Always on My Mind. Michael Buble's rendition is more swooney and Elvis's is more entertaining, but there is something so simplistic about Willie's version that makes it incredibly romantic. Which is odd, since at its core, it's an apology song. I love how certain lines are delivered in almost spoken word poetry and in others, his voice quivers through them. Willie isn't trying to impress anyone, he's just trying to honestly tell the woman he loves that despite how things might look, she's precious to him. It kills me every time I hear it. So what's your favorite version of Always on My Mind? I'll gladly listen to your picks but I doubt they'll supplant Willie's in my heart.

Romance In The New Year

If last month was all about the beefcake, for January I'm wishing you a Happy New Year and a lot of love.

A Little Beefcake

I don't know if it's becaause it's 2pm and I haven't eaten yet, but suddenly I was craving some beefcake :) Merry Christmas y'all (aint he good enough to eat ?)!

Playing Favorites

Three days ago my wife informed me that her cousin's 30th birthday wish was that he be sent a copy of his loved ones' favorite book with an explanation of why it held such a position in the sender's heart. His plan is, of course, to read the beloved book so that he can be touched as we have been. At first I thought the task was to send a well thumbed copy of said favorite book. Immediately I felt a stone in my gut. There was no way I was going to part with my copy of one of my favorite books. Those are my friends, well loved and even if I haven't cracked some of them open in decades, it would be like sending one of my children away to another mother (if I had children, that is). I later learned that a new copy of the favorite book could be sent, which at least stopped my panicking. But then my problem became, which favorite book? Would it be my favorite book growing up, Little Women (sorry Anne of Green Gables, you take a close second place)? Or should it be a favorite romance, the genre I love the most and almost exclusively read? Perhaps Dreaming of You, my first favorite romance, or Marrying Winterbourne, my current favorite romance? Should it be The Windancer, the romance I think is a great indroduction to the genre? Or maybe one of my favorite romances with non-traditional storylines and characters, to delight a non-romance reader, such as The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie or The Portrait, or Waiting on the Moon? There are just so so many. I realized I don't like playing favorites, particularly among my romances, so after much thought I sent my cousin by marriage Little Women. It is a worthy addition to anyone's library and I hope that he loves it as much as I do.

Crushin' On A Good Guy

It’s not a secret, when it comes to heroes, I love alphas. I love their power, I love their confidence and if they are the smartest man in the room, I love that even more. Alphas are known for their take charge attitude, and quite frankly, they are usually ass-holes and I love that too. Alphas are many things, but a good guy, they aint. When I write heroes, they are definitely The Alpha. So it surprised me when I found myself admitting to crushing on a good guy. You might know him, Dominick “Sonny” Carisi on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Carisi is tall and lanky with hair on the light side. Nothing like the typical beefy alpha with dark hair and brooding good looks. Sonny isn’t the best educated guy. He has a law degree, yes, but from night school as some of his more urbane opponents like to point out. Instead of money, he reeks of the working class with his accent and point of view. But I’ve slowly fallen for this guy, because he is a good guy, an underdog even. He loves his family, fights for them as much as he fights for justice. He loves a flawed woman and probably her children even more. Those morals he has obviously come from that working class Catholic background and yet instead of using his faith to judge, he shows compassion and is willing to see things from another perspective. Without a doubt Carisi has made his way into my heart. Viva the Good Guy, because sometimes he is oh so very very good.