Thursday Tidbit - The Magic of Mistletoe!

Many of us have grown up with the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, but I’m guessing most of us don’t have any idea about the plant or the origins behind its magical aura.

First, about the plant. Mistletoe is actually a predatory plant, which evolved and prospered by leeching nutrients from other plants. It’s considered a partial parasite, because it can grow on its own, but is more commonly found growing out of the branches and trunks of trees. You might not be aware that the pretty white berries found on mistletoe are poisonous. (Hmm, there’s plot potential there!) Mistletoe’s earliest ancestor is sandalwood, another predatory plant which has also been portrayed romantically in fiction. When I hear sandalwood I think ancient Egypt, mummies, and vampires. Like mistletoe, sandalwood is a parasitic plant, stealing other plants’ nutrients to live. Harsh though this history seems after all the romance, it does make sandalwood the perfect icon for a great vampire story!

Now for the magic. The ancient Druids prized Mistletoe as an agent of fertility, luck, and peace. They hung the plant over their doors and used it in ritual sacrifices to ensure prosperity. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe seems to have initiated in Greece, tied to the festival of Saturnalia, and originated under the belief that the plant harbored a life-giving force and had fertility and aphrodisiac powers. Scandinavian history gave mistletoe peace-enhancing properties. Often, warring factions would declare a truce under the mistletoe. Battling spouses also made up under it. In eighteenth century England, young girls standing under a ball of mistletoe at Christmas could not refuse a kiss, and if they were not kissed that night, it was considered a sign that they wouldn’t marry the following year. Kissing under the mistletoe was seen as a promise to marry as well as an assurance of a long and happy life.  

Today, kissing under the mistletoe is a fun party game. It means little more than an excuse to kiss someone you favor. But it’s no less fun and interesting for this lack of a deeper meaning. Even if we don’t know the history behind the act, the reasons for doing it have persisted for centuries. The human animal seeks love and acceptance through any means necessary. Even by kissing someone we cherish under a parasitic plant with poisonous berries!

Whatever the tradition involving this unique and tenacious plant, one thing is clear, it has inspired many centuries of hope and fun, and no holiday season would be the same without it!

Have a great holiday season everybody!

~~*~~

Perdition guide Damian is supposed to escort sexy Amanda to Hell. But he’d much rather keep her.

Damian Noire is a Perdition Guide. He escorts people who die to their rightful spot in Hell. Business always seems to pick up around the Holidays and this Christmas is no exception. Damian’s assignment is to bring a beautiful young woman to Hell to stand before the judgment assembly, and then take her to her assigned circle of Hell. It sounds simple. But it’s about to become the hardest assignment he’s ever performed.

Amanda Wright might have been unjustly judged. She might not belong in Hell at all. Problem is, Damian really kind of likes her. He especially likes enjoying her lush, willing body under the mistletoe. If he gets her the judgment she truly deserves, he’s probably going to lose her forever. But if he doesn’t help her, an innocent may spend eternity in Hell. It appears to be a lose/lose situation on all fronts. Proving once again that holidays truly are hell!

Buy the book…

Sam's Sunday Snippet

Devil Under the Mistletoe - Coming November 29th!

Perdition guide Damian is supposed to escort sexy Amanda to Hell. But he’d much rather keep her.

Damian Noire is a Perdition Guide. He escorts people who die to their rightful spot in Hell. Business always seems to pick up around the Holidays and this Christmas is no exception. Damian’s assignment is to bring a beautiful young woman to Hell to stand before the judgment assembly, and then take her to her assigned circle of Hell. It sounds simple. But it’s about to become the hardest assignment he’s ever performed.

Amanda Wright might have been unjustly judged. She might not belong in Hell at all. Problem is, Damian really kind of likes her. He especially likes enjoying her lush, willing body under the mistletoe. If he gets her the judgment she truly deserves, he’s probably going to lose her forever. But if he doesn’t help her, an innocent may spend eternity in Hell. It appears to be a lose/lose situation on all fronts. Proving once again that holidays truly are hell!

~~*~~

Snow started to fall in large, soft flakes that sparkled in the overhead illumination. Just ahead was the shopping district, complete with bright, multicolored lights and holiday music. The little park in the center of town was filled with happy ice-skaters, and the homey smell of hot chocolate wafted past. Amanda suddenly remembered it was Christmas Day, and her spirits plunged even lower.

She sniffed, scrubbing tears off her cheeks with her hands. The demon beside her glanced over but he didn’t say anything.

“I can’t believe I’m going to Hell.”

“Believe it.”

“I’ve tried so hard to be good all my life. I went to church…”

The demon grimaced.

“I gave money to charities. I always tried to say nice things to everybody, even when I thought they were complete ass-wipes.”

He snorted.

“I tried never to lie, unless I thought it would spare somebody’s feelings. And I’ve led a pure life.” She looked up at him. “Do you know I never even...” She stopped. Heat suffused her face, and she looked away.

“What? You never even what?”

She shrugged.

The demon stopped and turned to her, lifting a hand to smooth over her face. The stiff, sticky feel of dried blood disappeared from her face under his touch. “Are you telling me you’re a virgin?”

Amanda bit her bottom lip and looked at the skaters. She really wished she were on that pond right at that moment. Or anywhere but under the intense, smoldering gaze of a demon from Hell. To make things worse, even on the precipice of being damned for all eternity she couldn’t ignore the fact that he was truly hot. And he smelled yummy too.

“Amaaaandaaaa?”

He drew her name out like her mother used to do when Amanda wouldn’t admit to being naughty. Quick tears filled her eyes at the thought. She would miss her mom. She’d seen her family just that morning. They’d opened gifts and had Christmas brunch together. The unfairness of it all suddenly pissed her off. “What if I am?”

The demon moved closer, his heat and scent washing over her and making her parts throb. Amanda crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him to hide her sudden interest. “What?”

The demon’s sexy mouth curved into a slow, sensual smile. “Look up.”

Her frown deepened. “Are you going to show me more bright lights that I can’t walk into? No thanks.” She turned away, intending to step around him. “I’m not interested.”

His hand encircled her throat and she went completely still. Gently but firmly, he tipped her chin up so she was forced to look overhead. A bunch of green stuff with tiny, white berries hung overhead. It didn’t appear to be attached to anything. It was just hanging in mid-air above her. She blinked. Mistletoe? His meaning was suddenly clear.

She dropped her gaze to his, her eyes widening. “Would you care to kiss the devil under the mistletoe?” His smile quirked upward on one side and, God help her, Amanda found it incredibly sexy.

Want more?

Thursday's Twisted Links

Since it lands on Thanksgiving, of course this week's twisted link needs to start with my favorite "eating" holiday. #:0) So here goes. This week's odd set of links is:

Thanksgiving.         Red Dawn.         Migraines. 

Yes, I know. Blood may shoot out of my eyes on this one. But I'm going for it anyway.

What could be better than a holiday that celebrates life in all its forms. Thanksgiving isn't about being thankful for stuff, though I'm certainly thankful for chocolate cream pie! It's a time to reflect on the bounty of our lives. Our health, our family and friends, and the ability to pursue success and happiness. We celebrate these things because we understand there is no guarantee that we will have them tomorrow. In fact, I wake up many nights terrified of losing the right to pursue those joys in life.

That's where the movie Red Dawn comes in. I haven't seen the current remake yet (I'm going today!), but I'm familiar with the story line. To me, the idea of something external, beyond my control, taking over my life and forcing me to do something is horrifying. But the thing that calms my fears is knowing there's a way out. I'm perfectly willing to fight for that way out (which is probably why I love writing romantic suspense so much). But I need to know it exists.  I don't want anybody making my choices for me. I suffered that when I was a child. But I'm an adult now and I want to forge my own path in life. I have that right. That's what's so cool about the movie, Red Dawn. In the movie a small group of young people refuse to just succumb to the usurpation of their world. They fight for the people they love and for the freedoms our forefathers died to give us. I think that's a very uplifting message and I embrace it. I'm thankful that stories like this exist.

Which brings me to migraines. I've suffered them since I was in high school. They pretty much suck. Like any health issue, a headache isn't planned or welcome, but I do believe that what I would call internal challenges such as physical pain make us stronger in the end. Over the years I've learned what I need to do to work my way through a migraine and I have some measure of control over how much they debilitate and their duration. I met the enemy and I...well...kind of conquered it. As long as I know I can do that I'm okay. I'm thankful even for my pain because it teaches me to be proactive, strong, and resilient.

So life is to be embraced, appreciated, and celebrated on Thanksgiving and every day. With the right attitude, life can be enhanced by the external things that threaten us. Meeting those threats head on strengthens and frees us from our fears.  And life is improved by internal challenges like pain and illness, because they help us appreciate the things that are really important, instead of focusing on the negatives all the time. Which brings me to the end of my link. (That snapping sound you heard was the sound of the link closing!)

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

10 Questions: The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

I got tagged by Zenobia Renquist to do a blog hop post for The Next Big Thing. So this week, instead of a Sunday Snippet, I'm participating in the blog hop. I'll do a snippet of the new book next Sunday!

Here goes...

1. What is the title of your latest book?

Devil Under the Mistletoe – Book 1 Holidays Are Hell series – Release Date 12/01/12

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?

Anybody who has survived a Christmas or Thanksgiving get together with family knows that Holidays are Hell. LOL So, when I was looking for an idea for a Christmas story, of course I thought of devils and other inhabitants of Hell. Who wouldn't  And, since more people seem to die around the holidays, I came up with the idea of the Perdition Guides. Think of these sexy devils as escorts for Hell. Trust me, once the ladies start reading about these guides, they’ll be fighting to go South when they die rather than reaching for the clouds! 

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Erotic Paranormal

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Christian Bale would be perfect to play the part of Damian and I’d love to have Molly Quinn from Castle play Amanda.

5. What is the book blurb for your book?

Perdition guide Damian is supposed to escort sexy Amanda to Hell. But he’d much rather keep her.

Damian Noire is a Perdition Guide. He escorts people who die to their rightful spot in Hell. Business always seems to pick up around the Holidays and this Christmas is no exception. Damian’s assignment is to bring a beautiful young woman to Hell to stand before the judgment assembly, and then take her to her assigned circle of Hell. It sounds simple. But it’s about to become the hardest assignment he’s ever performed.

Amanda Wright might have been unjustly judged. She might not belong in Hell at all. Problem is, Damian really kind of likes her. He especially likes enjoying her lush, willing body under the mistletoe. If he gets her the judgment she truly deserves, he’s probably going to lose her forever. But if he doesn't help her, an innocent may spend eternity in Hell. It appears to be a lose/lose situation on all fronts. Proving once again that holidays truly are hell!

6. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It takes me two to four weeks to write a story of this length, depending on what else I have going on at the time. #:0)

7. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

It’s hard to compare this to another story because I've never read one with this premise. I’m sure there’s something out there, but I haven’t read it. If anybody knows of one leave me a comment and let me know the author/title. I'll go check it out!

8. Who or What inspired you to write this book?

I really wanted to come up with a series wrapped around holidays. Once I came up with the series premise the story line for the first book came pretty easily.

9. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

The world I created in Hell is really interesting. It consists of several layers, based on how terrible your crimes are. Hell has three suns (that’s why it’s so hot) and a boiling sea with black sand. Fortunately the boiling sea is really just the comfortably warm sea…think hot tub. And there are portals all over for really quick travel through Hell. But most importantly, if you end up going to Hell, you’re gonna get escorted there by a really sexy devil. That’s not all bad right? However, if your crimes are bad you’re not gonna like where you end up. Just sayin’!

10. And the Next Best Thing?

Now I’m supposed to send you to 5 more authors to carry on The Next Big Thing. (Rubbing hands together gleefully) Okay, my victims…er…selections are:

Lizzie T. Leaf: http://www.lizzietleaf.com/

Dakota Cassidy: http://www.dakotacassidy.net/

Cindy Spencer Pape: http://www.cindyspencerpape.com/

Savannah Chase: http://savannahchase.com/

Nine Pierce: http://ninapierce.com/

Thursday Tidbits

Coming Soon!

DO THE HOLIDAYS INSPIRE YOU?

I’ll admit it, around this time of year I start feeling my imagination gearing up. There’s just something about cool weather, the smell of burning leaves, and the promise of the holiday season ahead that makes me want to delve into the realm of make-believe.

I think it’s magic.

I believe in magic, don’t you? That’s why I write paranormal/fantasy and why I love to immerse myself in fantastical stories and watch fantasy movies on the big screen. The magic in the real world may not include energy shooting from someone’s fingertips, or the cool scrape of vampire fangs along your throat, but it can be no less powerful.

Magic is potent because it isn’t mired in concrete ideas. It’s subjective and adaptable. You can find magic in the haunting call of an owl on a moonlit night, or feel it in your lover’s touch. It’s a hundred fireflies dancing on the air in your front yard, or a perfect note captured by a talented musician. Magic surrounds us. We can’t clasp it in our hands, but we can feel it, and there are certain times of year when it saturates the air around us. For me, the Holiday season is one of those times. So I tend to write more around this time of year, because I’m desperate to capture the magic in my heart, and share it with my friends.

It’s not an easy exercise. Magic can be an elusive creature. And I may not always succeed, but I always enjoy the effort.

Happy Holidays everybody! May your magic run deep this season. 

Sam's Sunday Snippets

This week I'm giving you a sneak preview snippet of Declan Sands' soon to be released dark paranormal romance, Bright City Lights!

~~*~~

An Alpha, a Politician, and a killer walk into a bar...

Rabb is an alpha shifter, a werewolf, who likes to defy both the odds and authority. He prefers the city lights over the open spaces most shifters enjoy.

Brant is a politician with a secret that's becoming harder and harder to contain. As mayor of Bright City, he's determined to keep the city free of shifters.

The two men share a fair amount of distrust, along with a smoldering history that threatens to drag them under again. But when shifters begin to die in Bright City, Rabb and Brant need to find a way to work together again. Especially when one of them inadvertently steps right into the murderer's deadly path.

~~*~~

There was brave, and then there was just butt stupid. The alpha shifter wasn’t sure which category the man glaring at him from across the space of only a couple of feet belonged in. Rabb was leaning toward stupid, but he wasn’t sure if that was because the guy had really pissed him off, or because it was true.

Rabb Miller wasn’t used to people standing up to him. A natural Alpha, he tended to just expect others to fall in line. When he said jump, most shifters and humans he encountered not only jumped but they didn’t touch the ground again until he told them it was okay.

Rabb especially didn’t like being told what to do…or more precisely…what he couldn’t do. That was just damn unacceptable. He stared down at the wiry little man standing a few feet away and let his Alpha face slide into place, complete with eyes that might have glowed just the tiniest bit.

Amazingly, the little man didn’t seem the least bit impressed. Stupid was quickly gaining ground. “Mr. Miller, you can’t intimidate me. I’m here on behalf of the Mayor. He has a strict ‘no shifter’ policy in Bright City and you’re in defiance of that policy just by being here. We’re askin’ real nice to start and then I’m gonna have to get nasty.”

Rabb crossed his arms over his chest, his arms bulging and menace radiating out of every pore. “This is my place. You can’t come in here and start making demands.”

“You bought the place through dishonest means. You deserve to lose it.”

Rabb’s arms dropped and his hands fisted at his sides. “That’s a damn lie. I bought City Lights through my lawyer. She assures me she followed the letter of the law during the purchase and I believe her. Now I’d advise you to get your scrawny ass off my property this minute or I’ll throw you out myself.”

Demitre Glass pursed thin lips and held Rabb’s golden-brown gaze a moment longer, as if to prove he wasn’t afraid. He glanced toward the bar, where Rabb’s second in command polished glasses with one eye focused on him. The Mayor’s assistant finally smiled and inclined his head. “You choose to leave the hard way then. Fine. It will be my pleasure to take you down, Miller.”

“Get the hell out.” Rabb’s tone was deceptively quiet, almost mild.  Anyone who knew him would take that as a sign to get as far away from him as possible, as quickly as they could.

The Mayor’s assistant didn’t know Rabb nearly well enough. He turned toward the other side of the bar, where an extremely attractive blonde woman sipped iced tea in a booth and flipped through papers in a folder. “Ms. Dexter, the Mayor’s office will be contacting you shortly.”

She glanced up, her soft, green gaze radiating boredom. “Don’t waste your time, Glass. You don’t have a leg to stand on. Mr. Miller purchased this property legally and he has a right to be here.” She stood, striding toward Glass on long, shapely legs that caught the little man’s attention and held it. She stopped in front of him and reached a finger out to poke him on the chest. “And you’re about ten seconds away from dire consequences if you don’t leave the premises.”

“Are you threatening me?” Glass’s hand came up to grab her finger. It never made it that far. In the blink of an eye it was enclosed in a hard, unrelenting grip.  “Don’t. Ever. Touch.” Rabb bit each word off through a clenched jaw.

“I don’t need to threaten you, Mr. Glass." Tamma Dexter told him. "Someone else has already done that. Now go,” while walking is still an option.”

Glass looked from her to Rabb and forced a laugh. But it sounded more nervous than amused. “I’ll be back, Miller.”

“I’ll be sure to wear my funeral clothes. For when I lay you out.”

Stay tuned!

Thursday Tidbits

In honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving season, here are some fun turkey day tidbits. I hope you enjoy them. Source: http://www.coolest-holiday-parties.com/thanksgiving-facts.html

Did you know?

At my house, we have a herd of wild turkeys that occasionally moves into our evergreen trees? Gobble gobble! #:0)

Have you ever heard of Turducken? Apparently this interesting dish, which originated in Louisiana, consists of a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken, some recipes have a different stuffing for each bird!

Turkeys are some of the oldest living Americans. Fossil evidence shows that they existed in the Americas 10 million years ago.

Apparently Thomas Jefferson once said Thanksgiving was "the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard." Apparently the joke's on him!

Since crab season starts in November, many people on the West Coast of the US eat Dungeness crab for Thanksgiving instead of turkey.

Corn comes in many varieties and colors, including red, white, yellow and blue. Apparently some Americans considered blue and white corn sacred. The oldest corns date 7000 years back and were grown in Mexico.

Turkeys are the bird of choice for Thanksgiving because they just happened to be the most plentiful meat available at the time of the first Thanksgiving in 1621.

Forget your beloved dog or cat, apparently turkeys were one of the first animals in the Americas to be domesticated!

Columbus thought turkeys were a type of peacock (they’re actually a type of pheasant). So he named them “tuka”, which is "peacock" in the Tamil language of India.

The cranberry is a symbol and a modern diet staple of thanksgiving. Originally called crane berry, it derived its name from its pink blossoms and drooping head, which reminded the Pilgrims of a crane.

Native Americans didn't eat cranberries but they discovered they were great for dying fabric and decorating pottery.

A spooked turkey can run at speeds up to 20 miles per hour. They can also burst into flight approaching speeds between 50-55 mph in a matter of seconds. Apparently they are prone to heart attacks when they're scared!

If you like dark meat better than white, you'd probably like the meat of a wild turkey. It's all dark, even the breasts, and apparently has a more intense turkey flavor. 

~~*~~

For more fun Thanksgiving tidbits go here!

Sam's Sunday Snippet

Sick of heroes and on the run from angry gods, Bellona Fara, a Valkyrie, travels the country, running from her past and looking for a bad boy to love. At a paranormal bar in Santa Terra, California, a vampire bartender introduces her to fallen angel, Rael, who’s trying to atone for a single mistake that haunts his days and nights with regret. When an earthquake shakes the very foundations of life in Santa Terra, their growing feelings for each other will be sorely tested, as they try to fight their basic natures while dealing with things beyond their control.

~ Love Romances and More "...an entertaining and exciting story that will keep you scrolling and reading until the last word. The sexual tension is high and the love scenes might just melt your monitor so have a fan nearby." 

~~*~~

Bellona stared down the blade of her sword, her entire focus on the task at hand. Sweat rolled down her back, between her shoulder blades, and darkened the neckline of her tight, belly baring cami. She slashed sideways, spinning on one foot and completing the swing of her sword with a sharp upward cut that she envisioned would open her opponent’s gut. With a quick flick of her wrist, she changed direction to slice across her invisible opponent’s throat.

Bellona held the sword aloft, her eyes narrowing on the brisk flutter of butterfly wings ten feet away. The beautiful insects had been resting happily on the flower filled bush while she trained, their movements restricted to a gentle fluttering of their wings. So when they suddenly burst into the air and flew in agitated circles around the bush, she noticed.

Bellona swung around in a flash and stopped, the point of her deadly weapon settling perfectly into the tender skin of the intruder’s throat.

“Hey, Bella.”

Bellona frowned. “Why are you here, Kari?”

The woman was smaller than Bellona, tiny really, with shoulder length black hair and wide, olive colored eyes. She stood in a warrior’s stance, legs spread, arms held out slightly from her sides, a long, deadly sharp knife held loosely in each tiny fist. Despite the fact they were coven sisters, she hadn’t taken her visit to Bellona lightly.

No valkyrie worth her salt would take Bellona lightly.

Kari smiled, showing small, white teeth with slightly elongated canines. “Let’s not waste time on unnecessary conversation, Bella. You know why I’m here. I just stopped by to warn you I was here, as a matter of courtesy.”

Bellona pressed her sword lightly, drawing a bright bead of blood from her coven sister’s throat. Kari didn’t even flinch. A soft smile still played around her lips. “This is my territory, Kari. You have no business here.”

“Your territory? We weren’t aware you were still on the job.”

Bellona shrugged, non-committal. “I’m here, knee deep in heroes, what part of that don’t you understand, sister?”

“You don’t appear to be taking your job seriously, sister.” Kari’s hostile inflection on the intimate title showed her anger more than anything in her expression or stance. “As you play with your weapon, dozens of heroes could be taking their last breaths, and nobody’s there to guide them to Valhalla.”

Bellona snorted. “Am I to believe you only take them as they die? If that were true my stomach wouldn’t have been a giant knot for decades now. Odin’s eagerness to protect the gods has made him greedy. Humanity deserves to keep at least some of its heroes.”

Kari flipped a small hand dismissively. “The humans are mere cattle, to be harvested as the gods see fit. They deserve nothing.”

Bellona took a step closer, blood ran in a ribbon down the other valkyrie’s pale throat. She leaned close, biting off each word angrily. “And yet the gods lust for their powers, hide behind them to gain safety, indeed, trade their massive hearts for a chance at immortal life. It’s disgusting, Kari.”

Kari’s eyes softened with regret for the first time. It passed briefly. She’d been hardened by the gods’ frantic need, brain washed. She would never see what Bellona couldn’t help seeing as she walked among the humans.

Bellona finally dropped her sword and stepped away in disgust. “Go Kari, leave this town to me. Odin will have to look for his heroes elsewhere.”

Kari’s eyes widened. “You are taking these people under your protection?”

Panic swept through her at the thought. If she did she’d be declaring war on the gods, and her sisters in the coven as well. It was exactly what she’d wanted to avoid. It was the reason she’d stayed on the move, keeping her heart closed off to avoid the passion she knew would be her downfall.

But something had changed. Something inside her had blossomed, opening her to the possibilities of doing what she deemed right. Despite the massive and deadly consequences. Bellona suddenly knew she didn’t want to run any more.

She had found her Ragnarök. She was going to take a stand.

“Yes, Kari. The people of Santa Terra are under my protection. Any sister who comes here intending to harm or carry off any of the town’s heroes will have to go through me to do it.”

Book info and more...

Thursday's Twisted Links

Since we're in the season of holidays, I thought a holiday linking might be fun. So here we go. Right off the top of my head:

Halloween.     The Economy.     Dogs.

Wow. That's weird. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it!

I babble on about Halloween being my favorite holiday all the time. I can't help it, I just feel like there's magic in the air during this particular season. I suspect that it has something to do with the change in weather ( I love cooler weather) and the focus on things like witches and goblins and all the things I love to write about. Even more than Halloween, I LOVE all things fantastic in fiction. Give me a good paranormal or fantasy story any day.

Which of course begs the question, why do I love fantasy? In a recent blog entitled, Why do we read what we read?, I admitted that, for me, it's because there are no rules. It's pure escapism. Escapism is the key for most of us. There's no point beating around the bush, things are very unsettling right now in the real world. People are suffering, money is tight, and we're all a little scared about the future. That's probably why, despite a tough economy, romance fiction in all genres is still selling well. People will give some things up when money's tight, but books are an indulgence many feel they can't give up...on an emotional level.

It's important to find ways to de-stress at times like this. The fun, candy-drenched Halloween season and reading are both great ways to escape real life worries. Another great de-stresser is...you guessed it...dogs.

Now, if you know me at all, you know I'm a dog-aholic. No? Oh yeah. I only have 11 of them, not really enough to, say, field a football team or anything, but it's a couple more than most people have. #:0) For me, dogs are the ultimate de-stresser. They're pure entertainment. And by watching them I learn a lot about human nature. Yeah, we've evolved well beyond dogs, but they're us, boiled down to our most basic needs. Love, food, play, rest. Then start all over again. It's a perfect cycle. If we could sweep all of the outside stuff away like they do and just focus on those 4 things, we'd all be happy. Can you imagine? Amazingly, that's where this linking completes. Full circle. Celebrating holidays and reading a good book allow us, for just a brief moment in time, to sweep all the worrisome outside stuff away and become dog-like. Holidays allow us to be together, enjoying the moment, eating great food, playing and laughing, and when we're alone again, we can relax with a great story, cuddling up to a loyal, furred companion.

Life doesn't get much better than that.

Happy Reading everybody!