All posts by Carlene

Things Jamie Oliver Says

Carlene Love Flores, Writing, ,

I firmly believe that by sharing what a giant goofball I am, people out there who are also giant goofballs will feel a little better about, you guessed it, their giant goofballismness.

photo credit a href=httpwww.flickr.comphotosscandic-hotels4327863806Scandic Hotelsa via a href=httpphotopin.comphotopina a href=httpcreativecommons.orglicensesby-nc2.0cca

When I wrote an English character named Oliver and needed to know what he sounded like, I went to the very best source I could think of and that my friends was Jamie Oliver. Who is cuter than he? Basically I sat and watched tons of Jamie’s shows (and he’s got some goodies–like the ones where he’s running around random New York neighborhoods at night finding restaurants people run out of their homes without permits but really good food) with my notebook and my remote. I’d pause and jot, pause and jot. And this is the list I came up with for my Englishman’s voice and speech. Some of this will make absolutely no sense unless you do as I did and stalk the man on the TV but even then, it’s pretty entertaining. I give you The Jamie Oliver Experience:

I got half-pissed off a jam jar (drunk)

Anti (an-tee) restaurant

Conception of children

Anti-restaurants have got you hitched

I was a bit cynical but I totally totally get it

See ya guys, take care

Seriously good food

More vibrant, a bit cruder

I’m a chili freak so this Szechuan is right up my trouser

This is a serious serious foody’s noodle dish, beautiful

Do you think your mom would let me have a go at doing the noodles?

Let me have a go, darling (dah-ling)

I’m too strong, I just busted it

I’m getting too cocky

Brilliant beautiful people

New York’s helped me sort of feel differently about immigration

There’s not many people like George about

35 Double Dee, she’s definitely coming

Get some liquor in and have a little bit of a laugh

Good, got a party, just need some food

Sea Bass, slightly awkward fish to filet (fill-it)

The whole thing about ceviche (she-vishey) is…

Not it’s time for the hard part, sprucing meself up

It’s the stories of the people that were really really interesting

If you can get booze into someone’s hands within 30 seconds of them entering the door then you’re a good host

Linda, hello darling.  Come in, how are you?

Excuse me, darling

Here you go, sweetheart

I’m really glad that I came to New York because many many people know New York

Really really good trip, it’s a crazy crazy city

 

Mermaid CarleneI hope you totally, totally enjoyed my rather random post today.

Ceviche kisses,

(Jamie’s Englishman pronunciation = she-vishey/ Carlene’s San Diego Native = say-vee-chay)

Carlene Mermaid

Jamie Oliver photo credit a href=httpwww.flickr.comphotosscandic-hotels4327863806Scandic Hotelsa via a href=httpphotopin.comphotopina a href=httpcreativecommons.orglicensesby-nc2.0cca

 

 

 

 

 

I Know I Love You…at first sight

Carlene Love Flores, Writing,

Hello Fishy Friends!

Not too long ago, I wrote this post for ARe Cafe (I love them and they’re awesome!) except for I didn’t get any comments, which made me feel like this…

http://transmitartwork.deviantart.com/art/Sad-Little-Mermaid-412071076

http://transmitartwork.deviantart.com

 I really wanted to chat with anyone willing to talk about the speed of love at first sight and what we like in our romance novels. So I’m reposting this here in the pond today and crossing my fins that I’ll get a nibble…

xoxo

Carlene Mermaid

“I wait all day just hoping for one more minute with you and I don’t even know you.”

Do you remember when Maggie said that to Seth in the 1998 movie “City of Angels”?

Did you believe in those words with all your heart?

What if I told you that’s where I want to start every story I write. I don’t do it, of course, but I can’t help wanting to. Or at least I want people to feel and know in their hearts and bones that loving someone that instantaneous and that incredibly strong is as possible as the simple decision we make each day to wear our favorite color or pack the kids’ favorite sandwich.

Sometimes I hear people say “It’s not realistic to fall in love that fast.” It made me so sad recently when I was talking to someone I’ve known for a very long time and throughout our conversation, it became clear that she honestly and truly did not have the capacity to believe in love at first sight. To her, that feeling I was trying to explain as a pure love that just comes over you was merely lust. I began to feel very hurt that something I believed so strongly in, she believed just as fervently against. I hope that someday, either through life or maybe just a good ole love story, she has a change of heart.

That’s why we need romance books!

That’s also why I love romance readers. I think we just have the capacity to believe a little bit more, to go out a little further on that limb for the characters we love. It’s why we’re able to accept that sometimes two strangers are just going to know. You know?

How many times have you sat down with a new romance novel and by the end of the first page or two, you’ve already fallen in love with the hero? I’m right there with you.

I believe. You believe. We believe.

But what I don’t want to be and I admit I have thought about this, is lazy in my writing and my plotting. I don’t want to ever be telling you a story and skip over something you need to know about my couple’s journey just to show you their incredible, immediate connection. So my promise to you is that I’ll always be very careful and very attuned to where each story starts. Whether it takes the characters months or years or seconds to feel that connection.

I need these stories and these feelings right along with you. I love being a part of this crazy little thing called romance.

I thought it would be cool to hear some of your favorite “Love at first sight” lines. I’m also curious to know if you have a preference as far as what pace you are comfortable with characters falling in love or feeling that first spark.

Can I be a wee bit indulgent and repeat my fave? I knew you romantics would understand!Mermaid Carlene

“I wait all day just hoping for one more minute with you and I don’t even know you.”

Now that I’m sighing and sniffling and warm and fuzzy inside, it’s your turn…

Okay Fishy Friends … let me hear it.

The Book Prop

Books, Carlene Love Flores, , ,

Mermaid CarleneGood morning fishy friends!

Have you ever had that moment when an item in a book is woven so well into the story that it adds another dimension to the reading? I have. It’s what my post is about today. The book prop.

Here’s where I divulge a creepy secret about myself in the hopes that others (that’s you guys) will share and therefore make me feel slightly less creepy. 🙂 I can be a little obsessive when it comes to these book props. For example, I might own a pink nightgown just like the one Grace wears in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Fantasy Lover. It might have been really hard for me to find just the right one, like Grace’s, and I may have scoured several stores to find it. But I love the way her hero Julian makes her feel when she’s wearing it. And yes, I want to feel that too! I also might have searched far and wide for the perfect bottle of fragrance as described in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. You know that whole Edward scent of milk and honey and cinnamon and cloves? Turns out Bath & Body works has bottled that perfection up into a handy pillow mist which for a while was all you could smell if you entered my house. (Until hubby caught on, that is, and asked that I cut back.) Last one … I cannot walk past a cherry flavored lollipop without thinking of one of Olivia Cunning’s rockers from her Sinners series. I believe it was in Backstage Pass when one of the guys is trying to overcome an unhealthy addiction and his manner of doing this is that he’s now addicted to all things cherry flavored, especially the suckers. I’ll let your imagination take over there … rockstar, cherry, lollipop. 😉

prop

Grace’s Pink Nightgown from Fantasy Lover and Edward Cullen bottled up as pillow mist!

So my secret is out. And guess what? It turns out those of us who love a good book prop aren’t alone! I asked a few of my author friends to share and I’m so GRATEFUL they did! Let’s see what theirs are:

Mermaid Alethea Kontis~

My favorite book prop is a tiny velvet bag of marbles the publisher gave me as a promo for Neil Gaiman’s Coraline.  I opened my hand, dumped out the three blue marbles, and shrieked a little. “Have you read the book?” I asked the sales rep. “Did you realize you were handing out the souls of dead children as promotion?”

Still my favorite.

Connect with Alethea for all things books HERE!

**********

Romance Author S.J. Maylee~

The Bottom Burner drink served in the butt glass from Cara Bristol’s Body Politics.

I love it because it’s cheeky and leads the hero and heroine into one of the hottest scenes I’ve ever read.

Wanna see it? Click HERE!

Wanna chat books with S.J.? Do that HERE!

**********

Romance Author Lynne Silver~

My favorite book prop are the charms that Kaleb Krychek buys for Sahara in Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh. He buys her one charm on each of her birthdays and they each represent something of her. It’s so romantic which of course he denies, being encased in Silence as he is.

I know Lynne’s always up for book talk so go find her HERE!

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Thank you so much ladies for sharing those! And now I put the proverbial ball in YOUR court! What are your favorite props, items, doo-dads from books you’ve read? Something in the story or something out in the real world related to the book. For the record, I could have written a week’s worth of posts about Dark Hunter items! Okay, go!

 

 

 

 

Opening Acts that Rock Your World & a Rock Star Romance Free Read!

Carlene Love Flores, Free Read, , , , , , , , , ,

Eight years ago, I went to a Depeche Mode concert. I know, surprising. And then we all lived happily ever after. The End.

But wait, there’s more. I loved their opening act, a band called She Wants Revenge. Loved them so much that I caught one of their headlining shows, where I had the unforgettable experience of taking in She Wants Revenge’s opening act. A band so unique, I’ll never forget them. They were called Ima Robot. I can still see the words “Ima Robot” written in blood on their t-shirts while they did all kinds of jumpy things I’d never seen done on stage before. Eight years ago! Branded forever in my brain. Check out that energy…

I sit here and I wonder what it would feel like to be a member of an Opening Act? I imagine it’s exciting and takes a special kind of dedication. I imagine you’d be very close with your bandmates. Are you living in the moment or constantly wondering if and when you’ll make it to Headliner? Does that even matter? If you’re sharing your passion with people, whether you’re warming the crowd up or are the main attraction, you are making your dreams happen. I think you are awesome. And thinking about it more, I bet you’re leaving it all out on that stage every night.

I go to a lot of live shows and for the record, I never miss the Opening Act! Are you kidding me, if I did, I’d never had the pleasure of seeing Ima Robot eight years ago! Or Jessica Simpson when she opened up for Ricky Martin. One of my favorite shows ever was when I went to see No Doubt and discovered Paramore who opened for ND and The Sounds who opened for Paramore. All crazy good bands led by dynamite rocker chicks. Check out “Beatbox” by The Sounds, my favorite song from that tour. PS–I secretly wish I could rock it out like Maja Ivarsson…


When I saw Bat for Lashes open up this past fall for Depeche Mode and then Gary Clark, Jr. open for Kings of Leon this February, I fell in love. Two beautiful, heart-touching performances like no others I’ve ever heard. Here’s Bat for Lashes singing Laura…


You know another reason I love the openers? They’re usually super sweethearts and extremely happy to talk to you. Take for example Rayland Baxter who opened up for Bobby Long. He not only packaged his own cd’s in the coolest brown paper bag tied with turquoise string and stamped with a wax R, he took a selfie with me because I was there alone and had no one to hold the camera. Is that the coolest mustache or what?…

Carlene & Rayland Baxter

Carlene & Rayland Baxter

Rayland's Goodies

Rayland’s Goodies

There was also the time Michael Bernard Fitzgerald (opening for Bobby Long at a different show…I love seeing Bobby Long) gave me a bar of soap from his hotel room when I purchased his cd, he said as an additional show of gratitude. Oh, and they’re really cool about posing with your kiddo who you may have kept out way past his bedtime so you could see the show…Kind of like Mason Vixon did the night they opened for Casey James. :)…

Mason Vixon & Kiddo

Mason Vixon & Kiddo

Whether the Opening Acts I remember most were because of the quirky artist and hotel toiletries or because they were a BLEEDING SINGING ROBOT, I can’t imagine missing out on what they bring to the show. And it’s probably why I wrote my latest book about an Opening Act. Their name is Lonerby which stands for the band members’ names–Luke, Oscar, Noah and Erby. They open for Sin Pointe, the other band I made up so I could write books about rock stars! And I have excellent news to share with you…you don’t have to miss this Opening Act because Lonerby’s story, Touch of Sin, just released on Monday and it’s a Free Read! To download your copy, just click HERE. I hope you enjoy it!

Touch of Sin (A Sin Pointe Novel Free Read)

Touch of Sin (A Sin Pointe Novel Free Read)

Touch of Sin Blurb: Lonerby guitarist Luke Willoughby and his band are under tight scrutiny since a press conference was ruined by a band member’s sudden vomiting attack. They’ve been suspended from the Sin Pointe tour and Luke fears they’ve blown it for good. The last thing he expects is the cute management spy sent to observe him.

No-nonsense Sarrie Walker knows exactly what she’s there to do, and makes no secret of it. Luke is impressed—and powerfully attracted to Sarrie’s strong and sexy innocence. When they end up stuck together in close quarters, Sarrie becomes dangerously irresistible—and very much off-limits. Does she hold Luke’s second chance? And if he gives in to her powerful allure, what happens to his heart?

So I’d LOVE to hear about your favorite Opening Acts. Has there been an Ima Robot in your musical viewing past? Maybe a Rayland Baxter? Fishy kisses everyone!

Self Efficacy: Sexy

Carlene Love Flores, Motivation, , ,

Mermaid CarleneHi fishy friends! It doesn’t happen often, but I’m slipping out of my silly mermaid fins and using some of my bigger words today. I hope you enjoy them.

“Your belief in your own ability to do the things you want to do.”

That’s self-efficacy.

Not too long ago, hubby left a ten page article on my desk with a small note: “PLEASE READ”.

The article was by Ian Walker (www.iantwalker.com) and it was about an experience Ian had that made no sense until he discovered the concept of self-efficacy. It was a great read. I encourage you to check it out where it appeared HERE at The Art of Manliness blog. (PS–As a romance writer, I love this manly blog!!!)

Back to hubby’s note. This was rare. I knew he meant, “AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, please.”

Later that day, before I’d had a chance to read the article, hubby let me know he was unhappy at his day job and he was quitting in the next month to finish his master’s degree as a full-time student.

I’ll admit, there were parts of me, especially the stay-at-home-mom parts of me who depend on hubby to support the family, that had to bite down on the immediate worry his declaration brought on. But the partner who supports hubby’s happiness said, “Okay babe. Let’s do this.”

Even though it’s a scary feeling, there’s something I’ve always been attracted to about hubby and that’s his fearlessness. It got him through twenty-one years in the Army, going off to war a couple times, and now it’s gotten him out of a situation that wasn’t fulfilling him personally and professionally. I have confidence he’ll make something happen for himself and therefore our family as well. Determination, fearlessness, confidence = Sexy!

I dipped down into the tub the day hubby gave me that ten page article and read. What I realized is that I want to be “self-efficacy sexy” for hubby, the same way he is and has been for me. That means I better really believe in my ability to do the things I want to do in life, even if they’re as crazy as being a successful romance writer. I better never quit. I know he won’t.

**Update: I started this blog post last year, knowing I wanted to share it eventually. Well, hubby has been pursuing his master’s degree in counseling for about six months now. We’re living on a student budget which is all kinds of fun. But you know what? He’s never been sexier to me. He’s gonna do this. He’s gonna see it through and he’s gonna help a lot of kids when all is said and done.

Here’s to you believing in yourself and acting on that belief.  There’s plenty of room for more in the Self-efficacy = Sexy club.  Feel free to share a time when you had to rely on a belief in yourself when perhaps it wasn’t the popular thing to do. Maybe a time when doing something you knew in your heart was right even though it made no sense. Have a great day everyone!

Fishy kisses!

Carlene Mermaid

Mermaids & Friends: Lynne Silver (Giveaway!)

Books, Carlene Love Flores, Giveaway, Guest Post, Kerri Carpenter, Mermaids & Friends, , , ,

Good morning, everyone — Carlene and Kerri Mermaid here with a special introduction.

Kerri: Guess who’s here in the lagoon today? Our critique partner and friend to the Mermaids, the fabulous Lynne Silver!

Carlene: Oh! After someone tall, dark and handsome, that was going to be my next guess! I can’t help it, I have Rowan from her new book, “Desperate Match” on my mind.

Kerri: I understand – Rowan’s hot and sweet! Is he your favorite of Lynne’s characters?

Carlene: Yes! He’s a total smarty pants but backs it up with a big heart…

Kerri: I love that about him – although you know I’m partial to Adam in the first Coded for Love book!

Carlene: Ohhhhhh…Adam. Why do you love him so?

Kerri: He’s alpha and yummy!

Carlene: All the Coded boys are alpha and yummy! It’s like an alpha yummy buffet.

Kerri: True that, boo! We should probably stop drooling and let Lynne talk now. Want to introduce her?

Carlene: Yes! Tall, fair and beautiful…Lynne Silver! Author of yummy alpha boys, some really bad guys and some pretty awesome girls too!

Kerri: Welcome to the lagoon, Lynne! We hear you wanna know what type of readers we all are AND that you’ve got a copy of Desperate Match to give away! Let’s get this chat underway…

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Lately it seems there are a rash of bloggers and readers out on social media talking about their newfound love of reading. Some of them haven’t read much sinceLynne Silver high school or college, and they can all credit a book special to them for getting them back on the reading bandwagon. Welcome back. We authors are thrilled to have you.

So yes, I’m an author, but I’m a reader first. To say I’m voracious would be an understatement. In kindergarten, students got a star sticker on their name strip for every book they read. My stars went off the strip and around the room.

I get lost in books. My husband says it’s as though I’ve left the room. And I have. My body is present, but my mind is in the world of the book.

And I’m a re-reader. There are certain “comfort” reads that I go to again and again. I can’t find a pattern in which books are my comfort reads. They run the gamut and include: Little Town on the Prairie & These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder, All of the Wallflower series by Lisa Kleypas, Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh, Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon, He She & It by Marge Piercy, and the whole Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace.  See an eclectic mix.

There are other books I adore, yet I’ve never re-read them. So what makes a comfort read? I obviously have no idea, judging by my crazy list. The only thing in common is that I own all those books in print. I don’t read them on an e-reader. I love certain things about e-readers, but I hate that Candy Crush and Facebook is one easy click away.

Have you noticed your reading patterns change depending on the medium? Do you have comfort reads? What are they?

Thanks for having me!

Lynne

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Thanks so much for swimming with us today, Lynne! For all our fishy friends, Lynne has generously donated an e-copy of “Desperate Match” and so we will be picking one random winner from the comments section to take Rowan home with them.

More About Lynne:

By day, Lynne Silver lives the suburban soccer mom life; volunteering with the PTA, doing laundry and working. By night she enters the sensuous world of alpha males and passionate heroines.

She calls the nation’s capital home and lives in an old fixer-upper with her husband and their two sons. When not writing romance, she reads it. Lots of it. Over and over and over again, preferably with a bag of M&Ms in hand. She is represented by literary agent, Jessica Alvarez of Bookends LLC http://bookends-inc.com/index.htm

Visit Lynne at her website http://www.lynnesilver.com/

And be sure to check out her sizzling hot and heartfelt new title, DESPERATE MATCH.

Desperate Match

 

 

All I need to know about writing I learned from a cartoon cow!

Carlene Love Flores, mermaids, Writing,

Mermaid CarleneWell, maybe not everything, but what I did learn was HUGE!

It was Sunday morning and ahem, I was watching Nick Toons. 🙂 Back at the Barnyard was on with an episode called “Cowdyshack”. For the record, I did not plan to come away with this writing nugget but I’m pretty much convinced that I was meant to receive it. And share with you.

So, Otis (the main character, a boy cow) is out with his posse of barnyard buddies and wrangles them a day on a golf course from his friend, a human named Crazy Louie, who sneaks them in. Once they’re all on the golf course, Crazy Louie bids them adieu. Otis and his buddies are practicing their swings when Pig takes a whack. He lets it rip and the golf club goes flying. It travels through the air and lands smack in Crazy Louie’s back, knocking him to the ground! Otis and friends run to his side. Crazy Louie is in udder 😉 agony and says his appendix has been hit. He vows he’ll be a goner within hours but is happy with the life he’s led. The animal posse are distraught for their human friend and feverishly brainstorm for ideas on how to save Crazy Louie. It’s then when they spot a sign posted on the golf course. The “Appendix Golf Classic” just so happens to be taking place there today and the prize? Did you guess? Yep- one shiny new appendix! All hope is not lost for Crazy Louie after all. At this point, you shouldn’t be surprised…Of course the barnyard animals best the human pro-golfers to win Crazy Louie his new lifesaving organ.

What I loved about this preposterous episode was how the writers asked and trusted me to enter their world of fiction. 300_DSCN2296

However improbable these particular circumstances would be in my everyday life, they invited me to play in their world for those twenty minutes where it WAS possible. They asked me to forget the fact that if you lose your appendix, you don’t need it replaced!

I took a second to ask myself, why with all the ridiculousness, was I willing to overlook the insanity hatching up 😉 all over this episode?

It was because of the highly loveable and entertaining characters. I wanted to hitch a ride on their unbelievable adventure, no matter how far-fetched because I cared about their uniqueness and their plight.

Three cheers to writing AWESOME characters who bring us our audience and then allow us to entertain. And three cheers to the readers who are willing to jump on the Barnyard band wagon with them, no matter how crazy the ride.

Life is short. Write what YOU want to write. Have fun and your readers will too.

Fishy kisses,

Carlene Mermaid xoxo

 

Romanceable Me

Carlene Love Flores, , , , ,

Mermaid CarleneYellow loveHello Fishy Friends!

Today you’ve caught me in one of those hopelessly romantic moods. My 20th wedding anniversary just passed and now Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I’ve got heart shaped boxes of candy stashed around the house to surprise my boys with on the big day. Cold Mountain is loaded on the DVR for my daily viewing pleasure. I’m reading the most romance I’ve ever read at once with contest entries to judge, fabulous friends with new releases out and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s latest to devour. I’m telling you, if someone stuck a pin in me right now, I’d probably ooze tiny little heart-shaped bits of confetti!

In all seriousness, I love being surrounded by romance. The community is a wonderful blend of people with big hearts and even bigger imaginations. We’re totally down with love at first sight, lust at first sight, all kinds of crazy mating rituals, sweet fantasies and wild ones alike. We celebrate history, suspense, zombies and goody two-shoes. And yes, we LOVE our princesses and our mermaids.

We also celebrate each other as writers and readers of the genre. And, we take it a step further and come together to recognize the people in our real lives who support us. By chance, I happened to be included in a new anthology that is out this month called Scribbling Women and the Real-Life Romance Heroes Who Love Them. Twenty-eight romance authors (one for each day in February) including Hope Tarr, Lisa Renee Jones, Elisabeth Staab and Leanna Renee Hieber (And me!), shared personal essays about their real love lives and all net proceeds are being donated to the organization Win (Women in Need) which assists homeless women and their children. I knew I wanted to be a part of it because my hubby goes way beyond in his love and support of me and always has. The man has read all four Twilight books at my request AND attended about 5,000 Casey James concerts with me last year alone. All because it has to do with the writing I love so dearly.

I don’t think it’s possible for me to feel any more romantic than I already do. But let’s see if we can squeeze at my heart strings just a little more. I’d love to hear about your romantic notions. Whether you’re in love with a real hero or a fictional one at the moment. Did someone do something extra sweet for you lately? How many heart shaped boxes of chocolate have you already bought and consumed? For the record, my number on that last one falls somewhere between 2 and 4.

 

Fishy Kisses!

Carlene Mermaid

And Happy Almost Valentine’s Day xoxoxoxo

 

 

EVERNIGHT TEEN 1st Birthday Blog Hop & Giveaway! Jan 24-31

Giveaway, Guest Post, mermaids, , , , ,

EVERNIGHT TEEN turns one this month and the Waterworld Mermaids are helping them celebrate during their 1st Birthday Blog Hop!  It’s EVERNIGHT TEEN’s birthday but you get the presents. Enter below for a chance to win a $100 iTunes gift card!

ET BDay BlogHop graphic

 

EVERNIGHT TEEN books feature fresh teen fiction that’s raw, gritty and real. Whether paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi or suspense, EVERNIGHT TEEN stories are about real issues and pack a strong emotional punch. You’ll find cutting edge fiction that today’s young adults can relate to and will keep you turning the pages long into the night. Upper Young Adult titles, include PHOENIX: THE RISING, the first EVERNIGHT TEEN title!

 

Phoenix: The Rising by Bette MaybeePhoenix

 

Every 300 years, the immortal Phoenix returns to Mono Lake to be reborn—but this time it didn’t return alone.  The Nephilim are back in force, trying to keep it from being reborn so one of them can claim its immortality. But first they have to figure out who the Phoenix is—and any red-haired, green-eyed, seventeen-year-old in the area is fair game. And so, the killing begins…

Julie Mason doesn’t believe all this legend crap until she falls for Eli Sullivan, whose hallucination-inducing kiss not only saves her, but makes her the Nephilim’s prime target. But, it’s worth the risk. Her death is inevitable…not even Eli can prevent it.  All she has to do is keep the Nephilim off Eli’s trail until The Rising. Once Eli is reborn and forgets his past life, Julie’s life is over, whether she’s dead or not. At least that’s what she thinks…

14+ for brief violence and sexuality

Phoenix: The Rising by Bette Maybee is now 25% off at Evernight Teen until January 31st!

Leave a comment about Phoenix: The Rising below for a chance to win an Evernight Teen eBook of your choice. Then follow the Rafflecopter (click here) to enter the grand prize of a $100 iTunes gift certificate.

Now be sure and Click here to follow the rest of the hop for more birthday fun and chances to win!

To Evernight Teen, big, squishy fishy birthday kisses to you from all of us girls here in the lagoon.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

It’s a San Diego Christmas!

Carlene Love Flores, mermaids

Hello fishy friends~ The good thing about having the flu is that it’s helping me accomplish my New Year’s resolution of sweating more. 🙂 The bad thing? Brain mush. Yep, my word noodle is about as soggy as the soup I’ve been living off the past week. But looking at the pics from my Christmas trip home to San Diego makes me happy. I hope you like them too as they’re a bit quirky, kind of like me I suppose.

1

Not on my bucket list, but I can now say I’ve seen a size 18 sneaker. I knew my trip was off to a good start when I snapped this one at one of my fave outdoor malls.

45

 Siberian Reindeer at the San Diego Zoo…Inspiration for next year’s Christmas story!

Big saint nicksMy uncle has the best t-shirts and I’m glad it was 80 degrees on Christmas Day so he could sport this one with his shorts: Tattoos & Toys for Bad Girls & Boys

hotrodUncle No. 2 had a new baby to show off and she sure was pretty. Purrs like you wouldn’t believe. Definitely going into a book.

la jolla coveAside from being at the Charger game that put them into the playoffs, this day at La Jolla Cove was my favorite. We saw seals, dolphins, scuba divers and a whale!

popcorn and cranberries

Three generations of the family sat down and strung popcorn and cranberries for the Christmas tree!

Reminder Pants

My dearest, dearest great aunt hosted us on Christmas Eve and I snapped this in her kitchen. I’ll tell you this much, Barona and Viejas are local casinos…Wonder what her New Year’s Even party plans were??? Love her! (Hope she remembered those pants.)

the kiss

I’ve always known we were a romantic bunch and I love that this statue sits right by our beautiful San Diego pier.

And on that lovely note, I wish you all a wonderful 2014. May you be kissed by someone who makes your heart feel that big and full of sunshine.

I heart you San Diego. Thanks for the warm Christmas!

Fishy kisses from afar (don’t want to give you my cooties),

Carlene MermaidMermaid Carlene