Rub-A-Dub-Dub, Fun In The Tub... ;-)

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I just thought I'd share something to help you get your weekend off to a good start. Enjoy! :-)

Excerpt from Bound by the Summer Prince:
Sauntering over to the bath that was big enough for an entire football team, Roni watched her Anamchara watching her. His eyes darkened with lust as she slid into the warm water with him, and he reached for her. She splashed him and floated away from him with a laugh, all the while challenging him with her eyes to come get her.

The prince wiped the water from his face with his hand, and then gave his mate a dangerous look. He lunged for her, growling, and grabbed her, dragging her back against his body.

Before she knew what was happening, Roni found herself spun around and laid over the side of the tub, with her ass in the air. Her lover’s hand at the small of her back held her down. “Hey!” she said, kicking out with her feet and splashing the water.

Uaine’s hand descended on his Anamchara’s generous behind, and the sound echoed through the room. Again and again, his hand landed, until her skin had taken on a rosy hue. “You must learn to behave. How can you, the future queen of the Summer Court, justify acting like an unruly child?”

“Ooohhhh.” Roni moaned and squirmed against the slick stone. “I don’t know,” she gasped. “I can’t think.”

Smiling, the prince said; “Then I guess I shall have to help you learn how to behave properly.” He ran his hand over her glowing flesh, and lightly massaged it.

Roni found herself relaxing into her lover’s ministrations, and collapsed limp against the side of the tub. When Uaine pulled her back into the water and sat her on the ledge, she simply allowed him to move her.

He picked up her hand and massaged her fingers. Moving up her arm, he thoroughly kneaded her tired muscles. By the time he made it to her back, her head had fallen forward onto her chest and her eyes were closed. After he had given her back, arms, and neck a complete rub down, Uaine gathered his mate into his arms.

“Mmmmmm….” She moaned. “That was wonderful.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Much more and you’ll end our fun too soon. I’ll fall asleep.”

Uaine smiled. “I believe I can think of ways to keep your attention.”

Want to find out how he intends to do that? Go ahead and grab your copy at the link below. Happy reading! :-)

Bound by the Summer Prince

#APC #Spotlight: The Dragon Dreamer By Jenny Burke!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Jenny Burke in my APC spotlight, today! Jenny is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her young adult, fantasy, action/adventure, marine ecology, first contact novel, The Dragon Dreamer, looks great! Here's the description:

A dying dragon and an undersea misfit.
Bullied as a worthless dreamer, Arak flies away on a dangerous quest and crashes at sea. A fearless, shapeshifter octopus named Scree heals the young dragon, and a great friendship begins. But a terrible illness strikes the dragon clan. Then an undersea volcano erupts, which triggers a towering tsunami and a deadly chain of events! How can two unlikely friends combine their unique talents to save the dragons? 

If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 951

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Nine-Hundred-Fifty-One:

The bandage was removed from my young companion’s eye, today. He and my hominid-servant have been battling over it since he returned to my domicile, to the point where she finally placed him in a contraption that made it impossible for him to reach any part of his head with his paws. Naturally, the small pest bore this indignity with poor grace, and spent an inordinate amount of time expounding to the world about his woes. At the highest decibel level he was capable of producing.

But now the point of contention has been removed, and I am pleased to say that my protégé retains his eye and it appears to be functional. Though, the flesh surrounding it still appears raw and swollen. I attempted to aid my youthful compatriot in healing by applying my tongue to the affected area in order to promote circulation and remove loose particles of tissue. But the little idiot hissed and swatted at me; a wholly inappropriate response to my gesture of friendship and goodwill.

I can only surmise that my ministrations, though correct and well meant, were painful to the diminutive nincompoop. The tiny twit has been equally resistant to my hominid-servant’s efforts to provide wound care, but her opposable thumbs and superior size give her an advantage, and thus far she has emerged victorious from those struggles. Hopefully, the wound will heal in spite of my foolish associate’s reluctance to accept help when it’s offered, and life can return to normal in my domicile.

Oh, my! A battle of wills! ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

Pointing Out The Obvious...

Hey Everyone!!

I'm back with another long rant that the tl/dr is: Centrism gave us Trump; more centrism will give us more Trumps. If you'd like to know what I'm talking about, read on. ;-)

I debated whether or not to post this because I know it will hurt some feelings, but I really think it needs to be said. There is a deep schism in the Democratic Party, and pretending it isn't there won't make it go away. The divide is between progressives and centrists/moderates and is the result of 40+ years of voting for the "lesser of two evils." Yeah, I know, thems fightin' words! Don't worry, I'm about to step on even more toes, so hold tight before you blast me.

Constantly voting for bad candidates whose only accomplishment is being slightly better than the opposition has created two camps in the Democratic Party. Progressives who actually want to solve the problems real Americans are facing on a day-to-day basis, and centrists/moderates who range from being comfortable enough and not caring about anyone else to actively working to undermine policies that would help regular people. Yep, there it is. Go ahead and yell at me; it won't change anything.

Yeah, I know, I know it isn't "fair" to say centrists/moderates don't care about anyone but themselves. But you know what else isn't "fair?" Telling millions of Americans who have to choose between keeping a roof over their heads or getting their prescription medications that they have to wait for solutions. It's not "fair" to tell people whose kids are dying of treatable illnesses that they should be patient because we have to talk a while longer about whether or not their kids deserve to live before we can decide that they should have healthcare coverage. It's wildly "unfair" to tell people that it's okay they're having to work 100 hours a week at three different jobs for slave wages just to put food on their family's table because at least the people we elected don't want to commit genocide against gay people or force everyone to live under the rule of the Christian Taliban.

I mean, yes, of course we should expect that our elected representatives support policies that protect civil rights for all Americans and not vote for legislation that codifies discrimination against large swaths of the population, but that's a low, low, low bar you're talking about. Somehow, I think we can do better. And the fact that change makes some people uncomfortable isn't a good enough reason not to vote for those candidates who are better and who will work to fix the problems we're facing.

"But we've got to defeat the orange toddler who's holding our country hostage!" comes the establishment chorus. Yeah, I know, we absolutely do have to defeat our current Disaster in Chief. But he didn't spring from a vacuum. For all the calls for unity I keep seeing -- and isn't it funny how those calls always seem to come from people who want progressives to unite behind their do-nothing candidates, but who scoff at the idea that they should unite behind progressive candidates? -- if we don't put people in office who will actually work to make the lives of regular Americans better then we can expect more Trumps in the future, even if we manage through some miracle to snooker enough people into voting for another centrist catastrophe now.

Because the political climate that fostered the rise of our tangerine study in moral turpitude won't change under anyone who's hell-bent on maintaining the status quo. Why did people vote for Trump? Because they're racist, xenophobic, misogynistic bigots, sure. Some of them are definitely that. But some people voted for him because they're desperate for change. They're drowning and he promised to throw them a life-line. He was lying, but they hoped he was telling the truth. Hillary promised to stand on the shore and do nothing more than offer some advice while they went under, and they believed her too.

The current crop of centrist candidates are at least a little smarter than Hillary was. Some of them, anyway. They're promising to change things; their past records suggest that they're lying, but they have the sense to at least ape progressive rhetoric. Unfortunately, Obama talked a good game, too, but when it came to action he was a dud. And 8 years of his failure to enact actual progressive policies is what gave us Trump.

OMG! She just had the gall to criticize Saint Obama! Yep, I sure did. I know the man dealt with a lot of racist attacks, but there are plenty of reasons to disapprove of his performance as president that have nothing to do with his skin color or the fact that he was born in Hawaii.

He had two years of having a super majority in Congress and he squandered it on a right-wing, heritage foundation scheme that was introduced by Mitt Romney in Massachusetts years before it became Obamacare. It left millions of Americans without health coverage and millions more with such lousy coverage that they might as well have no coverage...and paying through the nose for the privilege. And we're supposed to applaud him for this? Yeah, I'll grant you that it's better than the anarcho-capitalist system that existed before, but that ain't sayin' much. He had the opportunity to do so much more and he squandered it. Hell, he didn't even fight for a public option, but instead he threatened progressive Democrats who did fight for it.

Obama also refused to prosecute the Wall Street fraudsters who crashed the economy for their fraud; instead he put them in his cabinet. He increased the number of interventionist wars we're involved in, and the money we're wasting on them, failed to do anything to address the infrastructure collapse that's causing problems like what's happening in Flint, MI, allowed fossil fuel companies to run roughshod over citizens' rights, like what happened in Standing Rock, tried to make a deal with Republicans to cut Social Security, celebrated low unemployment numbers while ignoring the fact that the wages those jobs pay are often slave wages, and generally served the rich donors while largely ignoring the needs of regular Americans.

Yes, Obama inherited a mess from W. An economy in free-fall isn't an easy thing to deal with, but he knew what he was getting into when he ran for POTUS. And while he did a bang-up job of making things better for the wealthy and for corporations, he left the majority of Americans in economic despair. And that's what gave a con artist like Trump the opportunity to fool people into voting for him. Because people who are drowning often don't have the wherewithal to thoroughly analyze the hand that's being offered to them. They tend to just take it and don't find out about the venomous serpent that hides behind it until they're bitten.

I apologize for the long post, if anyone has actually bothered to read this far, but I felt that this was something that had to be said. If we force people into another Scylla or Charybdis choice, then we're fostering an environment that will inevitably lead us back to another Trump. And the next Trump might actually be intelligent enough to compose an agenda and implement it in a systematic manner. This Trump has caused enough damage through blind blundering and empty bluster. I'd hate to see what kind of destruction a competent Trump could manage.

So, no, I will not stop pointing out the flaws of candidates who I don't think will fight for the interests of regular Americans. I will continue to promote actual progressives and to discuss the relative merits and failings of the policies supported by the different candidates. I'm sorry if this makes anyone uncomfortable, but keeping a select, privileged group of people comfortable isn't my priority. Helping to effect change so that everyone can be at least comfortable is what I hope to do.

Peace!

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. This is something that I think we should all keep in mind over the coming weeks and months. Whatever the "weapons of mass destruction" ends up being this time, we need to make sure we aren't buying into another illegal war for no reason.

Easy #Crockpot Taco Filling #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

With warmer weather here, I tend to like slightly lighter meals. This is one of my favorite spring-time recipes. :-)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried lentils
1/4 cup uncooked quinoa or rice
1/4 cup frozen corn
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 small tomato diced
5 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1 drop liquid smoke (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients in a crockpot and cook them on low for about 7 hours. Check to see if the liquid has been absorbed and the beans and grain are soft. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. If the beans and grain aren't completely soft but the liquid is gone, add some more liquid and cook on high for another half an hour to an hour. If the liquid isn't absorbed, turn the heat up to high and cook for an additional half an hour to an hour. When the beans and grain are soft and the liquid absorbed, remove the bay leaf and spoon the filling into your favorite taco shells. Top your tacos with your favorite salsa, guacamole, cheese, and other taco toppings.

Buen Provecho!

#Spring Into #Reading Authors & Bloggers #Giveaway! $72 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Spring!  Please take a moment to check out the Spring Into Reading Authors & Bloggers Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 40 prizes, and the grand prize is $72 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#NewRelease #Announcement: Toxic By Karina Kantas & Karen J. Mossman!

 

Two authors, two versions of the same book in two exciting genres of fiction. Karen J Mossman and Karina Kantas present, Toxic.

Blurb

Lexi isn't your normal Malok. She craves adventure and freedom from the mundane life forced upon her. 100 years ago, the first drop of acid rain fell. Maloks fled to the mountains, building a new way of life—a desolate life—a life Lexi knows all too well. Lexi has a plan, her ticket out of this miserable existence, becoming a ranger. Aron, her partner, believes she’s not strong enough to fight alongside him. Lexi will stop at nothing, no matter what the danger, to achieve her independence, even if that means defying him. Amidst everything, Marcus, Lexi’s childhood best friend makes a sudden return. Before she can rejoice in a reunion, her happiness is crushed when she sees Mae, the bully that had terrorized her in her teens. Marcus was aware of the mental abuse Lexi had suffered and yet the person she loved and the person she hated the most, stand before her, together. “A powerful dystopian thriller that captures the heart and imagination”.


“I was fascinated by Stephanie Meyer’s book The Host, where people lived in mountains. This was a world I wanted to explore as a setting for Toxic. Living in a close environment as this, there has to be rules. Those rules don’t always have to be fair. This gave me scope to add intrigue and animosity between my characters.” Karen J Mossman

Karen J Mossman.

Karen J Mossman comes from a family of journalists with her grandfather and uncle having been newspaper editors. Further back a 2x grandfather wrote for his local paper and also published a book based on those articles. Karen is the only one to go into fiction. All Karen's books are in collections - The Decade Series, Electric Eclectic and Just Stories.' She is also a founder member of Electric Eclectic books and now has six in that collection. Karen is also an avid blogger and book reviewer, "It's especially important to me to have feedback from my readers, so please leave a review when you have read one of my books." Karen lives on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey off the North Wales coast with her husband and two dogs. She has two grown up children, who were both born on the same day, two years apart.

https://www.facebook.com/karensmagicofstories/ https://www.amazon.com/Karen-J-Mossman/e/B00JJY69OO https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9814921.Karen_J_Mossman https://twitter.com/KarenJMoss https://magicofstories.net/ http://www.instagram.com/kazz_magic_of_stories

Karina Kantas

Karina Kantas is the author of the popular MC thriller series, OUTLAW and the loved romantic fantasy duology, Illusional Reality. She also writes short stories and when her imagination is working overtime, she writes thought-provoking dark flash fiction. There are many layers to Karina's writing style and voice, as you will see in her flash fiction collection, Heads & Tales and in UNDRESSED she opens up more to her fans, giving them another glimpse into her warped mind. When Karina isn't busy working on her next bestseller, she's a publicist, author manager and VA. She's also the host of the popular radio show, Author Assist on the Artist First Radio Network. http://bit.ly/FBFPKK - FB fan page http://bit.ly/INSTKK - Instagram http://bit.ly/TwittKK - Twitter http://bit.ly/BLOGKK - Website http://bit.ly/KKGRE - Goodreads

“A sensual, erotic read…Karina dares to figure out the nature of passion…thoughtful and thought-provoking.”

"It was a pleasure to read an erotic story that had an actual plot. The genre itself is probably the most misunderstood. The plot drives an erotic story and the sex just adds to the enticing nature of it. You've done a great job building a world for your reader. “

 

“Toxic is based in a future world where acid rain forces the people, the Maloks to build their cities inside mountains for protection. What is also amazing is this book has two versions, the romantic and the erotic. In both books the story focuses on a female Malok called Lexi, who is determined to become a Ranger and help society guard against the Outcasts. Only Lexi has little support, even from her own boyfriend, Aron. Mix in a childhood sweetheart, in the shape of Marcus, and the unexpected arrival of Mae, Lexi's childhood bully and things begin to get interesting. Toxic is the story of Lexi's determination to satisfy her ambitions, both professionally and personally. The Erotic Toxic tells the same story but delves deeper into Lexi's sexuality and passions. Whichever Toxic you chose, you find yourself living the fantasy.”

Download Toxic Adult Edition here

Download Toxic here

Excerpt

“Lexi,” greeted the young medic. “Hey, Sha.” Lexi smiled. She walked past Sha and sat down on a stool, took a sterile cloth, and wiped away the dead skin, causing her to take an intake of breath. No matter how many times she had been burnt there was no way to get used to that kind of pain. As she reached for a jar of Dozax paste, Sha spoke. “You’ve been outside again, haven’t you?” Lexi didn’t answer at first, as she felt the wonderful relief as the paste went to work, taking away the pain and healing the burn. The skin immediately started to regenerate and within moments all that was left on her hand was a green coloured dye, which would eventually fade. Still, Lexi needed to wear a patch that had a tiny spot of Dozax cream to complete the treatment. It was dangerous for any Malok to use Dozax in its pure form. Everything had to be diluted. “You are such a strange Malok,” Sha said, shaking her head. Lexi smiled. “I can’t help it. I’d go crazy if I was cooped up here forever.” “Has your ranger training started?” Sha asked. Lexi’s grin was wide. “Not yet. At the end of the week,” she answered, still not believing she had been accepted into the academy. “Okay, I’m done," she said and then jumped off the stool. “See you tomorrow.” “Oh wait. You have four inoculations to do tomorrow.” “Four?” Lexi questioned. “Yes, some Maloks arrived last night with the new commander.” “Oh, yes I forgot about Jow. So sad. He was nice as a commander, and so approachable and happy all the time, you know?” “Yeah,” Sha agreed and then giggled. “Remember when he came and said he wanted to learn basic aid? Oh my, he was so funny.” Lexi laughed as she remembered that day and how he always made her smile. “See even now, just thinking of the late commander makes us happy. He left a great legacy behind.” “He sure did. Let’s just hope the new one can live up to that.” “Okay, I’m off. See you tomorrow, Sha.” “I will have the Dozax jabs ready for you in the incubator," Sha called. “Super! Thanks,” Lexi mumbled. Lexi still couldn’t get that sad day out of her mind. She even had to visit the Charmer to talk and get closure. The loss of Commander Jow was hard for everyone. A party of fifteen went out that day and only two returned. Lexi wished for peace every day, but the only way that would happen was if the Outcasts and the Maloks agreed to share. She shook her head. Of course, that would never happen, she was kidding herself. Outcasts needed the Terra leaves to feed their addiction. Never mind that this amazing plant could cure pain, protect the body from germs, Illness and normal medical problems that come from age and a weary body. She couldn’t imagine how life used to be when young people would die, because they didn’t know the secret of the plant and the properties it possessed. So, sad, she thought, as she quickly made her way back to the residence she shared with Aron. Everyone assumed that Lexi and Aron would marry and settle down. Her friends certainly thought so, and at the start, so did Lexi. Only now she had woken up, and the adventurous Lexi wanted so much more from life and becoming a ranger was a step in the right direction. Karina and Karen and proud to associate Toxic with Electric, Eclectic books. Electric Eclectic is a global marketing brand Hosted by Author Assist

#APC #Spotlight: First Steps For A Hero By Judith Rook!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Judith Rook in my APC spotlight, today! Judith is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and her first contact, science fiction, action, adventure novella, First Steps for a Hero, looks great! Here's the description:

Living on a farm in the north country of England in 1969, David Eldwick has finished high school and is looking forward to his new adult life. His enemy, Martin, lives on the farm next door. He is jealous of David and has made his life at school as unpleasant as possible.

Soon, Martin and his father will try to seize ownership of the Eldwick land by forcing David’s sister into a marriage with Martin. David warns Martin off, but Martin wants Jenevieve and goes ahead with his plans.

Although he is determined to protect his sister, David avoids confronting Martin. Then a stranger comes to work on the Eldwick farm, and things begin to change.

The enigmatic stranger, the Captain, comes from Arrath, an Earth-like world, existing in a parallel universe. He teaches David the Arrathan way of self-defence, and David begins to develop in skill and character.

At the end-of-summer ball, Martin kidnaps Jenevieve. Knowing he will have to fight, David faces his adversary. He saves Jenevieve, and the captain invites him to visit Arrath.

David learns malevolent alien beings have also found their way to Earth, intending to infect it with evil. Helping to deal with the dark invaders, he meets the greatest danger of his life, but he must overcome his fear and protect both Arrath and Earth.

What will be David’s path into his future? Does he truly believe the other universe exists and can affect the lives of people on Earth? Will he become a farmer or a warder of Arrath?

 If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 949

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Nine-Hundred-Forty-Nine:

My hominid-servant repaired the damage the juvenile felid did to the wall of my domicile, today. However, I must say that this labor was done with the poorest of grace. She spent as much time casting aspersions upon my young companion and myself as she did in actual repair work, and the threats she made if we were to dare investigate the quality of her repairs were dire indeed.

I believe that if my small protégé were not still wounded, and therefore looking particularly pathetic, my hominid-servant might have actually gone as far as to lock us both in boxes until the liquid cosmetic finish she applied had fully set. As it was, the acrid stench of the chemicals was enough to dissuade me from any close examination until the substance dried enough that my hominid-servant no longer seemed quite so protective of it.

Well, I have to say I can empathize with the hominid-servant, in this case. Wet paint and fur aren't a great combination. ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

The Beginning Of The End?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got a little more of Alyce's adventure to share with you, today! Enjoy! :-)

Excerpt from Answers From Alyce:
Squid-boy opened his mouth to say something, but his clipboard made a buzzing sound that distracted him. He looked down at it, looked back up and blinked at me a few times, looked back down at his clipboard, and started tapping at it forcefully as he wandered off down the hallway. I looked at Yax, but the big alien shrugged and stared off after his friend.

"No idea what that's about?"

Yax narrowed his eyes in the direction Squid-boy had gone and shook his head. "No. But I think, perhaps, I should find out. If you'll excuse me for a moment…?"

Without waiting for my reply, the tall alien headed off after his friend and I was left staring at the cookie elf who had, mercifully, run out of bologna to peddle. Strangely, as I looked at him, the skin on his face seemed to melt and run down his cheeks. I rubbed my eyes, but the melting continued.

Turning, I raised my arm to draw my hosts' attention to the strange phenomenon. But before I could speak, a crippling pain shot through my skull and brought me to my knees. I cried out in agony, but the sound refused to leave my throat. Choking and gagging on air that had suddenly solidified in my trachea, I tried to call for help.

I tried to crawl towards my hosts, but spasms of pain wracked my body and I collapsed to the floor. I was dying, I could feel it, and the central thought in my mind was that I didn't want to die there, in space, away from my home. The land I lived on, which had been handed down through generations in my family, was my connection to my roots. And the thought that I would be severed from those roots that way was so horrifying that my brain got stuck, and it took several heartbeats for me to realize my body was being moved.

My vision had gone black, so I couldn't see who was moving me, but I felt gentle hands shifting my arms and legs from the awkward position they had crumpled in and straightening them so that I could be laid out on my back. I still couldn't breathe or see, and the pain still burned through me, but at least I didn't feel quite as alone as I had a few seconds before. A strange rushing filled my ears, so I was only able to catch snatches of the conversation going on above me.

"How could you…! You've known…but didn't... You could have...her!" Yax's deep tones cut through some of the static.

"…xenophysiologists…working... A solution…eventually…too important to just return....needed information! Who else…?" Squid-boy sounded upset, I could almost see him wringing his tentacles.

"…incompatible…knew that…fatigue and pain…regulator...temporary remedy..."

"…minor risk…dying civilization…will be fine...more time..."

"…no excuse! …no right to risk…lying…incapable…no informed consent..."

"We just need…little more time! …last chance for...species in jeopardy…"

"No more….! Return...now!"

"What…?" I tried to ask what they were talking about, but the words wouldn't come. I must have made some noise, though, because I felt Yax's big hands brushing my hair back from my forehead. The warmth from his skin felt searing and made me realize how chilled I was.

"Don't worry…okay...get you home," he seemed to be trying to reassure me, but I couldn't remember why anymore.

The scorching pain had faded and it felt like I was falling through a dark hole, as if there was some strange vortex sucking my body down, away from the two aliens who were trying to help me. I think I should have been frightened, but all I felt was confused…and a little bit sad. Like there was work that I needed to do, and now I was leaving without finishing it.

Now Out:
Amazon Kindle: https://amzn.to/2J40wLq
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2UODFWv
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/answers-from-alyce-mistral-dawn/1131322789
iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/answers-from-alyce/id1460728769
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/answers-from-alyce
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/935471?ref=MistralDawn

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. This is a good little summary of Bernie's history and how consistent he has been in his policy positions over the years. It's important to take note of this because someone who has been this unwavering in his stance on the issues is unlikely to be swayed by lobbyists and big donors once he's in office. And that's something worth voting for. Peace!

Overnight #Crockpot Oatmeal #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

This recipe is about as easy as it gets. And, oh, so good in the morning. :-)

Ingredients:
1 cup steel-cut oats
4 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup raisins
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts or sliced almonds
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh blueberries

Put all the ingredients except the blueberries in the crock-pot before you go to bed at night and turn it on low. Let it cook for approximately 8 hours. When you get up, turn off the heat, stir in the blueberries, and enjoy.

If you'd like, you can lightly toast the nuts in a skillet before adding them to the crock-pot.  You can also substitute any dried fruit you'd like if you're not into raisins.  If you like your oatmeal really sweet, you can stir in honey or sugar when you add the blueberries but, in my opinion, it's sweet enough with just the fruit.

Bon Appetit!

#May2019 #IndieBooksBeSeen #Indie #Author #Books #Monthly #BookReview!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

It's the 18th again, so time for my #IndieBooksBeSeen monthly indie author book review!! Enjoy! :-)

The Twelve Terrors of Christmas by Claudette Melanson:

Has Christmas ever seemed just a little bit sinister to you? Does the most magical time of the year make you wonder about the flip side; the dark magic? Have you ever wondered what might happen if you refuse to believe in the magic? If so, this is definitely the anthology for you! There are twelve Christmas stories in this book, each one spookier than the last. To be honest, they're so scary, I found myself wondering if this was a book for Christmas or for Halloween. But whatever holiday you choose to celebrate, this book will make your heart race... Just make sure to read it with the lights on. ;-)

#Spring Into #Reading Authors & Bloggers #Giveaway! $72 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Spring!  Please take a moment to check out the Spring Into Reading Authors & Bloggers Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 40 prizes, and the grand prize is $72 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

#APC #Spotlight: Valkyrie: Darkness Awaits (Valkyrie Darkness Book 1) By Mark McQuillen!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I've got Mark McQuillen in my APC spotlight, today! Mark is an active and supportive member of the  Authors-Professional Co-op Facebook group and his dark fantasy, epic adventure, mythological horror novel, Valkyrie: Darkness Awaits, looks great! Here's the description:

Gil Swanson has been struggling with PTSD for years after the death of his comrades.
When a mysterious woman from his past appears pleading for his help he jumps to her aid. Suddenly he finds himself in a epic battle between light and darkness..

If you think this sounds like something you might enjoy, go ahead and grab your copy here:

Thank you all so much for stopping by! Happy reading! :-)

#Agent Thoth's #Personal Log: Day 948

Hey Everyone! :-)

Agent Thoth discusses more of the trials and tribulations associated with living with hominids. Incidentally, if you've missed Agent Thoth's earlier entries, you can find them here: Thoth's Journal

Department for the Preservation and Confirmation of Intelligent Life (DPCIL)

Agent Thoth's Personal Log

Day Nine-Hundred-Forty-Eight:

My hominid-servant has finally restored the juvenile felid to his place in my domicile. She returned with him early this morning, and he reeks of the frightening place where the “fixing” is done. Apparently, my hominid-servant brought him there to have his wounds treated because there is a bandage over his eye and his nose smells of disinfectant. Still, stench and all, I am happy to have him back. Hopefully, there will not be any more incidents of this nature, as I can attest that one trip to the “fixing" place is plenty.

Yay! The felid is back! ;-) You may have noticed that Agent Thoth has a new look. I hope you like his new picture as much as I do, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, either way. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. ;-) Happy reading, everyone!

#NewRelease #Announcement: Answers From Alyce!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

It's here! It's finally here! Yeah, I know, I technically published it a couple of weeks ago, but I schedule my blog in advance, so here's the official announcement. It's here! :-) After more than a year, the longest it's ever taken me to write and publish a book, and more technical difficulties than I want to think about, Answers From Alyce is finally available through all your favorite retailers (links below). And, as a bonus, it's the first of any of my books to make it to actual print! Yep, that's right, you can actually order a paperback version of this Answers From Alyce to have and proudly display on your shelf. Excited? I am! And since I'm currently basking in my cloud of post-publishing bliss, I've got the ebook priced at 99 cents! But that price won't last. So, hurry and get your copy before the price goes up and, just to whet your appetite, I'm posting the first chapter below. Enjoy!! :-)

Answers From Alyce, Chapter One: Strange Goings On...:
Wouldn't ya know, it all did start with a white rabbit. I was out in my yard and I saw the little furball headed for my garden. I had been meaning to get some rabbit fencing put up, but I just hadn't had the time. And I knew the danged varmint would be nibbling on my lettuce leaves again.

But I couldn't hurt it. It was just trying to live, same as everyone else. 'Sides, wild rabbits don't come in white. Now that I'd finally laid eyes on my garden-thief, I knew that this was someone's pet they had "let free" when they got tired of taking care of it. Living out in the boondocks, like I do, I usually ended up with at least five discarded pets a year.

Most of them were dead by the time I found them, but some of them, like this little critter, managed to survive long enough to make themselves a nuisance. Still, I needed to try to catch it. The little mite wouldn't last long out here, what with all the coyotes. It'd have a much better chance if I took it in to the local Humane Society, not that they weren't already overrun with society's castoffs. Danged irresponsible people.

I went back inside to get a net, hoping to catch the little bugger quickly so that I wouldn't have to set up a humane trap. I just don't have much patience for waiting. By the time I found my net and got back outside, I half expected the rabbit to have skedaddled. But, no, lo and behold, there it was, bold as brass, chowing down on my lettuce again.

I circled around the garden, trying to keep it from seeing me coming. But just as I got ready to swing my net, the rabbit's ears twitched and I knew I'd been spotted. Still, I hoped that maybe it was tame enough not to run and I brought the net down fast. It was a good swing; the net billowed out and landed right on top of where the rabbit was. Wouldn't you know it, though, the li’l thing wasn't there anymore.

Danged critter had hopped away at the last second and was standing right next to the net. And the look it gave me! Let me tell you, if its little red eyes had held the laser beams they looked like they hid? Well, boy, I'd have been toast, right there on the spot. We looked at each other for a few seconds, and then that little bugger thumped its hind foot at me and scampered away.

Well, I wasn't gonna let an overgrown rodent get the better of me. Yeah, yeah, I know, not a rodent, a lagomorph. Bull tickey. It's a giant rat with a fluffy tail and no one's gonna convince me different. And I wasn't letting it get away that easy.

I grabbed up my net and took off after the blasted critter. It ran off into the woods that border my property, but its little white rump wasn't hard to follow through the shadows under the trees. And if I could track it, the coyotes would have no trouble ‘t all.

I followed the irritating varmint to the edge of a briar patch, but it lost me there. Much as I wanted to help the little thing, I wasn't following it into a bunch of prickers. I guessed I'd have to set that trap after all, blast my luck.

Just as I started to head back to the house, the underbrush around me lit up with a strange, white glow. And, boy, let me tell ya, I didn't know what the heck to think about that. At first, I wondered if it had anything to do with those fracking fellas who'd come around asking about running a pipeline under my property. They told me they'd get the government to take my land if I didn't agree.

Now, you’d better believe me when I say I sent them fellas packing right quick. A couple blasts from my twelve-gauge put some pep in their steps, for sure. No one threatens me on my property. Eminent domain, my sweet fanny. My people've been defending this land from all comers for near on 200 years. Ain't no one gonna tell me what will or won't be dug up under the ground now, no matter how many fancy lawyers they've got. They can take my home over my cold, dead body.

But I have to say, when I saw that strange glowing, I thought maybe they'd somehow gone and put their pipeline in without me noticing. Couldn't figure out how the heck they'd done something like that, though. Then I thought maybe they had set up some kind of movie special-effects stuff to try to scare me off. Thing is, Alyce Walker don't scare easy.

I stomped around and rattled the bushes a bit, but I'd be danged if I could figure out where that glowing was coming from. After a while, I noticed it was getting brighter, and I thought that maybe discretion might be the better part of valor, just this once. As I started making for the edge of where the glowing seemed to stop, it changed to a flashing light that hurt my eyes, and the glare forced me to close them. When the light on the other side of my eyelids started to fade, and I could risk opening them again… I found I was somewhere else.


Want to find out what happens next? Grab your copy at one of the links below. Happy Reading! :-)

Answers from Alyce

Smashwords

iTunes
B&N
Kobo

Something Worth Watching?

Hey Everyone!! :-)

I'm back today with another video I wanted to share. It's another story I don't think got enough coverage by the mainstream media. One more time, our tangerine study in moral turpitude is selling out American interests to his corporate cronies. And, once again, hardly anyone is talking about it. I wonder how many people will die in the next disaster because of this corruption?

Quick And Easy Red Beans And Rice #Recipe!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

This is an easy-to-make, quick dish that's one of my favorite, last minute dinner recipes. Enjoy! :-)

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked rice (your favorite kind)
3 cups water or stock
2 tsp soy sauce
4 tbsp canola or olive oil
2 tsp oregano
4 tbsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne powder
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
2 large tomatoes diced or 1 24 oz can diced tomatoes
1 large onion chopped
2 chili peppers chopped fine
1 bell pepper chopped
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 16 oz cans kidney beans
1 16 oz can corn
5 cloves of garlic minced fine
2 tbsp corn starch
Salt and pepper to taste

Put rice and two cups of water or stock into a microwave-safe, covered bowl and nuke on high for 20-30 minutes until cooked.  Put the oil and onion into a skillet and heat until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and peppers and cook until peppers start to soften. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, remaining dried seasonings, and remaining cup of water and cook until the liquid starts to bubble. Taste and adjust the salt and seasonings as needed. Add the corn starch and heat until the liquid thickens. Stir in the cilantro. Remove from the heat and mix the contents of the pan with the cooked rice.

As always, feel free to add and/or substitute whatever vegetables you'd like. Carrots add a nice sweetness and broccoli can add some richness. Also, as you probably know by now, I prefer my red beans and rice without meat. But if you want to add meat, you can brown some ground beef and/or sausage in the skillet when you add the onion and oil. Just make sure it's completely cooked before you add the rest of the ingredients because food poisoning sucks.

Bon Appetite!

#Spring Into #Reading Authors & Bloggers #Giveaway! $72 #Cash #Grand #Prize! #Free To #Enter!

Hey Everyone!! :-)

There's a new giveaway for Spring!  Please take a moment to check out the Spring Into Reading Authors & Bloggers Giveaway!!  There are lots of awesome books and prizes!! :-)  It's free to enter, there are over 40 prizes, and the grand prize is $72 cash payable through PayPal!! :-)  Now isn't that worth taking a few minutes to check out? ;-)   Here are all the details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by today!  And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)

21st Century Poll Taxes And Voter Registration Tests

Hey Everyone!! :-)

Today, I'd like to share a story about something that happened during a time I volunteered with a local group that's working to help get more people registered to vote. One of the things the GOP does to keep people from voting is institute voter ID laws. And the argument is always that getting the IDs isn't a problem for people who are qualified to vote, I've even heard some Democrats make this argument. Earlier this year, I had an up-close, if anecdotal, view of why that argument is bullshit, and I'd like to share. I'll apologize in advance for the length.

The group I volunteer with organized to help get people registered and prepared to vote. Part of this effort is helping people get the necessary IDs. Most people use their driver's licenses, some people use their passports, a few use military IDs, but there are quite a few people who don't have any of those. And, for them, state IDs that are obtained through the DMV are often the best option.

I live in a rural area, so you'd think most people of voting age would be drivers. But, like many rural parts of the US, it's also a rather poor area. And cars require money to purchase and maintain, obtain fuel for, keep insured, and pay all the licensing and registration fees. And there are more than a few adults of voting age who just don't have that money. As a result, some of them opt not to obtain a driver's license either, as that also costs money.

So, earlier this week, I ferried three of those people to the DMV to get state ID cards so they could vote. One of them was a young man whose license has been suspended due to his inability to pay back his student loans. A suspended license is not a valid voter ID...don't ask me the logic behind that, it escapes me. Another of the people was a gentleman who suffers from a seizure disorder, and so is ineligible to drive. And my third passenger was an elderly lady who marched on DC with MLK and heard his I Have a Dream speech in person. She's legally blind now, which is why she doesn't have a driver's license, but she tells the most amazing, first-hand stories about the civil rights movement.

The nearest DMV that hasn't been shut down due to "budget cuts" is almost 30 miles away, so not remotely within walking distance. My first two passengers were able to prove their identities to the satisfaction of the DMV clerk relatively easily with their social security cards and birth certificates. The group I volunteer with covered the cost of the IDs, which took care of that hurdle. So it took only one trip for them and about 2 hours to get their voter IDs. Of course, 2 hours in the middle of the day in the middle of the week isn't a luxury every member of the working poor has, but at least it worked out for these two guys.

My third passenger had a harder time, however. In her life, she has married several times, divorced, been widowed, and moved repeatedly. On our first trip to the DMV, she was informed that she couldn't receive a state ID because the name on the piece of mail she brought to prove residency didn't match the name on her birth certificate or social security cards. She was informed she would need her marriage licenses, all of them, in order to prove her identity.

So, after I dropped the two guys off, I took this lady home and offered to help her try to find the paperwork, if she wanted my help. She did. Being legally blind, she is unable to read and wouldn't have been able to find what she needed without someone to help her. Her family was at work, which is why they hadn't driven her to begin with. We're neighbors and already knew each other casually, so she allowed me to help her.

After searching through several boxes of papers, we managed to find all the marriage licenses. But before going all the way back to the DMV, we decided to call to make sure there wasn't anything else she would need. The answer? She would have to come in before they could answer her.

So, back to the DMV we went. It was early afternoon by this point, so the lines were longer. But her number was finally called and she took all her papers up to the window, only to be told she still hadn't sufficiently proven her identity.

After her second divorce, this lady went back to using her maiden name. So, the name on her third marriage license didn't match her name from her second marriage license. The fact that it matched the name on her social security card and birth certificate was apparently irrelevant. But it took a 20-minute consultation and two supervisors to determine this, and to conclude that the only possible remedy was for her to present her divorce decree from her second divorce where her name was changed back to her maiden name.

So, I took her back home again. At this point, I figured she'd be tired and want to finish this another day since there's plenty of time before the election. But I had forgotten who I was dealing with. A lady who went all the way to Washington, DC to fight for her rights wasn't going to let a couple of overly officious bureaucrats keep her from voting.

Back to the boxes we went and found the desired divorce decree -- we also put the boxes in the car in case anything else was needed -- and back to the DMV we went. The lines had dwindled a bit, and her number was called after a few minutes. The name trail was finally established to the satisfaction of even the fussiest clerk, and she got her state ID card. In the words of the lady herself, hallelujah!

But what this experience really drove home for me was a. Groups like the local one are obviously desperately needed if we're going to achieve maximum voter engagement without first overhauling the entire system. And, b. Even with such groups, how many people won't be able to jump through these kinds of hoops to get something they'll only use once or twice a year? I mean, it literally took all day, between the driving back and forth and waiting in line. Imagine trying to make that treck three times using public transportation. And this lady is retired, how many people with jobs can't devote an entire day to dealing with bureaucracy? And how many people with disabilities aren't able to get the help they need to find the things they need to satisfy the requirements for these IDs?

Of course, you know this affects women most because we tend to change our names more often than men. And the obstacles are, naturally, harder for poor people to overcome. Again, I'm sorry for the long post, but this is a real problem for many voters, and I just thought it was important to draw attention to it. I was against these ID laws before this experience, but now I'm making it one of the issues I write and call my elected representatives about, periodically. I hope you'll all do some research on these laws, and maybe consider doing the same. Peace!