Hanging Out with Anthea Lawson

I've been a bad bad blogger! Sorry I "disappeared" for a bit. The whole moving and starting work thing is taking some adjusting. *sigh*


Anywho...

I'm hanging out with Anthea Lawson, the fabulous new romance writing team of All He Desires over at DIK. Come by for some drinks and a lovely chat with Anthea and Lawson!







Other things...

The sweater was successfully assembled (and wow it really looks like a sweater). Worn it to work (and got lots of compliments, dunno if it was that I warned them ahead of time or not). Anyway, pictures of said sweater below. (I had to borrow a camera as I don't own one... maybe I'll get one... someday after I get that e-reader... A girl has to have her priorities in place)



Next knitting project (now nearly completed): Some cute lacy fingerless gloves! And currently reading Eye of the World by the late Robert Jordan *still upset that he died before he finished the series!* (which a challenge when one is knitting at the same time, the cookbook stand not working so well... must find a better book holding system).

Will check in again soonish...

Oops forgot all about the book club (BAD Shaymless Aymless BAD)... Anyway... how about the discussion for The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie at the end of this month (since that'll give me time to actually read it *ducks*? And we'll get LustyReader's book in December!

Give-Away at DIK

I'm over at the Island giving away a some free books (I'm making you work for them because I'm evil that way) and hanging out with the ever so fabulous

NALINI SINGH!

Come drop by and have drink and chat up Nalini! ^_^

DIK Hero Draft!!!

Hi all!

You all probably remember (or not, for original draft check here) the silliness that was the Hero Draft hosted by seven jailers hostesses. This in turn became the springboard for the Desert Island Keepers' blog. So in fond remembrance, a new draft has started (we're adding more cabana boys!). Come check out the funniness that is the Hero Draft!

Play Host Over at DIK

Hiya folks. I'm the blogger-in-charge over at DIK for the next three days.







A mystery guest will be joining us today. A mystery prize (provided by our mystery guest) will be given to the first person to correctly identify our guest. Tomorrow there will be a Q&A session with our guest. Come over and play!

Hosting Three Days over at the DIK blog

Hello All... I've taken over the DIK Ladies Rule blog for the next three days. Come by and have a drink and oogle our books and heroes.

Have Taken Nalini Hostage...

In honor of the release of Hostage to Pleasure, I and my fellow partner in crime (Alice) have taken the One and Only Nalini Singh hostage, but we'll give her back... promise... *wink*


This is a bit late but come over to the DIK Island and check it our interview (she'll be with us until Sat.)!



Also thanks to Alice (who got it from Christine)...

The Ice Cream Cone Personality Test

• You are an incredibly modest person. You don't feel comfortable bragging about yourself... or even receiving complements.

• You have a wild reputation, but you're not as wild as you seem. You take risks, but only measured risks.

• You are a very open minded, liberal, and flexible person. You love many things. You tend to have tastes that range from down home to cosmopolitan.

• You are a natural multitasker. You feel alive when you're doing more than one thing at a time.

• You are a serious and contemplative person. You definitely do your own thing in life.

Take The Ice Cream Personality Test

DIK Page Up and Running

For those who have been following the DIK (Desert Island Keeper) and HLO (Heroes Liberation Organization), a new blog has been created to combine our love of books and characters (heroes) into one blog. Come check it out.

http://dikladiesrule.blogspot.com/

The DIK blog has a listing of all the DIK Ladies and for the next couple of weeks each will be introducing themselves and tell us all a bit about themselves. Come and join the FUN and madness that is DIK!

HLO Pleads to DIK to Free the Heroes

Now that the DIK draft has been completed, the HLO sends a plea out to the DIK to release their "captive" heroes and allow them to return to their storybook homes and heroines (after a short stop at the Hero Shelter/Get-Away to recover from their ordeal... or think of excuses as to what they did on their vacation ^_~). We would welcome our DIK sisters with open arms (and we would share our books, chocolates, rum and vacationing heroes).

All over the storybook worlds, evil is running amok without the heroes to fight the ongoing forces of evil. The headquarters of the HLO (Get-Away Island) is over-flowing with heroines who have lost their heroes. Extra shipments of chocolates have been ordered to keep the heroines (and founder Alice and myself) calm. Some of the hero creators (Nalini Singh and Meljean Brook) have joined in our cause to help "liberate" their heroes from the clutches of the DIK.

The list of heroes who have been "drafted" and who they are serving is thus:

• Ana - Bowen MacRieve (Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, Kresley Cole), Sebastian St. Vincent (Devil in Winter, Lisa Kleypas), Royce Westmoreland (A Kingdom of Dreams, Judith McNaught), Conrad Wroth (Dark Needs at Night's Edge, Kresley Cole), Logan a.k.a. Wolverine (X-Men Comics), Fox Mulder (X-files spin-off books), King Leonidas (300 Graphic Novels)

• Bridget Locke - Mr. Jules Cassidy (All Through the Night, Suzanne Brockmann), Bones (One Foot in the Grave and Halfway to the Grave, Jeannie Frost), Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen), Judd Laurens (Caressed by Ice, Nalini Singh), Simon Hunt, (Secrets of a Summer's Night, Lisa Kleypas), Theodore Westgaard (Years, LaVyrle Spencer), Cadeon Woede (Dark Desires after Dusk, Kresley Cole)

• Carolyn Jean - Eric Northman (Sookie Stackhouse series, Charlaine Harris), Joe Morelli (Stephanie Plum, Janet Evanovich), Ranger (Stephanie Plum, Janet Evanovich), Michael (Guardians Series, Meljean Brook), Adrian (The Spymaster's Lady, Joanna Bourne), Han Solo (Star Wars Novels), Captain Kirk (Star Trek)

• Christine - Acheron (Dark Hunter series, Sherrilyn Kenyon), Qhuinn (Black Dagger Brotherhood series, JR Ward), Vishous (Black Dagger Brotherhood series, JR Ward), Butch O'Neill (Black Dagger Brotherhood series, JR Ward), Belial (Guardians Series, Meljean Brook), Gaelen vel Serranis (The Tairen Soul series, C.L. Wilson), Clay Bennett (Mine to Possess, Nalini Singh)

• Ciaralira - Ethan McCabe (Demon Night, Meljean Brook), Hugh Castleford (Demon Angel, Meljean Brook), Westley (The Princess Bride, William Goldman), Lord Robert Andreville (Robin) (Angel Rogue, Mary Jo Putney), Kieran vel Solande (Tairen Soul Series, C.L. Wilson), Garret Langham, the Earl of Mayne, (Pleasure for Pleasure, Eloisa James), Dr. Samuel Cornick (Mercy Thompson series, Patricia Briggs)
  

• JenB - Vane Kattalakis (Night Play, Sherrilyn Kenyon), Angel (Angel, Johanna Lindsey) Rule (The Demon You Know, Christine Warren), Kade (Riley Jenson Guardian series, Keri Arthur), Challen (Warrior's Woman, Johanna Lindsey), Calvin Morissey (Bet Me, Jennifer Crusie), Heath Boscastle (Wedding Night of an English Rogue, Jillian Hunter)

• Katie(babs) - Alexander (The Bronze Horseman, Paullina Simons), Rehvenge (Black Dagger Brotherhood series, JR Ward), James Diaz (Cry No More, Linda Howard), Gabriel "Sully" Sullivan (Gabriel's Ghost, Linnea Sinclair), Rain Tairen Soul (Tairen Soul Series, C.L. Wilson), Jack Prescott (Dangerous Lover, Lisa Marie Rice), Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes mysteries, Sir Arther Conan Doyle)

• KristieJ - Derek Craven (Dreaming of You, Lisa Kleypas), Dax Silverbrake (Sky Pirate, Justine Davis), Ciaran Tamberlane (My Forever Love, Marsha Canham), Branden Kel-Paten (Games of Command, Linnea Sinclair), Gray Rouillard (After the Night, Linda Howard), Wizard (Driven, Eve Kenin), John Thornton (North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell)

• LesleyW - John Matthew aka Tehrror (Black Dagger Brotherhood series, JR Ward), Jeremy Danvers (Women of the Otherworld series, Kelly Armstrong), Vayl (Jaz and Vayl series, Jennifer Rardin), Curran (Magic Bites and Magic Burns, Ilona Andrews), Richard Tremayne High Lord of the Darkyn (Darkyn books, Lynn Viehl), Duncan Reever (Stardoc books by S.L. Viehl), Lucivar Yaslana (the Dark Jewels books, Anne Bishop)

• Lisabea - Adrien English (Adrien English series, Josh Lanyon), Colin Ames Beaumont (Demon Moon, Meljean Brook), Jake Romero (With Caution, J.L. Langley), Nate (My Fair Captain, J.L. Langley), Savitri Murray (Demon Moon, Meljean Brook), Derek Knightly (At Love's Command, Samantha Kane), Captain Jack Sparrow (some spin-off book surely, Disney)

• MaryKate - Roarke (In Death series, JD Robb), Lucas Hunter (Slave to Sensation, Nalini Singh), Maximillian Pesaro (Gardella Chronicles, Colleen Gleason), Cameron Quinn (Sea Swept, Nora Roberts), Jacob Green (Vampire Queen Servant series, Joey W. Hill), Captain Jack Seward (All Through The Night, Connie Brockway), Hawke (Psy/Changeling series, Nalini Singh)

• Naida - Edward Cullen (Twilight, Stephanie Meyers), John Atlantis (Entangled, Kathleen Dante), Frederick Wentworth (Persuasion, Jane Austen), Aragorn aka Strider (Lord of the Rings trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien), Tristen (Legends of the Fall, Jim Harrison), Mark Darcy (Bridget Jones Diary, Helen Fielding), Ian (The Host, Stephenie Meyer)

• Samantha Kane - Doyle/The Queen's Darkness (Merry Gentry Series, Laurell K. Hamilton) Cat, a young pirate (The Windflower, Laura London), Chief of Police Jack West (All U Can Eat, Emma Holly), Tom Paoletti (Unsung Hero, Suzanne Brockmann), Angel a.k.a. Angelis (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Angel Chronicles, Nancy Holder and or Angel: After the Fall, Brian Lynch and Franco Urru), Rhys (Merry Gentry series, Laurell K. Hamilton), Jack Reacher (Jack Reacher series, Lee Child)

• Sarah - Clay (Women of the Otherworld series, Kelley Armstrong), Nathaniel (Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Series), Barinthus ( Meredith Gentry), Lucas (Heaven Sent Series, Jet Mykels), Jericho Barrons (Fever Series, Karen Marie Monings), Katou Youji (Haru wo Daiteita/Embracing Love, Nitta Youka), Taylor MacAllister (Dangerous Ground, Josh Lanyon, Hot Tub, Splish Splash)

• Sarai - Jake Riordan (Adrien English series, Josh Lanyon) Gage Travis (Sugar Daddy, Lisa Kleypas), Vaughn D'Angelo (Visions of Heat, Nalini Singh), Zarek of Moesia (Dance with the Devil, Sherrilyn Kenyon), Jonas (Breed Series, Lora Leigh), Sterling "Harvard" Chase (Kiss of Crimson, Lara Adrian), Cam Rohan (Mine Til Midnight, Lisa Kleypas)

• Shannon - Sam Donovan (Mr. Perfect, Linda Howard) Sam Starrett (Troubleshooter series, Suzanne Brockmann), Max Baghat (Troubleshooter series, Suzanne Brockmann), Adam Hauptman (Mercedes Thompson series, Patricia Briggs), Captain Malcom Reynolds a.k.a. Capt. Tight Pants (Firefly/Serenity franchise & comics, Joss Whedon), Izzy Teague (Code Name series, Christina Skye), Stan Wolchonok (Over the Edge, Suzanne Brockmann)

• Sula - Rhage (Black Dagger Brotherhood series, JR Ward), Asa McIntyre (Promises Linger by Sarah McCarty), Dain (Lord of Scoundrels, Loretta Chase), Ian Witherspoon (At Love's Command, Samantha Kane), Nathaniel Bonner (Into the Wilderness, Sara Donati), Keir of the Cat (Warprize, Elizabeth Vaughan), Captain Jack Harkness (Torchwood, Russell T. Davies/BBC)

• Thea - Jamie Fraser (Outlander, Diana Gabaldon) Joscelin Verreuil (Kushiel's Legacy series, Jacqueline Carey), Jacob Black (Twilight Series, Stephanie Meyer), Batman (some spin-off book by someone), Remy LeBeau a.k.a. Gambit (Uncanny X-Men, Chris Claremont), Roland Deschain (Dark Tower books, Stephen King), Tyler Durden (Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk)

• Tracy - Zsadist (Black Dagger Brotherhood series, JR Ward), Phineas Tucker (Welcome to Temptation, Jennifer Crusie), Dorian (Psy/Changeling Series, Nalini Singh), Wrath (Dark Lover, BDB series by JR Ward), Caine Allen (Caine's Reckoning, Sarah McCarty), Daemon Sadi (Black Jewels Trilogy, Anne Bishop) Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr. aka Indiana Jones (spin-off book somewhere)

• Tumperkin - Mick Tremore (The Proposition, Judith Ivory), Michael McNeil (Wild at Heart, Patricia Gaffney), Christian, Duke of Jervaulx (Flowers from the Storm, Laura Kinsale), Graham Wessit (Black Silk, Judith Ivory), Sebastian Verlaine (To Have and To Hold, Patricia Gaffney), Charles Audley, (An Infamous Army, Georgette Heyer), Sydnam Butler (Simply Love, Mary Balogh)

To see the complete draft history go to the following sites:
ROUND 1: CarolynJean's.
ROUND 2: Sarai's
ROUND 3: lisabea's.
ROUND 4: MaryKate's.
ROUND 5: Christine's.
ROUND 6: Katie(babs) & Kristie(J)'s.

ROUND 7: Sula's

Some heroes who were residing at the Shelter/Get-Away were drafted. These heroes are at the top of the "liberation" list.

• Daemon Sadi aka The Sadiest (The Black Jewels novels by Anne Bishop)
• Hawke (Psy-Changling Series by Nalini Singh)

Again the HLO pleads to the DIK to "release" their heroes. The heroes will be spending some time at the Get-Away to recover their skills to fight the forces of darkness and to regain some dignity after being place in an apron and forced to dust (no names to be named ^_^).

Join the Heroes Liberation Organization (HLO)

The Heroes Liberation Organization (HLO) was founded by Alice and myself in response to the mysterious disappearances of heroes. Many of romances best heroes had started to disappear and their heroines, in growing concern, needed aid to find and reunite with their heroes.

After some investigation, it was discovered that an organization known as the Desert Island Keeper (DIK) had "drafted" heroes and brought to the DIK island where they were being taught un-hero-like tasks. Instead of fighting evil and the forces of darkness, the heroes were being taught how to give massages, dusting furniture and performing other un-hero-like activities. The hero draft continues:

ROUND 1 (completed): CarolynJean's.
ROUND 2 (completed): Sarai's
ROUND 3 (completed): lisabea's.
ROUND 4 (completed): MaryKate's.
ROUND 5 (completed): Christine's.
ROUND 6 (in progress): Katie(babs) & Kristie(J)'s.

Next...ROUND 7: Sula's!

After witnessing the horrors of the island, brave island insider Alice as joined me to found the HLO. Our manifesto is to:

1. Create and maintain the Desert Island Keepers Hero Shelter and Liberation Get-Away.
2. Protect and shelter heroes from DIK
   
3. Liberate the heroes from their bondage.
4. Reunite the heroes with their heroines.
5. Help heroes readjust to the sane world.
6. Drink foo-foo drinks made from our natural spring water.

For the Get-Away Island rules please see Alice's blog.

As previously stated by Alice, the following heroes have come to the island for "protection" and shelter:

• Hari (Tiger Eye by Marjorie M. Liu) - For both Amy and Alice (yes, we share!!! ;p)
• Morgan Grant (Someone to Watch Over Me by Lisa Kleypas) - For Alice
• Julian of Macedon (Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon) - For Amy
• Nick Gentry (Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas) - For Alice
• Daemon Sadi (Black Jewel Trilogy, by Anne Bishop)- For Amy
• Rafe McCay (The Touch of Fire by Linda Howard) - for Alice
• Wren Tigarian (Unleash the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon) - For Amy
• Haku/Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi/Spirited Away by Hayao Miyazaki)- For Alice (I want him for my child, I want him to be with Chihiro and them as my children!)
• Hawke, Riley, and Drew (Psy/Changeling by Nalini Singh) - For both Amy and Alice
• Douglas, Duke of Ethingham (Lessons in Seduction by Melissa Schroeder) - For Alice

In hearing about the shelter, the following heroes after also arrived at the island:

• Drustan and Daegus MacKeltar (Kiss of the Highlander and Dark Highlander by Karen Moning) - For Amy
  

In order for the rescues to be attempted, we need help. Please join us to liberate the heroes and reunite them with their heroines. Get-Away island membership is included with membership to the HLO!