Wednesday, August 26, 2009

PROMO ADULT Excerpt: Wild Thing by Lena Austin (paranormal, shifters, GLBT)

Releases this week!

Wild Thing
by Lena Austin
cover art by Bryan Keller
ISBN: 978-1-60521-273-9
Genre(s): Paranormal
Theme(s): Shapeshifters
Series: Coyotes of Yellowstone

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1210

Blurb:When Dr. Lee Porter returns to his old family homestead for some much-needed R&R from the fugue states that have plagued him and ruined his career as a professor of geology, he finds a sick feral man in the barn one cold night, and nurses him back to health. The attraction once Will recovers is mutual, but Will is more feral than Lee thinks.

Will loves his new packmate, even if the poor human can't grasp what being a pack member means. Then, when Will witnesses what really happens during one of Lee's fugues, he knows it's much worse than Lee thinks. He's shifter sick, and must embrace his heritage as a shifter of an unknown type, and learn to live as a Wild Thing. Or he will die... possibly in the jaws of his lover.

Excerpt:

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

The coyote thrashed in the dirt, the infection raging through his body. He no longer knew or cared about anything but the heat of the fever alternately boiling him alive or freezing the marrow of his bones. His vision narrowed to a single focus -- crawl away to die, somewhere far from his beloved pack. It was the last bit of love he could give his pack-mates while they were out hunting, following the new Pack Leader who'd already given them so much.
Will. His name was Will. It meant resolve and determination. Yes, that was what he had. Throughout the nightmares cause by his fever, Will crawled away, one paw in front of the other. He was surprised when the sun rose, and for a time he slept in the shade, wishing he remembered why he needed to leave. All he knew was the burning in his body, and the pain of the wound that had swollen on his thigh.
Somewhere in the middle of his dreams, the sun set again, and the cool night brought him no relief. Left with no choice but to keep breathing, he only remembered the imperative to go as far from the pack as he could crawl before he died. Since he hadn't died yet, he kept putting one paw in front of the other before dragging his body or actually managing a few minutes of a staggering run. Time had no meaning, only the bright light of the sun followed by the blind darkness of night.
Finally, his nose hit something that smelled both different and familiar. It was a pillar of wood that was not a tree, but something called "fence." Vaguely, he remembered fences. His fevered brain recalled the taste of flesh from animals that had never run free, but the thought of meat only brought him to the awareness of thirst and a wish to find some of the special grass that made a coyote throw up in hopes of feeling better. He could smell water, and it wasn't far.
By the time he shivered in the darkness of night once more, he'd found another wooden thing that held water, dripping from an odd protrusion rising from the ground. "Monkey things," someone he'd known had once said with a growl of contempt. He couldn't recall anything more. No matter. He fought to lift the front part of his body over the edge of the thing that held the water, and found it sweet to drink. Replete, Will lay for a moment beside the monkey thing that held water.
He could have sworn he felt every drop of the water spreading out, replenishing some deep need in the meat of his body. More would be needed, but not now. In fact, he was sure he would live, despite a sincere wish not to do so anymore. The darkness of death was more welcoming than the gloom of loneliness. Will was tired of loneliness.
"Hide in the shadows of the monkey place!" That insistent voice ordered him from the past he couldn't see clearly, and he followed the order blindly. He saw a hole, leading into darkness, that smelled like the delicious meat animals he'd eaten once. He didn't want any right now, and the smell was old. No matter. It was a dark place to hide. He took the offer of shelter.
A loud bang of wood on wood awakened Will from his half-nightmare sleep. Bright light flooded the man-place, but the little stall with straw where Will hid remained dark. He was surprised to find himself in human form. After all, he vaguely remembered crawling in the man-place as a coyote. Finding the straw and dark corner at all had been more luck than skill.
Will wished he had the energy and concentration to change back to coyote. Something -- probably a human -- moved around the structure. The steps were slow and cautious, with frequent pauses. However, the human's breathing was casual and calm. He was not hunting with bang sticks that made noise and caused death.
Will fought the urge to sleep and the deep lethargy that made thinking so difficult. He was no young pup. He remembered walking among humans. He'd even helped men for coins and papers to use to buy food. Some humans had been kindly when he had been in need. Perhaps...
The footsteps drew gradually closer until a handsome human male with night-dark curls and pale, sand-colored skin approached. His gaze swung around to follow a bright light on the end of a thick, shiny stick. The human's teeth were bared.
Will shivered before he remembered humans bared teeth instead of making happy tails, since they didn't have tails to express their feelings. The light found him and Will winced against the bright glare. He made no attempt to move, since he doubted he could manage more than a feeble thrash from where he lay on his side. He would live, but he was still too weak to move.
The human's eyes widened, but with the light blinding him, Will couldn't discern what color they were. Human eyes had many colors, like the plants in the Meadows, the sky, and the many colors of earth and rocks. Sometimes, they were even earth-colored, like coyotes and other proper animals, proving the existence of a connection to all creatures. Will had always liked to think it was true.
They stared at one another, each thinking their own thoughts. Finally, Will put his head back in the straw, too sick to care. Maybe a bang stick would be better than the pain of his wound and the sickness. He just hoped it was as quick as they said.
"Holy shit!" The human's gaze fell on Will's swollen thigh. "That's a bad infection! Hang on!" He turned and ran out.
Hang on? What was he to hang on to? Or with? Will shut his eyes. Vaguely, he heard more sounds. One he identified easily -- a car door. He liked cars. Riding in cars, faster than he could run, with his head out the window, made him have happy tails.
Running feet thumped on the floor of the man place. The human came back. Maybe with the stick.
Will opened one eye in time to see the human drop a red and white box beside the straw where Will lay. No bang stick? Perversely, Will was disappointed.
The man touched a shiny thing, and the box opened into two parts. A pungent smell emanated from the box. The human rummaged in the box and found a round thing that rattled like a snake.
Will recoiled, in case the snake came out of the tiny round thing. He did not want to die like that, with a bite that made one sicker. That was a bad death. He had had enough of being sick.
"Easy there, pal. Geez, your skin is burning up!" The human put a hand on Will's arm, but he took the hand away and shook it, as if he were in pain. He opened the round container and took out two tiny white things, like little stars or perhaps candy. He presented them to Will in his palm.
Will had liked candy, so he eagerly accepted the gift. Bitterness exploded on Will's tongue. He swallowed crumbs and shut his eyes tightly. His jaw dropped, and his face screwed up.
The human chuckled and patted Will's arm. "Sorry, pal. I don't have any water except in the trough outside the barn. The antibiotics you took will help, I promise. This field kit contains just about anything I need out there when working."
Pal. Twice the human had called him this. Pal was another word for friend. The human was willing to sniff noses with Will? How wonderful! Will returned the kindness with his best attempt at a human smile.
"My name is Lee." The human stuck out his hand. "What's yours?"
Will frowned and tried to remember what the gesture meant. He lifted his hand in front of his own body. "Will. Name is Will."
The human grabbed his hand and moved it up and down before releasing it. "Nice to meet you, Will. Can you tell me how you've gotten in my barn naked and sick?"
How to answer? Will didn't have words for all of the question. He could say some, but he was out of practice. He'd forgotten so many words. "No clothes. Burned. Sick. Wanted to die alone."
Again, Lee patted Will's arm. "You're not going to die. I'm sorry you're homeless because your place burned. They say a lot of folks choose to live as a wild thing after that."
All Will could manage was a nod. He couldn't fight the tired feeling much longer. For the first time in many years, he had a friend to sniff noses -- or the human equivalent -- with him. Maybe living wouldn't be so bad, after all.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1210
 
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
 it's about learning to dance in the rain. Lena Austin
http://www.LenaAustin.com
Writing blog: http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com
Recipe and Pagan blog: http://third-infinity.blogspot.com
Low Carb Diet blog: http://fatfrogdiary.blogspot.com

Friday, August 21, 2009

Re: Recipe: Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

I've made this. It's an orgasm in your mouth, but don't even think about checking the calories and carbs. You don't want to know. 
 
 

By Paula Deen


Recipe Link:

Recipe:

Ingredients

  • 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
  • 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

.

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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Making a List, Checking it Twice

Stores are dangerous places for me right now for several reasons. The most important is they are "impulse buying" traps. Stores are set up and designed so you are tempted all the way until you reach the parking lot. Note that it seems you always have to walk to the fartherest point to get what you need, and you can't escape the "impulse buy" racks at the checkout with their candy bars and junk.
 
Now I have to add in the money issue. DH has been out of work since March. If you think there isn't age discrimination, try to find work past the age of fifty. Good luck. Anyway, to say the least, we have to watch every penny. Shopping in stores means bringing back a receipt and hanging on to the scrap of paper until it shows up on the online banking statement. God forbid if you need to return an item without your receipt.
 
Now imagine Christmas shopping this way. In years past when times were good, I enjoyed the process of shopping at holiday time. Sure, most of my gifts were bought on the internet because they had to be shipped directly to the recipient. This year, I have a mere two households to ship to. The rest can be shared with family and friends locally. 

 

Danger Will Robinson! Danger!

 

This year, I'll still do my shopping online. In fact, I'll do even some of my routine shopping online. Why? No impulse shopping, and a receipt printout I can't lose. In fact, I can write detailed notes on that printout.

 

Some of my gifts will be handmade. Not only out of economical necessity, but also simply because I enjoy tailoring a gift to an individual. For instance, Dante loves pirate themes now that he's involved with a local pirate reinactment group. He'd probably enjoy a treasure map pillowcase stitched with his name on the cuff. Especially since he likes a particular kind of pillow that doesn't fit the standard pillowcase.

 

Well, I'm off to go cut out these pillowcases. They sure are interesting.


 

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
 it's about learning to dance in the rain.
 

Lena Austin

http://www.LenaAustin.com

Writing blog: http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com

Recipe and Pagan blog: http://third-infinity.blogspot.com

Low Carb Diet blog: http://fatfrogdiary.blogspot.com

 

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Big Bad Bill is a-coming

It's hurricane season, and something I keep an eye on. TS Ana was a waste of time from the beginning. This is not true for TS Bill and TS Claudette. 
 
TS Bill will likely be a hurricane before the middle of the week, according to forecasts. I think I'll pull out my hurricane checklist and get ready, just in case.
 
TS Claudette is just going to be a pain in the butt. Still, she's one to watch.
 
Anyway, if I stop talking, you know we've temporarily headed for safer ground.

 

 

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
 it's about learning to dance in the rain.
 

Lena Austin

http://www.LenaAustin.com

Writing blog: http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com

Recipe and Pagan blog: http://third-infinity.blogspot.com

Low Carb Diet blog: http://fatfrogdiary.blogspot.com

 

Monday, August 10, 2009

A Golden Blush for Berdache!


::Lena runs in squealing::
 
I got a Golden Blush! Woohoo!!
 
 

Thursday, August 6, 2009

The review for Bad Dawg from FAR is up! 4 Angels!

I hereby acknowledge and own up my mistake in Bad Dawg about vegans, and I'm writing a sequel to correct it. Thank you, Hayley, for the four stars you gave me, despite that flaw.
 

Lena Austin

 

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..." —Dr. Seuss

 

http://www.LenaAustin.com

http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com

 

Monday, August 3, 2009

The Most Abandoned Cities in the US

I live in Jacksonville, FL. That's #15 on the list. There is a shanty town where those displaced are living, and without friends and family, we'd be there too.
 
Horrifyingly, we are upstanding American citizens with educations and skills who want desperately to work and pay our bills honorably. We aren't illegal immigrants who can't speak English. They get help from the government, but if you're a WASP, you're not going to see one hand reaching out to help you.
 
If you have silver in your hair, you may as well use your last few dollars to go buy a big bottle of Excedrin PM and off yourself, because you won't find work. You're too old. Oh, they'll phrase their discrimination carefully-- "We're concerned your experience is out of date" or, "You're over-qualified." (If I have experience and want to work there, doesn't this still make me a better candidate than a guy who has no experience and doesn't know how to pull his pants up?)
 
And here's the biggest kicker-- The mayor of Jacksonville wants to raise the property taxes of the few property owners left who are barely scraping by. Oh, yeah, that's going to help. Let's just foreclose on all the marginal properties now, you and your real estate entrepreneur friends, okay Your Honor? Why don't you just institute a .25% sales tax on all purchases made in the county? That would tax everyone equally, rich and poor. Sure, some folks would go over the border to neighboring counties, but let's face it. We (the middle class you love to tax) can't afford the gas. Oh, wait. How silly of me. That would affect your rich friends, wouldn't it?
 
Excuse me. I have to go pack my household goods now. We're moving soon. Our home is being foreclosed upon.
 

Lena Austin

http://www.LenaAustin.com

http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com

dawgtown_banner.jpg Dawgtown Banner picture by voiceomt2002

Welcome to my Blog!

Thanks for popping by! Don't sit on the whipping horse unless you want to find out how it's used. I speak my mind and annoy many people, but all of it is meant in good spirit. Feel free to argue with me. I like it.

Best way to reach me is by email: voiceomt2002@yahoo.com

Lena