Christmas Time.

Christmas should be a time to enjoy peace and happiness to share humility and humanity and to remember that our lives are a gift to be taken care offI’m always grateful for whatever comes my way and know that everything happens for a reason. I’m forever grateful for my family, my beautiful children and the home I've lived in for nearly twenty-six years.
 
I have just finished my Christmas cakes and made a batch of mince pies. My mum always comes to us on the day and enjoys her bucks fizz first thing before she starts to open her present. Traditions are funny things, we all have them and some are carried down from family to family.
My favorite seasonal songs are playing constantly throughout the day and everywhere is looking very festive and colorful…I just love it all! My children are all grown up now but when they were smaller the time was spent making our own decorations, designing Christmas cards and baking gingerbread men.
I loved doing all those things. I hope you all have a wonderful time whatever your traditions are.

Merry Christmas.



Dilys J Carnie Romance Author www.dilysjcarnie.com : Spotlight this week is the delightful Tracey Roger...

Dilys J Carnie Romance Author www.dilysjcarnie.com : Spotlight this week is the delightful Tracey Roger...: Spotlight this week is the delightful Tracey Rogers. Dating in the Dark by Tracey Rogers – Promo Doc Hello and thank you fo...
Spotlight this week is the delightful Tracey Rogers.







Dating in the Dark by Tracey Rogers – Promo Doc

Hello and thank you for hosting me today.
When I’m writing it often involves the consumption of calories, as words and food are the perfect combination. Or is that just me? So when I decided to tackle a new project it seemed only right that I should bring words and food together and decorate them with a sprinkle of romance.
Welcome to the Sweet Delights Bakery, where the kitchen gets hot and there’s tastiness aplenty! First to sample the delights of the bakery are Sophie and Damian. Secrets are laced with sugar in Dating in the Dark, book 1 of the Sweet Delights Series.
If you want a peek of what to expect, check my Dating in the Dark board on pinterest here: https://uk.pinterest.com/tracerbooks/dating-in-the-dark/

Blurb
Can you find what you need hidden within the dark?
Hiding out in his sister's bakery to recover from a recent injury isn't an ideal solution for newly unemployed meteorologist Damian Trent. Especially since he doesn't like cake. But hiding anywhere is preferable to facing the media frenzy revolving around his life. He has no intention of being seen by anyone. That is, until he hears a honey-toned voice over the phone.
Public relations agent Sophie Rose has a boss who makes her working week a hellish one. He drives her to her need for sugar, so the recently opened Sweet Delights Bakery is perfect for her much needed Friday treat. But one day when she calls to place an order, she gets an unexpected surprise.
Sophie's keen to dump her V-plates, though only the right man will do. Damian, with his sexy, yet familiar sounding voice, seems the ideal person for her to gain some much needed experience with. But why do they need to date in the dark?
Content Warning: contains sensual sex
Buy links: Amazon | AmazonUK | B&N
Excerpt
Damian rested his arm across his forehead and sighed, trying to blot out the ringing sound and failing. Sleep wasn't happening. He ached from his walk after pushing it to a run. With each step he'd remembered Sophie's voice. He had very little else to occupy his mind, so she was an easy focus. Every stride had gathered pace, and before he knew it a walk had become a jog; a jog becoming a run.
And her voice was still inside his head.
Stretching out on the creaky sofa bed, he winced at the movement. Irritated, he tugged the sheet down from his bare chest to lean over and grab the phone. He placed it to his ear and muttered something unintelligible.
"Hi, sorry—did I wake you?"
"Sophie?" Or was he asleep and dreaming?
"Oh, crap. I did, didn't I? I'm so sorry. I couldn't sleep, so I thought… Anyway, my apologies. Pretend it never happened, and goodnight," she said, speeding over her words.
"Sophie, wait!" he called out, wanting to stop her before she hung up, needing to listen to her voice for a little while longer. "I couldn't sleep either," he reassured her as he heard her soft breaths. He shuffled higher against his pillow and propped one hand behind his head. Why couldn't she sleep? Because of him? And how had she gotten his number?
"Really?" Her relieved sigh made him smile. If he wasn't careful, smiling could become a habit of his. "When you left your number in the box, I thought…"
Left his number? He had no idea what his number was.
"What did you think?"
"I thought you might want me to call?" she asked hesitantly, as if she was worried about his response. She wouldn't be worried if she could see the stirring going on beneath the sheet. Or maybe she would be? Though she seemed confident, he still detected a shyness behind her words.
"And did you want to call?"
"I did."
His jaw clenched at her immediate response, a muscle flickering in his cheek. Interesting. Her honesty was evoking things inside that he was starting to like. A lot.
"I like hearing your voice."
Christ, what was she doing to him?
"What do you look like?" he asked, without thinking about the repercussions of his question.
Silence.
"Does that matter?" she said quietly, the warmth in her tone dropping a degree or two.
"No, no it doesn't." He frowned, the admission taking him by surprise. "Tell me what you're wearing instead."
"Why?"
"Because if you don't tell me you're wearing something hideous, I won't be sleeping for the rest of the night either."
She laughed then, the sound not helping his libido whatsoever. "Damian."
"Yeah."
"I'm not wearing anything hideous." He groaned then, obviously out loud because Sophie was laughing again. "I'm not wearing anything."
Oh, hell. A sudden spike of desire sliced through his veins, making him regret his impulsive words. "Then I'm now very grateful I don't know what you look like."
"You could. Know what I look like I mean."
"You want to tell me now?"
"No. I want to show you. On a…date?"
Damian lifted a hand to his face, massaging his fingers above his brow, then lower to scrub over his jaw. His breath felt restricted by his tightening lungs. As much as he wanted to see her, to touch her, to have someone touch him in a way that wasn't clinical or trying to fix him—he couldn't do it. How could he see her, without her seeing him?

Author Bio
Usually found with a pen in my hand, or my head in a book, I’m a contemporary romance author who also thinks fangs and wings are a very attractive accessory.
A devourer of books from an early age, imagination was my best discovery. I spent much of my childhood stepping into wardrobes, searching for that magical snowy world where conversing with animals would be expected. When I wasn’t searching for those worlds, I wrote about them instead. My first step into the world of romance was when I stole sneak peeks into my nana’s books. I’m still in that world and I refuse to leave.
I live in Staffordshire, UK, with my husband and three wonderful children. An avid reader and writer of romance, I strongly believe that words make the world go around. I like nothing more than to be swept away by the words on a page. I hope I can sweep you away too.
I love to hear from readers! You can find me here:

Email – traceyrogersaut@gmail.com
Get my newest Christmas story in an anthology with Susanne Bellamy and Nicola Flockton at only

99CENTS

http://amzn.to/14IU3yc




Mistletoe Magic

Ease your way into Christmas with this short sexy read!





Holly Berry is grateful to be alive... so she has a new bucket list. No more nice girl for the new Holly... this year her wish for Santa is on the naughty list. 
Noah Miller plays Santa Claus at Snowdrop House, where he is surprised to find a very grownup...and willing...Holly Berry on his knee. He’d never guessed that a Santa costume and twenty-four hours would make such a difference to his Christmas. 
Will this little sexy little bundle of fun who rocks his world change his future too? 

Excerpt

 “Well done, Santa, you did what I’ve been trying to do for weeks.”
“It was the suit; you did all the hard work.” He smiled back. Holly Berry, he shook his head at the times she’d been teased about her name. An incredible bundle of sexuality who was totally unaware of how attractive she was. It was only accentuated by her kind and gentle nature. It had always made her even sexier. Her deep green eyes were framed by the darkest lashes he’d ever seen.
Her blonde hair was cut short, the long curls were gone, leaving the silken strands curling at the ends. He liked it and wondered what had made her chop it all off. Last Christmas when he’d seen her it had been long.
He’d fancied her for years, and yet they’d never got together. Holly avoided him except when he would watch her looking at him, and then she’d realise, and her face would go a deep red.
He leaned down capturing her wrist in his hand, and tugging her up gently he drew her onto his lap, just like one of the children. A flush reddened her cheeks as she looked around, but he’d made sure everyone was busy with the boys and girls who were playing with their new toys before he’d tugged her onto his lap. Holly turned back to him.
“I think you’ll find I’m not a child and a little too heavy for your knee.”
“Not heavy at all.” He pursed his lips as he looked her up and down. “Definitely. Not. A. Child.” He pronounced the words singly.
She giggled but he knew it was a nervous gesture. His mouth quirked beneath the scratchy moustache. Noah placed his hand on her thigh, the slacks she wore were thin and the heat from her skin warmed his hand.
Sexy.
“So Miss Holly Berry would you be on the naughty or nice list this Christmas?”







November Already...

How can it be November already? It seems like only yesterday that I was panicking about taking the wrong plane when changing in Washington Dulles for Norfolk NC . The sun, the warmth and my yearly visit to see my best friend and her family.

Now it's only seven weeks until Christmas...yikes and not even a bag of dried fruit in for my Christmas cake! A friend has almost finished her holiday shopping...I haven't even thought about it...oh I tell a lie I bought some charity cards with Santa Claus on them that I will put somewhere and loose them only to end up buying more.

Today is my favorite day of the week...Sunday! It's the only day where I can say that I'm not working and no one wants me to do anything. Although the dreaded laundry is never at an end and even now sitting in my chair working on my laptop I can here the poor washer and dryer working crazily. I'm excited when I can see the bottom of the basket and then my son come down with a pile of dirty clothes that he's accumulated throughout the week,*bites my lip from saying something and rocking the peaceful atmosphere*

My interest in cosmetology is a hobby which I love. I make my own skincare to suit the weather and time of year. I love to make skincare oils and at this time of year when the coldness and harshness makes our skin dry it's time to bring out something  that will work that bit harder to keep those dreaded wrinkles at bay. Pure, powerful and organic which will hydrate, nourish, rejuvenate  and lift. I love to be able to work with the richer oils like avocado,tamanu, jojoba, rose-hip and prickly pear with pure rose and  neroli essential oil.

 To make these oils work even better for you combine them in a roller ball and use nightly beneath your normal night cream to push the oils deep into the upper dermis. Another great trick is to put a thick layer on tour skin and then spread over a face mask leave for twenty minutes and then wash off and I promise your skin will be like a baby's bottom, beautifully soft.

Prickly Pear plant...powerful anti-ageing oil.



Tamanu oil has many uses and a great added ingredient to your anti-ageing regime.

Rose-hip oil is such an incredibly nutritious skin care ingredient.

Rose oil reminds me of my grandma's garden when we used to pick the petals and make perfume.

Neroli oil is more expensive than gold use use it wisely a small drop is plenty.






For a short while only some of Beachwalk Press books are 99cents. Read the first book in my Lost Sisters series for the fabulous price of 99CENTS!!


                              
                    She was a feisty thing. It stirred him low in his belly, a totally inappropriate reaction. He liked the way her short hair curved around the base of her neck, leaving the skin bare. Her skin looked soft and satiny. Her small earlobes were adorned with pearl earrings.
He frowned. When the hell did he notice ears? Jesus.
He needed to stop thinking about it—about her. He laid out the manual on the floor and identified the layout of the washer and its parts. It wasn't long before he’d found the problem and untangled the small piece of silk that had wrapped itself around the motor.
A red thong. Raising his eyebrows, he hung the tiny scrap of material from his finger and swallowed.









Ease your way into Christmas with this easy going romance!



Ease your way into Christmas with this easy going romance!





One touch…one moment in time. 
Belle Jones never did anything that wasn't planned…that was until she met Ethan Thompson on one steamy afternoon. 
Now he’s come looking for her and he discovers more than he bargained for. 
Belle is trying to come to terms with her first Christmas on her own. Until Ethan throws all her plans out the window and leaves her with a decision to make. 
Will the secret she is hiding from this man bring them together or push them apart? 

Excerpt

“I've wanted to kiss you since the first moment I saw you and a thousand times since. Every time you move your lips. Every time your scent fills the air that I breathe.” He took a deep breath as he tried to find the words that would tell her how much he cared for her, and not just the baby they had created. “Whenever your body touches mine I want to make love with you, each and every single minute that passed and I didn't know where you were... all I could think about was you. Kiss me, Belle. Let me feel your lips against mine.”

Buy Links:



http://www.dilysjcarnie.com/




Autumn Aroma's

I'm reminded on this crisp autumnal day how much I love this time of year. The freshness in the air, crispy brown leaves crushing beneath my feet and pumpkin lattes. Although I’m a black coffee kinda girl but my friend introduced me to these coffees when I visited her in America.

It makes me excited to bring out my hot water bottle and drink hot chocolate beside the log fire and curl up with a book. Candles burning, leaving the scents of toffee apples and spices.
Don’t get me wrong I love the sun, and I adore sitting out in it or swimming in the pool and drinking cold Chardonnay. However there’s something very comforting about the cool air, winter sweaters, thick woolly socks, jeans and a glass of warming Shiraz.

I usually start collecting my ingredients for my Christmas cake, it should be made at least before the end of October but somehow I always seem to be rushing around in November and icing it on Christmas Eve.

My winter pansies are in bloom and the colours are sensational I love to have that splash of colour as everything is perishing in the colder weather these are blossoming.

I’m super busy at the moment with work and writing. I have three short Christmas stories coming out in November and I’m excited for these to be released. It seems like the year has flown and I wonder did I miss some of it as it passed me by, it seems the older I get the faster it goes. I wish I had a pause button just so I could catch my breath!











Rejecting His Desire by Dilys J. Carnie

When Rose’s past catches up with her will she survive? Jack will stop at nothing to make sure she does.

Rose Eagleton has never let anyone penetrate her tough exterior. She won’t allow herself to be hurt again, nor will she let anyone uncover the secrets of her past, which she has successfully hidden for years. But when she meets Jack Calloway he refuses to let her hide behind her shell. She’s confused about her feelings for this man who takes every opportunity to be close to her, to touch her, to make her feel. But she knows one thing for sure—she can’t let him become important to her.

Jack’s motto had always been ‘to protect’. An ex-Navy Seal who is now part owner of a security firm, he takes his work seriously. When he installs a security system in Rose’s club as a favor to her sister, he finds himself intrigued by the beautiful young woman who fights so hard to keep him at a distance. As he discovers the secrets she’s trying so desperately to hide, it becomes clear that her life is in danger. Can he break through her shell and provide her with the protection she needs but refuses to accept?

Content Warning: contains adult language and explicit sex


Genre(s): Contemporary Romance


REJECTING HIS DESIRE – EXCERPT

"Honey girl, you look as if you'd rather be somewhere else."
The familiar voice made Rose's stomach clench and her heart race.
She cleared her throat, turning around. "I was thinking about changing my clothes. I'm not really all that comfortable in this type of attire."
Jack's dark eyes went over her from top to bottom, his perusal slow, until his eyes rested on hers. "That'd be a real pity, Rose, 'cause you look beautiful in that dress."
"Yeah, right." She laughed. "Is that a pick-up line, Jack?"
Even on her best day she thought she just looked 'okay', nothing out of this world, definitely not a beauty like Daisy and Jasmine. Rose thought that the beauty gene must have passed her by, because her two sisters were beautiful while she was merely passable.
The male species were okay, but she'd never found one that made her sigh and swoon. She was used to putting up a front, fighting her battles, but truth be told, she was embarrassed and felt uncomfortable in such close proximity with Jack.
He reached over, slipping his finger around a curl that the hairdresser had tonged into her straight hair, it was left loose while the rest of her hair was piled on top of her head. He twined it around his finger, doing it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
She reached up, circling his wrist with her fingers, only they were too small, and it made her aware of just how large he was.
He gave her a questioning look. "You gonna try and throw me down the stairs or something?" His mouth twitched as his eyes twinkled with amusement.
She stared hard at him. She didn't like to be touched. "If I have to."
Rose was defiant; she knew for sure that no way in hell would she be able to do that. When he'd allowed her to kick his six and a half feet of muscled body out of her club she'd had to admit surprise. Rose thought a man like him would have been mortified by a female getting one over on him, but he hadn't even lifted a finger to stop her.
He stepped back, and she held her breath when she felt his fingers touch her neck as he let go of her hair. Her insides did that shaking thing which had also happened the last time she saw him. He leaned against the banister and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets.
"So why'd you laugh when I called you pretty?"
"Because I thought it was funny and a terrible pick-up line."
He raised his eyebrows. "You think that was a pick-up line?"
"Wasn't it?" She moved back, or tried to; she was already pushed against the window. He was so close, she had to look up to talk to him. The air seemed limited, and she blew out a breath to cool her very unattractive sweaty upper lip.
"No, it was the truth. You look beautiful."
She tried to be casual by shrugging her shoulders, but she was standing in four-inch heels, and the movement unbalanced her—there was no way that was ever going to end well. She fell forward straight into his arms, her braless breasts squashed into his hard chest.
Immediately her nipples hardened, and she was shocked. She could feel her body enjoying the warmth of Jack Calloway before she realized he had his arms around her with his long fingers laying on the bare skin of her back. Jeezus, was that an electric shock whizzing down her arms to the tips of her toes?
She pushed back, looking up into those black eyes that were half closed. He, on the other hand, seemed perfectly unaffected by what had just happened. Although he wasn't smiling as he had been, the facetiousness had disappeared. She frowned. Had she imagined that sizzle of awareness? No…the soles of her feet felt like a pincushion.
"You are beautiful," he insisted.




Dilys J Carnie


Dilys J Carnie-Author
My home is on the beautiful island of Anglesey on the west coast of North Wales. Anglesey has been my home since the age of eleven after moving here with my mum and dad and three sisters from Scotland.
I'm the proud mother of two grown children. My daughter Emma is a primary school teacher, and my son Christopher is part of the family business.
I'm a health freak and a vegetarian. Pilates class combined with visiting the gym at least four times a week keeps me fit. I love clothes, makeup, and having my nails and hair done. I'm just a girl's girl.
If I'm not in my office pounding the keys I'm sitting in my favorite chair reading books and discovering new authors on my Kindle.
As a young child I loved to write. I always carried a notebook and pen around with me and wrote about everything. I never thought for one moment I would ever be able to pick up a book with my name on it and say "I wrote that". It was a dream coming true when I signed with a publisher for my first book in November 2012. So, dare I say at the young age of fifty I think it's time for me to see if those dreams are everything that I hope they will be.








Tips For Over Fifty!

The ageing process is inevitable, a few more lines, a hint or more of grey hair it comes to us all and it doesn’t matter what we try to do about it there’s no getting away from it. However on that note there is a good side to all of this. I think that fifty is the new forty and I  for one don’t let it hold me back. In fact I’m more confident, more assertive and more at ease with how I look and feel.

I don’t need anyone to tell me my cheeks are sagging a bit, or my skin has lost its elasticity my goal in life is quite simple to look as good as I can, be healthy and most of all to enjoy life as much as I can. Off course I want to look good for my age and I guess I’m a little vain in that respect but I don’t let it rule my life. So instead of saying to my daughter “Does my bum look big in these jeans” I now say has my jawline moved!

It’s so easy these days to enhance your natural beauty and we’re all beautiful…all of us! When a product say it will knock ten years off your age…don’t believe it because nothing can do that, but using the right products for skin and hair will soften those lines and make those grey strands shine proudly because every one of those silken strands was put there by all of life’s experiences.

Menopausal  and pre-menopausal women find that their skin is dryer than its ever been and more reactive to ingredients so using  creams with sulphates, parabens and propylene glycol will typically irritate the skin. Mainly because your hormones are in a upheaval and what used to suit your skin will undoubtedly not and cause major irritation.

The flushing that is caused by the changes in your body will often cause redness in the face and broken capillaries. A nice cooling aloe vera or an oil based serum, ideally mixed with rosehip oil and botanical peptides. Often the skin is dryer and a way to combat this is using a good quality oil i:e   Argan, Borage and pomegranate are ideal. Apply this first to the skin at night, then a serum and top that with a night cream and as you add each layer it will push the goodness deeper into the layers.

Ten tips for your skin over fifty.

1/ Exercise more, yoga, Pilates is magnificent for this age group. It lengthens limbs, makes them supple and protects the bones.
2/ I know everyone says it but it’s really true… drink more water…it flushes out bad toxins and makes the skin supple.
3/Always use an spf even in winter, either use a skin cream with it already in or mix some into your daily regime.
4/Cleanse and moisturise morning and night…always.
5/Exfoliate at least once a week…if you don’t have any use brown sugar and virgin olive oil…your skin will fell amazing.
6/Don’t forget to moisturise around the eyes, it’s the first signs of aging we see.
7/Use the same regime on your neck and hands as you do on your face.

8/ Find a hairstyle that suits you and not what you think at fifty you should be wearing. I wear long hair because I like it and my daughter tells me it suits me.

9/ Be brave and do all those things you never had the time or the confidence to do. I flew on my own to America from the UK to see a friend I hadn’t seen for forty years…it was amazing.


10/ Enjoy life, it’s so short and can be taken away from us at the drop of a hat…love, live ,Laugh and enjoy!








North Carolina

Sitting out on the porch drinking coffee first thing in the morning is a regular occurrence for my friends. However for me it's an experience that never ceases to surprise me. The heat for one thing is usually in the eighties or nineties, the sun is shining, the sky is Carolina blue and the sound of the water fountain is relaxing.

The views are endlessly green, with the soy bean fields in the distance. The banana tree has sprouted a new leaf since I first arrived but no fruit as of yet. The beautiful Crepe Myrtles are a dusky pink and in full flower it’s like looking out into paradise.

I’m not saying that where I live on the beautiful Island of Anglesey isn't gorgeous because the views are outstanding and it has many pretty plants, sandy beaches and more besides. For anyone who hasn’t been to my island you’re missing a massive treat but be prepared to get wet because we have a lot of rain!
When I’m visiting North Carolina I get both the views and the weather.

I can't believe that this is my final week here; the time has flown as it always does when I visit. In four days I will be getting ready for my flight home which will be a whole new ball game as I try to stem the growing nerves that I know will be billowing in my tummy, don't get me wrong I don't dislike flying I just always seem to either get lost, forget my boarding pass or nearly miss my flight.


It’s a daunting task these days flying internationally especially when you're travelling alone. The security screening is vigilant and quite rightly so but why oh why every-time I go through security do bells ring at all angles? I'll tell you why because I'm one of those silly passengers that keep forgetting that there phone is in their back pocket.








Australian Amazon link

http://www.amazon.com.au/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dilys%20j%20carnie

THE BABY CONTRACT BY OLIVIA STARKE














Buy Links HERE
The Baby Contract by Olivia Starke
Genre(s): Erotic Contemporary Romance
Digital ISBN: 9781940744339
Length: Novel
Price: $4.99
Having a baby is Abby's dream. Will Liam's enemies stop her happily ever after?
Liam Whitmore III is floored by the surprise stipulation in his father's will—provide an heir within one year or he'll lose the controlling portion of Whitmore Incorporated to his cousin Spencer. The corporation is Liam's life. He'll do anything to keep his cousin's hands off of it, including finding a woman who'll bear his child. Though finding the right woman seems an impossible task since he doesn't have room in his life for anything except running the company. He doesn't want a wife, just an heir.
Abby Haden's family is about to lose their ranch, the only life her ailing father and brother have ever known. She feels helpless and is desperate to help. When the most coveted bachelor in Austin, Liam Whitmore III, also known as the Takeover Tyrant, offers to pay her to have his child it seems too incredible to be true. She's all but given up hope of ever having a baby. Not only will her dream of being a mother come true, but she can also save the family ranch.
It was just supposed to be a business deal, but Abby and Liam find it hard to keep their hearts out of what it takes to make a baby. Even as they sort out their feelings, others have their eye on Whitmore Incorporated. Liam and Abby will soon discover how far they'll go to make sure Abby never produces that heir.
Content Warning: contains graphic sex, explicit language, mild violence, and a heroine with a history of domestic abuse


The Baby Contract – Excerpt
Abby closed her eyes tight and pressed send on her phone. Liam's phone rang once, twice, three times. A bit relieved, she waited to be routed to his voicemail.
"Liam Whitmore's office."
She sucked in a hard breath and nearly dropped the phone. "Uh…hi…this is Abby Haden, Abigail Haden that is."
"Yes, Miss Haden," the receptionist said quickly. "Please hold."
Several seconds passed.
"This is Liam."
"I…" Abby paused, searching her heart one last time. Her grip on her cellphone tightened, and her courage failed. "I…I…"
"What's the holdup?" Liam asked, his voice gruff.
She flinched. "H-holdup?" she stammered.
"Seven hundred fifty thousand dollars, and that's the final offer, Miss Haden. Take it or leave it."
Abby blinked. "That's not—"
"Take it or leave it," Liam interrupted. "I want an answer now."
His brisk tone set her on edge and raised her ire.
Her courage returned. "Fine, but I have a requirement."
His pause felt tangible through the phone, and she feared he'd had second thoughts. Not that she'd back down from her decision.
"What is it?" He nearly growled the question.
She filled her lungs with air. "I want two hundred fifty thousand upon conception, the rest after the baby is born."
Another pause. "We have a deal." His anger had disappeared, his voice holding no hint of emotion.
Abby blew out her pent-up breath. "Okay, good. I've been unable to find a clinic for the…the artificial, um, you know." She placed a cool palm on her flaming hot cheek. If it was possible to die from embarrassment, she'd be a goner for sure.
"I'm not following you, Miss Haden," Liam said. She heard papers shuffling in the background. "I'll have the contract drawn up."
"Artificial insemination," Abby blurted out.
"Artificial insemination?" He sounded taken aback. "I hadn't considered any such thing."
Abby frowned in confusion. "How else are we going to get me pregnant?"
Liam's laughter echoed through the phone. Rich and throaty, it sent a hot tingle down Abby's spine. Goose bumps broke out over her skin.
"Miss Haden, there are such pleasurable ways of making a baby that are quite successful," he said, his voice dropping to a deep rumble over the phone. Abby took a shuddering breath as it did obscene things to her insides. His tone returned to its more business-like manner. "I have a cabin in Aspen. As soon as your cycle is at the most likely time for you to conceive we'll fly up there for a week," he said. "AI would take too much time," he added.
"I-I didn't plan on that," Abby stuttered, her mind reeling. Sex hadn't been in the equation when she'd made her decision. Sex? With Liam? Oh my God. Her heart kicked into overdrive. "Look, Mr. Whitmore—"
"I'll set up an appointment with my physician for STD tests. Can you be there tomorrow afternoon by, say…" He paused briefly. "Three-thirty?"
"Mr. Whitmore, I—"
"Do you know when you'll most likely ovulate again?"
Abby blinked, she was being steamrolled.
"Miss Haden, it's a simple question. I need to know."
She looked at her calendar, she'd already figured up the days in case she'd gotten an appointment at one of the clinics she called. "Um, next week, but listen—"
Liam pushed on. "I'll have everything set up. We can leave for Aspen late Sunday evening. My personal assistant will be in touch tomorrow morning to give you directions to my physician's office."
"Mr. Whitmore, there's no way I can get off work for a week on such short notice. It's Tuesday," she insisted, trying to backpedal.
"It's taken care of. Don't worry, Abigail," he said.
The sound of her given name rolling off his tongue caught her off guard. It stopped her next objection dead in its tracks.
"What's your contact number?" he asked.
Abby gave him her cellphone number.
After a quick 'thank you' Liam hung up, leaving Abby in a bit of a stupor. His driven personality explained his business success, as well as the rumored success he had with women. He was a raging river and she had been helplessly swept along in its current.


Pedicure.

To pedicure...or not! I just have never seen the need to have one...I mean it's easy enough to care for your own feet...isn't it?

Oh my God...I had one and I'm converted. It was one of the best experiences...ever! My feet and calves were soaked, massaged and creamed until they were baby soft. Then my nails were coiffed to perfection. And if that wasn't enough the sweet lady who did my feet then proceeded to paint flowers on my toenail and add jewels...so artistic and pretty.

Loved it!







2012-2014

2012-2014 seven published books in two years, it's been a whirlwind! Two more to come before the end of this year.







Ageing with style.



Yes I’m over fifty and some days I feel it but age is like a good wine the older it gets the better the taste.
I’ve always been into alternative medicines and exercise and with spondylitisthesis I find that I need to keep my limbs strong and supple to support the framework. Getting enough exercise was running around after little ones but now that they are all older I’m  finding that apart from work I need to do extra exercise to keep fit. Even more so after having a full hysterectomy at the age of forty-six which left me with an early menopause that seemed to last for ever. Hot flushes immediately after surgery drove me mad.

At my age I’m not necessarily looking to pound the streets, now I need a more sedate way of keeping my body fit to accommodate the weariness and stiffness that the more mature time of my life brings. The unexpected pain that comes from my back is like a knock at the door, sometimes it’s pounding every second of the day and other time it only comes once in a while.

A Pilates reformer has been my saviour and for six years now it’s something I’ve trained with for three to five times a week. But now I find I’m really enjoying Yoga which is something I haven’t practised for ten years. I remember vividly that trying to do meditation in those days was never going to happen with teenagers in the house there was always a drama going on. Actually it’s still kinda hard to do, so last thing at night I take time to do this for ten minutes which helps with my insomnia.


The pilates has made my limbs more supple, but yoga is great for core strength and I would recommend this for any back sufferer. I like that you don’t have to spend hours doing it, I might be cooking dinner and I can do a small sequence in-between the veggies cooking. It’s not sweaty and it makes you feel so good afterwards.

The Invisible Illness!

As we enter into the start of summer it seems that we're almost into half the year and I wonder where it has gone. Where is the warm weather? I ask myself! Although why I'm surprised that in the month of June I'm still wearing my Ugg boots I don't know. This is Great Britain after all where we could have hailstones in July and warm weather in October.

The strange wet weather that has been with us since last year is dismal and I wonder is it ever going to end. From hurricane force winds to hailstones the size of golf balls, I proclaim the weather has gone crazy. All I want is some warm weather long enough to colour my extremely white legs.

We all  experience mood changes that are affected by what we see when we draw our curtains in the morning. Sunshine= smile, rain= sad face. But in actual fact a lot of us use the word depression loosely and it is by far the most underrated word in the dictionary. It has so many different meanings that when we are faced with knowing someone who has hit a brick wall, who doesn't want to get up in the mornings...who doesn't want to live we don't know what to do.

 The invisible illness! You have nothing to show that you are ill, and understanding a person who has it can be difficult. It is so easy to dismiss it as having a bad day which makes it harder for someone to talk about what they are going through. People are unsure of what to say, it's not that easy to heal and sticking a band aid on it will not work.

It shows itself in various different ways and will almost certainly interfere in a persons ability to function. The feeling of hopelessness, emptiness and a numbness that has the power to completely lock out everything and everyone is overwhelming. The stigma of depression is easier today than in latter years although it still isn't the easiest thing to talk about.

Finding out about someone you know and care about and had been feeling this way was a wake up call that I didn't like. You wonder what you did wrong and why you didn't pick up on it before that person tried to take there own life!

I'm a big fan of tough love and saying it how it is after all we don't want them going down that same path again. Letting a person talk and being there to listen can mean the world to someone who suffers from depression. Realizing when something is wrong and recognizing the signs, and making them aware that being depressed is not something to frown at...depression is an illness...an invisible illness!

http://www.dilysjcarnie.com/