Happy Thanksgiving

Thank you.

Be thankful.

Be grateful.

Pass it along.

Things I'm grateful for

I recently heard that of the top 3 things people are grateful for, technology is #3. I'm very grateful for technology, don't get me wrong--it allows me to keep in touch with family and friends distance and the general business of life have made it difficult to keep in touch with.

But in my top 3? Hmm, interesting. I'll leave it off the list for now. I'm grateful for:
Health
Family
Work--both the job and friends I've made in my time here
Writing career
Online writing friends--I may never have met you in person but don't think I don't appreciate you!

What are you grateful for?

Happy Thanksgiving, America!

And for those of you outside the US, I'm sure you have something to be thankful for as well. It's a day for remembering and appreciating all those you love and care about. So Happy Thanksgiving to you, too. :)

Not what we say about our blessing, but how we use them is the true measure of our thanksgiving. ~W.T. Purkiser

And don't forget my Title Contest!

The Romance Studio contest

I don't know why I did it, I mean I'm not planning on being online much this weekend, but I signed up to be a part of The Romance Studio's Thanksgiving Party.

It starts November 20 and runs through November 23, and I'll be giving away a print copy of Dark Desires of the Druids: Desert & Destiny, so stop on by!

Psst: I hear one of the grand prizes is a nook...

And don't forget my Title Contest!

Reviews and Thanksgiving

I ate too much yesterday. Even after promising myself I'd save room for turkey, stuffing mashed & sweet potatoes, corn, string beans, etc., etc., etc., I still overindulged in a wide variety of appetisers. Why so much? we ask the same question every year. It's not as if there isn't enough dinner to go around! So I ate too much, did nothing but eat pie and watch TV later, and crashed very early.


And no. I didn't get up this AM for Black Friday Shopping.


There's only so much abuse a body can take and mine was over it's limit with the eating. Any more and there would've been a revolt.


Then there were the lovely reviews I saw in my inbox! Whipped Cream Reviews gave Desert & Destiny 5 Cherries!

Holly said: Isabel Roman has once again taken us back in time to revisit her Druidic masters. The usual cast of characters is present: Raven and Malcolm, Lucien and Morgana, and Lady Isadore Harrington are all here. At the onset, Gareth is still bitter and resentful of Malcolm, Lord Preston for seducing and marrying Raven, and it colors many of his actions. But Arabelle realizes she cares for Gareth, and does all she can to win him over.

The location this time, Egypt of the late 1800’s, is one of contrasts.
There are luxurious hotels catering to the tourists and crumbling hovels that the native people live in almost next to each other. The characters are, as always, richly charismatic and superbly detailed. The women are strong and intelligent, and as willing to jump into the fray as the men are.

The action is fast and exciting, the mystery engaging, and the romance is searingly hot. For anyone who likes a bit of history with their romance, this one fills the bill quite nicely. Do Gareth and Arabelle get the happy ever after they deserve? Read Dark Desires of the Druids III: Desert and Destiny and find out.

And Manic Readers gave Sex & Subterfuge 4 Stars! Oh, yeah, I'm thrilled with both reviews, they made my entire week.

IvyD said: Morgana is as different from Raven as you can get. Older, widowed and very secure in both her magick and position as Master. She wields both effortlessly and plays the game well. The need for secrecy is just as strong in America as England. The politics haven’t changed much and people in power still want the magickers eradicated. It’s always fascinating when two strong willed independent people are as attracted to each other as Lucien and Morgana are. Will the very qualities they value, respect and admire bring them together or tear them apart? Not only do they have their own natures to deal with but the responsibilities they both shoulder are no small matter and literally, an ocean apart. The tension ratchets up when a dire threat against the American magickers and Morgana herself is discovered. How can it be nullified without sacrificing all that’s been established?

Dark Desires Of The Druids II: Sex And Subterfuge, the second installment of the Druids series is just as interesting a read as the first. There is danger, treachery, romance and passion aplenty. Takoda, Morgana’s self-appointed body guard is an intriguing character I’d like to learn more about. All in all, a worthy follow up to the Murder And Magick.

Happy Thanksgiving

The history of Thanksgiving is an interesting one. And I'm not just talking about the Pilgrims coming over. I'm talking Lincoln and reminding a nation at war the meaning of that nation.

Sarah Josepha Hale, a prominent magazine editor, wrote a letter to Lincoln on 28, 1863, urging him to have the "day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival." She wrote, "You may have observed that, for some years past, there has been an increasing interest felt in our land to have the Thanksgiving held on the same day, in all the States; it now needs National recognition and authoritive fixation, only, to become permanently, an American custom and institution." The document below sets apart the last Thursday of November "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise."

The original proclamation, written by William Seward (also know for the purchase of Alaska), was sold to benefit Union Troops:

According to an April 1, 1864, letter from John Nicolay, one of President
Lincoln's secretaries, this document was written by Secretary of State William
Seward, and the original was in his handwriting. On October 3, 1863, fellow
Cabinet member Gideon Welles recorded in his diary that he complimented Seward
on his work. A year later the manuscript was sold to benefit Union troops.

So tomorrow, as we gorge ourselves on turkey and football, remember our past, our troops, and our hope for the future of our great nation.

http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/source/sb2/sb2w.htm

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/tgproclamation.html

Don't forget to download your free short story, and enter a chance to win a iPod Touch at Ravenous Romance.

December 6, 2008: Dark Desire of the Druids: Tryst is available from Ravenous!

(I've had problems with blogger ad adding a site, so if MY link doesn't work, it's: http://www.ravenousromance.com/)

Thanksgiving

I'm thankful for a lot of things, every day I'm glad for friends and family. This year I'm thankful for my health. Some of you know I had a 15 day hospital stay and a further 6 week no real food and (horrors!) no caffeine or alcohol. So I'm doubly thankful for a healthy return to life now.

I'd like to include family and friends, my fellow Victorians, and supportive writers. And finally for a free morning on Thanksgiving to catch up on sleep and some editing.

The countdown is on! 11 days until the release of Dark Desire of the Druids: Tryst. Be sure to check out Ravenous Romance for a free short story download and a chance to win an iPod Touch.

Happy Thanksgiving

Whatever you're thankful for this year, I wish you the best.