Good evening and welcome back to my lair, all you sexy people out there in the dark.

I know, I know. I promised to make a concerted effort to write blog entries on a more regular basis. But life does tend to get in the way.

I helped a good friend adopt a rescue potbellied pig today. Well, for her daughter. I always wanted a pig and one of these days I will have one. Just give me time.

And I survived the polar vortex. I wish I could say the same for the kitchen plumbing. One of the pipes in the wall burst, but at least it didn't flood too much before I was able to turn the water off. The water is currently off to the whole house. Why? you ask. The answer is simple: After my fire, the dumbass plumber gave me shut-off valves in the basement for the second kitchen and both bathrooms but none for the main kitchen. Isn't that fucking wonderful?!

Work has begun again on one of my planned secret projects. Can't tell you anything else so you'll just have to cross your legs and hold your breath. All will be revealed in time. I think you will like it. I am hoping for a Spring reveal. So think good thoughts.

I am writing. Slow, but it's progress. And I have a secret project in that arena as well, but I don't want to jinx it so I won't say much about it.

What else can I tell you?

I'm working on some nice wainscoting for my upstairs hallway. Making picture frame moldings and a chair rail. We'll see if I can pull it off. These are the three styles of wood trim I've selected to make the picture frames. Picture them in 1 ft high x 2 ft deep rectangles, painted dark brown against a medium caramel wall. I think it will look pretty damned good.

The chair rail, I'm thinking at this point, will be dark brown with some of the rope molding to accent it. I think it will all come together nicely. I'll be sure to post pictures once I pull it all together and you can let me know what you think.

I'm still getting the hang of this blog thing. Sooner or later I'll be able to do more than just type and add pictures.

And I've decided I would like to paint my brick house brilliant white with black trim around the windows that will accent the black wrought iron screen doors. I'm also thinking the steel doors will look awesome a deep, dark red. I'll post pictures of that, too, if I can get it done this summer. There's a lot on the list that needs to get done. We'll see.

Okay, I am off to watch the latest episode of Grimm. I love that show. For some reason, all day yesterday I thought it was Friday and, man, was I pissed when Grimm wasn't on.

Nighty-nightmares...

No surprise, I love graveyards.
And I love snow.
But only recently did I have the opportunity to combine the two: Walking through an historic cemetery in the evening while the fluffy flurries of snow feel silently all around me.
I highly recommend doing this if you ever have the chance. Far from creepy, at least for me, it's quite a serene, surreal experience. A calming experience.
The closest experience I've ever had was with my friends Laura and Sarah as we traipsed through the graveyard in the rain on a photo shoot some years back. A nice memory, and we also had a few experiences we thought could have been paranormal.

Have you checked out my Kindle-exclusive holiday novella, A Christmas Canticle, yet? You definitely should. It's my homage to Charles Dickens and his classic A Christmas Carol, so you'll get a cool read and you'll be helping to raise money for animals in need at the same time.

And speaking of holiday novellas, I've already started on mine for next Christmas. I won't be giving out any details just yet, but it's somewhat of a return to the style of story I'm known for writing. So don't be expecting a PG version like A Christmas Canticle, which is now available on Amazon for $2.99. This time around, I'm going back to my bloody roots. And that''s all I'll say about that. For now.

I tried a new vegan item just recently. Seasonal Nog from Silk. It's very tasty, if you like the taste of egg nog, and I didn't find it as thick as the egg nog I remember from childhood. (I wasn't always completely vegan and I have tasted egg nod in spite of my aversion to eggs,

I'm still working on several different projects and making good head way, so you never know when a new book may pop out there. Keep your legs crossed and hold your breath. I know you'll enjoy some of my future offerings.

Here is a partial list of books on which I'm currently working:
Shadows Amongst the Moonlight, The Fourth Book of the Scarabae Saga
Illusions of Darkness: The Forbidden, The Fifth Book of the Scarabae Saga
The first & second books in a new trilogy, the plots and titles of which I'm keeping buried for now
A non-fiction book of some of the paranormal experiences I've had over the years
A surprise project I hope you'll enjoy, something that is very different for me and out of my comfort zone
And an autobiography, not that I think I'm so interesting that people will want to read about me

So until next time, all you sexy people out there in the dark,
Nighty-nightmares...

Good evening and welcome to my lair.

I have been away for a while but that's because I've been working on many projects.

Today my Kindle-exclusive Christmas novella, A Christmas Canticle, has been released on Amazon.com and I hope everyone buys a copy. It's $2.99 and proceeds go to animals in need.

Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H0R7ZFO (You may have to copy and paste if I didn't make this a clickable link.)

Feel free to share this information because word of mouth is the best publicity, and the more people who know, the more we can help those who don't have a voice to ask for help for themselves.

My story is an homage to the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, and I tried to stay true to both the meaning and the feeling of his original story. I think you will enjoy it.

The Victorian-inspired cover was created by my friend and graphic designer Laura Meese. She designs my covers from the odd ideas that pop into my head and she always does a grand job.

Until next time,
Nighty-nightmares...

And here I have been away for nearly a month and a half after I promised you I would make more of an effort to update my blog on a more regular basis. I do apologize. But creating magic takes quite a bit of time, and I do have some updates for you, all you sexy people out there in the dark!

If we keep our legs crossed. the Kindle exclusive of my Christmas novella A Christmas Canticle should be available on 1 December 2013. It will be about $2.99 and will be a way for me to raise money for the animals, so I am relying on all you wonderful people to buy it and share the information so others will buy, too. The cover illustration is by Laura Meese, the talented graphic designer who has designed all my book covers with me so far. And if I have my way, there will be some illustrations inside, but more on that later once I have it locked in.

Some of my other projects I've been working on this year have been pushed back a little due to personal issues, but I will still be working on them and hope to have some more unveilings in the coming months. Never fear, I don't give up easily.

On a side note, I have rediscovered my enjoyment of The Addams Family and The Munsters. I've been watching episodes again and enjoying myself quite a bit.

Speaking of television shows, I'm also enjoying Sleepy Hollow. I understand it has already been renewed for a second season. I just hope they steer clear of getting all preachy, but it does seem to be going in that direction. My verdict is still out on the Witches of East End. I'm going to give that one a couple more episodes to see if it grows on me. Mädchen Amick is looking pretty spectacular and it may be worth it to just watch for her.

I attempted to watch The Blacklist. At first it was a bad take on Hannibal Lecter and then Spader made the character his own. Unfortunately, the show, to me, seems like it's going to be nothing more than the female agent in peril week after week and it's already gotten old for me after only like three episodes, so I deleted it from my DVR list.

Two episodes into American Horror Story: Coven and I have to say, it's a big improvement over the last series Asylum--although that's not really saying much. Unfortunately, it's not really grabbing me the first series Murder House did. I'll give it a couple more episodes because I do love witches.

As for reading, right now I am in the middle of J.R. Ward's fifth novel of the Fallen Angels, Possession. It's not bad. Not as good as my favorite one so far, book four Rapture, but it's not bad. I do believe there will only be seven books in this series. I find I enjoy this series far more than I did the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And I am also re-reading Kim Harrison's the Hollows series in anticipation of book 12 The Undead Pool next year. She is indeed ending the series at book 13, which is a wise decision.

That is about all I have to report. I promise I will try not to be gone so long

Sometimes you just feel the need for some built-in shelving with recessed lighting. I want some for in my library. My books and some of my tchotchkes would be showcased quite nicely. But that will have to come later. I really should get the library in shape but there are other rooms that require my attention first.

And I would like a nice chocolate cake. I guess I'll have to make some more cupcakes this weekend, and I'm not sharing this time.

I did make some awesome potato salad. Unfortunately, I ate it all in a span of 24 hours. Yeah well, what can you do?

I've been watching this Canadian sitcom called Little Mosque, that's it's American title. It's original Canadian title is Little Mosque on the Prairie--a take on Little House on the Prairie which became to be called Little House. Rather funny. It's nice to find a show that's funny and not comprised of cussing and sex-based humor.

I'm looking forward to the third season premiere of Grimm in late October, followed by the premiere of a new series called Dracula. But before that, in mid-September, comes the premiere of a tasty show called Sleepy Hollow that looks pretty cool.

My secret project is moving along quite nicely. A shame I can't say anything more right now. Just give it a little more time...

That's about all for my update. Fall is on it's way, which means pumpkin candles. I like me some pun

Good evening, gorgeous people dwelling in the darkness. That's a different greeting and I like it.

I decided, since no one loves me enough to make me chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, I would make the damned things for myself. And I did a great job. My vegan recipe is rather simple, I actually had all the ingredients already in the pantry, and is the best cake/cupcake I've ever eaten. Very, very moist and tasty. The frosting is miraculously simple, and you have to start the day before. I didn't actually have a can of coconut milk on hand but easily found one at the local market. You need to chill the can in the fridge for about 24 hours so the water separates from the coconut cream. Melt the coconut cream together with chocolate chips and chill for a couple hours. Then you set it out and let it come to room temperature before you whip it up with a hand mixer. I added shredded coconut and it turned out really good.

Unfortunately, I didn't bake as many cupcakes as I wanted to bake. The batter was pretty damned tasty and I found myself eating spoonfuls here and there and ended up eating about half the batter. And then, while waiting the 24 hours for the coconut milk to chill, I ate about half there cupcakes I did bake. But that's okay, because I've been eating the frosting out of the bowl all  night anyway. I'll save enough to frost the remaining cupcakes later this afternoon. I already frosted one and ate it and let me tell you, it was an awesome chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. Good thing I'm not one to share.

I think next, I'll use this recipe to make a cake. I think it will be just as tasty as the cupcakes. For a vegan recipe, I thought it was pretty awesome the only thing I didn't have on hand, and the rest of the ingredients you could really find in stock in a non-vegan kitchen quite easily, was the can of whole fat coconut milk.

That's my update for the sexy people out there in the dark who read my little blog.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, I've been getting some really nice comments from new readers about my books. It's always nice to hear from people who enjoy reading my books and I am always than

Good evening and welcome back. It has been ten days since my last entry. Have you missed me? You know you did.

Let me begin by saying I never did get any chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting. And now my thoughts are turning to also include brownies. But will I ever get any? Stay tuned...

I've submitted two short works of fiction, what we used to call short stories, for a possible two-volume anthology due out in October in time for Hallowe'en. The editor enjoyed both pieces and said if indeed there are two volumes, maybe I will have a story in each volume. Keep your legs crossed. This will be the first work I've permitted to be published in perhaps four years, since The Third Book of the Scarabae Saga: Angels of the Mourning Light. Exciting, I know. I'll update you as soon as I know more.

And I have awesome news regarding my secret project, but I can't share the magic with you yet. So sorry. You'll have to wait a bit longer. But I believe it will be worth it. Be patient. I want to tell you. I really do. But I can't. So I won't. Bear with me on this.

I've also been writing. Not a lot, but at least I continue to work on all these books. I do promise I will have one published for you within the next millennium. I get closer each day, and you never know when I will have a book out for your reading pleasure! I've been out of the publishing eye for quite a few years and I am feeling the urge to publish again. Keep your legs crossed and think good thoughts for me.

That's about it for my updating. I lead a rather mundane existence and I

And don't even get me started on the alleged documentary the Discovery Channel aired to start of their annual Shark Week entitled Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives. Nowhere prior to the airing did Discovery acknowledge this was not a real documentary, a fictional account of what could be.

I don't watch Shark Week, but I wanted to tune in because the idea that a prehistoric creature, one of the biggest on the planet and certainly the biggest know animal to have inhabited the oceans, thought to have gone extinct 1.8 million years ago could still be alive and swimming along intrigued me quite a bit. After all, many animals we thought went extinct millions of years ago have been verified as still existing within the last century. Have you ever heard of the Coelacanth? If not, you need to do some research because it is a very interesting story if you are as interested as I in that sort of thing. Long story short: The Coelacanth went from being thought extinct 65 million years ago to being the most endangered species on the planet when it was discovered as still being alive in 1938 off the coast of South Africa.

Shame on you, Discovery Channel. You are supposed to be an educational channel. At the very least, you could have admitted how fictionalized this account would be, and then we could all watch it for its entertainment value. But no, you chose to pass it off as complete fact, much like another channel did a while back with a certain "documentary" on mermaids. I personally know people who still believe that one to be true, no matter how much I tell them or show them it was a "mockumentary."

I wouldn't have steered clear if I had been told the show was speculation or fiction, but I wouldn't have watched and attempted to research the information presented. No, I would have watched and enjoyed a speculative film. That wouldn't have been a problem.

The issue isn't that Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives was a work of fiction, it's that the Discovery Channel attempted to pass it off a fact. It wasn't a joke, a laugh at us, the viewers, who watch these shows to learn. It was a big fuck you to the viewers and I don't take too kindly to that.

So I will no longer be watching the Discovery Channel since the information they present can no longer be trusted. At least with the mermaid show on the other channel, at least I went into that one knowing it was a mockumentary.

That's my rant on the matter.

Do some research on animals that were believed extinct only to be rediscovered millions of years after their alleged extinction. These are known as Lazarus taxons, animals or plants that have disappeared from one or more fossil records only to be rediscovered at a later time, mostly millions of years later. See, I'm not just pretty, I know lots o

I forgot I couldn't edit my blog entries after I publish them and I forgot to write about my pineapple upside-down cake I made the other evening. All vegan. all from scratch. A nice double-layer cake. Turned out pretty damned tasty. And I ate the whole thing in three days. I'd been wanting something sweet for weeks and decided to take matters into my own hands because no one brought me anything.

I do like chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting a lot. My friend needs bugged so she makes me some more. I haven't had them in quite a long time. Each time she makes me some, I swear I'm going to freeze some and not eat them all at one time, but, inevitably, they disappear one at a time until they are all consumed over the course of an evening or two, without any making it into the freezer. And then I end up cussing myself when I want one late at night and there aren't any to be found.

Pecan pie is a favorite. Another friend makes awesome pecan pies. I think the most I ate was something like five in one week when a couple other friends also made me some vegan pecan pies. Surprisingly enough, I didn't get sicker than a dog or go into a sugar coma.

I made some pretty damned tasty vegan chocolate fudge the other week from scratch. (I keep saying vegan because when I don't someone always asks if I've given it up.) And I ate the whole batch over the course of an evening and a day. But, in my defense, it was good. In fact, I think I may have to make some more this evening to enjoy while watching a creepy movie. It practically melts in your mouth after you take a bite. I was famous in my tax class a number of years ago for my fudge and brownies.

While I'm on the subject of sweets, I do have to admit I make a fantastic German Chocolate Cake. I haven't made one since last year. I may have to correct that and make one this weekend. Nothing better than pecans and coconut in all that homemade, vegan caramel covering what is pretty much a homemade dark chocolate cake. Damn, I think I'm really salivating now just thinking about that cake. A big slice would be good right now.

And I'm still waiting on someone to make vegan yeast donuts with a glaze. They would be good to nosh on while watching a movie this evening. But I've never made a doughnut in my life and have no clue how to go about it. I don't even know if those doughnuts are baked--I believe they are--or deepfried.

Now that I've made myself crave some tasty treats, I may have to go to the market and pick up ingredients to make something. I'm feeling kind of lazy now and I really don't want to move. But the allure of a tasty treat may convince me to get up and go.

Welcome, all you sexy people out there in the dark.

I have a few things I can report. Today is my day off, so I decided to be a little lazy--as lazy as I can be and still accomplish all the things that need done on my day off.

A small marathon of a paranormal show called The Ghost Inside My Child, or something like that, occupied a few hours of my time last night. I found it to be rather interesting. Of course, I do believe in the concept of previous existences and I believe we can sometimes have memories of them, so I decided to check the show out. The title really doesn't suit the show's concept; it makes it sound like the kids are possessed or something, which is a whole other idea. It's about children who have memories of a previous life when they are very young, and most likely before they could have been exposed to media to gain knowledge of the alleged former life. Very interesting and I say you should watch an episode or two and make up your own mine.

I've found another show I think I enjoy watching that's along the lines of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Criminal Minds, Cold Case, and a few other show I like to watch. It's called Without A Trace and there are something like seven seasons I can watch. I've been watching the new show Unforgettable and one of its stars, Poppy Montgomery, also stared on Without A Trace. I'm only a few episodes in and I'm liking it. Maybe this will help make up for Body of Proof being canceled. I'm still pissed about that because I looked forward to new episodes of that show.

There are a few new things that have been happening with my secret project, but unfortunately I cannot tell you about them. Just keep your legs crossed and hold your breath and all will be unveiled in a couple months. I believe you will agree that it's worth all the secrecy and waiting once you see. Just wait. I'm hoping I'll be able to let you in on the secret come October. Rest easy in the knowledge that things are lining up quite nicely, as the Universe has intended, and think good thoughts and send good energy.

I picked up a pretty good movie at the market the other day, a remake of a television movie from the seventies called Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. A pretty good suspense movie. Close enough to a haunted house for me to enjoy. Well worth the $5 I spent on the DVD. It could easily be paired with The Woman In Black if you wanted to have a double feature some evening. Now it's back to the hunt for some more good movies to watch late at night.

And I've been reading a good bit. The latest Agent Pendergast novel from Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston and looking forward to the new one coming out later this year. I've also read most of the novels by Douglas Preston in the last week and enjoyed them. The two latest are on my list so I have to be on the look out for them. Looking forward to the new J.R. Ward Novel of the Fallen Angels coming out in October, as well. I have to admit, I like those better than her Black Dagger Brotherhood books. Blasphemy, I know. Do with that Revelation what you will.

That's all for now. Be good. But if you must do bad things, make sure you do them in the dark.

Nighty-nightmares...