Angels and Demons Blog Hop

I'm participating in the Angels and Demons Blog Hop!

I don't have an angel or demon book out (yet - lots of things are in the works!), so I thought I'd share with you some interesting quotes I found about both!

Angels are like diamonds. They can't be made, you have to find them. Each one is unique. - Jaclyn Smith

Angels are spirits, flames of fire; they are higher than man, they have wider connections. - Matthew Simpson

Angels possess greater powers than do human beings. - Walter Lang

But all lost things are in the angels' keeping, Love; No past is dead for us, but only sleeping, Love; The years of Heaven with all earth's little pain Make Good Together there we can begin again, In babyhood. - Helen Hunt Jackson

I love good and pleasure, I hate evil and pain, I want to be happy and I am not mistaken in believing, that people, angels and even demons have those same inclinations. - Nicolas Malebranche

I never thought of it as God. I didn't know what to call it. I don't believe in devils, but demons I do because everyone at one time or another has some kind of a demon, even if you call it by another name, that drives them. - Gene Wilder

Man's enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself. - Lao Tzu

http://www.brainyquote.com

And now for the fun part! Leave a comment below with your e-mail, and I'll pick a random winner to receive a free pdf of any one of my books, found at www.dcjuris.com.

Good luck!!!

****PLEASE BE AWARE:  I write GLBTQ romance. GLBTQ stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer. This means my works feature same sex relationships AND same sex sexual acts. If winning that kind of a book isn't your cup of tea, kindly pass on to the next blog in the hop and leave the spot open for someone else. Thank you.****

Lovestruck Giveaway Hop

I'm participating in the Lovestruck Giveaway Hop!

I'm not going to bore you with blah blah blah about what I think about the topic, because really - you're here for the prizes!! (Don't worry - that's what I'd be here for, too!!!)

So for my prize today, I'm offering a free pdf copy of my new, hot off the virtual presses m/m romance "Asian Persuasion" from Torquere Press!

Entering to win is easy - just leave a comment below. That's it!! Be sure  to include your e-mail so you can receive your prize! 

Here's the blurb:

Arata Ito, has a reputation for taking what he wants at business meetings, and what he wants now is Caleb. When Caleb’s boss asks him to romance the potential investor, he’s outraged, but goes along with it because the company could really use the money. But something about Arata is familiar. Is the sexy Japanese man all he seems?

And if that's not enough to grab your interest, here's a little snippet!

Caleb stopped and simply stood there, gawking. What was from the outside a run of the mill building was, on the inside, a glitzy, glamorous club, complete with a giant crystal chandelier and beautiful people -- far more fancy dressed than him -- walking around or lounging on leather couches, holding gold rimmed champagne flutes, laughing and smiling. Scantily clad men and women mingled through the crowd, refilling drinks or offering morsels off gleaming silver platters. In the corner, a fluffy haired female singer with a smoky, sultry voice belted out the Shooter Jennings song "All of this Could've Been Yours" accompanied by a full band. A shimmering sign at the back of the room declared the place "Club Fantasia."

Caleb ran his hands down the front of his body. No wonder Hikaru hadn't liked his wardrobe! He squared his shoulders, made a mental note to choke Alonzo, and stepped further into the room.

Hikaru touched his shoulder and pointed to a door on the other side. "Sensei back there. You go. Guard show you in." She gave him a gentle shove in the direction of the door.

Caleb took a deep breath. Get hold of yourself! It wouldn't be that bad. He would speak with Ito, be pleasant, explain he was married, and that would be the end of it. Ito was a businessman, right? He swallowed hard. Ito wouldn't do anything stupid. Like rape him. Right?

He walked with purpose across the room, mentally telling himself to keep walking, keep putting one foot in front of the other, until he came abreast of the guard at the door.

The guard -- a hulking dark skinned man with muscles practically bursting through his tight red t-shirt -- nodded and opened the door, gestured him into the room.



****PLEASE BE AWARE:  I write GLBTQ romance. GLBTQ stands for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer. This means my works feature same sex relationships AND same sex sexual acts. If being associated with that isn't your cup of tea, kindly pass on to the next blog in the hop and leave the spot open for someone else. Thank you.****

Friendly Friday - Featuring Sandra Bunino

I don’t know about you, but I’m a complete sucker for a reunion romance. I love to learn the H/h’s story about their past as well as their painful and often misunderstood breakup. But what really gets my heart pumping are the oh-so-sexy scenes when they meet again, years later.

Here’s a little taste of one such scene from Sara’s Smile:

While he spoke, she stared at his mouth, remembering how his kisses felt on her lips. A glance at his hands awoke her memory of the way they had encircled her waist as she made love to him.

Stop it, she ordered herself sternly, and shook her head.

“Are you okay?”

Oh shit. I didn’t say that out loud, did I? “Y-yeah, I’m fine,” she answered with a laugh.

“Now that we’ve made a dent in these martinis,” he said, looking down at his glass, “I have to tell you… You broke my heart, that last night. I really loved you, Sara.”

“And you don’t think I felt the same way? Will, I made a clean break between us for you, as much as me. It never would have worked out, given our situations. You were traveling the world on the fast track to success, and I had a challenging course schedule. Look at us now, with everything we wished for. Our hard work paid off.”

Will’s gaze sharpened. “Have you ever regretted it? You know, not giving us a chance?”

Sara paused and looked into his eyes. Every day. That was what she wanted to answer, but instead she said, “I think our table is ready. Come on. Let’s go sit down.”

I’ve been in the reunion state of mind lately. Coincidently my reunion romance, Sara’s Smile, released on the same weekend as my high school reunion (I’m not giving up the year, so don’t ask   ;-)). What a great time I had, too! I’m very happily married and so seemed most of the attendees but I could definitely understand how sparks could fly under those circumstances for past lovers, especially first loves. This begs the question, can bringing one back to his/her keg-stand days (yes, there were keg stands performed at my reunion) really rekindle lost love? If so, is it just a passing fling or can it work out in the long term?

I did a little research and found five fun facts about rekindling a past romance:

1. Who are the prime candidates to rekindle a romance?

The most successful rekindled romances were lost lovers who had been 17 or younger at the time of the initial romance -- first loves -- and had separated for situational reasons, like parents disapproved, one of them moved away or went to college. Age of the couples didn't matter -- if they were 18 or 95, the romance worked the second time. In fact, the older they were for the reunion, the better their chances of success.

2. Is lost & found love successful the second time around?

Yes! 2,000 people between the ages 18 to 95 were polled about their rekindled romance and guess what? 72% of them reported that they are still together with their lost and found lover. First loves had the highest stay together rate -- 78% are happily reunited, and remain blissfully in love over their many years of marriage. These weren’t just romances of convenience. They were reported as wildly sexual, soul mate reunions. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder!

3. Are rekindled romances more intense than other loves?

Again, the answer is a resounding yes. Participants were asked to rate the emotional involvement of the rekindled romance, as compared to all their other loves in the past, and 71% of them said that this was their most intense romance of all. Additionally, 61% of the participants said that the rekindled romance started faster than any other romance in the past, and that the sexual involvement was intense.

4. Why does rekindled love endure?

The couples grew up together, they spent their formative years together, and many of the first loves reported that the lost love became the standard for all their other romances. They knew each other well, many times they shared roots and values. It is these similarities that form the strength of the bond. For the most part, these romances began as friendships.

5. Isn't there some research that suggests that this love might have a biological component?

Absolutely! There’s something to the term ranging hormones. When teens are in love for the first time, hormones like oxytocin and vassopressin are released into the bloodstream. These chemicals form emotional memories in the brain, stored in an area called the amygdala. When the lost lovers meet again, those memories are released by the familiar sight, smell, touch and sound of the long lost lover. The feelings are comforting and familiar as well as sexually arousing!

Interesting statistics!

If all this talk of rekindled love has you in the mood for a sweet reunion romance, you’ll enjoy Sara and Will’s steamy story. Sara’s Smile takes the reader from young love found on the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard to the fast paced streets of New York City and sexy shores of Santa Monica. It’s the perfect summertime read that’s sure to leave you breathless.

Source credit:

Marriagepartner.com and Nancy Kalish, Ph.D., author of Lost & Found Lovers. 

And now, for the contest! We're giving away one copy of "Sara's Smile" to one lucky winner! To enter, just leave a comment below, telling us what your favorite reunion story is. Whether it's a real life story or a fictional story from a movie or a book - we want to know! Be sure to include your    

e-mail address!

Blurb:
As an architect who specializes in restorations, Sara Wiley is a genius at returning neglected structures to their former glory. But when it comes to her own life, she has no idea how to reclaim the ruins, which are all that remain of her first true love.

When the biggest opportunity of her career and a sexy contractor comes her way, she’s thrilled…until she learns that the client is the long-ago boy who captured her heart and continues to invade her dreams. Is it a bittersweet coincidence or might there be a chance, after all, for Sara to revisit the mistakes of her past and build the future she has wanted for so long?

Author Bio:

Sandra Bunino began a love of romance stories while penning a creative writing assignment in high school. The story ended with the heroine receiving a long stem red rose in her locker on Valentine’s Day. Since then, all of her stories feature the hero presenting the heroine with roses. Sandra is constantly searching for different ways to achieve a heart-pumping, stomach-flipping, breath-catching reaction from her readers.

These days, Sandra lives on a wooded mountaintop not far from New York City with her family. She always looks forward to hearing from her readers and she may be contacted at sbunino@gmail.com. Come back often to find out more about her current and future releases. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter (@sandrabunino). Remember, following is sexy!

An Old Poem of Mine

So, I was cleaning out and looking for other stuff, and I came across a bunch of my poetry. Most of it is that paltry teenage stuff that seems so meaningful and moving when we write it, but is just sappy crap when we're 29. But this one, I read and was like, "Huh. Wow. That's interesting." So, here it is. I have no idea when I wrote it or what I wrote it for. Maybe it was a quasi-coming out poem??? It didn't have a title on the page so I'll just go with Untitled. 

Untitled

Stirred expectations drain the cup of myself dry,

and pour out a grog of unachieved dreams

for everyone to see.

The passion that once empowered me, exalted,

is squeezed from my hold

to illuminate the sleeping beast inside me,

hiding from the lights, keeping

still, as a wise sheep

spotted by the hungry wolf.

I should stay downwind

of him, crafty, wicked thing.

I have a lot to say really,

but only the cold silent night to

listen as the words pour

from me like a river,

wishing that by some miracle

the saying could simply make them so.

Make myself a moon and sky

of my own, separate.

I could shriek with joy and delight.

Sprinkle bright crystalline

over pursed, red lips,

longing to kiss the milk

and honey of life, like

vodka, it makes me giddy.

I could carry the sun

all the way to where ever I chose. 

Possibly uplift the fire inside it,

set the fields of life ablaze,

laughing happily as

the wind blows outside me,

but I myself shall never feel its soft tread.

Have you had your dessert today? 

With your soft loins you fire my life

to walk in a wonderland,

unafraid to face the plans

of myself and what I'd like to do. 

Your mouth warm on mine,

angels sing, and I forget

what brought me here. 

The piles of unfinished worries,

the things under my bed

that go bump in the night

and dash about around me in a starry

spectacle of shaken wits with no rhyme or reason.

And before the night and "us" are over,

I can't recall the stirred expectations,

as you carry me away

to somewhere over the earth

where I can close my eyes

and let the world go black

and no longer have to hide

my want behind myself.