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Spoon Heaven!

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spoons

As a writer, I’m always looking for new ideas. Fortunately, I have an active imagination and it doesn’t take much to spark it. Case in point…I found Spoon Heaven! No, not spooning…let’s get our mind away from romance for just a minute. I’m really talking about spoons of the utensil variety.

While recently perusing Pinterest…actually, I was lost in the Pinterest portal. I have a tendency to do that. But I digress…while perusing Pinterest I found a cute pin that showed an old spoon that had been used as a kitchen cupboard handle. Rather than go back to my writing, I decided to type in “spoon” in my Pinterest search box and wow! Who even knew that one could get so excited about spoons?

There were spoon wind chimes, spoon necklaces, spoon garden markers. So many choices and such creativity. It was inspiring and it reminded me of why I love writing so much. Inspiration can come from any direction…even a spoon.

Click if you’d like to check out my new Pinterest board dedicated to spoons. Warning: do not view if you have a job to go to!

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Malibu Top Five

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malibu-pier

My book, “Malibu Angel,” is set in Malibu, California, one of the most beautiful beaches and home to surfers, celebrities, and regular folk. If you’re able to make a visit, here are my Malibu Top Five favorite things to do — some taken from the pages of my book.

El Matador Beach

This is the most beautiful beach…ever! Rock caves, surfing, a wooden staircase that leads down to the shore. It’s perfection.

Malibu Pier

Relaxing, walking, shopping, eating. Malibu Pier has it all.

Solstice Canyon

If you’re a hiker, this is a gorgeous venue. It’s famous for its waterfall, the only year-round one found in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation area. The full hike is six miles, but there are shorter versions.

Pepperdine University

The university sits atop a hill with views of the Pacific Ocean yet somehow students manage to get their work done free of distractions.

Malibu Country Mart

This open air shopping center features amazing boutiques and restaurants for definitive foodies. There’s even a child’s playground in the center.

If you’ve taken part in any of these activities, tell me about your experience.

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Aromatherapy for Writers

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lavender

Let’s face it, writer’s block is real. It hits even the best writers from time to time. I know that people use aromatherapy for healing physical ailments, but I find that it works for mental stimulation as well. Here’s a helpful guide to aromatherapy for writers…and everyone else.

  • Feel Alert with peppermint

  • Feel Relaxed with lavender

  • Keep your Cool with bergamot

  • Tame Anxiety with orange oil

  • Feel Happy with lemon oil

  • Get in Focus with rosemary

Sometimes getting into the groove of writing is a matter of being in the right frame of mind. Writers have a tendency to procrastinate if their mindset isn’t perfect. Life is rarely perfect. You have to follow the Nike mindset and Just Do It. Try these essential oil fixes and you’ll be on your way.

Got another way to beat writer’s block? I’d love to hear from you.

 

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Charity Parkinson Strikes a Chord

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Author Charity Parkinson Strikes a Chord with release of “Heart’s Chord.” Read on for details…

Heart's Chord - Banner

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE –  Heart’s Chord

SERIES –  Ugly Eternity, 5

AUTHOR –  Charity Parkerson

GENRE –  M/M GBLT Romance

PUBLICATION DATE –  July 6, 2015

LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 122/23829

PUBLISHER – Punk & Sissy Publications

COVER ARTIST – Charity Parkerson for Punk & Sissy Publications art department

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Even though he already has more to do than there are hours in the day, Finn has no problem adding Austen to his life. The sexy former marine is the only good thing that’s happened to Finn in a long time.

For Austen, Finn is the perfect man. If he sees anything lacking in Austen, he never shows it. But falling in love with Finn changes everything for Austen. All the insecurities he’s faced since he has come home from deployment confined to a wheelchair come rushing back to the surface. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t let Finn in.

When Finn decides he’s had enough of not being enough, and his dreams come crashing down around him, he’s ready to walk away from everything for good. But he never counted on Austen’s reaction to losing him, or how far his Ugly Eternity family will go to make his dreams a reality.

**Author note**

This is an Ugly Eternity bonus story. It can be read as a standalone.

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – bit.ly/HeartsChord

AMAZON KINDLE CA – http://bit.ly/HeartsChordCA

AMAZON KINDLE UK – http://bit.ly/HeartsChordUK

AMAZON PAPERBACK –  http://bit.ly/HeartsChordPBA

GOODREADS –  http://bit.ly/HeartsChordGR

EXCERPT

“You need some posters or a mural or something on the ceiling in here,” Finn mused aloud after a few minutes.

“Why’s that?”

Finn squinted at the offending blank ceiling, attempting to picture the perfect art as he answered. “Judging by your incredibly sexy body, you spend a lot of time in here. You need something to focus on. There’re some studies that suggest visual stimuli is directly linked to physical health.”

“What do you think of these studies?”

At the curiosity in Austen’s voice, Finn rolled onto his side and up onto his elbow. His gaze swept down Austen’s body, taking in every hardened line and scar. His cock lengthened as hunger rose inside him. This man was under his skin. There wasn’t one particular attribute he could point to in order to explain his insane desire to touch Austen, but it was there. When he met Austen’s stare, there was no way Finn could hide his desire. “I think a little visual stimulation has never hurt anyone.”

Austen’s mouth quirked in one corner at Finn’s claim. “The view in here is looking pretty damn good right now.”

Finn wanted to kiss him. His lips tingled with longing, but sometimes, Austen didn’t invite Finn’s touch. He didn’t know how to explain it. There were moments when Austen’s expression remained closed, shutting Finn out—times such as now. Tearing himself away from temptation, Finn settled down beside Austen once more, going back to staring into space. “I can’t hang around all day, but maybe I can figure out something else. Maybe there’s a book somewhere about images for every environment.”

He felt Austen tense beside him a split second before Austen’s mouth came down upon his—hard and hot. Surprise gave way to lust in an instant as Finn opened for him. Finn flattened his palms against the floor beside him to keep from reaching for Austen. His skin itched to be closer, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment, and it seemed like he always did somehow.

AUTHOR BIO

Charity Parkerson is an award winning and multi-published author with Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Indie Publishing House LLC, and Punk & Sissy Publications. Born with no filter from her brain to her mouth, she decided to take this odd quirk and insert it in her characters.

*2015 Passionate Plume Finalist for Paranormal Erotica
*Winner of 2, 2014 Readers’ Favorite Awards
*2015 Golden Flogger BDSM Award Finalist
*2013 Readers’ Favorite Award Winner
*2013 Reviewers’ Choice Award Winner
*2012 ARRA Finalist for Favorite Paranormal Romance
*Five-time winner of The Mistress of the Darkpath

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

Amazon Author Page –  amazon.com/author/charityparkerson

Website/Blog – http://www.charityparkerson.com

Fan email: admin@charityparkerson.com

Facebook –  http://www.facebook.com/authorCharityParkerson

Twitter –  http://www.twitter.com/charityparkerso

Google+ – google.com/+CharityParkersonAuthor

Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/authorparkerson/

Tumblr – http://thesinnerauthor.tumblr.com/

Networked Blogs – http://www.networkedblogs.com/blog/the-sinners-series

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4506281.Charity_Parkerson

Shelfari – http://www.shelfari.com/authors/a2942626/Charity-Parkerson/

Others – http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/OurAuthors/CharityParkerson.html

https://www.ellorascave.com/author/charity-parkerson

http://passionateink.org/forum/index.php?showuser=2945

GIVEAWAY!

$10 Amazon gift card

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A Cook’s Library

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Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

When I’m not writing, I love to cook. Today, there are so many great websites for recipes,  but perhaps it’s the writer (and reader) in me that still loves to peruse cookbooks. Here are five essential ones that I feel are a must-have for a cook’s library.

The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer

I grew up with Irma’s tomb of a book. It may seem a bit old-fashioned, but this is the Bible of cookbooks. Anything you want to know how to make is in here. It doesn’t have fancy pictures, but every recipe works like a charm. Even Julia Child agreed that this is one you have to own.

The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller

You may not be able to get to Napa Valley, but you can grab a copy of this cookbook that developed from the Napa restaurant of the same name.

The Flavor Bible  by Karen Page

The concept behind this book is so cool and so right. You can’t just cook something; you have to flavor it. Not sure how to work with spices and seasonings? This is for you.

Gourmet Cookbook by Ruth Reichl

Little known fact…before I was a writer I was an entertainment publicist and I often pitched food writers about the restaurants where certain celebrities dined. Ruth Reichl was one of those reporters. Later, I became a novelist and Ruth also moved on. She was editor and chief of Gourmet magazine and created the most useful cookbook with more than 50,000 recipes.

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook  by Ina Garten

When I’m entertaining and want to serve something that is equally visually appealing as it is mouth-watering, I turn to Ina Garten. It doesn’t have to be this cookbook, although is her first. All of her books are a feast for the eyes and the recipes won’t disappoint your taste buds.

Send me a line and tell me what you’re planning to make this week.

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Why Writers Procrastinate

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Why Writers Procrastinate

There are lots of reasons why writers procrastinate about writing. Here are some that plague me from time to time:

The sun is shining and I’d rather be outdoors.
I’ve got company arriving and I need to cook.
I misplaced my imagination and I need to find inspiration.

Now, let me tell you my personal solutions. Numbers one and two above are easy fixes. If it’s a beautiful day and you want to be outdoors, then go. But, take a notepad with you. Sometimes just being in a change of scenery is enough to make you want to write. Be observant and you might even stumble upon an idea for a new story.

When company is calling and I need to prepare, I think of how that time spent in the kitchen can translate to my writing. If anyone follows my blog you’ll notice that I often post recipes and photos of my dishes. I love to cook. There’s no reason to halt one hobby in place of another. If I’m going to entertain a friend for afternoon tea and make lemon bars (bites of heavenly sunshine), you’ll probably find one of my characters is either going to make them as well or find a local bakery to sample them.

Now we come to the tough one…misplaced imagination. You’ve looked under the bed, behind the closed door and still that stubborn piece of inspiration remains hidden in the recesses of your mind. Where is it? Read this article and repeat. Go outdoors. Make a batch of cookies. Think of your story as you do it. Most importantly, trust as you procrastinate that something will evolve.

There’s really no such thing as procrastination if you keep your mind open to the possibilities as you do whatever activity is driving you. Now you know that I go outdoors or cook when the writing muse is on vacation. What do you do?

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