Spring weather

Western Maryland has unusual weather. One day we're as hot as Washington DC, and the next cool as Pittsburgh PA. It can be downright confusing. Yesterday I wore a skirt to work to stay cool and today I wore a sweater. 

We've been keeping an eye on the weather for a very specific reason - setting up our little pool for the season. It needs to be sunny and warm before I'm going to wade in the cold well water to get the bottom of the pool flat with no wrinkles as the water pours in. 

Beyond that, the bedding plants are in the ground. So are four Better Boy tomato plants. I planted marigolds in a circle around them and I hope that keeps the critters away. It didn't last year but I live in hope. 

My beloved's sister wants some hosta so I must get busy and dig a few clumps for her. Two clumps will net her a dozen plants. I think she'll like that. 

I'm enjoying how green the mountain is right now, and my backyard. It's the bright, fresh green of spring but soon enough it will darken to the greens of summer. And summer will bring the humidity to the area. They do say the Mid-Atlantic states are Triple H. That's hazy, hot, and humid. 

I think I might as well prepare myself for cold feet and get the pool up and filled before the hazy, hot and humid happens. I'm a country girl. I'm supposed to be "tuff."

Rayne
http://www.rayneforrest.com

The Curiosity Shoppe by Rayne Forrest_#MSS90

My Sexy Saturday seemed like a good time to debut (or actually re-debut) The Curiosity Shoppe. It's been out of print for a few years but I always liked the story and the alien telepathic shapeshifter Semele. When she says you shouldn't touch something, she means it. 

Here are seven sexy paragraphs from The Curiosity Shoppe, which is once again available, this time at Amazon.
= = = = = = 

Zeb sat on the edge of the bed. Her gaze was riveted on his groin. Doubtless her curiosity, and concern, matched his. He stretched out beside her again. Semele didn't move. He took her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Now that you've seen me, tell me the truth. Will we be able?" His brain was shutting down again. 

The prospect of not being able to have her was inconceivable.

She blinked. Several times. She nodded slowly then inched closer.

::I do not think I mind there is so much of you.::

Oh, sweet Lord. He was worried about hurting her and she was pondering her good fortune. He guided her hand to his shaft. Without hesitation her fingers closed around him. He rolled her beneath him, heedless of any protest she may have mustered. He took her mouth, branding her as his. Heat swept through him. He welcomed it. Let it burn, let it consume him.

She met his kiss, bolder now. Her fingers moved over his maleness, stilling as he deepened the kiss. He moved against her hand, coaxing her to pleasure him. So what if she took him to the brink of madness? He was ready for it now. 

= = = = = = = 

The Curiosity Shoppe
Available now at Amazon 

More about The Curiosity Shoppe:

Cajun Zebadiah LaCroy is a long way from home. Infected with a bad case of wanderlust, Zeb’s been working on an intergalactic merchant ship. He’s seen all manner of strange worlds and stranger beings. When his ship docks at Station Janus, Zeb searches for a gift for his sister back home and finds more than he bargained for. Come and see, a female voice calls telepathically to him. Never one to be able to deny his innate curiosity, Zeb can’t resist. He’s caught in her spell.

When he finally sees her, hears her say his name, Zeb knows Semele is telling him the truth. They are bonding exclusively to each other. For the bonding to be complete, they must mate. The only thing is, she’s not quite human.

Rayne Forrest
http://www.rayneforrest.com

I'm moving

This week I decided I live too close to the idiots in Baltimore who have raised stupidity to new heights and that the three western-most counties in Maryland - Allegheny, Garrett and Washington - should, in fact, form their own state. 

And if that doesn't happen, West-by-god-Virginia, here I come.

A hundred miles between me and Baltimore isn't enough. I think adding a river might help. 

Right From the Start by Rayne Forrest

Starting on the journey to get my stories back out in the world has been interesting on so many levels. Yes, I'm learning a lot, which is always a good thing, and I'm being challenged, also a good thing, but the experience has affirmed how far I've come since the early days. It's been satisfying to open up an old manuscript and apply improved technical skills to the prose. It doesn't change the story at all, but it makes it a bit more enjoyable. -Rayne

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Right From the Start 

Dana Myerly believes in helping out a neighbor in need. One rainy Monday she aids a stranded fellow motorist. She finds herself drawn to a big smile, friendly hazel eyes, and a tight pair of blue jeans. Coerced into yet another blind date by two of her friends, Dana finds her luck has changed and her date is her stranded motorist, Randy Walker.

Dana and Randy share an immediate connection, but how do you know if it’s love…and he’s the one.. Right From the Start?

EXCERPT 

Dana was approaching her car when a man’s voice called out behind her. It startled her and she almost stumbled. Then she recognized it. Randy.

“Hey, wait up!” he called.

“Don’t scare me like that!” she exclaimed, heart racing. She made a sweeping motion over the dark parking lot.

“Sorry,” he said as he fell into step beside her. “I didn’t stop and think about that,” he admitted. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

“Who’ll protect me from you?” Not that she wanted protected from him. Her heart still pounded, and not with surprise or fear.

“You think I’m the big, bad wolf?” he asked, laughing.

“What if I am?” she answered glibly. She sensed a subtle shift in his walk. He got a little closer and she caught a whiff of his after-shave. Her nipples tingled and hardened. This was getting way out of hand.

She really didn’t want to react to him this way. Her belly tightened. A sweet ache began, sending tendrils of desire snaking through her.

“I think maybe I’d like that.” They’d reached her car and his hand covered hers as she reached for the door handle.

His touch jolted through her and her senses expanded to him. Her vulva pulsed faster than her heartbeat and that was racing. She turned her head to look up at him and her eyes widened. She had only that split second warning before his lips touched hers.

Every nerve in her body woke up and clamored for attention. His attention.

His lips were soft, almost gentle. Almost. Some feminine sense told her if they weren’t in a parking lot, his kiss would be all demand. She shushed the voice of reason and raised her arms around his neck and leaned back against her car. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his hips to hers.

He teased her lips open, gently touching the tip of his tongue to hers. She melted. She hated when men tried to choke her with their tongues. Randy didn’t. He teased lightly. He nibbled on her lower lip. His lips traveled down her throat.

Not that she was able to fully concentrate on those clever lips. She was concentrating on the action happening lower down. He was getting hard. He was pressed so firmly against her she would feel him pulsing and swelling, lengthening and hardening. She fought the urge to lift her legs and wrap them around him. He seemed to know.

“Do it,” he urged, a husky voice in her ear. “Do it. Let me feel your heat.”

- - - - - 
Right From the Start is available now at Amazon. 

Justified

Today will go down as one of the saddest days in television history. Tonight at ten o'clock, Justified will end its six year run. I'm wearing black. 

Okay, so I wear black a lot, but this is different.

I can't remember when I've enjoyed a tv series as much as I've enjoyed Justified. If you think it's a hick show, well, maybe I'll concede the rural Kentucky setting might lead to that conclusion. But Justified is more wild west than anything else. Raylan's best line? "If you make me pull, you're going down." That's pull his Glock 17 from the holster in case you're wondering. If Raylan has to pull, it's going to be a justified shoot. 

Timothy Olyphant is excellent as Raylan Givens and his portrayal of Raylan will surely go down as one of the greatest character performances of all time. He makes it look so easy! Nick Searcy is freakin' BRILLIANT as Art Mullen. Searcy steals every scene he's in and that's not easy when long, tall, cool Tim is standing next to him. 

Speaking of Searcy, if you want to read something, check out the man's twitter feed. It's addictive. Whether you agree with him (or not) you will be entertained. You might learn a few things, too. 

My beloved and I have already decided we're going to have our own little Justified marathon this summer. Life is so hard here in rural western Maryland we have a television and DVD player on the 16x20 roofed patio, mounted on the house and strategically placed to avoid glare from the skylights. We're going to watch the series, start to finish, while enjoying our evening libation as we dry off from our daily dip in the kiddie pool. 

The residents of Harlan County don't have a thing on us. 

Rayne
www.rayneforrest.com  

As the Brain Simmers

There's a saying, and I'm not sure where I read it, that a book is written as the fish eats - in nibbles. The last few days have been like that - nibbles. 

It used to concern me when the words to a story wouldn't come. I'd worry that I was finished. That I had nothing left to say or to create. Now I know it's just the way my brain works. I occasionally need to back off and let the ideas simmer. 

Is there a danger in that? You betcha. Sometimes I can let an idea simmer so long I forget about it. I opened my ideas folder last night and clicked through it. Wow. I really had some high expectations back in the day. 

But there are a few good ideas in the folder, ones I'll bring out and simmer. With the right ingredients, I might have something worth the seasonings. We'll see.

Rayne
http://www.rayneforrest.com

A Hidden Heaven

Finding the perfect title is an authorly pursuit. Sometimes the title comes and then you get the idea for the story. At other times you can be in the midst of the prose and a phrase catches your attention and you turn it into the title. A title based on the overall theme can be good, too. 

And sometimes the author chooses a title that the readership just doesn't "get." I think this is the case with Skipping Heaven. That title came out of the text. What is it exactly ghosts are doing? They're skipping heaven for a little while. The ghost lovers in my story were given their own private heaven to occupy and enjoy for a while. Their mountain home could very well be the "room" prepared for them. 

Skipping Heaven has always been a very personal story. It was written after my beloved was diagnosed with cancer. I'd like to believe love can continue after death but thankfully I'll have a while yet before I find out. He's pretty healthy these days. But I digress...

I decided to re-title this book "A Hidden Heaven." It fits. Justine has found her own private heaven, hidden from view. The only question is will Daniel stay and share it with her? 

Is there love after life? I believe so. 

Rayne
www.rayneforrest.com