Cia

Thanks LadyDe! There's a lot going on that I do plan to reveal in the next few updates. I've an interesting angle planned for the whole conflict. Thanks for following and commenting!

I'm so glad to see you featured, Stellar. Great interview. Question from me, just in case I can't make it here later. How has feedback from your readers inspired you as an author?

The trip through the forest was disturbing. A worrying thought kept circling through Birch’s mind. Actions… reactions… Shit! Birch didn’t know anything about magic. And that was a problem. How was he going to figure out how to fix the magic when the only thing he’d done magical was an accident? Sayer had mentioned Birch’s instincts guiding his use of fae magic… but as a human he shouldn’t have been able to use magic at all. Right? How was he supposed to know alone? Sayer should be there with

Do NOT make this about politics please.

My kids see it up close and that's a good thing. They had bows and guns in their hands from pre-school age on. They have safety rules and other lessons frequently. They see us hunt, they see us butcher, they see us eat the meat. The last few times we've gotten deer we've had them help with the skinning and butchering that didn't require knives. I won't go into detail. When they grow up they can decide to become vegetarians if they want. For now, they eat what I decide. I grew up in a farming community. I believe that animals exist to eat. My opinion isn't universally held, but I'm okay with people disagreeing since I'm not eating their diet and they're not eating mine. I do find the 'it's a living thing' argument to be a tad vague though. Plants are alive... so does something have to have a brain before it's bad to eat? *shrugs* There's no easy answer, but I'm happy to make the choice for myself and leave it at that.

Pinned.

I think there are layers of responses here based on people's experiences, which is more obvious than it might be in other topics. I understand Steve's absolute horror in this situation. I was permanently maimed by a man who drank and chose to drive. Not even straight home, a mile or so from the bar he'd been at, but all over town as attested by 2 men who'd seen him 20 minutes prior to them stopping at our accident. They had plenty of time to give their statements to the cops during the hour it took the firemen to cut me out of our car. I live in pain each and every day, even on my best days, because of one person's poor decision. Did he plan it? No. But I still live the consequences of HIS poor choice. Of course he's not living at all. When you've lived this situation no excuse, no defense, is good enough to justify the damage.

When you're told from the time you're 2 til 16 that you're a mean, hateful person who will never amount to anything and should never have been born... yeah, it's more than personality differences. I was raised to be respectful to my elders, which is the one and only reason I put up with it for as long as I did. Then again, I would do a little dance if my step-witch was excised from my dad's life but I still spend time around her and make nice. I can't stand the woman, but peace is worth a few hours of my time every few months of biting my tongue. Each situation has to be judged and reacted to individually. Sexual abuse isn't the only abuse that a person can be subjected to, by far, or the only thing to protect yourself from. It's hard to judge when you're outside of a situation, so I try not to judge other people's relationships and only worry about my own.

1 full-sister, 2 step-sisters, 2 half-sisters, 2 half-brothers, and 1 step-brother. My ex-stepdad remarried and he has 2 new step-daughters. We remained close to my stepwitch's ex before she married my dad, and I'm friends with his step-daughter. We're spread out all over though, so for the most part it's cards and calls and there we go. *shrugs* I slot my dad and the step-witch when I can as we visit my hubby's dad and his wife, his mom and her boyfriend, and his brother and his family. I much prefer my mother in law to anyone else, though. That's fortunate for me, since we spend the most time at her house during visits and holidays. Because of certain past events I don't spend more than a few hours in my dad's home, and I'm good with that. Much like Matt, I can and easily have cut family members out of my life. I stopped talking to my Grandad at 16 and that lasted until he died. Sometimes people just don't deserve a place in your life and sharing some DNA certainly isn't a good enough reason to take any crap from people. My mother gets the bare minimum of my time via phone, and that only because she lived with my Grandma before she died last year and I couldn't avoid talking to her. Why make myself unhappy to please some societal expectation? Family should be people that love and support you, and who you love and support in return. Those are the folks you should try to spend time with around the holidays. Everything else is bunk.

Hi Ron. Thanks for the review! There is a lot I didn't know when I wrote this story. I love my Carthera world, but the stories could use a lot of work. I'm looking forward to the thoughts of commenters on the blog for my files. I'd love to revamp these... sometime. LOL Thanks so much for reading! I hope you were intrigued enough by the world to keep going with the series.

Glad to see you're still around Tomas!!

No Flag by Liz Borino My rating: 4 of 5 stars I tried to read this, stopped in a few pages, tried to read this, stopped in a few pages... The early hook with the dramatic scene into the past plot line drives me bonkers. It colored the story for me and let some of the initial romance down. That being said, I'm so glad I read the story. Once I got to a certain point the character's bond and the pain/drama they went through reached me and kept me reading. I've had a bit of a thing for military fiction lately, and this fit the bill, but by and far the story focused on Will and Mike. Domestic discipline stories aren't my usual fare when I read bdsm, but when in context with a loving relationship, it can work. The power dynamic always feels a bit... childish to me, though. But, it works for Mike and Will. It doesn't work for the supporting characters. Wow. I really felt for Will. He had no true support network, and the very beginning when we hear him say that no one will call him from the military because he isn't Mike's family was very telling. The fact that his friend didn't see through his ruse was telling. I am a big sick of the shrewish/evil/conniving chick character trope, but Casey was a character I'd love to bitch slap, again and again, so her behavior did get a reaction from me. Overall... smooth reading with a good story pull once you get into it. If you like DD style BDSM, military, hurt/comfort stories or any combo of the above, check out No Flag. I think you'll quite like it! View all my reviews

IN YOUR

Why exactly is an argument spreading over a label? Is it really that important? Everyone can lump sexualities however they want... the only person's opinion you need to worry about is yours, for yourself. You wanna be gay, lesbian, straight, bi, trans... no one but you can decide that. I'm with a man, that doesn't make me straight. If I was with a woman, that wouldn't make me a lesbian. I'm bisexual. I like both, depending on the person I'm with. But you can be damn sure I get people who make their own judgments from the outside. *shrugs* I know who I am, though, so it doesn't matter. Without knowing Daley personally we can't say how he identifies, and truthfully... it doesn't matter anyway. One day people will see that. At least I hope so.

Or maybe they just like needling you.

Or maybe the guy is just old for his age and associates better with a stable man who is in a different place in his life than 20 somethings who aren't always the most level-headed. Sorry, but you guys know it's true. Or maybe he does have a daddy kink. *shrugs* I will admit... until this topic came up, I didn't even know who Daley was, lol. I really do think people focus way too hard on the personal lives of celebs and athletes. Ah well, at least we know he probably won't come across this topic.

That is a thought that I think many of us have had, in one form or another, at some point in our lives. It certainly seems applicable to both Velaku and Natham at this point in the story. I like how the two Cathera, who met only briefly once, have not forgotten each other over time. Interesting story so far, Cia. *continues to read* Thank you, Ron! Fate can be a fickle bitch, LOL, I just want to point that out. Of course, the Carthera know that more than most. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

I think we ALL put too much focus on worrying about what anyone else is doing in their relationships. None of us should care what Mr. Tom Daley 'identifies as', if he even worries about labels, or who he's doing. I think if we all focus on who we are doing, and how much we both/all like it, and do it more the world would be a happier place real quick. Or maybe I'm just a nympho who thinks athletes and celeb's fishbowl lives aren't nearly as much fun as living my own.

Wow, last month of 2013! This month our book club selection is one of my stories. Thank you Renee, Mann, Jo Ann. I hope you enjoy this story. It is part of a contemporary paranormal series that can each be read alone, but they are interconnected so they read the best in order. So, this month you can read the first, and shortest, of my Carthera Takeover Tales, which is handy with the holiday and all. Bonds Unbroken By Cia Word Count: 37,760 Description: The Carthera are a violent race, never failing to respond to battle, they nevertheless are a proud and honorable people. Except for the ferals. Battles for territory, fighting persecution from the humans, for the right to rule, have echoed down through the ages. In these modern times things are different, easier. Laws are made--and enforced--and peace, of a sorts, is possible. Some seek to end that. What a Reader Said: It was a beatiful story, it makes me want my boyfriend, and makes me wish humans had a bond like the Carthera. Also makes me want a kitty boy. ~ Celethiel Our discussion day will be Monday, December 30th. **I am open to ANY and all comments. This story was written a few years ago, and I am constantly learning. I'm not easily offended, so really feel free to tell me what you think about the writing and the story.**

Happy Birthday, Andy. I hope you have a great birthday!

Happy Birthday, Lisa! I hope you have a wonderful day, hun.

Relationships, even friendships, are about communication. You cannot ignore the feelings and hope to have a romantic relationship with him. If you want that, you will have to speak up eventually. How, when, and where you do that is something you need to give a lot of thought. The other choice is to say nothing and remain friends only. I don't see any reasons to give up your friendship altogether, though. In the end our thoughts are just our opinions. No one can make these decisions for you since you are the only one who truly knows what you want.

Catch a Ghost by S.E. Jakes My rating: 4 of 5 stars I hesitated to read this book based on the cover title. I adore contemporary paranormal, but I have a... bias, we'll call it, about ghosts. I'm glad I gave Catch a Ghost a chance, however, because it's nothing like what you might expect. I adore military fiction lately, especially anything that throws in otherworldly info for effect. The spit and polish is missing from the story for the military vibe... but that's because these guys are as far from soldiers as you can get. Prophet and Tom are rough and tumble guys ready to do things THEIR way. Fortunately Phil doesn't micromanage them, as if he had a shot. Prophet and Tom are off on a mission that is oddly geared toward their strengths. I thought that element of the plot, with the fighting backgrounds, to be almost too coincidental. Of course for Prophet, it fit because the whole incident they're investigating is tied intimately to his past. We get to meet several of the people who made Prophet who he was. It was good to see that background fleshing him out. Tom's background felt a bit more vague. So much of his motivation, partnering with and without Prophet, was based on his fear that his intuitions had caused a miasma of bad luck, not for him, but for anyone stuck being his partner. That led to an angry, closeted man... even if his sexuality wasn't what he was hiding. What threw me was the ending of the story. It's not over. I know there's a sequel... but I'd have liked more resolution. Knowing the sequel is already out, though, takes a bit of that dissatisfaction away. The writing and flow of the story was definitely enough to keep me reading and make me want Long Time Gone. I'm hovering between 3.5 and 4 stars on the review, but that need to read more hiked me up to 4 stars for my rating. View all my reviews

I got one, I got one. Pick me, pick me! *waves arm so you can't possibly miss me!* You said Little Man was based on some of your college experiences... so were you the Marker or the Markee?