Our story begins in August of 2010 (no that’s not a typo) when my DH and I walked through a house on Simons Drive in northwest Reno. The house had a number of challenges, including a gutted kitchen where the built-in appliances had removed and a color scheme from hell. (Orange vaulted ceiling in the master bedroom and lime green with black trim in the master bath. *shudder*) The landscaping was past dead—except for the weeds, of course—and some of the fencing had been vandalized. However, this house was also over five hundred square feet bigger than our current residence with an open floor plan and (be still my heart) seven closets. It sat on a third of an acre; more than enough room for our puppies to run and play. But it was the spectacular 180 degree view of the eastern Sierra mountains which captivated our hearts. We were in love and thus made a short sale offer on August 30^th, 2010. Again, that’s not a typo.

DH and I were thrilled. We started planning what we would do when. How we would finally have truly matching furniture. How DH would finally have a whole man-cave room to himself. It was just a matter of time….Uh. No.

We knew we were in for a bumpy ride when it took the sellers—who live in Colorado—almost a month to accept our offer. No problem, we thought. Everything will be fine. But over the course of the following months, when we heard nary a word from the sellers’ realtor, which was very unusual for a short sale, our angst increased. Our realtor, who’s a totally awesome lady, stayed in touch, keeping us apprised of the progress, or lack of progress. She made it known that she was ready to show us any other listings that caught our fancy, but none did. Any other house was compared to Simons; the floor plan wasn’t as roomy, the yard not as big, the view not as stunning.

I won’t go into blow-by-blow detail of all that happened like the sellers filing bankruptcy or their agent losing the listing or the bank ignoring our realtor’s request for a foreclosure sale date. (We weren’t sure what that meant either.) It suffices to say we were frustrated beyond words that nothing was being done and that we were helpless to change the situation.

Finally last summer, we started looking again. Still, Simons was the house of our hearts, our “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree” house, as I like to call it. Yet we continued to view other listings. But we came only kinda close once to considering another house. It was a pretty sad time for us.

Then our realtor (have I mentioned how totally awesome she is) sent a letter to the sellers in Colorado asking if they would consider notifying the State of Nevada that their former home was vacant. Hopefully that would prod the bank to set a foreclosure sale date. Her letter went unanswered. So what did our totally awesome realtor do? She resent the letter. The sellers (who must not have received the first letter) then contacted her and we were able to move forward with the short sale.

This happened at the end of September last year. Since then it’s been a whirlwind of preapproval papers, loan docs, inspections and appraisals. Now, almost eighteen months from when we made our initial short sale offer, the keys to our new kingdom are in our hot, little hands. The next month or so will be filled with cleaning, painting and remodeling with the hope we can be fully moved in sometime in March.

So, that’s our “birth of a short sale” story. Thanks for letting me share. Post a comment or send me an email (Lynda@lyndabailey.net) and you’ll be entered to win a PDF copy of one of my erotic short stories, featured above. Share this blog with a friend or family member and if they post a comment, you’ll both be entered to win an advance copy of either my erotic novella, Boy Next Door, published through Sybarite Seductions, or my sexy contemporary, Battle Born Love, which I’m indie-pubbing. Both should be released sometime in February. (Remember to have your family/friends drop your name in the subject line if they email me. Otherwise it won’t be opened.) The give-away will end February 1^st.

Again, thanks so much for letting me share my news! Have a great rest of your week. I know I will.

This is supposed to be a great time of year. We supposed to stroll through the mall, window shopping and listening to Christmas carols then head home to drink hot toddies in front of the fireplace. We’re supposed to enjoy the company of family and friends over dinner or at parties where we give thanks for our many blessings…..

Riiight. I want to live in that world because my world consists of trying to cram thirty hours of shopping, cooking, baking, working, present wrapping, holiday card writing/sending and I don’t know what-all into a measly twenty-four hours. Oh and then there’s that whole sleeping thing. Health experts tell us we have to find the time to sleep. Maybe on December 26^th, but then I’ll miss all the after Christmas sales.

Let’s face it, each year the holidays come sooner and get more expensive. If you’re anything like me, you lie awake at night, visions of shopping lists and dollar signs dancing through your head instead of sugar plums. There just isn’t enough time in a day to get everything done that needs doing or enough money in the checking account to pay for everything that needs buying. So, what can you do to ease the stress of this normally very stressful time? Here are a couple of things I’ve found to be effective:

First, exercise. Again, if you’re like me, you’re saying, “Uh, check. Already go to the gym five days a week.” Yeah, well, maybe you need to back off to three days a week until after the first of the year. Say what?? Yup, back off. If you’re already stressed, over-stressing your body will only amplify the problem and negate any benefit from the workout. Or maybe you need to switch up your routine. If you cycle for cardio, maybe try the treadmill or step mill for a couple of weeks.

Got a lot of nieces and nephews and cousins to buy gifts for and you’re afraid of landing in the poor house as a result? Suggest a gift exchange. Draw names from a hat and that’s the person you need to seek out the *perfect* gift for. This can also be a good idea if you’ve got a tight circle of mutual friends.

Volunteer. Nothing brings home just how truly blessed we all are than serving meals at a local homeless shelter.

Do not sweat the small stuff. Easier said than done, I know, but try to stay focused on what this time of year really means. And getting upset about long lines and out-of-stocked items just isn’t it.

Get enough rest. “Yo, Lynda. If I could get enough rest, I wouldn’t be stressed.” Fair enough. Suggestions: drink chamomile tea instead of wine before bed; don’t eat chocolate for dessert; spray a lavender scent on your pillow. Another trick I like is to list the fifty states-in alphabetical order. Bet you’re dozing off by the time you get to Idaho.

Make sure to take a multi-vitamin every morning. It’ll help keep your immune system healthy and balanced.

Give thanks. Make a list of all that you’re grateful for and repeat it while sitting in rush hour traffic or standing in the checkout line. It’s also good to repeat if the sandman goes MIA.

These are a few of my favorite ways to mitigate the holiday stress. What’s yours? Post a comment or send me an email (lynda@lyndabailey.net) and you’ll be entered to win a copy of my new erotic short Glad to be Home.

Happy and safe holidays to y’all!

Lynda

Take the three characters from my erotic short story FULFILLED which will be released this Tuesday. Piper, Mark and Dom were all inspired by folks at my gym.

There are two sisters, Marcie and Nancy, who call each other “Pip.” (It took me a long time to even know Nancy’s real name; I just called her “Pip.”) From “Pip” came “Piper,” a name which fits my female character to a tee. It sounds petite, sassy and independent. And, of course, her nickname has to be Pip.

Then there’s Mark and Dom. Or I should say Mark and Dominica, an ubber nice married couple who are as generous as they are good-natured. While the “Dom” in my story is actually Domingo, I liked the sound of “Mark and Dom.” Those names not only defined their physical appearance – blond-haired, blue-eyed, Nordic god, Mark, and black-haired, brown-eyed, Spanish god, Dom - the names helped solidify their male friendship for me as well

But I’ve also picked names that hold no personal connection. I may just like it. Take for example, Ben, the hero in one of my current WIPs. Ben is a great name, IMO. It sounds strong and confident and safe. ‘Course if “Ben” is just strong, confident and safe, he might be a little bit boring too. So I put a twist on the name and character to have strong, confident, safe “Ben” be an escaped convict. Wrongly accused, naturally, but still an escapee.

As writers, how do you come up with the names for your characters? And, as readers, what draws you to a particular character name? I’d love to hear from you!

Enjoy!

L.

Mark and Dom.

They were actually here.

Dom and Mark.

She leaned against the wood porch railing because her knees suddenly weakened. Tightness clamped around her throat. There was no turning back now.

The two men approaching were polar opposites.

Blond-haired, icy blue-eyed, bad boy Mark Lundgren had grown up with Piper-had been her best friend since the time he defended her like a wild man against a group of bullies when she was eight and he was ten. Mark received a broken nose and a nasty gash under his left eye for his efforts.

Twenty years later, the crooked nose and thin, whitish scar only contributed to his wild man persona. But when he smiled that killer smile, the wild man transformed into a mouth-watering rogue.

Having ridden his monstrous Harley to her house, he peeled off his skull helmet and his shaggy hair stuck out at odd angles. The tight leather riding pants hugged each tantalizing bulge of his muscled legs. A Viking god couldn’t look this damn good.

Piper shifted her gaze to Domingo Cardoza who was as dark and conventional as Mark was blond and wild. A full-blooded Spaniard, he’d been born with all the classic, gorgeous European features. Strong jaw, straight nose, full lips with hair and eyes the color of espresso coffee.

An inch shorter than Mark’s six foot, three inch frame, Dom nonetheless sported the same solid, muscular build. And he was just as enticing dressed in a gray t-shirt and jeans as Mark was in his black biking gear.

As different as the two men were, they had two things in common; they both worked as high-steel welders at the construction company where Piper was the project manager and they both wanted her. And Piper wanted them.

Both.

To briefly recap, I’ve been suffering from a pinched sciatic nerve due to a bulging L5/S1 disc pretty much since the first of the year. (L5/S1 is located in the lower back.) The pain turned acute on Father’s Day weekend. Since then, on the pain scale of 0-10, I’ve consistently ranked 7-9 with spikes to 12. No lie. I’ve had two epidurals; the first one did absolutely no good and the second was considerably more successful. However, my activity level is still greatly diminished with me currently operating at twenty-five percent capacity, if I’m lucky. Thus, after meeting with the neurosurgeon, my first piece of exciting news is that I’ll be having back surgery at the end of the month. How is that exciting? Because I canNOT wait to be pain free and have my life back. My husband, Pat, wholeheartedly agrees with this decision. Maybe that’s because he’s tired of waiting on me hand and foot. *pause* Nah.

The procedure is called mircodiscectomy. The surgeon, a soft-spoken, very balanced guy with a faint, but still yummy Aussie accent, says 90% of the people who have this procedure have no leg pain for up to five years. After five years it’s 70%. The reoccurrence rate of having to have a second surgery is around 15%. It’s totally on me and my stupidity level (what? me stupid?) as to whether or not I’ll fall into that 15%.  Please do me the favor of circling September 28^th on your calendar and be ready to send positive waves my way.

The second bit of exciting news is that I now belong to a tantalizing new blog called shortstoryseductions.com. We’re a group of erotic romance authors and every month three or four of us will be collectively writing an erotic short. Each writer will be responsible for 250-1,000 words. The fun part will be is seeing how the stories unfold given the varying viewpoints. And the best part is, for our October launch, I get to kick things off with a Halloween-themed story! So please look for future notices and be sure to check us out!

My last piece of exciting news is….drum roll, please….I’ve accepted a contract with Sybarite Seductions to publish several of my erotic short stories. The first story, Fulfilled, will be released on September 27^th – the day before my surgery. That’s got to be a good omen, right?  For both a successful surgery and a successful launch!

Sybarite Seductions is an up and coming e-press that’s currently specializing in erotic short stories. (20,000 words or less.) Another author in the house is Emma Lai, who’s also pubbed through The Wild Rose Press. The stories will be available through all the usual digital outlets: Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, Smashwords, etc. I’m simply over-the-moon to be a part of the Sybarite family. Though small, the editorial staff is easy to work with and extremely professional. So, if you’ve got a decadent little ditty, but never felt like there was a publishing home for it, check out www.sybariteseductions.com.

That’s all I got for now. Hope y’all have a stellar autumn season. I’ll plan to be back blogging on a regular basis once my surgery is done. Until then, drop me a line. lynda@lyndabailey.net.

L.

As some of you know, but most of you don’t, I’ve been suffering from pretty back sciatic/back/leg pain these past few weeks. Had an MRI done on June 28th and a follow up appointment with an ortho spine guy on June 30th. Diagnosis? Herniated disc in L#5/S#1 that’s pinching the sciatic nerve. Treatment: yet to be decided.

In the meantime, sitting for long periods isn’t good or comfortable for me. Thus, I’m taking some time off from blogging to heal both body and mind.

So, until we meet again, here’s a little something for y’all to feast your eyes on.

Enjoy! L.

ME: Laura, what inspired you to become an ayurvedic?

LAURA: Well, back in the day I was just another hamster running on a corporate wheel. I worked 24/7 because I was paid strictly on commission. I ate like crap, slept little and had bigger worries than my high blood pressure. All that changed when I met Dr. Pearl Laperla. She taught me how to meditate and my world changed. When Dr. Laperla opened her ayureda clinic, I didn’t think twice before going to work for her.

ME: Wow. That’s a HUGE change, Laura. Any regrets?

LAURA : None.

ME: Can you give a simple meditiation that any one can do any time?

LAURA: Of course. “So Hum.” Inhale on the “So” –your breath in should sound like the word “s  then exhale on the “Hum” and your breath out should sound like “hum.”  It literally translates to “I am.” Your eyes can be open or closed. You can do this meditation while falling asleep or when stuck in rush hour traffic.

ME: What can you tell us about ayurveda?

LAURA: Ayurveda is the art of living daily in harmony with the laws of nature. It is an ancient, natural wisdom between health and healing; a science of life. Balance is achieved thru diet, lifestyle, exercise, rest, meditation and breathing exercises. We also use herbs and cleansing/rejuvenation programs to promote a healthy mind, body and spirit. You can also check out my website. www.hometoheal.com.

ME: It was a pleasure having you here today, my friend. If anyone has any questions for Laura, shout ‘em out!

Linda just celebrated the release of her new mystery/suspense novel, DEAR KILLER.

MARLEY CLARK, a retired military intelligence officer, works security for a Sea Island community simply to keep busy. A single night patrol transforms the feisty widow’s yawner of a job into a deadly battle of wits when she finds an islander drowned and bobbing naked amid a potpourri of veggies in a Jacuzzi.

Asked to serve as the lead investigator’s liaison, the 52-year-old heroine is startled to discover she’s become DEPUTY BRADEN MANN’S target as well—for romance. Yet their steamy attraction doesn’t deter the pair from sorting through a viper’s nest of suspects as the body count grows and the pun-loving killer plans a grizzly epitaph for Marley. 

DEAR KILLER is the first in a series of Marley Clark adventures that promise to dish up heart-pounding suspense with a side of romance.

 What was your inspiration for writing DEAR KILLER?

My inspiration could best be described as a process. I lived in the Lowcountry of South Carolina for about a dozen years and  knew I wanted to set a mystery here. Beaufort County has dozens of gorgeous islands, many secluded and private–perfect for locking a killer and a heroine and hero into confined geography (especially if a bridge goes out).

 But who did I want as my heroine? Though I didn’t want to write a police procedural, I wanted my heroine to be a kick-ass investigator with legitimate qualifications. So I created Marley Clark, a retired Army officer, inspired by Arlene Underwood, a friend since kindergarten, who is a retired military intelligence officer. Like Arlene, Marley started her military career as a Polish linguist, knows how to shoot a Glock, and can trot out defensive martial arts tactics if need be. This background made it believable that she would be hired to work security on a private island. Of course, though my heroine and Arlene share some career experiences, Marley is completely fictional. Her personality, humor, flaws and beliefs are purely products of my imagination. Arlene’s not to blame!

Okay, that gave me the setting and the heroine’s pedigree and occupation. Next I needed a plot. A former public relations client provided investigative and fraud protection services to all types of businesses and government entities. Interviewing this firm’s experts for feature articles gave me quite a menu of plot options from which to choose.

So DEAR KILLER is the first book in a series?

I’m happy to answer, yes. The sequel, NO WAKE ZONE, is set in Spirit Lake, Iowa–another of my favorite places. While visiting her crusty 79-year-old aunt, Marley Clark witnesses a billionaire’s death when he tumbles from a double-decker tourist boat captained by her cousin. The victim—founder of a biotech empire—is dead before his body hits the water. Soon Marley is consoling the widow, an old college friend and a prime murder suspect.

As Marley becomes embroiled in the murder investigation, members of the tycoon’s family perish faster than overripe fruit, and the arrogant head of an international security firm renews an old vendetta. When it appears the murder spree may tie into biological weapons and terrorist threats, Marley’s former Pentagon boss joins the probe.

To unmask the villains and protect her kin, Marley reaches deep into her bag of tricks, taps relatives’ homegrown resources, and debates the wisdom of trusting a handsome attorney with a suspicious past and a killer smile.

Wow! Both DEAR KILLER and NO WAKE ZONE sound like great reads. Tell us more about your feisty over fifty heroine, Marley.

Marley runs and practices Tae Bo. She also swims, kayaks and plays a tough game of tennis. She’s 52 years young. True, Marley is a fictional character, but I believe her fitness—essential to the plot of DEAR KILLER, my mystery/suspense novel—is realistic.

Many boomer friends—including ones a decade or more older than my heroine—are athletic, fit and quite capable of meeting the physical challenges Marley faces as she matches wits with a vicious, pun-loving killer. (Oh, and Marley also performs admirably in another physical arena when she discovers the 40-year-old detective she’s paired with wants to trade strip searches.)

Stories about legendary elder athletes pop up constantly on the Internet. Consider Sister Madonna Buder, known as The Iron Nun, who didn’t start running marathons until the late 1970s. Some 300 triathlons later—including the grueling Ironman—she continues to compete at age 78. Then there’s Grandad Leslie “Dizzy” Seales, the oldest person to wing-walk on an airplane. His age? Eighty-five, and he only has one leg.

Yes, these people are exceptions, but fit seniors represent a sizable demographic. According to an article in Newsweek, “there are an estimated 250,000 senior athletes in training in the United States, and every one of them is redefining what the aging body can do.” The U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) organization has grown to include close to 60,000 members.

While many boomers exercise, few do so to compete—except with our own ability. We engage because more flexible schedules give us the time to play AND we do it for health.

Dozens of studies conclude that exercise helps us live longer and enjoy a better quality of life. The value of exercise even extends to those of us who do too many lifts with our forks. According to a University of South Carolina study, folks over 60 who work on their cardio-respiratory fitness tend to outlive unfit adults regardless of body fat. Another study suggests a weekly commitment to walk for two and a half hours offers boomers some protection against memory loss.

Do I exercise? Yes. Like Marley Clark, I swim, kayak and play tennis. I walk (have a four-mile circuit measured out) but I don’t run or do Tae Bo. Do I exercise enough? No. But I do make commitments and am pretty good at keeping them.

I think as more and more boomer authors pen books, heroes and heroines in this age group will be allowed to run, sweat, kick ass—and find and make love—just like protagonists still in their twenties and thirties.

Do you exercise regularly? Has your exercise routine changed with age? Can you name an older hero/heroine who exemplifies senior fitness?

Linda Lovely; www.lindalovely.com;  Author of DEAR KILLER, a Marley Clark Mystery. Now available in e-book and trade paperback formats.