Rising to the challenge

Let me start off by saying thank you to all the fans of The Carnal Escapades of Good Girls. Something that started off as a whim to entertain a few friends grew into my first book that has really grabbed people's attention. Since it became available in 07 everyone has shown a lot of love for the stories and characters. I was quite honored and flattered when the first independent review was posted in September 09 by blogger Mike Burg (http://tinyurl.com/yfst5ag).

The book then led to the website. It encompasses my take on romance and sexuality. The feedback has been amazing and I love that visitors find it exciting and interesting. Each time I check my stats there are more and more visitors to my website. I've had visits from nearly every state in the US, all over the Europe, and some South American countries, but it is so exciting to see visitors from places I never expected such as Russia, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and even the Falkland Islands, to name a few. So the word is spreading around the globe.

When I conceived the book, I had a goal in mind and as 2009 draws to a close I have not yet reached my goal. So now I reach out to my fans and friends to ask you to encourage others to buy the book as well. There is a reason for this particular goal which I will happily share once it is attained.

I'm so happy to announce the Spread the Word 45 day Challenge. There will be 3 phases to this contest and the winners will be announced after each 15 day phase. Contest information and rules are on the website (http://tinyurl.com/r6j4ww) and the Facebook fanpage (http://tinyurl.com/yfjuzvo). I hope you'll enjoy it and the Good Girls will definitely love having more fans.

WE the people

I don't want my blog to be about politics. Heaven knows there are plenty of them out there. I read as many as I come across. I often shake my head in disbelief at the passionate hatred expressed by some bloggers and their readers. Much of it is not based in fact or truth but anger and prejudice. I am watching the the rhetoric rage out of control to the point of being ridiculous. Rational and common sense have been beaten back by fear mongering.

Let's face facts. I'll just be blunt. We have a Black American President and that scares the hell out of some people. Most won't admit that it comes down to the color of his skin. They will cry foul when accused of it but that is the truth of the matter. His detractors will whip them into a frenzy with outlandish accusations that appeal to the lowest thinkers. No matter what President Obama will do during his term (or terms) he may never receive the respect that has been automatically granted previous presidents.

To me this shows the lack of progress in race relations in America. We are still mired in stereotypes and the age old thought patterns that racial superiority belongs only to those of Caucasian descent. This is what will be the downfall of our country more so than a faltering economy or a broken education system.

Those of us who have already crossed the racial divide need to band together to help break the stranglehold of hatred that threatens to undermine our democracy. We have to stop being polite when we hear outrageous claims stated as fact and call them to the mat every time. We cannot stand by idly in the hopes that the ignorance will remain isolated off to the side. It will instead spread like a cancer if we don't stop it now. We not only owe it to ourselves and our children, we owe it to those who choose to live in ignorance and fear.

We will remember

When I was a little girl I saw a picture of an another little girl in the paper. She was half way around the world in a country ravaged by war. She was running down the road, naked, wounded and crying. As young as I was I wondered what happened to her, where were her parents, and did she survive that day. To this day I never forgot the image of that little girl.

There have been many wars in my lifetime. The images of children suffering still touches the child in me. Wars aren't fought only by political rhetoric and military might. There are always civilians caught in the middle fighting for the right to survive. There are children who miss out on their childhoods because they live in fear and with death around every corner. They may lose their families or friends. They grow up traumatized and unable to bond or trust. They will never forget and neither should we.

No child should wonder if it's safe to play outside or whether they will make it to school before gunfire breaks out. No child should be afraid they might never see their mom or dad again because they have been kidnapped and forced to become soliders. No child should have their innocence stripped away by the horrors of rape. Every child has the right to feel safe at home. Moreover we as adults should do all we can to prevent children anywhere from being victimized insanity and inhumanity of war.

T. Boone...call me

I firmly believe the current energy crisis, global warming, and better food sources will not be solved by governments but by private enterprise. It appears that all our governments want to do is discuss the matter rather than take any real action. The social and financial benefits can be astronomical to whomever produces products that will revolutionize the way our world lives and breathes.

Right now we are watching the price of gas and other life necessities going up. There are thousands of creative individuals, including myself with amazing ideas that will turn our economy and environment around. Unfortunately it is difficult for these innovators to get their ideas to market. I admire and applaud T. Boone Pickens. This is a man who made his money in oil but recognizes the problem and has a practical solution. But unlike Mr. Pickens, I don't have millions of dollars at my disposal to implement my ideas. So now I must find a way to use the brains God gave me to bring my ideas to life.

It is going to be up to the little guy to revive and renew the world economic structure. Big corporations have clearly demonstrated a lack of concern for their employees, community, and environmental legacy. The machine has no soul. We can no longer stand idly by waiting for opportunity to come to us. We must create the opportunity. The time for talk is over.

So if you're out there, call me T. Boone. Let me put a bug in your ear.