**Now that is something I did not expect to hear. I actually look at the man in front of me and I see items I do not recognize as being from this world: wires in his ears, a gun too futuristic looking to be real, and a posture of pride shining through discipline. The first man lets me go gingerly, and I turn quickly to face them, making sure my back is clear. Both men are tall with identical musculatures, in what I used to call the suave David Beckham look—corded muscles and bulging sinew. One man is white, with close-cropped dark hair and light eyes, though I can't tell the specific color in the darkness. I can see a dimple flashing in his right cheek. The second man is black, though his skin isn't very dark—more like a creamy mocha. He has beautiful chocolate-colored eyes with lashes that make me envious. I realize both men are staring at me with peculiar expressions.
 
**So I do the next best thing. I stop fighting, making my body limp, and I crash to the ground like a heavy bowling ball. The sudden deadweight in his arms makes my captor swear and fumble forward. It is just the tiniest, most minute shift, but I take advantage and rear up my head to smack into his face. It isn't hard enough to break anything, but I hope it makes him see stars long enough for me to twist from his grasp.

*Please note: while the title of this blog may say "Psychology" do not expect an in-depth psyche evaluation here.  It's just a blog.


I've recently started reading books immersed into the BDSM lifestyle.  Not because I'm personally drawn to the thought of being a Dom or Sub but because of the psychology behind it.  A friend gave me an article from Marie Claire (Jan. 2013) The Joy of Submission (as told to by Erin Zammett Ruddy) about one woman's experience being a submissive.  One sentence stuck with me: "I love that Fifty Shades of Grey has gotten women talking more honestly about their fantasies, but I hate that the book perpetuates the notion that a Dom must be messed up to be into this kind of sex".  The article states she shares her life with a Dom, who is married but hasn't told his wife, while she is very open to her husband that he isn't all that she needs.  From what I've come to understand, trust is an important aspect of BDSM so I was a little confused by her reasoning.

Aren't we all, as humans, a little messed up in one way or another?  Some of us go to therapists, some of us medicate our troubles away with either pills or another substance.  And some of us want to be collared, tied up and whipped.  Chocolate and vanilla, as apropos as that.  We are all needing something or someone to help fill whatever void we are looking for, whether it be emotional, physical or material. My first BDSM book was The Reluctant Dom by Tymber Dalton (I did a book review on it below) and I'm very thankful that I picked this title first since it introduced a way of life from the POV of a character who didn't understand.  As he went through his journey I began to understand as well.

Now, I've not personally talked or interviewed a Master or slave but I've researched (as any author is wont to do) and have come to the conclusion not everything is black or white. Of course, I'm talking about literature so to have a book you have to have drama.  Fifty Shades of Grey may perpetuate Doms in a harsh light but you wouldn't have a book without internal conflict and personal growth, so there you have it.  Take the fiction with a grain of salt.

I don't think I would ever personally want to become part of the lifestyle but that doesn't mean I wouldn't
want to visit a munch or a play party.  (See? Lingo.)  I find the art of Shibari beautiful even if I don't really want to be on the receiving end.  And I don't know if I could ever be comfortable going through the day naked.  Of course, not everyone who is into BDSM lives it 24/7.  Fantasy, after all, is usually a part time endeavor.  But now I find myself looking at people's necks, wondering if the necklace with a heart lock pendant on it is actually a day collar.  Because that would be cool.

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Okay...I forgot I signed up for Hump Day Hook so I apologize for that!  Here is my paragraph below, from my book "A Man After Midnight":


“Why?”  He countered.  “There’s nothing wrong with a little role playing.  A little voyeurism.  Maybe even a little pain.”

“Only perverted people like that kind of sex,” she said in a low tone.

“Then you must be perverted,” he said with a chuckle.  He picked up her hand, twinning their fingers together, and brought her hand to his mouth and licking the back of her fingers.  “You never answered my question.” 
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Please visit the others for Hump Day Hook at: http://humpdayhook.blogspot.co.uk

She’s clairvoyant but her gift is unique.  She can only summon murdered souls and interprets the visions they send her.  When she’s hired by a wealthy woman to determine the fate of her great nephew, little does Charlotterealize this is one ghost that refuses to cross over.

"Girls like bad boys because they think they can 'fix them', but they're not a broken car and you're no mechanic."    -Unknown

I’m still a relatively new author, one who really hasn’t found her niche.  But a nice yummy hero is what every author strives to present, one that grabs the read and makes some hearts swoon.  An unforgettable hero, heart stopping adventure…Yum. 
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Thanks for visiting me this weekend!  For a chance to win a free PDF ebook, winner's choice, of any of my titles, just leave a comment about what makes a hero yummy for you!  My trusty assistant (AKA: son) will pick a winner on Tuesday the 19th, so make sure to leave a way to contact you!  Also, please visit the others in the blog hop for a chance to win some great prizes!
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Print books can cost a helluva lot of money so when I buy one, I’m very careful to read all the reviews.  When I came across Wallbanger the premise intrigued me (so did the cover!) so I took a chance and bought it.  Published by Omnific, the book is 302 pages of roughly 490 words a page.  Yes, it’s a firmly condensed book, heavy but very worth the $19.99 price tag.

As for my Hump Day Hook paragraph, I’ve decided to go with another paragraph from my newest story, Otherworldly.  So, the set up is my heroine, Charlotte, wants to prepare a romantic dinner for Jonas but it doesn’t go as planned.
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            “What the hell is going on?” Jonas yelled over the alarm.
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Ok, so it’s a little more than a paragraph…hope you liked it!  Be sure to check out the other paragraphs at: http://kerriannecoombes.wordpress.com/

Thanks to everyone who took time to visit with me over the past week.  Congrats to Cassandra and Mydurango618 from the Candy Kane Kink blog hop!

I know the tragedy of Newtown CT has been talked about incessantly, but I want to encourage everyone to practice the 26 Acts of Kindness to honor the memory of the victims.  I have done 5 already. 

And finally, I've posted a gluten free cookie recipe below.  I've recently found out I'm going to have to go gluten free and though I know it's going to be extremely hard and I may slip and slide along the way, at least I can start practicing now.

Please have a wonderful and safe holiday! 

Iced Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2 cups gluten-free flour (we used Bob's Red Mill all-purpose)
• 1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla
• Cream cheese icing
  

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until fully mixed.
3. In another bowl, whisk the flour, xantham gum and pumpkin pie spice. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir after each addition.
4. Roll about 1-1/2 tablespoons of dough (each) into balls and place 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 11 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy.
5. Once chilled completely, ice with cream cheese icing!

I want to say congratulations to Krysta B and Mary Francis, the winners of my Holiday Gift of Love Blog Hop!  If you didn’t get a chance to enter, never fear…I have another blog hop happening, running through until Friday midnight!

• 4 cups sugar
• 1 cup white corn syrup
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. Cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, bringing it to a hard ball stage.
While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 250 degrees F, carefully pour a slow steady stream of syrup into the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until mixture holds its shape, approximately 5 minutes.
(You can mix in 2 cups Pecans at this point if you’d like)

Happy Holidays!

I was born on December 21st so the Winter Solstice is a very important day for me.  It is the time of death and rebirth, to celebrate the rebirth of the sun, who warms the frozen land.  Winter Solstice is the shortest night of the year.  From this day forward, the days will become longer.



Growing up in Missouri, we had snow.  Every Christmas felt special because it was cold, school let out, and the anticipation of Santa was overwhelming.  Now I live in Los Angeles, and the only time I've seen snow was when we travel to Big Bear for snowboarding.  I try hard to keep that Christmas feeling alive for my own son, but year after year the traditions of my childhood seem so far away.

With Christmas being so commercial now-a-days, tradition has become very important to me.  I have a six year old son that certainly expects Santa to bring him presents but I also teach him that he's to give back to those families who may not have enough at this time of year.  I read a special book called 'The Shortest Day; Celebrating the Winger Solstice' by Wendy Pfeffer and Jesse Reisch.  But I also read to them The Christmas Story, The Night Before Christmas, and There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Bell.  And though I may not be very religious I don't shield my son from religion, I simply teach him that there are many beliefs and he must pick his own path.

My Christmas tree might be fake, but the decorations were hand picked by my son, including the decorations he made in school.  To the right of the tree I have a Menorah to honor our Jewish friends.  I also have the spring of mistletoe and smell of pine lingering in the air.  I have Rudolf the Red-nose Reindeer recorded on the DVR.  Of course, for me, holidays are about food.  I reserve the Winter Solstice for making only the special once-a-year kind of food.  Like cakes soaked in cider, eggnog, snowflake shaped sugar cookies, and divinity. (I tried adding a recipe for divinity but it's not showing for some reason so I'll try again on Wednesday for my Hump Day Hook!)

My thanks for taking the time to visit with me during this wonderful season!  As part of my own appreciation, I have a wonderful gift package for one lucky winner, which includes a t-shirt, a desk calendar, and a $10 gift card from Barnes & Nobel.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment and my assistant (AKA: son) will pick one name when the blog hop is over, so please leave a way to contact you!  I will also give away one PDF ebook of any of my titles (winner's choice) to the second name drawn.

Please visit the others in the blog hop!

Another year is on our doorstep. Out goes 2012 and in comes the promise of something new, something better. New Year’s Eve builds our hope that the coming year will be different. That we’ll be different. Some will vow to finally lose weight. Some will vow to quit smoking, work harder, be a better person or spend more time with the kids. Resolutions are a tradition and yet breaking them is also a tradition. Some of us even make bets on when they’ll be broken.

2012 was a sad and happy year for me. I lost my father unexpectedly in February. I got a call from my step-mom that she was taking my father to the hospital, that gangrene had settled in his toes (from a stroke 2 years ago) and the next thing I knew he was being driven to Springfield, Missouri for massive other reasons. I flew to my father’s bedside and sat with him for four days, holding his hand, until he was taken off life support and he succumbed to a body that was no longer functioning.

But in 2012 I was able to pay off debt and buy a house with my boyfriend/partner, Brian. I have a healthy little boy who started First Grade. And I was able to publish five books this year.

Oh, and in one week I will be turning 40. It’s a big change, moving to a new decade. The only problem I’m having is not the fact that I’m now 10 years away from being “middle age”, but that now I know it’s the time when my body changes drastically. I asked myself, would I go back to 20 if I could. And the answer is no. Really, truly, no. Sure, I loved being able to eat anything I wanted and not gain an ounce or that I could stay out and party all night. But trade my knowledge, my experience, my life for the girl I once was? Not a chance.

I have decided against making a New Year Resolution. Yes, I could vow to lose the extra 30 pounds I’ve been holding onto since my son was born. But I already know I have to eat right and start exercising. No, what inspires me now is, of course, my writing. I am finishing up the second novel in a series I hope Siren will pick up, a cross between Ghost Whisperer and Cold Case. I have ideas and plans for many more and I’m only limited by how fast I can or cannot type. Happy New Year, the birth of 2013. I raise my glass and toast to the promise of a new beginning. Happy writing. Happy reading. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To be entered to win this wonderful gift prize, just leave a comment! One winner will be chosen at random by my wonderful assistant (AKA:SON). A second winner will be able to pick one of my titles (winner’s choice) for a free PDF ebook! Thanks for visiting with me! Have a wonderful holiday season!
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Please visit the others in the Blog Hop: 

There is always one album that seems to define a generation.  I grew up during the ‘80s, a time that became a decade of upheaval in many aspects of the world, from politics to fashion.  I am happy that I grew up during this period, but I guess everyone says that about the time they lived.
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Thanks for visiting!  Make sure to visit the others at:  http://kerriannecoombes.wordpress.com/
And be sure to come visit with me this Friday, December 14th for the two Christmas Blogs I'm participating in!