Sunday, December 14, 2014

Holiday Greetings!



Christmas is ten days away (for those who celebrate X-mas eve) and I wanted to take a minute to send all my readers, editors, bloggers, reviewers, and fellow authors the warmest wishes for the holiday season and an early greeting for the coming New Year.  

2014 was a little different for me in that I only had two novels release when my goal has always been three or four each year. Cutting Out was a challenge, but the positive feedback I've received from the fans of the Cutting Cords series has been worth the effort, and I'm so happy to end this series on such a positive note. 

In upcoming news, I have two novels contracted for 2015 so far. The first is the fourth book in the Horizons Series called Chyna Doll with a scheduled February release date, and the second novel is due to release sometime in May.  I'm keeping the title of the new one under wraps for now and will give it the proper unveiling when I have cover art and a blurb to share.  

Lastly, the French translation of Horizons (Nouvel Horizons) is on the Coming Soon page and is available at a 25% discount, as are many other books in the vast DSP library.  Here's the easy link for those who are interested: 
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/upcoming_products.php 

As always, if you have any questions about my upcoming work, or anything else you might want to know about my writing, feel free to leave a comment. 

Merry Christmas everyone! 



       

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Coming Soon: Horizons French Translation "Nouvel Horizon"

Description:
Perspectives, tome 1

Clark Stevens joue au football à l’université au poste de wide receiver. Exceptionnellement doué, il a de bonnes chances d’être recruté par la NFL – la Ligue Nationale du Football – mais il a aussi quelques handicaps à gérer : une compagne trop possessive, un père manipulateur et étroit d’esprit, un déficit de l’attention et une attirance inattendue, mais très forte, envers le médecin – un homme ! – qui le traite aux urgences pour un bras cassé après un accident au cours d’un match.

Le Dr Jody Williams reçoit du joueur des signaux conflictuels. Il ne peut ignorer son désir pour Clark, parce qu’il lui paraît évident que le jeune homme ressent la même chose. Le médecin étant gay et fier de l’être, la solution à ce dilemme lui semble très simple. Mais pas pour Clark, très loin de là ! Après une enfance consacrée à surmonter de graves difficultés, le joueur vit depuis des années dans le déni. Et ni sa famille ni le monde du football n’acceptent l’homosexualité.

La situation, quel que soit l’angle d’approche, s’annonce comme le Super Bowl des désastres. Clark devra décider s’il vaut mieux pour lui s’en tenir à la vie qu’il connaît… ou au contraire tenter sa chance de découvrir avec Jody un nouvel horizon.

Available December 23, 2014

Pre-order Here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5873

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Cutting Out Blog Tour and Giveaways



Cutting Out by Mickie B. Ashling 
Blog tour, exclusive excerpts, and giveaways. 

Stop by the listed blogs to read a different excerpt each day.  Comment for a chance to win a copy of Cutting Out, book 4 in the Cutting Cords Series. 




Mon, Nov. 3   -  Joyfully Jay http://joyfullyjay.com/

Tues., Nov. 4 - The Novel Approach http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/

Wed., Nov. 5 - Hearts on Fire http://heartsonfirereviews.com/

Thurs., Nov. 6 - MM Good Book Reviews http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/

Fri., Nov. 7  -Wow...From the Scarf Princess http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com/

Sat., Nov. 8  - Book Reviews and More by Kathy http://www.bookreviewsandmorebykathy.com/

Mon., Nov. 10 - Sinfully Sexy http://sinfullysexybooks.blogspot.com/

Tues., Nov. 11 - Prism Book Alliance http://www.prismbookalliance.com/

Wed., Nov. 12 - Cup o' Porn http://cupoporn.blogspot.com/ Guest Post

Thurs., Nov. 13th​ - Boys on the Brink http://www.boysonthebrink.com/

Fri., Nov. 14 - Cup o' Porn http://cupoporn.blogspot.com/ 

Presented by: PAS Promotions


Now Available



Cutting Out book 4 in the Cutting Cords series is now available for purchase.

Dreamspinner: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5553

Amazon : http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Out-Cords-Mickie-Ashling-ebook/dp/B00OX40ILK/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1414587862&sr=1-2&keywords=cutting+out

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cutting-out-mickie-b-ashling/1120655274?ean=2940150552777


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

One More Week!

One more week to take advantage of the discounts on the Cutting Cords series. After October 29, prices revert back to normal. Right now, Cutting Cords is FREE! Vessel and Cleave are half price, and you can pre-order Cutting Out for the reduced price of $5.24. 

Here's the link::http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5553


Thursday, October 16, 2014

Sale!



In preparation for the upcoming release of book 4 in the series, Dreamspinner Press is offering a spectacular sale on the first three novels.  Cutting Cords is FREE.  Vessel and Cleave are half off ($3.50) and you can pre-order Cutting Out at the reduced price of $5.24.  Check it all out here

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5553&cPath=55_76

Monday, October 6, 2014

Coming Soon!

Blurb


Hours after stepping off the yacht where they had their mock wedding, real life intrudes, and arguments arise between Sloan Driscoll and Trent Hamilton.  Seeking relief at his BDSM club, Trent bumps into an old army buddy who tells him things are different now that DADT has been repealed. 

Meanwhile, Sloan receives a frantic call from ex-lover, Cole Fujiwara, who tells him that his twins and ex-wife have been kidnapped. Cole asks Sloan for help but makes him promise not to include Trent in the rescue attempt.

Trent considers the opportunity to resume a career cut short, and despite Sloan's threat to postpone the wedding, he leaves for the Middle East as an independent mercenary while Sloan rushes to aid Cole.


In Tokyo, disturbing revelations draw the former couple together, and old feelings are rekindled. Despite this new understanding, neither man makes a move.  Sloan is focused on rescuing Cole’s family without jeopardizing his relationship with Trent, while Cole must prepare himself to survive disappointment if Sloan chooses to segue into married life as a military spouse.

Cutting Out is now available for Pre-order.  The book will release October 29, 2014. here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5553&cPath=55_76

Friday, October 3, 2014

Cover Reveal!


Presenting the amazing cover created by Anne Cain.  Cutting Out is scheduled for release in early November and should be showing up on the Dreamspinner Press Coming Soon page in a day or so.  This is the fourth book in the Cutting Cords series.      


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Monday, August 25, 2014

Cutting Out Preview and Giveaway!

 The Cutting Cords Series is featured today on The Novel Approach along with an exclusive preview of the upcoming fourth book in the series, Cutting Out, which will be released at the end of October.  Stop by to comment for a chance to win a copy of the new novel.  More details here:

http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/2014/08/25/guest-post-and-giveaway-mickie-b-ashling-cutting-cords-series-blog-tour/


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Blame It On Gale...



I'm sharing my journey from QAF fan to published writer over at Joyfully Jay's blog. A comment will enter you into the drawing for any e-book on my back list.  The above photo is courtesy of QAF and copied off the internet.  If anyone has issues with it, please let me know, and I'll take it down.

http://joyfullyjay.com/2014/08/giveaway-guest-post-by-mickie-b-ashling.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter




Saturday, July 12, 2014

Saturday Series Spotlight and Sneak Peek



My Horizons series is featured today on  Book Reviews and More by Kathy with a sneak peek at the recently completed book 4 in the series.  The delectable photo I've posted was sent to me by a fan and was a huge source of inspiration for the scene I shared on Kathy's blog.  Stop by and check it out.  

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Blog Tour and Giveaway-Diversion by Eden Winters



Blurb: 

There are good guys, bad guys, and then there’s Lucky.

Former drug trafficker Richmond “Lucky” Lucklighter flaunts his past like a badge of honor. He speaks his mind, doesn’t play nice, and flirts with disaster while working off his sentence with the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau. If he can keep out of trouble a while longer he’ll be a free man–after he trains his replacement.

Textbook-quoting, by the book Bo Schollenberger is everything Lucky isn’t. Lucky slurps coffee, Bo lives caffeine free. Lucky worships bacon, Bo eats tofu. Lucky trusts no one, Bo calls suspects by first name. Yet when the chips are down on their shared case of breaking up a drug diversion ring, they may have more in common than they believe.

Two men. Close quarters. Friction results in heat. But Lucky scoffs at partnerships, no matter how thrilling the roller-coaster. Bo has two months to break down Lucky’s defenses… and seconds are ticking by.

Excerpt:
The door flew open and Lucky made a grab. He rammed Bo’s back against the wall, setting off an automated hand dryer. Lucky ignored the hot air wafting over his arm, slammed his mouth hard against Bo’s, and shoved his leg between the man’s thighs. They devoured each other’s mouths, no hesitant tender kiss, but a release of tightly coiled passion. Tongues intertwined, each man sifted fingers through the other’s hair, tugging closer.
Below their belts their bodies followed suit, Lucky rutting against Bo’s firm thigh in an old-as-time mating rhythm. I’m going to blow in my jeans and I don’t give a fuck.
Lucky’s overwhelmed brain yielded up a single clear warning: someone might walk in. Mouths joined, he danced them toward a stall without breaking contact. A condom machine hung on the wall at an awkward angle. A handwritten sign proclaimed, “Out of Order.” Damn it!
At this rate, he wouldn’t last long enough to wrap his meat anyway. He wrestled them both into a stall, and slammed and locked the door behind him.


Author Bio:
Captivated young by story-telling, Eden Winters’ earliest memories include spinning tales for the family's pets. Her dreams of writing professionally took a sojourn into non-fiction, with a twelve-year stint in technical documentation.
She began reading GLBT novels as a way to better understand the issues faced by a dear friend and fell in love with the M/M romance genre. During a discussion of a favorite book, a fellow aficionado said, "We could do this, you know." Good-bye gears, motors, and other authors’ characters; hello plots and sex scenes.  So far that has produced such award winning novels as The Wish, Settling the Score, The Angel of Thirteenth Street, Duet, Naked Tails, and the Diversion series: Diversion, Collusion, and Corruption. 
Somewhat of a nomad, Eden has visited seven countries so far. She currently calls the southern US home, and many of her stories take place in the rural South. Having successfully raised two children, she now balances the day job with hiking, rafting, spoiling her grandchildren, and stalking the wily falafel or elusive tofu pad Thai at her favorite restaurants. Her musical tastes run from Ambient to Zydeco, and she's a firm believer that life is better with fur kids and Harley Davidsons.
For more information about Eden, please visit her website at www.edenwinters.com  Be sure to look for Eden’s soon-to-be-published works: A Matter of When and Manipulation, the fourth installment in the Diversion series. 

Comment on this post and your name goes in the drawing for an e-book copy of Diversion.  One winner will be picked on Sunday, July 6, 2014.  

For those of you who can't wait for the drawing, Diversion will be for sale  on 7/4/2014.


Sunday, June 29, 2014

June News



I've mentioned often enough that I'm lousy at blogging, but I do try and make at least one appearance each month so you won't think I've disappeared off the face of the earth.

June has been a busy month for our family!  First off, we had a fabulous wedding.  Son #2 tied the knot with the beautiful mother of his child (we do things a little backward in our family) and I'm posting a few photos so you can see what a gorgeous couple they make.  The star of the entire show was AJ, their son, who acted like a perfect angel.  Truly.  He was a model ring bearer and owned the dance floor after the ceremony.

Check out the purple cons!

Full of mischief.

 The wedding was held in Bartlett, Illinois.  It was one of the few days in June that wasn't raining!  I'm sure my daughter-in-law bribed someone up there to make this all work.  She's been planning this for a whole year and did a fantastic job I might add.  Everything went off without a hitch.  The bride was radiant and my son looked like he'd just won a life Lotto.  The man was beaming with pride!  
 Taking his job quite seriously!

Sweetest kid in the world!


Pretty baby Mama! 

They share a love for tattoos (in case you missed that).  First date was at a tattoo party,  He brought her over the next day and introduced me to the mother of his future children.  I rolled my eyes...  A year later, she presented me with my first grandchild.  Who knew?  Sometimes love at first sight actually works out.












Writing news update.  I just finished book four in the Horizons series and it'll be off to my publisher by the end of this week.  This is the longest book in the series and probably the most complex.  There's a whole new set of characters I can't wait to share, along with all your old favorites.  More news on this as soon as it becomes available.

Cutting Out, the forth book in the Cutting Cords series will be entering the editing process shortly.  It's due to release in October.  No definite day yet but you'll know as soon as I get the word.  Stay tuned.  I'll be making some guest appearances on different blogs in the next six weeks to talk about old and upcoming releases.  First one is scheduled July 1 at Cup o' Porn.  We'll be talking porn, what else?  Come join us.

Lastly, Eden Winters is re-releasing Diversion and will be sharing an excerpt of the book and offering a giveaway.  Stop by on July 3 and throw your name in the hat for a possible win.  I've heard nothing but good things about this novel.

Till next time...

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Seven Year Sale!


Dreamspinner Press is celebrating seven years in business with a big sale.  Now's your chance to stock up on novels at a 35%  discount.  The week of May 4-10 they are offering discounts on authors who signed on with the company in their second and third year.  I'm proud to include myself in this group.  Hop on over to the store to see if your favorite author is on the list.  The price is right! 




Monday, April 21, 2014



Since Fractured released on March 24th, I'm happy to say it has garnered several positive reviews.  Here's what I've compiled so far:

Fractured was reviewed on Hearts On Fire by Wendy with the rating of 4 hearts.  Here's the link: :http://heartsonfirereviews.com/?p=26114

Fractured was reviewed on Top 2 Bottom Reviews by Jerry with the rating of 4.5 kisses.  Here's the link:
http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/fractured-by-mickie-b-ashling/

Fractured was reviewed by Amos Lassen on April 4, 2014.  Here's the link:  http://reviewsbyamoslassen.com/?p=28321

Fractured was reviewed by Caroline Brand at Prism Book Alliance with the rating of 4.25. Here's the link:
http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2014/03/fractured-by-mickie-b-ashling-review-by-caroline/

Fractured was reviewed by Jody "The Scarf Princess" with a rating of B+ here: http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com/2014/03/book-tour-for-fractured-by-mickie-b.html

On Amazon-http://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Area-Professionals-Mickie-Ashling-ebook/dp/B00J7RWBPY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398093599&sr=1-1&keywords=fractured+by+mickie+b.+ashling


Monday, March 31, 2014

Grand Adventures and other news...



The anthology created by Dreamspinner Press, with the cooperation of a group of talented authors, is now available for purchase.  All proceeds go directly to Eric Arvin and T.J. Klune.  Read more here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4873

On a personal note, Saturday, April 5th, between 3-6 PM Central, I'll be hosting my first EVER chat over at the Dreamspinner Group on Goodreads.  Stop by to read a few excerpts of my latest release, Fractured, as well as other novels in my back list.  I'l be offering several giveaways and basically answering whatever questions you might pose.  At the end of the chat, I'll share a sneak peek of my newly contracted novel which will release later this year.  Cutting Out, book 4 in the Cutting Cords series.


Sunday, March 23, 2014

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Giveaway!

Roque “Ro” Celdran dreams of a better life, far away from the hand-to-mouth existence of his migrant worker family. He moves to San Francisco to study Landscape Design but finds himself short of cash.  Tony, Ro’s identical twin, comes up with a plan to help Ro make ends meet.  The BDSM club Tony frequents is looking for gay men to act as submissives to the Dommes-in-training.  Ro reluctantly takes the job and falls headfirst into a world he neither understands nor desires.  

Lance Roberts is the new doctor at the dental practice started by Scott Gregory and Robin Kennedy.  On the surface, he seems to have it all: the Mensa IQ, blond and blue-eyed good looks, and the determination to make it in his competitive field.  Underneath lies a frustrated Dom in search of the perfect sub who can handle his obsessive behavior and debilitating need for control.

When Ro ends up in Lance’s dental chair, the last thing either one expects is a physical and mental connection.  Ro’s attraction to “White Bread” never pans out, and Lance’s weakness for Latinos always leads to a dead end. Could this time be different?  What happens between the two alphas leads to a lot of soul-searching and some surprising conclusions.


Leave a comment to be entered into the drawing for a free copy of Fractured.  A winner will be announced on Monday, 3/24 .  

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Fractured Blog Tour



Here are the dates and links for the Fractured blog tour.  Stop by at any of these sites and leave a comment to be entered into the drawing for a free e-book.  

Sid Love-March 21-http://sidlove.com/
Pants Off Reviews-March 24-http://pantsoffreviews.blogspot.com/
Cup O Porn-March 25-http://cupoporn.blogspot.com
Dawn's Reading Nook-March 29-http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.com







Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Contest!



Once again, Chris has been gracious enough to host a contest for my next release.  Hop on over to her interesting blog and leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of Fractured which will be available on March 24.   Here's the link: http://www.stumblingoverchaos.com/archives/25995



Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Romance and Dentists-For real?

Want to read another excerpt of my upcoming novel Fractured?  I'm blogging about love and romance in the dental world over at Carson's blog.  Wait---what? Hop on over and take a look. 

http://guyslikeromancetoo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/denists-need-love-too.html




Fractured is available for pre-order here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4775

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Coming Soon!

My latest release Fractured is available for pre-order on the Coming Soon page at Dreamspinner Press.  Scheduled release is March 24.  






Roque "Ro" Celdran dreams of a better life, far away from the hand-to-mouth existence of his migrant worker family.  He moves to San Francisco to study Landscape Design but finds himself short of cash.  Tony, Ro's identical twin, comes up with a plan to help Ro make ends meet.  The BDSM club Tony frequents is looking for gay men to act as submissives to the Dommes-in-training.  Ro reluctantly takes the job and falls headfirst into a world he neither understands nor desires.

Lance Roberts is the new doctor at the dental practice started by Scott Gregory and Robin Kennedy.  On the surface, he seems to have it all: the Mensa IQ, blond and blue-eyed good looks, and the determination to make it in his competitive field.  Underneath lies a frustrated Dom in search of the perfect sub who can handle his obsessive behavior and debilitating need for control.

When Ro ends up in Lance's dental chair, the last thing either one expects is a physical and mental connection.  Ro's attraction to "White Bread" never pans out, and Lance's weakness for Latinos always leads to a dead end.  Could this time be different?  What happens between the two alphas leads to a lot of soul-searching and some surprising conclusions. 

Enjoy a short excerpt

Lance felt like he was walking on the infamous cloud 9—the one that always showed up whenever he was infatuated. Trying to deny his feelings any longer was pointless. The moment Ro took his shoes off and then asked about recycling, his approval rating climbed up several notches. It didn’t hurt that the object of his affection looked like a younger version of Latino actor Esai Morales, who played Lt. Tony Rodriguez on NYPD Blue, one of Lance’s favorite shows.

Roque had lighter eyes, though, and looked more European than Aztec. He was positive there was Spanish nobility coursing through Ro’s lithe but muscular frame. Despite his humble background, Ro carried himself with quiet dignity, another immensely appealing trait. Lance was a sucker for confident men, especially if he could get them to exchange some of that power willingly. The vision of Roque kneeling at his feet, hands bound behind his back and a cock ring encircling what Lance could only imagine was a perfectly proportioned penis, made him groan in frustration. He could feel his own organ straining against his jeans, and he gave in to the moment, powering up his laptop. He jerked off to the image of a spanking scene, superimposing Ro’s face on the submissive he’d been virtually dating over the last few months.

Self-service wasn’t nearly as satisfying, but it took the edge off, and he could think rationally once it was out of the way.  He glanced at his watch and saw that it was only eight o’clock in the evening. His favorite shrink would still be awake in New York City if he called right now. Giving in to impulse, he tapped in his number, which was stored in Favorites. Peter answered on the third ring.

“What’s going on?” Peter asked, concern oozing through the connection.

“Not much,” Lance replied.

“FaceTime,” Peter ordered. “I do better when I can see you lying.”

“Shut up,” Lance said, laughing at his doctor’s insight. Nonetheless, he did as ordered and activated the iPhone feature. “Is that better?”

Peter harrumphed. “You must be in lust again.”

“Jesus, am I that obvious?”

“You’ve got that dumb grin on your face. Who is it this time?”

“Let’s just say I’m interested in someone. Nothing’s happened yet.”

“Then why are you calling?”

“Because I can.”

“I suppose you should get your money’s worth since I’m still on retainer.”

“Okay, enough with the jokes,” Lance said. “I’m attracted to one of my patients and scared to move forward.”

“What are you afraid of?”

“Moral ethics aside?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m afraid of fucking this up.”

“Is he in active treatment?”

“The initial surgery is completed, but I’ll be doing sporadic checks until I can place his implants.”

“But in essence he’s done for now.”

“Yes.”

“Problem solved.”

“What if I scare him off with all my other stuff?”

“Lance, try and be rational. Your last breakup was two years ago, and it just wasn’t a good fit. That doesn’t mean you’re incapable of finding the right match. What does this guy do?”

Lance didn’t respond, prompting Peter to ask. “Did you hear my question?”

“He’s a landscaper,” Lance replied in a soft voice.

“Here we go again,” Peter grumbled. “Let me guess. He’s a dark-skinned brunet with a heavy accent, and thinking of him groveling at your feet and begging for release makes you hard.”

“Fuck you.”

“Am I wrong?”

“Partially.”

“Is he also illiterate like Manny?”

“As a matter of fact, he’s not,” Lance countered hotly. “He’s articulate and driven from what I’ve learned so far, and Manny wasn’t illiterate, you dumb ass! He didn’t speak English, that’s all.”

“Lance, you continue to act like a moron despite your IQ. Falling for guys who provide little or no mental stimulation will always result in failure. It doesn’t matter if the body chemistry is right. May I remind you that good looks are temporary but dumb is forever?”

“He’s not dumb!”

“So you’ve said.”

“Then why are you on my case?”

“You wouldn’t be calling if you were confident.”

“I wanted to give you an update, but you’d rather badger me into admitting I’m doing the wrong thing. Peter, I’m not leaping before looking this time. We’re taking baby steps. Hell, I don’t even know if this guy is into BDSM. This may be a moot point, and it’ll fizzle out after the first orgasm.”

“You mean that hasn’t happened yet?”

“I told you I’m taking it very slow.”

“That’s reassuring.”

“Thank you,” Lance said begrudgingly. “Perhaps I’m not as moronic as you seem to think.”


You can pre-order Fractured here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/upcoming_products.php

Monday, January 13, 2014

Now Available!




Daddio's Italian translation releases January 14, 2014.  Papi is a sequel to La degustazione (Taste) and can be found at Dreamspinner Press here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4653

Updated post on 1-15-2014

I just got an email from the translation coordinator at Dreamspinner Press.   "Papi" (Daddio) is #1 in the erotic literature bestseller list on Amazon Italy!  So exciting!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Outlander First Look




This post is for anyone out there who shares my obsession with Outlander, the epic time-traveling romance created by Diana Gabaldon.  Here's the first look at the upcoming mini series that is currently under production in Scotland.  It'll air on the Starz channel sometime this summer.  I can't wait!



http://www.starz.com/videos/embed/379

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Cover reveal-Fractured, book 3 in the Impacted Series


I'd like to share this beautiful cover for my upcoming novel, Fractured.  It was created by Paul Richmond using a photo from the gallery of photographer, Ronaldo Gutierrez.  Although this is book 3 in a series, it's a spin-off, not a sequel.  You won't have to read the first two novels to enjoy this one.

Release date is scheduled for early March if all goes well.  Official blurb to follow in the next week or so.  


Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Welcome 2014!

 
Happy New Year to all my friends and readers.  2014 is the year of the Horse in Chinese astrology.  My last two novels were centered around a man who was born in the year of the Fire Horse so I thought it would be fun to share some information on this sign. 

The 2014 Year of Horse


The Introduction of 2014 Year of Horse
The Year 2014 is considered as the Year of the Horse as per the Chinese Zodiac Calendar which begins on January 31, 2014, and ends on February 18, 2015. 2014 according to Chinese Astrology Calendar. it is the Year of Wood Horse.  Wood is related to tree or green, so it is also called Year of Green Horse. 2014 is the jiăwŭ (甲午) year.The Chinese zodiac calendar comprises 12 animal signs and horse is the seventh among all of them. In Chinese culture, the Horse is a symbol of nobility, class, speed and perseverance.  People born in the Year of the Horse are smart, fabulous speakers who have a gift for getting through to other people. People bearing the horse sign strive towards seeking freedom and happiness. In general, 2014 would be a better year for those people who were born under The Year of the Horse.

The Common Personality of People Born in Horse Year
People born in the year of the horse are extremely animated, active and energetic. Horses love to be in a crowd and like entertainment, they have a deft sense of humor, they love to take center stage and delight audiences everywhere. They are trustworthy, friendly and like to be surrounded by their relatives and friends. They usually have a large circle of acquaintances, but they never rely on their friends too much. Sometimes, the horse is a little self-centered, but it doesn't mean that he will not be interested in any problems except his own. However, a horse person is really more cunning than intelligent, that is probably due to the fact that most horse people lack confidence. Sometimes, they are very independent and rarely listen to advice

The Common Strengths and Weaknesses of the Year of the Horse Person

Strengths
The horse people are generally energetic, noble, free spirited and clever. They have ingenious communicating techniques and in their community they always want to be in the limelight, so they have good friends and are well liked by many people. Although they sometimes talk too much, they are cheerful, perceptive, talented, earthy but stubborn. They are able to come up with new ideas and active at work and refuse to be reconciled to failure, although their endeavor cannot last indefinitely. The Horse person is a sociable likeable person most of the time, they can take advantage of this by getting everybody to work together to achieve goals.

Weaknesses
The Horse person is patient up to a point, but they can be hot tempered. If you pushed too far, the Horse person can lose their temper. They cannot bear too much constraint. They then lash out (just like a horse) at others which can undo the good relationships they have built up with their good social skills. They can also be stubborn just like a horse. They are wasteful since they are not good with matters of finance due to a lack of budgetary efficiency. The Horse person has many followers but they are not always receptive to other points of view. They tend to interfere in many things and frequently fail to finish projects of their own.

The Predictions of 12 Zodiac in 2014 Year of Horse
For Rat
The sun shines again after the bad year. For the rat, the year of the horse is a year of success, which will run at full gallop.
For Ox
The year of the horse will be a good year for the ox. Will achieve much success and successfully completed their projects.
For Tiger
The year of the horse will be a year full of successes and failures.In the first six months must take into account the tiger had many failures and few successes. The next six months will be better. But here too the tiger has to suffer some setbacks among the successes.
For Rabbit
The Rabbit is likely to be overwhelmed by the hoofs of the horse. Sporting elite and warriors win this year, since they can download on the opponent their negative energy. But employees, state officials, workers, artisans may have a tough year ahead of them, because the negative energies are hindering in the workplace.
For Dragon
The year of the horse is a good to very good year for the dragon. There should be no major problems. The first half of the year is satisfactory and you can be satisfied with the result. Even the second half of the year continues as normal.
For Snake
The snake is very successful in this Horse year. You must want to look for a failure. For the snake, it is one of the best years. January is a month still quiet, for the snake, but towards the middle of the year comes a success after success. The 2 nd half of the year starts very well. But this year was too good and the envious are stationed around the corner.
For Horse
Its own year is challenging for the horse. The race obstacles must be well prepared. Otherwise, the horse is unable to overcome too many obstacles. This among other things is the last of the years still acceptable for the horse. Because then followed by 3 bad years.
For Goat
For the goat the year of the horse is a very good year. The first problems arise only at the end of the year. Beware the winter. For this reason, the goat would have to conclude, during the autumn, all his plans and intentions. Then you should look for a quiet place.
For Monkey
The year of the horse is a good year up to very good for Monley. The monkey will have much activity and achievements.
For Rooster
The Rooster will not have much activity. It will be a boring year without much success. It can be considered a year of calm and mean.
For Dog
Tthe year of the horse will be a year which is more seriously for the dog. During this year, the dog will not be very active, but what starts it will succeed.
For Pig
The year of the horse is the biggest success and the most perfect. This year will fall manna from heaven. Playing a little 'to the lot would not be bad.

About the Baby Born in 2014 Year of Horse

The 2014 Horse year baby will likely be an energetic, warm, friendly, intelligent person. He/she will be always happy and talented; he likes to be within the limelight. His positive outlook in life can make him out-standing among all of people. The horse baby will put the fantastic enthusiasm into their work. They will not give up easily, but on the other hand, 2014 horse baby may also become an impatient person who enjoys independence and freedom and perhaps their interests are usually superficial, sometimes, they will be fairly hot-tempered and unreceptive to suggestions from other people.

Other Details of 2014 Year of Horse
1. Earthly Branch of Birth Year: Wu(午)
2. Wu Xing (The Five Elements): huo (fire火)
3. Yin Yang: Yang(阳)
4. Auspicious Directions: northeast, southwest and northwest
5. Lucky Colors: green, red, purple
6. Lucky Numbers: 2, 3, 7,4,9
7. Lucky Flowers: calla lily, jasmine, marigold, giant taro
8. Year of Birth: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
9. Compatibility: Best with: Tiger, Goat or Dog; Worst with: Rat, Ox, Rabbit or Horse

2014 Year of the Horse Wedding
In general, there are many Chinese couples plan for their wedding more than 1 year ahead in order to have sufficient preparation time. 2014 is a lucky year for wedding, You can see that the Saint Valentine's Day (14-Feb-2014), Chinese New Year (31-Jan-2014), Mid-Autumn Day (08-Sep-2014), Christmas Eve (24-Dec-2014) are among the auspicious dates for wedding/marriage in 2014. The following is the list of auspicious dates for the wedding in year 2014,the good wedding dates marked in red in this calendar which is produced based on the Chinese almanac Tong Shu.
 
Find out what sign you were born under and click on the year to read about your own personality traits and who is compatible with you.