Sally's Musings...

Check out my interview at Coffee Time Romance. I'm talking about Obsession and some of my dark, dark secrets, including my favorite kind of coffee!   

Sally's Musings...

I was thinking about the old saying, if you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, it's yours. Usually targeted toward people, but I think its theory can be applied to other areas of life, as well.

Let's take writing, for example. Over the last several months I haven't had the desire to write. I'd write a bit here and there. But nothing compared to my usual writing habits. So, I stepped back and stopped forcing myself to write. I started reading more and did a great deal of home organization. And then, like the saying goes, that old desire returned.

Sometimes it's good to take a break and refresh your mind and soul. Makes it clear what matters to you, and why you love it. This statement can ring true for so many areas of life.

Sally's Musings...

As I delve into the guilty pleasure known as E.L. James's, Fifty Shades of Grey, I'm reminded of another provocative author, Judy Blume. I know you're probably wondering about this somewhat odd comparison. What could Christian Grey and his BDSM playroom possibly have in common with, "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret." Plenty.

When I was a twelve-year-old girl, Judy Blume books were my guilty pleasure. Books that pushed boundaries and didn't give girls a sanitized version, like so many did at that time. Ms. Blume's characters shaved their legs, got periods, and french kissed boys. These were real girls. Girls I wanted to know.

Both authors and their books had their fair share of controversy. Good for them since controversy sells books. People who never would have considered reading an erotic novel are now lining up to snag Fifty Shades. Why? Everyone's talking about it.

Guilty pleasure at any age gives you a certain thrill. Page by page, the author takes you to an unfamiliar place. A place you didn't even realize you wanted to visit.

Excerpt from Obsession

Her face was luminous, highlighted under the moonlit sky. A full moon, hanging high above them, was showcased in darkness and small twinkling stars. A beautiful night by anyone’s standards, made especially beautiful for him as he watched her slowly amble down the beach. It was funny; as much as he enjoyed being close to her, sometimes he craved watching her from afar, as he had done for so long. It was then that he noticed small things about her which passed over him when he was near her. In his hidden position, he could watch her fully, like how she clasped her hands together as she stopped to stare at the gently lapping ocean, or how she gazed curiously at the full moon above her.There would never be another woman like Joanna; at least not for him. She embodied all that was beautiful and good in this life. It was an obsession, he knew that, not that it mattered to him. He needed to see her, to be close to her, like he needed food to eat or air to breathe. She was all he would ever need. One could say passion fueled his life and he liked to view it in that way.Passion held a thin line with obsession, but sounded much more appealing to most people. If somebody said they had a passion for a particular subject or person, others often thought of the individual as intelligent and focused. On the other hand, if someone was obsessed, others tended to think of it in a negative way, as if he might be insane. No, he was not insane by any means.Could an insane person be so meticulous about his object of desire? Would an insane person goto such great lengths to be with the woman who held his heart in her hands? This certainly could not be true. Passion was the liquor that ran freely through his veins, warming him and comforting him in his pursuit of Joanna.He continued to watch her, enjoying the way she stood on the moonlit beach, her head tilted to the heavens above. Everything I do is for the passion I feel for her. A passion that will never die.

Sally's Musings...

Here in Pennsylvania, spring is blooming all around us. The sweet scent in the air and the appearance of bright yellow dandelions in the fresh grass brings back childhood memories of exploring the great outdoors.

I grew up on an 18 acre farmette, so there was plenty of room to roam. And most of my friends lived on farms, or a country road. I'm not exactly an outdoor person, but I loved playing outside as a girl. Granted, most of the time I was lying in the grass, or huddled under a tree, reading a book. But I also did my fair share of exploring nature.

We had a woods behind our house. I had a favorite tree in that woods. A tall, graceful hemlock with deep, drooping branches that just brushed the dirt. The branches were important because when you crawled underneath them, it was as if you've entered a sanctuary of sorts. Warm sunlight filtered through the evergreen branches, touching the ancient, overgrown tree roots. Two lower branches hung like gymnastic bars, perfect to swing and hang onto.

I created a little house under that majestic hemlock. A pile of soft, white pine tree branches became a sofa. A pretend kitchen emerged as I filled pockets of the roots with acorns and emerald moss. A bunch of buttercups sat on my leaf table and, of course, a good pair of binoculars to spy on potential intruders.

Most of all, I remember the freedom I felt lying under its green canopy. A beautiful place to daydream and think. I spent many hours of my childhood under that cherished tree. Even as a teenager, I'd go under its protective covering. Seemed a bit smaller, but it still possessed the same feeling. Freedom and a connection to nature we too easily take for granted as adults.

Sally's Musings...

I've been busy working on Deception, the sequel to Obsession. The manuscript is moving along nicely and I'm excited about its progress. So, today I want to share the prologue to Obsession. In case you haven't read it yet, now would be the perfect time to pick it up! Obsession is available in print and ebook.

Darkness crept into the sparse splattering of tall trees surrounding him. He preferred this
spot; just enough coverage to stay hidden, yet he had a full, clear visual of her. She looked like
an angel standing in the green grass, dressed in a white tank top and pale denim shorts, hanging
up white cotton sheets on the outside wash line. A soft breeze teased the dark hair that hung just
below her shoulders, creating small tendrils to spray across her porcelain-like skin. He shifted his
weight to his right side as she walked around the corner of the house. She went inside for a
moment, soon emerging with more clothespins for the waiting wash. He sighed, continuing to
watch her from afar, reveling in his obsession for her. An obsession which grew stronger within
him every single day. No woman could ever compete with Joanna’s beauty in his mind. She
possessed a beauty seen by the eye and felt inside his heart. He knew with certainty one day he
would be with her, stepping out of the shadows and into her life. A life she would share with
him. A smile formed on his lips as he thought of that day. One day she’ll be mine. One day.

Signs of Spring

I've been taking some lovely images of spring today. Yes, even dandelions. I know most people hate them, but I think they're pretty. You always know it's spring when dandelions pop up in the grass.