When Lucy Met Trigger

Combining my two loves, here's a dog rescue (G-rated!) scene snippet from my erotic romance novel Who Is Candid? Enjoy!

I went for a walk like I planned. The river is broad and looks deep. At the bottom of the road by the trailer park I found a boat launch in a small cove. I heard the most pitiful noise, like a baby yelping. I pushed through some brush and found a little dog strangling in the water. Someone had tied a rock around its neck. The current must have carried it faster than it could sink. The string had caught on the roots of a bush by the edge of the water and the poor thing was dog paddling like crazy trying to keep from drowning.

I waded in and picked up the dog then spent several minutes trying to untangle the string. I finally broke it with my teeth, buried to the nose in wet dog hair – not an experience of choice. The whole time the dog kept licking me, my hand, my arm, my nose, anything it could reach.

I brought it back to the trailer and dried us both then set it on the bed. That’s when I found out that it was a he. He scrambled my blanket into a lump and started trying to hump it. I haven’t had a dog since Patches and I don’t remember him clearly. Are they really that stupid? My little friend whipped out his tiny pink penis and gave the blanket the ride of its inanimate life. I sat on the floor and laughed till I almost peed my pants. 

On the way to the park bathroom, I learned another thing about dogs. The scruffy little mutt climbed up on the table and watched me out of the front window of the trailer. Then he started to howl. How could so much noise come from such a little body? By the time I got back from the bathroom, the lights had come on in the neighboring campsites. I tried to get mad, but he was so happy to see me that I had to pick him up and hug him.

I fed him some tuna fish and let him out to pee and poop. I thought he might run away but he only went a few yards, did his business and trotted back to the door of the trailer. When I let him in, he hopped back up on the bed and gave the blanket another hump. It wasn't as funny this time and I scolded him. He stopped right away. He seems intelligent, if a bit quick on the draw. I named him Trigger.

Scruffy Puppy Dog by Lucy Toner 

The new male of my life is now sound asleep with his head on my pillow and his little body tucked under the covers. Tomorrow I’ll have to buy a leash and a dog bowl, and get him checked out by a vet. I should probably e-mail Dick tonight, but he’ll have to wait. I’m hopping into the sack with my new man.

Lucy and Trigger have a lot more adventures as they cross the US. Lucy enjoys, um, you know... in the woods, on a roller coaster, in a cave, etc, etc, with a lot of humans and Elvis and an alien. Maybe?? Trigger just keeps humping.

Buy Who Is Candid? on Amazon for just $2.99

You can see illustrations of more locations from Who Is Candid? on Pinterest. 

This photo was taken by Pamela Tetreault, and originally appears here.

She did what? On the back of a frog?? 

I hope you've enjoyed this quick visit into Lucy and Trigger's world. Are you a dog rescuer too? Have you been on a fun road trip? I can't wait to hear your stories! 




Check out these related posts:

• Mighty Hercules: The Story of a Puppy 
• Miracle Puppy Needs Our Help!

Royalty vs Self Publishing: a Law of Attraction Perspective

Note: Note: I've removed some images from this post, and am searching for ones I can use without infringing copyright. Thanks for your patience!

With a foot fairly deep in both camps, I've thought a lot about royalty vs self publishing. My first five novels and two books of poetry were all royalty published. Now I'm self-publishing e-book editions of the novels.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages I see with each route from a Law of Attraction perspective. Remember that the main principle of the LoA is to enjoy where you are. Your present emotion is what you are attracting more of. So enjoying today gives you the best probability of enjoying tomorrow.

I'll start with the negatives, so we end on a high note!

Royalty Publishing Minuses

The biggest minus to me is financial. The Law of Attraction is all about abundance, and a little simple math shows you that with royalty publishing, most of the financial abundance is going elsewhere. My first novel was published as a $5.99 paperback. It sold out the 10,000 copy first print run in six months. That meant there was about $60,000 made somewhere. The printing cost was around forty cents a book, maybe less. That's $4000 to a printer, money well spent. The bookstores get 40% on each sale, which totals to $24,000. My royalty was a paperback standard 6%, giving me $3,600, give or take. Subtracting, the publisher made $29,400. Bottom line, abundance does not flow to the printer or to the writer.

The other minus for me is that you basically give away all rights when you sign a contract. I was offered a standard, fair contract, no complaints. But from there, the editing, the cover, and the decision whether to reprint were entirely out of my hands. In fact, it took years and a lawyer to get acknowledgement in writing of my contractual right to cancel the contract when the publisher declined to reprint. The lack of control eventually made me angry, which in LoA-speak is a helpful step up from powerlessness!

Royalty Publishing Pluses

The biggest advantage I see for royalty publishing is that it can dampen our writer's sales anxiety. The publisher believes in the book and is a partner in selling it. Having a partner feels good, especially when they know the steps and can lead! A huge part of consciously practicing the Law of Attraction is to do your best and let the Universe handle the details of the outcome. Substitute 'publisher' for 'the Universe' and you get the picture.

Daily anxiety is crippling, and only brings more of the same. It's harder to obsess about sales when you only get a royalty statement every six months. My first two novels sold out completely in their first six months, and I had no idea all that time that they were doing so well! Amazon has changed that, since you can see your ranking every day, but there's always the thought that the book is selling like hotcakes in a retail store somewhere.

In Law of Attraction terms, your distance from the outcome also helps the reader. Anxiety projects all the time, out into the airwaves. If you think anxiety isn't contagious, think back to a junior high dance floor. Thousands of miles away, your anxiety could be pushing away potential readers. It comes down to this—Relax and Trust the Book (and in this case, the publisher)!

Self-Publishing Minuses

Since I've now decided to release the e-book versions of my novels myself, it's clear that for me the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. However, from a Law of Attraction perspective, there are some pitfalls to going this route. The worst for me is that I have a tendency to monitor all the numbers daily. How many visitors to the blog? How many retweets? How many reviews? How many sales? I wrote a post two weeks ago about how I banished this anxiety and got back to having fun by applying the LoA. Fingers crossed, it's still working and I'm still having fun!

The other minus can be that it's a whole lot of work! Editing, cover design, getting into digital format, proofreading over and over... Then there's the endless promotion! Even when you contract some of it out, there's a huge time commitment to managing it all. I said 'can be' because for me, this part is fun.

An aspect of the Law of Attraction that took me a long time to get the hang of, is to wait more or less patiently for inspiration. We often do things to stay busy, to feel productive, and that's work. In contrast, inspired action is pure joy!

Self-Publishing Pluses

Let's end on a high note, shall we? On December 31, I asked that my life contain more of three things—creativity, people contact, and a sense of accomplishment. When I woke up January 1, I knew that the path to these goals was to bring out my novels as e-books.

Creativity fills my days now, writing posts, helping design covers, creating Pinterest boards! My creative urge is fulfilled in spades.

I hadn't used Twitter before this year. I kind of knew what it was, but didn't see the point. In just one month, Ohhh, the people I've met through Twitter! The new friends alone would make the whole endeavor worthwhile. I don't use services or robots, so every interaction is real time, real person. In a few shorts week, like-minded Tweeters have emerged (been attracted, in LoA speak) into a worldwide community of mutual support. I get high just thinking about it!

This blog has been exactly the same experience. At present there are far more readers than commentors, about 100 to 1, and that's fine. In fact, it's fantastic! I LOVE that you read my words, that sometimes they touch you, that you send me messages on Twitter!

Background 399 by Sabine Sauermaul

Already, without even getting to the point of selling many book, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment. Seeing my novels on Amazon is a thrill! Knowing I'm in the process of creating a blog identity that feels like me is fantastic! Navigating the Twitterverse to my own beat is Woohoo!

Seeing these goals manifest so clearly and so immediately gives me great confidence that the Law of Attraction REALLY works! Love life, and life will love you back!

What's Your Experience?

What aspects of the publishing experience do you enjoy the most? Have you had a great experience with royalty or self-publishing? How does the Law of Attraction manifest itself in your life? As always, I'm eager to hear your thoughts. Please join the conversation!




Check out these related posts:

• Banish the Anxiety — Focus on the Fun! 
• Can I Use the Law of Attraction to Boost Book Sales?

An Eclectic List of My Favorite Blogs!

There are a gazillion great blogs in the Blogosphere. How can a girl choose which to follow? Here are some of my all time favorites, sites I visit over and over and over.

Deliberate Blog

An offshoot of the Deliberate Receiving website, this blog is THE place to go for all things Law of Attraction. Melody is the bomb. She's funny, the cartoons are awesome, and the stories and illustrations of the LoA are clear and concise. Join the comments for an always lively discussion.

Susannah Sandlin

If you're a reader, you'll love this blog for its insights into Susannah's wonderful characters and books. Her clear, entertaining writing is all over the blog! As a writer, I go here almost every day for ideas on how to make a book-marketing blog varied, informative, and fun, without the hard sell. Susannah is my virtual blog mentor!

Aventuras Veterinarescas 

If you're curious about life in other parts of the world, you'll enjoy this blog. The author is a veterinary student in Mexico, Marissa Lepe Preciado: "I'm a vegetarian animal rights fighter, punk rock music lover, Buddhism student that loves to bake cupcakes =)." The blog is fun and full of photos, and it's bilingual. Perfect for those who want to brush up their Spanish with a fluent English safety net.

Life, For Instance

For a blog home place to hang out, think, enjoy the conversation, and deepen your life, you can't do better than Lori Gosselin's warm and welcoming Life, For Instance. The topics are always thought-provoking and the conversations are extended, with multiple interactions and occasional tangents, just like great porch talk in real life.

Bewitching Book Tours

The amazing Roxanne Rhoads is scheduling blog tours for me as we speak. If you'd like me to come to your blog, please contact Roxanne or me. Free Kindle copies of my books are part of the deal! If you're a reader, you'll find lots of new authors to enjoy on Roxanne's jam-packed site. If you're a writer, consider letting Roxanne handle your promotion. She's awesome!

Kevin Hanrahan

Honestly, this is the blog I visit most often. Kevin's stories are always fascinating, and you get the feeling you are participating in something important, supporting soldiers and their canine co-workers. This is a blog with such a depth of previous posts, you can visit every day and always find something new and compelling to read.

Please give these great blogs a look. Each link opens in a new window, so you won't lose the list. I predict you'll be as hooked as I am. Check the list on the right for some more great blogs that I read regularly. The series on my favorite blogs will continue. If you don't see your blog this time, check the next round!

Are some of these your favorite blogs too? Did you try a new blog from the list, and now you're a fan? Please share your thoughts and comments! I look forward to a great conversation.

Hugs,

Carole




Check out these related posts:

• Thankful Tuesday! Bloggers, Family, and Friends! 
• Thankful Tuesday!

Can I Use the Law of Attraction to Boost Book Sales?

Note: I've removed some images from this post, and am searching for ones I can use without infringing copyright. Thanks for your patience!

Or animal adoptions, or whatever measure of abundance you want? The simple answer to this question is, Yes of course! The more complicated answer contains the proviso: as long as you understand how the Law of Attraction really works. If it were obvious, we'd all have the sales of John Locke or Laurel K. Hamilton.

Two Key Principles of the LoA  

How does the Law of Attraction really work? The first thing to understand is that from the Universe's point of view, everything is energy. Even things are energy. Physicists know this. For the rest of us, it takes a little getting used to.

The second principle is that, believe it or not, the Universe wants to and always does give us exactly what it thinks we want. That's because the Universe acts like a giant reflector, reflecting back and amplifying energy. You've heard of like attracting like? Magnify by a gazillion, and that's the Universe.

What Does This Mean for Us Humans? 

For us, the Law of Attraction translates into a huge tool that we use all the time, either consciously or, more often, unconsciously. Here are a couple of examples.

Unconscious Attraction (Unpleasant Example)

A waiter brings a scrumptious piece of cake to the table. Your emotional reaction is — Why did he bring this cake to the table? I can't possibly eat this cake! I'll get fat. 

What the Universe hears: I like feeling fat. I like feeling envious. I like feeling angry. I like feeling powerless (from the Universe's strictly physics POV).

What you get in the future: more opportunities to feel fat, to feel envy, to feel anger, to feel powerlessness. Arggg!

Unconscious Attraction (Happy Example)

You see a puppy in someone's arms. You feel joy! You want to cuddle the puppy! You remember how much you love your own dog!

What the Universe hears: I like joy. I like touching. I like loving my dog.

What you get in the future: more opportunities to feel joy, to feel physical closeness, to feel love.

How to Attract Book Sales

Now we get to the nitty gritty. What will attract book sales? Number one, the Universe doesn't have a clue that you want book sales. Not. A. Clue. No matter how many vision boards you make, wishes you express, tears you shed, the Universe doesn't know Amazon from a strong lady, or Kindle from a fire. 

What the Universe does know is emotion, and it will bring you more of whatever emotion you feel. There are some pretty obvious emotions you want to avoid, because you don't want more opportunities to feel them. Envy. Anxiety. Desperation. Despair. The list is pretty long, and the emotions are pretty common. What we need is an antidote.

What emotions will bring book sales? Anything that makes you feel good brings more opportunities to feel good!

Appreciation. To me, gratitude is the best tool we have. You cannot feel down when you are feeling appreciative. Try it. Can't be done! The more you feel grateful for what you already have, the more things/people/book sales(!) the Universe will bring you to appreciate .  

Confidence. If you feel secure and confident, the Universe will keep proving to you over and over that you are right to feel secure and confident. How cool is that!

Optimism. If you wake up in the morning expecting a wonderful day, guess what you're going to get? A wonderful day! That doesn't mean that nothing will go wrong. What it does mean is that the optimistic, confident you will see mishaps as bumps and not crashes.

Generosity. Being generous is good not because it's morally or inherently right, but because it flows from a feeling of abundance. When you are generous, you are telling the Universe that you feel abundant, and you can take it to the bank (literally!) that you will get more and more opportunities to feel abundant.

I'm sure you can think of many more uplifting and helpful emotions. When you find yourself shifting into an unhelpful emotion, one you don't want more of, the quick fix is to find something to appreciate. Don't try to go from despair to joy. It's too big a leap. Just find something small to enjoy. I love the feeling of soap suds on my hands, and that gets me through the dishes with a smile every time. 

Or Something Better

The bottom line is to do the best you can to produce great books and to promote them with enthusiasm and vigor. You do your job of focusing on the emotions you want more of, and let the Universe do its job of bringing you more opportunities to feel them. 

When you enjoy the process, you get more joy. If one person retweets you, Wow! Feel the connection! When you feel abundant, you get more abundance. One person bought your book? That's fantastic! When you feel supported, you get more support. You got one 5-star review - Wonderful! How amazing and sustaining that somebody loves your book!

Whenever I wish for something, I always tag onto the end, "or something better." Great book sales would be fun, but who knows? Maybe the Universe has a different path, something that absolutely fulfills my soul's desires in a way that I can't even imagine right now!  

So I'll end by wishing you all amazing book sales, or something better!

Have you experienced the Law of Attraction in your life? What other feel good emotions can you add to the list? What's your method for lifting yourself out of unhelpful feelings? As always, I'm eager to hear your thoughts, and look forward to a great discussion.




Check out these related posts:

• Banish the Anxiety — Focus on the Fun! 
• Royalty vs Self Publishing: a Law of Attraction Perspective

Going on a Bewitching Book Tour!

The plans are coming together!

Starting March 1, I'm officially a client of Bewitching Book Tours. They'll be arranging blog visits, giveaways, reviews, and all kinds of fun promotional activities. If you'd like me to visit your blog, just ask me or BBT. I'm happy to do guest posts, interviews, and whatever else you can dream up. You'll get a press kit complete with goodies like a cover photo and a review copy of the novel you want to help promote!

I'll be doing a blog tour for the whole month of April, 2013, featuring my fourth novel, Beauty of the Beast. We'll hold a giant release party in early April. Be ready to PARTY!

The button on the left leads you to BBT's website, where you can keep track of all my blog visits, giveaways, and other promotions.

The Carole Remy Novel Line-Up!

Did you do a double take when I said fourth novel? Where's number three?? It's coming, and soon! I'm starting to feel like a baseball team. Here's the line-up. 

Twelve Nights is available now on Amazon. 

Two stunning female twins + $120,000 + Two lonely horny men = Sexy Fun!

Who Is Candid? is on Amazon too! 

Lucy, aka Candid, is a naughty girl who takes a sexy fun road trip 

across America, and tells everybody all about it!

Fantasy Impromptu

The third book, to be released early in March [note: now postponed until July], will be Fantasy Impromptu. The cover isn't quite ready, but here's the photo we'll be using. My daughter took this pic of a statue in Ireland when we were visiting there last Fall. A sexy young thing just wasn't right for this cover, and this photo captures the mood of the novel perfectly. Wait till you see the magic the awesome cover designer Marissa Lepe Preciado works with this one!

I'll write a whole post soon about Fantasy Impromptu. It was an erotica best seller in the print edition, and is still available on Amazon for a whopping $136! That's for a used copy of a $6 paperback! Thank you fans! So plan to save yourself $133 and get the e-book version for only $2.99. 

Fantasy Impromptu is a different sort of novel from Twelve Nights and Who Is Candid?, more of an in depth journey into a woman's sexual soul. And the sex is... Whew! Chantal explores ALL kinds of alternatives...

Beauty of the Beast

The fourth novel, coming on May 7, is Beauty of the Beast. The cover is awesome, but I'll keep it as a surprise for now. The print edition of Beauty of the Beast was an erotica best seller too, and consistently sold for about $120 as a used book on Amazon for several years. Beauty is the original Sexy Fun erotic, romantic love story, set in 1950's Texas. Young reporter Mary Jane Andrews isn't sure what SM is, but she's heard that it's going on outside Austin, and she's determined to investigate. Oh, yes!

Locked and Loaded!

Bewitching Book Tours is creating the press kits as I write. Let's get this traveling pony show on the road! Just contact me or BBT with your ideas, and we'll make it happen.

Ideas and comments? Are some fans of the original paperbacks lurking out there? Anyone want to give kudos to BBT? As always, I'm eager to hear your thoughts.

Check out these related posts:

• When Lucy Met Trigger 
• On the Road with Candid!

Encouraging Words from Kevin Hanrahan

Today we get the second installment of the Encouraging Words feature on the blog!

Kevin Hanrahan is an impressive, inspiring man with twenty years of military service. He served as a company commander in Iraq and as the Deputy Provost Marshal for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.  While in Afghanistan, he was instrumental in spearheading the surge of dogs into Afghanistan and lobbied the Army to adopt an innovative and life saving explosive detecting dog program.

Please listen to this interview with Kevin on the Dog Works Radio Show, hosted by Robert Forto. Kevin explains all about working military dogs, with a focus on dog teams working in Afghanistan. I promise you, it’s fascinating! I sat down for 'just five minutes,' and then couldn’t stop listening!

Listen to internet radio with Dog Works Radio Show on Blog Talk Radio

Kevin is also a writer working on his second novel while the first, Paws on the Ground, makes the rounds with publishers. Here are a few Encouraging Words excerpted from a post Kevin published on his website, KHanrahan.com. Click this link to go to his blog for writers.

Those that write know this already: all writers have self-doubt about their work. I was in Afghanistan when my panic attack occurred. At this point I had zero knowledge about the writing industry.  

Here’s what I learned, with some generous and expert help:

1. Yes, a knucklehead like me can write a book.
2. Stop overthinking and just write the first draft.
3. If it’s in your head, then put it on paper. You can work everything out later.

When you put yourself out there it leaves you open to rejection. I can tell you first hand, rejection stinks. But what is worse than rejection? Allowing fear of rejection to paralyze you, being too afraid to try. I’m not going to let the fear of the unknown scare me. Fear won’t keep me huddled around the warmth of the fire.

I know who I am. I’m a Soldier in the United States Army with real life experience who writes about what I know. I can do this, and so can you.

Read about Kevin's and other soldiers' experiences in Afghanistan on his highly readable website. The pictures alone are worth the visit. The lucid, informative stories seal the deal. I'm a daily visitor. You will be too. 

Read the incredible story of John and the misfit Honza Bear here.

Thank you Kevin, and readers, for stopping by! I hope Kevin’s Encouraging Words inspire you, as they do me, to just write, already! I know the readers join me in thanking Kevin for his service to us all, and in wishing him great success with his novels.

Did you enjoy the radio broadcast? Have you ever felt self-doubt? How do you move past unhelpful emotions? If you’d like to converse with Kevin and/or Carole, please leave a comment. We'd love to hear your thoughts.




Check out these related posts:

• Encouraging Words from Aubrianna Hunter 
• Encouraging Words from Nathalie Thompson

Thankful Tuesday!

This morning feels like a time to feel thankful. Okay, every morning is a time to feel thankful! Here's what I'm thankful for today.

I'm thankful for the world's best daughters. The. Best. Period.

I'm thankful for Mexico! The people, the culture, the relaxed lifestyle, the affordability, the food, the cheap taxis, the great public services like free health care, everything! This is the view from my balcony of the twin volcanoes of Colima. The photo is from the newspaper, but the view is what I see.

I'm thankful that the grass on the new lawn is growing. Plus the occasional sprouting bean! Watering the lawn has become a form of meditation. Ahhh... I have a theory that the combination of volcanic ash and ash from burning sugar cane fields has made the soil here super rich. Hence the vibrant colors and quick growth.

I'm thankful for green socks to match my green t-shirt that matches the striped green Victoria's Secret underwear... oops. TMI. Just a photo of the socks, folks!

I'm thankful for my amazing assistant Marissa, the Communications Director of the Uncorporation of Carole Remy! We had to give her a fancy title. Do you like it? The gorgeous puppy is her boxer, Wottana.

I'm thankful for the wonderful people who work for the welfare of animals, all over the world. Colima has an active community of animal welfare volunteers. There's a huge sterilization campaign in March that I'll devote a whole post to. I'm amazed over and over by how quickly dogs and cats are adopted here. In eight months of volunteering with Animal Control, nominally a kill shelter, not a single healthy animal has been euthanized. Every single animal has been adopted. Every single one! The people of Colima love their pets!

I'm thankful for fellow writers! This whole post could be filled with a list of the amazing writers who've become, sometimes very quickly, more than friends. Okay, I'll do that in another post. Shout outs!!

I'm hugely thankful for readers! Seriously, a giant thank you to everyone who's peeked inside, bought, reviewed, commented, tweeted, Facebooked, and otherwise supported my novels. You are ALL the bomb! (Okay, I wouldn't be a serious writer if I didn't sneak in at least one photo of my book.)

 buy it on Amazon!

I'm thankful today and every day that I really love my life! How about you? What are you thankful for today? Please share!



Check out these related posts:

• Thankful Tuesday! Bloggers, Family, and Friends! 
• An Eclectic List of My Favorite Blogs!

Dog Agility in Mexico - An Awesome Day!

Our Dog Agility Club has been having fun with our own jumps and planks and tunnel, all homemade, for about a month now. In case you've wondered, my home town of Colima, Mexico, isn't a tourist or expat town, and all the members of the Club de Agilidad Canino de Colima except me are local Mexican residents.

Our converted headboard jump! See more photos here.

Today Eukanuba brought a full agility course to our town and we got to try it all out! We met as a group this morning in the parking lot where the Eukanuba course was set up. We arrived early and had the course to ourselves for almost an hour while they finished setting up.

Here's Chacho learning to walk the high plank.

Susie is a star who loves agility, even the sit at the end. We can easily make a platform like this for our home course.

A local shelter brought their adoptable dogs. This handsome boy has many talents.

In a few minutes of practice, he learned the course really well.

So well that he won first place in the time trial, earning some welcome food and a new dog bed for the shelter, and a potential new forever home for himself! Fingers crossed it all works out.

The local search and rescue dog team put on a show, and brought along an adorable puppy!

.

Some of our group relaxed for a photo op with a little girl who had a million questions. 

I took a gazillion photos of how the ramps and jumps were constructed, and our group made plans to get busy building homemade, inexpensive versions of the equipment. I'll share those photos soon. Here's one idea.

No fence? Pour some concrete in a container, stick in a piece of PVC, braced. When it's dry, attach cheap plastic construction barrier with duct tape! Instant fence!

Our practice area is next to a busy street and we can't put up a permanent fence. We have to use leashes all the time, which isn't ideal for hoops and tunnels. This week we're making half a dozen of these poles, and next Saturday the dogs will have freedom to run! I wouldn't suggest leaving a dog alone in here, but with supervision the visual barrier should do the trick.

Thank you for sharing our wonderful, awesome day! Please leave a comment. We'd love to chat.




Check out these related posts:

• Dog Agility: Homemade and Fun! 
• Love, rescue, spay, neuter, adopt out, vaccinate, and have fun with dogs!

On the Road with Candid!

As you know since her big reveal on Amazon, Candid is really Lucy Ralph, a recent university graduate who went on a coast-to-coast, um, can I say that here?, well, you know... spree.

Let's visit a couple of stops along Candid's trek across America.

This photo was taken by the owner of the personal blog Problem Girl.

Lucy meets a Belgian tourist on the steps of Mt. Rushmore. A few minutes later, they decide to, you know.... Here's a sneak peek before it gets too racy to print here in PG land.

The earlier kiss had been a pale prelude. His lips shaped and stroked and teased mine until I lost track of where we were.Then he engaged his tongue. As he plundered my mouth, I no longer cared who I was, what planet we were on. I came to on the ground, mostly naked. Luckily the soil was covered with leaves and mulch and made a soft bed.

Luckily the President was made of stone! Otherwise he might have climbed down off that cliff and joined them!

This photo was taken by Pamela Tetreault and first appeared here.

A week later, Lucy stops for a day in Missouri. She meets a friendly soldier, and yes, there really is a painted frog just outside Fort Leonard Wood. And Lucy knows exactly what to do with a painted frog on the side of a hill.

I recognized the location as soon as he slowed down. He pulled over to the side of the road and parked near where my truck had slid into the ditch. 

"Where we met," I commented. I wanted to kiss him but held back.

"Let's climb up to the frog," he suggested.

We got out of the truck and held hands as we walked up the slope. We sat on the back of the frog, almost hidden from the view of the road. He slid his arms around me and pulled me back against his chest.

"Is this a favorite spot?" I asked.

"It is now."

"You've never been here before?"

"You inspire me."

"Can we make love here?"

"Here?" He sounded surprised. "By the road?"

"If we lie down on the back of the frog, nobody can see us."

"What about the truck? Somebody might stop."

"Move it down the road a few hundred yards. Put a note on the windshield that you've gone for gas."

"You're smart." He shook his head. "Do you do this often?"

I shook my head. "You inspire me."

By the time he came back from moving the truck, I was naked. Luckily the night was warm. I spread the sweats across the rock and lay back against them. As he walked toward me, his steps slowed. He knelt down beside me.

"Pinch me," he requested.

"Why?" I asked as I pinched his cheek.

"I'm not dreaming," he smiled.

Whew! If you want to get to the X-rated parts, you're going to have to buy the book. It's easy. Here's the link, and it's only $2.99. These are two of Lucy's, um, calmer adventures. Just wait till she meets Elvis in Memphis!

link to Lucy's page on Amazon

Lucy is here to take your questions along with the author, Carole Remy, whose blog she is visiting. Just leave a comment and they'll get right back to you.




Check out these related posts:

• Exclusive Interview with Candid! 
• When Lucy Met Trigger

Exclusive Interview with Candid!

Dennis: We're here live on Expose! Welcome, Candid! It's a privilege to finally meet you, even if it is over the phone.

Candid: Hi Dennis. It's nice to meet you, too. You gave me quite a chase on my road trip.

Dennis: So, Saturday is the big day. I understand you're coming out on Amazon.

Candid: Yes, the book with my story is being released on Saturday, February 15.

Dennis: And the title, viewers, is Who Is Candid? Won't you give us your real name now? That would be quite a scoop.

Candid: Sorry Dennis. You'll just have to buy the book like everyone else. It's only $2.99, so it won't break your wallet.

Dennis: Are you watching the broadcast? There's a wall screen of your cover behind me.

Candid: Yes, I can see it.

Dennis: Is it really a photo of you? You really have red hair and, if I may say so, the most dazzling green eyes?

Candid: Ever hear of Photoshop, Dennis? It's me, but my eyes are only that color if I wear something green.

Dennis: Well, you are gorgeous. No wonder all those men, um, well... (pause) So, in the book, do you reveal which of your adventures actually happened?

Candid: Still trying to out me, Dennis? Saturday, get your copy on Saturday and learn all my secrets.

Dennis: We have a viewer on the line. Go ahead caller.

Caller: Hi. My name is Jenny. I live in Minneapolis. Candid, did you really, um, you know... on the roller coaster at the Mall of America? I've been on that roller coaster, and I don't think I'd have the guts to... you know.

Candid: Hi Jenny. It's all in the book. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until Saturday to find out.

Dennis: Thank you for calling, Jenny. Here's the roller coaster, folks. You can see photos of many of the places Candid had her adventures on Pinterest. The link is at the bottom of your screen.

Photo from Twin Cities Daily Photo.

Who Is Candid? on Pinterest

Dennis: I'm afraid we're out of time. Head to Amazon on Saturday, everyone. Who Is Candid? is exclusive to Kindle, and only $2.99. We're putting a link here for our viewers using handheld devices.

Link to Who Is Candid? on Amazon will be posted on Saturday!

Would you like to talk Candid? She's staying on the line to answer your questions! Just write them in the comment box, and she'll get right back to you.

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• On the Road with Candid! 
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Twelve Nights! "We're on Amazon, Boo!"

Overheard at the Teahouse in Stanley Park, Vancouver, February 12, 2:00 pm

Image Courtesy of Sequoia Company of Restaurants

photo Aggie took while waiting for her coffee

Aggie: Take a look at this, Angela. Our story is on Amazon!

Angela: You mean Carole finally got it ready? About time.

Aggie: Be nice, Boo! Oh, look. The first reviewer likes Jimmy!

Angela: Who doesn't like Jimmy? What does it say about me?

Aggie: Um... it says you tricked me.

Angela: And that's it? I tricked you?

Aggie: Well, you did. Let's see, it says we're stunning. Oops, that's the publisher.

Angela: Let me have your iPad. Oh look, we're fun and smart. That's better.

Aggie: Ha ha. I can't wait to show Jimmy.

Angela: Calm down and drink your coffee. Jimmy probably saw it days ago. Doesn't he own half of Amazon?

Aggie: Oh shush, Boo. Let's order dessert. We're celebrating!

Angela: Okay, what can we get for $2.99?

Aggie: Nothing. Why $2.99?

Angela: That's all the book costs! Ack ack - gotcha, Boo!

Download your copy now!

See more photos on Pinterest!

If you'd like to ask Aggie and Angela a question, put it in a comment. They'll answer you right away, promise!




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Mighty Hercules: The Story of a Mexican Puppy

The day started out normally: two hours setting up, enjoying, and dismantling the apparatus for the dog agility club we run in Colima, the town in Mexico where I live. I took lots of photos for a happy blog post. From there, my assistant Marissa and I planned a quick trip to her house for her computer, then lunch, and later back to my house. She would do some routine promotional tweeting while I wrote the post about the dog agility club. On the way to her house, we stopped to take photos of dogs up for adoption (we do this every Saturday). That’s when the day, the post, and maybe our lives took a turn.

Meet Hercules

A woman arrived with a dehydrated, malnourished very young puppy. After some back and forth, we left to take him to the vet. I was already planning the blog post about the rescue, complete with photos. In the taxi, Marissa and I named the little guy Hercules, to give him strength. His heart was strong and he didn’t seem to have any obvious maladies. We would get him fixed up, and bring him back for adoption the following Saturday.

The vet treated him with antibiotics and parasite medication, and we bought him vitamins and a special food for severely malnourished dogs. We stopped at a Kiosko (the Mexican owned equivalent of a 7-11) for electrolytes. I took some pictures of Marissa sitting on the curb pouring drops of liquid into Hercules’ mouth. The little guy gurgled and swallowed, then fell sound asleep. The rescue post was taking shape in my mind, complete with opening sentences. As we waited for a taxi to take us to Marissa’s house (she would take the first shift caring for Hercules), we talked about our vision of his participating in dog agility with us in a few months. We realized at the same moment that one of us would adopt him. I walked a few feet ahead toward a waiting cab, and then Marissa called out to me.

The Rest of Hercules' Story

Hercules’ heart had stopped beating. We sat and held him. I’ll admit that at this point, I wasn’t thinking about blogging. Marissa asked if we could bury Hercules in the garden next to the agility club grass. We stopped on the way and bought a beautiful plant with variegated leaves. We dug a deep hole, wrapped the little body in a paper towel shroud, and covered it with two shovels of dirt and a few pottery shards. Then we positioned the plant and filled in the rest of the hole. And I came home and wrote this post.

Woo Woo

If you're not into woowoo, you may want to stop reading now. The story of Mighty Hercules happened yesterday. I woke up this morning with the presence of his spirit. This has happened to me before, with a few very ill dogs whom I've helped to mercifully euthanize. I see a clear image of them dancing in a meadow, or greeting each other doggy style. Welcome to doggy heaven!

This morning was different. Hercules was huge, like the god he was named for. His presence was shining like the sun. The moment felt epic, like a myth or a Biblical moment. I realized that our puppy Hercules was God himself.

Some are waiting for Jesus to return. Some await some other form of Apocalypse. I present to you the notion that we're already here. Each being on the planet IS God, the whole holy shmoly Universal Spirit. Hercules came into my life and reminded me of that simple truth. That he died isn't sad. That he lived is joyous. That Marissa and I were given the gift of making his last moments contented is miraculous.

Thank you for sharing with me in the story of Mighty Hercules! I look forward to our conversation.

Hugs,

Carole




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