#FunFriday My New Kitten

We’ve had an odyssey of sorts with some feral cats in our yard. Well over a year ago, we had a small cat come up and we felt so bad for it, we started feeding it. That kept up for several months and then it left, but came back with a little kitten. It was so so cute. These cats were all black and one of them had extra toes on its front paws.

Well, we started feeding the kitten and the larger cat stopped coming by. Then there was a gap and then the former kitten brought two more little black kittens with it. You could tell they were all related by the coloring and again, one of them had more toes.

We vowed to take them in for spaying and didn’t realize how quickly cats could breed. About two months ago, an air conditioner repairman warned that there were some feral kittens by the air conditioner and that they didn’t look too good. Sadly, there were 5, including one solid grey cat. By the time we got there, two were gone and sadly the other two passed that night even as we tried to take care of them.

It was a very sad and sobering moment. As for the grey one, it was larger than the four that passed and the mommy cat came and took it away.

Little did we know there were two other kittens as well. Over the weeks we’ve continued to feed the mommy cat and her sibling. About two weeks ago, the sibling brought up the grey kitten and left it at our door, much like cats do as a gift. We were baffled by that behavior and did our best to protect the little one by placing it in a cat bed where it curled up to sleep.

Luckily, mommy cat came about half an hour later and took the kitten back home.

We knew that if we had any chance of domesticating these kittens, we could not wait long to capture them and get them to the right people/shelter. Also, we do want to get the older cats spayed so as to avoid more feral animals.

Last night, the entire family was playing and hanging out on the deck, but as I passed by later that night, I noticed the grey one all alone and curled up in a pot.

I went over and it was sleeping, so I thought, time to see if it’s okay and if so, bring it in.

Well, it is okay and adapting to being held, etc. It could be that the kittens see us petting and taking care of the older ones. They started coming to the door to feed yesterday and have been spending a lot of time on the deck.

We’ll have to figure out what to do with them later. For right now, we’ve got a new kitten that we’re getting adapted to indoor life and we’ll have to take him to the vet. It is a him which will be new for me. I’ve always had female cats.

So far he has no name. We’ll have to decide on one later! Any suggestions? He’s all grey and the runt of the litter for sure. In the second picture, you can see that he fell asleep trying to climb back into the bed.

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FAITH IN YOU #FridayRead and a Snowy Day

Good morning, everyone! Sorry to be a little late today, but it’s a very snowy day today in NJ! We have at least eight inches on the ground, bitter cold, and the plows have not come around yet. On top of that, we have a fox on the prowl through the yards and it’s been scaring away our little feral cats. Here are some photos of the snow!

Today I’ve got a free read for you from FAITH IN YOU, my contemporary romance re-release. It’s currently on sale for .99 to celebrate the release of TORI GOT LUCKY.

FAITH IN YOU is one of my personal favorites. When Paul Stone first came to life in NOW AND ALWAYS, I knew he was much more complicated than he seemed. I loved exploring the differences between his dysfunctional family and Carmen’s tight-knit clan. It was really heart wrenching at times as Paul struggles to accept the kind of unconditional love which Carmen has been lucky to have all her life.

In this scene, Paul has no where to go for Christmas Eve and has decided to go to his partner’s home where he meets Carmen, her irresistible younger sister. The attraction between them is instantaneous and powerful. Also humorous. That’s the other thing I loved about this book – the fun that Paul and Carmen have together.

I hope you enjoy it also! If you can’t see the excerpt below, you can click here!

FAITH IN YOU Contemporary Romance

Behind the Scenes at Grand Central Terminal

I’ve been scouting out places for the next stories in THE CALLING/REBORN series. The new stories — a novella tentatively titled VAMPIRE REBORN and a full-length novel, FIGHT FOR LOVE, — needed new places for their settings.

The funny thing is, as often as I walk through Grand Central Terminal, I’ve never used it for the books. Not anymore. There will be quite a number of scenes in the upcoming books set in the terminal, its tunnels, and way below, near the generators that power so many of the train lines that come in and out of Grand Central. It’s rumored that during World War II, these generators were so important to troop movements that any unauthorized visitors were to be shot on sight. In fact, two spies who had been sent to damage them were arrested by the FBI before they could execute their plan.

The attention to detail in the terminal is amazing as you can hopefully tell from these photos. Artwork at the gate entrances and even where you purchase your tickets. The constellation along the ceiling of the main concourse. The little rats scurrying up the posts to an awning over a Lexington Avenue entrance. The eagle perched on the corner of 42nd Street and Vanderbilt which was salvaged from an earlier station at the location.

So many amazing things as the station celebrates its 100th birthday this year!

Of course, things were not always so wonderful. The area in and around Grand Central was a mess during the mid-1970s when NYC was on the brink of bankruptcy. In 1975, Trump bought the nearby Commodore hotel and renovated it to one of the first Grand Hyatt hotels. He also did work on the exterior of Grand Central and by 1980, the area was being transformed and survived another near bankruptcy of the city in the mid-1990s.

Today, the terminal is one of the most visited tourist stops in the world, with nearly 22 million people visiting it yearly. It is the largest rail facility with 44 platforms serving 67 tracks. If you count rail yards, there are over 100 tracks. The terminal covers 48 acres and continues to be a main location for travel from various areas. There is now a project underway, the East Side Access project, that will give access to the Long Island Railroad.

I hope you enjoyed this behind the scenes look at Grand Central Terminal.

Don’t forget that the BORN TO LOVE Blog tour is still on! Please take a moment to visit one of these sites for a chance to win a REBORN T-shirt and $25 gift card!

Monday, December 2, 2013
Nancy Jardine features {Author Interview}
Amberkatze’s Book Blog {Guest Post}
 
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
For Whom The Books Toll {Author Interview}
MJ Schiller, Romance Author {Guest Post}
 
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
WordWranglers {Guest Post}
What Readers Want {Spotlight}
 
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Secret Southern Couture {Guest Post}
Romance Me {Spotlight}
 
Friday, December 6, 2013
Blogging the Beloved {Guest Post}
Joyfully Reviewed {Author Interview}

The Wedding Night #FridayRead Bonus Content from BORN TO LOVE

BORN TO LOVE Vampire Shifter SuspenseI hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving! I had a lovely time with family and friends. The good and company were both wonderful.

Today’s Friday Read is more bonus content from BORN TO LOVE and it’s very special and well, very sexy. So you’re warned that this excerpt contains mature content. After all, it’s Diana and Ryder’s first night as husband and wife!

If you can’t see the excerpt below, you can click here.

Free Bonus Content from BORN TO LOVE Vampire Suspense

Cover Reveal #Giveaway & Happy Animal Moments

It’s Fun Friday so let’s start with a bit of animal cuteness courtesy of my hubby! Click here to catch some of the happiest moments in animal history. There are some cute ones there.

Now an apology! We did a little cover reveal yesterday (repeated for you below) and I’m told that there’s a giveaway going on until Sunday for the cover reveal. So click here for a chance to win a $15 Gift Card from Entangled Ignite!

Have a great weekend! See you all on Monday!

Milestone Celebrations! Oreo Cookie Cheesecake for my 8000th Tweet

It’s the unofficial end of the summer with Labor Day here. A milestone and a sad one for summer lovers like me. Granted, there are still a few weeks until the real end of summer, but after Labor Day the beaches are emptier and the kids are back to school so it definitely feels like the end of summer.

There are other milestones that I’m just starting to realize. Over 1500 blog posts with you guys! Thanks to all of you who have been with me along that journey.

I’m also nearing my 8000th tweet. EIGHT THOUSAND! How did that happen? Of course, milestones deserve celebration and since my “lifestyle change” (and a loss of 42 pounds) there is one thing that I’m truly craving. Well, maybe a few things, but like Julia Child said, “Moderation in all things, even moderation.”

So, a little slice of a classic Oreo Cookie Cheesecake is my moderate celebration of the 8000 tweet milestone I will soon hit.

I’d offer you up a slice if I could, but instead, you can click here to get the recipe for this tasty treat!
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Own the Night Like the Fourth of July #FunFriday

Yep, it’s Friday! We’ve made it to the end of the week and it’s time for a little fun!  First, visit with me at these two blogs today and tomorrow!

August 23, 2013
Reader’s Edyn 
 
August 24, 2013
Brooke Blogs 

Second, crank up the speakers and rock along with Kate Perry! I love her! When I’m taking my weekend strolls along the boardwalk and this song hits my playlist, I hit repeat and it’s all I can do not to start dancing right then and there!

If you can’t see the video below, you can click here!