Tuesday Tip – Coupons and Free Samples

Saving Money with CouponsMy husband is always teasing me about how frugal I am (frugal being his nice way of saying I’m inherently cheap). My theory in life is that if I take care of the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves which means I look for sales on the items I need to purchase and also try to use coupons whenever possible.

Free samples? Love them! Especially if it’s a new product and I’m not really sure I am going to like it.

But how do you find those coupons or free samples to save you money, especially during today’s rough economic times when every penny helps?

I used to do the Sunday newspaper route, but found myself often tossing the paper because I was really only interested in the coupon section. That’s a waste of money.

So I turned to the Internet and the websites for those products that I regularly used. I know I’ve mentioned the KRAFT site several times. It’s a great source for all kinds of things, including free samples, coupons and contests for their assorted products. You can sign up to receive their quarterly magazine which is a luscious glossy magazine filled with recipes and coupons! Their electronic newsletter will also send you recipes as well as coupons and the chance to get free samples.

Also check out KRAFT First Taste to see new products and receive free samples.

Some other companies which offer product promos and coupons which you might like are:

Also, check out these Internet-based sites that let you print coupons and provide information on promotions. I prefer the sites where you don’t have to register, like coupons.com.

There are lots of other websites offering coupon pages online. Make sure your local stores take coupons printed off the internet. Also make sure that if you are asked to download software, it’s from a reliable site.

Finally, if you have favorite places to shop, Godiva, Buy.com, etc., sign up for their newsletters and announcements. They’ll send you coupons and specials that will surely save you some money!

Guilty Pleasures Monday – David Beckham Again!

Yes, well I have to say he’s worth a second maybe even a third or fourth look. What can I say? His body was plastered all over South Beach in a new series of Emporio Armani ads. Wow, is all I can say. What a sexy beast! Check out this Youtube video with some shots of the latest ads.

Hope you all had a nice week. My conference went well and I was able to have a day free to enjoy the sun and finish up the first draft of the next novel – SINS OF THE FLESH. Still have fixing to do on it, but I’m really happy with how it turned out so far. SINS will be released by Grand Central Publishing in November 2009.

My free time also gave me an opportunity to scope out what South Beach is like now so I can include that in my 2010 release ARDOR CALLS for THE CALLING. That one is going to feature outrageous vampire elder Stacia, so I thought it was time for a change of pace and set the story in South Beach.

South Beach was much improved from my last visit. Much cleaner, although there seemed to be a number of places that were empty and for sale/lease. Plus, way expensive and coming from someone who works in Manhattan, that means it was really really pricey. Could explain why it seemed a little more empty, but of course, it also wasn’t peak season, although the weather was great. Mornings were a little cold thanks to a cold snap, but wonderful by NY/NJ standards – in the 50s in the morning.

I uploaded some photos from the trip and you can check them out by clicking here!

Totally Guilty that I can’t blog this week!

I’m down in South Beach at a legal conference, plus juggling two writing deadlines. Not complaining about either because the weather and conference are great and it’s always good to have writing deadlines.

But it’s one of those crush moments where finding WIFI in the hotel is iffy and also, the time to connect.

My apologies to you, but I’m going to have to take the week off. I hope to have some fun stuff to share with you next week!!

Fun Friday – Boys will be Boys!

Good morning on this Fun Friday! I hope you are all ready for an awesome weekend. Today’s post will hopefully bring a smile as boys will be boys!

The first video is from a soccer match between Tonga and New Zealand.

This second video is the imagined Scottish reply to such a challenge courtesy of William Lawson’s Scotch Whiskey!

By the way, I’m told that in Braveheart, this ritual of exposing yourself to an opponent was changed to a “moon” because Americans would understand that insult, but not the other. Interesting.

Thanks to fellow author Jacquie Rogers for discovering these gems!

Thoughtful Thursday – The Generation Gap

My mom and I had a great relationship. She was a mentor, my mom and a friend. I was blessed to be able to work with her for a year before she passed. We had a great time bonding that year and I learned just what an amazing woman she was.

I made a point of trying to create the same relationship with my daughter — mentor, mom and friend. It’s not an easy balance, but the one thing that I’ve noticed is that there seems to be less of a generation gap between my daughter and me than there was with my mom and me.

We like the same movies, books and music. I can look at the guys she thinks are hot and for the most part, they are (except for that too skinny guy from THE ACADEMY IS. . .).

We share a lot of similar interests. For example, my daughter recently attended a writers conference with me. For years she’d been going and helping out as a gofer, but this year she announced that she loved creative writing so much that she wanted to go to the workshops and learn about writing. She did and we were able to share time as fellow writers and social time with a wide range of women.

Women who had a lot in common despite some pretty wide differences in age.

I remember that as much as I loved my mom, I always knew she was “way” older. There really was a generation gap between us.

Not so much with this generation it seems to me. Or maybe what my husband says is true — I never grew up!

Well, if the price of being a Peter Pan is sharing some great times with my wonderful daughter, someone get me that funky green suit and hat really quick.

What’s it like with you and your parents? Do you feel as if there’s a generation gap between you?

Mother and Daughter - Two Peas in a Pod

Wicked Wednesday – A Little Sex in South Beach

SEX AND THE SOUTH BACH CHICASI’m off to South Beach next week for a legal conference and since the weather is turning cold here in NYC, I’m very happy about the trip!

I wish I could pack you all up and take you with me, but all I can do is offer up this sexy little excerpt from SEX AND THE SOUTH BEACH CHICASto warm you up! I loved writing Tori and Gil’s story in this book, but I also had a hard time controllling Sylvia as you’ll see from this Wicked Wednesday excerpt.

A little bit of trivia for you — the original title of the book was TORI GOT LUCKY. The GOT LUCKY part is something that happens at the very end of the book and it’s likely not what you expect. LOL!

Have a great Wicked Wednesday.

For Mature Audiences Only

He was standing by the bar, elegant in a light grey Helmut Lang suit and what appeared to be a Galliano shirt. The dark maroon shirt was open down to mid-chest, exposing muscles sculpted by . . .

Not just a gym, Sylvia thought to herself as she examined him once more. There was something a little rough beneath his understated elegance. She had thought that the first night she’d seen him a couple of months ago. He had caught her eye and that of about a dozen other women as he’d walked into the club.

She’d have to have been dead to not notice him. Tall, dark, handsome and dangerous, he was a Latino Bad Boy who had made heads turn at every event at which she’d seen him since that first night. Initially, her interest had been purely physical.

She had been wondering about the possibility that he would be as hot between the sheets as he was in the latest designer clothes. Busy imagining whether if she peeled off that Galliano shirt, the rest of his chest would be more interesting than the little slice of beef visible from the open gap.

Then had come the realization that he wasn’t just at the social gatherings for a good time. There was the very real possibility he was a drug dealer. And if not a dealer, he was well-connected enough to those with the drugs to be a person who could provide her the kind of information she needed for her investigative report.

Her investigative report. Finally.

She had been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time and was pleased she had finally been able to make it happen.

Which was so totally a positive thing considering all the negatives that had piled up during the past week. First, Tori’s totally aberrant behavior and unexpected marriage. Not that Sylvia wasn’t happy for her, because she was. Then, Adriana’s total loss of control, from her reaction about Riley to her current frenzied planning to provide Tori a Very Special Night. Which had somehow spilled over to normally contemplative Juliana who was busy stirring up some super sexy sustenance for that night like one of the witches from Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

With all that upheaval with her friends to worry about, it was nice to know work had taken a turn for the better. It made for one less thing to worry about.

And one possibly enjoyable thing to look forward to, she thought while she sashayed toward her Latino Bad Boy where he sat at the bar, nursing a martini. No reason why she couldn’t mix business and pleasure, was there?

She smiled, pleased with herself when heads turned her way on the walk to the bar. Kismet was on her side. The man next to her target stepped away, leaving an empty stool with her name on it.

Slipping onto the seat, she motioned to the bartender who shot her a smile and removed the dirty glass from before her. “Evening, Sylvia. The usual?”

“Cosmopolitan,” she answered and glanced at her target out of the corner of her eye. “What about you? Can I get you a refill?”

“No,” her Bad Boy replied and in one gulp, downed the remains of his martini.

“What?” Sylvia turned to face him, incredulous at his refusal.

He eyed her directly. Definitely a dangerous thing. His eyes were a dark blue flecked with bits of teal and green. Not what she had expected. Nor did she expect what he did next as he leaned close to her, his big body barely inches from hers. The rasp of his evening beard teased the side of her face when he whispered into her ear, “You strike me as the kind of woman interested in one of two things.”

Sweet Jesus but his voice was enticing. His tones rich and warm and slightly husky. “And what would they be, Mr. . . .”

“Carlos,” he filled in for her. Reaching up with his hand, he laid it in the Vee of skin exposed by the neckline of her silk Dolce & Gabbana dress. The pads of his fingers snagged her skin when he slowly trailed them up and down her body. Definitely the hands of a man who worked hard for his money.

Then Carlos continued with his assessment of her interests. “Women like you either want a fast fuck out in the alley or something pharmaceutical to make their pleasure just a little bit more intense.”

“Carlos, let me clue you in on something.” Sylvia mimicked his actions, slipping her hand beneath the fabric of his shirt and onto his chest. It was smooth, hard and oh so warm, but she didn’t let that distract her. Picking up her head, she raised it until her mouth was close to his ear. “I have no need for the latter and as for the former . . .” She paused, lowered the tone of her voice just one sexy notch and said, “When I fuck you, it will be so painfully and delectably slow that you will beg for the pleasure to end and when it does, you’ll start begging me for more.”

Carlos gave a strangled cough. His hand shuddered before he yanked it away from her.

Sylvia eased from the stool and met his stunned gaze. “Buenas noches, Carlos.”

Tuesday Tip – Helping our Heroes

Remember our Vets and those who serveIt’s Veteran’s Day today and so this Tuesday Tip is about how you can make a difference and help the real heroes, those who make our liberty and our safety possible — the men and women of the military who serve and sacrifice for this Nation. It doesn’t take much. In fact, the smallest of acts does more good than the most grandiose thought not put into action.

A small shoebox filled with essentials. An old DVD sent on to be viewed by our soldiers. A walk through the local veteran’s cemetary to place a flag on the graves. It doesn’t take much, but it makes a huge difference. Here’s a list of places where you can find out more about how to help our military men and women and their families, as well as the vets who have served us in years past.

Just click on one of these links to help out.

America Supports You
Cell Phones for Soldiers
Operation Shoebox
SOS America
Tunes for the Troops
USO
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Welcome Back Veterans

These are just a few of the many organizations. You may know others in your local area.

I leave you now with this amazing tribute to our military men, women and families. God Bless Them All.