text:
This December, however, we are in our new house, and since time heals all wounds, Christmas decorations no longer give me bad memories of my mother's death. So, I've put up all my decorations and our tree is up, too. Since I can never decide whether I want multi-colored lights or white lights on the tree, I of course picked the lights that change slowly back and forth from multi-colored to white - victory for my fickle nature!
But since no holiday season can be stress-free, all is not variety lights and pretty decorations at Casa Frost. In addition to the normal chaos, last week my dog Gypsy miscalculated a jump onto the furniture and blew out her back knee. Since she'll be 14 in two months and she has other health issues, plus it would require an intensive 6 month post-surgical recovery period, surgery isn't advisable to repair it. So, we can do nothing except give Gypsy pain meds and anti-flammants, block off all the furniture because she STILL wants to jump on it even though she can barely hobble, keep her secluded to the family room/bedroom to limit her mobility, and wait for her leg to heal on its own. She still might end up with a permanent limp. We're hoping not, but if that happens, Gypsy can add it to her scarred eyes due to multiple surgeries to remove corneal ulcers, the scar on her face to remove a thankfully-benign lump, and various other healed injuries that all serve to prove she's a tough little canine. Here she is, posing by some of my aforementioned Christmas decorations:
I'm sure I'll blog again before the end of the year, but until then, hope your December is filled with far more smiles than stresses :).
You can run from your destiny, but you can't hide…
Ivy thought that she and Adrian had conquered their fates. Yet with thousands of innocents still trapped in the demon realms, she's determined to locate the final hallowed weapon and harness its unparalleled power to free them. But the last relic nearly put Ivy in the grave—there's probably no coming back from this one.
Adrian's dark lineage has made him the most powerful of his kind, yet even his incredible abilities might not be enough now. Instead, the treacherous fate he has fought so hard to escape might be the only way he can save Ivy. Their scintillating bond has been tested before, but never with so much on the line. Now fate will come head-to-head against true love, and nothing they've endured can prepare Ivy and Adrian for the unthinkable choices they'll face…
I was so flattered to see that Goodreads chose THE BRIGHTEST EMBERS as one of the Romance Best Books of the Month for November. I don't recall any of my other novels getting this, so allow me a squee, readers :).
Romantic Times had this to say: "The conclusion to Frost's Broken Destiny trilogy is, by far, the strongest of the lot and the most fulfilling. There's been a great deal of thought and care put into the complexity of this world, and it all comes together here in an emotional burst of action, mythology and romance. It's saying something when the reader comes to care — really care — about the characters, even a monstrous gargoyle with a penchant for raw meat. The ending is unexpected, and is a fitting farewell to Ivy and Adrian." 4 Stars.
And Chelsea from Vampire Book Club said: "Nonstop adventure with fights that literally bring down the roof down and the kind of romance scenes that you'll want to bookmark for re-reads on cold nights. 5 stars." (full review here)
Once again, squee, squee, squee!
Ahem. Okay, I'll try to wrap this up in a professional way, heh. So, in closing, let me say that I'm so glad to finally be able to share Ivy and Adrian's final story you and I hope you love it. Thank you for going on this journey with them, readers.
You can pick up your copy of THE BRIGHTEST EMBERS at these places or your favorite retailer:
Amazon | B & N | Book Depository | iBooks | IndieBound | Powells
Also available in audio, read by the fabulous Tavia Gilbert:
Audible, Downpour, iTunes or your favorite audio retailer.
And if you haven't seen it before, here is the official book trailer:
As you can see, Loki has his pumpkin and he is ready to help out with this chat .
But let's jump from hotties to horror, shall we? It's the later part of October, or as I like to call it, Candy and Horror Movie season. I've been a fan of horror movies all the way back to my childhood, when I would sneak to watch them after my parents fell asleep. Since sharing is caring, here are some of my favorites. I tried to keep this list to mostly movies from the past 20 years since if I went all the way back to my first horror loves, I'd be dating myself in a big way, heh. Without further ado, here they are:
The Babysitter (2017)
The Scream series
Trick r Treat
Tucker and Dale vs Evil
It (2017)
Jeepers Creepers 2
Jennifer's Body
The Ring
Paranormal Activity
It Follows
Get Out
The Conjuring
28 Days Later
Alien vs Predator
Shaun of the Dead
Friday the 13th 1, 2, and Jason X
Halloween H20
And we can't forget the TV shows, right? Here are some of those. Again, as with movie favorites, I know I'm probably missing a few because my memory sucks. Plus, I don't count paranormal shows as "horror," so you won't see paranormal favorites like iZombie, The Originals, Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf or Supernatural here. Honestly, Stan Against Evil probably doesn't below because it's more funny than scary, but I love it so much, I had to list it ;). Or, to quote bff Ilona Andrews' recent Tweet to me: "Stan Against Evil. Hulu. Do it!"
The Strain
Stan Against Evil
Penny Dreadful
Stranger Things
Apparitions (check)
American Horror Story (seasons 1 and 3 ONLY)
Instead of my usual binge-watching horror movies/shows while munching on my favorite candies, this Halloween, I'll also be doing a Twitter chat. The time is undetermined as of yet, but I'll announce it soon. If you don't already follow me on Twitter yet, here is my page so you can ask me your burning questions about characters/books/writing/plots/etc, or just chat, if you're free: https://twitter.com/Jeaniene_Frost
or, if you're looking for me while you're on Twitter, I'm at: @Jeaniene_Frost
And now, what are some of your favorite horror movies/tv shows? I'm always in the market for recommendations :).
First up, as many of you know, Ian will be the next character to get his own series. This will be called the Night Rebel series and as of now, I'm promising at least two books. Not promising more yet because we all know how bad I am at estimating the number of books in a series (see: my wrong guesses about the Night Huntress and the Night Prince series ;)). Veritas will be the heroine of the Night Rebel series. I've already started writing book one, and I JUST heard from my editor about the release date. So, without further ado...
Night Rebel book one, title to come, will release on October 30th, 2018.
When I announced this on Twitter yesterday, I received a bunch of comments saying (paraphrase) "A year?! Why is the book so FAR AWAY?" It's because I'm nowhere near done writing it yet :). Some of you might remember that I just finished The Brightest Embers (last Broken Destiny book, releasing November 30th, 2017) about three months ago, and finishing a book is not actually the end of a book. There are still lots of revisions to be done, such as making changes according to my two critique partners' notes - thank you Melissa Marr and Ilona Andrews! - then making changes according to my official editor's notes, then revising again according to the copy editor's notes, and then final tweaks on the galley pages. In short, "The End" really just means "Take One." However, I would never want to publish a book without all these steps. Each one makes the book better, and when I put a book out into the world, I want it to be the best that it can be. Not the fastest that it can be.
But enough shop talk, right? Let's get to the request part. My publisher is hiring a male model for the Night Rebel series cover shoot, and they want my input so they can try to match who I have in my mind for Ian when they pick the model. Problem is, I can't think of anyone who really represents Ian to me, so I need your help. Please reply in the comments with a pic of the guy (or guys) who most reminds you of Ian. You can post as many pics as you like. I'll choose my favorites from among them and send them to my editor. Remember: these don't have to be pictures of male book cover models. They can be pictures of actors, magazine models, a hot guy in a perfume ad, etc. These pics are only a guideline to my publisher, so they can say "We want a model that looks most like [insert guy from one of the pictures you reply with]"
Thank you so much in advance!
Why? Didn't I care what my readers thought? Had I given up trying to fix my books?
None of the above. In fact, the opposite was true. I want to be a better writer with each book, but here's the thing. Reading reviews, whether they were positive or negative, didn't help me become a better writer. They only helped me get increasingly varied mood swings. A great review puffed me up. A scathing one cut me down. A thoughtful-yet-critical one made me kick myself for not seeing the thoughtfully-pointed-out flaws earlier. In fact, I can barely stand to re-read my earlier novels because now, all I do is focus on the mistakes instead of enjoying anything about the story.
Furthermore, what one reader loved about a story might have caused another reader to DNF the book, and vice versa. Imagine you're driving a bus filled with dozens, or even hundreds, of people. You know the address you're going to, but instead of using your GPS, you choose to get directions from the passengers, and they keep calling out conflicting instructions. Would you expect to arrive at your destination any time soon, let alone in a healthy mental state? ;) Probably not. That's kinda of what writing books according to input from past reviews is like for me. Not only does it take the joy out of writing, it also made me zigzag all over the place.
When I stopped reading most of my reviews,I stopped losing my way. Don't get me wrong, other authors' mileage may vary since there's practically no one way to do anything in publishing. Plus, I still get feedback: I have critique partners, and of course, I get feedback from my editor(s) and my copy editor(s), too. But I no longer wade through reviews in search of the mythical "right way" to write my books. Perhaps most importantly, something else to remember is that reviews aren't for authors.
Let me say it again: reviews aren't for authors. Reviews are readers talking to other readers about a book. Whether or not that talk benefits an author, frustrates an author, cheers an author up, or even enrages an author, is moot. To be blunt, authors aren't invited to this party. If you're an author reading reviews, you're essentially eavesdropping on other peoples' conversations, and no one welcomes an eavesdroppers' critique on their own conversation.
But their conversation is about me, so I have the right to eavesdrop and comment! some author might say.
Actually, it's not about you. It's about your product, and no matter how much you love your product, you are not your product. You know the great thing about products? They don't argue back. If I hate a lipstick, I know it won't suddenly become sentient and start telling me that I'm not that great, either. Since products can't argue back, product producers shouldn't argue, either. Years ago, I wrote a blog post about how much I hated the new Halloween movie remake. Guess what? Director Rob Zombie didn't show up to refute my opinions because (1) he's too busy and (2) he knows I'm entitled to my opinions regardless if he agrees with them. If you're an author arguing with a reader over a review, you're essentially telling that reader that he/she isn't allowed to have their own opinion. Not only is that unprofessional and rude – it's also senseless.
But you don't know what they said! another author might reply.
I don't, and I can sympathize when reviews cross the line from content commentary to personal attacks, but you should still stay out of it. Back when I was reading most of my reviews, I saw some slanderous things said about me, my husband, my family, and even how bad of a job my mother must have done while raising me. Thankfully, those type of personal attacks were rare, but still, they were hard to ignore. However, I had friends who held me back from responding, and I'm grateful. If someone is putting personal inflammatory attacks in a review, they're probably a troll, and we all know not to feed the trolls. It only makes the trolls happy while giving us a migraine.
But I love your books and I want to tell you that! some readers might say.
I have a contact box on my website, plus I'm on various social media sites.
But I hate your books and I want to tell you that! some readers might say.
I have a contact box on my website, plus I'm on various social media sites.
In summary, as an author, I'm grateful that people talk about my books. However, I know it's not my place to stick my nose into their conversations. I probably go on about this subject, but my husband's sick and I'm trying to make sure he stays fed and hydrated, so I'm signing off now. Happy Saturday, everyone. Hope you have a lovely remainder of the weekend.
First up, I finished writing The Brightest Embers, the third and final book in the Broken Destiny series. It never ceases to feel like a miracle whenever I finish a book. From age twelve until thirty, I was great at starting stories, but I could never finish them. I'd usually end up quitting after the third chapter or so. I won't lie, readers - that track record was depressing. It made the thought of finishing a novel seem like an impossible goal. That's why my favorite words to write are "The End." Every time I do, it's a realization of the dream I had back when I was a child, and I am so, so grateful.
I have even more reason to be grateful: The Sweetest Burn, book two in the Broken Destiny series, hit the USA Today bestseller list in its opening week. Big group hug, readers! Thank you so much for continuing Ivy and Adrian's story with me.
However, where there is sunshine, there will eventually be rain, right? My rain came metaphorically and somewhat literally. Allow me some backstory: I turned in The Brightest Embers on a Friday and had my revision letter the following Wednesday, with a due date to return the revised book nine days later. The tight turnaround time was to make sure we kept its November release date. Revisions are always a thousand times easier for me than new writing, so I didn't mind. Plus, in addition to my editor's notes, I also had critiques from trusted friends Melissa Marr (who also does this freelance, if you're a writer looking for content feedback) and Ilona Andrews. So, I implemented three sets of revision notes at the same time. The result is a MUCH better book, and I can't wait to unveil the ending of the series to everyone in November.
But I digress. The same night I turned my revisions in, I tripped over a step in my house, fell, and sprained my ankle. This surprises no one who knows me since I am klutzy to an almost comical degree. However, now that I had a break in my schedule, I was looking forward to spending time elevating my ankle while watching TV. My husband got everything set up in the bedroom for me, down to having my laptop, snacks, phone and tea on a tray by the bed (he's a keeper, people!) Yet the very next day, a pipe burst in our house, flooding the family room and part of the master bedroom. Since this happened on a Saturday, the insurance company couldn't get plumbers in to fix it right away. Instead, they sent people to shut off all the water in our house, set up huge blowers and de-humidifiers to dry everything out, cut big holes into the ceiling and wall to cap the burst pipes, rip up the soaked carpet, and generally make our house unlivable. We checked into a hotel and waited for the plumber to arrive, which he did yesterday. Now we have water again and the pipes are repaired, so we're back home, but there's lots more to be done. I swear, my family room looks like an angry person with a sledge hammer and a hose spent the weekend in there.
*grins* This is what I get for thinking, "I'm SO glad all the renovations on our house are finally done!" a mere three week ago. I may as well have tapped Fate on the shoulder and said, "Aren't you forgetting something?" ;)
But back on the positive side of things, I get to see Ilona and Gordon Andrews next week when we have our joint signings. Florida residents and/or people who don't mind driving, here are the details:
Thursday, July 27, 2017, 7:00 PM
Book Event & Signing with Ilona Andrews and Jeaniene Frost
2418 E Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32803
Friday, July 28, 2017, 7:00 PM EDT
Book Event & Signing with Ilona Andrews and Jeaniene Frost
220 First ST
Neptune Beach, FL 32266
That's it from me for now. Hope to see some of you at the signings, and in the meantime, hope you're enjoying your summer, everyone!
Order your copy:
Thursday, July 27, 2017, 7:00 PM
Joint Book Event & Signing with Jeaniene Frost and Ilona Andrews
2418 E Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32803
Friday, July 28, 2017, 7:00 PM EDT
Joint Book Event & Signing with Jeaniene Frost and Ilona Andrews
220 First ST
Neptune Beach, FL 32266
USUAL SPOILER WARNING: While The Sweetest Burn can be read as a stand-alone, if you prefer to read in series order and/or you hate spoilers, you might not want to read these new chapters unless you've read book one, The Beautiful Ashes, which is on sale in ebook for only $1.99 from now until June 30th! Get yours here or at your favorite retailer.
And now, happy reading!
Costa's house was a former church, hence the hallowed ground it rested on that demons were unable to cross. The sight of its tall, slanted roof with the cross that Costa hadn't bothered to take down filled me with a mixture of relief and sadness. I couldn't say that I'd been happy here, but I'd felt safe, and that counted for a lot in this world. Now, it was time to leave, and I didn't know if I'd ever see this place again.
Adrian was right; more people were at the house than when I'd left it an hour ago. My sister, Jasmine, seemed startled to see Adrian, but it didn't escape my notice that Costa didn't look surprised. I stifled my snort as we came into the kitchen. Had Adrian been in contact with Costa this whole time, too? Was I literally the only person he'd avoided these past couple months?
As I approached the table, Adrian pulled a chair out for me, but I ignored that. "I'll stand."
"Are you two fighting again?" Costa cast a knowing glance between us. "Situation normal, then."
The other person I hadn't seen in the past two months was Zach, but as Adrian had predicated, the Archon now sat at the kitchen table as casually as if he'd dropped by for breakfast. As with minions and demons, at first glance, you wouldn't know there was anything unusual about Zach. His jeans and faded-blue hoodie matched his college-age appearance, and his dark brows, closely cropped hair and mocha-colored skin were a great frame for his deep, walnut-brown eyes.
One look into those eyes, however, and I couldn't imagine anyone not realizing that there was something otherworldly about Zach. His gaze seemed to reach right into your soul, and if he chose to reveal his true nature, the room would be filled with exploding light and deafeningly beautiful voices. The one time Zach had dropped his human disguise to show me that, I'd unwittingly fallen to my knees with tears streaming down my face. You never realized how insignificant you were until confronted with a creature filled with the power and glories of eternity.
Archons—angels—were such creatures, so you'd think I'd be glad to see Zach. Instead, I felt a mildly growing sense of dread. Unlike their Hallmark Channel representations, Archons weren't cuddly beings who spent their time sprinkling happy dust onto humanity. Instead, they were fearsome warriors who'd been relegated to the sidelines during the most important battle of the ages, so they were ready to fight no matter how that turned out for mankind. They were also our only allies against demons, so that made them indispensable to us regardless of their seeming indifference toward the fate of my race.
"I'm out of time, aren't I?" I said in lieu of a hello.
Zach didn't take offense. He'd probably invented the custom of not saying hello. "Yes. As the realm walls continue to weaken, new fissures are formed, allowing greater access between the dark worlds and this one. It is only a matter of time until those fissures rupture and parts of the demon world spills out into your realm."
"I found that out the hard way," I said with a sigh. "Three minions and a demon tried to nab me on the beach."
Jasmine's face paled and she ran over to me. "Are you okay? How did you get away? Did they know who you were?"
I gave my younger sister a reassuring squeeze, a pang hitting me as I looked at her. She'd always had my adoptive mother's blond hair, but sometime during her hellish captivity, she'd grown a long white streak down the center of her head. Her pale blue eyes were the same color as my adoptive father's, and seeing them reminded me of him so much, I had to blink back a sudden surge of tears.
Oh, how I missed my parents! They hadn't deserved to die at the hands of minions and demons just because they'd been investigating Jasmine's disappearance. Then again, no one deserved to die at the hands of demons and minions for any reason.
"I'm fine," I reassured Jaz. "I got the first one, Adrian and Brutus took care of the rest. And they didn't know who I was, at first. They were just looking for new slaves."
Zach inclined his head in agreement. "The demons grow bolder as they gain more access to this world."
Maybe it was the fresh wave of grief I'd felt over my parents' death, maybe it was my fear over what I knew I had to do. Either way, I couldn't hold back my brusque reply.
"Remind me again why Archons would allow terrible things to happen to innocent people when they have the power to stop it?"
The gaze Zach turned on me was hard. "A better reason than why your race would rather assign blame to others than work on looking for solutions yourselves."
Yes, humanity had its flaws, but that didn't mean we weren't worth saving, dammit! And I still couldn't figure out if Zach even wanted us to be saved. Some days, he acted as if he did, yet other days, the Archon seemed just as happy to let humanity burn if it meant finally ending the war between Archons and demons.
"If you truly believe your race is worth saving, then you'll be eager to get started," Zach replied, using his mind-reading abilities. How could I forget about those?
I glowered at him. It sucked being reminded that in this case, "somebody" doing something really meant "me."
"I'm ready," I said, which was the biggest lie in the world, but what else could I say? We're all gonna die! seemed too defeatist, even if it was probably true.
Zach rose with his usual grace, then cast a sideways glance at Brutus, who was in the darkest corner of the kitchen. He'd be in his room, if he wasn't waiting for his breakfast of raw meat.
"Would someone explain why that gargoyle is wearing the stone of Solomon around his wrist?" Zach asked.
"The what of who?" Jasmine said.
I wondered the same thing, but Adrian replied to Jasmine before I could ask. "Ivy didn't like her birthday present, so she gave it to Brutus," he told my sister.
"Birthday? Oh crap, Ivy, I forgot your birthday!" Jasmine said with a gasp. Costa seemed shocked for a different reason.
"You gave a three-thousand-year-old diamond with famed mystic qualities to Brutus?" he asked me.
Zach also gave me a look that seemed to question my sanity. I shifted defensively even as this news rocked me. "I just thought it was a normal diamond," I mumbled.
"It isn't," Adrian said, his arched brow implying that I should have given him a chance to say this earlier. "King Solomon stole this diamond from Asmodeus, a demon king, because it was said to shield its wearer from harm. After Solomon's death, Asmodeus stole it back, and when I was a child, it was given to me because demons wanted to protect the last Judian."
I was openmouthed discovering the diamond's history, not to mention its protective qualities. Adrian hadn't just been trying to buy my forgiveness with an expensive trinket. He'd given me the same talisman he'd had since he was a child. Damn him for making it harder to stay angry with him, I thought, my emotions wrestling anew at this.
"Very well," Zach replied, although he would have overheard my inner battle. "Ivy, you will leave at once. Adrian and Costa will accompany you on your search for the staff of Moses."
"Not Adrian," I burst out.
"Yes, Adrian," Zach said in his best don't-argue-with-an-angelic-being tone. "Without him, you won't discover the map."
"There's a map that leads to the staff?" That was a surprise. "One of those would've been helpful when we were trying to find the first hallowed weapon."
Zach shrugged. "It's a map of sorts, and perhaps if you would have looked closer, you would have discovered it when you were searching for the slingshot, too."
Archons and their cryptic-speak, not to mention their lack of initiative that bordered on apathy. Figures there had been a map back then and Zach hadn't told me. For all I knew, he had another map in his pocket now, yet couldn't be bothered to mention that, either. "Or, why don't you just tell me where the staff is, if you know?" I said to cut through all the crap.
"Because this is your task to succeed or fail at, Davidian," was Zach's inexorable reply.
Don't hit the Archon, I reminded myself while clenching my fists. We still needed him.
Zach's mouth twitched, as if he found my impotent rage amusing. "Adrian is coming with you, Ivy. Don't bother to list all the reasons why you don't want him to. The fact remains that he must or you will not only fail, you won't survive. That's why I rescinded his ban from seeing you earlier today."
My gaze swung to Adrian. "What do you mean, he rescinded your ban from seeing me?"
A low, almost growling sound left Adrian. "Zach put a supernatural restraining order on me. I couldn't get within a mile of you without suddenly becoming paralyzed, Costa supernaturally forgot every message I tried to send you through him, and if I attempted to call, text or email you, my phone would blow up."
"Really?" Costa looked bewildered. "You and I have talked several times since then, and I don't remember that."
Adrian grunted. "Exactly."
"Cock-blocked by an angel," Costa muttered. "That's new."
I ignored Costa's comment in favor of giving Zach a disbelieving look. "First you supernaturally prevent Adrian from so much as texting me, then you insist that he come along on the search for the staff. What kind of game are you playing?"
Zach's dark brown eyes gave nothing away. "No game. Only fate."
Fate. My teeth ground. I really hated that word. "Why didn't you tell me about this on the beach?" I asked Adrian, giving up on getting a more definitive answer out of Zach.
Adrian's coloring was darker than normal, and when I caught the look he flashed Zach's way, I realized why. Pride. He'd rather let me think that he was a total jerk than admit that Zach had shut him down so effectively, he'd been helpless. Yes, for longer than I cared to remember, Adrian had had both minions and demons scurrying to do his bidding. Plus, with his incredible strength, speed and fighting skills, almost no one had been able to stop Adrian from doing something he'd set his mind to. In that light, his bruised-ego silence about the way Zach had shut him down was almost understandable.
Almost. Adrian should have told me why he'd abandoned me when I needed him the most. The fact that he hadn't only highlighted that he was thinking more about himself than me. Plus, if he couldn't admit something so small to me, how could I trust him with the really big things, like our fates?
And Zach. He got the other end of my stink eye. He could have said something before now, too. Men. They were the same whether they were Archons, humans or Judians.
Something else occurred to me. "Zach lifted his restraining order on you the same day I came across the first minions and demon I've seen in months?" It couldn't be a coincidence…
"It isn't," Zach said, using his intrusive skills again.
My irritation died away. His inconsideration paled next to making sure that I was still alive.
"Thank you," I said, hoping for the hundredth time that Archons were more invested in the fate of humanity than they let on. Aside from my bloodline, I wasn't anyone special, yet Zach had saved me more than a few times. I just wished I understood why so many other people had to suffer and die.
Zach inclined his head, which was his version of "you're welcome." "Preparations have been made. You are to start your search for the staff at once."
"You're forgetting one thing," I pointed out. "We have no idea where Moses's staff might be. This is a big world, and that's not even counting all the demon realms in it, too."
Zach glanced at Adrian, and when they exchanged a meaningful look, my hackles rose. "If either of you even think of hiding something from me again—" I began furiously.
"We're not," Adrian interrupted, his gaze piercing as it landed on me. "I told you, Ivy, no secrets and no holding back this time. Moses's staff controls nature, which is why we need it to repair the realm walls and the demons also want it so they can use it to send those same walls crashing down. So, our best bet is to start with places that have natural anomalies. Even while dormant, the staff will affect what's around it."
That made sense, but, "I doubt it'll be as simple as googling places that are known for large congregations of locusts, frogs, lightning bolts or partings of seas," I said tartly. "If so, demons would've found it centuries ago."
Adrian raised a brow. "They've spent a lot of time scouring places with unusual natural phenomena, but they can't sense hallowed objects. Only you can. That's why we're going to find the staff and they're not."
He sounded completely confident. Then again, he was overlooking the most dangerous part of this mission. It wasn't whether or not we could find the staff. It's what could very likely happen if I tried to use it.
"I'm going with you, too," Jasmine said, her words distracting me from a topic I didn't want to dwell on.
I turned to my sister. "You've been through enough. We'll find you another place to stay at on hallowed ground, so you'll be safe—"
"You think I'll ever feel safe again?" Her voice filled with more pain than any eighteen-year-old should ever have. "I'm barely holding it together with you and Costa around me 24/7. If you leave me by myself, I'll lose it for sure. And I spent months trapped in a demon realm, so I know what we're up against."
"Jasmine," I tried again.
"I'm going." She cut me off with a flash of her old stubbornness. "Either help me pack or get out of my way, Ives."
She hadn't called me her pet name from our childhood since we'd rescued her. That, plus the glimpse of her former spunk, melted my resistance away. Who was I to lecture her? She was right. In some ways, she'd been through a lot more than me.
"Fine, then you can help me pack," I said, trying not to think about how I was going to find the staff while not getting myself killed, my sister hurt or my heart broken again.
"I'll pull our ride around," Adrian stated.
I gave him a doubtful look. "You think we can fit four adults and a winged gargoyle into your vintage metal baby?"
His smile was threatening and promising, like a lion licking its prey while deciding whether to eat it now or later. "We're bringing my Challenger, but we're not riding in it."
Huh? "What's that supposed to mean?"
His smile widened into a grin. "Get packed and you'll find out."
Hope you enjoyed! You can pre-order your copy of The Sweetest Burn here or at your favorite retailer.
STANDARD SPOILER WARNING: While The Sweetest Burn can be read as a stand-alone, if you prefer to read in series order and/or you hate spoilers, you might not want to read these new chapters unless you've read book one, The Beautiful Ashes, which is on sale in ebook for only $1.99 from now until June 30th! However, if you're okay with spoilers/reading out of series order or you've already read The Beautiful Ashes, then no worries and happy reading! :)
Since Adrian wasn't going away, I decided to make him pull his weight. When we reached the spot on the beach where I'd grappled with the minion, I gestured in the general vicinity of where I'd spotted the demon realm. I didn't see anything now, but that wasn't a huge surprise. My lineage meant that I was most attuned to hallowed objects, so at best, I only caught random glimpses of dark ones even when I was right on top of them. Adrian's lineage meant that he was most attuned to dark objects, and a demon realm gateway was about as dark as something could get.
"The realm gateway was over there. Do you see it?"
He walked to the spot I'd indicated. Then he held out his hands as if feeling for a doorway, which, in essence, he was.
"It's strange," he said after a pause. "I see the realm and I do feel something, but it's not as strong as a normal gateway would be. Instead of a door, it feels more like…a crack."
"That's what I'm worried about," I said with a fresh sense of dismay. "With the walls between demon realms and our world weakening, cracks are probably turning up all over the place. If it gets worse, those cracks will turn into gaping holes and realms will spill out into this world. And then…"
I stopped speaking because I didn't want to say what would happen next. The only thing worse than knowing was being the only person who could do something to stop it. That's why I'd spent the past two months splitting my time between training and trying to get my sister, Jasmine, through the post-traumatic stress of being a former demon captive. You'd think with all that, I wouldn't have had the energy to focus on Adrian, yet I had. A broken heart was the slowest wound to heal, it appeared.
"I think we're safe for the moment," Adrian said, not addressing my unfinished sentence. "The crack doesn't feel strong enough to let anyone else through. Maybe the sunlight is weakening it."
For now. I rubbed my right hand where the outline of a braided rope ran from my finger all the way up to my elbow. The remains of the ancient, hallowed slingshot no longer burned in that odd way, but touching it was a tangible reminder that Adrian and I had destinies to fulfill: me to possibly save those trapped in the demon realms, and him to probably betray me.
"All right, well, minions are dead, the demon's gone, Brutus should be back any second and I'm almost home, so you can leave. Now," I added.
A scoff preceded his response and the silver rings around his dark blue eyes seemed to gleam.
"I'm not going anywhere, Ivy. Ready or not, I'm back in your life and I'm here to stay."
"But I don't want you to," I said, fighting the urge to thump him over the head so the words would sink in.
He only smiled, dazzling and so arrogant that I spun around so I didn't have to look at him anymore. "Yes, I heard you, but while you might not want me—yet—you do need me."
Then, with his lightning quickness, he appeared in front of me, shoving a small box into my hands. "Speaking of things I didn't get to do before, happy birthday, although one day late."
Shock made me stand still and stare at the box. Twenty-one was a milestone, but no one else had remembered. Not my sister, who was also my best friend, or Costa, my roommate who'd become as close as a brother to me, or Zach, the Archon who sorta mentored me and had supernatural knowledge of just about everything. Only Adrian, and I'd never told him when it was.
I couldn't stop myself from opening the unexpected gift. Then I let out a little gasp when I saw the round stone suspended at the end of a long gold chain. The jewel reflected the first rays of sunlight back at me in a rainbow of colors that were so bright, I had to squint while looking at it. Unless it was the most sparkly piece of glass ever, Adrian had just given me a diamond the size of a large marble.
"There's no way I can accept this," I almost stuttered, adding, "Did you steal it?" because how else could he have gotten something that cost as much as several high-end cars?
Hints of darkness colored his laughter. "Former demon prince, remember? I might have left all that behind me, but I didn't leave empty-handed."
"You're not a demon, you were just raised by them," I muttered.
He shrugged. "Honorary demon prince, then. Either way, I can afford it. Besides, you lost your other necklace because of me, so don't say you can't accept this one to replace it."
The necklace was so beautiful, a shallow part of me wanted nothing more than to put it on and run to the nearest mirror. I couldn't, of course. For starters, I hadn't looked into a mirror since the night I found out the hard way that some demons use mirrors as portals into our world. Plus…
"This feels like a bribe," I said, holding the necklace out to him. "And you can't make up for everything that's happened with a shiny, expensive gift. Things aren't good between us, Adrian. Not even close, and if I accepted this, I'd be implying that they were."
He crossed his arms, his posture taking on a very familiar stubbornness. "I'm not trying to bribe you, I'm giving you a birthday gift. Throw it into the surf if you want, but it's yours, so I am not taking it back."
My jaw clenched. He might have been raised in an environment where money was no object, but I could no more toss this diamond into the ocean than I could burn a stack of hundred-dollar bills for warmth, and from the challenging curl to his mouth, he knew that. Still, that didn't mean he was getting his way.
I folded the necklace into my hand and resumed walking. It didn't take my enhanced peripheral vision to see Adrian's smirk as he followed. He thought he'd won this round. Think again, I silently told him.
"So, if you're rich, why did we only stay in crappy motels when we first met?" I asked as I kept walking toward Costa's house.
He let out a laugh that managed to combine the lure of ecstasy along with the dangers of addiction.
"Because I was doing everything I could to kill the mood, not that it worked. Even in the ugliest surroundings, I wanted you so much that it almost killed me not to take you in every dingy room those crappy motels had to offer."
"Stop it," I muttered. Thankfully, Brutus picked that moment to fly past us and land in the tallest section of beach shrubs. I ran after the gargoyle, trying to soothe him as he attempted to cover himself with beach brush to avoid the sun.
"It's okay," I was saying when Adrian said, "Carparata!" loud enough to snap Brutus's head up.
The Demonish word turned Brutus from a cringing creature into his usual, formidable self. The gargoyle might be my pet now, but to the bone, he still belonged to Adrian. After all, Adrian was the one who'd given Brutus to me as my protector. The fact that he'd done so when Adrian had thought he was sacrificing his life to save mine was yet another reason why he was so hard to evict from my heart.
Still, I wasn't about to give up trying. "Here you go, my good Brutus," I said, pulling out the necklace and latching it around his leathery wrist. Because of his size, it fit like a bracelet. "Something shiny for you."
The gargoyle held up his arm, looking at the diamond next to his grayish-blue skin. Then he chuffed as if in approval.
"See?" I said, with a wide grin at Adrian. "He loves it."
The glare Adrian gave me was priceless. Then, with a smile that was far too confident for my liking, he waved in the direction of Costa's house.
"You can give my gift to Brutus and you can keep stomping off to Costa's, but no matter what, I'm coming with you. Realm cracks are appearing and demons and minions are on the move again. You might have killed Demetrius, giving me the vengeance I'd wanted for years, but that didn't take me out of the fight. I still live to kick demon ass, so I wouldn't sit this out for the world, and if you know anything about me, you should know that. Besides, Zach's probably aware of all this the and waiting back at Costa's for us. As you might recall, Archons may be nearly immortal, but they're not very patient."
Hope you enjoyed the third chapter! The fourth and final chapter will be posted on my website blog next week. As a reminder, you can pre-order your copy of The Sweetest Burn here or at your favorite retailer.


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Los Angeles Independent Publishing
New PoemsRed Hen Press, a Los Angeles independent publisher founded by Kate Gale, is the place for new poems, new fiction, and lesbian fiction/lesbian books.
Catherine Kirkwood
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Catherine Kirkwood has lived in York England and now calls Seattle home. She graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College and a D.Phil. in Women's Studies from the University of York. Her fiction and creative non-fiction appears in anthologies and her non-fiction text, Leaving Abusive Partners, has been translated and sold internationally.
Her first novel Cut Away is from Arktoi Books, an imprint of Red Hen Press.
In addition to writing, Catherine has worked for fifteen years in the field of cancer research. She lives with her partner, Kayleen, in a small cottage with a large, untamed garden where two cats and and Jetson the border collie make a world ruled by its own natural laws.
Los Angeles Independent Publishing
New PoemsRed Hen Press, a Los Angeles independent publisher founded by Kate Gale, is the place for new poems, new fiction, and lesbian fiction/lesbian books.
Books Available:
Cut AwayCatherine Kirkwood
$16.95 Trade
Shop: IndieBound, Barnes & Noble
Kirkwood's slender, desolate-feeling first novel, set between the California desert and L.A., hinges on an intricate emotional triangle revolving around a teenage runaway. Alexandra, a middle-aged transvestite living a celibate life on the Salton Sea, befriends the runaway, Olivia, at the girl's desert campsite before Olivia disappears. Eleanor, an L.A. plastic surgeon and a lonely lesbian, saw Olivia once in her office and later unknowingly gives a consult to Olivia's unstable mother, Asa, who has for several years cleaned Eleanor's office at night and begins to track the surgeon's whereabouts once she discovers the doctor's connection to Olivia. Meanwhile, Alexandra, enjoying a flirtation with the surgeon that begins after a body that might be Olivia's is found, stays at Eleanor's canyon home for a month, visited occasionally by Asa, disguised as a door-to-door cosmetics saleswoman. Once Kirkwood maps out the particulars, every maneuver on the part of these characters is fraught with tension. Kirkwood's exploration of personal and spiritual metamorphosis is all the more powerful for its surprising subtleties.

subset: commoncrawl


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Green Teams associated with 20+ congregations in the Oak Park and River Forest areas are making a difference in their faith communities, in their facilities, in their community and
in state policies that promote sustainability. If you are looking for a place to get involved and make a difference locally, often your own congregation is a great place to start!
If your congregation has a green team, consider joining it; if not, consider starting one. You will find start-up ideas and resources in the GreenFaith Start-up Kit and GreenFaith Sustainability Resources.
Continue reading to find out how Oak Park and River Forest congregations are taking action to care for the earth.Green Teams are:
- Conducting zero waste events and reduced waste sent to the landfill to near zero!
- Planting congregation vegetable gardens and donating the food to the food pantry.
- Landscaping with native plants that reduce flooding and support the natural water cycle.
- Installing renewable energy sources including geothermal and solar in their facilities. (Note that grants have been received to help congregations afford these capital expenses.)
- Making their facilities more energy efficient: using energy audits to guide the work and working to "seal the envelope," and install energy efficient appliances.
- Traveling to Springfield to advocate for environmental legislation at the state level.
The Interfaith Green Network is a network of area congregations who through sharing sustainability practices, projects and dialogue is working to build a vibrant vision and role for congregations in caring for Planet Earth. Twenty-two congregations have participated in the Network to date.
James Babcock of First United Church of Oak Park, Mac Robinet of St.Edmund Parish, and Dick Alton of Euclid Ave United Methodist Church make up the leadership team for the Interfaith Green Network. A high priority of the network is helping congregations to form and strengthen green teams. For help getting a green team started at your congregation or getting your congregation engaged in the Interfaith Green Network, please contact Dick Alton, firstname.lastname@example.com or 773-344-7172.
See also related article about upcoming Interfaith Green Network Forum on Priorities for 2014.


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When looking for new knobs and handles, you want to make sure that you find tools of the highest quality possible. Of course, you want any metalwork tools to be durable, strong, reliable, and affordable. Whether you are buying hydraulic cylinders, linear bearings, or a simple deburring tool, you need to trust in the product. You cannot afford to have any questions regarding whether or not it will be able to handle jobs of the most demanding natures with proficiency.
Since tools such as these are most commonly used in industrial and construction site settings, they need to be able to hold up against rather harsh environments. That is where the quality of your knobs and handles or cutting tools comes into play. I would take a g
Did you know that Canadian health care is delivered through a publicly-funded system? Although this service is mostly free, 60% of Canadian employers still worry about the quality of the health plans their employees have. As a result, small business health plans were created. These employee benefit programs are designed specifically for small businesses, so they help employees and small business employers.
Employee benefit plans work in four simple steps. First, the employee health premium is unbundled from the life and disability premiums. Then, the health benefit premium dollars of the current year are subtracted from the new administration cost. After the level of funded high-deductible insurance is determined, the r


text: We use abrasive blasting to clean metals of all coatings and corrosion. This process also gives the metal a roughened texture which is ideal as a key to new protective coatings. As part of our extensive facilities, we have a large shot blasting area. We are able to to accommodate anything from small automotive items right up to large industrial sized pipes and vessels. We also have portable shotblast equipment which we are able to bring to site. Using a variety of blasting mediums, we are able to clean anything from extreme marine scale to decarbonising engine components.


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What Are The Ways You Can Save Money On Homeowners Insurance?
If you are concerned about how much you are paying or are about to pay for homeowners insurance, maybe it is time to really dig in and take a look. Sometimes it is difficult to figure out insurance, and some people just basically throw up their hands in the air like they just don't care. As long as they have picked a reputable company and policy basics are covered, they move on and forget about it.
Find the Better Way to Save Money
Again, maybe it is time to do more than that. All it takes is a little initiative to do your homework in all honesty. If you do it the right way, you will start to gather information about how to get the right discounts. That doesn't just go for homeowners insurance but all types of insurance. In fact, looking at them together is sometimes one way that you can get a discount. There are plenty of other ways though, too.
For example, experts say that one way to get a discount is to have a good home security system. You will want to check into the specifics with a home insurance company of your choice. Things like raising your deductible can also help, but you have to decide what you are comfortable with. Are you willing to pay a higher deductible if you have to file a claim of any kind?
Get Better Discount Deals
Your credit score can help you get a better deal, too. What is your credit like? What other discounts are out there? Once you secure the best rate, you will feel much better about paying for your insurance each time you renew your policy. There is no reason to pay more than you should for insurance. It is important, but you have other things to pay as well. If you are looking for quality home insuarnce quotes visit My Meridian Insurance online at- www.mymeridianinsurance.com.


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Explore: Switzerland
Holidays to Switzerland
Flower-decked villages and hamlets lie in peaceful valleys, disturbed only by cow-bells ringing across the wildflower pastures.
But it's not just breathtaking scenery that attracts holidaymakers to Switzerland. The cities, with their quaint medieval centres, offer excellent museums and music festivals. A diverse culture built on a variety of languages and customs lend a sophistication which extends to its hotels, restaurants and bars.
Well-known for its winter sports, Switzerland is also a top destination for hiking, cycling and summer activities.
Most people who touch down at Geneva and Zurich airports head straight for the mountains. However, with their charming old towns, parks and museums, both cities are rewarding destinations in their own right.
Where to go
Most people who touch down at Geneva and Zurich airports bypass these cities and head straight for the mountains. However, with their charming old towns, parks and museums, both are rewarding destinations in their own right.
Similarly, Lausanne has a medieval centre and lake views – while capital Bern, on the River Aare, has 16th-century fountains, a fine cathedral and a beautiful rose garden. Cultural Lucerne, with its 14th-century bridge, has a prestigious music festival.
The resort of Zermatt has grandstand views of the iconic Matterhorn peak, St Moritz offers mountain chic to well-heeled tourists, and Interlaken is a top destination for outdoor activities, lake cruises and trips on the mountain railways.
When to go
Spring sees hiking trails and spring flowers at their best. Local wineries open their doors ('caves ouvertes') in May, and early summer is a great time to explore the lakes. Summer is festival time with the Montreux Jazz Festival (June or July) and spectacular fireworks on Swiss National Day (1 August).


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Do you want to make your brochure as luring as your food samples? Do it using the food brochure templates that offer colorful and descriptive designs to display your niche in the most attractive way. You can form cookbooks, Restaurant brochures, Coffee shop Brochures sample and any more with easy to customize layouts. They offer mouth-watering presentation and effective text synchronization aside graphic arts. Download one today in a number of compatible file formats.
This is a cookbook template that offers 26 A4 pages with image on text presentation and graphic clip arts for beautification. It is suitable for chefs and food enthusiasts and is in INDD files. You can also see Half Fold Brochures.
It's an organic food brochure template featuring high-quality graphics that's perfect for professional prints and company brochures. It has a modern touch with unique graphics in IDML, INDD and PDF files.
The template has animated vegetable mascots for healthy eating habits. It displays text and graphics efficiently. It is suitable for brochures and comes in 5×10" two-fold layout from Shutterstock.
The theme of this template is diet food. It features unique graphics with a great ease of customizability for amateurs. It comes in layered PSD, fully editable, high quality 6 page A4 size. You can also see Fast Food Brochures.
This is a beautiful restaurant brochure with the best fitting tri-fold layout. It has a subtle display for food images and descriptions. It comes in 300 DPI, 11.69"x8.27" page size, print-ready PSD files.
The template features shades of brown as a perfect bakery shop brochure template. It displays mock-ups with effective text options and has a tri-fold design which has print on both sides.
This is a suitable template for catalogues and mini magazines from professional food start-ups. The layouts have been efficiently put together in 16 pages with 300 DPI CMYK color InDesign files.
A clean, uncluttered, well maintained food brochure from Frima that offers tri-fold layout with great ease to read. It comes in 300 DPI, 11.69"x8.27" page size with layered PSD files.
The template displays fruits and vegetables in a rather minimalistic way with colorful designs. It has a green and white domination and simple vector graphic arts, perfect for flyers and brochures.
This is a hassle free solution for fast food outlets for an aesthetic appeal to their customers with a customizable tri-fold brochure that comes in 11×8.5" 300 DPI print ready PSD design.
This is the moving feast festival brochure template that offers a fun way to celebrate and invite. It contains rural graphic art and space for text. Colored in blue and white, it comes from Etsy.
The template features a big photo in 70% of the page with text. It is an efficient brochure and menu for Fast food outlets. It comes in tri-fold layout with orange domination.
This is an information brochure with minimalistic design. It has a beautiful flat logo and unique art work on the cover in orange and white. It has contact info on the backcover from Dribble.
This is a food brochure template with fancy title and colorful designs. It can be used as an advert, flyer and menu at the same time. It comes in high quality PSD files.
This is a complete 24 page food item catalogue booklet template. It features dedicated photos for dishes with descriptions in a neat manner. It comes in 300 DPI, CMYK InDesign INDD editable files. You can also see Pub Menu Templates.
The listed templates elevate your advert game to a whole new level with their eye-candy and informative designs. They are set to get you more customers and hassle free information serving with lucrative results. These are easy to download and can be accustomed to your liking with software support.


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The private refuges run by the Club Alpin Français and the Parc National de la Vanoise are true havens of peace in the middle of nature. The guardians of these refuges, which are the departure points for high-mountain races and stopover points for long-distance events, will welcome and guide you with their typical professionalism. Spend a night at a refuge with your children, for an original experience with a touch of magic!
+33 (0)4 79 20 32 13


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Woodstock Wednesday: Social Studies Quiz
- When was Woodstock founded?
- Name the three (3) Houses at Woodstock.
- Before it was the music area, the music building used to be something else. What was it?
- What religious group/denomination used to live at Edgehill?
- Name two staff members who worked at Woodstock, left and then come back later to work once more? (There are at least three!)
- Give the names of three graduating classes.
- Woodstock School closed at one point in its history. What year did it close, and what year did it reopen?


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OperaUpClose bring two ferocious Tudor Queens to the stage in their new English version of Donizetti's Mary, Queen of Scots (Maria Stuarda).
Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I go head-to-head in this historical tragedy, culminating in a fictitious meeting between the rival queens, which sizzles with vocal fireworks.
Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6AN
24-29 April, 7.30pm
Tickets: £35-£65 (conc. available)
Gala Performance: £100


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Category: Craft
Look Back : April 2015
Having turned over the calendar yesterday, I realised another month has gone. Another month closer to those long, long Summer days, when the sun rises around 5am and doesn't set before 11pm. Pretty crazy how the days turn into weeks and then with a snap of your fingers, another month has passed, isn't it? April saw… Continue reading Look Back : April 2015
Charity : Heart Pillow Project 2015
This is going to be a post - not just about a wonderful group of crafty ladies right here in Hamburg or about this project we were lucky enough to be apart of - but of gratitude. It is on days like this - when the universe aligns - that I am reminded of how… Continue reading Charity : Heart Pillow Project 2015
Studio Life : Sock Haul & New Monkies
Some days in the studio just work. Flow, you come home exhausted but feel like you've really achieved something. Finished something; found greater understanding of something; worked something out. Found a short cut - or a long cut. But you managed to arrive at that place you set out to find. Do you know what I mean? Feels… Continue reading Studio Life : Sock Haul & New Monkies
Taggy Giraffes : What better reason?
This little cutie has been in my head for a little while now (I have SO MUCH gorgeous fabric).....but there's no better reason to make you actually sit down and do it - than the arrival of a new little person in the family. My nephew came into the world recently and in no time, I… Continue reading Taggy Giraffes : What better reason?
Market : Coco-Mat Kunsthandwerkermarkt
Market days are always busy and highly anticipated by us the makers and no doubt by our lovely patrons as well. We spend so many hours making and preparing - remembering to iron and wash the table cloth, to pack the scissors and all the bits and bobs that go into our packaging. It's not… Continue reading Market : Coco-Mat Kunsthandwerkermarkt
Sock Monkeys : Ready just in time…
Just thought I would share with you a couple of little newbies, that will be with me at the COCO-MAT Kunsthandwerkermarkt this Sunday! Born on a train, somewhere between Hamburg and Munich - didn't they turn out well. They can't wait to meet you!


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Hillcrest Lights Up Park Square to Spread Autism Awarenes
Tags: autism, awareness event, hillcrest educational, North Street,
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Naughty Superstar Lia Moist In Awesome Multiracial, Mature Hard-core Movie
Naughty Asian Woman Azusa Ito, Suzu Hiyama, Kurara Iijima In Handsome Onanism, Suck Off Jav Video
Greatest Pornographic Star Kate Fawcett In Greatest Mature, Hd Grownup Gig
Youthful Dude Pokes Mischievous Mommy
Great Sizzling Lovemaking
European Grandma Romped
Nurumassage Sonnie Downright Serviced By Way Of Step-mother
Mature Grannie With Dark-hued Hair Will Get Poked
Awesome Inexperienced Clamp With Cuni, Preggie Gigs
Fashionable Milfs
Unbelievable Do-it-yourself Report With Clean-shaven, Sandy-haired Vignettes
Lovely Mature-four
Infant's 61 – He's 25! Perv Youthful And Elder !
Claire Knight Humped
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text: Do you like Europeana 1914-1918? Have you already been involved in a collection day, taken part in a transcribathon, or are you interested in discovering digitized resources about World War One? Then you might also want to support this initiative! On 5 June, Oxford University is launching a crowdfunding campaign to fund 'Lest We Forget', […]Read More


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The Purple Violet Press
The Purple Violet Press - A Citizen Publication
Letters to the Editor
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Holiday Break
Purple Violet Press
will be taking a break for the holidays and will return in the New Year. We would like to take this opportunity to thank readers for their interest and support in 2011, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with you in 2012. Until then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
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Wild Card 2 lottery comes to an end in 4 northern states
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A lottery game played in some northern states for nearly two decades is ending, due to a drop in popularity.
Wild Card 2 currently is played in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Idaho. The game dates to 1994, and lottery officials in the participating states say it's run its course. The final drawing is Wednesday.
Through the years, the game that also was played for a brief time in Nebraska has had dozens of jackpot winners and paid out tens of millions of dollars in prizes.
The jackpot for the final drawing is $375,000. If there's a winner, the person will have six months to claim the prize, as usual. If no one wins it, remaining funds will be divided among the four participating states.


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9am Class
No college student likes signing up for a 9:00 a.m. lecture on Monday mornings, but sometimes you just need the credits. It's a simple enough class, and your only real challenge is remaining conscious the entire two hours. The prof just loves calling on students for answers, but you'll be fine as long as you're not passed out when he shouts your name.
I like to read the sort of postmortem at the end of these. Sounds interesting.


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If by now you haven't heard of CVC Stones, it's time to emerge from whatever rock you've been hiding under. The fine jewelry label takes its initials from Charles de Viel Castel, financier by day and designer by night, who first got his feet wet in fashion while walking along a beach with a single diamond—an heirloom passed down from his grandmother—in hand. Intrigued by a washed-up stone on the shore, and inclined to preserve the diamond in a creative manner, CVC Stones was born. Cut to his creations—one-of-a-kind stones accented with diamonds and suspended from 18-karat yellow gold chains—which, simple as they sound, are anything but. "It takes time to find the rocks that you can drill into without breaking," says Castel, who got started collecting on his own and quickly found he was receiving FedEx packages full of pebbles sourced by friends and strangers around the world. In a matter of months, the likes of Moda Operandi, Net-a-Porter, Colette, and The Line had picked up the collection, and a celebrity crew (Sienna Miller, Alexa Chung, and Lily Aldridge, to name a few) followed shortly thereafter.
Having dabbled in pendants and paperweights, Castel is now teaming up with his longtime friend, London-based fine jewelry designer Eugenie Niarchos of Venyx, who has a penchant for planetoids and precious stones. "The collaboration came very organically," says Castel, who admits he has always admired the vivid palette of Niarchos's work. "I thought if I were going to introduce color into CVC Stones, I wanted to do it with Eugenie." The result is quite literally out of this world: a collection of 12 one-of-a-kind pebbles embedded with constellations to represent each astrological sign. In true CVC form, black stones are set entirely with white diamonds, while white stones are set with diamonds and a mix of colored precious and semiprecious stones. "My birthday is February 23, so that makes me a Pisces," says Castel, pointing to a box of stones in order of the zodiac calendar. "The fact that this piece has the most diamonds is completely coincidental."


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Art News DFW's weekly guide series to promote the local artists, galleries and art organizations in North Texas. We provide a round-up of locally published art reviews, art stories and videos. Please email firstname.lastname@example.com if you wish to contribute a link, write a review or help with our round-up.
Curating in Texas: Ballroom Marfa's Laura Copelin by CAITLIN GREENWOOD Dec. 10 http://artsandculturetx.com/curating-in-texas-2/
END GAME: OFG, A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON (Oliver Francis Gallery) by ARTHUR PEÑA Dec. 10 http://artsandculturetx.com/end-game/
New Dallas Design District art gallery has a legend at the helm By Teresa Gubbins (Joan Davidow & Site 131) 12.9.15 http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/arts/12-09-15-site-131-art-gallery-design-district-joan-davidow/
David McManaway Estate Sale December 4 – 6, 2015 by J R Compton. http://dallasartsrevue.com/
The National Endowment for the Arts bestows $165,000 on eight Dallas-Fort Worth groups by Michael Granberry Dec. 9 http://artsblog.dallasnews.com/2015/12/the-national-endowment-for-the-arts-bestows-165000-on-area-arts-groups.html/
Dallas Museum of Art receives a whopping $500,000 grant for its Jackson Pollock show by Michael Granberry Dec. 9 http://artsblog.dallasnews.com/2015/12/dallas-museum-of-art-receives-a-whopping-500000-grant-for-its-jackson-pollock-show.html/
Rainn Wilson, Mary-Louise Parker, David Sedaris among stars coming to Dallas for 25th Arts & Letters Live (DMA) by Michael Merschel Dec. 8 http://artsblog.dallasnews.com/2015/12/arts-letters-live-brings-out-the-stars-for-its-25th-season.html/
GALLERIST WANDA DYE SAYS GOODBYE TO DALLAS THIS WEEKEND, CLOSES RE GALLERY BY LAUREN SMART DECEMBER 10 http://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/gallerist-wanda-dye-says-goodbye-to-dallas-this-weekend-closes-re-gallery-7846906
5 ART EXHIBITIONS TO SEE IN DALLAS THIS WEEKEND BY LAUREN SMARTWEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 http://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/5-art-exhibitions-to-see-in-dallas-this-weekend-7841344
5 Art Events for Your Weekend BY PETER SIMEK DEC 10 http://frontrow.dmagazine.com/2015/12/5-art-events-for-your-weekend-14/
Top Five: December 10, 2015 http://glasstire.com/2015/12/10/top-five-december-10-2015/
As Above So Below: Art of the American Fraternal Society, 1850-1930
09 Dec 2015 by Gene Fowler http://glasstire.com/2015/12/09/as-above-so-below-art-of-the-american-fraternal-society-1850-1930/
Lily Hanson at Conduit Gallery 08 Dec 2015 by Suzanne Weaver http://glasstire.com/2015/12/08/lily-hanson-at-conduit-gallery/
The Best Defense is Good Offensiveness 06 Dec 2015 by Rainey Knudson http://glasstire.com/2015/12/06/the-best-defense-is-good-offensiveness/
Xiaoze Xie at Talley Dunn Gallery 04 Dec 2015 by Michael Odom http://glasstire.com/2015/12/04/xiaoze-xie-at-talley-dunn-gallery/
Yowsa. DMA Gets a $500,000 Grant from the State 09 Dec 2015 http://glasstire.com/2015/12/09/yowsa-dma-gets-a-500000-grant-from-the-state/
JESSICA SNOW + JEFFREY DELL at Galleri Urbane through January 02 by Todd camplin http://www.moderndallas.net/todd_camplin_weekly.html#.Vmr4YLxVhBc
Hip Gifts: A Dallas Museum Gets Creative and Offers Presents With Pop (DMA) by Rebecca Sherman Dec. 1 http://www.papercitymag.com/arts/hip-gifts-dallas-museum-gets-creative-offers-presents-pop/
Top Five: Dec. 10, 2015 (Glasstire) https://youtu.be/TIfwvZ-9eWo
Getting Started with the Arts | 4th Grade Visual Art Tours 2015 (dentonarts) https://youtu.be/bBlvn2i6yuQ
Gallery Talk | Neal Paustian: When the Well Is Dry, We Know the Worth (dentonarts) https://youtu.be/yGXNDlwQ974
Tuesday Evenings at the Modern – Lauren Woods Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth https://youtu.be/uvHPDNKAzs4
SOFT4SOFT, Beefhaus, Dallas (Glasstire) https://youtu.be/CmOZAjmrHgg
moderndallas.tv webisode 30 (Haley Henman Gallery) https://youtu.be/ZLOs352I-r8
How do you say "Caillebotte"? (Take 2) https://youtu.be/Lxkk3Lbj-K0


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Pancoat is a leading Korean street brand since 2009 aiming to popularize mania oriented street culture by matching with new generation's lifestyle and trend. Pancoat's motif can be found in the street culture and expresses daily life's visuals and cultures with experimental colors and items. By media communications, social media promotion, mobile marketing, brand exposures are being carried out in combination. Based on such activities, the brand name has gained high recognition and is still growing in retail markets. In year 2013, Pancoat entered China market and opened about 200 stores footprint the CBDs of key cities in China.
Website: http://www.pancoat.co.kr/