tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-156281392024-03-13T15:51:52.208+11:00Keziah Hillerotica for the body, mind and soulKeziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-43558575859676255592007-05-02T17:36:00.000+10:002007-05-20T18:03:00.334+10:00Migrating over to Wordpress......that's if I can get it going. Having some troubles but still blogging over <a href="http://keziahhill.com/blog/blog/">there.</a><br /><br />Come on over.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-63842787528159377652007-04-25T09:12:00.000+10:002008-11-19T18:34:58.739+11:00Anzac Day and true romanceToday is <a href="http://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/anzac/anzac_tradition.htm">Anzac Day</a> in Australia which commemorates the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp at Gallipoli in WW1. We have a public holiday and there are lots of commemorations across the country. It's become a big holiday of national identity, not without some controversy over the years. During the Vietnam war years and into the 80s and 90s, many people felt Anzac Day celebrated a type of hyper masculine glorification of war.<br /><br />I think this resulted in a lot of reflection of the meaning of Anzac Day, so while it can still be a day of hard drinking and hard playing by a lot of blokes who've been in war, there is a bigger emphasis on mourning the dead and the cost of war. In some ways it's more of a day where we are reminded of how terrible war is. Our political masters don't ever seem to get the message.<br /><br />There is a wonderful statue of a digger (a colloquial name for an Australian soldier) at the western end of Anzac Bridge in Sydney. I like it because it's sad and reflective not triumphal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Ri6WHbPAr9I/AAAAAAAAAEU/w2Cay7qC0TI/s1600-h/statue.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Ri6WHbPAr9I/AAAAAAAAAEU/w2Cay7qC0TI/s200/statue.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057144485897613266" border="0" /></a>Last night on The 7.30 Report, there was a great story about <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s1905908.htm">Australian War Brides</a> going to live in America after WW2. They're going to be honored with a reception at the Australian Embassy in Washington today. If you click on the link you can watch the interview with two of the brides who are now approaching ninety.<br /><br />And here is a recipe for Anzac Biscuits (cookies for you in the US).<br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:georgia;">Traditional Anzac biscuits were baked by anxious wives and mothers during World War I, packed in food parcels, and sent to the Australian soldiers in the trenches. They don't have any eggs in them so they kept well. I love them. I think it's the golden syrup (or treacle).<br /></span></p><span style="font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img src="http://www.aussie-info.com/identity/food/anzacs.jpg" alt="Anzac Biscuits" align="left" height="179" width="131" /></span><span style="font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><b>INGREDIENTS</b><br />1 cup rolled oats<br />3/4 cup desiccated coconut<br />1 cup plain flour<br />1 cup sugar<br />125g (4oz) butter<br />2 tablespoons golden syrup (or treacle)<br />1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda<br />1 tablespoon water<br /><br />Preheat oven to 300F (150C)<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Mix oats, flour, sugar and coconut together.<br />Melt syrup and butter together.<br />Mix soda with boiling water and add to melted butter and syrup.<br />Add to dry ingredients.<br />Place 1 tablespoonfuls of mixture on greased tray (allow room for spreading).<br />Bake for 20 minutes.<br />Loosen while warm, cool on trays.<br />(makes about 35)</span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><br />Hope you enjoy them!Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-1861582212540332172007-04-23T07:25:00.000+10:002007-04-23T07:42:46.751+10:00Irritated (maybe not totally)Going through a slow period with my writing. Everything seems a struggle. At these times I have to tell myself that 100 words a day is better than nothing. And I've been reflecting on self sabotaging behaviour and delayed gratification. As a writer you need less of the former and more of the latter.<br /><br />Earlier this year I didn't put in an entry to the Stroke of Midnight competition, which is the erotic romance competition run by Passionate Ink, the erotic romance chapter of Romance Writers' of America. At the time I was full of self doubt and knew the work I had needed a lot of revision. So I let it go. Now, I've done the revisions, am reasonably happy with the end result so entered another comp. Today I find out they didn't get enough entries so it's been cancelled. Very annoying.<br /><br />But on a high note, <a href="http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/desiresdream.htm">Desire's Dream</a> got 4 stars from Just Erotic Romance Reviews, so that's great.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >"Ms. Hill is going to make your heart sing with the amount of passion and heat she has infused into the storyline. The sexual tension will not let you sit still."<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">So, swings and roundabouts. Back to my couple who are just about to get to their black moment!</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-62005438235705508242007-04-20T07:20:00.000+10:002007-04-20T07:23:33.886+10:00ERWA blogThe Erotica Readers and Writers Association has a new blog <a href="http://erotica-readers.blogspot.com/index.html">here</a>. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-65817909398344215732007-04-13T19:07:00.000+10:002008-11-19T18:34:58.972+11:00Forgot the heroines!But <a href="http://www.bronwynjameson.com/blog/labels/romance%20heroes.html">Bron Jameson</a> has posted her favorite heroes on her blog. If you google Thursday Thirteen you should also get a good selection of lists to cruise. What am I doing? Writing a 20k novella that I've got about 4k to go on, gearing up for revisions on my vicar and sex shop owner story, still working on the vampire menage and have about 4k written of a fantasy erotica. God knows where that came from.<br /><br />Reading The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt. What are you reading?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Rh9KlCIUyjI/AAAAAAAAAEE/lRO1ujNvrOA/s1600-h/raven_300.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Rh9KlCIUyjI/AAAAAAAAAEE/lRO1ujNvrOA/s200/raven_300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5052839307020388914" border="0" /></a>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-80470606706168936752007-04-10T18:44:00.000+10:002008-11-19T18:34:59.267+11:00Claiming the Courtesan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/Claiming-Courtesan-Anna-Campbell/dp/0061234915/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-2114057-9300043?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176195889&sr=1-1"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RhtTfiIUyhI/AAAAAAAAAD0/rZH5H6HTI6c/s320/0061234915.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V44056691_AA240_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051723208228915730" border="0" /></a>I had a pretty good day today. I had an extended Easter break, wrote 1,300 words, had a massage and sat in the sun to read Claiming the Courtesan. <a href="http://www.annacampbell.info/">Anna Campbell</a> is a fellow Romance Writers' of Australia member and this is her first published book.<br /><br />CtC has had a controversial release in Romancelanida with the claim that Avon has returned to the bad old days of forced seduction and bodice rippers. There's no doubt that a book where a hero rapes the heroine is bound to be controversial, particularly when this poses no irretrievable barrier for the heroine to realize her love for the hero.<br /><br />You can read a run down of the plot <a href="http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2007/03/30/claiming-the-courtesan-by-anna-campbell/">here</a>. I'm no reviewer so I'm only going to say I enjoyed CtC, and thought the plot and the dynamics held together well. There is a moral context to Kylemore's behavior which makes it clear he is wrong. Devastatingly wrong. And Soraya/Verity's grief about her loss of independence pulls no punches. She might love him, but she wants to be free. Kylemore's eventual redemption was plausible to me, and I loved the dramatic ending. There's a wonderful lushness to the writing as well.<br /><br />All in all a most satisfying day. Pity it's work again tomorrow.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-47649928907473297892007-04-08T09:48:00.000+10:002007-04-08T10:21:19.031+10:00Who were those heroes?Some of you were a bit stumped so here's where they come from<br /><br />1. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Death">Roarke</a> - in my book the ultimate alpha from J D Robb's In Death series.<br />2. Rupert Carsington - hero as dolt. From Loretta Chase's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Impossible-Berkley-Sensation-Loretta-Chase/dp/0425201503">Mr Impossible</a><br />3. Davy Dempsey - laid back sexiness from Jenny Crusie's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Faking-Jennifer-Crusie/dp/0312983824">Faking It.</a><br />4. Nathaniel Bonner - wild backswoods man from Sara Donati's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Into-Wilderness-Sara-Donati/dp/0553578529">Into the Wilderness </a>series<br />5. Christian Jervaulx - tortured and damaged from Laura Kinsale's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Storm-Laura-Kinsale/dp/0380761327">Flowers from the Storm</a><br />6. Mac Nighthorse - alpha as submissive. Every woman's dream. Well, mine anyhow. From Joey W Hill's <a href="http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=1-84360-818-9">Natural Law</a>.<br />7. Jamie Fraser - red head and implacable from Diana Gabaldon's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outlander-Diana-Gabaldon/dp/0440212561">Outlander</a> series.<br />8. Cameron Quinn - the first of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Swept-Chesapeake-Saga-Mysteries/dp/0515121843/ref=pd_sim_b_3/002-2114057-9300043">Chesapeake Blue</a> heroes from Nora Roberts<br />9. Wulfric Bedwyn - the chilly brother who finally melts from Mary Balogh's <a href="http://www.marybalogh.com/s-danger.html">Slightly Dangerous</a><br />10. Christian Montcalm - gorgeous rake from Anne Stuart's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Waltz-Mira-Historical-Romance/dp/0778322734">The Devil's Waltz</a><br />11. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Peter_Wimsey">Lord Peter Wimsey</a> - 1920's and 30's style from Dorothy L Sayers timeless crime novels<br />12. Guido Brunetti - <a href="http://www.groveatlantic.com/leon/leon.htm">Donna Leon's</a> quizzical, philosophic Inspector from her crime novels set in Venice. His wife Paola is pretty good too.<br />13. Dragonstar Sunsoar - reviled outcast made good. From Sara Douglass' <a href="http://www.saradouglass.com/wayfarer.html">Wayfarer Redemption</a> series.<br /><br />There you have it. I think I'll do heroines next Thursday.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-5144424665003379242007-04-05T20:25:00.000+10:002007-04-06T16:51:12.397+10:00Thursday Thirteen<table align="center" border="1" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f243/kez123/ttsexyred.jpg" /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; text-align: left; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="left"><center>Thirteen Things<br />My favorite <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">heros</span></strong></center><br /><p>1. Roarke<br />2. Rupert Carsington<br />3. Davy Dempsey<br />4. Nathaniel Bonner<br />5. Christian Jervaulx<br />6. Mac Nighthorse<br />7. Jamie Fraser<br />8. Cameron Quinn<br />9. Wulfric Bedwyn<br />10. Christian Montcalm<br />11. Lord Peter Wimsey<br />12. Guido Brunetti<br />13. Dragonstar Sunsoar</p>Ok, so the last three are not really romantic heroes but I love them anyway.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/links.php?owner=Keziahhill&postid=06Apr2007&meme=tt"><img border="0" src="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/graphic.php?owner=Keziahhill&postid=06Apr2007&meme=tt"></a><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><center><a href="http://thursdaythirteen.com/">Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/thursday+thirteen" rel="tag">View More Thursday Thirteen Participants</a><br /><br /></center>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-81345459719832268142007-04-04T17:50:00.000+10:002007-04-04T18:05:48.366+10:00A bit franticI've had a bit of a frantic time of late. Been promoting <a href="http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/desiresdream.htm">Desire's Dream</a>, doing some RWAustralia duties, judging some comps and dealing with my paid work that has suddenly become overwhelming. Easter's coming and I intend to spend it reading, gardening, and hopefully getting some writing done. Not much has been happening in the last couple of weeks. I wanted to get a 25k novella finished by 22 April and maybe I will, but I need to write a lot more. But I'm going to do <a href="http://www.barbarasamuel.com/index-appearances.php#girls">Barbara Samuel's Girls in the Basement</a> online class, so hopefully that will get my creativity and writing a kick start.<br /><br />And I have a <a href="http://www.myspace.com/keziahhill">MySpace</a> page! When I wasn't writing I was tinkering around with html trying to get it to look the way I want. It isn't quite right, but I don't know how to get all the bits and pieces I want yet. A terrible procrastination tool! But go over and friend me.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-26451621449708171382007-03-24T07:37:00.000+11:002008-11-19T18:34:59.840+11:00Desire's Dream is now out!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/desiresdream.htm"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RgQ6-4zx7vI/AAAAAAAAADo/ulazEr5deR8/s320/DesiresDream_125x190.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045222334637666034" border="0" /></a>Yay!<br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="" lang="EN-US">The last thing Ruth Cavanaugh wants in her life is a man who thinks he can control her. So why is she having lust filled dreams about Jake Fitzgerald, a man who values control above all else? Jake can't believed prickly but sexy Ruth has invaded his dreams so thoroughly. He's happy she's there, but what can he do to convince her she's got the wrong idea about him? He has a few ideas and they all involve letting go of control once and for all. He's more than willing, but is she?<o:p></o:p></span></p> You can buy it <a href="http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/desiresdream.htm">here</a>.<br /><br />And if you join my newsletter by the end of this weekend, you go into a draw for a copy of Cream: The Best of the Erotica Readers and Writers Association edited by Lisabet Sarai. The link is to your right in the sidebar.<br /><br />Have a good weekend!Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-10877755259278415572007-03-23T18:35:00.000+11:002008-11-19T18:35:00.196+11:00Review of Ghostly Desires<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RgOIzozx7uI/AAAAAAAAADg/EP5ZJ5_Ou8M/s1600-h/leslov.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RgOIzozx7uI/AAAAAAAAADg/EP5ZJ5_Ou8M/s200/leslov.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045026428294393570" border="0" /></a>Last year <a href="http://www.forbiddenpublications.com/full_catalog.html">Forbidden Publications</a> published a short of mine called <a href="http://www.forbiddenpublications.com/book_pages/ghostly_desires.html">Ghostly Desires</a>. It's a lesbian erotic romance which as a genre seems less popular in the romance world than gay male romance. Fallen Angels Review did a review of it in December that I've only just found out about! Five Angels!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This book was excellent. My only complaint is it left me wanting more ... I think the author's writing style and choice of genre is excellent. I hope to read more from Keziah Hill and I hope all of the books are just as well written and leave me craving more.</span><br />(Thanks Amanda H!)<br /><br />That'll teach me to do more regular searches on myself. It all came about because <a href="http://www.deniserossetti.com/index.html">Denise Rossetti</a> posted on the <a href="http://www.romanceaustralia.com/">RWAustralia</a> elist that <a href="http://www.dogpile.com/">Dogpile</a> is a better search engine than Google.<br /><br />So I put my name in and up popped the review. Thanks Denise! I've written another essentially lesbian tale for <a href="http://www.extasybooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc">eXtasy</a> (although there's a bit of m/f action as well) called <a href="http://www.extasybooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=EB&amp;amp;amp;Product_Code=520&Category_Code=GV">Playing with Trouble.<br /></a><br />I'm going to write something about lesbian erotic romance on the blog soon. Do you like reading about women falling in love and having hot sex? If you do, who are your favourite authors?Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-30852840623093904742007-03-23T08:21:00.000+11:002008-11-19T18:35:00.319+11:00<table align="center" border="1" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f243/kez123/ttsexyred.jpg" /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; text-align: left; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="left"><center>Thirteen Things about <strong>why I love autumn<br /></strong><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><br />It's Thursday somewhere in the world even though I'm late.</strong><br /></div><strong></strong></div></center><ol><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">It’s cooler </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">I can do exercise and not feel like I want to die </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The air in the morning is so crisp and invigorating I feel full of energy </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">I can wear jumpers and heavier trousers that I feel more comfortable in </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">I can wear scarves and shawls </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The turning trees are spectacular where I live</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Many roses flower again and their colour and smell is more intense </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">I start sleeping more deeply </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">As a consequence I’m more likely to have erotic dreams (yay!) </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">As a consequence I’m more likely to get story ideas </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">It’s my birthday season </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">It’s cooler </li><li>Did I mention it’s cooler?<strong></strong></li><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RgMwz4zx7tI/AAAAAAAAADY/jMggbejJHGk/s1600-h/77335_4871.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RgMwz4zx7tI/AAAAAAAAADY/jMggbejJHGk/s200/77335_4871.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044929675566116562" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Links to other Thursday Thirteens!</strong><br />1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)<br /><br /></ol></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><center><a href="http://thursdaythirteen.com/">Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!</a><br /><br /><br />The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/thursday+thirteen" rel="tag">View More Thursday Thirteen Participants</a><br /><br /></center>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-16174382569327123532007-03-22T13:04:00.000+11:002008-11-19T18:35:00.570+11:00Ellora's Cavemen<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RgHkqIzx7sI/AAAAAAAAADQ/pqAnWEewiNo/s1600-h/EC_SOS1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RgHkqIzx7sI/AAAAAAAAADQ/pqAnWEewiNo/s200/EC_SOS1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044564470201970370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;">Ellora's Cavemen: Seasons of Seduction I<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: bold;font-family:Times New Roman, times;font-size:130%;" >Jory Strong , Delilah Devlin , Lillian Feisty , Denise Rossetti , Allyson James , Sherrill Quinn<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hop over to <a href="http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419910159">Ellora's Cave</a> and get the latest Cavemen. Two of my writing colleagues Denise Rossetti and Lillian Feisty are featured in some sizzling tales of erotic romance. </span></span><br /></div></div><p align="center"><b><span style="font-family:Times New Roman, times;font-size:130%;"><br /> </span> </b></p><p align="justify"> <span style="font-size: 14px;font-family:times, times new roman;" > <b><br /></b></span></p>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-36677036862358670592007-03-21T21:27:00.000+11:002007-03-21T21:34:53.765+11:00More poetry<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ache of Marriage</span> - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_Levertov">Denise Levertov</a><br /><br />The ache of marriage:<br /><br />thigh and tongue, beloved,<br />are heavy with it,<br />it throbs in the teeth<br /><br />We look for communion<br />and are turned away, beloved,<br />each and each<br /><br />It is leviathan and we<br />in its belly<br />looking for joy, some joy<br />not to be known outside it<br /><br />two by two in the ark of<br />the ache of it.<br /><br />Born in England and lived in America for most of her life Denise Levertov was Russian and Welsh. I love her poems.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-85693718192754225752007-03-20T07:36:00.000+11:002007-03-20T07:45:34.870+11:00Reading poetryI need to read more poetry. I think every writer does. It's important to get out of the rut of linear words and read something more fluid and sometimes obscure. I sat in bed last night and read some<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Lowell"> Robert Lowell</a> and this line leapt up at me:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I want words meat-hooked from the living steer </span>(from the Nihilist as Hero)<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span>It's violent and horrible and expresses exactly the way I'd like words to punch the page from my mind. <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-32220137925840733142007-03-18T14:07:00.000+11:002007-03-18T14:09:41.833+11:00Leap of Fate out now at Cobblestone Press!<span style="font-weight: bold;">LEAP OF FATE</span> by <a href="http://www.antoniapearceromance.com/">Antonia Pearce</a><br /><br />Love, Fate and Death. Three powerful forces that rule the universe. But are they really mutually exclusive?<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t220/AntoniaPearce/Leap-of-Fate_300x454.jpg" alt="IPB Image" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />Available at <a href="http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/leapoffate.htm" target="_blank">Cobblestone-Press, LLC</a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">What would you do with twenty-four more hours with the lost love of your life?<br /><br />Merryn Porter finds out when a freak accident kills her as she saves her best friends on their wedding day. Unaware she’s dead, she’s also forgotten the bride’s brother died ten years earlier. She does remember he broke her heart.<br /><br />Luke Hanson has been waiting in limbo to atone for rejecting his beloved Merryn and Fate cuts him a deal: twenty-four hours to make up for her suffering. If he succeeds, she gets another shot at life.<br /><br />A miracle really, but everything has a price…<br /></div>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-75009977266940375092007-03-17T18:43:00.000+11:002007-03-17T19:37:04.352+11:00Blue Mountains Music FestivalI mentioned in a previous post I wanted to see <a href="http://www.lukabloom.com/index.php">Luka Bloom</a> at the <a href="http://www.bmff.org.au/">Blue Mountains Music Festival</a> today. Well, I did and he was wonderful. There something about men in their fifties I'm loving at the moment. They've got to some place of wry acceptance of their lives which makes them much more human and good to be with. They're now how we wanted them to be in their 20s and 30s. But they couldn't be and we were off on our own ego driven frolics. That's one of the best aspects of ageing - you do tend to let go of your ego. All the silliness you once thought was important, goes by the wayside and you're able to look at men, who once you would have been judgmental and impatient with, as humans just trying to exist on the planet, muddling along. Just like you. Just like me.<br /><br />Luka Bloom falls into the category of the thinking woman's sex symbol. Along with other men like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Keitel">Harvey Keitel</a> and <a href="http://www.paulkelly.com.au/">Paul Kelly</a>. Imperfect, fallible and irresistible. The kind of man you want to get drunk and talk with all night with before falling into bed to have clumsy, hilarious sex, then get up in the morning and take up talking where you left off. Or maybe you didn't. These kind of men talk a lot.<br /><br />(BTW, go immediately to the Paul Kelly site and watch a clip of him, Kev Carmody and John Bulter sing the anthemic song <a href="http://www.paulkelly.com.au/lyrics/from-little-things.html">From Little Things Big Things Grow</a> - a song about aboriginal rights.)<br /><br />The song Luka Bloom is most famous for (I think) is <a href="http://www.lukabloom.com/mountainmoon_l.php">Monsoon</a>, and he sang it while the heavens opened and drenched all those not under the marquee. I don't think anyone minded too much. That song has the effect of reducing me to a puddle anyway. And he also sang a classic Australian song by <a href="http://www.humanfrailty.com.au/index.htm">Hunters and Collectors</a>, <a href="http://www.humanfrailty.com.au/songs/throw_your_arms_around_me.htm#lyrics">Throw Your Arms Around Me</a>, another song that can reduce me to a puddle.<br /><br />Other great performers where <a href="http://www.pacificcurls.com/">Pacific Curls</a>, a Maori/NZ Scots women's group who were gorgeous and <a href="http://www.katemillerheidke.com/news.php">Kate Miller-Heidke</a> who had the most incredible range. Sounds a bit like Kate Bush.<br /><br />I'll wander up the road later and take in some more fun.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-76972724058397506902007-03-16T17:56:00.000+11:002008-11-19T18:35:00.810+11:00Nautilus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RfpBn60-NTI/AAAAAAAAADI/FWs19DfWr38/s1600-h/nautilus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RfpBn60-NTI/AAAAAAAAADI/FWs19DfWr38/s200/nautilus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042414886856832306" border="0" /></a><a href="http://awriterafoot.typepad.com/a_writer_afoot/2007/03/love_feathers.html#comments">Barbara Samuel</a> has written a post about feathers and why they are important in her life. He blog is one of my favourites and I thank <a href="http://melscott.blogspot.com/index.html">Mel</a> for guiding me to it. I loved Barbara's column in Romance Writer's Review, the monthly magazine from <a href="http://www.rwanational.org/">Romance Writers of America</a> so I was happy I could continue reading her wonderfully spiritual words of wisdom about writing, cooking and the other important events of life.<br /><br />Her post made me think about my own talisman, the nautilus. If you look up Wiki, you'll find a post on the marine creature which is interesting, but I love the image of the nautilus as an empty shell. It's perfect, but it also looks like a puzzle or a refuge. It symbolises a traveling out and a burrowing in which I find comforting and full of possibilities.<br /><br />I suppose it's a bit like me. I like to engage with the world with passion and excitement but then I have to retreat to recoup. Mars in Cancer. I'm very watery. When I'm not being a stolid, earthy Taurus.<br /><br />I wrote 252 words yesterday. Better than nothing which is what I've written today. I feel a burrowing nautilus moment descending.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-42491950993012557702007-03-15T08:43:00.000+11:002007-03-15T09:06:09.529+11:00Psychopathy and writingI had dinner last night with a good friend who's a forensic psychologist. We were talking about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopath">psychopaths</a> (as you do) and got onto Tony Soprano. I've only watched a couple of episodes of The Sopranos, but think I might have to have another look.<br /><br />It's claimed one of the common characteristics of psychopaths is their lack of empathy and remorse. Some also say they don't experience shame. My friend and I wondered about that. We've both worked in the prison system and came across many people who could be considered psychopathic, but have quite a significant emotional life. Their emotions are chaotic, and fall into that general anti social personality disorder range, but the main thing they had in common with other people was their ability to feel shame. It's their reaction to it that sets them apart.<br /><br />When most people feel shame, it's unpleasant. Maybe they've done something to hurt someone and they feel ashamed. Generally their reaction would be to feel guilt and then remorse and mostly want to make it up to the person they've hurt. They may not act on those feelings but they do feel them.<br /><br />The people I worked with in the prison system felt shame if they did something hurtful to another person, but their immediate reaction was to fall into rage. They blamed that other person for their unpleasant feeling and wanted to punish or destroy them. They didn't feel guilt or remorse and certainly didn't feel the need to make reparation to the other person.<br /><br />We've all come across people like that in our lives. They may not be criminals, but they have a tendency to blame others and want to punish them for making them feel ashamed for their own bad behavior. It's the reasoning behind the violent man blaming his wife or girlfriend for his violence. She bought it on herself for making him feel ashamed.<br /><br />Why am I writing about this? It's good to have well rounded characters in your work, including villains. A cardboard cut out psychopath is less interesting than a psychopath who loves his mother and is fiercely protective of his family. His bad behavior is all the more shocking if we can see him as someone having complex emotional reactions that make him sympathetic.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-47559949973657252902007-03-15T08:06:00.001+11:002008-11-19T18:35:01.083+11:00Thursday Thirteen<table align="center" border="1" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f243/kez123/ttsexyred.jpg" /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; text-align: left; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="left"><center>Thirteen Things about <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">me at the moment</span><br /></strong></center><br /><br /><ol><li> I hate block cheese</li><li>For the last few days I've had heart palpitations every time I have sugar</li><li>I'm reading Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides</li><li>I've finally figured out how to put an image in a Yahoo post (it took forever!)</li><li>I need a new kitchen</li><li>I have two writing projects I'm agonising over</li><li>I worry I'll never get anything finished</li><li>My garden is out of control but does look beautiful</li><li>I really want to see <a href="http://www.lukabloom.com/gallery.php">Luka Bloom</a> on Saturday at the Blue Mountains Folk Festival</li><li>A print of the Lady and the Unicorn from the Musee de Cluny is near my desk and when I'm looking for words I often stare at her</li><li>I'd like more discipline</li><li>I'd like to do more exercise</li><li>I'd like more self acceptance<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Rfkaga0-NQI/AAAAAAAAACw/1rU6Fk6VWX0/s1600-h/clu_4g_98CE2621.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Rfkaga0-NQI/AAAAAAAAACw/1rU6Fk6VWX0/s320/clu_4g_98CE2621.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042090402077619458" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Links to other Thursday Thirteens!</strong><br />1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)<br /><br /></li></ol></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><center><a href="http://thursdaythirteen.com/">Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!</a><br /><br /><br />The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!<br /><div style="text-align: left;">1. <a href="http://beauty-seeker.livejournal.com/51495.html">Amanda</a><br /></div><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/thursday+thirteen" rel="tag">View More Thursday Thirteen Participants</a><br /><br /></center>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-35300836788783432872007-03-10T18:05:00.000+11:002007-03-10T18:08:28.475+11:00NewsletterI've set a Yahoo group for to send out a newsletter. It will be quarterly or when I have a new release. You can join at the link on the right or email me and I'll add you to the list. I'll run an opening competition so stay tuned!Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-61406536576270178792007-03-08T13:47:00.000+11:002008-11-19T18:35:01.410+11:00My desk<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Re96RRcx1_I/AAAAAAAAACg/KCKt98N6IU8/s1600-h/P3080001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Re96RRcx1_I/AAAAAAAAACg/KCKt98N6IU8/s320/P3080001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039380945211348978" border="0" /></a>Over at <a href="http://www.cobblestone-mainstreet.com/">Cobblestone-Mainstreet</a> we've been posting pictures of our various desks. This is mine. It was taken at about 6.20am so it was still dark. I'd just had breakfast. Not as messy as <a href="http://jennycrusie.blogspot.com/2006/01/so-heres-my-plan.html">Jenny Crusie's</a> but not is minimalist as <a href="http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2004/11/space.html">Lynn Viehl</a> . I don't like the look of those wires. Must tidy them up.<br /><br />I've been plugging away at one of my works in progress. Getting there, getting there. Kill your babies. That's on my mind lately. Don't fall so in love with your words or your ideas that you can't let anything go. Be ruthless.<br /><br />p.s. Happy International Womens' Day!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Re9-IRcx2AI/AAAAAAAAACo/ehohqxA8iUs/s1600-h/logo4.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/Re9-IRcx2AI/AAAAAAAAACo/ehohqxA8iUs/s320/logo4.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039385188639037442" border="0" /></a>Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-80174200193195095102007-03-07T18:37:00.000+11:002007-03-07T18:43:05.356+11:00Survey on eroticaDo you read erotica? One of my favourite erotica writers <a href="http://remittancegirl.com/2007/03/who-am-i-writing-for.html">remittance girl </a>needs to know something about your erotica reading habits. It's completely anonymous and would help her complete her masters and also maybe provide some much needed information on the erotica readership. There isn't much information around. While you're there, do yourself a favour and read some of rg's stories. They're wonderful.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-19075544611165696382007-03-02T20:28:00.000+11:002008-11-19T18:35:01.668+11:00Thinking and writing and the QueenI've been doing more thinking than writing recently. That and reading too. I finished Emily Maguire's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Beast-Novel-Emily-Maguire/dp/0061122165/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0929317-1473509?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1172829075&sr=1-1">Taming the Beast</a> yesterday and found it on the whole good and disturbing. It evokes emotion so to me that means a book has worked at some level. Maguire is an Australian writer and Taming the Beast is billed as an erotic work of fiction.<br /><br />It is erotic in a nihilistic way, which I don't mean as a criticism, since a story about a fourteen year old girl who has a destructive, sadomasochistic affair with her English teacher, then resumes the relationship some years later, is bound to be fairly bleak. In a way it's a standard story - sexually abused girl goes on to become promiscuous and destructive, always looking for her original lover. Maguire's writing is almost good, in that there are sections that are terrific, poignant, horrifying and funny. There are other sections where she over explains, sounding a bit to much like a therapist. But I was completely engaged. She has a second book just published call <a href="http://emilymaguire.typepad.com/">The Gospel According to Luke</a> on my TBR pile.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RefzYoKsrAI/AAAAAAAAACM/eXmjIlf4PhU/s1600-h/842965.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9TnQ-iydHsc/RefzYoKsrAI/AAAAAAAAACM/eXmjIlf4PhU/s200/842965.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5037262312661888002" border="0" /></a>I've also seen The Queen which was wonderful. The actor who played Tony Blair got him perfectly. And I'll go an see anything with Helen Mirren. Of course, the real Queen and I share the same birthday (21 April) so I have instant sympathy for a fellow Taurus, even if she is obscenely wealthy and I'm a republican.<br /><br />But I would like to do more writing. The problem of commitment continues.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15628139.post-34096779238209848152007-02-26T07:15:00.000+11:002007-02-26T07:21:44.618+11:00Academic research and romanceThere's been a small but significant increase in academic interest in the romance genre and thankfully not from the perspective of contempt. <a href="http://teachmetonight.blogspot.com/index.html">Teach Me Tonight</a> is always interesting, and has a link to <a href="http://bronwynclarke.com/blog/">Bronwyn Clarke's</a> Phd research into the romance community. I've just been over to do her survey so I think you should too.Keziah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594349337977659150noreply@blogger.com0