Aphrodisia Authors :: Blog

Ah, yes. The hangover. No, not the one from drinking too much. Though that might be preferable. I’m talking about a holiday hangover. Christmas is over and I’m slowly recovering. The Pacific Northwest got hammered with snow storms. As I said on my personal blog it canceled just about any plans I had. Meaning no fabulous holiday parties We’re supposed to get rain today–which in turn will melt AND FLOOD all that snow. But so far I haven’t seen a thing. Just a ton of white stuff on the ground that I’m a bit tired of.

Then I look around thinking once again my child ended up with more presents than she needed. There’s wrapping paper, packaging materials, and boxes exploding out of my garbage and recycling cans. Add to it that garbage service was canceled last week (and maybe this week?) due to snow. That’s quite the back up.

And then I’m calculating the monetary damage to my pocket book from the 2008 holiday season–while trying to ignore the beep of my email which likely signals ANOTHER store have freaking amazing sales. Although, I do confess to hitting up the Victoria’s Secret semi-annual sale online (do you blame me?) with some of my Christmas money that I received as a gift.

Then there’s the bad eating the last couple months, the candy I’ve been receiving, and conveniently forgotten gym membership. And we can’t forgot soon we’ll be taking down the decorations/tree  in the near future…

I had a great holiday over all, but have to say I’m excited to welcome in a fresh 2009 next week. Not like I have any big plans or anything to ring in the actual New Year.

How was your holiday season? Did you get what you wanted for a present? Not shop at all? Or did you do as Sasha suggested and drink a ton of eggnog? Share!!

Shelli

http://www.shellistevens.com

Well it’s Thanksgiving, so I’m not really expecting anyone to be reading this post! Though, I suppose that today it’s just the American T-day, so to anyone else in the world it’s just another day! Thanksgiving around these parts (my house) is pretty laid back. Too much food. And football. Lots of football. And tomorrow my hometown boys (Seahawks!) are playing. Wish them luck. They need it.

But the real fun…when things really get crazy is the day after Thanksgiving. Or maybe when the clock strikes twelve even. What am I talking about? Black Friday, baby. The biggest shopping day of the year (At least here in the States). Are you in? It’s chaos. You have to be somewhat insane. But shopping becomes like a sport where only the fittest and most determined survive.

There’s crazy good deals at some stores for only the first handful of customers. Stores open before dawn (some at the stroke of midnight!) But people get there early. Like way early to get in line. And they run inside once the doors open. They fight. They argue. It’s dirty. It’s nuts. But I just may do it…..maybe.

So do you do it? Black Friday? Or if you’re not in the states, would you if you were here?

Oh yes! And before I go, I should probably share my cover with you! I just got it! Yaaaay! (I saw Jackie’s post below and realized I haven’t shared yet!)

I love lingerie. I adore the stuff and have no shame in admitting it. I love looking at it. Debating to buy it. Wearing it. It’s fun. It can be sexy or flirty or naughty. Different colors, textures, levels of sexiness. *Whimsical sigh* I confess that I, Shelli, just love the idea of lingerie. I even wrote a book called Negligee Behavior that deals with the stuff (that my agent is currently shopping!).

So I got to thinking the other day as I caved and bought some lingerie that was on clearance…. does, it even matter that we gals buy this stuff? When I really thought about it, I’m not so sure men love the lingerie thing as much as we think they do. I mean, granted some will love it and go wild over the stuff. But I wonder if most men are just as happy to see you show up unwrapped. AKA…butt naked.

Obviously, being single I don’t have a boyfriend/mate/husband to go ask their opinion on. And though I did shoot off a couple of emails to guy friends, they’re a little slow on the draw (reading their emails). So I’m writing this post going strictly on past relationship experience. In regards to lingerie I remember many moments of, ‘Wow, that’s pretty hot. Now take it off.’ Like there was no catwalk of seduction (could be me going about it wrong). It was more of a…well there’s $35 that hit the floor faster than you can say orgasm.

Anyway, enough of my TMI. So how about you? Do you or your man like wrapping things up in satin and lace (or, heck, leather)? Or do you all prefer things unwrapped… au natural.

Shelli
http://www.shellistevens.com

So, I’m doing a nice fluffy Saturday post Nothing too deep! That quote in the subject line was actually by…anonymous.

I like books, I’m also a big fan of movies. The escapism in it all.  It’s a couple hours of mindless bliss, but it doesn’t stop there. No, I love going to the movies and picking up….quotes. I’m a big fan of banter and witty dialog. I try to use it in my own writing and look forward to it when I’m watching a movie.

It can also be a way of bonding with friends–sort of an inside joke. Back in my days at college, the group of musicians I hung out with would banter around movie quotes that came from several movies. But the one that sticks out in my mind most is Billy Madison. No, this is not a particularly fabulous movie. Though I probably watched it enough to recite the entire script by heart. To this day I still love to say, “I’ll be your snack pack.” Or even to just be silly/annoying: “Shampoo is better. I go on first and clean the hair. Conditioner is better. I leave the hair silky and smooth. Oh, really, fool? Really.”

There’s also my favorite romantic comedy quotes. Like in French Kiss when Meg Ryan says, “Oh, this problem.” and curls her finger downward to demonstrate the inability to ‘keep it up’.  Or when Kevin Klein says, “When people tell me they are happy my ass begins to twitch.”

And my newest favorite quote from a funny movie is in What Happens in Vegas. Completely random quote, but I fling it around now when the circumstance calls for it. “Seriously? I, like, threw up in my own purse.”

Those are the funny ones. There’s also the romantic ones that get used more than a $2 hooker. But I’ll be honest and say, “You had me at hello.” Makes me want to projectile vomit. So doesn’t do it for me. Here’s one that does it for me. Anyone know which movie this is from? 

”I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

Deep, wistful sigh. Love that movie. So what’s one of your favorite movie quotes? I’d love to hear!

Shelli

http://www.shellistevens.com

So I went out with a friend last night to a local brewery we just adore. People are laid back, friendly, and the food/beer is good. We go to chat and people watch. I love to people watch. It’s great inspiration for stories.

Well, during my people watching, I noticed this table of men in front of me. They were all probably 50’s/60’s. So this cute waitress walks by and one older man leans out to watch her pass by. Then I hear him say to his friends, “She has a cute ass.” Now that didn’t really bother me so much. He’s a guy. Men of all ages look. But then he just had to go and follow that up with, “She’s about my daughter’s age.” And I kind of wanted to throw up a little in my mouth. Please. Don’t talk about some chick’s ass and your daughter in the same breath.

This all led to a discussion between me and my friend. Like, are you ever too old to stop looking? Or as you age should you raise the age bracket of guys/gals that you are checking out? As I get older I’ve noticed that my age range of men I check out has aged with me. I can’t check out a little nineteen year old anymore. I sit there and think…you’re probably the same age as the kid I used to change diapers on when I babysat.

I always seem to have a limit. Though every once in awhile I make an exception. My friends have no issues, often. Like my friend Karen who proudly lusts after that Transformers actor Shia Leboeuf and loves to joke about being Shia’s baby mamma.

I just wonder if some day the lusting will fizzle out. Will I give it all up to play Scrabble and forget that I ever wrote really sexy stories? Forget I ever cared about multiple orgasms and toe curling kisses? Or will I be that elderly granny pinching a cute waiter’s butt at a restaurant?

More so, will you?

So I’m heading out to San Francisco in less than 48 hours. I’m so excited. I’m going to this great, big, massive romance writers conference. Where everywhere you look there’re women. Some decked out to the hilt. Manicures, pedicures, trendy clothes and shoes (jeez, you’d think I was typing up an add for single men!) And count me in as one of them. Oh, except for that shoes part.

No I didn’t type that wrong. I’m not a shoe gal. Or at least I should say, I don’t do the killer heels. Last year I gave it up. I said, “I surrender, you win!” to my feet that threatened to go on strike. And I know that’s half the fun and nature of the beast. All the women will check out each others outfits, handbags and–of course–the shoes.

So, yeah, I gave them up last year, but I have to confess: I was never one of the girls who would be strolling down the sreet–pause in front of the designer shoe store and have a heel induced orgasm over something like this blue thing. Though I will admit that while browsing online for an image of a fashionable shoe this did have me saying oh I likey!–I’d just never wear it! I mean I’d like to try out an entire football team in the bedroom too, but some things just work better in your head. I mean, seriously, look at that pic and tell me that wouldn’t kill your feet.

Since I don’t want to show up at these conferences with the most comfortable and undoubtably fugly shoes ever, I’ve found a happy medium. I do comfy (yet cute!) flats and such. Though I am braving a couple pairs of ‘comfy’ heels so to speak.

Is anyone else in my boat? Being done with the sexy shoes (IMHO they have their place and it’s called the bedroom–and at least there you’re not on your feet!)

Or are you one of those die hard my-feet-will-look-sexy-come-hell-or-Plantar Fasciitis gals?

Shelli

http://www.shellistevens.com

So my fortune cookie fortune today said: You are a true romantic

At first I laughed and thought oh how well the universe knows me. But then I stopped and wondered…am I really though? Granted I write super hot romances that must have a HEA (happily ever after)–with the exception of the dirty kinky short story I’m finishing up right now. But does that really mean I’m a romantic? I don’t look at life and expect men to be romantic. I don’t really expect the same things I write about. In reality I’m, well, a bit of a realist. Romance tends to occur for the most part in romance novels. Unless I (and most of my friends) have just had really bad luck. And it’s entirely possible. I’m sure there’s some massively romantic men out there.

On a similar note, I’ve realized that I’m not big on chick flicks anymore. I’m not sure when this changed. I used to adore them, and come to think of it, I still do. The older ones. Those ones from the 80’s and 90’s. The newer ones not so much. I swear to God I wanted to throw myself off a cliff when I had to sit through P.S. I Love You.

The other night a good friend and I tried to see Sex in the City, but there was only one showing way late at night (weirdness!), so we saw Get Smart. I loved it! Totally not what I expected. And you know what else I loved? The previews for all the action fighting movies. Like Hell Boy 2 and The Dark Knight. I think chick flicks still have a place in my heart (girls night in!), but somewhere along the way, I’ve become an action girl. And I think that transfers over to my writing in some books. Especially my book I sold to Kensington (formerly The Captured Rose, now being renamed!). I love a little action with my books.

So what are your thoughts about romance in life? And when you go to the movies? What do you prefer?

Shelli
http://www.shellistevens.com