What are you doing New Year's Eve?

It's almost that time of the year again;  the time when we say goodbye to one year and welcome in the next. Today, I started my families rituals or I guess I should say traditions. I thought I might share them with you.

Clean: It's bad luck if you enter the New Year with a dirty house so, I rented a carpet cleaner and cleaned all of the carpet throughout my house. Tomorrow I will do a more deep cleaning and start to get rid of the things that I just don't need or use anymore.

Wash Clothes: Since washing clothes on New Year day is said to bring death to the family; I make sure all of our clothes and bed linens are washed before New Years day.



Find A Man To Walk Through The House At Midnight: It is bad luck for a woman to be the first person in the house on New Years.  At midnight, you have to have a male with dark hair walk through your house. My mom used to say the man was supposed to walk in the front door and out the back door. If you don't have a back door, let him walk down your hall and back out. *If he's fine, you might want to stop off in a few room along the way...just to make sure the good luck is spread around LOL!


The Wash Cloth For Luck: My Great, Great grandmother (Little Momma) used to hang wash cloths on the line at Midnight and would bring them back in before the sun set on New Years Day! Now this is one I had never heard of. My mom just came into the room when she heard what I was writing and told me her grand mother used to have her and my aunt run out to the line to bring the wash clothes in. She called my aunt in South Carolina who was able to verify this bit of information.  This year will be the first time we do this tradition.

Midnight Mass: Some might recognize this as "watch night" church service. This tradition, for African Americans, is symbolic of the night before the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation on 01/01/1863 in which the slaves were freed. We go to church on this night to pray that god watches over us and keeps our family blessedly covered throughout the year. Really, a lot of people do this. It's not just a black tradition. Normally, I say a prayer, even if I can't or don't go to a service on New Years eve. It just seems right to ask for Gods blessings for the New Years.

Auld Lang Syne/Toast: We have to sing Auld Lang Syne and toast in the New Year with Champagne or Sparkling wine.  Something bubbly is always good. If you're smart, you will share a glass or two with the guy who walked through the house!



Eat:  We will be having collard greens, black eye'd peas and corm bread on New Years Day. Most people know the significance of this tradition but, if you are not from the south, or, are not from the US, I will explain. The collards represent US money, which is green, the peas are brown which represents pennies, and the cornbread represents gold . It all has financial implications so this is a MUST if you want to have financial abundance in the new year!




And that's what we do in my family. So, tell me,  What are your New Years traditions?  Do you see anything on my list that you also do? leave me a comment and let me know.

Oh Yeah, here is one of my favorite New Years songs:  Nancy Wilson "What Are You Doing New Years Eve"

Burn your boat in 2013!!!

I was thinking about the impending new year and as is customary, looking back over 2012. I have to say it was one of the most exciting years of my life. Next to the year I had my daughter and the year I purchased my first home, it was one of the highlights of my life.  You might be wondering why I hold 2012 in such high regard. Well, I will tell you why. I accomplished a few long standing dreams of mine in 2012.I became a published writer. Something I had only paid lip service to over the past twenty years.

I thought it would be so difficult until I did one thing! I burned my ship! Okay, you are probably saying, Gynger, what are you talking about? So, I will tell you. Let me start by telling you a story. If you are a history buff like me, you may already know the story of how Alexander the Great, conquered Persia. Alexander and his men were far from home and on enemy soil. They were out numbered and it appeared the odds were not in their favor. So Alexander deliberately burned his boats and told his men that the only way they were getting off the island and back home was to beat the Persian. He had literally committed them death or to victory. That story has always resonated with me.

I got committed to my own goals and destroyed every avenue of escape except one, the avenue which lead to me conquering my fear of success.  Let me go back two years. I was living my life in Atlanta. I had a great job which had ceased to be rewarding but, it paid me well, I had my home, my family was nearby to help me if I needed it,  I had friends who were fun, eclectic and loved to dream big. I was very comfortable on my self made yacht. I was safe and secure. I had all of these "things" but I wasn't moving in my life. The boat I was on was beautiful and pleasing to the eye but it was sitting in the water, while other people in their smaller boats, whizzed by me. Yes, I had friends who had anchored themselves next to me, but essentially we were all in the same types of boats.

An opportunity came my way to leave my hometown of Atlanta and move to Florida. The spirit told me it was time to move and at that moment, even though I didn't realize it at the time, I had struck a match and set the first fire on my boat. Fast forward two years and here I sit in the life boat which was once attached to that beautiful yacht. I am proud to report, that boat burned and sank down into the depths of the the sea of mediocrity... without me on it.  What I needed was to get away from my comfort zone and prove that I could make it on my own, that I was in charge of my success or failure.

I was surrounded by people who didn't know the old me, so they didn't take it easy on me. They expected success from me and took me at my word. If I said I was going to write a book, they fully expected it to happen and kept checking in on it's progress. Offering me tools and tips to be a success. With my back against the wall and my reputation balled up in my fists, I came out swinging. Doing the things I never thought I would be able to do. Realizing a dream I thought I wanted with all I had within me, only to realize I had been too afraid to go for it all those years. I didn't tell my family or my old friends what I was going to do until I had signed my first contract, and even then I waited a week in case the publisher changed their minds :-)  I realize now that in the past, I shared too much, too soon. In 2012, I lived on a steady diet of  The Seven Habits of Highly Effective people, Think and Grow Rich and The Power of Positive Thinking. I found encouraging Facebook pages and blogs and I woke up with prayers and daily affirmations on my lips. I burned the ships of complacency, and comfort and escaped in the life boat of reliance on God, motivation and meditation.

Scary yet funny now that I look back on it. The things I feared offered no more resistance then a gnat buzzing around me as I moved into the seat of my success. I now have a sail on my life boat. It is allowing me to steadily make my way into 2013 with new goals and dreams. I had a conversation with my friend Jayha yesterday and she warned me not to get complacent but to always be thinking of my next book, even as I finish my current one. Don't lose that hunger for success. I will admit it would be easy to do so, but here is what I know; if I want to be a success, I have to stay hungry, stay thirsty so I can stay committed. It's not easy keeping yourself on the edge, it requires that you check and adjust constantly. However, going into 2013, I will keep a pack of matches on me, ready to burn my boat again, should the need arise. So I ask you, whats stopping you from being successful? Want to scale down your life, find love, give love, get fit, make your dreams come true? BURN YOUR BOAT... you can borrow one of my matches. :)

~Gynger Fyer
The Romance Arsonist
Proudly burning boats since 2010

Color Feng Shui

Color Feng Shui: Learn the impact that different colors can make on your life through the use of Feng Shui.

There is a lid for every pot

If you've never read Thanksgiving Secrets, It is about William and Leigh. William is a big guy,  6'4 275 lbs and Leigh is a voluptuous 5'9 with big breast, curvy hips and butt along with thick thighs. She is soft and feminine.

 To me the proportions of Will and Leigh were ideal, I felt like it would take a thick, curvy woman to handle Will, who had been a line backer in college. Will and Leigh have also grown up around BBQ all of their lives and even though Leigh is a borderline vegetarian  she was still raised in the south on red meat and collard greens so her body is thick.

Imagine my surprise when I recently read a review(call me a masochist) by a reader who gave the book a low rating.The reason for the low rating was not really about content, but more so about the size and weight of the characters! To say I was surprised was an understatement. After laughing, my mind started trying to make sense of why someone would dislike a book about these two people.

When did it become okay to only give thin, fit people a happily ever after (HEA)? Are big women not supposed to be happy, or fall in love?  Do people really think over weight people don't deserve love because of their size? That a bunch of BS if you ask me.

I love people! I love that we are so different from each other. I love that some of us are tall or short, or have big teeth or a sloping forehead. I love how our bodies and builds are different, our skin tones vary and so do out hair textures and eye colors. We are all the jackpots of our families genetic slot machines. Each new baby adds a layer to those possibilities.

When I write my characters, I start with a pot; not a real pot, but a mental one, of sorts. In this pot, goes in the composition of my heroine or hero. I always,  always,  always start with their body size, height and weight. distinguishing marks, like tattoos, scars, moles or piercings  Their eye color, the length  texture and color of their hair.  Then I pour into that brew; their personalities. All of these ingredients make up the characters in my stories.

 This reviewer didn't hit a nerve, but he/she did express an opinion which some readers might identify with. I have read other reader comments on blogs and reviews and some of them don't want a hero or heroine who they can see in real life. They read for the escape and what they want is perfection, something they can mentally drool over. I am different in that respect. I follow the saying, "What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve."  I don't just want to live through a book, I want my own romance to manifest in my life. I enjoy reading and writing about the characters who seem real or who may be facing real life challenges and situations. There are some things I will not go too deeply into in my own stories and I definitely think there is a fine line where things get too real for my taste. However, I do think physically, seeing a BBW  who loves herself and finds her "Mr. Right"  is not only refreshing but realistic.



Available on Amazon

I found the two pictures above and decided to post them because they are closely resemble what Will and Leigh looked like to me.Will would have a tad more stomach, and Leigh might not be as top heavy however, these are close. Despite their weight and height, Will and Leigh had something which trumps those things,  they had common interests. What brings people together and keeps them together is not the physical, which can change on a dime. What keeps people happily together are their common interests, regardless of body size.

So, although I was surprised at the reason for this low rating, I am actually very thankful for it because it gave me an opportunity to voice my opinion. There is nothing wrong with the readers opinion either. I totally respect his/her right to state it and if the size of the characters is their only issue, I'll accept that.




~Gynger Fyer
The Romance Arsonist

Are you ready for a female Santa?? Buy my latest novella and see how hot it is to be frosty

What if Santa Claus were a woman??? I explore the origins of this idea in my new story; Frosty Pleasures. I gotta say, out of all of my books, this is my baby, this is my favorite. It's contemporary fantasy, which is a first for me. Check it out, you will never look at a snow flake or icicle the same way again! 

~Gynger Fyer
The Romance Arsonist

FROSTY PLEASURES:
When Santa Claus meets an untimely demise, Viking King Alrekr Frost—who’s in charge of winter—is asked to help find the remaining Krengel heir to take his place. The only thing he didn't bargain for was that heir being a woman! Not just any woman, but a beautiful woman with a frosty magic all her own. 

Kristina Krengel just found out she’s the last heir to the Krengel kingdom. The Krengel clan is supposed to keep Christmas on time and in harmony with the natural order of holidays and seasons. Kristina has always hid her magic. Her sometimes uncontrollable magic has left her a near recluse; after all, not many women can freeze water with their bare hands. Her love life is frozen as well; what man can make love to a woman whose body temperature gets below freezing? Alrekr proves he’s more than up for that challenge! 

Take a walk on the immortal side as Kristina becomes Santa and falls in love in the process.


AVAILABLE NOW AT:

Beautiful Trouble Publishing~Frosty Pleasures

WELCOME TO THE BTP SCAVENGER HUNT !!

If this is your starting point, let me wish you much fun and good luck. If you are coming from one of the other authors pages, I welcome you to mine. Feel free to look around before going on, If you like what you see, become a member of my page because I update regularly!

Now then, lets review...
 THE RULES!!

• Read my riddle and see if you can guess the answer. Once you have your answer. 
• Click on the BTP author's names below to find and solve the next riddle listed on their page. 
• Once you have all 11 (eleven) answers collected email your answers to: btpcontests@gmail.com. 

Here be the buried treasure you seek...

THE PRIZE!!

Three lucky winners will be chosen at random to receive a $10 BTP gift certificate. Contest closes at 12 am 12.22.12.

GYNGERY'S RIDDLE

• What is a four-letter word ending in 'k' that means the same as intercourse?

If you are sure you have the answer, proceed to the  rest of the author's blogs to get your next riddle!

• Nikki Winter
• Raelynn Blue
• Serenity King
• Shanayah Tailor
• Shirelle Higgins
• Janet Eckford
• Naomi Jones
• Drea Riley
• Billy London

My Take On A Senseless Tragedy~Sandy Hook

I purposely did not post anything yesterday about the children senselessly killed at Sandy Hook. Partly because I was grieving for them and their families, but also because there were some very eloquent, and passionate posts which echoed my sentiments; so I just "liked" their posts and kept it moving as I looked for the higher purpose in this event.

I am a Christian but that does not mean I own the rights to the explanation of suffering. It just means that in times of trial and tragedy, I draw my comfort from the Bible much the same way a Muslim would draw comfort from the words of their own holy book, and so forth. I was driving home in the darkness and the rain listening to NPR go over the facts as they knew them. I had been glued to CNN.com most of the afternoon once I was made aware of the event. Being at work meant I could not go to my quiet place to turn this event over like I was itching to. However, driving along that long road home, allowed me to think to through and the one scripture which came to my mind was Matthew 5:44-45 which states:

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."(NIV version ) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A44-45&version=NIV

That is the snap shot that came to mind for this event but I always try to look at the context in which a scripture is written because they are easy to take out of context and the word of God is holy so, I try not to overstep my authority when quoting it. I Googled my quote and found many things but this video was one which resonated with me. It is the one which brought me the much desired clarity in how I need to view this event.

Let's face it, I am human with human emotions, I am in the story as it is playing out, but God is the author, the creator of this work. He knows the beginning and the end, he knows all of the plot twist and where all of the angst and tragedies lie. From one author to another I understand that. It's his story, I am just one of many character living within the lines he has written. I can't control events but I can control my response and how I allow events to shape me and my life, I can choose certain paths based on events. We all can. This scripture of Matthew has allowed me to not only pray for the children, but the one who killed them as well, and that was a hard pill to swallow but, nobody said life would be easy.

Would you buy a story in which the heroine had herpes

I friend of mine read a article by the CDC(Center for Disease Control and Prevention)  which stated..." about 1 in 6 Americans between the ages of 14 to 46  is infected with herpes simplex virus type 2...The most affected group was black women, with a prevalence rate of 48 percent. "

http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/hsv2pressrelease.html


This was nothing new to me. I know many people, both men and women, black and white,  who have herpes. However, the numbers started me to thinking, from a writing perspective, about WHO these women were. what were they reading? Are their stories represented in romantic fiction?

As my mind wanders down this rabbit hole, I decided to ask my own readers to weigh in. Personally, I have been toying around with a story which features a heroine who has and STD, in particular herpes. I have been writing this story off and on since about 2010, because I do have peers with the disease and I had not seen it in any of the stories I had read. Fast forward two years and I still have not seen this story line. When I get passionate about something, I usually go all in, so I asked my publisher if they thought it would be worth exploring and they said, "Gynger, your gut and your readers are the only ones who can tell you that."  Since my gut is leaning towards completing this story, they suggested I blog about it to get my answer.

Here, I am hoping YOU the reader, can help me with this question. I AM NOT asking you disclose ANY of your personal information on my blog or anywhere else. I just want some feedback on the following questions:

• Do you think it's time for a IR(Interrracial) romance to include a heroine who has herpes
• Would you buy an IR book which featured a heroine who has herpes
See that's it, straight to the point. You can leave your feedback Anonymously if that is your choice.


I thank you in advance for your time.

~Gynger Fyer- The Romance Arsonist

The Next Big Thing!

Ten Interview Questions For The Next Big Thing

What is your working title of your book?  The Red Magnolia
Where did the idea come from for the book? I read an article about the herpes epidemic among black women.  Since I like to write about normal women and the challenges we face, having a heroine with herpes seemed like a great challenge.
What genre does your book fall under? Interracial contemporary romance/erotica

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Jill Scott 

                                  Model Matt Loewan

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? A sassy, urban hairstylist finds an unexpected love with a new neighborhood cop.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Agency
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I last worked on this in 2010 and I'm still working on it
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? None,  so far I have not read an interracial romance which included a heroine with an STD .
Who or what inspired you to write this book? An article I read. the fact that it's something that is not being talked about or written about in romance yet I'm fairly certain a lot of the readers can identify with this heroines and her plight.
What else about your book might pique the readers interest? There is also a mystery going on throughout the story.

Who Tagged Me: Jeanie and Jayha:  http://jeanieandjayha.blogspot.com/

Who I am tagging:
Jamallah Bergman: http://jamallahbergmansstoriesoflove.weebly.com/
Eden Royce: http://darkgeisha.wordpress.com
Naomi Jones: http://njonesirmrn.blogspot.com/?m=1

Fyer Family Christmas Traditions~ It's all about the music

I was in one of my FB groups this morning and the subject of Christmas traditions came up. It got me thinking about what my families traditions were and thought I would share. ENJOY!

My family tradition normally starts with pulling out our ornaments the day after Thanksgiving to see what theme we are going to have. One year it was Victorian, one year African, one year Navy and Silver.(We take our themes seriously).We may have to go out to Garden Ridge and pick up additional ornaments or pick out a Christmas theme. (They have the best and largest assortment of ornaments.)

Once we have a theme, we go to the Christmas tree farm or road side seller and pick out a fluffy Fraser Fir. The needles are short and thick, and the branches are kinda limber and waxy feeling. While the merchant prepares the tree, we partake of spicy cider or hot chocolate. They load the tree. Even on the roof, the crisp scent of pine is putting everyone in the Christmas spirit. We get the tree home, I ramble in my desk drawer and pull out the Christmas Mix CD I made, the one everybody loves. The first song has to be The Temptations singing, "Merry Christmas." There is something about hearing Eddie Ruffin singing that song, "In my mind, I want you to be free"  which makes it "officially" Christmas. It like being on Wall Street and having the bell rung. We all sing parts of the song pretending to be the Temptations (LOL!). My favorite parts are the high parts, which I butcher, but, by the end of the song nobody cares. We are all in the spirit.

By this time, have the Christmas tree in the stand, even though my sister is complaining that it's crooked. (but she NEVER gets down there and messes with those hard ass screws which have to be screwed into the trunk of the tree...by hand and yes the tree moves a bit!) . Yes, I am salty behind that. I mean, here she is, sitting up eating sweet potato pie and drinking Michelob Ultra while I'm slaving away under that tree...Just because she's the eldest and I am the youngest doesn't mean I'm her slave! "I'm a grown woman with a child of my own...Okay I've said too much, lets just move on. (LOL)

By the time the tree is up, Michael Jackson has seen his momma "Kissing Santa Claus", James Brown has begged Santa to, "Go Straight to the Ghetto", and The Emotions have asked, "What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas?"  Yes we love a soulful Christmas. After the tree is up, we go to the classics. Aaron Neville croons "Please come home for Christmas." and we all ask, "Whatever happened to Aaron Neville? Somebody says, "He's still alive." (LOL) and I lament over how I had such a big crush on him when I was a girl. They all make fun of that before going to the next thing. The lights are half the way up by the time Otis Redding  is singing " Merry Christmas Baby."  At that point we are all sitting on the couch or the floor cause, lets face it, we are tired and need a food break.

We  go get plates of Thanksgiving left overs and nuk them in the microwave, I have to "touch" the collard greens to make sure they are heated all the way through because I HATE sitting down and finding out my collard greens have a cold spot :-) By now I've put on Nat King Coles "Christmas song". Everybody gets all quiet because you have to listen to Nat with "Reverence" it's tradition! By the end of that song (because it is a long song), we are all having slices of sweet potato pie or my famous Rum cake. The "Itis" is trying to set in and we are only part of the way through. Somebody has turned on a TV, someone has gotten a call/text and leaves the room. That's when you have two groups left: the kids and the "Die-Hard" Christmas traditionalist. We NEVER say die.(LOL)
Eartha Kitt comes on purring "Santa Baby" and both groups get into it. what girl doesn't like " a little decoration bought at Tiffany".  I've hit my decorating stride by the time Lena Horne walks us through a "Winter Wonderland". We are putting those silver hangers on the ornaments when we realize we have more ornaments then we do hangers! Some kid with true grit, goes on recon for paper clips. The kid  comes back with enough for the rest of the ornaments thus saving the day and earning them the right to put the angel on top of the tree.

By the time all of the ornaments are on and the lights are on. The kids and the "Die Hards" are making such a ruckus,  the stragglers come back in. One of them ALWAYS wants to move an ornament because there are "Too many on that branch."  so they go about moving it a mear two branches over, where it is still, in my humble opinion ( IMHO) too close to the others, but, we let it slide because, although they have been laid up on their cell phones for an hour drinking Michelob Ultra instead of doing any real work, we will let them have this moment, because it's family, and we are just happy they were able to make it this year. The angel goes on top of the tree as Nancy Wilson asks "What Are You Doing New Years Eve?". Someone wants to know why the angel has on a leopard printed dress trimmed in fur and is holding a fan made out of feathers. I reply, "Because it's MY angel and I think she looks awesome! If you want something else, buy it yourself and put it on YOUR tree."  Every body looks around and somebody brings me a glass of egg nog and pats me on the back to pacify me because I am the baby of the family, and they know I am tired and about to get out on the ledge.

Luther comes on singing, "Have Your Self a Merry Christmas" and we all laments on how he died too soon while looking at our amazing tree. Somebody says something about going to the mall or to the movies. We all start getting ready to go. I am the last to leave, I grab the last slice of sweet potato pie(because I deserve it!), look at the tree one more time, with pride, and head on out.

That's my family tradition or at least that's how it usually happens. It's all about the music with us. Fun, family and stories shared. I guess that's why Christmas is my favorite holiday. Stay tuned to my blog. I will share our cooking traditions! I'm still living down that time I put "Craisins" in my momma's, dressing!

~Gynger Fyer~ The Romance Arsonist!

My new book Thanksgiving Secrets [EBOOK] is out at Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC

**EXCERPT**
Will looked over to the grill directly across from his into the slanted brown eyes of the sexiest woman he’d ever seen. She was wearing a tight red shirt, blue jean cut-off shorts and a red baseball cap. Her hair was long, dark brown with light highlights. She had it pulled through the loop of her hat in a ponytail down her back. Her skin was a golden brown like toffee and she was a big girl. She had to be at least five feet nine because in platform sandals she was nearly at eye level with him. Not many girls had ever come close to looking him in the eye. He’d seen her before but didn’t know who she was or at least he hadn’t until just before the cook-off. That’s when she’d strutted up to him and stood before him with her arms crossed.

“I want you to know that this ass-whupping you’re about to get isn’t personal.”
He looked at her in disbelief with a smirk on his face. She was standing so close he could see the sparkly flecks in her pink lip gloss. Her lips looked yummy and so did every part of her.

“Excuse me?” was all he could get out.
“It’s about me being a woman and the fact that no woman has ever won this grill off. It has nothing to do with our family history.”

“Wait, what history?”
“You mean to say you don’t know who I am?”
Her southern drawl was like butter melting on a warm biscuit. Hell, he didn’t know her, but he was going to.

“No, I can’t say I’ve had the pleasure, miss…”
“McCall. You might know my daddy, Riley.”
That’s when his world crashed to his feet. Leigh McCall was actually Raleigh McCall, the daughter of his family’s sworn enemy. Next to Big Billie Bob’s Bar-B-Que, there was only one other competitor in Columbia and that was Riley’s Ribs and Chicken. He’d heard his father more than once rant about how the McCalls had tried to steal the Shannessey’s barbecue recipe and call it their own. There was more to it but the name “McCall” was often preceded or followed by the words “no good.”

Will looked her up and down, taking her all in. She was as cool and confident as they came. Her look held no malice so he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“Well, Leigh McCall, if you don’t mind, I’ll let the judges decide the winner. However, I wouldn’t be opposed to a little side bet, just to make things…interesting.”

The look she’d given him said she was interested. Her long, impeccably manicured finger came to her chin and tapped where a sexy cleft lay.

“Although I’ve heard you Shannesseys are poor losers and don’t honor your bets, I suppose I’d be willing to go along.”

He gritted his teeth at her slander of his family, but held his tongue. She had a saucy smirk on her face which told him she was ready for any comment he would make. This was going to be interesting.

“Well, if your barbecue’s as dry as your wit, this should be pretty easy,” he chuckled.

“Very funny, Goliath; just don’t forget to yell timber when you fall.”
With that, she made a move to walk away. He was mesmerized by her. Everything on her body moved when she walked: breast, hip, butt, and thighs. Damn. There was a sensual power in her stride that was attention-grabbing and by the looks she was getting, he wasn’t the only one who noticed.

“Excuse me; I believe we were making a wager.” He rushed on catching up to her in three strides. She stopped and turned back to him with one fist on her curvy hip. She narrowed her eyes.

“All right, Behemoth, what did you have in mind?”
“First of all, my name is WILL and I was thinking of something along the lines of dinner. You win, I’ll cook for you, and if I win, you’ll cook for me.”

She seemed to consider the idea.“ All right, it’s a deal.” She stuck out her hand and he took it.

The shock of their touch surprised him. Her hand was soft, yet firm. Before he knew what he was doing, he had her hand raised it to his mouth and he was kissing the back of it.

Their eyes locked; she blinked a few times and bit her lip. Was that a tremor he felt go up her arm? He looked at her shirt and noticed the evidence of her desire as her hardened nipples pressed against the fabric, like full-on headlights. Lord have mercy. There were cat calls and whistles from his friends at their exchange. He noticed her cheeks redden a bit before she pulled away and quickly went to her grill.


Thanksgiving Secrets [EBOOK] :: All eBooks :: Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC

Readers Appreciation events! What brings you out!

I went to my first ever Reader appreciation event earlier this year in North Carolina. Granted, I've been reading books all of my life. As I got older, I read everything from historical romances and later Interracial(IR) romances. It never occured to me to attend an event. They always seemed like things old women went to. LOL

It was purely by accident that I stumbled upon the Beautiful Trouble Publishing reader appreciation event. I just happened to be on their site one day and saw the announcement. I had been reading works by their writers for nearly two years. The price was right and it was within driving distance. So, I got a ticket for me and my good friend and I went. It was long but I had a blast. I guess you could say I was hooked after that. I went to one recently in VA. I was able to make that one a family trip since my nephew lived there and I hadn't seen him in years. Again It was AWESOME! 

In case you hadn't connected the dots... It was at that first event that I made invaluable connections which allowed me to realize my goal of being a published writer; but it was more than that. I met friends there with whom I still keep in contact.

• Do you attend reader appreciation events? If not, why? 
• What do you love about them
• What would make you go to an event

i am working on adding a calendar to my blog so you can see what's coming up.  Perhaps it will help you plan. 

I hope you attend at least one event this year. There are awesome perks and lets face it, we all need a break from reality every now and then. Why not do something for yourself for a change!

~Gynger Fyer ~ The Romance Arsonist

Gynger Fyer

Words of Wysdom Wednesday~

I think as women we sometimes give too much up front too soon when we date. Most women go through this at least once in their life time. It's like we give a man a test drive but, we don't know when to bring him back to the lot to see if he has a down payment, or ask if he's just window shopping. I think it's best to limit how much you show a guy on the test drive. Don't 

let him open it up like he's on the Audobon. Keep him at the right speed limit, show him the features and then see if he's ready to make such an expensive purchase because if he isn't, someone else is. The last thing you want to be is the test drive chick, high on miles and sold at a discount! #knowyourworth

~Gynger "Settin The World On" Fyer
The Romance Arsonist

Gynger Fyer

Yes Your's truly:The Romance Arsonist , strikes again with my next story THANKSGIVING SECRETS!!!!

~ BLURB~
“Out of all the girls at Clemson, why in the hell did he have to fall for the one he wasn’t supposed to have?”~William Robert Shannessey, Jr.

Raleigh “Leigh” McCall knows falling in love with Will Shannessey is a bad idea. Their families are like the Hatfields and McCoys of barbecue in Columbia, South Carolina. It’s not like they planned it; who plans to sleep with the enemy?But that’s just what happened one fall day at Clemson University after a barbecue cook-off.

Will knew he couldn’t just walk up to his dad, Big Billy Bob Shannessey, and tell him he was head over heels in love with the daughter of Riley McCall of Riley’s Rib and Chicken (aka “The Traitor”), and that he’d been dating her for over two years…not unless he had a death wish and wanted to be unemployed.

At the same time, Leigh is past ready to spill the beans to their parents.
After all, by her estimation it’s been exactly “two years, nine months and two days!” Will knows how much the holidays mean to Leigh, affectionately known as his “cocoa puff”.

What’s a man to do when he’s caught between the woman he loves and the father who holds his future in his hands?

Secrets abound in this hilarious Thanksgiving tale of love, life and barbecue! Pull up to the table and let me fix you a plate! This is going to be finger-licking good!

Check out my very First review!!! – Chocolate Surprise by Gynger Fyer | Whispering In Time

REVIEW – Chocolate Surprise by Gynger Fyer | Whispering In Time

27 Things You Can Start Doing Today | Inspiration Boost

27 Things You Can Start Doing Today | Inspiration Boost

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Excerpt Monday ~ The Bucket List by Gynger Fyer | Interracial and Multicultural Books

Excerpt Monday ~ The Bucket List by Gynger Fyer | Interracial and Multicultural Books

Chocolate Surprise [EBOOK] :: All That & Then Some (Mixed Genre) :: Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC

Chocolate Surprise [EBOOK] :: All That & Then Some (Mixed Genre) :: Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC

Swirl Society • View topic - The 15 Minute orgasm

Swirl Society • View topic - The 15 Minute orgasm

Hiring Tips: 9 People to Remove From Your Inner Circle | Inc.com

Hiring Tips: 9 People to Remove From Your Inner Circle | Inc.com

Chocolate Surprise! My first short story will be out in November!! I am super excited!

This is my first short story cover! it will be coming out in November. It is going to be a very nice treat for those of you with a sweet tooth! LOL

~Gynger~
Why settle for smoke, when you can have Fyer!

The Bucket List! will be out in two weeks! This is my first published story.

Whoo Hoo!  I'm on a roll. I just received the cover for my first full length story. It will be out in TWO WEEKS!!! it is longer than my "Chocolate Surprise" short story. which will come out in November.

It's ca

lled The Bucket List. It's the story of Grace, a rather meticulous Accountant who, after several drinks, puts together a Bucket List with some of her friends. Her first item to scratch off is to go to Mardi Gras and let it all hang out...literally, among other things. LOL.

Brett "The Wolf" MacAllister is a former pro wrestler and Grace's client. He's been trying to get her to look his way for years but Grace has a strict policy of not mixing business with pleasure...even though shes attracted to him.

When Grace's Bucket List mistakenly winds up in Brett's hands all hell breaks loose. Follow this couple as they take a road trip to the Big Easy! New Orleans will never be the same again!

~Gynger Fyer
Why settle for smoke, when you can have Fyer!

I can remember when I stopped watching t.v. It was around the same time that Obama was elected. That election process was so nerve wracking and emotionally grueling I decided I couldn't do it again.  I started reading and listening to NPR. I haven't looked back nor regretted my choice.

We get so emotionally involved that sometimes we do ourselves harm. Me and a friend of mine were talking about energy last week, how you can feel a persons energy good or bad. Well, I know my energy while watching the presidential debates four years ago was chaotic, angry and at times there was rage. The t.v., family and friends got ear fulls and wave after wave of  my angry energy and guess what, we passed it back and forth between each other. I lay on the phone for hours and hours rehashing remarks that were made, noting gestures and critiquing what each so called "Analyst" said on CNN and FOX. I learned something about myself and about news programs.

1. I am extremely empathetic,  I have a problem disconnecting from issues which I feel are unjust.  It's like I am sitting on top of a volcano and I am barely keeping the molten lava at bay.

2. News outlets are always going to have experts on who are going to affirm and negate the opinions you have.

You see, we invariably are going to drift towards the affirmation as a way of validating your argument; the proverbial "Co-Sign", and rage at the opinion of the one which negates. Now, here in lies the kicker, because these people are billed as "experts or analysts" we can sometimes start to feel as if somehow their opinions might some how be better or more accurate then our own. That's just not the case! we have our own thoughts and ideas and that's what we should go with. We can think for ourselves,  research for ourselves, but I think we are afraid of pulling back the curtain on a lot of what happens in politics. Perhaps we are afraid that we see the ugly side of it all. Perhaps we might realize we've invested time, energy and money into a person or party which we would be ashamed to be affiliated with if we knew how dirty and immoral they really are. Who likes being in a relationship for decades only to realize the other person was cheating on you. We like our blinders, thank you very much!  We allow news outlets to pull our strings and in turn direct and influence our energy flow however they see fit.

I challenge people to cut off the t.v. during the coming months. You already know who you are going to vote for. Go with your gut and let the chips fall where they may.

I challenge everyone of us to  "Carry our weather within"-Stephen Covey

That means, no matter what is going on externally, we manage and control how we respond internally. You might see that you're better off for it.

~Gynger Fyer
Don't settle for smoke, when you can have Fyer!

AddThis Chrome Extension

AddThis Chrome Extension

Is it me or is it more expensive to travel now. I am really enjoying my trip to Virginia to see my nephew and to attend the "A day with Yvette Hines" event, however, It seems as if my travel has been a la cart nearly every where I've gone!

• Bag check at airport-$25
• Parking at the Mall just so I could run in to the M.A.C. store- $1.00
• Check in at hotel-4:00pm and not a moment before( yet I am paying for the entire day!)
• WiFi at the hotel- charged per min-Thank God for my Droid doing a mobile hotspot. I was able to get out of this one. Now they do have free WiFi in the lobby, but I had to do edits this morning, I didn't want to be in my lingerie in the LOBBY.
• Breakfast- $9.99 for all you can eat, which wouldn't be much since I am not a breakfast person.

I'm sure you get the picture. When did we things become so nickle and dime, yes, I know we are in a tight economy and our perceptions of what's reasonable has to be aligned with that, but some of this stuff  seems a bit underhanded, it's like the travel industry has gotten together and found a way to add some fine print to all of the "Deals" we think we are getting. I purchased my flight from Hotwire but after adding on the $50, round trip bag check fee, I can't see how I really saved a whole lot of money.

Thank God I am blessed to have a job and can afford these unexpected extras. I am the type of person who believes in economic empowerment. If I don't like how a business operates, I don't use them again. I can tell you now, my list is growing by leaps and bounds! LOL

Okay, so I've got that off my chest, I am going to get dressed to go down to the event and have my $10 breakfast( I will be going to the grocery store later, TRUST IN THAT), and I am going to enjoy my day so I hope you enjoy yours.


~Gynger~ the Romance Arsonist

Hello,

Welcome to my maiden voyage into the Bloggisphere( is that a word?) At any rate. Thank you for coming to my blog. Just know that you are liable to here any and everything on this page so 18+ please.


Right now I am in the process of having my first interracial romance novel published through Beautiful Trouble Publishing.(doing the happy dance). The entire process has been scary, exciting and really eye opening. From edits to piracy writing is a BUSINESS. I am really seeing how a product gets to market. The process reminds me of the inside of a clock, so many cogs and wheels all working together to make time measurable. The publishing industry is fascinating and vast. At the end of the day, I believe in my product and I hope you will too.


Setting Fyer to Romance everywhere,

Gynger Fyer
The Romance Arsonist