Happy Easter for those celebrating!

On select Sundays, I’ll post excerpts from works in progress or books in publication as part of Snippet Sunday, along with the Weekend Writing Warriors (link below).

This week’s snippet is from my brand new WIP, DISCIPLINED COWBOYS  (Edit: DISORDERLY COWBOYS), Book 6 of the LONE WOLVES OF SHAY FALLS series.
(Attention: Explicit language)

The snarling wolf shifted, rising into a man with compact muscles and a hairy chest that matched the wiry brown tangles on his head. As he stood naked in front of the women, he wiped drool from his chin and laughed at Jayel.

“Oh, I remember you,” he said. “My daddy wouldn’t let me keep you as a little pet bitch for the pack.”

“And I remember you,” Jayel replied with a vicious sneer. “Enough to know exactly how much I’m going to enjoy putting a bullet in your face.”

“Tough talk, except I heard a gypsy made it so you can’t kill me or any werewolf.” 

“Did you hear the part where I went to a coven and had that annoying little curse lifted?”

On select Saturdays I post hairstyles we've tried at our house, ones we've seen online that we want to try, or hairstyling tips and tools.

Version 1

Version 2

Although I'm working my "other job" all Easter weekend, I figured there was no reason I couldn't still have fun with some nifty Easter hair. After scouring the Internet, I saw several different styles that I decided to mesh into two versions of what I call my "Easter Flower Basket" hairstyle.

 Version 1 is basically a basket weave topknot/half ponytail (whichever name you prefer) with a flipped pony and flower decorations. For Version 2 the hair is pulled around in a side pony and braided or left hanging.

For the basket weave, I will say that a topsy tail tool is almost a must, as trying to weave strands with your fingers is darn tough. If you're not familiar with the topsy tail, here's what it looks like:

You can find it online, at Target, or at some drugstores that have an "As Seen on TV" aisle.

HOW TO DO THE BASKETWEAVE:

1. Start a half-ponytail (aka topknot) in your hair as usual, BUT section off a strip of hair from both sides of the top center part first, as shown here. Leave this hair out of the half pony. You should have about 1/2-inch thick strip all along each side of the part. 

2. Make the rest of the half pony as usual, leaving out the section of hair from the top part. I then like to "flip" the pony using the topsy tail tool (or fingers works for this) just to make it look fancier. If you're not familiar with how to do a flipped ponytail, try a search on Google or YouTube. It's easy!

3. Now let's deal with the madness we have by leaving the top of the hair out of that pony. Find your center part and let the sectioned strips fall to either side. Split each side into four pieces. These are the strips we will weave through the half pony we just made.

4. Work on one side of the part at a time. Take the first (closest to your face) of the four strands you separated and thread it through the topsy tail tool. Then use the pointed end of the tool to weave over and under sections of the half pony. Pull the strand of hair all the way through.

5. Repeat this with the second strand, only this time, go under and over the pony in the opposite weave as the last strand (when you went over/under before, now go under/over). Alternating where the hair weaves above and below the pony hair is what gives the basket weave appearance. This is much easier to do on yourself if you position mirrors to see the side of your head.

6. Keep going with the remaining strands, alternating over/under and under/over each time until all four strands are used. Then do the same thing on the other side of your head.

If you're doing Version 1, that's it! You can make this into a "flower" basket by adding flowers to the back of the style, as I did, add a ribbon bow, or just leave it plain.

VERSION 2:

Simply take all the hair hanging in the back and pull it smoothly around to one side, then secure with a ponytail elastic and decorate with flowers/ribbons. OR do as I show here by starting on one side by the ear and working your favorite braid around the back (French, Dutch, or lace) to the other ear. Then secure with an elastic (or braid all the way down to the end) before decorating with flowers.


 Have fun with this and don't be afraid to experiment! Happy Stylin'!




J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people.

Grandma reading naughty bits, using Barbie dolls to help stage sex scenes, and a hot cover model photo shoot! Check out this great feature that CBS News did over the weekend about Ellora's Cave and fellow EC author Desiree Holt...

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!
Mondo Healthy Microwave Minute Muffin

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

I found this recipe on youbeauty.com, and it's a super fast, easy way to get in a quick breakfast. And ooh, these smell yummy coming out of the microwave!




MONDO HEALTHY MICROWAVE MINUTE MUFFIN

Do you skip breakfast because mornings are too hectic? Don't bother baking because you haven't got the time? Try this muffin-in-a-mug!

Ingredients:
A scant 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)
A small dusting of brown sugar or your preferred substitute
1 Tbsp milk (I like using vanilla almond milk or coconut milk)
1 handful of fresh or frozen berries (strawberries and blueberries work great).

Directions:
Pour oats to a microwave-safe coffee mug and add the egg, your sweetening, and the milk. When I use vanilla-flavored milk, I tend to skip the sweetener or use barely a hint. A little vanilla flavoring could work too. Mix up and then fold in the berries. If using frozen, no need to thaw first. If you mix too hard, especially with blueberries, you'll tint the batter. But hey, it'll still taste good!

Microwave mug for 1 minute, watching carefully to make sure the batter doesn't overflow the top. (I like to set this on a folded paper towel just in case). If the muffin top still looks wet and not firmed up yet, keep microwaving in about 15-30 second increments until set up.

When done, you can either flip this onto a plate or eat it straight out of the mug (but be careful--it'll be molten hot!)

By the way, chopped banana also works well in this, as does craisins or raisins. (I like to plump these first by microwaving raisins in a little water for about 30 seconds or so first--that can be done right in the mug as well). You can also add a sprinkling of flax, chopped nuts, or for decadent days, a few chocolate chips. Experiment!


J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people.

On Mondays I gab about, well, pretty much anything I want!

Happy Easter week, everyone! I missed a couple Monday posts (and other blog days) because I got hit with the same virus that my daughter suffered from for over a month. Mike had it too. It sure hasn't been fun around here! I think we finally have it on the run, and good riddance. But it's going to be a slow process to get back to 100%, especially for poor Bri, who got hit the hardest.

Aside from spending a lot of time sitting in waiting rooms, sipping soup, downing antibiotics and sleeping, I did manage to accomplish a couple other things last week. Not much, mind you. But I did return to work after being out sick for a week, and more important, my new book PETER AND THE WOLF was released. As I write this, it's currently sitting pretty at #11 on my publisher's Bestseller list, and I couldn't be more pleased. I'm still waiting for final edits on NATURE'S BOUNTY, and I am bound and determined to get back to writing toots de suite. Oh, and I just signed on to become a blog host for Goddess Fish Promotions, so you might be seeing some guest posts here and there.

Meanwhile, I did manage to do some shopping and pick up stuff for Bri's Easter basket (shhh!). I'm working the holiday, and much-anticipated plans for that weekend fell through thanks to her illness, so I'm hoping to make the day special for her in other ways. Her basket is adorable--I'll have to snap a photo or two and post it. Ooh, and I found a new styling product I love that I want to write up for Stylin' Saturday.

I hope you all have a great week!


J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people.

On select Saturdays I post fun hairstyles my daughter and I find online and recreate at home.

Well Bri finally got her wish...we chopped her ponytail off! After growing her hair out for a year to donate to Locks of Love, we managed to cut 12 inches and still leave her with a not-too-short bob hairstyle that looks just adorable on her. Here's a few shots we snapped of the process:

I put elastics in her hair, one just below the point where I would cut it, plus one near the bottom to keep the donated hair neat

Chop, chop! She looks slightly shell-shocked to have her 12-inch ponytail in hand!

A little neatening up of the ends and voila! A darling bob.

Bri was so funny about this. She kept going back and forth between missing her hair and saying, "What have I done?" to spinning around laughing and saying, "I LOVE it!!"  If you ever saw the scene in Tangled where Rapunzel is flip-flopping between "Best day ever!" and "I'm the worst daughter in the world," that's exactly how the first twenty minutes post-haircut went. I had some trepidation about cutting off her long, silky hair, but she wanted it short and it was for a good cause! The final verdict: the new style is a big hit. She loves it and Mike and I think it suits her well!

If you aren't familiar with Locks of Love, it is an organization that helps provide hairpieces to children with certain types of hair loss, such as those suffering from alopecia or undergoing cancer treatment. For more information on donating, visit http://locksoflove.org.


J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people.

PETER AND THE WOLF By J. Rose Allister
Siren-Bookstrand ManLove Classic
MM | Erotic | Paranormal (Shifter)
Anal Sex
http://bookstrand.com/peter-and-the-wolf

About PETER AND THE WOLF:

Peter is eager to win a coveted job at Wellington Enterprises. When he catches the eye of the sexy, yet dangerous heir to the empire, Jarred Wellington, he gets a far different position than he imagined--as mate to a man with a full moon secret. There is a price to pay for the passion between them, however, including secrets Peter must be willing to accept as well--even about himself.



Excerpt:

“Open the door, Peter,” Jarred said.

Another low rumble began in his throat, and Peter cleared it rapidly to push it back down. “Not now.”

“You can’t stay locked in there forever.”

Picturing Jarred standing just a couple feet away, with his immaculate suit and sexy as hell face, became something of a mistake. With that image in mind, Peter very much wanted to open the door, all right. He wanted to yank the man in right by his tie and use it to restrain him while he did things to him in the stall that would sully his suit and his reputation forever.

He covered his head with his hands and tried to suppress the urge to claw the door right off its hinges and fuck the man standing behind it.

“Peter,” he heard, and the voice was decidedly lower and more animal. “Open the goddamn door, or I’ll do it for you.”

“Please,” he said, his voice muffled in his hands. “You don’t want to do that.”

“Like hell I don’t.”

The challenge in Jarred’s insistence sparked something in Peter, a sort of rage combined with the need to dominate. How or why he wasn’t certain, but the lowly new hire was ready to burst with the wild urge to take charge of the heir to Wellington Enterprises.

He yanked open the stall door to find Jarred’s eyes wide in shock and glowing with the same fire Peter felt, and they stared at one another for a long and heavily weighted moment. Then Jarred pressed himself into the stall right along with Peter. He took hold of the edges of Peter’s suit.

“How the hell is this happening to you?” he asked.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Peter said, trembling harder. “But I do know this.”

One motion from his arm swept Jarred’s hand off him with ease, and what was meant to be a small shove backward sent Jarred off his feet, flying back through the air. Peter watched in stunned fascination as the man soared away and hit the mirror, which cracked in a spider web pattern before Jarred landed with his ass seated on the counter.

The logical human inside Peter knew that he’d likely just cost himself his new job, and that he should be groveling in horror for mercy while he freaked out over this sudden burst of insanity and strength. The problem was, Peter wasn’t feeling like a logical human at the moment. He was possessed by something else.

He stalked forward smoothly, stopping right in front of where Jarred sat staring at him from the counter. What the hell. If Peter was already damned, he might as well go out with all barrels firing.

“And one other thing,” Peter said. “About that so-called handshake of yours yesterday.”

He grabbed Jarred’s chin and pressed their lips together. Something feral snarled deep inside him, and he thrust his tongue deep in the man’s mouth. Jarred stiffened, but growled in return, and shockwaves of lust coursed through Peter when the man’s tongue joined in a violent, needful dance.

Then Jarred, whose eyes were almost ablaze now, grabbed a hold of Peter and shot off the counter. With a swift move, Peter was across the room and against the bathroom wall. He felt—and heard—the drywall give way under the force of his weight being flung against it, but there was no pain. Just desire. God, how hard his cock was, and he was dying to show Jarred just how much.

Jarred stalked up to him, threaded his hands into Peter’s hair, and shoved him onto his knees. “You need to simmer the fuck down,” he said.

Peter found himself facing a nice bulge that was evident behind the fly that Jarred’s unbuttoned suit jacket failed to hide, and he licked his lips. “Tempting,” he said with a smile, but he started lowering his own zipper. “Although I had the exact opposite position in mind.”

Well, while I was busy lying in bed this past week almost too sick with the flu to wonder when it would ever go away, ManLoveAuthors posted an article I wrote for them. It's titled Men in Love: What's Not to Like?  I hope you'll stop by and find out how someone who'd never even thought about reading M/M romance was accidentally introduced to the genre and became enough of a fan to write it herself.

http://manloveauthors.com/men-in-love-whats-not-to-like-j-rose-allister/

On select Saturdays I post fun hairstyles my daughter and I recreated off YouTube (or Pinterest).

Between Bri's awful cold/double ear infection and my hard drive crash, we still haven't gotten back into the swing of posting videos. However, we did play around with some hairstyles this week, so I thought I'd post a few shots I took of the finished products.

 This carousel lace braid was fun to do and only took a few minutes, which was helpful when Bri wasn't feeling well enough to sit patiently through getting her hair dolled up.

 This spiral ponytail has quickly become a favorite of mine because it's fast, easy, and gets a lot of compliments. It's simple to do on myself as well as on Bri. Also, if this style is done on damp hair spiraled over a headband until all hair is used, it can be slept on overnight to produce some really cute wavy curls.

This braid goes one way, then curves back the other direction. It was super fun to make and looked really pretty. I wore a version of it to work (but I couldn't get the braid to change direction on the back of my own head so it hung down the right side), and I got more compliments on it than any of the others I've tried on myself thus far.


Bri has been begging me to cut her hair, and I think this weekend we'll finally settle on a style and go for it. She wants it pretty short, so we'll see how that plays out with doing fancy braid styles like these. Wish us luck!



J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people.

I'm over on ManLove Authors today talking about "the voices" I hear, the weird way I got into fiction writing, and some insights on why I write paranormal stories. Oh, and some tidbits about my upcoming book PETER AND THE WOLF. Swing by and say hello!

http://manloveauthors.com/an-interview-with-j-rose-allister/

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!
Low Fat Choco-Peanut-Butter-Pumpkin Fudge

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

If you say my post last Thursday, you heard about the new fab food at my house, PB2--the peanut butter with just 1 gram of fat! Well, I couldn't resist offering up a decadent treat using said peanutty goodness.


LOW FAT CHOCO-PEANUT-BUTTER-PUMPKIN FUDGE

I ran across this unusual recipe on the Hungry Girl website. For those who've never seen/heard of Hungry Girl, her books, videos, and site are worth checking out. Her recipes focus on healthier versions of things we actually like to eat. In this super easy recipe, the "fudge" starts off as boxed chocolate cake mix. This isn't a brownie, per se, because when prepared according to the directions, the results are moist and rich but not "cakey". It's not grainy/sugary like normal fudge, either, nor is it overly sweet. So it's somewhere between a brownie and a fudge.


Ingredients:
2 cups canned pure pumpkin
1 box Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies Mix (the 18.3-oz. Family Size box)
2 tbsp. PB2 peanut butter (regular or chocolate variety, prepared OR Better 'n Peanut Butter, room temperature

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine pumpkin with the brownie mix in a large bowl; stir until smooth (do not add anything else).  Spray a small baking pan (8" X 8" work best - no larger!) with nonstick cooking spray and pour in the mixture.  Spoon 2 tbsp. of Better 'n Peanut Butter (room temperature) on top and use a knife to swirl peanut butter around. Cook for approximately 35 minutes.  The batter will remain very thick and fudgy, and it should look undercooked.  Remove from oven.  Cover with aluminum foil and let cool in fridge for a couple of hours.  Cut into 36 squares and serve.

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people.