Finding Cupid's Arrows Blog Hop

It's Valentine's Day week, and do you know what that means? It means the ladies responsible for Cupid's Conquests want to make sure you get a present this year! It also means that, like our devilish Cupid, we want to play a game with you. Let's call it Fact or Fiction. Ready to play?

There's nothing like a girlfriend saying, "Hey, my ex and his friend want to meet at the bar. Will you go with?" to set a ridiculous chain of events in motion.

Of course, being me, I said "Sure!" to the bar. Who cares about her ex and the friend? It was an excuse to go drink and dance. So I went, and sitting across from me was this guy (her ex). Let's just say he wasn't the type to get my attention. A little too quiet, a little too buttoned up, a lot too skinny. But the friend. Holy shit was the guy obnoxious. So, while Mary talked to him, I tried to make small talk with her ex.

No harm, no foul. We made it through the night without any real kerfuffles, so I called it a win.

Then somehow we ended up hanging out with them...a lot. I found out all sorts of things about her ex (and his two girlfriends) while she was off getting chummy with his friend. Meanwhile, my own personal life had taken a hit and I was all about teaching a guy a lesson. With Mary's blessing, I set out to seduce her ex with the plan of making him fall for me and then ditching him so he'd know he shouldn't be toying with multiple women.

Somewhere in there...he and I started to actually talk. Not the bullshit conversations with a stranger at the bar. Real stuff. Deep, meaningful stuff. And when the time came that he said he only wanted to see me, my cut and run plan flew out the window. (This was a grand total of six weeks after meeting.) I'd fallen hard for the guy.


So hard in fact, that a month later after a party at his place, we were snuggling and he asked me to marry him. Not many things can make me speechless, but that did. I kissed him--hard--while I tried to figure out just how crazy the entire idea was. Of course I couldn't marry him! We'd known each other less than three months. It was crazy.

But when I opened my mouth, the word that came out was "Yes."

Apparently when Cupid's arrows hit, it's not just your heart that gets stolen, but your sanity and ability to form words too. Sneaky little god...



So here's the question! Was this story of one of Cupid's crazy Conquests real or a fabrication? Answer in the comments below for your chance to win a copy of either of my Cupid's Conquests titles: GunShy or Love & Other Indoor Sports. Then hop along to the other blogs participating. And make sure to enter the Rafflecopter drawings for our grand prizes! 

It's a small blog hop, but it's all about Cupid and you, so follow the links below and be sure to hit everyone for more chances at great prizes!



Yay for giveaways! There are TWO Rafflecopters below. The first is for the beautiful lariat style arrow necklace (from Chainchainchained on Etsy) and the second is for the $25 Evernight gift card so you can get your fill of Cupid and romance. The best part? Entries are the same for BOTH, so make sure you click on all the good stuff for both giveaways :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, if you're in the mood to spread some love to a bunch of kids, please click on the Evil for Crestline link to your right. On February 3, Crestline Elementary in WA burned to the ground. A bunch of authors, crafters, and other talented people are raising money to buy them some much needed school supplies. (There are also links to donate directly to the school.) Thanks! And Happy Valentine's Day!

What Makes a Man Swoonworthy?

You hear a lot of people talking about what makes famous people or fictional characters swoonworthy, but those attributes aren't usually things that translate well to real life. I mean, I know guys with the rock hard abs and huge guns and perfect hair and... I don't think I could ever live with one of them. (Granted, I could be wrong but, as a happily married woman, I don't anticipate finding out any time soon.)

I've been married over fifteen years now, through all the ups and downs and sideways (I know you wanted me to say the ins and outs, but this isn't that kind of post). And the daily grind wears at a relationship after a while and the swooning... yeah, not so much.

I remember when hubs and I were dating. We got into a HUGE fight--like throwing things and running out and screaming fight. It was ugly. When we finally calmed down enough to talk and I apologized I said, "I know I'm a hard person to live with." His response, in typical male fashion, started with "Yes," but continued with, "but you'd be a harder person to live without." It was, to this day the sweetest, most romantic, most swoon-worthy thing he's ever said to me. Sure, he did other things throughout the years, but that moment is the one that plays over and over in my mind.

And it happened before we were married. So, in fifteen plus years, he hasn't topped it. He's tried, but I think the reason those times failed and came across like cargoship filled with aged cheddar is that he was trying. Swooning happens in real life for the moments that just are, and as you go along in married life they tend to get buried in other things. We forget that we're supposed to swoon.

But then, the day comes when we get reminded.

My hubs has been sicker than sick for a couple weeks now. He spent the second half of last week home from work because he was too miserable to even think about going. And Friday night was the Father-Daughter dance that Mini-Me (6 1/2 years old) had been looking forward to since the new year. Thursday night I told her that if Daddy couldn't go, I'd take her. She wasn't happy about it, but she understood because he'd been so sick. Friday came, and I mentioned it to hubs. He told me that he'd go if at all possible "because it's important to her, and that means it's important to me."

Yeah. Total swoonage. That is my husband, reminding me all over again why I love him and why no guy with washboard abs or a Colgate smile is going to ever tear me away from him. They'd be too busy working out or flossing to make sure Mini-Me had her night.

I love you, Honey. Always.

<3 Happy Valentine's Day <3



Happy Valentine's to you too, dear readers. If you'd like to share, I'd love to hear what your significant other has done to make you swoon.

Also, just a heads-up. I have not one, but two, backlist giveaways this week. Find me at Alex O'Hurley's blog and at Demonlover's Books tomorrow!