As we gear up to the new year,  let us think on what will juice up our 2013.

In previous journal posts I’ve mentioned some negative things I don’t intend to take with me–shame and limitations. Feel me? Cool.

So now I’m thinking about the opposite.

In general, I want flow. I want life to feel easy. I want to desire things and get them, and I don’t want anything to get in my way. 

And for this month, I am focusing on more physical matters than I usually do. 

Last night I watched “Life After Porn” on Netflix. The documentary interviews a handful of former performers in the porn industry to see where their lives have gone after quitting. 

Something really struck me. Pornography is a $ huge $ industry. People pay others to act out public fantasies. It’s a service. Not one everyone will offer, but it’s a service to others.

People (mostly guys) will pay a lot of money to enjoy these films in secret. But afterwards, the stars are thrown away like trash, and due to rampant judgement can lose the ability to have a career or a long-term love. Even though a huge number of people bought their movies.

By 2013 it’s time to embrace sexuality. Considering that it’s the reason humans still exist–we should probably stop punishing ourselves for liking it.

I’m not a big fan of porn, let me be honest. Nor fashion magazines. A beauty standard should not be based on vaguely humoid pictures that’ve been professionally diced, groomed and manipulated. 

So here’s a new way to look at it.

How about we are all born sexual, but it comes to be expressed in different ways as deemed appropriate for our station in life. It may be more comfortable to think of it as sensuality.

According to me, sensuality is the enjoyment of being in one’s body and the senses.

If you think women haven’t been sensual or sexual their whole lives, despite the possibility of shame or judgement, you are flipping blind.

Boy bands

Tiny tank tops and makeup

Ear piercing

Child beauty queens

Twilight sexual tension

Twilight => 50 Shades of Grey success

Claire’s

crushes

internet stalking

do you like me check box

the market share of romance

• Romance fiction was the largest share of the U.S. consumer market in 2011 at 14.3 percent. 

obsession with how we look

desires for a boyfriend

preoccupation with dating

high heels

girl drama (having gone to peaceful women’s college, I conclude, much of this is based on competition for mates.)

mothers obsessed with how their daughters look

wedding fantasies

baby crazy

the size of your wedding ring

Can you say hellllooo?

Women aren’t sexual because they are bad  girls. They are

sexual because they are human. Whether or not they are

having lots of awesome shameless sex or not is their choice. 

And for the love of — it’s really not a big deal.

So I’m choosing to have a sensual 2013.

Including but not exclusive to:

Bubble baths

massages

red toenail polish

something silk

wet pastel chalk

dark chocolate with cherries

super food smoothies

What else should be on the list?

Happy 2013 in advance!

Holidays are worse than a full moon for making people crazy. In Harborsmouth, where many of the residents are undead vampires or monstrous fae, the combination may prove deadly.

Ivy Granger, psychic private investigator, returns to the streets of Harborsmouth in this addition to the bestselling urban fantasy series.

Holidays are Hell, a point driven home when a certain demon attorney returns with information regarding a series of bloody murders. Five Harborsmouth residents have been killed and every victim has one thing in common–they are fae. Whoever is killing faeries must be stopped, but they only leave one clue behind–a piece of mistletoe floating in a pool of the victim’s blood.

BONUS: Blood and Mistletoe contains an Ivy Granger series Pronunciation Guide.

 

 

Katalina Leon is the last visitor for the “Hope” December Guest Post Series. It’s the week of the winter solstice for all you earthy readers. And so I present to you the author of many alluring books including Strix, and (my favorite title) Claimed by Dragons.

 

The heart of winter is when we most need hope.

For a moment imagine yourself in our ancestor’s place. Imagine an existence without modern medicine or central heating. Imagine homes where the wash water froze every night in its bucket. Imagine the inconvenience of no transportation beyond horses, boats or foot and little or no communication with distant neighbors. As December’s days grew shorter and darker imagine the worries, “Did I plan well? Did I put enough aside? Do I have a loved one who might not survive the stress of winter?”

Not that long ago everyone in the northern latitudes spent winter this way and I think that’s why a celebration of hope in the month of December is so important. We bring fresh cut evergreen trees indoors as symbols of eternal life in the face of physical hardship. We light candles and hang Christmas lights to ward off the growing darkness. We bless the less fortunate, wish each other well and practice generosity during meager times because those practices have served humanity well for countless winters.

Here we are days away from the winter solstice of 2012, which coincides with the end of the Mayan’s long count calendar. December 21^st 2012 marks the end of the thirteenth b’ak’tun and the conclusion of the fourth world. According to the Mayan there were three previous worlds that didn’t work out so well and had to be destroyed. The fourth world, our world succeeded and humans were allowed to safely inhabit it.

A “b’ak’tun” is a 5125-year cycle. Chunky 5,125 year cycles sound impressive until you realize the Mayans really, really loved to count and they did it with gusto. For instance there is a carved Stela in Coba that marks the date of creation at 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13,13, 13, 13,13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13.0.0.0.0

Or 20²¹×13×360 days or we could say the universe has 2 quintillion times more years left on it than it has already spent.

In other words, that ridiculous number predicts December 21 2012 it’s not the end of days, not by a long shot. This is good news. Apparently we’re living in a low mileage universe and hopefully the best years are yet to come. We have a quintillion years ahead.

Let’s put a single b’ak’tun in perspective. Subtracting a b’ak’tun from our familiar historical timeline would place us at August 11, 3114 BC.  That date is contemporary with the infancy of Egypt’s earliest dynasties when they were just beginning to experiment with building crooked mud-brick pyramids. 5125 years ago the great stone pyramids had yet to rise. Humanity has accomplished a lot in 5125 years and the Mayans predict many, many b’ak’tuns ahead.

Honestly I think the Mayans would be appalled to be associated with the end of the world. They were very forward looking people. For goodness sake they even looked past the date they stopped existing as a culture by nearly a millennia. The second insult is the calendar that is continually presented to us, as the “End Date Mayan Calendar” is almost always the Aztec calendar. The Aztecs were a very different culture contemporary with the conquest of the New World. The Mayans and the Aztecs deserve to be recognized as separate and vivid cultures.

What does all this mean during the Christmas season when I will also be reflecting on the miracle of a divine child’s birth?

Have hope. I know things are far tougher for most of us than they been in other years but don’t allow fear to drive you. Have hope that our world is not ending, evil will not win and better times lie ahead. Have hope that others who lived long before you had it far worse and still found a reason to celebrate. Have hope that you’re resilient enough, determined enough and caring enough to make 2013 one of the most pivotal years of your life.

This is my blessing to you this holiday season, may you have HOPE and a beautiful 2013 ahead.

XXOO Katalina Leon

Katalina Leon

I’m an artist, an author, mother and wife. I write for Loose Id Publishing and Ellora’s Cave. I try to bring a touch of the mystical and a big sense of adventure to everything I write because I believe there’s a bold, kick-ass heroine inside all of us who wants to take a wild ride with a strong worthy hero.

Night Owl Reviews Author page 

Ellora’s Cave 

Loose Id Publishing

Facebook

Monday December 3, 2012

Rachelle Alaya, author of Michal’s Window and Broken Build

Monday December 10, 2012

Laura Howard, writer and blogger at Finding Bliss

See What’s up in January

Or the great Lineup for Villains in November:

 

I have to say it was everything I was hoping for. I have no idea how it could’ve possibly been better. My friends agreed.

The whole 3D thing turned me off at first. But the Hobbit has been filmed with the latest in 3D technology and actually does look awesome. For once, the 3D glasses could fit easily over my prescription pair and I avoided any headaches.

Here are the highlights:

1. Amazing choreography as the dwarves and Gandolf escape the goblin cave.

LATIMES

The set design rocks. It is integrated with creative fighting scenes that take advantage of the 3D. The goblin kind is definitely putrid.

2. Lady Galladriel makes an excellent appearance.

The Hype Movies (Yahoo)

She is an ancient, wise, magical presence you can contact via butterfly. Even though she is a younger actress than all the others in her scenes, she exudes a commanding presence.

Galadriel is the only female in the entire movie. Not counting a few elvin servers. She does a good job.

3. The flatout best part of the movie is the classic moment when Frodo and Golem have a riddle battle.

Hit Fix

It’s a new moon in Sagittarius as we prepare for 2013. This is fantastic time to rise above our limiting beliefs and try new things. 

I’m embarking upon an adventure. I’ve decided to let go of everything holding me back. All those little voices that say, “but you need money first,” “people won’t like you if you write that,” and this beautiful little ditty: “sexy is shameful.”

Have you been taking advantage of this wonderful period? There really is something special about the energy of the world right now. Call it an astrological shift, the end of an era, the dawning of a new age, the power of the winter solstice, whatever, but I have been hearing this from a great deal of people.

And it’s what we believe that determines what we do. I believe this is the beginning of a new age. I think that things are in a bottleneck right now–the way things have “always been done” the last couple decades aren’t working so well anymore. It is time to usher in a new perspective, new goals, and new inspiration of a brighter, more loving world.

Recently, an inspirational speaker said, “When you wake up in the morning, ask yourself how you can serve the new world that’s emerging.” I think it’s a beautiful sentiment. 

The World Card in the Tarot–all possibilities are within you!

 

Personally, I have spent a lot of time in my life as an outsider. I am letting go of that, because I know that is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Everyone has the power to make a difference just by the way they feel. If you can enter a wonderful state of being, through meditation, doing what you love, saying no to the things that don’t light you up—that affects everyone around you.

I’m realizing a little mind trick for accomplishing goals. Sometimes there is something I want to change,  but the task seems so overwhelming that I feel helpless. If I take a moment to visualize the completion of the task, and imagine how that would make me feel, I often find I can keep that feeling around. That feeling is really what I want in my life, and once I have it, getting the task done is a given.

Easy Tools for Transformation:

Daily meditation– It’s so amazing to start the day on a positive note rather than “arrg, boyfriend left dishes and crumbs to clean, arrgg” cycling. Also releasing stuff from the day is a wonderful ritual before sleep. Start with two minutes a day of tuning out and see how it makes you feel.

Healing with the Masters– This amazing site features recorded calls from inspirational healers. Currently many of the best calls from the year are being replayed for free. I love this for my morning commute. If you’ve never meditated before, it can give you some great tips.

Affirmations– I am at peace. I have everything I have always wanted. I write affirmations of those specific goals in the present. I review these everyday. It works.

Mind Movie— I learned this technique from the Queen of Manifestation, Jen Mazer, through her Manifestation Masters Course. It’s a collection of affirmations mixed in with related pictures. I watch that slide show as part of my morning meditation. It makes me feel AWESOME. In my movie, I have written stacks of books.

To Do Chart— Rather than just a list, try making a chart of all the daily goals you have. These could be meditation, writing, journaling, a chore, a self-education class, treating yourself, exercise, etc. It’s a really great way to start new routines. And it’s also a great tool to appreciate your accomplishments and forgive anything you couldn’t fit in.

Evernote To Do List–As I’ve posted, I’d like to marry Evernote. Keep your daily todo list updated on every device. Those piece of paper are going to get lost or clutter your life.

Are you excited for 2013? Do you feel like something is happening in the world? How are you going to achieve your dream state of being?

Much love

Because I believe the moon phases hold special magic, I write a journal post every New and Full Moon. Check out the last Full Moon, my heartfelt true story “How I Became a Witch and a Writer.“A month ago was No Shame New Moon.

Win more business by reading clients’ visual and verbal clues

Whether it’s approaching a potential new client at a networking function, closing a sale in a one-on-one meeting, or negotiating a business deal, being able to read the verbal and nonverbal cues in any situation often is the difference between a successful deal and no deal at all.

In How to Read a Client from Across the Room, communications expert Brandy Mychals presents an innovative, proven approach to interpersonal communication called the Character Code System.

The Character Code System is a personality profiling tool that enables users to quickly and accurately “read” a subject—and then tailor engagement and communication methods on the fly to suit that person’s character type. Unlike Myers-Briggs and other complex, more conventional approaches, the Character Code System is user-friendly; it improves on traditional behavioral typing by combining visual, verbal and psychological elements to make it easy to attract clients–even across a crowded room.

Brandy Mychals is a communications expert and the creator of the Character Code System for Client Attraction.

 

 

2. How this helped me:

3. Organized

Creative people all have one thing in common: They start out creating for the simple joy of it.

Sometimes it grows into something different all together. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about a singer, a painter, or an author — when your skill level increases, hope tends to grow. You start to imagine yourself going to the next level, whether that means entering a competition or turning your creativity into a career.

The major difference between success and failure is hope. Hope can be defined as an expectant wish.

If you lose the expectation of success, you are doomed to fail.

I’ve always loved to create. Putting words together was something that came naturally for me. When other kids would struggle to write essays, I wondered why it was so easy for me. I’d write stories for fun, and I still remember others thinking that was strange. Why would I do that if it wasn’t for a school project?

Writing — creating — gave me joy.

After having my kids I rediscovered one of my joys that had fallen by the wayside. Reading for pleasure had been overshadowed by late-night feedings and diaper changes. But after making up for lost time by devouring multiple books a week, story ideas began to swirl in my head just like they did when I was a kid.

Hope was growing again. It started small, I just wrote twists to the books I was reading. But I was writing again, and it felt great to be creating after all those years. 

 

 

My current protagonist introduced herself to me in October of 2009. She grabbed on and hasn’t let go ever since. The plot of this story fell together bit by by over the next year until my youngest son was born in 2010. I took some time away from writing and went back to the feedings and the diapers.

But, those characters that were born wouldn’t get out of my mind. I thought about them every single day. I never gave up on them, even after several months.

I can still vaguely remember when my creative spark fanned into a flame of hope. I started thinking of having my book published someday. It seemed like an unachievable goal, but I had this voice in the back of my mind that kept saying –  What if? What if you are good enough to be a published author?

And if you aren’t right now, what if you could be one day?

I’ve now turned that hope into an expectation. It’s concrete for me, and I have the goals in place to make it happen. 

Because, after all — what is hope? It’s just an expectation that you repeat until you reach your goal.

Laura Howard is a mother to four young children and an author of New Adult fiction. Her first novel, The Forgotten Ones,  will be published in spring 2013. You can learn more about her from:

 

Charlaine Harris is already a star and a New York Times bestseller with her vampire mysteries starring Sookie Stackhouse and her Lily Bard mysteries. This second installment to her new supernatural mystery series might just be her biggest hit yet. Grave Sight’s Harper Connelly is back, and her ability to find the dead and see their last moments is in higher demand than ever… 

A college class gets more than it bargained for when Harper gives a demonstration of her uncanny talent. Instead of just finding one body in an old grave, she finds two: the original occupant and a recently deceased girl whom Harper had tried, and failed, to find two years previously. To dispel suspicions about her own innocence, Harper and her stepbrother Tolliver undertake their own hunt to find the killer-only to find yet another body in the same grave.