Shelley Munro Blog

I’m off on holiday to sunny (hopefully!) Hawaii tomorrow. I can’t wait. The wee dog has gone off to the farm with my sister, I’m mostly packed and raring to go. Did I say I can’t wait?

Below are some shots of last night’s Luna Rossa. It was tres cool to watch.

Today or rather tonight we’re having a solar eclipse. It’s a special one called a Luna Rossa where the moon turns red. All day I’ve been watching the weather because I’m desperate to see this thing. All sorts of story possibilites have jumped into my fertile imagination, and I want to see it myself. I’m hoping the sky will clear a little.

An incoming newsflash…Mr. Munro has just seen the moon pop out! He’s seen it through the kitchen window. We’ve set the alarm so we won’t forget to go outside.

Here’s the National Geographic link. Evidently you’ll be able to see it in parts of the Northern hemisphere as well.

Here are some Luna facts taken from Stardome NZ

DISTANCE TO MOON
averages about 360,000km. This is about ten times the stationary satellite orbit that delivers SKY TV and about 1/400 of the distance to the sun.

SURFACE TEMPERATURE
Day – about 130deg, the temp for deep frying potato chips
Night – minus 150 deg; CO2 is solid but oxygen is still 30 deg above turning liquid.

ORBITAL SPEED
3660km/hr, 4 times the speed of a Boeing 737 but 1/30 the speed earth orbits the sun.

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON
Have you heard the expression “once in a blue moon?” A month with two full moons is a blue moon. This year July is a blue moon. The full moons are 1st and 30th July

SKY FACTS
The 7 brightest objects in order: Sun, Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Sirius, Mars and Saturn. (5th brightest is a three way tie between the last three; the brightness of the planets varies.

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I finished my Caveman story today, or at least the first draft. I’ve also had a brainwave regarding Assassin, my third Middlemarch story and this afternoon I’ve changed the start. I’m much happier with it now.

Our local council is very good with recycling efforts. We have rubbish collection once a week along with a paper collection and a can/bottle one. Once a year we have an inorganic rubbish collection where we can put out all the big stuff: old, tires, TV’s, mattresses, broken bicycles, toys, chairs. Just about anything you can think of, apart from toxic stuff. That has a different collection point.

Each year this collection is a source of amusement. We get a notice in the mail telling us to put out our junk for collection on such and such a day. This year it was the 26th. No one listens. As soon as the notice appears in mailboxes, the rubbish starts appearing on the curbside until the neighborhood starts to look a bit tatty and scruffy. Then all the fun starts. We have droves and droves of people in vans, trucks, cars trolling the streets for items of interest - things other people have thrown away that they think they can sell or use.

This year we put out one tire, an old fishing line and the iron supports of an old swing. Only the tire remains.

Yesterday I had to go and pick up my husband and our neighbor after golf. Traffic was heavy. In fact it was like rush hour traffic on a Sunday afternoon! Riding my bicycle around our normally quiet streets has become a dangerous affair with drivers scanning piles of rubbish rather than looking for innocent cyclists.

I think it’s great that people can use the stuff they pick up - recycling at its best - and it’s a good conversation gambit with neighbors. “What have you got left in your pile?” But, oh, boy! I’ll be so glad when the rubbish is gone and traffic levels are back to normal. It will be great to ride my bike in safety again…

Does anyone else have rubbish collections like this? What things would you like to collect? (one of the neighbors saw a broken terracotta pot that we all agreed would make a great garden feature. When she went back it had already gone. Someone else had obviously had the same idea.)

As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now a defector, his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins—cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna…

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted—and had her mind violated—by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives…

Wow! All I can say is that Nalini’s Psy/Changeling series just keeps getting better and better. I’m hooked, and luckily there are more Psy books to come. If you’re a reader who loves paranormal and wants something original and different, go no further. I loved the hero, Judd. He’s so conflicted, his way of life so totally Psy with no emotion, but the love of a good woman gradually changes him. It was great to see and I loved Brenna’s tenacity in going after what she wanted, even though she is wounded, too.

Pre-order your copy here or if you’d like to read excerpts Nalini’s website is here. The first two books in the series are Slave to Sensation and Visions of Heat. Caressed by Ice releases on 4 September - an auspicious day since it’s also my wedding anniversary.
Go on - try them. I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed

PS - check out Nalini’s blog and take part in the special quiz Nalini has designed to see which Psy/Changeling character you are…

I was fascinated by this story and the photos in my National Geographic newsletter today. It’s about bodies discovered in Denmark’s bogs, most of whom seem to have been sacrifices. Check out the photo of the man with the battle hairstyle and the one with the red hair. (They think the bog has made the man’s hair turn bright red)

This is the link here

Paige Tyler tagged me a few days ago.

1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts.
4. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

I’m feeling in a rule-breaking mood - lack of sleep makes me bolshy - so here we go…not following any of the directions. My middle name is top secret and you’ll never guess it in a million years. I’m going to use the first four letters of my first name since my middle name has four letters.

S - sometimes I’m Silly - just ask Mr. Munro and he’ll tell you.
H - I’m also Happy and a half-full glass kinda girl
E - I’m Enthusiastic and Energetic and Early rather than late
L - I love to Laugh. I like to Learn new things. I’m currently feeling Lazy and Lethargic.

And finally, I’m meant to tag four people - one for every letter - but my rule breaking is still in force. I’m not going to tag anyone unless they’d like to play. Let me know if you play so I can come and see. Tonight I’m a Rebel

No Thursday Thirteen for me today. I’ve been too busy working on Wanderlust edits. I’ve just sent them back to my editor, and I’m off to bed. My eyes are tired from staring at the computer screen all day.

Mr. Munro and I have started going for a walk after dinner. I’m not sure how long this extra exercise routine will last, but it’s actually quite nice walking briskly in the dark with the wee dog.

Paige Tyler has tagged me. Since my middle name is a highly kept secret I’m considering what to post. Watch this space.

Spice Briefs: Has anyone purchased/read the Spice Briefs by Delilah Devlin and Sarah McCarty? I downloaded them today and hope to read them during the next couple of days. I’m interested to see what they’re like.

And finally, in my monthly website update I’ve uploaded some new photos on my photo blog and added some new excerpts for my upcoming releases and a new article for writers.

TJ, my Dynamic Trio buddy has a new release. Go and buy it right now

Serati’s Flame by T. J. Michaels
Genre: Red Hots!, Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 1-59998-549-7
Length: Novel
Price: 5.50
Cover art by Anne Cain

For two Seekers of justice, hunting rogues is dangerous business. But not as dangerous as their yearning for each other.

There’s a rogue on the loose, and the Vampire Council of Ethics has just the man for the job. Alaan Serati, along with his team of elite fighters, is a Seeker for the V.C.O.E. The lethal vampire law enforcement assassin is also the most eligible bachelor of Clan Serati. His job: Take out the rogue vampire who killed his mate years ago. But working with a fellow Seeker quickly becomes a pain in his backside. How is he supposed to accomplish the mission if he can’t keep his mind or his hands off of his fellow officer?

For more years than she wants to remember, Tameth Serati-Cole has worked almost every day, side by side, with the gruff and gorgeous Alaan. It’s been hell considering the special bond between them, something rarely developed between mates. But Alaan doesn’t really want her. He’s still pining away for the woman taken from him years ago. So when he declares his need to bond with her, this lady Seeker ain’t biting…even if she’s wanted to since the day they met.

Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, and violence.

Read An Excerpt Online

Buy from MBaM!

Our little dog has become quite deaf, which is very frustrating when we’re out walking. We’ve discovered she can hear a whistle. That’s all very fine but my whistling skills are very haphazard. Sometimes, I produce a really great whistle that makes me proud, but other times it’s rather feeble or worse, just hot air. It makes for interesting times during a walk. I never know if my whistle is going to work or if I need to run after the dog instead. And I thought the reason for the outing was to walk the dog!!

My writing is going well. I’ve finished the first draft of my Harlequin book. It’s a bit rough but I have the framework of 45000 words to mould. I’m working on a Caveman story right now and intend to let everything else sit until I get back from holiday. I’m quite proud of myself - as long as I finish the Caveman story I’ll have four stories of varying lengths to edit and send off after my holiday. Let me pause and do a happy wiggle dance…okay…all done.

I’m off to do some more writing and then I intend to read. I have an ARC of Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh calling my name…