Shelley Munro Blog

Julia tagged me last week with a four things meme, so here I reveal all:

Four Jobs I’ve had;

1. Bank Teller
2. Accountancy clerk
3. Company Accountant
4. Barmaid

Four Movies I watch over and over:

1. Romancing the Stone
2. Love Actually
3. The Mummy
4. Ghostbusters

Fours Places I’ve Lived:

1. Te Kohanga, New Zealand
2. Tuakau, New Zealand
3. Taupo, New Zealand
4. London, Britain

Four Shows I Watch:

1. The Dresden Files
2. Supernatural
3. Outrageous Fortune
4. Shaun the Sheep - I can sing you the theme song.

Four Places I Have Been:

1. Rwanda
2. Iran
3. India
4. Cameroun

Four Favorite Things to Eat:

1. Chocolate
2. Pasta - vegetarian
3. Saag Panir - cottage cheese and spinach (Indian)
4. Fresh fruit and vegetables

Four Places I Would Rather Be:

1. Middlemarch, South Island, New Zealand
2. Samoa
3. Hawaii
4. India

Four Things I Look Forward to This Year:

1. Writing and selling!
2. Spending time with my husband
3. Meeting everyone at Nationals
4. Exploring more of USA

I almost forgot - I’m meant to tag four people as well. Consider yourself tagged - if you’d like to be it…

It’s no secret to my hubby that I love gadgets. When I say gadgets I mean little and big things that make life easier. They’re not necessities but rather luxuries. Recently we purchased an Ipod. It’s not an expensive one, but I’ve had a lot of fun working out how to use it. My favorite gadgets are my PDA, the Ipod, my alphasmart and my laptop. The jury is out on the PC at the moment since it’s misbehaving big time.

Recently my sister gave me this little gadget thingie that fits on the edge of a desk or table and you hang your handbag off it. Perfect for the conference. I’ll have to bring it to San Francisco with me.

Funnily enough, I don’t like gadgets in the kitchen, although I know you can get some great things these days. When it comes to cooking I prefer a hands-on approach and like to do things manually.

Are you a gadget person? What are your favorite type of gadgets?

My 70 Days of Sweat came to a halt late last week since I needed to do some edits. I think I’m at about 11,000 words to date. I’m not pushing too hard because I know from experience I WILL burnout if I don’t pace myself. Hubby keeps telling me to take things easy. Can anyone say grumpy when not writing??? Hubby has firsthand experience of this, hence his warning to chill. Anyway, I sent the edits off this afternoon and hopefully I can get back to Sven and the sweating thing tomorrow.

Lauren Dane, one of my Dynamic Trio buddies has sold another book to Berkley Heat. Isn’t that great? Hop over to her blog and congratulate her, and while you’re there check out the cover for Undercover. It’s beautiful and very sensual.

I’m guest over at Lillian Feisty’s blog today, talking about the use of condoms in fiction. What do you think about condoms and the fictional character?

I’d love to hear your opinion. Here’s the link.

Woohoo! Fancy Free is out today. I’m having a dreadful time posting anything on the internet tonight, so hopefully this post will work.

I’m a guest over at Danette’s blog today and I’m giving away a download from my backlist. Here’s the link.

Warning: Condoms were tested and a few harmed during the writing of this story.

It’s not every day a girl inherits a condom company, and to say accountant Alice Beasley is astonished and out of her depth is putting it mildly. For an almost virgin, she needs a quick education in all things condom because her inheritance is in danger. Someone is intent on sabotage and playing nasty, trying to destroy her new company.

Alice is suddenly getting down and dirty with charismatic James, the factory manager, all in the name of business, testing new condom designs. The sex is hot. Mind-blowing. It’s a dark thrill and an erotic journey. Yeah, it’s a hard job, but a girl’s got to do what a girl’s gotta do.

The testing turns personal. Alice wants James. She craves his talented touch and sultry kisses, she desires passion and physical pleasure on a permanent basis but first she must convince bad-boy James to give up his fancy-free ways…

Buy your copy here.

EXCERPT:

Read the rest of this entry ?

Mr Munro helped me draw the winners in my Fancy Free contests. Congratulations to:

Donna A - wins a download of Fancy Free

Danette - wins the prize for helping me promote Fancy Free

I’ve contacted both prizewinners.
Thanks to everyone for your interest in Fancy Free. It’s out tomorrow from Ellora’s Cave.

1. Condoms have been around since the time of the Egyptians.

2. During Roman times, a magic condom became popular. This condom supposedly protected the users from pregnancy and from evil spirits. To make a magic condom the woman collected a large handful of fur from a she-mule’s mane. During the foreplay stage, the man and woman wove a condom from the fur, which was then used during lovemaking.

3. Roman legions kept herds of goats for meat and milk. Some of the soldiers used the goat bladders or intestines for penis sheaths. Small pieces of leather or string held the condom in place around the top of the penis.

4. One size does not fit all. Correct condom use is critical in preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, yet an Indiana study found many men reported problems with the fit and feel of condoms. The range of condom sizes is limited yet men come in all shapes and sizes.

21% of men in the study reported the condoms were too tight.
18% of the men in the study reported the condoms felt too short.
10% of the men in the study reported the condoms felt too loose.
7% of the men in the study reported the condoms felt too long.

5. Condoms are currently made from three materials: Latex, Polyurethane and Lamb Skins.

6. Latex condoms are produced from natural rubber latex, derived from trees in Africa and Southeast Asia. It’s a very elastic material and can stretch to fit any size. Condoms are stretched and inflated to several times their natural size and shape during the manufacture and product testing stage. During trials they are put under more stress than they receive in sexual intercourse.

7. Polyurethane is stronger and thinner and has no odor or taste. It has only recently been used in the manufacture of condoms and is recommended for latex-sensitive users.

8. Lamb Skins are made from the intestine of animals and were one of the first forms of birth control. They have a natural feeling and although effective for birth control, the bacteria and viruses which carry STDs and AIDs can pass through the porous walls of the natural membrane. Only one company continues to make Lamb Skin condoms.

9. Condoms can be weakened by exposure to heat or sunlight or by age.

10. Don’t store condoms in wallets, they could get damaged or worn out from the heat of the backside of a person or the pressure from being squished so much.

11. Always check the expiration date. Condoms should come with an expiration date.

12. Condoms are 98 percent effective in preventing pregnancy when used consistently and correctly. Using a latex condom to prevent transmission of HIV is more than 10,000 times safer than not using a condom.

13. For a humorous look at condoms check out FANCY FREE, available tomorrow from Ellora’s Cave.

Blurb:

It’s not every day a girl inherits a condom company, and to say accountant, Alice Beasley is astonished and out of her depth is putting it mildly. For an almost virgin, she needs a quick education in all things condom because her inheritance is in danger. Someone is intent on sabotage and playing nasty, trying to destroy her new company.

Alice is suddenly getting down and dirty with charismatic James, the factory manager, all in the name of business, testing new condom designs. The sex is hot. Mind-blowing. It’s a dark thrill and an erotic journey. Yeah, it’s a hard job but a girl’s got to do what a girl’s gotta do.

The testing turns personal. Alice wants James. She craves his talented touch and sultry kisses, she desires passion and physical pleasure on a permanent basis but first she must convince bad boy James to give up his fancy free ways.

Note: condoms were tested and a few harmed during the writing of this story.

I’m busy with edits at the moment, so here’s a little snippet I found on my ISP’s home page.

According to a major survey of US experts, the best sex should last between seven and 13 minutes, and even three-minute sex is “adequate”.

Sex therapists in Australia say most men want sex to last much longer while women weren’t bothered if it was over with fast.

The study was published in the international Journal of Sexual Medicine and was designed to help calm couples’ unrealistic beliefs that healthy sex should last a long time.

You can find the full article here.

Interesting, but I can’t see this theory catching on in erotic romance where longer love scenes definitely work better.

I’ve been thinking about women and politics recently - for two reasons. One, Hillary Clinton is currently campaigning and two, New Zealand has elections this year. Our current prime minister is Helen Clark. Ms. Clark is New Zealand’s second female prime minister.

New Zealand’s ten-dollar note bears a picture of Kate Sheppard. To be honest, I don’t ever remember learning about her in history at school, and I actually liked history so I’m sure I didn’t forget. But Kate Sheppard is an important New Zealand figure and her efforts were far reaching.

Kate Sheppard was the driving force behind obtaining the vote for women in New Zealand. For a little country we’re very progressive. We were the first country in the world to award women the legal right to vote. Before 1893 only men over the age of 21 could vote.

Kate Sheppard was born in Liverpool, England and came to New Zealand in 1869 with her mother and other family members. When she was 24 years old she married Walter Allen Sheppard, a storekeeper in Christchurch.

In 1885 she joined the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. (An organisation of women formed to work towards moderation or restraint in things, especially drinking alcohol.) Kate became the leader of the fight to win the right for women to vote in elections. She organised petitions to Parliament asking for the right to vote for women and persuaded Sir John Hall, a leading member of Parliament, to support them. She wrote a pamphlet called Ten reasons why the women of New Zealand should vote to support the campaign. The suffrage bills were defeated in Parliament in 1888, 1891 and 1892, but despite this Kate continued the campaign for the vote. She used public meetings and letters to the newspapers to gather support, and her last petition to Parliament had nearly 32, 000 signatures on it.

Finally, on 19 September 1893 women were finally given the right to vote in elections. When the next general election was held ten weeks later, 65% of New Zealand women over 21 voted. New Zealand had become the first country in which all women had the right to vote.

Kate Sheppard later travelled overseas to England and America to help the campaigns there. She died in July 1934.

Source: Christchurch City Library

I think Kate Sheppard was an amazing woman. She believed women should take part in society and politics, rather than stay in the home and she believed that woman could not make any of the changes needed in society without first winning the right to vote.

So next time there’s an election, no matter how big or small, think of Kate Sheppard and her friends who helped women world-wide obtain the right to vote. Exercise your right. Vote and have your say.

Yesterday I, along with countless other writers, started on the 70 Days of Sweat challenge. This is my first time and so far I’m doing all right and have written more words than I normally would. Here’s hoping I can keep it up because I know I have some edits on the way. Is anyone else doing the challenge? Let me know if you are. I like to know my fellow sweaters.

On Friday I fell off my bike. My left knee looks like I’ve attacked it with a grater while my right leg is sporting four fist-sized bruises. Yep, looking pretty colorful today. On Saturday my knee was painfully sore but today I’m feeling much better and walking normally again. It’s fine as long as I don’t make any sudden moves. My bike tire caught the lip of the footpath after I’d passed an elderly gentleman and over I went. The man asked me if I was okay and picked up my bike for me before hurrying off. I think he thought I might cry. I didn’t but I said, “Bugger” twice - the extent of my swearing. So, my lesson learned - watch out for lips on pavements. Unfortunately, all the new footpaths have a few inches drop down to the grass and it’s not always easy to avoid them.

Today I’m giving away a download of Playing to Win over at The Romance Studio.

And another CONTEST: Win a download of Fancy Free. Read the excerpt on my website and answer the following question. What stopped James and Alice from making love? Email your answer to shelley munro@ gmail.com (no spaces) and I’ll announce the winner on 6 March.

And that’s all the excitement at the Munro house. Oh, apart from the fact I’ve finally purchased an Ipod. It’s only a 1GB one but they were so cheap hubby and decided we might as well buy it. I have my songs loaded up, heavy on the NZ music, and I’m good to go. Life’s good.

What are you up to this week?

ALICE BEASLEY says:

The reading of my god-mother’s will shocked me speechless. I assumed I’d inherit money or jewelry. A condom company came way down the bottom of my list of expectations! Who’d have thought? My god-mother offered me a share in a condom company or a small monetary inheritance. My boyfriend, Steven wanted me to take the money and run. Me—I saw possibilities, the answers to making my dreams come true. We fought about it. Embarrassing? Oh, yeah. We were the center of attention and there were quite a few sniggers from the other occupants of the hall.

I think I stepped into an Alice in Wonderland type rabbit hole on arrival for the reading of the will, not a plain old town hall. I caught sight of this man. Tall, dark and sexy. I dubbed him Mr. Dashing, and spellbound, my attention kept wandering to him. Imagine my blush when I discovered I’d have to work with him at the condom company. Things went downhill from there. Steven left Sloan in a huff because I wouldn’t follow his orders and two weird women accosted me shouting anti-condom slogans. Luckily, they didn’t seem violent but they gave me two business cards, one bearing a clown and the other a dog. Goodness knows what they mean. Life in Sloan looks as if it might be interesting, but I’m a bit wary about condoms. After all, it’s not as if I have experience in that arena…

JAMES BATES says:

I can’t believe Alicia expects me to train this girl. And Alicia’s death couldn’t have come at a worse time. Someone is out to sabotage Fancy Free. It’s been one thing after another. Financially, we can’t take much more. I hope the new design goes well because the company sure needs the boost of funds.

Will Alice and James make a good team? Will she make up with Steven? How do they test the condoms? And who is out to destroy Fancy Free?

Read Alice and James story in FANCY FREE by Shelley Munro to discover all the answers. Available from Ellora’s Cave on 7 March 2008.