We’re all readers first. For me as a reader, the best erotic romance is raw, darkly seductive and intensely emotional.

I spent a few hours this afternoon roaming the Amber Heat and Amber Allure websites and updating my wish lists. Reading excerpts is a great way to select new books, and I wanted to highlight two exquisite snippets that took my breath away. As a reader, this is the type of stuff that has me reaching for my credit card.

From Vivien Dean’s STILL, LIFE

From his seat on the small couch, Joe drank in the broad expanse of Israel’s back, outlined against the gossamer curtains at his hotel suite’s wide window. The edge of a black tattoo snaked beneath the collar of Israel’s T-shirt, unseen, unknown. At some point in the last eighteen years, he’d inked his skin. Joe would bet everything he had Israel had created the design himself.

This passage tells us so much about the characters, and provides a great anchor into the setting as well. We know exactly where we are, who we’re with, and that something sexy and intense is about to happen here. And we want to watch…

From Penny Dawn’s THE FORGOTTEN LORE
Here’s an example of some of the hottest, most sultry dialogue I’ve ever read. Can’t you just feel the scorching heat between these two?

She caught her breath, but found herself nudging closer to him all the same. “You can’t want me,” she whispered. “It isn’t decent.”

“I want you because no one has had you. I want you because I, too, deserve what I’ve existed without for the entire twenty-six years of my life.”

And later…

“I want you because you don’t want me,” he said.

“I want you.” The words escaped in a careless whisper. “But that’s neither here nor there.”

His lips brushed against hers. “I want you, Lady Tiffany, despite knowing better than to take you.”

I’ve just added two new books to my “must have” list. What about you? What books have you added to your wish list lately? And what drew you to them?

I’m a sucker for a fun quiz. Most are mildly entertaining, yet I’ve found very few to be as accurate as this one. I’m born under a Cancer sign, but I certainly didn’t expect it to guess that from my physical appearance.

Try it. You might be surprised, too!

You Look Like a Cancer

It’s likely you have a bit of a baby face. People think you’re younger than you are. You have prominent cheeks and a very expressive jaw. You usually have a big smile.Your feet and hands tend to be a bit small compared to the rest of you. Not that the rest of you is all that big. You’re probably a bit shorter than average.Like most Cancer people, you are probably incredibly compassionate and kind. You have a big heart. You are also shrewd, intuitive, and wise. No one’s going to take advantage of you.

*sigh* Yep. Pretty. Very, very pretty.

James Franco was recently interviewed by BlackBook Magazine, who were kind enough to share this picture for our viewing pleasure. Yum.

I was surfing the ‘net aimlessly, looking for gift ideas, when I (accidentally — I swear!) stumbled upon this:

Natural Harvest – A Collection of Semen-Based Recipes
Semen is not only nutritious, but it also has a wonderful texture and amazing cooking properties. Like fine wine and cheeses, the taste of semen is complex and dynamic. Semen is inexpensive to produce and is commonly available in many, if not most, homes and restaurants. Despite all of these positive qualities, semen remains neglected as a food. This book hopes to change that. Once you overcome any initial hesitation, you will be surprised to learn how wonderful semen is in the kitchen. Semen is an exciting ingredient that can give every dish you make an interesting twist. If you are a passionate cook and are not afraid to experiment with new ingredients – you will love this cook book!

I consider myself a “passionate cook who’s not afraid to experiment with new ingredients,” but really… semen?! In food?! On purpose?!

The mind boggles.

Uhh… in the spirit of sharing and all, I suppose I should provide a link:

http://www.lulu.com/content/4956212

Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

You’ve heard the arguments: romance is unrealistic. It sets wild expectations for modern-day folks who will never have that happily-ever-after experience. It’s not possible in our chaotic world. To that I say, bull!

Want proof?

“When Herman Rosenblat was a teenager, he was in a Nazi death camp in Schlieben, Germany. Roma Radziki, a girl a couple years younger, worked at a farm outside the camp. The two saw each other on opposite sides of the fence one day and Roma threw Herman an apple. This continued every day, but the two never spoke because they were scared the guards would see them. Then, one day Herman told Roma she wouldn’t see him anymore. He thought he was going to die, but then the Russians came in and liberated the camp, and Herman ended up going to London to be an electrician. Meanwhile, Roma went to nursing school in Israel. Later, Herman moved to America and a friend told him he wanted to fix him up on a blind date. Reluctantly, Herman went, and as he and his date talked about their wartime experiences, Roma mentioned throwing apples over a fence to a boy. Herman said, “That was me” and proposed to her that night. Two months later she accepted, and this year, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.” [The Frisky]

Talk about beating insurmountable odds! And concidences galore. If I tried to write the blind date scenario, readers would probably toss the book against the wall for being unrealistic. But truth really is stranger than fiction… and romance, in all its wild, wonderful and unpredictable glory, really does exist.

This is an actual item from a 1950’s issue of Popular Mechanics.

SOURCE For anyone who can’t quite make it out, the text reads:
“Because everything in her home is waterproof, the housewife of 2000 can do her daily cleaning with a hose.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m suddenly disappointed that with all our technological advances, we still haven’t created the waterproof home.*sigh*

At least I still have a maid who comes in every two weeks, saving me from having to clean anything myself. She can’t just hose down my furniture, but she does a pretty good job anyway.

We’ll see what the next 50 years bring. I’ll continue holding out hope that in the future, all my furniture and electronics will be waterproof, as promised.