Passionate Reads

I’m a child of the 90s…Mickey Mouse Club, what???

In more serious news: I am leaving the Passioante Reads group. I know, I know, you are going to be extremely sad to see me go. I’m sad to be leaving, myself. These women here are amazing women, and fantastic authors. But it’s time for me to go.

I am swamped with writing. This is a good thing though, right? Currently, I have my first mass market paperback (The Officer Says I Do) coming out July 3rd under my other pen name, Jeanette Murray. I hope you guys will give it a try, since it’s my same voice, just a little more sensual with the love scenes, rather than erotic. Still sexy, still sassy, just lowering down the heat a little.

If you want to come find me, I blog regularly at my website: www.jeanettemurray.com. I’m also on Twitter at @JeanetteMurray and on Facebook at Facebook.com/jeanettemurraybooks.

I really hope you keep up with me and my other pen name as I continue to write. KJ is getting a little rest, as she’s been very busy for awhile, but Jeanette has a lot of books coming out in the next year or two! I’ve loved being here and finding new friends, and I hope to keep up with you all!

KJ (Jeanette)

Got your attention yet?

Recently there’s been a bit of a, well, we’ll call it a brouhaha surrounding the White House and a sex scandal.

No. Not that one. A tad more recent.

Yeah, no. Not that one either. Unlike the Clinton scandal in the 90s, or Kennedy and his alleged affair with Marilyn Monroe, this one doesn’t directly involve the President or any of his aides or international celebrities.

It does involve…

Just google it. I won’t rehash here, because that’s not really the point. Needless to say…whew.

But this brought two very interesting topics crashing together: Sex and Politics. Two very polarizing items that people tend to have set views on. There are always political scandals. But it seems as though there are political scandals, and POLITICAL SCANDALS. And those in the latter category often involve sex…or the hint of sex. (Nudie pics, anyone?)

So I wondered how this mattered in the fictional world. Do you like to mix your sex and politics? Or do you want nothing to do with them in the same book? Would a romance with a politician just freak you out, or drive you insane with glee?

How do you want your sex? With a side of congress, or straight up?

KJ

Workout out? It sucks. I’ve never liked working out. I played sports in high school, but I still hated the conditioning aspect of practices. Never liked it. Dreaded it. We used to run up and down this hill, but we would have to do it 200 times. Or stairs, 400 flights.

(Is this the point where I mention that all those stairs and hills caused me to have knee surgery at 16? Yeah. I am hardcore against stairs. God gave us elevators for a reason, people.)

But now, as I realize that my twenties are slowly drawing to a close (I’m 28, if you were curious) I can’t rely on my charm alone. I need to be a more physically fit person, simply for health reasons. And also because I want to look good in a swimsuit.

I’m shallow, and also okay with it.

How do I intend to do this? Well you’re going to be privy to my first step: Visualization. I have found a motivational picture and I will be remembering this goal every time I am wanting to cheat, or quit, or just feeling like a slug and a lazy beast. What’s the goal? Here, I’ll share:

Fit, healthy, and not skinny. I think this is a decent goal. She’s not a waif-thin model who looks like she has breath mints for breakfast and ice cubes for lunch. So that’s where I’m going.

I know what you’re thinking. Great! KJ, you can totally do this! What a realistic, attainable goal! There’s no flaw in sight!

Oh, I have a flaw. See, I think the picture above is a nice goal to shoot for. The problem? I currently look like this:

Hey there, Sexy Pants

So…I’ve got some work to do. But I’m not giving up. It’s not just about the bikini (lie: it totally is) but it’s also about my health and doing the right things.

Being an adult is hard, y’all. I miss my metabolism at 17, where I could eat an entire bag of Doritos and not gain an ounce. Suck…

What’s your favorite weight loss or healthy lifestyle tip? I’m all ears!

KJ

So, I’m not a great housekeeper. I’m just not. I forget to clean things regularly, and generally only clean them when I can tell they need it. Like dusting. I don’t dust unless I’m sneezing a lot, or if I touch something and my finger comes back white. Then I think to myself “huh. Time to do that again.”

But organizing? I love it. I love labels and sorting and discarding and rearranging. So when Hubs took Tot out of town for 5 days, it was my chance to bust a MOVE on some projects I’d wanted to do!

Like the linen closet…

And the freezer…

And several more projects. But those were a few that I have photographic evidence of. It’s therapeutic, seriously, to just go through and take something apart and put it back together in a more enjoyable fashion!

I might be a nerd, but I’m okay with that! So, use this as your inspiration to start planning your Spring Cleaning, and go organize something!

KJ