Column: Birthday's ~ Wishlist ~ Help Wanted & Giveaway

Last weekend we were all summoned to the family mansion in order to celebrate my mother’s birthday. Now that she is a career woman my parents decided they wanted to celebrate big taking the kids out to dinner. Hubby and I packed up early Saturday morning and headed up north to battle with road blocks, traffic jams, four nervous dogs in the back and a hubby high on red bull. It is about a three hour drive, what for most is probably peanuts but in the Netherlands it is quite a drive. I packed Alyssa Day with Atlantis Unmasked and I quickly set myself up for some reading time. Now I never read in the car before but wanted to use these three hours well and with my notebook on my lap and with the book in my hands I started reading. I was quickly submerged in Alexios’ tale and with the second chapter I already found my first quote. Now I tried to pen it in my notebook but writing and driving isn’t the greatest combination. Every time I attempted to scribble something down it looked like some preschooler’s handy work LOL The ultimate moment was when hubby had to break for some a$$hole who cut in front of us and the pen drew a vertical line over the complete page. Glaring at the racing car I focused on Alexios again and by the time we drove up my parent’s driveway I was 90 pages in to the story. YAY for me and working my TRP!

Due to all the traffic jams we were a bit on the late side but in time for candles to be lit on the b-day cake. Now there comes a certain age for a woman not to have candles on her b-day cake anymore and my mother has reached that point. Still, the firefighters who came to the rescue formed one hunk-fest to behold –

I was already flipping my 5 euro bills when my mom elbowed me and apparently I was still high on car fumes, but what a mirage it was LOL

The whole family pitched in for the gift, because when my mother asks for a present you can bet it costs top dollar. Not that she isn’t simply happy with all of her kids dropping by but when it comes to her wish list she has expensive taste. We got her the best gift ever…an envelop with spending money. She has her eyes on a mall in Germany which exists exclusively out of interior design shops where she can go from dark emerald green accessories to burgundy red accessories in the house. A day of carefree shopping, now what woman, on any given age, doesn’t want that? I wouldn’t object for sure, give me a Barnes & Noble’s or Borders and a bucket of money and I am a very happy camper *wink*

Now going home means suddenly ancient rules go in to effect. I absolutely abhor doing the dishes, this is something that has become the task of hubby ~spoiled witch that I am~ but at home it is a golden rule; No one does the dishes just by him or herself, a rule born from the fact of eating with 7-9 peeps LOL. So when dad was doing the dishes I offered my help – I’m still shaking my head in disbelief - like I don’t have enough siblings to take care of that. And as oldest, you can pull rank, yes you can, I’m serious. No revenge of the middle sister going on in our family, no brother pulling pranks, nah-ah, I’ve got them all obedient and in awe of me….well, okay, in another lifetime perhaps LOL Rules like; Shoes go at a certain place, bed is made up in the morning and bathroom etiquette is maintained at all times. After living with my hubby for 13 years now my parent’s house rules are still golden and go in to effect from the moment I step over the threshold of their mansion.

Of course we had a blast during dinner, a little too much to eat, some men drank a little too much and of course stories as old as time got dragged from a past so long ago they are probably written in stone. I tried to be the family's photographer but unlike Ken, Barbie and their friends in my childhood times they do not sit, position and smile when I want them to…it is a nightmare to take a decent shot but I still luurve them all *wicked grin*

So as the birthday rush of my mother subsides the realization hits that my own birthday is about ten weeks away. Ten weeks when I hit the thirty-three years marker and my body cringes a bit…thirty-one and thirty-two years was like: Hey, I’m a young and hip gal in my early thirties but now thirty-three comes which isn’t all that far from thirty-five *eek* I made a promise to myself to love any age and see the challenge in each year but I have to get used to being thirty-three *cheeky grin* So in the upcoming weeks I have to establish a wish list for my family and friends to use but as a reader with about 700 books it becomes harder and harder to find new treasures, aside from keeping up with current series on the shelves….

So this is where you all come in with a HELP WANTED add from my side:

~Are you a voracious reader of any given age?

~Are you familiar with the historical/fantasy/suspense/paranormal/erotica romance genre?

~Is your secret identity that of a P.I. when it comes to finding wonderful (debuting) authors?

~You have knowledge of where the dark brooding, neanderthal like gentleman, uber hunk with bulging muscles and a bedroom athlete congregate?

~You think you can add something new to my bookshelves?

~You have qualities like; being susceptible to bribery. Because in return for your effort I will give a copy of an upcoming release of one of my favorite romance authors up as prize for any who can give me leads on new books and authors.

Please, feel free to leave me a message with your author and title who you think isn’t supposed to be missed on my golden-edged wish list *wink*

TIP: Historical romance novels demand an unusual storyline in the tradition of Anna Campbell, Sherry Thomas & Lisa Valdez. Ballroom display to a minimum for I have the Bar Cynster’s who keep me occupied there more than enough LOL

TIP: Fantasy needs a romantic element in them since my body demands that chocolate bliss in the end of a HEA, whether it takes one-two or five books!

The prize – which makes me feel like: come over to the dark side, we’ve got cookies – is: Nalini Singh – Branded By Fire (Berkley Sensation July)

The winner will be drawn on June 30th and a copy will be send upon release date. I look forward to all of your recommendations!