My two babies, Angel the dog and Mittens the kitty, playing together. Yes, they sleep together…sometimes. I think Angel bides her time to wait until I am not looking…

And AM, I am not the crazy cat lady. So what if she rides on my shoulder walking around the house and out to the van….and while driving to the vet…and home again. Not Polly wants a cracker…  Oh yeah, make the pussy jokes….

No wait, in Lady Sheba, Set calls Kat a nickname….Pussy Girl! My ex-fiance had a good laugh about that one saying something like, “Now that is a superheroine I want to see!” I had let him read the book as I wrote it. No, we weren’t together at the time. We found each other online a few years ago, and we still chat. I see him mostly on FB. He’s a big doof.

He is funny…and better off married to someone else. I like him better as a friend now than a lover then, even though there was something about him that just got to me. Can’t explain what it was. One of those smacked in the gut reactions. He was not handsome by any means (sorry John) but he had magnetism. That sense of I-have-to-touch-him-somehow type reactions. I loved holding his hand and just being held.   1–2–3  Awww.

I had a few boyfriends in the past, but I was never the one-night-stand type. I don’t see how sex can mean anything without love. Probably why I like romance so much. Had 3 serious relationships in my life, and they were one right after another. I broke up with my HS sweetheart (The Jerk), and took me a year to sample the dating pool again. First date: John. Then a few years of ups and downs, I broke up with him. (We broke up several times over the years, but the final time was me.) Two months later I met Mark…a frat brother of a friend’s bf…in a bar…playing darts…  Got engaged two weeks later. No, really. Shocker was I said yes.

So going back to the pussy joke. Er…Pussy Girl, probably not a good name. (Right up there with Pussy Galore.)

Meow. LOL

The kids have watched this about 100 times already. LOL

And I am officially DONE shopping. Yay!!!

To help get everyone in the mood. Grab your egg nog and listen to a classic by Bing.

(Holiday Inn, a great movie BTW.)

After being woken up at about 4:30 am this morning, it is no surprise that after dropping off the kids at school today, I went back to bed to catch up. (Little Lizzie had a bad dream and I couldn’t get back to sleep after that.) I just now got up, and only because Annmarie called. I think I heard the phone vibrate before that twice (or more), but I’m not sure. LOL  I was just so nice and comfy and warm.

I’m still working on my WIP, so it is coming along slowly. I’m at home writing today and probably all week. I have some holiday housework to do as my brother is coming on Monday night for the holiday. It isn’t too bad here, I moved my laptop out into the living room. I was beginning to feel like a hermit in my office. Besides, I can enjoy the tree out here. My kids have a little set up under the tree. Yesterday I had to put the ornaments they took off back on. (You know, the Hallmark ornaments like Scarlett O’Hara, Barbie, etc. I’m surprised they didn’t take off the Captain Jack ornament.)

Anyway I’m about to make a half of pot of Chocolate Truffle coffee and get down to today’s writing business. I think Mittens is happy I am up, she gets to play by the computer and tease the dogs. She’s going to town on a bell necklace the kids got at that jingle bell run. Let me tell you, I love this cat and she is soooooo spoiled. I totally needed her. And she needs and loves me too.

Okay, coffee time…and writing time…

Oh and a final note to one reader: Check your PO box.

Oh yeah, that is NOT a picture of my tree. I have an artificial one, and presents get delivered on Christmas, not before. I don’t think the kids could resist a pile like the one in the picture. LOL

I spend some free time surfing around Facebook these days, reconnecting with friends, etc. I widdled my friend list down from like 400+ to 190. How? I moved my writing “Marianne LaCroix” fans over to my Marianne LaCroix FB page. At least I invited them to join. Not all did. It is understandable, I don’t join many pages either. But the page was to seperate my writing promo stuff from my real life. I mean, I chat with cousins from NJ on FB, and I feel weird being a persona instead of myself…the real me who has the 7 year old twins who want to take a trip to Build a Bear, etc.

In other words, my FB profile is for personal stuff, friends I know, family, high school classmates, etc.(Technically, you aren’t supposed to use pen names on Facebook for profiles.)

Readers and writer pals (and whomever) who know me strictly as Mari, please come and join me at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marianne-LaCroix/52406722109 I have a blog and Twitter feed along with random postings of links, videos, songs, etc. Comments welcome.

Anyone in real life who knows me (and knows my real name) can friend me. (Search my real name to find my profile.)

In response to Annmarie’s comment, yeah, he has inspired the scene. I had been postponing the scene for weeks. But now…well geez, look at him. He could totally blindfold a woman and get her to follow him… He’s ruggedly handsome with a heart of gold, great sense of humor, and a down-to-earth personality. And über sexy.

Funny thing, I grew up watching his dad, Dave Roberts, on Philadelphia’s “Action News” as the weatherman. He just retired on Friday. (Everyone watched “Action News”. It is THE news program.)

I am not putting too much thought into posting at the moment, but I thought I’d repost something I wrote for another blog. Enjoy!

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REPOST OF “Keeping the Muse Happy“ from the Erotic Muses blog:

Posted by Marianne LaCroix

I don’t know about anyone else, but my muse is male. He sometimes changes in appearance, but he is essentially the same man–sexy, loving, dangerous, adventurous, naughty, creative, commanding, tender…and drool worthy on many levels.

He sits at my side and whispers into my ear more tortures to throw at my heroine. He teases me with his plots of seduction and makes me laugh with his jokes. I am totally in love with my muse. He is my dream man, my hero, my ultimate lover.

Trouble with a male muse is keeping him happy. Sounds silly, but it is true, especially for the erotic fiction writer who must think of new ways to tease and thrill the reading audience. In other words, creating a hero to seduce the heroine into red hot passionate situations and tempt her into giving up her heart for love.

So, how do you keep the muse happy? Listen to him. Pay attention to when he speaks. Surrender to his seductions and write them down. If you listen, you will discover inspiration.

A muse’s main job is to inspire the artist….be it a painter, sculptor or writer.  Mine happens to be male because sexy men inspire me. Come on, you see a man that revs your engines, and tell me you don’t immediately wonder what would happen if you went up and planted a kiss right on him. Don’t lie. You can lie to me, but never lie to the muse. Admit your attraction and excitement, and go with it.

Feed the muse by answering his one desire…to inspire. Ignore him, and you risk him leaving you. This is a terrible thing for the artist. Nothing is more painful than the want to write but having no inspiration to actually sit down and start typing. Beware, his vacation can take anywhere from days to years.

The muse can hit you at any time. Mine decided to come back several months ago after a long vacation. He is different in appearance, but I know him. He makes me take out my notebook and jot down ideas in a storm. He kisses my neck as I write, breathing his words into my ear. He is seduction. He is temptation. He is my wish.

Then once the book is done, he pleas to remain and be written in a new story.

Keep him happy. Listen to him. And get writing.

But most importantly, show your muse you love him with pages written from the heart. Nothing makes a muse happier than seeing the fruits of his magical inspiration.