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December 25th -- Days of Self-Reflection

  Photo by Louis from  Pexels Hello,   It's Christmas! As my previous blogposts indicated, the holiday season provided me an opportunity to do some self-reflection. Below are topics that I wish to share with you -- my readers. December 4 th What does the holiday season mean to me? December 11 th What is the driving force in my writer's life? December 18 th In what area/s do I need to improve self-discipline? December 25 th What do I wish for today? After a long year when we've endured so much despair, I think it's only befitting to wish for the Coronavirus vaccine to reach as many people  as possible.  There's a rising concern about the U.S. receiving adequate dosages for all 50 states and surely, with the worldwide demand for the medicine, this is just cause for alarm. However, I trust that local and state governments are taking the necessary steps to ensure everyone who wants a vaccine gets it. As the vaccine continues to be rolled out cross country I can't he

December 18th -- Days of Self-Reflection

Photo by Louis from  Pexels Hello,   7 days till Christmas folks!  As my previous blogpost indicated, now that  the holiday season is officially here, I see this as an opportunity to do some self-reflection. Below are topics that I wish to share with you -- my readers. December 4 th What does the holiday season mean to me? December 11 th What is the driving force in my writer's life? December 18 th In what area/s do I need to improve self-discipline? This year I have really struggled with writing. In fact, I found inventive ways to avoid writing altogether: my car's trunk is a mess, I seriously need to re-arrange it, and my bathroom, well I just got it remodeled, surely I need to find the most perfect bathroom accessories, and what about my dear friend in Colorado, for pete's sake, I haven't talked to her in over a month, must call her tonight. Argh..so many excuses! So, in what area do I need to improve self-discipline? In the 'butt in chair' routine. The '

December 11th -- Days of Self-Reflection

Photo by Louis from  Pexels Hello,   Fourteen days till Christmas folks!  As my previous blogpost indicated, now that  the holiday season is officially here, I see this as an opportunity to do some self-reflection. Below are topics that I wish to share with you -- my readers. December 4 th What does the holiday season mean to me? December 11 th What is the driving force in my writer's life? I remember when I first knew I wanted to be a writer, I was 11 years old, and I had just read about a dozen of Barbara Cartland's romance novels (my grandmother’s stash). At the time, I'd fallen in love with the genre and the art of story writing.  Since the early days of writing, my driving force has been introducing sassy and unique characters into my stories. Not only are unique characters engaging, but they're also fun to write. In fact, it was several years into my writing that my 'driving force' was validated when I began receiving 'fan' mail, what an honor! J

December 4th -- Days of Self-Reflection

Photo by Louis from Pexels Hello friends,   I can’t believe Christmas is only three weeks away!   Even after this turbulent year of Covid19 I still think we all have many reasons to rejoice. A vaccine for Coronavirus is just weeks away from being introduced in the U.S., the weather in New York City has been mild so far, and well, the lighting of the Rockefeller Plaza Tree went without a hitch; albeit the celebration was much different than other years.   Now that the holiday season is officially here, I see an opportunity to do a bit of self-reflection and wanted to share with you – my readers – my thoughts.   December 4 th What does the holiday season mean to me? I know this is a cliché statement, but to me, the holiday season is a magical time and for more reasons than simply giving and receiving gifts. The holiday season is a magical time because it seems like we all just hit the pause button to reflect on our blessings.  The holiday season is also a time to think of oth

The Elevator Ride >>> a short erotic romance story - Part 7 of 7

The Elevator Rid e - a short story which was originally published in 2014 - has been converted it into a 7-part series. Today's installment is the last in this 7-part series. Thanks for reading! Maria **Disclaimer: This blog post contains adult language and content. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18 and may not be suitable for all adult readers. View at your own discretion.** Rex didn’t respond. This was dangerous territory. “I don’t have a condom.” “Rex, honey, I’m past baby-making years, so don’t worry.” Rex knew that in addition to the threat of unwanted pregnancy, STDs were also a risk, but at that moment all he wanted to do was fuck her brains out and bust a nut like no other. Consequences be damned. Mona raised one foot to the railing, opening herself to him. With her small hand, she guided his cock to her pussy, urging him to take her. Rex shoved her thong out of the way and slid his throbbing dick inside with one violent thrust, stretching her. “Oh” “Is that

The Elevator Ride >>> a short erotic romance story - Part 6 of 7

The Elevator Rid e - a short story which was originally published in 2014 - has been converted it into a 7-part series. The 7-part series will be shared as daily blog post each day of this week. Enjoy! Maria **Disclaimer: This blog post contains adult language and content. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18 and may not be suitable for all adult readers. View at your own discretion.** Mona plastered her body against his and ran her hands up his chest to join her fingers behind his neck. “How about you let me have that cock of yours?” Her lips trailed upwards and the tip of her tongue worked a sensitive spot near his ear. Girlfriend or not, Rex was no saint, never would be. What was more, he was horny as shit. So when Mona unzipped his pants, it was all he could do not to push her against the paneling and shove his dick inside her with a forceful thrust. Rex held himself in check, kept it cool. “You really want my cock, don’t you?” His lips brushed her earlobe and Mona shi

The Elevator Ride >>> a short erotic romance story - Part 5 of 7

The Elevator Rid e - a short story which was originally published in 2014 - has been converted it into a 7-part series. The 7-part series will be shared as daily blog post each day of this week. Enjoy! Maria **Disclaimer: This blog post contains adult language and content. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18 and may not be suitable for all adult readers. View at your own discretion.** Christ she’d been the best lay he’d ever had! Not that he would readily admit it, no way in hell would he give her that kind of power. “We screwed like a pair of sex-starved teens,” she interrupted his thoughts. “No point in being bashful about it now.” “I’m far from bashful,” Rex snapped “I’m just trying to figure out why you keep bringing up the Wichita incident.” “Why do you think?” Mona asked scathingly. Her abrasiveness was wearing him thin. Yes, they were both stuck in an ancient elevator, and yes, they were both hungry and tired, but her nasty attitude was unnecessary. “Why are you s

The Elevator Ride >>> a short erotic romance story - Part 4 of 7

The Elevator Rid e - a short story which was originally published in 2014 - has been converted it into a 7-part series. The 7-part series will be shared as daily blog post each day of this week. Enjoy! Maria **Disclaimer: This blog post contains adult language and content. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18 and may not be suitable for all adult readers. View at your own discretion.** Rex remained silent. He would never admit it to Mona but he and his buddies had concluded: Aimee was clingy. Unfortunately for him, Aimee was nothing like the girlfriends he’d had before and not at all like self-assured Mona. Why he compared Mona and Aimee, Rex wasn’t sure, but he did and often. Rex followed Mona’s movements as she set her designer bag and briefcase on the floor. “Wha… what are you doing?” he croaked suddenly. “I’m taking off my blazer,” Mona replied. She dumped the jacket on the pile at her feet. “Do you mind?” I mind very much! he wanted to shout. He thought that after th

The Elevator Ride >>> a short erotic romance story - Part 3 of 7

The Elevator Rid e - a short story which was originally published in 2014 - has been converted it into a 7-part series. The 7-part series will be shared as daily blog post each day of this week. Enjoy! Maria **Disclaimer: This blog post contains adult language and content. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18 and may not be suitable for all adult readers. View at your own discretion.** The one-night stand several months back had been more like an all night fuck fest , Rex recalled. That evening after three rounds of drinks at the hotel bar Rex offered to walk Mona to her suite. And not just because escorting her was the courteous thing to do, but also for selfish reasons. Mona was flirting all day and Rex had no doubt that Mona would be up for anything. Sure as shit minutes after they entered her suite Mona began to strip. Later inside the hot tub, she lowered her body onto the water opening her folds to the swirls of water. As the jets circulated and stroked her cunt she

The Elevator Ride >>> a short erotic romance story - Part 2 of 7

The Elevator Rid e - a short story which was originally published in 2014 - has been converted it into a 7-part series. The 7-part series will be shared as daily blog post each day of this week. Enjoy! Maria **Disclaimer: This blog post contains adult language and content. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18 and may not be suitable for all adult readers. View at your own discretion.** Mona rested her head against the padded wall and said nothing. Rex eyed her for a second then moved about the small confine. He loosened his tie. “Anxious to be off the clock, are you?” “I am,” he said flatly. Aimee’s insistent calls put Rex on edge or else he would never have suggested avoiding the crowded lobby by hopping on the freight elevator. “I do have a personal life, you know?” “Right, I almost forgot about your paranoid girlfriend.” Rex glared at her. “I noticed how often your cell phone buzzed,” Mona explained. Rex liked his job and the handsome salary. Mona was an excellent emplo

The Elevator Ride >>> a short erotic romance story - Part 1 of 7

The Elevator Rid e - a short story which was originally published in 2014 - has been converted it into a 7-part series. The 7-part series will be shared as daily blog post each day of this week. Enjoy! Maria **Disclaimer: This blog post contains adult language and content. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18 and may not be suitable for all adult readers. View at your own discretion.** “I can’t believe we’re stuck in here,” Rex exclaimed. “Still no cell reception,” Mona studied her phone. “You?” “Nope.” Rex turned to face her. “This is great!” he shouted his voice dripped with disgust. “Don’t worry. Someone will come get us.” “Don’t worry?” he repeated mockingly. “I don’t think so. We’ve been stuck here for ten minutes.” Rex banged on the doors. No response. “Relax.” “It’s difficult to relax when we can’t even let the hotel staff know we’re stuck here.” Rex glanced at Mona. Her eyes were glued to her phone screen. “After that dull workshop I sure as hell

Erotic Short Story - 7-part Series >>> 1 Week long

Photo by Ena Marinkovic from Pexels Friends, Pursuant to an article I read in the October Romance Writers Report (RWR), I decided to re-release a short story - originally published in 2014 - and convert it into a 7-part series. The short story called The Elevator Rid e will be published Monday-Sunday, beginning October 26. Thank you for reading. Maria

Is there a difference between the labels Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish?

Picture is from Our Lady of Mercy blog To commemorate the final day of National Hispanic Heritage Month, let me share this Good Housekeeping magazine article . Thank you for reading, and please share. Maria
Hello friends! Please join me in participating in this fun-filled blog hop. For your reading pleasure, below is an excerpt of my novelette Captive . Max gathered her close and quickly wrapped one strong arm around her. She yelped. “What are you doing?” “I’m taking what’s mine.” His right hand encircled her waist. His strong powerful arms around her felt glorious. He held her as if she were the most precious artifact. This is how it should always be with them. “You’re such a male chauvinist.” She teased. “I think you like it ,” Max said with a sly smile. Max ’s hands skimmed down her lower back. His eyelids lowered to slits over his enlarged, dark, lust-filled pupils.  In a brazen move, she slipped her hand and cupped him. A hissing sound emitted from him. This proved to her that Max was just as affected by her as she was by him. With his body, he guided her until she was up against his desk. “Your scent,” he whispered, “I know that aroma well.” With a slight tilt of his head, Max brush

COVID and Cupid

     Columbia Daily Spectator  Some of you may be surprised to learn that all throughout the Coronavirus pandemic single Americans took to online dating, yes, single Americans got creative and began virtual dating. So, while the pandemic brought us so much despair others found hope and real love. Months back, a television special showcased a woman who documented her experience with virtual dating. One of the many reasons why virtual dating - the woman pointed out - works is because virtual dating is fundamentally different. See, she discovered that virtual dating made her focus on a real conversation which allowed her to get to know the other person more intimately. If you ask me, finding your other half isn't easy so, anything that will give us an edge is worth trying, don't you think? For those who found love during this crisis, I'd love to hear from you! Be well friends, Maria

Netflix and chill

                        Photo by Dainis Graveris from Pexels Most young adults (under the age of 35) are very familiar with this pop culture reference. The middle-aged person I am, of course, I didn’t know what the terminology meant until two years ago, yes, I’m so over the hill.  Wikipedia explains: "Netflix and chill" is an Internet slang term used as a euphemism for sexual activity, either as part of a romantic partnership or as casual sex or as a groupie invitation. What I’m I getting at? The pandemic has changed every aspect of our lives and that includes, sex and dating. You may imagine that in today’s environment the Netflix and chill situation may not fare safe if it ever was considered safe. Recently, an email circulated among friends provided guidelines for safe sex in the age of Coronavirus. At first, I chuckled at the mention of self-pleasure, but really, self-pleasure is the safest sex around. As a public service announcement, please see below

New York writers: Got time on your hands? Camp Nanowrimo is around the corner.

Now, that most New Yorkers are confined to their homes, we have to think creatively and come up with ideas on how to keep busy. Personally, I’ve been able to keep up with my one-blog-a-week challenge (in March). If you happen to want to write more, consider signing up for Camp Nanowrimo , the program starts in April. Whether you’re writing, reading or just working on a DIY project, remember New York: we’re all in this together. #alonetogether Stay healthy and keep writing friends, Maria

Finding the motivation to write...

                         Photo by Claudia Barbosa from Pexels A lot can be said for writing through stressful times, like when a loved one is sick or worse yet, has died. Having lost two close family members back to back, I can say that those were the most emotionally exhaustive days of my life. And yet, even then I found comfort in writing. Whether you’re journaling or writing toward a deadline, let's consider writing as an activity that can help us cope and heal, or at the very least help us stay sane. And, yes, we hear so much in the news and wonder, how much worse can it get? The honest truth is that this crisis has had a tremendous negative effect on the U.S. economy. In NYC the subways are half empty, restaurants are deserted, and the lights on Broadway have gone dark. The Coronavirus has brought our lives to a standstill. But, please remember, this too will pass. As many experts suggest, in spite of social distancing, be sure to reach out to your loved ones by

Your writing process is unique as you

                         Photo by Leah Kelley from Pexels Years ago, I wrote for hours on end in complete silence, just my dogs by my side. In recent years, I have switched over to writing with background music. So, which one do I prefer? Both, actually. Writing in silence gave me a quiet space to think while listening to music helped stimulate my creative side. In the vein of uniqueness, there are also those writers who instead of writing at home prefer to write in coffee shops and/or libraries. There’s no one is better method, just different methods. It seems logical that we should all have our own style, yet, often we compare our processes to that of other writers.  What I think is important is that we continually assess our writing skills because understanding our strengths and weaknesses helps identify a path toward improvement. And so the sooner we can admit to a deficiency the sooner we can address it. Goal-setting can be an anxiety inducing activity, but devising

Leap Day 2020

I’ll tell you friends, yesterday – Leap Day – I spent several hours not only reading but also devising a new writing plan for 2020, what a great way to spend the extra day! In this revised plan of mine I'm dedicating more time to romance writing, journaling and submitting to magazines. Admittedly, I've been stagnant for a while and for my own sanity (as artists we need to give the creative outlet room, lots of room) I need to write and often. Adding to my excitement is knowing that the romance writing community is being revitalized; there’s light at the end of the tunnel, folks. In closing, I want to remind my followers that my quarterly newsletter will be published at the end of this month, so please subscribe if you haven’t already. Oh, and as a thank you for signing up you’ll be able to download a free flash fiction story. Happy Sunday! Maria

Legend of the Phoenix - to be reborn

In Ancient Greek folklore, a phoenix is a long-lived bird that cyclically regenerates. Associated with the sun, a phoenix obtains new life by rising from the ashes of its predecessor. Over the years, I have thought about this folkloric tale time and again. Perhaps, it's the thought of being reborn that makes the etymology so captivating. After all, who can honestly say they haven't thought about being 'renewed' at least once in their lives. This leads me to the subject of starting fresh. In the world of romance writing much has transpired in a sixty-day span (and yes, it feels like it's been much longer than that). One can only hope that what remains of our former agency can survive by 'rising from the ashes of its predecessor'.  The task of correcting systemic issues won't be easy and even more challenging: the task of restoring trust with the writing community, talk about a tall order. The optimist in me wants to believe that there's a g

Romance, she wrote.

My thoughts in a tumultuous time.. It is said that writers should write what they know, or what they can imagine. In my case, I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing romantic stories, so I’ve been doing just that, writing love stories for ten years now. Some stories were published and flunked, some were published and received praise, some even received awards. And all along the way, I relied on the support and encouragement of other writers in my writing community. But, now that this renowned organization – that was there to support and encourage romance writers – has fallen apart, I begin to question…well, a lot of things. Not all hope is lost, though. Most of us have fostered relationships with fellow writers and many of us have our own smaller writing communities, our inner circle: critique partners, beta readers, agents, other writer friends. We need to trust that these relationships will help us though this very tough time in romance writing history. Hold your writer fr

New Year | New Plans

Making New Year's resolutions is an age-old tradition.  In a recent study, researchers found that about 60 percent of us make New Year's resolutions but only about 8 percent are successful in achieving them. Are you curious to see how your resolutions stack up? Read on. Below is a list of the top 10 New Year's resolutions (according to a survey of 2,000 people) 1. Diet or eat healthier 2. Exercise more 3. Lose weight 4. Save more and spend less 5. Learn a new skill or hobby 6. Quit smoking 7. Read more 8. Find another job 9. Drink less alcohol 10. Spend more time with family and friends Do you have any of these resolutions on your list? Maria Source: www.inc.com