Bio Fun Fact: Eagle's Cry

You know that long 'kee-eeeee-arr' sound that a Bald Eagle's make in commercials?

Like this one ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t68MYEXwsk0

That sound that has become an almost iconic Bald Eagle sound ... isn't actually an Eagle.  Bald Eagles have a weaker, whistling or thrilling call.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/sounds

So if it isn't a Bald Eagle, just what are you hearing?  It's a hawk of some kind, normally a Red-tailed Hawk.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/sounds

Behind The Cover Artist's Curtain

For a while now, I have been doing a series of posts on the Inside Books We Love blog about what goes into creating cover art (at least for me).  If you have any interest in a glimpse behind the scenes, please feel free to check them out.

The series of posts started with a brief run down of all of the aspects of cover art:
http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2012/03/behind-cover-artists-curtain.html

In the second post I addressed the dreaded Cover Art form:
http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2012/05/behind-cover-artists-curtain-caf.html

Then I moved on to Image Selection:
http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2012/06/behind-cover-images-selection.html

Followed by Cover Elements:
http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2012/09/behind-cover-cover-elements.html

Series covers:
http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2013/03/behind-cover-series.html

And then today's post - the X-Factor in covers:
http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2013/05/behind-cover-artists-curtain-x-factor.html

Next post I am going to look at Author Branding.

Also, I have done a couple other posts on various topics.

Top 5 Website Suggestions:
http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2012/03/website-suggestion-top-5.html

What's In A Biography?
http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/2013/05/whats-in-biography.html

I hope you enjoy my take on a couple of topics, and that you comment with your own suggestions for future posts as well as your thoughts on my posts.

Bio Fun Fact: Blue Lobsters

That's right, the lobsters that we consider a food of the rich (which used to be considered trash food, or food for the poor, and there were laws about how often someone could feed them to their servants) have a 1 in 2 million chance of a mutation that gives them blue pigmentation. 

It is a mutation that causes an overly large amount of a specific protein that combines with the red carotenoid molecule, turning the lobster blue.

For information on Toby, a blue lobster that found a home at the National Aquarium in Washington DC, check out: http://www.aqua.org/press/news/2012/12-6-19-blue-lobster-nadc 


Other color variation are:
Orange at 1 in 10 million odds
Yellow at 1 in 30 million odds
Orange and Black calico at 1 in 30 million
Split color varieties at 1 in 50 million 
White at 1 in 100 million odds

Info about the process by which lobsters get their color can be found here: http://freshscience.org.au/2009/1389

For you history buffs, check out the history of the Lobster here: http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=52

For more information on the biology of a lobster, check out: http://www.lobsters.org/tlcbio/biology.html

Facebook

I've created a page for myself on Facebook.  Go here to like me. ; )

What Is It?

Ok, here's a little fun post.  Can anyone guess what the authors are describing?

"A variable, transient peak sensation of intense pleasure, creating an altered state of consciousness, usually with an initiation accompanied by involuntary, rhythmic contractions of the pelvic striated circumvaginal musculature, often with concomitant uterine and anal contractions, and myotonia that resolves the sexually induced vasocongestion and myotonia, generally with an induction of well-being and contentment."

 ~ C M Meston, R J Levin, M L Spiski, E M Hull and J R Heinman 

Here's a couple quick definitions to help you out.

Motonia - muscle relaxation after contraction 

Vasocongestion - variation in local blood supply

So ... any guesses?

What's In A Biography

A couple days ago, I posted to the Inside Books We Love blog my opinion (as my alter ego Michelle Lee) of a good bio.

Here's the link if anyone is interested in reading it. : )

Here's a brief snippet ...

What's In A Biography

During a conversation at the RT convention, the topic of Biographies came up.  From there it got me to thinking about what makes a good biography (in my opinion anyways).

So I figured I would share my thoughts ... feel free to comment if you agree or disagree with me. : )

BIOGRAPHY DO'ES: 

1. DO write in third person.  I know, it may seem silly to write about yourself that way, but really - it just makes the biography sound better.  Just avoid the royal "we" where possible. : )

So instead of saying "I love to write ______", it should read "Michelle loves to write ________"

2. DO mention interesting things about yourself.  If you have traveled to an exotic place, especially if you found it inspirational, mention it.

To continue reading, visit Inside Books We Love 

Bio Fun Fact: Glowing Caves

Luminescent rocks aren't uncommon.  However these caves are glowing due to a living creature - a 'glowworm' (Arachnocampa luminosa).  

Bio-luminescence isn't a new thing in the animal kingdom. We see it in all kinds of oceanic creatures and some insects.

Despite the normal occurrence of luminescence and bio-luminescence in nature, these caves are just totally cool. : )

For more information on the 'glowworm' visit: http://www.waitomo.com/Waitomo-glow-worm.aspx

For more information on luminescent rocks visit: http://uvminerals.org/fms/luminescence

Images from: http://www.waitomo.com/

Captive Dreams

As you can see, the Captive Dreams blog has a new look. : )  It's so pretty!

I hope you like the new streamlined look of the blog.  I removed the things that were doubled up, and updated the links in the Websites, Find My Stories, and Other Blogs sections.

Blogs: Unleashed Ink and Captive Dreams

I have updated my Unleashed Ink blog.  New layout, new graphics, and updated posts.
http://unleashedink.blogspot.com/

I am hoping to start working on updating the Captive Dreams blog tomorrow.  I just have to decide exactly how I want to modify it to make it match my new website look.

RT 2013

With lab finals this week, I was unable to attend the whole RT convention, but I did manage to go up to KC on Friday night and stayed for Saturday.  I really wish I had been able to do the whole week - a lot of the workshops looked like they would be really interesting.

Friday night I had dinner with Jamie Hill and Jude Pittman of Books We Love.  We ate a wonderful steak dinner at Pierpont's, which is in Union Station.  Was real nice to get a chance to sit down and talk shop.  Had a fun slumber-party with the ladies on Friday night at the Sheraton.  Stayed up way too late talking.

Saturday we had a nice breakfast, and then Jude and Jamie headed out while I headed down to the book fair.  Was real nice to meet some of the authors I read.  Instead of taking my books with me, I made up some bookplates that were personalized for each book.  I only made up some for each author - I didn't want to push my luck by asking them to sign one for each and every book.  So I picked a series for each, and that's what I made up.

Among those I went there to see were: Shayla Black, Lauren Dane, Maya Banks, Jaci Burton, Angela Knight, Sylvia Day, Julie Ann Walker, Linnea Sinclair, Lora Leigh, Pamela Palmer, and Karin Tabke.

Was great to meet two of the three ladies who originally got me started in reading romance - Jude Deveraux and Julie Garwood.  Both were so gracious and sweet.

I also got to meet Rachel Kramer Bussell, who has just as big of a personality as I had heard.  It was so exciting to meet her.

After the print book fair, I checked out a fair put on by some Indie Pubbed authors over at the Marriott off of the Plaza.  Got lots of bookmarks and biz cards, and from that plenty of books to check out.

From there, I headed home. Was going to stay and attend a couple of the evening activities, but a friend of mine came into town and I wanted to get home to visit with her.

Updating the Zoo list

I have gotten a little behind in updating my Zoo list.  I've added a couple new ones since the last post.  They have a * next to them.

Central United States:

Sedgewick County Zoo - Wichita, KS http://www.scz.org/

Tanganyika Wildlife Park - Wichita/Goddard, KS  http://www.twpark.com

Kansas City Zoo - Kansas City, MO  http://www.kansascityzoo.org/

*Sea Life Aquarium – Kansas City, MO  http://www.visitsealife.com/Kansas-city/

Dickerson Park Zoo - Springfield, MO http://www.dickersonparkzoo.org/

St Louis Zoo - St Louis, MO http://www.stlzoo.org/

World Bird Sanctuary - St. Louis, MO  http://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org/

Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha NE  http://www.omahazoo.com

Eastern United States:

Knoxville Zoo - Knoxville, TN http://www.knoxville-zoo.org/

Louisville Zoo - Louisville, KY http://www.louisvillezoo.org/

Western United States:

SeaWorld - San Diego, CA http://www.seaworld.com/

Southern United States:

Miami Metro Zoo - Miami, FL http://www.miamimetrozoo.com/

*Miami Seaquarium – Miami, FL  http://miamiseaquarium.com/

SeaWorld - Orlando, FL http://www.seaworld.com/

Gulf World - Panama City, FL http://www.gulfworldmarinepark.com/

Busch Gardens - Tampa, FL http://www.buschgardens.com/buschgardens_default.aspx

*Florida Aquarium – Tampa, FL  http://www.flaquarium.org/

*Lowry Park Zoo – Tampa, FL  http://www.lowryparkzoo.com/

*Palm Beach Zoo – West Palm Beach, FL  http://www.palmbeachzoo.org/

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas - New Orleans, LA http://www.auduboninstitute.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Facility_Aquarium

Audubon Zoo - New Orleans, LA http://www.auduboninstitute.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Facility_Zoo

Out of the Country:

Belize Zoo - Belize, Central America http://www.belizezoo.org/

Exposed

With all of the re-releases I have coming out, please make sure you are checking my website for information before purchasing the stories.  It is really not my intent for you to purchase a story for a second time.

Exposed is available from All Romance eBooks and Smashwords, and will be at Amazon in a couple of days.  This short was originally published in the print anthology Naughty Stories From A To Z vol. 3, edited by Alison Tyler.

Buy from All Romance eBooks

Buy from Smashwords

At this time, my Renaissance eBooks titles have been pulled from publication.  I am working on editing them, and re-bundling them like with like. 

The three Bedtime Tales collections will be grouped together by sub-genre of masturbation, paranormal, and just plain sexy as hell.  A couple of the longer ones, or those with a specific theme will be released separately.

The MMF stories from Bi Sexual and Bi & Sensual will be coming out in one collection, and the MFF stories in another.

I am still deciding what I want to do with the MM and FF stories from the two Bi collections, and from Sapphic Visions.  Some of them are already available in my Naughty Appetizers collections.