HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! It's a day for Wacky Sappy Love Poems, and a visit from the HEART!

by Jeanne Adams

Hi everyone! Happy Valentine's DAY!!!!! Today, we're going to have a TON of fun, and learn some things too.

Oh, and did I mention prizes and prezzies? Grins.

We'll have those too. Make sure you get your pencil sharpened and your mind in gear, because it's WACKY SAPPY LOVE POEM DAY! (there are some terms and conditions for winning, so you have to wait for the next bit to see how to play....)

As most of you know, it's alllll about the HEART around the Lair. Broken hearts are mended, singed ones (watch out for Ermingarde!) are healed, and there's always a happily-ever-after in our favorite romance novels and in the Lair.

That's what happens when you're a Romance Bandit or Bandit Buddy! Grins.

But in "real life" hearts are not always hurt by love, bad boys, rakes, dangerous dames or rambling roues.

Sometimes, it's genetics. Or maybe in some cases, it's our lifestyles that do damage to our hearts.

Here to talk to us today about HEARTS and heart health is Dr. RoseMarie Robertson, Chief Science Officer for the American Heart Association!

WELCOME, Dr. Robertson! (Dr. Robertson will be joining us LIVE at 11 a.m. ET, USA, to answer YOUR questions!)

I first heard Dr. Robertson speak at RWA National last year. And her advice and information about women and heart health bowled me over. There were so MANY things I didn't know about heart disease.

For instance, did you know, heart disease - NOT breast cancer! - is the NUMBER ONE killer for women, at any age? Oh. My. Goodness! I certainly didn't know that! And did you know that women's symptoms are totally different than men's?

None of that sterotypical chest-clutching for the ladies, thank you very much. It's more about dragging fatigue and upper abdominal indigestion.

Subtle, just like most of us ladies prefer - but dangerously subtle in this case, right, Dr. R?

Dr. R - That's right, Jeanne. Most heart attacks are NOT what you see in the movies! They're usually not so painful that you fall to your knees, clutching your chest. They're quite often "pain you feel you could put up with" - especially if, like many women, you've had other episodes of pain that eventually went away and didn't do you harm - like severe cramps or even childbirth.

But both men and women most often have typical sypmtoms. Those include: discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, tightness or pain. It can also involve one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or abdomen. Shortness of breath is also a symptom, with or without chest discomfort. Other signs - some of them the subtle things you referenced - are breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.

As many as 1 in 4 heart attacks may occur withouth ANY pain, especially in patients with diabetes or older people. Since women, on average, have their heart attacks at an older age, as I mentioned, the're more likely to have one of these "painless" heart attacks, with just unexplained shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness or a cold sweat. Or even just unusual and sudden fatigue.

But these can happen in younger individuals too, so don't ignore these symptoms!!! The big difference is that the symptoms of a heart attack tell you that you're losing heart muscle every minute they go on. They mean "CALL 911! NOW!!"

Dr. Robertson, isn't it true that women are more likely to die from their first heart attack? Why is that?

Dr. R - Over the past decade we've done better in preventing or delaying heart attacks, and both women and men who have them have a much better chance of surviving, especially if they get to the hospital early so we can stop it in its tracks. However, if you look at all the deaths that occur over the year after a first heart attack, it's true that women are at higher risk. About 26% of women will die, as compared to 19% of men. That's at least in part due to the fact that women are older on average when they have their first heart attack, by somewhere around 6-10 years. The risk is always greater when you're older.

Eating a great diet and keeping the chocolate, wine and rich foods in moderation are all heart-smart things to do, but what are some good heart-healthy foods TO eat?

Dr. R - A heart-healthy diet is full of delicious foods! I start my day with strawberries, raspberries adn blueberries, or sometimes a banana on my whole grain Cheerios or eat that fruit alongside some whole-wheat toast or a whole-grain bagel. Some smoked salmon on that bagel is delicious and gets me half a serving of omega-3-rich fish too! If I want something warm on one of these wintry days, I'll substitute oatmeal for the Cheerios or I'll toss some egg whites or egg substitute in a pan with some low-fat shredded cheese (with just a pinch of double Gloucester or parmesan on top for some intense flavor!) and some mushrooms and spinach or other green veggies, grated or in small pieces. If I put it under the broiler, it's a frittata, if I fold it up, it's an omelet! Since it's hard to predict meals when I travel, I always take a plastic baggie or two of cereal, usually with some dried fruit, so I can have a healthy snack and NOT be tempted by the mini-bar! And that's just for breakfast!

Of course you should get your veggies too - that spinach I mentioned - or dark greens like kale or broccoli, or even lovely red beets. You can go to http://www.heart.org/ and search Nutrition for more tips!

YUM!!! All foods I love...well, maybe not the beets, but hey, that's just one that I won't eat. The rest? Yum. Gotta say I love the chocolate and wine, of course, though I prefer white. Grins.

(For those who love lists, WebMD has a list of the Top 25 Heart Healthy foods here: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/25-top-heart-healthy-foods )

They say laughter is the best medicine, and we do love to laugh around here. Which is why, of course, we’ve got Wacky Sappy Love Poem Day going for Valentines, and we want Dr. Robertson to be the judge for us.

Dr. Robertson, feel free to jump in and comment on the mayhem when you sign in!

Besides keeping a great sense of humor (and visiting the Romance Bandit’s Lair) what are some of the most important lifestyle changes that people should consider to be heart healthy? I’m sure stopping smoking is one…

Dr. R - Absolutely! Stopping smoking is the top of the list, since it's a huge risk factor. That's especially true if you use birth control pills - the combination raises your risk 35 times normal! Quitting can make an equally dramatic change for the better.

One simple thing to do, especially now that spring is finally on the way, is to get moving. Walk for 15 minutes a day, then move it up to 30 minutes. Make healthy food choices - a diet rich in fruits, veg, whole-grains, two servings of fish a week, cut back (or cut out) high-fat, high cholesterol foods, get lean protein with sodium no more than 1500 mg a day if you can. Portion control is key! You can check on how you're doing, and get great hints from the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women program at http://www.goredforwomen.org/

Thanks for these top-tips, Dr. Robertson! We’re so happy to have you with us today. Are there other things you’d like to have our (mostly) female audience know? What about our guys?

Dr. R - Our guys are very important to us! And we've got some help for them as well. In fact, the AHA's MyLifeCheck is a great tool for both men and women. Try it out at http://MyLifeCheck.heart.org/ and see what you can easily change to improve your odds of living a strong and healty life, free of cariovascular diseases and stroke!

(Remember, Dr. Robertson will be with us LIVE at 11 am, so post your questions along with your poems...)

And now...Da RULZ for Wacky Sappy Love Poem Day! Give us a poem, haiku, cantrip, rhyme or verse using the following:

It has to have: Heart, Love, Healthy

And one or more of the following: Go Red, Red Dress, vegetables, fruits, (or named fruits or vegetablesm i.e. strawberries)

SO, the other thing is....GO RED!!!

At the end of the day, Dr. Robertson will pick FIVE winners!

Oh, you want to know about the PRESENTS?
That would be a GO RED Backpack filled with GO RED and Romance Bandit goodies, for one poster, AND cool magnets, heart-healthy cook books, and other prizes for the other four.

So rock on you Valentine's Poets, rock on!
Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/American%20Heart%20Association
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On the Hunt for a Crystal Skull

posted by Nancy
I'm happy to have bestselling author Jessica Andersen back in the Lair. Jessica is the author of the hot, enthralling paranormal romance Nightkeeper series. She has also written more than twenty category romantic suspense novels, which have been nominated for the RITA award and RT Reviewers Choice award.

Today she'll tell us about her Nightkeepers-related novella, CRYSTAL SKULL, in the new On the Hunt anthology.

Welcome, Jessica!

Hey, Banditas, and thanks for having me out again to talk about running, screaming, sex, the end of the world, Mayan archaeology, and more sex ;-) This week I’m celebrating the release of CRYSTAL SKULL, the first (and only) novella in the Nightkeepers’ series, which is part of ON THE HUNT, a fabulous anthology with stories also from Gena Showalter, Shannon K Butcher and Deidre Knight.

Without further ado, on to the questions!

Who are the Nightkeepers, and how does this story fit within their continuity?

The Nightkeepers are the last survivors of an ancient race of magi sworn to protect us from the doomsday foretold for 12/21/2012. But as we get closer and closer to the end date and the danger ramps up, the Nightkeepers are desperate for reinforcements.

CRYSTAL SKULL falls outside the main storylines of the Nightkeeper books, but it feeds into the next big book, STORM KISSED, which will be out in June 2011. So if you’ve never read a Nightkeeper book before, you can totally pick up CRYSTAL SKULL without missing anything … but if you’re a Nightkeeper fan, you’ll get a couple of the inside jokes.

What's your personal grounding in Mayan culture?

When I was an annoyingly bright little kid (you know, the kind who finished the year’s work in the first few weeks, got bored, and started disrupting class), the school was more than happy for my parents to take me away for a few weeks every spring, down to the Yucatan. I kept a journal and did a presentation when I got back, and each year I got to talk about a different set of ruins we’d been to. Those experiences have always stuck with me, and I try to bring the sense of wonder I felt back then to the books as I write them now.

Who are the hero and heroine?

The hero, JT, is both a protector and a loner. He’s been down in the rainforests of the former Mayan Empire for years, fighting vampire demons who are coming through one specific ruin. When gorgeous lady archaeologist named Natalie rolls into town, JT convinces the locals to let her team excavate, hoping to find the hellmouth the vamps are coming through. He never expects to fall for her, though … or to discover that they’re connected by far more than scorching chemistry.

Can we see an excerpt?

Sure thing!! Here goes …

The instincts Natalie had been ignoring suddenly lashed at her, through her, bringing images of jaguars and the recent livestock kills in the area. She was a woman alone, unarmed. Stupid move, Nat. Her heart lurched into her throat as she lunged for the Jeep, and the weapon within it.

She was a few paces short of the vehicle when a dark blur erupted from the greenery and slammed into her, sending her crashing into the side of the Jeep and then down. High-pitched squeals battered her eardrums, making her head ring, and she screamed as a dark-furred, red-eyed creature leaned over her, its batlike face splitting into a three-cornered leer of moist, inhuman hunger that she had seen before, carved in stone.


Camazotz!

Instead of arms, it had elongated wings with tattered sails and wickedly barbed claws at the ends of the bony struts. Its dark brown, almost black skin was covered with patches of mismatching fur, and it smelled terrible, like a rotting animal carcass. The miasma brought tears, though not before she saw up close and personal that it was male.

Panicked, she tried to worm her way under the Jeep, screaming, “Help me!”

A pair of claws hooked her arm, dragged her out. Pain slashed through her. Terror. Sobbing, she kicked at the creature, but caught only air as it hauled her upright, screeching almost above the level of her hearing.

Its mouth split wide, revealing a black cavern of a throat framed by long, curved teeth.

“Help!” Natalie thrashed against the creature’s hold. She was all alone, in the middle of nowhere, JT wasn’t home, and—

Automatic gunfire slammed out of the nearby forest and into the bat creature.

The bullets ripped into the thing’s upper body, blowing back a spray of blackish blood and chunks. The creature reeled and dropped her. But incredibly, horribly, it spun toward the new threat as black ichor rained down from its wounds.

Seeing the flash of a weapon and the curve of a man’s shoulder in the forest, Natalie scrambled up and screamed, “Kill it!”

“Get down!”

She flung herself flat as a heavy thump split the air and a fist-size missile caught the creature in the midsection and then detonated. Hot, oily black sprayed and the thing flew backward and went down in a limp mass.

“Oh, God. Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God.” Natalie lurched to her feet as her rescuer emerged from the rain forest, cradling a big double-barrel across his body.

On one level she recognized JT; she knew his voice, knew the way he moved. On another level, though, the man who stepped out of the shadows and into the fading sunlight was a stranger.

The JT she knew was clean shaven, well dressed, a strangely urbane oasis in the middle of the tropical wilderness. The JT who faced her now shared the same powerful five-ten frame, skull trim, and cool gray eyes. But he wore several days’ worth of scruff and hard-used bush clothes, and his body was strung bandolier-style with an arsenal of weapons and ammo. He carried himself with the tough purpose of a soldier, moving on the soundless feet of a hunter. And he had just saved her butt.

He once told her the guns in his foyer were for hunting the occasional man-eater among the big cats in the area. Now she knew different.

“Chan camazotz,” she whispered the nickname the villagers used for him. Death-bat killer. She had thought it was a metaphor.

Apparently not.

His eyes were hard and hot, almost feral. “Did he get you?”

A harsh, ugly sob ripped itself from her chest. “That was . . . It was . . . Oh, JT!” She flung herself at him.

He caught her, his arms banding around her with crushing force. Relief poured through her as she burrowed into him, feeling the solid strength of his muscles and the way her body fit against his. His warmth surrounded her, and his voice rasped as he said her name, over and over again, into her hair. At first she thought she was shaking with fear and shock. Then she realized she wasn’t the one shaking.

“JT?” She pulled away a little so she could look up at him. “What—”

He interrupted her with a kiss.

There was nothing soft or urbane about his lips on hers this time, nothing civilized about the way he crushed her mouth with his, the way he gripped her. But she was suddenly hanging onto him just as hard.

What's up next for the Nightkeepers?

STORM KISSED is next up—it’s the story of the strongest and toughest of the magi to date: big, bad Snake Mendez, who prefers to be called Dez and may or may be a new man since his release from prison and selection as a super-powerful Triad mage. He’s got one soft spot, though, in the form of former bounty hunter Reese Montana, who was his first and only love … and was responsible for his incarceration. These two have some serious chemistry going for them, along with some major issues. And can you say hot? Wheee….

Anyway, thanks so much for having me on today, Banditas! Best of luck rooster hunting, and I’ll see you in the comments!

We love having you! Wow, that looks hot! And the cover is red, in keeping with our theme this month. How handy . *g*

Jessica is giving away one copy of ON THE HUNT, signed by her but not the other authors, and a copy of: 2012 End of the World Calendar. This is the description she sent me of the calendar:

The Last Calendar You Will Ever Own

A 23.97 month calendar packed with digital artwork from all over the world. Features a countdown to the End of the World, prophecies, and information regarding December 21, 2012. Any theories or predictions you may have heard are explained here: Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, Time Wave Zero, Webbot, Pole Shift, World War III, The Bible, Solar Flares, Gamma Ray Bursts, Global Warming, Cataclysm, Planet X, Hopi Prophecy, Dead Sea Scrolls, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Rapture, and much more.

This calendar is HUGE! There are 52 pages total and it measures 12x12 which opens up to 12x24. Ironically printed on Eco Friendly paper, and coated with Matte Aqueous (AQ) Coating for protection. There is no other calendar out there quite like this. It's the perfect holiday gift for any 2012 enthusiast.

So tell us, would you go searching the jungle for a rare artifact, or would you rather search via Google? Who's your favorite fictional archaeologist? Who's your favorite Nightkeeper or winnikin? Feel free to ask Jessica any questions that come to mind, too.

Don't forget to check out the Healthy Heart tip and free book opportunity below.



The healthy heart tip for February 2 is: Quality time is one of the most meaningful gifts. Bundle up and plan an active outing such as sledding, ice skating, gathering wood for a fire, or if you’re feeling adventurous, visit an indoor rock wall.

Go Red for Women on February 4

Romance Writers of America and the American Heart Association have partnered to raise awareness of heart disease in women and encourage you to join us in wearing red on February 4, National Wear Red Day®. Visit http://www.goredforwomen.org/ to learn how to fight heart disease.

And just in case you missed it....

Sign Up for the Go Red BetterU Program and Receive Two Free Romance Novel E-Books

From Feb. 1 through May 31, 2011, receive one free romance novel e-book when you sign up for the American Heart Association's BetterU Program and one after you complete week six of the program. And look for the Eat Smart for Your Heart limited-edition magazine (that features this offer) on newsstands and in a grocery store near you.

To sign up for the BetterU program, visit http://www.goredforwomen.org/betteru/index.aspx.
(Go Red For Women is trademarked by the American Heart Association, Inc. Romance novel downloads provided by Belle Books.)Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/American%20Heart%20Association
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RED HOT Coming Attractions for February!

by Jeanne Adams

It's RED HOT February!

Its going to be an amazing month around the Lair, folks. We have a line up that you just won't believe.

Along with all the usual wonderfulness of the Bandita's, one of the coolest things this month is that we're partnering with the American Heart Association to highlight the dangers of heart disease.

Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women, rather than breast cancer as most people would guess? Well, it is! So, to help all our wonderful Bandita Buddies and any of our male Bandita Buddies lady friends, we'll be giving a tip-a-day every day this month to help improve heart health. Some of these tips will get you moving, and others will give you something to think about.

So be sure to stick with us and check back every day, especially if your heart's acting up. Grins. In the meantime, check it out at:

http://www.GoRedforWomen.org/index.aspx

Oh, and today's tip from the AHA: Rather than tempting your beloved with chocolates, consider a gift that has more permanence. Search for a poem that describes your feelings and write it on beautiful paper for a handmade Valentine.

(Although dark chocolate CAN be good for you....and if you look at the 14th you'll see that we're ALL about poems!)

We kick off the Fabulosity of February with the red-hot Jessica Anderson's return to the Lair.

Bandita Nancy and Jessica will talk about Jessica's latest novella, set in the NIGHTKEEPER'S Universe, CRYSTAL SKULL. This romantic jungle adventure features two of the winnikin, the Nightkeepers aides.

Enjoy the discussion with Jessica as they talk about Jessica's part of the ON THE HUNT paranormal romance anthology.



On February 3, Jana Oliver makes her first appearance in the Lair. She'll talk with Bandita Nancy about her YA Urban Fantasy, The Demon Trapper's Daughter, which frankly looks absolutely fabulous.

On February 4, Bandita Nancy, our resident guest-hosting mavin, is back again with the ever-popular Laura Anne Gilman.

Laura Anne will pop in to chat about PACK OF LIES, the second installment in her Paranormal Scene Investigations her urban fantasy series.

On February 6th, the wonderfully witty Janet Mullaney will be back with Bandita Christie to talk about her latest release, MR. BISHOP AND THE ACTRESS.

Feburary 7th The fabulous, historical romance author extraordinaire Tiffany Clare (http://www.tiffanyclare.com/) returns as Bandita Anna Campbell's guest to talk about her second book, THE SEDUCTION OF HIS WIFE!

And on February 8th, put on your dancing shoes for the thap gump Absolutely Fabulous Valentine's Ball! There will be fun, dancing, prizes, and a revelry beyond compare.

On February 9th join us for the return of Mr. Romance, when the inimitable Brad Parks returns to the Lair.

He's sure to woo all our regulars and lurkers with his fabulous brand of Brad Parks wit. Oh, and he has a new book out too....

On February 11th, we're thrilled to have Regency historical romance writer and Word Wench Cara Elliott visit with Bandita Christine to chat about her sexy new release, TO TEMPT A RAKE.

There will be no stopping the terrific trio that will be invading the Lair on Saturday, February 12th. Join Bandita Christie Kelly as she hosts Sally Mackenzie, Vanessa Kelley and Kaitlin O'Riley for a rousing, what-a-red-month, good time.

Ahhhh, Valentine's Day! On THE RED DAY, February 14 the we'll have a very special gues in the esteemed heart doctor, Dr. Robertson, Chief Cardiologist from American Heart Association. For a barrel of fun and frivolity along with some seriously wicked good tips for keeping your heart healthy, we'll have the Terribly Heartfelt, Amazingly Unstable Wacky Love Poems Day.

Dr. Robertson will be with us not only to discuss heart health, but to judge the poetry, limericks, and haiku for 5 prizes along with a heartfelt basket of something or another from AHA and from the Banditas

On February 25th mystery author Linda O. Johnston will be Bandita Kate's guest on to launch her fabulous new Pet Rescue mystery series, starting with BEAGLEMANIA! We'll all be going to the dogs in very best way!

Which, of course fits right in with our whole Go Red, Valentines theme since the Amazing, Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is on TV starting with four groups on Valentine's Day, the 14th, and finishing with three groups and Best in Show on the 15th. It's a ton of fun to watch, and may the best dog win!

(I'll be rooting for the Dalmatian and the Irish Water Spaniel, how 'bout you?)
Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/American%20Heart%20Association
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