Marguerite Labbe's Blog, page 8

Okay this was a Facebook exchange that my husband started that had me cracking up a few weeks ago. This is pretty much how our relationship goes with our friends and between my hubby and me.
Hubby: Vote for me in 2016…I promise research into giant robots and I will fund that Death Star they’ve all been raving about. America will tread noisily and carry a bit stick…or a giant ball of death…whatever just vote for me.Disney Dave: First we need Wookie slaves to build it…
Hubby:  Ooooo…ixnay on the slave talk. I prefer to call them a grand fathered in labor force. Don’t want any Django Wookies running around…
The Ginger Ninja: Who are we going to point the Death Star at?
Disney Dave: I say Uranus… never saw the need for that planet.
Hubby: Does it really matter who it’s pointed at? It will just be comforting to see it hanging like a jewel in the sky…
Disney Dave: Might be cheaper to just put a laser on the moon and call it a “Death Star.”
Ginger Ninja: Is Pluto a planet today? They seem like they can’t make up their mind on that one, maybe we should blow that out of the sky and end the debate on it.
Hubby: Moon laser…I’m down with that and we’ve already cut costs! Ginger Ninja…I agree with the Pluto scenario, let’s act that sucker.
Tall Dave: We can’t go to the moon remember, we were warned not to come back the last time we were there, from the aliens who live on the “dark side of the moon!” Lol!!
Hubby:  Forgot about that. Okay, first item on the presidential agenda, lay siege to the moon, so I guess we’re building mech suits, and transports…then, giant moon laser. Being president is awesome…
Hubby: You know…this feels like I may need more than four or eight years…Vote me in as God Emperor!!!!
White Hubby: Are you going to turn into a giant sandworm hybrid? Because I want our nation run by good, god-fearing homo-sapiens, not any weird spice-begotten sandworm hybrids. I’ll settle for homo-sapiens superior, if they’re of the Xavier stripe and not going by the name “Magneto.”
Magic Micah: Sounds like a good platform, dude. Promise to raise the sunken city of R’Lyeh and waken Great Cthulhu, and you’ve got my vote.
Margie: We all know what happened to the God Emperor.
Hubby:  First off, White Hubby, I have never had the spice…despite rumors to the contrary, though I have heard rumors hat it is life. Magic Micah, my first action during my initial hundred year reign will be to find R’Lyeh with James Cameron’s help, raise it and make it my Camp David. Margie…I sense you may betray me, but my assassins will convey my undying love for you when the time for you retiring arrives…
Margie: You’d better tell those assassins to voodoo my ass when they come to retire me, because I’ll be coming for you. That voodoo might not work either.
Hubby: After consulting with my campaign manager I have come to the realization that Margie is an integral part of my reign. Losing her would be detrimental to my emotional well-being and therefore the well-being of my subjects. Long may Margie live…I approve this message…
Margie: Good to see that your self-preservation instincts are alive and kicking.
Hubby: I am a man of the people…a married man of the people…

So I’ve been posting pictures related to Make Me Whole for the last couple of weeks and I thought I’d change it up a bit and talk about soundtracks this week. I love music. I find it more inspiring than just about anything else. Certain songs will trigger stories, though that’s not the case here. This story was inspired by a couple of friends and they know who they are. However, it doesn’t mean that I haven’t still found songs that make me think of this story. I don’t normally listen to music as I write. Since I do the majority of my writing at work, music is prohibited. And when I’m home my husband or son usually has the TV running. But I love to run the music when I’m plotting. And I do my best plotting when I’m in the middle of doing something else. For instance cleaning the kitchen (bleh) or on a long drive. I’ll pop in the soundtrack and let my thoughts wander.
The interesting thing about the soundtrack for Make Me Whole is that it’s one CD, by one artist, and it’s country. As far as I know, neither Galen nor Nick listen to that much country.  But there’s something about Andy Griggs’ Freedomthat makes me think of these two guys all the time, especially “The Road to Lasting Love,” “Always,” “A Hundred Miles of Bad Road,” “I’ve Learned,” “Brand New Something Going On,” and “Where’s A Train.”
So if you get a chance check it out. I think it’s the mix of reflection, heartache and the desire for new starts is what keeps me coming back to this CD again and again.

Thankfully, last weekend my husband helped me figure out a plot hole that had been nagging at me for weeks with Make Me Whole. I finally feel like I’m on the downward end of this 2nd draft. So I thought I’d give you a little something fun for this Six Sentence Sunday. Galen really puts himself in a predicament, but oh boy, I think he’s going to enjoy every second of it. Galen’s eyes went hot and his squirming stilled. “I want you to spank me, hard enough that you leave handprints. And I want you to keep spanking me until I’m hot and sore and it stings even when you touch me gently.”The image that Galen’s words gave him filled Nick with a rush of adrenaline. “That’s a good start. What else?”

My son is a highly intelligent little boy, but sometime his complete lack of common sense combined with the luck of the truly clueless. His guardian angel works overtime and needs a day off. He’s charmed. I don’t know how else to explain it and he’s already shown that big time already in 2013. First there was the Airsoft Rifle incident where he pulled a Ralphie from The Christmas Story. He managed to emerge mostly unscathed except for the small cut on his eyelid and his first black eye. I still shudder when I think about it. At least he has a new respect for the rifle. I told him that the next time I see him without his protective eyewear the damn thing gets tossed. And that’s not all.
On Monday we took him out to get sushi to celebrate his wonderful report card. While we were enjoying our salmon rolls and kimchi, our son casually mentions working on the paper for his science fair project. Now we had been asking him for this paper for weeks so we could see what the guidelines were and every time we did he said his teacher hadn’t given it out yet. So we said we wanted to see it when we got home and asked him when it was due. He said that he didn’t know, but that most of his class had already turned it in.
I think my husband and I both headdesked at that. We know our son way to well and no matter what questions we asked, the boy kept dancing around the questions by coming up with even more bizarre experiments that we could do at home. Some were actually kind of interesting, but I wasn’t willing to set up anything until I knew when this thing was due. So my husband knew the boy’s teacher and emailed him.
Come to find out that damned science fair project had been due the WEDNESDAY before and it was worth 1/3 of his 3rdQuarter grade. Luckily, because of the snow days there was an extension and he could do a research report instead of an experiment. I swear I don’t know where the hell he gets his luck. He’s blessed. So freaking blessed.
We told his teacher that it would be in by Friday and that boy worked his tookus off for the rest of the week. He came home, did his homework and then worked on the report until bed time. He presented it Friday and got a good grade on it. He’s still in trouble though. We wouldn’t have been so upset if we hadn’t asked time and time again for information on it. I swear he sometimes goes through life in his own little world. I love him, I really, really do, but we do need to work on some organization for him. And I swear, if it kills me, I’m going to teach him to *think* before he does/says something.

Exceptions to the Rule was the second release for Fae and me. I can't quite remember where we got the idea for it. I think it might've been for a Valentine's Day challenge on Romance Divas. My memory is mush these days. I do remember Jamie and his tattoo being an instant hit with us and how much we enjoyed writing the spanking scene. This here, is Jamie and Nathan's first kiss.Two men with nothing in common, a strip club on a Tuesday night, and a meeting that will forever change the rules. Nathan Daniels and Jamie Nolan are from two different worlds, but under the facades and packaging they are more alike than they think. Suit and tie meets leather and tattoos as a financial analyst and a bartender find out that falling in love is everything the storybooks say, even when it's the X-rated version.
* * * * *Several blocks down, they were waiting at the crosswalk when Jamie pulled their hands from his pocket and slid his free arm around Nathan’s waist. A jolt went through Nathan as he turned toward him and was snared by brilliant green eyes.Jamie splayed his free hand on Nathan’s back. Even through the coat, Nathan could imagine the warmth of his palm. Jamie’s voice was quiet and a soft smile played around his lips. “I’m going to kiss you, Nathan.”Nathan swallowed and nodded as Jamie pulled him closer and dipped his head. Even though he’d expected it, Nathan was still surprised by the bolt of electric reaction that slammed into him at the first light brush of their lips against each other. The shock of anticipation realized coursed down his spine and all it did was whet his appetite for more.Jamie tasted like heaven. Soft, warm lips, his breath fanning Nathan’s face, it was perfection and he was astounded by the impact of a mere brush of lips against lips.He pressed himself closer to Jamie, curling his fingers in the other man’s jacket, his lips parting as Jamie’s mouth brushed over his again. His heart pounded. In the course of a couple of hours, Jamie had him breaking more rules than he’d even known he had.Any other man and Nathan wouldn’t be taking him home with him. They’d be going to a hotel and he wouldn’t have held his hand walking down the street with him, much less kiss him on a street corner. With Jamie it was natural, which should be frightening, but instead was exhilarating. Nathan felt freer than he had in a long time.He nibbled on the strange sensation of Jamie’s lip ring and sighed as the other man deepened the kiss, their tongues sliding against each other, exploring, and then it was gone. Nathan blinked up at Jamie, forgetting where they were because he wanted to kiss him again. The one taste had been too brief.Jamie chuckled and brushed his finger against Nathan’s lower lip. “You’re gonna kill me with those eyes, you know.”“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Nathan said, squirming a little inside as he took Jamie’s hand again while they crossed the street. He looked sideways at the other man. He was sure Jamie was entirely aware of his own impact. The other man carried himself with an innate confidence. Nathan just wasn’t used to thinking of himself in the same terms.“And that’s half of your appeal, honey,” Jamie said.* * * * *http://www.ellorascave.com/exceptions...

It's been a hectic few days. I had a deadline at my day job which finally ended yesterday and I home we've been trying to help my son with a last minute science fair project. That kid has an invisible luck dragon attached to him. It was due last week and he'd forgotten all about it, but because of the snow days he has until Friday to turn it in. We discovered this oversight on Monday when we were out celebrating his report card. Little twerp, only my boy could get in trouble like that mid-celebration.

However it's Thursday, and what better way to celebrate than a man in a kilt? Enjoy.

AmyNick is a lonely man with more than one abandonment issue. So it's not surprising that he'd have some pets. The cockatiels fit
in with his sometimes busy schedule. The geek in him, and his mancrush on Rory Williams is what prompted him to give the birds their names, Amy and Rory. These two like to listen to the radio that Nick will turn on for them. They'll bob their heads to the music. They also like to have the windows open in the morning. Here's a little bit of them interacting with Nick. 


RoryRory glided into the kitchen and landed on his shoulder.  His talons dug through the thin t-shirt as he shifted and found his balance.  Amy called out to him from the living room and Rory answered with a series of whistles and ended his talk with a gentle nibble on Galen’s ear.

“Oh you have time for me now is that it?” Nick said.

When I was younger, I used to do household chores for a lady down the street. I think I made $.50 an hour. She was a sweetheart and she had two cockatiels too, though both of hers were gray. They’d glide through her apartment too and loved to hang out on her big mirror in the bedroom. They really are beautiful birds.

This week’s Six Sentence Sunday is also from Make Me Whole. Galen has some issues with driving and Nick is trying to help him with it in a driving lesson. Enjoy.


Galen found himself putting the car in drive and it crept forward a few feet. His heart started hammering. He gripped the wheel tighter. “Hey.” Nick touched his wrist and Galen heard the concern in his voice. “It’ll be okay. Trust me.”

“It’s not you I don’t trust.”

I think I’m one of those rare people who actually enjoys the cold and the snow. (Not to mention I’m a morning person.) I need to have all four seasons. And this winter has been entirely too warm. Until this week I haven’t needed my gloves or my hat and as a consequence, I have no fricken clue where they are. It finally feels like winter. I love the crunch of snow, the squeaky sound it gets when it’s really cold, though that doesn’t happen often in Southern Maryland.


I also love soups. I could eat soup several times a week and it doesn’t get old. And I have a wonderful recipe for a cold winter night. I have no idea what it’s called, my son has dubbed it salad soup. It’s one of those that tastes even better when reheated the next day. So here you go, enjoy. Adjust to taste because I rarely ever measure.


1 sweet onion diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 package hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 15 ounce can of black beans
1 bag frozen chopped collard greens
Chicken stock


Brown the sausage in the bottom of your stock pot with the chopped garlic and onion, break it up into bite sized chunks as you go. You can use a splash of olive oil if you want, but really the fat from the sausage supplies all the fat you need.


When the sausage is cooked through add the tomato paste and stir about, then the diced tomatoes, black beans and collard greens. I add just enough chicken stock to cover because I like this to be more stew-like. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes. I sometimes like to add more garlic, or sprinkle in some rosemary or thyme, but it’s not necessary. I serve it with cornbread and it’s oh so good.  

Until my husband and I get this new joint project we’re poking at off and running I think I’ll post excerpts from my backlist starting with the very first story Fae and I put out there. “Snowbound, Lovebound?” is from Dreamspinner Press’s Mr. Right Now Anthology. Bryan Tam and Jimmy Murphy are co-workers stuck in a car together in a snowstorm. Each knows how to get under the other’s skin and as the tempers flare, so do the sparks. We love these two. Enjoy.

* * * * *


For half a second Tam thought Jimmy was going to deck him again and really wished he wouldn’t. His jaw was already aching and as much as a good fight would heat up his blood right now, it was counterproductive to their situation. He resisted the impulse to remind Jimmy that he had accosted him while Tam had been driving; there was no need to dig it in, especially when he’d been baiting Jimmy, knowing how his temper worked.

The sound of a slamming car door stunned Tam out of his thoughts. He stared at the empty seat next to him, his heart suddenly hammering. Oh Jesus fucking Christ, Jimmy wasn’t. Tam looked in the rearview mirror at Jimmy who was stalking away, his head down against the wind and his hands deep in his pockets. Oh fuck. He was going to get himself killed, leaving Tam stuck with the guilt for the rest of his life.

Tam grabbed the grocery bag of water and snacks and the first aid kit in the back seat before heading out in pursuit. “Jimmy!” he shouted, the wind taking the sound of his voice and carrying it away. Okay, yes, Jimmy drove him fucking nuts, but he didn’t want anything to happen to him. On days when Tam hadn’t spent too much time in his company, he could even admit, privately to himself, that Jimmy wasn’t all bad. He had a good heart even if he was arrogant and cocky and had a temper that would make an Irishman proud.

After several minutes of floundering in the snow, Tam caught up to Jimmy who was now walking along the road. Maybe an emergency vehicle would come along. He had to admit the exercise had warmed him up. Jimmy glanced at him sideways, still fuming, but didn’t say a word.

Several things ran through Tam’s mind, all of which he wanted to say, but he finally settled on the one he should. “I’m sorry, Jimmy.” Jimmy looked over again, surprise replacing fury. “I shouldn’t have called you a hillbilly,” Tam continued, his face perfectly straight. “Or implied you couldn’t read. The hill folk comment was definitely over the top.”

Jimmy stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards him. The wind tugged his scarf and the snow settled on his eyelashes in a way that made Tam think things he shouldn’t, which was what always irritated him about Jimmy. “However, the jackass and simple remarks were right on the money,” Tam finished and Jimmy snorted with laughter.