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text:
Eminem takes record label to court over iTunes royalties
By Kasper Jade
Hip hop mogul Eminem this week became the first artist to take a legal stand against record labels over royalties for tracks sold through digital download services like Apple's iTunes, an increasing source of tension between the two sides now that a significant percent of music sales are being made online.
The lawsuit, filed in a Los Angeles court two years ago by the rapper's production company F.B.T., is unusual in that it has actually made its way to trial, reports The Wrap. At issue is whether musicians should be entitled to a larger share of digital download revenues given that much of the overhead in promoting and distributing songs online falls on service providers like Apple, not the labels.
Richard S. Busch, an attorney for the Eminem camp, reportedly spent most of the second day of the trial pounding a former Universal commerce executive with questions over exactly what costs the labels incur when selling music tracks online, which does away with the need for jewel cases, CD duplication, sales teams, and in-store displays.
"Universal provided two digital files to the download companies – a master recording and a metadata guide setting forth a procedure for getting the music on their system," Busch said. "With the digital download agreements, Universal has no manufacturing costs connected with that, correct?"
"Generally, that's true," the former executive responded. "But it has costs. You don't call them manufacturing costs the way that term has been used traditionally. Manufacturing costs are for physical costs, and that has gone away."
Busch then posed the question of whether service providers like Apple also pay the labels a fee for the digital files they eventually turn around and sell to consumers over services like iTunes, to which the Universal witness responded by saying, "We asked them to pay a service charge for that, but we didn't always manage to collect it…"
Costs related to sales of digital music files aren't the only source of contention between the two sides in the ongoing trial. Eminem and F.B.T. are also questioning whether the transfer of an artist's music to service providers constitutes a licensing agreement or a distribution deal.
Under most contracts with their labels, artists receive around 20 cents —or less than 30 percent —of the approximate 70 cents Apple pays labels for the sale of each 99 cent song sold, under the assumption that such sales are part of a distribution deal. But Eminem's attorneys are arguing that since digital sales differ from traditional record store sales in that the music content has long been licensed with restrictions, artists should see a 50-50 split, or about 35 cents a song, per their existing agreements.
In recent years, Eminem has been relentless in his efforts to protect what he believes is rightfully his. In 2004, the Detroit-based rapper sued Apple over its unauthorized use of his song "Lose Yourself" in a TV commercial for the iTunes music store. He again sued the iTunes operator in 2007, alleging that his music was converted to digital form and sold through the service without his blessing.
The first suit was later settled out of court for an undisclosed financial sum.
iTunes,
Universal,
lawsuits,
New phishing scam targets MobileMe users
Apple, Psystar seek protective order in preparation for trial

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I am here to guide you through the your darkest time as well as your happiest. I believe in spiritual guidance as I come from a loving place where I am to being guided to help. I am simply a messenger of your most highest inner voice.
I am an expert in relationships with ten years experience. I love helping others to found the key to a healthy relationship. Also, many of my customers say that the sexual activities increase since they know me.
Hello my name is SaphireLight. I have been doing readings since 2010. I use a wide variety of cards as well as runes to suit your specific needs. I will also help give you messages from your angels as well.
Natural born ninth generation psychic went over 18 years of experience specializing in love and relationship.
I'm a big fan of star signs and I believe what the books say about your sign. I especially like to see who is compatible with who.


We've wanted to meal prep for years and finally did it!
Anyone else hear the words "food prep" and run away as fast as you can? Me too! We have loved the idea of a meal prep day and have talked about doing it for a few years now. Anytime my hubby and I try to plan a day to do it I just get overwhelmed by all the recipes, ingredients, the grocery trip, and actually making all that food. Honestly, I've used every excuse I could think of to not do it, all the while actually really wanting to do it. Why are we like that, anyway?
Well, this past weekend we decided to just go for it! We didn't have a ton going on and knew that all we needed was time to do it (that is our biggest excuse – but reality is we don't want to make time for it). I started by looking up ideas from other healthy and fit people – we didn't want to just have dinner planned and ready for the week but also wanted healthy food that wouldn't taste totally boring after just a few days. I'm starting with just prepping dinners because having lunch and breakfast planned too is just waaaay too much to take on at the moment. I found a fairly simple outline from My Meal Prep Sunday which seemed pretty manageable.
We made our grocery list and headed to Whole Foods as a family and hoped for the best! Haha. We usually don't shop at Whole Foods because we've always thought it was just more expensive for the same quality of food, but some friends recently told us their prices are now on par with Publix, where we usually shop. Grocery shopping is usually one of my least favorite weekly chores I do with the kids – and I usually only motivate myself go when we are low on coffee or half-and-half ☕😜.
It was actually pretty fun going all together as a family (and how else would I get all these pictures if my husband/photographer didn't tag along! haha). Sticking to a list is very helpful; we save money and buy less junk. Pro Tip: stick to shopping only the perimeter of the grocery store if you can, as the junk is usually only in the isles. Once we survived the grocery store (hey… it wasn't all unicorns and rainbows!) we went home to unload and cook.
Having David there cooking and prepping with me (and entertaining the kids when they needed it) made prepping so much easier! If you are like me and are having a hard time getting into meal prepping try to find a friend to help!
We marinaded and baked the chicken, cut and cooked the veggies, and made some quick meatballs for a second protein option. During this week I only needed to cook up some quinoa, rice, or pasta, depending on what I felt like that day. Then I just had to choose a meat, veggie, and starch from the fridge and I was done!
I really have loved not having to cook all this week; I don't feel so rushed at dinner time and as a bonus, my kitchen is slightly cleaner. Yay for meal prepping! Now for week 2… we've got this!
I hope you've enjoyed these photos as much as I enjoyed putting this all together for you! I really did have a blast (especially shooting some of the Instagram story videos, sorry if you missed them!).
Also, I'm totally new to blogging and I'd love your feedback on everything from the photos, to the outfits, to my writing, product links, the website, etc.! Let me know what you think in the comments below, on my facebook, instagram, twitter, or any where else you might find me around. I'd honestly love to know what you think!
If you really loved this post, please share it, pin it, or tweet it!


The Secretariat General of the UGT-A-Fiatg, Pedro Marcos, Wednesday has shown satisfaction with the draft agreement on a new collective agreement for the sector stations, resume negotiations after the Interconfederal Service Mediation and Arbitration and for which they have called off the strike to which they are called 8.000 gas station workers in Andalusia and almost 60.000 in Spain.
So, noted in a statement that after several hours of negotiation, has reached a tentative agreement that grants "labor rights in danger, consequence of labor reform, I would have had dramatic consequences". "We are very pleased with this draft agreement because reflects the requirements we put on the table", says Mark.
The agreement, which will run until 2015, allow a transfer a year of geographical mobility that does not involve a change of residence, remain fixed working hours and shifts of seven, ocho and nine hours. "It's a big step because before the approach was to have the worker to the letter, calling them to work at peak times where more people turn to refuel", Regional Secretary said FITAG, Pedro Marcos.


GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan was booed and heckled on Friday when he told an AARP convention in New Orleans that he would repeal President Barack Obama's health law.
In contrast, Obama's remarks about Medicare --delivered by live satellite an hour earlier -- were warmly received.
Both candidates presented themselves as the protectors of seniors' health benefits and accused the other of being untruthful as they sought to galvanize support among one of the most important voting blocs. The remarks came as a USA Today/Gallup found the president remains more trusted to address Medicare's challenges in several swing states. In the nation's 12 top battlegrounds, including Florida, voters by 50 percent to 44 percent say they have more faith in Obama than his Republican challenger on Medicare.
Obama told seniors that repealing his health law and adopting Republican strategies on Medicare would boost the profits of insurance companies at the expense of seniors.
"No American should ever spend their golden years at the mercy of insurance companies," Obama told the conference via live satellite.
An hour later, Ryan argued the Democrats' health law would cause "steep cuts to real benefits to real people in real time," eliciting loud boos.
But the Wisconsin congressman got applause when he knocked a provision in the law that empowers an expert panel to make cuts to Medicare if Congress fails to act when spending exceeds certain targets. "We propose putting 50 million seniors, not 15 unelected bureaucrats, in charge of their own health care decisions," he said.
Obama repeated his oft-made argument that the Republican Medicare proposal would create a "voucher program" that would destroy traditional Medicare because insurers would lure the youngest and healthiest seniors into private plans.
"The traditional Medicare would end up collapsing and all seniors would end up at the mercy of insurance companies," he said.
Ryan, in turn, accused Obama of "turning Medicare into a piggy bank for Obamacare," by using $716 billion in cuts to Medicare to extend health care coverage to as many as 30 million Americans as part of his health overhaul.
Ryan repeatedly said his concerns about potential cuts in benefits to seniors were backed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services Chief Actuary Richard Foster.
Ryan's budget plan, passed by the Republican-controlled House earlier this year, includes the same $716 billion in cuts.
Obama defended the $716 billion in Medicare cuts over the next decade, saying they reduce "waste, fraud and overcharging by insurance companies."
"It turns out contrary to what you have heard, Obamacare strengthens Medicare," Obama said. Of the term "Obamacare," he joked, "I don't mind the term. I do care and that is why we passed the bill."
Despite anxiety from many seniors, AARP endorsed Obama's health law in 2010 largely because it extends the solvency of Medicare by eight years until 2024 and gives seniors free preventive care and closes the "doughnut hole" in the Medicare prescription drug program.
Obama reminded attendees of those benefits. Because of the health care law, the average senior will save $5,000 from 2010 to 2022, according to a Health and Human Services report released Friday.
HHS also said that more than 5.5 million seniors and people with disabilities saved nearly $4.5 billion on prescription drugs since the law was enacted.
Ryan said his plan for Medicare would turn the program for people under age 55 into one similar to that enjoyed by members of Congress and federal employees, who get to choose among private health plans for coverage.
Ryan said he wants to bring choice and competition into the overall Medicare program, the same way it has helped hold down costs in the Medicare prescription drug program that Congress passed in 2003. Ryan noted the Medicare drug benefit costs have come in way under budget. He made no mention of the surge in generic drug use over the past decade, which most experts say is the cause of the massive slowdown in drug spending.
"You might have heard the word 'voucher' earlier. That is a poll-tested word to scare today's seniors," he said.
"A voucher is you go to your mail boxes, you get a check and you are on your own. No one is proposing that."
Ryan stressed that Republican plans to change Medicare and repeal the health law would not affect those on Medicare today or those older than 55.
Repealing the health law would cut benefits to seniors, including free preventive care they get now and help to pay for drugs that fall in the Medicare prescription drug doughnut hole. Ryan made no mention of how he would address those areas.


There are rather a lot many profession opportunities in the subject of medical sciences and the students of United States are severely looking forward to people who could brighten up their career and result in an important future ahead. For Canadians, although, there are two foremost differences – to begin with, many US schools will admit Canadian citizens, while not any other international student AND Canadians would possibly be capable of get loans back residence (be it governmental or institutional, I am not sure which are available to you) and transfer these funds to pay for their research here.
The way it works in the US is that MOST faculties consider permanent residence as if they had been residents, together with the monetary help – however once more, you must double-test if it really works the identical manner in Canada.


text:
Haven Lock Shark Tank Update
The safer and more convenient house lock option is called Haven Lock. It is ten times more secure than a standard deadbolt lock. The HAVEN Lock can survive an attack with an ax, boot, battering ram, or even a SWAT team if you are concerned that they may visit your home.
Haven Lock is 10 times stronger than a deadbolt and more effective than a bar, chain, or swing lock. Haven Lock is made of military-grade steel and nylon and industrial-strength polycarbonates.
Haven Lock employs a straightforward yet ingeniously crafted wedge to defend a door from being broken into. In April 2019, Haven Lock was featured on the ABC program "Shark Tank." Unfortunately, no agreement was reached before they left the tank.
What is the latest information on Haven Lock; do you know if they are still in business or have shut down their operations?
What Is Haven Lock?
Haven is a smart security system that uses artificial intelligence to keep burglars out of your home. You can secure your door with this Bluetooth-enabled smart lock that communicates with the bottom of your door to provide powerful, dependable security.
The HAVEN lock offers a more secure alternative to the traditional deadbolt lock. The HAVEN lock requires no tools to install at the bottom of a door and is ten times stronger than an average deadbolt.
You can lock your property anywhere, send digital keys to visitors while away, monitor access, log entry and exit, and perform several other tasks via the Haven mobile app.
There are two configurations of the HAVEN lock: the HAVEN mechanical lock is activated by foot, whereas the HAVEN Connect is a Bluetooth-enabled lock that can be bolted using the HAVEN mobile app.
Company Name Haven Lock
Entrepreneur Clay Banks and Alex Bertelli
Product Wedge for securing the door
Investment Asking For $500,000 for 6% equity in Haven Lock
Episode Season 10, Episode 18
Who Is The Founder Of Haven Lock?
Alex Bertelli and Clay Banks co-founded HAVEN, which stands for Haven Enterprises. Bertelli, who graduated from the University of Dayton in the United States Air Force Special Operations Aviation program, served the United States as a proud representative.
He received his MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated with a master's degree in consulting from Pennsylvania State after serving in the military.
Bertelli oversees the Arrowhead Group, an economic development company, and serves as CEO of HAVEN. Banks graduated from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Advertising.
Banks founded Pure Life Industries, a business that created ways to engage with customers through emerging technologies, before becoming COO of HAVEN. As well as working for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, he served as the regional director.
Haven Lock Before Shark Tank
An idea can strike at any time, anywhere, or any way. Alex Bertelli imagined the HAVEN Locks concept while flying helicopters for Army Special Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In his observation, militants strengthened the doors of their homes and complexes using steel bars welded at the bottom, middle, and top.
He left the Army after serving eight years, nine deployments, and achieving several awards on his way to earning an MBA in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Operations from the University of North Carolina. After meeting Clay Banks, they founded HAVEN Locks based on Alex's ideas.
Clay, who graduated from the University of Tennessee with a BS in Communications and Advertising, had already been recognized as one of Development Counselors International's "Top 40 under 40" and was launching or co-founding three small businesses.
Its goal has always been to create jobs for Americans and develop dependable, high-quality products in the United States. Veteran creators and skilled local artisans create, test, and assemble Haven goods in Tennessee.
The HAVEN Lock is resistant to an ax, a boot, a battering ram, and a SWAT team if you believe they may be paying a visit to your home. This lock provides more security than a deadbolt, bar, chain, or swing lock.
The lock uses an innovative wedge to protect a door against intrusion using industrial-strength steel, nylon, and polycarbonate. HAVEN interacts with the bottom of the door and strengthens its width by securing the door to its frame; other locks secure the door to the frame.
A house invasion can be neutralized by bending the locking mechanism, which absorbs the force. Additionally, you can install it yourself. You can mark and drill the locations of the mounting screws on the included template. That is all.
A foot pedal operates the HAVEN Mech. You can lock and unlock your door using the foot pedal while in your home. You do this by pressing the right pedal.
You can unlock the lifting wedge by stepping on it. It is designed to ensure that adults cannot lock or unlock it accidentally; it is calibrated for adult use. The HAVEN Connect features Bluetooth functionality. You can operate the lock with a key fob or a smartphone app anywhere.
You can allow guests, deliveries, or service personnel to enter when you are not present and lock up when they depart. Additionally, you can distribute digital keys to relatives and friends during their visit.
You may also lock and unlock the door using the pedals inside the house. The HAVEN Lockdown ensures the safety of schools and professional facilities by following important rules and industry standards.
Lockdown is Bluetooth-enabled and comes equipped with all the controls it entails. Lockdown Pro detects and prevents burglaries in a single classroom or workplace.
Lockdown Pro HQ is a more sophisticated customized security system designed for an entire school campus or building. Each room is equipped with a lock linked to a central hub. The entire system can be locked down with the push of a button.
HAVEN Locks is a proud supporter of the Special Ops Warrior Foundation. Their profits are donated to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation to provide scholarships to the children and families of those killed in action and emergency financial assistance to critically wounded troops.
How Was The Shark Tank Pitch Of Haven Lock?
Clay and Alex appeared on Shark Tank seeking an investment of $500,000 for a 6% equity in Haven Lock.
They didn't succeed with their pitch, however. Alex failed multiple times when he was supposed to demonstrate how easy it is to kick down a door with a deadlock.
There was a problem with the demo frame, it wasn't stable, and Alex could not kick the door open. It would have opened more easily if the foundation had been sturdy.
This demonstration wasn't what sparked red flags about the company. There was a $500,000 debt on the founders' shoulders, and profits were terrible for the company. This led to the Sharks backing out one by one.
Happy Feet Shark Tank Update
Clay and Alex left the Shark Tank stage without securing a deal from the Sharks.
Final Deal: No deal between Haven Lock and Sharks.
What Happened To Haven Lock After Shark Tank?
Haven lock is still in business as of 2022 despite not getting any deal on Shark Tank. Haven Lock's annual revenue is somewhere above $4 million.
This update allows us to examine the business practices of Alex and Clay since Haven Lock appeared on Shark Tank. As of today, the company is still operating and continues to expand.
Haven Lock's website showcases a variety of uses for their large catalog of smart locks, and there is little doubt that the sharks missed out on a huge investment opportunity with Haven Lock during Season 10 of Shark Tank.
Though Haven Lock did not get any investment from the Sharks, the company has progressed quite nicely after its appearance on Shark Tank.
The sales of Haven Lock shot up because of the Shark Tank effect, and its founder was quite happy seeing the success of Haven Lock.
Although Bertelli and Banks' appearance on Shark Tank was unsuccessful, their HavenLock firm is still operational as of 2022. The entrepreneurs received wonderful news about a relationship with Terminix just before the episode aired.
This collaboration agreement stipulated that all Terminix clients in at least eleven cities would receive a HavenLock system. They are also aiming to make this offer available nationwide.
Haven Lock has approximately $4 million in revenue as of 2022 and has significantly increased sales since appearing on Shark Tank. In February 2020, HavenLock was featured in a worldwide broadcast of "Shark Tank's Greatest Specials of All Time."
On this show, the company was recognized as one of the "Greatest Pitch Fails" because, according to Mark Cuban, their pitch was the funniest of all time. Overall, HavenLock appears to be thriving and retaining many satisfied clients.
A worldwide broadcast of "Shark Tank Greatest of All Time Special" featured Haven Lock in February 2020. Haven Lock is still in business as of 2022, generating $4 million in revenue.
Lipstix Remix Shark Tank Update
Is Haven Lock Still In Business?
Yes, Haven Lock is still in business as of 2022. Its sales increased after the show because its product impressed so many people around the nation.
Haven Lock improved the quality of their products and cut their pricing slightly, and they formed a contract with Terminix, a pest control company that supplies their customers with locks.
Haven Lock pledged to supply its items to eleven locations, but now its reach is nationwide. Haven Lock is still profitable, generating approximately $4 million in annual sales.
What Is the Net Worth Of Haven Lock?
The valuation of Haven Lock was $8 million when it appeared on Shark Tank. The net worth of Haven Lock is unknown as of 2022.
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"Our Father," from the first words.
We say "Father," because God really is our Father. We do not mean here by Father the First Person of the Blessed Trinity, but the Blessed Trinity itself-one God. What does a father do for his children? He gives them their natural existence, provides them with food and clothing, teaches, protects, and loves them, shares with them all that he has, and when he dies leaves them his possessions. Now, in all these ways, and in a much truer sense, God is our Father. He created us and gives us all that is necessary to sustain life. He gives light, heat, and air, without any one of which we could not live. He provides for us also food and clothing, and long before we need or even think of these things God is thinking of them. Did you ever reflect upon just how much time and trouble it costs to produce for you even one potato, of which you think so little? About two years before you need that potato, God puts it into the mind of the farmer to save the seed that he may plant it the following year. In the proper season he prepares the ground with great care and plants the seed. Then God sends His sunlight and rain to make it grow, but the farmer's work is not yet ended: he must continue to keep the soil in good condition and clear away the weeds. In due time the potato is taken from the ground, brought to the market, carried to your house, cooked and placed before you. You take it without even thinking, perhaps, of all this trouble, or thanking God for His goodness. This is only one article of food, and the same may be said of all the rest. Your clothing is provided for you long before you need it. The little lamb upon whose back the wool is growing, from which your coat is someday to be made, is even now far away on some mountain, growing stronger with the food God gives it till you need its wool. The little pieces of coal, too, that you so carelessly throw upon the fire were formed deep down in the earth hundreds of years ago. God produces all you use, because He foresees and knows you will use it. Moreover He protects us from danger; He teaches us by the voice of our conscience and the ministers of His Church, our priests and bishops. He loves us too, as we may learn from all that He does for us, and from the many times He forgives us our sins. He shares what He possesses with us. He has given us understanding and a free will resembling His own. He has given us immortality, i.e., when once He has created us, we shall exist as long as Himself-that is, forever. When Our Lord died on the Cross, He left us His many possessions-His graces and merits, the holy Sacraments, and Heaven itself.
Before the time of Our Lord, the people in prayer did not call God Father. They feared Him more than they loved Him. When He spoke to them-as He did when He gave the Commandments to Moses-it was in thunder, lightning, and smoke. (Ex. 19 ). They looked upon God as a great and terrible king who would destroy them for their sins. He sent the deluge on account of sin, and He destroyed the wicked city of Sodom with fire from Heaven. (Gen. 7:19). They called Him Jehovah, and were afraid sometimes even to pronounce His name. But Our Lord taught that God, besides being a great and powerful king-the Ruler of the universe and Lord of all things-is also a kind and good Father, who wishes His children not to offend Him because they love Him rather than because they fear Him, and therefore He taught His disciples and all Christians to call God by the sweet name of Father.
The Catechism says God is everywhere. Why then do we say, "Who art in Heaven," as if He were noplace else? We say so to remind us, first, that Heaven is our true home, and that this world is only a strange land in which we are staying for a while to do the work that God wishes us to do here, and then return to our own home; second, that in Heaven we shall see God face to face and as He is; third, that Heaven is the place where God will be for all eternity with the blessed.
means made holy or sacred. Halloween is the name given to the evening before the feast of All Hallows or All Saints.
This petition contains a great deal more than we at first see in it. In it we ask that God may reign in our hearts and in the hearts of all men by His grace in this life, and that we and all men may attain our eternal salvation, and thus be brought to reign forever with God in Heaven-the kingdom of His glory. As the Church on earth is frequently called the kingdom of Christ, and as all the labors of the Church are directed to the salvation of souls, we pray also in this petition that the Church may be extended upon earth, that the true religion may be spread over the whole world, that all men may know and serve the true God and cheerfully obey His holy laws; that the devil may have no dominion over them. While saying this petition we may have it in our minds to pray even for particular ways in which the true religion can be spread; for example, by praying that the missionaries may meet with success and all the missions prosper; that priests and bishops may be ordained to preach the Gospel; that the Church may overcome all her enemies everywhere, and the true religion triumph.
"Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven:"
In Heaven all the angels and saints obey God perfectly; they never offend Him; so we pray that it may be on earth as it is in Heaven, all men doing God's will, observing His laws and the laws of His Church, and living without sin.
"Give us this day our daily bread:"
In this petition "bread" means not merely bread, but everything we need for our daily lives; such as food, clothing, light, heat, air, and the like; also food for the soul, i.e., grace. If a beggar told you that he had not tasted bread for the whole day, you would never think of asking him if he had eaten any cake, because you would understand by his word bread all kinds of food. We say "daily," to teach us not to be greedy or too careful about ourselves, and not to ask for unnecessary things, but to pray for what we need for our present wants.
"And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us:"
"Trespasses" means here our sins, our offenses against God. When we trespass we enter places we should not, or where we are forbidden to go. So when we sin we go where we should not go, viz., out of the path of virtue that leads to God, and into the way of vice that leads to the devil.
We take this to mean: we forgive others who have offended us, and for that reason, God, You should forgive us who have offended You. Our Lord told a beautiful parable, ie., a story by way of illustration, to explain this. (Matt. 18:23). A very rich man had a servant who owed him a large sum of money. One day the master asked the servant for the money, and the poor servant had none to give. Now the law of the country was, that when anyone could not pay his debts, all that he had could be sold and the money given to the one to whom it was due, and if that was not sufficient, he and his wife and his children could be sold as slaves. The servant, knowing this, fell on his knees and begged his master to be patient with him, and to give him time and he would pay all. Then his master was moved to pity, granted not only what he asked, but freed him from the debt altogether. Afterwards when this servant, who had just been forgiven the large sum, was going out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a very small sum of money, and taking hold of him by the throat, demanded payment. Now, this poor servant, having nothing to give just then, implored his assailant to be patient with him and he would pay all. But the hard-hearted servant-though he himself had a little while before asked and obtained the very same favor from his own master-would not listen to the request or wait longer, but went and had his fellow servant cast into prison till he should pay the debt. The other servants, seeing how unforgiving this man was who had himself been forgiven, went and told all to their master, and he, being angry at such conduct, had the unforgiving servant brought back and cast into prison.
"And lead us not into temptation:"
"Temptation" means a trial to see whether we will do a thing or not. Here it means a trial made by some person or thing-the devil, the world, or our own flesh-to see whether we will sin or not. God does not exactly lead us into temptation; but He allows us to fall into it. He allows others to tempt us. We can overcome any temptation to sin by the help or grace that God gives us. Therefore we ask in this petition that God will always give us the grace to overcome the temptation, and that we may not consent to it. A temptation is not a sin. It becomes sin only when we are overcome by it. When we are tempted we are like soldiers fighting a battle: if the soldiers are conquered by their enemy, they are disgraced; but if they conquer their enemy, they have great glory and great rewards. So, when we overcome temptations, God gives us a new glory and reward for every victory.
From every kind of evil, and especially the evil of being conquered by our spiritual enemies, and thus falling into sin, and offending God by becoming His enemy ourselves. It would be a sin to seek temptation,. though we have a reward for resisting it when it comes.
"Hail, full of grace! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women:"
was composed by the angel Gabriel, for these are the words he used when he came to tell the Blessed Virgin that she was selected to be the Mother of God (Luke 1:28). All her people knew that the Redeemer promised from the time of Eve down to the time of the Blessed Virgin was now to be born, and many good women were anxious to be His mother, and they believed the one who would be selected the most blessed and happy of all women.
"The Lord is with thee:"
by His grace and favor, since you are the one He loves best. He is with all His creatures, but He is with you in a very special manner.
"Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb:"
That is "blessed" because, of all the women that have ever lived or ever shall live, you are the one selected by God to be the mother of His Son and Our Redeemer, and blessed is that Son Himself This is the second part of the prayer. The third part, from "Holy Mary" to the end, was composed by the Church.
This was the word used by the people of that country in saluting one another when they met. We say when meeting anyone we know, "Good day," or "How do you do?" or some such familiar expression used by all in salutation. So these people, instead of saying, "Good day," etc., said "Hail" i.e., I wish you health, I greet you, etc. The angel did not say "Mary," because she was the only one present to address.
When anything is full it has no room for more. God's grace and sin cannot exist in the same place. Therefore when the Blessed Virgin was full of grace, there was no room for sin. So she was without any sin and gifted with every virtue.
because one full of grace must be holy.
because her Son was true God and true man in the one person of Christ, Our Lord.
because she has more power with her Son than all the other saints.
and therefore we need forgiveness.
"At the hour of our death:"
especially, because that is the most important time for us. No matter how bad we have been during our lives, if God gives us the grace to die in His friendship, we shall be His friends forever. On the other hand, no matter how good we may have been for a part of our lives, if we become bad before death, and die in that state, we shall be separated from God forever, and be condemned to eternal punishment. It would be wrong, therefore, to live in sin, with a promise that we shall die well, for God may not give us the grace or opportunity to repent, and we may die in sin if we have lived in sin. Besides this, the devil knows how much depends upon the state in which we die, and so he perhaps will tempt us more at death than at any other time; for if we yield to him and die in sin, we shall be with him forever-it is his last chance to secure our souls.
Besides the Hail Mary there is another beautiful prayer on the same subject, called the Angelus. It is a little history of the Incarnation, and is said morning, noon, and evening in honor of Our Lord's Incarnation, death, and resurrection. It is made up of three parts. The first part tells what the angel did, viz.: "The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost" After saying these words, we say one Hail Mary in honor of the angel's message. The second part tells what Mary answered, viz.: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word." We say another Hail Mary in honor of Mary's consent. The third part tells how Our Lord became Man, viz.: "And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt among us." The "Word" means here the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity; and "made flesh" means, became man. Then another Hail Mary is said in honor of Our Lord's goodness in humbling Himself so much for our sake. After these three parts we say: "Pray for us, 0 Holy Mother of God! that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ"; and, finally, we say a prayer in honor of Our Lord's Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection. This beautiful prayer is said three times a day in all seminaries, convents, and religious houses. The time for saying it is made known by the ringing of a bell called the "Angelus bell." In many parishes the church bell rings out the Angelus. In Catholic countries the people stop wherever they are and whatever they are doing, and bowing their heads, say the Angelus when they hear its bell. It is a beautiful practice and one most pleasing to our Blessed Lord and His holy Mother. Good Catholics should not neglect it.
In addition to the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, we have the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, the Litany of the Blessed Sacrament, the Litany of the Sacred Heart, the Litany of St. Joseph, and many others-all made up in the same form. We have also the Litany of all the Saints, in which we beg the help and prayers of the different classes of saints--the Apostles, martyrs, virgins, etc.
A creed is a definite list or summary of all the things one believes. The "Apostles' Creed" is therefore a list or collection of all the truths the Apostles believed. The "Apostles" were the twelve men that Our Lord selected to be His first bishops. We know they were bishops because they could ordain priests and consecrate other bishops. They lived with Our Lord like a little family during the three and a half years of His public life; they went with Him and learned from Him wherever He preached. Besides these He had also His disciples, i.e., followers who went with Him frequently but did not live with Him. Our Lord wished His doctrine to be taught to all the people of the world, and so He told His Apostles that they must go over the whole world and preach in every country. During the life of Our Lord and for a short time after His death they preached in only one country, viz., Palestine-now called the Holy Land-in which country the Jews, up to that time God's chosen people, lived. Since the Apostles were to preach to all nations, the time came when they must separate, one going to one country, and another to another. In those days there were no steamboats or railroads, no post offices, telegraph offices, telephones, or newspapers. If the Apostles wished to communicate with anyone they had either to go to the place themselves or send a messenger. By walking or riding it might have taken them months or years in those days to make a journey that we can make now in a few days; and for an answer to a message which we can get now by telegraph in a few hours they might have had to wait months. The Apostles knew of all these inconveniences, and before leaving the places they were in pointed out the chief truths that all should know and believe before receiving Baptism, that Christian teachers who should come after them might neglect nothing-just as we use catechisms containing the truths of religion, for fear the teachers might forget to speak of some of them. There are "twelve articles" or parts in the Apostles' Creed, and each part is meant to refute some false doctrine taught before the time of the Apostles or while they lived. Thus there were those-as the Romans-who said there were many gods; others said not God, but the devil created the earth; others taught that Our Lord was not the Son of God: and so on for the rest. All these false doctrines are denied and the truth professed when we say the Apostles' Creed.
without the slightest doubt or suspicion that I might be wrong.
by the grace that He gives me to believe and have full confidence in Him.
to show that there is only one.
because He brought everything into existence and keeps it so (see Explanation of the Lord's Prayer).
i.e., having all might or power; because He can do whatever He wishes. He can make or destroy by merely wishing.
To create means to make out of nothing. God alone can create. When a carpenter makes a table, he must have wood; when a tailor makes a coat, he must have cloth. They are only makers and not creators. God needs no material or tools. When we make anything, we make it part by part; but God makes the whole at once. He simply wills and it is made. Thus He said in the beginning of the world: "Let there be light; and light was made." For example, suppose I wanted a piano. If I could say, "Let there be a piano" and it immediately sprang up without any other effort on my part, although neither the wood, the iron, the wire, the ivory, nor anything else in it ever existed till I said, "Let there be a piano," then it could be said I created a piano. No one could do this, for God alone has such power.
and everything we can see or know ofi "Jesus Christ:' Our Lord is called by many names, but you must not be confused by them, for they all mean the same person, and are given only to remind us of some particular thing connected with Our Lord. He is called "Jesus' " which signifies Saviour, and "Christ ' " which means anointed. He is called the "Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, " and when we call Him "Our Lord," we mean the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity after He became man. He is called the "Messias" and the "Son of David" to show that He is the Redeemer promised to the Jews. Also at the end of all our litanies He is called the "Lamb of God," because He was so meek and humble and suffered death so patiently. In the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus we will find many other beautiful names of Our Lord, all having their special signification.
to show that God, the First Person of the Blessed Trinity, was His real Father. We are called God's children, but we are only His created and adopted children.
i.e., He began to exist by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of His Mother, the Blessed Virgin.
We shall see in the explanation of the Passion what He suffered.
means here, at the time a man named Pontius Pilate was governor. If anyone were put to death today in this country, we should say he was executed under Governor or President so-and-so. "Crucified," i.e., nailed to a cross. We say "died " because Our Lord is the Giver of Life, and no one could take His life away unless He allowed it. Therefore we say He died, and not that He was killed, to show that He died by His own free will and not against His will.
This we say to show that He was really dead; because if you bury a man who is not really dead he must die.
here does not mean the place where the damned are, but a place called "Limbo!' You know that when our first parents sinned, Heaven was closed against them and us, and no human being could be admitted into it till after the death of Our Lord; for He by His death would redeem us--make amends for our fall and once more open for us Heaven. Now from the time Adam sinned till the time Christ died is about four thousand years. During that time there were at least some good men, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and others, in the world, who tried to serve God as best they could-keeping all the divine laws known to them, and believing that the Messias would some day come to redeem them. When, therefore, they died they could not go to Heaven, because it was closed against them. They could not go to Hell, because they were good men. Neither could they go to Purgatory, because they would have to suffer there. Where could they go? God in His goodness provided a place for them-Limbo-where they could stay without suffering till Our Lord reopened Heaven. Therefore, while Our Lord's body lay in the sepulchre, His soul went down into Limbo, to tell these good men that Heaven was now opened for them, and that at His Ascension He would take them there with Him.
Not three full days, but the parts of three days, viz., Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday morning.
by His own power: and this was the greatest of all Our Lord's miracles. Some others, like the prophets and Apostles, have, by the power God gave them, raised the dead to life; but no dead person ever raised himself. Our Lord is the first and only one to do this, and by so doing, showed they could not take away His life unless He wished to give it up; for since He could always take back His life, how could they destroy it?
forty days after His Resurrection.
We know God is a pure spirit having no body; and if He has no body He can have no hands. Why then do we say right hand? When the President of the United States invites anyone to dine at his house, he makes the invited guest sit at his right hand, and thus shows his respect by giving him the place of highest honor.
that is, from the right hand of God.
To examine them, to pronounce sentence upon them; to reward them in Heaven or punish them in Hell.
"The living and the dead:"
We may take this in a double sense. As the general judgment will come suddenly and when not expected, all will be going on in the world as usual--some attending to business, others taking their ease as they do now, or as they were doing when the deluge came upon them. Just when the judgment is about to take place, God will destroy the earth; and then all those living in the world will perish with its destruction and then be judged. The "dead" means, therefore, all those who died before the destruction of the world, and the "living" all those who were on earth when the time of its destruction came. Or the "living" may mean also those in a state of grace, and the "dead" those in mortal sin; for God will judge both classes.
i.e., the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. Ghost is an old word meaning spirit. When persons say that a ghost appeared, they mean that the spirit of some dead person appeared. These stories about ghosts are told generally to frighten children or timid persons. If those who thought they saw a ghost always examined what they saw, they would find that the supposed ghost was something very natural; probably a bush swayed by the wind, or a stray animal, or perhaps some person trying to frighten them. Ghost here does not mean the spirit of a dead person, but the Holy Spirit, which is the proper name for the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity.
There are three parts in the Church. We have, first, the Church Militant, i.e., the fighting Church, made up of all the faithful upon earth, who are still fighting for their salvation. The Holy Scripture tells us our life upon earth is a warfare. We have three enemies to fight. First, the devil, who by every means wishes to keep us out of Heaven-the place he once enjoyed himself The devil knows well the happiness of Heaven, and does not wish us to have what he cannot have himself; just as you sometimes see persons who, through their own fault, have lost their situation trying to keep others out of it.
No! for Christ has promised to be always with His Church, and the Holy Ghost is ever directing her, so that she cannot err in faith or morals. If the Church made us pray to persons who are not saints, she would fall into the worst of errors, and Our Lord would have failed to keep His promise-a saying that would be blasphemous, for Christ, being God, is infinitely true and could not deceive or be deceived. To canonize, therefore, does not mean to make a saint, but to declare to the whole world that such a one was a saint while upon earth. After death we cannot merit, so our reward in Heaven will be just what we have secured up till the moment of our death; hence holiness is acquired in the Church Militant.
How does the Church canonize a saint? Let us suppose some good man dies, and all his neighbors talk about his holy fife, how much he did for the poor, how he prayed, fasted, and mortified himself All these accounts of his life are collected and sent to Rome, to the Holy Father or to the cardinals appointed by him to examine such statements. These accounts must show that the good man practiced virtue in a more than ordinary manner, that he either performed some miracles while he lived, or that God granted miracles after his death through his intercession.
Thus we understand the three branches of the one true Church-the Church Militant, i.e., all those who are on earth trying to save their souls; the Church Suffering, those in Purgatory, having their souls purified for Heaven; and the Church Triumphant, those already in Heaven.
means that these three branches of the Church can help one another. We help the souls in Purgatory by our prayers and good works, and the saints in Heaven pray for us. But "communion of saints" means still more. Let us take an example. Suppose there are in a family, living together, a mother and three sons. The eldest son earns a large salary, the second son enough to support himself, and the youngest very little. They give their earnings to their mother, who from the combined amounts provides for the wants of all and draws from the large salary of the eldest to supply the needs of the youngest. Thus he who has too little for his support is-through his mother-aided by the one who has more than he needs. Now, the Church is our mother, and some of her children-the great saints were rich in good works and did more than was necessary to gain Heaven, while others did not do enough. Then our mother, the Church, draws from the abundant satisfaction of her rich children to help those who are poor in merit and good works. The greatest treasure she has to draw from for that purpose is the more than abundant merits of Our Lord and the superabundant satisfaction of the Blessed Virgin and the greatest saints. Our Lord could have redeemed us all by the least suffering, and yet He suffered dreadful torments, and even shed His blood and died for us. The Blessed Virgin never sinned, yet she performed many good works and offered many prayers. Therefore "communion of saints" means, also, that we all share in the merits of Christ and in the superabundant satisfaction of the Blessed Virgin and of the saints; also in the prayers and good works of the Church and of her faithful and pious children.
ie., by the Sacrament of Penance, through the power that God gave His priests; also by Baptism.
"The resurrection of the body:"
i.e., on the last day (Matt. 24:29; Luke 21:25). When on the last day, at the general judgment, God's angel sounds the great trumpet, all the dead will arise again and come to judgment, in the same bodies they had while living. But you will say: If their bodies are reduced to ashes and mixed with the earth, or if parts of them are in one place and parts in another, how is this possible? Very easily, with God. If He in the beginning could make all the parts out of nothing, with how much ease can He collect them scattered here and there! When God made man He gave him a body and a soul, and wished them never to be separated. Man was to live here upon earth for a time, and then be taken up into Heaven, body and soul, as Our Lord is there now. But when man sinned, in punishment God commanded that he should die; i.e., that these two dear friends, the body and the soul, should be separated for a time. Death is caused by the separation of the soul from the body. The body and soul together make a man, and neither one alone can be called a man. A dead body is only part of a man. At the resurrection every soul will come from Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell, to seek its own body; they will then be united again as they were in life, never to be separated-to be happy together in Heaven if they have been good upon earth, or miserable together in Hell if they have been bad upon earth.
--either, as we have said, in Heaven or Hell. There was a time when we did not exist but it can never be said of us again we do not exist. When once we have been created, we shall live as long as God Himself, i.e., forever. When we have lived a thousand years for every drop of water in the ocean; a thousand years for every grain of sand on the seashore; a thousand years for every blade of grass and every leaf on the earth, we shall still be existing. How short a time, therefore, is a hundred years even if we live so long-and few do-compared with all these millions of years! And yet it depends upon the time we live here whether all these millions of years in the next world will be for us years of happiness or of misery. The whole life of a man extends through the two worlds, viz., from the moment of his creation through all eternity; and surely the little while he stays upon earth must seem very short when, after spending a million of years in the next world, he looks back to his earthly life. There is a good example to illustrate this. If you stand on a railroad, and look away down the track for about a mile, it will seem to you that the rails come nearer and nearer, till at last they touch. It seems so on account of the distance, for where they seem to touch they are just as far apart as where you are standing. So, also, when you look back from eternity, the day of your birth and the day of your death will seem to coincide, and your life on earth appear nothing. Then, if you are among the lost souls you will think, What a fool I was to make myself suffer all this long eternity for that silly bit of earthly pleasure, which is of no benefit to me now! And this thought will serve only to make you more miserable. But, on the other hand, if you look back from a happy eternity, you will wonder at God's goodness in giving you so much happiness for so short a service upon earth.
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly, in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints. to pray to the Lord our God for me.
0 my God! I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
i.e., a profession, of faith. The whole substance of the act of faith is contained in this: I believe all that God has revealed and the Catholic Church teaches. We might mention one by one all the truths God has revealed, i.e., made known to us, and all the truths the Catholic Church teaches as revealed by God. For example, we might say, I believe in the Holy Trinity, in the Incarnation of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin, in the infallibility of the Pope, and so on, till we write an act of faith twenty pages long, and yet it would all be contained in the words:- I believe all God has revealed and the Catholic Church teaches. Hence we find in prayerbooks and catechisms acts of faith differing in length and words, but they are all the same in substance and have the same meaning. The act of faith in our Catechism gives a few of the chief truths revealed, that it may be neither too short nor too long, and that all may learn the same words.
0 my God! relying on Thy almighty power and infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
0 my God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
The substance of this act is: I love God above all things for His own goodness, and my neighbor as myself for the sake of God. An act of love and an act of charity are the same thing with different names. We are accustomed to call such things as the giving of alms or help to the poor, the doing of some good work that we are not bound to do for another, charity. Surely there are many motives that may induce persons to help others in their distress; but what is the chief Christian motive, if it be not the love we bear our brotherman because he is, like ourselves, a child of God, and the desire we have to obey God, who wishes us to help the needy? The sufferings of others excite our pity, and the more we love them the more sorry are we to see them suffer. Thanks to God for all His mercies to us; He might have made us, instead of this man, poor and in suffering, but He has spared us and afflicted him; we know not why God has done so, and therefore we help him, moved by these considerations even when we feel he is not deserving of the help, because we know his unworthiness will not prevent God from rewarding our good intention. We may be charitable to our neighbor by saying nothing hurtful about him, by never telling his faults without necessity, etc. Therefore real charity, in its widest sense, and love are just the same.
0 my God! I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because 1 dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
The substance of this act is: 0 my God! I am very sorry for all my sins, because by them I have offended Thee, and with Thy help, I will never sin again. It is well to know what the acts contain in substance, for we can use these short forms as aspirations during the day, when we probably would not think of saying the long forms. A fuller explanation of the qualities of our contrition will be given in Lesson Eighteen.
Bless us, 0 Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ Our lord. Amen.
We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, 0 Almighty God, Who livest and reignest forever. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
means thanks. We saw in the explanation of the Our Father how God provides us with all we need, and most frequently with food. It is the least we can do, therefore, to thank Him for it, when it is just placed before us. We should thank Him also after we have eaten it and found it good, pleasing, and refreshing. When God provides us with food He thereby makes a kind of promise that He will allow us to live awhile longer and give us strength to serve Him. How shameful it is, then, to turn God's gifts into a means of offending Him, as some do by the sin of gluttony! Again, it is very wrong to murmur and be dissatisfied with what God gives us. He does not owe us anything, and need not give unless He wishes. What would you think of a beggar of this kind?
He comes to your door hungry, and you, instead of simply giving him some bread to appease his hunger, take him into your house and give him a good dinner, new clothing, and some money. Now, instead of being thankful, suppose he should complain because you did not give him a better dinner, finer clothing, and more money, and should look cross and dissatisfied; what would you think of him? Would you not be tempted to turn the ungrateful fellow out of your house, with an order never to come again, telling him he deserved to starve for his ingratitude? We are not quite as ungrateful as the beggar when we neglect grace at meals, because in saying our daily prayers we thank God for all His gifts, our food included, and hence it is not a sin to neglect grace at meals. But do we not show some ingratitude when we murmur, complain, and are dissatisfied with our food, clothing, or homes? God, even when we are ungrateful, still gives; hence His wonderful goodness and mercy to us.


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Posts Tagged'city nights'
Posts Tagged 'city nights'
Out Now—One Night in Kuala Lumpur by Abbey MacMunn @abbeymacmunn #EroticRomance #NewRelease
In search of inspiration and excitement, successful artist, Ziva Clarke, takes a trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her exhibitions in the UK have left her exhausted, she's had no fun in ages and her creativity is at below zero—the exotic Far East could be just what she needs.
Charmer Sam Tempest is visiting Kuala Lumpur on business with his father, but behind the impeccable suit and the wicked smile, he's not a happy man. Duty bound to join his family's international business, Sam longs to follow his true passion—to carve wood sculptures.
The two lonely souls meet by chance on a crowded street, and it turns out they might not be the strangers they first thought. So begins a night of confessions, shared dreams and hot sex.
Can one steamy night in Kuala Lumpur be the answer to both their dreams?
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Squinting, Ziva tried to see who'd spoken in a deep, smooth-as-silk British accent.
A tall man stood before her and greeted her with an alluring, lopsided smile that exuded confidence. Kind eyes crinkled at the corners.
His broad shoulders were clad in a navy, tailored business suit. With his thick hair, a rich, burnt umber colour, slicked back off his forehead, and an angular, clean-shaven jaw, the guy could have stepped off the set of a TV advert for men's cologne. And his lips… oh boy, his lips. Full, well-defined, and made for sinning.
Her mouth dried. Kuala Lumpur grew more interesting by the second.
Elise filled in for her temporary inability to speak. "No, we haven't. My sister failed to mention Pavilion or Lot 10. I'm afraid she doesn't share my love for shopping."
Surprise flashed across his face before his smile widened then hitched higher in one corner. Yep, male model material. Just my luck if he's gay.
Elise shifted from one foot to the other and adjusted her hold on her dozen or so shopping bags. "Are the malls far?"
"No, not far. They're near the Golden Triangle part of the city."
Ziva stifled another groan. More malls, right near where they were staying.
The guy tipped his head. "I'm Sam, by the way." Sophisticated charm oozed from every pore. "It's lovely to meet two beautiful English roses so far from home." Although he spoke to both of them, he directed an intense gaze at Ziva. Mischievous cobalt eyes sparkled in the bright sunlight then he winked at her. Hmm, not gay then.
"Hi, I'm Elise," her sister said, sticking out her chest. "Nice to meet you, too." She shuffled her feet again. "My feet are roasting standing here."
Ziva glanced at Elise's unsuitable choice of footwear as she stood on a drain cover. "I'm not surprised your feet are hot. It's ninety-five degrees and you're wearing high-heeled boots. I told you to wear your flat sandals."
Elise rolled her eyes. "Flat sandals do not go with this outfit," she said resignedly. "Kuala Lumpur is home to some of the best shopping malls in South East Asia—who cares about a little discomfort?"
"So, you were listening when I read out the tourist brochure and the amazing places I'd like to visit."
"No, not really." Elise gave an apologetic shrug. "I heard 'shopping malls' mostly."
Sam laughed. His attention never left Ziva. "And your name is…?"
The crowd surged forward to cross the road. Someone jostled past Ziva, accidentally knocking her elbow. Her tatty canvas handbag and her one and only shopping bag dropped to the ground. She gasped as her new lingerie tumbled onto the dusty pavement. "Oh, crap!"
Stooping to her haunches, she then hastily stuffed lacy bras and matching thongs back into the paper bag. Her blonde curls tumbled over her face, helping to hide cheeks that burned hotter than the pavement. A serious contender for Miss Tiny Tits UK, she'd been spoiled for choice when she'd seen that the malls in KL catered for smaller women, so she'd treated herself to a few items of sexy underwear. Not that she had an occasion to wear it, but still, the last thing she needed was to have it displayed for all to see.
Sam kneeled in front of her, picked up a black bra, and swung it on his finger. "Here, I think you missed one."
Head still down, she reached for the bra, but he hooked his finger around the strap and held it firm. She tugged. "Let go."
"Not until you tell me your name." He tugged back, stretching the lace and elastic across the distance between them. "And not until you look at me."
Abbey MacMunn writes contemporary, paranormal and erotic romance. She lives in Hampshire, UK with her husband and their four children. She is a proud member of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
When she's not writing, she likes to watch films and TV shows – anything from rom-coms to superheroes to science fiction movies.
Contact links:
One Night in Kuala Lumpur Tirgearr Page
Twitter @abbeymacmunn
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September 20, 2017 Tags: abbey macmunn, city nights, contemporary romance, erotic romance, new release, one night in kuala lumpur, release blitz, romance, tirgearr publishing
Category: Guest Blogger Comments Off on Out Now—One Night in Kuala Lumpur by Abbey MacMunn @abbeymacmunn #EroticRomance #NewRelease
Out Now – City Nights: One Night in Sydney by Jan Graham (@jan_graham) #newrelease #romance #tirgearr
Will passion win out over wise business sense in one of the most beautiful harbor side cities of the world?
They say you often meet the person of your dreams in the most unlikely places and when you least expect it. Abby Devon and Kane Matheson are about to put that theory to the test.
Abigail Devon is all about business, until the dream of keeping her company alive fails and she finds herself seeking distraction in the arms of a tempting stranger she met on the plane. Kane Matheson is a man like no other, and once Abby gives into her attraction to him, passions spark and a night of erotic pleasure begins.
Kane can't believe his luck when his flight to Sydney places Abby along his path to a fun filled weekend. She's his kind of woman—business minded, clever, and with curves in all the right places. When he discovers they have more in common than savvy business expertise and undeniable sexual heat, he's faced with a daunting choice, and left wondering if pleasure can win out over wise business sense in one of the most beautiful harbor side cities of the world.
Have you ever met someone that's been too tempting to resist? How did it work out? Was it a one-night fling or the start of something great? Buy One Night in Sydney to find out where Abby and Kane's temptation leads them.
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2dcoLnJ
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2cZC3JU
Nook: http://bit.ly/2agGsFF
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2azWTcH
iBooks: http://apple.co/2azWBTc
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2ataqaC
Don't forget to add One Night in Sydney to your Goodreads bookshelf.
You know, if you like, we could hang out together in the city for a bit, maybe when you've finished your busy day." Kane didn't look at her this time; speaking from his reclined position, head tilted back against the rest with his eyes closed. "I only have to try on a suit and then I'm done for the day. You could meet me there, let me know if you think I look okay, you know, thumbs up or down, and then we could grab a bite… or something. Whatever takes your fancy, beautiful."
He raised his lids and angled himself slightly to look at her for the final part of his statement, the wicked expression and cheeky glint in his eyes giving Abby the distinct impression he hoped that he'd be the something that took her fancy. He did. But it couldn't happen.
Abby didn't believe in love at first sight, but she did believe in lust at first sight and Kane ticked all her boxes. Feeling breathless, hardened nipples, feeling flushed when they touched, and that increasing ache between her legs. Luckily the flight was a short one, so she'd be able to escape him soon enough. In her party days they probably would have been in the bathroom, reaffirming her membership in the mile-high club, but those days were behind her. She doubted she'd renew that membership again any time soon.
"I really don't think that's possible. But thanks for the offer." She wondered if he knew she was lying. Of course it was possible, all she had to do was say yes. She merely chose not to.
"That's a shame. I have this feeling we'd get along really well." He tore the edge off the bottom of a page in his magazine, grabbed a pen from his shirt pocket, scribbled a number on it and handed it to her. "In case you change your mind."
Abby laughed and stared at the mobile number in her hand. He certainly was persistent.
"I assume you've run out of business cards?" She continued to chuckle as the plane began its descent. "You did say you understood business, right?"
"I did. I also said I was on a pleasure trip. I've left all business accessories at the office. This weekend, I'm just a regular guy who uses any piece of paper on hand to give the woman he likes his number."
Oh Lord, thank heavens the plane had just touched down. She folded the paper, slipped her fingers into the front of her shirt and tucked the number into her bra. It was a mistake to put it there, and Abby knew it the moment her gaze met Kane's, who was now standing waiting for her to step out into the aisle.
"What?" she asked innocently as Kane stared down at her cleavage with a devilish grin on his face. "It's just a silly habit I picked up in my partying days. I'd pop anything important in my bra and that way I wouldn't lose it."
Grabbing her handbag from the floor, she stood and moved to walk out into the aisle but Kane blocked her way. His body forming a human wall as he retrieved her bag from the overhead cabin. Luggage sorted, Kane didn't move, fixing her in place with his heated gaze.
"I'm glad you think I'm important." His devilish grin didn't waver and he spoke in a tone laced with lust. "I'm also delighted to know that when you take off your clothes tonight and get naked, you'll be thinking about me."
She was about to burst into flames. Abby raised her hand, placing it on his chest with the intention of pushing him back, only to find her fingers lingered on the defined muscle beneath her touch.
"We'll see," she whispered.
Kane placed his hand over hers, gently gripped her fingers and raised them to his mouth. He kissed her knuckles tenderly and smiled. "We will. Now off to your very busy business day, Abigail Devon." Stepping back, Kane handed over her bag before ushering her into the aisle. "I look forward to receiving your call later today."
Unsure how she made it to the plane's exit on trembling legs, Abby breathed a sigh of relief once she made it into the terminal. Allowing the disembarking crowd to carry her forward, she picked up her pace. The more distance she put between Kane Matheson and herself, the better. Today was all about saving her company, not indulging in a quickie with a man she met on a plane.
Jan Graham is an author of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense, all her writing is erotic and some includes BDSM elements. She has numerous published titles to her credit, with more to come once she overcomes her current bout of procrastination. Jan lives in Newcastle, Australia where she writes, reads, feeds her Netflix addiction and drinks coffee with friends.
For those who enjoy labels and tags, as well as being an author, Jan is a blogger, a submissive, an aunt, dyslexic, a lover of all things erotic, naughty, a participant in the BDSM community, a widow, an orphan, and a member of The Australian Sex Party (no it's nothing kinky, they are a legit political group).
In short, she is generally a bit of an eccentric who lives her life slightly left of center. You can find out more about Jan and her work by stalking her on the various social media sites where she occasionally hangs out. Alternately you can sign up for her newsletter – Newsletter Sign-up
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October 7, 2016 Tags: city nights, erotic romance, erotica, jan graham, new release, one night in sydney, tirgearr publishing
Category: Guest Blogger Comments Off on Out Now – City Nights: One Night in Sydney by Jan Graham (@jan_graham) #newrelease #romance #tirgearr
Guest Blogger: J D Martins
When I wrote One Night in Boston, I decided straight off that these two characters weren't going to be like the characters in my other two City Nights Series books, One Night in Madrid and One Night in Pamplona. First off, they were going to be different races. Secondly, they were not going to be in their twenties. In fact, they were going to be in their late thirties and early forties. Thirdly, they were not going to have perfect bodies. I wasn't tired of describing beautiful bodies, but it was time for something new.
Not everyone reading the book is young and beautiful anymore (nor the person writing it!) and I think they'll appreciate characters aren't always young and beautiful either, even in erotic romance stories. Nor do they need to be. They're still sexy, still attractive, and still young and beautiful where it counts – in their heads and in the bedroom.
And they know what they like and what they want and they're not afraid to ask it of their lover.
I also decided to make the characters older because the story is about taking chances, about going for something even when it seems like it's doomed before you start. And while young people take chances – often stupid ones, as we see on the news often enough – they are less likely to ponder the implications of their embarking on an adventure. They just go for it without thinking because the future is wide open, as the song says, and who cares if things go belly up, really?
Colm and Amber in One Night in Boston, however, know what they're doing. They're well aware that things have not gone amazingly well for them before, and that they've not got lots of time to waste on a relationship that's going to fizzle out after a while. They want to invest in something that has a future rather than something that seems doomed from the start. At the same time, they know life is short, and even they deserve a little bit of romance, even if it is only for one night…
"Feck, feck and fuckin' feck," he yelled at nobody in particular.
Amber guffawed.
"That's all right, Amber. You have your laugh. I'm feckin' drenched."
Amber caught her breath. "I can see."
"So much for finding a restaurant. If we can get a taxi to the hotel we can eat there. I have other clothes, and I can leave these hangin' on a chair. They'll dry before mornin' in that sauna of a room."
Amber stopped laughing and shook her head, though she still smiled broadly, her eyes glowing with mirth. It was like a little sunshine. "No. We can dry them at my house in half an hour and go for dinner later. It's still early; there's still lots to see."
"If you're sure," Colm said.
Amber was sure. She hadn't been until he fell. Well, she'd been sure she'd kiss him, but as to inviting him home, she'd not thought about it. Much. Well, okay, she'd thought about it, a lot; all the time they were holding hands. But she'd believed it was still a decision waiting to be made.
But once she'd said it, she was sure it was the right thing.
Well, maybe it wasn't. He was getting on a plane the next day and flying out of her life, just like Billy had—though that had been after a lot more than one day. She didn't like one-night stands because she felt she was just getting played again. But screw it, she'd made her decision. She didn't go back on decisions; even bad ones. Her mami could attest to that.
Anyway, it wasn't often she could let herself take such a chance. Normally she had the kids in the house and that made it impossible to bring a man home. Nor was it often she met a man who wanted to come home with her—or who was worth bringing back home. Since Billy left she'd only been on a few dates. Men didn't get turned on by the fact she'd two teenage kids.
Colm looked like his ass was cold. The snow stuck to his pants and he pulled at them to keep the wet cloth away from his legs. By the time a cab slowed and stopped for them, the pants were nearly frozen stiff, and sitting in the cab wasn't very comfortable for him. He made no move to lean against her now, so he wouldn't get her wet. At least being frozen, water didn't drip all over the seat, so the driver never knew the pants were damp.
Her flat was a small, two-bedroom walk-up in Mission Hill. She really needed somewhere bigger. But it had a nice deck on the back that looked out over Downtown, and when she got home and kicked back with a beer or a gin and tonic—weather permitting—it was her own little sanctuary. All the bullshit she had to put up with from customers and Billy and the kids and the landlady, and whoever else got in her way that day, just melted away.
Colm seemed to appreciate the view, and didn't say anything about the small size of the apartment. Nor did he mention the fact it was only fifty degrees in the place. Amber supposed it felt warm to him after the cold bath. He looked around for the washing machine in the kitchen while she turned up the thermostat.
"I got a washer-dryer in the bathroom. I used to go to the laundromat, but man, I'm tired of doin' that shit my whole life. Landlady doesn't like it, but she can kiss my big black ass. I ain't taking my laundry through the snow all winter. Not the way my kids change their clothes."
"Have you got a towel or anything? Just to dry myself off a bit."
She laughed. She didn't think he'd be so shy about disrobing, somehow; him a big farmer and all. "You go get in the shower, warm your ass up. When I hear the water runnin', I'll come in and put the clothes in the machine. Then I'll have coffee ready when you're done."
"That's great, thanks a million."
Colm got in the shower and Amber threw his clothes in the dryer. Then she put on some coffee. It would be done percolating when she was done with Colm.
In the bedroom she closed the blinds and turned on Samika's bedside lamp so her own bed was in shadow when she turned off the main light. She didn't want Colm to see her body in the cold brightness, exactly. She was going to have sex with him, but it didn't mean she was completely at ease showing him her body. If she was, she'd have gotten in the shower with him already.
When Amber heard the water stop she went back in the bathroom while Colm was still towelling off. He seemed a little startled, but recovered quickly. He looked at her without speaking. She didn't speak either. What was there to say?
She took him by the hand into her bedroom. He let the towel drop when he got there. She turned around and sat back on the bed, looking up at him. His whole body was extremely pale, his chest and belly covered in thick hair. He had a bit of a paunch, but a wide chest, and his arms and legs were muscular. He looked like he could pick her up and dance across the room—had there been room to stand.
He didn't look like he wanted to stand much, though. She stole a glance at his dick, already rising to the occasion as he climbed on the bed beside her.
When Colm is stranded overnight in Boston, Amber, a hotel receptionist, agrees to give him a personal tour of the cradle of the American Revolution. Colm has loved and lost, and now takes pleasure where he finds it. Amber hasn't quite found her feet again after a recent divorce, nor is she very happy with what she sees in the mirror.
As they drive through the historic streets and stroll along the Freedom Trail, taking in the beautiful architecture of Beacon Hill and Back Bay, their mutual attraction grows and both take a chance on happiness. But can they trust one another? Can Colm convince Amber he's not just playing her, or is his one night in Boston just a fling?
10% of the author's royalties will be donated to WWF, the World Wildlife Fund.
Buy Links for One Night in Boston:
Tirgearr: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Martins_JD/one-night-in-boston.htm
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/20vJp4o
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1NJtUF3
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/one-night-in-boston/id1099998311
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-night-in-boston-jd-martins/1123637513
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/one-night-in-boston-2
JD Martins has been called Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, Philippine and English and Australian. He is none of these.
He's lived in four cities in three countries on two continents, but he doesn't feel like he's travelled very much. His life in each city was rather mundane and he didn't get out much – tending to move his pen more than his body.
He still aspires to see much more of the world – probably when his wife becomes rich enough to let him retire from day jobs.
He would like to live like Ernest Hemmingway: periodically sending novel manuscripts to his publisher from various far-flung corners of the world, though he's not sure the quality will be quite the same. Until then, he has contented himself with living like Robert Graves – in a pleasant part of Spain with a quiet life – and being able to do some things that Hemmingway did – trout fishing in Spain, game hunting in Africa, watching bullfights and running with the bulls, – and a few that he did not get to do – surfing, skydiving, bungee jumping, and getting erotic stories published.
https://www.facebook.com/JDMartinsauthor
http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Martins_JD/index.htm
Make sure to follow the whole tour—the more posts you visit throughout, the more chances you'll get to enter the giveaway. The tour dates are here: http://www.writermarketing.co.uk/prpromotion/blog-tours/currently-on-tour/j-d-martins/
June 2, 2016 Tags: blog tour, city nights, erotic romance, erotica, guest blogger, j d martins, one night in boston, tirgearr publishing, writer marketing services
Category: Guest Blogger 2 Comments
New Release from Lucy Felthouse – City Nights: One Night in Budapest (@cw1985) #newrelease #erotica #romance #newadult #NA #tirgearr
Hermione's in Budapest on a romantic weekend break. Or at least it should have been romantic—an unexpected break-up means she's visiting the Hungarian capital alone. Determined to make the most of it, she goes on a night-time river cruise, the perfect opportunity to see some of the city's beautiful sights after dark.
On the boat, cute Budapest native Emil serves her cocktails. They chat a little on the journey, engage in some banter, and when Emil asks Hermione out for dinner, she's seriously tempted. But she's a long way from home, by herself—is dinner with a complete stranger a good idea? Hermione decides to take a chance, and what follows is an unforgettable night which will transform her life forever.
Amazon: http://mybook.to/ONiBudapest
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-night-in-budapest-lucy-felthouse/1123478763?ean=2940152889482
iBooks UK: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/one-night-in-budapest/id1088016111?mt=11
iBooks US: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/one-night-in-budapest/id1088016111?mt=11
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/one-night-in-budapest
Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29345184-one-night-in-budapest
City Nights Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CityNightsbyTirgearrPublishing/
Locating the correct pier, Hermione pulled her ticket from her pocket and showed it to the girl welcoming passengers onto the boat. The girl—the badge pinned to her blouse giving her name as Reka—glanced at the ticket, and smiled. "Thank you. Please take a seat inside until the boat arrives. Enjoy your trip."
With a nod, Hermione gingerly headed along the gangplank and boarded the vessel, wondering what Reka meant. Surely this was the boat? She shrugged, smiling at the other members of staff she passed, and followed the buzz of chatter to find the other passengers. Maybe it had been a misunderstanding, her meaning lost in translation or something.
Heading up a couple of steps to a bar room full of other tourists, she quickly took a seat at an empty table by the window. She'd have a great view of Budapest's riverside highlights from here—and she was sure they'd look different again once night fell. Already the sky was darkening—it was almost four p.m. on a chilly January day.
She was so intent on admiring the Chain Bridge that she didn't know there was anyone beside her until someone said, "Excuse me, madam? Would you like to take advantage of our special drinks offer?"
Turning to the source of the voice, her fluttering heart the only indication that she'd been startled, she smiled. "Maybe. What's the offer?"
Her smile widened as she studied the man who'd spoken. He looked to be around her age—early twenties, and damn cute. Dark, slightly overlong hair curled on his head, deep brown eyes gave him an intensity that increased the flutters in her heart, and the dimpled smile he flashed as he replied lit up his handsome face. "It is happy hour. Two drinks for price of one." He paused, looked at the empty seat beside her, then glanced over his shoulder as though checking if anyone was coming to join her at the table. "But perhaps you would only like one? Maybe I can see if yours can be half price…"
"It's okay," she replied firmly. "I'm going to be on the boat for a while, I'm sure I can manage two drinks. I don't have to have them at the same time, do I?"
He shook his head. "No. I will be serving on the other boat in a moment, so I will look after you and your drinks to make sure you get special price."
Immediately following his mention of an additional boat, a loud voice rang out. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now ready for you to board the tour boat. Please be very careful while stepping from one boat to the other. As soon as you are all seated, we will begin the trip. Thank you."
It was then Hermione realised that as she'd been gazing out of the window to one side, a smaller boat had pulled up alongside the one she was on. Everyone was getting up and moving to the staircase. "Thank you," Hermione said, glancing at the man's name badge. "Emil. I would absolutely like to take you up on your offer."
He smiled, and she returned the gesture, only allowing the grimace to take over her face once she was out of his view. She was glad of any language barriers at that moment—hopefully it had prevented Emil recognising the blatant double entendre in her words, inadvertent though it had been.
As she emerged into the main space of the tour boat, she worried there wasn't enough room for her and she might have to share a table with someone else. Not that it would be the end of the world, but over the past couple of days in the Hungarian capital, she'd become accustomed to her own company, even begun enjoying it. And the beautiful city had been more than enough of a distraction, in any case.
Lucy Felthouse is the award-winning author of erotic romance novels Stately Pleasures (named in the top 5 of Cliterati.co.uk's 100 Modern Erotic Classics That You've Never Heard Of, and an Amazon bestseller) and Eyes Wide Open (an Amazon bestseller). Including novels, short stories and novellas, she has over 140 publications to her name. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more about her writing at http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk, or on Twitter and Facebook. You can also subscribe to her monthly newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9
March 31, 2016 Tags: city nights, erotic romance, erotica, Lucy Felthouse, na, new adult, new release, one night in budapest, tirgearr publishing
Category: New Releases Comments Off on New Release from Lucy Felthouse – City Nights: One Night in Budapest (@cw1985) #newrelease #erotica #romance #newadult #NA #tirgearr
I Left My Heart in Chicago by Megan Morgan (@morgan_romance)
I live in Cleveland, Ohio but my favorite city on Earth is Chicago—I want to live there someday, as long as the Universe cooperates. So of course, when I wanted to write for the City Nights series I chose Chicago as my setting.
Chicago is a six-hour drive from Cleveland and a lot of people here visit it regularly. Some people even run businesses here and live in Chicago, commuting back and forth. A six-hour drive or a one-hour plane trip—not so bad, really. Cleveland is a small city and Chicago is a huge metropolis, so the two are very different and the lure of Chicago is tremendous.
The first time I went to Chicago, I took the Megabus (a cheap no-frills bus service between various US cities) overnight and stepped off the bus at dawn, right next to the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower), the tallest building in the US. I was instantly in love. I'd fallen in love at my first glimpse of downtown from the Skyway as we approached. Despite being exhausted from my trip, I immediately wanted to go see every tourist attraction in the city; unfortunately, it was only six a.m., so I had to wait a bit!
During my first visit, I went to three of Chicago's must-see attractions: Navy Pier, Millennium Park, and the top of the Sears/Willis Tower. My characters visit all these spots in One Night in Chicago. I've been back to Chicago numerous times since and seen many other parts of the city. My most recent visit was in January and I would love to go again later this year.
I love to write about Chicago. My urban fantasy series from Kensington Books is also set in Chicago. I hope I do the city justice, since I can't call it home yet. Like me, in One Night in Chicago, my characters don't live there but visit the city because they had an amazing romantic weekend there early in their relationship. They've decided to break up, but intend to have one last good time together—but perhaps instead, the Windy City will remind them why they fell in love in the first place.
I hope you'll enjoy Chicago virtually through my writing as much as I do in real life!
She bought a shot glass, some postcards, a pen, and a keychain with her name on one side and the Chicago skyline, lit with little lights, on the other.
She dangled the keychain in front of Malcolm's face. "Come on, this is a work of art. Look at the lights."
"They'll burn out in two days." He batted it. "You're the worst impulse shopper I've ever met."
"Some of us like to have fun." She strolled to the windows. "Just because you're a boring old man doesn't mean we all have to be."
"I'm far from boring. I would think after four years you wouldn't use that word to describe me."
"You can be overbearing, sometimes." She pulled her phone out of her purse. "A wet blanket."
"I'm reasonable. You can be a bit of a child, if we're gonna go there. Sometimes you don't think about the consequences before you act. You just jump in."
"Don't worry, after tomorrow I won't be your problem to babysit."
He sighed. "I don't think of it as babysitting. I just thought…maybe after four years we learned something from each other. You know, you help me loosen up, I keep you grounded."
She took a picture out the window with her phone. "I guess not."
"You don't think we've rubbed off on each other at all?"
She turned and snapped a picture from a different angle. "It doesn't seem like it, does it? I mean, here we are, still arguing about the same crap."
"Surely we're taking something good from this." Malcolm followed her as she moved along the railing. "It wasn't all bad, was it?"
She turned to him. "No. But when it was bad, it was really bad. That's why this is happening."
"You're supposed to say I made you a better person." Forced humor tinged his voice. "That you'll always be grateful for the things you learned from me."
She dropped her phone back in her purse. "Is that all you're concerned about, that I 'learned' something from you?"
"No. But I was hoping we changed each other for the better."
"Are you changed for the better?"
"I am, actually."
She gazed out the windows, across the vast expanse of water.
"I feel like I'm not the uptight jerk I once was. Like you taught me how to have a little fun."
"Yet, you're still a workaholic."
"It's my job! Tay, it's okay to have fun, but you gotta put in some hard work to have good things. You know that better than anyone. You're gonna have to work hard in California. Your dream will still take time."
Anger tightened her chest. "I know that."
"But it's okay to dream. It's okay to look forward to the day when everything you want comes to you."
"If it does, right?" She snorted. "This could all be a losing game. Why, I might be back in New York and in your arms again before the end of the year."
He turned toward the window, placing his hands on the railing. "I want you to have your dreams. I wouldn't mind if you were still in my arms."
Breaking up is hard to do, especially after four years together.
Taylor Middleton, a singer striving for her big break, and her boyfriend Malcolm Darling, a mover and shaker in the music business, have decided to call it quits. Taylor wants to take her onstage persona—Gracie M—to LA, where she hopes bright lights and big dreams await.
But before they break up, the two decide to spend one last night in Chicago, the city where they once shared a passionate, romantic weekend, in hopes of preserving some good memories. In Chicago, Taylor realizes she's not so sure about taking her talents elsewhere, as Malcolm reminds her why she fell in love—and lust—with him. Taylor may soon discover the right man, like music, can set her free and make all her dreams come true.
Purchase at:
Kindle US, Kindle UK, Smashwords, Apple, Kobo, Nook
Megan Morgan is an urban fantasy, romance, and erotica author from Cleveland, Ohio. Bartender by day and purveyor of things that go bump in the night, she's trying to turn writing into her day job so she can be on the other side of the bar for a change. She's a member of the RWA and author of the Siren Song urban fantasy series from Kensington Books, as well as numerous other shorter, sexy, smutty works.
Website: http://www.meganmorganauthor.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/morgan_romance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megan.morgan.author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/meganmorganauthor
Email: meganmorganauthor@gmail.com
Make sure to follow the whole tour—the more posts you visit throughout, the more chances you'll get to enter the giveaway. The tour dates are here: http://www.writermarketing.co.uk/prpromotion/blog-tours/currently-on-tour/megan-morgan/
June 1, 2015 Tags: city nights, city nights one night in chicago, erotic romance, erotica, guest blogger, megan morgan, one night in chicago, tirgearr publishing