text:
The Rugby Players of Suva
Fijians love rugby and we love to watch them play even though we don't understand a thing about it. This is what we've learned so far…
A guy on the sideline tries to throw the bladder to a mate out on the field who is hoisted into the air by his shorts and lots of helping hands on his thighs and crotch. We call this the Flying Wedgie.
The opposing guys do the same thing and one of them ends up with the ball. We call this the Chicken Fight.
Then the ball goes way down to the ground from these great heights and into the well known Scrum.
Suddenly it wobbles out on to the grass with a shocking lack of interest from the Scrumming men who continue to crush each other as hard as possible. Eventually it gets scooped up.
Then there's some old fashioned running and the occasional kick towards the goal posts.
And the whole thing starts over.
Chicken fights, wedgies, headbutts, running and kicking… what's new is really old. Again we learn that people are the same all over the world.
18°09.00′S 178°29.50′E 30-Apr-11 10:30 UTC
A Slow Boat to Suva
After a week in the anchorage we thought it would be fun to take a little voyage across the Koro Sea on the overnight ferry to Suva. There's nothing like a boat trip to break up the monotony of life on a mooring. The salt air, the romance of ancient maritime traditions, a sturdy German ferry built in 1970, how could we resist?
We splurged for the occasion and booked a cabin for the overnight passage. Once aboard we began some immediate schooling in commercial marine practice, an area where K thought he had seen everything. We noticed right away that the Westerland had been re-fit with some interesting design details, like the plate glass bulkhead on our state room.
This feature helped to remind us that we are way richer than the other 500 passengers who travel as deck cargo, and much older than we used to be when we used to travel as deck cargo. It also provided the majority with a view of the good life, which made us feel rather obnoxious, really. Happily there was a retro-fit curtain, our air conditioner kept the window nice and frosty for privacy, and when we closed our eyes to sleep through the passage we were able to forget where we were, which helped salve our feelings of guilt.
The other side of the space had a sliding glass door that bisected an escape hatch.
This was just as well because throughout the night the deck cargo folks would dog and undog the hatch to check its function. S slept in her clothes and K was repeatedly teased by the expectation of feeding time.
We had a great view of the stern ramp and spent hours watching the deck department press-fit cargo trucks into the vehicle deck.
Then the last one was secured for sea with a 3 inch hawser on the mooring capstans.
In the morning the forwards trucks backed off and the backwards trucks drove forwards with their Ro-Ro cargos of lumber, goats, and straight-jacketed geese riding precariously in a cardboard box on top of it all.
This box of geese went for a bit of a road trip before the driver remembered to secure them. They could have been damaged in transit. Always check your load!
Our peculiar routing included a bonus 1.5-hour bus ride from a ferry terminal in the jungle to the bustling port city of Suva. We heard a lot of great things about this bus trip from the ticket agent and our friend Aseri at the marina. Everyone agreed that the road was really good, paved even, and the rural scenery was pleasant.
So we crammed into the very back seat of the 3rd bus, where we sat with some over-jolly young Fijian lads and took some snaps out the window….
Eventually we got to the outskirts of Suva where a great many buses comingle in a hive of commuting Fijians. A local young man sitting next to us on the bus took pity on us as we sat patiently waiting to see where we were being taken. Unasked, he made some calls on his cell phone to find out where our hotel was and helpfully told us when we should get off. Then he was gone in a cloud of diesel exhaust before we could learn his name. We found our hotel just half a block away.
Tags: Fiji sailing
We've been really busy in Savusavu since we arrived a week ago. It all started because we accidently giggled at the biosecurity clearance agent as he stick-paddled back to the dock when his outboard motor died. It's hard to say why this was funny, outboards are a ridiculous idea that we've all fallen victim to, but there is something charming about a federal official stick-paddling back to the office after clearing you into the country.
But we violated the first rule of boat-folk: Never laugh at a sad guy in a dinghy (though he actually looked quite happy as he paddled). Five minutes later as we were sacked out on the settees under the cabin fans we heard our inflatable dinghy let out an incredibly loud, long, pathetic shriek : EEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! The blazing tropical sun had overpressured the airfloor and burst a weak seam. Soon after, another seam in the left tube went. Our trusty old blow up boat was exploding, seam by seam, in front of our eyes.
As usual, the first set of patches didn't work, just as threatened in the glue directions… "don't use in temperatures over 80° F and humidity above 60%" and "apply only in an air conditioned environment." In Savusavu that would mean gluing up the dinghy in the lobby of the WestPac Bank – if you cared to swim it in to the beach, carry it to town and test the limits of this very hospitable society. Perhaps they would have taken pity on us as the gringos who try their ATM cards every day only to get little slips of paper confirming the denial of their bank cards due, we found out through a very expensive phone call, to a new ATM services contractor at Capital One. This was seriously affecting our shopping and there was lots of cool stuff in town that K could not play with unless he bought.
We accepted our humiliating punishment for dinghy pride and paddled back and forth barely afloat on one dinghy tube for several days while we waited for the temperature to dip below 95° in the shade and the monsoonal rains to give us a break. In the meantime we found a plywood vendor and built a set of back-up dinghy floor boards in between downpours (out came the circular saw, the jig saw, the hole saw, the router, Great Grandpa's plane…).
It took several days, this place generates some big rain.
And the big rain generates high humidity, which settles on consumer electronics that are salty from 9 days of vigorous offshore work. One by one they began to die. First to go was the LCD on a camera. The next morning it was the laptop keyboard, or to be exact, the keys on the keyboard that made up half of our login password. We enjoy field stripping our electronics as much as anyone, but spending a couple of hours, or half a day, puzzling over the best way to yank apart microscopic ribbon cable connectors can wreak havoc with other fun things on the schedule, like breaking off half the bolts in the steering pedestal, fiberglassing in the cockpit locker and redesigning bits of the self-steering system in the far corners of a space the size of a sidewalk mailbox with the temperature of a sauna.
It's really hard to explain what we've been doing in the stern of this boat and how unpleasant it can be. If you re-wrote the hotbox punishment scene from Cool Hand Luke to include some activities inside the hotbox like grinding itchy fiberglass and performing blindfolded swiss watch repairs with your face pressed into a greasy steering cable while supporting your full weight on a single rib, you might be pretty close. All we wanted are a couple of alternate control line runs for the windvane. It always sounds so easy at the start.
But it helps to be in a beautiful place when you stagger out of the hot-box, mourning your loss of longevity at a rate of 500:1 for each minute you spent in the extreme physical stress of the cockpit locker in the tropics. Waitui Marina is actually not very beautiful in a stylish sense but we love the tin roof with its 20 year old pink paint job that matches the sunset.
We also like the collection of tenants. There's a meat packer, a laundry, a dive shop, a "yacht club," and a curry shop where you can eat lunch for 4 USD and meet Gigi the owner's granddaughter who greets you with a big smile, plays in the rain, eats curry with her hands and skips wherever she goes.
The Waitui mooring field is managed by Americans Michael and Kendra, famous for their years in the Pacific on a Downeast 38 and the founders of Bebi Electronics, purveyors of LED replacement lights. Michael has a cool nesting aluminum dinghy….
Savusavu rates near the top of our list for scenic populated anchorages.
On one side we have a palmy island with mangroves and a view across Savusavu Bay.
The other side is a moving picture of amphibious Fijians and geothermal steam rising from the black beaches.
The sun sets among thunderstorms every night behind the ferry Suliven, as a parade of bats migrate silently overhead.
After a week of sweaty heroics, the camera is fixed, the laptop has an external keyboard, there's a dinghy on order from NZ, the old one has held air for 3 days, the steering pedestal has been dismantled, examined, oiled, and drilled and tapped with new bolts, the heads have been caulked, we have new fiberglass foundations for a redundant set of self-steering blocks, and the new ATM cards are "in the mail." Time to have some fun.
NZ to Fiji
We made landfall tonight at 0200 and now we motor into the Koro Sea with Great Astrolabe Reef 55 nm to port and Matuku Island just visible to starboard in the blue light of a full moon. The entry to these waters is also guarded by an uncharted reef south of Matuku which S carefully noted on the chart plotter with a liberal sprinkling of sinking ship symbols.
It's a relief to be across the last 1000 nm with its notorious threatening tropical lows and the sloppy seas of its boisterous sub-tropical highs. These high pressure systems are really the way in and out of New Zealand though, and so it was that we set out toward a monstrous system of rain and squalls and one big swirling storm, flying down like a red eyed dragon from the northwest to intercept our course.
It's not clear to us where "Tropical Disturbance" falls in the hierarchy of tropical trouble but we did find it disturbing when the forecast began to include this term after we had been sailing north for a day. Our cunning plan on departure was to aim for the tail of this beast and "hit 'em where they ain't" but we slowed down for a day or two just to make sure that this thing would not turn on us.
Two days out of NZ the beast had crossed our track several hundred miles to the north and was slithering off the southeast leaving us to deal with a rearguard of squalls and a running head-sea.
Up went the staysail, out came the 3nd reef on the jib and we sailed at great speed through the sort of uncomfortable sea that only Albatrosses enjoy.
We love these big birds with their six foot wingspans and their determined but seemingly purposeless soaring through the troughs. S wants to know where they keep their feet. K is pretty sure they don't have any.
There was very little else to see. Several hundred miles north of NZ, a small swallow stopped and took a breather under the dodger for about 5 minutes before setting off again heading upwind against 20 knots. We put out a saucer of water for him in case he came back, but though we saw him again the next day, he didn't stop in. The flying fish reappeared flying through the night at alarming altitudes to ricochet off the rig, leaving blue scales and the strong smell of impacted flying fish in hidden places.
One day S saw a stick.
Khamseen thrives in these conditions. We've seen more than a few waves roll under the keel but it's still fun to see this boat sail up to a wave the size of a house, crawl up the steep side, slide down the backside on her belly and still keep all the tea in your mug. In this heavy-ish weather, life revolves around sleeping and eating. We left with two whole legs of lamb. K brothed the bones in the pressure cooker and then made lamb curry everyday for about a week. There was lamb butter curry, lamb korma, banana coconut lamb curry, lamb vindaloo and a Jordanian lamb maklouba (just for variety). The sea state was at "No Baking" so we did without our naan.
Our final days in Opua were delightful. First there was the discounted legs of lamb. Then our friends Michele and Bernie, who live with their two girls Lola and Jana on Momo, let us borrow their car for an expedition to the big supermarket in the town of Kerikeri. It was a great day out with lots of shopping and a nice shawarma lunch in an Israeli cafe. Then we kept the kids up too late at the boring old yacht club where adults talked on and on about boats after a hard day of school.
The next day we met up again with the Momo crew and the local syndicate of the Bubblegum Mafia for crepes and coffee.
Some of us were on high alert with the impending visit of a dental nurse and were carrying a toothbrush and toothpaste in our shirt pockets at all times.
Others of us were just pleased to have a whole locker converted into a single occupancy aviary.
We'll miss our Opua friends. We'll also miss our anchor spot next to Hawke of Tuonela with front row seats on an endless parade of vessels in this bay.
Like the chick magnet Glyn Bird with its lusty ancient diesel on the daily social outing of young locals…
and the folks from Zephyrus launching their sweet nesting two-part dinghy.
Tags: Fiji sailing, Offshore sailing, passage making
The Worried Skipper (a poem, not us)
"I hates to think of dyin'," says the skipper to the mate;
"Starvation, shipwrecks, heart disease, I loathe to contemplate.
I hates to think of vanities And all the crimes they lead to."
"Then," says the mate,
With looks sedate,
"Ye doesn't really need to."
"It fills me breast with sorrer," says the skipper with a sigh,
"To conjer up the happy days what careless has slipped by.
I hates to contemplate the day I ups and left me Mary."
"Why contemplate,
If it ain't necessary?"
"Suppose that this here vessel," says the skipper with a groan,
"Should lose 'er bearin's, run away, and hump upon a stone.
Suppose she'd shiver and go down, when save ourselves we couldn't."
The mate replies,
"Oh, blow me eyes!
Suppose ag'in, she shouldn't?"
"The chances is agin' us," says the skipper in dismay;
"If fate don't kill us out and out, it gits us all some day.
So many perish of old age, the death rate must be fearful."
"Well," says the mate
"At any rate,
we might as well die cheerful."
"I read in them statistic books," the nervous skipper cries,
"That every minute by the clock some feller up and dies;
I wonder what disease they gits that kills in such a hurry."
The mate he winks
and says "I thinks
they mostly dies of worry."
"Of certain things," the skipper sighs, "me conscience won't be rid,
And all the wicked things I done I sure should not have did.
The wrinkles on me inmost soul compel me oft to shiver."
"Yer soul's first rate,"
Observes the mate,
"The trouble's with yer liver."
Wallace Irwin
A Way Home
As one of our favorite songs goes, "there's more than one way home." As we considered how the heck we were going to sail Khamseen back to Seattle attractive options seemed surprisingly limited. The north- and south-easterly trade winds that pushed us nicely along through the tropics last year would definitely provide some unpleasant sailing if we tried to go against them back the way we came.
One famous cruising route guru recommends heading straight east from New Zealand, reaping the benefits of the favorable mid-latitude winds, before sweeping north through the Austral Islands of French Polynesia, on to Tahiti, then up to Hawaii, before hooking up over the summertime North Pacific High pressure system that'll be waiting for us off the U.S. west coast (not much wind in the High) and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Here's a plot of what that looks like:
The thing we don't like about this route is the first leg, which along with its promise of wind also comes the promise of at least one gale. Many boats report having been treated to several, as low pressure systems march one after another across the southern mid-latitudes. It's autumn down here after all. We've already had a taste of these gales as we hunkered down on the Coromandel. We couldn't help thinking there must be another way.
So we consulted our friends Garth and Wendy who have years of experience sailing around the Pacific. Garth suggested we head north from New Zealand, island hop through Fiji, Tuvalu, and Kiribati up to the Marshall Islands, then over to Midway Island, and on to the Pacific Northwest. That sounded like a splendid idea.
We knew we'd need a permit to stop at Midway, which is part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument created a few years ago, so we started our permit application process last summer. Unfortunately we quickly hit a budget-related snag. Long story short, we're not going to Midway. In fact, they warned us not to even think about stopping there unless we plunked down about $4k for a vessel tracking system. They helpfully offer three types of government-approved systems to choose from, but each would wind up costing us a couple of months of cruising budget. Never mind that there are low-cost alternatives, the then-President only okayed those three. We'd also need a rat inspection, a haul out for bottom cleaning, and an agreement not to use our dinghy which they say is too small. And all for the one week they would allow us to stay – um, no thanks America, you have the stingiest bureaucracy in the Pacific.
But we really like the idea of going up through island chains we haven't seen yet, and making the big jump from the Marshalls to British Columbia is doable, so that's still our plan. We'll just be sure to steer well clear of forbidden Midway. Something like this:
Comparing them, both routes are about 7,000 nm long and would take us about 60 days on passage. So while Keb' Mo's right, "there ain't no right way, ain't no wrong," there is one way that pretty much guarantees we'll have our dupas handed to us by Mother Nature, and another that's more scenic and that might just let us off a little easy.
It looks like its time to go. We have 2 legs of lamb and a few other groceries (about $700 NZ worth). We sail for Fiji.
Return to the Bay of Islands
The timing for our return to the Bay of Islands was clearly fortunate as we currently cling to the bottom of Urupukapuka Bay with our claws out in 36 kts of wind that swoops down from the bluffs around us.
Though we regret leaving Great Barrier, we know that more time farther south would have cost us a good week of waiting for reasonable conditions to make it back to Opua.
At the end of our fast upwind day we arrived in Deep Water Cove, which is really not that deep. Among the endearing enigmas of this country – which include kiwi fruit imported from Italy, and referring to a meal after lunch and before bed where one might have chops and parsnips as "tea" – anything over 30 ft is considered deep.
We spent a pleasant night during which the last of the mosquitoes were discharged to perdition. In the morning we were invited aboard Savarna for coffee and met some nice people from Nelson who had backpacked in Alaska as youngsters and knew the illegal hiring practices of salmon canneries in Valdez. K was nostalgic. We took a quick trip ashore, where wild begonias grow from the rocky cliffside,
and hiked up to the nearby ridge where we finally saw a Tui bird (he was too jumpy to have his picture taken). But we hurried back to Khamseen to move for the weather. It's not hard to move smartly when the sunny sky is suddenly scored by a long dark cloud coming down, knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door. This cloud stretched all the way to Tonga.
So we left the rookery rocks of this new species of heavily-beaked beach chicken,
and wandered past islets and through skinny passes towards Urupukapuka Bay.
The sheep dotted pastures on high bluffs around the bay reminded us that the larder was getting low and the fishing has been bad – or at least the keeping has been bad even when the catching was alright.
So we ate the last of our Mexican lentils in a beanless country and watched yet another squall roll out of the endless Pacific and across these cheeky islands.
35°13.30′S 174°14.30′E 4-Apr-11 05:30 UTC
The Mosquitoes of The Mokohinaus
Sunday, April 3rd, 2011
You'd think twenty-five miles offshore would be far enough to avoid bugs, yet we found the mosquitoes of the Mokohinau Islands are competing well with sheep for the largest biomass between Seattle and Dunedin. The islands in this cluster are a wonderland of micro-bays, pinnacles, caves, tiny passes and octopus gardens. The attraction is magnified by fickle winds and open ocean swells crashing into the rocks making the most interesting spots hazardous, untenable and mysterious.
We were disappointed to have to admit to ourselves that we have the wrong boat to explore places like this. But we have the perfect boat to take on a metric ton of poor, tired and hungry mosquitoes who had been waiting a very long time for a boat without local knowledge to come and anchor at their preferred port of embarkation. We fled at first light after a night of wholesale mosquitocide including a chemical barrage of patchouli incense which disoriented the mosquitoes, reminded S of grad school, and made K feel even more like a hippy.
The utter slaughter would take another full 48 hours of relentless bloody killing. Carcasses covered the deck and the blood had to be washed overboard with the fire hoses. Or so it seemed at the worst.
Khamseen sailed fast to the north, so fast that we failed to stop for the night because we passed our intended night harbor at lunchtime. It would have been a record upwind day if we were the types to keep such records. Our records are notoriously unkempt, K got bored just thinking about it, so we satisfied ourselves with the goal to sail just low enough at a fine pace to clear Cape Brett in the Bay of Islands 50 miles away.
In the way of these things, we were met by a great squall within sight of the Cape.
The wind backed 20 degrees and put us into a tacking duel with this spinning cell as sunset approached.
There was a deluge and then a calm, and these were more than enough to prompt the unsatisfactory but expeditious decision to motor without grace through the pass between Cape Brett and Motukokako Island (or "Hole in the Wall") to make our anchorage.
Then out came the sun and illuminated S. Grace was restored.
Great Barrier Island
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011
The bays of Port FitzRoy were blessedly calm. It's been a rare thing for us to have a truly calm anchorage and we could have stayed in Port FitzRoy for at least a month.
Great Barrier Island is ideal in so many ways it's hard to come to terms with the shortness of our stay. The whole island is off the grid. The village of Port FitzRoy has a general store with post boxes, a medical clinic (no shoes required, even for staff), a boat house, library, a dive shed, and an information kiosk. These buildings are all wired to the generator at the general store. Houses outside the village are on solar, wind, and small generators. They also have an impressive recycling program.
We spotted our dreamy, dream property a couple hundred feet aft of our transom. It was a classic little cottage with solar panels, wind generator, rain catchments, a big garden, a dock, and a boathouse. Dang.
A large fraction of the population spend their mornings outside the general store welcomed by the wagging tail and friendly scrutiny of a beagle mix in a work truck.
We met a couple of circumnavigators in their 80s who were still sailing their home built 40 ft kauri-wood sloop. They had just popped over from Waiheke for a Port FitzRoy meat pie. Peggy confessed that she feels like more of a passenger these days.
Other salty codgers were practicing their singlehanded mark roundings.
Great Barrier attracts an intrepid collection of sailors. We spent an evening with Joy and Charles, who took their six (!) kids cruising to Tonga a couple years back on a boat smaller than ours. Our jaws dropped as they told us the tale of losing their boat (but keeping all of their kids safe) when they went airborne off a wave in a mid-winter gale and imploded the main bulkheads, 350 nm north of NZ, on the way home from Tonga. They were dismasted but then picked up by the French navy. The boat was unsalvageable, so Charles was forced to scuttle his own boat as the French videotaped the process to prove they had no hand in it. "The French do not sink New Zealand boats," they told him – official policy following the internationally condemned sinking of the Rainbow Warrior by French commandos in the Bay of Islands. Now they own Vingilot, a roomy Cavalier 45 centercockpit with a beautiful blond interior.
The island is really known for miles and miles of ferny hiking trails. We did stop the boat projects long enough to explore one of them that led us to a gorgeous but chilly series of waterfalls and swimming holes. After testing the waters neither one of us braved the chill.
But having learned our lesson in the Coromandel, we could not let rare favorable weather pass us by so we quickly hauled anchor one afternoon and struck out for the north. We slipped past the Needles with fine sailing weather but it forced us to add Great Barrier Island to our long list of kiss and run places deserving more time.
Escape from Coromandel
Friday, April 1st, 2011
We loved the Coromandel Peninsula. It began with an attractive expectation of remote ruggedness that is often overlooked in the the company of Auckland its sophisticated winery islands. We'll miss the pastoral anchorages in the full moon,
… abundant sea-run Kahawai with their fatal attraction to the White Nylon Feather.
and how about another look at that huge plate of steak-eggs?
But after making about four trips up to the north end of the Peninsula only to be chased back down by weather it was a relief to sail past the point Cape Colville with a meager 25 kts of wind.
And so it was that after a quick and rolly trip across the Hauraki Gulf – with S hogging all the helming duties to keep her stomach in check – we approached the toothy peaks and islets of Great Barrier Island.
The island is largely undeveloped with large protected areas.
We threaded our way through about 50 islets and aimed for the narrow channel into the sunken valley system of Port FitzRoy.
Many of the islands were remarkably pest free so K hid out down below until we had safely passed.
These anchorages are absolutely bullet proof, protected from all points which is really what you need in this swirly part of the world.
So while cyclones like "Bune" might be spinning out of the tropics between us and Fiji, we sleep like babies and spend our days knocking out still more projects in anticipation of the upcoming offshore legs as we wait for the end of cyclone season.
You are currently browsing the The Voyage of Bint al Khamseen blog archives for April, 2011.


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Q: Superpower: Create parser to Match against "\r\n" or "\n" ( More general: match against a string literal) I want to create a parser for EOL, I can't just do whitespace because I need it to ignore spaces.
So I want to create a parser that will match on "\r\n" or '\n'. Doing a single character is easy Character.EqualTo('\n') but trying to match a specific string literal is perplexing me. I would think this should be a regular thing that needs to be done for keywords, but I am at a loss.

A: The \r\n combination is a string, which means that you need to combine the simple \n parser (that is a character parser) with a string parser.
How about:
    public static void Main()
    {
            var crlf =
                from carriageReturn in Character.EqualTo('\r')
                from lineFeed in Character.EqualTo('\n')
                select new string(carriageReturn, 1) + lineFeed;

            var lf =
                from lineFeed in Character.EqualTo('\n')
                select new string(lineFeed, 1);

            var eol = crlf.Or(lf);

        eol.TryParse("\r\n").Dump();  // Successful parsing of \r\n
        eol.TryParse("\n").Dump();    // Successful parsing of \n
        eol.TryParse("\r").Dump();    // Syntax error: unexpected end of input, expected line feed.
    }

If you prefer the non-LINQ syntax:
            var eol = Character.EqualTo('\r')
                .Then(carriageReturn => Character.EqualTo('\n').Select( lineFeed => new [] {carriageReturn, lineFeed}))
                .Or(Character.EqualTo('\n').Select(lineFeed => new[] { lineFeed }));

Edited: Use the Span parser to parse strings:
            var eol = Span.EqualTo("\n")
                .Or(Span.EqualTo("\r\n"));

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text:
Q: Rails 3.1.8 strange timezone behaviour. subtracting dates.to_i gives zero, ruby says dates are different I'm upgrading from rails 3 to 3.1.8 (and onwards).  A couple of my tests are failing, one of which seemed at first glance to be because of the change from mysql2 gem (0.2.x to 0.3.x).  However, it gets a little stranger.  Here's what's happening.
In my test I am updating attributes on a model, and checking that they've saved:
...
    post :create, :advertisement => @advertisement_attributes
    assert_equal assigns(:blah).start_date, @blah_attributes[:start_date]
It is failing saying that they are different times.
If I put a binding.pry and jump in just before the assert_equal this is what I get:
a =  assigns(:blah).start_date
b =  @blah_attributes[:start_date]
a == b #false
a.to_s #"2012-10-17 20:46:12 UTC"
b.to_s #"2012-10-17 20:46:12 UTC"
a.to_i #1350506772
b.to_i #1350506772
a.to_i - b.to_i #0

So far.. I'm still confused as to why the == is returning false.  But what is really odd is if I subtract the dates -
a - b #-0.989403009414673

If anyone can explain what's going on here I'd love to know!
Also, this same test was passing fine in rails 3 (no timezone was set for the application), any pointers to what has changed would also be handy!


With two fairly major launches, it looks like Facebook Carpe Diemed all over Tuesday.
This new button looks like a Like button, smells like a Like button but actually replaces "Email to a friend" in regards to functionality. It's almost an email button on crack. Once you click on the button, a box pops up that allows you to share an article with Facebook friends, Groups, and other email addresses that may not sit in your Facebook database. This function will help the viral potential of Facebook's social graph bust wide open. The beauty of this is that it doesn't share straight on a Facebook wall but keeps things private by using inboxes (excluding Group shares anyway). This more private style of sharing gives it a but more appeal by not junking up friends' walls with article links. It keeps things more conversational IMHO while making shares more targeted and potentially more "qualified."
One other cool feature to the new Send button is that it contributes to a page's Like total. Like numbers now are a combination of Likes, shares, comments and inboxes featuring a URL. The implications of this could alter how brands evaluate their overall digital strategy and how they plan to integrate Facebook's social graph into everything they do. I know Wildfire, an app that runs Facebook promotions, lists how they plan on integrating here on their blog.
Typically when Facebook does a cannonball into an already overcrowded pool, I'm pessimistic. When they launched Places, I didn't think it was that great of an endeavor. Nobody really uses Places and it turned out that their "Foursquare killer" actually helped other LBS companies grow even more (including Foursquare). Now Facebook wants to jump into the group buying scene and compete directly with Groupon and Living Social. However, I'm actually more optimistic about this move.
As it turns out, there's a fringe benefit to my move to Atlanta in that I now live in one of the five launch cities for this new feature. The Deals home page for Atlanta lists several deals around the city. In addition, if the company offering the deals has their own pages my friends Like, it displays that too, offering more social credibility to that deal.
You can also Like a Deal without purchasing, which obviously populates on your wall. Once on your wall, friends not only have the option to comment or Like that Like but also are provided a link to buy that particular deal straight off of your wall. Once you buy a Deal, you have the option of posting that you've bought the deal on your wall to encourage your friends to "go and do likewise." Deals can be bought with credit cards, PayPal and even Facebook credits, making this the first time Credits can be used for tangible goods.
The one thing that made group buying successful was the whole "group" aspect. Groupon was built on sharing deals in order that there was enough buy-in to unlock that particular deal. People were encouraged to share deals via email, Facebook and/or Twitter. With Facebook tapping into their own social graph, the sharing potential is absolutely huge. Each deal could have enough social validation to it that will encourage a bandwagon type of buying effect for others. Facebook also did a great job testing these waters with their "local deals" via Places check-ins.
What will be interesting to see are Facebook Pages that have already merged Places check-ins to their home page begin to add a Deals tab. Austin City Limits Live has already started using this. Functions like Deals will help further prove a direct ROI of Facebook for brands that are able to tap into this sort of feature.
What do you all think of the two new features? Which of the two stands out more in your mind?


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Palma Violets: Mr Jack's Birthday Show Live at The Leadmill, Sheffield
Palma Violets live at The Leadmill, Sheffield last night
Picture by Every Record Tells A Story
"The best new band in Britain" screams the NME's front cover this week which features a chaotic interview with Palma Violets – a South London four piece who played a secret show at Sheffield's Leadmill last night as part of Mr Jack's birthday celebrations. The article is great fun, as the band explain:
How they live in a Lambeth Road squat,
How they once crashed a party held by a well known indie-guitarist and found him in flagrante delicto in front of his computer,
How they wrote their first song after drunkenly singing the chorus down the phone late one night – they found it the next morning on voicemail – something none of them could remember doing – and more importantly,
How they were feted by a myriad of record companies (who brought cigarettes, beer and even hallucinogenics in a desperate attempt to sign the band) and eventually signed to the label who came with nothing – Rough Trade Records.
The cover of the NME can be a tough place for an unknown band. For every Suede there is a Terris (no, me neither) – where the cover story marks the beginning and end of the band's fifteen minutes of fame.
Last night's Jack Daniels show at the Leadmill in Sheffield gave a hint as to why this band might avoid that terrible fate.
Firstly, they have a great drummer in Will Doyle. I am a sucker for a decent drummer and Doyle is excellent, flailing away at his kit like Animal from The Muppets, but with slightly more control.
Second, their live shows have terrific energy. Bass player and vocalist Chilli Jesson clearly loves being on stage and getting a reaction from the crowd – and knows how to get one. Guitarist and vocalist Sam Fryer bounces off Chilli, often literally, whilst Pete Mayhew (keys) sits to the side and, one senses, holds it all together.
The band have an infectious, ramshackle energy and their half hour set whizzed by. If Rough Trade can capture even half of that energy on record we might just have a great new band on our hands: the show last night was far better than the band's studio output thus far. Let's wish them luck…
Record #101: Palma Violets – Best of Friends
Palma Violets are currently on tour across the UK
Follow Every Record Tells A Story on Twitter and Facebook
Indie, Live Reviews
Best of Friends, Chilli Jesson, Leadmill, NME, Palma Violets, Rough Trade Records, Sam Fryer
2 responses to "Palma Violets: Mr Jack's Birthday Show Live at The Leadmill, Sheffield"
I Made You A Mixtape
LMAO@ the record companies story and good for them! (Palma Violets). Such energy in the live clips… had not heard them before, I really like the vibe! Look forward to them living up to hype….;o)
Good to see the music industry is still as corrupt as ever…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It's hard to escape Easter and all its talk of bunnies and eggs so instead of fighting it, today's Cheesy Tuesday is full of eggcellent puns for you inspired by Easter.
I'm a kiwi girl who loves cooking, baking, cake decorating and pretty much anything that involves food. Cheese on Top the blog is my journey as I continue to learn about food, flavours and share with you the recipes I find and the things I love. I want to inspire others to give it a go with simple and easy create recipes and tips. So experiment with me and remember that there is almost nothing a little cheese on top won't fix.


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BLOG TOUR ~ Cold AS Ice (Tempered Steel series #6) by Maggie Adams
Tempered Steel series #6
by Maggie Adams
He wants her to be his lover…she wants to be his forever.
Nick Coalson is abrasive, arrogant, and an absolute dynamo in the bedroom. Problem is, he knows it.
Rebecca Morgan is sweet, shy, and immensely attracted to Nick, but he's trouble in tight jeans and she knows it.
When Nick saves Rebecca from an assassin's bullet, he sets his sights on the shy partner of a detective agency. But he mistakes her kindness for weakness, and learns the hard way that although she may seem submissive, she's a voluptuous bundle of intelligence and determination.
Rebecca tries to hide her feelings for Nick because he's the kind of man that makes a smart girl do stupid things. After a sensual encounter, Nick grows distant, stating he wants a lover, not a wife. Rebecca realizes she's going to need to keep her wits about her if she wants Nick forever because it's too easy to lose herself to his dominant personality.
When a stranger offers to help her win Nick back, she accepts although she wonders what's in it for him. But Nick thinks it's too late for his love when he witnesses a tender moment between Rebecca and another man. His head tells him to step aside, but his heart aches for her tender touch.
And as the killer closes in on the Coalson family, Nick wonders if it will be too late to save not only their love, but their very lives?
Cold As Ice was another really good instalment in the Tempered Steel series by Maggie Adams.
We've followed the misfortunes, ups and downs and happiness of the Coalson family from the first book in the series and CaI (book 6) brings about more twists and turns, danger to the family, new additions and follows a relationship that we first glimpsed in the fifth book, Forged in Fire.
While I loved the action and suspense in the continuation of the story arc that we've been following and for the most part I really liked Rebecca, I found it really quite difficult to like or engage with Nick's character. Together they set the sheets on fire and though he made some of the right moves and seemed to be into Rebecca, at points I just didn't feel that he was the right guy for her. While reading the story he did grow on me but I just didn't have that same interest as I had for his brothers have in their own stories.
Action packed, suspenseful, fast paced and hot, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to the next book/instalment to see where things go from here.
Cold as Ice works as a standalone but, to fully appreciate all that happens in the story, I'd recommend you read the series in it's entirety. 4*
Maggie Adams is an Amazon Best Selling contemporary romance author. Her first book in the Tempered Steel Series, Whistlin' Dixie, debuted in Amazon's Top 100 for Women's Fiction, humor, on November, 2014 and then again at #61 in 2016. Since then, she has consistently made the Amazon best seller 5-star list with Leather and Lace, Something's Gotta Give, Love, Marriage & Mayhem, and Forged in Fire. She is also the recipient of the Dayreader Review's Best New Series Award for 2015. Her series has launched the tiny town of Grafton, Illinois, into International recognition with sales in Mexico, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and the UK.
Maggie's books can be found on eBook and paperback at these links:
Whistlin' Dixie, Book One in the Tempered Steel Series
Leather and Lace, book two
Something's Gotta Give, book three
Getting Lucky, A Tempered Steel Novella
Love, Marriage & Mayhem, book four
Forged in Fire, book five
The Tempered Steel Series, Books 1-3
Facebook Book page
Facevook Fan club page
March 7-13th.
Obsessive Pimpettes Promotions
Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Excerpt, Favourites, Giveaway, New Releases, Recommended, Reviews, Spotlight / Blog Tour, Teaser
Tags: @AuthrMaggieAdms, @Obsessiveppromo
RELEASE BLITZ ~ Never The Bride (Dilbury Village #1) by Charlotte Fallowfield
Release Blitz:
Never The Bride
(Dilbury Village #1)
by Charlotte Fallowfield
Abbie Carter felt doomed as she clutched her bouquet and started walking up the aisle. Again. She felt like she was stuck in some kind of Groundhog Day wedding nightmare. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Eight dresses, most of them hideous, were already stuffed in her attic space. She had more bridesmaid dresses than relationships. Was she really that unlucky in love? She despaired of ever finding her soul mate and was convinced that if she packed away dress thirteen in her attic, she'd never get to wear the coveted white one and have her happy ever after.That was until she locked eyes with one of the handsome ushers, whose wink turned her elegant and well-practiced glide up the aisle into a flailing Bambi-on-ice spectacle. Miller Davis was the first man in forever to make her heart skip a beat, as well as her legs turn to jelly. And, for once, her interest in a man didn't seem to be one-sided. It was just a shame that the Atlantic Ocean separated them. Abbie couldn't even make a relationship with her elderly fat pooch, Sumo, work, so what chance did she have with a permanent New Yorker? Her best friend, Georgie, told her to ignore the miles that separated her from Miller and to go for it, saying that true love knew no bounds.
Was Abbie fated to always be the bridesmaid, or would her wish for the perfect day with the man of her dreams ever come true?
While Never The Bride will be a standalone story, it's the first in the Dilbury Village series of romantic comedy novels.
All of them will be set in the quaint fictitious English hamlet in the Shropshire countryside, but feature a different village couples' story.
Charlotte Fallowfield writes contemporary romantic comedy novels. She comes from the United Kingdom and is half French. She lives in the wonderful countryside of Wales, surrounded by rolling hills, trees and fields full of sheep and cows. Her writing aids include chocolate, Ben & Jerry's and copious amounts of coffee. Reading was her main pastime, until she discovered the joy of writing, but she still tries to set aside time to indulge her appetite for funny, or steamy, reads by other authors too. She is yet to meet her Prince Charming, but lives with her extremely pampered fur baby, Pumpkin, kitten of mass destruction.Her alter ego, C.J. Fallowfield, is an Amazon #1 bestselling author of contemporary humorous erotic romance novels. She started writing in October 2013 and released her first novel, New Leaves, No Strings (The Austin Series #1) in January 2014.
For C.J. Fallowfield, you can also visit her at:
Hosted by Obsessive Pimpettes Promotions
Posted in Authors & Books, Blitz, Blurb, New Releases
Tags: @CJFallowfield, @Obsessiveppromo, @romcomauthor
BLOG TOUR ~ The Dryad's Pawprint (Paranormal Council, #1) by Laura Greenwood
The Dryad's Pawprint
(Paranormal Council, #1)
23rd Jan– 31st Jan
Panther-shifter, Kemnebi Davis, lives a normal life as an accountant until he's called before the Shifter Council. Unknown to the shifter community, the Council needs help; and the only way for that to happen is for Kem to marry the daughter of one of the Nymph Council. Except there's one problem; Lia. The woman who has been occupying Kem's thoughts since a chance meeting a year ago…
Xylia Dentro has a secret. One that she's managed to keep from her father and sister for nearly a year. But when she encounters the man who started it all, she can't deny the pull she feels towards him; despite everything that's standing in their way…
I like to write whichever weird and wonderful tale comes into my head, which makes identifying the genre difficult even for me! My first series, Alventia, are novellas centred around Keira, aka Sleeping Beauty, and her Prince Philip, along with their allies Hansel and Gretel. It's a tale that very much told itself as I started to write it!
While I'm not writing, I work in Catering and am also an Assistant Brownie Guide Leader in the Midlands (UK). I like to bake and I love to read, and like with my writing, I read an eclectic mix of genres, and love every minute of it!
You can keep up to date with any of my writing progress by signing up to my Newsletter here:
Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, New Releases, Spotlight / Blog Tour, Teaser
Tags: @lauramg_tdir, @Obsessiveppromo
BLOG TOUR ~ Lustful Letters by Maggie Adams
Lustful Letters
Jan 16th – Jan 23rd
When the picture-perfect wife of a prominent local businessman decides to let loose of her inhibitions, she begins a journey into the darker art of romance and sexual gratification. Through online chats and fetish forums, she explores the world of kink, from Dominance and submission to BDSM. Sensory deprivation, wax, fire, rope and knife play are ideas waiting to be experienced. Then there's the relationships with Daddy/littles, Master/slave, primal, puppy play, hedonists, and leather families.
She yearns to explore, and yet, fears the loss of her vanilla world, for once seen, it can never be unseen. Her solution is to conduct dalliances online, but it soon becomes apparent that this will not satisfy her cravings. So, she must choose to continue in cyberspace or take the leap and truly begin to live the life her body, and her heart, desires.
But not every kinkster is a good soul, and she learns the hard way that trust can be misplaced, the mind can be twisted, and those that seek the darker passions may have their own psychotic agendas. Just like Alice's wonderland, nothing is as it appears and what's right is wrong and what is perceived as pain is, in fact, nirvana.
I'm gonna begin by admitting that after reading and enjoying Maggie Adams' TEMPERED STEEL series I honestly wasn't sure quite what to expect when I started reading Lustful Letters but it certainly wasn't the 'journey' I found myself on.
I liked the different vibe and topic of the chapters and reading about 'her' encounters and various relationships with different submissive/lovers/Masters as she explored her sexuality and sensuality and sought to find where she herself fit in after a life living in shades of vanilla. It was hot, sexy, interesting and at times had me holding my breath….. and at least once I was not far off blushing like a virgin seeing her first **** (I'll leave you to fill in the rest of that thought!)
I really enjoyed the read and am looking forward to continuing this highly erotic journey with Maggie and her unnamed leading lady!!!!
I'm giving this book 4 lustful stars!!
http://goo.gl/62rVI7 – Whistlin' Dixie, Book One in the Tempered Steel Series
http://goo.gl/sEqWwU– Leather and Lace, book two
http://goo.gl/D6n7EU – Something's Gotta Give, book three
http://goo.gl/2zAsQt – Getting Lucky, A Tempered Steel Novella
http://goo.gl/lGPKcd – Love, Marriage & Mayhem, book four
https://goo.gl/iR1rem – Forged in Fire, book five
http://goo.gl/OrQHpm – The Tempered Steel Series, Books 1-3
fan club page
Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Favourites, New Releases, Recommended, Reviews, Spotlight / Blog Tour
Tags: @AuthrMaggieAdms, @ObsessedbyBook, @Obsessiveppromo
RELEASE BLITZ ~ Lustful Letters by Maggie Adams
Dec 28th
Universal Purchase Link:
Takeover Here @ Tall Dom & Dirty Party Page on the 28th from 5:30-10:00 EST
I'm gonna begin by admitting that after reading and enjoying Maggie Adams'TEMPERED STEEL series I honestly wasn't sure quite what to expect when I started reading Lustful Letters but it certainly wasn't the 'journey' I found myself on.
~ T xx
Posted in Authors & Books, Blitz, Blurb, Favourites, Fun, New Releases, Reviews, Teaser
COVER REVEAL ~ Lustful Letters by Maggie Adams
Cover Reveal:
http://www.maggieadamsbooks.com – website
https://www.facebook.com/maggieadamsbooks – book page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/maggiesminxes -fan club page
https://www.amazon.com/author/maggieadams – author page
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9867300.Maggie_Adams – goodreads
https://twitter.com/AuthrMaggieAdms – twitter
http://maggieadamsbooks.tumblr.com/ – Tumblr
https://www.pinterest.com/maggiesminxes/- Pinterest
https://www.instagram.com/maggieadamsbooks/ – Instagram
Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Coming Soon, Cover Reveal, Favourites, Teaser
BOOK BLITZ ~ Soul Mate (Immortal Love Series, #1) by Anna Santos
(Immortal Love Series, #1)
Anna Santos
Annabel is a bad-ass hybrid hunter, seeking revenge from the vampire who killed her parents and put her brother in a coma. Arriving in a new town with an undercover identity to protect and the mission to find a pureblood vampire to save her brother's life, the last thing Annabel needs is to fall in love with the sexy, persistent werewolf who thinks she's a helpless human in need of a knight in shining armor.Shane is a dominant werewolf who also happens to be the local sheriff. He has almost lost hope of finding his better half. So when his beautiful soul-mate shows up and rogue vampires try to kill her, he does what any smart wolf would do: he saves her and takes her home, hoping to convince her that they belong together.
When sparks fly between them, Annabel has to decide if she tells him who she really is or runs the other way to protect her secrets.
Santos is a Young Adult and New Adult Paranormal writer, with an impressive number of followers, who builds worlds of undeniable beauty, with funny and enchanting characters. Anna always keeps the readers on their toes with her adrenaline fuelled adventures, suspense filled cliffhangers, and steamy love scenes.
When she isn't writing, Anna is considering plot twists for her next novel or delving into the world of her favorite authors. She loves superheroes, and she's a geek at heart. She grew up watching Star Wars and plotting a way to become a Ninja. She has a fascination for Chinese Kung Fu movies, and cherry blossom flowers.
She also enjoys writing poetry, watching a good movie, and spending time with her husband and family in Portugal, where she lives.
Tags: #AnnaSantos, @Obsessiveppromo
BLOG TOUR ~ Dark Fury (New England Furies #3) by Nicola R. White
(New England Furies #3)
Nicola R. White
Jun 20th – Jun 27th
In the year since Rachel Underwood was blessed—or cursed—with legendary powers, her life has changed more than she could ever have imagined. Being transformed into a badass, crime fighting, femme fatale should be a dream come true for a bookworm like her…if it wasn't such a nightmare. At odds with the ancient Greek Fury who shares her body, Rachel struggles to stay sane and avoid losing her identity.
To make matters worse, just when her lifelong goal of obtaining an Ivy League education is finally within reach, fate brings Rachel face-to-face with a major distraction in the form of Ethan Graves. The former director of the FBI's Extrabiological Investigations unit is the one man she hoped never to see again, and battling her attraction for the man who betrayed her is hard enough. Too bad she also has to fight the forces of evil that are hell-bent on starting a war of mythological proportions.With time running out and no way to tell new friends from ancient enemies, Rachel soon discovers that sometimes the only way to beat the enemy…is to join them.
Read the entire first chapter here:
Fury's Kiss
Hawthorne, Massachusetts has always been a nice place, a safe place – a boring place. At least to waitress Tara Walker, who dreams of more excitement than slinging plates of seafood for Cape Cod tourists. But as Tara learns when she is attacked and forced to fight for her life, fate sometimes has a funny way of giving you exactly what you wish for. Faced with strange new powers and embroiled in a murder investigation, Tara must now race to uncover the secrets of the ancient Fury that has woken inside of her – and of the evil that stalks her.
As if Tara's life hasn't gotten complicated enough, she is forced to ally herself with Jackson Byrne, witness to her assault and uncle to a pint-sized oracle whose fate is intertwined with hers. Sceptical, stubborn, and oh-so-sexy, Jackson wrestles with demons of his own. He is determined to ignore the attraction rising between them even faster than the body count, but like it or not, he and Tara need each other if they are to unravel the mysteries that surround them.
Tattoos? Check.
Stripper heels? Check.
Ancient Greek Fury living in her head? Check.
Born on the wrong side of the tracks, Alex Hughes has always known what people think of her—and working as an exotic dancer hasn't exactly helped her image. But since bonding with a Greek goddess of vengeance six months ago, Alex has had bigger problems. Like dealing with the Spartans, the outlaw biker gang with supernatural connections terrorizing Boston.
And then there's Tyler Kelly…
Tall, dark, and sexy, the ex-Navy SEAL is a deadly fighter and a potential lover. But Alex is more comfortable kicking ass than facing her feelings, and none of the men or women she's dated in the past have made her feel the way Ty does. As if her life wasn't complicated enough, she discovers there's no wound like a bruised ego when she takes on the goddess behind the Spartans' reign of terror—and loses. Alex's faith in herself is shaken as enemies turn out to be allies and friends offer betrayal. But as the saying goes…
Hell has no Fury like a woman scorned.
Nicola R. White is no stranger to the fantastic. Although there are no Furies in her family tree (that she knows of), she comes from a small city on the east coast of Canada where ghost stories and superstitions abound. She has worked on movie sets, as a bartender, in a lighthouse, and as a lawyer, and though she's never been an exotic dancer like her character, Alex Hughes, she does know how to pole dance.
She has always been fascinated by the strange and morbid, and often stays up too late reading books that give her nightmares. She believes truth is stranger than fiction, and just a few of her heroes are Buffy, Dana Scully, and Xena.
Nicola is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada, and is an active member and supporter of the award-winning Romance Divas website and online forum.
Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Chapter preview, New Releases, Spotlight / Blog Tour, Teaser
Tags: @Nicola_R_White, @Obsessiveppromo
BOOK BLITZ: Divine Merit (Divine #1) by Virginia Cantrell
Book Blitz:
Divine Merit
(Divine #1)
Virginia Cantrell
Jun 14th – Jun 21st
Sometimes you have to stop fighting in order to win.Trained from birth to become the ruler of the Nephilim and their island sanctuary, Amira is the perfect princess, until her birthright and even her fundamental beliefs are ripped away. She'll discover perfection and training count for nothing when faced with a ruthless enemy determined to possess her and all she holds dear.
As captain of the Royal Guard, Caeden's priority is to protect the Royal Family. Sometimes that means protecting the naïve princess from her own desires, even if he is tempted to give in. When a betrayer strikes from within, their sanctuary and very existence are threatened. Caeden must overcome the burning pain of helplessness to defeat this enemy and restore Amira to her rightful place. He will not fail his princess again.
Do they have the fortitude and inner strength needed to regain the kingdom and save their people?
Divine Merit – Excerpt
"Your Guard can no longer be trusted; surely even you can understand that. Was it not a member of your own Guard who killed our dear king?" Sorin couldn't hide his smugness at being able to deliver this news to the crowd. It seemed like everyone drew in a sharp breath at the same time. The crowd began to stir and murmurs of Levi's absence could be heard.
"Where did you hear that lie?" Amira asked defiantly.
"Lie? Was it not your Guard Levi's own weapon that killed our king? Where is Levi, by the way?"
Sorin posed his questions as if he were on a stage performing and repeating his lines. But who wrote the script? How did he have the details of the murder and Levi's disappearance? The crowd was buying into his act and was becoming increasingly louder.
"The murderer has yet to be identified. As for my Guard's whereabouts, that is not your concern," Amira said with confidence, trying to convey a calm and strength she didn't feel.
"It is all of our concern, Princess. Your safety is vital to us all," he countered. Turning to address the crowd once again, he fairly shouted, "Our princess is in danger from her own Guard. This is unacceptable. While her loyalty is admirable, it is misplaced. Grief clouds her thinking. We cannot know how many of the Royal Guard were in involved in the murder of our dearest king. We must insist on the princess's safety!"
Sorin had riled the crowd into a frenzy; people were now pushing and yelling. Pleas from the crowd could be heard, along with outrage at the Guard. Things were quickly getting out of hand.
"All right, quiet, please," Amira addressed the crowd. "Please listen to me!" She had to raise her voice to get their attention; she wasn't used to shouting, but it was vital that she gain their attention and find a way to calm them. After a couple of seconds, the crowd began to still.
"Arrest the Royal Guard!" Sorin commanded into the quiet before Amira could continue.
"No!" Amira screamed, finally pushing herself between Sorin's soldiers and her Guard, much to their frustration and attempts to keep her surrounded. "No one touches my Guard!"
Beginning to feel exhausted and completely panicked, she struggled to find an amicable solution. Her people were grieving, making their reaction unpredictable. In addition, an altercation between her Guard and Sorin's soldiers would only serve to antagonize them further. Even outnumbered, her Guard had a good chance at defeating the soldiers, but considering the circumstances, she couldn't take that risk.
She took a deep breath and tried to sound reasonable and in control. "Sorin, for my people's peace of mind, I will allow your soldiers' protection for the time being. That will free my Guard for the more important task of bringing my father's murderer to justice."
She could hear her Guard's anger and displeasure, but she ignored them, except to give a shake of her head as they once again approached trying to surround her.
She turned to address the crowd. "Levi and the rest of my Guard are not responsible for the death of the king and will not be treated as such or punished in any way." She made sure her tone was commanding and clear.
Sorin nodded once to his soldiers to stand down. "Come along, Princess," he commanded, completely ignoring her Guard now that he felt as if he had won.
"I will have a private word with my Guard before they are relieved of duty."
"I don't think…" Sorin began.
"That was not a request," Amira snapped, completely out of patience. She pushed through the group, no one daring to get in her way, and took her Guard into a private chamber.
"No," was Caeden's immediate response as the door closed.
"You must," she tried to sound firm, but her voice wavered. They all began to speak at once.
"We are loyal to you, Princess!"
"This is not acceptable."
"We can take them all."
And all sorts of angry grumbling could be heard.
"I know you are not responsible," Amira began with complete confidence. "This is actually a good thing. Now you will have time to find Levi and clear his name."
"Your safety comes first. Always," Caeden said adamantly.
"Please," she whispered to Caeden alone, looking into his eyes. She took his hand and continued softly. "I need your help. Find my father's killer. This is important to me and if you aren't wasting time babysitting me, you'll have more time to devote to the search. Please, Caeden."
He had never heard Amira beg for anything; it caused his guts to knot and pain to fill his chest. He was torn between wanting to bring her justice and not wanting to leave her side.
"I don't trust Sorin or his men," Caeden made one last objection.
"Neither do I, but since he has sworn to my safety in front of everyone, he cannot afford to let anything happen to me." She hoped, at least. Amira knew her Guard was not pleased, but she could tell by their grim expressions they would do as she asked. When Caeden started to pull his hand from hers, she felt a stir of panic and tightened her grip. He met her eyes as she whispered, "Hurry back to me."
"Always," he vowed. Caeden leaned into Amira until their bodies were almost touching. He no longer cared if they were alone. "Amira…" he whispered, using her given name for the first time.
She couldn't let him finish whatever he was going to say. "Please, Caeden. This is the only way. I can't allow you to be imprisoned. I lied. I do need your help… I need you."
Seeing her fight back the tears in her beautiful grey eyes filled him with an impotent rage and a deep ache in his chest; he felt damn near out of control. He took a deep breath to steady himself; losing control wouldn't help her. He brought his forehead down to rest against hers and caressed her cheek gently with his calloused fingers, wiping away the single tear, which had finally fallen.
"When this is over, you and I are going to have another discussion about needs." He kissed her lips softly. "I'll make this right," he swore to her, "then we'll talk."
She gave him a smile, which didn't reach her eyes, and nodded to him. It nearly crushed him, but Caeden turned away from her, signaled to his men, and left her in the hands of another.
Amira's legs collapsed from under her as the door clicked closed behind the last of her Guard. She had used all of her remaining energy standing up to Sorin and then pretending to be strong while sending her Guard away. She knew if they had any idea how weak she felt, she would never have been able to persuade them to leave her. She fell to her knees in despair. Feeling lost and alone, her tears flowed freely.
I graduated from Eastfield College and live in a small town in Texas with my husband, two children, and my cute little dogs Reeces and Pancake. I work full-time, on top of editing for Hot Tree Editing and writing for myself has been an on going process for a few years now. My busy life means when I can I seek out relaxation by escaping into a good book. Inspired by the many amazing indie authors I've met along my editing journey, I found the courage to follow my dream of publishing my first novel.
I fully embrace my one-click addiction, always love the idea of a happily ever after, but there is no denying I have a massive soft spot for the bad boys.
Kick back and share the journey with me it will be quite a ride!
V xx
Posted in Authors & Books, Blitz, Blurb, Excerpt, New Releases, Teaser
Tags: #VirginiaCantrell, @Obsessiveppromo
BLOG TOUR ~ Lone Ryder: Hot Motorcycle Club Romance (Bike Ryder Series #1) by Jamie Black
Lone Ryder:
Hot Motorcycle Club Romance
Bike Ryder Series Book #1
Jamie Black
Jan 5th – Jan 12th
Recently divorced, Sara is tired of the Stepford-wife lifestyle.
She decided to step out on her own one night and ends up at a local Biker Bar where she meets Ryder.
Ryder isn't looking for anything. He's the one everyone knows. Except Sara.
She walks into the bar, beautifully out of place.
He's about to take her on the ride of a lifetime.
This is part 1 of a 3 part series. Part 1 may end on a cliff hanger
Mature readers only. It contains adult themes, violence, and scenes of a graphic sexual nature.
All rights reserved. Copyright 2015 by
He reached down and grabbed her by the back of the hair and pulled her head away from his family jewels. He looked down at her with his bottom lip hanging off his face like it was not his to control and with a winded breath said, "You are one sexy bitch, Sara."
She licked her lips as she was held in place by his strong hands on her hair and he threw his head back as if he couldn't take it any longer. Sara rose up to her knees and slid the massive cock into her mouth, first taking in just the head and working her way about half-way down the shaft. There was a feeling inside of her that wanted to be able to swallow his cock whole, but it was too large. She worked his member with her mouth, sliding it up and down and sucking hard as she came up each time. She flicked her tongue over the head of his cock while it was still in her mouth and even she was wondering what had gotten into her. She felt him start to swell and knew he was getting close, so she stopped and stood in front of him. You could see the pain in his eyes as he tried to hold back his orgasm.
"Can you come twice?" She wasn't about to throw this moment away for a hummer.
"For you anything, baby," he moaned, and with that she returned to her knees and took him deep in her throat. The thought of taking him inside her mouth was making her work even harder to feel as though she deserved the load he was about to deliver.
She worked her way down his cock until he was completely inside her. She felt him swell and then release and thought about that feeling she experienced in the tub. The idea that she was able to bring someone to this point was so satisfying to her, she eagerly awaited her reward. She began taking him into her mouth faster, sucking the tip of his cock upon every release. His cock begun to throb and she knew she was about to be rewarded, but wanted him to watch. She pulled her mouth off his cock and left her open lips at the tip. As he exploded she caught some of the hot jizz in her mouth and some on her chin. She let him drip from her chin to her breasts and enjoyed the salty taste he left in her mouth.
Ryder was breathing heavy and had his eyes locked on Sara. "Wow," he whispered, as if completely surprised by her abilities, and honestly, Sara was completely surprised by everything, her behavior, her abilities and her eagerness.
"You enjoy that?"
"Baby, I'll cum all night if you want me to. That was incredible" Ryder sounded as eager as Sara now, like a pair of high school kids – except they knew what they were doing.
Love & Lust… and the thin line in between…
New series, but not new to writing, Jamie Black brings hot sizzling stories with hard core action to print. Be prepared to fall in love with characters or hate 'em, you just never know.
Posted in Authors & Books, Blurb, Excerpt, New Releases, Spotlight / Blog Tour
Tags: #JamieBlack, @Obsessiveppromo