MEETING CHRISTIAN GREY...

I have decided to enter the fray about the casting of 50 Shades of Grey, the movie. First off let us spare a moment to pray that the movie is given a talented and imaginative screen writer who can turn E L James poorly written work into a master piece.  Let’s be honest as one blogger said “it is like watching a train accident.  You know it is awful and you should look away but you just can’t.”!!

I know that when each and every women (and man) read the books they imagined all the characters in the book and most of us would associate the imagine in our minds with that of an actor or actress when it comes to casting the roles.  In all honesty I was very disappointed with Robert Patterson’s Edward.  He was the complete opposite to how Edward looked in my imagination and in part I think that that is why we often leave a movie theatre and think that the movie did not measure up to the book. I am pretty sure that if you were to set up a focus group you would find that each women (or men) had a different look for our mercurial billionaire!

So since I am fearless (except for those pesky spiders) I am going to start off by looking at the casting for  the converted role of Mr Christian Grey himself.

Now before we consider the candidates (and ladies it’s a drool fest of hotties) we need to look to the book for a description of the man.  We know that Christian is 27 years old, although I guess because of his life experience I did picture him more mature while reading the book. For more details I went back to where Ana meets Christian and although it is all from her point of view it gives us a good idea:

pg. 7: "Holy cow—he's so young."  He's supposed to be 27, and look younger, which is inferred several times

"So young—and attractive, very attractive. He's tall, dressed in a fine gray suit, white shirt, and black tie with unruly dark copper-colored hair and intense, bright gray eyes that regard me shrewdly."  It is kind of funny that here there is no description of Christian’s physique which makes picturing him in a suit a little difficult.  However, because of the presence he carries and because of the respect he seems to command I am pretty sure that he makes a suit look goooooooooood!!! The copper-coloured hair SERIOUSLY ! I never got that at all so right through the trilogy the Christian in my head had dark hair…not quite black but certainly very dark brown. The “unruly” part seems to indicate that his hair may be a little longer than what is normally acceptable and we know that Ana does in fact cut his hair…..or he just uses product. The eyes are important, not so much the colour although gray eyes for Christian Grey seems a little OTT.  I do however, think that Christian needs to have very prominent eyes, they need to be able to convey every nuance of his personality and they need to be cold and warm (obviously not at the same time) and even playful!

pg. 8:  "His voice is warm, possibly amused, but it's difficult to tell from his impassive expression. He looks mildly interested but above all, polite." Yes, this is his expression, exactly. Almost a look of being above it all although his voice is going to tell a different story.

pg. 9: "When I pluck up the courage to look at him, he's watching me, one hand relaxed in his lap and the other cupping his chin and trailing his long index finger across his lips. I think he's trying to suppress a smile." I think Christian has long elegant hands after all he does play the piano and he does look like a nudge to the ribs might cause him to chuckle. 

pg. 10: "Why does he have such an unnerving effect on me? His overwhelming good looks maybe? The way his eyes blaze at me? The way he strokes his index finger against his lower lip? I wish he'd stop doing that." OK, so here is where the problem starts because we all know that what I consider overwhelming good looks and what you consider overwhelming good looks will in all likelihood be words apart!  

pg. 11: "His eyes are alight with some wicked thought." The eyes are really going to have to be a focal point when casting.

"He smiles, revealing perfect white teeth. I stop breathing. He really is beautiful. No one should be this good-looking." God, girl, get a grip is the first thought that goes through my mind but then again the Christian in my head makes me stop breathing too…

pg. 14: "His mouth is very ... distracting." So the mouth, the eyes and the hands are important.

pg. 16: "He really is very, very good-looking. It's unnerving." A perfect example for the wonderful writing…..but at least we are very sure that Christian is very good looking.

So let’s consider our candidates (oh and just as an added bonus where possible I looked for photos of the candidates in just jeans….cause we all know that that is one of the critical looks):

I am not even going to entertain some of the suggestions like Christian Bale because I think he is simply too old for the role and I don’t think he has the eyes.  Chris Pine has the eyes but I think he really has to much of a baby face to pull off a dominant like Christian. And don’t even get me started on the ridiculous suggestion that Justin Bieber plays the part….gosh he is not even a man he is like a manlet…

Ryan Gosling:  yes recent reports have indicated that he is not interested in the part but I do feel that he still deserves a mention (and a photo)…

Henry Cavill: born on 5 May 1983 making him 29 years of age. He is probably best known for his role in the Showtime series The Tudors but has recently been cast as Superman for the 2012 movie Man of Steel. He seems to be gaining a lot of support in the polls.

Matt Bomer: born 11 October 1977 which means that in a few days’ time he will be 35 years old.  Maybe a little long in the tooth but he does look a lot younger.  Matt is best known for his role in the TV series White Collar and maybe his recurring role in Chuck.  He played the role of Bryce Larkin. Matt and our next candidate are neck and neck in the polls.

Ian Somerhalder: born December 8 1978 which makes him almost 34 years old.  Fortunately, for us he can pull of 27.  Ian is of course Damon Salvator in The Vampire Diaries TV series.  Now I am not a fan of the series but I do like Ian’s portrayal of Damon. This is one of the few instances where an actor pulls of the character better than the character was written in the book. I would defiantly be happy if Ian is cast in the role of Christian Grey.  He has the eyes, he has a smouldering look and there is just a hint of the little boy inside.  Ian has an awesome body and I am certain he would be able to play the role.  I do however, worry that he does not have the presence which Christian has….

Now for a complete curve ball.

We all know I am a big fan of Alexander Skarsgard.  Alexander was born 36 years ago on 25 August and is best known for his vampire character Eric Northman in True Blood.  Yes he is blond, but he is tall and statuesque and has a presence about him.  And gosh darn it he looks freaking awesome naked!!!

Lastly I was listening to a radio station on Monday night where they were debating who should play the 50 Shades characters and the name Alex O’Loughlin was mentioned.  Now I know the 36 year old from Hawaii Five-O where he plays the starring role of Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett. He has the eyes, he has the body (no doubting that) he has the lips, the hands and he can pull of a uniform so you know he is going to look good in a suit.  There is also a playful side which he brings to his character and which I think would translate well as Christian Grey also he does the broody look very well.  Take moment……

So who do you think would make the best Christian Grey?

MONDAY MELLOW MADNESS....

Hi, my name is Lisa and I am an addict.  My addiction is.......

When I threw away 6 2l empty bottles of coke this morning (I am the only one who drinks it in our home) I realised I have a problem.  So as of 10 hours ago I am coke free.  This is going to be a battle as I really love the stuff although if you had to ask me why I could not tell you!!!  I realise that I am busy poisoning my body so I have to put a stop to it!!!  Wish me luck and pray for me.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Mine ended up not being as busy as I had hoped because my fur baby got sick.

Here's some of what I got up to......

I finally had the opportunity to finish reading The Hunger Games Trilogy

I started reading a collection of Jane Austen novels......

Since the weather has finally declared winter (for now anyway) I have decided
that I am going to spend the winter months hibernating with a collection of
the classics which I have never read....starting with Jane Austen

On Saturday afternoon I noticed that my fur baby was a little "off" and then when I did
her weekly grooming on Saturday evening I notice a whole lotta yuck in her ears and
well the smell was pretty yucky too!!!

I ended up taking Charis to the vet on Sunday morning and Miss Jessie would not stay
home alone so she came along too...

Jessie waiting for the vet to come back and Charis praying she wont!!!

Jessie thought it was awesome adventure...

Charis has an infection in both ears and we are treating her with some antibiotics. After the vet I bravely took them to the park and I was so surprised at how well behaved they were...we may just have to go back!!

The two sussies sleeping in Charis bed.....its not a peaceful night but it is so cute!!!

A last thought....

I WISH YOU COULD HAVE ANSWERED YOUR PHONE......

On my way to work this morning I wanted to call my friend Hazel. It was raining and the traffic typical for a Monday was crazy and I was feeling a little out of sorts. I was not sure why Hazel was constantly on my mind but I found myself thinking about her all the time on my drive. Then I saw a funny bumper sticker and I had to share it with Hazzie.  I picked up my phone, found her number and dialled.  Only it was not Hazzie who answered by her son Ryan……..

All at once I realised that the reason  she was on my mind, the reason I was longing to talk to her was because today four years ago Hazel Anne Lin lost her (9 week) battle with leukaemia and passed away.

Losing a friend is a very strange thing…..the lose hits me out of nowhere.  Sometimes it will be a movie trailer that brings the lump to my throat because we did so enjoy our movie dates, sometimes it will be a song on the radio that brings tears to my eyes because we loved to sing along to our favorites, I’ll be walking in a mall and I will smell Joop or Dune and my heart will ache or I will read one of her kids FB statuses and I will weep because she is missing them become adults.

These memories bring me to my knees…..I am so humbled by the fact that Hazel was my friend.  She was a wonderful example of what it means to be a women, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife and a friend.  If (when) I grow up and I am half the women she was then I will be blessed.  She had the sweetest smile and laughed so easily.  She loved her children fiercely and thought her husband was the hottest thing on the planet.  Hazel was a caring and loving daughter and sister.  And well if Hazel loved you, you were simply touched by an angel. 

A lady who taught me so many things including much about her faith….she was Jewish.

Hazel passed away 9 weeks after she was diagnosed.  She did not want me to go visit her the last while because her hair had fallen out and she was not looking good.  She would be very mad if she knew but three weeks before she passed I flew down to Cape Town.  She was still in hospital but doing so much better that they were talking about sending her home.  At the hospital I stood behind her room's door and watched my beautiful friend talking on the phone and reading and spending time with her kids.  Knowing what I know now I wish I had just walked in and told her how much she meant to me but after a while of watching I turned and walked away wanting to honour her request for me not to visit but knowing that I needed to just see her.

I don’t remember her in that hospital bed, no for me she will always be the fun loving women sitting on the dolphins tail looking out at the ocean in Plet.  I will always see her sitting at the pool with iced tea in her hands watching the kids swim or us sitting at dinner just chatting about all kinds of crazy things.

I know that Hazzie is in a better place, she is free from pain, free from needles and treatment and illness but sometimes (at least once a day) I wish she was still here. Selfishly I want us to talk about a magazine article, I want us to watch a movie, I want us to get lost looking for a little art gallery in Harties, I want to hear her voice, I want to see her smile and I want to feel her love……

But if there was a way to spend time with Hazel once more I know that I would give that time with love to her precious children Ryan and Nicole.  They have grown up into the most incredible young adults and I can see the beauty of their mother in them.  They are her greatest achievement, they are her legacy and because they love her they carry her with them in everything they do.

A couple of months after Hazel passed I saw her favourite book “Tuesdays with Morrie” in a bookstore.  I did not really want to read the book because I did not feel I was in the right frame of mind but it was a link to my previous friend so I did.  In the book Morrie says  that death ends a life and not a relationship and that’s how I feel about Hazzie she may be gone but our friendship lingers.

A couple of weeks ago I was packing all my novels into my new bookcases and I dropped one of the books in my haste……Corrie Ten Boom’s book The Hiding place. This was a book which was very special to both Hazel and I.  I had bought us each a copy when I visited the Holocaust museum in Washington DC.  I am not sure how or even when but at some point Hazel slipped a photo of her and I in between the pages where I had written a prayer of thanksgiving for our friendship. Finding it years later made me laugh through the tears because that was just the way she was!!!

Every year on the anniversary of her passing I release a lantern with a message to her.  I don’t normally share the messages I write not even with her kids but today I will share the message I have written for this year….

My Dearest friend Hazel,

What moves through us is a silence, a quiet sadness, a longing for one more day, one more word, we may not understand why you left this earth so soon, or why you left before we were ready to say good-bye, but little by little, we begin to remember not just that you died, but that you lived. And that your life gave us memories too beautiful to forget. I love you!!!

I am a far better person, daughter, sister and friend because of you Haz. Your example ensures that I will leave this world a better place than I found it. I love you!!

So Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life, which grows higher than a soul can hope or mind can hide, and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart, I CARRY YOUR HEART, I CARRY IT IN MY HEART!!!

I miss you more with each passing day……

  

So my dear friend thank you for all that you meant to me and continue to mean, for the influence you have had over my life and the standard you set which forces me to strive for better and not settle for second best!!! Thank you for being an inspiration, for sharing your life and family with me but most of all thank you for loving me………just as I am!! There will always be a Hazel shaped place in my heart….I love you!!

Hazel and I on the dolphins tail in Plet!!!

The pink ladies on the beach....Hazzie, Nicole and I

Hazel, Frank, Ryan and Nicole at the Heads in Knysna

If tears could build a stairway & memories a lane. I'd walk right up to heaven & bring U back again.No farewell words were spoken,no time to say goodbye.U were gone before I knew it & only God knows why.My heart still aches with sadness &secret tears still flow.What it meant to love U,the world will never know.Since you’ll never be forgotten,I pledge to U today a hollowed place within my heart is where you’ll stay!!!

Ryan and Nicole when I visited them in Cape Town last year....all grown up. Both are at University. Ry is
studding Actuarial Science and Nic has just started her B Com Law

The photo Hazel had hidden in "The hidding place"...got to love that sense of
humor!!!

At Hazel's funeral they read Proverbs 31and to this day she epitomises this scripture to me:

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

 ^10 [a]A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 
¹² She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 
¹³ She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family 
   and portions for her female servants. 
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 
²² She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 
²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. 
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,  and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household  and does not eat the bread of idleness. 
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 
²⁹ “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” 
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;  but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 
³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

TOP 10...........

I love to read.  It really does have to be one of my favorite pastimes.  In fact I am often late for work (bad bad girl) because I started reading instead of getting ready for work.

I desperately want a Kindle for when I travel but know that when I am at home I will most definitely not be using it.  I love the feel of a book in my hand, the smell and just well….the book!!!!

So I tend to read A LOT!!!  Here is my top ten from 2011….no particular order and some were published prior to 2011 but as the disclaimer says…..

OH, the summaries of the books have for the most part been taken off the authors official websites.

Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning – I really enjoyed this series.  I love that it is set in Ireland (mainly Dublin) and I could picture the area and hear the accents in my mind as I read.  I also love the fact that the lead character is female and she kicks serious butt!!!

 

DarkFever - MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks... until something extraordinary happens. When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae... As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless V'lane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands...

BloodFever - In her fight to stay alive, Mac must find the Sinsar Dubh—a million year old book of deadly black magic, which holds the key to power over both the worlds of Fae and Man. Pursued by assassins, surrounded by people she knows she can’t trust, Mac finds herself torn between two dangerous and powerful men, V’lane, a lethal Fae prince and the mysterious Jericho Barrons. For millennia the shadowy realm of the Fae court has coexisted with that of humans. Now the walls between the two are coming down and Mac is the only thing that stands between them.

FaeFever - When Mac receives a page torn from her dead sister’s journal, she is stunned by Alina’s words. Mac knows her sister’s killer is near. The sidhe-seer is on the hunt: for answers, for revenge. And for an ancient book of magic so twisted and dark that it corrupts anyone who touches it. Mac’s quest takes her into the dark, riot-filled streets of Dublin with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into an uneasy alliance with a deadly Fae prince and the lethal Jericho Barrons, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind and soul.

DreamFever - When the walls between Man and Fae come crashing down, freeing the immortal Unseelie from their icy prison, Mac is caught in a deadly trap. Trapped and tortured by the Fae Lord Master, Mac has no memory of who or what she is: the only sidhe-seer alive that can track the Sinsar Dubh, a book of black magic that holds the key to controlling both worlds.

Clawing her way back from oblivion is only the first step Mac must take down a perilous path, from the battle filled streets of Dublin to the treacherous politics of an ancient, secret sect, through the tangled lies of men who claim to be her allies into the illusory world of the Fae themselves where nothing is as it seems—and Mac is forced to face a soul-shattering truth. Who do you trust when you can’t even trust yourself?

ShadowFever - MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever. Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals that have lived concealed among us for thousands of years. What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief, while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh--a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King that contains the power to create and destroy worlds. In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac, and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves. Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman that haunts her dreams? More importantly, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card? From the luxury of the Lord Master's penthouse, to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover, to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac's journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and make a choice that will either save the world...or destroy it.

I have said it before and I will say it again………..I am a BIG Nora Roberts fan and I wait with baited breath for new releases from her. I have blogged about Chasing Fire here but below is the summary of Chasing Fire in case you want to read it again:

“The number-one New York Times-bestselling author delves into the world of elite firefighters who thrive on danger and adrenaline-men and women who wouldn’t know how to live life it wasn’t on the edge.  

There’s little as thrilling as firefighting at least to Rowan Tripp.  The Missoula smoke jumpers are in Rowan’s blood: her father is a legend.  She’s been fighting fires since her since her eighteenth birthday.  At this point, returning to the wilds of Montana for the season feels like coming home even with reminders of the partner she lost last season still lingering.

Fortunately, this year’s rookie crop is one of the strongest eve and Gulliver Curry’s one of the best.  He’s also a walking contradiction, a hotshot firefighter with a big vocabulary and winder job at a kids arcade.

Everything is thrown off balance when a dark presence lashes out against Rowan, looking to blame someone for last year’s tragedy.  Rowan knows she can’t complicate things with Gull any distractions in the air or on the ground could mean the end but is she doesn’t find someone she can lean on, she may not make it through the summer…….”

I also read The Circle Trilogy which was FANTASTIC!!!  I just loved the storyline…..plus there is a really cute vampire who plays a leading role….

Morrigan’s Cross - First in the Circle Trilogy. Her name is Lilith. Existing for thousands of years, she has lured countless men to an immortal doom with her soul-stealing kiss. But now, this woman will stop at nothing until she rules this world—and those beyond it. Hoyt Mac Cionaoith is no match for the dark siren. But his powers come from the goddess Morrigan—and it is through her that he will get his chance at vengeance.

Dance of the Gods - With one vampire determined to rule the earth, the Circle of Six prepares to battle for their lives – and their hearts.

Valley of Silence - The battleground has been chosen for the final showdown between those selected by the gods and the minions of the vampire Lilith.  But there is one vampire who dares stand against her. And his love for the scholarly queen of Geall will complete the circle of six – and change the face of eternity.

I have also blogged about The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes before.  I really enjoyed this books unique twist:

“Welcome to 66 Star Street……

In the top floor flat lives music exec Katie.  She spends her days fighting off has been rock stars and wondering how much cheesecake you’d need to eat yourself to death.

Below her, a pair of muscular Poles share with a streetwise cabbie named Lydia who has a sharp tongue, an even sharper brain but some unexpected soft spots.

On the first floor is Fionn the gardener who prefers the company of parsnips to people.  But he looks like a fairytale prince and when he’s offered his own television show, he’s suddenly thrust into the limelight.

And at the bottom of the house live Matt and Maeve, who are very much in love and who stave off despair by doing random acts of kindness.

But a mysterious visitor has just landed at 66 Star Street and big changes are on the way.  Old secrets are working their way to the surface, bringing love, tragedy and an unexpected optimism.  And life will be very different for everyone……”

 I am new to the writing of Jonathan Franzen but Freedom was part of Oprah’s last season so I felt compelled to read it.  Its different to the fiction I normally read and there were places where I was challenged by the thinking but all in all a very good read:

The acclaimed new novel from the author of The Corrections. Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul - the gentrifiers, the hands-on parents, the avant-garde of the Whole Foods generation. Patty was the ideal sort of neighbour who could tell you where to recycle your batteries and how to get the local cops to actually do their job. She was an enviably perfect mother and the wife of Walter's dreams. Together with Walter - environmental lawyer, commuter cyclist, family man - she was doing her small part to build a better world. But now, in the new millennium, the Berglunds have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter taken a job working with Big Coal? What exactly is Richard Katz - outre rocker and Walter's old college friend and rival - still doing in the picture? Most of all, what has happened to poor Patty? Why has the bright star of Barrier Street become a very different kind of neighbor, an implacable Fury coming unhinged before the street's attentive eyes? In his first novel since The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen has given us an epic of contemporary love and marriage. Freedom comically and tragically captures the temptations and burdens of too much liberty: the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the heavy weight of empire. In charting the mistakes and joys of Freedom's intensely realized characters, as they struggle to learn how to live in an ever more confusing world, Franzen has produced an indelible and deeply moving portrait of our time.

P C Cast is also a new discovery for me. She co-authors the House of Night series with her daughter and I had thought that her target audience was teenagers.  How thrilled was I when I discovered that momma writes  some adult books as well.  “This thrilling fantasy book series transports teacher Shannon Parker into the world of Partholon, a land rich in goddesses, centaurs, magic and passion”. I think the Divine Series takes you to a different world and I found myself dreaming about centaurs and rolling plains.

Divine by Mistake - The only excitement Shannon Parker expects while on summer vacation is a little shopping. But when an antique vase calls to her, she finds herself transported to Partholon, where she’s treated like a goddess. A very temperamental goddess… Somehow Shannon has stepped into another’s role as the Goddess Incarnate of Epona. And while there’s an upside – what woman doesn’t like lots of pampering? – it also comes with a ritual marriage to a centaur and threats against her new people. Oh, and everyone disliking her because they think she’s her double. Somehow Shannon needs to figure out how to get back to Oklahoma without being killed, married to a horse or losing her mind…

Divine by Choice - Shannon Parker has finally come to terms with life in the mythical world of Partholon. She loves her centaur husband, her connection to the goddess Epona and the pampering that comes with both! She’s almost forgotten her old life on Earth – especially when she discovers she’s pregnant… Then a sudden burst of power sends her back to Oklahoma. Without magic, Shannon can’t return to Partholon – and so she needs to find help. Trouble is, it might take the form of a man as tempting as her husband. And along the way she’ll discover that being divine by mistake is a lot easier than being divine by choice…

Divine by Blood - Conceived in a lie and trapped in a tree throughout her gestation, Morrigan’s birth was truly magical. After that start, she spent the next eighteen years raised as a normal girl in Oklahoma. Upon discovering the truth of her heritage, her rage and grief take on a power of their own, carrying her back to the world of Partholon. Yet, instead of being respected as the daughter of the Goddess Incarnate, Morrigan feels like a shunned outsider. In her desperation to belong to Partholon, she confronts forces she can’t fully understand or control. And soon a strange darkness draws closer…

 I know that’s more than 10 books but……I had to share them all with you.  Happy reading!!!