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Author Archives: Jeff
Which Decade of Music Had The Sexiest Style?
Are you a girl that grew up fantasizing about boys with tight pants, long hair and strong power ballads? Or were you a sucker for those crooners with the golden voice, sporting a tight fitted suit with a cocktail in hand? Maybe a synchronized boy band really got you going.
Our music scene has changed a lot over the last several decades, but sexy musicians will always be around. Have you ever really thought about which decade had the sexiest style? If you could be around for any of them, which would you prefer? Take the poll below to see which decade rules supreme in the ways of sex appeal.
Mother Knows Best
From The How I Know I’m In Love Series
My story is not a fairy tale romance. I had my fair share of dates growing up, but I always seemed to pick losers of one type or another. Eventually, all of my friends got married and started their families. I was always included in their outings, but I felt like a third wheel, and some of them were even a little afraid of having a single woman near their husbands. I was stuck in a rut and I knew that my biological clock was ticking away quickly. In my twenties, I was told that because of numerous back operations, it wasn’t likely that I would be able to carry a child to term, so I stopped looking for a husband and resigned myself to growing old—alone. Boy, was I wrong!
It was 1984. I was thirty-six years old and single, with no kids, no siblings, and no steady boyfriend. My mother was in the hospital, dying of cancer. I went to visit her just before she fell into a coma and an old friend of ours was there visiting her, but he left when I arrived. During our visit, my mother said to me, “That man loves you, and I would be more than proud to have him as a son-in-law. I know that he could never hurt you, and I could die knowing that he was there for you.” Well, he was like an older brother to me and I had no romantic notions about him. Plus, he was a married man. I told my mother this, and her reply was, “He is not happy!” He had always felt close to my mother, and he had told her that he had been pressured into marriage to a woman who he had never loved and was getting a divorce. That was one of the last conversations my mother and I were able to have before she lapsed into the coma and passed from my life.
Well, I always did what my mother told me to do! She was rarely wrong. She was a very smart, intelligent, and loving woman, who would give the shirt off her back or her last penny to help someone in need. Plus, she was also my very best friend. At the time, I was lonely, afraid, and sad about her impending death, so ten months after she passed away, I married the man my mother had picked out for me. I married my best friend, but I didn’t love him at the time. I was always waiting for my toes to curl and my heart to skip a beat when he touched me or was nearby, but it never happened. We were together because we had a lot in common, and were both lonely and hurting.
Now, almost twenty years have passed and we are still together—and in love with each other. Now, my heart does skip a beat when he comes near me and my toes do curl when he kisses me. I’ve realized that a person does not need instant fireworks to have love. Love takes time, commitment, caring, and experience. I guess my mother really did know what was best for me!
—Bev Stephens, Alberta, Canada
How did you know this crazy, wonderful feeling was the real thing? Share your experience with others! Email your story, in 700 words or less, along with your contact info, to trulovebooks@gmail.com and type, How I Know I’m In Love, in the subject line.
Women Undone
While the ’70s were about equal rights and the sexual revolution, women in the ’80s were more concerned about their economic situation. It’s easy to understand why some of the women in these stories would fantasize about finding romance on a cruise ship, or running off to a big city and becoming a fashion model, but as this collection of stories reveals, there are no shortcuts to happiness.
These were not the days of speed dating and finding love online. Women looked for love with personal ads and a very rudimentary form of computer dating.
Reviews
From Amazon: A Unique 80’s Inspired Book for Hopeless Romantics –The ‘80s are back! This collection is made of different short stories, but they all have one common theme — they are about women in relationships in the 1980s. I love the bits of nostalgia that come with reading these stories. This isn’t going to be your traditional romance books, but how fun to shake things up once in a while! Short and to the point, highly recommend!
News
Love Walkout–Is It Really Forever?
“Last night bothered me, but not for the reasons you might think. I wanted to be with you, Gordy, but in my mind I was making love to my husband. The man I left back home. And right now that’s where I’m heading. I’m going home.” Read the Rest of the Story Here
Aris Reigns: The Kingdom of Vampires
A life-altering moment of decision has arrived for psychologist Sarah Hagan. Which life will she choose: the mortal life she is now living in Chicago with her friends and family; or the Immortal life as the mate of a vampire who is part alien and part human? She can no longer ignore the Immortal Aris, who has tracked her through the centuries so they can be reunited as lovers for the rest of time. Will Sarah be able to pay the ultimate price required to fully experience true love? Read More
Reviews:
From Kirkus: Psychologist and hypnotist Sarah Hagan is enjoying her newfound success as the author of Psychosis and Past Life Regression, a study whose subject she has obsessed over since her painful divorce. Her private practice flourishing, she’s comforted by a handful of close, supportive friends. When one of these friends, a parole officer named Colleen, calls Sarah asking for her help with Carlos, a troubled young ex-con, Sarah is reluctant. Read More
News
An Interview with Aris the Vampire
By Devin Morgan On many occasions I have interviewed authors just before the release of their newest work, but this is the first time I have ever had a conversation with the main character of an historical fiction novel. I must admit as I sat in the bar of the Biltmore Hotel waiting to have a heart-to-heart with a two-thousand-year old vampire, I had my doubts about the validity of the whole situation as well as the sanity of my editor for sending me on such a wild goose chase. Read the Full Interview
Dating In The 21st Century: Good vs. Bad Signs
By Regina Gosney at Never Liked It Anyway
The civil and technological advances our culture has seen have revolutionized the way we date. The world we live in today is vastly different than the world of our parents, our grandparents, and so no doubt, the dating world is changed. The things we experience in the dating world have to be analyzed through the lens of the 21st century. Here are five elements of dating, indicating a relationship is either rocking hard to Zeplin, or rolling downhill fast.
Social Media
Good: You’re not embarrassed by his Insta feed, nor by the last rant he posted on FB about people who drink Decaf coffee. This guy has some respectable profiles. He tags you in funny videos and pics that are actually funny and not another cat video.
Bad: You’re constantly having an inner debate as to whether you should up your stalker level and check his past likes (Did he really just comment on this girl’s photo? What the hell is that emoji supposed to mean?) He posts Kate Upton as his WCW. Gag me with a spoon.
Texting
Good: You are completely satisfied with the frequency of texts you’re receiving. It’s not too many, like that one creepy coworker who somehow got your number, but it’s not too few either. Bonus: You find yourself rereading old messages for absolutely no reason, just to put a smile on your face.
Bad: He may be blowing up your phone and sending you way too many texts, or not enough. You may be finding yourself constantly checking your phone, wondering if he’s texted you back yet. Nope. Asshole. You delete the text conversation in your messages just so you don’t have to be reminded of the texts you aren’t receiving from him.
Planning a Date
Good: You’re planning your next date (to include a cute picnic at sunset and your fav art museum), but only because he planned the last one. Also, though you both have busy schedules, you’re still able to find time to squeeze in a date with one another. Priorities, girl.
Bad: Either he won’t let you plan anything because he’s some type-A control freak, or you’re having to plan everything because he just doesn’t care. Neither of those are any good in a relationship. Or, he keeps blowing off the planned date for bullshit reasons. Well, you have zero time for bullshit so… adios.
Paying the Bill
The date is going well. The waitress soon comes around and drops off the leather bi-fold booklet containing the bill. Moment of awkwardness.
Good: Whatever makes you feel most comfortable. If he insists on paying, and you’re into that. You let him, and you thank him graciously. If you want to go in halves, and he’s good with that, awesome. If you want to pay for it, he lets you, sweet.
Bad: He’s insecure or demanding or what-the-hell-ever and insists on doing it his way. Whatever, brah.
Time Spent Together
Good: You are content. More than this, you feel stimulated and excited to be with him. He gives you a new perspective on life and values you for who you are as a person.
Bad: You’re re-browsing through your Insta feed, either because he always is, or because he drives you to that level of boredom. You’re back at your place after your date and you’re feeling so unfulfilled. Bad sign.
Books for Novice and Expert Cooks in Your Life
By Katherine Sharma
My holiday gift shopping list always includes cookbooks for the foodies in my life, but cookbooks are good gifts all year long. The list of possibilities is so huge that I scour the Internet for recommendations.
I’ve found that the Food Network has a good list of cookbooks for a range of tastes (from foreign gourmet dining to down-home BBQ to gluten-free believers) and a range of skill levels, from novice to expert. While TV celeb chefs are perhaps overrepresented, there are many listed books that I found recommended by multiple other sources, such as gourmet magazines, book reviewers and lifestyle editors.
The books that seemed to be getting the biggest buzz for 2015 include: Lucky Peach, a 101 easy Asian recipes from the independent foodie mag; Nopi: The Cookbook, a collection of Asian-meets-Middle-Eastern recipes from the famed London restaurant Nopi’s Head Chef Ramael Scully teamed with author Yotam Ottolenghi; Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking, featuring Israeli cuisine from the Philadelphia restaurant of James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Solomonov; Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread by New York artisanal baker Zachary Golper; Milk Bar Life featuring new savory recipes from Christina Tosi, author of Momofuku Milk Bar‘s creative sweets; Near & Far: Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel offering 120 vegetarian dishes from the personal collection of award-winning food blogger Heidi Swanson; Gjelina, the first cookbook inspired by Travis Lett’s Venice Beach-based California-Mediterranean restaurant; The Nomad Cookbook with sweet and savory creations from New York’s popular The Nomad restaurant menu, plus bonus cocktail recipes; and, finally, Mexico from the Inside Out, a debut cookbook from Chef Enrique Olvera, combining the sophistication of his Mexico City Pujol restaurant with family home cooking.
For many more cookbook gift ideas, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/photos/cookbook-gift-guide.html
ABOUT KATHERINE SHARMA
Katherine Sharma’s family roots are in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. But after her early childhood in Texas, she has moved around the country and lived in seven other states, from Virginia to Hawaii. She currently resides in California with her husband and three children. She has also traveled extensively in Europe, Africa and Asia, and makes regular visits to family in India. After receiving her bachelor’s degree. in economics and her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Michigan, Katherine worked as a newspaper and magazine writer and editor for more than 15 years. She then shifted into management and marketing roles for firms in industries ranging from outdoor recreation to insurance to direct marketing. Although Katherine still works as a marketing consultant, she is now focused on creative writing.Online Sex Appeal
From The How I Know I’m In Love Series
It took me a while to accept that I was in love with Thomas, but after a while it was undeniable.
After being single for a few years, I joined a dating site. My friends and family had told me it was a good idea. I felt stupid and desperate for joining, especially since I was only twenty-five. I felt like I should be able to go out and organically meet someone, not have to force it through a meet-up site. But I did it anyway.
The day I posted my profile and picture I got an incredible amount of responses. It gave my ego a little boost to know that this many single men in my area were interested in me.
I started weeding through the eligible bachelors and responding to the men I felt there could be a connection with. It almost felt like I was on that show, “The Bachelorette.”
After about a month of being on the site, and still not meeting a good prospect, I started to lose my motivation to meet these random men, but I still checked my profile for new messages. Even though I was checking the messages, I had stopped responding to them like I had in the beginning. Then Thomas messaged me.
He was new to the site and “came across my profile.” He asked if I wanted to meet at a little cafe that happened to be around the corner from my apartment. Since it wouldn’t take much effort on my part, I agreed–plus he was so cute!
When we met, it was magical. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. When he spoke his voice gave me chills. After the first date, I chalked my feelings up to not being with a man for so long, but after the fifth and sixth dates and still feeling the same way I knew this relationship was going somewhere.
Thomas always brought me flowers and always called when he said he would. He was always the gentleman and didn’t rush me into anything in our relationship. He could tell I was unsure and, after our many talks, knew I had my guard up with men. He dealt with all of my insecurities like a pro and always made me feel like a princess. I tried so hard to find problems with Thomas so that I could end things, but I never could.
Eventually I accepted Thomas was the man for me, even if we did meet on the internet. It was the best decision I have ever made! We have been together for three years, and I found a business card for a jeweler in his pocket the other day!
–H. Smith, Tennessee
How did you know this crazy, wonderful feeling was the real thing? Share your experience with others! Email your story, in 700 words or less, along with your contact info, to trulovebooks@gmail.com and type, How I Know I’m In Love, in the subject line.
TruLOVE Stories Makes Golden Globe Predictions
This Sunday (1/9/16), Ricky Gervais will once again walk down the stage to host a wild night of unpredictable accolades known as the Golden Globes. We have no idea what he plans to do or say on stage, and that includes the announcement of some of our favorite actors and actresses in Hollywood. Here is our prediction of who will take home statues on Sunday in the Television categories.
BEST TELEVISION SERIES (DRAMA)
Outlander
Mr. Robot
Empire
Game of Thrones
Narcos
WHO WILL WIN: GAME OF THRONES
Having already claimed the trophy at the Emmy’s, this magical Thrones will continue its reign over the competition. Sleeper pick is newcomer, Mr. Robot.
BEST ACTOR (DRAMA)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Rami Malek (Mr. Robot)
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
Wagner Moura (Narcos)
Liev Schriber (Ray Donovan)
WHO WILL WIN: RAMI MALEK
An impossibly challenging role, Malek’s intensely layered portrayal of Mr. Robot‘s Elliot made the craziest show of the year intimately believable. Nostalgic Pick is Jon Hamm for the last season of Mad Men.
BEST ACTRESS (DRAMA)
Taraji P. Henson (Empire)
Caitriona Balfe (Outlander)
Robin Wright (House of Cards)
Viola Davis (How to Get Away With Murder)
Eva Green (Penny Dreadful)
WHO WILL WIN: CAITRIONA BALFE
As the time-traveling nurse Claire, Balfe pulled at our heartstrings and got us hot and bothered with her whirlwind romance with that strapping Scotsman Jamie. Possible upset pick is Viola Davis for her wonderful acting chops in How to Get Away With Murder.
BEST TELEVISION SERIES (COMEDY)
Casual
Mozart in the Jungle
Orange Is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Veep
WHO WILL WIN: TRANSPARENT
When it comes to a show that is actually a comedy, with tons of heart and important things to say, Transparent is the clear winner. Digital sleeper pick Silicon Valley could hack the voting system, but we don’t think they’ve run the right program.
BEST ACTOR (COMEDY)
Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)
Aziz Ansari (Master of None)
Gael Garcia Bernal (Mozart in the Jungle)
Rob Lowe (The Grinder)
Patrick Stewart (Blunt Talk)
WHO WILL WIN: AZIZ ANSARI
While we suspect that Transparent will repeat a win in the comedy TV series category, we’re not sure that star Jeffrey Tambor will be as lucky. Instead, we think this is where a new critically acclaimed comedy will get its due, and Aziz Ansari will be victorious as the star and creator of Master of None.
BEST ACTRESS (COMEDY)
Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend)
Jamie Lee Curtis (Scream Queens)
Julia Louis Dreyfus (Veep)
Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie)
Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin)
WHO WILL WIN: LILY TOMLIN
Nominated in two different categories, we think Tomlin gets her trophy in this one. Look out for newcomer Rachel Bloom though, she might just be crazy enough to win!
BEST MINISERIES
American Crime
American Horror Story
Fargo
Flesh & Bone
Wolf Hall
WHO WILL WIN: FARGO
American Horror Story has had a fantastic season, but it’s obviously very dark and not for everyone. (All the more reason for fans to love it.) Fargo likely will come out the winner—pulling off a really strong second season with a whole new cast.
BEST ACTOR, MINISERIES
Idris Elba (Luther)
Oscar Isaac (Show Me a Hero)
David Oyelowo (Nightingale)
Mark Rylance (Wolf Hall)
WHO WILL WIN: IDRIS ELBA
This is going to be an extremely close contest, but Elba is just too smooth and interesting an actor to be denied. Oscar Isaac is headlining the new wave of talented thespians so look for him to be knocking on the door.
BEST ACTRESS, MINISERIES
Kirsten Dunst (Fargo)
Lady Gaga (American Horror Story)
Sarah Hay (Flesh & Bone)
Felicity Huffman (American Crime)
Queen Latifah (Bessie)
WHO WILL WIN: KIRSTEN DUNST
This really is a two horse race between Dunst and Gaga. It’s obvious the countess has some real acting chops, but she isn’t quite the Hollywood darling that Dunst is. Look for a close battle here.
Check back with us next week to see how many we got right!
5 New Things To Try In 2016
Some people are so concerned with anxiety-inducing new years resolutions come the turn of the year that they forget that there are so many other great things the new year has to offer! And yes, we understand time is linear and a social construct, but that won’t stop us from treating the new year like a fresh start. Let the new year be your blank canvas, and paint a picture of your life you’ve always wanted to see! New years resolutions can be important, but take some time this new year to maybe try a new class (be it cooking, dancing, fitness, etc.), pick up a new hobby, or maybe try something as simple as getting a new haircut. If you haven’t any ideas of your own, here are 5 new things to try that we’ve picked out, in all things food, beauty, fitness and tech. Time to start filling up that blank slate of yours!
1. Eating meditation
This is just mindful eating. It’s eating slower and focusing on the act of eating and the details of the meal more (for example, how does it smell? What does it look like? What does it taste like? What kind of texture does it have?) It makes eating into a bigger deal, and so you’ll come to appreciate it more, and maybe even savour your food more. It’s also supposed to help you stop overeating and help you in any other meditation you may do throughout the day. Try it out for a meal, see how you like it!
2. Doonya
This is the new fitness craze like Zumba! Doonya is super fun, high energy Bollywood dancing classes, and they’re only going to become more popular in 2016. A quick internet search should provide results for Doonya classes around you, but if you can’t find any, there are DVDs you can purchase online and practice in the safety of your own home (though Doonya classes are all about having fun, not necessarily about skill or judgement).
3. Going Bra-Free
This was a thing in the 90s and was considered stylish and acceptable. It disappeared a bit in the early 2000s, but we’re bringin’ it back, thankfully. According to a 15 year study conducted by a french professor by the name of Jean-Denis Rouillon, wearing a bra does nothing to prevent sagging breasts and might actually increase gravity’s pull on your girls! So yeah, if you see a few bra-burning riots in the new year, you’ll know why.
4. Strobing
This makeup trend is only relatively new, but it’s really catching on now. Strobing is simply using a shimmering highlighter on the places where your bone structure is most defined, like cheeks, brow bones, nose, etc. in place of contouring. It’s the lazy woman’s best friend in makeup, and offers an almost effortless, fresh, natural and glowing look. Get rid of all the heavy stuff and try it out for a change!
5. Happn
This is a new dating app that uses your location to determine who’ve you crossed paths with in a day who also has the app on their mobile device. So, for instance, if you spot a cute guy in a coffee shop but miss your chance to say hello, fear not! If he also happens to have Happn (see what I did there?) on his phone, his profile will be suggested to you! Best part is, where you met will be the perfect ice breaker. You can both complain about that barista that never spells your names right.
