The Dreaded Fitted Sheet

Do you have one of those base sheets that fit snugly on your mattress but after washing, do you dread folding it? What’s your technique? Do you roll it up into a ball? Or scrunch the sheet into a lumpy pancake before you place it in the linen cupboard?

Hello Friends,

This week I have three videos to have a few laughs about a difficult task.

“No one likes to fold a fitted sheet, unless you're a Virgo or a masochist…”*

Sorry Virgos! No insult intended, just recognition of your precise thinking.

* source: https://homes.nine.com.au/

The first video is from US grandmother, Terri Metz. Her fitted sheet video has over 35 million views on facebook. Terri’s video is hands-on, very physical, and down on the floor. She calls it, “The easiest way ever to fold a fitted sheet.” Maybe…

Watch her video called, Oh Sheet! It’s just that easy

I love her saying, “Bingo Baby!” at the end. 

The next video is about a guy making a bed in a small room. Not so easy when you’re tackling the stretchy elastic. But the guy is flexible and he shows us his diving technique for tucking over the corners of a fitted sheet while he's on top of the bed. A type of starfish position for bed-making that I haven't seen before. The battle begins…

Watch the video called, Man vs fitted bed sheet SOOO FUNNY

Is there an easy way to fold a fitted sheet? The guy in the next video has a calm technique. I had to avert my gaze from seeing the reflection in the mirror of all the stuff poking out from underneath his bed. My teenage children permanently changed my bedroom eyesight so I see the worst stale and smelly things. Does this guy have the 'folding hack' worth following?

Watch the video called, How To Fold A Fitted Sheet (So Easy - Even A Guy Can Do It)

Happy Folding!

♥ Ashlyn

“Good Girls” Season One on Netflix

Some good girls have children and jobs. They are the working poor who have high levels of personal stress. What do they do about it? Fight back against struggle street? The Good Girls television series and the Ocean’s 8 movie represent a new era of story-telling where women do crime and get away with it, or do they?

Hello Friends,

My youngest daughter recommended that I watch “Good Girls” on Netflix after she’d seen most of the series. I liked the concept of bad-ass mothers banding together and taking care of business, so I watched the first episode and I was hooked. I’m up to episode six out of ten, and trying not to binge watch or I’ll be asking, what’s next. Good Girls is a quality production for television featuring great actresses, interesting plot lines, and a soundtrack that matches.

The comedy-drama series pivots around three mothers.

Ruby is the waitress who has to earn tips to make up her low pay. She is married to a man who works in security and trains to be a police officer. Her young daughter has a kidney problem which requires a transplant or expensive experimental drugs that cost $10,000 per month, out of pocket.

Annie is a single mother who works as a check-out chick on a minimum wage. Her ex-partner is going to sue her for custody of their only child.

Beth is the stay-at-home mother who is ignorant of family finances and lets her husband manage the money. He makes some mistakes, including the affair with his secretary, and then there’s no money left.

So out of financial desperation, the three American suburban mothers rob a supermarket. They expect to steal $30,000. When they count the cash, it's half a million dollars. They didn’t know they’d stolen laundered money owned by a gang of bad dudes.

The mums become even more desperate when the gang turns up at the family home, asking for the cash back, and they’ve already spent thousands of dollars.

The leader of the gang is mister darkly, sort of attractive guy, called Rio. He is an expert at invading personal spaces, playing on the women's fears and psychologically luring them into doing more crime. He’s a devil. But they never seem to resist him, even when he is ripping them off.

Rio and Beth have a simmering chemistry together. She symbolically hangs her motherly, pearl necklace on a door at a warehouse where Rio and his terrible team had previously counterfeited bank notes. Why did she do that, and what does it mean? Is she leaving behind her innocence?

I screamed inside, Beth, don’t fall for the bad guy. You know he’ll leave you in a mess and probably in jail. But it’s irresistible to watch Beth’s raw vulnerability when he’s slinking around her. The what if, she did get with him. Rio’s curiosity over a suburban mother caught in his trap of crime is also riveting. His cunning. His direct gaze with the undertone of smoldering attraction. Rio and Beth push me to the edge of sanity, and keep me watching.

Each episode of Good Girls has another twist. There’s more secrets for the women to keep from their families. Lies and deception. Their financial situations keep getting worse and worse. Rio lurks in the background with his offers of money that come with personal challenges. The ordinary lives the mothers knew are unraveling, but they don’t know what they are becoming.

Have a look at the Sneak Peak trailer.

Have a happy weekend.

♥  Ashlyn

Book – “Finder Keeper Of My Heart” by Vina Arno

Hello Friends,

I met American romance author, Vina Arno a couple of years ago on email (we live continents apart). She was passionate about her FINDER KEEPER story and wow, she has overcome many challenges on the road to publication. So I’m delighted to welcome Vina to the blog with her second romance novel.

I’m looking forward to reading the story and being transported to the wilderness forest in Hawaii, which is the place where the couple meet and begin their romance. Maybe one day I’ll go to Hawaii for a visit. I like the idea of swimming with dolphins and seeing the great volcano, Kilauea. The eruption has been going on for months, and keeping people safe from this mighty force of nature is a priority.

I asked Vina a question. Here it is, and her answer follows.

Why did you write the story?

FINDER KEEPER is about two young people who find each other while visiting Hawaii and how the place transforms them. In many ways, this novel is my love letter to Hawaii, especially the Big Island. My family and I first visited the island in 2007. We fell in love with the place, and we’ve returned there several times. We’ve also visited other Hawaiian islands, namely Maui, Oahu, and Kauai, but the Big Island remains our true love. The recent volcanic eruption there shows just how fickle nature can be. It made the choice of the Big Island as a setting take on a new significance for me. I feel very privileged to have spent wonderful vacations there.

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The Blurb

EMMA MUNROE, a Juilliard senior, snags a plum role on Broadway a few weeks before her twenty-first birthday. She travels to Hawaii with her best friends to celebrate. When she gets lost in a jungle during an impromptu hike, she happens upon a waterfall—and a naked hunk bathing underneath it.

When she finds out his name is AVERY BELL, she’s dumbstruck. She believes she’s meant to love someone named Avery. It all goes back to a message in a bottle she found when she was nine, a letter written by a soldier called Avery to his sweetheart named Emma. He’d written it in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack during World War II. Since then, Emma has been searching (and saving her virginity) for her own Avery.

But Avery Bell is as mysterious as he is irresistible. Emma learns about his family secrets. In the course of this vacation, an accident and a tragic death will shake both of them to the core. Her singular faith in him—her unwavering belief in love and destiny—proves to be his saving grace.

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FINDER KEEPER OF MY HEART is available now for the Kindle price of $3.87 US.
Here's the link to Amazon.com 

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

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Vina kindly provided an excerpt of the story.

Emma jogged for the next few minutes. Another brook, then a dry creek, before she faced a second switchback. Shit, she was lost! She slogged along, her legs now aching. Then a faint sound of water. Late July in Hawaii was hot and humid, but the temperature had turned cooler the closer she got to the source of the rumbling water.

It turned out to be a waterfall, partly blocked by overgrown grasses. She descended to the swimming hole and parted the tall weeds with both hands to get a full view.

Omigod! A naked man stood underneath the waterfall, his back to her.

Well, hellooo, hottie. She stood across from him, frozen and mesmerized by his beautiful body—tall build, broad shoulders, toned arms and legs. He braced himself against the water crashing on his face by gripping a boulder with each hand.

All of a sudden, he turned around, his eyes shut. Before she could hide, he stepped out of the cascading water. When he opened his eyes, his gaze shot straight to her. He cupped both hands over his groin.

“I’m sorry!” She swung around. “I’m lost. I need your help.”

 He didn’t respond, and she didn’t dare look. Two, maybe three minutes passed.

“Hello? Are you still there?” she shouted without glancing.

“You can look now.” He stood several feet away, dressed in khaki cargo pants and a burgundy T-shirt marked MIT. He carried his hiking boots, socks, and a backpack.

“I’ve been lost forever.” She puffed out her cheeks and blew a gust of air. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

He was probably a few years older than her. He didn’t appear embarrassed after getting caught buck naked, only annoyed.

“And your name is?” he snapped.

Okay, definitely pissed. “Emma Munroe—like Marilyn Monroe, but with a u.” She wanted to shake his hand, but didn’t get a chance since he perched on a big rock and proceeded to put on his socks and boots. When he rose, his dark eyes bored right through her.

He extended his hand. “I’m Avery Bell.”

“Avery?” She shook his hand, dumbstruck. Omigod! She had waited half of her life to meet someone named Avery—ever since she’d picked up a message in a bottle bearing that name.

He gave her a quizzical look.

She cleared her throat, composing herself. “Avery. I love that name.” My soul mate’s name is Avery. Could he be the one she’d been looking for?

He hauled his backpack over both shoulders. “How can I help you?”

“I need to get out of here.”

“How did you get here in the first place?”

“How did I get here?” she echoed like an idiot. Her self-confidence withered fast. She described the picnic on the beach and the hike up to the trail’s entrance. “I should have stayed put to wait for my friends, but my curiosity got the better of me. I chased the roosters and turkeys, plus I might have zoned out a little bit. I thought I was retracing my steps. I honestly don’t know how I got here.”

He nodded. “You’ve walked about four miles on the trail. Actually, you were probably not on the Muliwai Trail. You probably followed a fake trail. We’re a couple of miles away from Waimanu Valley.”

“You mean Waipio Valley?”

“I mean Waimanu Valley.”

She’d never heard of the place before. He walked up the weedy slope toward the trail.

She followed him. “Can you help me get out of here?”

He stopped, so she paused, too.

He turned his face to her. “I can take you to Waimanu Valley. I’m camping there.”

“Really?” Hope surged in her chest. He’s got to be the one.

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About Vina Arno

I used to be a reporter for newspapers, and later on, for the Associated Press. I have a master’s degree in journalism from Ohio State University. I’m a late bloomer. While working as a journalist—from Manila to Taipei to New York—I realized I wanted to have a voice as a writer. As a journalist, I don’t choose what to write and how to write it. I’m assigned stories to cover and I must follow journalistic rules. As a novelist, I finally have a voice! I write what I want to write.

Connect with Vina

Visit Vina Arno’s website or connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+

Congratulations to Vina for the launch of her book. She has another book being released in 2018 about General Douglas MacArthur breaks all taboos by pursuing his romantic obsession with Isabel Rosario Cooper, a young Filipino actress. Best wishes for the next book.

Enjoy your weekend.

♥ Ashlyn

New Illustrations of the Kama Sutra

“A new edition of the Kama Sutra includes illustrations by award-winning illustrator Victo Ngai, who says that her artwork will effectively “[situate] the viewers from the women’s point of view.”   source: Women in the World 

Hello Friends,

The Kama Sutra is commonly known as a guide to sex positions. Postures to explore, bedroom gymnastics for some, others for pleasure-seeking and couple’s intimacy.

However, the Kama Sutra has always been an ancient Indian document which was written in Sanskrit text about 1,600 years ago. Its broader contents includes the art of living, society, sexuality and achieving good karma.

The original writings had no drawings at all. Folio Society’s new edition brings a fresh interpretation of the texts with a woman’s view in mind. According to the illustrator, Victo Ngai, she says the pictures are less overtly sexual. She tried for tantalizing, yet thoughtful and elegant at the same time.

Watch the book trailer.

Read more at Women in the World

And from the publisher, Folio Society

Have a happy weekend!

♥  Ashlyn

Book – “All the Broken Pieces” by Rebecca Raine

Hello Friends,

Australian romance author, Rebecca Raine is back on the blogger with her latest book in the Finding Forever series. Her book covers raises the temperature and lights up the page. “All the Broken Pieces” is no exception. It’s a different type of story to her last one, and features two men who fall in love. I was naturally curious about Rebecca’s latest release, so I asked her a couple of questions which she was happy to answer.

What inspired you to write this book?

Rebecca: I wasn't inspired to write this book so much as I was forced to write it... by Harrison. It went something like this: Jeremy was first introduced as a main character in “Everything We Need” (Book 4 of the Finding Forever series).

In that book he (spoilers ahead) embarked on a steamy relationship with his flatmate, Trina, and their next-door neighbour, Brady. While Jeremy learned a great deal from that relationship, it was Trina and Brady who ultimately fell in love and became a couple at the end of the book. However, Jeremy did return in the epilogue with his new boyfriend, Harrison.

We only got a glimpse into their relationship in that book, but it was sweet and I loved them as a couple. That was supposed to be where the series ended. Harrison, however, really didn’t like the idea that Jeremy’s journey to true love wasn’t going to be told and he kept tapping me on the shoulder and saying, “Do you have any idea what we went through to be together?”

I had to admit, I didn’t. So, I decided to write a short story to detail Jeremy and Harrison’s romance. That short story ended up being the longest book in the series. It was worth every moment.

Could you tell us about the MM theme in the book?

Rebecca: When I started writing romance novels it never occurred to me I would ever write anything other than heterosexual romances between couples. Then I got the idea for the first book in this series, “Our Little Secret” (an MMF romance), and suddenly I was dealing, not just with three people, but with a homosexual relationship as well. I loved every minute of it! After that it seemed like the world opened up and nothing was off limits (in my writing or in my reading).

So, when Harrison started to get pushy I knew it was time for my first MM couple romance. Harrison and Jeremy were the perfect couple to get me started. I'm as in love with them as they are with each other!

Your characters have some personal challenges with heartache, losing their minds, and you’re a brave author for writing them into a romance. Were there any experiences you drew on, or people who influenced you to write about the grittier side of life?

Rebecca: Mental illness is such a huge part of our society, but is still hidden in many ways. Often people who suffer from a mental illness will be reluctant to talk about it for fear of being seen as 'weak' due to their struggle to accomplish tasks that others do with ease.

I never consciously decided to write about a character with a mental illness, but when I was first getting to know Harrison and realised he suffered from ongoing episodic depression I ran with it.

Going deep into Harrison depression was challenging, and at times upsetting. I drew from both my own experiences and lots of internet research. The most important thing for me was to show the strength that is developed when a person constantly strives to rise up under the weight of their depression or anxiety and build a happy, meaningful life. That's Harrison. Despite his mental illness, and in many ways because of it, he is an incredibly strong person with a high level of self-awareness.

He's determined to make his good days outweigh his bad days, and when he lays eyes on Jeremy, he knows there are some pretty awesome days ahead.

Will there be any more books in the series?

Rebecca: No. Absolutely not. :) The Finding Forever series is officially complete and I am now working on other projects. Anyone for a rock star romance?

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“All the Broken Pieces” is available now for the Kindle price of $2.97 US and $3.99 Aus.

Here's the link to Amazon.com

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Here’s the Blurb

Sometimes letting your heart set the rules is a good way to lose your mind.

Jeremy Hayden knows what it’s like to be lost in someone else’s pain. After years of trying and failing to save the man he loved, Jeremy’s determined to learn how to put his own needs first. That means staying away from people who are damaged. From now on, the only person Jeremy wants to save is himself.

Harrison Winters is the kind of damaged that cracks all the way to the bone. Forged by a childhood of violence and betrayal, he lives every day on the edge of darkness. Discipline and a strict set of rules keep his mind stable and his life on track. He doesn’t need anyone to save him, no matter how broken he is.

When Harrison falls for the sunshine of Jeremy’s smile, he sees his chance for a brighter future - only to discover he is everything Jeremy has vowed to avoid. Revealing the truth about his past would bring an end to their newfound happiness. To stay silent means breaking the rules that keep his mind free from the darkness.

With his heart on the line and his sanity under threat, Harrison knows one wrong move will break him. If that happens, there may not be anything left to save.

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Rebecca kindly provided an excerpt of the story.

(from Chapter 5)

“I’m curious now. What happened?”

Jeremy pushed his plate away and sat back, settling deeper into the cushions. “Those stories aren’t…”

“First date material?” He watched as Jeremy bit down on that bottom lip, as if he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure if he should. “Except this isn’t a date,” he guessed.

“It’s not supposed to be.” Jeremy pulled his legs up, crossing them in front of him. His left thigh came to rest on top of Harrison’s bent knee. “But it’s not exactly your average business dinner either.”

“I suppose we need to come up with a third option.” Unable to resist the urge, Harrison sat forward and lifted his hand from the back of the couch so he could run his fingers through the short hair at the nape of Jeremy’s neck. Jeremy’s eyes slid shut as he exhaled, and Harrison’s body hardened at the innate sensuality of the response. Patience may be a virtue, but his supply was fast running out. “I have to be honest though, if all you’re after is a hook-up, it’s not really my style.”

Opening his eyes, Jeremy looked at him. His expression, though heated, was wary—almost reluctant. “I like you, Harrison. You’re easy to talk to and being around you makes me feel good. So…” Jeremy turned his body in the small space, moving closer and curling his own hand around the back of Harrison’s neck. “I would like to get to know you better, but I can’t make any promises about being ready for something more. Right now, that’s the most I can offer.”

Harrison considered his words for a moment before nodding in agreement. “That’s good enough for me.”

The grin that appeared on Jeremy’s face sparked a light somewhere deep inside Harrison’s chest. Though scarcely a glimmer, it warmed him from the inside, made him want more.

“Well, what do you know?” Jeremy murmured, tilting his head to one side. “The man does know how to smile.”

Harrison blinked as he reached up with his free hand to touch his own cheeks. Jeremy was right. His mouth had curved of its own accord, reflecting the pleasure he’d seen in the other man. He couldn’t remember how long it had been since that happened.

Long fingers replaced his, stroking the roughness of his jaw and cupping his chin. Jeremy leaned in to kiss him and Harrison closed his eyes as he waited for that first touch. It was scary how much he wanted this—to taste the sunshine of this man’s mouth, to make the light inside burn brighter.

The moment their lips met, Harrison reached out to cup Jeremy’s face in his hands. Their mouths moved slowly against each other, hesitantly, every moment a torturous blend of holding back and letting go. Then, Jeremy ran his tongue along Harrison’s bottom lip and Harrison opened his mouth in invitation. Jeremy slipped inside, tasting him with infinite care—with patience. The thought roused a hidden part of him that never would have responded to a stronger, more frenzied passion.

When Jeremy withdrew from the kiss he did so in small degrees, drawing out each languid touch, until at last they parted. Harrison opened his eyes and saw Jeremy watching him closely. The light in Jeremy’s eyes gleamed bright and joyful when he murmured, “Sweet enough for you?”

A breathy sound erupted from Harrison’s chest, almost like a laugh, and he startled.

Jeremy’s true laugh followed close behind. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Pulling away, Jeremy stood and then turned back to offer Harrison his hand. “Come on,” he said with a smile. “I’ll let you drive me home.”

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About Rebecca Raine

Rebecca is a long-time lover of all things romance. Whether it’s a book, movie, or real-life, she will always have more fun if there’s a love interest thrown into the mix. She lives in Queensland, Australia with her very own hero husband, two adorable children and one big, black dog. Other than reading and writing books, her favourite things include loud music, enjoying a glass of wine on the patio, organising everything in existence, and spending too much time on the Internet.

Connect with Rebecca

Email: rebecca@rebeccaraine.com

Website: www.rebeccaraine.com

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/rainewriter

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/rainewriter

Congratulations to Rebecca for the launch of her last book in the Finding Forever series. She tells me she’s working on a new writing projects. I can’t wait to find out more…about the rock star romance.

Enjoy your weekend.

♥ Ashlyn

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More Books from Rebecca

No 4

The path to true love may not begin with a threesome, but you have to start somewhere.

Blog post link; Everything We Need

Amazon.com

No 3

She wants him to want her—desperately—but without the inconvenience of wanting him back.

Blog post link; This Time Forever

Amazon.com

No 2

True love should always come with a convenient expiry date.

Blog post link; Lost In Amber

Amazon.com

No 1

Some risks are worth taking.

Blog post link; Our Little Secret
Amazon.com

Ignite the magick within, or be hunted in the dark.

Blog post link; Splinter
Amazon.com

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