AUTHOR INTERVIEW - MILTON QUIBNER ( HOW HIGH SHOULD I JUMP? )

Niina : Welcome to For The Love of Reading, Mr. Quibner , I’m glad you could make it!

Milton Quibner : Thank you, Niina, I have soooo been looking forward to this!

Niina : Awesome! Let’s get started! Can you tell my readers here 4 fun unknown facts about you so we can break the ice?

Milton Quibner : Well, I'm still madly in love with my wife of 25 years; I'm a crazy San Francisco Giants fan; my wife has total freedom to do whatever she wants; and I have a beach-front home in Brasil that I am dying to go spend some time at.

Niina : Brazil... sweet! Tell us little about your book "HOW HIGH SHOULD I JUMP", what’s it about?

Milt : JUMP is a fun but intense sexual satire where I mock and belittle selfish, boring guys who are not willing to support and free their women; it's filled with classical references, wild erotic scenes and absurd products but, underneath the zaniness, I am directing men to become less selfish and more devoted to women while deflating jealousy and egotism.

Niina : And how could we not love that! :D So how do you write, chapter here and there - or follow from beginning to the end?

Milt : I start with an outline, a frame, which generally is the most actual work, and I then go about creating each chapter, which then gets revised ad infinitum. The real work is setting up the outline; I need a general heading I'm aiming at, then I allow the magic of the writing moment to occur. That means I prepare each day before I write; I study some of the Classics, take a look at my notes, maybe read something from some modern writer, look over the Internet for an hour or so, then I dive in.

Niina : What inspired you to write this book?

Milt : My own personal struggles with sexual betrayal when I was young led me to realize there were no good books, especially funny ones, on the subject of dealing with being betrayed, and thus, I set out to create one. I chose satire rather than to be all serious and finger-pointing, because I think we actually learn more when we laugh at ourselves than we do when we're made to feel bad.

Niina : What’s the best compliment you've received on your writing? And who complimented you?

Milt : “I hated this book until I actually read it, now it's a favorite.” Joyce Breen said this earlier this year, a radical feminist who wanted to kill me...until she actually read it. I love it!

Niina : What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Milt : My combination of intellectual firepower with informality. I like to be smart but not a jerk about it. Everybody has their problems and I respect that, so I give real knowledge you can actually use without attaching a lot of bluster and arrogance to it.

Niina : How did your cover come about, or what’s your opinion of it?

Milt : I love my book's cover and it was a result of my publisher, Seaburn Books in NYC, really understanding the essence of the book; I told them the essence of what I wanted, and they showed me the first proof and bam! I loved it!

Niina : Now to more personal questions! Can you share with us 4 of the physically closest books to you?

Milt : 'The Apology/last days of Socrates'; Plutarch's Lives; The Mistress Manual; Jarry's Ubu Roi

Niina : What is your signature dish?

Milt : Organic brown rice, black beans, garlic roasted chicken and tossed salad, with lemon water.

Niina : Which Disney Princess would you pick if you had to choose?

Milt : Cinderella. I'd find a way to cheat the midnight hour for sure!

Niina : What’s the number one thing you like to do when you are not writing?

Milt : Kiss and adore my wife. Seriously, we are becoming closer every day, and I can't keep my hands off of her, and don't want to!

Niina : Awww... :) How many jobs did you have before you became a writer? What was your first job?

Milt : Many many jobs, in and out of writing. Restaurant work, house painter, farm worker, logger, gold miner, audio/video engineer, radio host, editor. I worked sometimes three jobs while I studied at the College of Pataphysics in Sebastapol, CA, a very demanding regimen that took my all to get through, but I emerged finally and have since almost exclusively worked in the the arts and literature.

Niina : Before we finish, here are some…

Quick Fire Questions!

Trees or Shops? Trees
Football or Nascar? Football
Boots or Sexy heels? Sexy heels
Shots or Wine? shots
Movie: Popcorn or Hard candy? popcorn
Date: Going on a picnic or Going to a winery? Picnic
Scarier: Ghosts or Demons? Ghosts
Women: Power Suits or Sexy Nerds? Power suits
Women: Bad girl or Girl Next Door? Bad girl
Dresses or pant suits? dresses
Women in the bedroom: Dominating or Gentle? dominating AND gentle...
Sexier: Woman who can sing or woman who can cook? woman who can cook
Romance: Knights or Kings? Kings
Romance: Fallen Angels or Sexy Demons? fallen angels
Romance: Doctors or Cowboys? Cowboys
Romance: Shifters or Vampires? Shifters
Sexier: Kisses or Licks? Kisses
Sexier : Flimsy lingerie or Trench-coat only? Flimsy lingerie
Romance or Erotic Romance? Erotic romance, baby...

Niina : Thanks for visiting the For The Love of Reading, Milt! Any news would you like to share with your readers, or websites they can check out?

Milt : Yes, please head over to my website, HowHighShouldIJump.com, where you can look over and even order my book, take a look at my weekly blog or listen in to my radio show, airing weeknights at 8 pm Pacific, http://www.shoutcast.com/Internet-Radio/plv-radio . I love getting reader questions and comments, so email me at r.miltonquibner@yahoo.com on any subject related to relationships.

In October, I will be joined by my wife, Mia, a Life Wizard, for a new half hour podcast, 'Get Over Yourself!' The Milt and Mia Show, so get connected at my website or through Facebook and/or Twitter and as soon as we have the details worked out, we'll let you know. Mia will astound you with her clarity, and for my part, I just try to keep up with her, she's a genius!

I am just beginning work on my second book, How Low Should I Go: The Satirical Guide to How NOT to Live Your Life, and I've just put the finishing touches on a Reality Show, A Real Man for My Wife! Which I am anxious to see made into a series soon. In truth, Life couldn't be better for me!

And Niina, thanks for a great interview!

Niina : I glad to have you here too Milt! And good luck with all those great things to come in the future! :D

REVIEW - TAKE IT OFF! (AGAIN)

"A sequel to Take It Off! More pranks, jokes, adventures and sexy exploits from two male strippers who have traveled the world, entertaining women and learning to make them scream with pleasure."

Author: Justin Whitfield and Taylor Cole
Pages: 114 pages
Publisher: Ellora's Cave on May 2013
Form: E-book (from the publisher for an honest review)
Genre: Erotic Non-Fiction (+18 Only)
Series: Take It Off #2
Amazon: Buy / $5.39 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $5.99 (Nook)
Ellora's Cave: Buy / $5.20 (E-book)
Excerpt: Chapter 1

"A sequel to Take It Off! More pranks, jokes, adventures and sexy exploits from two male strippers who have traveled the world, entertaining women and learning to make them scream with pleasure.

In this book, they take you with them on a hedonistic nude cruise, to a wild Jamaican sex club, inside the set of a porn movie shoot and on tour as they party their way from one sexcapade to the next. This is not, however, a tale of sexual conquests. It is a tale of sexual liberation-a story of two red-blooded men who love women and who have truly enjoyed helping them unleash their sexual fantasies and fulfill their sexual desires.

An EC for Men erotica story from Ellora's Cave."  ~ From Goodreads

And the boys entertain us again! Having read Take It Off! and finding it both hilarious and sexy, when I heard the second installment was out I immediately got my hands into it - and I wasn't disappointed, the formula of funny stories, hazings and some hot sexcapades continues to entertain and amuse!

Even more than last time you can spot which story is from Justin's past or which from Taylor's, there is some anonymity - but it's fun to know which one of these two authors has been a bad boy. You can also start to see  both men develop their own writing style, where Cole is more blunt and graphic, Whitfield has a more storytelling voice. Both great to create individual writing careers!

There was plenty of sex in this naughty tell-all, and some great tips for men. ;) These boys sure got around and took full advantage of their jobs, and in this book we hear how to not waste what they made but how to be smart about it and make careers for after stripping. And Whitfield gives us more great tips to get in shape - actually I think he should do a "Carmen Electra" and but out a Striptease Cardio DVD for guys... I have hers, so I'd buy his too. ;)

Top three likes : Funny stories! Sexy escapades on and off the club. Honesty.

Top three dislikes : ??? Let me think... It was too short... seriously that's all I got.

Rating :

FTLOR ARTICLE - THE THING WITH STAND-ALONE NOVELS

The thing with stand-alone novels

by Niina C

      You might recall my recent review of A Highland Werewolf Wedding that had me fuming in general about Stand-Alone books that feature a lieu of previous cast members. First let me clarify what a stand-alone is - a book that is part of a series but can be considered a complite story on it's own - let me give you an example. You can have a series, let's title it Bad Boys of Houston ( yeah boys you know I'm referring to you ),  and in this series you focus on the six men who work at the famous and infamous strip club catering to the richest women of Texas. First book Wildride will features Will ( now don't laugh but it's short for his stage name Magnificent... okay, ahem, moving on. ) and his unlikely story of finding the love of his life in the waitress Stacy. Okay, simple right, you're following me still... Now the second book is called Two-Step featuring Stephen and his journey to love of his life. Will, Stacy and the other guys of the club make re-appearance, and so on it goes for the six books in the series - but the supporting cast don't have clear continuum of story they don't develop until their own book, they don't get more than cool quips, some promo, make few appearances as supporting cast or have great few-liners.

      My beef with this set up is the miss use of the word Stand-Alone with series and novels that are not stand-alones! I have in my near three years of ( one month to go! ) running my book blog For The Love of Reading ran into blatant misuse of this word, I sign up for a tour or believe the author when they say their novel is a stand-alone - and as I have not read the previous book I believe in giving this a shot - and boy have I been wrong many enough times!

      The most annoying labeled stand-alones that are not SA are the ones where the previous cast members  keep popping up at random places ( oh look where are in Budapest for a love-vacation and it's my coworker Robby, who stops by and says something funny and leaves. WTF!? ), or revealing something mysterious about the main characters or only to smile knowingly ( I hate the smiling knowingly, because how the fuck should I know what he's smiling about, he looks like dumb ass for it! ), or the previous cast that just hangs around and things are revealed about them, or the even shittier hinted about them, that I couldn't give jack about as I don't know them!

      There should be set rules for SA! And every author wanting to label their novels SA should check it first to not piss off, confuse or annoy their readers, and more importantly their reviewers. Nothing gets Stars Dropping from my reviews as fast as a SA that' is not a Stand-Alone.

      If it were up to me there rules would be as follows:

      1. The supporting cast can only be 'supporting' they cannot have a story line before their book, meaning:

• 1.1 No love interests, break-ups or new lovers
• 1.2 No character development, such as growth or specific problems
• 1.3 No specific character traits, like always playing practical jokes that are referred to in all the novels

      2. The supporting cast can only have great few-liners, witty quips or offer emotional support

• 2.1 No specific information given on them, that will later be used to stupefy readers
• 2.2 No long speeches, that will be referred to in coming books
• 2.3 No heroics or anti-heroics, leave that to the main characters

      3. The supporting cast should be milder versions of their future novel

• 3.1 No knowing smiles ( goddamn that bothers me to no end! )
• 3.2 No mysterious hinting of hero's past through the mouth of a supporting cast ( tick )
• 3.3 No popping up randomly! ( if they work together they meet at work! See the 3.4 )
• 3.4 No extracurricular activities, those can come up in their own book

A supporting cast member shouldn't do anything that the reader should know about before picking up their own Stand-Alone novel!

Most authors are really smart about this, and know what they are doing with their SA! And one of my favorite series is well constructed for this, the Studs in Spurs series by Cat Johnson and Dark Ones series by Katie MacAlister, each couple gets the perfect spotlight and the supporting cast is perfectly behaved. To compare think of The Blackdagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward the cast is intermingled and attached to the hip. I love BDB and am royally a fan because these aren't being sold as SA but as proper series.

I wonder if my rules make sense to anyone but myself, but I felt the need to get this out, and as I have done so, I think I'll get some ice-cream watch To Rome With Love and relax. ;)

( You can share this article in full as long as you link back 

to this original article on the top of your entry )

REVIEW - SUPERMODEL YOU (+ 10 SUPERMODEL'S TIPS FROM SARAH DEANNE)

"You might assume that a supermodel would be stuck up and preaching her diet tips but that is not at all what Sarah Deanne does. It was a joy to read her! 'Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be a supermodel? To feel confident, beautiful, and empowered? That’s what Supermodel YOU is all about.' "

Author: Sarah DeAnna
Pages: 129 pages
Publisher: HayHouse Inc. on April 2013
Form: E-book (from NetGalley for an honest review)
Genre: Non-Fiction
Amazon: Buy / $10.69 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $10.36 (Nook)

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be a supermodel? To feel confident, beautiful, and empowered? 
That’s what Supermodel YOU is all about. International model Sarah DeAnna teaches you the shockingly healthy habits that models use to maximize their amazing bodies, iconic faces, and confident attitudes.

You’ll learn the Five Keys to channeling your inner supermodel as you discover how models really eat, dress, exercise, sleep, de-stress, travel, and stay gorgeous no matter what. As you adopt a supermodel mind-set, life will get easier, more glamorous, sexier, and a lot more fun. 

Supermodel YOU is not about looking like a "model," but about feeling as self-assured and awesome as models feel and embracing the most beautiful, healthy, empowered version of yourself. So forget about diets and crazy exercise regimens, drop the self-loathing and low self-esteem . . . and get ready to walk the runway of your life!"  ~ From Goodreads

You might be asking yourself, why is this book reviewed here? Well I happen to love confident heroines in Paranormal Romance, Contemporary or Romantic Suspense not to mention they are hot and sexy - as I am none of those thing ;) I though this read like a heroine manual. How To Be A Stunning Romance Heroine! You might assume that a supermodel would be stuck up and preaching her diet tips, but that is not at all what Sarah Deanne does. It was a joy to read her book!

"Supermodel YOU is not about looking like a "model," but about feeling as 

self-assured and awesome as models feel and embracing the most beautiful, 

healthy, empowered version of yourself."

It seems that is exactly what all the strong heroins are like best versions of themselves with all the oddities and weirdness that makes them great! Just picture a female alpha werewolf!

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did! Sarah Deanna has an empowering voice, a great message and an interesting life story. I know I will keep returning to this book to refreshen my knowledge when I feel down or ugly or beaten. Because she's making it sound easy and trust me just standing straight really has quite the effect.

I think you'll enjoy this video! You'll hear her background stories and about the Five Keys.

Rating :

Supermodel YOU’s publish date on April 1st comes at a time where women are looking to feel better, lose the winter pounds and become more empowered. The Spring season is about re-birth and growth, and that is what Sarah DeAnna hopes to share with YOU. Please see some (of many) talking points Sarah DeAnna could discuss. We would love to hear from you and have the opportunity to share Sarah DeAnna’s super-positive message!

1. As new way to weigh: Stop checking the scale and start checking your energy balance! Through research and observation Sarah DeAnna has created the Five Keys that models uphold to maintain and enhance their hot bodies, beautiful faces, and positive attitudes. Here’s what every supermodel citizen (aka YOU!) should live by:

- Self-Awareness

- Beauty Sleep

- De-Stressing

- Modercising

- Intuitive Eating

2. You give models a bad name!: Models are often portrayed as anorexic, hard-partying bimbos who live a glamorous lifestyle… what a JOKE. These myths not only cause low self-esteem in women and young girls, but also encourage them to partake in extremely poor behavior. Sarah DeAnna can de-bunk these model myths and show you how you models really achieve and maintain their figures and self-confidence! 

3. Pavlov’s Dog was probably a Supermodel: Sarah DeAnna will walk you through a day (and night) in the life of a model and the rituals she endures to maintain her health, spirit, and self-esteem. These daily rituals act as triggers that will start to create biochemical and physical reactions in your body, like Pavlov’s drooling dog! 

4. Be on your best supermodel behavior: Studies have found that 80% of women and girls are unhappy 

with their body. This is insane! Your dream life and body is about being the healthiest and happiest version of 

you. When you model supermodel behavior (acting, thinking, and knowing like a model), you start to feel more like the Supermodel that YOU really are! 

5. Get into those skealthy jeans: A lot of Supermodel YOU is about health. This is a big priority for Sarah DeAnna. She recently coined the word skealthy after talking to some people who are experts on weight issues, body-image issues, eating disorders, etc. They were concerned about Sarah DeAnna spreading the message that it’s good to be skinny, and that it can lead girls down an unhealthy path. As a model, she has seen some girls go down that path, and it’s definitely not pretty. Skealthy is even in the Urban Dictionary, check it out! urbandictionary.com/skealthy

6. Eat more, exercise less… Say What?: The truth is at the beginning of Sarah DeAnna’s career she was hardly eating and was working out all the time, so she thought she was as skinny as she would ever be. The scary reality was that her body thought it was starving, and when she did finally eat, even if it was merely a bowl of spinach, her body would hold on to whatever it could, not knowing when it would get food again. Hello, fat storage! Sarah DeAnna can offer the healthiest way to eat and exercise without over (or under)-doing it. 

7. Out with the old genes and in with the new: The notion that our genes determine our body, personality, and life is just a crazy belief we’ve all been fed and keep eating. It manifests itself in so many ways, large and small. Sarah DeAnna used to believe that she would always have “thunder thighs,” because that’s what her mother always said. But she was wrong! She doesn’t have thunder thighs anymore, because she took control of her genes, changed her environment, habits and life. Of course, genetics does play a role. It can predispose you to things. It can make you susceptible. But it doesn’t doom you. And if there are traits you can’t change, then change what you can: your attitude about them.

8. Shopping is my cardio: Well with modercising, shopping actually IS your cardio! What is modercising you ask? It’s any and all types of MOVEMENT! Sarah DeAnna can talk about how you can turn fun activities into exercise by using self-awareness- just like models do! Go to the club and dance all night long, take a relaxing stroll through the park, or –you guessed it- go shopping! It’s all modercizing! There are so many physical benefits to movement (increased tone, more muscle mass, and so forth), as are the other great perks, like less stress, improved self-confidence, and so on. You don’t have to exercise at the gym to get enough movement in your life, just like you don’t have give up carbs, meat, or anything else to have a supermodel body. 

9. Spin it to win it: That’s right. Also known as “fake it till you make it.” The great Muhammed Ali once said “I am the greatest. I said that even before I was.” Sarah DeAnna can show you how models handle the judgment and scrutiny they endure on a daily basis. They spin it. Sarah DeAnna can take you on a spin-it challenge where she’ll show you ways to take a negative and turn it into a positive! So the next time you are feeling nervous, stressed, sad or overall just not your best- spin it. 

10. Let me break it down for you: Sarah DeAnna can discuss supermodel tips on anti-aging secrets, mental well-being, overcoming obstacles, fashion tips, skin health, how to make better food choices, exercise tips, etc.! 

REVIEW - TAKE IT OFF! THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT MALE STRIPPERS

"Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in a male strip club? Are those guys gay? How do they stay so ripped? Do they stuff their trunks? How did they get into such a business? How much money do they make? Do they have wild sex every night?"

Author: Taylor Cole and Justin Whitfield
Pages: 114 pages
Publisher: Ellora's Cave/EC for Men on Oct. 2012
Form: E-book (from NetGalley for an honest review)
Genre: Erotic Non-Fiction / Memoir (+18 Only)
Series: Part 1
Amazon: Buy / $5.39 (Kindle) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $5.59 (Nook)
All Romance E-books: Buy / $5.20 (E-book)
Excerpt: Chapter 1

"Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in a male strip club? Are those guys gay? How do they stay so ripped? Do they stuff their trunks? How did they get into such a business? How much money do they make? Do they have wild sex every night?

This book takes you backstage and into the lives of two successful male strippers over a span of twenty years in the business. From their rookie days to their wild sexcapades and practical jokes, Take It Off! is a laugh-filled, action-packed joyride."  ~ From Goodreads

Let's start with my preconceived notions: I have never been to a strip club and am skeptical what goes on their and what the clientele is like. I did see Magic Mike though when it came out and that cleared it a bit - so in my mind the women going regularly to strip clubs were desperate, and the men working at them easy. And here come Cole and Whitfield to prove me wrong! Ahem, on some of the points. ;)

Take It Off!'s insight on male strippers is interesting, not to mention Entertaining, you got your pecking order established ( poor rookies ), your types of strippers, stage acts all cleared out and the boys have a nice voice to their writing! Take It Off! tells you pretty much all you need to know if you want to be a strippers the dos and don'ts, and gives an impressive list of what not to do if you wanna date one.

Some of the most entertaining parts came with their telling on how to be a stripper, what to expect, the rookie mistakes and revealing the types of strippers. Some people can tell a story, and reading this book is like sitting down at the local bar over few beers and sharing "war" stories with your buddies. Great fun!

"Many rookies get caught up trying to impress the crowd or outdo other guys and will do something he never attempted before, such as a back flip or sliding across the the stage on his knees after taking his pants off. Seeing someone land on his head or skin his bare knees on the on the hardwood stage will make a woman cringe. It's totally hilarious though."

"Props can be pain. ( about flying to another town ) We needed a wheelchair and a set of bongo drums, and our luggage was already full. We came up with the idea that I would pretend to be a blind bongo player and he had to push me in a wheelchair because I couldn't navigate myself through the airport. It worked perfectly. We got through security with no trouble at all. Six-foot-four jacket up stud pushing a wheelchair containing a muscle pound blind bongo player in a tight shirt attracted a lot of female attention. So we decided to have some fun with it..."

What I enjoyed was the fun, yet surprisingly sexy telling of male stripper life, the ups and lows ( and the lows were quite hilarious ) of the life style. Of course you got drugs ( bad boys, stop that right now *uses kindergarten teacher voice* ) and other problems, but the way Take It Off! puts it they seemed to have enjoyed themselves and the girls that came with the job were a definite bonus, if not a profession standard.

The chapters and scenes featuring sexploits, titled sexcapedes, read like good for-men erotica, wither it was hotel room hook-ups with clients or bathroom quickies or even a dark corner during a black out, they were definitely hot enough to get you on the mood, I don't see many other profession tell-alls doing that. ;)

"As the club got darker, I kissed her neck a little more and moved my other hand down to her inner thigh and as close as I could without touching her panties. I caressed her soft, smooth inner thighs. She was responding the way I  wanted, loving every moment. I pulled her panties to the side, exposing her naked snatch. There wasn't a hair on her. I could feel how wet her pussy was."

If you are curious just what goes on in the lives of people who strip for cash, and what they plan to retire with ( other than the white mink coat and the Ferrari )  then check out these boys's book - you are guaranteed laughs, hot reads and cringes... that is if you're not a prude. ;)

There is more to come from these two and I personally can't wait to read that as well - Take It Off! was entertaining, funny and sexy and who wouldn't want more of that in their reading? Off to see Magic Mike now if you don't mind. ;)

Rating :

One of the Co-authors of Take It Off! made it over for a quickie... interview! Mind off gutter girls. ;) Why yes I did that on purpose. Wanna get to know if Ellora's Cave Cover Model goes for sexy nerds or tough chicks? Prefer kisses or licks?
Well you are about to find out! Read the Quick Fire Interviews below!

Justin Whitfield

Justin Whitfield works as an author/romance cover model at Ellora's Cave Publishing and is the Owner-Operator at The End Zone Sports Bar and Grill, Whitfield used to be a male stripper in the famous LaBare Strip Club in Houston. Welcome to For The Love of Reading, now the following questions are quick pick one or the other... let's get started!

Football or Nascar? football (by a long shot!) lol

Sports car or Pick-up? pick up

Shots or Wine? shots

Movie: Popcorn or Hard candy? hard candy

Scarier: Ghosts or Demons? demons

Women: Tough Girls or Sexy Nerds? sexy nerd

Women: Heiress or Waitress? heiress

Dresses or pant suits on women? dresses

In the bedroom: Dominating or Gentle? gentle

Sexier: Woman who can sing or girl who can cook? cook

Romance: Maidens or Queens? queens

Romance: Fallen Angels or Sexy Demons? fallen angel

Romance: Nurses or Cops? nurses

Romance: Werewolves or Vampires? vampires

Sexier: Kisses or Licks? kisses

Sexier : Flimsy lingerie or Trench-coat only? flimsy lingerie

Check out Take It Off! here and see what's coming next...
Take It Off Again! 

GUEST BLOG : QUIRK COMPATIBILITY AMONG COUPLES

Quirk compatibility among Couples

by Judy Reiser

It isn't Mental Cruelty that’s the primary cause of broken marriages. Nor is it Adultery, Abandonment, or Habitual Drunkenness.

The first and foremost cause is Toilet Paper. And the second is Toothpaste. If she likes the toilet paper going “over” and he insists it hang “under” or if he squeezes the tube neatly from the bottom and she messes it up by squeezing in the middle, those are grounds for divorce in my book. What did you think Irreconcilable Differences meant, anyway?

Quirk compatibility is essential among couples.

The next time you’re at a party, instead of asking, “Are you a Leo?,” find out whether he’s a Folder or a Crumpler. It’s a good way to avoid serious problems in a relationship.

Your honeymoon was a big hit with both of you jockeying for the same side of the bed. The marriage vow you took was, “I do—claim the right side for the rest of my life.”

Are you a Blanket Hogger? Someone with an overwhelming but unconscious need to slowly and systematically wind yourself up in the blanket in the middle of the night so there is no hope for your poor half-frozen partner to retrieve even a corner. Worse than having a Blanket Hogger for a spouse is having one who is a Diagonal Sleeper. Don’t plan on getting any sleep if you’re late to bed.

Some of our and our partner’s quirks are very funny, some of them are strange, some are charming, and some are damn good ideas! All of them are very human, intriguing, tasteful, and absolutely true. Quirks transcend gender, age, race, nationality, income, and marital status. Everybody's got 'em!

I should know. I interviewed thousands of people about their outrageous, outlandish and downright ridiculous eccentricities for my books, "Admit It, You're Crazy! Quirks, Idiosyncrasies and Irrational Behavior" and "And I Thought I Was Crazy! Quirks, Idiosyncrasies and Meshugaas". From hilarious bathroom behavior to funny money and unconventional clothing habits to eating and sleeping peculiarities to germ-a-phobia and more. People do the darndest things!

Here are some quirks you may have observed your guy doing:

• When he gets dressed, he’ll put on his pants, zip up the zipper, button the button and buckle the belt. Then he gets his shirt, unbuckles the belt, unbuttons the button, unzips the zipper, tucks his shirt in and then does the whole thing up again. Why doesn't he put his shirt on first!!!?
• When he gets home at night, does he remove all the contents of his pockets and stack it on the dresser?
• And, of course, how many times has he driven miles out of the way rather than ask for directions?

Ladies, don't laugh. We may dress more efficiently, but we’re just as quirky as the guys:

• In a social situation, women usually go to the ladies' room in pairs or groups. If two couples are out to dinner and one of the women excuses herself to go to the ladies' room, the chances are pretty good the other woman will go with her. Can you imagine a guy doing this? “Hey, Charlie, I'm going to the men’s room. Wanna come?”
• And for those gals who are fortunate enough to have a housekeeper, I bet you tidy up before the housekeeper is due to arrive!

After reading some of these strange but absolutely true goings-on, you will be amazed that hardly an hour in your life goes by that you don’t witness some of these quirks…either in yourself (who me?) or in others. You’ll finally understand your friends, enemies, bosses and partners a lot better.

My books are not attempting to solve, define, or make excuses for some of the more common or uncommon idiosyncrasies. Its intent is simply to help you recognize them, laugh at them, and breathe a little easier.

Admit it, you're crazy!

About The Author

Judy Reiser began collecting quirks when she divulged something crazy she does (she doesn't remember which one it was–there are so many) and her friend shared something he does. After having a good laugh about it, she soon discovered that everyone has quirks. She has been observing, gathering, marveling at and laughing about quirks ever since and personally interviewed thousands of people for her three acclaimed books: "Admit It, You're Crazy! Quirks, Idiosyncrasies, and Irrational Behavior", "And I Thought I Was Crazy! "and "In a Cell Phone Minute".
Her humorous / human interest books have received much media attention and excellent reviews/excerpts in prestigious publications. Judy has been a guest on numerous radio and television shows. She lives in New York with her husband, who insists that if she had written the quirk books as autobiographies, they would have been much longer!

REVIEW - ADMIT IT, YOU'RE CRAZY!

"Quirks, Idiosyncrasies, and Irrational Behavior."

Author: Judy Reiser
Pages: 192 pages
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing on April 2005
Form: E-book (from the author/publisher for an honest review)
Genre: Humorous Non-Fiction
Amazon: Buy / $6.69 (Kindle)( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $4.99 (Nook)
Excerpt: Amazon Look Inside

"Judy Reiser gets people to confess to their most bizarre behavior. Judging by the success of her first book, And I Thought I Was Crazy!, it's a good thing she does!

Admit It, You're Crazy! is the follow up book, chock full of outrageous, outlandish, and downright ridiculous things people do. Kids say the darndest things? Adults DO them!!!

Author Judy Reiser offers up more hilarious eccentricities exhibited ( and confessed to ) by otherwise normal people. Everyone has at least one particular oddity in his or her daily way of life. The trick is to get them to admit to it. These side-splitting actions are categorized from hilarious bathroom behavior to funny money and clothing habits to eating and sleeping peculiarities to germ-a-phobia and more."  ~ From Goodreads

For everyone : It's so great to know I'm not crazy! Or that I'm not the only one who is. ;) This book is shockfull of crazy stuff people do, it's hilarious to read about men's bathroom habits, like that they can't use stall next to each other but the furthest only will do - there is coughing involved. It really is interesting seeing other people do crazy stuff and it's even more interesting spotting yourself doing something another person does as well. This book says it's humorous but I find if hilarious! - and not in the laughing at other people's OCD kind, but genuinely just weird and funny.

For authors : Oh you'll love this! This is the golden treasure chest of idiosyncrasies! As a reader and reviewer I'll spill that for me to connect with the main character they have to be a little odd to interesting, so instead of using what you do weird check out this book! There are so many character quirks in there that it's perfect to snatch few for your characters as well. Take a heroine in urban fantasy who whops head of monsters and doesn't mind blood but has the habit of putting on sunglasses when she gets a nights snack so that the fridge light won't bug her out. See! She's instantly more interesting character! Now add someone witnessing this oddity, and you got a whole chapter of  quirkiness.

Here are some of the oddities!

* Flipping through a magazine at a newsstand then reaching for a 

fresh copy to buy because the one they were flipping through is no longer new.

* Enumerating (1, 2, 3...) while urinating and trying to end their peeing on an even number.

* Flossing between their toes with a pair of socks to remove sock fuzz at the end of the day.

* Eating the most expensive part of a meal first, just in case they can't finish everything.

* Ironing the newspaper before reading it to protect them self against germs.

* Leaving sunglasses on top of the fridge so a midnight raid won't blind them by opening it.

* Controlling shedding by vacuuming the cat.

Let's admit it, we're all crazy! And if you don't yet agree read Admit it, you're crazy! and you'll be agreeing in no time!

Rating :

REVIEW - 50 WAYS TO PLAY: BDSM FOR NICE PEOPLE

"For the millions of readers who have been, shall we say, "inspired" by the publishing phenomenon 50 SHADES OF GRAY, this simple, accessible "beginners guide" to BDSM features 50 BDSM activities couples can sample."

Author: Debra and Don Macleod
Pages: 112 pages
Publisher: Tarcher on August 2012
Form: E-book ( from the author/publisher for an honest review)
Genre: Erotic How-To, Erotic Non-Fiction
Amazon: Buy / $8.00 (Paperpack) ( EU price, click to see yours )
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $10.00 (Paperpack)
The Book Depository: Buy / €6.84 (Paperpack)
Excerpt: BDSM for Nice People POP QUIZ

"This simple and highly accessible non-fiction guide to BDSM ( Bondage, Dominance, Sadism, and Masochism ) features 50 edgy and erotic adventures to sample and is the perfect companion for the millions of fans of the Fifty Shades trilogy ( Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed ), the Anne Rice/A.N. Roquelaure Sleeping Beauty trilogy ( The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty's Punishment, Beauty's Release ) and Sylvia Day's Crossfire novels ( Bared to You and Reflected in You ). This instruction book for couples contains one warning: you should try this at home!

From turning your ho hum bedroom into a "Red Room of Desire," to exploring the fine art of Japanese rope bondage - and a few other ideas perhaps better not mentioned in polite company - 50 Ways to Play invites couples who might otherwise think of themselves as "average" or "nice" to walk on the wild side. According to husband-and-wife writers Debra and Don Macleod, sex should pack a punch - it’s meant to catch you off guard. The fifty sexy and surprising "ways to play" offered up in this book are guaranteed to turn up the heat in your sex life."  ~ From Goodreads

Talking dirty, bondage and spanking was about all I know of BDSM and that's through some erotic romances. 50 Ways To Play brings out a whole arsenal of tricks and tips to spice up a bedroom with some good non-sex related advises as well. Like how unsexy a bedroom can be and how to spice it up - though let's be honest I won't be painting my bedroom a bordello red  anytime soon, ;)

Sex is supposed to be exciting and adventurous, and the vanilla sex most couples think they should be having can easily be spiced up! One way to do so? Read 50 Ways To Play : BDSM For Nice People! Now one won't necessarily wanna try out all of them, like the whole sadism and masochism side freaks me out, but seriously who doesn't want a little dirty talk and the occasional little smack on the butt for being a bad girl. ;)

Debra and Don Macleod have written a clean tricks and tips book about something quite dirty. Dirty in a good way. 50 Ways To Play : BDSM For Nice People is no nonsense guide book to knowing what BDSM is and how to get started, it's also quite a hot read and you'll definitely wanna show it to your significant other and go, "Wanna try this chapter out?" I sure will, though as this is a public blog, I won't tell... ;) But all men should take a look at chapter 36. Sexual Positions & Thrusting Technique. Just saying.

So who is 50 Ways To Play : BDSM For Nice People for - not your average nun I'm sure or your grandmother ( though I won't guarantee that ) but those who are bored with the three mainstream positions of missionary, cowgirl and doggy style will be sure to get something out of this book! If you want your man to talk dirty to you, get a little rough in the bedroom or give you a spanking - but don't know how to go about it then this book is for you.

Can't find any fault in this book, it gives just what it says it will - and does it professionally! Awesome job Macleods!

Rating :

INTERVIEW WITH DAVID J. CORD - "MOHAMED 2.0: DISRUPTION MANIFESTO"

This will be a small detour from my usual genre, but the author is a very very close friend of mine. ;) And I wanted to share his new book Mohamed 2.0: Disruption Manifesto that comes out in this month, April 19th!

Niina : Welcome to For The Love of Reading, Mr. Cord, I’m glad you came by.

David J. Cord : Thanks for having me. What’s with the "Mr. Cord"? Are we role-playing? Am I the horny, brooding writer and you the horny, hot junior reporter at a major metropolitan newspaper?

Niina : LOL! Behave! Let’s get started! Can you tell my readers here 4 fun unknown facts about you so we can break the ice? ( though with that asnwer, not much left to be broken! )

David : Let’s see. 1) I don’t like to read most romance books. Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that. I do like the effect they have on my wife, though, but that is a different story. 2) As a child, I was terrified of Bigfoot. Still am, in fact. 3) I always read the first and last words of a book to see if they make sense together. ( This works in my book, by the way, but I didn’t plan it. ) 4) The first story I ever wrote, when I was about seven, was a rip-off of the Hobbit. I had Bengals that lived in trees, instead of Hobbits that lived in holes.

Niina : Luckily no bigfoots in Finland. ;) Tell us little about your book Mohamed 2.0 Disruption Manifesto, what’s it about?

David : Mohamed El-Fatatry moved to Finland to study and ended up creating Muxlim, an online social network for Muslims. His plan was to better the world by using it as a channel for dialogue between Muslims and the West. Mohamed became one of the most famous immigrants in Finland – being featured on the likes of the BBC and meeting the President – but his company ended up collapsing. The book details his story, the story of Muxlim, and explores issues like racism, immigration, entrepreneurship, and the digital revolution.

Niina : Tell us something about your book that we wouldn’t know just by reading the blurb?

David : I didn’t want to write a 60,000 word press release. The façade of the Mohamed and Muxlim story are very well known in Finland, but the truth isn’t.

Niina : Ah! Nice teaser! What type of research do you have to do to get a book like this done properly?

David : I interviewed Mohamed for hundreds of hours, but I also talked to his investors, his employees, his friends and even academics who were experts in different fields that were relevant to the story: immigration specialists, politicians, racism experts, and historians, for example. I also spent a lot of time online, seeing how Muxlim worked and reading hundreds of articles that had been published about Mohamed and Muxlim.

Niina : What chapter did you most enjoyed writing and why?

David : Probably the last chapter. It is a summation of what happened to Muxlim, from the point of view of Mohamed and his rather-annoyed investors, but also my own opinions. I use some vivid symbolism and imagery throughout the book, but especially in the last chapter. My editorial director at the publisher told me: “This isn’t journalism. This is literature.” I was very happy when he said that, because that was exactly what I wanted.

Niina : Any big projects for 2012?

David : Yes, but I can’t talk about it yet. It is rather sensitive, and there are non-disclosure agreements involved. Sorry, it isn’t romance.

Niina : Dang it! Now to more personal questions! How did you find your cover and if you didn't take part in the making, what is your opinion of it?

David : The cover was done by Anders Carpelan. I wasn’t involved with it, but evidently it was quite difficult, because Mohamed wasn’t happy. The publisher eventually had to make a decision and put a stop to the process. I’m very happy with it. I think Anders did a great job.

Niina : What makes you feel like you are reading or have read a truly amazing book?

David : The way it rips you out of your comfort zone and moves your emotions. I remember the first time I read Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five. I was about ten pages in and came to the realisation that I was reading something special, something unique, something that wasn’t churned out by some hack. ( Although Vonnegut did his share of hacking and churning back in the day. ) This was not entertainment, although it was entertaining; it was a piece of art that made the heart thump and soul expand, like standing in front of the Mona Lisa. I stopped, went back to the beginning, and started reading again. I wanted to prolong and re-experience that feeling of amazement and wonder.

Niina : If you could only read 5 novels for the rest of your life what would they be, and why?

David : 1) Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, because it is darkly beautiful and subversive. 2) Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, because it is so simple and elegant, like a minaret or a Gothic spire. 3) The Hobbit, by Tolkien, because it started the fire that is my love of literature. 4) Karl Knausgård’s My Struggle, because it is the most intimate work I’ve ever read. My editor said that I needed to open myself up more, and Knausgård lets it all hang out. He’s a good example for me. 5) Finally, I would pick John Updike’s Rabbit series. It defines the “Great American Novel.” Anything that aims for that title, like with Jonathan Franzen nowadays, are measured against Updike.

Niina : What’s the best and the worst advice for writers you have received?

David : The best advice came from my editorial director, who said to put more of myself into my writing. The worst advice was to do exactly the opposite.

Niina : Heh, there's advice for you. ;) What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

David : This book is non-fiction, so I couldn’t work on plot development or characterization, for example, because that was already there. So I had to do other things to distinguish it, like subtly saying that the hype over Mohamed manifested itself in the writing of the book. The author, and the writing of the book, were inserted into the story. It was almost like meta-nonfiction. The proofreaders and editors were very taken by this.

Niina : What’s the number one thing you like to do when you are not writing?

David : Reading. Or getting laid.

Niina : Naughty! ;) Were in public, honey, lol! What is your signature dish?

David : Bread.

Niina : Before we finish, here are some Quick Fire Questions: 

Night or day?  Day
Pick-up or Mini-van? Pick-up
Boots or Sneakers?  Sneakers. Got to be comfortable.
Beer or Whiskey? Beer
Cocktails or Shots? Shots
M&Ms: With or Without Peanuts? With
Treats: Sweet or Salty? Salty, most of the time.
Date: Going to Park or Going to Movies? Park. Hollywood movies only use a very small number of standard plots and continually use all the same tricks. It really frustrates me, because it wastes my time.

Winter or Summer? Summer. Summer in Scandinavia is the best in the world. Winter in Scandinavia is the worst. It’s unfortunate that winter is 10 months long here.
Jewels or Chocolates? Chocolate.
Women: Talkative or wallflowers? Talkative. I’m quiet myself, so they need to carry the conversation.
Women: Curvy or Slim? Slim.
Tattoos or Piercings on a woman? Sure. Oh wait, I’m supposed to pick. Piercings.
Brunettes or Blonds? Blonds. Did I mention summer in Scandinavia was the best place on Earth? There are several reasons for this, one of which are those Nordic blonds who think bikini tops are optional. It takes a lot of effort to pretend to be nonchalant and un-noticing, but believe me, Nordic ladies, we notice.
Time-Travel or Sci-fi? I thought time travel was science fiction? I suppose sci-fi.
Romance or Erotic Romance? Erotic. No need to pussyfoot around. Get to the good stuff.
Male POV or Female POV (Point Of View)? Male POV. I find it difficult to get interested in the female point of view, except with some really talented writers, like Jennifer Egan. She is fucking brilliant. I was in continual astonishment as I read A Visit From the Goon Squad.
Times New Roman or Courier? Times New Roman.

Niina : Slim blonds huh, and you married a curvy brunette. ;) LOL! Thanks for visiting the For The Love of Reading, David! Any news would you like to share with your readers, or websites they can check out?

David : Mohamed 2.0: Disruption Manifesto is released in English on 19 April. Swedish will follow by summer, and probably Finnish before the end of the year. You can check it out at www.disruptionmanifesto.com.

Mohamed 2.0: Disruption Manifesto
What do Muslims do online? Plot suicide bombings and complain about women who demand the right to vote? Mohamed El-Fatatry knew better. An Egyptian national who grew up in the United Arab Emirates and moved to Finland to study technology, Mohamed knew that most young Muslims were like anyone else in the Western world. To demonstrate, at the age of twenty-one he created Muxlim, which became the largest Muslim lifestyle network in the world.

Mohamed 2.0: Disruption Manifesto is the story of Mohamed El-Fatatry, what happened in the private corridors of Muxlim, Inc. and what he plans for the future.

Twitter / Website / Blog / Facebook

David J. Cord spent fifteen years in the investment industry, as salesman, administrator and hedge fund manager. He has been a contributor to the Helsinki Times newspaper since its foundation, reporting on business and authoring its most popular column, which includes an eclectic mix of investment tips, angry policy recommendations and laconic observations about the economy.

David’s prose relies heavily upon declarative simplicity, vivid imagery and symbolism, interspersed with unexpected misdirections and wry editorial comments.

An American by birth, David married a Finn and moved to Finland in 2005. He lives in Helsinki with his beautiful wife Niina and his globe-trotting dog Orion.

 Twitter / Google+ / Website