Inside Looking Out Pt. 3

Have I mentioned that most of us working at the museum are total history geeks? Well if I haven't, let me just say that we are. And we aren't just your typical history geeks we're . . .unique, unique history geeks. To illustrate this point, let me tell you about the "fight" that's currently going on between some of my geeky co-workers. These people will of course remain anonymous to protect their identities, blah, blah, blah. For the sake of the story they shall be dubbed Jodi and Kelly, because those are sooooooo totally random names. Anyway, so Kelly, um wait . . . "Kelly"is one of the absolutely fabu curators that work here taking care of artifacts and creating exhibits. Jodi . . . sorry, "Jodi" is a really good friend and she's also my boss in the education center.

To start out the story, the museum is currently prepping for an exhibit entitled Civil War: My Brother, My Enemy which opens in October. Part of the prep calls for the creation of text panels, which of course contain photos. One of the photos that'll be used is of a man named Major John Davidson whose family lived here in Kentucky. Oh, his picture is to the left so you can get a look at him. Anyway, there's a mock-up of the panel with him on it downstairs across the hall from the curators' office. Next to his photo is a sticky note that reads something like "Back up off him you Ho. He's my man." This was written by Kelly . . . wait "Kelly," apparently in answer to some email that had been sent claiming ownership of said man. Next to the sticky note is another one in the shape of a heart that reads "J.L. + J.D. = True Love." Who, you ask, rendered this scathing reply to the Ho note? Jodi . . . "Jodi" of course. Under all that, is another sticky note that reads: "He doesn't want either one of you. He loves me. M" I'm sure you are wondering who the mysterious M is. It's another person who works in the exhibits area named Monty . . . wait "Monty" who figured he might as well jump in and add his dog to the fight, as it were. Now "Monty" is married with a baby daughter, but that never stopped a history geek before right??

Personally, I think he's handsome, but not worth all the carrying on and threats. And, truly, my man could whoop him any day of the week. To top it off, he is a much higher rank that a mere major. Finally, he truly is desperately in love with me. So notes of congratulation can be sent to me and General Ulysses Grant (left) at my email addy. I'll certainly keep you all apprised of our budding romance and how the "Ho" fight eventually ends.

--GC

Hysterical Paroxysm or Hell to the Yeah!!!!

So I'm sitting here watching this show called Curiosity on the Science Channel. Because, as you know, I am wildly interested in furthering my knowledge on any subject. Additionally, I am a life-long learner, as it were. Okay, whatever, I also waste a ton of time when I should be writing. I'm the queen at finding other things to do other than write. But this is totally research, I swear. The show I am now watching is all about the orgasm. See . . . I'm an author of erotic romance so I'm gaining knowledge to use in my books.

I discovered that there is a museum in New York that contains the very first vibrators. These came about because doctors decided that women needed a "hysterical paroxysm" to keep them healthy. So women would go to the doctor to receive one of these. *snicker* Because it got hard . . . I mean difficult for these doctors to get all these women off so vibrators were developed to make it easier to give women the paroxysms quickly. Can you imagine? Going to the doctor's office to pay a doctor to give you an orgasm?? Soon though these handy-dandy machines were being offered in catalogs like Sears.

Anyway, out of this entire hour it comes down *giggle* to it just feeling good and being good for you. Really? It took a bunch of scientists and even more money to come up with this conclusion? Hell, I could have told them that and they wouldn't even have to pay me that much. I mean, look at how well romance novels sell. Who wants to read about a woman who never has an orgasm? Or whose love life is so boring you'd just prefer to eat a bowl of ice cream? Yeah, me neither. We want . . . no we need to read about people having mind-blowing sex usually contained within a relationship. So, hell yeah it's good for us.

But I think this shows us that sex, for women, is all in the mind. In fact, there was a woman in the show who thought herself to orgasm. She didn't touch herself or use a vibrator, nothing, she just thought it. Wow, can you imagine doing that? Sitting on the bus or at our desk and whammo we have an orgasm. Hmmm, now that is a good way to spend some time.

Inside Looking Out Pt 2

Okay, so I'm back again to talk about my totally cool job at The Frazier History Museum. One of the coolest things about the museum are the tableaux that you can find all throughout the floors. I'm sure you are asking about now, "Gwen, what is a tableau?" And I am here to tell you that they are life-like figures that represent moments in history. Such as the one to the left, which represents the Battle of Towton. They are made from fiberglass, but let me tell you if you couldn't touch them (which you can't cause you don't work here) you'd think they were real. :-)

I often get children that come up and tell me the figures move. My first response is the pat thing about not having a cool Egyptian tablet like Night at the Museum so they can't move. They are fake, blah, blah, blah. But sometimes I get those persistent kids that listen, somewhat impatiently, to this line of bull and still tell me the figures moved. One kid told me that a figure winked at him even after I explained that there was no way since the figures are not alive. When he still kept tell me it winked, I of course did the totally adult things and said, "Well did you wink back?" He thought briefly and said, "No." My reply, "Well next time just wink. He gets bored and likes to make friends." He's satisfied, I'm satisfied, life moves on.

So the next time you go into a museum and find they have tableaux. Wink at them. They get lonely and just want to be noticed.

Inside Looking Out

By the title of this post you might think I'm going to talk about how I spent my time in the big house, the pokie, the . . . ummm, whatever else people call prison. Yeah, but I'm not because I got nothing for you on that score. But what I can talk about, at great length is what it's like to work in a museum.

When I'm not churning out tales of erotic romance I am an educator at a history museum, which has got to be one of the coolest jobs ever! The museum contains artifacts that date back to the Bronze Age (3000 BCE) and all the way up to the early 20th Century. This makes for a huge mish-mash of knowledge and fun facts I have stored up in my brain. I can't always access those facts, but they're there all the same. I swear! Or as the older people say around here, "I swanee!"

Anyway, Our newest artifact on display is the 18th Century Samurai armor (pictured left). This is ten kinds of cool and what's even cooler? I got to touch it!!!! One of the curators offered me a glove so I could actually handle this amazing piece of history. What girl would turn that down? Yeah, nobody I know. So I touched. *g* Now I've got ideas for a book churning in my head. What else would a writer who works in a museum do, but come up with stories to go along with this stuff? That's the beauty of working here. I never feel as if I'm "wasting" time when I could be writing since my mind is going constantly.

I am someone who can truly say that I love my job!

Resolutions!

Hmmm, can one make resolutions in August? Ah well I never claimed to be a normal citizen so I'm walking my own walk and making my resolutions now. I guess I feel it's time to get up and get moving. My Mom died a year ago in July and to say this past year has been difficult is putting it mildly. A list of my accomplishments for the year is sad at best. I gained 25 pounds (yah Gwen O_o), started 6 books, but didn't finish any and the only exercise I got was walking to the refrigerator. *sigh* Not anything to be proud of, that's for sure. Last Thursday, August 2nd, is when I decided enough is enough. I am now exercising. I've done Tae Bo almost everyday, gave up all soft drinks, and am eating better. This Wednesday I am flying to Philadelphia to attend the Authors After Dark Conference where I will meet up with my writing partner in crime, Jessica Jarman. Together we are going to jump into writing and get moving. I have other things I want to accomplish this year, but so far I am pretty happy with the path I'm on.

Congrats!!!!!!!!

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Erin Cavin

2nd PRIZE

Theresa Angelosanto

3rd PRIZE

Tracey D

Congratulations!!

We'd like to thank everyone who entered. We were thrilled at the response and are so excited. The above winners will be contacted via email and will need to respond to Jessica (jessica@jessicajarman.com) within three (3) days to claim their prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Jessica, Devon, Bronwyn, Gwendolyn, Kris and Suzanne

Brand New Fantastical Contest!!!!

The sizzling height of summer is coming! And what better way to beat the heat than with a brand new Nook Wi Fi 3G OR Kindle 3G with Wi Fi!

Six sexy authors of erotic romance are coming together with a fabulous giveaway this summer solstice! And entering couldn't be simpler.

Just visit each of our blogs beginning June 14th, and leave a comment on the contest post with:

* your name (or user name) and contact email, and
* your top two (2) choices from the author's backlist to kick-start your E-Reader library should you win.

Contest will close at Noon ET on Tuesday, June 21st, 2011, and a winner will be drawn at 1:16pm ET from all the readers who commented on all six blogs:

Gwendolyn Cease at gwendolyncease.blogspot.com

Suzanne Graham at suzannegraham.blogspot.com

Bronwyn Green at bronwyngreenblog.blogspot.com

Jessica Jarman at jessicajarman.blogspot.com

Kris Norris at krisnorris.blogspot.com

Devon Rhodes at devonrhodes.blogspot.com


The Grand Prize winner will receive their choice of a brand new Nook Wi Fi 3G OR Kindle 3G with Wi Fi *PLUS* two ebooks of their choice from each author!

Second Prize will be winner's choice of two ebooks from each author's backlist...that's 12 new books!

Third Prize will be winner's choice of one ebook from each author's backlist for a total of 6 books!

More surprises and prizes at each blog, so what are you waiting for? When summer hits its height, you could be the winner!!


Details:

* In order to be eligible for the drawing, you must leave a comment at each of the six blogs with your email address and choice of two books. We're sorry, but anyone who misses a blog or forgets to leave their contact info will be disqualified.
* All comments must be posted by 12:00 Noon, ET, on June 21st.

* Valid entry comments must be in response to the official Contest post on each blog, although we also welcome comments on other posts, so feel free to poke around!

* The E-Reader will be shipped to the winner's house. Ebooks will be emailed separately to the winner.

* Winner must respond to Jessica within three days or an alternate winner will be announced.

GOOD LUCK!!