Amazing  Real  Raw       Try finding a mainstream contemporary romance novel without one or all of these three adjectives sprinkled throughout the dialogue and narration. Regardless of the characters' stated chronological ages, so many of them talk, think and act like hormonal teenagers.       Must the explosive growth of the teen, young adult and new adult publishing markets thrive at the expense of the variety and volume and caliber of fun fiction content for grown-up readers? Established bestselling adult fiction authors have been converted (drafted/coerced/brainwashed?) into becoming YA writers. The results have been mixed, often yielding characters and stories that in no way reflect an author's previously established storytelling greatness.       Isn't it possible and profitable to meet the demands of the rapidly growing markets for younger readers while also continuing to meet the needs of grown-...

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/cicely-tyson-reflects-on-her-life-and-career/ My personal belief is that every person is of equal intrinsic value to the enrichment of civilization regardless of gender, skin color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, social class or religion. Unfortunately, present-day society uses a more convoluted formula to assign value to people. (Originally created in 2012 at the beginning of my own learning curve regarding the complexity of gender identity, listing Trans and Intersexed under sexual orientation was not done with malicious intent.)

More details are coming soon on the Dodging Eros: Grown-Ups Getaway Giveaway Facebook page.

New fun fiction for grown-ups to ring out the old year and start the new one is coming soon. ARCs, promo and giveaway details TBA.

Obliviousness of Privilege Syndrome Parade of Stars September 2015 Edition Matt Damon: His original statement to Effie T. Brown didn't shock or surprise me. It was his "merit over diversity" remark during his apology that disappointed me because diversity does not mutually exclude merit or excellence.  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/   Nancy Lee Grahn: Her response to Viola Davis's Emmy acceptance speech unintentionally reinforced many points about fighting to be included and the blindspot those who are routinely included often have about the challenges faced by people who are regularly excluded.  Martin Shkreli: Projecting a smug, condescending manner of patronizing ennui, plus a glaring failure to admit the obvious truth about the company's primary pricing motives made his CBS This Morning interview with Don Dahler seem like a Jimmy Fallon spoof of a CEO who is out of touch...

church ambush in S.C. on-air ambush in V.A. gas station ambush in T.X. species: noun; a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. The species is the principal natural taxonomic unit, ranking below a genus and denoted by a Latin binomial, ex. Homo sapiens a.k.a. Humans (first Google.com result)  Confession: Sometimes the news makes me feel as if human beings will never embrace the fact that we're one race, sharing one planet with one sky and one ocean (called by many names according to the nearest land masses). Bogus Assumption Treated as Fact: The last one standing in a race war has reason to celebrate the annihilation of all others.  

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/23/us/sandra-bland-arrest-death-main/ Confession: Hearing the police officer's tone of voice when he commands Sandra Bland to " Get out of the car! " like she's a disobedient beast makes me sick to my stomach for many reasons. First, because it triggers visceral memories of my every encounter with a male authority figure who became enraged at not receiving immediate, unquestioning obeisance. Fortunately for me, none of my experiences were with legitimate law enforcement officers. Mine have been more similar in tone and attitude to Trayvon Martin's encounter with his killer where some self-appointed gatekeeper who passes judgment based purely on skin color and narrow-minded beliefs about what black people are and where our place is. Or like Jordan Davis's with his killer, who used a gun to punish a car full of young black men for having the audacity to defy him. (I'm not anti-gun; I'm anti-lunatics-with-guns whether the...

amazing real raw true     Observation: When fiction phenom Katy Evans uses these words in her aggressively visceral writing style, they read as distinctive identifiers with layers of impact. When other authors' prose are peppered with these words they lose their emotional punch.     Bogus Assumption Treated As Fact: If one bestselling author's writing style and vocabulary compels readers, that means readers want every author's style and words to reflect the exact same style and words. 

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE What!)     Observation: Some racists spend more time and energy smack talking (and chanting) rather than performing and achieving at superior levels.   

The original artwork for the Dodging Eros, Through Past, Present and Pleasure  by Cardyn Brooks cover image boldly ventures into an uncertain future.

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm http://www.gotnewswire.com/news/chevy-chase-home-vandalized-with-nword-on-mlk-day Observation: For as far as we've come, we still have quite a way to go.

I have no disagreement with President Obama as a human being. In fact, I'll go so far to say one of the things I respect very much is the role model that he has served as a husband and a father. And I think he has been an exemplary husband to his wife and an extraordinary father to to his daughters. Frankly, America needs a good role model like that. -Mike Huckabee during a speech at the National Press Club February 2011 Observation: Sanctimonious hypocrisy sells more books.   

Observation: Anti-freedom fanatics never seem to understand that murdering individuals doesn't kill inalienable truths; it just makes defenders of freedom more dedicated.