It's time for the Holiday Charity(Save a Pet Foundation) event with Blackmore's Night. It took place early this month at a lovely restaurant on Long Island. It seems they have one in the US one year, and one (I imagine) in Europe the following year. So--boo-hoo--it'll be two years 'til the next one.

The restaurant was cozy, and decorated for the holidays. The food was delicious. I had a nice time, but something was off. I can't put my finger on it. I'm assuming--which I know I shouldn't--that perhaps the fact that they'd been planning a wedding(which took place in early Oct) and then went on their honeymoon, could cause a bit of exhaustion. Plus they've been promoting their Secret Voyalge CD.

I only have the dinner in '06 to compare it to, so, who knows. They just seemed more distant this year, in '06 they mingled with the crowd, we were able to take photos with them and talk to them, but not this time. I did miss congratulating Candice on their marriage, but managed to briefly express good wishes to Ritchie. He was very gracious, feigning, "Oh yes, I remember you, you're with--uhm..." he was very charming. As you can see in the photo, which my husband was able to take, Candice looks radiant. As always.

They played from about 9:00pm until 2 am. Taking a little break in the middle. No complaints there--the music was fantastic, as always. Their Winter Carol's CD is perfect for this time of year.

I do hope they tour a bit on the east coast this year. I know they're plannning on hitting the road on the west coast. Check their web site. www.Blackmore'sNight.com

I posted more pics on my www.myspace/elladonna site.

In any field there are good and bad. I've always been a spiritual individual, rather than religious. I started hearing spirit and having OB (out of body) experiences when I was little(about 8). Normally, I'd have no control of it and it would simply happen. Especially if I was at a relative's home and bored out of my mind. Before I knew it, I'd feel this rush and then I'd notice I was viewing things from the ceiling. As soon as that happened, I'd freak out a bit and come back into my body. It made me nauseous, so whenever I'd feel that rush, I'd talk myself out of it. "Don't go, don't go..."I began to see spirits, which scared the crap out of me until I got used to it. Then, at about 13, I started studying tarot, psychic development (which includes meditation--the chakras), astrology, gem power, herbs, numerology and Reiki. All this happened over many years.What happens to me isn't quite as dramatic as Melinda Gordon in GW. But I've had instances where I've been at an event talking with someone and a name will repeat over and over in my head. Finally,(this happened in the spring) I asked the person...do you know a Rose? And it turned out this woman's sister-in-law(Rose) had recently passed and wanted the person I was talking to to know how much she appreciated all that she did for her--and a lot of validating--and tears-- info came through. Of course, karma has a lot to do with what is revealed and what's kept hidden. For instance, I wish the spirits would have let me know my sister hadn't been going for her mammo's. But, it was her journey and so I was clueless. I did, however, always have the feeling that I was going to lose my husband. It was just a nagging feeling that followed me around. Around the same time my sis's cancer came back(3 yrs ago), my husband had a massive heart attack. (He was only 39) As soon as he complained his chest hurt, I called 911. My neighbor was--at the time--an ER nurse at the hosiptal he was brought to and she bumped him up right into an ambulance(which happened to be there for another patient) to take him to a better equipt hospital(for heart problems). A hospital, which his brother works as a tech in the OR, putting together the right teams for surgery. So, as my neighbor said, they have a phrase(nurses), "it was a perfect dance", or something like that meaning everything fell into place for him and he survived a triple bypass.The morning of his heart attack, I'd planned on going out. For some reason, I didn't. That was in Feb. '05. My sister passed that August. As I held her hand and told her it was okay to go, that Daddy and all our other relatives were waiting, she left her body.I could ramble on of all the things that've happened--feel free to email me if you'd like. For me, I know the soul lives on and if we listen, we can hear them.

A simple request for those who visit my blog. Think, perhaps, of buying someone a book for the holidays, or birthdays-- any author's book. We need the support. They certainly cost a lot less than taking a vacation and can be much more exciting.

BB
Ella

Out now at SamhainPublishing.com

I'm almost done with the edits for Blood Pool, due out in early February of

'09. As I reread the story of Raven and Bo, Lamai vampire and shape shifter, Raven's father still presents a strong character. Tobias Strigoi is one of those--hello, I'm here--characters. So, of course, I followed up with Blood Destiny, Tobias'story. That is a true love story.

The weather here in the northeast is cool, the leaves are changing to brilliant jewel tones of amber, smoky topaz and ruby. The big holiday is fast approaching, Samhain. We'll do our usual bon fire and ritual to remember those who've passed on. Then friends will gather and we'll welcome the trick or treaters while we enjoy good food and wonderful company.

For now, I'm back to my WIP, Last Chance.

Enjoy autumn's bounty!

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I'm procrastinating. I am very good at it. I have so much to do today and all I really want to do is write. I wanted to share something--a recipe. It's not mine, but it originally came from Rachel Ray, love her! Hamburgers with feta cheese and spinach. YUM!

Ground beef--or whatever meat you like.

Package of chopped spinach

Feta cheese

Easy! Mix, season to taste and grill!

Thanks Rachel.

Did you see the harvest moon last night?

Hope you made your wishes upon it.

BB

Ella

YAY!!!!! My newest cover for the upcoming book The Upside of Karma. What'dya think?
I like it very much. Usually, I go for the artsy covers, meaning not photos, but art. When I received this for approval, I really was pleasantly surprised.

This novel is the continuing story of Angelica Kane and her coven friends with lots more romance. For those of you who read Every Witch Way but Dead things heat up between Detective Sean Bennette and Angelica...or Angel, as Sean likes to call her. Circumstances throw them together again and the sexual tension builds...and builds...whew!

It's a lot of fun and I hope you'll look for it when it's released.
You can also visit me at http://www.b-elladonna.com/ and myspace/elladonna.com
Be well!
Ella

Why doesn't anyone ever tell you how much life sucks? Maybe they do, but we glass half full people refuse to believe it. Stupid. The glass is half empty.

Think positive, create your own reality--blah-blah-blah. Give me a freakin' instruction manual and I'll create my reality, until then I'm going on strike.

Quantum physics--more blah-blah-blah crap. I think the song Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve has become my new anthem.

Yeah, I'm having a really bad day. A bad decade. Sure astrologically I can tell you I've got more squares in my chart than a Rubics Cube, but as the kitty cat exclaims, 'WTF?!' I should've cashed in my chips and asked for a do over. 'You have a lot of challenges to overcome,' the astrologer says. 'Why not tell me the truth. 'Your life is going to be one obstacle course after another with intermintent bouts of grueling BS in between. NO KIDDING. Ya think?

I have figured out what most people probably know already, but disease comes about(most times) because we get to a point in life where we say, 'Uncle!' Thus giving the body permission to create havoc among the cells and tissues of our so called vehicles. BTW- I'd like a Ferrari next time, not a Ford.

'Oh, you're an artist so obviously you feel things more intensely than others.' Newsflash! If it got anymore intense I'd implode. Perhaps if I become an academic I'd feel less? I'm in! Call Harvard, I'm on my way. Yes, I set my goals way high. Probably part of the problem. I should aim lower and not become disappointed. How low can you go?

I know people out there have it a lot worse than I do, but frankly Scarlet...

That doesn't help me one bit when my life is falling apart around my feet for the third time. (I lost count , really.) My final hope is that karma prevails and every single man I know reincarnates, at least 100 lifetimes, as a female. Even that probably isn't enough to even the score, but it's a start.

I started writing my blog the other day and as usual life pulled me in another direction. I cannot believe it's August. Back to school commercials have been on air for weeks already. Where does the time go?

I've been busy getting as much writing done as I can. I will start attending the local psychic fairs this fall giving readings and doing book signings. I'm shopping book four around and writing five and six--not a great idea writing two books at the same time--but the ideas are there to be plucked from the ethers.

We had a wonderful fourth of July, spent at my neighbor's home doing a combined BBQ. A smaller version of the scene in Every Witch Way but Dead minus the murder! Toward the end of July we hosted another BBQ for my great-niece's third birthday bonanza, and last week we had my husband's parents over for another BBQ. It was a lot of fun. My mother-in-law shares my love of flowers so we gabbed about butterfly bushes, hibiscus and fig trees.

Enjoy the rest of the summer!

BB

Ella

Book two in the Lamai Vampire series in finished, that is until my editor gets to it. My goal was to finish it by the end of June--done. What I didn't plan on was number three chomping at my brain. Working out in my garden, my mind was racing with ideas. This character needs to tell his story!
"So much for taking a break, Mom," my son says as I race upstairs to my laptop.
"Oh well, you gotta strike while the iron is hot and this iron's on fire!"
But this is therapy for me now. My middle son is moving to Florida to go to school, and I'm mildly freaking out. He's leaving this weekend...Momma's trying real hard to let the little birdies fly. It's not easy--that's an understatement. He was just 5 years old yesterday, wasn't he?
All you mommas out there...they really do grow up in the blink of an eye. Cherish every moment, I did, and they still grew up too fast!
But as my wise niece told me--"If you've raised a child that feels confident enough to go out on his own, then you've done a great job."
*Sigh*

Summer has arrived in the northeast! Temperatures in the 90's and turbulent storms due to the heat hit us Sunday. As long as no one gets hurt, I love a good thunder and lightning storm, and boy was I treated to one the other day.
This morning the weather is gorgeous. I sit and look out my bedroom window and see Mother Nature in all her glory. The beautiful bay is like glass, I hear the distant moan of a boat upon the water. My garden is popping with color. Even our first water lily bloomed in the pond. Crickets are chirping and songbirds sing, even a few crows are adding their melody. Kids are still in school, so it's nice and peaceful. Later in the day there will be more activity at the park by the beach 300 feet from our home. I am blessed.
I am half way through with the first round of edits for Blood Destiny, one more and it's off to my editor. I want to get it finished so I can enjoy the weather and ponder my next book.
I shall return when the muses allow.
Brightest Blessings!

I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last entry, shame on me. The muses have kept me quite productive and for that I'm grateful. Along with Every Witch Way but Dead, The Upside of Karma is due out this fall and early 2009 Blood Pool will be released.
Blood Pool is a paranormal story in a different vein. Yes, vein as in vamps. And Shape-Shifters, Fae, Wizards and Witches. The fourth novel and my current WIP is a sort of prequel to Blood Pool. There will be more on Blood Pool as the release date gets closer, for now The Upside of Karma continues with the story of Angelica Kane and the Sisters of the Sea coven. It has been great fun writing what I call the 'sexy sorceress stories'. Alas, I may have to say farewell to Angelica. My publisher has decided to focus on romance novels only and Angelica has always had a large dose of mystery.
I know she has many more adventures to experience, and she could find another home with another publishing house. Only time will tell, but for now, I'm kept busy with seductive, brooding vampires. I can deal with that!

The Women's Expo took place last Monday at the Sheraton Hotel in Suffolk County. It was fun meeting business owners, and chatting about my book, jewelry and psychic phenomenon. I even gave a reading to the co-chair of the expo. It was one of those things where spirit has a message and I become the instrument. The woman was very happy with the reading and my partner at the expo expressed her awe with the process. (She'd never seen me 'in action'.)

I signed a few books and made some new friends. Seems the muses are guiding me to going back to readings of the psychic kind. Art (painting and writing) and the occult are my passions, and I'm busy booking readings along with planning on attending the Eyes of Learning Spring Fair in Levittown, NY. It should be fun.
With the Internet--readings can be done via email--which is nice. The phone is another way and of course the face to face reading.
Angelica awaits me in the wings to continue her journey.

BB
Ella

I apologize in advance if I’m absent.
I’m back in the zone..working on the third installment of the Sexy Sorceress, Angelica Kane.
With Blood Pool completed, my third novel, I’m now back with Angelica and her romantic romps with her sexy stud.
I guarantee an enchanting journey, full of twists and turns with Every Witch Way but Dead and continues in The Upside of Karma. I hope people enjoy reading Angelica's stories as much as I enjoy writing them.
I will try and keep the blog updated, it all depends on the muses.
BB
Ella

Starlight Starbright brings together experts from pediatric health care, technology, and entertainment to create programs that educate, entertain and inspire seriously ill children. Whether it’s finding friends online, learning more about a disease, or just spending time together as a family, Starlight Starbright’s programs help children and families cope with the challenges they face daily.
Research studies on select Starlight Starbright programs have shown the following benefits:

Reduced pain and distress
A reduction in the fear and isolation of a prolonged illness
A greater willingness to return for treatment
An increased sense of peer support
Increased knowledge and sense of responsibility for managing disease
Much needed distraction from the challenges that accompany their illness
Increased ability to cope with their disease


Jewels by Park Lane will donate to the foundation.


Starlight Bracelet - Proceeds Benefit Starlight Foundation A glittering star, encrusted with genuine pave cubic zirconias is suspended from a silver tone open-link bracelet. The star charm is removable and can be slipped on a chain or cord to fashion a necklace. Throughout 2008, Park Lane will donate $2.00 from the sale of every Starlight bracelet.Bracelet is 7 1/2 inches long with a 2 -inch extension.Contact Ellynjewels@live.comTo order bracelet, and by doing so making a donation.Thanks!
http://www.starlight.org

The summer is coming, and what better way to show off a summer tan than with sparkling, shiny white metals with dollops of genuine gemstones! Nowadays it's tough to treat ourselves and our family to the extra's in life. Most families work two jobs, or more. Which is why I got involved with Park Lane. I'm a writer and, honestly, the paychecks leave a bit to be desired. BUT I am hopeful. I'm a new writer and it takes time to become established. In the meantime, since I love jewelry and need to make extra money, what better way than combine the two. So far I'm making more money doing this. But I love writing and have patience. My time will come. Every Witch Way But Dead has received great reviews!

In the blogs to come I will explain how you can start your own business with Park Lane. No experience is required, no inventory, set your own hours, get rewards, win trips. This past trip was to Rome, Italy. The next one is Atlantis in the Bahamas, and you can earn the trip! I know many women who have. It can be done! For more info you can contact me Ellynjewels@live.com

Are you appreciated at work? Does your boss shower you with gifts and awards? When you do a good job, do you receive incentive bonuses such as free trips, diamond rings, luxurious coats, and designer outfits? The recognition that Park Lane provides honors you and your achievements! Jewels by Park Lane’s reputation for generosity is unsurpassed. Win contest prizes galore and awards at every turn. Would you like to be in control of your life, financially as well as personally?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JEWELRY HELPS YOU EXPRESS YOUR MOOD, PERSONALITY AND ATTITUDE. ADORN YOURSELF WITH BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY FROM PARK LANE.
IF YOU CAN DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A JEWELRY FANATIC, THEN DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND SEE WHAT PARK LANE HAS TO OFFER.

Contact me at Ellynjewels@live.com

An angel altar creates a special place in your home where you can instantly be in tune with the angels. It can be anywhere you wish, but the best results come if it is placed in a room what is used every day. It makes no difference how large or small it is. It can be a small table, a self, or part of a dressing table.

Once you have decided on the right position, and your angel will provide advice on this if you ask, you must determine to use this spot only as an altar. You must never use it simply as a place to put items. It must be treated with respect.

Experiment with different items or objects to see which creates the most energy such as crystals, pictures, fresh flowers can all be put on your altar.

Your altar can be anywhere at all. You may wish it to be outdoors, if you have a special place where you won't be disturbed. If you set up your altar inside your home, you will quickly notice a change in the energy in the room. You will feel a sense of calmness and peace whenever you go near. You will also find that you can speak freely and easily to the angels when you are close to your altar. You will be able to talk to the angels any time you wish.

Your altar can also be used for healing. You will find that after you have had your altar for a while and have used it regularly, that both the quality and quanity of sacred energy will increase. You can mentally send this spiritual, healing energy wherever you wish. Whenever you hear of someone who could benefit from this energy, you can mentally send some to them. Your altar can also be used for self-development, for healing and for spreading love, compassion and understanding. It can also be used for forgiveness.

By setting up an angel altar and using it regularly, your relationship with the angels, and the entire angelic kingdom, will become closer than ever before. If you use your angel altar, your relationship with the angels will be thousands of times better. Your angel altar can transform your life!

My other passion...


Welcome to Jewels by Park Lane! Founded in Chicago in 1955 by Arthur and Shirley LeVin, Jewels by Park Lane defines "The American Dream". As the world's leading direct sales jewelry party plan company, Park Lane proudly offers exceptional quality jewelry that is backed by an unconditional guarantee. Inspired by the success of the first fifty years, the second generation of the LeVin family operates the company with the same level of passion and dedication as the founders. The matching value Bonus Item for customers, the Five Star hostess reward program, and the opportunity to have a home-based business as a Park Lane representative are just a few of the extraordinary incentives that make Park Lane an industry leader. As it has for fifty years, it all begins with the jewelry! Jewelry expresses your mood, your attitude, your personality. Jewelry places your signature on your outfit. If you are in search of the perfect gift, jewelry is always appreciated and appropriate. Fashion-forward, unique, and exquisitely handcrafted, many Park Lane creations are inspired by world-renowned designers. Wear Park Lane jewelry with pride and you will sparkle with beauty and confidence everywhere you go!

And for those of us that look for the mystical properties of gems many of Park Lane's pieces are made with genuine gemstones!

Contact: Ellynjewels@live.com
For more info or to book a party on Long Island.

When one chooses to walk upon the spiritual path, one often assumes that all people in the so-called spiritual community are going to act ethically and morally. It can come as a rude awakening when someone we respect as an expression of the divine acts in ways that are hurtful, deceptive or, at the least, thoughtless. When one has to wander out of the spiritual community into the mundane world, there are also tendencies for a spiritual individual to have a higher trust level which can often leave one more vulnerable. In a world where others may not adhere to the tenets that we choose to abide by, we sometimes are at greater risk to be taken advantage of or be hurt more easily.How will we act in situations of betrayal or hurtful issues? We will act normally. We will feel violated, used, hurt, saddened, angry and so forth. Just because one is traveling a spiritual path, it does not mean that one does not have these natural reactions to something that is hurtful. Sometimes when we feel angry we will castigate ourselves because we are not being as "good" as we think we should. Even before we can get to the state of forgiving those who have wronged us, we need to first forgive ourselves for being normal or perhaps for not acting as spiritually as we expect of ourselves. Guilt will not help in any situation when one is seeking to live a spiritual life. While many of us have been brought up in religious communities that promote the use of guilt and fear to maintain the status quo, a truly spiritual person will use negative events or thoughts to prompt positive growth and to evolve on the spiral of spiritual expression. A really wonderful teacher (and I am sorry I cannot remember exactly which one because I have had so many) said to me: "To turn a negative event into a positive expression ask this question: What good can come from this?" So the first step in forgiving self and forgiving others is to look at an issue from many different sides. Try to get into the mind of the person(s) who perpetuated this issue and ask yourself: What prompted this person to act this way? What was their motivation and how did they see themselves receiving something that they needed by their actions? If you have trouble seeing the possibilities, discuss it with a confidant that you trust to hold your discussions confidentially. Look for feedback that is honest and not just someone telling you what you want to hear. The most important thing that you need to discover in the healing process of forgiveness is to learn intent. If the individual purposely tried to do what you consider wrong and you know they knew it was wrong or illegal, that is one issue. If they thought that what they were doing were not wrong and they were not trying purposely to hurt you, this is a totally different issue. Just a special note of warning, usually a person that you know has shown you patterns of small hurts or negative behaviors, you need to know if they were setting you up for the big one. Also, reflect upon your response and dig deep to find what buttons were being pushed by the event or issue that has caused you pain. You might find that why you were hurt because you were to learn a lesson, and I think in all strongly emotional events, both positive and negative, this is a constant factor. Remember, the spiritual individual will grow stronger by learning to think clearly and learn from the events over a lifetime. For me, choosing to allow myself to be vulnerable requires that I develop a greater sense of detachment and observation of my reactions to the world around me. Meditation is probably one's most positive tool in seeking enlightenment. In fact, I think that one of the reasons that I might get angry with myself when I act with normal emotions is that it indicates to me that I have lost my spiritual detachment. When you have worked your way around how you feel and the whys and so forth of a hurtful event, you are ready to begin the healing process. Sometimes you may think you have it clearly figured out, only to have something deeper pop up from your unconscious or the cosmic mind. Be gentle with YOU! And, be gentle with the other person. Some people and counselors will suggest that one needs to confront the person who creates pain for self, but I do not necessarily think that is true. I think that we can do it on a spiritual or psychic level and have the same healing effect. Confrontation is usually just a vehicle to perpetuate more angry or hurtful behaviors. The person that you confront is not going to think he or she did anything wrong or if he or she does, it will be normal to become defensive. It will work just as well for you to write out a letter stating what happened, how it made you feel, and that you now release the negativity and transmute it to good. Then burn the letter and release it to the universal mind. You can use this technique to heal old hurts where the person is no longer available or who might have passed over. If this does not work at first, you can do it again and before you burn the letter you can visualize that you are severing the psychic cords or energy threads that have kept you connected to this toxic individual. In forgiving yourself and in healing yourself, you can use visualization where you feel all of your energy returning to balance. Start at the top of your head and imagine wonderful healing energy entering the top of your head – like from the divine source. Let this energy slowly move through your body feeling it heal and empower you. Then imagine that it is going out through the soles of your feet into the ground and then through the center of the earth and then coming out the other side of the earth and creating a circle from whence it began from the universe. In this visualization you are creating a pure energy link that constantly replenishes from the infinite divine. All of us will have times of positive and negative events and issues through our lives. However, the sooner we learn to take responsibility for how we respond to events and turn them into positive use of energy, the less we will suffer and the more we will experience times of contentment and joy. And along the way one never knows when what appears to be such a bad experience becomes the event that opens the door to manifest blessings.

Self Esteem
Self esteem is really the core of our behaviors and well being. When we feel good about ourselves, our outlook on life reflects that. Issues in life don't affect us dramatically. We give to others and add to our own abundance of joy. What is even better is that our attitudes become contagious. Others can feed off of a kind word or friendly smile. It's truly amazing how many people you can affect with a positive form of self worth.
The opposite is also true. A negative self esteem attributes to us looking outward for something to fill the gap. This sometimes leads to unhealthy relationships with others. A person lacking self control may seek a controlling relationship. A person with low self esteem may seek someone that attributes to their negative perspective of themselves. This occurs mainly because the person did not have self esteem in the first place to find a "loving" relationship. This behavior spreads to family members, to children, to everyone this person may encounter. It's a pattern worth looking at and recognizing as it impacts us all.
Whose responsibility is it to recognize our self worth as well as our self weakness? It is our responsibility. Other people may see our weakness' but it takes ourselves to see them to make the change necessary to grow. We owe it to ourselves to invest in our well-being, but we also owe it to others to make the most of their time as well as ours.

I'll be interviewed on March 18 at www.michellepillow.com/blog

It's a fun, entertaining and somewhat silly interview. I had a blast. Hope you'll check it out.

Right now I'm putting final touches on Blood Pool, the steamy, sexy new vampire novel guaranteed to fog your reading glasses.

Tomorrow's my wedding anniversary. Seven years of mostly bliss. We survived a lot. The most devastating being my sister's death and my husband's near fatal heart attack. When it rains, it definitely POURS!
It will be three years in February that he suffered a massive CI, four days after my husband's birthday and three days before mine. He is very lucky to be alive--*knocks on wood*.
I celebrated early and got a stylish haircut! More for me--of course--my spouse prefers it long. I needed a new look...or rather wanted one.
He'll get his gift tomorrow...;-)

You'd think that at this time of the year, after all the hub-bub is over that one could relax. NO WAY!
From November until now it's birthday time in my home, with the holidays nestled in between. My youngest son's birthday was yesterday, so now there is a reprieve until February.
My baby is 15!! Yikes, how time flies. He requested crab legs for dinner and a fudgey birthday cake. His dad bought him an I-phone--nice, I got him some gadget for his X-Box live.

I have to go make some money to pay for all of this--time to edit Blood Pool, the new vampire novel.
Raven Strigoi is the MC, who happens to be the medical examiner for the island of Mirabelle Cove, and she's a vampire. Technically she's half vampire, half human.

Soon, I'll post a little blurb about the rest of the saga.
Happy New Year!
Ella