The Way to Your Heart Anniversary Bloghop for LT3 Press

What’s happening: LT3 is turning four years old on April 8th!

What they’re doing about it: To kick LT3’s 4th year with a bang they’re celebrating with an awesome bloghop!

What The Way to Your Heart means:  Participants will be blogging about all those little things they love! LT3 was founded on the idea of providing those types of stories that mean the most to us and would be just as loved by readers. But what other little things do our authors and friends love? Is the path to their heart paved with food? Are they sports fan? Are they madly in love with Doctor Who or The Walking Dead? …

~*~

First and foremost I would like to offer my congratulations to Less Than Three Press for another successful year, as well as my thanks for the support and the spirit that they show to both reader and author alike. I am blessed to be working with you and thrilled to say, “My wishes for the happiest of birthdays.”

Now, on to business … what are the little things I love the most? And what a range of answers that question inspires. I remove the “Him” immediately because he is no small thing. And I’ll skip over the obvious answers – respect, appreciation, affection and attention. We are, no doubt, familiar with the basic triangle of psychological need. Instead, I give you the fluff, the fun, the quirks … the silly little things I love:

Swords

They are porn to me. There is something so damn thrilling about a person that has the control and respect to properly handle a sword. Play a little too careless, it will bite you back. I like that concept. It goes hand-in-hand with my fascination with knife play, but that is a subject best broached at another time.

(Yes, that was the sound of me clearing my throat and moving on.)

British Presentation Smallsword, made by James Morisset – English, London; active 1768-1800 © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Good Suits

Nothing screams ‘sex appeal’ like a person who has the ability to locate, select, wear, and accessorize a suit that not only looks good, but also fits well. Cash helps in suit selection, most definitely, but it’s not the end all by any means. Knowing how to compliment your body shape and fabric choice will take you just as far. (A bit of a strut helps too.)

And as much as I gravitate towards classic black, a little flare is always cool.

British model Paddy Mitchell is photographed by Christian Oita and styled by Victoria Higgs in Hugo Boss for the Spring/Summer 2013 issue of British GQ Style

Vin ou Vodka

Canadian winters are too cold and life is too bleak not to enjoy a decent wine or a delicious vodka; preferably with your loved one(s). And when it comes to vodka, the cooler the flavour, the better.

Cheers!

Jackson Triggs – Proprietors’ Selection Sauvignon Blanc; Jackson Triggs – 2011 Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc; 360 – Double Chocolate Vodka; Three Olives – Cake Vodka; 360 – S’mores Vodka

Ravens

The raven is my spirit animal so he definitely gets a spot on my list. He’s part of every venture that I take up and guides me both by step and process – usually with a sharp rap of his beak on the top of my skull, unfortunately. Ravens have a lot of symbolism in my culture, and are the leading character of more than one legend. Enjoy one here, and try to disregard the fact that in the story the raven is a liar, a manipulator and a glutton that weaves a dull tale. He means well.

Raven artwork, for me, by the talented drawboy7

All the Little Guys

This collage is by no means all-inclusive any longer but I didn’t leave myself enough time to create a new one. These pics are (or represent in the case of seasonally-recurring litters) the different animals that my partner and I have been caregivers for. Wild, domestic, intentional and happened-upon, all the little guys are welcome and they manage to weasel their ways into our hearts, and stay there long after they’ve been re-released or sent to their new families. We’re both suckers for our animal rescues though and as much as we keep saying we have enough, more than one of them now shares permanent residence with us. The turtle, the hedgie, the Collie and the Chihuahua displayed are just a few of our keepers.

In addition to what is shown, we’ve had fawns, squirrels, moles, mice, weasels and birds. We also have a beautiful Lab-cross and an orange tomcat that’s become a full-timer.

tumblr.

No. I’m not kidding.

And I don’t even care.

Go see why … http://freedom1001.tumblr.com/

(Guaranteed 85.42% NSFW and +18)

(And if anyone actually counts those up, does the math, then brings it to my attention for the sole purpose of questioning that figure, please be advised that I may have to remove you from my Xmas card list. You have been warned.)

Playing Hardball … Nicely

I do so love me a person that has the balls to make a stand – more so, having balls so big that one is able to make the point while maintaining a light heart, personal grace, and a sense of humour.

It says, I know I’m right and I don’t need to get ugly to prove it. The power of my belief trumps everything else. (Just look at that grin.)

Aaron Jackson, a charity founder, bought a house opposite the Westboro Baptist Church headquarters in Topeka, painted it with a message of love and protest, and called it the Equality House. It is meant as a symbol of peace, equality, and positive change.

~*~

These are just a few, of course. I could add the unreasonable love I have for a steaming bowl of Kraft Dinner, my obsession with coffee, and my pointless vinyl collection. (Albums, people … albums.) I suppose if I was being forthright I could admit to a love for trees and the cool effect of sunlight dancing on the earth when it manages to make its way through them. But I’d hate to sound like I’m trying to be too poetic.

So here’s to the little things that help make the hard times easier, the in between times more exciting, and the good times even better.

Mostly, here’s to you. My friends, my supporters, my family and my loves. Because without all of you, the rest would be pointless.

❤ x ∞

Check out the rest of the authors supporting and celebrating LT3 here: