Lori's Cats: Milly

Oh, did you need clothes to go outside?

Tough.

Lori's Cats: Chester

 MOOOOOOMMMMM!

Stop taking pictures of me and feed me!

(I had to take this pic because my step-mom pointed out he has a Heart nose like this)

Lori's Cats: Milly

 I'm glad you're back at work, Mom. Your chair was getting cold but I kept it warm for you.

Kitties! Special Chester Story!

So Chester has been especially cuddly to me since I haven't been feeling well. I swear I should just book an appointment with my doctor if Chester gets cuddly, but how can I explain that my cat cuddling me is a sign that I'm sick? Next on Diagnosed by Dr. Cheddar....

Anyway, I was resting and he crawled into bed with me and I had to take some pictures because he got under the covers and cuddled to me...

 

Oh Hai Mum!

Well then, he settled down next to me because every time we put a blanket over him, he can't find his way out. So then I sent this text to Kele Moon...

Well after chatting with Kele, I took the blanket off him but he didn't leave. And no, I didn't call him dumb. He's a lovely, sweet and precious cat.

That little bro of mine, he falls for every trick in the book.

Even the treat trick Mum plays on him works every time. 

*sigh* When will he learn?

Lori's Cats Bonus!Milly

 

My mom read The Good Boy by J. A. Rock and Lisa Henry last night.

She told me all about a birdie in there named Mr. Zimmerman. 

I told her I like birdies. They taste good with crackers. 

 

Lori's Cats: Milly

 

You are my sunshine... my only sunshine... you make me happy when skies are gray. :)

Updates...

Coming soon to a bookstore near you, Dangerous Submission on April 23rd (date subject to change)

 (I have a tongue full of dust from licking my computer screen. Don't judge me)

And I promise that playlist is coming soon!

If you haven't heard through Facebook and Twitter, you can hear it here. I made it through my surgery! Yay! My prognosis is great and while I'll have to visit the very wonderful doctors at MD Anderson Cancer Center for evaluation in the future, I've dodged this bullet. *crosses fingers*

And finally a message from Chester and Milly...

We're sorry we missed you on Caturday! 

We were healing our mom with lots of purrrrrr.

We'll be back soon! 

Lori's Cats: Angel Chester

 

My blanket. Thank you!

Lori's Cats: Milly

 

Mom, did you need this chair? Sorry about that. (Not.)

Lori's Cat's: Chester (OMG TEH CUTE!!!)

I don't even need to caption this!! :D

Lori's Cats: Chester

BAD DAY! BAD DAY! *cleans wet fur*

Lori's Cats: Milly

Milly loves her little cardboard cat scratcher. But her tail is another story.

Lori's Cats: Chester

 

You're my forever-mom.

Sort-of like my forever home, but different.

Love, Chester

I'm back... but only for a little bit...

Sometimes I look at the labels tab over there and I can't believe I had to make a tab for cancer for myself. It's staring me straight in the face, like the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about but everyone wants to really know why it's there and I can hear everyone's questions, even they are too polite to ask. When did it show up? Is it sticking around for long? Why is it pink?

*facepalm*

One of our friends expressed amazement at my calm, cool demeanor because she said that if she found out she had cancer, she would be in the surgeon's office demanding they cut the tumor out and start all treatment right then.

I rambled off something about how the surgeons at MD Anderson were putting together a plan that is tailored specifically for making sure I get the best treatment with minimal discomfort but in reality, what she said she would do is exactly what I want to do. I want to sit at the doctor's office until they see me but that would put a huge crink in my back.

Cancer is a big scary word. Even with as many advances as the doctors have made, it's still a monster that doesn't always respond to the treatment every time. My mom had state of the art treatment for her cancer, and we still lost her.

I used to be one of those people who heard thyroid cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma and think "At least they have one of the survivable cancers." The fact is, cancer is frightening and painful. I've had pain in my neck and shoulders for months. I almost drove my primary care nuts with going into him because my ears were killing me and I thought I had an infection. I even stopped listening to music in my headphones because it hurt too much.

Luckily, he didn't toss me out on my ear because he's the one who found the cancer.

And even while I'm sitting here in this horrible dark emotional hell, my cats are surrounding me and messing about, playing with each other and making me laugh. And thank god for Kele Moon, my CP and BFF, for laughing at all my stupid cancer jokes, for knowing that I'm the person who crack jokes when I'm terrified.

At this point, everyone asks if I know something more but I don't, other than it's malignant and that my next step is my appointment and then surgery. I don't even know what all they are taking out in surgery but I'm pleased with my doctor and I'm confident she'll make the right choice.

In regards to my stories, I have a lot in the hopper that is ready to be worked on. Several really hot stories about BDSM sex clubs, a few m/m stories but next on my list is working on Dangerous Submission, which is in the editing process. Thankfully, this should take my mind off of what is to come.

A huge thank you to my fans. I know you're eagerly awaiting Dangerous Submission and I'll try to do my best with it.

* * * *

Lastly and certainly not the least, I want to say goodbye to a dear sweet woman who accepted me as her grandchild-in-law when I married my hubby 7 years ago. She reminded me of my own grandmother. When we went to see her last year, she needed her cane to get out of her chair. My husband lent her the cane he uses since he hurt his knee and I swear to goodness the cane almost as tall as she was. She told her husband later that she liked how I fussed over my hubby, because he was a bit under the weather.

Nan Toland, you will be greatly missed. Lots of love to you.

Lori's Cats: Milly and Chester

 

No, Daddy, you can't get three more cats to fill up the other cubes. 

(This was an actual conversation between hubby and I)

Lori's Cats: Chester

Baby, it's cold outside!

Well, that was quick... and bad news.

Every time I look at this, I laugh :)

Last Friday I got the news that my biopsy results were back and the cells they found in the nodule were malignant. It was a real shock, one because I wasn't expecting any news until January 24th and two.. well because I thought this wasn't serious. 

As funny as the picture above is, cancer is pretty serious. I don't really have even a definitive diagnosis yet since the surgeon is still reviewing my case. I've been told I need to get clearance for surgery, which I don't think will be a problem but it's looming in the future and everything is up in air. 

I've been dealing with all this by cracking jokes all the time, which has unfortunately upset my husband. I haven't even told my dad yet, since he's in Canada on the ski slopes. I told him. :( I would have prepared him but I didn't think I would get any information about my biopsy. But that's how I deal with all this, besides writing.

Not to sound like a broken record... but more information when I get it. Laterz!

New Year's Kisses!

Join us for a celebration at Kay Berrisford and Tara Lain

More info here: http://kayberrisford.com/2012/12/30/new-years-kisses-party-presents-the-biggest-and-best-romance-prize-ever/

There's lots of hot excerpts so check them out!

Lori's Cats: Milly and Chester

And with this blanket, there shall be peace on earth and goodwill to cats!

They are still like this today!

(No, seriously. Pictures of them together are rare because they fight like 

brother and sister and this blanket has brought them together :))

Happy 2013!

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, C'MON! #Xmasgiveaway and more winners!

Image courtesy of Vlado/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As 2012 comes to a close, I'm not sorry to see this year go. It's been a rough year with a lot of twists and turns and changes in my personal life but in my writing life, I made a lot of leaps forward. One of my favorite books so far was released, The Long Con along with my first self pubbed book Payback, the first in the series of novellas about Firehouse 69.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to 2013. It's the year of the Snake. 2012 was the year of the Dragon (my sign) so maybe it was a transitional year for myself, turning over into a new era.

But anyway, enough navel gazing. I'm here to give away some books!! Woo HOO!






As for the giveaways over at Reading Romances for a copy of Payback, congrats to Josie Hink and Raquel!

On the giveaway of a $10 Amazon Gift card and a copy of Payback over at SmexyBooks, congrats to Victoria!

For the giveaway of a copy of Payback at Fiction Vixen, congrats to Stacy!

And finally, drumroll please! The winner of the three books in the #Xmasgiveaway is: Nancy!

Thanks to all who entered. I'll be contacting (or I have already) all the winners.

See you in 2013!

Lots of Love,

Lori Toland