Saturday, May 25, 2013

Memorial Day Weekend Sale - Fantastic Titles for 99 cents until Monday

Check out and grab these amazing books for just 99 cents until Monday. 

 

Click on the book titles to download the book from Amazon!

FindingOut-cover with white borderFinding Out by Sheryn MacMunn
Finding Out is an engaging story of friendship, the challenges we face and the importance of learning from the past. Getting dumped on the sidewalk by her live-in boyfriend of seven years and realizing that he nearly emptied their savings account is the first of Sheila Davenport’s problems. At thirty-six, Sheila had thought her life was on track.
Help comes unexpectedly from her elderly neighbor, Ruth Grey, who has had her own share of ups and downs. As their friendship grows, Ruth reveals her deeply moving story  of survival in WWII Germany. Ruth’s mesmerizing past is a powerful tale of love and revenge that provides the perspective Sheila desperately needs to put the pieces of her own life back together.  A story of love found and lost, true friendship, and how the human spirit endures.

Blame It On The Fame TracieBlame It on the Fame by Tracie Banister
A  power-trippin’ bitch, a has-been, a skanky ex-model, a press-shy indie queen,  and a British stage actress no one knows – that’s how the Best Actress hopefuls  in this year’s too-close-to-call Oscar race cattily describe each other. Which  of them will win the much-coveted gold statue and what price will they be forced  to pay as they travel the red carpeted-path to Hollywood glory?
Amidst  all the press-schmoozing and angsting over which designer gown to wear, these  Oscar contenders feud, commiserate, and face a succession of personal crises – scandalous secrets come to light, marriages implode, accidents land two nominees  in the hospital while another receives news that could derail her career, all  culminating on Tinsel Town’s biggest night when anything can happen, and  does.

The Forgotten Ones Laura HowardThe Forgotten Ones (New Adult Paranormal Romance) by Laura Howard
Allison O’Malley’s plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.
What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison’s mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn’t trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother’s sanity.

Tainted LoveTainted Love by Erin Cawood
For anyone in a relationship, the words ‘we need to talk’ can only mean one thing. In the last twenty-two years, the McKenzies have been through it, survived it, learned by it, and grown stronger from it, because life didn’t stop for breath when they needed it. Amongst the tears and the tragedies, the hopes and happiness, they’ve built something amazing: a happy family, a luxury lifestyle and a booming empire. Don’t they deserve to have it all?
But for the perfect wife, those four sinister words mean something entirely different. They’re a summons into a private world where what happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors.  Faith has no doubt in Calvin’s undying love for her. It’s what kept her sane in the darkest hours. If only she could figure out what it is she does wrong… because it’s rapidly becoming apparent their tainted love is running out of time.

Alpha_Dating_finalAlphabet Dating by Monique McDonnell
Serena’s friends have a plan to get her dating again – 26 dates in a month – one for every letter in the alphabet. What could possibly go wrong? When Serena Sanders reluctantly agrees to participate in the Alphabet Dating Plan she knows it will be tough but there’s so much she hadn’t factored in. Who knew men were so complicated? Not Serena.  As she begins dating her way through the alphabet she starts to learn more about herself and her friends than she ever expected as secrets and hidden agendas are revealed. Alphabet Dating is a love story – a tale of lost love, unrequited love, platonic love and ultimately it’s about learning to love again.

MongrelsMr. Right and Other Mongrels by Monique McDonnell
Blissfully happy in her own universe Allegra (Ally) Johnson is the sweet best friend everyone wants to have. Quietly and independently wealthy she runs a charming second-hand bookshop in beachside Manly. Heck, sometimes she even goes downstairs from her flat to run the shop in her Chinese silk pyjamas. It sounds like bliss. But is it enough?  When dog-phobic Allegra is rescued from an exuberant canine by the chivalrous Teddy Green, Australia’s hottest TV celebrity and garden make-over guru, her life begins to change. Dramatically!

secret keeper cover artThe Secret Keeper by Brea Brown
Peyton Stratford is her family’s unofficial keeper of all  things secret, from the petty and mundane to the potentially life-changing. Only  when she starts to keep a few secrets of her own does her family begin to  realize there’s more to her than a sympathetic set of ears and a tightly-closed  mouth. And it’s not until she relinquishes the title of Stratford Family Secret  Keeper and assumes a more positive role in her own life that she can become the  person that someone’s been telling her she has the potential to be.  Newly formatted and includes a sneak peek to “The Secret Keeper  Confined,” Book 2 in the series!!

SmartestGirlFinalThe Smartest Girl In The Room by Deborah Nam-Krane
Nineteen year old Emily wants her college diploma fast, and she’s going to get it. But when the perfect night with perfect Mitch leads her to a broken heart, Emily is blind to her vulnerability. When the person she cares about the most is hurt as a result, Emily’s ambition gives way to more than a little ruthlessness. She’s going to use her smarts to take care of herself and protect the people she loves, and everyone else had better stay out of her way. But shouldn’t the smartest girl everyone knows realize that the ones she’d cross the line for would do the same for her?

Flirting take 2Flirting with Magick  by Leigh Bennett
When a new-age remedy fixes Abby Williams’ career rut, the twenty-five year old figures a spell could heal her broken heart too…  Suddenly, she’s having hot sex with an even hotter musician, which might work as long as she doesn’t get in the way of his rock stardom. Her work colleague is flirty and fun, but could he be keeping something from her? And now, the guy who broke her heart wants to rekindle their relationship. Can she trust him enough to give it another shot? So far, it seems Abby’s spell hasn’t worked. Or then again, perhaps it has?

quest-final-e-book-AmazonThe Perpetual Quest by Michelle Pace
Tourists flock to Jefferson Point for the antique shops and riverboat tours.  Everyone knows everyone and secrets are impossible to keep. Or so it  seems… Dr. Ryan Harper’s brutal slaying stuns the picturesque river  town. High school football star, Prom King, and on his way to finishing his  residency, Ryan was their golden child. After a two-year struggle to  care for their young son alone, his widow, Nicole, reluctantly returns to  Jefferson Point. Her homecoming reopens old wounds, as Ryan’s family and friends  struggle to adapt to life without his dynamic presence. The last person Nicole expects to reconnect with is Aaron Foster, Ryan’s best man and reluctant  keeper of his secrets. With opinions circulating on Nicole’s post-Ryan  existence, she must maneuver the rapids of past loves, new expectations, and  haunting dreams of her fallen husband. The Perpetual Quest for the  Perfect Life is a frank story of questionable decisions, small town politics,  and love after loss.

Gatsby Game600x900 300dpi 127 kb (2)The Gatsby Game by Anne R. Allen
THE GATSBY GAME is a rom-com mystery inspired by a real unsolved Hollywood mystery. When David Whiting was found dead during the filming of a Burt Reynolds movie in 1973, it set off what’s been called one of “Hollywood’s 10 most notorious scandals”. Author Anne R. Allen knew Mr. Whiting and this is a fictional speculation of what might have happened to the man who thought of himself as “the ghost of Jay Gatsby” on that fateful night.
NYT Bestseller Ruth Harris said it’s “Dark, twisted chick lit with a side of laughter. Plus celebrities, murder and and a smart-mouth nanny.” And Pay it Forward author Catherine Ryan Hyde said, “In The Gatsby Game, Anne R. Allen blends a perfect combination of witty, sharp narration, a plot that won’t let the reader go, and nuanced characters that evoke our caring. A genre novel that artfully transcends its genre.”

Island TammieThe Island of Secrets by Tammie Lynn Gibbs
What if you received a note of warning dated hundreds of years before you were  born? What if it was addressed to you?
A Time Travel- A Love Story  filled with Suspense-
A Mystery that will keep you guessing til the  end…


On An Island of Secrets one woman, two  men and a love that transcends time get a second chance to prevent history from  repeating itself.  But will love be enough to win the battle against time and  stop the force that’s kept them apart for centuries?

Believe in Me cover 040913Believe in Me by Mishael Witty
Reconciliations can occur. Broken hearts can be mended. If you believe…
Trina Gray leaves a stack of paperwork on her desk and heads home for the holidays. There’s just one slight problem. Her mother has invited her soon-to-be ex-husband, Walt, to spend Christmas with them. Walt’s presence sends Trina running to a friend’s house, where she runs into another ex—her old high school boyfriend, Kurt.
Trina and Kurt almost immediately pick up where they left off, and this is where the fun (and the questions) start. Will Trina and Kurt rekindle their young romance? Or will she repair her relationship with Walt, who keeps showing up at the most unusual times? Read BELIEVE IN ME to find out.
This is a “heartwarming tale” that has “tension, romance, and characters that are warm and believable”.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Cover Reveal - Heartbreak Cake by Cindy Arora

More cake

Cindy Arora's debut novel Heartbreak Cake is set for a late Summer release (US) and it sounds like one to check out.    I'm pleased to be part of Cindy's cover reveal. 

For more information and to get all the updates, check out Cindy's website http://cindyarora.com/ There's cake there too :)

Heartbreak Cake by Cindy Arora


Business is sweet for pastry chef Indira Aguilar. Her indie bakery, Cake Pan, is fast becoming the talk of the wedding circuit for its unique take on cakes and homespun creations for the modern bride, garnering national recognition and drawing in celebrity clients. But while her professional life is blossoming, her personal life is crumbling.

Indira may have a talent for blending buttercream into bliss, but when it comes to relationships, she’s got a lot to learn. Considering that the love of her life, Josh Oliver is not only married, but also runs the award-winning pastry department of her fiercest competition, Crystal Cove Resort, Indira puts much more at stake than just her heart when she ends her affair with him.

Rumors begin to fly as the small seaside community of Long Beach learns of her secret relationship, and Indira must defend not only her actions, but her wedding business and her reputation while trying to maneuver the choppy heartbreak waters of starting over, finding new love, and facing her past. With the support of friends, family, a fondness for butter, and a determined spirit, Indira may just bake her way back to happiness and possibly into the heart of Crystal Cove's dishy new chef, Noah. But one thing is certain. Where there's heartbreak, there must be cake.



Friday, May 17, 2013

FWM Alternative POV - not in the book :)

This excerpt has been making the rounds on blogs but what not many have seen is the same scene from Scott's point of view.    Enjoy!

Jared Leto - Kind of how I picture Scott :)



“You’re up, Scotty!” Luke chucked a five dollar note at me even though it was my shout.  
I threw it back at him as I passed and headed to the bar.  I was surprised to see Abby down on her hands and knees on the floor.    She was chatting away which seemed a bit strange,  and then I noticed some  prettyboy douche bag who was standing at the bar just pointing at the ground. Why the fuck wasn’t he helping her?   She had obviously tripped over, stuff had fallen out of her bag and he was a dickhead.   The guy looked vaguely familiar but I was more concerned about the obvious humiliation on Abby’s face.   Now I just wanted to punch him in his smug mouth.

“Don’t you know how to help a lady out?  Or are you just an arrogant turd?”  I glared at him and crouched down to grab some coins that were out of Abby’s reach.  I heard him mumbling something about a shit band as he shuffled off and I could only assume he was talking about us.   Yeah, whatever.  Ask the two hundred or so people who saw us tonight, idiot.  Keep walking.  Where the fuck have I seen him before?

 “Are you okay?” I asked Abby as I dropped the money into her purse.

She reached between my feet and picked up a condom.   “I don’t have this because I’m a slut.  I don’t actually…” she sighed with frustration and threw it back into her bag before turning to look at me. 

 She smelt sweet and fruity but I wasn’t sure if it was some perfume she was wearing or the wine she’d been drinking.     Her face seemed to redden even more and I had to admit it was pretty cute.  I wasn’t sure if she was digging me but was inclined to think it was most likely the embarrassment she’d just been through or probably the alcohol.  All of a sudden the only thing I could think about was that condom and how I could try to get to use it that night. 
 
“Hey Scotty, we’re dying of thirst over here.”  Fucking Nathan and his wonderful timing.   I stood up, pulling Abby up with me and she headed back to the table.


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Thank you Chick Lit Plus

I need to give a massive shout out to Chick Lit Plus for organising my blog tour for Flirting with Magick.   I had a wonderful time and the tour was extremely well organised and professional.  If you are looking for a blog tour organiser for your book, I can highly recommend Chick Lit Plus.  In case you missed it, links to the blogs are below.   

A huge thank you to the following blogs:


April 22 – Nina D’Angelo – Q&A & Excerpt
April 23- Suz’s Space- Q&A
April 24 – Kerri Williams –  Q&A & Excerpt
April 25 – Chick Lit Club Connect – Guest Post
April 29 – Novel Girl – Excerpt
April 30 – Baubles, Bubbles & Bags Style File – Excerpt
May 2 – Dr. Pepper Diva – Guest Post
May 7 – Storm Goddess Book Reviews – Review, Q&A & Excerpt
May 8 – Chick Lit Plus – Review
May 9 – The Phantom Paragrapher – Review & Guest Post
May 10 – Samantha March – Q&A & Excerpt
May 13 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Zanna Mackenzie - Author Interview and Book Spotlight

I'm so pleased to have UK author Zanna Mackenzie here with me today.  Zanna is the author of How Do You Spell Love - another book with a bit of a magical theme! 


Interview

Tell me about your latest book:
How Do You Spell Love? (HDYSL) is a contemporary romance with elements of mystery and a magical theme. It follows the story of friends Kat and Summer and how what they think they want in life and who they want to be with changes over the course of one summer. Kat is trying to get over the end of her relationship with Nathan whilst part of her is still convinced he is the guy for her. Then she meets Alex and starts to wonder where her future lies. Summer is trying to hold together her relationship with Rob but at a party she meets Kat’s cousin Tom and she too begins to question her relationships.

What inspired you to write this story?
One of my favourite authors is the talented Christina Jones who has written many modern romantic comedy novels with a deliciously light magical element to them. Her books involve spells and myths with herbs, plants, essential oils, crystals etc and I wanted to write something in a similar genre, so I created HDYSL. The magic in the book is only really in Summer’s half of the story, not Kat’s and it’s very light hearted – Summer only casts spells to try to help and she does so in a shed on her vegetable plot allotment!

Tell me a little about your Works in Progress:
I number my books so it is easier for me to keep track, so my current works in progress (WIP) are books 4 and 5. Book 4 is written and is now at editing stage. It’s a contemporary romance set in Derbyshire’s Peak District and centres on the inhabitants of a village which is a mecca for extreme sports enthusiasts. The main three characters are Faith who owns and runs a coffee shop in the village, and Zane who co-owns an outdoor sports centre with business partner Matt. It’s about the complex and developing relationships for each of them. Book 5 has a scene outline of about 40,000 words in place and I now need to go back through it and ‘fill in the gaps’ adding in the detail. It is set in Scotland and London and about the negative side of fame and how it impacts on relationships.

For any new readers who would like to read your work, please tell me a little about your past books. 
The first book I wrote is yet to see the light of day and is on my ‘to do’ list for a major revamp. Book 2 is called The Love Programme and is a romantic comedy set on a private estate in the Scottish Highlands, complete with castle and gorgeous laird. Lucy needs to get out of town for a while due to circumstances beyond her control (i.e. her ex walking out on his wedding to someone else saying that he is still in love with Lucy) and she ends up as part of a TV programme about the psychology of love being filmed on a Scottish Highland estate. She’s supposed to be sorting her head, heart and her life out whilst there but finds herself falling for the estate’s owner Paul who has a mysterious woman called Hannah in his past. Things get further complicated when her ex tracks her down in Scotland, wanting to win her back.

Do you have a favourite writing snack?
No, I don’t. To be honest when I’m writing I get totally immersed in my work and forget about food/drink/answering the door/feeding the dogs (no, just joking on that one, honestly, the dogs would never let me forget to feed them!!)

If a movie was made about your book, who would be in your ideal cast?
When I create characters I tend to do a detailed bio for them with lots of back story. To get a good visual picture of them in my head I tend to base them looks-wise on people I have seen on TV and have added to my ‘character inspiration folder’. Because of this system I can instantly say who my ideal cast would be because I would choose the actors my characters look like, which would be:

Alex – the actor Paul Walker (Fast & Furious, Noel)
Kat- the actress Keri Russell (August Rush)
Summer – the actress Rachel Hurd-Wood (Peter Pan)
Tom – the actor James Lafferty (One Tree Hill)

Do you have a character you’ve enjoyed writing the most?
I think in HDYSL it was Alex, for some reason I often prefer writing the male characters to the female ones. Alex was fun to create, he has a lovely sense of humour and is rather yummy too –OK, I admit, I had a bit of a crush on him!

What do you do for fun when you’re not writing?
Gardening, especially growing fruit and veg, walking the dogs with my husband, reading (of course!) and watching films.

What sort of books do you like to read?
All sorts, from Mills & Boon romance to chicklit, crime, mysteries, thrillers to witchcraft/magic stories, travel-lit to Jane Austen.

Do you have any advice for people wanting to write their own book?
Be persistent and believe in yourself and what you’re doing. Treat it seriously and commit time to your writing.

What parts of the writing process do you love and hate the most?
I love thinking up the plots, creating the characters. My least favourite part (though I don’t hate it) is having the patience to type up all of the book – I get super keen and want the book to be finished in an unfeasible length of time so I get a bit irritated when my fingers can’t type fast enough to keep up with all the plot scenes and dialogue whizzing round in my head, all keen to get down on the page.



 
How Do You Spell Love? was published in March 2013 by Crooked Cat Publishing.

Make A Wish…
Kat can’t help wishing there was more to life than this. What happened to her dream job? What happened with Nathan?
Summer is wondering where her life is going too… battling the developers of a controversial housing estate and working out why boyfriend Rob is increasingly distant.
When the developers win the battle and move into town everyone’s life is turned upside down.
Kat meets building site project manager Alex. She enjoys his company far too much, even though he’s on the town’s most hated list.
Summer meets Tom who has plenty of relationship troubles of his own, so things could get really complicated.
Soon everyone is keeping secrets, lives change and hearts are broken. Is everything falling apart, or does life just work in mysterious ways…

 
Excerpt

Kat pushed the last of the cottage cheese and shrimp sandwiches into the cool box and slammed the van door shut. As if her life wasn’t enough of a disaster zone as it was – no money, lousy job, losing Nathan, having to move back home to live with her parents – now this had to go and happen.
Cringing as a van full of builders stopped at the nearby traffic lights, Kat braced herself for the inevitable. After the standard-issue wolf whistles had drifted across from their van, next came the leered, “Wouldn’t argue with that, love!” as one of them nodded towards her sparkling clean van, parked neatly at the curb. The words “A Bit of Crumpet on the Road” emblazoned down the side in deep purple, glittery lettering. Not for the first time Kat cursed her boss Janice for calling her bakery-cum-deli that name.
Kat sighed, well it certainly drew comments from the public and from their customers, not always welcome ones, but as Janice was always keen to point out, any kind of publicity and attention was, in her eyes, good publicity and attention.
Pulling her navy and white striped apron more tightly around her T-shirt and shorts, Kat ignored the builders and climbed into her van to begin that morning’s deliveries. As she indicated to pull out into the busy street in Luisborough, she mulled over the bad news – that she was to add the controversial Netherton Meadows housing development to her daily sandwich round.
Netherton Meadows. Yippee. If Summer found out, she’d surely be ostracised for fraternising with the environmental enemy. This was a development that pretty much everyone in Luisborough had fought against for getting on towards a year. It had been the focus of STW campaigns. It went against everything that Kat believed in environmental-wise. Everyone hated the Netherton Meadows developers. Except, it seemed, Janice, who was perfectly happy to, in her words, ‘supply yummy builders with yummy sandwiches.’
Lost in thought, Kat just managed to spot the approaching traffic lights had turned to red and hastily slammed a foot on the brake. The van lurched to a halt and several boxes of crisps and one of the cool boxes in the back tipped over. It was shaping up to be one of those days.
Two hours later Kat had visited all her usual drops, was extremely hot and bothered, and could put off going to Netherton Meadows no longer.
Driving through the assorted vans, machinery and portacabins Kat parked next to a building marked as being the Site Office and hit the button on the dashboard. Tinkling chimes filled the air as Kat climbed from the driver’s seat and made to open the back doors of the vehicle. It was embarrassing enough that the van had the company name in large lettering along its side but, just to make sure that it received maximum exposure – and achieved maximum embarrassment – Janice had had some irritating chimes fitted to the vehicle too. Kat was under strict instructions to sound the chimes when she called at all of the sites where people came out to the van; such as they were about to at Netherton Meadows.
A man came down the steps of the office with a grin on his face and walked towards her. “Hi, you must be Kat.” He wedged a clipboard under his left arm and offered a hand to shake. “I’m Alex. Project manager for the site.”
“Hi,” mumbled Kat, spotting a group of hard-hat-clad builders advancing towards her with hungry expressions on their faces.
“Right, lads,” Alex turned towards the men. “This is Kat and she’s very kindly agreed to venture onto this site to bring you all your lunch. Don’t give her any hassle, OK?”
The men laughed and then nodded. “Sure, Alex. You’re the boss.”
Fifteen minutes later it seemed that all of the team at the development had made their sandwich, crisp and drink selections and sloped off to devour them in the sunshine. Only one of the builders, a portly man who must have been twenty years Kat’s senior, had pushed the boundaries a little, despite Alex’s earlier warning. As he’d selected a smoked salmon and cream cheese roll – a choice that had surprised Kat somewhat, having pegged him as a ham and cheese kind of guy – he’d asked Kat if she’d fancy joining him for a drink sometime. She’d politely declined his offer, saying that she had a boyfriend. No need to tell him that, technically, she and Nathan were no longer an item. No need to tell him why either.


About Zanna 

 
Zanna Mackenzie lives in the East Midlands in the UK with her husband, 4 dogs, a vegetable patch that’s home to far too many weeds and an ever expanding library of books waiting to be read.

Being a freelance writer and editor of business publications is her ‘day job’ but, at every opportunity, she can be found scribbling down notes on scenes for whatever novel she’s working on. She loves it when the characters in her novels take on minds of their own and start deviating from the original plot!

Formerly a travel agent and therapist (she has qualifications in clinical aromatherapy, crystal healing, naturopathic nutrition and herbalism) she loves walking the dogs and gardening – that’s when she’s not writing or reading!
Zanna has written two novels, The Love Programme and How Do You Spell Love.

Find out more about Zanna at:
Twitter: @ZannaMacKenzie

Monday, May 6, 2013

My Writing Life... and Cake Decorating

It occurred to me last night when I was trying to get to sleep that writing isn't actually my life. Should it be? Probably not.

My life is like a cake. We'll call it a nice, rich, moist chocolate mud cake. It includes my family - my husband who is also my best friend and with whom I get along with quite well on a daily basis and my three kids who, as kids have their days but really don't give me as much grief as they probably could, my friends, my other immediate family - mum, dad and brother, extended family, my house and how I'm trying to make it into a wonderful home.

Writing for me as much as I love it - I love using my imagination, creating stories and scenarios, developing irrational attachments to people I made up - is just the icing, and the decorating is what I could do with it. Now if there was no icing and decorations, if for any reason I stopped writing, it wouldn't affect the richness and goodness of the cake, but I'm sure it will be missed and eventually it will be added again.

If for any reason the icing doesn't quite work out as planned, for example, it doesn't quite come together, the end result still needs work, someone doesn't like it and gives it a bad review (wait, what?), or it simply just isn't right, other than the surface (loosely translates to me swearing and crying for a couple of days) the cake isn't really affected. It's still a pretty awesome cake.

Now my goal is to make that icing and decorating so beautiful and wonderful that it can only enhance the enjoyment of the cake. Because lets face it, who doesn't like a cake that has been presented as the best it can be.

Now I want cake.

*The above analogy really has nothing to do with cake decorating. In fact, I'm really shit at it. The cakes I make are usually quite yummy but the top is almost always either domed or sunken and the icing is just spread on and that's the end of it. I have tried but soon realised I'm much better off paying someone who is good at it to do it instead. I may one day try to gain some cake decorating skills but at this point in time don't have any solid plans to do so.

Case in Point

Mindcraft cake I made for Mr Paleo 2011



Plants Vs Zombies cake I ordered for Mr Maker 2012  (Diddlyscrumptious)

Brain cake pops to go with the Plants vs Zombies cake, also made by Diddlyscrumptious.  I'm sure they're a metaphor for something too but who cares?  They were amazing!