Guest Author - Dianne Venetta

So glad to be here!  Thank you, Wynter for inviting me to blog this week.  Hopefully you'll still be happy upon your return. J  Never know what kind of trouble these guest bloggers can get into while the home blogger is away…especially with the mood I've been in!

I've been discussing guilty pleasures of late; a topic that is oh-so-appealing but oh-so-troublesome!  When there's guilt involved, you can be sure trouble is right behind.  Whether it's my guilt over that second brownie or third scoop of ice cream, the trouble to my thighs is sure to follow.

Or how about that sprint to the mall? It was more of an "I-had-to-get-out-of-the-house escape than an I-had-to-buy-something-new kinda spree which is never good.  Impulse buys not only ding the wallet but they attract all sorts of unwanted looks from your husband. 

Followed by the questions.  "What do you need with that?  Don't you have enough skirts? How many pairs of jeans can you wear at one time? Don't we have enough dishtowels?"

"It's an herb keeper and it will save money by keeping our herbs fresher, longer.  Now that you made me return to work part-time, I need more skirts.  One—obviously—but jeans shrink (really, it's the dryer—not me). And no, you can never have enough dishtowels."

Didn't even try to explain to him how cute these particular towels were or how styles change when it comes to jean fashion.  He simply wouldn't understand.  Speaking of things he wouldn't understand, one of my secret guilty pleasures is reading yummy books (the likes of which I wouldn't let my husband see the movie version!).

Yes, I'm talking bodice rippers, sexy contemporary flings, erotic romance...  You name it, I'm reading it. Funny, isn't it? How we humans are still engaging in the same types of behavior all these centuries later; tearing into clothes, tearing off clothes, passing time enmeshed in passionate lovemaking…

But allow my husband such spicy reading material? Well, isn't that what he has me for? :)

Oh—is that what he's for, too? But he's never ripped my bodice before and for good reason—those things are expensive! My last trip to the mall proved as much, though he has yet to see that little gem.  Though he did slip those fishnets off with without incident…

I'm sorry.  Am I revealing too much?  Dang if that isn't the problem with indulging in guilty pleasures—eventually one can get caught!

Perhaps I should stick with the exorbitantly priced glass of wine. You know, the Chardonnay that tastes like butter with a hint of oak and apricot? Or how about the Cabernet that rolls over the tongue with a rush of blackberry and tannin, followed by a smoky finish?

Hmmm...  I'm craving one just thinking about it. Can't usually afford the good stuff but  I do like to splurge on occasion. And by the way, splurging is good for the soul, kinda like purging, only better. By releasing pent-up desire, you don't allow it to fester. Festering of any kind is icky and highly undesirable. Get it out of your system. And stay healthy!

Now how's that for clever rationale?  Works for me!  Now I think it's time to get back to the old work-in-progress and start putting some of these "clever" ideas to work on my next novel.  How about you?  Any guilty pleasures you want to share?

There's a free copy of my debut novel in it for you!  Simply leave a comment on today's post and you'll be entered to win a free copy—print or ebook—of my recent release, JENNIFER'S GARDEN.

In a race against time, cardiologist Jennifer Hamilton is caught between her mother's dying wish and taking the risk of a lifetime with Jackson Montgomery. He's the man hired to complete the landscaping for her new home; the venue for her upcoming wedding. Jackson's everything she never wanted in a man, but as the job progresses, his lure pulls strong. It's an attraction she cannot deny.

And one that puts her career on the line.

Jennifer has some decisions to make, choices that pull her in opposite directions. Her best friend Samantha Rawlings is pulling her toward new horizons yet her traditional mindset resists. And then there's Jackson.

Personally, I'd follow him anywhere!  In fact, I could use a personal landscaper.  When not whacking away at the keyboard crafting my next novel you'll find me in my very own organic garden, chasing grasshoppers and plucking hornworms all while crafting wild analogies between kids and plants and men.  Definitely men.

A girl's gotta have fun, right?

You bet.  With guilt or not. J