Better Sex for Everyone!
If that title sounds silly to you, keep reading. How many of you have heard of The Sinclair Institute and BetterSex.com? Neither had we. But turning forty (not gonna say when!) was a watershed transition in our personal lives, and the possibility of discreet help for libido, getting the juices going and increasing frequency rather than risk losing it all led us to a (then) tiny enterprise that offered resources for “Great Sex Over Forty.” Sure sounded good to me!
We ordered our first video. I’d watched porn before, so this wasn’t my first experience with naked bodies doing hot stuff on screen, but it’s hard to describe the difference when who you’re watching is just like you: middle aged, imperfect bodies being relaxed and comfortable and having a good time sexually. Oh, and looking like they were really in love with each other, too. I could identify.
Would my husband and I be writing erotic romance with juicy sex scenes aimed at arousing readers of either sex if we hadn’t found the Sinclair Institute? It’s hard to say, but we sure needed a jump start from somewhere. And that’s why we’re writing this blog today – with all the explicit and titillating hot sex thrown in our faces by advertisers, media, movies and yes erotica writers, there are still a lot of peeps out there who aren’t getting enough (or, equally troubling, aren’t wanting enough) and don’t know how to fix the problem.
Needless to say both our personal life and our fiction heated back up with a little help from the resources we accessed, and I don’t think either of us has ever looked back. We’ve shared this story at the risk of some embarrassment in hopes others who find libido waning or technique getting stale won’t be too embarrassed to seek similar resources. Bettersex.com is a great place to start. AskDanandJennifer is another one, and we’ll blog about it another day. And of course the two halves of Adriana hope our books provide similarly effective inspiration – as TwoLips Reviews remarked, they’re meant to be read with “either a partner or a bucket of toys close at hand.” Oh, and where to get those great toys? Here’s a link to a discount for first time customers at – you guessed it – BetterSex.com!
All Books available at Amazon.com
Guest Blogger Andrew Grey: Inspiration
As an author, one of the questions I get most is where do I get my inspiration. For me, I’m inspired by things and events all around me. They may be unique things, or everyday things that suddenly seem new. For my upcoming novel, A Shared Range, the story idea came to me as I was watching the Ken Burns documentary on America’s National Parks, specifically, the portion where the documentary discussed the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone. That brief scene sparked an idea, and I was up all night because the story kept flowing and I had to get it down. The entire Children of Bacchus series was inspired by a nineteenth-century bronze that stands in my dining room. I’d seen this piece for years, but a stray idea over Thanksgiving dinner turned into three novels and several short stories. Bottled Up and Uncorked were inspired by the opening of my brother’s wine store. 
The thing about inspiration that I’ve learned is that you don’t have to wait for it to strike—you just need to recognize it when it happens, and remember that inspiration is not a lengthy visitor. For example, I was attending a symphony performance at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. During the performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, I found myself watching the violinists and then I let my eyes close. That brief moment made me wonder what it would be like for a blind musician. On the way home from the performance, my partner graciously drove while I sat in the back seat, frantically scribbling the initial notes for what would become Love Means… No Boundaries. Yet, later that evening after dinner and conversation with friends, I stumbled back on my notes, surprised at what I’d written down, because as strong as the idea had been at the time, my mind and attention had moved on to all the other things that happened during the day. If I hadn’t made the notes during the drive home, I’d have lost the story. Instead, I got the character Robbie, who’s one of my favorites.
My favorite and most naughty bit of inspiration came for the gym series. Spot Me was inspired by one of the men at the gym. The inspiration for the character Gene is straight and a former college football player. He also has no idea that he inspired a story, and he’d probably kick my butt if he found out. The loud-mouthed character Lonnie in Spot Me, Pump Me Up, and An Unexpected Vintage was inspired by my workout partner of the same name. For the stories, I actually had to tone him down, because if I wrote him as he really is, no one would believe the character. Of all the characters I’ve created, he’s the one that most resembles a real person.
You can’t force inspiration, but by keeping attuned to what is around you, you may be surprised at the gifts of inspiration just waiting to be opened. So regardless of what your creative endeavors are, when inspiration strikes, grab hold and don’t let go.
Find my m/m fiction at: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/fictionbyauthor.htm#Andrew_Grey
Live Journal: http://andrewgreybooks.livejournal.com/
Web Site: www.andrewgreybooks.com
And on Twitter: http://twitter.com/andrewgreybooks
Where DO You Get Those Ideas?
Readers often ask us where the ideas come from for our characters and our story lines. Meghan Keenan was actually inspired by Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and desire. We updated her mission and gave her a contemporary setting: the bisexual Meg enjoys helping couples fall in love through sharing her sexual delights with each partner, then bringing them together. We thought this structure would provide lots of opportunity to create enticing erotic scenes!
So we had our character early on. Now, where to place her? We reached for a world we’ve known personally. We like to do this when we can, since we can provide depth and detail that’s harder to deliver when we have to research something less known to us. One of our kids grew up in community theater with Broadway aspirations and now lives in New York. Voila – Meg starts off as a twenty year old in a small Wisconsin town, makes her way to New York and becomes a successful actress, mostly working off Broadway, in road shows and on cruise ships.
We didn’t have to ponder long about where to set the finale to her story (finale for now, I have to add!). By ourselves and with family members we have spent magical days several different summers in the Red Rock country of Southern Utah: Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Cedar Breaks, the Kolob Fingers, Snow Canyon. We’ve watched the moon rise over the Kolobs, marveled at the petroglyphs in Snow Canyon, and thrilled to vintage Shakespeare and contemporary plays at a regional Summer Shakespeare Festival nearby. We hope you feel the magic as we propel the effervescent Meg on her way to her unique version of a happy ending.
Meghan’s Playhouse Book 5: Meg’s Folly just released today at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid and is available in print and e-book. An excerpt is available HERE.
Marriage Equality, Take #2
Judge Walker’s ruling overturning California’s Proposition 8 was issued this past Wednesday, and I find myself relieved but underwhelmed. What I thought would be a major victory for my son and others like him turns out to be just one of the seemingly innumerable hurdles that must be overcome. I am more frightened and weary than celebratory.
This is in strong contrast to my experience a mere sixteen months ago, when Iowa moved into the ranks of states supporting marriage equality. I was an enthralled participant in local rallies and blogged about it in these pages: http://adrianakraft.com/2009/04/04/proud-to-be-an-iowan/.
The people and organizations that oppose marriage equality seem powerful and hate-driven. The rhetoric is so repulsive to me I can hardly stand to read it. Two days after the ruling, a Republican who lost the primary race for the Iowa gubernatorial nomination announced he would organize to unseat the three Iowa Supreme Court judges who are up for retention in this year’s election. “If the judges can do this to marriage, every one of your freedoms is up for grabs,” he said during a news conference Friday.
So I find myself of like mind with Diane Silver, one of the bloggers over at The Bilerico Project. As she so eloquently puts it, Judge Walker and the lawyers who argued the case for repeal of Prop 8 “can only move the ball down the field. They can’t actually save us. The only people who can save us is us and our straight allies.” There is work to be done.
Letting Go
It’s really hard to say goodbye! We’ve known this person for half a decade – laughed at her antics, thrilled to her triumphs, cried with her tender moments and agonized over whether she’d ever open herself up to true love. She always seemed so focused on everyone else, eager to help them embrace life and find a soul mate. Sometimes she seemed so wise about these things it was hard to believe she’d never fallen in love – but each time a relationship ended, it was easy to see why: she’s famous for pulling a disappearing act instead of hanging around for the heartfelt goodbye.
So now, nearly five years since she first came to life on our pages, Meg Keenan’s saga is ending, and hubby and I, who write together under the pen name Adriana Kraft, have to say goodbye to her! I’ll miss her, that’s for sure. When I finish the galley edits on her final episode (which I should be working on instead of writing this blog!) it’ll be the last time I plunge myself into her moment to find the precise word for what she’s feeling, or scan her surroundings to let the reader know what she’s seeing, or look into the eyes of her latest flame and try to get his (or her) grief on the page as Meg exits stage left.
Meg’s Folly, Book #5 in the Meghan’s Playhouse series, will be released in print and e-book at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid on August 15. We’re thrilled with the cover we just received from artist Kendra Egert, who’s created so many fabulous covers for us. We’re excited for readers to finally see Meg find happiness of her own! Here’s a peek at what’s in store for her:
BLURB
When Meghan Keenan’s old flame Josh Hendricks unexpectedly shows up at the Summer Shakespeare Festival where she has a leading role, Meg has a brilliant inspiration: he’ll be perfect for Camila, the hot Latina who currently shares Meg’s bed. If Meg’s scheme works, she can continue to enjoy sexy escapades with both of them.
Josh has a different idea. He’s come to the Festival with one goal in mind: to marry Meg. Will Camila buy into the plan and help him spark Meg’s jealousy? Can Josh escape this tempting triangle unscathed? And if he does, can he claim his would-be bride before she flees in panic?
Here’s an excerpt from the opening scene:
“My bed is already crowded.” Meg Keenan gave Josh Hendricks, her longtime friend and sometimes lover, a smile certain to perk his interest. That he’d arrived at the Sumer Shakespeare Festival wasn’t exactly a surprise—even though he wasn’t directing his contemporary comedy, he had written it. But it would’ve been good of him to let her know he was coming out. Last she’d heard, he was still ensconced in a theater guild in London. If she’d known, she might’ve planned a surprise or two. Meg always enjoyed surprising Josh. She inhaled sharply. Maybe she did have a surprise for him.
“I wouldn’t expect otherwise,” Josh said, his mouth widening into a grin. “I can’t remember you ever being without at least one partner. How many this time? What gender or genders?”
“I’ll always make room for you, Josh.” Meg sighed and squeezed Josh’s knee. They sat on the grass in the Green Show area where she’d been rehearsing a routine. Spying Josh leaning against a shade tree waiting for her had seemed quite natural. “It feels like you’ve hardly been away.”
“It’s been nearly eighteen months,” he said, taking her hand in his. “You could do better with e-mail.” Josh chuckled. “I was pleased to hear you had the lead here for the summer. Josette and Zach send their love. She tells me she’s trying to get you to join her theater workshop as a full partner. That’s quite the opportunity.”
“I know.” Meg winced. “I’m not sure I want to. That much responsibility might tie me down too much.”
Josh’s eyes sparkled. “When I was your pirate on the cruise ship, you didn’t mind being tied down.”
She dug her fingernails into his palm. “That was different. I wanted you to ravish me, and you didn’t disappoint. God, can you believe it, I’m nearly thirty and I still don’t know what I want to do with my life.”
Josh arched an eyebrow. “You could marry me and have a bunch of kids.”
Meg laughed easily. “I’m not joking. I like my life the way it is. I’ve been able to work on and off Broadway, Vegas, cruise ships, and summer theater like this. Yet,” she drew in a deep breath, “sometimes I feel like I’m just flitting about.”
“Spreading your good cheer,” Josh quipped. “I suppose you still revel in being matchmaker.”
“Of course. That’s my calling.” Meg flashed an eyebrow. “Maybe it’s your turn. You show up out of the blue, and I have just the girl for you.”
“No way.” Blood drained from Josh’s face.
“Why didn’t I think of this sooner? Camila was born for you.” Meg hurried on, ignoring Josh’s protest. “She’s a UCLA grad student doing a summer internship here. I rented her a room in the big old house I’ve leased for the summer. You and she have so much in common. Her goal is directing, but she’s a playwright and an actress.”
“I’m not interested.”
“She’s gorgeous. Her roots go back to the Spaniards who settled much of California. Camila is about a half a foot taller than I am with a body made for loving.”
“So she shares your bed.”
Meg smirked at Josh’s suddenly husky tone. He wasn’t totally disinterested. “Of course she does. I wouldn’t hook you up with someone I haven’t tried out. You’ll find her to be a lot of fun and very passionate. She often cries out in Spanish when she comes. I’ve threatened to get a Spanish/English dictionary.”
“I’m quite fluent in Spanish,” Josh volunteered, raking a hand through his dark brown hair.
“A perfect match,” Meg cooed. “You’ll love Camila. And if you and she become a couple, I’ll still be able to party with the two of you now and then.”
Swinging – The New Monogamy?
…so someone at work left it on the table in the lunch room, and when I saw the cover I just had to pick it up and read it: A wedding cake with three figurines gracing its top – one bride, and two grooms! It was the June/July issue of Psychotherapy Networker, and the lead article bore the title “The New Monogamy.” I’ve posted the cover – you can catch the article HERE.
Dr. Tammy Nelson, the article’s author, is a licensed psychotherapist and sexologist whose book, Getting the Sex you Want, is highly recommended. In this article she’s exploring the changing definitions of monogamy and infidelity.
Why would that matter to me as an author of erotic romance? Hubby and I are writing characters caught up in the excitement of the world counselors are just coming to recognize as possibly healthy and valid. Dr. Nelson has talked with a number of couples who confirm they get together with other couples for sex dates. The sample she describes is fairly young – couples whose children are now school age, and who want to “rekindle a youthful sense of adventure, sexual excitement, and desirability” while remaining committed to each other in their primary relationship.
Most of the swinging characters we’re writing are somewhat older – at mid life, their nests are emptying – but their purpose is much the same. We, too, have talked with a number of swinging couples, as part of the research for our Swinging Games series. The individuals we’ve spoken with range in age from mid twenties to just over seventy, though most are over forty. They’ve turned to swinging for a variety of reasons. Often, the female partner (like the lead character we invented for our series) has begun to realize she has bisexual interests, and swinging is a safe way to explore those that both partners can enjoy. Others, including many who remain het in orientation, love the thrill of the chase (and being chased).
The persons we’ve talked with report the same phenomena – they are surprised and gratified by how their mutual sexual adventures enliven and recharge all aspects of their relationship. Feeling desirable, knowing your partner is highly desired, watching your partner give and receive exciting sexual experiences, learning more nuances about giving and receiving pleasure, trying out new ideas and techniques, voyeurism (especially at clubs and parties) and the thrill of more than one pair of hands giving pleasure in threesomes or foursomes are just some of the benefits couples tell us about.
Of course we’re not saying couples should or shouldn’t try out swinging to spice up their relationship – but if you find these fantasies enticing, we do recommend reading together some of the available erotic romance novels centered on swinging. Enjoying an erotic romance together is a safe way to experiment and reap at least a few of the benefits reported by couples we’ve spoken with. Here are some links to get you started:
Swing, an anthology edited by Jolie Du Pre
Swing Pointe by Kissa Starling
The Big 4-Oh by Beth Wylde
Swinging Games by Adriana Kraft
An added bonus – the body jewelry vendor listed below just found me on Twitter and gave me her links. She carries some great Swinging jewelry – all of it non-piercing, not just for nipples:
Nipple Rings from NippleCharms.com
Non Piercing Body Jewelry. All the pleasure & no pain.
Use Code Adriana for 10% Discount!
You can find all my books at Amazon.com
It’s Release Day!
Our latest lesbian erotic romance story is being released today at Torquere Press in the Toy Box anthology Tattooed Ladies! This is a new publishing house for us but one we’ve long admired, and we’re thrilled to be part of its author roster. Everything about producing the book has been extremely professional and timely. I was especially impressed with the editing, having worked as an editor for some e-pubs in the early days. Each editorial suggestion improved the story and tightened the writing. The goal is always to keep the writing from getting in the way of the flow, and this editor was marvelous.
The story is close to our hearts on several fronts. It’s about tattoos – something I never would have ventured into if an earlier character hadn’t led me there – and hot f/f romance, something both of us love to read and write. Plus we love body paints, so that’s what we wrote. Here’s the blurb:
A Bucket List Tattoo
Just past fifty and freshly divorced, cardiac nurse Natalie Gardner decides it’s time to create her personal bucket list. On the top of her list? A tattoo – but she’s nervous about the pain. Maybe Cindy McGraw, the hot young physical therapist she often lunches with, can help her out. Next on her list? It may be too much to hope for, but she’s definitely angling for more than tattoo advice from Cindy. Would a taste be too much to ask?
Check out the Torquere Yahoo Group for a brief diary entry from Cindy McGraw – she’s even giving away her recipe for homemade edible body paints, just like the ones she uses in the story. Here’s a brief excerpt to give you a tantalizing taste:
EXCERPT
Lying on the massage table, Natalie tried not to scrunch away from the tickle of Cindy’s brush, her soft fingers, or her warm breath. Equally, she resisted wrapping her arms around the petite woman and hugging her tight. The last fifteen minutes or so had to the most torturous of Natalie’s life. Cindy had said she was nearly finished, but that must’ve been five minutes ago.
“There.” Cindy straightened and grinned. “It’s adorable, if I do say so myself. Let me get you a hand mirror and you can see for yourself.”
“Wow! You did that? It’s beautiful.” Natalie thrust out her chest. “It’s too bad no one will see it on my breast, but it’s wonderful. I hope what Mel does will turn out so good. Maybe I’ll have to have a second one on my shoulder so I can at least show it to people. But…” Her eyes watered. “That is so lovely. Do we have to take it off? How long will it last?”
“Not long. Remember, these paints are edible. The colors will run and fade when you shower, but the point was to let you see what a tattoo would look like.
“I know. I just don’t like the idea of destroying your handiwork.”
“I see a smudge I didn’t take care of.” Cindy wet her finger and slid it along the stem of the flower, which extended down the slope of the breast.
Natalie sighed, placing a hand on Cindy’s shoulder. “You have such a soft, light touch.”
“I can’t get it right without getting it wetter. Hope you don’t mind.”
“Oh.” Natalie peered down to see Cindy’s tongue sliding along the flower stem. She steadied her breathing. This was it. She knew it. They both knew it. It was her call. “I don’t mind at all,” she moaned, lacing her fingers in Cindy’s hair. “You have such a wonderful, playful tongue.”
“Super,” Cindy murmured. “I’ve wanted to play with this nipple for the longest time.” She tugged on it with her teeth. “Tell me if I’m too rough.”
“I will, trust me.” Natalie bent over to kiss the top of her lover’s head. “That feels so good.” Reflexively, Natalie pressed against Cindy, encouraging her to suck more of the breast, and she readily complied. “Don’t stop. Your mouth is so warm.”
“Umm,” Cindy moaned at last, lifting her head to smile at Natalie. She leaned into her and slanted her mouth across Natalie’s. Their breasts crushed between them.
And of course we’re sure you’ll enjoy the other two stories in the collection: “In My Skin” by Beth Wylde, and “Lipstick Prints” by Kissa Starling
Tattooed Ladies: A Taste of f/f
Imagine a sexy redhead just recovering from her divorce who’s got a crush on her much younger massage therapist – a woman with several tempting tattoos in just the right places. Hubby and I imagined exactly that and had a wonderful time getting “A Bucket List Tattoo” on the page for our story in the upcoming lesbian erotic romance anthology, Tattooed Ladies, scheduled for release July 21 at Torquere Press in their Toy Box series.
I have to confess it was one of our characters (Merry Delaney, in The Merry Widow) who actually inspired my first tattoo, and yes, it was on my bucket list. I blogged about it at MySpace the spring I got it (May, 2008). So tattoos are close to my heart, and what better than designing a trio of lesbian erotic stories around that theme? Beth Wylde is to be credited with the inspiration. She’s collaborated with Kissa and me on earlier projects so when she invited us to participate we were all in. Here are blurbs for our three stories:
Lipstick Prints by Kissa Starling
An online baker’s site provides an introduction for Tessa to Maria, a bisexual wife and mother. Their friendship builds through daily discussion, phone calls and eventually an in-person meeting. That moment in time becomes a catalyst for change in Tessa that she never thought possible.
In My Skin by Beth Wylde
Melissa is a tattoo artist whose girlfriend has a serious phobia about needles. Kendra finally decides to confront her fears and let Melissa tattoo her but just stepping into her lover’s shop leaves her shaking. Will Melissa be able to pull off the impossible and put her name in Kendra’s skin? It’s going to take some smooth moves and fast talking to get it done.
A Bucket List Tattoo by Adriana Kraft
Just past fifty and freshly divorced, cardiac nurse Natalie Gardner decides it’s time to create her personal bucket list. On the top of her list? A tattoo – but she’s nervous about the pain. Maybe Cindy McGraw, the hot young physical therapist she often lunches with, can help her out. Next on her list? It may be too much to hope for, but she’s definitely angling for more than tattoo advice from Cindy. Would a taste be too much to ask?
Ask the Sex Expert!
Do you think of yourself as an expert? Apparently Mr. Tweet thinks I’m an expert in Erotica – here’s the message he sent me a couple months ago: “Hi Adriana! You are invited to the Erotica community because members nominated you as an expert they’d love to hear from.”
Sounds enticing! I’m happy to claim being an expert on many aspects of sex and erotica – what turns me on, what fantasies I can’t resist, what I love to read – and these are the elements my husband and I take pains to put into the stories we write under our pen name Adriana Kraft. We hope you find them as entertaining and tantalizing as we do!
If you’re tempted to turn some of those fantasies into reality?? Hubby and I aren’t the experts here, and we don’t run an advice column, but we’ve found the perfect source for you: Ask Dan and Jennifer! Have you run into them? I found them on line when we were talking to friends about Swinging Games, our Extasy series on the Swing Lifestyle. I Googled some swing terms to demonstrate the range of what’s out there – and up popped a video of Dan and Jennifer explaining how one half of a married couple could start the conversation about swinging without being threatening or scaring the other partner into the next universe. Very nicely done, I might add!
So we thought it would be fun to give our readers a taste of some of the expertise Dan and Jennifer have to offer. Here’s one of my favorites: How to find your swinging comfort zone:
Here’s a little more about them, from their website: “Ask Dan & Jennifer is a very popular and respected Love & Sex web show, advice column, online magazine, and relationship support community.”
Their mission? “We will answer your questions openly, honestly, and without bias or judgment. Question Everything! Our mission is to help people create conscious relationships based on love and acceptance rather than fear, jealousy, anger, and ownership. It’s time to move on from outdated ideas about love and sex.” Sounds a lot like our mission, and we heartily applaud!
Check out some of their hottest topics:
How To Enhance Your Sex Life – http://bit.ly/aNnk3G
First Time Sex Tips – How To Lose Your Virginity In Style – http://bit.ly/b8gV82
A Little Sexual Tension Can Be Just What A Relationship Needs http://bit.ly/bRPCD9
1,001 Best Places to Have Sex #172: In the Closet at a Friend’s Party – http://bit.ly/ce11Zn
How To Give A Woman Her First Orgasm (Video) – http://bit.ly/bC0AzI
Fun Sex Games To Try With Your Partner – http://bit.ly/9MIqPI
Bondage Basics – http://bit.ly/cYXPcc Including Video & Pics!!
One Way Successful Couples Make Love Last – http://bit.ly/bAJdef
Where to find Dan and Jennifer:
Website
YouTube channel
Dan and Jennifer TV
Dan and Jennifer on Twitter
Have fun and play safe!
Guest Blog: Amanda Young
Hi everyone. Adriana was nice enough to invite me to come here and share my experience at a recent slash convention with you all. Thanks Adriana!
To start, I should probably introduce myself. That would be good, right? Nothing like reading a blog and having no clue who it is you’re reading about. My name is Amanda Young and I’m a writer. I’m published through Amber Quill, Excessica, Lethe, Loose id, and Samhain. Most of my stories these days are gay erotic romance, although I have a few het stories floating around here and there as well. I’ve been writing since 2005 and am still trying to figure out this wild and crazy business.
So anyway, I had the pleasure of attending my first slash convention this month. CON.TXT was held at Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza in Silver Spring, Maryland (right outside of DC). It was a lovely hotel. 
Vincent Diamond and I drove up on Friday and arrived late, thanks to traffic on the beltway. Man is that road a mess. We set up for the following day, popped in for the disco duck dance and met a few very nice people (including author A.R. Moler), ran out for a quick bite to eat, then called it a night.
My table at the Con.
On Saturday I got up bright and early and headed downstairs to the main convention room. I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination, so vast quantities of caffeine were needed. After a slow start, people started wandering in and introducing themselves. I was fortunate enough to meet a lot of very nice people and talented authors. Dreamspinner Press, JCP Books, and Torquere all had tables at the event. I met Andrew Grey, Clare London, and TC Blue. Here are a few pics of Andrew Grey, AR Moler, and Clare London.
Afterward, I had dinner out at a fabulous Thai restaurant right down the street with a large group of con-attendees and then retired to my room for the night.
Sunday was a brisk, but entertaining day. I sat around and chit-chatted most of the morning, before heading home early. All in all, it was a great, laid back weekend. I’m looking forward to attending again in 2012, when CON.TXT returns.
For more information about Amanda Young, please visit her website: www.amandayoung.org
