Mediumship To Go by Debra Glass - Now Available from The Lotus Circle

Mediumship To Go
Debra Glass

Would you like to be able to communicate with your Guides and loved ones on The Other Side? According to medium, Debra Glass, everyone has the inborn ability to access the spiritual plane.

Through simple exercises involving meditation, creative thinking, automatic writing, dream work and other techniques, the author teaches how to become open to the spirit world and how this communication can enrich your daily life. You will discover how to get in touch with Guides and how to ask higher level questions to obtain the best answers and guidance possible.

Whether you’re seeking to develop your skills as a medium or simply looking to enhance your own intuition, with Mediumship To Go, you can immediately begin contacting those on The Other Side.

Click here to buy Mediumship To Go.

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"Debra Glass...will change not only the way you look at mediumship, but the way you look at yourself as well."
Joe H. Slate, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist and
Professor Emeritus, Athens State University

More Sex (And Then Some) - The Difference Between Erotica and Mainstream Romance by Debra Glass

As an author for Ellora’s Cave, I’m often asked, “What’s the difference between erotic romance and mainstream romance?”
My first response is usually to arch an eyebrow, wink, and explain that the sex scenes are more graphic and, of course, more frequent, throughout the story. This hot genre is not your grandmother’s brand of romance!
Today’s woman is hungry for more. She understands and embraces the fact that sex is very much an emotional experience for women and she wants the characters in the books she reads to reflect what she knows to be true in her own life.
Many modern readers are frustrated when the bedroom door is slammed shut on the love scenes. Now, they want those doors thrown wide open. They want to see—not only into the characters’ heads but into the experiences of their bodies as well.
But while the language and sex scenes in erotic romances are more abundant and explicit than what you find in a mainstream romance, the assumption that this is the only difference between the two genres is not exactly true.
Ellora’s Cave has even coined the term Romantica® to define their particular brand of erotic romance as, “a work of literature that is both romantic and explicitly sexual.”
In erotic romance, as in mainstream romance, authors use the sexual relationship between the hero and heroine to propel the story forward to demonstrate character growth and satisfy the reader with a commitment between the characters. Erotica writers, however, use more graphic language, describe more sexual positions, acts, and sometimes employ the use of sex toys, vibrators, dildos, or even sensual spankings, blindfolds, and handcuffs to take the love scenes to a different level.
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School director, Sandra Lieblum says, “The important sex organ for women is between the ears.”
In this passage from my historical erotic romance, Restraint, notice how Catherine’s physical reaction is triggered by the sexual awakening of her thoughts.
(Copyright © Debra Glass, 2008 All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.)
Her stomach tightened when she thought about what they’d done—when she imagined what they would do next. Desire flooded her abdomen.
She had never dreamed she would want to explore this dark side of her nature. She had grown up with strict parents and the topic of sex had been taboo. Her parents had never even kissed in front of her, much less touched.
With a twinge of shame and horror, she recalled the talk her mother had given her regarding sex. She’d sat wide eyed while her mother had described men as nasty, sex-starved beasts with horrid penises.
Catherine had not thought Thomas was horrid. Not at all. However, she was shocked she had wanted him inside her.
Sexual yearning spiraled downward in her body. She had wanted it more than anything and she would have done anything—said anything—to have him.
Sex therapist, Dr. Allegra Skye writes, (romance is an) “empowering, feel-good genre fiction written primarily by women for women. In these novels, women fight for the love of a good man and refuse to settle for anything but a healthy marriage. That’s a positive message.”
Erotic romance has evolved into a genre which is designed to empower women. Therefore, it’s no surprise Borders reports that erotic titles have seen a double digit sales growth since their stores began carrying the genre in 2004.
“Romance novels are the secret erotica of American women. These books describe what women want. The heroines are very strong and very feminine. And surveys have found that women who read romance novels have sex more often and enjoy themselves more than women who don't read them,” says author, Phyllis Curott.
But what makes a story erotic?
Certainly, the love scenes in erotic romances are explicit and involve sex acts that would be considered taboo in mainstream romance, but the difference doesn’t stop there.
While magazines like Playboy have existed for men for many years, women’s fantasies have often been either tailored to men’s sexual desires or ignored completely. Erotic romance finally gives women an outlet to indulge their own fantasies and to explore female desires in a way that puts women in charge of their sexuality. At the same time, erotic romance employs more realistic, modern terminology and imagery than mainstream romance creating a more realistic feel within the genre.
Author Belle Scarlett (The Woodsman-Ellora’s Cave) finds erotic romance a refreshing respite. “As a grown woman who is in charge of her own sexuality, I find the frank talk and openly expressed, intense emotions that occur between the consenting adults in erotic romance to be more realistic, stimulating and satisfying than coy or obscure sexual references I was used to seeing in mainstream romances. Naturally, everyone has to find their own comfort level as readers and writers of romance, but for me there's an immediacy and visceral, exciting urgency to erotic romance that puts the fun right back into the genre on the whole.”
Here’s a taste of one of the erotic romance scenes between Sir Marrok Ulfang and Lady Lily Rouge in Belle Scarlett’s, The Woodsman (Copyright © Belle Scarlett, 2008 All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.):
“Touch me, Lily.” Even he couldn’t tell if his words constituted a command or plea. “I think I shall die if you don’t put your hands on me. Now.”
To his surprise, she obeyed and tentatively raised her hand to lay her small palm against the heat of his chest. He sucked in a breath as her fingers began to trace the hard lines of his body. Her touch grew bolder when he groaned his encouragement.
“Aye, lady. Yes. Explore me. My body is here to please yours.”
He shifted his weight more fully on her, so her lower body could not help but be impressed by the hard bulge between his legs. Inflamed by the passionate little touches of his beginner lover, he ground his bare pelvis more intimately into hers and found, to his delight, that her undergarments were crotchless, made that way, so he supposed, for the convenience of the privy.
But her undergarments could not have been designed more usefully for his purposes. He nudged the wide tip of his cock through the open muslin seam and gently pushed himself against her wet opening, testing her.
She was drenched with her own arousal juices. He reached down, shifting his penis a fraction to make room for his hand. He drew his fingers lightly through her sopping wet folds, and felt her shiver of excitement.
He inserted just the tip of his finger inside her snug pussy and found he’d made her more than ready for her first time. She arched against his hand and gasped. He was satisfied she would feel pleasure, not pain, at his first penetration.
He never broke her gaze when he raised his hand, coated with dew from her pussy to his lips. Slowly, he licked his fingers clean. He closed his eyes, blissfully savoring her clean, womanly flavor as though it were a priceless delicacy and he its connoisseur.
Buy link: http://www.ellorascave.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=9781419916342
Reviews for The Woodsman have praised its evocative, arousing love scenes in the context of a lush retelling of the well-known fairytale, Little Red Riding Hood.
Women who read erotic romance often draw on these scenes to enhance their own sexual experience during intercourse within their relationships. Combining pure fantasy with well-written sex succeeds in creating an erotic world into which readers can escape.
The focus of erotic romance is to satisfy women readers who are hungry to be stimulated by a physically and emotionally gratifying story. And since there is a plethora of love scenes in erotic romance, in Restraint, the touch of a hand or a even a kiss becomes far more intimate than the actual sex act itself.
(Copyright © Debra Glass, 2008 All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.)
The bed sank as he sat on it. “I am going to spend the entire morning teaching you to kiss.”
A surge of disappointment welled through Catherine. She had never before been kissed. Not on the mouth anyway, she thought with a wry grin. It couldn’t possibly be as satisfying as the way he had kissed her yesterday.
She felt him stretch out beside her and then cool silk caressed her skin. A silk banyan? Silk pajamas? But again, she was disappointed. She wanted to feel his skin against hers.
She had been right. He was tall. One of his long legs slipped over hers, his knee between her knees, his hard, thick, silk-encased thigh draped over hers.
Tender fingers swept her hair off her face and trailed down to trace the line of her jaw, her chin. Catherine’s breath stopped in her chest. She tried to swallow but she couldn’t. And as he lowered his mouth to hers, her heart pounded so hard she could hear her pulse in her ears.
His lips merely grazed hers. Catherine wanted more. She lifted her chin and parted her lips. His shallow, fast breaths feathered her face. Was he as affected by this as she was? She only hoped so.
And then his mouth was on hers, raining expert kisses, biting, drawing her bottom lip into his mouth, sucking. She had never imagined a kiss could be so powerful!
But there was more. Much more.
His mouth opened and his tongue delved between her lips, searching, teasing. Cool fingers encircled her throat. He was trembling.
Timidly, Catherine touched her tongue to his and then responded with reckless abandon, fencing, mating, kissing him as if she had kissed dozens of men. This was no ordinary kiss. This sensation sent waves of desire spiraling straight to her loins. She arched, wishing, hoping his fingers would find that special place and send her once more to that perfect oblivion.
But he did not. He only kissed her mouth, her cheeks, her forehead. She turned her head to grant him greater access when he kissed her ear, nibbling her earlobe, his breath hot, tickling her. She arched underneath him and sighed audibly when he rained kisses down the curve of her neck. She had never dreamed she would be so sensitive there. And although this was more wonderful than she had ever imagined it could be, she wanted more.
Buy Link: http://www.ellorascave.com/AuthorsBooks.asp?AuthorCode=DGla
Erotic romance uses sex—a lot of sex—to propel the story and characters toward their goals. And like mainstream romance, every love scene has to be relevant to the story and must show character growth. Nothing is gratuitous.
However, the love scenes in erotica evoke a much more contemporary view of a woman’s sexuality, even in the context of fantasy, paranormal, historical, or futuristic romances.
Author Maureen Caudill sums it up nicely. (Erotic romance) “is the most feminist of all literature because it’s the only form of literature where woman are guaranteed to win and come out with an emotionally satisfying finish.”


About The Author
Debra Glass’ previous experience as a medium inspired her interest in writing Alabama ghost stories although she’s also got a passion for spine‑tingling paranormal romance. Since 2002, Debra has written several books on regional folklore and has had numerous articles published in Fate Magazine and various Civil War magazines. Now, she’s delving into steamy erotic romance with her Phantom Lovers series which debuted with Gatekeeper, in April 2008. Other books in the series include Shadowkeeper (August) and Watchkeeper (October). Her book, Mediumship-To-Go, is an upcoming non-fiction release in the metaphysical To-Go series from The Lotus Circle.
Learn more about Debra at http://www.debraglass.blogspot.com/ .

Lifting The Veil - Debra Glass Unearths 13 Facts About Ghostly Heroes

Paranormal romance is as hot as ever and what’s sexier than a shadowy and mysterious ghostly hero? Ghost romances can be anything from sweet and humorous to dark and deliciously Gothic. However, authors can face a challenge when they undertake the difficult task of making a ghost the hero of their romance novel.

Not only does the ghost’s physically challenged state present logistical problems for the author but it is difficult to bring the story to a happily ever after conclusion that will satisfy the reader.
As a medium, I’ve had my share of paranormal experiences and was inspired by one especially phenomenal encounter with the ghost of a Civil War soldier to begin my Phantom Lovers Series (Ellora’s Cave) which debuted in April 2008, with Gatekeeper.

But as the series progressed into the third installment, Watchkeeper, featuring real-life pirate, Stede Bonnet, I had to come up with new ways to create that all-important happily ever after ending which is a must in romance.

I carried my heroine, Gwendolyn Wyse, to a bed and breakfast in romantic Charleston, South Carolina, where she’d hoped to rekindle the flame in her cold, unresponsive husband. What she didn’t expect were divorce papers—or her husband’s untimely death.

The plot took a twist when Gwen had to rely on her background as a witch and her knowledge of magic, to bring her husband back from the dead. Instead of her husband a swashbuckling spirit answers her call—Stede Bonnet who died on that very spot three centuries prior and who now wants possession of her husband’s body.

Certainly, ghost romances carry an element of fantasy which lures us to the other-worldly escape of paranormal stories in the first place, but adding components of truth to your ghost romances will help to make your ghostly heroes solid multi-dimensional characters in turn, grounding your stories for readers who have had first hand experiences with ghosts. According to a Harris Poll, conducted in 2003, fifty-one percent of Americans believe in ghosts. Of the women polled, fifty-eight percent believed in the existence of ghosts.

As a medium, I strive to educate as well as entertain my readers about ghosts and spirits. So, in order to make my ghost heroes believable, I relied heavily on my knowledge of spirits from my personal experiences with those on The Other Side.

Base your fiction in fact and you’re sure to create fascinating and realistic ghost heroes which will carry your readers on a magical journey into your stories!

The following are thirteen facts about those enigmatic, mysterious spirits.

1. 
   Ghosts are earthbound entities. While ghosts are souls who are trapped on the earth plane for varied reasons (Sixth Sense, Ghost), spirits choose to return to here to offer guidance to the living. An example of a returning spirit might be a Spirit Guide or a protective spirit known as a Gatekeeper. Often souls you have known in other lifetimes (through reincarnation) offer their assistance and companionship to the living. An earthbound spirit might be someone who has chosen not to go to The Other Side or who might not even know he/she is dead!


2. 
   Ghost and spirit are not interchangeable terms. Ghosts are earthbound souls who have not transitioned to The Other Side. Spirits are those who have transitioned and can travel between dimensions at will.


3. 
   Ghosts do need our assistance to cross over to The Other Side. If you’ve seen Medium, then you know the ghosts on the show need Melinda’s help to make the transition to The Other Side. A ghost still feels the gravitational pull and energy of the earth and is trapped here by it, unable to cross over. A grounded, living person has the ability to connect the dimensions of heaven and earth, to release the ghost from this pull, thus offering a path of Light for the ghost to follow to The Other Side.


4. 
   Ghosts don’t all have unfinished business. Ghosts will linger on the earth plane for a variety of reasons. Some certainly do have unfinished business—an insurance policy that lapsed before death leaving behind a struggling spouse, a foundering business or helpless family member left behind, hidden wealth. Others don’t feel worthy, for whatever reasons, to move on to The Other Side. Some simply choose to remain behind because they enjoyed life. A heinous, untimely death is not a pre-requisite to becoming a ghost. Remaining on the earth plane is merely a matter of choice.


5. 
   Ghosts don’t have to die in a place to haunt it. One of the most common inaccuracies about ghosts is that a person had to die in a certain place in order to haunt it. Ghosts and spirits have free will and can travel at the speed of thought. Both can visit any places they choose whenever they choose.


6. 
   Ghosts and spirits can communicate with anyone. The dead can appear to or communicate with anyone. No special abilities are required. You do not have to be a powerful psychic or gifted medium, open to spirit contact, or even to believe in ghosts in order to have an encounter. The most credible and stunning accounts of paranormal phenomena come from non-believers. Nevertheless, ghosts and spirits are more attracted to those who are receptive and to mediums whose energy they recognize as being approachable.


7. 
   Ghosts and spirits use our energy to appear and communicate with us. Ghosts and spirits are made of the same stuff our souls are made of—energy. Conversely, they communicate through thought energy. They project a thought—or rather, a concept—to a living person who then incorporates and translates it within their own being. For instance, there is nothing magical or inherently evil about tools such as the Ouija Board. The dead simply blend their energy with ours to move our hands on the planchette in order to pass messages to us.


8. 
   Ghosts and spirits know what we’re thinking. Again, the dead communicate via thought energy. You’ve heard the adage that an animal senses fear. Ghosts and spirits pick up our emotions in much the same way. Their emotions are much more intensified than ours and they feel love, fear, anger, sadness, to a much greater degree than we mortals. Since they are no longer in bodies and lack the luxury of ears, they read our thoughts and feelings rather than our spoken words.


9. 
   Ghosts and spirits can appear as solid, living people. Although most movies depict ghosts as translucent, effervescent beings, when they appear, they more often than not show themselves the way they looked when alive. Ghosts are not quite as brilliantly colored as a living person however, they are not see-through. They are three-dimensional, in color, and they appear much like an image on a faded photograph. Ghosts can appear either full bodied, as only a trunk and head, from the knees down, or any combination of the afore mentioned. Throughout history, ghosts have appeared either clothed or unclothed. In my book Skeletons On Campus—True Ghost Stories of Alabama Colleges and Universities, I include a story about Bart at Athens State University who often appears completely nude to female co-eds. Although Bart is a bit of a prankster and certainly appears naked on purpose, other ghosts or spirits might not have control of how they present themselves.


10. 
    Ghosts can appear during the day as well as at night. Ghosts and spirits are not concerned with the time of day and/or the lighting. Darkened rooms for séances are for the benefit of the living. I’ve also heard some psychics claim that ghosts and spirits can only see candlelight. Since they no longer possess eyes, I beg to differ on that point.


11. 
    Ghosts communicate with the living in a variety of different ways. Aside from sending messages through thought energy, ghosts and spirits can work with the living through various ways and tools to communicate. They can sometimes produce audible voices. They can write through the hand of a living person through a technique known as free writing or automatic writing. Of course, the Ouija board is a well known method of spirit communication. Ghosts and spirits often employ electronic voice phenomenon where they produce an audible, understandable voice using white noise on a radio or by digital recording. Spirits can communicate via pendulums—any object suspended by a chain or ribbon which the spirit manipulates by either spinning or swinging the object one way for “yes” answers and another way for “no” answers. And of course, there is trance mediumship where the spirit enters the body of a living person (usually an experienced medium) and speaks through that living person.


12. 
    Ghosts and spirits can touch a living person. Spirit energy feels much like the static energy of a computer screen or a television screen, but a spirit or ghost can physically and indisputably touch a living person. Most spirit touch contact is comforting in nature but there are reported cases of disgruntled spirits scratching or slapping victims and leaving visible evidence behind. The Bell Witch, a poltergeist who haunted the John Bell family in the early nineteenth century in Tennessee, left ugly whelps and handprints on the daughter’s face and body. The ghost threatened to kill John Bell himself and he later mysteriously died of poisoning. John Bell’s death is documented in the Tennessee State Records, curiously attributing his murder to The Bell Witch. It is the only such case on record in the United States.


13. 
    
    
    Ghosts and spirits can have sex with the living. It’s true. Several people have reported sex or sex-like responses to ghost and/or spirit lovers. Ghosts have sex with the living by blending their energy with the living person’s to elicit sexual responses in that person. Those who’ve experienced this phenomenon describe it as “out of this world sex,” and “different than with a living person yet the same”. I included such an encounter in my second Phantom Lovers paranormal romance, Shadowkeeper. Although I do not advocate inviting spirits to have sex with you, such encounters can and do happen. Often, these visitations occur at night, sometimes in a dream state or upon falling asleep or awakening when the human consciousness is open to communication with those on other planes of existence. Sexual experiences with ghosts are more of a melding of souls than actual physical sex however the brain assimilates and interprets the energy as sexual, thus eliciting physical responses, even to the point of orgasm.
    

Hopefully, these facts have dispelled some of the mystery surrounding ghosts. By incorporating the truth about ghosts and spirits interspersed with the flight of an author’s imagination, ghostly heroes will entertain us for a long time to come—if the spirit is willing…

Learn more at the blog Debra shares with fellow intuitive and author, Elissa Wilds, http://themagickallife.blogspot.com/.
Suggested Reading: Mediumship To Go by Debra Glass, Jasmine-Jade Publishing, Akron, OH, 2007, 2008. (release date tba)