This week I won’t be blogging much or at all.  If I can get online, I may check in, but that’s really iffy.

So tomorrow, if all goes well I’ll be boarding the plane for Orlando, and the Romance Writers of America Conference. (I hope–we’ve had some ill family members, but I’m thinking positive!)

And I really like this plane in the picture! I’d fly him!

For any of you looking for me in Orlando, I will be at the RWA Literacy signing on Wednesday night. I think that’s from 5:30 to 7:30.   And I’ll be at the Ballantine signing Saturday morning morning 9 to 10:30.

Please stop by and say hello!!

This weekend was mostly prep work, hanging out with Wizard, casting a few spells to aide family members in getting and staying well. Oh and I bought new shoes that will cripple me (more than I already am!) to wear at conference.  Wizard said, “Why????”  Then I put them on, and he liked them, LOL. Still–will they be worth the pain and blisters?

Oh and I read Kate Carlisle’s THE MILLIONAIRE MEETS HIS MATCH and loved it! Next up is Maureen Child’s CLAIMING HER BILLION-DOLLAR BIRTHRIGHT. On the plane, I think I’m going to read Nalini Singh’s BONDS OF JUSTICE.

So how was your weekend?

So I dragged myself to a mall yesterday. Good news! I scored two dresses (for the National Readers Choice Awards and the Ballantine Cocktail party at the RWA Conference) and three shirts.  For me, that is amazing!

I also had lunch with Wizard.  He heard I was out and about and had to see this for himself that:

A) I actually left my computer.

B) I tried on and bought stuff instead of getting frustrated and leaving with nothing  (my standard operating procedure).

C) Nothing “odd” had happened to me.  I have no idea what he means by that.

He was so impressed, he let me buy him lunch. Sadly, I fell for it, not realizing until later that I’d been had. He should have bought me lunch!

So after lunch, I was feeling pretty proud of myself! I only had one more thing I needed–the second dress. I went in and out of shops and eventually noticed something…

I WAS SETTING OFF ALARMS EVERY WHERE I WENT.  Every single time I went in a store or left it, loud warning beeps blared.

No one stopped me.  No one said a word. Finally I ASKED a sales clerk. We looked in my bag, and the first dress I bought still had the plastic security thingie on it. I had to go back to the original store and get it taken off.  I’m standing there holding the receipt saying, “Don’t you want to see that I really bought it?” The clerk smiles, glances at it, and says, “I know you bought it.”

At home that night, I told Wizard. He burst out laughing. “You can’t even get arrested!”

“I could if I wanted to!”

He just kept laughing.  I ‘m glad I’m going to Orlando next week! Away from Wizard! I won’t miss him…okay I will, but I won’t tell him! And maybe I’ll get arrested there. That’ll teach him.

And Wizard, if you’re reading this, YOU OWE ME LUNCH!

So…what did you all do yesterday?

Man it is hot here! The summer heat has finally hit Southern California! And yesterday, I went all over looking for the last bit of clothes I need for conference and FAILED.

I do not take failure well. I should have stayed home, swam and read!

Oh and speaking of reading, I read an AWESOME book over the weekend.  This book won’t be released until February 2011, but it is going to be HUGE. I was blown away. And of course, it’s about witches! The book is:

VISIONS OF MAGIC: An Awakening Novel by Regan Hastings.

This book has it all: romance, adventure, witches, magic and immortal hunks.  It’s the whole package. I’ll be telling you more about this book as we get closer to the release date. And I’m sure we can get Regina to blog here with us.

As you guys know, I’ve been working on having this website expanded (all done, yay!) and I’ve been clearing other stuff off my desk. Soon I’ll start on a new Wing Slayer Hunter Synopsis for my agent and publisher to see if there will be any more books. I know a lot of this next story, but one main thread is eluding me.  For once, I’m not worried about it…probably because the upcoming RWA conference is distracting me.

Your turn now–how was your weekend? And are any of you going to the RWA Conference?

That would have been me. Just as I was trying to find a good hunk fail candidate on the Internet late yesterday afternoon, my electricity went off.

For hours.

I was a witch without power! My magic wasn’t much help either!

So…instead I’m posting the picture of a “Wedding” cake that I thought was hilarious!

Guess he was a Hunk Fail! Am I the only one who thinks this is funny?

Hope you all have a great weekend! (I’m reading an freaking-awesome book that I can’t wait to talk about next week!)

I’m moody. I hate being moody! So I’m heading off to the gym (I think) to shake it off.

So my weekend–Wizard came home early on Friday, we went to the movies and saw GROWNUPS. Wizard’s choice He laughed and I laughed at him so a good time was had by all.

Saturday I met a couple author-friends at Starbucks then we went to the bookstore, which of course is the perfect start to any Saturday! Then we went to our local RWA chapter meeting.

After that–work.  It seems  I’m not getting much time to read, which is frustrating, but I have bought some books!

BRANDED AS TROUBLE my Lorelei James.  I did read this one and wowzer–it’s hot! (It’s an erotic book published by Samhain)

VAMPIRE MISTRESS by Joey W. Hill.  I don’t think I’ve read anything by this author so I’m looking forward to it.

THE MILLIONAIRE MEETS HIS MATCH by Kate Carlisle. This is Kate’s first Desire book, you might know her as the author of the mysteries HOMICIDE IN HARDCOVERS and IF BOOKS COULD KILL. I can’t wait to read THE MILLIONAIRE MEETS HIS MATCH.

CLAIMING HER BILLION-DOLLAR BIRTHWRIGHT by Maureen Child.  I love all Maureen’s books, but she has a new series coming out next year that I am over-the-moon excited about! I will be telling you more!

and finally, I bought:

COLBY CONTROL by Debra Webb. Deb is on my MurderSheWrites blog, and I’m so excited to read this book! This is her Harlequin Intrigue about her wildly popular Colby Agency series that I have heard so much about. All these books are basically stand alone but have reoccurring characters, so I’m starting with her latest COLBY CONTROL.

Okay that’s it for me. How was your weekend and what books have you bought lately?

So yesterday was the photo shoot. First, I’d like to thank my friend and photographer Michele Cwiertny! She really made the shoot easy! Michele is a very talented writer and photographer (plus being young, pretty and smart).  I wanted to grab a picture of her from another site but forgot to ask her permission.  So I’ll do that when I show you all some of the shots once they are all fixed up.

Michele said she got around 90 shots to choose from.  Amazing!  I had no idea she took that many.  Hmm…wonder if she has any she can use for blackmail?

We went to a park with hiking trails and a bit of wilderness. I climbed over a hip-high wood fence and trudged through a foot-deep bunch of dead leaves (I got a pedicure for this???) and finally found a good spot by a massive old oak tree. Michele started shooting, and I looked up…

A FREAKING HIVE OF BEES IS IN THE TREE!!!

Holy Cauldrons! We hi-tailed it out of there! I think I leaped over that fence! In heels! Michele missed that shot, LOL!

The rest of the shoot included wild bunnies, a brief panic about possible poison oak,  a curious walker with his dog and lots of laughter. Then we went to lunch.  Over all it was a great day!

If Michele sends me any amusing but not too horrible outtakes, I’ll post them

Oh and NIGHT MAGIC is now on Amazon! No cover or info yet, but it’s there!

I’m back!

I finished writing/editing Key’s book and sent it in on Sunday.  I worked long hours this last month to get this book done and in.

And my reward?

Monday!  The three boys, Wizard and I were out at the pool with Bailey.  SO MUCH FUN!

Here’s Bailey when we coxed him on a raft:

Then Bailey swimming to the steps:

I also got awesome pictures of my sons jumping super high…but I can’t post those, darn it.

Do you ever have just one of those perfect family days? We BBQed hamburgers for lunch, swam all afternoon (there may have been some gin and tonics going around) and then had sirloin tip and chicken for dinner.  Oh and chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookies!

How was your weekend? Did you guys get Monday off? Let’s all catch up!