I’m reading slower than usual–long days at the computer! I finished STRORM FRONT by Jim Butcher. I really enjoyed the wizard Harry Dresden. I’m going to have to get more of these books. Margaret, you were right!

Right now I’m reading  YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I HAUNT by Terri Garey. How cool is that title? I’d have bought it on the title alone, but a couple friends also recommended this author.  I must read her backlist too!

Okay that’s it for me. What about you guys? What are you reading?

I married an accountant. We call him The Wizard.

Why? Because he makes us! LOL! See years ago, The Wizard and I challenged another couple to a game.  The four of us picked several stocks and we all tracked them. The Wizard put the stocks into a spreadsheet…okay never mind. Yeah, we are THAT exciting. Anyway, we picked names for this game (oh stop laughing…it really was fun!) and my husband picked The Wizard. And for the record, he won the stupid game.

He wins everything. We played couple’s Bunko for a year or so, and he won all the time there too.

However I feel compelled to point out that The Wizard has not won LOTTO! At least not a big one. He’s won a few dollars, but come on Wizard, put that magic to use and win the big one!

Anyway…I was going to tell you about a conversation with The Wizard. I figured I’d give him a name instead of just the husband, or the one he really hates, hubby. So on weekend mornings, we make breakfast and chat. We’re sitting there talking, and he says.  “Your birthday is on a Saturday.”

“How do you know that?” My birthday isn’t for a while and I haven’t looked to see.  So I’m wondering why he has.

“I was flipping through my calendar at work for all my deadlines.”

I groaned at that word. DEADLINE makes me shudder right now.  “I haven’t even looked to see what day my September first due date is on. I don’t want to know. I just want to focus on the book.”

The Wizard grins at me. “Don’t worry,  Jen. If your late on your due date, they’ll just perform a cesarean.”

I stared at him in horror. “Like they’ll just cut me open and pull the book out?”

The Wizard laughed, thinking this was hilarious.

I’m having nightmares of editors chasing me with really sharp knives.

So how was your weekend? By the way, I saw THE PROPOSAL on Saturday and loved it!

How shocking was yesterday? Both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson dying.  We all expected Farrah’s passing, but I sure didn’t expect Michael.

I’d like to talk about Farrah.  I first saw her on that brand new show, CHARLIE’S ANGLES when I was fourteen. My dad had just died, we moved to a new state and my mom wasn’t doing well coping with the loss. Most of the time I was alone.  My two brothers and my sister were adults with lives of their own. I distinctly remember watching that show,  and how Farrah Fawcett fascinated me, both her character on the show, and the woman fighting to succeed in a male controlled career (and world) . The show was ground-breaking with it’s female leads as strong characters. Sure, now the show is kind of silly, but at the time, it was truly was ground -breaking.

Then after the first season that catapulted Farrah to massive success, she quit the show. Again, shocking. But that was Farrah’s decision and she stood by it, fighting for her beliefs. She continued that kind of courage right through her entire life, from the movies she chose to her final battle with cancer.

Farrah Fawcett gave me hope in a time when my life was very dark. She showed me that a woman could be strong and fight for what she believed in. That was a powerful message for a fourteen year old girl dealing with grief, loneliness and the usual teenage self image issues.

So for me,  I’d like to lift up an appletini to Farrah Fawcett:  To A live Well Lived. May You Rest In Peace.

SOUL MAGIC has a new publishing date!

SOUL MAGIC is now an October 2009 release! The actual “on sale” date will be September 30th!

This is great news! I’m thrilled that BALLANTINE (Random House) decided to move up the pub date

Can you all help me spread the word??? It’s going to take a little time to get the information changed on the blog and the various places like Amazon etc….and we really want to get the word out!

Okay witches, your turn–what’s your good news?  Share anything you have from new jobs to good books you’ve read! I want to hear it all!

Oh, and not to worry, tomorrow I’ll put up the Wing Slayer Worthy Blog

I got very little writing done yesterday and this is the reason why…

This is Bailey. He’s a really cool Minature Doberman, and cute as a bug. He belongs to my son. I played with him too much yesterday…but seriously, how can I resist?

So that was my distraction–what’s yours?

Okay, it’s Friday, it’s time to let off steam! Right? What is your Anger Management Class Button?

I’ll go first. This one is a total personal quirk. There’s a reporter on a local news station who I call Comma Guy. Actually he should be named Run On Sentence Guy. But still he talks in Commas, doing this weird pause, then going on  and I just can’t get past it. I’m not kidding. He’ll report on a story like this: (I’m making up the story but not the way he talks, I swear!)

“The woman, who never realized how lucky she was go have an artificial leg, when confronted with the the cougar, managed, by a dint of surprising bravery, to fight the cougar, with her artificial leg, and knock the cat senseless, and, while doing that, preserve the environment by not using the pepper spray, which her son had given her on Mother’s Day…”

And just when you think the sentence is over–

“…the son, who gave his mother the pepper spray, was also with his mother but, because he accidentally cut his finger, had to run to the car for a bandage, and when he got back…”

And by now,  I’m yelling at the TV. The reporter makes me insane. My husband too. The poor reporter has been on the news for years, and others probably love his down home style. Me? I turn the channel before I track down this reporter and yell at him about the proper use of commas. And lecture him about run on sentences! Then I’ll be arrested and sent to anger management!

So you guys have any weird quirks like that could get you sent to anger management or is it just me?

I don’t even know how many pages I wrote yesterday, but I ended up frying my brain, unable to come up with a blog.

So I’m doing Stupid Witch Jokes instead.

Q: Why do witches wear name tags?
A: So, they would know which witch is which!

Q: How do witches tell time?
A: With a witch watch.

Q: What do you call two witches living together?
A: Broom-mates.

Q: What does a witch ask for when she is in a hotel?
A: Broom service.

Q: What did one witch say to other when she asked for a lift?
A: “There’s always broom for one more.”

Q: When do witches cook their victims?
A: On Fry Day.

Q: What do you call a witch who lives at the beach?
A: A sand-witch.

If you feel like it–vote for your fave witch joke!