The pre-RWA party has already begun over at eHarlequin. If you surf to here and register/sign in, you can go to the Superromance Readers’ Party discussion where Ellen Hartman is hosting a trivia game with prizes. It’s a great way to get in on the excitement of the national conference, even if you’re unable to attend. Besides, guess who’s up right now?

Even though I don’t leave for San Francisco until Monday, I’m packed and pretty much ready to go. I’m sooo looking forward to seeing everyone again! But I am going to miss my high school reunion while I’m gone. Twenty years. Can you imagine? I’d love to have gone, too. I missed the last two that were held.

The question came up the other day that everyone was cleaning their houses before they left (they obviously haven’t seen mine!). I would LOVE a clean house, but I don’t see it happening before I leave, not with all the junk from my still screwed up office leaking out into the living room and dining room. I usually try to clean before I leave because I hate coming home to a disaster (which is what’s happening this time around–yikes!)

Are you a pre-vacation/trip cleaner or do you leave the house as is?

Kay

Since my last post was about shopping, I thought I’d continue the theme today with–online shopping.

I live in the country. The nearest shopping mall, small though it is, is 45 minutes away. The larger one? An 1 1/2. It’s 2 hours to Cincinnati, 2 to Columbus. I live, literally, in the middle of nowhere. LOL Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my home town(s), but when it comes to the conveniences of shopping etc, they leave a lot to be desired. Which is why with gas as high as it is, I went back-to-school shopping the other day–online. I didn’t dare try to buy jeans or pants but shirts and hoodies were safe. We received them yesterday (free shipping!) and combined with the sales, I don’t know that I’ll ever trudge through the mall with two complaining kids unless I have to. We still need jeans… but Old Navy is usually our one stop shop for that.

What about you? Some of you admitted to being shopaholics like myself. Do you shop online?

Kay

I love to shop. Yeah, it’s true. Shoes, purses, clothes, household stuff. You name it, I can shop for it. I think in another life I was a personal shopper. Can you imagine getting paid to shop? I think that’s one job I could handle.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t buy just anything. I’m spending my money here which means I have to absolutely LOVE something before I buy it. Well, today I found a couple must buys because they fit my criteria of being comfortable, on sale, really cute, and–did I mention they were on sale? LOL

So what about you? Where are your favorite places to shop? What do you like to shop for? Are you a shopaholic or do you hate to shop? What’s your favorite recent purchase?

As to the winner of this week’s earrings? Judy F.!!! Judy, please send me your shipping information and I’ll get the earrings in the mail to you this week.

Don’t forget! If you’d like a chance to win a pair of my handmade beaded earrings, all you have to do is post a response to one or all of the blogs posted from now until next Sunday evening. Good luck!

Kay

So, a neighbor went into a grocery store men’s room a few days ago, opened an unlocked stall and found himself facing another naked man who’d crammed himself into the corner of the stall and was… waiting. The shocked neighbor excused himself and got out of there, but the incident has everyone wondering… If the man was waiting for a lover/hookup, why not lock the door until said hookup showed up? Yeeeeah… The general thought is that the man was waiting on a kid to push open the door to use the bathroom. How scary, how utterly, utterly terrifying, is this?

Recently in my area, there was also a man arrested for dressing up like a woman and entering the ladies’ room with his camera phone.

I nearly had my purse stolen once while I was in the restroom. I’d made the stupid mistake of setting my purse on the ledge there for just that use. Well, a woman entered the stall next to me, tried to get my purse by going over the top of the stalls and slipped off the toilet seat and made a splash. Didn’t slow her down, though. Realizing she was about to get caught, she took off running and got away. Lucky for me my purse was small and she wasn’t able to get it.

Which brings me to my question… do you feel safe when you shop? Feel safe going to the bathroom alone? Just wondering if I’m the only one here thinking a shopping partner is a good idea.

Kay

So, for those of you heading to San Francisco in a couple weeks, I have a little fun planned. I just ordered T-shirts (quanities limited!) that say I (heart) Nick Tulane. They’re roomy and comfy and nicely designed, and great to wear to the Superromance Readers’ Party, the eHarlequin PJ party or while you’re lounging around in the lobbies and bar with your friends or touring SF. Here’s the thing– quanitites ARE limited so it’s first come first get. The people who make a point to find me at RWA National and ask for a T-shirt get them (while supplies last!). BUT, if I see you WEARING the T-shirt during the conference, you’ll get an EXTRA PRIZE.

Sound like fun?

As to my WW weigh-in last night. *sigh* I gained. It wasn’t much but it was enough to make me totally depressed. I joined in December and I wanted/believed I’d have made my goal by now. I’ve gotten so close a couple of times, then I go and blow it. Like I said, my gain wasn’t much at all, but I wanted to have hit that goal before now. I haven’t been keeping my journal and we’ve been eating out a LOT. That’s not helping. I’ve gotta get back in the groove of things. Any tips?

Kay

Recently one of my chaptermates received THE CALL from a major New York publisher. I asked her to write a note about the experience and share it with us because I can’t WAIT to read it. I love historicals and this sounds like a great one. So now…. here’s Lisa!

Welcome, Lisa!!!**************

The Call

How many months or years has the average writer waited for that moment? For me, it was about 4—years, not months. And during that period, I must have gone over that moment a thousand times. What would I say? Would I faint? Would I make a total idiot out of myself? Would it happen while I was still young enough to hear the conversation?

When the call came on Tuesday June 24, I did surprisingly well. A quick glance at the caller ID gave me a second to catch my wits, as I hit the button to speak with Leah Hultenschmidt of Dorchester Publishing.

She introduced herself then said, “I’ll bet you forgot you’d even queried me with TEXAS HOLD HIM.”

I had but was too bowled over at the moment to respond intelligently. I think I said something ridiculous about aliens or Elvis, which thankfully she overlooked. Apparently, she had just had the opportunity to look at the partial I had sent her a year and a half previously and had been impressed. She’d taken it to the senior editor, Alicia Condon who had requested the full of THH as the result of a contest win. Alicia looked it over and was also impressed.

At that point Leah added, “You’ve impressed quite a few people here.” Obviously, they had not heard my references to Elvis.

She told me they wanted to buy TEXAS HOLD HIM at which point I told her I was excited and I would have my agent get in touch with her. We chatted for a moment longer then I hung up the phone and squealed. Not too loudly, just enough to scare the painter who was repairing the devastation in my home as the result of a water leak.

And then the phone calls began. I called my agent (of course) then my husband, my mom, my critique partner, my cousin, my friends, my dentist, my hair dresser, my mailman, the lady down the street with the limp and the three legged dog—okay, maybe not all those people, but you get the picture.

Within two days, I was already talking to Leah about cover design and marketing plans and had a list of adjustments she wanted for the manuscript. Not really revisions, nothing that drastic, but some clarifications on a few plot points. It took two weeks before my feet returned to the ground and when they did, they returned running. If it weren’t for the advice of my published friends, I probably would have gone crazy with questions.

Now I’m ready for the rush of activity needed to get a book onto the shelves. It’s exciting, intimidating, and a little overwhelming, but I figure Elvis and I will do just fine.

Lisa Cooke
Humorous Historicals
TEXAS HOLD HIM Dorchester Publishing, April 09

Kay here, check out the sig line! Isn’t it wonderful?! Mark your calendars and remember to look for that book in April! Thanks for hanging out with us, Lisa!

A friend emailed me to let me know HIS SON’S TEACHER was featured in this month’s Inside Romance, a Harlequin newsletter sent to bookstores etc featuring their new releases. Why was it in there? Because they interviewed the model chosen to portray Nick. I was shocked! LOL The guy has sandy brown hair, not black. It was apparently darkened for the cover. (Thank goodness since all the Tulanes are known for their dark, dark hair!)

Anyway, if you’re interested in seeing Nick (snort–like you don’t want to see a gorgeous model? ) surf to Inside Romance.

As to the winner of this week’s pair of beaded earrings? Cheryl C! Cheryl, please email me via the contact Kay link with your shipping instructions. Congrats! I hope you enjoy the earrings!

Kay

Believe it or not, the tile in my office is down. Yay! The dh got it finished the other night and I scrubbed and wiped to get it cleaned up. It’s gorgeous! But, in redoing my office, I realized I really want and need a new desk. I have a monster desk that collects clutter and junk when all I need is a narrow, functional writing desk. Something smaller that will give me more room (my office is small and PACKED with stuff. Books, paper etc.) But, I want a ‘pretty’ desk. Any suggestions? I like more traditional styles, older, antique-y looking woods and stones and have checked out Henredon, Habersham and others. They’re gorgeous, but sooo expensive. How do I get the look of old world country without the cost. Help?

Kay

So, I went to my WW meeting last night, hoping for a loss but not that hopeful because I’d gotten on my scale at home. Usually my scale at home is about one pound heavier which meant, while I hadn’t gained, I hadn’t lost either. But, I got there, weighed in and wanted to jump up and down because I was down 2.2 pounds—which put me back at my 25 pound loss. Weeeeee!!!!! Vacations nearly killed me and I felt horrible after going and eating and gaining, but I’m back to what I was when I left. Only 5 more pounds to go until I reach my goal. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…

How about you? Anyone else out there in Weight Watchers or dieting? Come on, post! We can keep each other on track. Are you walking? Exercising but not dieting? Post that, too. I don’t get on the treadmill nearly as much as I should (and not once since vacation ) but I know I have to. I just haven’t gotten back in the groove yet. How do you exercise when you don’t want to exercise? Where does the energy come from?

Kay

I’m blogging at Cigars today and giving away a prize so I hope you’ll stop by there and post. Don’t leave me hanging!

Thanks for recommending books/authors, too. I have some reading to do! I LOVE Susan Elizabeth Phillips and some of the others mentioned. SEP is my hero. LOL When I grow up I want to be able to write with the same level of skill. Ahh, dreams….

I’m also heading off to San Francisco in a couple weeks for RWA’s national conference. Have any of you ever been to SF? Can you recommend things to do? See? I know we’re heading to Fisherman’s Wharf and China Town. Suggestions?

K