My Recent Comments

Yeah, Amy, you probably shouldn't take your babies' rooms yet.  They'd miss them.  Or else they'd end up sleeping under your feet and poking you with action figures at war!

Holly, I don't really want my girl to go.  I'm the mom who'll be clinging to her ankles as she tries to escape.  I imagine I'll have to bring in someone to vacum up the hysterical sobbing puddles when she moves out.

Marcie, glad I'm not the only one overwhelmed by the sheer number of posts!  I'm not backing down, though! 

Beth and Jeannie, I always mean to wear the shoes ahead of time, but I never get around to it.  Kudos for follow-through!  Jeannie, sounds like we share footprints.  When I run down the sand at the beach, you'd think Fred Flintstone brought the fam from Bedrock!

About the packing--I'm taken aback.  Usually, I'm heaving stuff at the gaping bag as we're supposed to be on the way.  Too much work travel over the years.  Mind you, and this would be too much info, I don't know how many times I've opened said bag only to find I've left out the all-important undies!

Hugs to all the heat-afflicted.  We're in bad air quality and huge humidity to go with 90s.  Although today is cooler than forecasted by about 10 degrees.  And suddenly we have rain forecast for every day.  In fact, the thunder has begun to rumble already.  I love summer lightning!

Roz, hugs on the doggie.  What a horrible thing.  I can so see you chasing it down to offer assistance.  And I hope they patted your back for you while you were sick.  We need a hug icon.

Y'all are already packed for National, and I'm stymied for something to wear to a dinner the beloved just sprang on me.  Will someone come order my life for me? Must go seek clothing.

I fall behind again because this room is so chatty!  I wish our Ronda hadn't gone on vacation so that I could just attach myself to one of her catch-up posts.

Tasha, so sorry about the suicidal deer.  My cousin has had that happen more than once.  (She avoids that road at dark now.)

Congrats to all on the shopping/dancing/packing/planning to pack prep for National.  I can't wait to hear how it goes.

Susan, I was just in Staples to replace the flash drive I lost on my own vacation.  I did not see giant Post-Its.  How giant are we talking?

I love my daughter, and I don't want her to move, but I have to say, I've begun to pause as I pass her room--with a tape measure.  My desk would go here.  The bookshelves there.  She has the best window in the house.  I still don't want her to move, but she may come home her first weekend free from college and find her stuff has somehow transferred itself to the guest room.  I don't know how.

I've promised a friend I'd see Mama Mia with her because everyone else refuses.  I'm sorry and shamed to admit that ABBA seems a bit like a do-it-yourself lobotomy to me, but I'm steeling myself, and after all, Pierce Brosnan...

Nice to see everyone again!  Just in case I get intimidated by the post numbers again, all the best to all the conference goers!

I'm so pleased for you.  Hoping this is the first of many!

Can't wait to read it! 

Anna

Writers must share the same hair.  Mine just explodes in humidity.  I'm really excited because my daughter found a great stylist, and I'm putting my head in her hands.  Otherwise, it's down for part of the day--doing what it pleases--and up for bedtime so that people don't lie on it.

And--relatives responding to books.  When I go home, my big Tennessean family meets for eats.  Once, one of my cousins brought along his son.    (Okay, I'm joking.  The kid has since become a nice boy!)  But that day, he got one of my books from his mom and decided to read "the good parts" to his younger cousins.

But mostly, my family is supportive, and even the ones who aren't think they're doing me a favor by advising me on what I "should" be writing.    It's just family!  What can ya do?

Anna--sending some more hugs to Susan on a rough day

How awful.  We simulposted somehow, and I didn't see the post about your niece.  What a terrible thing.  Sending you hugs--big hugs.

Anna

I read all the posts, but they're jumbled in my mind.

Congrats to Holly on the beautiful cover and being up on eHarlequin.  And best of luck on the bf meeting.  We have a pic of our daughter in the family room--five weeks old, cute as can be, clutching a Raggedy Ann bendy toy, which she must be having trouble seeing because her gorgeous eyes are crossed entirely.  Oh, the extorition we've committed--well attempted, which is often funnier--with that photo! 

Susan, I hope all is going well with your family.

I think from the catch-up that we were in Maine at the same time.  We had an amazing time.  Hiking and eating our way through the northeast, including a visit to Gettysburg--which was amazing.  I am so ready to move to PA.  What a beautiful state you and Holly live in!  

Maureen, sorry about the contest thing, but I'm chiming in with everyone else.  Contests are so subjective.  Before I was published, I only entered ones where I was interested in the editor, and since I published I don't even always remember to enter the Rita--much less any others.  Sending the ms. to an editor is a lot more profitable than entering contests.  (I sound like a mom, there.  Sorry.  But I'm so cheap I was always taken aback at the costs for the meager few I entered!  )

Linda, wishing you a great vacation!

Ronda, are you going to be at GRW this month?

I'm so sorry I'm not going to National, but we seem to be traveling all the time.  We had planned to be in Maine during that week, but suddenly needed to change our dates.  I'll be looking for the eHarlequin blogs-from-National!

And, finally, I have a book out this month.  I'll try to upload the cover, cause it's gorgeous.  I'm giving away a copy from my blog today.  All you have to do is post there, or send me an email.  And I'll just say, I've been so busy I haven't done much promo.  I may be compelled to give away more than one! 

I hope that's not too big!  Can't tell from this box.

All the best,

Anna

Sam, we posted at nearly the same moment. 

Do you remember Bill Bixby in The Magician?  That was a short-lived, but great show about him as a magician who solved crimes.  Sounds odd now that I type it, but I really enjoyed it.

What programs do you really like these days?  I love Monk and the Law & Order franchises.  Oh, and Cold Case and Without a Trace, and a BBC show called Waking the Dead.  BBC America is about to start running Monty Python again, which is nice, because it's been a long time since a body could say "No one expects the Spanish Inquisition" without getting blank looks.

I agree with what you said about shows having to make it in the first five episodes.  Would Monk have made it on the regular networks?  I have to admit, I lose track of when even my favorites come on.   I love Medium--but I have no idea when it's on, or even if it's on in a week.  That's a lot of TV I'm watching--when I remember to, or I can find it.

Better get back to the work files, but you intrigued me!    Best of luck on your two-books-at-once.  Intimidating!

Anna

For posting?

Hey, Ellen!

Marcie, hope you're feeling better.

I never got the Hulk either, Ellen, not even back in the dark ages when one of my favorite TV guys, Bill Bixby, played him.  I loved Bill Bixby.

I've seen several movies this spring and summer that I haven't cared for after really being excited to see them.  I love movies and I've wanted to love these, but the stories have fallen.  Characters can't suddenly act out of character--in the last five minutes espeically--without big motivation.  Characters can't make the same bad decisions without seeming purposeless, or unable to grow.  The story can't come to an end and leave you going--but wait a minute--there was no story.  I don't think writers are the only ones dissatisfied with a series of scenes that make no whole.

Hmmm.  I'd better go write those things on a stickie note and press it firmly to my screen.

Happy Tuesday!

Anna 

Afternoon, all!

I've had company, and I'm having a hard time keeping up with everything.

However, Roz, hugs to you and your DH.  I hope it goes more smoothly than your best imaginings, and that his pain is quickly gone.  Hope the world treats you extra special while you're under extra pressure!

Happy plotting to Kim and Ellen!

Welcome J Summer and Linda!

I hope everyone had a great father's day, and that the writing or reading or both is beautiful today!

And special good wishes to anyone caught in all that flooding.  Scary!

Anna

Carrie, congrats on your baby's graduation and on the new contract!  Yay, you!  And best wishes for your son's being on the safest boat in Alaska!

Ellen, good luck with the deadlines.  Day jobs can be so intrusive.

Holly, thanks for the invite.  I'd love to come that way sometime, actually.  Y'all make it sound so lovely.

Jeannie, I'm with you on Stephanie!  She's shown class time and again, and I'd like to see one of the "good guys" win.  My daughter is for Richard all the way.  We nearly fell off our chairs at Lisa's parting shot last episode!

Kim, hugs again on the surgery.

Ronda, yay for June 10th, and hugs to you on the heat wave we're sharing.  We went to the market on our town square yesterday morning at 10 a.m.  The heat was literally unbearable.  (Which is probably a good thing for the wallet.)  The stalls selling homemade ice cream did quite a biz, though!

Amy, safe trip home!  The Lori Foster event sounds like great fun!

All the best,

Anna