Another bareback rider!

Home, home on the range. . . .

Okay, I know he's not wearing a hat, but he IS on a horse, which is more than I can say for some of the other cowboys this week. He ain't a cowboy if he can't ride!

I used to ride bareback as a kid, but you wouldn't catch me on a horse without a saddle nowadays. I'm way too chicken and I land very hard when I fall off!

Of course, given the nature of this blog, I don't think I'd need a saddle to ride this cowboy. He has all sorts of great parts to hang on to. Nice, strong neck, lovely, well-defined external obliques, and great pecs and abs. Fabulous arms, too.

And since you all know I can't keep my mouth shut, he has a highly suckable cock and delicious-looking balls!

Have a nice day!

Thursday's edition of Naked Cowboy Week!

I don't think I need to say much at all here. I mean, a naked cowboy with a hard cock is pretty self explanatory, don't you think? Oh, and Lisa. Note the tan lines! Not sure what it is about this picture, but I can't get rid of the underline or the blue text color!
Oh, there we go! Just needed to hit the return key.

I'm a bit bleary-eyed at the moment, so forgive me if my editing sucks. I'm waiting for Sam's case-worker to show up for a meeting. Otherwise, I'd be in bed by now.

Funny thing about being too tired to keep your eyes open. Makes you write inane drivel when you would otherwise be writing the great American novel. Ya think?

Nope, don't think so. I'm rambling. Better shut up before I say something stupid like, "Here's a dick you can hang your hat on!" or something equally silly. Nighty night! And have fun with the cowboys!

Whopping Weasel Wednesday, Western Style!

This was one of Sharon's favorites, and I have to agree, it's pretty nice.

I'm blogging on Casablanca Authors today. Come on over and set a spell!

Save a horse, Ride a cowboy!

I think this should satisfy Ana and Lisa. Not sure about Prof Penis or Diva Donna, but we'll see.

Sharon sent me a whole bunch of cowboy pics, so I should have enough to get us through the rest of the week.

I've always been quite fond of cowboys. I couldn't tell you for sure who the first one was that I fell for as a kid, but think it might have been Doug McClure as Trampas on The Virginian. Anyone remember that one? I actually saw him at the Kentucky State Fair Rodeo and touched the sleeve of his shirt when he came around to shake hands with all of us kids. If he had only known that I was to grow up to become the Cat Master, he might have actually taken my hand. Unfortunately, he reached right over me to ruffle the hair of my neighbor, Alan, who was perched on a fence post. Oh well. Such is life. . . .


I had this post all finished, but then Donna sent me another picture, saying that even cowboys had to do laundry once in a while. Too bad today isn't Monday, or we could call this post Monday Moons!

I heard from my editor, and we've decided on a September 30 deadline for Hero, which gives me a bit of breathing room. I could have finished it by the end of August, but I think it will be better if I have a little more time to play with it.

Just like I'd like to play with these buns. I've never been much of a biter, but they sort of inspire me, ya know?

Man-o-manicotti!

I'd like to thank Donna for solving my last minute need for a blog topic. She decided we needed a Hot Dish in honor of our Yummydoodle Guy Leo!!!!

And since everyone seems to be into the biting thing, I thought this pic was appropriate.

Enjoy!

Manicotti Italian Casserole

Submitted by Diva Donna Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 8

"Some members of my family call it manicotti, some call it Italian casserole. So I call it Manicotti Italian Casserole. This is one of my all time favorite meals to make, and it's super easy!"

Ingredients:

1 pound rigatoni pasta 1 pound ground beef 1 pound Italian sausage 1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms, drained

2 (32 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce 1 1/2 pounds shredded mozzarella cheese thinly sliced pepperoni

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Pour in rigatoni, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set pasta aside.
3.	Meanwhile, brown ground beef and italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. With a slotted spoon, remove beef and sausage to a baking dish. Stir mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, and cooked pasta into the baking dish. Sprinkle cheese and pepperoni over the top.
4.	Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

And now, to kick off Naked Cowboy Week, here's a nice stripped-down version of the popular Western Hero. He may not be on a horse, but even cowboys have to dismount now and then.

So, ladies, don your Stetson hats and your silver spurs and get ready to RIDE 'EM, COWBOY!

Sunday's Stud!

As promised, here's the rest of Leo Giamani, aka the Italian Stallion!

























I couldn't decide which of these I liked best, so I posted both of them.
I prefer his expression in the first picture, but the second really shows off the yummydoodle.

























You be the judge.

Either way, I wouldn't make him sleep in the barn.

PS I'm on Wickedly Romantic today. There's another pic of Leo!

Saturday's Hunk of the Day!

Here's a little more of Leo.







You'll get the rest of him tomorrow.




































Never let it be said that I don't know how to create suspense.

Chicken Florentine

It's time for another recipe! I had some cream, chicken, Locatelli cheese, and spinach on hand, so I put my own spin on a classic. The guys gave it two thumbs up!


2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied, then cut into pieces and pounded flat.
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 10 oz bag of fresh spinach
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (Locatelli)
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Egg noodles cooked according to package directions. (about 1/3 of a one pound bag)


Prepare chicken pieces as above. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then place in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid, add flour and shake it until chicken is coated with flour. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook just until it starts to change color--not browned. Remove garlic. Add butter to skillet. Place floured chicken in skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove chicken and add spinach to skillet. Saute until the spinach is wilted. Then add cream and reserved garlic and heat until bubbling. Add the chicken and grated cheese and cook about two minutes more. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add cooked noodles, toss gently, serve, and enjoy! Makes about three or four servings.

Since this is an Italian dish, you need a nice Italian hunk to enjoy it with. This is Leo Giamani. I have more of him, but I didn't think you'd want a naked Italian with your Chicken Florentine.

Of course, I could be wrong about that. . . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANA!

Better late than never! Hope it's a good one!

Now, where are those Birthday buns????


Oh, yeah, there they are. And Adam would like to wish you a Happy Birthday, too.

He's almost ready for you.....

Make a wish!

You wished for Benji, and here he is!!!

Wildflowers

Just to prove that I am not completely obsessed with hunks, I went for a walk with my camera on Monday afternoon and photographed some of the local wildflowers. There's a lot more of Tisana (Warrior) in me than there is Jack (Slave), which this blog will demonstrate.

Ever since I was a child, I've been fascinated by herbal remedies and wildflowers. My parents were both just as enthusiastic about the flowers, but the medicinal uses were my special interest.

One of the first I encountered on my stroll was Pale Touch-me-not, which is in the same genus as Impatiens. The name derives from the characteristic seed pod that bursts open when touched that all of this genus seem to possess. It is relatively rare, I'm told, but it grows in several parts of my woods.





















The Spotted Touch-me-not is the more common, orange variety which is said to have fungicidal properties as well as being a useful remedy for poison ivy. I, however, have not found this to be true--either that or I'm not using it properly. My poison ivy will persist no matter how much of this stuff I smear on it. But perhaps that's just me.




















This lovely pink bouquet is, I believe, called a Salt Marsh Pink. It's not supposed to grow around here, but I can't find anything else that looks like it. Perhaps it's a testimony to the strangeness of my farm.



















The Black-eyed Susan actually has a brown eye, something that has always bothered me. Some people refer to it as a Brown-eyed Susan, but that name doesn't roll off the tongue quite as easily. I know of no medicinal value for this plant other than the manner in which it soothes the soul. I think they just look friendly.






















The Tall Bellflower is from the bluebell family and it looks blue, but it doesn't look anything like a bell. Who named these flowers anyway?






















Another that has a good name is Heal-All or Self-Heal. It's not very pretty, but supposed to be good for a sore throat.




















This next flower, the Penisaurus Excelcioris is an excellent example of the beneficial nature of plants. When a female partakes of the juice, it causes an overwhelming sense of sexual hunger for the male of the species.






















I do hope you've enjoyed our study of the flora that can be found in most any rural woodland or roadside setting. You simply cannot find these things in a city. They have all been weeded out, a circumstance which I consider most unfortunate.

The wild varieties are always so much more satisfying, don't you think?

The Whole She-bang: Part 2

By Hunkybuns Inspector Ana

James enjoyed being on the playful side of a conversation. When he was the boss, he portrayed a stiff, serious man, but here, in front of Eliza, he wanted to be himself. He saw the way she fidgeted and he had a feeling she was aroused and he loved the idea that he could do that to her.

“Sir, I don’t believe I have the right to say what’s on my mind,” she finally murmured.

James bit back a sigh. Walking around his desk, he sat in his chair propping his feet lightly on his desk.

“Why not? We’re both here, after office hours, and neither of us is on the clock, or working. I’m simply a male tempted by a very lovely female.” James paused for a moment and had the pleasure of seeing her blush. “I’m not stopping you from leaving anymore. I don’t want to confuse you or embarrass you but I’m not going to lie either. You’ve been working for me for three months now. I've seen how you go out of your way and I love the way your brain works. But…” He dropped his feet and scooted forward placing his elbows on the desk, his chin propped in his hand. “…I’m also a man who happens to lust after his co-worker.”

“Well, sir, I’m fla--Did you say lust?”

James chuckled at her surprise. Walking over to her, he gathered her hands in his, kissing the back of each lightly.

“Of course I did. Do you believe I stare at you because I’m thinking about work?” Sighing softly, he added, “I’m afraid I should have forgotten my duties and approached you sooner. I’ve wanted you for a long time," he murmured. "Let me show you how much I’ve lusted for you.”

He nibbled lightly along the back of one of Eliza's fingers. To his surprise, she nodded, and James didn’t waste any time. Lifting her to her feet, he motioned for her to remain standing, but to lean over the desk. A small smile drifted over his lips as she obeyed, spreading her legs wide.

James let his hands roam over her stockings then up her pencil skirt. Lowering the zipper, he pushed her skirt down, shuddering at the black wisp of lace she wore underneath. “You do dress for success,” he teased as he ran his hands over her warm ass. “I’ve dreamed of this ass--but the reality is so much better than the dream.” He shook his head when she reached for her top. “No. Keep it on. I want to give you something.”

“Sir?”

“Relax and enjoy,” James said, then let a long finger trail over her clothed pussy, feeling her shudder. “Mmm, you’re already wet," he whispered. "Yes, I’m going to enjoy this very much.” Reaching forward, he pushed the lace aside and gazed up at her sweet pussy before leaning in to flick her clit with his tongue. Her sharp gasp was evidence of her pleasure.

“J-James…”

“Don’t tell me a man has never tasted your sweet pussy,” he said with surprise.

Her reply was a soft whimper.

“Well, then," he said with a grin, "hold on for the ride.”

He leaned in again, sucking her clit into his mouth. James didn’t give her time to think, alternating between suckling her clit and letting his tongue tease her pussy lips, delighting in the taste of her arousal. A strangled moan escaped her lips when he thrust his tongue inside.

Her hips jerked and he steadied her with one hand as he penetrated her sweet heat with slow thrusts of his tongue while his thumb stroked her clit. Moments later, he felt the beginnings of her orgasm and quickened the pace of his thrusts, groaning with satisfaction as she finally reached the pinnicle. He swept his tongue over her wet pussy and then stood, licking his lips. Taking her in his arms, he gently nipped the back of her neck. Her soft, panting breaths concerned him. “You okay?”

“Sir, that was…That was…”

James chuckled at her loss of words. “I take it you liked it then,” he teased.

A phone rang, startling them both.

Eliza's eyes widened and she scrambled to raise her skirt and reach into her purse to answer the phone at the same time. “Y-Yes, I’ll be right t-there. No, I don’t need a ride. Yes, I’m fine. Okay, bye.” Her phone closed with a snap. “Ah, I hope this doesn’t, uh, change anything,” she said, her cheeks still pink with embarrassment.

James pulled her closer, gently kissing her soft lips. “I’ll drive you.”

“But, sir--” she protested.

“Don’t worry," he said with a wink. "We’re nowhere near done.”

THE END

Let's all give Ana a big round of applause! Great job!

Ana's Guest Blog

Okay, ladies! Ana has been working very hard on her short story, and now, here it is!

As for the illustration, I know: This guy is NOT naked! But he fit the description of the man in the story pretty well, and, besides, you've all been without the really hot hunks for a while now, so I thought we'd work back up to them slowly. It's best not rush these things, you know. . . could cause an adverse reaction. . . . and we wouldn't want that, would we?

The Whole She-bang
by Hunkybuns Inspector Ana

The fireworks were scheduled to start at ten o'clock, sharp, but Eliza was stuck in her damn office until nine. In fact, she’d be lucky to leave by nine-thirty at the rate she was going. Eliza Reina was a workaholic and she knew it, but she loved her job at the Meson Newspaper and never once complained.

Stretching her arms above her head, she looked back at her computer screen. Truth be told, she didn’t need to be there. She could have gone home hours ago, but as long as he was here, she would be too. He, being her gorgeous, sexy as sin, editor/boss. The man was six foot two and made her five foot seven height feel short, but that wasn’t the only thing he made her feel. He wore his black hair a bit long, curling at the nape of his neck with his bangs framing those perfect, ocean blue eyes. She nibbled her lower lip gently, crossing her legs as she felt moisture gather between them.

Anytime she thought about her boss she became aroused, and she knew she had a problem. She had been working under his supervision for weeks now, but had only exchanged a few brief words with him. He’d never go for her type, she was certain of that. Her curly brown hair was too long and wild and she hid her dark brown eyes behind square black glasses. She dressed well, but had never dressed to “snag a man” as her co-worker, Melissa, put it.

Hearing movement in his office, she quickly gathered her things together before shutting down her computer.

Eliza always stayed as late as her boss, but was never the last to leave. Not knowing what to say to him, she was afraid she’d embarrass herself if he ever tried to speak to her while they were alone together. .
Grabbing her purse, she was heading out of the office when she heard him call out, “Eliza? Could you come here for a moment?”
She gulped and fanned herself lightly. Even his voice raised her internal temperature, but with the heat, panic set in, as well. Had she done something wrong? Was he firing her this late at night? Giving her head a mental shake, she braced herself. He must have a good reason for wanting to speak with her so late.

“Coming, sir,” she replied and walked over to his spacious office. Though the door was open, she knocked first, and he motioned for her to enter.

“Please, have a seat,” he said with a gesture toward the two chairs in front of his desk.

“Yes, sir.” Eliza sat down, placing her purse in the other chair. Glancing around briefly, her gaze was soon drawn back to her boss. Trying not to blush, she allowed her eyes to roam over him while he shut down his own computer. When he finally turned toward her, she looked quickly away from his chest to an award which sat on a nearby shelf. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes," he replied. "I just finished reading the article you wanted me to revise, and I have a comment I'd like to make about it.”

Eliza blinked at him in surprise. She had written numerous articles for him but he had never once asked to speak to her about any of them. She racked her brain for her most recent articles but came up blank. Suddenly, her mind began to race, as did her blood, when he rose from his chair and came around to the front of the desk to lean back against it. This put his cock right at eye level and the bulge behind the zipper promised a delicious treat. Her mouth began to water, but she snapped to attention as he held out the article.

As she glanced at the title, "Sensual Indulgences," her cheeks turned bright red. The whole article was about the variety of sex shops around town. Melissa had dared her to research the shops and then write the article but more as a joke than anything else. Eliza had never intended to publish it, but somehow it had slipped in with her weekly submission. She wanted to smack her forehead, she was such a klutz! “Well you see, sir…”

“You did write this, didn’t you? Or did someone else put their name on it? I distinctly remember you handing it to me.”

“Well, technically, sir, I did write it, but…”

“But what?”

“But I never meant to write it!" She blurted out. "It started as a dare from my friend, Melissa. I-I’ve never set foot in any of those stores!”

“I see," he said slowly. Tossing the article onto the desk behind him, he came toward her and leaned down, placing a hand on either side of her chair. Eliza felt herself blushing again as his face neared hers. She could have sworn she was dreaming, and if so, she hoped no one would wake her because her hot boss had never been so close to her before. James Colliage never got close to anyone. He was fair and sociable, but he had never seemed very affectionate. "So, tell me, Eliza…just how much research have you done if you’ve never set foot in any of these stores?”

She blinked in surprise. “Sir?”

He smirked and leaned back against his desk. “You know what I demand from my writers, Eliza. I demand honesty and hard work. You’ve always shown me both.”

“You’ve noticed?” She asked before she could stop herself.

He frowned slightly, crossing his arms over his chest, his muscles rippling beneath his light blue shirt. “Of course I’ve noticed. I notice all of my employees.”

Ah, that’s what it was. Of course, he would notice all his employees. “Yes, sir, I understand. Why would I think differently?” She asked, making sure there was a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

“Don’t misunderstand me, Eliza. I also note the employees who stand out more than others. Like a certain woman who insists on working just as late as her boss.” His voice dropped to a murmur, causing Eliza to blush softly. “Tell me why you work so hard, so late, Eliza.”

“Well I…” Eliza glanced down at her hands, but then looked up, staring straight into his eyes. “I want to show you I’m a good employee, sir. And I enjoy having a weekend off without having to worry about work.” Her voice had trailed off to a mumble and she blinked at him as he laughed softly. “Sir?”

“Oh, Eliza, you have a wonderful spirit in you! You’re a steadfast, fully in charge type of woman--and I like that. In fact, I’m liking everything I know about you. But, I make it a policy not to ask my employees out.”

“Of course, sir, that would go against the work policy in this office. Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on--”

“I never said anything about employees asking me out, Eliza.”

She looked up at him in surprise, considering his words carefully. “I believe I’m confused, sir," she said, crossing her arms under her breasts. "What exactly do you want from me?”

He pointed to the article again. “This shows me that you’re a complex woman. I have a feeling you enjoyed doing the research for this, but I also know that you’re smart and very beautiful. So, what do I want? A lot. However, what you want is the real question." Leaning down, he rested his elbows on the arms of her chair, his intense gaze focused on her eyes. "Tell me, Eliza, what can I give you?”

That's all for today! Check in tomorrow for part two of The Whole She-bang!

Back home again!

OMG, I'm tired! It is now 11:20 PM, and I'm just getting home to write my blog.

Would you get a load of all the books--and all but one were free! That tote bag could have held more, but this is certainly enough! Amazing! Of course, the most unbelievable thing is that I could have come home with a whole lot more books if I'd gone to some of the other booksignings. It's a reader's paradise!

I'll get back to blogging normally at some point, but who knows when that will be. I'm sure you're all suffering from hunk withdrawal.

I've received Ana's story, but haven't looked at it yet. I'll post it soon.

For those of you on FB, I'll get back on there eventually. Right now I can barely keep my itchy eyes open to write this blog. I seem to be allergic to the eye shadow I wore to the SB dinner and the Rita Awards. I woke up Sunday morning with swollen, peeling eyelids and though they look okay now, they still feel very irritated.

I've got two doctor's appointments and an appointment with Neighbor Janet for a massage tomorrow, so I can't even sleep late in the morning. Too bad she's not making house calls tonight. I could use one right now!

Anyway, the other pictures are of the room I stayed in in DC, which I took while I was packing. It was a pretty nice room, but still, THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!!!!

RWA Nationals: The last day

Our Sourcebooks Spotlight and book signing were quite successful. I had heard this particular story at the dinner last night, but since Deb repeated it at the SB Spotlight, I'll tell you now.
The sales rep for Sourcebooks, whose name is Shawn, I believe, was pitching Rogue to the Barnes and Noble buyer simplyt by laying the book down on the table in front of him and saying: "Meow!"
The book sold on that one word.
So, Dominique insisted that I write Meow! when I signed my books, and at one point, stood over my shoulder making sure that I did it! It was a lot of fun. I signed and gave away every one of my books and met some fun people.

Prior to the event, I took some pictures of a few Sourcebooks authors you may not know.

The first is Abigail Reynolds, who writes Pride and Prejudice sequels and who gave me the name of her agent, whom I just might call one of these days.

The next is Amelia Grey, who writes historicals.

The next is our romantic suspense writer, Lucinda McGary, pictured here with Danielle Jackson, our publicist.

After the signing, we had dinner to celebrate Marie's daughter Emily's birthday and ran back to get dressed for the awards ceremony.

The ceremony was fun and entertaining, but the best part happened afterward when we were leaving the ballroom and Marie pointed out Nora Roberts to her daughter. Emily, being the intrepid teen that she is, said "Congratulations, Nora!" Needless to say, a very shaky Marie took a picture of them together. I thing Marie really required sedation, but I let her enjoy the rush! You can't see it in this picture, but Nora was holding her Rita award behind Emily's back.




















We ate some goodies and then I returned to my room where I am right now; blogging and getting ready for bed. This time tomorrow, I'll be back home in my own bed with my dear, sweet Budley. It's been fun, but I've missed my guys terribly!

*sigh* If only I had Cat and Jack to fly me home, I'd leave right now!

RWA Nationals Day 3, or "I'll have another shot of tequila..."

This is Marie Force and her daughter, Emily, who turns fourteen today! Happy Birthday, Emily!


I began the day with the complimentary continental breakfast along with Kendra and Marie. Then I went to the PAN (Published Authors Network) keynote address given by Jennifer Louden, a self-help author, which was very interesting. I met a few new people there and learned some good ways to keep from feeling overwhelmed. Her take on it is that we have a choice as to how we react to life events, and that making the right choices will improve our outlook. Also that taking a break increases productivity, which is something I need to remember when I'm sitting at my computer for hours on end!

The next event was the awards luncheon where the speaker was Eloisa James, and, as with every other speaker, there wasn't a dry eye in the place when she finished. Very inspiring!

I attended some workshops in the afternoon and was interviewed by Angelin Van der Groat for a Swedish caregivers union publication, which was a lot of fun. After that, it was back to the room to get ready for our Sourcebooks dinner. We went to the restaurant in two limos, which was pretty cool. Our dinner was in a private room upstairs and we had the sweetest waiter/bartender. The first thing I did was hand my camera to Aunt Cindy (Lucinda McGary) and asked the bartender for a shot of the GOOD tequila. Then I drank it down. You should have seen the look on Dominque's face!




















The dinner lasted from seven until ten, and we were getting pretty rowdy by the time we left.
These pictures were taken by our waiter early in the evening and do not reflect the craziness that ensued.




















This is Dominique Raccah, our publisher, (on the left) and Deb Werksman our editor having a discussion about who knows what, but it made for an interesting picture. That's the back of Marie's head, btw.




















This is Robin Kaye, Dominique Raccah, and Libby Malin.




















That's the back of Dominique, Judi Fennell, and another new writer whose name I, sadly, do not remember, and on the other side of the table are left to right:
Libby Malin, Danielle Jackson (publicist), Robin Kaye, Lucinda McGary, Sharon Lathan, and me.

This is a great bunch of people, and I'm lucky to be a part of the Sourcebooks family. Tomorrow we have the Sourcebooks Spotlight and book signing. Should be fun!

Fun at the Conference

That big smile is more for the girls back home than myself. I work with some serious Janet Evanovich fans, and I know Suzie will be tickled pink that I actually spoke with her.

It was an accident, really. To begin with, I realized about ten minutes into her speech that I didn't have my camera with me, so I took one picture from far away of the TV screen things they had in the conference room, but it wasn't very good and I didn't bring the cord to upload pictures from my phone, either, so I knew it would be no use here on the blog.

Also, I realized that I had seen her at the book signing last night. I thought it was her, but not enough to actually speak to her. She wasn't dressed up at all--had on jeans and a sweater--and had a walking cast on her left foot. Well, then she gets up and tells us how she broke her foot falling off of a stage in Toronto, so I'm pretty sure she was the person I'd seen.

Anyway, I got separated from Marie and Sharon after that opening speech, (which was a hoot, by the way) so I went back to my room to get my camera, and then wandered back down to the lobby area for the next meeting. Well, Janet was still there with a handful of people signing autographs. So I got in line. I didn't have a book for her to sign (there wasn't one in the chair I sat in, though there were copies at every other seat in the place!), so I had her sign one of my bookmarks. Now I just have to make sure I don't give it away!



















After that, we had a nice lunch and the keynote speaker, Linda Howard, was even funnier than Evanovich. I went to one seminar after that about adding suspense to your novels, and then had a meeting with our publicist, Danielle. Nothing too earth-shaking, and no, she did not mention the yummydoodles on the blog!

I saw my editor Deb Werksman and the publisher, Dominique Raccah, but only from the back and they were way across the lobby before it registered with me who they were. Later, Danielle called me to say that someone wanted to interview me and some of the other SB authors, but I couldn't get hold of them by phone, so I wandered down to where I'd met with Danielle earlier and FINALLY met Dominique and Deb. Then I was interviewed (on video!) for an online ebook seller (booksonboard.com). The funny thing was that I'd just been to a seminar on how to talk to the media. I just hope I got it right!

Our Sourcebooks dinner is Friday evening, so I will meeting the few SB authors that I haven't run into yet. We get picked up in limos and taken somewhere for dinner. Should be fun!

I wish I could say that we were up all night drinking and partying, but we were all too tired to do anything but go back to our rooms after dinner. *sigh* It is now 9:46 PM, and I'm in my room blogging. My feet are killing me. I'd love some tequila, but it's too far to the bar!!!!

RWA 2009 Day One

Wednesday, 10:20 PM

And now for something completely different.

My day began at about 5:45. I wasn't supposed to get up until 6:00, but I'd been awake for an hour and couldn't stay in bed any longer. I ate a little breakfast and headed for Indy--in the rain. It was still raining when I got to the airport, but I didn't get too wet. They have nice shelters where you wait for the shuttles and I didn't have to wait long.

The flight was uneventful and mostly I saw clouds out my window until we got close to DC. We flew right past the Pentagon, which looks really cool from the air, and landed at about 12:25 pm.

I received my first phone call from Kendra while in a cab on the way to the hotel. Later, we were talking across the lobby on cell phones before we finally found each other. We then met up with Sharon Lathan, another Sourcebooks author who writes Pride and Prejudice sequels and went to lunch. They are both very pretty and made me feel quite short and fat. Kendra had her CFM shoes on, and even without them, that girl is TALL!!!

She is quite lovely, too, as proved by this photo taken at the literacy signing earlier this evening.


























But before that, Marie found me and then I discovered that the white sandals I brought with me were from two different pairs. Marie didn't see this as a problem.



























So, like it or not, I'll be wearing my walking shoes whenever white shoes are called for, which suits me right down to the ground. I wore them all day and my feet still hurt--and the conference hasn't even technically started yet.



























After the signing, during which I sold one copy of Outcast and three of Rogue--but signed several things for people who already had the books--we went to the Romance Bandits reception, and then Marie, Sharon Lathan, and I went to dinner at Harry's Pub here in the hotel.
Now I'm back at my computer where I belong!

Looks like a full day tomorrow. I just hope I don't sleep through it!

More Whopping Weasels!

This is another of those young studs that Sharon likes so well.

His name is Billy Brandt. Keep scrolling down. It gets bigger.

And, yes, Donna. He is legal. Just barely.

All my bags are packed and I'm heading to DC today. Will check in when my computer is up and running--maybe even from the airport if I have time.

In the meantime, enjoy!