It’s my birthday month so I’m going to help my husband out with a list of things I might like for my birthday. See how helpful I can be?

1. A maid (hey, it never hurts to ask).

2. Something from here. Because I can never have too many cute socks.

3. A pedicure (because it’s not really sock weather yet). No, I don’t want you to give me a pedicure, but you can send me to the spa for one.

4. And a massage. I guess you could give me the massage though. But I hear the spa offers those services too.

5. Kisses. You give good kisses.

6. Rachael Ray to come to the house and cook for me.

7. Alternately (since that’s not likely to happen), dinner at the wine restaurant (you know the one I mean).

8. One of these. Because the floor is hard and laying on the lamb seems silly. And because they look really, really comfortable.

9. This book. But I don’t want to wait until November for it. Figure out how to make that happen, would you?

10. An iPhone. I know, I know. I have a better chance of getting #9.

11. A bottle of this and maybe the matching moisturizer. I tried Crissy’s in Dallas and it was nice.

12. A Nora Bobblehead! (but I’d still rather have #9. Even more than the pedicure and the massage. Not more than the kisses though).

13. You. Me. *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* What? I was thinking we could continue my pool playing lessons. All y’all have dirty minds. (You, babe, are the worst of all).

I wonder what I left off my list? Did I mention this book? Oh yeah. I guess so.

I don’t think I talk often enough about how much I love my job. But seriously, I love my job. I know I’ll never be able to find another like it, and I think it was pretty much made for me. I like to believe that I’m good at it, but more than that, I’m passionate about it. I’ve been a lifelong reader. One of the things my aunt mentioned when we met for dinner was how good my language skills always were (she commented on it because she was noticing how good Brianna’s language skills are). I couldn’t stand the reading out loud parts of school, because I had to listen to people stumble through passages I could breeze through. I’m sure they hated having to stumble through them more than I hated listening, but I had a child’s typical lack of insight about things like that.

I breezed through Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Sweet Valley High (I think I only read a few of those before I got tired of them) and all of the other “normal” kid books by the time I was in 3rd grade. By 4th grade, I’d moved on to category romances, Danielle Steele, Sydney Sheldon and Jean M. Aul. Heavy stuff for a 4th grader, right? But I went through it all. To this day, my favorite Sydney Sheldon book is If Tomorrow Comes, and I’ve re-read it several times.

Like every other avid reader, I toyed with the idea of “some day, I want to be an author…” and I did well at creative writing throughout school. I even worked for my local paper and wrote articles covering the “teen beat”, during high school. But I didn’t really feel driven to write and never pursued it with anything close to seriousness. In college, I made extra money polishing and revising other people’s papers. I was good at it. They got good grades I think that should have been my first clue. But every day of my life, I read. A book a day, on average. Sometimes more. In fact, my passion for reading was actually a sore spot with my ex-fiance in college. He was my high school sweetheart and you’d think he’d have known it was part of who I am. But I think he felt resentful of it, and the time I spent on it. Notice how he’s my ex and we never even made it to the altar? Yeah, I booted that one to the curb, lol.

Fast forward a couple of years, I’m working as an occupational therapist, buying the Romantic Times magazine and making book lists from there. And I stumble across ebooks. Books I couldn’t buy in the store, or get from the library, but I wanted to read them because they sounded like nothing I’d ever read before. Some of my first ebook purchases? Linnea Sinclair, Lora Leigh, Lynne Connolly, and Cheyenne McCray. These were stories I couldn’t find anything like on the shelves. I’ve been a lifelong paranormal fan and would search out every vampire and shapeshifter book I could find. That led me to small presses like LTDBooks and authors like JC Wilder and Keri Arthur. I never would have guessed that years later, I’d be friends/acquaintances with some and edit others! I only knew at the time that they filled a wild need in me for good stories that were different than what NY was putting out.

Somehow I ended up on the Ellora’s Cave yahoo group and I started participating. Then on Jaci Burton’s Paradise and several others. I started making online friends and then the call came for proofers for EC. Like everyone else, I thought, hey! I like to read, I’m pretty good at finding typos, I could do that. So I took the test. I must have done at least moderately well because Briana St. James offered me a position (thanks, Bree!). Looking back, I shudder to think of how much I didn’t know. And I’m sure, five years from now I’ll look back and shudder at how much I didn’t know, lol!

So I worked as a proofer for awhile, started taking on some independent work for authors and learning even more. During that time, Bree encouraged me to apply for the position of editor. Oh man, I did but I was…hellishly nervous. I didn’t tell a lot of people I was doing it. Mostly because I didn’t want to be humiliated if I wasn’t hired. And I wasn’t, which was a huge blow because oh how I loved proofing for them, and I wanted to do more. But it wasn’t meant to be. During that same period of time I had Brianna and something strange happened–I stopped reading. For almost three months, I read nothing. I could barely read parenting books. Even magazines were a challenge.And fiction? Forget it. I think of that as the best and worst time of my life. Best because I gained something I love immensely and spent time discovering her. The worst because I temporarily lost something I love immensely and didn’t know how to get it back. I don’t remember now how I started again, I think I just decided enough was enough and I needed to discover myself again. And I did.

About…six months after I didn’t get the job with EC, after much encouragement from some friends (Mel, Jaci, Shan, Mandy and Bree), I decided to open my own editing services. I was just getting going when two job opportunities came along. One from EC (in a non-editorial capacity) and one for a brand new publisher opening up. Jen Martin and Jaci Burton both knew Christina Brashear was looking for editors, and they both suggested I email her. I think they both also emailed her about me. She sent me a submission to read and edit and…the rest is history. Raelene and I agreed that it wouldn’t be feasible for me to work for both companies, even in different capacities, and shortly after I also realized it wasn’t going to work to also try to run my own business (which, incidentally, was getting business!) so I ended up working for Samhain full time.

Anyway, you’re probably wondering what caused this outpouring of history. It’s to talk about how much I love this job.Love being able to work in an industry I’ve loved almost as long as I can remember. An industry that provided me with hours of pleasure. But it’s also because, while I’ve always talked about the catch-22 of working in publishing, it really hit me Wednesday night when I was preparing my Thursday Thirteen of books on my To Be Read pile. I’m doing something I love, in an industry I love, but it means I get less chance to do it for pleasure. I still collect books that I want to read, but I read (for pleasure) much more slowly now. Most certainly not one book a day. Closer to one book a week. But I collect books at a much faster rate than that. Every week there are new books releasing that appeal to me. I like a variety of genres but I find myself reading less in certain genres, for multiple reasons. I won’t even tell you how many ebooks and print books I own, that I hope to have the chance to read some day (thousands, really). I got a little depressed, wondering if I’ll ever be at a point where I can spend more time reading.

But regardless, I wouldn’t want to give this job up. Someone will have to force me out of it (I think the only people who could do that are Josh and Crissy and I don’t see Josh doing that! Maybe Crissy if I cause her enough frustration )

And I think that’s why most agents and editors do it. The hours are long, you invariably work 7 days a week (even if it’s “just” reading submissions on the weekend), the frustrations are many, the compensation doesn’t always add up for the long hours you put in but still…you dedicate more of yourself to it than you would any other job or profession. But you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, doing anything else. Because it’s not a job. It’s a passion.

Thirteen books I have here waiting for me to read. After the jump (it’s long because I included blurbs!)

1. High Noon by Nora Roberts Hee. A signed copy even!
Police Lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara found her calling at an early age when an unstable man broke into her family’s home, trapping and terrorizing them for hours. Now she’s Savannah’s top hostage negotiator, defusing powderkeg situations with a talent for knowing when to give in-and when to jump in and take action. It’s satisfying work-and sometimes those skills come in handy at home dealing with her agoraphobic mother, still traumatized by the break-in after all these years, and her precocious seven-year-old, Carly.

Now, with Duncan backing her up every step of the way, she must establish contact with the faceless tormentor who is determined to make her a hostage to fear . . . before she becomes the final showdown.

2. On the Loose (ARC) by Tara Janzen (any typos in the blurb are mine. I couldn’t find one online, even on the author’s site, so I just typed it in from the back of the book).

Keeping cool under pressure is the credo C. Smith Rydell lives by. That is, until he finds out about his latest mission playing bodyguard to a blond in a black string bikini. Except Honey York isn’t your average pampered socialite. She’s the woman Rydell caught smuggling cash into El Salvador four months ago. And now she wants him to take her back. All Honey has to do is find the guerilla camp, deliver the goods, and get the hell out of the jungle–all in forty-eight hours. And with bullets flying, now is not the time for passion. As if these two could possibly resist it.

3. Devil’s Right Hand (ARC)by Lilith Saintcrow
Dante Valentine, Necromancer and bounty hunter, just wants to be left alone. But the Devil has other ideas.

But Dante is getting really tired of being pushed around. And this time, she might be angry enough to take on the Devil himself…

4. Riding the storm (ARC) by Sydney Croft Steph and Larissa (the two halves of Sydney Croft) had to hide this ARC under the table at their publisher signing. They ran out and we were all afraid I’d be trampled when they pulled it out for me. Thanks, ladies!

A storm’s rage. A woman’s desire.

With her agency monitoring their every move, Haley’s job is to seduce Remy, gain his trust–and help him harness his extraordinary gift. But who will protect her from this voracious lover who’s introducing her to a new world of erotic thrills—a man who grows increasingly insatiable with each new weather event? Haley knows a big storm is approaching—and with it will come unexpected delights. But so, too, will the storm unleash her greatest fears: an enemy bent on destroying Remy. And her worst fear of all—falling in love with this magnificent man, then having to betray him.

5. Wild Wild West (ARC)by Charlene Teglia Charli’s first NY book!
In one of the most searingly erotic novels ever penned, Charlene Teglia breaches uncharted territory. But reader beware: this tale is hotter than hell. The faint of heart should turn back now…
Three sexy city girls from Seattle are enjoying a night out at a chic coffee house in downtown Missoula, Montana, the heart of the old West. When a gang of cowboys mosey in looking for trouble, they find trouble of the best kind… and these boys are primed and ready to ride. There’s Gabe, the hard-bodied rancher with a wicked imagination. Chet, the rodeo cowboy who’s charmed the pants off more than a few country girls and vows to remain a bachelor for life. And Reuben, the former Army ranger with a taste for edgy sexual games. As the couples embark on a scorching night of passion and play, they experience the most exquisite pleasure—and discover kinky new thrills they never dared to imagine. Because when it comes to knocking boots, cowboys do it best…

6. The Road to Hell (ARC) by Jackie Kessler This one just arrived in the mail this week with some kick ass sticky notes that Brianna promptly appropriated.

In Jackie Kessler’s debut novel Hell’s Belles, she introduced readers to Jesse Harris, a succubus-turned-human with a tart tongue, a way with a g-string, and a soft spot for sexy undercover cop Paul Hamilton. Now Jesse’s back, and where she goes, Hell is sure to follow…

If Hell wants Jesse back so badly, they’ve got her. But payback’s a bitch, and this bitch is about to rock Hell like a hurricane–or lose her soul trying…

7. Magic Lost, Trouble Found by Lisa Shearin I would have eventually picked this one up, but Linnea Sinclair recommended it on her yahoo group.

My name is Raine Benares. I’m a seeker. The people who hire me are usually happy when I find things. But some things are better left unfound…

Now her moderate powers are increasing beyond anything she could imagine—but is the resumé enhancement worth her soul?

8. The Down Home Zombie Blues (ARC) by Linnea Sinclair Squee. She gave me this ARC at RWA. I carried it home on the plane with me, I was that afraid of losing it!

For this mismatched pair of crimefighters,
the most dangerous thing could be their own cosmic attraction…

Because if she fails, she’ll lose not just a planet and a promotion, but a man who’s become far more important than she cares to admit…

9. Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich (didn’t buy it though. I said I was swearing off buying them in hardcover. I got a copy via Paperback Swap!)
In the thirteenth book in the series, the stakes are raised even higher as Stephanie Plum finds herself in her most dangerous, hilarious and hottest chase yet. With her loveably offbeat family along for the ride (as well as a few new faces), there’s no doubt that the Stephanie Plum novels put the “fun” in dysfunctional, and it’s clear to see why they’re called “Hot Stuff” by the New York Times and why Evanovich herself is called “the master.”

10.Decadent (ARC) by Shayla Black I’m afraid to open this one. Shayla writes so smoking hot that I need to make sure my husband is readily accessible before I start reading.

The author of Wicked Ties wraps her steamy prose around the premise that two men are better than one.

Kimber Edgington is a virgin with a crush-on a pop star with a penchant for threesomes. Determined to prove that she’s woman enough for singer Jesse McCall, Kimber turns to bodyguard Deke Trenton for sexual education…lessons that include his super-sexy friend Luc. Though she’s saved herself for Jesse, Kimber soon learns that he’s not the man adept at stoking her aching, endless need. That’s Deke, and he can’t resist when Kimber begs for more-and more.

11. Kiss of Crimson by Lara Adrian Another signed copy. I should be miffed with Lara that I didn’t get an ARC of this, but I bought it at the literacy signing, where I got to meet her for the first time. She recognized me before I even got to her table!

He comes to her more dead than alive, a towering black-clad stranger riddled with bullets and rapidly losing blood. As she struggles to save him, veterinarian Tess Culver is unaware that the man calling himself Dante is no man at all, but one of the Breed, vampire warriors engaged in a desperate battle. In a single erotically charged moment Tess is plunged into his world—a shifting, shadowed place where bands of Rogue vampires stalk the night, cutting a swath of terror.

Haunted by visions of a dark future, Dante lives and fights like there is no tomorrow. Tess is a complication he does not need—but now, with his brethren under attack, he must shield Tess from a growing threat that includes Dante himself. For with one reckless, irresistible kiss, she has become an inextricable part of his underworld realm…and his touch awakens her to hidden gifts, desires, and hungers she never knew she possessed. Bonded by blood, Dante and Tess must work together to thwart deadly enemies, even as they discover a passion that transcends the boundaries of life itself….

12. The Dark Garden by Eden Bradley
A deliciously potent tale of one woman’s quest for self-discovery

Rowan finds Christian’s offer terrifying—and impossible to resist. But abandoning herself to Christian’s power might be more than she can handle…. Or it might be the realization of her true nature and the dark garden within her. There will be only one way to find out. And once the game has begun, there’s no turning back.

13. Matters of the blood by Maria Lima I think Juno Books has some of the best covers. I haven’t read any of their books yet, but I have a whole stack of them here. They have quite a few that appeal to me. Fantasy/urban fantasy/paranormal are some of my favorites!

Keira Kelly, half-breed descendant of a powerful paranormal family has chosen to live apart from her clan and among humans in the Texas Hill Country. When she experiences a prophetic vision that foretells the vicious murder of her human cousin, Marty Nelson, she vows to determine the truth. Keira begins to uncover long-concealed secrets and risks alienating everyone she knows, from her former lover, Sheriff Carlton Larson, to the enigmatic Adam Walker, once a friendly acquaintance and now much more.

1. I met Nora and got my picture taken with her.

Really, that should be numbers one through thirteen, but that might be boring and I strive not to be too boring.

2. I dropped my Blackberry and killed it on Friday the 13th.

3. That same cursed day, Crissy and I took a taxi from the Dallas hotel to the store where we needed to exchange the phone. We got that cab driver from hell that’s the part of so many urban legends. We almost died. No really. We spent more time in other lanes than in our own, I might have a permanent tremor from the vibration of the taxi driver driving hash marks. At one point, I rearranged my legs so they weren’t next to the door, but instead in the middle of the taxi, to minimize any damage a car accident might cause. He detoured us through downtown Fort Worth. Chased a cop car through the city trying to get directions. And then charged us for all those extra miles. We did NOT take that taxi back.

4. Again, on Friday the 13th, I lost the 2gb microSD card for the Blackberry that I’d JUST gotten in the mail three days prior. I took it out of the damaged phone and put it in a “safe place”. Never to be seen again. Truly, it was a Friday the 13th to forget.

5. I met Nora and got my picture taken with her.

Hee. You didn’t think I’d say it only once, did you?

6. I read Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh (who I did get to meet this past week and spend some time talking to. She’s fabulous, cute and interesting. On top of being a great writer!).

omg, awesome. It doesn’t release for a few more months, so you all will have to wait and I’ll do a longer post later, but I just wanted to say here how much I thought it rocked.

7. Got told by an author in the bar that I rejected her book. Apparently my facial expressions were priceless because Heather Osborn said it was her favorite moment of the conference. The author said I called it “derivative and shitty”. Well, apparently not so many words, I was nice about it but that was meaning behind it. Came home and looked her up because I had no recollection of it at all, which made me feel bad. Hmm…not on my spreadsheets. Turns out, that’s because it wasn’t me who rejected it. Ha. All is right in my world again. Clearly I don’t mind being an evil editor…as long as I’m not confronted with it in person

8. I met a slew of people who I refuse to name, because I know I’ll forget someone and offend them, but in that bunch is Nora Roberts. Sorry, I couldn’t resist, lolol. Okay, okay. I got to spend a lot of time with THE Jaci Burton too, which was pretty awesome, because we spend all day together on IM but rarely in person. I’m going to share pictures on the blog in the next few days, so you’ll get to see plenty of her too, since there seem to be a lot of pictures of the two of us together.

9. Fallon’s Revenge by Mackenzie McKade won the Passionate Ink contest in its category. Yayyy! Congratulations, Mac. I raced out of the Passionate Ink luncheon as soon as it was announced and called her to tell her. I’d promised I would and that was a promise I was thrilled to follow up on.

10. You saw picture proof of this, but my baby finally started peddling on a tricycle. We’ve been trying to teach her for months and she finally started doing it at my in-laws last week. She’s so proud and pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself.

11. Tuesday night I slept in the spare bedroom because Josh had gone to bed at 6:30 (he’s sick) and I didn’t want to wake him up. Shortly after I went to bed, he came busting into the room saying I’d scared the hell out of him. Apparently he woke up and couldn’t find me. His next step was to check the baby’s room and see if I’d taken her and left. Say it with me now. Dumbass. (yes, I’m mocking him even if I do know it was the fever thinking for him).

12. Wednesday, the cable internet went out at about 11:15 am. I spent 30 minutes on hold with the cable company (I know I’m not exagerrating because my phone told me it was 30 minutes). After 10 minutes on the phone with them I learned 1) it wasn’t their fault. 2) no one could come out until Saturday *eek* and 3) maybe I had a faulty modem.

So I got in the truck and drove to the cable office. Where there were no parking spaces (in a really large lot). First bad sign. And where, when I opened the door, the line was backed up to the door. Second bad sign. AND where there were only TWO people working. Greaaaat. Thanfully, I’ve got the Blackberry with me, so I figure I’ll do some blog-hopping while waiting for the thirty people in front of me to get their issues solved. But after about 2 minutes, a lady behind me starts bitching about how her internet and internet phone are out. Huh. My internet is out too. People along the line say…mine too. And almost as one you hear “they told me to bring my modem in and get it replaced.” Huh. Then someone says, “About an hour ago I was on the phone and my internet just…went out.” Weird. That’s the same time my “modem stopped working”. And many others in line.

I, being smart, decide to call the local cable number (while standing in their lobby). Busy single. Okay, 800 number (it’s ironic I had to use the Blackberry to look that up on the internet while standing in their lobby). Well, well,well. Interesting message, “We’re experiencing a high volume of calls due to a service outage in your area. Technicians have been dispatched to fix the problem.” Huh. I hung up, announced it to the lobby and then said I wasn’t waiting in line to exchange a perfectly good modem. And I left. With half the line.

15 minutes after getting home and hooking up my “broken” modem, the internet miraculously started working again. That was some good customer service I got /sarcasm.

13. And for my final “happening”…Josh got attacked at work yesterday by an angry employee. Yeah, there have been times I’ve been tempted to strangle him myself, but seriously? No one gets that privilege but me, dammit. So apart from some bruising and abrasions, and being extremely pissed off, he’s fine. Yes, the employee was fired and yes, Josh is pressing charges. Second Degree Assault. He got checked out by the doctor, met with the police and will also be getting an order of protection. Now we just have to worry about him bursting a blood vessel because he’s that angry (and who can blame him?)

What happened to you this week?

Josh and I had a really great Fourth of July. Brianna went to my mother-in-law’s Monday night to spend time with her after my MIL had been away for several weeks. Brianna’s cousins were also there. Jordan is about 4 years older than Brianna but they play well together. So Josh and I had three, count ‘em, three kid-less nights and days. We took full advantage of them

So I had this awesome Thursday Thirteen planned with pictures from my camera phone that I took on the Fourth, because we had a full day. But yesterday, I woke up with a hangover, for God’s sake. And before you all think I went out and got rip-roaring drunk, I’m going to disappoint you and clue you in to what a freaking lightweight I apparently am. I had a small mojito with our appetizers around 6:30. Then, I nursed the equivalent of about 12 oz of draft beer from about 7:30 until 1 in the morning. Between two bars. Yeah, big lush, that’s me. Apparently, draft beer causes horrible headaches and the need to sleep all day. So I got up in the morning and my head hurt holy hell bad, so I went back to bed until about 11am. That, some aspirin and some Gatorade did the trick and I was actually incredibly productive in the afternoon. But didn’t have the energy for TT. So no cool post with pictures

Brianna came home last night and this morning, as I was getting her ready for daycare, I noticed her ankle was swollen. Now, she’d been moving around fine all morning and the night before, and she wasn’t complaining about it–except when we tried to put shoes on. She had a ton of bug bites around her ankle, though. I got her to daycare and they freaked out about it. That should have been my first clue. From there, I went tanning and got home around 9:30am. Started answering emails and at 10:15 they called to tell me how concerned they were about it. I’d already made her a doc appointment for afternoon, so I let them know that. *snort* 10:45 they call and tell me the teachers are worried about the color, that Brianna is favoring it and that I need to come and pick her up. Okay then.

So I call the doctor and no, they don’t have an earlier appointment. The orthopedist doesn’t have any openings at all. So they suggest taking her to the walk in clinic. Fine. I go and get her and she’s being carried around on the hip of one of the teachers. And when they took the kids for a walk, Brianna got to ride in the wagon the whole time (usually they have to take turns) Clue number one. I look at her foot and it actually looks less swollen then when I took her in this morning. Huh. Clue number two. I get her to the clinic and…they don’t see kids under 6. By this time, it’s 11:45 and her pediatrician will see her at 1:15. I decide to grab her lunch, take her home and just get to that appointment. At home, the child is running all over. No limping, no complaints of pain, and the swelling is noticeable, but not any worse. Clue number three. My 2 year old has suckered the entire staff at daycare. They expressed concern, she played into it. They thought it should hurt, she told them it did. They thought she shouldn’t walk, she didn’t. Yes, my child is a player.

Eventually we did get to the pediatrician and she had Brianna run down the hall. Diagnosis? Reaction to the bug bites. Suggestion: Give her Bendadryl. Yay me for paying twenty-five dollars for that.

She’s conked out upstairs and I’m trying to go through my inbox. I’m down to only 70-some emails flagged for response. Only. *sob* And I really need to think about getting ready for RWA.

I actually love a lot of them. But these are some of my favorites in no particular order:

1.
Immortal Protector by Ursula Bauer. Cover artist: Anne Cain

2.
Goddess of the Grove by Mandy M. Roth. Cover artist: Natalie Winters

3.
The Wolf’s Heart by Jenna Leigh. Cover Artist: Anne Cain

4.
Steelflower by Lilith Saintcrow. Cover Artist: Anne Cain

5.
Accidental Countess by Melissa Schroeder Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter

6.
Joker’s Wild: Call Me by Lena Matthews. Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter

7.
Challenging Carter by Kate Davies. Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter

8.
A Little Harmless Sex by Melissa Schroeder. Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter

9.
Blame the Rain by Ann Cory. Cover Artist: Vanessa Hawthorne

10.
Forever Again by Shannon Stacey. Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter

11.
Nuermar’s Last Witch by A.E. Rought. Cover Artist: Anne Cain

12.
The Reward by Beth Williamson. Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter

13.
Moving Atlantis by Jennie Andrus. Cover Artist Anne Cain

Okay, this was really hard because there are more I like. I’ll have to do another Thursday Thirteen for this one!

My friend Erin tagged me for that seven random things meme. Normally, I ignore being tagged (even when directly told I’m tagged, sorry!) But it seemed like an easy blog post for today, and it’s been awhile since I did a TT, so here you go. Try not to fall asleep in the middle, lol.

1. I don’t eat or drink anything butterscotch flavored. I had a bad experience with butterscotch schnapps my senior year of high school. Yes, that was about 13 years ago and no, I haven’t touched butterscotch since then. Just the smell makes my stomach do flips.

2. I also don’t eat jello for a similar reason. This time in college, when I was actually of legal drinking age and did a combination of jello shooters, Bloody Mary’s and watermelon soaked in grain alcohol. Um. Blech. I can still drink Bloody Marys but for whatever reason, the jello consistency pretty well does me in.

3. I’m a random smoker. I smoke when I drink, and will smoke like a chimney. I can do that for several days straight (like at RT) and then not smoke again for weeks or months. No, I don’t know how that’s possible and no, it doesn’t mean I’m going to be a “smoker” again. I’ve been doing it for years. Drives people I know, who are smokers or former smokers, nuts. But it works for me.

4. My least favorite part of my job is hiring editors. For some reason this process makes me cranky and I don’t enjoy it. I’m not sure why.

5. I had spinal meningitis when I was three. My parents left me with my grandparents for a week while they went camping. I became very, very ill (which was bad since my grandparents lived on a farm in the middle of literally nowhere) and spiked a high temperature. I ended up in the hospital for almost a week, got many, many shots in the butt, almost died, but didn’t (duh!)

6. Some of you know this but many of you might not so I’ll use it. I have a degree in Occupational Therapy. I was certified and licensed and worked as an OT for ten years in the psych field before I had Brianna. I loved that job but not as much as I love the one I have now

7. I’ve been through two floods, both in Grand Forks, North Dakota. During the first flood, when I was almost five, I had the chicken pox and my parents were worried they’d have to evacuate the house while I was sick (they didn’t). During the second flood, while I was in college, they evacuated almost the entire town. I remember feeling like I’d been sandbagging for days (I had been), hardly sleeping and having the sound of helicopters flying overhead at all hours. It was eerie and spooky. When we finally were asked to leave, the levee behind the house was built up to taller than the house. We were in the basement apartment and if the dam had broken, we’d have been in some serious trouble. When we left, the streets were starting to flood, and we had to carry the bags on our shoulders to avoid getting wet. We didn’t actually have final exams that year, the town was shut down for weeks, so we got the grade we had when everything was can canceled. We had to come back weeks later and clean out the dorms, and such. No electricity so the elevators didn’t work. I still remember it as a strange, frightening time.

8. When I was 15, the boy that I had had a crush on for several years died of carbon monoxide poisoning while sitting in his car in front of his house. There was a hole in the floorboard of his car and he just…fell asleep. I remember being called by my friend and crumpling to the floor when she told me. He was a year older than me and since everyone in the school knew of my crush on him, he did too. But he was always kind to me despite the fact that he didn’t reciprocate (clearly he lacked taste, lol). And him dying was, while not my first experience with death since I’d lost a grandfather to cancer when I was 7, my first where I really understood what it meant and how it would impact me. His death was the first of many I experienced in the years between 15 and 24.

9. I have always read, as long as I can remember. When I was in first grade, I tested at a high school reading comprehension level. In fourth grade I started reading my mom’s category romances (yay for Harlequin!) and while still in elementary school, I was reading more books not appropriate for my age–like If Tomorrow Never Comes by Sydney Sheldon (and other SS books), the Clan of the Cave Bear books by Jean M. Auel and various books by authors like Judith Krantz (remember her?), Jackie Collins and Danielle Steele. Wildly inappropriate books for my age, really. But look, I turned out okay (shuttup, peanut gallery).

10. When I was about 8, I went to my one and only Girl Scout camp. It was NOT a raging success. 1st, we went canoing and the canoe I was in tipped over. Then, I got poison ivy at camp. I asked the counselors if the plant was poison ivy. They said no. They were WRONG. I had it so bad, my entire body was covered. Including my face. One of my eyes actually swelled shut. I had to wear gloves because I had it all over my hands, with the pussy stuff (gross) and wearing gloves kept me from poking at that, as well as from scratching. I got poison ivy three more times between then and when I graduated college. I’m extremely sensitive and for years, when I was going to the lake, I lived in fear of getting it again. They used to send me out of the area when they’d burn brush, so I didn’t make contact with any poison ivy smoke. Did I mention that I was a bad Girl Scout?

11. I’m not a talker. Joy found this out when we went to Long Island last week. She talked to me, I listened and responded where appropriate. But when she asked me “what about you, what’s going on?” my answer was “nothing, same stuff”. This is odd because I think I used to be quite a talker, but over the years I’ve become one of those people who’s content to listen to the conversation go on around me. Not to say I don’t talk, because if you address a specific question to me and engage me in a conversation, I will. But it’s one of the reasons I don’t like to talk on the phone most of the time, because on the phone, people expect more response than I generally give. This is also the reason I end up learning complete strangers’ life stories in the bar. Happens all the time. They sit down next to me and next thing I know, I can tell you more about them than some of their casual acquaintances. Even people who “know” me don’t often know many details about my life when they sit down and think about it. That’s just not my way. I’d rather listen than tell.

12. I wanted to be a police officer when I was growing up. Even in college I thought of going the criminal justice route but my dad discouraged it. He’s a lifetime law enforcement officer, with an interesting and varied background and I think I wanted to grow up to be like him. Sometimes I still wish I had followed that path, I think I would have liked it. Not police officer, necessarily, but something in law enforcement.

13. I have a tattoo on my back, it’s a blue lotus flower with some funky clan decorations. I’ve been thinking about getting my nose pierced but don’t want to have an ugly scar on my nose if I take it out some day. And I want to get another tattoo, on my lower back, but I want something kind of original and cool and probably designed for me, but I haven’t found what I want yet. I need to make friends with more artists, I’m thinking

This could probably be a Thursday Thirteen but we all know how motivated I’ve been to do those lately so I’m just going to rant on now. You know why yard sales suck? (suddenly, I got this image of myself as Joe Pesci in the Lethal Weapons movies going “They f**k you at the drivethrough.” Yard sales suck because you spend at least a week before the yard sale getting ready and stressing about it. And contemplating just taking the whole lot to Goodwill. But then thinking that the cash in hand rather than the tax write off would be nice. So you go through the hassle of getting it all together and thinking about pricing it. But you don’t price it because you’re lazy and you don’t want to (but maybe that’s just me).

So then you get up at six am on a SATURDAY morning (isn’t there a law against that) when you’ve been up until midnight because it was Mom’s Night Out the night before (rocking good time, btw). You get up at six am to set things out for the yard sale that’s been advertised to start at 7am (neighborhood association does all that advertising, which is a good thing in my book) and some nutjobs are already cruising past your house and actually digging through stuff while you’re trying to put it out. And price it since you were too lazy to do it earlier in the week. Someone once told me they post a sign in their yard that says “Early birds pay double.” I like that. But I’m just ornery like that.

Finally, about halfway through pricing and unpacking boxes, as you’re watching your husband still carrying even more boxes, you realize you have a lot of junk. And you think about all the money you’ve spent buying that junk over the years and you wonder, “What in the bleeding hell was I thinking?” and you get all that junk unpacked but you only get about half of it priced because you realize, after the fifth person has asked you for a price on something already tagged, people are morons so there’s really no point. They’re going to ask regardless of the blazing yellow price tag on that piece of junk they’re holding.

And then it gets to you. The haggling. The scowling. The rude comments because NO you won’t sell your paperbacks for less than 50 cents because they’re worth more online trading at Paperback Swap. And the guy who told you not to call him sir (I call everyone sir, ma’am. Polite, yes?) when you wouldn’t cut him a deal on said books? You call him sir a good five more times because he can just kiss your… and you wonder at what point in life it happened that a paperback book isn’t even worth 50 cents to people? Because that’s just sad and depressing and since you’re in the business of publishing it kind of makes you want to go find a dark cave and eat some of those Doritos your wonderful husband brought home for you after reading the comments on your blog earlier in the week.

Finally, the yard sale is over and look! You still have lots of junk. People bought stuff you would never have expected anyone to buy. And no one bought the stuff you thought would surely sell. You made…hm. Oh goody, a hundred dollars. Was it worth it? Uh, well, we did get motivated to go through the basement and clear out a lot of stuff. And it all went right onto the trailer for the Salvation Army so it’s an “easy” tax write off now. But truthfully? Yard sales suck. Because it just drives home how people want something for pretty much nothing. But yayyy! It’s done and holy moses did we get rid of a lot of stuff to Salvation Army in the end. It’s that much less stuff we have to worry about for moving and I’m sure there will be another load before we move.

1. I forgot to blog yesterday. I wanted to blog, I had stuff to talk about, I was just…busy.

2. I’ve been watching Torchwood on my Zen player. I think that needs its own blog though, because I want to ramble on and on about it. I’ll spare you for now.

3. I haven’t read (work reading not included) since last weekend. Spare time has been dedicated to one episode of Torchwood a night or…

4. Obsessing over the fish tank. Major obsessing. Like give me meds obsession. We have high nitrate and brown algae problems (as a result of too much light and too much nitrate). Neither is an easy fix so…I obsess.

5. And because of the high nitrates (I think) I killed my brand new cleaner shrimp. *sniff* I was very distraught.

6. Josh and I are going on a road trip to Georgia next week. Leaving Wednesday night, back Sunday. It will be the first time the two of us together have been away from Brianna for a length of time.

7. So now I’m obsessing about what happens if we both die on that roadtrip. More meds needed.

8. In approximately one hour (just under) Dale Earnhardt Jr is making a “major announcement”. My guess? He’s leaving DEI. Regardless, he’s my boy so I don’t care who he drives for, as long as he drives. ETA: I was right, he announced he’s leaving and put himself on the market for a new team. *sniff* He looked like it was a hard announcement to make, and gave a nice statement. Let the speculation begin on who will hire him.
ETA #2: since it’s likely the #8 will stay at DEI, I’ll bet you can pick up some cheap #8 items starting today, lolol.

9. And in a few weeks, on June 3rd, I’ll be seeing Junior in person at the Dover Nascar races. Squeee.

10. That’s the same weekend as BEA in New York which I’m still contemplating attending Friday/Saturday.

11. Along with the Long Island RWA chapter’s luncheon on June 15th, which I was invited to. I just have to look at the daggone train schedule and figure out how that will work, because I am NOT driving in Long Island.

12. Now that I’m almost done with Torchwood (I have three episodes left) I need a new TV show to put on the Zen player. I’m thinking about Heroes. People seem to like it. Or maybe I should do Battlestar Galactica since Josh and I never seem to get around to watching it together. Or I could start rewatching Buffy. Or I could watch Angel. I only watched the first season of that, despite my love for David Boreanaz.

13. My new Blackberry Pearl is supposed to arrive via UPS today. Yay! More things to distract me from work. All my authors with waiting subs and edits will be sooo pleased!

Clearly I met a LOT more than thirteen people and I’m going to probably offend someone by leaving them off the list. My humble apologies in advance. Also, I have pictures of some of these people but don’t have time to post them today. Later, hopefully this weekend

1. Linnea Sinclair. Hello, did you hear my fangirl squee across the continent? I got to have several conversations with her and if I didn’t have total fangirl adoration for her before, I sure as heck do now! She even invited me to come by and promo on her yahoo group.

I’m going to put Stacey Klemstein in with Linnea, because Linnea introduced us and Stacey gave me a copy of her book to read, which I started at the hotel and also read on the plane. You can see it on the sidebar to the right! Though I have an old copy, it’s being re-released by Echelon Press this summer (with a much better cover!).

2. HelenKay Dimon. Meeting a fellow blogger is always cool, even if she didn’t realize it was me she was meeting. And she said really nice things about me on her blog that made me blush.

3. Elizabeth Hoyt. I took her picture for Sybil. Don’t be jealous Sybil, she said she’s dying to meet you!

4. Richelle Mead. She’s so cute! A petite little redhead with the most gorgeous hair ever.

5. Jackie Kessler. For some reason, nothing like what I pictured her but she’s a small powerhouse of energy. I had my picture taken with Richelle and Jackie and I stood in the middle. I’m only 5’4″ (though I was wearing heels) and I TOWERED over them.

6. Vicki Pettersson. I loved her first book and own two copies of the second (one in ebook and one in paperback) but I haven’t gotten a chance to read it yet. She was very gracious to me when I came over and squeed at her about how much I enjoyed the first book. Then she told me I looked like someone famous but I can’t recall who she said, now.

7. Allison Brennan. What a funny and personable lady! I didn’t get to have any extensive conversation with her, but she was at my table in the bar chatting a few times. I bought a book from her at the book fair because I was so delighted by her effusive personality. She’s incredibly down-to-earth!

8. Several agents: Deidre Knight, Miriam Kriss (actually, I met her once before at NJRW), Laura Bradford and Scott Eagan. I had a great time to speaking to each of them, though I spent more time with some than with others, and I’m wowed by their insight into different aspects of the industry.

9. Kate Duffy of Kensington. Kate, Scott Eagan and myself sat on a panel at the aspiring authors workshop on Wednesday evening and answered questions. Kate Duffy is awesomely funny and has been in the business almost as long as I’ve been alive, I discovered. She is so straightforward and pulls no punches. I want to be here when I grow up!

10. Cindy Cruciger (aka FerfeLaBat). Yes, I finally met her though our conversation was way too brief. I blame her. Because I can.

11. Jim Butcher. Hello, he’s so funny in person. I didn’t make it to his workshop, though I so wanted to, but I did get into the bookfair early (the perks of being a publisher) and got to walk right up to his table and get a signed copy of the first book in the Dresden Files. He’s a riot and made me laugh in the 30 seconds I stood there.

12. Samhain authors and more Samhain authors! I refuse to name one for fear I forget five, there were a TON of our authors there and wow were they enthusiastic and supportive of us. Many of them showed up for our publisher spotlight on Friday and heckled us. It was fabulous and I adore each of them. I had a fantastic time talking with all of them. They’re truly amazing.

13. Readers of my blog. Several people came up and said they read my blog. *waving* Thanks for saying hi!

14. A bonus because I met the ladies behind a new publisher, Resplendence Publishing, and had quite a lovely chat with the Editorial Director, Jess. She has a two year old daughter and works from home, so I spent a lot of time commiserating with her, telling her it does get better, and encouraging her to start taking time for herself and setting work boundaries so she doesn’t burn out. I don’t think they’ve opened their doors yet (looking at their website it says October 2007), but I wish them the best of luck and I can’t wait to read what they have to offer!