heidi's blog

As of today, my mother is officially retired. The party was last night, for her & four other retirees. She told everyone she had to bribe me to attend, which was only about one-fifth true. I didn't want to go because those things are usually about as much fun as having your face eaten off by fire ants (thanks, CSI!), but I always knew I would be going...I just had to whine & complain about it for a while first. Still, when Mom offered to buy me a much-desired Winnie-the-Pooh watch if I would go & pretend to enjoy myself, I said okay. I mean, I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid, right? Got the watch...it's adorable, tho I have yet to wear it. It's not a wearin' watch, it's a savin' watch. :-D

In other news, I think BLAME IT ON THE BLACKOUT is out...or at least heading toward shelves everywhere. Got a phone call today from a reader who works at our local Bi-Lo saying a box of my books had come in. This was actually big news. See, when I was writing historicals, the company that supplies Bi-Lo knew I was local & sent a few copies to the store any time I had a new one out. But now that I'm writing category, they said they couldn't send any of my books unless they also sent all the other Desires (& the same number of each, no special treatment because I'm local) because they come in bundles. I'd have been okay with that, but apparently this particular Bi-Lo carried the Harlequin lines, not the Silhouette ones. Well, Cindy--that's her name--apparently made it her business to corner the poor woman who stocks the book rack each & every time she came in. She'd ask why they didn't have my books, when they were going to get my books, & then started bugging her to bring some. Thank God for diligent fans, that's all I can say. A box of 24 showed up today, so I went in to sign & sticker them all...& paid for Cindy's copy as a thank you. (I'd have given it to her, but I didn't think Bi-Lo would appreciate me playing fast & loose with their wares.) So now I'll be in scanning mode, checking every store to see if BLACKOUT has shown up yet across the board...& signing & stickering them if they have.

I'm working on putting together the June issue of our RWA Chapter's newsletter, CARA Mia, & reading four more books all at the same time...WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE by Stephanie Bond, IN HIS SIGHTS by Justine Davis (an Intimate Moments), ARM CANDY by Jo Leigh (a Blaze), & MISS PRUITT'S PRIVATE LIFE by Barbara McCauley (a Desire by a sweet lady & favorite author of mine, not to mention a 2005 RITA Finalist!!!!! Whoo-hoo! I'll be in Reno rooting for her, that's for sure!)