July - the month in random pictures

So, July started out with a derecho, which is apparently the meteorological term for a crazy scary storm with gigantic hail and 80 mph winds. We lost power for three days—three brutally hot days with no AC, running water (we’re on a well), or *sob* internet. But that wasn't the worst of it.  No electricity meant no this:

Without a functioning flat iron (which, incidentally, I consider the most important technological advance of the last century) I could scarcely leave the house.  It’s a testament to my pioneering spirit that I muddled through . . . and turned book 2 into my editor on time before heading to the beach with the family.

The beach was so peaceful and laid back, we felt like we were 300 miles away.  Oh wait, we were 300 miles away. As you can see, the weather was iffy:

The rain was a bummer.  On the bright side, the week was blessedly free of derechos. Plus, rain showers meant more time to visit to one of my all-time favorite beach destinations: the Island Book Store in Kitty Hawk, where I picked up these:

I recommend them all. Love these authors!

And as long as I’m recommending things, I should add these to the list:

Anyway, we had a great time, and the trusty mini-van got us back home.  Now, I'm in the midst of prepping for RWA’s annual conference in Anaheim.

As you may know, here on the blog I have a long-standing tradition of writing detailed accounts of my harrowing awards ceremony dress shopping experiences. This year, however, the process was relatively drama-free. I went to one store, tried on five dresses from the clearance rack, and walked out with two. The whole trip took an hour.

Awesome, . . . except. A successful shopping trip makes for a dreadfully boring blog post. But never fear! I feel certain that I shall be able to deliver more dressing room drama in the future.

Earlier this week I also made my annual (okay, more like quarterly) pilgrimage to my happy place:

I got two pairs of shoes.  Well, three if you count these:

These should work with a few conference outfits:

The other pair is practical and *cough*…comfortable. We’ll leave it at that. Avert your eyes. No photos, nothing to see, move along, folks.

And now that RWA is almost here, I’m really excited. This is my first conference since selling and even though my book isn’t out yet, I’ll be at the Grand Central signing on Saturday from 12 to 1:30. I might even get to sign and give away some ARCs:

And I have lots of shiny new bookmarks to hand out:

I think all that’s left to do is pack.  (Well, that and a marathon hair appointment on Friday. Seriously, I've already warned my kids they're on they're own for lunch and dinner.)

If you’re going to RWA, you’ve probably seen the packing lists and videos with expert packing tips. My advice? Don’t stress about it. You’ll be fine. As long as you have this:

Meet Anabelle...

I'm so excited to share the cover for my debut novel! I just LOVE it. I think I need to bake cookies for the entire team at Forever Romance. *happy sigh*

I know. I've been a bad little blogger--I'm sorry! I'll catch you up on all the latest right now.

First, you probably already noticed my catchy new title--WHEN SHE WAS WICKED. I like that it has the same sass as PROPER MISS'S GUIDE TO BAD BEHAVIOR and hints that Anabelle is up to something. In case you're wondering, the scroll she's holding is her List of Nevers--things she vows NEVER to do. But she may end up doing a few...

Second, the release date for WHEN SHE WAS WICKED is (drumroll, please) . . . January 29, 2013! A couple weeks before Valentine's Day. How sweet is that?!

Third, I've made plans to attend RWA Nationals in Anaheim this summer. I'm rooming with the fabulous, talented Lisa Connelly, who probably has no idea that my hair products alone take up half of the bathroom counter.

Lastly, the wonderful Frauke at CrocoDesigns is working on my new website. I can't wait to see what she creates for me. I think this is what a Regency debutante must have felt like after she visited the modiste and was waiting to see her ballgown... Except with a website, blessedly, there's absolutely no danger of my butt looking big.

In the meantime, I'm posting news on my new Facebook author page. This morning I had only 11 Likes, and now I'm up to 37. (Only 36,309 more to go to tie Lisa Kleypas. Woot!)

Anyway, I think that's all the news. I'm hard at work on the next book, which features Anabelle's sister, Daphne. Everybody thought she was the good sister, but it turns out she has a few secrets too...