And you know what that means - last day to be entered in my monthly blog contest for a chance to win your choice of a book from my list. I’ll post the list again here to make it easier for the winners to glance at before they decide which one they’d like me to send. I’ll draw the winners early tomorrow morning or have Amanda draw before she leaves for school!

We’re closing the pool today and even though I love to swim, I’m glad. It hasn’t been warm enough to swim in it anyhow and it’s more work to keep it clean with all the falling leaves. I’m going to start walking in the park again for exercise and try to lose weight.

Here’s the list:

Lord Demon’s Delight by Gia Dawn

Seducing Simon by Maya Banks

Blue Dahlia by Nora Roberts

Staying Single by Millie criswell

Lady Of The West by Linda Howard

Navy Woman by Debbie Macomber

Ready for Love by Debbie Macomber

Song of the Road by Dorothy Garlock

Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

An Independent Woman by Candace Camp

A Wicked Gentleman by Jane Feather

Creole Fires by Kat Martin

When Darkness Comes by Alexandra Ivy

Widow In Scarlet by Nicole Byrd

The Mighty Quinns: Marcus by Kate Hoffmann

The Mighty Quinns: Declan by Kate Hoffmann

A Family Of Her Own by Brenda Novak

Love’s Encore by Sandra Brown - a reissued one.

Heartbreaker by Diana Palmer

They have been read once or twice but in great condition!

I’m posting a picture of Dr. Derek Shepherd played by Patrick Dempsey because I was so glad to hear him explain to Mark why in the world Meredith can’t commit to a relationship with him. Meredith is so damaged from having no good family model. I loved the way he looked at Meredith even though she struggled with her feelings for him. I still don’t like it that Meredith’s stepmother died and from something as ridiculous as hiccups. I think the new intern Lexie who is also Meredith’s half-sister will add to the show. She was great in taking the time to talk to George about how he should be happy with himself for bringing a new life into the world. She told the new interns and they gave him the respect he deserved.

Okay why did Callie give the study cards to Cristina and not to George last year? George mentions how he has to repeat the year being an intern and that his wife didn’t even give him the cards to use before the big exam.

A very touching scene involved a paralyzed man who blinks three times to say “I love you” to his family. His little daughter blinks three times to him. And during surgery Lexie is alert and notices that the man moved which was a dangerous thing to do.

Meredith was great in talking to the pregnant woman missing an arm. Fortunately, they found her arm and Mark could reattach it. During surgery the woman goes into labor and George delivers her baby.

Are there really that many people who eat odd things? This guy couldn’t help himself and grabbed medical instruments off the tray and wolfed them down until one got caught in his throat. When they operated on him, they found so many coins inside that they filled a bag. Other times on Grey’s they’ve had patients eating weird things. I remember one year an author actually ate his manuscript. Very strange.

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I did watch “Private Practice” on Wednesday but I don’t think it’s going to make it. It could get better though. I hope so because I do like Kate Walsh. For one thing, I don’t like the replacement for Addison’s friend, Naomi. The one in the pilot was perfect. I read they decided to get someone who could be more edgy for the role. They should have stuck with the original one. I can’t remember her name but she was on “King of Queens.” I didn’t like the long scene with the woman acting out an obsessive compulsive disorder in the department store because she lost her son. I definitely hated that the girlfriend got the sperm from her dead boyfriend.

And Addison left “McDreamy” and “McSteamy” to go where the only really hot guy is the young surfer played by Chris Lowell who wants to help with birthing babies.

I think I’ll watch “Bionic Woman” instead because Kate Walsh is the only good one to watch on “Private Practice.” I remember I was teaching Jr. High when Lindsey Wagner played in the first “Bionic Woman.”

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Don’t forget my September blog contest ends on Sunday!

Many romance authors post pictures of hot looking guys on their blogs. Some even have one day just devoted to their hottie of the week. They tell me they get lots of visitors on the days they do this. Last summer I talked to my daughter Emily how I thought it was great they get so many people to their site when they have hot photos, but I wanted to do something a bit different. We decided having a “Hot Dork of the Week” should be fun. We even made out a list, and now I decided to post my first one. I’m picking guys who are obviously attractive, but a bit dorky in their own unique way. I happen to like dork hotties. I’m married to one and don’t worry he never reads my blog posts. How about you? Do you like hot dorks?

If you don’t recognize my “Hot Dork of the Week”, he’s an actor on “Days of Our Lives” which I used to watch for years. His name is Drake Hogestyn and he plays John Black. He’s married to Dr. Marlena Evans on the soap. I’ll have to admit I haven’t watched Days for a long time. After Stefano DiMera got killed several times but always managed to come back on the show, it became a bit too much. I always liked the romance between Marlena Evans and John Black.

Hogestyn has won soap opera awards, including Best Actor award five years in a row from Soap Opera Update, and was nominated for a hottie star. He’s a great actor on the soap but he’s my pick for hot dork because of the way he raises his eyebrows plus accompanied by a certain look he has! Congratulations to Drake Hogestyn for being Diane’s First Hot Dork of the Week!

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I won’t usually post my Hot Dork on a Friday, because I’ll be blogging about “Grey’s Anatomy.” But I need to get some writing done this morning before the weekend, so will talk about Grey’s later.

During the summer I mentioned that Booklocker.com decided to put my preschool ebook into print. I’m thrilled to announce it is available in print at Booklocker, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

BLURB:

Imagine your child getting the best experience available in an environment you control. You decide what your child learns at this innovative new preschool. And how can you achieve this?

By running your own preschool!

You’ll discover that all the instructions are here for creating just such a wonderful place for your child and others in your neighborhood. Turn your desire to give your child the best into a creative home business.

After successfully having her own preschool for her children and others, the author wrote the book to help other parents. It gives lots of information on starting your own home preschool. Reasons why you might want to do this as a business are presented. Classroom space, furniture, and materials are covered. Suggestions on how to make your own materials and how to get free items are included. What to put in a business letter to the parents about your preschool is covered, so that you will be able to get them to enroll their children. The role of the preschool teacher is explained. Montessori philosophy and the organization of the classroom using some Montessori materials are covered.

Starting a home preschool is easy with this informative book.
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I had a preschool in my home when our older children were small. I became interested in the Montessori Method when I visited several Montessori preschools. I read and heard how this type of education gives typical children and children with handicaps a great start in learning. The preschools I observed each had some things I liked, but decided to have my own preschool and incorporate some Montessori techniques into my teaching. Our daughters, Christina and April, attended my preschool along with six other children. As adults now, both daughters are successful in their impressive careers. Also I’m proud that they both give back to society by their charity work.

I have a few recipes in my preschool book so thought I’d post an easy one for small children to help make for a healthy snack:

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS RECIPE

1/2 CUP PEANUT BUTTER

1/4 CUP NON-FAT POWDERED MILK

2 TABLESPOONS HONEY

WHEAT GERM

Combine the peanut butter, powdered milk, and honey. Mix together until smooth. If dough is too sticky, add more powdered milk. Pinch off dough in pieces and roll into small balls. Roll balls in the wheat germ. I put the wheat germ in a bowl for the children to roll theirs balls in. You could have them make the recipe and then put in the refrigerator to eat later or can eat them at once after made.

Makes 2 dozen.

Here is a short blurb from Stacia’s website:

Sexy lawyer Cassandra Delistraty has had an itch that’s needed to be scratched for over eleven years, but the source of her affliction – scrumptious boy-next-door Mike Ashford – is doing his best to avoid her. When his Eagle Scout urges toss them into close proximity, Cassie decides to get Mike out of her system once and for all! But will her plan backfire?

I finished reading Stacia’s book last weekend. I loved the book from start to finish. If you enjoy reading romantic comedies, you will love Pretend You Love Me because it is light, funny and sexy. I liked Cassie because she definitely knows what she wants. She’s a smart lawyer who really cares about her clients and she goes out of her way to help a widow and child. I never would have guessed what caused the original conflict between Cassie’s and Mike’s families. I enjoyed being surprised. Mike is a great hero and very believable as he’s torn in wanting Cassie but is afraid to commit. He has some old baggage he needs to get rid of before he can realize the kind of person Cassie really is.

The secondary characters are wonderful, especially Cassie’s parents.

I recommend Pretend You Love me. Stacia is a masterful storyteller and you’ll love her book.

It’s available at Samhain Publishing in both ebook format and print. Buy at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other places online. Or check your local bookstore.