Writer Linda Rohrbough was kind enough to include my experience with book trailers in her article. Of course, it’s a great article!

I can’t believe it’s been so long since I wrote a blog post. Yesterday was my last day on the Pennsylvania scoring test for 11th grade Science. I think what I enjoyed the most about these projects was meeting new people. Everyone was so friendly and nice. My team leaders were great. I felt like I was in school because each new project, you get new training materials and supplies - just like the first day of school. Plus you have so much new material to learn and you also have to pass qualifying tests before you start scoring. At the end of the project, everything is turned in so they can destroy the stacks of training manuals and qualifying tests. Fortunately, they recycle the incredible amount of paper.

With the start of a project, I was assigned a new room and new team leader. Each time it seemed like a huge classroom with all the rows of computers. The next big project is Washington but I decided not to do it because I had to commit for the whole month of June. I just have too much to do with Amanda’s graduation party, her doctor appointments, promoting my new August release, and several other things. I won’t miss the daily long commute but will miss talking and teasing my co-workers. Writing is such a solitary profession but at least Amanda will be home this summer to break up the routine. Amanda is happy and relieved that I will be home with her. She kept asking me if I had to go back to work.

Amanda graduates tomorrow night! She had practice today and received her cap and gown. I’m sure I’ll have pictures to share soon.

WRITING NEWS: I received a contract from a publishing house for MARRYING MALLORY. After careful consideration, I decided not to accept it. Desert Breeze Publishing’s editor-in-chief requested a full and I’d really like to receive an offer from them. It would be easier to promote both my Whitney and Mallory books with the same publishing house.

I’m so close to finishing my novella and am excited about it. I’ll probably submit it to Samhain or The Wild Rose Press. I think it might be a good fit with either one of these publishers because of the length.

Tom, April, and I opened the pool yesterday. April was a big help with cleaning the cover and rolling it up for us. Tom started turning the handle, then April took over. Even though it takes time to open the pool, it’s always fun to have it in the summer. I doubt if it will be warm enough to go swimming during Memorial Day weekend but wanted to have enough time to get the water balanced. It got down to the low forties here this morning but this afternoon was nice. I enjoyed walking outside during my lunch time.

On Friday I finished reading Carol Higgins Clark’s newest release, “Cursed” and enjoyed it. I was disappointed that I missed seeing her in person the other week. She did a book signing in Cincinnati with her famous mother, Mary Higgins Clark. I would’ve loved meeting them and having them sign their books. I saw their pictures in the morning paper later that night.

Have you ever met a famous author in person? Did you have to wait in line a long time? I went to a Sam’s store once and Nora Roberts was there signing books. I couldn’t believe she was there in person. When April was young, I took her and a friend to meet Ann M. Martin, the author of the Baby-sitters Club books that were so popular while they were growing up. The line was so long and I remember we waited outside for some time before getting inside the store. Martin stopped writing this series in 2000.

Thank you to everyone who entered my May website contest! I had 205 entries with the correct answer so that was pretty neat! The winner is Chris Jones of San Antonio, Texas! Chris said, “That is so cool!! I can’t wait to read it! I loved the tease for it!”

Question for website contest was: What was Catherine doing when Jake called about their prom date?

Answer: She was throwing up in the toilet.

I’ll have a new website contest sometime this summer to celebrate my new release with Desert Breeze Publishing.

Yesterday was a bit of a sad day because Emily moved into an apartment close to her college. She will be working on her thesis for her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry. She just had to choose a major that requires thesis work. She’s doing something with cancer research and will receive grant money for it. But she will just stay in this apartment for her senior year so that’s good she already has a place for her last year. I’ve cried when each one of our children have left home or the area. It’s hard.

Training for the Pennsylvania Science 11th grade scoring ended on Friday. You have to take qualifying tests so was happy when the team leader for the project congratulated me on passing both with high marks. I was so afraid I wouldn’t do well because the material was overwhelming to me and thought about asking if they could just stick me in another project. I’ve learned a lot during this whole scoring job that you need to be persistent and not give up because I’ve been tempted to quit several times.

I’m giving a signed print copy of my chick-lit mystery, A FIERY SECRET, for a prize!

Be sure to enter SOON because I’ll draw the winner late Friday night, the 15th! I’ll announce the winner here on Saturday!

Click here to go to the contest page with all the information!

BLURB OF A FIERY SECRET:

An old boyfriend wants reporter Catherine Steel’s love but someone else wants her dead when she learns the explosive truth behind a murder.

Catherine Steel is an investigative reporter for a newspaper in Ohio. To supplement her income so that she can buy clothes for herself and gifts for her small godchild, she writes fluff pieces for women’s magazines. Two recent articles are: “What To Wear to Get Noticed” and “Catherine’s Ten Simple Dating Rules.” When Jake Michaels fills a sports editor’s spot on the paper, Catherine wonders if he is man enough to fulfill her fantasy. And does she want him to be the one?

After all, he broke her heart ten years ago in high school when he failed to show up for their prom date. And now that he’s back in town, he wants to date her. Catherine refuses to go out with him but he keeps asking. Should she give Jake another chance?

When it appears the beloved high school janitor, Max, was murdered, Catherine is determined to learn the truth about his death. Catherine’s list of suspects for Max’s death include: the school secretary with her intense dislike of Max, the charismatic mayor, the mayor’s unbalanced girlfriend, the angry school principal, and a strange math teacher.

Here’s the book trailer:

Buying link for Amazon.

Buying link for Barnes and Noble.

REVIEWED BY LILY, The Long And Short Romance Reviews

“This story begins with a fun, flirty bang and keeps a light-hearted energy throughout the pages. The mystery is woven in amidst life, love and much laughter. The story does not concentrate its focus on the who-dunnit, but shows you many sides and aspects of the main character’s life.

I enjoyed the tension and attraction between Catherine and Jake. Having been spurned in love before, by Jake no less, Catherine is determined to make a second chance difficult for him and she is bold and shameless in her flirting. It was refreshing to read a story where the main character was confident and smart, comfortable in her body and at peace with herself and her life. Catherine is looking for love, but not desperate for it. She is determined to live her life to the fullest.

As I read this book I couldn’t help laughing at the similarities between Catherine and a good friend of mine. It had me smiling at her matter-of-fact ways, bold speech and never-fail pick-up line!

A Fiery Secret is written in a first person narrative and had me feeling like Catherine was sitting across my living room, telling me her story. It is sure to leave its readers feeling as if they’ve just finished a conversation with a good friend.”

ERIC DANE

Brief Bio:

Full name, Eric William Dane; born in 1972 to father, an architect and interior designer; mother, a homemaker; married Rebecca Gayheart (an actress and model), October 29, 2004.

Viewers gasped while watching Grey’s Anatomy when actor Eric Dane walked out of a bathroom barely wearing a towel and aptly living up to his nickname “McSteamy.”

The scene instantly turned Dane, who plays Dr. Mark Sloan on ABC’s hit show, into the talk of television.

I read where Dane got his start on the television sitcom, “Saved by the Bell” in 1991 and recently I saw him in “Marley and Me.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO ERIC DANE FOR BEING DIANE’S HOTTIE OF THE WEEK!

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I have a lot to do so better get busy! Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!