If you’ll be in the Dallas area on Wednesday, please stop by the literacy signing. Hundreds of your favorite authors will be there to sign their books, and all proceeds will go to charity. Hope to see you there!

Tomorrow begins Cincinnati’s 20th Juneteenth Festival, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. I’ll be there at an authors’ forum and signing from 1:30-3:00 p.m., along with friend and fellow romance author Patricia Sargeant and other local authors. If you’re in the area, stop by and say hi.

Yesterday I went to the Lori Foster/Dianne Castell/Linda Keller Reader/Author Get Together here in Cincinnati, where a great time was had by all. The event featured a book fair and signing, luncheon, and gift basket raffle benefitting the local battered women’s shelter. I’m not sure how many people came or how much money was made, but I can say this: our hostesses know how to show people a great time. They’re fun, gracious, and generous beyond words. Here are a few pics, from top to bottom, then across:

Group photo (I’m the one in the chair on the far left);

Erin McCarthy, Kelley Vitollo (I think!) and Toni Blake;

Sasha Lord, a lovely author whose name I’ve already forgotten (I’m so sorry!) and Patricia Sargeant; and

With Patricia Sargeant again.

I have, obviously, forgiven Patricia Sargeant for tagging me the other week.

This week I flew east for the world’s shortest visit to NYC. My wonderful sister-in-law, who’s in alumni relations at Williams College in beautiful (and snowbound) Williamstown, MA, arranged for me to speak at the Williams Club in Manhattan, and I could hardly believe my good fortune.

Braving frigid temps, snow, slush, and kamikaze cab drivers, I flew off to the city to talk about my convoluted journey from attorney to published romance writer. The talk/reception was Thursday night, and I can’t remember when I’ve had such a lovely time or met a group of nicer people than these Williams alumni. We laughed, chatted, ate, drank, and generally got to know each other. BTW, I need to make a tiny correction: the promotional materials for the event listed me as a Williams College alum, which I am NOT. I don’t want anyone to think I’m trying to perpetrate…

Where was I? Oh, yeah. Before I flew back on Friday, I had the chance to walk around a little and check out the sights, visit the New York Public Library (a truly spectacular building with polished marble, painted ceilings, and the world’s coolest reading room), and, perhaps best of all, eat one of those delicious black and white cookies that I’ve only ever seen in NYC. I did not, alas, have time to do any shopping, but maybe that’s a good thing. It’ll give me a chance to go back sometime soon.

I heart NYC. I really do.