Today I’m blogging over at Access Romance. Stop by and say hi.

Last night I went to J.R. Ward’s book signing at a local Borders, and it was a lot of fun. About thirty other women, teenagers, and I asked questions about the BDB and all the peripheral characters’ pasts, presents, and futures in the minutest detail. Ward answered them all with her trademark earthiness and humor. My question was this: why couldn’t she have taken the relationship between V and Butch to its, ah, natural conclusion? I tried not to whine or sound accusatory, but I’m afraid I did both. Her gracious answer was to the effect that the books already push a lot of envelopes, and she didn’t want a physical relationship between those two to become a lightening rod that overshadowed everything else about the series.

Well … *GRUMBLE* … okay.

Other points of interest:

1. Phury’s book is next (she’s nearly 300 pages into it, and it’s going well) and then Rhev’s book in hardcover. After that, she doesn’t know.

2. She’ll put together a companion book soon.

3. She gets most of her ideas while jogging.

All in all, it was a delightful evening. I picked up another autographed copy of LU to give away for this month’s contest, so make sure to enter. Also, I’ve posted my own little review of LU over on my What’s Ann Reading page, so stop by if you have time. I’d love to know what you thought of the latest entry in the series.

Well, I’m back from a quick trip. This weekend I went to the Georgia Romance Writers 25th Moonlight & Magnolias conference in lovely Atlanta. There, I taught my No More Lazy Scenes! workshop to an enthusiastic group of listeners and did such other fun things as:

• Eat dinner at delicious Stoney River restaurant Friday night with Harlequin Blaze and NASCAR author Wendy Etherington, historical author Jennifer St. Giles, agent/author Deidre Knight, and several other delightful women;
• Spend time with my wonderful Kensington editor Kate Duffy;
• Listen to and learn from Borders romance buyer extraordinaire Sue Grimshaw;
• Listen to and laugh at cow stories from bestselling author and country-girl-at-heart Linda Howard;
• Get to know authors Alesia Holliday/Alyssa Day, Caridad Ferrer, and Cindy Holby a little better; and
• Meet several other charming women who went out of their way to show me Southern hospitality at its best and make me feel right at home.

The hotel was great, the conference well-run and professional, and the women extraordinary. Special thanks to GRW president Anna DeStefano, conference committee chair Diana Love Snell, assistant chair Darcy Crowder, programs chair Carol Burnside, and all the legions of volunteers who made the conference such a great experience.

I can’t wait to go back again.

Today I’m blogging about lost weekends over at Access Romance. Stop by and say hi.

Today I’m blogging about sagging (book) middles over at Access Romance. Stop by and say hi.

Today I’m blogging about stupid pet tricks over at Access Romance. Stop by and say hi.

I’m blogging over at Access Romance today. Stop by if you have time–I’m giving away a gift certificate to Borders.

Today I’m blogging over at Muse, News about alpha and beta moms. Stop over and say hi.

Today I’m blogging over at Muse, News, about one of my all-time favorite movies: The Last of the Mohicans. Stop by when you get a minute.

I’m blogging over at Access Romance today. Stop by if you have time–I’m giving away a gift certificate to Williams-Sonoma.