…I hope you all got a good night’s sleep. I was keyed up all night and got a lot of housecleaning done after the announcement. However you voted, we should all be hopeful for the future. Isn’t it a blessing that we get a chance to wipe the slate clean every four years and try again?

So, with a shiny desk and lighter heart I have a question for you. Yeah, another one of those silly questions just to get a conversation going and learn a little more about each other. Here goes…

Of all the movie characters you have seen, which one do you believe is most like you?

Twenty years ago, I’d have answered instantly, “Private Benjamin.” Everyone who knew me thought of me as that clueless blonde soldier with the big wide eyes. And I have to own up to the fact that I was oblivious to so many dark and dangerous things going on around me that it was a pretty accurate comparison. I saw a movie recently that resonated with the current me. If you haven’t seen it and want to look inside a writer’s very strange mind, watch Emma Thompson in “Stranger than Fiction.” My daughter saw the movie first and made me order it. She told me, “Oh my God mom, she’s soooo you!”

I can’t wait to hear whom you choose!

And the title here is longer than the post. Okay, so I have one more time I’m going to blog about the new books, and it’s today at Access Romance’s All-A-Blog. I’d love to see you there!! ~DD

Please join me at the Aphrodisia Authors website today. Yeah, I’m talking about Down in Texas again, but what the heck? Do you really have anything better to do other than give an author a reason to smile? 😎

The winner of the last 30 Days of Giveaways prize is…Darby! Darby, email me!

Someone who knows I’m into cowboys sent me this joke:

The Zipper

As the bus stopped and it was her turn to get on, she became aware that her skirt was too tight to allow her leg to come up to the height of the first step of the bus.

Slightly embarrassed and with a quick smile to the bus driver, she reached behind her to unzip her skirt a little, thinking that this would give her enough slack to raise her leg . She tried to take the step, only to discover that she couldn’t.

So, a little more embarrassed, she once again reached behind her to unzip her skirt a little more, and for the second time attempted the step.

Once again, much to her chagrin, she could not raise her leg. With a little smile to the driver, she again reached behind to unzip a little more and again was unable to take the step.

About this time, a large Texan who was standing behind her picked her up easily by the waist and placed her gently on the step of the bus.

She went ballistic and turned to the would-be Samaritan and yelled, “How dare you touch my body! I don’t even know who you are!”

The Texan smiled and drawled, “Well, ma’am, normally I would agree with you, but after you unzipped my fly three times, I kinda figured we was friends.”

😆

Progress on Lockdown

If I don’t finish today, I’ll be damn close. The story took some strange turns today. Don’t know whether my editor will let some of it fly, because I’m skirting close to an iffy content issue in one scene. However, the scene made my heart skip a beat and my stomach drop to my toes. Anytime I do that to myself, I know it’s going to get a reaction from a reader. Whether it’s good or bad, sometimes I really don’t care, because I never want to take the safe route if I have a chance to stretch.

Once I make another run through the manuscript to correct typos and smooth the language, I’ll post a little for you to see what I’m doing. Have to admit the sex between the hero and heroine is dayum hawt! ~DD

Progress on Lockdown

Now that my latest is making its way to the bookstore shelves, I have to dig in again and finish what’s on my plate. Lockdown is my current priority. I want it done before NaNoWriMo starts on Saturday. I’ve cleaned up the first few chapters and have a critique partner looking it over to make sure it works, but I have to keep moving forward. I’ll be doing timed sprints with anyone and everyone I know who wants to join me just to stay motivated. I need that competitive spark sometimes.

Thanks to everyone who kept me company and posted such wonderful comments during my countdown to the release of Down in Texas. The countdown was a promotional thing, sure, but it also kept me positive, happy, and excited about the book. I write these things and sometimes wonder if anyone really enjoys them, and your notes reassured me. I have a purpose on this earth—it’s to inspire lustful thoughts about strong, sexy men.

I have one last prize to award for the countdown. It’s a signed copy of Down in Texas, with a handmade, beaded bookmark, plus any other promo items I can manage to stuff into the padded envelope…and it’s going to Margie! Margie, you have to email me with your address! My email!

Stay tuned to my blog. In the next few days, I’ll be posting some sexy excerpts from my current works in progress to get your opinions on whether I’m doing it right. And if you haven’t already bought your copy of Down in Texas, what’s holding you back? I can’t wait to hear what you have to say! *hugs* ~DD

Just a quick note to remind you that tomorrow will be the start of the “15 Days/15 Reasons” countdown and contest, so be sure to check back!

I know, I know—the Readers Appreciation Weekend was last month and it’s taken me this long to get the photos up?! Can I use the excuse that I’ve been a little busy? Or how about I say that I delayed putting them up since everyone elses’ pics went up already and I didn’t want mine lost among the crowd. Okay, whatever.

Suffice it to say, the pictures say it all. Lora Leigh’s big party rocked! I’m horrible at names, so if you see someone in a picture that I’ve mislabeled, please let me know!

That’s me flanked by Cindy, who shared the drive from Arkansas to West Virginia and back, and Thumper, who’s a long-time online buddy I never met until that weekend!

Natch, the best thing about the weekend was friends—new and old. Meet Lorie O’Clare and Ilke (spelling?), from Stuttgart, Germany.

There’s always one crazy-ass woman who makes the party—her name’s U-vonne (Gawd, I know I misspelled that!).

There was definitely a booksigning, and this was my view of the event.

And there were stars for me to play fangirl to:

Lorie O’Clare and Nalini Singh

Sylvia Day/S.J. Day and her friend Chris (who’s a ringer for Pink!)

Jackie Frank