What's Up, Doc?

I'll tell you what's up. My final romantic suspense.

TWO LETHAL LIES is in its last production throes. I've got the copy edits on my desk and they're done, done, done.

Tomorrow I'll overnight the ms to my editor and, hopefully, that will be that.

Hard to believe. Eight books.

EIGHT BOOKS!!

If someone had told me I'd get one book published, let alone eight, I would have laughed in their face.

Who's laughing now, eh?

Well, the journey isn't over yet. There's still the release to come in October. I want to do another blog tour, so that will keep me busy. And some interviews and chats and whatever else comes my way. I also have a ton of behind-the-scenes stuff to add to my site. Some pretty nifty things, too.

But by then I also hope to be deep into Stella Moon and a whole new world.

My heart is pounding just writing those words.

A whole new world.

Gives me goose bumps.

Playing Catch Up

My goodness it's been a while.

First there was the holidays, and then there was recovering from the holidays. I don't transition well. This is true in life as well as in writing. I need lots of time between endings, whether it's vacations or chapters or books.

In case you're interested, though, here are the highlights of the past few weeks:

Finished a first pass on the revision of Two Lethal Lies (October 2010)

Went to New York to visit family.

Ate TONS (for which I am paying double at the moment...), including:

• Hong Kong style crab at the Imperial Palace in Queens
• The best pizza in the universe at Positano's, Herricks
• Wonton soup that actually tastes like it at Jade King, Roslyn Heights
• Portuguese churrasquiera (spit-roasted over wood charcoal) from Barraida, Mineola
• Ramen noodles and steamed buns at Momofuku
• And, of course (because how can you go to NY and not) kosher dogs, mustard and kraut at the deli

Sat on my glasses and had to spend the rest of my time in NY with duct tape holding them up so I looked like a total dweeb

Watched lots of snow fall

Saw Up in the Air, which is NOT the feel-good movie the trailers make you think, but is thought-provoking character study that made me glad to be me and not him

Returned home and saw Sherlock Holmes, which was entertaining enough, but just enough

Had a wonderful New Years with friends playing Apples to Apples

Made a second tour of Two Lethal Lies

Sent my 3 proposals to my agent, who hasn't got back to me yet on any of them...

Watched snow flurry (I think it's the same 90 flakes being blown around and around)

Netflixed the movie Snow Walker, which I highly recommend

YYY

And now you're all caught up.

On The Road Again

Yeah, I'm off to see the wizard. Another small town in the back of beyond. This time in Ioway. Looking forward to the Iowa way to treat you if they treat you which they may not do at all (gold star to whoever gets that...). I've been promised a corn harvest (weather permitting, of course) and a ride on a tractor, combine, or whatever random machine is close by. Let's hope I leave my inner klutz behind this time (see "Le Grand Entrance" post in September). Two wobbly ankles is enough to sacrifice for my art.

Yes, cats and kittens, as you can surmise, this is a research trip! Once again, your intrepid Noo Yawker is braving the wilds of rural America to see what small town living is like. My May book, One Deadly Sin, was inspired by an Iowa legend. My next book, tentatively titled (and if you've been keeping up with things you know that no title is safe until the damn thing shows up on the cover...) Two Lethal Lies, may be set in a small Iowa town. I'm still debating. Sin is set in Tennessee. It would be fun to move to another part of the country for Lies. And, lucky me, I have another tour guide to show me the way.

I remembered to bring my camera, so all I have to do is remember to take some pictures. I'm sure y'all will have fun seeing me posing as a farm girl. I've stripped my nails of their polish. Now if I can only remember to leave the stilettos behind...