Willy Willy Harry Stee....

As many of you know from reading my bio, when I was in college I learned a little rhyme that lists the Kings & Queens of England in order. Useless to some. Not at all useless to a romance novelist who might, at any moment, in the absence of Wikipedia, be required to call on such vast historical knowledge.

And so...today...I give you the poem that will impress your friends, send your enemies cowering in the corner, and quite possibly win you a friendly game of Trivial Pursuit.

Willy, Willy, Harry, Stee,
Harry, Dick, John, Harry three.
One, two, three Ned, Richard two,
Harrys four, five, six.
Then who?

Edwards four and five, Dick the bad,
Harry's twain, Ned six, the lad.
Mary, Bessie, James you ken,
then Charlie, Charlie, James again.

Will & Mary, Anna Gloria,
Georges four, Will four, Victoria.
Edward seven next, and then
came George the Fifth in 1910.

Ned the eighth soon abdicated,
then George the sixth was coronated,
After which, Elizabeth!

and 'that's all folks'until her death!

Join us next week, on Randomness from Sarah's Brain!

barack-b-q

Presidential Burgers...


Want.

RIP Michael Jackson...

Michael & Janet...cute as buttons.

In which a hawk makes my week...

So, I had kind of a blah week. But the weekend is going to ROCK. How do I know this? Because no weekend that begins with this post at Gawker can't rock. It's cosmically impossible.

The lesson here?

Emo Hawk + Jerk Chicken = Greatest New York Moment of All Time.

Rain Rain Go Away

Thanks to Ken Stirling for the awesome...

Callie Montgomery on Inside the Character's Studio!

Ok...no surprise that I'm super excited to host Callie Montgomery, the star of Mandy Hubbard's Prada & Prejudice, on Inside the Character's Studio...for those of you who don't know about Prada...you should. Callie takes a nasty spill and wakes up in Regency London. And just so happens to meet a really really ridiculously goodlooking duke there. So, yes. This book tells the story of my biggest fantasy.

To impress the popular girls on a high school trip to London, klutzy Callie buys real Prada heels. But trying them on, she trips…conks her head…and wakes up in the year 1815!

There Callie meets Emily, who takes her in, mistaking her for a long-lost friend. As she spends time with Emily’s family, Callie warms to them—particularly to Emily’s cousin Alex, a hottie and a duke, if a tad arrogant.

But can Callie save Emily from a dire engagement, and win Alex’s heart, before her time in the past is up?

Welcome, Callie!

What is your favorite word?
Shopping!

What is your least favorite word?
Courtesan. There was this whole scandal last year involving the cheerleaders... I will never say that word again.

What turns you off, creatively, spiritually?
Mean people. I really hate snobs.

What is your favorite curse word?
I don't curse!

What sound or noise do you love?
I love the sound of laughter... especially when its coming from a certain duke....

What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of me at the piano. I'm really terrible at it.

What profession would you like to attempt?
Gosh, as if I have that figured out!

What profession would you not like to do?
I could never be an actor or a singer... the limelight is too much for me.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Nice shoes."
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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Yay! The New York Post likes me!

Just a quick one today...as I'm in and out of the apartment...but I just had to share this!

At 10:45 this morning, my phone rings...it's a friend from work. Not exactly the phone call one expects to receive on Saturday morning. (I *expected* to receive a call from my sister, who seems to have gone AWOL and never answers her phone...but that's another story altogether)

The call goes something like this:

SARAH: Hello?
SARAH'S FRIEND: Ohmigod. You're in the NEW YORK POST!
SARAH: Wha?!
SARAH'S FRIEND: THE NEW YORK POST!!!
SARAH: What? Why?
SARAH'S FRIEND: You seem less intelligent than usual.

**cue hanging up, grabbing 75 cents in nickels from my money jar and running downstairs in my pajamas to the deli to buy the paper.

And lo and behold, I am, indeed, in the New York Post! Right there, under the lovely headline: Hot New Titles for Tweens & Teens!

Bless Rupert Murdoch and his big, conservative head!

15 Books...

Rules: List the fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. Choose the first fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

Ok...aside from my own:

1. James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl
2. The Babysitters Club series, by Anne M. Martin
3. Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen
4. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
5. The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory
6. Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen
7. Devil in Winter, by Lisa Kleypas
8. The Black Lyon, by Jude Deveraux
9. The Crimson Petal and the White, by Michael Faber
10. The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
11. The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien
12. Skinny Legs & All, by Tom Robbins
13. The Cider House Rules, by John Irving
14. Look Homeward Angel, by Thomas Wolfe
15. The Six Wives of Henry VIII, by Alison Weir

ok...now you!

Things That Are Awesome....Colleen Pencils

Some people like gadgets, others like first edition books...me? I'm a paper and pencil gal. And O. M. G. I want these. BAD.

Twelve years ago, the Colleen Pencil Company recognized that pencil slats could be made from any wood that the machinery could cut, and created a varied set as an artistic exploration....Twelve pencils are presented - each marked with the number in the series, the HB grade, the bilingual (English and Japanese) wood species and country/area of origin, and a most unusual number - the specific gravity of the pencil’s wood. Some species are familiar, and some are more exotic.

Colleen, unfortunately, is now out of business. And all we can do is stare longingly at these pictures.

Covet with me, will you?

Avery Pirzwick on Inside the Character's Studio!

I am a sucker for superheroes. It's true. Batman, Spiderman, Wolverine, heck...I even like Aquaman...and all he can do is talk to fish. So, it should come as no surprise that I am 100% in love with Avery Pirzwick, the star of Sarah Cross's Dull Boy. And I'm SUPER excited to host Avery here on the blog today.

What do you do if you can deadlift a car, and you spend your nights flying to get away from it all? If youare fifteen-year-old Avery Pirzwick, you keep that information to yourself. When youare a former jock turned freak, you canat afford to let the secret slip.

But then Avery makes some friends who are as extraordinary as he is. He realizes theyare more than just freaksatogether, maybe they have a chance to be heroes. First, though, they have to decide whether to trust the mysterious Cherchette, a powerful wouldbe mentor whose remarkable generosity may come at a terrible price.

Welcome, Avery!

What is your favorite word?
badass

What is your least favorite word?
dissection

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
This is a really awkward question ...

What turns you off?
Anything that almost kills me.

What is your favorite curse word?
idk, the best ones got edited out. ;)

What sound or noise do you love?
Silence. It means no one is yelling at me.

What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of something really expensive breaking. *cringes*

What profession would you like to attempt?
Superhero is sort of a profession, right?

What profession would you not like to do?
Dentist. Anything on Dirty Jobs.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Go back, you're not done yet!" Or: *as God strokes his lustrous beard thoughtfully* "Hmm ... you really *are* more awesome than Wolverine."
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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Spot The Season Photo Contest! Awesome Prize!

Ok, y'all...back in February when The Season began to appear in the wild, dozens of you guys started sending in photos of the book in its natural habitat...bookstores, libraries, chillin' with cats...

and i LOVED it.

Loved it loved it loved it! I started putting all those photos on a map...which lives in my sidebar, and I would go home everyday and irritate my husband by showing him the newest awesome photos of the day!

But then...you stopped sending them. so...suffice to say...i got sad. :(

And YOU--yes, you in the middle--Kansas? Nebraska? Wyoming? Montana? What happened to you? My map is so sad and pathetic in the middle! Come on! Alaska delivered! And Alaska is FAR!

But then...a bright spot.

This week, Molly & Clare (a mother/daughter team who sound AWESOME) and the incredible Carrie Ryan (yes...THE...FAMOUS...CARRIE RYAN)...sent me new photos out of the blue! YAY!

Don't you want to be as awesome as Molly & Clare & Carrie? Send me your photos!

Need me to sweeten the deal? Well...ok. If you insist. I just so happen to have awesome bookmarks that have special commissioned art of The Season girls on them! I offer you this awesome trade -- your photos of The Season in the wild for a bookmark!

Shall I sweeten the deal even more? The best, most creative photo of The Season in the wild (indoors or outdoors, with people or without) will receive a SIGNED POSTER of The Season! Isn't that worth it?

The contest is now, officially open! I'll put all the photos on my map...and choose the winning photo on June 19th. That gives you two weeks to be as creative as possible!

Yay! I'm so excited!

Anna Reiley on Inside the Character's Studio!

Ok...it's no secret that I have a major friend crush on the fabulous Sarah Ockler. We've got some weird cosmic similarities that are seriously freaky-deaky. First, we're both named Sarah. Second, Sarah's husband grew up literally across the street from where my parents lived when they first moved to the US in Flushing, Queens, NYC. How did we discover this? Sarah actually *recognized* the spot where this photo was taken. While she was reading my blog. Which brings me eerie similarity #3--we're both awesome.

So...I am SO SO SO excited to host Anna Reiley, the star of Sarah's Twenty Boy Summer on the blog today.

While on vacation in California, sixteen-year-old best girlfriends Anna and Frankie conspire to find a boy for Anna’s first summer romance, but Anna harbors a painful secret that threatens their lighthearted plan and their friendship.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER is a debut YA novel that explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

Welcome, Anna!

What is your favorite word?
Love.

What is your least favorite word?
Lost.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Being outdoors and connecting with the universe through nature. Traveling also does it for me, now that I finally get to go somewhere interesting! But mostly, I just like to be outside in the sun, no matter where I am.

What turns you off?
When people apologize for something they didn't do simply because they don't know what else to say, or when they try to force conversation just to fill the space so they don't have to feel awkward around you. I wish they would just be quiet, because sometimes there just aren't any words for something.

What is your favorite curse word?
I don't curse that much, so I save it all up for the big one. ;-)

What sound or noise do you love?
The sound of Matt's voice reading to me. Some days I wake up and think of him and his voice goes hazy in my memory. I'm so scared of forgetting the sound of it.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Tires screeching, and the song that was playing that day... Casey Jones.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I think I'd like to work with other teens and kids who just need someone to talk to and listen to them, especially if they've gone through something traumatic. Maybe a counselor or social worker.

What profession would you not like to do?
Hair stylist or makeup artist. I leave all things glamorous in Frankie's capable hands.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Matt! She's here!"

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

On my turntable...

Ok, I lie. I don't have a turntable. Eric does, but I am not allowed to use it. Ok, that's a lie, too. I'm sure that if I wanted to play a record he would allow me access to the little black square that sits in his office...assuming it's not a Barenaked Ladies record. That's where he draws the line.

But admit, you liked the idea that I had a turntable. And then you liked the idea that Eric holds sway over the use of vinyl in my house.

I digress. This is a post about the music that I am in love with today. I know that wasn't very clear. I hope it is now, though.

I'm totally obsessed with Ani DiFranco's Red Letter Year these days. I love it. Love it. LOVE IT. Now, as I've mentioned before, I'm a huge Ani fan. For a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that I can map much of my adult life (including my relationship with Eric) to Ani concerts: the first time Eric came to visit me in NYC, we saw her play acoustic at Carnegie Hall; the day I moved into my first NYC apt without a roommate, Eric and I lay on my bed and listened to Reveling/Reckoning while the summer breeze blew the curtains over our heads; Little Plastic Castle is the second song on the mix cd Eric made in honor of our wedding; and the day I sold my first adult romance to Avon, November 21st 2008, we saw Ani play at Town Hall.

One might say that if my life were a Paul Thomas Anderson film, she would be my Aimee Mann.

Red Letter Year is one of her more recent albums...and when you listen to it, you can't help but notice an new, wonderful, loving, happy Ani. And perhaps it's because she played so many of these beautiful, lyric, happy songs at the Town Hall concert on a day when I was so very very happy myself that I think this album (of all of them) speaks to me the most.

You can listen to it for free over at Ani's website. And if you only listen to one song on it...listen to Landing Gear. or The Atom. or Present/Infant. *sigh* you see my problem?

Oh. My. Holmes. Yes, Please!

All i want for Christmas is Robert Downey Jr. in period costume. And...oh look! Santa is bringing him!



Are you kidding me? I cannot WAIT!!!
What are the odds my parents would forgive me for leaving the house on Christmas Day to see this?

Wrenn Scott on Inside the Characters' Studio!

Today, I'm happy to announce that Wrenn Scott, the star of Leigh Brescia's's One Wish. Ok, let's start with how much I judge this book by its cover. And I judge it as AWESOME. But then I met Wrenn (and Leigh) and I judge it also by its author and main character. That's acceptable, right?

Overweight Wrenn Scott desperately wants to be popular and snag a hot boyfriend. Her amazing voice (for once) overshadows her weight when she lands a lead role in the high school musical. Pushing to get thinner by opening night, Wrenn's waistline shrinks as she learns all the wrong ways to lose weight from a new "it-girl" friend in the show. By opening night, the old Wrenn has almost disappeared. After a crisis reveals her weight-loss tricks, Wrenn realizes there are much more important things than being thin, popular, or even dating a hunk.

Welcome, Wrenn!

What is your favorite word?
Popularity (and everything that comes with it)

What is your least favorite word?
Terrific! Ugh! It’s so overused. I hate it!

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Music

What turns you off?
Phil in his boxers. I’m serious. I’m actually throwing up a little bit in my mouth like, right this moment.

What is your favorite curse word?
I don’t really curse. My mom used to (enough for all of us), but ever since Phil came along she’s choosing her words more wisely. It’s annoying, actually.

What sound or noise do you love?
The click of the “on” button of my electric piano

What sound or noise do you hate?

Mr. Pike when he yells: “No! No! No! Cut!”

What profession would you like to attempt?
I might like to be a Broadway singer, but I have to get over the stage fright first.

What profession would you not like to do?
Work for Mitzi Monroe at Channel 8. She’s wicked.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
We’re needing a lead soprano for the angelic choir. You interested?

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Win Free Stuff!

Get over there and win!!!!

This day in history...not at all DULL.

Today is a very special day. Very. Special. No, dear readers...not because it is the 134th day of the year. No, not because, on this day in 1804, Lewis and Clark began their expedition. No, not even because it's the feast day of St. Boniface of Tarsus. (Although I know we're all putting our party hats on for that last one)

Today is special because it is the launch date of Sarah Cross's DULL BOY--which I have been rather vocally in love with for a while.

"Who is this DULL BOY of which you speak, Sarah?" you ask.

Well, let's just say this boy is not at all dull, and the veriest of awesome. One might say he is a modern day superman. Imagine, if you will, a book that includes both superheroes and awesome, witty characters and a story that has you cheering straight to the end and desperate for a sequel. That is the DULL BOY of which I speak.

Order your copy now. It's as awesome as its cover. I swear.

Have I ever steered you wrong? Well...aside from hyping the feast of St. Boniface of Tarsus?

BEA Update! Mark Those Calendars!

I'll have more info on my Book Expo shenanigans next week, I hope, but I just wanted to put myself on your calendars!

I'll be signing at Table #2 at the BEA Autographing Area on Friday, May 29 from 10 - 10:30am! This is during the "Romance Salute," which sounds awesome...I'm not a little bit sorry that I can't go stalk the other Romance Authors on the list!

But I shall persevere...and hopefully see you all there!

Ai Ling on Inside the Characters' Studio!

Today, I'm happy to announce that Ai Ling, the awesome star of Cindy Pon's's Silver Phoenix. Ai Ling is amazing. She's beautiful, brilliant and buff. Do not mess with her. She will take you down. No joke.

On the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--Ai Ling discovers a power welling deep within her. She can reach into other people’s spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams…and that’s just the beginning.

Ai Ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the Emperor’s palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. She must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. And then she meets Chen Yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. Here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance--of anything with the making of legend.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is one of my favorite movies of all time...so when I heard of Silver Phoenix I practically clawed my way to the front of the line to read it. It did not disappoint. Well, except for the fact that you have to wait for a sequel to get more of super hawt Chen Yong. ;)

Welcome, Ai Ling!

What is your favorite word?
Meal

What is your least favorite word?
Betrothal

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
i love to paint and find that the scenery in nature, the jaded peaks, the opening of a lotus flower, a dragonfly fluttering above a pond--these small moments really inspire me.

What turns you off?
brutish behavior. the idea that women are not good for anything but remaining within the inner quarters and birthing babies.

What is your favorite curse word?
there aren't curse words in the xian language. more so phrases. "dung of a diseased turtle" is one.

What sound or noise do you love?
ink stick ground on stone before i begin to paint.

What sound or noise do you hate?
dead silence, when i feel too alone.

What profession would you like to attempt?
i haven't thought about it truly. an artist would be a fine profession, although i'm not very good yet. and there aren't too many women artists.

What profession would you not like to do?
anything that is forced upon me, without my say.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
You've done well, Ai Ling.

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

OMG! Carrie Ryan goes HOLLYWOOD!!

This is late to the party, slightly...I meant to post last week when the news went public, but life got away from me...so apologies...but as you all know, I *heart* Carrie Ryan and her incredible book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth which is all zombies and romance and yes, please.

So...imagine my incredible SQUEE when I heard from Publishers Weekly that:

Alan Nevins of Renaissance Literary & Talent has just closed film rights on Carrie Ryan's YA novel, The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Nevins, who brokered the deal on behalf of Jim McCarthy at Dystel Literary, sold the book, which Delacorte Books for Young Readers published in March, to Seven Star Pictures (K-11, forthcoming). Nevins said the book, a zombie thriller set in colonial times about a girl who lives in a religious community in the woods and is equally worried about a zombie invasion and her planned marriage, is in line to "do for zombies what Twilight did for vampires." Supposedly Seven Star is developing the project for an-as-yet-unnamed A-list starlet, and fast-tracking the project with a first draft of the screenplay already in the works.

Uhm...I think it's worth repeating that FHT will "Do for zombies what Twilight did for vampires."

That's my girl Carrie, yo.

Spencer Kelly on Inside the Characters' Studio!

This week, we have a special Double Edition of Inside the Characters' Studio!

Today, I'm happy to announce that Spencer Kelly, the star of Micol Ostow's's Golden Girl.

Paige, Spencer, and Madison have it all: the looks, the connections, the money, the boys. As the daughters of three of the most prestigious families on Philadelphia's Main Line (read: old money, and lots of it) and the ruling juniors at Bradford Prep, nothing can stand in their way....except, perhaps, their own dark secrets. When an old frenemy from Paige's hidden past shows up at Bradford and plays nice--too nice--Paige is desperate to smother the threat. How far will she go to silence the truth?

Spencer hosted me over on her blog, All That Glitters to celebrate her birthday...so I am very very happy to host her here and give you all a chance to meet her!

Welcome, Spence!

What is your favorite word?
"Grace," for fairly obvs reasons! ;)
Oh, and "very." Used in every possible grammatical construct--correct or not!

What is your least favorite word?
I'm not a huge fan of "no." Or "carbs."

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
I think in general, I'm really impressed and inspired by people who have an artistic or creative side and who are in touch with it. Like my BFF Madison, for example, who is an ah-MAH-zing fashion designer! Not only does she know how to express herself through what she wears, but she also thinks about design and aesthetic as it relates to other people. She's always coming by my house with fun little scarves and belts or bags that she's "Maddie-ized" just for moi! (I mean, speaking of veriness, no?)

I also have a friend Jeremy who takes totally captivating photos and spends a lot of time blogging about things that he's passionate about. Check him out.

What turns you off?
Disloyalty=grossness. I am totally not down with friends who turn on other friends. I give a lot to the people I care about and expect the same in return.

What is your favorite curse word?
For sure it's gotta be one of Madison's home-grown phrases. Probably, "holy Gabbana!" That cracks me up every time. Better than any boring old standard four-letter blahdity-blah, right? LOL!

What sound or noise do you love?
The little chime from my computer that signals a comment on my blog (http://goldengirlspencer.blogspot.com) or an incoming email!

What sound or noise do you hate?
Oh, that's gotta be the alarm clock...or when my bratty baby sis is screaming her head off while I'm trying to relax...At times like that, one wonders what the nanny is getting paid for. :P

What profession would you like to attempt?
I've done some modeling for some of my mother's charity events, and even though it was a little stressful (some of those dresses are one of a kind, and you don't want to be damaging them in ANY way), it was a lot of fun to primp and pose for a crowd. So it could be fun to do more of that.

Of course, I also oversee our school's social planning committee, which is a huge responsibility, but it's amazing to put together a fantastic event for all of your friendlies. So maybe event planning could be my "thing?" Or even fundraising for charities of my own some day...Who knows? I've got plenty of time before I have to worry about stuff like--ew--the real world, right?

What profession would you not like to do?
As much as I love to blog, I don't think I'd want to be a professional blogger or gossip columnist! I like to keep my private thoughts set to private! I'll leave the public snarking for the Toni Barneses of the world...

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Dah-link--what would make you think that that's where I'm headed?...
;)

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.
What is your favorite word?

Jory Michaels on Inside the Characters' Studio!

This week on Inside the Characters' Studio, Jory Michaels, the star of Sydney Salter's My Big Nose & Other Natural Disasters.

It’s the end of junior year, and summer is about to begin. The Summer of Passion, to be exact, when Jory Michaels plans to explore all the possibilities of the future--and, with any luck, score a boyfriend in the process. But Jory has a problem. A big problem. A curvy, honking, bumpy, problem in the form of her Super Schnozz, the one thing standing between Jory and happiness. And now, with the Summer of Passion stretched before her like an open road, she's determined for Super Schnozz to disappear. Jory takes a job delivering wedding cakes to save up for a nose job at the end of the summer; she even keeps a book filled with magazine cutouts of perfect noses to show the doctor. But nothing is ever easy for accident-prone Jory--and before she knows it, her Summer of Passion falls apart faster than the delivery van she crashes. In her hilarious and heartbreaking debut novel, Sydney Salter delivers a story about broadening your horizons, accepting yourself, and finding love right under your nose.

Ok. As if the cover weren't enough...isn't that description the best? I want to find love right under my nose!

Welcome, Jory!

What is your favorite word?
Passion.

What is your least favorite word?
The "N" word. Nose.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Will people stop asking me this stupid question. I just don't know, okay!?!

What turns you off?
Cake. Guys who only seem to like me in the dark. Diets.

What is your favorite curse word?
See, if I were smart and clever and talented I'd have a good answer for this. But I don't.

What sound or noise do you love?
Gideon's violin.

What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of grinding gears. Oh, and my mom's blender (some things just shouldn't be blended!).

What profession would you like to attempt?
I might like to do something kind of creative, maybe with jewelry.

What profession would you not like to do?
Anything that involves driving or frosting or pervy lawyers.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
The first thing you need to do, Jory, is pick out your new nose.

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Cause of the Day - Feel Your Boobies

Feel Your Boobies® was founded in 2004 after Leigh Hurst was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. What originally started as a few fun t-shirts designed to remind her friends in a fun way about something that had saved Leigh’s life has evolved into non-profit Foundation focused on spreading this life saving message to young women using unexpected and unconventional methods.

Many young women tune out messages about breast cancer because they don’t believe they are at risk. Here at Boobies Central, we know that research shows that simply “feeling your boobies” (aka “breast awareness) is just as effective at identifying lumps or other breast changes as the traditional step-by-step process of “breast self-exams”. And that’s exactly why we’re here -- to give you “a friendly reminder when you least expect it”. So get feeling girls, and remind a friend to do the same.

Self exams are important, girls. Learn more here.

Fortunata on Inside the Characters' Studio!

This week on Inside the Characters' Studio, Fortunata, the star of Deva Fagan's Fortune's Folly.

Ever since her mother died and her father lost his shoemaking skills, Fortunata has survived by telling fake fortunes. But when she's tricked into telling a grand fortune for a prince, she is faced with the impossible task of fulfilling her wild prophecy-or her father will be put to death. Now Fortunata has to help Prince Leonato secure a magic sword, vanquish a wicked witch, discover a long-lost golden shoe, and rescue the princess who fits it. If only she hadn't fallen in love with the prince herself. . . .

Shoemakers? Fake fortunes?? Vanquishment of wicked witches??? Yes, please!

Welcome, Fortunata!

What is your favorite word?
Magic.

What is your least favorite word?
Magic.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Fresh, spicy nutcakes, dripping with honey.

What turns you off?
Cabbage soup.

What is your favorite curse word?
Q What is your favorite curse word?
*blushes* Well, there are a few people I've cursed to the Seven Hells. But they all deserved it!

What sound or noise do you love?
The tapping of my father's tools when he's hard at work on a new pair of shoes.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Franca's braying in the morning. You'd think she was a rooster, not a donkey!

What profession would you like to attempt?
I think I could make a fair showing as Queen...

What profession would you not like to do?
Anything that doesn't involve being in constant peril and lying to royalty would be wonderful.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive
at the Pearly Gates?
Well, it would be nice to know that Saint Federica understands about that whole "faking-a-saintly-manifestation" affair. It was for a good cause! Truly!

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Calling All New Englanders!

I'm super excited to be reading at "Rhode Island Author Night" on this Friday, May 1, at the Barnes & Noble in Smithfield, Rhode Island. When I was first invited to be a part of the event, I had no idea there were so many authors in RI...and a fair share of romance novelists to boot!

So...those of you who are in or around the Ocean State next Friday evening, be sure to come out and hang with all of us! Aside from yours truly, Rhode Island Author Night will feature the literary stylins of:

• Edward Lee, Jr, author of Ripper,
  
• Jim Ignasher, who writes nonfiction about my homestate,
  
• David Bettencourt, author of a history of the amusement park of my youth, Rocky Point Park,
  
• Fr. Matthew Powell, author of Performing Parables,
  
• Thomas D'Agostino, author of Haunted RI -- and, as one of the 13 original colonies, I'm guessing there are LOTS of ghosts in RI,
  
• Donna Russo Morin, author of Courtier's Secret,
  
• Annette Blair, Romance Writer,
  
• Dr. Ed Iannucilli, author of Growing Up Italian (which I imagine will be a portrait of my youth),
  
• Hannah Howell, Romance Writer,
  
• Patricia Grasso, Romance Writer,
  
• Eric Sturtvant, Illustrator extraordinaire.

It should be a really fun event...hope to see you all there!

Book Meme! I tag YOU!

Via Jennifer Rummel via Diane Peterfreund's blog...I couldn't resist!!

1. What author do you own the most books by?
Lisa Kleypas. Stephanie Laurens. Julia Quinn. But if we're talking about authors outside of romance, probably Tom Robbins. Maybe John Irving.

2. What book do you own the most copies of?
Does my own count? ;)
I have two copies of The Cider House Rules. And two copies of Devil in Winter.

3. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
Fitzwilliam Darcy. Oh. Wait. You said *secretly*.

4. What book have you read more than any other?
Whenever I'm depressed, I read The Great Gatsby. I know that's weird and unexpected, but I just gravitate to it when I'm in a bad mood. So...it's probably Gatsby, considering I've had this strange quirk since I was 15.

5. What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
Definitely The Baby-Sitters Club series...one book would be tough...but probably one of the Super Specials. Those were longer and AWESOME. I can remember getting SO EXCITED when they came out!

6. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
I am extremely impatient. If I don't like a book in the first two chapters, I won't read more. While this does enforce my having the attention span of a gnat, it is a boon when it comes to bad books.

7. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
John Irving's Until I Find You.

8. If you could tell everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?
Tom Robbins's Skinny Legs and All.

9. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
Ulysses. Think you understood it? I don't believe you.

10. Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
Oh, the French. Sand, Camus, de Beauvoir, Laclos. Tolstoy can keep his cold winters. I would like Nabokov, though, if I may.

11. Shakespeare, Milton or Chaucer?
Shakespeare. Although ever since A Knight's Tale, I confess a crush on Chaucer. Assuming, of course, that he wore coats like Paul Bettany does.

12. Austen or Eliot?
This isn't really a question, is it? Austen.

13. What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
Ok. BIG CONFESSION. I have never read a Dickens novel. *hides head in shame*

14. What is your favorite novel?
Romance - The Black Lyon
Modern Literary - The Cider House Rules
Modern Canon - Lolita
Classic Canon - Emma

15. Plays?
Yes, please. William Shakespeare to Tennessee Williams. And anything in between.

16. Poem?
Less so...but Richard Brautigan gives me the chills. In a good way.

17. Essay?
It really depends on the topic.

18. Non Fiction
I'll read any presidential biography I can get my hands on. If it's related to FDR, I probably already own it. I'm also obsessed with biographies of Henry VIII and his wives. Yes. I've read that one.

19. Graphic Novel?
I am too distractable.

20. Science Fiction?
Ender's Game. Pattern Recognition.

22. Fantasy?
No.

23. Who is your favorite writer?
John Irving.

24. What are you reading right now?
Nothing. I'm revising. I can't read while revising or it will never get done!

25. Favorite Genre:
Romance

Your turn! If you post, come back here and let me know so I can read your answers!

Today in Things That Are Awesome...

This made the rounds a few months ago, but I never posted it here...and I can't help but be madly in love with it!

Digital Regency Dress Up Doll? Yes, please! And the UNDERWEAR is accurate!!! Warning: You will lose hours of your day with this. HOURS.

Edited to Add: OMG...There's also a REGENCY HERO Dress Up Doll. I am now appeased for never having owned a Ken Doll. Well, until Aprilynne Pike sent me one. Aprilynne is awesome, no?

Cora Bradley on Inside the Characters' Studio!

This week on Inside the Characters' Studio, Cora Bradley, the star of Lisa Ann Sandell's A Map of the Known World.

Cora Bradley dreams of escape. Ever since her reckless older brother, Nate, died in a car crash, Cora has felt suffocated by her small town and high school. She seeks solace in drawing beautiful maps, envisioning herself in exotic locales. When Cora begins to fall for Damian, the handsome, brooding boy who was in the car with Nate the night he died, she uncovers her brother's secret artistic life and realizes she had more in common with him than she ever imagined. With stunning lyricism, Sandell weaves a tale of one girl's journey through the redemptive powers of art, friendship, and love.

They say no land remains to be discovered, no continent is left unexplored. But the whole world is out there, waiting, just waiting for me. I want to do things-I want to walk the rain-soaked streets of London, and drink mint tea in Casablanca. I want to wander the wastelands of the Gobi desert and see a yak. I think my life's ambition is to see a yak. I want to bargain for trinkets in an Arab market in some distant, dusty land. There's so much. But, most of all, I want to do things that will mean something.

As many of you know, Lisa Ann Sandell is my very best friend, and so I have known Cora for quite a bit longer than those of you who are just now meeting her. I'm so happy to finally have a chance to host her here at MacLeanSpace! (Although, I will say that I'm bummed that she was so tight-lipped about her gorgeous boyfriend, Damien, but I will leave that for another time.

Welcome, Cora!

What is your favorite word?
Crisp. It sounds like exactly what it means.

What is your least favorite word?
Freak. It's just plain ugly.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
maps; the notion of traveling; interesting, spicy smells; looking at art. Pablo Picasso is my favorite artist, and when I see his paintings, I feel so
inspired.

What turns you off?
Shrill, shouting, shrieking mothers.

What is your favorite curse word?
Does "crap" count as a curse word?

What sound or noise do you love?
I love the sound of ice skates scratching against the surface of an icy pond, and I love the rustling whisper of autumn leaves before they fall off their branches.

What sound or noise do you hate?
I hate the screeching and wailing of tires.

What profession would you like to attempt?
I am going to be an artist.
Or I promise I'll die trying.

What profession would you not like to do?
Anything else.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive
at the Pearly Gates?
Cora, your brother Nate's been waiting for you.

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Check out other interviews from Inside the Characters' Studio here.

Ze Frank Makes Me Less Scared

Today, I need Ze.

Am I the only one obsessed with Bo?

Are you kidding me? As if there weren't enough to make the Obamas the perfect family...

Dear Obamas,
Baxter makes a great play date companion.
Call any time.
xo,
Sarah