NEIBA Booksigning

Harlequin invited me to do a booksigining of Overnight Sensation yesterday at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, as part of the New England Independent Booksellers Association trade show. So John and I took the train in, enjoyed walking through Copley Square, and browsed the convention for an hour or so before I actually sat down to sign books. Mind you, this convention is a huge event for booksellers. Every large publisher and small, local press is represented. Their tables groan beneath the weight of the books they hope to launch over the following year. The booksellers walk from table to table, scooping up free books and placing orders for their bookstores. John and I felt a little uncomfortable, since many of the publishers assumed we must be booksellers and sort of fawned over us. But even when I confessed I was just a lowly author, they were gracious, and I did score some advance copies of several coveted YA books for the girls, who thought it was very cool to have a book that looks exactly like the ones you find at Barnes and Noble, but with the words, "Advance Uncorrected Reader - Not for Sale" imprinted on the cover.

I had a great time doing the signings and am happy to say I was able to give away most of the books that Harlequin had for me to sign. Since the books were giveaways, there was no pressure and most people were happy to accept a signed copy from the author. I also really enjoyed meeting the Harlequin reps, Laurie and Carolyn, who were so friendly and fun to hang out with.



Have a great weekend!!

Football -- Not Just for Guys!

One thing you might not know about me...I am a huge Pats fan. Not hard to understand, given their amazing achievements these past six years.

But today is the first time in 128 New England Patriots games that quarterback Tom Brady did not start. The last time the Patriots played a game without Brady was early in the 2001 season. As much as I love this team, I didn't think I'd be able to watch the game without Brady, despite the fact that Matt Cassel came through with a win last week after Tom was injured facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs. And this week's game against the New York Jets was strange, for sure, with Cassel getting sacked three times in the second half, and throwing just one long pass down the field. But then our team sacked Brett Favre, dragging him back down the field and almost into his own endzone, for a loss of (I think) 24 yards. Unbelievable. In the end, Cassel came through again, with a final win of 19-10. Go Pats!



So I think I know the secret to how these quarterbacks are selected, and let me be the first to say that I approve wholeheartedly.

1. You have to be at least 6'4" tall

2. You must be in superb physical condition

3. You must be cover-model gorgeous

I mean, check out the Pats quarterback lineup. First, Tom Brady. Could he be any cuter? And at 6'4", 225 pounds, he's one gorgeous slab of beefcake:

Then there's Matt Cassel, the backup quarterback who, so far, has been able to lead the Pats to two consecutive victories. At 6'4, 230 lbs, he's an able stand-in for Brady in more ways than one!

And finally, there's rookie quarterback Kevin O'Donnell, fresh out of college and learning the ropes from the best in the league. At 6'5", 225 pounds, he's absolutely adorable.

Who says girls can't enjoy football?? I say, go Pats!

I Saw It!

Brenna and I finally took a drive to Borders booksellers yesterday and snapped a couple of pics of Overnight Sensation on the bookstore shelves. And here's another picture. Isn't it lovely??

Hope everyone had a good weekend and survived Hannah.

Overnight Sensation Hits Bookstores!

Well, it's official! My second book, Overnight Sensation, is now available at bookstores near you! My two daughters were at the mall last week with their grandparents, and found copies of it at Walden Books and Borders. My dad took pictures of it with his cell phone, but I haven't actually seen it for myself on the shelves.

When my first book, Flyboy, came out, my younger daughter, Brenna, and I were (again) at the mall, looking for a book for her. It was about a week before the book was due out, so imagine my surprise when I saw it on the shelves! We just sort of stood there together, admiring it, and then went and splurged on a pumpkin spice latte! So I told Brenna that she and I have a standing date this weekend to visit our local bookstores and take a picture of Overnight Sensation, and then go celebrate with something delicious.

My husband did something so incredibly sweet that I have to share...he had a charm bracelet crafted for me, with a different charm for each book I've written. The first charm is a tiny Super Hornet fighter jet, since my hero in Flyboy is a fighter pilot.

The second charm is a movie-camera, since my heroine in Overnight Sensation is an actress.

My third book, Able-Bodied, which comes out in February, features a Delta Force hero and a Reiki energy healer heroine. I don't know what kind of charm he's selected for that book, and he's told me I won't get any hints, and will have to wait until February to find out!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend!