Thursday, November 20, 2008

The Bandits Welcome Kathleen Long!

by Tawny Weber and Beth Andrews

Beth: Tawny and I are thrilled to welcome awesome Harlequin Intrigue author and dear friend Kathleen Long to the Bandits' lair! Welcome, Kath!

Tawny: Yay! Kath's in the Lair. that means it's wild party times. Kath, I'm so excited you're hanging out with us today. So... tell us everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. All the cool deets on you, your life, your naughty confessions. Oh wait, I mean, tell us about your story, Christmas Confessions.

Kathleen: Hey there! I'm thrilled to be here and so glad you invited me over to the Lair. The Lair. Doesn't that sound wonderfully mysterious? I love it! As for me, there are absolutely no naughty confessions. You must have me confused with someone else. LOL Good suggestion on starting with Christmas Confessions, let's do that and get it out of the way. Christmas Confessions is my newest Harlequin Intrigue, a stand-alone thriller. The premise hit me one day while reading a story about PostSecret, an online site that draws countless handmade postcards each year. Each postcard features a confession of some sort—made anonymously. I was amazed by the outpouring of emotion and heartache displayed on the cards shown at the site, and I immediately thought what if someone used a similar site to confess a murder? Christmas Confessions and the fictional Don’t Say a Word website were born.


Tawny: Wow, Kath that gave me chills. You come up with such... well, twisted ideas. I mean, you look so sweet!! How do you do it?

Kathleen: Well, I do think twisted is the word for it. One of my favorite ways to kill time--no pun intended--is to take the latest headline and see what sort of murder mystery I can tease from it :-) I have one sister-in-law who routinely asks my DH if he sleeps with one eye open. He does admit to having a few moments of doubt the day he came home and found my favorite books--Scene of the Crime, 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder, Coroner's Report and Missing Persons--scattered across the kitchen table. What is it they say about it being the quiet ones you have to worry about?

Beth: Thank goodness we know he doesn't have to worry - much ;-) I love how you use real events or news stories as inspiration. Do you ever use any of your real life events in your stories? And I have to ask...do you have any Christmas Confessions of your own to share? *g*

Kathleen: I don't think I've used any of my real life events in my suspense. I've used plenty in my comedy, but you'll never get that out of me. I'd rather preserve the illusion of the polished person you all think I am. ;o) And, real life Christmas Confessions?? You mean like searching for the engagement ring until I found it and then having to act surprised, all the while kicking myself for reenacting the days of unwrapping the ends of each present before Christmas morning? Oh wait, that would be two confessions. Both of them hypothetical, of course.

So how about you two? Any Christmas Confessions?

Tawny: Ooooh, I love confessions. Lets see... there was the time that I snuck down to the tree one night and opened all my gifts using a teensy little pocket knife, then taped them closed again once I knew was I was getting. Then there was the one when I ran out of presents to unwrap, so I started on my little brothers. He still hasn't forgiven me for that one LOL.So wrong...and yet, so easy for me to imagine. ;o)

Kathleen: Beth, how about you? Any Christmas Confessions?? She's going to try to say she doesn't have anything to confess. Watch and see...

Beth: Now you two know I would never do anything naughty - especially around Christmas time! What's that? You're not buying it? *sigh* Guess you both know me too well :-) Hmm...well there was the one year my older sister and I unwrapped our presents and found the brand new Nintendo we'd been wanting. But we weren't satisfied with just finding the game...oh, no...we took it out of the box, hooked it up and played it! Then of course, we reboxed it, rewrapped it and left it in the hiding place in the attic. *g*

Tawny: Wow, Beth. You were so NAUGHTY! Did Santa leave you coal after that???

Beth: I'll never tell ;-)

Kathleen: I'd bet he did leave her coal...unless of course, she really was the good girl she claims to have been and she made up her confession. Matter of fact, I wonder if all three of us made up our confessions? Wouldn't that be a cool way to give away a copy of Christmas Confessions?I say we ask today's visitors to tell us what they think. Who's telling the truth...and who's fibbing?

One lucky commenter will walk away with a new book for their TBR pile. And while you're here today, why don't you share your favorite Christmas Confession? We'd love to hear your stories!

Here's the blurb for Christmas Confessions: Jack Grant just couldn't leave a case cold. Luckily a hot tip led the investigator to Abby Conroy. Her Web site--Don't Say a Word--broadcast a stalker confessing his many sins, and every crime was committed to get Abby's attention. Establishing contact with Abby brought Jack closer to a killer who had haunted him since the death of his sister. It had left him frozen, yet focused beyond belief--the perfect condition to keep Abby safe. But if protecting her thawed the pain that had chilled his heart, would he still have a chance to bring her home this holiday?

Sounds great, doesn't it? And make sure you check out Kath's website where you can find out more about her wonderful books! http://www.kathleenlong.com/

91 comments:

Keira Soleore said...

Bwok bwok bwok ???

Keira Soleore said...

Welcome to the Lair, Kathleen. And Beth and Tawny, I enjoyed reading your threesome interview. What a fun way to do grill, er, interrogate, er, kid each other.

For the record, I think Beth and Kathleen fibbed and Tawny spoke the truth.

Guilty confessions... my daughter had left a plate of hand-decorated cookies and a glass of milk for Santa by the chimney before going to bed. Thinking she was fast asleep, I was reading in that room and finished off the cookies and milk. A few minutes later... "Mama, Santa came already? Why didn't he bring me anything?" (wail) I had to talk fast.

Donna MacMeans said...

Yay Keira - You nabbed the GR!

Hi Kathleen and welcome to the lair. It seems peeking at the presents ahead of the big day is a popular confession. Mine is similar. Before we had children, my husband and I were so excited to give each other our gifts - we ended up unwrapping our presents about a week before Christmas. It was great. Of course, then we had to go out and buy more so we'd have something wrapped to put under the tree. Not a bad strategy.

Fedora said...

Woohoo! Hi, Kath!!! So fun to see you in the Lair! And how fun to hear these personal Christmas unburdenings of souls ;)

I can't think of anything particularly juicy to confess... perhaps some last-minute regifting? Ahem. Not you, of course!

I'm saving my copy of Christmas Confessions for next weekend, to enjoy and jumpstart the countdown to Christmas :)

Congrats on the GR, Keira!

Tawny said...

Keira, congrats on the GR!!! and OMG LOL at your cookie caper. I'm impressed that you talked fast enough to get out of trouble with your daughter ;-)

and hey, I am so impressed that you think I was the non-fibber. Or, wait, does that mean you think I was the naughty one?

heeheehee

Minna said...

Welcome to the lair!

Guilty confessions... Eating too much chocolate, maybe?


Miljoonasade: Marraskuu (November):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccpaaZvDL1k

Tawny said...

Donna -GO you on such a clever way to keep the gift giving going ;-) I like that idea.

Tawny said...

*narrowing eyes at Fedora* So... what exactly HAVE you been regifting? LOL. I think you picked an awesome treat for next week. Kath's books rock, don't they?!

Tawny said...

Minna, I wish I could feel guitly about eating chocolate. Somehow I just keep justifying it, though :-D

Jane said...

Hi Kathleen,
I really enjoyed "Christmas Confessions." I really liked Jack. Fedora mentioned regifting. I have done that, too. I have also pretended to like a gift and quietly returned them for credit or exchanged the item for something else. This is usually only possible if you have a gift receipt.

Helen said...

Well done Keira

Fun post Ladies this book sounds great I love a good mystery.

I am going to guess Kath and Beth are telling the truth and Tawny is fibbing.

When I was young I was always searching thru things at home to find the presents the only trouble was most times guessing who they were for with four daughters close in age it was sometimes hard to work out. When my kids where young I usd to take all of their presents to my neighbours house and wrap them there and bring them home after they were in bed asleep on Christmas Eve mean aren't I but I really wanted them to be surprised I was always sorry I snooped but I still did it every year till I was about 14.

Have Fun
Helen

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Kathlee, don't feel bad if your hubby has to sleep with one eye open, I think there are a few here in the lair that does that.

Woo Hoo, Keira got the bird! Put him to work my friend.
I think maybe Kathleen fibbed and Tawny and Beth told the truth.

I share the crime of unwrapping presents and rewrapping, my mother started waiting until Christmas Eve to bring home one package so she could be sure I had at least one surprise.

For my children I didn't hide the presents, I left them right out in the open so I could watch them...LOL Put a little branch in a certain way so I could tell if they had been disturbed. Yeah, I am one of those mothers that suck all the fun out of being naughty.

I have already started reading my Christmas books, I have several Christmas anthologies I have been reading through.

Caren Crane said...

Kathleen, welcome to the Lair! We cultivate that air of mystery, you know. *g*

Keira, congrats on the Golden Rooster! Too funny about the Christmas cookies. Your poor little daughter!

I was the boring sort of child who NEVER snooped for presents. I did NOT want to know, but to be surprised instead. Where's the fun if you already know? I'm still that way.

I'm also devilishly clever at hiding Christmas presents. And I ruin the snooping for my kids. I tell them if they want to know what they're getting and ruin the surprise, they can ask and I'll tell them where everything is. I am NO FUN AT ALL. Really, I love to give gifts and see the surprise on their faces!

Gannon Carr said...

WTG, Keira!

Add me to the list of those who unwrapped the end of my Christmas presents to peek. My parents knew I'd done it, but they never said anything. My mom said she figured that I'd spoiled my own Christmas, so that was punishment enough. And she was right! LOL!

Buffie said...

Hey Kathleen! Welcome, welcome, welcome. What a fun interview!!!

I confess that I was a snooper. When I was young (7 or 8), I would come home from school to an empty house. Both of my parents worked. I would be at the house for an hour or so by myself. Enough time for a little girl to look for presents. But I didn't stop at looking through the closets or under the beds. Nope. I was a resourceful kind of girl. I would unwrap a gift under the tree, see what it was, and rewrap it without anyone knowing the better.

Dina said...

Hi all,

I just like to spend the day now with my daighter and grandkids and watching them play and break their new toys. :)

Kathleen Long said...

Good morning! It's snowing here in NJ and I love it! I'm sure it won't hang around, but it was fun to dress the kid in her way-too-big snow coat and push her out the door to school. In the midst of her giggling about the snowflakes she said, "it's a little big." (referring to her coat) Then her daddy said, "is she going to wear those boots all day?" She and I both gave him "the face." Anyone who knows me knows "the face." Now, these boots are pink, suede, tassled, and they're fabulous. Who wouldn't want to wear them all day? Men. ;o))

Kathleen Long said...

Keira -- congrats on the GR. ;o)) (see? I'm in the know...)

And lololol on the cookies! That is so something I would do. Thanks for the heads up. I'll try to wait until my little one is fast asleep before I do the same. WTG on your fast talking. ;o))

Kathleen Long said...

Donna -- thanks for the welcome and I love your confession! What a perfect excuse for extra pressies, you're so right. ;o)))

Kathleen Long said...

Fedora -- lovely to see you, my dear! Hope you enjoy Christmas Confessions. Be sure to let me know...gently. ;o)))) And no confessions for you? I'm not buying that for a second.

Kathleen Long said...

Tawny -- can you believe Keira thought you were the good girl? I'm still a bit shocked. ;o)

Kathleen Long said...

Minna -- I'm a firm believer in never having to confess to eating too much chocolate. ;o) No way! Thanks for saying hello -- great to see you.

Kathleen Long said...

Jane -- I'm so glad you enjoyed Christmas Confessions. Thanks for letting me know. I loved Jack -- he was deliciously wounded and intense. Sigh. As for regifting, my regifting career started and stopped when I regifted a bottle of wine to the friend who had given it to me. (my memory is so laughable) As she said, "didn't I give that to you?" I said, "Oh, I loved it so much, I bought you the same wine." Seriously lame. ;o))

Kathleen Long said...

Helen, I was always sorry I snooped, too. I still am! Great idea on hiding the presents at a neighbors, and lol on picking Tawny as the naughty one and Beth and me as the good girls. We shall see how it plays out, eh?

Kathleen Long said...

Dianna -- enjoy your Christmas reading and lol on being so sneaky with your kids! Boy, I guess all of our kids pay the price for us being unwrappers when we were younger. ;o))

Kathleen Long said...

Caren -- go you on the tough love! I wish I could be so good about waiting and savoring the surprise, but I'm afraid I'm not the most patient person in the world.

BTW, I can hear you both laughing, Beth and Tawny.

Kathleen Long said...

Gannon -- your mom was so right, wasn't she? It is a let down to know what you're getting. No doubt about it. Of course, that still doesn't mean I'm going to behave if I see a suspicious package sitting around. I'm sort of like airport security...I need to know what's inside. ;o)

Kathleen Long said...

Buffie -- you really can't be held accountable for snooping. I mean, really...what else were you supposed to do with your time?? ;o) I can just picture your house-wide search, btw. lol

Joan said...

Welcome to {spooky music} the "mysterious" Lair Kathleen. I cannot wait to read "Christmas Confessions".

I for one never snooped, or rewrapped or anything. I was a sweet, angelic, obiediant child..

*Thunk*

What was that? Which Bandita fainte? Huh? Which?

I was biddable and quiet as a little girl...

*Thunk. Thunk*

Guess I better leave...they're dropping like flies :-0

Anonymous said...

I will have to say I have done some regifting myself. My mother in law gives me tons of Avon body lotions every year and a person can only use so much. So I will confess that my sisters receive a bottle of it in their Christmas bags.

Anonymous said...

Fun subject.....I think Kathleen and Beth told the truth and Tawny made hers up. Beth, I'll bet my grandchildren have unwrapped and played with their Nintendo games and put them back.....I don't remember ever doing such a thing :)

Tawny said...

Kath said: I'm afraid I'm not the most patient person in the world.

Wow... Kath, you have such a gift for understatement!!

Almost as much as Joan's gift for making Bandita's faint LOL

Tawny said...

Ahh, so Jane's another regifter ;-) You know, I think this is one of those things that falls into the 'recycle for the good of all' category LOL

After all, sooner or later, that gift will probably find its perfect home, right?

Tawny said...

Helen ;-) You think *I* would fib? LOL I know Kath's loving this.

I have to ask, when you were sneaking peeks at the pressies did you ever fall in love with something that turned out to be for one of your sisters?

And that is smart to keep the presents at a neighbors.

Tawny said...

Dianna -- you are a TOUGH momma LOL. That is so funny. How often did your kids get busted?

and don't you love Christmas Anthologies and Christmas romances? I definitely do.

Beth Andrews said...

Congrats on the GR, Keira! LOL on the cookie confession *g* Glad you were able to talk yourself out of that one ;-)

And I'm shocked (shocked, I tell ya) that you'd think I would fib about my confession *g*

Beth Andrews said...

Donna, that is so sweet you and your husband were both that excited! Love that you had to go out and buy more presents - I might try that this year with my husband :-)

Tawny said...

LOL Caren. You are such a good girl.

Gannon, your mom is a wise lady. Did you ever sneak and unwrap your gifts again after that?

Buffie ;-) LOL at your judicious use of snooping time!

Tawny said...

Kath, I want suede boots with tassels like your darling daughter has. Maybe not pink, but if that was the only option, I'd go for it!

Of course, I'd want mine without snow.

Joan said...

And that is smart to keep the presents at a neighbors.

This brought back a Christmas memory.

We always went to my Dad's folks on Christmas Eve. One year, we were leaving in the afternoon but Daddy said my brother and I had to go for a ride to "warm up the car" while Mom finished getting ready.

Can't remember how long we warmed up but when we pulled in the drive Mom "popped" out of the house and off we went.

Darndest thing was when we got home that night SANTA had been at our house? Hmmm.......

jo robertson said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jo robertson said...

A hearty welcome to the Lair, Kathleen. I can tell you, Beth, and Tawny have a hoot of a time together -- naughty girls, all!

The premise of your book sounds very intriguing. What a clever idea.

Keira, go girl!

I have nothing to confess and I'm sticking to that story to protect the innocent.

Beth Andrews said...

Fedora, I think reading Christmas Confessions is a great way to start the holiday countdown! Aren't Kath's books wonderful? So many twists and turns and filled with such great emotion and such strong characters! Love them all
:-)

Beth Andrews said...

Minna, I'm right there with you confessing to eating too much chocolate *g* Or, in my case, too much white chocolate since I eat my weight's worth of White Trash, a snack mix covered in melted white chocolate :-)

Beth Andrews said...

Hi, Jane! I'm all for exchanging a gift for something you'll actually use/wear. There's nothing worse than having a gift you'll never take out of the box *g*

Beth Andrews said...

Helen, sounds like your kids got the benefit of your snooping experience in a good way *g* I'm sure they appreciate being surprised each Christmas morning!

Beth Andrews said...

Dianna, leaving the presents out in the open is a brilliant idea *g*

I hope you're enjoying your Christmas stories! I love seeing all the Holiday themed books in the store! I'm going to have to do some major book shopping this weekend :-)

Beth Andrews said...

Caren, there is no way you could ever be boring!! I just won't believe it *g*

Love how you've ruined the snooping for your kids! As my kids get older, it's much harder to surprise my girls. My son is pretty easy to buy for but my older daughter has very specific tastes about what she will and will not wear.

And most things I pick out she WILL NOT WEAR ;-) But I still try to find some other items so she's surprised.

When I was little, my older sister used to wrap her own gifts! She'd pick out what she wanted, my mom would buy them and then my sister would wrap them.

That just seemed so wrong to me *g*

Beth Andrews said...

LOL, Gannon! That is so true that snooping spoiled Christmas. At least it did for me.

Moms. Why must they be right so often???

:-)

Of course, I dream of the day my kids tell me I've been right all these years *g*

Beth Andrews said...

LOL, Buffie, you were sneaky! Do you rememeber ever ripping the paper or doing a messy rewrap job so that it was obvious you'd been snooping?

Beth Andrews said...

Dina, sitting and watching my kids enjoy their gifts is the best part of the day!

Well, that and all the Christmas cookies :-)

Beth Andrews said...

She and I both gave him "the face." Anyone who knows me knows "the face."

ROFL! Yes, Tawny and I know "the face" well!

I'm sure junior looked adorable and her boots sound fantastic! Is it bad that I'm happy my youngest (she's only 11) and I wear the same size shoe? Especially since we bought her the cutest boots yesterday??

As for snow, I told you to send the kid up here for sled riding. We have 6+ inches on the ground and it's still falling! And this won't melt any time soon :-)

Helen said...

There are some great stories here I have always tried really hard to make Christmas lots of fun for my kids and now I am having the fun all over again with the grandkids I am loving it.

Tawny no I don't think there was anything that my sisters ended up getting that I really wanted Mum was always pretty good at getting us great gifts and we usually shared pretty good anyway LOL

Have Fun
Helen

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, Keira got the rooster. Keira and the rooster, kissing in the dark! Keira sighs, rooster crows, bwark, bwark, bwark!

What a fun interview! You girls are more entertaining than a barrel full of monkeys - and house trained too which always helps! Love the confessions. My guess is Beth's is the false confession. Am I right? Am I?

New book sounds fantastic, Kathleen! Laughed at your book selection worrying the friends and neighbours. If ever that security law goes through where the government monitors book purchases, I know a lot of people who are going to have the FBI on their doorstep!

Anna Sugden said...

Just popping on briefly because I couldn't let one of my favourite authors and favourite people visit the Lair without saying hi.

Great to see you here, Kath.

Saving up my copy of Christmas Confessions as a treat for getting a certain partial finished!

And, can I just say how much I'm looking forward to more Body Hunters? If you haven't read Kath's Body Hunters trilogy - put that right!!

clynsg said...

Aside from eating the Santa goodies (at least I never got caught at it!) the only Christmas confession I can really remember is probably one that almost anyone can relate to. As a child, I would try to find my gifts. One year I did, and saw the most beautiful doll. Unfortunately, she was from Santa, and just about the hardest thing I had to do was to act surprised. At least I was pretty much at the age where I was beginning to realize that Santa looked a lot like my parents!

clynsg at yahoo.com

Kathleen Long said...

Joan -- I'm finding the whole innocent act difficult to believe. ;o)) Based on the reactions, I can see I'm right! LOL Thanks for saying hi. Oh, and I love your Christmas memory about Santa's appearance. Mighty suspicious!

Kathleen Long said...

Virginia -- that's a perfectly lovely gift. I'm sure your sisters love it!! ;o)

Kathleen Long said...

RubyD -- you're my kind of gal. When forced to choose the naughty one, always pick Tawny. You can't go wrong. ;o)))

Kathleen Long said...

Hi Jo! I am so NOT believing your lack of confession material. Fess up. No pressure...but come on...I'm thinking there's something we're missing out on knowing, and you know we're nosy. ;o))

Kathleen Long said...

Aw, Beth. You are too kind. (The check's in the mail for the plug) And do tell on the white chocolate snack. I need more info. Much, much more info. ;o)

Kathleen Long said...

Anna C -- so great to see you! And yes, I'll be in big trouble when they start tracking book purchases. Just the titles on my one bookshelf alone would curl most people's hair. ;o))

Kathleen Long said...

Anna S -- sending hugs across the Pond to you! So great to see you and thanks for sharing your obviously unbiased, yet brilliant, opinion. ;o)) Get busy on that partial, would you?? Miss you!!!

Kathleen Long said...

clynsg - thanks for sharing your confession, though I must admit I felt a pang for you. What a bittersweet discovery, even if you were at the age where you were already having your suspicions about Santa. Sigh. So glad you stopped by today to say hello. Thank you!

Unknown said...

My Christmas confession: This year my husband & I don't want to play with the families. We intend to sneak off on a vacation.

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Tawny said...
Dianna -- you are a TOUGH momma LOL. That is so funny. How often did your kids get busted?

Tawny my daughter only got busted once, she is a quick study, she didn't like not having a surprise at all. My son never peeked to the best of my knowledge, he would just ask when Christmas was and then wait patiently.
and don't you love Christmas Anthologies and Christmas romances?
Definitely love the Christmas romances be they short or long. I start reading them right around Halloween so I am ready if there are new ones coming out.

Pat Cochran said...

Now, why would anyone think that
our dear Tawny would be the fibber?
I just do not understand that !!

Nice to have Kathleen Long visiting
with us today. Looking forward to
reading Christmas Confessions!

It's not exactly regifting: I keep
a variety of items on hand to use
when I need a gift for someone.

Pat Cochran

robynl said...

I have been known to re-gift; yes, I have. Only to someone who isn't part of the 'family' so to speak.

Anna Campbell said...

Actually the regifting stories reminded me of a social disaster my poor mum fell into one year when I was in primary school. She re-gifted a cosmetics pack to someone, not realising that it was one of those ones you put from xxx to xxx with much love on the back of. Oops! Nothing really you can say to that!

Pat, I keep a stock of stuff in the cupboard too. I don't have any decent shops near me and sometimes you need a decent present to give someone.

Joan said...

Ah, re-gifting.

One year at work,we did a Secret Pal thing. Drew names secretly and for a year on holidays or special occasions secretly gave out person gifts.

Well, MY Secret pal gave me an assortment of really odd things over the year...hardly anything that matched my likes or intersts. But one time I was presented with a box filled with items....stuff from a junk drawer including a multitude of those little sample lipsticks...USED...that Avon used to give out!

Ugh!

Beth Andrews said...

Sorry I disappeared - I finally finished my synopsis and sent it off to Tawny to fix!

Joan, from one angel to another let me just say I'm totally buying your innocent act ;-)

Virginia, as long as your sisters like the lotion, I don't see the problem *g*

Beth Andrews said...

RubyD, my kids haven't snooped either. It's not easy to snoop when Mom works from home and hides the presents above the garage *g*

Whereas when I was growing up snooping was easy. Without fail my mom would hide the presents under her bed :-)

Beth Andrews said...

Darndest thing was when we got home that night SANTA had been at our house? Hmmm.......

LOL! Wow, that is freaky, huh? :-)

When I was little, my sister wanted a doll house but didn't get it and was disappointed until my mom said something to my dad who then went next door to my grandparents' house. Seemed Santa accidentally left the doll house there instead of at our house!

Oh, and there was the time when Santa left the ping pong table in the back of my brother's truck instead of bringing it into the house :-)

Beth Andrews said...

You girls are more entertaining than a barrel full of monkeys

Oh, Anna, the stories we could tell! Except, of course, we've sworn each other to secrecy to protect our angelic reputations ;-)

Well, mine and Kath's angelic reps anyway *g*

Beth Andrews said...

Anna, you're so right! Kath's Body Hunters series is wonderful! I think Positive I.D. is my favorite and not just because of the yummy cover ;-)

Paisley Kirkpatrick said...

Waving and chiming in late. I know you won't believe this but I actually went (I shudder to say the word) shopping today. Loved reading your posts and the photo of the three of you is awesome. I am stunned at Beth's secret, though.

I'm crawling back under my innocent rock. :)

Kathleen Long said...

Queenbethanny -- I think you and your husband have a genius plan! Have a great time. ;o) I've always fantasized about being away to miss the bedlam, but now that we've got a little one, seeing her joy at being with all of her cousins makes the interstate driving worthwhile...for the most part. lol Have a GREAT vacation!

Kathleen Long said...

Pat! So great to see you here. And listen, I think having a stock of gifts on hand just in case is brilliant! Absolutely brilliant. ;o))

Kathleen Long said...

robynl -- I'm all for regifting when you make sure the giver and new receiver aren't part of the same group, as you said.

Now, as for poor Anna's mum and the old gift tag? ...oops. ;o))

Kathleen Long said...

Joan...I just have to say ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. That's just an awful secret pal you had. So sorry!! ;o))

Kathleen Long said...

Beth -- what do you mean stories?? There are no Beth and Kath stories. Surely not. Tawny stories? Heck, yes. But you and me? Boring, angelic, innocent, etc.

And your check is also in the mail for your totally unbiased Body Hunters comment. ;o)) Thanks!

Kathleen Long said...

Paisley? Shopping? I suddenly find myself uncharacteristically speechless. ;o) Hope you had a great time and found everything you were searching for. Thanks for coming over to say howdy!

Beth Andrews said...

Beth -- what do you mean stories?? There are no Beth and Kath stories. Surely not. Tawny stories? Heck, yes. But you and me? Boring, angelic, innocent, etc.

Exactly. I might even go so far as to say that when we room together we're...boring *g* That's one of the reasons we keep Tawny around for the entertainment value ;-)

Beth Andrews said...

It's been so much fun having you here today, Kath! Thanks for hanging with us and thanks to everyone for sharing your Christmas Confessions!

Tawny said...

Now, why would anyone think that
our dear Tawny would be the fibber?
I just do not understand that !!


Sending Pat hugs and kisses :-D

and nyah nyah'ing Beth and Kath.

Kathleen Long said...

Yes, thanks everyone for being so wonderful today--and a big thanks to Beth and Tawny for the invitation to come visit. I'm so totally ignoring Tawny's last comment it's not funny. Sigh. Some people just can't help but be bad girls. It's true.

Tawny said...

You know, it takes a bad girl to put up with another bad girl for who knows how many years... Just sayin'...

Kathleen Long said...

So you've finally admitted I'm a bad girl...and in public. I have witnesses. Ah, the old reverse psychology wins again. ;o)

Tawny said...

ROFL - Yep, I admit it. Kath's a bad girl.

That makes Beth the good girl, and the fibber on the blog :-)

Kathleen Long said...

On that note, let's pick our winner.

clynsg -- you're the winner of a copy of Christmas Confessions. I'll contact you to get your info. Congratulations! I hope you enjoy. ;o))

Thanks again, you all. Have a great weekend, everyone.

Wilma said...

Kathleen, welcome to the Lair. I can't think of anything I feel guilty about..