Ode to August

By Kate

Oh, August, how I've missed you! I was so looking forward to spending quality time with you, but so many things got in the way and somehow the time flew by. And now I turn around and find that you're almost gone.

Did I hurt your feelings when you first arrived and I spent the entire weekend shackled to my computer? I'm sorry, but I was trying to meet the deadline for my very first romance for Silhouette Desire. If you were hurt, I'm sorry, but it seemed important to finish the manuscript on time. First impressions and all that, you know. Did I mention that my first Desire will come out next July as Desire's Man of the Month? Isn't that fantastic?

No? What? A little too much BSP? Hee hee. Sorry.

Ah, I see you're still pouting.

You were probably really upset when I screwed up my lower back and had to spend all my spare August evenings at the chiropractor. If it makes you feel any better, I'm still in pain and walking like an old crow. I see you, trying to hide your smile. I suppose I can't blame you. After all, you've seen my chiropractor. He looks like Robert DeNiro, and his hands ... well, he has wonderful hands. Words cannot express what the man can do with his hands. But I digress.

Perhaps, dear August, I let you down when I was called for jury duty? You were probably hoping I would escape like our lucky Aunty Cindy did. But no. I was chosen to serve on a jury and had to spend weeks at the Criminal Courts building in downtown Los Angeles. Maybe you were miffed that I actually had fun with my fellow jurors, exploring the city on our long lunch breaks, shopping at the Museum of Contemporary Art, grazing the myriad food stands at the Grand Central Market, wandering around Disney Hall or scarfing up yummy Mexican food on Olvera Street. But you'll be glad to know that we did do our duty as citizens and reached a good verdict, despite all the rambling around town.

And before you judge me too harshly--if you haven't already ...

You know I got that nasty summer cold while I was on jury duty, right? You know it turned quickly into bronchitis, right? I was popping antibiotics and chugging Robitussin and hacking and snorting so badly, I sounded like an old wino. And there was no wine involved!! It was so unfair! I was a mess. I was forced to avoid other people, especially small children. Direct sunlight was not my friend. Instead, I was required to seek the more subdued pleasures of my living room couch, my pillow and the remote control.

I see you snickering!

And just when jury duty ended, and my work was finished and my cold had finally loosened its grip on my lungs, I opened my email to find ... copy edits. Due in three days. Uhh, that whimpering sound you heard right then? That wasn't me! It was, um, the baby next door. That's right. She's a little cutie, but she does tend to whimper every now and then. But me? I'm fine! No whimpering here. Really, I'm happy as a clam! Seriously. Why would I complain when all my dreams are coming true??

But alas, dear August, I do regret not seeing you all month. Let's make plans to visit next year, all rightie? We'll do lunch. :-)

Okay, that was all about me and my August! How was your August, dear Banditas and Buddies? Vacations? Deadlines? Summer colds? Jury duty? Any plans for September?

Deadline Musings

By Kate

I’m writing to you from Deadline Hell, an actual place located hundreds of miles beneath the earth in the depths of the Cave of Desperation.

The reason I’m here is that I’m racing to finish my second book, due in just a few weeks. I’m sure I won’t make it on time. I know everything I’m writing is dreck. And why am I italicizing words for emphasis? I've forgotten how to write. Gah!

I’m stressed out and not sleeping well. I’m forgetful and prickly. I don’t know what I’m doing and don’t know where I’m going. My butt hurts from sitting in this chair all day.

I’m living on chocolate kisses and frozen foods. My skin is pasty and I wear only sweat pants and work shirts. Big, shapeless shirts and comfortable shoes. Oh, just call them slippers.

I squint a lot.

I have a stack of new and exciting books I’d love to read—but I can’t. Reading something new would mean focusing on the words and the story—and I’ve lost my ability to focus.

So I’m re-reading. Comfort reads. At night, before I crawl off to bed, I’ve been re-reading old favorites. I started with J.D. Robb’s Naked in Death and plowed through the next four "In Death” books. Then I jumped to Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Nobody’s Baby But Mine. Next, I might move to some old Julie Garwood Scottish historicals. Gotta love those Highlander heroes. Men in kilts, 'nuf said.

So tell me, who do you turn to for your comfort reads? What was the last book you re-read?

And I would be remiss if I didn’t send a super-dooper wowzer yowzer THANK YOU to my darling Banditas for the incredible bouquet of star lilies and box of chocolate yummies they sent me to celebrate my first book hitting the New York Times Bestseller List!!

Thank you, my lovelies!

Cabana Boys, attention please! Sven, front and center! Pina Coladas and soothing massages for all my friends!!!