Coming Right Up....

by Susan Sey

BREAKING NEWS: Last night, our own fabulous BETH ANDREWS won the RITA Award in the Best Contemporary Series Romance category for her wonderful book A Not-So-Perfect Past. Congratulations, Beth!!! You can check out all the winners at the RWA National website. PARTY IN THE LAIR!!!

August! Welcome home, all you RWA goers! I know you miss all your writing friends like crazy, so here's a little something to cheer you up: A preview of August's fantastic features!

August 3: Donna MacMeans will host Heather Webber who'll be talking about her casting decisions for her latest release Deeply, Desperately.



August 5: Nancy interviews Avon debut author Katherine Ashe about her dynamite historical, Swept Away by a Kiss.



August 6: One of the Lair's favourite visitors, Eloisa James, returns to talk about fairy tales, Cinderella and her eagerly awaited book, A Kiss at Midnight.
August 16: Best selling author Brenda Novak will return to the Lair with JoMama to discuss her new trilogy and answer questions most asked by her fans.




WHITE HEAT releases on July 27 and Brenda's throwing a fabulous cyber-party to celebrate. Visit www.brendanovak.com for the deets. Her annual Auction fo Diabetes Research reached the one million mark this year!

Also, Brenda's been nominated for a 2010 RITA for her ON A SNOWY CHRISTMAS. Congratulations! We're so fortunate to have her return to the Lair again!
August 15: Trish Milburn's (or should I say Tricia Mills?) release party for her newest young adult novel, Winter Longing. Love Alaska? Love tales of first love? Books that twist your emotions like a dish cloth? This book has it all!




August 19: Suzanne Ferrell brings Wendy Watson to chat with us about her second in the Murder A La Mode series, Scoop To Kill. Wendy and Suz will serve up some fun, mystery and maybe an ice cream or two in the hot summer fun!

August 20: Tawny's release party

August 27: Barbara Monjem returns to chat with Nancy about Tastes of Love and Evil, the second in her Bayou Gavotte paranormal romance series (which was also an unpubbed Maggie winner!)
August 31: Grab a gladiator & a drink (not necessarily in that order) and get ready to get sinful as we celebrate Jeanne Adam's smokin' new release Deadly Little Sins!





And warm up that lucky rabbit's foot, because we have contests, too! From Anna Campbell:


Anna Campbell is giving away TWO Change of Season Reading Packs in her latest website contest. Each pack will include signed copies of MY RECKLESS SURRENDER by AnnaCampbell, SWEETEST LITTLE SIN by Christine WElls, IS MISTRESS FOR A MILLION by Trish Morey, THE GREEK'S CONVENIENT MISTRESS by Annie West, DARK DECEIVER by Pamela Palmer, and either DOES SHE DARE? or RISQUE BUSINESS by Tawny Weber. Just email Anna on anna@annacampbell.info and tell her one other book by each of these authors (the website links are on her contest page to make it easy) to go into the draw. For more information, please visit Anna's contest page.

Great Deals on Chris Isaak Tickets at The O'Shaughnessy

Born in Stockton, California, Chris Isaak's musical career began when he signed a contract with Warner Bros. Records in 1984 and released his first album Silvertone. His best known song is "Wicked Game" which was released on the 1989 album Heart Shaped World. Chris Isaak has also done some acting and has appeared in numerous films and TV shows. His first film appearance was as a clown in the movie Married to the Mob. Since his debut, Chris Isaak has released a total of 14 albums and appeared on nine films and 13 television shows. Now is your chance to see him live at The O'Shaughnessy and get a GREAT deal on your Chris Isaak tickets from Ticket King!! The show is this Wednesday evening and we currently have tickets for just $95 a piece in the 8th row of the main floor! You won't find tickets this great anywhere else, especially not this close to the show. So get them now before they're gone!!

A groaner of a linguistics joke

A linguistics professor was lecturing to his class. "In English," he said, "A double negative forms a positive. However, there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative."

A voice from the back of the room piped up, 'Yeah, right.

This week's avatar

Is the terrible sea bishop, scourge of the briny deep

3-D FASHION PARADE STARRING DOMINO AND THE OTHER ONE

Yes, Domino has a new outfit and just couldn't wait to show it off.

Here she is on her outdoor runway, posed and poised as always.

Note the details on this spunky little sundress.  There's a decorative rosette on her left shoulder, as well as ruffles down the center of the bodice.

The tiered jean skirt has pink piping as a trim and is studded with little white pearls.

Domino admits it is a rather low cut little number, but shows it off proudly with Milo in mind.

This dress is very fashion forward.  It's casual yet dressy at the same time.

Purrfect for a romp in the woods or a dinner date.

"No, yoo are NOT mai date!", says Domino to Dante.

"Fur heaven's sake, yoo are mai brofur!  Besides I alreddy has a boifuriend.  Milo is mai wun troo luff!"

Domino agreed to pose with Dante, since he went to all the trouble of getting dressed up, too.  So here they are together in their first ever combined photoshoot.

For close-ups of Dante in his new outfit, please visit him on his own blog at "All About Lacocoon Dante".  He's waiting for you!

P.S.  I'd like to thank my friend and neighbour, Susan, for taking these marvelous pictures on my behalf.

The BIG Awards Ceremony!

posted by thap gump

Tonight's the night! Saturday night of RWA's National Conference is the BIG awards ceremony! This is the ceremony where romance writers honor their own with the Rita and Golden Heart awards, our industry's equivalent of the Oscars, Emmys, or Grammys.

As you know, the Banditas were all finalists in the 2006 Golden Heart contest. That is where we "found" each other, and so this award has a very special place in all our hearts! In case you didn't know, the Golden Heart contest recognizes outstanding unpublished romance manuscripts in ten different categories. Up to 1200 entries are judged by members of RWA and are narrowed down to around 100 finalists. Editors from acquiring romance publishers judge the final round, and winners receive a beautiful pendant.

This year, our Bandita KJ Howe is a finalist in the Contemporary Series Suspense/Adventure category. KJ is a fantastic writer and we are all pulling for her to be the BIG WINNER in her category tonight!

Did you know the Rita award was named for RWA's first president Rita Clay Estrada? (Be sure to file that away for future trivia contests.) This award is for outstanding published romance novels and novellas and the contest has twelve categories. Once again, approximately 1200 entries are narrowed by judges to about 100 finalists. Winners receive a beautiful statuette much like an Oscar or Emmy.

This year A Not-So-Perfect Past by our Bandita Beth Andrews is a Rita finalist in the Contemporary Series Romance category. So many of us Banditas and BBs LOVED Nina and Dillon's story and we will all be hoping that our Wonder-Beth will be the first Bandita to bring home the lovely Rita statue!

There are many wonderful writers and books up for Golden Heart and Rita awards this year. By this time tomorrow, it will all be over and the winners will be announced. We'll get to see all the fabulous pictures and share the triumphs. But they are ALL WINNERS just to have been finalists!

Awards are so much fun! We all deserve to win one once in awhile. For instance, Posh, Jo-Mama, and I, along with Lars, Marcus, Zach, and Paolo all deserve a "Holding-Down-The -Fort" award! What about you? What kind of award would you create and who would win it?

Dungeoneer Reprint In The Works?

This according to a post on Boardgamegeek.

Here is the text of an email sent to one fan of Dungeoneer:

Hi Joe,Thanks for your interest in Dungeoneer and Atlas Games! Den
of
the Wererats and the Haunted
Woods of Malthorin are currently out of stock -- we
have no copies left
in our warehouse at all. We do, however, have plans to
reprint these two
expansions and make them available again. At this point, we're
negotiating
quotes with some printers but have no fixed date as to when they
might be
available. Essentially, we'd like to have them yet this year, but can
make
no guarantees.When they are close to release, we will announce it on our
homepage, http://www.atlas-games.com/.Thanks again!~Bobbi

Roberta
A. OlsonAtlas Games

Count me enthused! I have been searching for these two Dungeoneer card decks since I first became aware of this game.

BEST wedding video

Oh. Lordy. Max and Margaux's wedding video (by Shark Pig) is the most joyous and beautifully edited wedding video I've ever seen. My heart is all aflutter. Amazing. (Love the dancing feet!)

(Via Once Wed)

Have a happy weekend (+ Bachelorette finale on Monday!)

My sweets, what are your plans for the weekend? Alex and I are having a date night tomorrow and riding bikes to Brooklyn for Mexican food. I'm looking forward to being out in the world with my husband again...but know I'll be texting the babysitter every five minutes. :)

So, the Bachelorette finale is on Monday!!! I'd LOVE to have "live commenting" on Cup of Jo. I'll put up a post on Monday, and then we can all chat and gossip by commenting on the post throughout the show (8-10 EST). It'll be like watching the episode with fifty girl friends. :) Are you in? I'm so excited.

Meanwhile, here are a few great posts from around the web...

Cute ensemble, especially for a 16-year-old!

I do like to be beside the seaside.

Porter got me into wearing comfy moccasins, especially while traveling. I like these.

Ruler stairs.

What a fun jump print.

There's a Bachelor video game?

Random tip: I'm loving Benetint lip balm this summer. It gives you that perfect just-ate-a-popsicle look.

Chris Rock's documentary -- Good Hair -- looks awesome.

Plus, three Cup of Jo posts you may have missed:
* A thank-you note every day
* Audrey Hepburn's pet deer
* Yummy cupcakes

(Fiat photo by The Cherry Blossom Girl)

photo hunt - Public

The theme for the week's Photo Hunt is public. This photograph of a public place was taken at Liverpool Street station in London

Friday giveaway!

Today's giveaway is from Postcards + Love, a fabulous California-based jewelry shop. One lucky winner will receive this delicate bird bracelet. It would remind you of chirping birds all day. :)

For a chance to win, please visit Postcards + Love and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random on Monday. Good luck!

Update: Whimsy Being is our winner. Thanks for playing. xo

United States cheese boards

How cool are these United States cheese boards? (As a Michigan girl, I'm psyched that they made a separate piece for the Upper Peninsula!)

(Via I Heart You)

Grand Opening of the Seraph Club - 7-9pm SLT

On behalf of Edward Pearse, I cordially invite you to the Grand Opening of the Seraph Club this evening from 7-9pm SLT in Seraph City (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Seraph%20City/62/142/107).  If you have never visited Seraph City, it is a Dieselpunk sim, which means a 1920-1940 theme, with a dash of Film Noir and some Science Fiction.

Edward and I will be playing the music for this event together on thap gump's Main Stream.  You'll hear classic Swing and Big Band, Swing Revival and some Movie Soundtracks! Edward plays the kick off from 7-8pm SLT and I'll take the microphone from 8-9pm SLT.

Gentlemen, put on your swankiest Zoot Suits!  Ladies, put on your stunning Dior gowns!  And please join us this evening at the Seraph Club!

From the Libray - Random Riel

With Main covering the opening of the Seraph Club on Friday night, I've decided to put today's broadcast on random. A selection of some 80+ hours of music means you shouldn't hear the same track twice but who knows! Until this evening I hope you enjoy a random selection of tunes from my library.

From the Library is produced by thap gump in conjunction with the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the programme now in-world at http://music.radioriel.org, or click one of the buttons below. Today's programme is presented by Edward Pearse.

Tune in:

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world

Campouts and Sleepovers

by Jo Robertson

My daughter emailed me the other weekend with this note:

Hey, do you wanna know what my kids are doing? Sleeping on the trampoline!! I remember how FUN that was as a kid. At OTHER people’s houses of course, since we never had one. It was so exciting!

Their cousins are spending the night, for a total of five children, but kids these days have NO idea how to have a sleepover.

Corinna, eleven, said, “Hey Mom. Did you charge the DVD player so we could watch movies?”

I said, “Hell no!” Actually I didn’t say Hell but you get the idea.

I told them they have no idea how to do a camp out. First, they need to get some flashlights and junk food. Then they start telling stories until someone is scared and wants to come in.

This story got me thinking about sleepovers and campouts.

What do you think? Along with 16mm projectors, eight tracks, and dial telephones, have kids lost the simple meaning of camping out and sleeping over at a friend’s?

What’s your favorite campout memory?

Bebe in the bath

Bebe in our old bath which is now in our garden and used as a good sized planter

and a bit of Mary Margaret O'Hara

Amazingly she has only produced one album Miss America in 1989.

More support bands I have seen = A II Z

Saw this lot supporting Girlschool in 1980

Another Toadflax Brocade Moth pic

Shortly after we released it and it flew off quite content

Riel Theatre presents: The Leviathan Chronicles part 10

Riel Theatre is proud to present Christof Laputka's brilliant audio drama The Leviathan Chronicles.

Deep within the trenches of the Pacific Ocean a city that is home to a community of immortals who sought to create a Utopia 1,000 years ago. This week, the conclusion of the flashback, Evangeline reaches the final confrontation with Kriegerson and his fervent congregation. And the Aliens make Evangeline an offer that she can't refuse....

See the website for more background and notes on the show. Be warned: it contains SPOILERS!

Join Edward Pearse in the Clarendon Conservatory in New Babbage for Chapter 10.
Thursday 29th of July 7:00-8:00 PM SLT
http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Babbage/218/29/104

Toby's first giggle!

Toby giggled for the very first time yesterday! He was taking a bath, and I miraculously happened to be filming a video for my mom at the exact moment. I've now watched the video about 358,435 times.

Want to see? :)

Congratulations

We met the wonderful Max Wanger when he took our engagement and wedding photos. Well, Max recently got hitched himself to the beautiful Margaux. Don't you love her chic Morgane Le Fay skirt and top? Congratulations to the lovely couple!

(Photos by Our Labor of Love)

Chance

I'm really digging the new clothing line, Chance, by Julia Leach, the former creative director of Kate Spade. The whole collection was based around the striped T-shirt. (Be still my heart.)

P.S. The website is such fun to explore; check out her clever timeline of the striped tee!
P.P.S. She also has wonderful essentials.