Photographs and mem....um...messories

This is the mess I left in my little writing/editing room in the little log house before I went to bed last night - exhausted, spent (see the sun peeking in!). Now, obviously there is a bunch of papers on the floor, etc, but if you look closer, you'll see some other things. Like, the "children's" books I'm going to review for Kerry Madden: Gentle's Holler, Louisiana's Song, Jessie's Mountain: my first time to review children's books - these books are so charming (if you have kids - these books are wonderful chronicles of a mountain family - from Maggie Valley! my town!), and I very much enjoyed them: well done, Kerry! There's a marble horse's head on the table and wrapped around it is a gift I received from an old neighborhood/school friend of mine, when we lived on Drusilla Lane (on Singletary) in Baton Rouge--Mike and his wife Tanya are wonderful - Mike, bless him he knows me well after all these years!, made me the most perfect necklace from an ancient ancient "wolf's head" arrowhead (I'll get a better photo later and the story), and I keep it by me as I write. There is a bookmark from Angie Gumbo Writer, and one from my friend Charles Mills. There are other little gifts and thoughts from friends and family (including more from Angie!) - and things I've picked up from the mountain or other places.

In this photo, you can see the MESS that is on my dining room table. There is a month's worth of mail I have to get to. In that mail are some wonderful beautiful thoughtful gifts from some blogger friends, like Lisa and Maria-Therese and Barbara that I want to take my time pouring over instead of the fast way I had to when I arrived home; and there is a book I won in a book giveaway from Katrina, and there are the other books I have on the table for my own give-away that are still there from the last contest (Barbara chose her two Deborah Smith books, and I have her one to grow on *teehee*). There are also my birthday present surprises from Good Man Roger - some are under the boa he got me to replace the one the critter took (because they are 'personal' - haw!). If you look closely, you can barely see Fat Labrador Jake's head peeking up.

And, if you could just see my INBOX(es) on my emails (yes, plural) - I have email to answer, read- and as well, I want to take my time reading all your comments from previous posts while in Texas, etc, that I haven't had time to get to - some of them, but not all! I will read every last one of them; with pleasure, too.

The tax information I still have to do...gawd! I'm So Behind.

Lastly, these are the magazines I have not had time to read that are on my couch - well, on the soft soft throw (not real fur!) on my red couch.

Last night, I finished the galleys - almost. I will do a quick check and then send them on. I will get one last peek and then that is IT. I want to talk to you all about this process and what it has shown me, means to me, what I have learned- and, how it will change not only how I read books, but how I review them.

Tommy was back in the hospital briefly for one night, but it was all okay and he's back at home (whew). Frank still in hospital, but doing better. Your continued thoughts mean so much to us.

Pre-orders are coming in - THANK YOU! My first booksigning party will most probably be April 17 - but, I best get my butt in gear and stop playing here.

*MUWAH* (I wrote this ninety to nothing lickity spit so I hope it makes sense and there aren't errors! ha!) And THANK YOU to my guest bloggers: Brian at Eazy Cheezy, Angie Gumbo Writer, and Kimmi Richardson - scroll down if you haven't read them.