Thank God I am a generally ODC person any way, if not the last 24 hours would have sent me running and screaming down my own driveway.  Last night, while screeching at the 10 year old to finish her homework before dance, the phone rings and it’s the realtor.  A couple would like to see my house.

In ten minutes. 

So we raced around making the place look presentable and then bolted for the dance studio.  Potential buyers do not want the homeowner present as they wander through the house.  Fine with me except for one minor detail – we came home an hour and a half later to the sound of the shrill beep coming from the fridge.  The realtor and/or her clients had failed to close my fridge door properly. 

Oh, and there was a phone message that a couple is coming today at noon; another couple is coming at 3:30 and yet another couple is coming Friday.  Either people just like walking through homes or the real estate market in south Florida isn’t as grim as I’d thought.

On to other stuff . . . If you’re going to be in the Birmingham area this weekend I will be too.  Murder on the Menu sounds like it will be a great weekend featuring a bevy of authors from all over the country.  Here’s the link with all the info: http://www.wetumpkalibrary.com/Default.asp?ID=357&pg=Murder+on+the+Menu+2008

I’m really excited.  Not only will I get the chance to hook up with some friends but also I’m going to spend three glorious days in the land of cheese grits.  I love cheese grits.  Love them plain or with shrimp.  Cheese grits are a comfort food.  My grandmother used to make big pots full of them and I’d battle my way through my 35 cousins to make it to the head of the line.  Being the youngest, nobody was allowed to toss my greedy little fanny to the side. 

I did a little guest blogging this week as well.  The great people over at Fresh Fiction asked me to share, so I did.  Here’s that link http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=762  just scroll down for my take on why I am nothing like the main character in my books.  The folks at Fresh Fiction also let me do an Author’s tip article for them – it’s on crime, criminals and pacing – here’s the link for that bit of info: http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=744.  

So, in addition to my surgery – and its friend the infection – kid and hubby getting strep – I’ve actually made some great progress on the next Finley mystery.  Have I mentioned that I adore my new agent Donna Bagdasarian and my new editor at Pocket, Maggie Crawford?  FAT CHANCE (no more ‘knock’ titles) is coming along nicely.  I’ll be taking some sporadic time away from writing to promote the release of the second Finley book – KNOCK ‘EM DEAD (due out 2/27) as well as the paperback reissue of KNOCK OFF (out now!!!!).  So it’s going to be a busy month, culminating with a great trip to speak at the Whidbey Island Writer’s Conference.

Happy Writing,

Rhonda