Hugh and Dan's WInner!

I didn't forget. It just took me a while to get Micah and Mitch's paws cleaned off enough to allow them into the living room where the names of the contestants and the treats were all set out so they could choose.

We spent a lot of the last week under water -- or so it seemed. And almost every day was a "96 dog foot day" -- one where I measure the day in terms of how many dog feet I wipe. It used to get to 96 a lot faster when we had four dogs. But these guys go out often enough that I had a lot of paw-wiping to do here, too.

All of which is prelude to saying that they have finally come in and made their choice -- and the winner of the Hugh and Dan contest is Jillian from Ohio!

Congratulations, Jillian!

And many many thanks to all the hard-working contestants who entered and who took the time to look up the answers to the questions. You are all wonderful. And I hope you all have Hugh's and Dan's birthdays on your calendars now, so that when I ask again next year (you don't think I will?) that you won't have to go looking for them.

Jillian's prize, including DVDs of Defiance and X-Men, as well as my new book One-Night Mistress...Convenient Wife, some other books and goodies, will be going out to her today. I hope you enjoy them, Jilian.

On the home front, besides mud, there's not much new. I do have the galleys back for Demetrios's book, which also now has a title. Did I tell you that? It's called The Virgin's Proposition. It actually has something to do with the book! Imagine that.

I don't know when it's coming out yet, but they seem to be moving it right along, so I hope it will turn up mid 2010 sometime.

George went back to the drawing board because he had far too much backstory in the first three chapters. So I'm pruning him and hoping that his book moves faster now.

Speaking of Georges, Liz Fielding has a terrific book out in November with a hero named George She sent it to me because she knew I was working on a George, too. It's supposed to be inspiration, but it's so wonderful, my George is despairing of ever living up to the name.

Her book is called Christmas Angel for the Billionaire and it's out in North America by itself as a Harlequin Romance, and in UK as part of a two-fer with Jessica Hart's Under the Boss's Mistletoe (another really lovely book).

Liz's George is a wonderful George (all Liz's heroes are wonderful) -- with a teenage daughter who is giving him fits and a father he's never been able to please.

I fell for her George the first time I saw him. I wanted to be Annie, her heroine. I loved the way Liz brought them together, loved the way Annie found herself (her real self, not her royal self) in George's family. And I loved the way Annie gave him the support he needed to make peace with the people he loved the most but couldn't seem to connect with.

As always, Liz did a terrific job with her people. I always like to spend time in Liz Fielding's world, and George's book was pure delight.

I'm looking forward to Her Desert Dream, the other half of the "trading places" duo where I get to find out what happened to Annie's look-alike Lydia who took her place and, from the look of things, may end up with a sheikh!

Watch out for Liz's book this month. And keep your eyes open for Lydia's book as well.

I loved the first. I can't wait for the second.

Sol's Contest Winner!

Congratulations to Linda Henderson of Missouri who is the winner of Sol's Contest!

Micah and Mitch went to town gobbling treats today and picked Linda's name from among the entries. They were very grateful to everyone who entered -- as was Sol (or he would be if he understood these things. He's working on it. His other grandma assures me that he is getting smarter and more aware every day).

RWA is going on in Washington DC. Lots of partying and conferencing and whatnot going on.

Here we have finished sports camp and have a couple of winners here, as well.

Every year the kids get 'brands' on wooden paddles that symbolize the qualities they are striving for during the week.

This year grandson got LOVE and ENTHUSIASM, and granddaughter got ATTITUDE and DEDICATION. (Her mother says this means she's dedicated -- with Attitude).

I'm delighted for both of them. They worked really hard, had an 'awesome' time, and are both already figuring out what sports they want to major in next year. He's got lacrosse on his mind. I'm not sure what she's settled on yet.

He went home tonight. She's going home tomorrow. It's going to be very quiet here without them.

But I have plenty to do. I need to get Demetrios through his unexpected love scene -- and start packing. The dog sitters are coming . . . the dog sitters are coming . . .

Again, congratulations to Linda from Micah and Mitch and me -- and Sol.

Mothers and Babies Contest Winner!

Ellie and Henry have picked a winner from among the entries in the Mothers and Babies contest!

Congratulations to Tara Woods!

Tara, I will be posting your goody box to you when I get home from visiting with Ellie and Henry this week. So it should go in the post around May 18-19. I'll let you know when it has been posted!

Thank you everyone who entered. I hope you'll come back and visit again.

Micah and Mitch have picked a winner!

Micah and Mitch were up early and practicing so they would be sure to have the 'picking a winner' for my New Look Contest down pat.

The 'up early and practicing' entailed following me around and looking hopefully in the direction of the treat jar until I allowed them to sit and wait, then pick them off the slips of paper containing the contest entries. They are both very good at sitting. The 'waiting' is a bit tricky. I can assure you they have mastered the eating treats part.

The other bit is, they have to agree.

And this takes more treats and more sitting and less waiting, though still a fair amount of discussion (mostly, I'm sad to report, about more treats).

But at last, they have a winner!

Laurie of Florida is their unanimous choice. So, congratulations, Laurie!

Your goody box of books, including Savas' Defiant Mistress, and chocolate -- and a plush frog! -- will be on its way to you this coming week. I hope you enjoy them all.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to match my books and their heroes and heroines. You are all winners in my book. There will be further chances down the road -- I'm thinking of a Mother's Day contest -- to win back list titles and, perhaps, another frog. Not to mention chocolate. So I hope you will all enter then.

In the meantime, I hope you've all had a great St David's Day and that the spring flowers are peeking up where you are -- unless you're in the Southern Hemisphere, where I hope you're finally getting cooler weather.

I'm looking forward to spring. But this winter has been so much more pleasant than last winter that I'm still not minding the bit of snow underfoot. How about you?