Is it spring yet? Imagine my excitement at being asked to keynote the Rose City RWA Reader's Luncheon in April. This has been one of my favorite events for years. Okay I jumped up and down and sideways and said PICK ME PICK ME! I think I might have some very fun surprises for folks there. Oregon has some of the nicest booksellers and book readers around. They seem to still have that pioneer spirit, and that helps keep us writers in business!!

In other news my friend Jenny Gardiner is celebrating the release of her first book Sleeping With Ward Cleaver. I am honored to be one of the first people to read the early work and was so struck with her humor and talent I browbeat her into submitting Ward all over the place, suffering through BAdozens of rejections (a new term in writerly life) and STILL she persevered. Talk about your pioneer spirit!! When she won the RT Title contest we knew the people had spoken and finally Ward was released to the world! There is something in that book that rings so true for those of us who have been married a great long while, because marriage, of course, is the ultimate comedy. :~) Congratulations Jenny, and I can't wait for the next one!

Around the homestead I've seen some bulbs pop up and the sun has made brief appearances, which have been noticed out my car window as I fly toward another mega store purchasing run. You see my son Tad is opening Vineyard Bistro and I've been helping him with that sizable project! That, and a few dozen other projects involving Vineyard Lane, which is a great place. I'll put up pictures when we're open, which will be next week!

No news on the book front, but you can see why. I've been on a sabbatical, but will be returning shortly.

Best Wishes,

Suzanne

Very Fun Fact: The Forever Summer has been released in the UK under the Little Black Dress imprint.