A Funny for Friday

My cousin sent me the little story below - I thought it was too cute to not share. I hope everyone has a terrific weekend. I will be at a solo/ensemble contest with Kelsey all day tomorrow. She has an oboe solo in the morning and her flute trio performs in the afternoon. Any good wishes that could be sent her way would be much appreciated! On Sunday, I'm going to a new Costco in our area - my first time there. My boss recently purchased memberships for everyone in the office, so I'm going to check it out. I'm hoping to find some new lamps for my living room - without having to buy an entire pallet of them! Wish me luck!

Here's the story - it's supposed to be true - I can't vouch for that, but it is cute!

George Phillips of Meridian, Mississippi was going up to bed when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window.

George opened the back door to go turn off the light but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.

He phoned the police, who asked "Is someone in your house?" and he said "no". Then they said that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be along when available.

George said, "Okay," hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again.

"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people in my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now cause I've just shot them all." Then he hung up.

Within five minutes three police cars, an Armed Response unit, and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips ' residence and caught the burglars red-handed.

One of the Policemen said to George : "I thought you said that you'd shot them!"

George said, "I thought you said there was nobody available!"

Thanks for stopping by!
Laurie

Upcoming Karin Tabke

I stopped by Karin Tabke's site http://www.karintabke.com/index2.php
a moment ago and the cover for her upcoming release caught my eye - is this not beautiful? I adore Karin Tabke's work and I'm certain that this will be another great one - releasing in April '07 from Pocket Books. The blurb is brief, for now anyway, and reads "Jaded cop vs mafia princess and all hell breaks loose."

I'll be talking about this one as soon as I've read it, so stay tuned! I can't wait!!

Come one, come all - Romancing the Blog

I'm the columnist at Romancing the Blog today - please stop by and give me a shout!

http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/

Thanks!
Laurie :)

PLAY WITH ME by Janice Maynard

Janice Maynard sent me an arc of her latest book, PLAY WITH ME, some time ago and I’m deeply ashamed that I’m just now getting a review posted for her. I can’t even explain myself except that it’s mostly because the holidays kept me incredibly busy this year, and partly because I was a total slacker and just couldn’t get into reviewing for a while. I can’t begin to apologize enough to Janice.
This book is a lot of fun, overflowing with sensuality - and look at that beautiful cover! Three heartwarming stories – just plain feel-good tales with smoldering love scenes. If any of you haven’t met Janice and you have the opportunity to do so, you should jump at it. You won’t find anyone who is sweeter than Janice Maynard. She is genuine and real, truly kindhearted and caring.
This is my review for PLAY WITH ME:
STILL WATERS
Catherine Maderis, sedate museum archivist, finds herself in a sticky situation after making a pact with her two best friends Kallie and Gina, to meet again in one year, after they’ve each made their wildest, naughtiest fantasies come true. Catherine has set her sights on Phillip Trent, a long-time friend who has been asking her out for some time. Phillip intimidates Catherine with sheer potent maleness; he is an alpha male to the core and quiet, reserved Catherine has been just too shy to go out with him. Catherine proves to be a provocatively sensual woman underneath the delicately cool facade and Phillip finds himself struggling for gentlemanly restrain whenever he is around her.
SKIN DEEP
Kallie Bradshaw sets out to seduce her best friend, Beau Donovan, in keeping with the pact she made with Catherine and Gina. Kallie has wanted Beau for more than just a friend for a very long time. This seduction could prove difficult seeing how Beau treats her like a sister. Little does Kallie know that Beau is equally interested in her. He had just decided to do something about it when Kallie shockingly makes the first move. The odds seem to be against the young lovers and both begin to question their relationship, and whether they can successfully take it to the next level.
PARTY GIRL
Gina McCutchen reluctantly agrees to go on a cruise in an attempt to keep her end of the three-way pact made with her best friends Catherine and Kallie. They both took their chances at love and came out on top. Gina doesn’t have high hopes for this cruise to be the shoehorn for her glass slipper, but she’s determined to give it her best shot. When Trey Lipman ends up on the same cruise, Gina is briefly convinced that her trip is destined for certain ruin. An encounter with Trey a few years earlier left Gina shamed and humiliated. It turns out that Trey’s rejection of Gina before was simply an effort to protect himself because he cared for her. He still cares for her but isn’t sure that there will be time on this cruise to get through the barriers that Gina has put up around her heart.
Janice Maynard has put together an excellent collection of stories that mesh well together. Her characters are always extremely likeable and so well-suited that you can’t help but give them a mental push towards each other.
I give the highest of recommendations for this book – anyone who enjoys incredible sensuality, sexy fun and romantic settings will adore this book.
Take a moment to visit Janice's newly revised website http://www.janicemaynard.com/ and if you have a notion to get this book, which you definitely should, here's a link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Play-Me-Janice-Maynard/dp/0451220234/sr=1-1/qid=1168307795/ref=sr_1_1/105-2938839-8820417?ie=UTF8&s=books .
Thanks as always,
Laurie

A Whole Lotta Lottie

Ok, there's not really a whole lot to Lottie, weighing in at two pounds, she's pretty tiny. Lottie's brother, who I named Parker while he was in my care, has gone back to school with Lindsay and her roommate. Eliza will take him with her after the school year is through. His name has been changed to Algernon. These are two kitties from the second litter of cats born next to our parking lot at work. My friend and I rescued two from a previous litter earlier in the fall. Found a home for one and she kept one. There are about five more from earlier litters, almost full grown now, but they have proven to be very elusive and we just can't catch them.
I hope everyone's new year is off to a good start. I am so far behind on book reviews that it isn't funny. I feel just rotten that I haven't had time to sit down and pen the reviews. I've read excellent books by Ciar Cullen in Mayan Nights and Lords of Ch'i, and haven't been able to finish Love's Alchemy. Ciar's books aren't ones that I flit through by reading a page or two here and there - I like to be able to sit down and escape with her books when I'm able to take time to absorb their goodness. Denyse Bridger has two books released in her Michael Devane series and I haven't been able to read either of them yet. I've read Sasha White's The Cop and Bound, both get down and dirty, just plain gritty - incredibly good. She has a writing style like no one else. I've also read Judith McNaught's Every Breath You Take, which was excellent, just as expected. She is one of my absolute favorite authors, one of few that I will actually buy in hardcover.
I know what you're thinking, she should take time to write a review or two rather than doing all of this reading. I agree, but just couldn't get into writing reviews for quite a while. Even went on hiatus from Romance Junkies for a few months. I do reading/proofing for a handful of authors and did lots of reading for a few weeks, and then once the holidays got close there was just too much going on and I couldn't even think about reviews, but now I'm off of hiatus and ready to get back on the ball. The review I feel the worst about being late with is Janice Maynard's Play with Me. This is an incredibly good, very sensual book, sent to me by Janice long ago, and I still haven't finished the review. I suck.
I thank anyone who has continued to stop by - after all, I haven't updated or commented for quite some time.
Happy New Year everyone - I hope you'll come back soon and that I will be popping reviews out right and left very soon!
Hugs,
Laurie