Dance Do Over

Proms, homecoming dances, formals, the list is long. The prep is even longer. Ever want to travel back in time and change some things? Check out my top three dance do overs at the Story Siren's amazing blog and enter to win a loved hardback copy PROM by Laurie Halse Anderson. Have a great sunshine filled day! :)

Pretty Tough Tuesdays

Today, I'm over at Pretty Tough blogging about the Softball College World Series. I can't wait to watch the series this weekend! :)

Speaking of weekends, I had a great one. Well, besides yesterday when I spent most of the day working. But, on Saturday after the SCREWBALL book signing, I met up with some high school buds in my hometown and celebrated our 'unofficial' thirteenth reunion. We had a great time and it was wonderful to catch up with everyone after so many years. I grew up in a small town in New Jersey and graduated with about one hundred and twenty classmates. Most of us, have known each other since kindergarten, so catching up and seeing everyone's kids, wives, and/or husbands was incredible. Thanks for arranging everything, Amy and Helen! :)

How was your weekend? Anyone out there ever go to a reunion or grow up in a small town? Have a great week! :)

YAY FOR YA MAY GIVEAWAY - Only five more days! The winner will be announced on Sunday, June 1st! :)

Check this out

While blog surfing recently, I came across A Newsweek article link posted by literary agent, Kate Schafer, titled "Generation R (R is for Readers)" about how today's teens are reading a ton. Yay! Check it out here. What do you think? 

This weekend marks the unofficial start of my favorite season, summer. Tourists are already rolling in. The boardwalk is hopping, my favorite restaurants are open, and the lifeguards are back. Love it! Any fun in the sun plans this weekend? 

SCREWBALL NEWS: I'll be signing SCREWBALL at The Battle for the Bell Fastpitch Tournament this Saturday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. If you're in the area, check it out.  

Pretty Tough Tuesday & Mail Obsessed

Today, I'm over at Pretty Tough blogging about the College Softball World Series. I'm psyched about the series and coverage of the Super Regionals begins this weekend. Yay! 

I love mail. I love receiving mail. I love hearing the mail carrier's little van puttering down the street. I love peeking in the mailbox. To me, it's like opening a present, endless possibilities. A royalty check could be waiting for me or a response from a magazine query or an ARC that I'm excited to read for my column. The list is endless. 

In fact, I'm so crazy about the mail that my daughter went through a stage where she obsessively played mailbox. During her second birthday party, she was so excited to receive cards with envelopes that she didn't touch her presents. She even uses the oven in her play kitchen as her 'mailbox'. :)

Here's what was waiting for me in the mailbox yesterday: 

Do you like receiving mail? What have you received in the mail recently that you're excited about? 

CYBER PARTY TIME!

I'm over at Linda Gerber's blog today celebrating the release of her newest sensational book, DEATH BY BIKINI. Check it out and comment for a chance to win a ton of great novels. :) Have a great weekend! 

Revise Now or Later?

Thursday already! :) I'm knee deep writing the sequel to SCREWBALL. Question for all the writers out there - Do you revise as you write or do you write the entire story, then go back and revise? Personally, I revise while I write the SCREWBALL series. Once, I did try the 'write the whole story then go back and revise' thing for the last novel I wrote, but I continue to revise that one six months later and I'm still not happy with it. I think I'm a revise as you go kind of girl. Any thoughts? 

I have to give a shout out to Ted Black who helped me enormously at the Bound 4 Beijing game on Saturday. He gave this former nurse and current teacher, writer, coach, a quick Journalism 101 lesson before and during the game. Check out his awesome article here. Thanks Ted! 

Kudos to my dad today! He is announcing his retirement this morning after 32 years with the same company. I'm so excited because now we can play golf, talk sports, and hang out more often. My daughter Kaci is equally excited to spend time with Pop Pop during the day. Happy Retirement, Dad. We're so happy for you. 

Pretty Tough Tuesday: Behind the Scenes at Bound 4 Beijing

Today, I'm blogging over at Pretty Tough about one of my best days ever. On Saturday I snagged a press pass to check out the United States Olympic Softball Team take on the Washington Glory in Bowie, Maryland. It was absolutely amazing to watch and chat with shortstop, Natasha Watley, coach, Mike Candrea, pitchers, Jennie Finch, Cat Osterman, and Monica Abbott, as they're prepping for the Olympics.

In front of a over 8,000 fans and twenty-six people shy of the largest crowds in United States history to watch a fastpitch game, the United States beat the NPF 2007 champions Washington Glory, 2-0. The atmosphere was electrifying and I was so grateful to be part of a wonderful day filled with women's sports. 

Coach Mike Candrea shared something during an interview that made me think. He stated that when someone is ultra successful, their worst enemy is themselves. Do you think this is true? 

How was your weekend? Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. :) 

Pretty Tough Tuesday and Tagged

I'm over at Pretty Tough today blogging about fastpitch hitting tips. :) 

Yay! I've been tagged by Alexa Young for a Meme. I love these memes. So, here it goes.. 

Here are the rules: 

1. Pick up the nearest book. 

2. Open to page 123. 

3. Find the fifth sentence. 

4. Post the next three sentences. 

5. Tag five people and post a comment to the person who tagged you once you posted your three sentences. 

Okay, I swear I'm not trying to shamelessly plug SCREWBALL, but like Alexa, I'm working on book number two, so SCREWBALL is near me most of the time.  

Page 123 - Sentences 6, 7, and 8...

I roll my eyes and stab my steak with my fork. Why isn't anyone cooperating? 

"Why don't you help me decorate, Boo?" my mom asks.  

This is a fun one and I'm curious to hear what books are near, so consider yourself tagged if you read this. Also, I'm tagging Alyson Noel, Amy Addison, PJ Hoover, Kelly Parra, and Marjolein. Have a great day everyone! 

Distractions

I'm having a blast reading everyone's special summer memories. Ah, summer. :) 

Summer is a major writing distraction. But, my newest writing distraction is Alexa Young's blog. Check it out and see if you can name her celebrity BFF's. I've painfully figured out four so far. Oh and of course, Perez Hilton's blog can take me away from what I'm supposed to be working on. Did you here Richie Sambora is rumored to be the next Rock of Love rock star? Interesting. I wonder what Heather Locklear thinks. :)

What distracts you from your writing or something you're trying to accomplish? 

SCREWBALL NEWS: Nicole from the wonderful site Word for Teens interviewed me and it was a blast. She's an amazing question creator. Thanks, Nicole! This weekend I'll be in Flemington, New Jersey at the Flame's Fling Fastpitch tournament signing copies of SCREWBALL. Have a great weekend! 

YAY FOR YA MAY GIVEAWAY

Today marks the first day of my first contest. Here we go, the start of my de-cluttering and the end of my book hoarding. :) 

Since the end of May signifies the start of summer, I decided to giveaway two great beach reads, Alyson Noel's Kiss and Blog (set in Laguna Beach, California) and Claire Cook's Life's a Beach (obviously beachy). The only reason I can seriously part with these fantastic books is because I ordered another amazing Alyson Noel book on Amazon yesterday and I still have another Claire Cook book on my bookshelf. 

Kiss and Blog is a blast, filled with plenty of page turning conflict. I couldn't put this novel down and the copy I'm giving away is definitely loved. 

Life's a Beach is a hardback, sensational summer read that I received through my South Jersey Mom column, Chick Lit Pick. 

Since this month's Yay for YA! is all about summer, what's your favorite summer memory, moment, or vacation? Mine happened in June 2001. It involved a white dress and an amazing trip afterwards. :) 

Here are the rules: 

1. To enter, leave a comment and tell me about your favorite summer memory, moment, or vacation. 

2. The contest ends at midnight on May 31st and the winner will be posted on June 1st, 2008. 

3. This contest is open to everyone. Don't be shy, my writer friends! :)

4. If you post about the contest on your blog or on MySpace, you automatically receive two entries.

Good luck!