Okay, so–had the most surreal morning. And I do mean SURREAL.

I’ve been working on proposal number two for my agent to keep busy while proposal number 1 is out and about. It just went out recently, and being the patient girl I am, I truly don’t expect to hear anything until like next millennium. Cuz, well, it is a DAKOTA book. LMAO. I have to tell you, I don’t know how it even got out when I think it’s so preposterous that I even consider stringing a whole sentence together. Don’t you agree? LOLLOL

Anyhoodles, I ask my agent if she thinks I should gear it toward mainstream or erotica. Cuz ya know, I began in erotic and I can do the naughty. However, I can tone down the girly bits ect in a mainstream. So she e-mails me back and says mainstream fer sure. I say okey-doke and then I tell her, if I don’t hear from ya before the holidays–you have a good one.

Sooooo, she e-mails back and says–Oh, I think you’ll hear from me before then–I think I’ll have some wonderful, wonderful news for you.

Sooooooo–I say, HUH? Talk to me. I’m thinking maybe Jerry Springer wants me to like make an appearance on his show about divorced moms turned erotic romance writers or something caaa-razy like that.

Five seconds later–the phone rings–I look at my caller ID–it’s my agent. I don’t know that I’m clearly thinking at this point (hush!) and all I can think is, I must’ve done something BAD. I know she said wonderful, but that word eludes me as I press the talk button. I just know I’m in deep kim-chee.

Like way bad kimchee–cuz she’s calling ME. I run through a million heinous cyber acts in my mind. Did I insult someone? did I send a mean e-mail? Have I caused a flame war and I’m now being called to task? LOLLOL

Er, no.

It was about a two book deal with Berkley. They like me.

yeah, I know–that’s what I’m thinking–CAAAAA-RAZY right?

But I swear, it’s all true and she said I could tell anyone I wanted to.

So, after much screaming–jumping up and down–crying–telling my agent I’d give her the biggest, fattest sloppiest kiss evah if she were here–I’m still in shock.

So there are thanks in order here-to many, many people.

First, Rob–who knows how to think up a KILLA title and has supported me in more ways than I can count this year. You rock, babe

My agent-Deidre Knight–who played Santa Claus for me today and squueeeed right along with me. She believed in my zaniness and always, I’ll be grateful for that.

My crit partners, plot partners, test readers and just in general some awesome friends. Maura, Erin, Jaynie, Michelle, Isy, Renee, Elisa, AQ, Sheri, Kira. You dudes don’t know how much it’s meant to me to know you believed in me and were willing to read my book

Some of my biggest supporters–Angela Knight (see? I told you I knew her. LOLLOL), Kate Douglas, Cassie Walder, Treva Harte, Diane Whiteside, MT, Doreen, Shelby Morgan, Morgan Hawke, Sahara Kelly, Ann Jacobs, Shells Bells. You’ve been good friends to me over the last two years and your advice, friendship and love are things I hold very dear

And Jaci Burton–who explained what the hell a proposal is to me. Cuz, ya know, I’m all writer non-savvy. LOLLOL. You RULE

And of course the people who read my books. There is a certain sort of validation for me knowing folks have laughed when they read a book of mine. When I get an e-mail that says, you cracked me up–thanks. Or when I get a review that says my characters were hilarious–well, it only makes me want to make more people smile. I’m not in this to do much more than entertain you. I want you to giggle, find the funny along with me. Enjoy a few moments of wacky with your beverage of choice.

That I’ll now be able to do that with The Accidental Werewolf and it’s sequel–well, color me tickled all sorts a pink

Love,
DC

Soooooooooo, I’m off to MI late Christmas day and my boys are off to see their father in Jersey.

I’ll be with R and The Midge until the 29th-I figured I’d better hit the blog before I go.

It’s been a caaa-razy year. I’m amazed at what’s come and gone. I thought I’d count my blessings so if I look back next year and some of those blessings break up with me, drive me insane, or just plain put me in my grave, I’ll have nice memories in reflection. LOLLOL

In no particular order

Blessing #1–My ma. She’s awesome. She does everything I can’t because I’m chained to this computer. She takes my son to work, she picks them up, drives them to doctors appointments, does my banking. She wants to feed me. She bakes things for me. She nags me about when the next Angela Knight book is coming out… LOL. You rock the casbah, mom

Blessing #2–R. I’m still just as in love, if not more so than I was to begin with. he makes me giggle, he still makes me sigh, he tells me every day how pretty I am and that he loves me. We still haven’t had a fight. He bought a double wide so he could be close to me (the sacrifices, eh?), he kept me from tipping over the edge this summer when I had a family crisis. He lets me cry when my pre-menopausal hormones begin to screech and he doesn’t make fun of me. He’s a title genius. He’s an awesome road trip partner. Most of all, he’s the other half of me, all without wanting to consume me–own me. He supports me no matter what and I’m still crazy in love.

Blessing #3–my sons.

moving right along…

I’m kidding. LOLLOL. They’re good boys with pretty good hearts. They’re teenagers who may suck the last breath out of me sometime soon, but still good boys.

Blessing #4–My agent, Diedre Knight. Dudes, this chick is superior. She lets me whine. She lets me ask the dumbest questions evah and even if she secretly laughs behind my back, she never makes fun of me to my face.LOLLOL. Seriously, she’s so supportive and encouraging. She makes me feel like my whacky ideas are actually worth putting on paper and then she sends me an e-mail that says I rock. She happened by accident for me, but I’m glad she happened. I love my agent and she’s helped me to understand not only the business, but what it’s like to feel connected to the person who holds your manuscript in her hands.

Blessing #5–My publisher-Changeling Press and it’s owner, Margaret Riley. She let me–ME write twelve books for them last year. Nuff said. Snort.

Blessing #6–The Babes. Jaynie, Maura, Erin, Lisa, LeeAnne, Long lost Shannon, Brenda, Crystal, Bill (yeah, he’s a guy. LOL), B/C,Da Fuzz and a bunch of other folk who play with us each and every day :)I just gotta say, keep playing with the pharmacueticals–we like ya like that. LOLLOL

Blessing #6–Some of my best friends online and in RL–Sheri, Michelle, Isabella, Kate, Angela (name dropper. LOL), Jaynie, Erin, Maura, AQ, Laura (from Jersey), Joy, Renee, Nancy, Kira, Paula. You chicks have really gone to bat for me this year in one way or the other and that’s never taken lightly where I come from.

Blessing #7–Leeeeeenda who comes every Friday and rocks my floors and bathrooms at Graceland. If I knew how to tell you in Spanish, I’d tell ya you know a mop like the mob knows cement, baby

Blessing # 8–Divorce. LOLLOLLOLLOL. I’d say I’m kidding, but I’m not and we’re both happier for it At least I know I am.

Blessing #9–crit partners who chew me a new one. You make my heart sing and my freakin’ head hurt. But I lubs ya nontheless. LOL

Blessing #10–My hairdressers, Elaine and Felicia. A moment of silence is due them for taming this mop

Blessing #11–My manicurist, Annie. I can’t speak Vietnamese, but I’m warining you, darling, I’m going to learn and one day, when you’re all whispering about the PITA white chick–I’m going to catch you by replying back. LOLLOL. I’m kidding.

And lastly, anyone who’s ever read a book of mine and bought another one. You’ll never know how important it is to me that you like a good roll around on the floor as much as I do thrown in with your romance.

May your holiday, and every day, be filled with the brightest of blessings this season!

Dakota