~A Letter from Julie~

Hello, pumpkins! My Christmas shopping is done—is yours?

Ha! Kidding! Just thought I'd start the newsletter off with an adrenaline jolt for all of you. (You're welcome). Instead of buying gifts this year, I think I'll, oh, just write a poem for everyone on my list. (Yeah—as if I'd get away with that). Truthfully, I haven't even finalized my Thanksgiving plans. Somehow, I have a feeling my computer will play a starring role, as a deadline looms for Book 2 of my trilogy. (And the book does have a name! Read more about it below.)

But I like to picture all of you surrounded by the food and people (and critters) you love best this Thanksgiving holiday. Growing up, I remember the turkey defrosting in its butcher paper shroud up on top of the refrigerator, and all the cats (there were five of them) camped down below, crouched in loaf shapes, staring raptly up at it like a bunch of little worshippers. And aren't some holiday traditions funny? For example, things you would never eat on any other day of the year for some reason absolutely must be on the table on Thanksgiving. I mean—creamed onions?? Why on earth?? That was my family's thing, anyway.

Anyhow—I am truly thankful for all of you, and I hope your holiday is splendid.

A bunch of web-related news: Last month's BLOGtoberfest Celebration at Dishing with the Divas was an enormous success, thanks to those of you who stopped by to dish with us and our lovely guest divas Christie Ridgway, Karen Hawkins and Christine Feehan. You can still read their posts, as well as a recent blog from me on a date so comically bad (click on the preceding red words, then scroll up to read the blog) my friends routinely beg me to tell the story. Please do share your own experiences—we have some pretty funny date stories on there now. We'll probably be talking about holiday traditions this month, too, and there's a contest, of course—win seven signed books!

My other group blog, Warner Women, was just recognized as one of the best Group Author blog's by the Internet Writing Journal. And if you've been dying to see my little nephew dressed as a monkey, well, today's your lucky day—see my diary. LOL.

At the moment, I'm tremendously excited about my March 2006 book, BEAUTY AND THE SPY and the next book in the trilogy, WAYS TO BE WICKED. Scroll down to read more about both! For now, give yourself a hug, and here's hoping you and yours have a memorable (in a good way!) Thanksgiving celebration.

Warm Regards,

Julie :)

How NOT to behave... In TO LOVE A THIEF, as part of his attempt to polish Lily Masters into a diamond of the first water, Gideon Cole insists she study the contents of an odious little book on behavior. Such a "helpful" manual did in fact exist during the Regency, and boy were the guidelines specific. The book was called—and the title's a mouthful—The Ladie's and gentlemen's companion containing the newest cotillions and country dances ... ; to which are added, instances of ill manners, to be carefully avoided by youth of both sexes...(Norwich, Printed by J. Trumbull, 1798.). Lily's own personal hurdle was the rule about " Distortion of countenance, and mimicry," since Gideon often tempted her to roll her eyes.

Other helpful rules included such admonitions against "Swinging the arms, and all other aukward gestures, especially in the street, and in company," "Throwing things instead of handing them," and the vaguely ominous and and all-encompassing, "All actions that have the most remote tendency to indelicacy." One has to wonder what went on at dances if one had to be admonished against "indelicacy" and throwing things. If you think your own behavior could use a little polishing, take a look at the full list of rules.

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