WriteFest T-shirts and mugs (one to go in a China cabinet we’ve yet to acquire) arrived!

Speaking of WF, taking Page to the spa today for a much-deserved massage. What a Wonder Woman!

Rereading IMMEDIATE FICTION by Jerry Cleaver (helpful for plot structure) and THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO PALMISTRY by Robin Gile and Lisa Lenard (probably research, too soon to say). Other recent reads include ALT ED by Catherine Atkins (Putnam, 2003) and NOTHING TO LOSE by Alex Flinn (Harper, 2004), which like her BREATHING UNDERWATER, touches on domestic abuse, and DOUBLE HELIX by Nancy Werlin (Dial, 2004). Have decided that Nancy is my new career role model; also she is a very brainy cutie.

Am deciding to give up recreational reading of romance for a while because of one too many references like “woman doctor.” Don’t get me wrong. I think fiction (largely) by women (largely) for women about love should be considered as valid as fiction (largely) by men (largely) for men about war. And a lot of it is well written. (More so than my previously snobby self used to think). But my inner GenX feminist just can’t take it anymore. An exception, though, will be made for any book by my darling Neecola (Nicole Burnham), who writes YA chick lit as Niki Burnham and knows a thing or several about strong women.

In other news, online wedding photos came in from Staci (formerly of BookPeople, Austin’s uber indie), and I’m not techno savvy enough to open the files. Sigh.

Already dressed for the day and having trouble keeping Blizzard Bently (named for SNOWFLAKE BENTLY by Jacqueline Briggs Martin off my black tropical pants. FYI: I have three other cats: Mercury Boo, Sebastian “Bashi” Doe, and Galileo “Leo,” named for the Starry Messenger who inspired Greg‘s debut novel. But unlike the three tabbies, all white Blizzy is my most reliable lap cat. Virtually all writers have an affection for cats. Exhibit Hemmingway.

People on my mind this morning: Esme Raji Codell and Katie Davis.