LLBookReview, a website that reviews indie books, is about to review their 100th book. To celebrate, they’re running a contest to see which book will be lucky 100.

Guess which book is in the running? THAT’S RIGHT!!!! “Waiting For Spring.”

If you guys would head over there to vote for it, I’d REALLY appreciate it! 

http://llbookreview.com/

Oh…and there’s something in it for you if you comment there as well:

“Vote for your favorite in the poll below to help us pick which book will be our 100th Review to be posted on August 1st. Also, click on the “100th Review Contest” link at the top of the page and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of the winning book. The poll will run for four weeks starting June 14th. The winning book will be determined by which book gets the most votes. The winner of the raffle will be drawn at random from all who leave comments on the contest page. ”

Breaking News reports that “at least two people were injured after a gunman opened fire at the U.S. Holocaust [Memorial] Museum in Washington, D.C.” today. I can’t even begin to fathom the kind of mind that would plan and execute this kind of thing, although I’m sure we’ll learn more about the psycho than we really want to know in the next several days. And I shudder to think about what his actual plan might have been.

Those of you who’ve been reading this blog for awhile may remember that my family and I visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum last summer and that it had a big impact on us. Over a year later I’m finding myself in the position of asking, again, Why?

I expected her to drift off to sleep, but she talked instead. She kept her eyes closed as she did, and what she told me made me want to close my eyes, too. Cover my ears. Crash the car into a guardrail. Anything to make the story stop.

– Chapter 26, Waiting For Spring

As many of you know, the proceeds from the sale of every copy of “Waiting For Spring” (paperback format as well as E-book sales) goes to Spruce Run, a domestic abuse project here in Maine that provides information and support to all people affected by domestic abuse. Many of you have asked about what you can do to help if you’ve downloaded the free copy.

The answer is: Click on this link to Spruce Run’s website. You can get information about their services as well as find out some ways you can help.

…of being a convenience store clerk.

Once a month, the corporate office sends a guy down to the store for maintenance.  He vacuums out the cooler vents and changes the water filter for the coffee maker, changes lightbulbs, fixes damage done by crazy customers. That kind of thing. He’s your stereotypical maintenance man: Mid-50s, a little chubby, semi-grumpy, has a severe ass crack problem when he bends over.  When I’m forced to work on Maintenance Day, I always give him a wide berth.

Yesterday was Special Summer Maintenance Day, when, in addition to the typical fix ups, extra jobs like freshening up the paint on the outside of the store and giving the air conditioners a tune up are done. And because there was so much work to do, corporate sent two maintenance guys down for the day. One of them was Ass Crack Guy.

The other one SO wasn’t.

He was tall and broad-shouldered with shaggy, sandy-blonde hair and very straight teeth. He appeared to be in his mid-30s. He wore tight jeans. Very tight. I was good and didn’t sneak a peek at his ass.

The two of them went to work vacuuming vents and changing water filters and fixing loose cabinet handles, then they started on the Summer Maintenance Stuff. Ass Crack Guy went outside to paint the building and Tight Jeans Guy went into the big freezer to do whatever it is maintenance guys do to big freezers. He came out a few minutes later and walked right up to me, holding a pint of Ben & Jerrys, smiling his straight teeth smile. Then he asked:

“Do you like ice cream?”

That’s like asking me if I like muscular maintenance guys with nice asses (okay, I DID peek). The answer, of course was, “Damn right!” And, forgetting my many years of pop culture training – I skipped right over the Southern Belle/Hollywood Starlet response ( “Why Fiddle-Dee-Dee! I couldn’t touch a mouthful!”), the Supermodel response (accept the ice cream, eat it daintily, then spend a pleasant half-hour in the bathroom barfing it up), and the Romantic Comedy Heroine response ( “Oh, I shouldn’t.” Toss hair flirtateously.  “But I will!”) – I said exactly what I was thinking:

“Damn right!”

He handed it over. It was the John Lennon-inspired flavor, Imagine Whirled Peace. ( “Caramel & Sweet Cream Ice Creams Swirled with Fudge Peace Signs & Toffee Cookie Pieces.”) Then he handed me a plastic spoon and said, “I gotta know if the freezer is working alright. Can you let me know if it’s freezer burned?”

I took a dainty bite. Then another. Finally a third.  “Nope. No freezer burn at all.”

“Great. Thanks.”

 I wanted to say, “No problem!” but I couldn’t. I was too busy chewing on a Fudge Peace Sign. So he turned around and went to work on the air conditioner. The job required him to walk up and down a ladder. Frequently. In his tight jeans. I watched him the whole time. While eating my free ice cream. It was like someone had transported me into a Van Halen video for chicks. It was my best day of work ever.

It. Was awesome.

Warning: Do not watch this video while enjoying a delicious beverage. Yep, it’s that funny.

It’s my turn to stir things up at Publishing Renaissance. We’ve been on fire lately.

Check us out.

Edited to add:

I want to STRESS that the message of my PubRen post was not aimed at any of my writing friends who visit me here.

From Claire at Goodreads:

“To begin with my expectations were low of this book but I am glad I persisted as the author surprised me by producing a work that, although quite unlike anything I’ve read in the past, produced deep characters and a plot that kept me read till the end. I enjoyed the style of writing; the way Tess experienced and viewed the world and people around her. Another aspect which I favoured was how each item mentioned turned out later to have a significance and meaning beyond it’s initial appearance.

The minor qualms I had on my journey through this book were: at times it felt like life centred far too much on sex!, and I also had a nagging feeling that Tess never really fitted into her ‘new world’ at New Mills…she was too middle class, whereas the place she moved was more working, however, the conclusion resolved my unease about her character and I ended up feeling she was living in just the right place.

There was one serve in this plot which I never expected or saw coming and I felt it was very much out of Tess’s character, but it added a bit of spice to the story and the author had clearly researched the topic well as her knowledge came through in her writing – essential for it to have been believable.

All in all, a good book. I usually avoid romances as I find them dull, but although this book centred around love it was anything but dull…there was enough going on throughout the story emotionally to touch the reader and get you thinking, plus there was a certain one-liner contained within which I found particulary moving. It hadn’t been something I had been expecting but at times I felt the pain and almost laughed aloud at the humour which peppered the plot despite the hard times experienced by the characters…for a book to do that is a sign of a good writer as I am certainly not the sentimental type to cry at movies!”

(Reprinted with permission…Thanks Claire!)

Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of tourist season. I bagged my first one Monday afternoon at work. Behold the following true life conversation …

Guy from Massachusetts: Your gas prices are high.

Me: I know, but they’re the lowest in the area. [It’s true … $2.379 for regular unleaded.]

Guy from Massachusetts: I’ll bet your coffee is cold.

Me: You’d lose. I just made it 10 minutes ago.

Guy from Massachusetts: It’s really windy up here today. And cold.

Me: You’re blaming me for the weather?

Masshole: No. Look … the cashier at the last store we stopped at was a real bitch and I’m taking it out on you.

Me: The last guy who was in here tried to look down my shirt. You want me to slap you for it?

Masshole: No.

Me: Then shut up.

It’s recently been brought to my attention that a guy my husband works with sent an email with the link for Waiting For Spring at Amazon.com to everyone in their office. Since it’s possible that some of those co-workers may find their way here to the blog as a result, I wanted to take some time to say a public thank you for your support. 🙂

Also, in case The Boss himself makes his way here, I want to make it very clear that Dan LOVES his job!!!! He has nothing but VERY POSITIVE things to say about the company and the way it’s being run!!!! He wakes up each day, happy as a clam, filled with wonder and excitement at what marvels his workday will bring.

Oh … and he wouldn’t dream of using the company van for personal errands. Nope! Not Dan. 100% True Blue. Yep. That’s him.

😀

</asskissing>

I’ve been to see the doctor today. Turns out I’ve got a sinus infection and bronchitis. I was kinda hoping it was swine flu. This is the conversation I imagined having with my boss.

ME: So…I won’t be into work for a week or so.

BOSS: Why?

ME: Swine flu.

BOSS: Really. Swine flu. In that case, take a month off. With pay.

Instead it went more like this:

BOSS: Sinus infection and bronchitis. That’s not contagious, right?

ME: Nope.

BOSS: And they gave you antibiotics for it, right?

ME: Yep.

BOSS: Good. See ya bright and early in the morning.