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Tate's success and Shawn's birthday
Apr. 2nd, 2009 11:07 amI just got 4 Stars from Romantic Times Bookreviews!!
Here's what Jill M. Smith has to say about DEAD IF I DO:
"Nothing in the life of Hallaway's heroine every goes exactly as planned, which generally leads to madcap mayhem. This chapter in the first-person series is packed with humor, wackiness and a touch of pathos. It's a genuinely heartwarming treat for fans!
Yay for Tate!
----
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming... So yesterday was a success in the birthday department. Shawn kept telling me what a wonderful day she had, particularly thanks to all the Facebook and LJ well-wishes (how times have changed, eh?) I think I may have also scored in the "thoughtful gift" department this year because, while out driving yesterday in search of "little boxes" (Shawn usually requests jewlery for her birthday,) I had a thought hit me.
Shawn's "to-be read" shelves are actually empty. As I said on my Tate blog, I've actually considered taking a picture of it because I can't remember a time when we've lived together that those shelves haven't been overflowing. It's a real testimony to the tough economic times that she actually finished everything, and has been hunting through the house for books she read several decades ago (which she hoped would read "as new" since she may have forgotten them)... just to have something to read.
It occurred to me what a real treat it would be for her to be able to fill up that shelf again. So I went to Uncles and put down fifty bucks on a gift certificate. While I was there Don said they were low on Apocalypse Array and Fallen Host, and asked if I could bring some in for trade credit. I love that man. He knows me so well. I mean, other people probably prefer cash, but I'd much rather take books. (And he ALWAYS *makes* money on us, because it's a rare trip that we don't walk out without paying for at least ONE MORE book.) There's a reason Uncle Hugo's is still in business after all these years.
Shawn is going to take off work early today and we're going to head over to Minneapolis to spend wildly on books. It should be a blast... made slightly more fun without Mason in tow. He's actually pretty well behaved in bookstores since he likes to read as well, but he gets bored a lot faster than mama and ima.
Anyway, I also did buy Shawn a little bling. At the International Market across from Uncle's I picked up a nice pair of silver and some green stone earrings suppposedly handcrafted by First Americans. Regardless, they're nice looking. Shawn was well pleased.
And, just to top off the birthday goodness I bought her a "hot rock couples massage" at Sanctuary Salon Spa, and baked her a purple cake (okay, acutally it was chocolate with purple frosting, but it looked fairly awesomely purple.) We had fun at Pepito's in Minneapolis, too. Shawn drank many margaritas and... had no hang over this morning. It doesn't get much better than that.
For myself, I've been starting to think about the YA books Tate is scheduled to write next. I'm thinking I may want to have one of the heroine's best friends be Somali. Given that she's supposed to be going to school here in Saint Paul, that seems reasonable. Does anyone out there in internets land know any good resources for me regarding Somali teens (particularly girls)? (I got your message, Naomi! Thanks.)
Here's what Jill M. Smith has to say about DEAD IF I DO:
"Nothing in the life of Hallaway's heroine every goes exactly as planned, which generally leads to madcap mayhem. This chapter in the first-person series is packed with humor, wackiness and a touch of pathos. It's a genuinely heartwarming treat for fans!
Yay for Tate!
----
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming... So yesterday was a success in the birthday department. Shawn kept telling me what a wonderful day she had, particularly thanks to all the Facebook and LJ well-wishes (how times have changed, eh?) I think I may have also scored in the "thoughtful gift" department this year because, while out driving yesterday in search of "little boxes" (Shawn usually requests jewlery for her birthday,) I had a thought hit me.
Shawn's "to-be read" shelves are actually empty. As I said on my Tate blog, I've actually considered taking a picture of it because I can't remember a time when we've lived together that those shelves haven't been overflowing. It's a real testimony to the tough economic times that she actually finished everything, and has been hunting through the house for books she read several decades ago (which she hoped would read "as new" since she may have forgotten them)... just to have something to read.
It occurred to me what a real treat it would be for her to be able to fill up that shelf again. So I went to Uncles and put down fifty bucks on a gift certificate. While I was there Don said they were low on Apocalypse Array and Fallen Host, and asked if I could bring some in for trade credit. I love that man. He knows me so well. I mean, other people probably prefer cash, but I'd much rather take books. (And he ALWAYS *makes* money on us, because it's a rare trip that we don't walk out without paying for at least ONE MORE book.) There's a reason Uncle Hugo's is still in business after all these years.
Shawn is going to take off work early today and we're going to head over to Minneapolis to spend wildly on books. It should be a blast... made slightly more fun without Mason in tow. He's actually pretty well behaved in bookstores since he likes to read as well, but he gets bored a lot faster than mama and ima.
Anyway, I also did buy Shawn a little bling. At the International Market across from Uncle's I picked up a nice pair of silver and some green stone earrings suppposedly handcrafted by First Americans. Regardless, they're nice looking. Shawn was well pleased.
And, just to top off the birthday goodness I bought her a "hot rock couples massage" at Sanctuary Salon Spa, and baked her a purple cake (okay, acutally it was chocolate with purple frosting, but it looked fairly awesomely purple.) We had fun at Pepito's in Minneapolis, too. Shawn drank many margaritas and... had no hang over this morning. It doesn't get much better than that.
For myself, I've been starting to think about the YA books Tate is scheduled to write next. I'm thinking I may want to have one of the heroine's best friends be Somali. Given that she's supposed to be going to school here in Saint Paul, that seems reasonable. Does anyone out there in internets land know any good resources for me regarding Somali teens (particularly girls)? (I got your message, Naomi! Thanks.)
