Ferrell for the win

Small problem

If you queried me after May 20, you should resend the query.

I managed to make my mail management system collapse when I was transferring data to a new computer.

Oof.

YOU has a winner

YOU will recall there was an arc of YOU in the office recently. LOTS of people wanted it:





The contest for YOU drew quite a few entries, AND one distinctly evil evil evil hijacker!




Fortunately I was able to track The Hijacker to her hideout, hinder her hijinx and hie away with YOU safely stuffed in my satchel!

She'll live (maybe!)


It took awhile to post the winner because there's a Very Special Extra Dose of Amazing: the arc of YOU is now signed by the author! Thank you Charles Benoit!

And now, to the entries!



Best use of Peter Rubie in a contest entry!
Marsha Sigman


Nice poems from:
Derek Whisman
Steve Forti
Casey McCormick

Totally disqualified after the Herpet-American assssssssistant read it:
Sneaky Agent-man
Janet Johnson

Two of you thought I've read The Purloined Letter once too often:
Gilbert J. Avila
Stella

Two of you were really deranged by hope and thought I'd just send it to you:
Josin L. McQuein
Kari Lynn Dell



These three were hilarious:
Ashley A.
Nancy Coffelt
Dylan



And then there were some actual locations offered up:

The Herpet American Assistant!
Daryl Sedore
Joyce

The Slithery Barbara Poelle's office
Jennifer N

the closet
Delilah S. Dawson

Jeff Somers' pants
Patty

the liquor cabinet
Renee Pinner


backstage at a Broadway show
ninidee

Godsend Meredith's washer and dryer
Meredith

the psych ward
Dawn

Friendlys on Madison Avenue
Shelli Carnelison

bookshelf in the bedroom
absoluteleejj

messenger bag
PD Singer

Alaska!
Melissa

Stephany Evans' desk
LTM

top shelf
David Alton Dodd

bookshelf guarded by Herpet American Asssssistant
Rebecca T. Little

The Rejectionist's desk
Piper Quinn

Wen 文鮫 Vegan Chinese:
John


There were some very zen locations offered by:
KD James
Mina
Fanfreakingtastic Flower
Jenny Tonks
Sophie Playle
Jael


And one of you actually got it right:
Laurie Lamb


Here's her comment:

Oh where, oh where is the ARC of YOU?
You search and search for the right clue.

You monitor Janet's excellent blog,
Until your poor brain is lost in a fog.

Then you are on the edge of your seat,
When you notice a really good tweet.

YOU's on the desk of Suzie Townsend,
Somewhere near her deft mouse hand.

How to get it I'll tell you,
I'll say please and, of course, thank you.



Laurie Lamb, you are the winner of YOU!
(send me your mailing address for the prize!)

YOU was indeed exactly where Laurie thought it was:


and all she had to do was say "please!"

I know...very very devious.

Robin Becker's BRAINS are here!

Robin Becker's blog post about her pub day is hilarious!

I wonder if she knows the book to the left of BRAINS is JANE SLAYRE (also a FPLM book!)

Posted without comment...I'll leave that to y'all

click image to enlarge

Oh, the places you'll go!...when your boots are made for..

writing!

(in case you don't know,
that's amazing Joanna Stampfel Volpe on the left
and her client Kody Keplinger on the right.)

212-GIM-MEEE!

Riiiiing!
Riiiing!

Me (reaching for cell phone hidden under octopus): Whut?

Chipper voice: This is Inge VonPeepenskeeven, formerly of the Slitherina Literary Agency and Gin Appreciation Society! Happy DAY ONE Day!

Me: huh, whut???

Inge: (quite chipper, clearly too happy to last long in publishing) Today is the launch date for Bill Cameron's DAY ONE! We're calling to make sure you have your copy?

Me: WHUT????


Inge: Please, Miss Reid, have you bought a copy of DAY ONE yet?

Me: Buy? BUY? I have YET to forgive Bill Cameron for What He Did to Eager™.! BUY A COPY? He'll be lucky if I ever tweet to him again, that rapscallion reprobate! (sounds of snarling and octopus scuttling under desk)

Inge: Miss Reid? Miss Reid?

Me: WHAT!

Inge: Mr. Cameron sent cupcakes to your office. Miss Townsend and Miss Barnes are poised like raptors with forks and serviettes. Miss Evans, in fact BOTH Miss Evans, are swinging from the chandelier by their knees holding tongs!

Me: All is forgiven! I'll be RIGHT there! Hold them off Inge! Hold them OFF!







Inge: Where oh where did I put my application for the convent?

TrueBlood fans!

The best thing about going to see Robin Hood (other than what happened in the post below) was seeing all the TrueBlood fans! Tonight there was a screening at the theatre. Our first clue was the table and bevy of publicists.




But the next BIG clue was the line outside: people clearly in "I'll wait here for hours if I have to mode!"




And yes, it was a thrill to see the marquee!

D'oh

Me: Hey Suzie! Look at those cool Simpsons figures! Go sit in Homer's lap; I'll take your picture; it'll be fun.

Suzie: OK!

Sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide.

Passing NYT Bestselling author: are you ok?

Me: (unable to reply due to guffaws at Suzie knocking over every single Simpson in her slide to the floor)

Suzie: yes, I'm fine! SHE however (pointing at me) is chum!

Me: Wait! Wait! I want to take your picture!

Suzie: Janet, I'm going to beat you to a pulp with that camera one of these days!

91 minutes of silence

Today is Memorial Day. Started in 1865 as Decoration Day, a day to decorate the graves of fallen Union soldiers , it has now become a national day of remembrance for all those who fell during war.

It's a irresistible platform for political blowhards of course and this year is no exception.

They like to swathe the war deaths in phrases like "noble service" and "saving freedom."

All that may be true, but doesn't make the soldier or sailor or Marine or airman any less dead.

4400 US troops have died in Iraq since 2003; 1087 in Afghanistan since 2001.

That means 10,000 grieving parents.
And grieving wives, husbands, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, sweethearts and friends.

Words may comfort, but they never remove the pain of that loss.

I am grateful we have men and women willing to serve our country, and willing to offer their lives as part of that service.

I pray we have leaders who recognize life is precious.
Perhaps instead of political speeches this year, they could simply stand silent for one second for each service member who has perished.

5487 seconds

91 minutes

And that's just this war.



Vietnam: 58,236 dead and 1740 missing

Korea: 36,516 dead and 8176 missing

World War 2: 416,800 dead

And no matter what your thoughts are about who's right and who's wrong in a war, let's all remember those numbers are only American deaths. It doesn't count our allies or the other side. It doesn't begin to count those who perished in The Holocaust or at Stalingrad. The grief and loss in war is uncountable.

Life is precious.
Let us all vow on this Memorial Day 2010 to spend it carefully.

image is Gettysburg, PA taken by Walt Hubis