Everyone's so tired from RWA National that we're slacking off on blogging, but that's to your benefit!

Colette Gale's got a contest going on over at The Spiced Tea Party blog…check it out. 

I'm still really far behind and my brain is fuzzy, so I'm taking the easy way out today by asking you to tell me:

1. Your favorite movie so far this summer

2. 'Fess up: whether you've ever smuggled food into the movie theater, and if so, what and how. (The most interesting story wins!)

(Wins what? A Born Venator t-shirt, Rises the Night version [ie, blue and black]) 

3. 'Fess up: have you ever bought a ticket to see a movie, then after that movie was over, headed into a different theater to see something else?

Ready, set, go! 

(Contest runs until further notice; ie, until my brain is back in gear.) 

Contest is now closed! Diana P. is the winner! 

Had a great time in Dallas. Took zero pictures. Zero. I'm going to have to rely on my friends to share the ones they took. (hint, hint)

It was a fairly tame trip, especially in light of what happened the last time I was at a conference in Dallas (my friends and I picked up a band–yes, a rock band). But it was very busy and lots of fun and I met so many people! 

Got home Sunday afternoon, and instead of being whisked off to The Order of the Phoenix, I was whisked home for a quick nap and email catch up. But, never fear, we went to see the flick later that evening and even my Music Man loved it. (Which is really saying something.)

So I'm totally crushing on Rupert. Isn't he adorable? Of course, I've always had a thing for red-heads, starting with Trixie Belden's Jim Frayne and including my first serious boyfriend (who also, come to think of it, was a Music Man. hmmmmmmm.)

I was dismayed at the number of things that were kept out of the movie, or changed…especially knowing that they could have made a three-hour movie (but of course, the profits wouldn't have been as high, so cynical me assumes that's why they didn't).

And…I'm pleased to announce that I've started reading The Half-Blood Prince at last!! Yay!

So, who's your favorite red-head? (Besides me?)

If you've seen Ocean's Thirteen, you should get the title of this blog. If you haven't, then go see it. 

Heck, even if you don't care to get the title of this blog, go see the movie. It's fun! And there's a lot of eye candy–er things to look at.

But, anyway, the Dallas thing. I'm leaving this morning for Dallas for the annual Romance Writers of America conference. 

It's a plethora of big, mid-list, debut and unpublished authors, workshops, luncheons, awards ceremonies, and of course "networking." (That's what we call all that time spent in the bar.)

There's a big booksigning with upwards of 400 romance novelists in one room at one time–and it's open to the public. So if you're in the Dallas area, come on by the Hyatt (downtown) from 5:30-7:30 on Wednesday and see me…and pretty much any other author who writes romance–from Nora Roberts to Jennifer Crusie and Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Julia Quinn, JR Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Christine Feehan, and many, many more.

But anyway, in regards to the blog title: yeah. I mean, what do you think happens when you get a hotel full of romance writers (1500 or so), all of whom write about…well, you know, romance.

It might just happen that a few of the single ones among us (of course, I'm not single, so it precludes me from being lumped in that group) might be on the hunt. Cougar-like. Or otherwise.

(Romance writers and readers do have a thing for cowboys…and we are going to be in Dallas.)

So this is just my round-about way of saying:

1. I intend to have more than several martinis this week (all in the interest of networking, of course)

2. I intend to be all fangirly cool, calm, and articulate around some of my favorite authors (squee!)

3. I'll probably be pretty scarce on the blog until Monday

4. I'll be shipping home a big ol' box of freebie books (hopefully including the new Nora)

5. I'll have to wait until I get home on Sunday to see The Order of the Phoenix! *sob*

See you all soon! 

What a way to start a week. Bookfool nominated me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger and I'm tickled…pink? (Thank you Bookfool…and right back at ya!)

Yeah, I think pink looks good on this blog. You?

So now I get to tag a few Rockin' Girl Bloggers. (Carl, Chris, Sparky…I'm sorry, you'd be shoe-ins, but, well, you're missing a few parts….) 

Okay, so here we go:

1. Janet S. of Fond of Snape. This chick not only has the best blog name evah (because who isn't, when he's Alan Rickman?), but she takes beautiful photos and she knows exactly where to get the most gorgeous scents! She even made one for Snape. (And it smells deliciously sexy!) She took my book (the advance copy with the ugly cover) all over Vegas with her…and she posts picture quizzes every week.

2. Booklogged is my next nominee, because she reads such a variety of books, she's broadened my horizons…well, broadly. Seriously, she has a great blog that invites many comments and she's so good about responding to them. (Better than some other people I know *cough*me*cough*.)

3. And then there's Zeek at The Way I See It who recently stood up for me on another blog when her review of my book was questioned for its integrity. Yeah. Zeek writes a great blog about books and other such things–including her Beloved, who I'm now dying to meet–and her grandmother.

4. And finally, Bam. Because…well, she says it like it is. And then some. And she rocks. And the last time I tried to surf to her blog when I was on a public wireless connection–they blocked her blog because of content! Bam's blog was blocked! (Try saying that a bunch of times fast!) Wheeee!!!

Congrats, Rockin' Girls! Now you have to tag a few of your own favorites.