So, uh…do you worship at the altar of the Mighty Oprah?

I've never been able to get into her show (of course, after years of working in an office during the day, I never had the chance to see it…and now, well, it just doesn't appeal to me).

I've looked through her magazine a few times too. Meh. It's all right. 

But she appeals to lots of people. And now with her Big Give…well, where do you weigh in?

What do you think of the Mighty Opes? 

The poor marquess. Sigh.

Several of you have expressed your sadness that the Marquess of Rockley hasn't graced the pages of the Gardella books for awhile. (It's kind of imposssible, at this point, you know.)

Well, besides the fact that a Marquess of Rockley does make an appearance in When Twilight Burns, I'm happy to tell you that the original marquess also appears in a short story that will be included in The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, to be released in the UK in June…and the US sometime in the next year.

The short story takes place at a ball that occurred during The Rest Falls Away, so you're sure to see Phillip, Max, and Sebastian…as well as Lady Melly and Verbena before, as my friend Tammy put it, they got all angsty with each other. LOL.

Since springtime makes me feel generous, I thought I'd give away a few copies of the short story to my regular blog readers.

So….anyone who emails me before Wednesday midnight EST at blog at colleengleason dot com with I MISS PHILLIP! in the subject line will receive a copy of the short story by email. 

Fair enough? All right. Ready, set, GO! 

Well, at least the sun is shining!

The snow is melting. We saw a robin last week.

Even though we got five inches of snow on Friday, I do believe, I really do, that spring is here. Well, almost here.

So what's the first thing you do when you feel like spring has finally arrived?

Spring cleaning?

Your taxes?

Plant seedlings?

Go out and finish that fall cleanup you started?

Buy a potted tulip plant?

Tell, tell, tell! 

My daughter popped the soundtrack for Music & Lyrics into the car CD player this morning, with two results: 1) putting the "Pop! Goes My Heart" earworm firmly into my conscious, and 2) reminding me of a blog post I'd been meaning to write.

Have you seen Music & Lyrics with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant? If not, I recommend it. I loved it (except for the very last cheesy song that Hugh Grant sings at the big concert…), and let my daughter watch it because it's a very mild PG-13 rating.

(*Pop! Goes My Heart*) 

Drew plays a slightly ditzy but long-winded, organized-in-a-weird-way character who meets Hugh Grant (a washed up '80s star) when she goes to water his plants. In that very first scene, it occurred to me that Drew's character (blanking on the name and too lazy to Google it) was a lot like that of Sally Albright.

When Harry Met Sally… is one of my all-time favorite romantic comedies. (In fact, I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to watch that one.) And now that Meg Ryan isn't right for those kinds of roles, it feels to me as if Drew is the heir apparent to the perky, funny, sincere type of character that Meg used to play.

Yes? No?

Favorite Meg Ryan flick? Favorite Drew flick?  I'm listening.

…And while we're at it…favorite Hugh Grant movie? My daughter thinks he's adorable, and I'd like to let her see another one…but not Four Weddings & A Funeral. Other suggestions?

 (*I thought I'd never fall in love again / but then / Pop! Goes my hearttttt….*) 

…to Stargazer and Mazoku.

That is, if you'll send me your snail mail address.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts on the next Gardella book and its setting. Funny thing, I've already thought about pretty much each one of those suggestions–from the Roaring 20s to San Francisco in 1908, to the Civil War. Cool.

Winners, please email me at books at colleengleason dot com as to how you want the cover flat signed, and where to send it!