So, I don’t tan. I don’t do bikinis. (Yikes!)

I like toe rings and ankle bracelets, but they’re not “musts” for me.

But there is one thing I never leave the house without touching up. (Besides my lipstick.)

I’ve even been known to paint my nails after putting my sandals on so that they have time to dry while I’m driving. Heh.

What’s your summer vanity?

I’m such a font geek. I loved this.

So I spend a lot of time in coffee shops, because I seem to be more productive there than at home when it comes to writing new material. Go figure.

It can be a little expensive, but instead of ordering lattes (green tea or chai; I don't like coffee of any kind) every time, I do iced or a pot of hot tea, or even water. And at places where they know me, the baristas will sometimes give me sparkling water from the machine for free.

So, anyway, my grump. Actually, I have a few. (Why should you be surprised?)

First, why don't people clear their own dishes? I mean, it's not hard. Throw your stuff away, put your mugs/plates up at the counter, etc. Didn't your mother teach you to clean up after yourself?? You could even wipe your crumbs/spills away. It wouldn't kill you.

Second, I really wish that the coffee places would offer recycling bins for the plastic cups. I cringe when I have to throw plastic ones in the garbage….more often than not, I take them home with me to recycle.

And third, and my biggest pet peeve, is people who don't push their chairs back in when they leave their table. (To be fair, that's one of my grouses at home too. Drives me crazy to have to push everyone's chair back in at the table. Ugh.)

It bugs me in particular at the coffee shops, though, because I like to sit down at a table and put my feet up on the seat of the chair across from me. It never fails that I sit and get comfortable and then notice that the chair across isn't pushed in enough for my feet (I have short legs) to reach it.

(Yeah, I know. Some people might be annoyed that I put my feet on the chair. But it's under the table, and no one can see them. But, yeah. That could be someone else's pet peeve. I get it. I'm tolerant, but this is my pet peeve list.)

Anyway. So there you go.

Anyone want to join in? Pet peeves at restaurants/coffee shops? Lay'em on me. 

PS. Can you tell I'm in a grumpy mood today? LOL. 

Came home last night from a furious writing stint at Borders cafe to find a big box of brand-spanking new Powered by Vis Bulla tees on my front porch.

My daughter immediately snagged one of the gray ones (I like them the best), and I handed one black one off to Music Man. I'll be shipping off the pre-orders I've already received in the next day or so, and my webmistress will be reopening The Venator Store shortly for those of you who are interested in the new versions.

(Or you can email me in the meantime– books at colleengleason dot com)

The printing on the shirts, if you can't tell, is silver and red–not white. You can see better what it looks like on the white tee I'm wearing.

These are an As Shadows Fade version, because that cover has silver and black on it. Very lovely. Will be posting a picture in a few months…my publisher gets a little squidgy if I post it too soon. But I'll be showing it off at my signings, and also for anyone who participates in the Virtual Booksigning.

Here's a pic of me showing off my new 'do and the new tees. Love the gray! (Not my hair, the tee.)

The pictures don't do the hair justice–it looks much more spunky in real life, and you can't see the rich cherry-cola color very well. But you get the gist.

You'll just have to come to one of my booksigning events if you want to see it for real!

So like a fool, I waited until 8:30 last night to go see The Dark Knight (for an 8:50 showing). Tickets were sold out.

I think I must be the only person in the US who wanted to see it and didn't over the weekend. Pfflbt.

Sometime this week, though. For sure.

I've heard nothing but raves from everyone who's seen it, so I can't imagine I'll be disappointed. I don't have huge expectations (I mean, I'm not a big Batman fangrrrl–I just want to see the movie because of all the buzz). 

Now, about Mamma Mia. I'm debating about whether to let my almost-twelve year old go see it. I've seen the stage play, and so I know the basic story. The movie's rated PG-13. Has anyone seen it? Any thoughts on an impressionable almost-twelve-year-old seeing it? I know she's going to love the music, but I want to know how intense the storyline about the oops-who's-my-father–and-how-did- you-get-in-this-situation-anyway, Ma?" element is. I mean, I know it's there, but how deep does it go?

In other news, I'm winning the battle with the Japanese beetles that have found the delicacy known as my raspberry bushes. And, to my delight, I picked a small bowl of them this morning. (The berries, not the beetles.)

It's getting close to the release of When Twilight Burns…and I've got a lot of blog appearances and giveaways lined up. (Check my website to see if I'm coming to a town near you…or order your own signed copy from me!)

Stay tuned and I'll let you know more details…but in the meantime, if you know of a blog or website that gets decent traffic and would like to give away a book in the Gardella series….send'em my way. They don't have to be a book site!