Yesterday was lovely. I got up, worked on freelance, then headed back upstairs to take a nap. WIN1

Then I worked on my own writing, and finished this short Regency-set story I’ve been doing. WIN2

Then, McVane came up with the perfect anagram for my name: Tramp, Fang On Me. WIN3

The Picky Vegetarian, who’s been working like a dog WITH dogs (and cats) called, which was nice, but cell reception stinks so all I could hear was “Happy Birthday.” But still, it was nice. WIN3.1

After, I read more of The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks, which the Faux Critique Partner recommended. WIN4

[Many, many happy birthday wishes from Twitter and Facebook, plus a special post from my P-I-C] WIN4.1

Then, STEAK! And family, and wine, and laughter. WIN5

A gift of tube mascara and Godiva chocolate. WIN6

After that? The Nocturnal Aunt and I watched North And South, and she adored it. WIN7

A really, really good day.

1. What kind of love and sex stuff would you like to read about in your favorite ladies’ magazine? I ask because I’ll be pitching my favorite ladies’ mag soon with some topics.

2. What should I do Valentine’s Day? The Spouse AND the Son will both be away, and I am pondering:

a. watching historical dramas and drinking wine by myself
b. going to the movies by myself
c. trying to find another similarly alone friend and hanging with them. Wine and historical dramas probably not optional.
d. crying myself to sleep

3. I can’t seem to get writing; what should I try to motivate myself?

4. Have you pre-ordered Carolyn Jewel’s Scandal yet?

5. Do you want to follow me on Twitter?: http://twitter.com/meganf

6. What book are you reading now?

7. What’s your favorite zany, albeit also serious, contemporary?

8. When will it stop being cold?

9. Is Wanted, with Angelina and James McAvoy, a good cheesy movie or too godawful even to laugh through?

10. What are you most excited about lately? Not necessarily any one topic, just . . . anything.

This weekend, I am heading to New Jersey for the New Jersey Romance Writers’ Conference. Yay! The P-I-C and I are sharing a room, and I bet many laughs will be had. I also bet that, at some point, I will be needlessly snarky. The Spouse will have the care and feeding of the Nine Year-Old; look for the attendance of Knicks games (go Nate!), Wii-playing and some grousing about how Mommy didn’t leave enough a) food b) laundry or c) anything else that is difficult to locate in five seconds.

In New Jersey, I will get to see Samhain’s Angela James, who is so cool and self-assured she intimidates me (true dat!), Abby Godwin (blog to the right) and other friends from the NYC chapter.

Still working fairly diligently on the new ms., although yesterday I hit a creative wall. Bam. Today I hope to be more inspired.

*New Jersey, Megan Frampton and Not Much Else.

CindyS tagged me for the book meme:

Grab the nearest book. Open the book to page 56. Find the fifth sentence. Post the text of the next two to five sentences in your journal/blog along with these instructions. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the closest. Tag five other people to do the same.

It’s Fashion and Women’s Attitudes In The Nineteenth Century by C. Willett Cunnington:

“The Gothic principle of disguise of mind and body was the new mode.
The classical form of the dress with its vertical emphasis of line had already become blurred by Gothic types of ornamentation;”

Okay, then onto some other stuff. Yesterday, I interviewed Clinton Kelly and Carmindy, both from TLC’s What Not To Wear, for my freelance job. First off, both were really nice, just as they are on TV. I totally wanted to hang out with Clinton, he was sharp and snarky and charming. He said the four trends for winter are:

purple
plaid
vests
ruffles

And when I made a face at the ruffles thing, he said it’s one of his style mantras that women of any age can wear any trend, as long as they pair it with classic pieces.

Next up was Carmindy, who told me I had “beautiful skin and gorgeous eyes.” She recommended primer as the one product women could use to instantly make a difference on their skin.

Anything else we need to discuss?

Visit Marianne Mancusi and Liz Maverick to see me in pure idiocy. And to see very nice pix of MM, LM, EKM and Leanna, whose birthday we were celebrating.

I don’t feel so bad anymore, though, ’cause of your nice comments, and the ebbing of time (Cindy, the story about your friend asking for more is just mind-boggling. WTF? I don’t think I’ve ever been so rude).

I sent my agent the partial of Road to Desire/On Bold Adventure on Sunday; we’ll see what she says. It’s much more traditional romance-y than That Subtle Knot/Road to Passion, but it’s still edgy.

I started reading Lover Enshrined yesterday. Already love it, already have rolled my eyes in several places. Isn’t that what a guilty pleasure is all about?

Kwana tagged me for the “6 unimportant facts about me” meme.

The rules are:
1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your blog entry.
5. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Six Unimportant Facts About Me:
1. I have a fantasy of traveling the United States in an RV after retirement.
2. My mom used to make me tithe my Halloween candy to her, half for her, half for me. I still hold a grudge.
3. My New Hampshire babysitter won the Caldecott Award.
4. My alarm is set for 7:04.
5. I love Gustav Klimt.
6. My dad told me Santa really wanted a beer and cigarettes on Christmas Eve, so that’s what I left every year. Camels and PBR.

I’m tagging Cindy, SandyL (glad to see you back!), Tracy, Amanda, LLB, and Kristie. Leave the meme in comments if you don’t have your own spot to do it in.

Renovating a house, as Cindy knows, is a big TIME-SUCK, even if you’re not the one wielding the hammer.

Yesterday, for example, I had to go lay down some serious cash for bathroom tile. Plus the whole decision-making thing. Today we went to a paint store, only open Sundays 9:30-12:30 (closed Saturdays; run by Orthodox Jews) to choose paint. Spent a long time there, and no real decisions were made.

But this week I am determined to finish editing the first three chapters of Road To Passion, and send it to the three most enthusiastic agents from last time around.

And I really have to get better at being a friend; I’ve let calls and emails go unreturned, which isn’t cool unless you are ill or insanely depressed. I am neither.

Is there anything better than when someone recommends a book, and you read it, and it is WONDERFUL?

[picture me jumping up and down on a couch screaming "I love this book!"]

The Delightful Phone Friend rec’ed In The Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming. And even sent it to me so I could read it. And YOW was it good.

It is the first in a series (and the author’s first book, too, which is astounding).

I found Lee Child because of Jennifer Savage and Carolyn Jewel; Jo Goodman and Cheryl St. John because of Kristie J; Maria Snyder because of everybody raving; Bernard Cornwell because the Thoughtful Spouse thought I wanted Gallows Thief when actually I was talking about another book; and I know there are many, many more that have come to me because of friends’ recommendations. Those are the best.

Thanks, friends!

I am being such a whiner lately.

Snap out of it!

I need someone to come over and kick me in the ass. So, barring that (and no, Goedi, please do not volunteer!), can you suggest a virtual kick in the ass?

Many thanks, dotcomrades.

The Son, the MIL and I are at the Jersey Shore, where dial-up is King. So  I haven’t been able to as blithely jump around the internet, because the freelance duties require actual work (which is also blithely jumping, but this time WITH A PURPOSE).

So thanks to everyone for their kind birthday wishes, and their kind words about my teeth (which really do scare small children, but that’s okay). And the agent hunt continues, words on that when it is further along, and I am reading Barbara Hambly (SandyL is smiling), and the MIL, well, I’m a nice woman.

So let’s see. It’s been raining for almost three days here, which is a drag, but I am happy, ’cause I’ve been getting enough sleep and I don’t have to do dishes. It doesn’t take much.

More later–

Megan