You’ll see it again down the road, when I make the official announcement here at WIPs and Chains, but if you’d like a sneak peek, you know where to go…

(You can read the full New York Times article about her life & death here: http://nyti.ms/JkYbCh)

I don’t know how many of you are familiar with her books…Julie of the Wolves, My Side of the Mountain, & so many more…but they were wonderful.  Still are.  As far as I’m concerned, they’re classics.

I actually had the privilege of meeting her several years ago when she visited my mom’s library. Not only did she sign my books, but because I was there long before & after the event to help set up, the clean up, she took more time than she probably cared to spend talking to me about writing.  Without a doubt, it was one of the highlights of my life.

Not only was she an incredible writer & amazing person, but she loved animals.  Loved them, rescued them, rehabilitated & advocated for them.  So you know how high that put her on my list of favorite people.

Living 92 years is a feat all on it’s own, but knowing she’s not around anymore is just…sad.

Rest in peace, Jean. You will be missed.

Do you have your list of happies ready to share?

This week, I AM HAPPY that I’ve got a shiny new title for my November Harlequin Desire:  SECRETS, LIES & LULLABIES.  I’m always a little nervous when my editor(s) tell me I need to come up with a different title for a book I already gave a perfectly good title.  (Hey, it was! )  But this time around, I think the new title may be even better than the old one, & I love it!

I AM HAPPY still with my quite unexpected Mother’s Day gifts.  Thanks to Gramma Pugga (a.k.a. Madame Mommy Dearest), who did the actual shopping for my little kiddos, I received a pile of adorable Winnie-the-Pooh books.  Mostly Classic Pooh, which I have an extra-squishy soft spot for.  One from each of The Kittehs, which is just too adorable.  And from Madame Mommy Dearest herself, I got another pile of those Pepsi flavored lip balms I love.

For the record, I made dinner for her (dealing with crowded restaurants on holidays is verboten; I’ll take you out the day before or the evening after, but the day of—no, thank you) & we tried a brand new beer I discovered the week before—Shiner Ruby Redbird.  A seasonal brew with grapefruit & ginger—yum!

I think I AM HAPPY with something that’s in the works in the background of my life.  It’s been kind of a pain & I don’t even remotely have a handle on it yet, but when all is said & done, I think I’ll be very happy with the results.  I think.  Will have to reassess that one later.  (And, yes, when “all is said & done” I’ll share. )

Last but not least, I AM HAPPY that The Big Valley is back on TV.  I’m kind of on a western kick right now with The Big Valley & The Magnificent Seven.  It’s so fun to be reminded of why I fell in love with these shows to begin with.

So that about does it for me this week…how about you?

Tell us what great, fantabulous, or just plain decent stuff is making you happy this week!

Now to announce the winner of Friday’s Free Book Friday giveaway—Ain’t She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips…

Kathleen O!!!

Congratulations, Kathleen! Please contact me with your mailing information & I’ll get your book out to you as soon as I can!

When Editor C first invited me to be part of the “Dynasties: The Kincaids” continuity series with ON THE VERGE OF I DO & told me it was going to be about a born-&-bred Southern family living in Charleston, I shared one of my favorite Southern jokes with him, stolen (& paraphrased) from one of my favorite Southern-set television shows, Designing Women:

At a fancy dinner party, a Southern woman a turns to the woman beside her to strike up a conversation & asks, “So where do y’all come from?”

Putting her nose in the air, the other woman answers snottily, “We come from a place where we don’t end our sentences with prepositions.”

“Oh, sorry,” the Southern woman replies.  “So where do y’all come from—bitch?”

And here’s another that makes me chuckle every time I hear it…

A man sat down on an airplane next to a beautiful young woman. They struck up a conversation and he asked, “What kind of men do you like?”

She said, “Well, I like Native American men, with their high cheekbones and golden bronze skin. But I also like Jewish men; they’re so brilliant and successful. And I like good ol’ boys from the South, too, with their long Southern drawls. So what’s your name?”

The man replied, “My name is Geronimo Goldstein, but my friends call me Bubba.”

FREE BOOK FRIDAY

This week’s Southern-set free book is Ain’t She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

To enter the giveaway for this book, simply leave a comment to today’s post that includes the code FBF—for “Free Book Friday,” of course—to let me know you’re interested in the drawing. (U.S. residents only for the prize, please, but everyone is welcome to chat.)

Winner will be announced during our Happy Sunday post on…well, you know, Sunday.

Winner is responsible for contacting me with her mailing information—i.e. I will not be contacting you—so be sure to check back in or you might not even know you won!

(If prize isn’t claimed within 14 days, another name may be drawn or item may be tossed back into the goody bag to be re-used for a future giveaway.)