My daughter gave me this  extra-large mug.

My daughter’s gift. 🙂

A deep sigh here: my local tea shop is closing.

In response to that news, I’ve been laying in a large supply of loose tea, everything from licorice to German gingerbread to hot cinnamon spice (my current favorite) to chai to Earl Grey Creme to Toated Almond and, finally, Supreme Breakfast tea.

It’s back to mail order after all that is gone. The tea shop owner seems happy about the closing. She’s worked for over a decade to keep the shop afloat but now she wants a new adventure and she’s getting out before she goes under water. I can’t blame her for that.

On writing, I’ve taken a red pen to the plot of The Hidden Mage of Lotus Hall, as I had to reorder things to make sure I had that Moment of Impossible Choice at the climax. I’ve started back at the beginning and I wrote a new first chapter. Nothing new for me, as my original draft first chapters usually end up being chapter three. (In one memorable case, it ended up on page 100. That’s called starting the story in the middle. 🙂

To prove that writing isn’t always a solitary experience, I attended the Connecticut Romance Writers of America Spring Fling Reader’s Luncheon on Saturday as a sponsoring author. What a lovely, lovely time. Major props to the organizers and, oh, my, such fun to talk to librarians and book bloggers! I even spoke to my boss at the Heroes and Heartbreakers blog!

I'm the short one. :)

I’m the short one. 🙂

For blogging, I had a chance to experience part of Six Flags’ new generation of roller coasters plus virtual reality at a Six Flags New England Press Day. Let me tell you, this is COOL. I’m less enthused about this Fireball ride at Six Flags New England not because it doesn’t look fantastic but because I’m just not big at hanging upside down. 🙂 Spin me, twirl me, toss me around and about, even upside down, but don’t stop me upside down.

Six Flags Fireball

And, of course, my usual articles about DC comics, as Secret Six and Midnighter remain awesome.