Quick Reader Poll!

Lately I've found myself curious about reading formats...hardcover versus paperback versus digital versus audio. All of which I embrace! I find myself watching people in airports and coffee shops, reading dialogues here on the internet, and taking mental notes.

My secondary interest is WHERE the book came from. An on-line store? A brick-and-mortar store? A library? A friend? A gift? Other?



So I thought it might be fun for us take a quick poll through our comments. Feel free to list the name of the book you are reading and the author, if you want, but specifically tell us:

--the book's format

and

--how/where you got it!

I will go first...read down in the comments!

Saying Goodbye to Summer

Okay, so technically summer is still here for a few weeks (although I must confess to loving Seattle-esque summers way more than those in Oklahoma, Houston, and Vegas--it's more like spring) but I can sense it winding down. The air will get crisper, the rain will come (maybe?), and I'll soon be cuddling with a good book and watching as the leaves fall.

Fall is probably my favorite time of the year, but I think I'll actually miss summer this year. Some of the fun things I've done this summer include:

• driving from Oklahoma to Seattle and sleeping in National Parks
• going sailing for the first time
• traveling to New York, Washington DC, Houston, and Las Vegas
• finally (!!!) moving to Seattle
• going to outdoor concerts with Heather Bee and friend Liz Gallagher
• walking Daisy around Capitol Hill

So, what (if anything) will you miss about summer?

Hugs,
TLC

4 Bees Buzzing

It's not often that we get a bunch of Buzz Girl Bees together, but thanks to a lovely invitation bestowed upon my daughter and me by Dona, four of us found ourselves together this past weekend in her Seattle area home. Here's me, Dona, Heather and Tera:


Dona served tea and a table full of goodies. Here we are, checking it all out before the first doorbell:


While all the food was yummy, from moment one, my eyes were on the cupcakes! Check out the careful and creative designs, made with a rich butter cream frosting:


Believe me when I say, I got my fair share!

Anyway, the tea was not only a lot of fun, but a good networking and brainstorming event where we got to discuss books we've been reading, and our current works-in-progress. In fact, I wrote down notes afterwards on comments made about my current book that I know will help me in its execution.

We think it's possible we won't get a substantial number of Buzz Girls together again until the national Romance Writers of America conference in Anaheim, California next July--but who knows? We'll keep spirits high and fingers crossed!

And thanks again to Dona for being the hostess with the mostest!

Tina

Tina Ferraro
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
How to Hook a Hottie
The ABC's of Kissing Boys
www.tinaferraro.com

The Summer of Reunions

Based on my own summer and lots of people I've talked to, this has been the Summer of Reunions. Mine started off with a family reunion (Photo 1). My grandma, Mama Billie (pictured in the pink shirt), rented out an entire B&B a few miles from my house and filled it with about 35 of us from UT, TX, FL, CO, and NM for a whole week.

Next came a reunion for my ad agency (Photo 2). When I first moved to Utah, I worked for the most incredible high tech advertising agency ev-ah! It was called DSW and had headquarters in Salt Lake City as well as San Francisco. Well, unfortunately, all great things must end and soon after I quit to stay home with my son and freelance, the entire company went under. But many of us kept in touch and we had a reunion at the fast food restaurant right across the street from where the agency used to be located. (Which is, as an interesting tidbit you can use to sound smart, the parking lot that was hit by the only tornado to ever hit Utah.)

Then came my husband's high school reunion, which was held at a restaurant only a couple of miles from my home (Photo 3).

And last but not least, my own high school reunion, which was just on the south side of Denver (Photos 4 and 5). It was so great to see my high school friends again and of course with that came remembering what it was like back then. Kind of scary, really. :) Anyway, this has been a whirlwind of a summer and though I'd like the warm weather to continue for quite a while more, I have to say I'm looking forward to the more regimented schedule that comes with the fall.

How about you? Any reunions to speak of? Do you go to yours?

Summer Scents

At the beginning of the summer, I read an autobiography about a woman who lost her sense of scent, and how profoundly it effected her. Since then, I've been paying more attention to--and appreciating--the aromas in my everyday world, especially right now, those associated with summer.

For me, the number one scent of summer, going all the way back to my earliest? Chlorine!


Followed by the sun tanning lotion that I used as a kid--no, not sunblock, back then we were TRYING to burn!


On a more recent note, this scent makes me think of the beach in Italy:


Vendors carry around peeled chunks in ice chests calling out, "Coca Bella!" which I imagine to mean "Pretty Coconut!" In any case, I'm a total goner for it whenever I'm there, so it has a strong summer association for me now.

How about you? What scents make you think of summer, either now or all year long?

Tina

Tina Ferraro
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
How to Hook a Hottie
The ABC's of Kissing Boys
www.tinaferraro.com