The award for cutest trophy ever definitely goes to NEC RWA.  Their Reader’s Choice trophy for their Bean Pot competition is a tiny bean pot.

Is that not the cutest thing?

You’ve seen the cover for the UK version of The Privileged and the Damned (available now on the M&B site, and in stores next month!):

but now I also have the US cover (out in August)!

They’re quite different, but both are excellent in their own way — and both feel right for the story!

I can’t decide which one I like better…

A big squee for some much-needed good news:

Boardroom Rivals, Bedroom Fireworks! brought home the Bean Pot in the New England Readers’ Choice award for Short Contemporary.

A big thanks to the New England chapter of RWA for sponsoring the contest, and many thanks to the judges who loved this book!

Thank you all for checking in on me and mine.  We are safe, suffered no damage, and finally have power restored.  It’s been an interesting few days as I adjusted to living without power and little contact with the rest of the world. I saw one of the funnel clouds through the window as I headed for the closet. Very scary. If I never see a tornado that close to my child again, I’ll be very, very happy.

Props to Huntsville Utilities and TVA for getting our power restored two days ahead of the projected date!

I haven’t been able to bring myself to go out on the ‘net yet and look for photos of the storm damage in the surrounding areas and further south.  Ignorance is bliss right now. I know it’s bad; I don’t need to see the truth of it.

I’m still awaiting word from some friends in the Tuscaloosa area that they are safe.  I’m hoping it’s a communication issue and not something worse keeping them from checking in.  Please keep the people who are suffering across the Southeast in your thoughts.  It’s going to be a long road to recovery for many, but I’m holding on to the cry of  “The South will rise again!”