GREAT response for the book drawing! So cool. The winners are… Patty, Natasha, and Dani! And for kicks, a bonus winner–Natalie! After putting everyone’s name in a hat, I took Miller outside, let him eat grass, then whichever names he puked on, those were the winners!

So winners, email me from the website contact page and gimme yo addy. (And as usual, my disclaimer is that my post office is open like five minutes a day, so it might take a bit to get the books to you, but I will do it. Eventually.)

I still have not finished/started Breaking Dawn. I’m a reading loser right now.

Okay, did you hear that Lisa Marie Presley is having twins? WHAT IS THE DEAL??? Somehow…some way….I think the Scientologists are to blame. Speaking of twins, how about I had a set of twins this year in my classes, and it wasn’t until the end of the year that I figured out they were related–much less twins. And I kept getting them mixed up even! And thinking, “Wow–Jarrod sure looks a lot like Jacob. I’m always confusing the two. I wonder why!” NUTS. Sometimes…just not real observant. But now that twins are on my radar…I won’t make that mistake this year. If you are related, I will find you.

Just got back from a funeral of a friend I went to school with. We both grew up in the same small town, and everyone in a 50 mile radius came out. The church was packed out. I’ve never had a class reunion, so it was like a reunion there! This girl was so loved by all, and though I wasn’t that close to her, I remember I loved hanging out with her. Turns out everyone felt the same way. She was a hilarious, mischevious person and never missed an opportunity to laugh.

I saw a lady there that graduated from our school that I KNOW has had some serious plastic surgery. She didn’t even look the same! And saw a few gals had miraculously grown boobs since graduation. And some ladies had the nerve to NOT look a day older than they did when they left school. (I’m no longer liking them.)

One of the funnest things–I saw one of my seventh grade boyfriends! (Actually saw two, but only one was fun.) He’s now gay. So I guess if he couldn’t have me, no woman would do. He was still SOOO fun. Crazy fun. I remembered why I had the hots for him in junior high. He had a razor-sharp wit and could always just roll with my B.S. When he asked me how many children I had, I said, “Twelve.”
He said, “Oh, yeah?”
“Uh-huh. They’re in the car.”
“With the windows rolled up?”
“It’s only a hundred and ten.”
We could’ve been so good together. But I like boys. . . and he does too.

A few classmates did bring their kids. Now I feel bad for not bringing Miller. He could’ve meowed during the ENTIRE service. Shown them his cool tricks of shedding and belly flops. Who cares if your kid is on the honor roll? My cat runs into furniture. Beat that, class valedictorian of 1993.

This is my second funeral this summer that stemmed from a tragic, unexpected accident. Gets you to thinking. What if I suddenly died? First of all, another childhood friend Jeff is the local funeral director, and my sister-in-law and I have a pact that we will make sure if one of us goes, the other is to arrange the funeral out of town. WAYYY out of town. Neither one of us wants Jeff to see us all dead. And especially naked dead. What if I had bad underwear on? What if I hadn’t shaved my legs…like in days?

And then today I told another friend that there must be snacks at my funeral. When she asked what kind, I said, “Um…a chocolate fountain. One way or another I’m going to get one of those.”

Also I think they will have to find a REALLY good wig for me because no one is going to be able to do my hair. And I mean no one. Getting my hair to behave is a mix of patience, a recipe of hair products, plus a touch of voodoo. In all my years I’ve never had a hair dresser who could fix it, so I seriously doubt my old buddy Jeff could manage it either. I’d be in that casket with a big fro. And what’s scarier than death? Everyone’s final shot of you with hair that resembles the butt end of a poodle.

Also I want some kicking music. None of that sad stuff. I would like some Bon Jovi or maybe some Billy Idol. With videos, too, because when they play music, no one ever knows what to look at. And videos and chocolate dip go great together.

So October is YA month at American Christian Fiction Writers, and I totally need some help! The Big Picture and On the Loose are in the running to be picks for the month, and I need some SERIOUS votes. You don’t even have to be a member of ACFW to vote! But you do have to join the book club on Yahoo, but it’s SOOO easy!  So join the book club and vote for The Big Picture or On the Loose HERE. We need the votes!

My friend would’ve had the best time today with the whole town turning out for her funeral. A great day of catching up and remembering a giggly, rascal of a gal. And of course a group of us celebrated afterwards with Mexican food. Life’s too short to not have quesadillas.

Have a great day. Make it count.

JEN