Well, pooh, Jeff. I'm sorry we won't be seeing you. But I'm going to Albany, too, so we can catch you then.

I'm still bummed at the lack of dancing this time 'round. Albany Bcon? Are you listening? We want to boogie!

I think I have most of the paperback UNCLE novels, but I know I have a complete run of UNCLE digest magazines. Never tried to write anything for UNCLE--by the time I discovered the show, it was far too late. But I sure did enjoy reading those books and magazines!

It wasn't technically dangerous, but I was accused of being a serial-killer-in-training while visiting an ask-the-vet bulletin board for information about dogs and antifreeze poisoning.

I'm still jealous, but will satisfy myself with living vicariously. Thanks for sharing the evening!

No movie or radio show, sadly, but I understand the auction was lots of fun and I did enjoy the banquet. The tea rocked this year--more savory stuff plus the sweets. Yum!

Thanks, Mary. As for the author you're talking about, I cannot imagine why anybody would bite the hand that feeds them! Charlaine, that's it exactly. Besides, I'm humble in most other areas. (Anything involving housework, or cooking, or yard work... Real humble there!)

I had no idea Champions was still in existence! But I've been out of the RPG scene for a while, now. All my character-building and role-playing now goes into my writing. (And I don't have to roll dice to make my characters do what I want them to!) Kathy, thank you. It's a little out there, but I'm having fun with it.

Years ago, when I was first dipping my toe into the mystery world, somebody pointed out Dean to me as an amazing bookseller. She added, "If he ever writes a book, he be able to get all the blurbs he wants!" These days, given Dean's well-deserved success, it's time to ask him for the blurbs! Go Dean!

Will I get in trouble for saying your post is better than Toni L.P. Kelner's?

My characters used to grin a whole lot. A reader once mentioned it in a DorothyL post, and I just laughed--and probably grinned--because surely she was wrong. So I went to my work-in-progress and searched for grins. OMG, I write the happiest mysteries in the world. Everybody was grinning all the time! So I now watch for that one, at least. Lord only knows what my characters are doing now.

Donna, that's definitely one to add to the list. Kris, I daresay you've given an accurate analysis of the original "George."

Elaine, I would challenge you to a whine-off any day. Ask Steve or the girls--I'm a champion whiner. Lil, you're right--whining is a stress reliever, after all. I just suspect that my whine/illness ratio was higher than ideal. Donna, absolutely anybody who makes a life with mental illness is a hero. Which of course includes you. Dana, I like that trainer's view. And it's a good perspective to remember the older and crotchety-er I get.

Dana, I'd stand in line to watch Stewart to Blackadder. Cathy, I like that Rugrats show. We don't have a copy, but we did watch it when the girls were into Rugrats. Which has been a few years... Elaine, I've never seen Scrooged. Another for the list...

Trying to do this off the top of my head... My Mac (where I spend so much time), the framed cover of my first book (the moment that book became real), my Agatha teapot (pure pride), baby pictures of the girls (more pride), current pictures of the girls (even more pride), my pocketbook (shows most of my life at any given moment), my troll doll Poindexter (to admit I still play with toys), the letters Steve and I wrote one another while still in a long-distance relationship (to show how the most important relationship in my life evolved), Steve's book (more pure pride), my dried-up mini pumpkin from 2 years ago (because it's weird).

From what I've read of dolphins, they are ALWAYS ready to make the Sea Beast with Two Backs. They are happy creatures. So to have cut off the back-making equipment of two happy dolphins and then prop them up on a dresser... That's just mean.

I tend to think of myself as running around like a chicken with her had cut off. But definitely a map-free headless chicken.

I've gotten so confused about the biz that I've decided to never give advice about publication to a new writer. Instead I'll only say, "This is what I did."

What family memories you're creating... I'm wondering what happened to the rest of the dolphins' bodies. I think the creepy clown in Picture 1 was involved.

I must make a confession. When we checked into our hotel at Disney World, we were absolutely delighted to find towel Mickey Mouses (Mickey Mice?) on our beds. And I did take pictures. (The bed spread was patterned, so I didn't have that white on white problem.) Another day we came back to find a towel bunny, which also amused us. On my honeymoon cruise, the steward did artful arrangements of my nightgowns when I left them out. One day I left a half slip out instead, and came back to find it artfully arranged. Not sure if he thought I was wearing a tiny gown or what, but it was a honeymoon...

My husband pointed out that I should have used a different title. I could have gone with "Curses of the Kissing Cousins" or "Kiss of the Cursing Cousins."

Kris, I hate to break it to you, but frack dates back to 1978 when the original Battlestar Galactica was on the air. Only then it was usually paired with feldercarb, as in frack and feldercarb. But it's darned satisfying to say, isn't it?

Damn. I didn't know Bill well, but I'd known him for a long time. He was one of the speakers at a Boston Public Library event, the very first mystery event I ever attended. I remember his response when people would ask, "Do you like Anne Perry's work?" or "Do you enjoy Robert Parker's work?" He said repeatedly, "I love Anne Perry, but I don't read mysteries," and "Parker is a hell of a guy, but I don't read mysteries." It was like a busman's holiday for him to read mysteries, so he didn't. But boy howdy, could he write them! Damn.

Best of luck! I'm expecting great things from y'all.

Since you asked... Just posted my Macavity-nominated story in my blog, and the link is: http://tonikelner.wordpress.com/keeping-watch-over-his-flock/