I just got done balancing the checkbook.  This is a chore I hate more than cleaning the toilet.  I would rather be that unfortunate soul at the rodeo who washes crap off the bull’s butts than be the one who balances the checkbook.  And it doesn’t even make sense that this is my job.  Why would my hubby, the math whiz, leave it to me?  Me!  The woman who cannot do two-digit subtraction without the use of all her fingers and toes.  Who multiplies in her head while writing in the air with a pointer finger!  I never have understood this particular division of labor in our marriage, and though I keep offering him the financials, he is just fine leaving them in my corner. 

 Humph.

So I’m thinking of what I’d rather do today.  Toss the calculator and the bills and just take off, doesn’t that sound awesome?  My choice would be to grab the family and head west.  Gobble a sinfully caloric Italian meal on the Hill at St. Louis then enjoy one of their Broadway-level shows.  It’s not quite the right season for the musicals, but this is my fantasy, dammit!  I hear Legally Blonde is heading this way, so that’s the one I’d choose.

 How about you guys?  If you could dump the drudgery for one day, where would you go?  What would you do?  And who would be your lucky companions?  Can’t wait to hear!

I spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday moving my kid and her fiance to college.  Yeah it was great.  And it sucked.  One of those yay!/ouch! moments in life you just get through because you gotta.  We’ll be fine.  She’ll do amazing.  And my butt is flatter than a tortilla shell.

How do truckers do it?  No, seriously.  I drove a total of fifteen hours those three days and on Sunday I was wondering if some sort of inflatable device might have to be surgically attached to get me back to round.

Plus the house doesn’t stay the same when I leave.  I think the pictures come down from the walls, sneak off to the flea market and bring back items which they throw onto every flat surface just so when I come back they can hear me say things like, “Holy crap, when did we buy a stuffed alligator?”

Needless to say I got no writing done whatsoever.  Like, zilch.  So I’m also, ahem, linguistically constipated.  (Picture me in a high chair, having already thrown my oatmeal on the floor, wailing, “I wanna write!”)    

So that’s where I’m headed next.  Storyland.  Ahhhh….

Okay, so here’s the only picture I have of the signings.  Colleen Gleason is standing to begin introducing us, and I’m sitting to her right, swigging down the water.  Colleen was terrific by the way.  What a great personality!  And I learned a ton from her.  I did pose for a couple of pictures with some lovely fans, so if you ladies feel inclined to share, send them on over.  I’ll be happy to post them!

I also just had to include a picture I took of one of the fabulous statues we saw while hanging out at the Laumeier Sculpture Park, which isn’t too far from the Borders where the signing took place in Brentwood, Missouri.  If you have a chance, definitely stop by.  So cool!

Catch a rare interview between Jaz and Jezebel over at Cat and Muse.  Maybe our heroine can give you some insights into her new assignment that I’ve missed.  She definitely has some strong opinions!  But I don’t suppose that’ll surprise you!

You might also win a 13-book prize pack from Orbit at Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist that includes Once Bitten, Twice Shy, Another One Bites the Dust and Bitten to Death.  Other offerings include books by Russell Kirkpatrick, Iain M. Banks, Karen Miller, Pamela Freeman and Lilith Saintcrow.  My information is that there’s no set deadline for the giveaway, but it should run for at least two more weeks.  So good luck!

 The book signings went very well this weekend.  I got to meet some terrific fans and introduce new readers to the world of Jaz.  Which, I realized, is pretty dern warped.  But that’s why it’s so interesting! 

Here’s some light fantasy to keep you entertained while you prepare for the big book signing weekend! 

My Book, The Movie: the Jaz Parks Series

It looks like Colleen Gleason and I are set to meet you in the Midwest!  Hope you can make it to one of the following signings!  We’re each planning a brief reading followed by a Q&A session and signings galore!  Here are the details:

 SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2008
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm EDT
Waldenbooks Terre Haute
3401 S US Highway 41 #E12
(It’s just as you step into Honeycreek Mall)
Terre Haute, IN  47802

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2008
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm CT
Borders #217 - Brentwood

1519 S. Brentwood Blvd.
Brentwood, MO 63144

Okay, I may be panting, but really, this is not an obscene phone call.  I’ve just been holding my breath so long my lungs have a lot of catching up to do!  You know what I’m talking about, right?  Bitten to Death hits bookstore shelves TODAY my friends!!  I’m thinking we should all join hands and raise our voices in a rousing chorus of, “It’s about damn time!”

As if you didn’t already know the gist of the story, we’ve got another blurb on Orbit’s website this morning to whet your appetite.  So what are you waiting for?  Read up, yeah?  And thanks, from the bottom of my heart.  It’s one of the greatest joys of my life to be able to share my stories with you.

James Myers recently interviewed me for his website so, of course, I’d like to encourage you all to give our conversation a listen.  However, you should probably wait until after you’ve read Bitten to Death.  Because I didn’t realize he was recording the interview to be posted directly on his site.  Which is fine.  It’s just that I might have let a spoiler slip somewhere near the middle of our talk when he asked a question about Jaz and Vayl’s relationship.  So when you’re ready, here are James’s directions to get to the interview:

 ”This interview is available exclusively on The Entertainment Critic website found at http://www. theentertainmentcritic. com.
To listen to the interview: To access the interview, look under the Interview section. Click on the MP3 player in the lower left corner. You’ll see the interview listed, click on Jennifer Rardin’s name in the player, the interview will take a moment to download and then will begin playing.”

Everything, sometimes.  For instance, if we substituted the word “gummed” for “bitten” in the title of Jaz’s new adventure, Bitten to Death, I think we could be pretty sure the mission would not involve anyone under the age of eighty.

10 Days Until Terre Haute, IN Signing (Waldenbooks-8/16/08 2-4 p.m.)

Here’s an idea to make the event memorable! Everybody shows up in prom dresses–even the guys.  Ha!