Whew, summer is burning up and it’s now at the tail end where it would appear I have free time, but I do not.

For some reason, the school district has decided to drag out all this “first week” stuff into two weeks. So there’s a middle school thing wherein I’ll be there half the day with my oldest, but it’s not a “real” first day. Then the next day is a real first day. Then I have an “info” night for the other two, again, on different days, but neither starts that day. Middle kiddo starts for “real” that next day, but mini me has some 90 minute thing the next day and then goes home. Then half the kids go for real the following day but not the next, and then the other half goes that next day. Essentially, all this stuff takes up TWO WEEKS of my time and while I’m all for easing kids into school, their casually tossed out advice to “get daycare” for any other kids I might be dragging around is understandable, but I don’t have a nanny. I don’t have “daycare” I can just whip out of thin air. Who are these people who can? Perhaps if they didn’t have three kids all going to different “events” on multiple days without actually starting school, I wouldn’t need such things.

And then I get the news that Borders isn’t carrying Laid Bare.

Let me back up and give some good news: Laid Bare has made the Barnes and Noble bestseller list as well as Bookscan! I’ve never made the bookscan list before so I’m totally thrilled! Thank you to everyone who has bought Laid Bare!

But when I got this news, I saw that the BGI list, which I made with Undercover and Relentless, was noticeably absent. This absence went well with the sinking feeling I’d had from a few emails from readers who told me they’d gone to several Borders stores only to be told Laid Bare was not to be carried in stores on shelves, but online only.

This makes no sense to me. Undercover and Relentless were both carried at Borders and made the bestseller list with each release. The books did well there and the cover is no more racy than my others. So I simply don’t know why they made that choice. I only know it’s hard not to feel slightly nauseated as this stuff is important in this place in my career because it affects overall sales, which will impact my ability to contract more books.

So, what can I tell you other than this: Barnes and Noble carries Laid Bare and has been very good to me. So if you’re looking for the book, you should be able to find it on shelves in your local Barnes and Noble. BN online, Amazon and Books A Million also carry it.

I’ve managed to sneak to the movies with my dude a few times (kids with grandparents). We saw District 9 – deeply disturbing, really evocative film making and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Be warned, it’s rated R for a reason! This is a dystopian future – there’s blood and gore, lots of violence and though it’s totally what the plot supports, it’s not something for the fainthearted.

Inglorious Basterds, which was okay. It wasn’t super fabulous, nor was it horrible. It had its moments but that zing between characters that Tarentino can be so gifted with was missing for most of the movie. It’s also violent, and yes, also rated R.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – this one in IMAX with some three d stuff. It was a good, solid adaptation and I quite enjoyed it. I cried at the end, though not nearly as much as I did when I read the book. Snape is so fabulously bad I can’t help but adore him, LOL. And these little children we’ve watched for years are all, like, sort of hot and it creeped me out a bit, LOL. Still, I really liked it!

This week begins all our delivery services once again. My organic produce delivery from Spud will come tomorrow, man I’ve missed that! And dairy comes on Friday. Things slowly moving back to normal. Slow or not, I’ll take it and take it gladly, LOL.

I’m off! I have to work on some writing this morning! Have a great day everyone.