To start the week off with a grin… Post a link to your favorite lol or just send a happy shout out for the day and I’ll pick one commenter to win the book of their choice (from me, alas, Robyn, I know you were eying that copy of the historical thesaurus…). This is my last entry as a regular poster, but I do plan to visit everyone in the daily comments and to come tweak Jaunty every now and again. It has been a blast being part of this site.

Young love. The memories.

The nostalgia of that cute, tanned boy with the fast boat that summer at the lake… Or the sweet boy at camp with the science kit, the nerdy glasses and the endearing smile… Or the smoking hot boy across the tracks with the motorcycle, the fake ID and the Dean Winchester grin…

Sometimes nostalgia is blissful in a sigh-worthy, “ahhhhhh…” kind of way. And sometimes it slices and cuts with recrimination over the one who got away.

For The Earl’s Pleasure is the latter sort of book. A story where a decade in the past everything went horribly wrong for two people on the verge of adulthood and they’ve been trying to recover (and forget their other half) ever since. When extreme circumstances occur, a narrow chance at reconciliation, redemption and a love that has always blazed hotly is set into motion. Of course, sometimes that means skirting the angel of death…some people just can’t get a break…

Any nostalgia for something fun in your youth? During your coming of age? Hailing Judy Blume? Thinking about a summer fling or a fun flirtation?

For The Earl’s Pleasure releases into the world today! I’ll pick one commenter (at random!) and send a $10 Amazon gift certificate your way in celebration.

*Partial cross posting from the Avon Romance blog

Margay won a signed copy of either Beneath A Silent Moon or Secrets of A Lady!  W00T!

The best thing about doing taxes…mailing them off! Well, I suppose getting a refund is the best thing, but the relief from getting them completed is quite sweet.

Who was an early-as-can-be Mabel and who was a wait-until-the-last-second Gertrude? We did ours on Monday, so we were leaning toward Gertrude, though we have nothing on you true tax Gertrudes out there!

Taxes weren’t too stressful though this year, thank goodness. There have been times in the past where I’ve felt like running down the street while clutching my hair screaming, so this is definitely an improvement. I’m starting to get my Schedule C tax prep down to a science, so that helps. I keep a spreadsheet with the different MISC categories listed. I stuff all my writing receipts into a folder throughout the year and then plug them into the spreadsheet under the appropriate category. Then it’s just a matter of entering the category totals into Turbo Tax (Turbo Tax…how I love thee…) — and the great thing about TT is that it has the totals from the previous year, so I can mostly just eyeball the lines that have amounts. Nice.

Anyone have a great trick you use for tax prep or entry? Or do you just like to wash your hands of it and send it all to your local professional?

Whatever way you prefer…happy after tax day!!!

For Shirley:

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Wishing everyone a happy weekend!!

Enjoy.

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