I hope everyone had a great final holiday weekend to cap off the summer of hell heat! It’s 90+ here, so I’m not feeling all that autumnal quite yet. But soon, soon….it has to change, right?

So, before we get to the free stuff part, I wanted to share with all you Stephanie Plum fans the latest news on the Plum major motion picture being filmed Right This Very Second. The cast of who would play Stephanie, Ranger, Joe, Lula, et al, has been debated in blogs, chat rooms, newspapers, and every other opinion venue on the planet for more than a decade now. Finally, FINALLY, us Plum Fans get the actual casting news. (These aren’t my picks - this is who IS in the movie. It’s a done deal. No more speculation required.) I’m left feeling happy on some counts, scratching my head on others, and curious to see how it all plays out.

Here is the lineup:
Stephanie : Katherine Heigl
Joe: Jason O’Mara
Ranger: Daniel Sunjata
Lula: Sherri Shepherd

My reaction? In order: Hmmm, Mmmm, Yesssss, and YAY!

Also cast: John Leguizamo as Jimmy Alpha and Patrick Fischler as Vinnie. But the biggest question left unknown….who plays Grandma???

The Plum series and the author herself are special to me. I was very fortunate to have been in a writer’s group with Janet Evanovich, Back In The Day, and no one cheered louder than her fellow Loveswept author (moi) when she landed her first Big Book Deal. I’ve cheered her on ever since. Years later, I was tickled when BenBella asked me to contribute a write up to the non-fiction collaborative effort, PERFECTLY PLUM (I got invited to write a piece about Ranger. Yes, it didn’t suck to be me that day.) You can check out more about that book by scrolling down those covers in the right hand column over there until you get to that bright yellow one. Click on it and read all about it. It’s still in print, and if you’re a Plum-o-phile, it’s a fantastically fun read. So many great contributions.

So…what do you think of the casting? Broken hearted? Elated? Confused? Share!

But first, send an email to donna@donnakauffman.com with “Yay! Fall is almost here!” in the subject line. That will enter you in this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest. Winner gets a free signed book from my website bookshelf. Winning blog babe announced in Friday’s blog. Don’t miss out!

But right now? DISH!

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It’s Free Stuff Friday AND the kick-off of Labor Day Weekend. Does it get any better?

Thanks to everyone for entering this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest. Winner gets a free advance copy of the holiday anthology, THE NAUGHTY LIST, not due on the shelves until October. Wow your friends, impress your neighbors! And the winning Blog Babe is? Cassandra D!! Congratulations! Just send me an address (donna@donnakauffman.com) and your prize will be on its way!

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend. Stay safe, stay cool….and read a hot book!

See you next Tuesday!

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Ah, the fall. When the weather turns cooler, the air gets crisper, the windows stay open… Okay, so…that’s not happening. It’s scorching here. But it will happen, right? At some point, doesn’t it have to? I feel like I’m living on the sun.

However, the return of (pleasepleaseplease) cooler weather also signals another paradigm shift… My shows are back on! My shows are back on! (/Steve Martin The Jerk voice.) Thankyouthankyou, show gods!

Yes, sadly, it takes so little to make me happy. Pardon me whilst I skip in circles!

Along with Castle, Grey’s Anatomy, and Big Bang Theory (congrats on the Emmy, Jim Parsons! SO deserved!!) my favorite guilty pleasures all come back to mama. This month we get the return of Survivor, Amazing Race (Hi, Phil!!!), Dancing With the Stars, and a soon-to-be new favorite of mine, Top Chef: Just Desserts. (You all know I just started writing a series set in a cupcake bakery, right? So how much do I love this!) Well, I better love it more than Cupcake Wars. Biggest. Cooking Show. Disappointment. Ever.

And, if this in’t just enough guilty gluttony, a trio of my favorite authors are also putting books out that I can’t wait to read! Janet Evanovich is giving us the Diesel-inspired book, WICKED APPETITE (also set in a cupcake bakery as it happens - hey, Janet…buddy!), Teresa Medeiros with THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID (Teresa Does Scotland is always my favorite!) and Jennifer Crusie with MAYBE THIS TIME! Woot! Also on my nightstand right now is JULIET by newcomer Anne Fortier and wow, loving it!

It’s a veritable entertainment extravaganza! All I need is some new music and a few good movies and it will be amusement overload. Speaking of fun movies, I rented Valentine’s Day. How much fun is that movie? Lots, I say! Crazy amazing casting!

What’s entertaining you? What are you dying to read/see/watch/listen to? And did you enter this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest? What are you waiting for? Check out Monday’s blog post for the details! Then come right back here….and DISH!

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As it turns out, they aren’t remotely as cute as Pepe le Pew. Especially when they’re digging holes. In my front yard. Every. Single. Night.

Seriously.

My yard looks like the set of Attack of the Killer Prairie Dogs. Except, I don’t live in the prairie. I live in the suburbs. And, prairie dogs? Are cute. Destructive, but pretty cute. Skunks, not so much. Not to mention when you shoo away prairie dogs, they just run back down into their little holes. Skunks on the other hand…

Can you see the headline? “Woman trapped in car, in front of own house, at midnight. Held hostage by skunks in her yard.” Aaaand how do you get from your car into your house in this case? I’ll tell you how. Shhhh. Be vewwy vewwy qwiet!

Tune in tomorrow for the sequel: Attack of the Killer Tomato Juicer!!

What’s the craziest wild animal encounter you’ve ever had?

And don’t forget to enter this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest! Details in Monday’s blog post.

DISH!

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So, who watched the Emmy’s last night? Best. Opening. Ever. But who was the brilliant schloob who thought it was a good idea to give Betty White her Emmy on the non-telecast version of the Emmy’s? What’s wrong with these people? Still, fun night, interesting wins, great speeches (George, I’m looking at you!)

And today? Tennis! Woot! The U.S. Open starts in a few hours. I have my fantasy teams in place, my fun faves are all ready to play (hi, Kim! hi, Marcos! hi, Andy!) Serena isn’t there to shriek obscenities at a hapless line judge, who is there (karma, is that you?) and I’ve got two weeks of night tennis under the lights to look forward to! I’m already enjoying it!

And? There is a free book to give away this week! Can I get a woot woot! The lucky winner of this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest will receive an advance copy (the real deal, not a review copy) of my October release, THE NAUGHTY LIST. So, start the holidays a little early! To enter, simply send an email to donna@donnakauffman.com with “Santa, help me out!” in the subject line. I’ll draw one name from the entry pile and announce it in Friday’s blog post.

Good luck!

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Back after a long trip down south to my folks horse farm. Great to getaway and unwind a bit. It was stormy most of the time…good excuse to curl up inside with a good book. Or two. Or three.

I finished Nora’s THE SEARCH, blazed right through Janet Evanovich’s latest SIZZLING SIXTEEN (and did you see? Diesel is getting his own book next month? WICKED APPETITE. I can hardly wait!!) and started Carly Phillips KISS ME IF YOU CAN. Next up Carol Snow’s JUST LIKE ME, ONLY BETTER and Kristan Higgins’ latest, ALL I EVER WANTED.

There are a bunch of new releases begging for my attention too….

Teresa Medeiros’ THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID is on my shopping list for today with the Borders coupon that’s burning a hole in my pocket. Jennifer Crusie has a new one out next week - 8/31 (FINALLY!) titled MAYBE THIS TIME. I’ve got Linda Howard’s VEIL OF NIGHT on order, along with Louisa Edwards JUST ONE TASTE. And I’m dying to dive into the debut release from Anne Fortier, JULIET.

So, what’s on your Dying To Read Pile?

And yes, the Free Stuff Friday contest will be back on Monday. Woot woot! So tune in here to get all the details. I have a brand spanking new advance copy of THE NAUGHTY LIST, out this October, for the lucky winner! Don’t miss it.

But, right this very second…DISH! What are you reading? What do you have on order? What are you dying to read next?

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So, this week was the finale of So You Think You Can Dance and I enjoyed the finale performances as well as the final results show well enough. At the point of the final three, I thought all of them had done well, were very likable and deserving, but figured it would come down to Kent and Lauren, which it did.

And though I thought Kent probably had it walking away, and was deserving enough, by the time we got to the last show, I really felt that Lauren was the more versatile dancer who had shown the most growth. And even as the last chick standing in a season dominated by the guys, I thought she stood a pretty good chance.

Turns out? I was right! Lauren wins the season!

I thought it was a lot of fun and though I was very (very) uncertain of the whole idea of them reprising Alex and Twitch’s landmark hip hop routine with a guest dancer, in the end, having Ellen deGeneres pop up as his replacement was cute, hilarious, endearing and quite flattering to Alex, actually. I loved it. The perfect send off to a decent season of choreography and dance, if not the most charismatic group of dancers. All in all, I enjoyed the All Star concept and I hope they return to it next season, though I hope they begin with more contestants, and perhaps just dwindle them down a bit more quickly over the first few shows. Good season, and sorry to have dance no longer part of my weekly DVR guilty-pleasure fest.

However, one thing we aren’t sorry about? It’s time to crown another Free Stuff Friday winner!! Thanks for all the entries this week! Our lucky Blog Babe is? Gale S! Just send me an email, Gale, with your address and a few title selections (in case I’m out of your first choice) and I’ll get your prize in the mail to you! donna@donnakauffman.com

I will be away next week (I know, they are actually letting me leave town and everything!) so look for the blog to resume on the 24th!

Enjoy the waning days of summer, everyone!! Stay cool….and read something hot! (I can suggest a few titles, you know, if you need help. Of you can browse that row of book covers over there to the right… Just sayin!

In my travel tote, I’m taking Janet Evanovich’s Sizzling Sixteen, and new releases by both Linda Howard and Sandra Brown. I’ve also got a stack of pastry chef books in there as well. Mmmm. What’s next to your deck chair? I could use a few more last minute suggestions!

And what did you think of the SYTYCD finale? Were you happy with the winner? What’s on your Summer Guilty Pleasure DVR list? (For me, it’s Leverage, Rizzoli & Isles, Burn Notice, Top Chef & Project Runway!)

DISH!

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Happy Monday, Blog Babes!

I hope everyone had a stellar weekend. And we can carry on those good weekend vibes right into the week with this week’s Free Stuff Friday contest!

To win a free book, just send an email to donna@donnakauffman.com with Pick Me! in the subject line. I will draw a name from the entry pile and announce the winner in Friday’s blog.

Good luck!

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First I wanted to send a huge group hug to all of you in thanks for your support with SOME LIKE IT SCOT. You’ve all been so great with your notes, letters, emails, Facebook posts, etc. I’m thrilled you are enjoying it. I had a blast researching and writing it and it’s really wonderful to hear how well it’s being received.

And a special super duper round of hugs to those of you who go that extra mile and shout your glee on places like Amazon and Barnes & Noble and other reader oriented bulletin boards. So often it’s just the disgruntled who take the time to shout it to the world (and rightfully should), so it means a great deal with you let your positive voices be heard publicly, and well as personally to me. It’s amazing what a little positive buzz can do, so your contributions out there mean a great deal.

And hey, if you haven’t shouted yet…don’t let me stop you!

Thankyou, thankyou thankyou!

Thank you all for entering the Free Stuff Friday contest this week…lots of new blog babe faces! Welcome to the madness, all of you!

And this week’s winner is? Tiffany S!! Woot woot!!

Tiffany, just send an email to donna@donnakauffman.com with a few titles you’re interested in (in case I’m out of your first choice) and an address…and I’ll get your beach read prize in the mail to you! Thanks so much for playing.

Hope you all have a fantabulous weekend!! I’ll be teaching all day tomorrow at the crazy fun Anniversary Open House at Angela’s Happy Stamper in Reston, Virginia. So all of you happy crafters out there, stop in and join the insanity! And pop back to the classroom and wave at me while you’re at it!

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Sorry I’ve been MIA…crazed work week. (Hey, it’s tough making research cupcakes and writing about sizzling hot British pastry chefs. But, have no fear, I’m on the job!!)

Did anyone catch SYTYCD last night? Did anyone care? I DVR’d it and watched in the wee hours. I thought it was a fun, entertaining show. Which is how I’ve felt about most of this season. Post-Alex Freaking Wong Injury, I haven’t felt compelled to vote, nor care particularly who wins. But it’s never a bad thing watching talented kids dance and entertain me, so…I’ve let them. But, you know…beyond that…eh.

I don’t know who I’d send home tonight. The judges, mainly. I mean, dang Adechike, you’ve had to stand there all season long and just take them hammering you one week after the next. Kudos for keeping your head about you and any semblance of confidence in yourself at all. Amazing dancer with amazing talent and I’m so glad you got to work with the man who inspired you to reach for your dreams. Pretty cool, that. And pfffffft, judges. Jeez, couldn’t you have at least let him have that moment? Because, I’m sorry, but no one else was perfect, either, and you managed to find nice things to say about them. Wow. Honestly.

So…I’m thinking, for me, it’s goodbye Robert (who didn’t remotely out dance Dominic…and was I the only wishing instead of Dom that they’d picked Mark? He’d have KILLED that clown piece. Just by showing up.) And then Robert definitely would have been out of there. And, I like the eye candy, don’t get me wrong, but…

Also, Cat? Fire your hairdresser, stat. And eat a sammich, girlfriend. Or ten. Hugs.

Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest! Details in Monday’s blog post. Winner announced right here tomorrow morning. Be there or, you know…you won’t know if you won.

So…who wins SYTYCD? Kent, right? Or not? Will Lauren stick around after being bottom three last week? (I hope so!) Did you want to hug Adechike, too? His emotional speech had me all teary. I bet it moved the voters, too. Take that Mean Girl Judges!

It’s your turn…..DISH!!

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