So I’m not *particularly* old. Some days, I’m not particularly sober, either. However, it would be impossible to mistake me for a drunk college kid (even the teen cashiers at the grocery store have stopped carding me, wahh!), so when I booked an impulsive trip to South Padre Island to give my kids their first look at the ocean before school starts, I hoped to God it would be a good place for families, too.

I was not disappointed.

As a person the universe often seems to enjoy messing with, I’m shocked and pleased that everything about this vacation went according to plan. The drive was reasonably short. The hotel room, which I sweat blood researching because I’m weirdly picky about where I spend the night (plus my boys love nice hotels), was beautiful, modern, and clean—a tough thing to find on SPI if you believe the online reviews. We walked a mere couple of minutes to the beach, and the beach itself was gorgeous (see photo ).

But Avery, you might object, this is nothing special. All beaches are gorgeous, right? Um, not exactly. Texas beaches are not usually known for their beauty. Except this one. SPI is as beautiful as any Florida coast I’ve seen. Blue-green water; soft, fair sand; and a noticeable lack of the gunk/seaweed that can be present on other parts of the Texas coast. Not that I’m dissing the Texas coast. I love Texas. I’m just sayin’, I was looking for a tropical-ish option without getting on an airplane, and this worked for me!

What is it about the ocean that makes everything else in the world seem so trivial? That is, if you even think about anything else while you’re there, which I don’t believe I did. And for me, occasional insomniac and Type A extraordinaire, that’s saying a lot.

The kids loved our vacation. They built sandcastles for hours and begged me to take them “far out” into the water. I’ve never seen them so entertained and well-behaved.

Guess I should start saving for next year.

Some of you might remember this post from last fall, when I watched Hubby participate in the LIVESTRONG Challenge ride for cancer and had to work really hard not to leap over the fence and join in. So I said I’d do it next year. Well, next year has arrived!

In a couple of months, I’ll be one of a few thousand people riding to raise money for the fight against cancer. I’m going 45 miles. That’s a very good thing, but what’s better is the huge crowd that assembles with a powerful common goal. The most amazing finishers are those with “survivor” badges pinned on their jerseys. Others wear cards displaying names of loved ones they want to honor. Participation in the event requires a certain amount of fundraising; 100% of it is contributed to the cause.

Please contact me if you would like to donate to the fundraising account for my ride. Or, bypass me and go directly to the LIVESTRONG website to make a donation. And if an event like this takes place near you, consider participating. It’s an experience you won’t forget.

If you haven’t heard the news already, here it is: Dorchester Publishing is forgoing mass-market distribution in favor of e-books and POD/trade paperback.

Clearly I have no beef with e-book or trade paperback, and I don’t want to speculate about what this means for Dorchester’s current print authors. Just want to pass on the information. The changes, they’re a-comin’!

Hello again! August—back-to-school month—has arrived, which means I’m slowly coming out of summer chaos and getting back to writing (and the blog). But first, I’d like to share with you three wonderful opportunities to make a difference in someone’s life. 

In the spring, I was contacted regarding 46 Mommas Shave for the Brave, an event where 46 exceptional moms will shave their heads on national television to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research. I have donated a book to their fundraising auction and encourage all of you to check out the team’s website (see link above) and give whatever you can to this worthy cause.

I believe the event takes place on September 10 at 8pm EST in Los Angeles and will be covered by every major television network. You can find more details on their website or Facebook page (46Mommas). Good luck and best wishes, ladies!

With any luck, you’re all enjoying yourselves, possibly squeezing in some BBQ and vacation time in between days of no-school insanity. Or is that just me?

I had to pop in and share this photo from devoted reader Deb, who picked up a copy of Sexy by Design and apparently found great pleasure in Chapter 8…

Thanks for sharing.

I also found out that my second book, For His Eyes Only, is available for pre-order at Amazon. It releases in paperback on September 7.  Very much looking forward to that day—especially since the kids will be back in school and I’ll get here a little more often!

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