It’s that time of year again. The one where we cease all normal activity and are forced to sit at a dinner table with a bunch of people we probably don’t see that often (or sometimes even necessarily like all that much). In some households, we hold hands with these people, say a prayer, then go around the table and say what we’re thankful for.
Only we can’t tell the truth because Great Aunt Mignonette is sitting there, and it’s unlikely she’s going to share your appreciation for the continuous birth control pill that allows you to be period free, let alone Drake, former star of Degrassi turned rapper, or the fact that Jennifer Grey won Dancing With the Stars.
So I like to make a list of the things I’m REALLY thankful for in advance to get them out of my system before Great Aunt Mignonette* comes over, and that way, when it gets to be my turn at the table, I can say, “I’m just thankful we can all just be together once again.”
(*Ha, burn! I’m having a Great Aunt Mignonette-free Thanksgiving this year! And the truth is, most great aunts are pretty cool and appreciate the continuous birth control pill and Drake just as much as we do. But I’m going to put my list here anyway, so when I’ve had way too many mimosas while watching the Thanksgiving Day parade, and can’t remember what I’m grateful for when someone asks, I’ll have something to refer to.)
Things I Am Thankful For This Thanksgiving:
That there’s a new Disney princess movie (starring the amazing Mandy Moore!) with a kickass heroine that’s getting rave reviews. Let’s hope it’s not the last.
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That I do not live in North Korea.
Yeah. She’s talking to YOU, Kim Jong Il!
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That it turns out my cat Henrietta–whom I was convinced had some rare and exotic form of cat cancer because she was tearing out giant clumps of her own fur and spitting them across the room, so the vet wanted to put her under anesthesia to take a blood sample because she’s so crazy no one but me can get near her–only had fleas. FLEAS! We discovered this with a flea comb, no anesthesia or blood sample necessary.
Which is amazing, considering the fact that she’s an indoor cat who never even ventures downstairs to the first floor of my house, where my indoor/outdoor cat, who does not have fleas, occasionally hangs out.
Henrietta as a baby, exhibiting her resentment over the fact that I wanted to make the bed.
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I am also thankful for Revolution Flea Medication, which cured Henrietta of her bizarre hair pulling and spitting, and got rid of the fleas!
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That there are people like author Brenda Novak, who runs this amazing website which has raised over a million dollars for diabetes research, and who asked ME to donate something!
So I’m donating a Royal Afternoon Tea at the Palm Court at The Plaza in New York City for four (not including ME! The tea is for four ladies, such as two mothers and their daughters, or four aspiring authors, or the four Real Housewives of New Jersey, or anyone who cares to bid on it, plus ME, the person who is taking all of you out) anytime between the last week of June and July 4, 2011!
. . . I’m also including a signed set of the newest books I’ll have out then, Abandon and Overbite, the sequel to Insatiable, as well as a complete signed set of the Princess Diaries series (with signed DVDs of the movies).
The Palm Court at the Plaza is where Princess Mia finds out she’s a princess, and where another very integral scene takes place in later, in Princess Diaries Ten (well, okay. It takes place in a carriage outside the Plaza). Whoever wins this tea, we’re going to have a jolly good time (I’m an expert in giving princess lessons, fashion tips, and advice on getting a boyfriend and/or published).
Click HERE to begin the bidding!
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That I’m going to be in New York City to do the above because I’m going to be emceeing the 2011 RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony at the Romance Writer of America’s 31st Annual Conference in New York City at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square on July 1, 2011.
Which was a job I TOTALLY wanted after I got to give out the award for best-yet-to-be-published-YA at last year’s awards ceremony.
Madeline Hunter will be this year’s conference keynote speaker, and Sherrilyn Kenyon is the Awards Luncheon speaker. Julia Quinn will speak at the Librarians Day Luncheon. With the conference located in the heart of the publishing industry (so every editor and agent in the business is guaranteed to be there) you won’t want to miss it.
But just in case, here’s what last year’s YA Golden Heart winner, Erica O’Rourke, has to say about how RWA helped her on the road to success.
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Okay, I will say it: I am thankful for my yoga mat (not really, but every time I go to yoga, my instructor asks us to take a moment to be thankful for our yoga mats. I am usually too busy going, “OH MY GOD MY ARMS HURT!” to do so, so I am going it now).
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Figment.com, for interviewing me about what it’s like to get a movie made based on one of my books.
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That I live with such an amazing cook, who is preparing such an amazing meal, and all I have to do is set the table (well, and do the dishes).
The chef at work.
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The continuous birth control pill that let’s you to be period free! Shhh, don’t tell Great Aunt Mignonette! (Read about it here. Great Aunt Mignonette totally wishes they had this when she was young. Then she wouldn’t have had to miss karate class all those days because of her cramps).
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The fact that one of these days, I’m actually going to be able do some of the poses in my yoga class, and develop some muscle tone, and all of this pain is going to be worth it. Or so I am told.
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That there’s going to be a royal wedding.
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Timothy Olyphant, in Justified, The Perfect Getaway, The Crazies, and well, just about everything he’s been in, really.
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That I embraced my dark side and went brunette again, a decision supported by at least one person in my household, who has also embraced her dark side.
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People who send me funny links, like this one.
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That I have so many amazing readers like you, who are so supportive and sweet. I hope all of you have the best Thanksgiving ever. Give Great Aunt Mignonette a big hug from me.
More later.
Much love,
Meg
