Looking forward to meeting in Madison!

Good morning all!

I've often said that a big part of writing and writing well is belonging to an organized writers' group. Well, I haven't been in one in several years, not since our little group stopped meeting at The Chancery on Tuesday nights. (We learned that while drinking and writing mix quite well, drinking and offering critiques do not, right Elliott? :)

Anyway, I'm really excited to head to Madison this weekend with my dear friend Linda to officially join the Madison Chapter of WisRWA. I've been a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) for a little less than a year, but getting into a chapter has been my goal for longer than that. So Saturday is the day and I couldn't be more jazzed to get back into an organized group!

This past weekend was an eyeopener for me. I'm not a person who goes through life worrying about who is going to rip me off. (I never think I have anything anyone would want.) Well, Saturday morning I was jangled out of bed by a phone call from my debit card company alerting me to the fact that my debit card number had gone outside to play Friday night and wound up on at the Janesville Walmart (That's an hour away from us) at about midnight. The joker with my number tried to buy $400 worth of stuff, but was denied because, well, I don't have $400 in my account! (Thank heavens for small favors, I guess!) So they managed to get $200 from me. Spent the morning at the bank and chatting with police officers. Can't wait to see how this all turns out.

I found out later that my number may have been lifted at a hotel where the computer system was compromised back in May.

I guess I'm just one of those dupes...I simply cannot understand how anyone can just use someone else's debit card/credit card number. I don't get the technology side of it and I don't get the honesty side of it. A few bad eggs ruin a lot of things for everyone, and that's just too bad.

On the plus side, thank goodness for bank protection. Credit card companies really do try to work with the customer to make sure there's no fraud.

Finally, I am reading a very cool book by Laurie Brown called "Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake." I know, goofy title. But the book itself is pretty awesome, and I'm only halfway done reading. Her premise is really original and if you like Regency romances, paranormal romances, or contemporary romances this book has something for you! Check it out!

I'm hoping that today is the day I start reworking the opening of "Shara's Chance." Out with the prologue, in with a first chapter that makes more sense.

Tah!