I love Jennifer Crusie's writing advice columns in RWR, and she's one of the few exceptions to my "no non-paranormal contemporary settings" rule.

I was thrilled she won, and also that Laura Kinsale's Shadow Heart won Long Historical--gave me hope there's room for edgy and different in the genre.

I'm probably going to enter the GH this time around, and if I get lucky and final, I'll go to Atlanta for the conference next year.

Awesome, thanks Aimee (and everyone else)!

I figured the choppers would screw up the cheese, but I didn't want to have to open one to find out.

Crusie is an excellent teacher (which isn't surprising -- she used to teach school); if she's ever at an RWA chapter session near you, GO!

Headlines that did NOT reassure me:

Spacewalk sounds scarier than it is, NASA says. The astronauts couldn't finish the interview, as it was time for their naps.

Robinson said his biggest concern will be to avoid butting the shuttle tiles with his helmet.

They should duct tape a pillow to the top of his helmet.

They should duct tape a pillow to the top of his helmet.

See now, if anyone else here said that I'd just laugh and then forget about it.

Now I'm worried.

The astronauts couldn't finish the interview, as it was time for their naps.

The last thing you want is cranky-pants astronauts.

They should duct tape a pillow to the top of his helmet.

You know.....

I mean, I laughed but...

eta: if it wasn't perfectly clear, that seems like a reasonable approach.

Why? I mean, why doubt such a God? Is he less likely than a more uniformly benevolent one?

Yeah, because in addition to all the other arguments the uniformly benevolent one also has the Ontological Proof. It has more arguments in favour! Oh, and Pascal's Wager too, it's much cleaner (and more Homer-proof) in the latter case.

What is the proper response when a complete stranger comes up to you and says, in a very earnest and friendly tone, "I'm going to pray for you." Completely out of the blue, never had any interaction with the person before.

I'd probably say "I normally just pray for a new car or something like that, but I can't fault your taste. Ask Santa for me too, you should cover all bases because I rock!" And then I might add "The Wally Report wants your phone number."

Maybe I shouldn't bring my dagger collection with me to Sydney, then. I wonder how airport security would deal with my defense of, "But I'd never use them for violence, they're too pretty and it'd get them all scuffed and dirty!"

Not in your carry-on, anyway.

But Madrigal, then what will you use to kill and skin the kangaroos for your dinner?

The traditional Aussie method of combat is to enter battle with an echidna clutched in each hand.

The traditional Aussie method of combat is to enter battle with an echidna clutched in each hand.

And if you believe that, he's got a big rock in the middle of the country he wants to sell you.