Hey, guess what? Something you’ll never believe about the economy! Romance book sales are up. Way UP! And I say, DUH!!! Sheesh, where has everyone been? Of course they are! As the uncertainty about jobs and income stays with us so does the need to find escapes and one of the best “bangs for the buck” is a good old-fashioned romance novel. Seriously, you get a couple of hours of entertainment with a guaranteed happy ending for about eight dollars. Of course the romance publishers doing the best are the ones with the less expensive books, but even so, $8 is generally still affordable. It’s even better than buying a tube of lipstick which was supposed to be the other big recession commodity not given up by women. Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy And the other little splurge? Movies. But not the big dramas, the so-called chick flicks, children movies, comedies and as my son calls them, “light-hearted action flicks” are all making box office profits and it’s hard to find a good seat on Fridays and Saturdays. Even worse on half-price Tuesdays! People find it reasonable to go out for a movie,…

Yes, people, friends, acquaintances and the casual visitor, I did a VERY VERY BAD thing this week! I committed an offense beyond all reckoning…well, not as bad as burning a book…but close in my estimation. Let me tell you the sad tale. I love books and have trained — it took YEARS of patience, discipline and punishment in some cases — my family to treat books with respect and dignity. No dog-earing No chewing on the pages (even small children were NOT exempt) No folding down pages No eating while reading. Especially not Cheetos or any other snack thatleaves a funny color to the pages. No using the book as a drink coaster. I mean seriously, do you want to havea cover with a wet ring on it? No using the flat surface of a table as a bookmark! Use a bookmark, areceipt, or a dollar bill if you’re desperate! Yes, the kids have known to findlunch money in “morn’s last book!” And for goodness sake, never, ever, CRACK THE SPINE! These rules have worked for years without a single hitch…until I discoveredSUDUKO. Sigh. Yes, I was sitting on the couch, enjoying a little televisionwatching when getting to the middle…

Well, Happy New Year!!! It’s the beginning of a new year, a new slate, new opportunities and best of all, new books to read! I always like that bit — new books — and there are a bunch to read in 2009. Some of the ones I’m waiting for include: KISSES LIKE A DEVIL the 5th “Devil” book by Diane Whiteside in February, RUNNING HOT by Jayne Ann Krentz, MAYHEM IN HIGH HEELS by Gemma Halliday, JUDAS KISS by J.T. Ellison, THE TEMPTATION OF THE NIGHT JASMINE by Lauren Willig, and for the “voyeur” in me, MEN OF THE OTHERWORLD by Kelley Armstrong. Just a short list off the top of my head to get the year started. Can you tell my tastes are ALL over the spectrum? Buy Your Copy today But I think I’m very similar to other readers…I just love to read…and I’m always looking for a new book, a new author, something different. Of course, I also have my comfort reads, thus explains my six copies of LORD OF SCOUNDRELS by Loretta Chase, one of which I just finished re-reading for the upteenth time this past week. And yes, I got a new copy with the…