Sometimes, in the summer, I completely lose my attention span. I can only read in short bursts, which makes anything with more than 50 pages of plot virtually impossible to get through. For those of you who also suffer from this affliction, you'll be happy to know that FOUR DUKES AND A DEVIL will suit your summer reading needs.

Five great stories by five wonderful authors who all reside in the Washington, D.C. area. You might ask, "Why Washington?" Well, next week, as I'm sure you all know, we'll be heading lock, stock, and Blackberries down to Washington, D.C. for the Romance Writers of America convention. We thought it might be fun to celebrate the conference by having a collection ready, written by authors from the host-city.

RWA is a moveable feast, and is held in a different town every year. The first RWA I ever attended was in Atlanta, Georgia--I really don't remember the hotel. But I do remember that The Ritas were then called "The Golden Medallions" and they were handed out at a luncheon. Later, they were renamed the Ritas and were handed out with dinner, which is why the ceremony is still occasionally called "the banquet," by those of us who've been around for a long time.

One year, dessert came out in what I called "the parade of cakes"--the waiters marched around the room with sparklers. There is a part of me that still misses the "banquet," which was sort of like attending a mapcap wedding without many men. Even though it was the usual conference fare (chicken or steak), and the mad grab for seats (getting your table organized was a job unto itself), there was something festive about it all.

Never let it be said that I'm not adventurous. Before I return to a more blog-suitable discussion about Dukes, ballrooms, and the like, I wanted to share this these pictures of yours truly in a float plane. And, if it seems like the plane was small, let me assure you that it was! Seven of us pried ourselves in--and, yes, we all had to write down our purported weight for "equal distribution" before we could board.

I can see Canada from my plane!
We were lucky enough to get the "pilot's choice" tour, which included flying over some ice fields and a sail through a mountain pass. For once words really elude me, so I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Down below we saw wilderness--the houses end, the glaciers begin and there's nothing out there there except some mountain goats, a few crazy scientists, and an outfitter that takes tourists around on dog sleds.(They're helicoptered in.)


Just to give you a sense of Alaska's size, if you transposed it on a map of the lower 48, it takes up something like nearly half the nation. Oh, and when someone here asked me how many millions of people lived in the state, I replied, "About 600,000." Half of those live in Anchorage.

Thank you, William Seward, who wrangled Alaska away from Russia, and who was somewhat ironically born in Florida, NY.

PS--next time you're in Juneau, give Ward Air a call and go on an Ice Cap Tour. You will be glad you did!

When I was a kid, we never took summer vacations. The crowds! The driving! It was all too much for my dad to take. So, while my pals were going on family road trips to Florida or Cape Cod, I got to run wild around my hometown.

I've spent the rest of my life making up for this. Anyone who's tried to get a hold of me this week knows I'm "out of office."

That's because I've been in Juneau, Alaska. Yes, Alaska, where the odds (men) are notoriously good, but the good are odd; where Sarah Palin is governor, but only for about three more weeks; and where a bear really did amble through my boyfriend's mother's back yard.

I was inside and too slow to see the bear, but, to give you a sense of the mighty Alaskan Brown Bear, here's a picture of me in the State Office Building standing next to a much safer bear.

Oh, and, though I'm famously the laziest person on the face of the earth, here's a shot of me at the top of an actual mountain. Yes, I did haul myself up a trail to get there...though I did take the Mount Roberts Tram first. That's Juneau in the background.

I'm leaving Alaska tomorrow, but I'll have more shots for you to see before I leave, including some of Lucia's Adventures in a Float Plane.

A Book That's About A Summer Vacation

Because I'm determined to have as much fun in the sun as I can this summer, in August I'm taking off for Cape Cod with my sister and her family. Even though it's pretty close to New York, I've never been to the Cape, so I'm really looking forward to this.

The great thing about renting a beach house anywhere is that you don't have to do a thing but 1) sit on the beach and 2) sit on the deck. And, in between times staring out at the waves, it's always good go have a book.

One that I can highly recommend this summer is Georgia Bockoven's BEACH HOUSE, which is set in Santa Cruz, not Cape Cod, is a perfect book to have while you're doing all that sitting. The idea is simple: one house, one summer, and three unforgettable stories. Who could resist?

But because I was the editor of BEACH HOUSE, I've (obviously) already read it. I need some serious beach reading recommendations for next month--please send them now!

I like big budget action movies. But I love the men in them even more.

The only reason I went to see TRANFORMERS II was for Josh Duhmal, who did NOT get enough screen time, in my opinion.

Look at that face! Those eyes! I've loved him since he was Leo on ALL MY CHILDREN...but I digress.

Today is the 4th of July and I would just like to acknowledge all the men and women in our armed forces who are out there defending our country, keeping us safe. I'm particularly thankful this year because my cousin Jimmy, after having served a year in Afghanistan, is now home.

Every year, Romance Writers of America has a conference to celebrate romance, writers, and books. I enjoy attending, not only because that's when I see most of my authors, but also because it brings me to different cities.

Living in New York City, I see tourists all the time, just stopping in the middle of the street to gaze up at the Empire State Building, or taking pictures of The Plaza or Rockefeller Center. During the annual RWA conference, I get to play tourist, at least for a couple of hours.

Last year, it was San Francisco. This year, it's Washington DC. I'm particularly excited about the tour of the Capitol Building, which has access to the Library of Congress through a tunnel!

And, one of my favorite museums is the International Spy Museum, where I bought a magnet that lists The Moscow Rules. I actually think these should be rules for living.

Another thing about Washington, D.C.--the authors. We've brought together 4 Avon authors who live in the area (and one who wants to live in the area) and created the anthology, FOUR DUKES AND A DEVIL. Enjoy!

Dear Fate:

As you know, David Tennant stars as the 10th Doctor on DOCTOR WHO. I’ve been following him ever since an obsessed friend insisted I watch this show, and then an author (Suzanne Enoch) told me “Blink” was a particularly good episode.

So, there I was, flying home from RWA in San Francisco on Virgin America, and what did they have on BBC-A but “Blink”. It was like you, Fate, were telling me I had to watch this show. So, I did. In fact, I watched all four seasons in one weekend. I was hooked.

Then, last September, I was in Stratford-Upon-Avon in the UK, where, lo and behold, David Tennant was playing Hamlet. But, of course, on the only day I was there, the play was not in production.

Now, this July, I learn rather last minute that David Tennant will be making an appearance at Comic Con in San Diego. But do I have any vacation days left? No. Is the Comic Con still accepting registration? No.

Alas, I must content myself with this little trailer.

But, Fate, should you see fit to throw David Tennant in my path again, I would like to, actually, you know, see him in person.

Much obliged,

Erika Tsang

PS: If you'll be attending Comic Con July 23-26, be sure to stop by HarperCollins' booth and meet Vicki Pettersson, and also Sherrilyn Kenyon at her own booth.