If you love modern day fairy tales, check out my friend, Shanna Swendson's, new book ONCE UPON STILETTOS. It's the sequel to her first book, ENCHANTED INC., which got terrific reviews. Her new book just screams "read me on a beach towel." Below is a little bit about her new book (and, as a side note, Shanna contributed an essay to the Judy Blume anthology coming out next May, and her essay was wonderful - anyone remember the Creeping Crud from Deenie? Shanna takes on the topic for the collection.)

Katie Chandler's life is pure magic - literally.

As a Texan-turned-Manhattanite and an executive assistant at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. (MSI), Katie's seen more than her share of fantastical occurrences. She's no wizard; in fact, she's just the opposite. Katie has a special immunity to magic that makes her a wiz at spotting the deceptive enchantments and spell-laced documents that make business go a little too smoothly for MSI's competitors and contractors. If only she could avoid falling under the spell of Owen, a hunky wizard who also happens to be her co-worker. Owen, however, is too preoccupied with an alarming security breach to notice. Someone has broken into his office and disturbed top-secret files, and it reeks of an inside job. CEO Merlin (yes, the
Merlin) taps Katie and her special ability to uncover the magical mole.

So polish your fairy wings, put on your magic shoes, and join Shanna Swendson as she catapults us into the frenzy and fun of magical Manhattan this summer.

This weekend was pretty uneventful, just lots of packing for the move. But, there were two things that were the highlight of my two days in cardboard box hell:

1. True Hollywood Story: Charles In Charge

I sat glued to the TV for 60 whole minutes as I learned the in's and out's of America's favorite sit com - ok, so I jest. Charles In Charge probably wouldn't hit the "favorite" list for too many people, but apparently the people over at E! thought that some poor suckers would watch the behind the scenes shenanigans of Scott Baio and Willie Ames. Call me sucker.

2. A ceramic bowl full of change

In the course of cleaning out the kitchen cabinets I came across a bowl that we've been tossing coins into for four years. I figured it was time to take the ten pound bowl of pennies and nickels and redeem them for paper currency. Turns out what I thought couldn't be more than $7.03 added up to $43.11!! Talk about windfall. I felt like I'd won the lottery. And I didn't have to get that yucky gray stuff under my nails from scratching.