I’ve been putting off this meme that I bullied Beck into tagging me for because I seriously cannot finish off the list. Maybe I don’t bestow my lips lightly or maybe I just haven’t found the right literary heroes, but either way, I’m doing it, the best I can.

Ten Literary Characters I Would Totally Make Out With If I Were Single and They Were Real But I’m Not, Single I Mean, I Am Real, But I’m Also Happily Married and Want to Stay That Way So Maybe We Should Forget This.

1. Gilbert Blythe. I have to agree with Beck on this one. Anne was a silly fool to nearly let him slip away.

2. If the criteria were pulled solely from the recent movie production of LOTR, I’d also go with Aragorn, despite, like Beck, never having read the novels. My husband (who has read them) however, told me that Aragorn is actually about 87 years old, so I’m thinking maybe not so much. Viggo, though, definitely.

3. Mr. Knightley. I love him. So clever, so genuine, so romantic.

4. Mr. Darcy. He’s a little bit filler. I hold a mean grudge and after that first slight, I never would have looked at him again. But once he comes around, he’s a definite possibility.

5. Wesley. From The Princess Bride. Stole this one from JenKneeBee, and must say, it’s a definite. Just cocky enough to be attractive, but not enough to be off-putting–it’s a fine line. And of course, he’s swash-buckling.

And that pretty much exhausts the classics, in my opinion, so I’m adding a few newer ones…

6. Johnathon from Hester Browne’s Little Lady series. An American, all business and very, very charming.

7. Colin Hargreaves from Tasha Alexander’s Emily series. Very dashing, attentive, and just slightly mysterious (or possibly dangerous).

8. Nick from Jenny Crusie’s Crazy for You. Rough around the edges, but loyal and dependable and sexy.

9. Any one of the men Mary Stewart created in her collection of incomparable romantic suspense.

10. Colin Bridgerton from Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series. All around likeable guy, and of course dashingly handsome.

Whew! I’m out.

Update from the last post: She bought the copy of my book I toted along and told me that if I was willing, she’d take me on a single-day-a-week basis. This time I didn’t say no. I do get paid slightly more this way (so not the point), and, as my husband reminded me, at least now I’ll have a schedule. Now I just need to wait and see if she can work this out and which day of the week I get. And plan to cram everything else in my life into four and a half days instead of five.

This is the rainbow we chased Friday on our way up to my in-laws’ lakehouse. My older son claims it’s the first rainbow he’s ever seen, but I find that hard to believe given the number I’ve pointed out to him. It was actually a double rainbow at one point, and we could intermittantly see the whole thing. Very exciting.

Today I went to the book launch party of a good friend of mine from my local RWA chapter, Dawn Temple. She’s been waiting a long time to see her debut novel in print–27 months from contract to publication!–and it was an exciting day. She has a spunky, sassy writing voice and a great sense of humor–I highly recommend her.

Yesterday, while stuck in traffic, I got a call from the director of the Mother’s Day Out I sometimes (often) substitute for. She told me she wanted to give me one more chance to come to work for her full-time. My husband told me later that it was probably not the best etiquette to bust out laughing, but frankly, I couldn’t help it. M.D.O. has been in session for over a month now (I’ve already substituted four times), and I’d assumed everything was settled. She told me I’d be put in the ‘Fish’ room–the two-year-olds I’ve already been working with occasionally–that I would be replacing someone. She went on to say that she just thinks I’m a really good fit for that room, and how much she admires my work. All very sweet, but my ‘work’ is rubbing backs, building with blocks, and opening juice boxes. She then asked that I think about it and told me she didn’t feel guilty asking me, because she already knew I could say no.

I can definitely say no and plan to this afternoon if she’s home.

I’ve never told her that I write, that all this time I gained with both boys going to school now is targeted towards something else. I honestly wouldn’t mind committing to work one day a week, but two is too much with all the other stuff that goes on. I already don’t have as much time as I thought I would, what with life, appointments, other projects, etc. So my plan is to go speak with her, carting along a copy of my book–actual proof that I’m serious about writing. She’ll be fine with it, and I’ll continue on as a substitute. It’s for the best. Because I have GOT to get this book finished once and for all!