Last night my local library here in Pennsylvania was nice enough to invite me to give a reading and talk about my book.  The crowd was small (the TOWN is small!), but it was a fun event.  One girl actually came hoping to get dating tips... She hadn't read the book, and thought it was honestly a guide to getting guys.  I felt bad to disappoint her - but she hung around anyway, and we ended up having a great time talking vampires. 

By the way, I'm signing books at Waldenbooks at the Valley Mall in Hagerstown, Md., this Saturday (June 23) from 1-4.  That's a super long time - and they have a gazillion books - so if you're in the area, please stop by and say hello!

I took the plunge and made an account on Twitter... I think it will be even easier to share news about contests and previews and stuff like that if it takes off.  We'll see!
http://twitter.com/bethfantaskey

So I finally set up a Twitter account, but can't decide if I want to really USE it.  Does anybody have any suggestions or thoughts??

Signing books can be a nerve-wracking experience for a shy person like myself.  There are times when nobody's there talking to you, and you're just gazing across the mall at Sunglass Hut - and then there are people who pick up your book, ask tons of questions... then decide not to buy it! 

However, my Exton, PA, Borders signing was made much more fun by the wonderful women who arranged it: store manager Laura and Michelle, who is an amazing promoter of my book.  She gave it a great review on her blog, Michelle's Minions, and has been urging people to read it ever since.  Every book store needs a Michelle!  (Plus she wears a jester hat and vampire teeth on a chain around her neck... what's not to like?)

I was also joined by Dianna - who drove three hours from Long Island just to have her book signed!  How great was that? 

I've tried to upload some photos of Michelle and Dianna and me, but this is my first time doing that on this blog, so if you don't see anything... sorry!!! 

It's come to my attention that Amazon.com has listed the release date for Jekel Loves Hyde as July 2009.  As much as I would like that, the book won't be out until spring 2010.  (Quite a difference!) 

I'm trying to get this fixed on Amazon, so the correct date should be on there soon.

Hope nobody got too excited... like I sort of did when I first heard about it!  For just a second I thought, "Hey, maybe it's coming out early!"  But that's not the case...

By the way, I'm starting to get a respectable amount of friends on MySpace, and finally made my profile a little nicer.... thanks to everybody who's added me so far!

Hope you're all enjoying these first few weeks of summer vacation time as much as me!

Well, the contest is over, the prizes are mailed out - although Holly hasn't checked in yet... Are you out there, Holly??  Helloooooo!!!  - and it feels like I hosted a really fun party, and now it's over.  :-(  So I'm definitely trying to drum up a new idea for summer.

In the meantime, I'm signing books:

* Saturday, June 13, 1-3 p.m. at Borders Express in Exton, PA

* Saturday, June 27, 1-4 p.m. at Waldenbooks in Hagerstown, MD

I'm also out of town for the next few days, so I'm going to fall behind on e-mails.  I know I owe some of you responses, so thanks for your patience while I travel.

And finally, I have been issued a VEGAN BIRTHDAY CAKE CHALLENGE, by a reader who SWEARS she has a recipe that even a carnivorous vampire would love.  I've promised to test it out, and share it here, if I admit that it really is as good as regular cake!  (I will be a tough critic, because one of my favorite things in the world is cake.)

Hope to see some of you at Exton or Hagerstown!