One disappointment, and one sweet, sweet find.

At my local Safeway, they are having a fundraiser for (the prevention of) muscular dystrophy by selling donated books at $1. I stop by the table every visit, of course, because I can’t help myself, and because new books come in all the time.

Last time, I noticed that Robin McKinley’s THE HERO AND THE CROWN was there, but I was in a hurry and only had cash with me, so I thought: I’ll grab it next time. Because I’ve read and loved it, but it was a library copy — and this edition was an older one, and I just love me some older edition paperbacks.

Alas, someone smarter than I was snapped it up. I did root out THE BLUE SWORD from the pile, but alas — it just wasn’t the same. (I bought it this time, though — and, just as an aside, is anyone else counting down the days until DRAGONHAVEN is out?)

But the sweetness? Was this: HOW TO WRITE A ROMANCE AND GET IT PUBLISHED: Intimate Advice from the World’s Top Romance Writers, Edited by Kathryn Falk, 1984. On initial skim, some of the writing advice looks like the old standards: have lively prose, interesting characters, etc — but I can see that there are workout routines for writers to keep fit and healthy, and plenty of excerpts. I will share if I come across any goodies (stuff to laugh at, like, say, comments about the type of sex that only villains should have) Ooooh! and an interview with Barbara Cartland.

What’s this? No ellipses in her replies? Whuh?