- Literary Lions Report!
- GIRL ANONYMOUS events!
- Join me at the Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale Az and online! CONTEST!
- Bookspace: Women’s History Month Book is A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA! Join a heart to heart discussion on Tuesday March 25th at 7:30pm ET
- The bed move-in snafu—no bonus points for reading, it’s merely whining you can relate to.
It’s March; how’s your weather? In one afternoon we had sunshine, hail, lightning, snow, and sunshine, all in the space of an hour. Luckily that didn’t keep me from going to workout with my class…lf you think lifting heavy weights and doing ball transfers until your abs scream constitutes luck.
Actually, it’s the working out that makes it possible for me to wear this dress to the Literary Lions event:
With appropriate spandex undergarments, of course. 
View more photos from the Literary Lions evening here!
GIRL ANONYMOUS events
GIRL ANONYMOUS is out, the reviews are glowing…okay, most of the reviews are glowing. I did warn you about the passionate sex and the Mafioso swearing. (Remember the list of trigger warnings I sent?) I did like the way Maarja started cutting Dante back on his language. It felt very relationship-real to me.
“Plenty of crackling sexual chemistry and a few love scenes guaranteed to scorch readers’ fingers as they turn the pages.”
— Starred Booklist Review
My first GIRL ANONYMOUS autographing (after the Lit Lions) was at the wonderful Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park. It’s one of my favorite booksellers and Reader Heidi who had read everything I’ve ever written was there. So fun! She, Vivienne, K, Deb and reader names I sadly don’t remember kept the event lively and convivial. When we started talking about A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA, The Husband ran for the store’s copies and sold them all! As you know, he’s more than just a pretty face.
I left 7 autographed copies of GIRL ANONYMOUS if you’d like to have them shipped to you for gifts or (more important!) for yourself.
“If high-stakes thrillers with a splash of romance are up your alley, dive into Girl Anonymous by Christina Dodd.” —Woman’s World
I don’t usually wear this expression at my autographings…
but this lady was giving me trouble.
The Daughter said that’s what I used to give her that look when she was lying.
GIRL ANONYMOUS Autographing at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale AZ.
With contest!
Sunday March 23rd at 2pm PT
Poisoned Pen Bookstore
4014 N. Goldwater Blvd #101
Scottsdale AZ 85251
480-947-2974
sales@poisonedpen.com
Bonus suspense authors: Allison Brennan and Elle Owens.
Bonus interviewer: Soft-spoken Reviewer John Charles who you can depend to zap me with sarcasm at some point.
If you can’t attend and you’d like personalized autographed copy of GIRL ANONYMOUS, please order online, I’m glad to sign it for you, and the Poisoned Pen will ship!
Contest details: I’ll be giving away one brand-new arc of THUS WITH A KISS I DIE (book 2 in the Daughter of Montague series, coming June 24) to two lucky winners. One winner will be a reader who attends the autographing in store. The other winner will be an online reader who watches the interviews on YouTube or Facebook and asks a question of any of the three authors.
“How much do you weigh?” doesn’t count. 
Both Third Place and Poisoned Pen are fabulous independent stores who you can feel good for supporting with your patronage.
“A high-speed storyline full of heat…Girl Anonymous serves up a dark romantic thriller featuring a family feud and two powerful characters trying to stay alive long enough to make peace.”
—Novels Alive
We’re going to have a great time on Bookspace! Join now for Women’s History Month where the Book of the Month is — appropriately — A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA! We’ll have a heart to heart discussion on Tuesday March 25th at 7:30 pm ET.
The Daughter of Montague series has been so interesting; everyone wants to talk about it, what it means, how much they laughed, how long the series will go on. Get all the answers here! I look forward to seeing you.
Continued from previous newsletter, the Redwood Cottage move-in bed snafu…
(Read here if you missed the first part of the move.)
I searched for bed frames online and, as happens, The Husband and could not agree. :sigh: Finally I found a Shaker style which I knew he’d like and ordered it. We managed to have it delivered on one of the days we were in California (no easy thing, the scheduling has been a beast.) The Husband put it together and with happy hearts, we flopped our California king-sized mattress on it.
At once we realized what we had was a king-sized frame.
FYI, a California king mattress is longer and narrower than a king-sized mattress. The mattress hung over the foot of the frame, etc.
The Husband called the company, who agreed yes, indeed, we had ordered a California king frame and since it was their mistake, they would send us another in the right size — and we could keep the first one. Wow! A two for one sale! We have a bed for the second bedroom! Of course, we have to buy a king-sized mattress and the room is really too small for that size, but…
Oh! Oh! And he had to take the bed apart to move it into the other bedroom, then put it back together again.
Jayne Ann Krentz: “The Husband could get a job at Ikea!”
The Daughter, imitating a Swedish Ikea assemble guy: “Yah, I’m The Husband and I’m here to put together your snafflezinger with my mighty allen wrench.”
Hahahaha
Seriously, no one’s laughing here.
Because we were flying out of Santa Rosa (I had an appointment in Seattle) The Husband had to change his ticket to stay and accommodate delivery. In fact, he had to change it twice, because they didn’t deliver on the first date they gave us.
While I’m waiting in Seattle for him to return, they deliver the bed and…yes, you guessed it. The Husband measured it (before he unboxed it) and they sent a second wrong bed. (What we’ve learned from this: If it says E. King that means regular (Eastern) king. We need a Ca. King.)
The Husband called the company again. The call center person said, “I’m going to figure this out, hold on, it’ll be awhile.” It was definitely awhile, and when she came back she said, “The SKU number for the California King bed frame is wrong on our website, the website people know this but neglected to tell anyone, they’re fixing it and you can keep this bed while we deliver the correct bed to you.”
The Husband: “We already have an extra bed.”
Her: “Charity?”
Well, sure. We’re going to have to buy a king-sized mattress because if we’re going to donate a bedframe, we need to make sure there’s a possibility for people to sleep on it. Because The Husband and I have been in need of charity in our lives (it’s not always been roses and chirping birds) and that awareness continues forever.
As it should.
Right now we have a regular king bed with a California king mattress in the second bedroom with the California king mattress on it, a regular king bed in the living room in boxes, and they’re trying to send the correct bed (theoretically the correct bed) early despite being told no one is there to accept delivery.
OOF.
Yes, you’re right, first world problems. And no, we won’t use these people again because what we really wanted was the right bed in the first place. Flying back and forth from Seattle to Santa Rosa is not ideal when what we really want to do is plant peas and radishes in our garden at home. If we don’t, whatever will the spring slugs eat?
Until the next installment…happy reading from whatever wonderful bookstore you love, and see you in AZ and online!
Christina Dodd
New York Times bestselling author and 2025 King County Library Literary Lion
“Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” ― Isaac Asimov
