I read a sad little news story the other day in between the sad and huge news stories about flooding in England. English bumblebees are becoming rare.

Bumblebees are not honeybees (although they do produce honey); they are the large, amiable, furry creatures about an inch long that, well, bumble about from flower to flower in England. We have something very similar (and even huger) in Maryland where I live, a place that is particularly blessed in flying insects, bees, pretend-bees, and things that will sting you as soon as look at you.

Talking of which, here’s the business end of a bumblebee, and unlike honeybees, they can sting you more than once. So even though they look delightfully furry, it’s not a good idea to pet them.

And it’s not only bumblebees that are endangered. In all, about fifty varieties of native bees in England have become extinct recently, and the reason is mostly the loss of hedgerows. A habitat for many species of plants, animals, and birds, these plantings were often centuries old, marking ancient land boundaries, and many have been destroyed by modern agribusiness. If you travel in the English countryside you can see the scars of hedgerows destroyed to make larger fields.

But the good news is that the bumblebee has moved into the ‘burbs. It’s English gardens, crammed with flowering plants, that will help the bumblebee survive.

And now for the Regency tie-in. Well, there were a lot more flying critters around then. Surely someone has written an entomologist or beekeeper hero or heroine? Anyone got any good bee or bug stories?

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Isn’t this the cutest thing? Yes, my book is out in a couple weeks. I received today some cover flats* and two copies, now covered in drool.

I have a massive to-do list. I still have laundry to do from Dallas and

Eeek. I’m running out of time. In a couple of weeks my book will be in the stores. Cover flats and two copies, now covered in drool, arrived today.

If you’d like a signed cover flat, join the riskies mailing list–and mine–by sending an email to riskies@yahoo.com with COVER FLAT in the top line. Supplies are limited (five). First come, first served…you’ll know you’ve won if I email you back asking for a snailmail address.

So I’m barely back from Dallas, with a huge amount of laundry to do–funny, since I didn’t take that many clothes. Books I brought back are scattered randomly through the house. The cat is figuring out who I am again. I’m figuring out who I am again. The National conference is one of the few places where a writer can be a writer; where you’re in the company of people who hear voices in their heads and understand if you say things like, “I really want to kill off the cousin in chapter ten” or “I think I have insufficient character arc.” So coming back into the real world, where there are mice in the kitchen and a three-figure electricity bill, no one except me apparently knows how to recycle plastic bags, and everyone’s medication has run out at the same time, is a real shock.

And meanwhile the countdown continues.

It is with great pleasure that I announce our save arrival, the roads being somewhat muddied and a great storm suffered at Baltimore, but all was well. My luggage arrived safely later that night by another conveyance and I am happy to report my bonnets, gowns etc. emerged quite unscathed.

All the ton was in attendance yesterday at the gathering of the Beau Monde, a bluestocking gathering accompanied by delicious food and edifying speakers. In the evening, after my maidservant had tied me into my gown, we attended the soiree, where I determined that a lady need not remove her gloves to drink a bottle of beer. Much dancing and merriment took place. The renowned Miss A— McC—- was in attendance, wearing a most elegant gown of dark red with matching shoes. Upon my admiration of her shoes, she admitted to Payless; my new shoes, golden slippers which proved excellent for dancing, came from Target.

We have reason to believe pictures will be available at a later date.

The weather is quite fine although somewhat heavy and humid as one would expect.

I remain, my dear friends, your most devoted friend, etc.