Summer afternoon, summer afternoon…
“Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have
always been the two most beautiful words
in the English language.”
- Henry James
Henry definitely has a point. This is especially true here in the Pacific Northwest, where summers are idyllic. Sunny, no humidity, temperatures hovering in the 70s and 80s…
Okay, okay, I’ll stop rubbing it in.
These flowers are from my garden: ”Graham Thomas” roses (heavenly scent!) from rosebushes I planted over a dozen years ago (purchased from Heirloom Roses, my favorite rose nursery of all time and a spectacular day-trip destination); Lacecap hydrangea, whose blossoms remind me of butterflies; and fragrant Perovskia or Russian sage. The perfect trio for a summery bouquet!
What a gorgeous bouquet! I can see what I’ll be planting soon.
heather, do you know if there’s any way to buy the whole MDBC series on a kindle. if not im preordering WYWE! but that’s $10 and 2 buy the whole series is about $40! Why do things hav 2 b soooooo expensive
I don’t think so, alas — on Kindle you still have to buy them individually. At least so far. But I’ll ask my publisher if there are any plans to “bundle” the series there…
I just finished watching Pride & Prejudice. Today is my birthday and school starts tomorrow. There is my schedule. School starts sooooooooo early!!!!!!!!!!! Horrible, right?
Happy belated birthday — and BUMMER that school starts so early for you. What happened to summer?!
Probably ends early though–lucky!
Oh BTW I just turned 12 if any one was wondering.
SAME! When’s your b-day, ilovemdbc? Mine’s the 30th. And I’ve turned twelve just like you! Know what? My b-day is the most boring day of the year. Nothing happens ON that date, just the 29 and 31! It’s exasperating.
-Sandy
Mine’s the 31st we’re 1 day apart. bummer i’m younger. That’s sooo cool. 2000 babies!!!!!
ARGHHHH! See what I mean? Well, happy belated b-day, ilovemdbc! My other friends are born on the 28th and 29th. Now we can add you to the list!
Oh, and I live in Ottawa, Canada. Where is Nashville, by the way? In the States? Sorry, I’m not the best with geography . . .
-Sandy
I live in Canada too altho not ottawa I went there for my grad trip
2000 babies unite!! lol
isnt it so frustrating sometimes cuz some of ur friends r soo much older and u have to wait so long!!
my bestie is born on Jan. second!! talk about unfair
hmph
That’s ok you don’t live in the US so i don’t expect you to know geography as in what cities are in which states. It’s in Tennessee. It’s known as like the city of country music. Some kids at our school got to meet Carrie Underwood-the chorus.
I’m a 2000 too
Nashville is in Tennesee.
Where du you live? im in nashvile
o btw that last question wuz 4 sandy
I’m a Decemember baby:) lol random fact hehe, and I only start school on Sept. 4th.
(btw I live in NY)
They’re really pretty. You’re sooooo lucky. You live where
it’s comfortable temaratures. This year in the midwest we’ve had 100+ 100+ 100+
Yep. Same here! Today is 104 degrees!! I live in Austin,TX. So very hot here!!
It’s been pretty hot in Tennessee like its been up to 110 but I was on vacation the whole summer up North so I didnt have to deal with the heat. Hehehehehe.
Very pretty.
Ah sounds perfect!! So jelous 90-110 degrees here and humid ;(. Have fun in paradise .
Such gorgeous flowers!
Lucky!:) Today in Louisville KY it was 103 degrees, and it’s almost always humid.
I love your flowers- Megan would approve of the yellow/purple combo- complement colors, and super summery!!!
How long until wish you were eyre comes out? I can’t wait!!! You should do a countdown.
October 23rd! A countdown sounds fun…
that is soooo far away!!! will you give advanced copies in the giveaway???
Of course! Giveaways are mandatory fun!
YEAH!!!!
EEEKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <THATS ME ON THE OUTSIDE
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG <THATS ME ON THE INSIDE
I thought it was September 11th?
No, RyAnn, it got bumped back a while ago to October 23rd. Sorry…
YES! Let’s have a count-down. I think it’s 83 days till October 23rd (is that the right day?) but I’m not sure.
Countdown sounds fun, I’ve seen some authors with a widget on there website counting down to there next book release.
GREAT idea! I’ll look into it…
Totally agree too!! Y&p=:)
Yes!!! Countdown!!! Awesome!! Can’t wait!!!
Sounds gr8t!!!
Yes!! Totally need a countdown. It is now 77 days until OCTOBOR 23!
Beautiful!!!
So pretty!! I wish it was that cool here!! When we see it’s going to be in the 90′s we celebrate because it’s cooler than normal!!!
Oh you are lucky. Over here its 100 to 115 and humid because of our thunder storms.
But, school starts in less then a week 
Are you happy about that?
YES!!! I miss my friends and I always work in the school library and miss my librarian and her assistant. I’m also in Orchestra so I miss that and I got the teacher I wanted forever and almost all my friends are in my class:D
I forgot that I’m in my school book club so I miss that so much
:):P
Ah! I’m kind of excited to except i’m not looking forward to my loser homeroom teacher.
And my best firend might be moving to a different school :’(
I live in Arizona so being humid is not that common over here since its so dry being a desert. And I live in the valley so I’m pratically dying
Oregon sounds like dream right now and those flowers are so beautiful:D
i love the olympics!!! i am canadian so i am cheering for canada!!! but i LOVE miachel phelps!!! i am soo happy he won the most olympic medals EVER!!!
Who are your favorite atheltes???/
I love Gabby Douglas! And Missy Franklin! Those 100 watt smiles are irresistible.
Those two are awesome!! I felt kind of bad for Jordan Weiber when she didn’t make all-arounds
But Micheal Phelps rocks the pool. I really hope he doesn’t retire. My parents said they watched his first ever Olympics in Sidney when they were in the hospital right after i was born so that ‘s kind of cool.
I’m pretty sure he’s going to retire. He seems really sure about it, plus he has 22 medals (18 of them gold) so I don’t think he really needs anymore.
.
I know. Actually my granma said that he might not hold his place as most decorated olympian much longer. Ryan Lochte is gaining on him fast.
Gabby Douglas is awesome. I screamed when she won the gold medal.
Gabby Douglas, Missy Franklin, yes, yes, yes! But I’m more of a Ryan Lochte gal than a Phelps fanatic.
Ryan Lochte’s cute.
My fav olypians are: Alison Schmitt and McKayle Maroney. I felt so bad for her when she slipped on volt. I also feel bad for Jordan Weiber.
ya missy franklin has the best smile!!! but unsian bolt is cool too!
I love them too! Plus Jordyn Wieber, Ryan Lochte, He Kexin (Chinese), Mkayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Allison Schmitt, Adrian (I forget his first name),Aliya Mustafina and Victoria Komova (Russia), Kohei Uchimura(Japan), Dana Vollmer, REbecca Soni, Ying Lu (China), and Yannick Angel(France).
It’s Nathan.
Did you know that Ryan Lochte- um- peed in the pool? Apparently it said warm-up pool, so he did. YEUCH!
Eew. Just … eew.
That’s GROSS!
Same here, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Gabby Douglas. She is really good.
I love her smile!
this is not a very close relationship but Gabby Douglas is my dads good friends cousin!
Wow! Have you gotton to met her? That would be a
amazing!
OH MY GOD! Did you get to talk to her??? Probably not but too bad!!!
I didn’t mean it in the mean way, sorry! I meant, like, too bad that you didn’t get to talk to her, if you didn’t.
Totally Ryan Hall, Usain Bolt, Lolo Jones, Gabby Douglas, Jordan Wieber, Missy Franklin, and Micheal Phelps!!!! My favorite though is Erik Kynart (he’s high-jumper)he’s in the finals tonite and my sister knows him because they are both on the same college track and field team (GO K-STATE!!)It’s REALLY cool!!!
That is AWESOME! My dad knows the wife of a weight lifter but I forget his name.
You like K-State, R U in Kansas or doesyour sister just go there
Yeah, I live in Kansas!!!!!! Love it!!!!
It can be pretty awesome but pretty hot too sometimes.
True dat! It gets hot around here during the summer! It’s been really nice the last few days, way better weather for school/sports! Do you live in Ks???
Yeah
cool
We could be besties! I am in Canada too! GO CANADA! And Michael Phelps is awesome too. And all the other american athletes.
Hey Heather I’m back from Australia! Can’t wait to hear more about MDBC!! I missed reading the blog everyday! THANKS!!!
So cool that you went to Australia!!!!!
I know, it was amazing!
I love the flowers!!! I haven’t been on in forever. Awesome posts:))
Gorgeous flowers! And you’re lucky that the high temps are around 70 or 80′s. Here it gets kinda humid at certain days but it gets hot like 90′s to 100′s. And I live in the valley. :O Wish it was like Oregon here.
After reading the comments, I now feel bad for complaining of the slight humidity here today on the coast of southern california. I could not live in 100+ weather. Good luck midwesters!!!
Thanks.
Hey! I live in Ottawa, Canada, and the summer temperatures here are insane. We had an especially rainy spring, windy fall, snowy and cold winter, and . . . a boiling hot summer! There was a drought warning on the news, and the farmers seemed pretty upset. I’ve slept in the basement all week, and that’s the only cool place in the entire house. Is that your backyard, Heather? And those flowers are gorgeous. My parents gave up planting a l-o-n-g time ago. Sorry if this is too long!
The BASEMENT?! I remember growing up in Concord, we didn’t have air conditioning, and on really hot nights we’d all bring blankets and pillows downstairs to my father’s office, which was the only room in the house with an air conditioner. Camp-outs on the floor! (and yes, that’s my backyard)
My room is in the basement! I live there all the time. It get’s freezing in the winter but it’s just perfect for hot summer nights.
You can say that again! If you could choose, would you rather sleep in the cold or in the heat? I like sleeping in the cold. You get all cozy and warm, but in the summer, I’m sprawled on my bed, trying to find a cool place and pushing all my stuffed animals onto the ground
Hands down cold. I love snuggling under a down comforter!
Definetely cold
That’s the same way it is at our house! Yuck!
Hee hee. That’s life, right? And we have to bring downy blankets and comforters so we can stay warm. And it’s SO hard to get up in the morning! First, you’re cool and comfortable, and when you come upstairs you’re engulfed in unbearable heat. Okay, it’s not that bad. But you get the picture.
Your flowers are simply epitomes of loveliness! (Heh, that reminded me of the wonderful “Austen-speak” from Pies and Prejudice) I recognize some yellow roses in there, but what are the others? I’m weirdly fascinated by different types of lowers.
October 23 has been circled in a glitter gel pen.
I do hope you do some giveaways for WWYE as well.
Ooo, circled in glitter pen — it doesn’t get any better than that! And yes, there will be giveaways. Flower names are there in the blog post, take another look…
Oh, silly me. :}
Oh you are so lucky I live on the eastern side but we still get temperatures 90-100 in the summer and then it turns freezing in the winter.
On my kindle I pre-ordered Wish You Were Eyre. I cannot wait for it to come out. I’m trying to buy a new paperback copy of the first MDBC because its all torn and bent. LOL. As Cassidy would say “Another musty dusty book.” and then Mrs. Sloane would correct her and say, “Another well loved book.” My copy of MDBC is very well loved indeed. Also I’m trying to buy paperback copies of Pies and Prejudice and Home for the Holidays (which should be called Gone for the Holidays in my opinion) because I prefer paperback to hardcover. Whoa I wrote a lot. Sorry if I bored you…
Before you rush out and buy the other books, Lily, you might wait a bit. I’ll be making a very exciting announcement soon, but will drop a hint here: Boxed Set!!!!
Yessss!!!!!!! I wanted to get them all of them too. I got all them on my nook but it’s not the same as the actual book then a tablet
I already have them all. My sister and I have been only asking for them for our birthdays for the last year!
Oh yesss! I was thinking about that the other day wondering if there would be a chance of that
yay! I can donate my other ones to the library so other girls can catch mdbc fever!
I am on the Wa coast. Tops of 80 usually!!! 70 is a wow day for us;) heather, you sound like Jess using all the scientific names! LOL
Ha! Was wondering if someone might pick up on that….
Wow! Bee-u-tee-full flowers! I can almost smell them from NC! Spring and Summer are my favorite seasons….
Will you submit another peek for the MDBC before October?? It’s SO hard to wait for October 23!!
Yes — late August or early September. Stay tuned, Torey…
Pretty! And today is my birthday!!! I’m officially 13 years old!!!!
All together now, “Happy Birthday to YOU!”
Happy Birthday!
Happy Belated Birthday!
Thanks!
lovely. henry james also said, “It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance, and i know of no substitute for the force and beauty of its process.”
Beautiful, Anna — thanks for sharing this.
I am SO jealous! It just reached 104 Degrees in Ohio, last week!
Amazing. Purple.
How does nature do it?
Its so hot today. I’m re-re-reading Once Apon a Toad.
Why does it seem like summer flys by?
Be glad you don’t live in Fresno!! ;P Hey Mrs. Frederick, I’m working on a book report on the MDBC series!!! Yes, the books are THAT great, and to everyone who reads this comment: I highly suggest this series!!! You’ll be hooked after the first book!! XD
I know right? They are my absolute favorite books EVER. But how could I like anything else better?Which is your favorite book in the series? I like Pies & Prejudice best.
Smae here, on everything…P&P…Fav books ever!
Yeah i agree i did a report on them too with my friend and a book talk (video review):D go p&p
Oh I know!!! I would have to say it’s a tie between Pies & Prejudice and Home for the Holidays
Sorry I didn’t get back to you on that sooner!! I hate it when people do that to me… XP
Yeah its hard to pick between those two but I luv in p&p when Emma and Stewart kiss and Darcy and Jess get together <3:D
Love that 2
Home for the Holidays is my second favorite too. I’m actually re- reading it now for the fourth or fifth time.
.
I am soooo Sorry that i post so much. Most of the time I have to say what’s on my mind. It’ helps that nobody knows me here so i can’t offend anyone accidentally. Or at least I hope I don’t.
Of course you don’t!
I agree- you’re doing fine!
and there’s no such thing as too much talking… on here, that is, there are plenty of places where I’ve talked too much!! 0.0…I’m going to stop now… *blushes*…
hahaha its ok, I talk too much too.
Thank you.
if you ever get writer’s block, you can fall back on flower arranging.
Why thank you, Anna!
Yes!!
I totally agree!!
I agree!!
Me, too!
LOVE summer in Portland!
Last weekend was a little hot though!
Wow Heather.
Those are so buetiful! You can definatley add ‘Gardenning’ to your list of skills!!
Oh and those are beautiful!
. Oh and Heather I wanted to tell you that my (last years) math teacher’s son’s girlfriend Maria M.,was in the Olympics! She represented the USA! I think she won 29th place overall, and we are proud of her 
. Since she graduated from my school district, before going to the Olympics we all had a Maria Day and we walked (i forgot how many) miles with her and it was so much fun 
Wow, how cool is that?!
Summer lovin!!!!
Ooh! A boxed set, that would be awesome! *squeals*.
I love all the books in that series but I have got to say Dear Pen Pal is my favorite one, by the way I went to the Air and Space museum, the one they go to for a field trip in Dear Pen Pal, and went inside that rocket that you said Megan and Zach and Kevin got a picture in.
Awesome, Lily!
Those are amazing! I just found out that the the date for when WYWE comes out has been moved later! I am so sad! Oh well. I can just re-read the other ones!!
How do you change the little picture by your name?
Use a different email address. I have two emails so I just use the one I like best. If you only have one then your stuck with that.
Okay! Thanks!
Heather, my book just came out! It’s called The Invisible Spy. It will be available on Amazon in a week but it’s available now at my CreateSpace store. I’m so excited! Thank you so much for your advices. I’m truly grateful.
For info, check out my official website: http://hildaleticiadominguez.com/
God bless you always!
Congratulations, Hilda! That’s great!
Wow! That’s awesome. Your book looks really cool.
he he I got all my friends hooked on mdbc
and we are all waiting in VAIN!! for when megs goes to paris!!
please consider a movie of this series. (PRETTY PLEASE!! i so want to see this movie more than megan wants to go to paris! thats saying something)
I also have to ask you if you got any suggestions of names from some of the books the book club was reading? like Ella Kimball from Anne of Green Gables? or Charlie Sloane?? and did you base Mrs. Chadwick a little off Mrs. Lynde?? hmmm? let me kno
also I predict the new mdbc book will end in Megan’s perspective. because from my research each book ends in the perspective of the girl on the cover, altho I cant remeber from home of the holidays but im sure
ok buh bye
Thanks for recommending my books to your friends! “Word of mouth” is always the best.
As for a movie, well, it has to come from someone in Hollywood, so let’s keep our collective fingers crossed, OK? And as for the names, I didn’t pinch any from Anne of Green Gables, but I did pinch some from other books (like “Fairfax” came from Jane Austen, “Sophie” came from Jane Eyre, etc.). And yes, Mrs. Chadwick definitely has a bit of Mrs. Rachel Lynde in her! 
She definitely is like Rachel. I actually love both Rachel Lynde and Mrs. Chadwick. They are both so funny.
Omg October 22 and 23 will be so amazing Taylor swifts album comes out the 22 and WYWE comes out the 23!!!
Really?? OMG!! I love MDBC and I love Taylor Swift!!!
have you heard her newe single?
Hey heather!!! I love that quote and those flowers! Looks like something pulled out of a magazine!!! I cannot wait to read wish yo were eyre! is that the last book in the series???
Yep, it’s the grand finale.
I think you should do a series with Chloe and her friends:)
That would be awesome. I love Chloe.
yes or one where all the girls have growen up!
so we can see you they marry,if they have kids,their jobs!!!
it would be so cool!
when does the second sneak peek come out for wish you were eyre??
happy summer!
Later this month, Elli. Probably around Labor Day weekend.
omggggggg
im sooooo exciteddd
labor day weekend? that’ll give me something to think about other than agonizing over skool
SO lucky u live in cool temperatures. I live on the oposite side of the country and it is SO HUMID! One day it was 103°F but it felt like 115°F cause of HUMIDITY!!!!!:(:(
LOVE THE BOUQUET!!!!! Also what did your publisher say about the books in a bundle on Kindle????
YES!!! There is going to be an e-reader bundle! How cool is that?!
And when is the boxed set coming out??? I’ve been waitin to get them all I have Home for the Holidays in hardcover but NEED THE REST!
They’ll be coming out the same time as WISH YOU WERE EYRE, from what I understand, so end of October. I’ll double-check for sure, though…
Where I live, 90-100 degrees is hot- and they made us start school August 14th, so they had to issue a heat warning. I don’t think it’s fair that we have to go to school when it’s a hundred degrees outside
I agree! It should be like a snow day in reverse.
Lucky! My school starts September 4th, and I’m so bored my eyes are falling out (not literally). I miss my friends and having something to do all day.
I LOVE MDBC!!!!
MEEEEEEEEEEEEE 2
Bonjour,
I JUST READ THE EXERPT FROM WISH YOU WERE EYRE!!!!
It sounds so good but i am quite sad at the same time…
THE SOPHIE’S OF THE WORLD SHOULD UNITE IN KINDNESS AND FLUFFBALLS AND CANDY AND NEON PINK!…… I am a Sophie and i feel sad…. but the book sounds Totes Fantabs!
adieu!
My name’s Zoe and usually characters that have my name are not the nicest… I don’t care though. It really doesn’t matter what name a character has. Maybe Sophie will turn out to be nice though. You were reading Megan’s first impression and first impressions are often wrong.
I happen to LOVE the name Zoe — one of my neighbors is a Zoe, and she’s a peach!
Haha!! I feel kind of bad for the people who are nice but there names are in books as bad people. It’s so upseting. Luckily I have a very unuasual name so it like NEVER comes up.
I am sad about the books ending too! But i am sure it will be worth reading just like all of the other books!!!!!
Hi Mrs. Fredrick, I have a question. In Jane Eyre there’s a lady with the last name Fairfax and Mr. Rochester’s name is Edward FAIRFAX Rochester. Is there any connection between the Fairfaxs in your book and these names or did you just randomly choose the name? I wonder what the girls will say when they read these names if anyone actually realizes it!
Oh and also is Sophie going to join the book club! Since she’s there, will Gigi let her join! Oh the horror!!!
Actually, I chose FAIRFAX in P&P because of Jane Austen’s Jane Fairfax in “Emma.” So it’s kind of funny that the characters are returning in a book with ANOTHER Fairfax! Oh the horror indeed…
Ahh, makes sense, I love the book Emma! Actually I love all of Jane Austen!
Guess what! Because of your books my friends and I started a mother daughter book club! It was just for the summer but it was so much fun we’re going to keep it going! We read The Inheritance, Shadow Spinner, and Out of my Mind. Thanks again for all you do!
FABULOUS, Amelia! What fun!
Same here! We’re planning on reading MDBC next. Book Club is sooo FUN!
When is the 2nd excerpt coming out?????
Oh just saw another comment with the answer
Will you be in MD any time soon?? i would love to meet you!!!!!
I don’t think so, Megan, but you never know what the future will bring!
Ok thanks:) My friends and I are really big fans of MDBC and we were wondering if you could autograph our books?? Is that possable??
Yes, it’s definitely possible. What you need to do is send them to me, ALONG WITH A RETURN ENVELOPE THAT’S ALREADY GOT POSTAGE ON IT, and I will autograph them, pop them back into the envelope, and mail them back to you. OR can autograph a bookplate and send that to you to stick in your book. Your choice…
How long would it take? To get the book back I mean.
Well, however long it takes to get from your house to mine, then I’ll sign it and zap it right back in the mail to you… a week or two, maybe? (Except I’m out of town for most of September.)
k thank you.
OK Cool:) I will send them soon!!!
Heather- I was just wondering if you stole the names Sophie and the last name Fairfax from Jane Eyre… I just re-read it over and noticed-”hey Heather put these names in her book”.
I stole the name Sophie, but Fairfax actually came from Jane Austen’s “Emma” (cuz Stinkerbelle was a Fairfax, too, and she was in “Pies & Prejudice”).
omg I figured something out. did u base pies & prejudice a bit off of pride and prejudice? cuz when I re read it I was like hmm tristan sounds a lot like mr. Darcy and Simon sounds a lot like mr Bingley. and stinkerbelle sounds like caroline bungley and cassidy elizabeth!! gasp omg! jess even said that cassidy was like elizabeth bennet!!
Haha, I did indeed, CH! You guessed it exactly!
Yay new excerpt fun fun! Will it be another chapter or just part of one?
Not sure yet — coming later next week though!
Yay!!! Thanks mrs frederick!
62 days until WYWE!!!!!!!
I WENT TO CONCORD!!!!!!!!!!!!! and it was soooo much fun!
heather i am going to send you an email about it! but i just have to say thanks for writing about kimball farm cuase we went there and it was the best ice cream ever!!!!!! i had chocolate rasberry swirl and it was awesome!!! my sister had coffee and it was amazing!!!!1
Woohoo! Happy feet dance for you! Strawberry is my favorite…
Not fair. I’ve wanted to go to Concord ever since I read the first book in the MDBC series. I am trying to convince my parents to take me there next summer but they said probably the summer after that. I shouldn’t be mad though because they took me to Oregon to see Heather a little while ago and they didn’t complain at all.
OH! I also want to go to England because it just sounds SO AWESOME!
When will you post something on your blog again Ms Frederick? Its been 24 days.
Ha! I JUST did, RyAnn. Got busy working and traveling…
haha i just saw it thanks!
OMG, I miss the blog posts soo much! But you must be really busy. I know I am cause I just started school:(
Ms.Fredrick just an off topic thing, do you reply to emails?
I do, but it takes me a while. I currently have 132 messages from fans waiting for replies, plus a big pile of snail mail from fans, plus nearly 300 OTHER emails (including business ones) I need to attend to! Yikes! When I’m working, I get behind. When I travel, I get behind. Then I work really hard to get caught up in a big burst, and then the cycle begins again.
The one thing I’m trying to do in a timely fashion is stay current here on the blog. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don’t… I hope you can continue to be patient with me!
Hey Heather! I just read another comment above and it said that taylor swifts album, red, comes out on oct 22 and your book comes out on the 23! Well guess what???!!! THATS MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
Wow! What fun! Cool birthday present for you!
Yay you!