Real Romance Novel Heroes
I've had a crazy day. So instead of boring you with chat about craft or business or my lack of progress on the wip, I thought I'd entertain you. Take a look at this clip about "real" romance heroes:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JwT0Jn6wm3I
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JwT0Jn6wm3I
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 10:23 PM
6 comments
:~: Monday, December 03, 2007 :~:
Introspection
I recently finished a debut work by a (now) well-known romance author. Granted, this book is about four years old and the writer has gone on to publish several novels since then, but I often enjoy looking at an author's first published work to see how they change and grow through those early books. Normally, writing style, voice and sentence structure are things I see change dramatically from books one to three, but in this case, the element that stuck out to me most about this particular author's work was introspection. There was a loooot of head time in this book. Pages and pages of the main character thinking through what she would do next, what had just happened, etc. Both characters (hero and heroine) were guilty of this, but much more so in the heroine's head. So bad so, there were times where I found myself thinking, "Okay, get on with it. We've been-there, done-that several times already."
I like introspection. I like to know what a character is thinking and feeling, but there are moments where it gets to be too much. If a reader is tempted to put a book down because the character is rehashing an emotion or thought they've already shredded to death, it's time to do some cutting. Introspection is one of those things that seriously slows pacing in a novel, along with description and backstory. When done well, it enhances a novel and brings the reader right into the character's head. When overdone, it pops you so far out of the book, you may have trouble picking it up again.
It's interesting to compare how authors handle introspection. The book I recently started reading has almost no introspection. I just blew through the scene where the hero and heroine met and it was so dialogue heavy and so non-introspective, I only had a glimmer of insight into what each of the characters were thinking. The scene moved fast. Almost too fast in my opinion. I would have liked for the author to slow it down a little with a thought here and there. The heroine admits she's not afraid of those spooky woods where people have been murdered? Doesn't the hero have an internal reaction to that revelation?
Balance is key in my opinion. I once had a critique partner who loved to add in "Okay, so what's he thinking or feeling here?" all over my chapters. Back then I used very little introspection, and her comments were warranted and made my work better. But on the flip side, my agent recently read a proposal I put together and her reaction was, "I love it. Now cut some of the head time." I - obviously - have gone from one extreme to the other. When I edit now, one of the first things I look for are introspection paragraphs or sections that don't need to be there. Did I already say that somewhere else? Am I beating the reader over the head with the same emotion? And sometimes (though rarely), do I need to elaborate a little more here? Because introspection is one of those things I know I need to be mindful of, it's something I notice in others' works. And too much introspection is the first thing that makes me dislike a character, because too often, too much introspection tends to make a character come off as whiny.
Would you consider yourself a mild, medium or heavy introspection writer? And when you read, is introspection something that pops out at you - too much, not enough, etc? Can you think of any writers who handle introspection particularly well?
I like introspection. I like to know what a character is thinking and feeling, but there are moments where it gets to be too much. If a reader is tempted to put a book down because the character is rehashing an emotion or thought they've already shredded to death, it's time to do some cutting. Introspection is one of those things that seriously slows pacing in a novel, along with description and backstory. When done well, it enhances a novel and brings the reader right into the character's head. When overdone, it pops you so far out of the book, you may have trouble picking it up again.
It's interesting to compare how authors handle introspection. The book I recently started reading has almost no introspection. I just blew through the scene where the hero and heroine met and it was so dialogue heavy and so non-introspective, I only had a glimmer of insight into what each of the characters were thinking. The scene moved fast. Almost too fast in my opinion. I would have liked for the author to slow it down a little with a thought here and there. The heroine admits she's not afraid of those spooky woods where people have been murdered? Doesn't the hero have an internal reaction to that revelation?
Balance is key in my opinion. I once had a critique partner who loved to add in "Okay, so what's he thinking or feeling here?" all over my chapters. Back then I used very little introspection, and her comments were warranted and made my work better. But on the flip side, my agent recently read a proposal I put together and her reaction was, "I love it. Now cut some of the head time." I - obviously - have gone from one extreme to the other. When I edit now, one of the first things I look for are introspection paragraphs or sections that don't need to be there. Did I already say that somewhere else? Am I beating the reader over the head with the same emotion? And sometimes (though rarely), do I need to elaborate a little more here? Because introspection is one of those things I know I need to be mindful of, it's something I notice in others' works. And too much introspection is the first thing that makes me dislike a character, because too often, too much introspection tends to make a character come off as whiny.
Would you consider yourself a mild, medium or heavy introspection writer? And when you read, is introspection something that pops out at you - too much, not enough, etc? Can you think of any writers who handle introspection particularly well?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 9:13 AM
5 comments
:~: Monday, November 19, 2007 :~:
Characters
Lin's been talking a lot about characters. We all know strong characters make or break a book. Plot is essential in driving a story forward, but good characters are what keep the reader thinking about the book long after the story is over.
So what's in your perfect hero? How about your perfect heroine?
My perfect hero is a little bit cocky. He doesn't know exactly what he wants at the beginning of the book. He may think there's not much wrong with him personally even though his life might be way out of whack. He's been around the block a time or two. He's probably done things he's not proud of. He could be a hundred different things on the outside - cowboy, cop, business man, warrior, soldier, thief - but on the inside he's a man of principle. He knows what's important to him and he has a strong personal code of ethics he strives to keep in balance. He loves his mother (a given), family is important to him even if he doesn't admit it outright, and he knows there's more to a woman than simply a pretty face (and body). And, oh, yeah, he has to have a sense of humor, must like football and baseball, and always holds the door open for a woman.
When he meets the heroine, he's knocked on his ass. He may fight it. He may tell himself (and the world) she's the wrong woman for him, but the reader will know he's toast from day one. When he finally figures it out, there's not a single thing in the world that would keep him from the woman he loves.
My perfect heroine is feisty. She's a fighter, a rebel, an independent woman. She, too, has been around the block. Maybe not sexually (then, again, maybe sexually too), but she's experienced the highs and lows of life. She's not green. She doesn't have sappy visions of the man who will sweep her off her feet. She knows - at this point in her life - she's not willing to sacrifice who she has become just to have a man by her side. Wanting one is totally up to her.
She, too, has a good sense of humor. She likes sports, isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, and can just as easily hang with the guys on a Saturday afternoon as she can get gussied up and go out on the town.
When she meets her perfect hero, he'll probably irritate her. A strong woman doesn't like to meet her match. She'll most likely deny her feelings (just like my hero), but because she's a woman, she knows when she's fighting a losing battle. Even if she doesn't tell him, and even if she knows their relationship is doomed, she'll keep what she feels to herself until the last possible second. But when she discovers the man who truly loves her for who she is, there's nothing she wouldn't do for him.
What's in your perfect hero and heroine? Have you ever come across a book that had the "perfect" main characters?
So what's in your perfect hero? How about your perfect heroine?
My perfect hero is a little bit cocky. He doesn't know exactly what he wants at the beginning of the book. He may think there's not much wrong with him personally even though his life might be way out of whack. He's been around the block a time or two. He's probably done things he's not proud of. He could be a hundred different things on the outside - cowboy, cop, business man, warrior, soldier, thief - but on the inside he's a man of principle. He knows what's important to him and he has a strong personal code of ethics he strives to keep in balance. He loves his mother (a given), family is important to him even if he doesn't admit it outright, and he knows there's more to a woman than simply a pretty face (and body). And, oh, yeah, he has to have a sense of humor, must like football and baseball, and always holds the door open for a woman.
When he meets the heroine, he's knocked on his ass. He may fight it. He may tell himself (and the world) she's the wrong woman for him, but the reader will know he's toast from day one. When he finally figures it out, there's not a single thing in the world that would keep him from the woman he loves.
My perfect heroine is feisty. She's a fighter, a rebel, an independent woman. She, too, has been around the block. Maybe not sexually (then, again, maybe sexually too), but she's experienced the highs and lows of life. She's not green. She doesn't have sappy visions of the man who will sweep her off her feet. She knows - at this point in her life - she's not willing to sacrifice who she has become just to have a man by her side. Wanting one is totally up to her.
She, too, has a good sense of humor. She likes sports, isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, and can just as easily hang with the guys on a Saturday afternoon as she can get gussied up and go out on the town.
When she meets her perfect hero, he'll probably irritate her. A strong woman doesn't like to meet her match. She'll most likely deny her feelings (just like my hero), but because she's a woman, she knows when she's fighting a losing battle. Even if she doesn't tell him, and even if she knows their relationship is doomed, she'll keep what she feels to herself until the last possible second. But when she discovers the man who truly loves her for who she is, there's nothing she wouldn't do for him.
What's in your perfect hero and heroine? Have you ever come across a book that had the "perfect" main characters?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 1:41 PM
2 comments
:~: Monday, November 12, 2007 :~:
Epilogues
First off, today is Veteran's Day. If you are a veteran, from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you for the sacrifices you make. Unfortunately, not all veterans get today off from work, but they should.
***
On to epilogues. Love 'em? Hate 'em? Blah about them either way? Of the last five books I've read, four have had epilogues. New trend? Probably not. Most likely it's a fluke four out of five I read lately had epilogues.
What genres tend to have epilogues? All. Cindy Gerard uses them in her RS body guard series. The epilogue is the same in each book - the family (and their significant others) all together playing croquet. What I like about Cindy's epilogues is that she uses them to introduce the next "conflict" for the next book in the series. Kind of an intriguing way to do that, I think.
A lot of paranormals tend to have epilogues, showing the HEA months after the story ends. Susan Elizabeth Phillips generally has epilogues in her books for the same reason (and hers are very fun to read). And short time-frame books (ie. chases or books that only span a few days) tend to use the epilogue to show the lasting romance.
Which authors do you think make good use of the epilogue? Which don't? If you're a writer, do you generally include an epilogue or not? Honestly, I don't think I've ever written one, but I'm not opposed to them, either. If it fits the story, I say go for it.
***
On to epilogues. Love 'em? Hate 'em? Blah about them either way? Of the last five books I've read, four have had epilogues. New trend? Probably not. Most likely it's a fluke four out of five I read lately had epilogues.
What genres tend to have epilogues? All. Cindy Gerard uses them in her RS body guard series. The epilogue is the same in each book - the family (and their significant others) all together playing croquet. What I like about Cindy's epilogues is that she uses them to introduce the next "conflict" for the next book in the series. Kind of an intriguing way to do that, I think.
A lot of paranormals tend to have epilogues, showing the HEA months after the story ends. Susan Elizabeth Phillips generally has epilogues in her books for the same reason (and hers are very fun to read). And short time-frame books (ie. chases or books that only span a few days) tend to use the epilogue to show the lasting romance.
Which authors do you think make good use of the epilogue? Which don't? If you're a writer, do you generally include an epilogue or not? Honestly, I don't think I've ever written one, but I'm not opposed to them, either. If it fits the story, I say go for it.
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 3:16 PM
8 comments
:~: Monday, October 29, 2007 :~:
Things I'm No Longer Afraid To Admit
As I sit here trying to think of something pithy to blog about, I keep coming up blank. My brain seems to be elsewhere these days - in the book I'm reading, in the book I'm writing, contemplating the fact I am no longer a young spring chicken. My birthday is this coming Saturday and it's one of those milestone ones. You know, the kind where you think about your age and say, "OMG, I'm THAT old?!" My mother didn't help matters much when she was here on Sat. and I mentioned how old I'm turning. Her reaction was a slack-jawed, "Oh, my word. You can't possibly BE that old!"
Um. Yeah. Thanks, Mom.
So in thinking about that old-age milestone (which, as I said before, is occupying way more of my brain-time these days than it should) I've been contemplating what I'm not afraid to admit anymore. Here's the list I came up with:
1. I like country music. Never thought I'd EVER admit to that, but there it is. Not the twangy stuff, but the newer bands/singers, though I've always had a soft spot for Kenny Rogers and John Denver. Most of my WIP song lists have country songs (lots, actually).
2. I don't like literary fiction. I've tried to read it, but the result is always the same. I put the book down and never look back. I hated it when I was in school, hate it even more now.
3. I read Lord Of The Rings solely for the love story and felt gypped in the end when it was an "addendum" at the end of the book. Granted, it was a great book, but if I hadn't known of the love story hiding in there I wouldn't have ever made it through the first 100 pgs of which hobbit beget which hobbit. Gah. Boring.
4. I don't enjoy reading ebooks. Probably because I spend too much time on the computer doing my own writing/editing. I love being able to hold a book in my hand and soak in the tub (and that ain't easy or safe to do with the laptop). I'm thrilled when my ebook author friends have print releases.
5. I hate Halloween. Truly hate it. Dressing up has never interested me. It's one of those holidays I suffer through for the sake of my kids.
6. I like the Backstreet Boys. 'Nuff said there. Won't embarrass myself further.
7. I love to read good romance. I don't care what genre it's in - whether it's contemporary, historical, erotic or suspense. If it's a great story, I'm hooked. Unfortunately, there are less and less "great" stories out there (at least that I can find).
8. I'm the most impatient person in the world. Old age hasn't helped me develop my patience skill. Neither has parenting.
9. I live in my own fantasy world most of the time. The DH says it's like talking to a wall a lot of the time because I'm off in la-la land with my characters. I lead a very sheltered life because of it (boring to the outside world) but I wouldn't want it any other way.
and,
10. If I couldn't write, I'd be a very unhappy person. It's amazing how much writing has become a part of my life in the years since I started. I can't remember what life was like before I was serious about writing, but I know I wouldn't want to go back to that. I'd feel empty.
What things are you no longer afraid to admit? Give it a try. It's very freeing to be able to admit you're a closet Backstreet Boy junkie. (Okay, maybe.)
Um. Yeah. Thanks, Mom.
So in thinking about that old-age milestone (which, as I said before, is occupying way more of my brain-time these days than it should) I've been contemplating what I'm not afraid to admit anymore. Here's the list I came up with:
1. I like country music. Never thought I'd EVER admit to that, but there it is. Not the twangy stuff, but the newer bands/singers, though I've always had a soft spot for Kenny Rogers and John Denver. Most of my WIP song lists have country songs (lots, actually).
2. I don't like literary fiction. I've tried to read it, but the result is always the same. I put the book down and never look back. I hated it when I was in school, hate it even more now.
3. I read Lord Of The Rings solely for the love story and felt gypped in the end when it was an "addendum" at the end of the book. Granted, it was a great book, but if I hadn't known of the love story hiding in there I wouldn't have ever made it through the first 100 pgs of which hobbit beget which hobbit. Gah. Boring.
4. I don't enjoy reading ebooks. Probably because I spend too much time on the computer doing my own writing/editing. I love being able to hold a book in my hand and soak in the tub (and that ain't easy or safe to do with the laptop). I'm thrilled when my ebook author friends have print releases.
5. I hate Halloween. Truly hate it. Dressing up has never interested me. It's one of those holidays I suffer through for the sake of my kids.
6. I like the Backstreet Boys. 'Nuff said there. Won't embarrass myself further.
7. I love to read good romance. I don't care what genre it's in - whether it's contemporary, historical, erotic or suspense. If it's a great story, I'm hooked. Unfortunately, there are less and less "great" stories out there (at least that I can find).
8. I'm the most impatient person in the world. Old age hasn't helped me develop my patience skill. Neither has parenting.
9. I live in my own fantasy world most of the time. The DH says it's like talking to a wall a lot of the time because I'm off in la-la land with my characters. I lead a very sheltered life because of it (boring to the outside world) but I wouldn't want it any other way.
and,
10. If I couldn't write, I'd be a very unhappy person. It's amazing how much writing has become a part of my life in the years since I started. I can't remember what life was like before I was serious about writing, but I know I wouldn't want to go back to that. I'd feel empty.
What things are you no longer afraid to admit? Give it a try. It's very freeing to be able to admit you're a closet Backstreet Boy junkie. (Okay, maybe.)
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 12:27 PM
10 comments
:~: Monday, October 22, 2007 :~:
Have You Hugged a Volunteer Today?
So if you've been following the saga of my life over on my personal blog, you know that I was recently elected president of my local RWA chapter. I don't officially take office until January so this should be my "easy" time. Unfortunately it's not. We're redesigning our website, making changes in our meeting structure and appointing new positions. My new vice president is awesome - full of energy and new ideas - but every proposed change we make is sucking up my time. You all know I have young kids and I only have a two-hour window in the afternoons to write while the littlest one is napping. Since I've agreed to take over as chapter president, that two-hour window is being sucked up with RWA business and little to no writing is getting done.
Luckily, I'm a night owl and I generally get my best writing done after the Gremlins are all in bed. And once all of our changes are in place - new website's up and running, speakers have been scheduled, my VP gets over the excitement of her newfound power - hopefully we'll fall back on maintenance and won't be quite so busy. But between now and then we're all working hard (and probably more than one of my new officers is getting tired of the ten-thousand emails I send out every day).
I'm not sure how any of this happened, but when I was waffling over the decision to run or not, my friend and Intrigue writer, Alice Sharpe, told me it was my Star Wars moment: "This is one of those moments where you have to just step up and face your destiny." I hate to admit it (don't tell her), but she's a very wise woman. Certain people, I think, are destined to pitch in and dig deep when needed (all of my officers are like that). Sometimes they do it because others won't, but deep down I know its because they believe in the cause. They start RWA chapters because they believe writers need that connection with other writers (like Joan did), or they simply have a desire to give back (like any writer who runs for a national RWA office). I'm sure my hubby wishes the hours I've spent so far doing chapter business were bringing money into our bank account (so do I for that matter), but I do believe the long-term benefits will eventually outweigh the time suck I'm experiencing now.
There's no real point to this post except to say that if you are a writer and you're part of a writing chapter - RWA or not - take a moment to tell your officers how much you appreciate what they do for the group. A lot of what happens goes on behind the scenes. The same is true for any organization where the leaders are volunteers. We all know writing is often a lonesome and thankless profession. Sometimes, so is being an officer. So if you haven't hugged a volunteer yet today, go find one. Trust me when I say, you'll make their day.
Luckily, I'm a night owl and I generally get my best writing done after the Gremlins are all in bed. And once all of our changes are in place - new website's up and running, speakers have been scheduled, my VP gets over the excitement of her newfound power - hopefully we'll fall back on maintenance and won't be quite so busy. But between now and then we're all working hard (and probably more than one of my new officers is getting tired of the ten-thousand emails I send out every day).
I'm not sure how any of this happened, but when I was waffling over the decision to run or not, my friend and Intrigue writer, Alice Sharpe, told me it was my Star Wars moment: "This is one of those moments where you have to just step up and face your destiny." I hate to admit it (don't tell her), but she's a very wise woman. Certain people, I think, are destined to pitch in and dig deep when needed (all of my officers are like that). Sometimes they do it because others won't, but deep down I know its because they believe in the cause. They start RWA chapters because they believe writers need that connection with other writers (like Joan did), or they simply have a desire to give back (like any writer who runs for a national RWA office). I'm sure my hubby wishes the hours I've spent so far doing chapter business were bringing money into our bank account (so do I for that matter), but I do believe the long-term benefits will eventually outweigh the time suck I'm experiencing now.
There's no real point to this post except to say that if you are a writer and you're part of a writing chapter - RWA or not - take a moment to tell your officers how much you appreciate what they do for the group. A lot of what happens goes on behind the scenes. The same is true for any organization where the leaders are volunteers. We all know writing is often a lonesome and thankless profession. Sometimes, so is being an officer. So if you haven't hugged a volunteer yet today, go find one. Trust me when I say, you'll make their day.
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 2:36 PM
10 comments
:~: Monday, October 15, 2007 :~:
The First To Fall
I've been reading Susan Elizabeth Phillips lately, specifically her Stars/NFL series which a friend recommended to me. Fun, easy reading, and I really love SEP's characters. While there's generally no suspense (there was a minor suspense thread in the first book of the series), I find myself turning the pages faster and faster to get to the end. A sign of a great writer in my book.After reading several in the series though - and a few of her books out of the series - I realized all of her books follow the same pattern. Guy and girl meet. Guy and girl fight attraction, have sex, deny their feelings, then the heroine realizes she's in love and it takes the hero a while to wise up to reality. In every book the heroine knows first. I suppose that's because generally women are more in touch with their feelings than men are, and often times it takes them a while to catch up to what we already know, but in life that's not always the case. I find myself wanting to read a book of hers where the hero knows he's head-over-heels in love with the heroine and she's the one dragging her feet.
I suppose this has more to do with me than it does what a story calls for. When I look back at my own work, nine times out of ten my hero is the first to fall and my heroine's slow on the uptake. There's just something really sexy about a guy who knows he's found the woman of his dreams and has to convince her of that fact. In fact, I like this concept so much, I'm not even sure I've written a book where the heroine falls first. (I think the proposal I just sent my agent might turn out to be a heroine-falls-first book, but it could very well change as I get more into it.)
What about you? In the books you read or write does the hero fall first or is it the heroine? What kind of stories are you drawn to?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 12:27 PM
11 comments
:~: Monday, October 08, 2007 :~:
Cops, Cops and more Cops
The big joke amongst Joan, Lin and I is that while I write RS like both of them, I'm unique in the fact I don't write about cops. Actually, the truth is I have an aversion to writing about law enforcement (or, LE as Lin calls it). Most of my characters are normal people put into extraordinary circumstances, and while I may have LE (hey, did I use that right?) secondary characters who are important in pushing a story forward, I've (for the most part) avoided writing an entire book with an LE main character. Why? Simple.I don't know nuthin' 'bout cops.
Okay, wait. That's not true. I know probably as much as the next person. I've been pulled over (but never frisked), I had to deal with the Co. Sheriff and the bomb squad in my last job (long story I won't bore you with), and I have a good friend who's married to a state cop. But I don't know enough about police officers to feel as though I can write about them effectively, and for that reason I've steered clear.
Until now.
My local RWA chapter put on a suspense conference on Saturday. We started with a ME and Sheriff's deputy who both work for Search & Rescue. They were funny, informative and easy to talk to. After lunch we had a state police detective who talked to us about crime scenes and procedures and gave us lots of fun slang. And after that we had three assistant district attorneys who took the information we learned earlier in the day and explained how they prosecute a case from the clues the police obtain.
It was informative, insightful and fun. And after the conference I went out to dinner with my friend and her state police husband and couldn't stop asking him questions. He was more than happy to answer anything I came up with, and hopefully one of these days I'll talk him into taking me out the firing range so I can play with his guns. In the meantime, this conference convinced me that I should definitely sign up for the local citizen's police academy to learn more, and in some way it's alleviated my worry about writing about police officers. There's a book I've been putting off writing because the hero is police detective. Maybe after all this I'll finally have the guts to write it.
What about you? Are there any topics you won't touch because you aren't sure you can write them well? And if so, what could you do to alleviate your worries?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 6:28 PM
4 comments
:~: Monday, October 01, 2007 :~:
Slacker With A Capital "S"
She was looking kind of dumb, with her finger and her thumb in the shape of an "L" on her forehead...Be forewarned, people, it's not only for Shrek.
*sigh*
It's 9:17 pm. I knew I needed to blog earlier. I chose not to. I won't apologize. I've done that before. It gets old. I will, however, blame a certain dark-haired diva who has seen fit to torture me by giving me books she knows I will read beginning to end, thereby ignoring everything else in my life - including my computer which I can't live without on a normal day.
I plead insanity. This is what happens when you read a book you've been looking forward to for more months than you can count only to be so thoroughly disappointed you have to read everything else under the sun until you find something that makes you smile again. (No, diva, I won't go into how sucky that ending was again. I know you're sick of hearing me rant about it.) The solution to this problem though has created more havoc - the diva giving me a stack of books - contemporary romances, no less - that I seem to be hellbent on plowing through like there's no tomorrow. No suspense. No blood and guts. No people dying or guns going off or people running for their lives. Not even a hint of paranormal chaos to get my thinking about my recent proposal. No. These are straight forward romances with alpha males and kooky women. I already know how they're going to play out. The couple will meet. One will do something pretty awful to the other. They'll be thrust together. They'll fight. They'll make up. They'll have sex. Someone will cry (I prefer when it's him and not her). One will walk away. Then they'll make up and live happily ever after. And yet I keep reading.
That to me is a sign of a good book. Or series. Or writing. And I've almost forgotten about how horrible that first book was I couldn't wait to read.
I know we talk about suspense a lot here, but do you like to read straight contemporaries? And what do you do when you read a particularly horrific book - esp. when it's something you've been looking forward to? How do you get that awful taste out of your mouth?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 9:15 PM
2 comments
:~: Monday, September 24, 2007 :~:
Shifting Gears
A more apropos title for this blog is Waiting Sucks, but I had a feeling that wouldn't be politically (or writingly?) correct, so I ditched it in favor of what I'm doing. Switching gears while I wait.In the last two weeks I've finished a couple of big projects. Sent a full ms to my agent, which I've yet to hear back on, and finished a proposal I'm very excited about. I sent said proposal to my CPs and want to get their feedback before I zip it off to my agent. (*Ahem* No Pressure or anything girls. Not like I'm waiting with bated breath here or anything....) The problem? The proposal is in a genre I don't normally write, so I don't want to write the full until I get a nod from my agent as to whether or not she thinks it has a chance to sell. It would be a waste of my time. In addition to that, because I just sent her a full, the odds of having her get back to me right away on the proposal are pretty dismal. I'd love to say, "Hey! Read the proposal first and tell me if I should keep going with it!" But I'm not sure that would fly.
So in the meantime, I'm left in a quandary. Keep writing on the proposal and see where it takes me? I'm in that mindset. But what if the idea flops? Then I'm wasting my time. My other option is to totally switch gears and start a new proposal for an RS idea I have. But jumping from one idea/genre to another is messing with me right now, especially when all I want to do is keep working on the first.
This isn't an issue I've really had to deal with before, though I know it's something published authors do all the time. Write a proposal, send it off, wait to hear, work on something else. It's a new concept for me to work around. Just about the time a proposal is done I'm getting to know my characters so well all I want to do is keep writing their story.
How do you write? Do you write proposals or fulls? Do you wait to get a nod, yay or nay, before you move on, or do you not care? Have you ever written a full only to have a CP, agent or editor tell you, after the fact, it didn't work? And if you do write proposals and switch gears as you wait, any tips or tricks for jumping from one project to another so you don't go loco?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 8:00 AM
4 comments
:~: Monday, September 17, 2007 :~:
Levels of Sensuality
J and I were chatting via IM today about our current WIPs. After she dumped me to go pay the bills (apparently bills are more interesting than I am), I sat down to work on my book. The scene I had planned in my head, however, didn't end up the way I'd envisioned.This has happened to me before and I'm sure it's happened to you as well. You have a scene mapped out but when you start writing something happens and the scene goes in a whole new direction. This wasn't quite like that though. No, the scene went where I wanted it to go, it just did it in a very different way than I'd planned.
I consider myself a sexy writer. There's a high level of sensuality in my books, more so the more I write I'm finding out. This book, however, while I knew it was going to be more erotic than the rest, has totally surprised me. The scene I'd planned to be slightly sultry turned very hot, very fast. If someone had told me I was going to write this book this way, I'd have said they were crazy. But for some strange reason, it seems to fit the tone and characters, so I'll probably let it go and see what happens as I get deeper into it (no pun intended there).
It's funny. My CP sent me an older book I'd reworked recently and asked her to read. This morning I had that document open and was looking at her comments. I love this story. The romance is very deep and emotional. But there's only one love scene in the entire book and in all honesty, it's not that hot. But to be truthful, that book didn't need to be hot. The romance didn't call for it. I flipped to the WIP while I was looking at my CPs comments on the older book and choked a laugh. The book I'm working on now is a completely different level of sensuality and yet I love both books and both styles.
What about you? Do your books tend to stay on the same sensuality plane? Or do yours vary from one story to another depending on your characters and what the tone calls for?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 5:56 PM
2 comments
:~: Monday, September 10, 2007 :~:
Theme Songs
I know a lot of writers who can't start a book until they have a title. Some can't write without knowing their characters first, middle and last names. Some can't even begin typing until they've got character sketches done in full. None of those are me.
There is one thing I have to have before I start writing though. A theme song.
Yeah, yeah, I know, call me weird, but with every book I write, there's one song that fits the story to a T. If you listen closely to the lyrics you will see my characters, their struggle and what they're going through. It's different than a playlist. It's one song that is "them". Sometimes I know that song before the story starts, sometimes it comes to me shortly thereafter.
The theme songs for my last few books have been:
DTM:
MMB:
BP:
BTS:
V:
So here I sit, starting a new book. I'm in the middle of chapter two and it's hit me. I don't have a theme song yet! I know before much longer, I'll be on the hunt.
Anyone else out there have theme songs or am I just totally weird? And if you do, share what your theme songs have been.
There is one thing I have to have before I start writing though. A theme song.
Yeah, yeah, I know, call me weird, but with every book I write, there's one song that fits the story to a T. If you listen closely to the lyrics you will see my characters, their struggle and what they're going through. It's different than a playlist. It's one song that is "them". Sometimes I know that song before the story starts, sometimes it comes to me shortly thereafter.
The theme songs for my last few books have been:
DTM:
MMB:
BP:
BTS:
V:
So here I sit, starting a new book. I'm in the middle of chapter two and it's hit me. I don't have a theme song yet! I know before much longer, I'll be on the hunt.
Anyone else out there have theme songs or am I just totally weird? And if you do, share what your theme songs have been.
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 6:43 PM
6 comments
:~: Monday, September 03, 2007 :~:
Happy Labor Day!
Hope everyone had a fabulous end-of-summer bash today. So hard to believe summer is winding down. Where did the time go?
This is my favorite holiday. :) Because it means the kidlets go back to school this week!
Everyone all together now...
Hallelujah!!!!
Funny how times have changed. When I was teaching it used to me my least-fav holiday because it meant my summer was over and I was heading back to work.
What's your favorite holiday and why?
This is my favorite holiday. :) Because it means the kidlets go back to school this week!
Everyone all together now...
Hallelujah!!!!
Funny how times have changed. When I was teaching it used to me my least-fav holiday because it meant my summer was over and I was heading back to work.
What's your favorite holiday and why?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 6:55 PM
3 comments
:~: Monday, August 27, 2007 :~:
Distractions
What kind of writing distractions can you put up with and still be productive? Kids being loud nearby? Dog barking? Cat begging for attention? Can you write with music? The TV on? Noise in the kitchen? Can you keep IM on while you work, can the Internet be on or is that too much of a temptation? Can you tune things out or do distractions drive you wonky?
I'm learning I need quiet to be productive. I need the Internet because as I write I come across stupid research questions like the name of this street or a trendy restaurant in this town. I don't like to come back to those details later. I'd rather get them right in the first draft. I can't really write with music, though music inspires plots and characters in my head before I sit and write. The dog barking makes me want to slit my wrists, the kids screaming is too much for me to handle and as for the cat? Well, thank God we don't have one. In the evenings when the house is quiet and I CAN write, I do occasionally keep IM on so I can bug my CPs with research questions that pop up. And of course, there's always that food in the kitchen tempting me to give up the writing and go get a snack...
So how many distractions - and what kinds - can you handle and still be productive?
I'm learning I need quiet to be productive. I need the Internet because as I write I come across stupid research questions like the name of this street or a trendy restaurant in this town. I don't like to come back to those details later. I'd rather get them right in the first draft. I can't really write with music, though music inspires plots and characters in my head before I sit and write. The dog barking makes me want to slit my wrists, the kids screaming is too much for me to handle and as for the cat? Well, thank God we don't have one. In the evenings when the house is quiet and I CAN write, I do occasionally keep IM on so I can bug my CPs with research questions that pop up. And of course, there's always that food in the kitchen tempting me to give up the writing and go get a snack...
So how many distractions - and what kinds - can you handle and still be productive?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 9:40 PM
7 comments
:~: Thursday, August 23, 2007 :~:
Just For Fun
I know many of you have seen this before, but it's been a while for me, and I was in the mood for a good laugh. Lots of new covers posted, so be sure to continue to scroll down if you want a good chuckle.
Longmire Does Romance Novels
Also be sure to take a look at these extra submissions turned in by readers. What a hoot!
Longmire Does Romance Novels
Also be sure to take a look at these extra submissions turned in by readers. What a hoot!
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 4:45 PM
1 comments
:~: Monday, August 20, 2007 :~:
Self-Inflicted Torture
It's official. After this book is done, I am never EVER writing another reunion story.Ugh. I'm losing eyelashes right and left.
Any other writers out there have trouble with these stories? Reunion stories are my FAV's to read. I love them. There's something magical about two people who found love, lost it and then found it again together. You can't help but root for a hero who lost the woman he loved and realizes she's the only one in the world for him. Writing them though? Ack! A whole different story.
The WIP is a classic reunion story. Lots of mistrust. Lots of heartache over something that happened in the past. Lots of misunderstanding that, had the hero and heroine really known each other the first time, never would have been an issue. Because I've read so many different reunion stories, I know there are as many varied ways to write a reunion story as there are reunion stories out there. Some writers use flashbacks. Some weave backstory in with "memory" paragraphs here and there. Some start a book in the past, write the past as the present for a few chapters then skip ahead to the present and the real story when they get back together. Still others weave the two together.
One of the most compelling reunion stories I read was To The Brink by Cindy Gerard. A divorced woman is kidnapped and the only man she can turn to to save her is her ex-husband. In order to understand their romance though and invest the reader in the story, the writer blended the past and present. She'd write one chapter in the present (as the hero's trying to save her), one in the past that chronicled their love affair. It sounds odd, but I found myself turning pages faster and faster. I needed to know what happened in the present and how he rescued her. I needed to know how they fell in love and ultimately what broke them up because his desire to rescue her in the present was so strong. I'd never read a book written that way, but it totally worked.
As I sit here working on my self-inflicted torture device (AKA: The book from hell), I'm seriously contemplating how I'm getting the past into the present. At the moment I have those pesky memory/internal paragraphs as each character thinks back about the other. I even have (gasp!) a flashback here or there. Purists will say both of these techniques slow pacing, but in a reunion story, I think you have to use what works. If your readers aren't interested in the characters' first love affair and knowing why it ended, they aren't going to be interested in the current one.
So, what's your preference...as both a reader and writer? Do you read or write reunion stories? What have you found that works? What have you found that doesn't work?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 10:15 AM
2 comments
:~: Monday, August 13, 2007 :~:
Ack! Is it Monday Already?
I can't believe it's Monday already. Okay, correction. I can't believe it's nearly Tuesday already. My life - which explains my late blog - is in a tailspin. Why, you ask???? One answer: Gremlin #3.*sigh*
The littlest Gremlin is 2.5. Oh, yes. He's smack-dab in the midst of the terrible twos. I know those of you with older kids will laugh and smile and tell me I have no idea how bad it gets when you have teenagers (I do know, actually, since I taught junior high for nine years), but let me tell you, at this point, I would gladly take three teens in exchange for the two-year-old tornado.
What, pray tell, has me in such a tither? The changing of the bedrooms. This weekend we took down the crib and moved the boys into a room together, complete with bunk beds and "boy" stuff. Gremlin #3 slept in a big bed the whole time we were on vacation and he was an angel. I thought it would be an easy transition. Obviously, I thought wrong. Oh no, now that we're home, he doesn't want to stay in his bed. Nap time consists of me laying down with him for an hour to get him to fall asleep. Bedtime isn't much better. In fact, right now it's 10PM and guess where Gremlin #3 is? Yup. Sitting here next to me, watching as I type. And if that weren't bad enough, Gremlin #2 has been beside himself because he doesn't want to share a room with the "baby" who talks and cries all the time.
Calgon, take me away!
But, Elisabeth, you say, you have three Gremlins. You've been through this before. This is nothing new! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. I know there's a training phase associated with transitioning into a new room and a new bed. However, it's severely cutting into my writing time because I write when he naps and after they all go to bed. And since we moved him, I just haven't been able to write at all. Either I have forgotten how bad it really was with the other two, or my patience has reached its end.
I am in awe of women who have four, five, six kids and are still able to write or have a sane life. I was shaking my head in amazement last week at the woman in Arkansas who just gave birth to #17. I have no idea how she does it.
There's no real message here today, but if you have stay-sane-while-the-kids-are-little advice, I could surely use it. ;)
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 9:53 PM
4 comments
:~: Monday, August 06, 2007 :~:
How Involved Are You?
I spent last weekend updating the blog template for another blog I'm a part of, the Mid-Willamette RWA blog. (By the way, Saturday I posted pictures there from my trip to Nationals, in case you're interested.) With so much happening within our group - sales, news, etc - overseeing the blog is quickly becoming a full-time job. I'm also the secretary for my local RWA chapter, and while that doesn't require a ton of time outside the meetings, there are several things I'm responsible for (like finalizing the "scenario" for our upcoming Fall Whoodunit Workshop - which I still need to do.) Elections are also coming up this fall and I have repeatedly been asked to step into the VP roll, and repeatedly, I have declined, only because the way our Bylaws are set up, a "yes" also means assuming the presidency for one year when the VP position is over. Could I do it? Sure. I could. I might even enjoy it. But my family and my writing would suffer right now.Over and over I am amazed at what my writer friends are tackling outside their own writing. Joan, for example, is starting her own local RWA chapter because there isn't one in her area. Karin Tabke recently took on the presidency roll for her local chapter, amidst all her deadlines even. Trish Milburn has been an awesome PRO liason at the National level (and recently sold her first two books. Way to go, Trish!), and still other well-known authors - like previous president Gail Wilson - have served RWA at the National level when they could be using that time to write their latest novels.
This year - I think especially this year because of all the hullaballoo about the new RWA recognition standards - I've read a lot of negatives about RWA as a whole. Epub authors are upset about the changes to the recognized publishers, erotica authors are upset at the lack of recognition they receive within the organization, historical authors are up in arms about the changes to the GH/Ritas. As someone who's involved in RWA at the local level though, I want to point out that being involved is a big chore. Those of us who are don't do it for glory or fame or recognition. We do it because we love writing and the goal of RWA, which is to promote women writers in the publishing marketplace. If you are unhappy with what is happening within RWA, I will say this to you simply: GET INVOLVED. The only way to make changes is to do it from within, not to sit on the sidelines and complain when decisions are made that don't go your way.
My roll as secretary is coming to an end, but I'll probably be running for Treasurer this fall so I can remain on our local board and stay involved. I want to be a part of the decision making process, not a bystander on the side. We all have limits, and for me, right now with three small kids at home, this is my limit. It doesn't mean I won't ever take on a bigger roll, but I'm happy there are others who can. Being involved doesn't mean you have to run for a national position, or that you have to start your own chapter, it does mean that you have to put yourself out there though and do something more.
So share. How involved are you in RWA or any other writing organization? Why or why not?
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 9:29 AM
11 comments
:~: Monday, July 30, 2007 :~:
Ideas in The Most Unlikely Places
First off, big apologies for not blogging last Monday. I was on a family vacation, and when I realized I'd forgotten to arrange a stand-in for my blog day, it was too late.Speaking of vacations though, that's a good segue into my topic today. Which is having book ideas strike in unlikely places. Last week the family and I were here (see side photo): Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Now, I tend to think the phrase family vacation is about the biggest oxymoron on the planet, because a vacation with small kids is no vacation at all for the parents. It's work most of the time. But we did manage to have a really great time, and because we had extended family around us, it made for an even greater time.
Normally on vacation, I get my best book ideas. Sitting on a lounge chair on the beach, drink in hand, soaking up the sun while I listen to the ebb and flow of the surf always switches the creative side of my brain into gear. I LOVE vacation just to sit and think. This vacation though? Not so much brain activity going on. We were chasing kids out of the surf so they wouldn't get sucked out to sea, herding the 2 yr old so he didn't disappear down the beach following sea gulls, slathering on sunscreen so my oh-so-white-rarely-see-the-sun children didn't fry to a crisp, visiting with the relatives, playing baseball on the sand and building sand alligators (and castles and moats and digging gigantic holes). So, in a nutshell, very little time to sit and ponder my current book or any new book ideas. However, just being out of my normal routine seems to have worked, and the experiences we had - good and bad - have been percolating in my brain as possible upcoming book ideas.
For example. One night my hubby and I joined my two cousins and their husbands on a casino cruise that left out of North Myrtle Beach. The brochure read: Gambling, buffet dinner and a sunset cruise. Sounded like fun to us. Until we saw the boat. (See picture.) Um, defin
itely not a Norwegian Cruise Liner. I think this boat had to be at least 50 yrs old inside and out. It smelled of stale cigarettes, and rocked side to side worse than any dingy I've ever been on. And the buffet dinner? Chef Boyardee spaghetti, wilted lettuce and fried pork chops. Being from the west coast, I can honestly say I've never had a fried pork chop, and probably wouldn't have if I hadn't been starving. But the combo - spaghetti and fried pork chops - just added to the whole atmosphere and I found myself wondering what we'd signed up for. But then my cousin's husband commented that the boat would be so easy to rob, and suddenly book ideas were going off in my head.Another book idea struck while we were here: Broadway at the Beach. Think of Downtown Disney in Orlando and you have a good idea of Broadway at the Beach. Restaurants, shopping, rides, entertainment and about twenty million people. While waiting for my cousin, we somehow managed to lose our youngest in the crowd (he's two, super fast and
very independent). I have to say, that was the scariest moment of my life. The kid just disappeared. Luckily, we found him about five minutes later, hanging out in a t-shirt shop we'd popped into momentarily a few moments before. He was kicked back on a sofa, shoes off, talking to the sales girls. This experience stuck with me though because I have a book about halfway finished which deals with a missing child. And though I NEVER want anyone to experience the fear when you lose a child, even for a moment, it gave me incredible insight into what that particular book is missing. I had new scenes and character emotions firing off in my head.Other ideas struck simply from people watching. One lady was dressed to the nines, waiting for her plane to Atlanta. I hate sitting on a plane, so why would someone get so dressed up to simply sit there for almost two hours? And what was waiting for her in Atlanta? Another woman kept giving me dirty looks on the plane when my 2 yr old was simply talking (okay, he talks loud, but come on, he's a kid). Why does she hate children so much? And still another idea popped into my head when we had a very scary landing back in Portland and I saw how stressed out (and relieved) other passengers were.
So where do you get your best ideas? At home? On vacation? Going about your daily duties or in unique places? And if you ever had an experience that birthed a book idea, I'd love to hear it.
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 8:26 AM
10 comments
:~: Monday, July 16, 2007 :~:
Conference Wrap-Up
Hi-ho from the wilds of Oregon! I'm home from Nationals in Dallas, and so glad to be back in the Pacific Northwest. I always love traveling, but coming home - especially after an exhausting (but good!) conference - is the best feeling.
I could go on and on about the workshops I attended, about everything I learned from this pub or that pub, but I thought instead I'd give you my top ten Dallas moments you probably won't read anywhere else. (Sorry I don't have pictures. My camera battery died and my roommates took all the pictures - which I haven't received in my email yet.)
Top 10 Dallas Moments
10. The Literacy Signing. I always love talking to my favorite authors and this year was no exception. Sherrilyn Kenyon knows how to wear a hat. ;)
9. The Forensics Workshops. There were a few this time. I got some great information and lists of resources.
8. Free Books! This time I was smart and brought an extra bag just for books. (And man, was it a bitch to haul through the airport.) Some will go to my chapter for our Fall Conference. Some will go right into my TBR piles. :)
7. Meeting some of my online friends in person. Edie Ramer, Karmela Johnson, Lexi Connor. It's so awesome to put faces with names, and these ladies are the up-and-comers. Names to watch for in the future. Their enthusiasm is palpable.
6. All the new friends I made. Shelby Reed, Delilah Ahrendt, Kristina McMorris, Lynda Gayle, JT Bock, Marcia Harris. The list goes on and on. I made so many new friends, and I can't wait to see all of their careers take off.
5. Hanging with my roomies. I love these girls! We stayed up late every night, got way too little sleep and were tired every morning, but it was well worth it. They are da bomb. (And remember girls, what happens in Dallas stays in Dallas.)
4. Having dinner with the other GH Finalists. What a great group of women. I wanted all of them to win.
3. Michael Hauge's workshop on plotting and character arcs. Oh. My. God. If you EVER have a chance to take a Michael Hauge workshop...DO IT. I would never have gone if my roommate hadn't taken his Saturday morning workshop, and I really didn't expect to stay through the afternoon one, especially since it was standing room only (and I was standing). But...wow. I had about 12 aha! moments listening to his workshop, never once looked at my watch, and didn't even care that my feet were killing me until after the session was over. It was head and shoulders above any other workshop I attended the entire week. So good in fact, it made the $325 conference registration worth it.
2. Meeting my agent face-to-face. I know there are authors who never meet their agent face-to-face, and I'm sure they have great relationships, but there's something about meeting your agent in the flesh that changes everything. You just can't read body language and enthusiasm over email (or even the phone) the way you can in person. And I gotta say, I love my agent!
1. Being a GH finalist. I'm a realist. I know being a GH finalist doesn't mean much outside the organization, but I'm really glad I went to Nationals because I finaled. It was the catalyst that pushed me into going. Someone told me you're treated like a princess when you're a finalist, and I have to say, that's pretty much true (though your roommates will give you a hard time about it. LOL). I met so many people I might not otherwise have met, I was included in parties I wouldn't have been invited to, and when my name was announced during the awards ceremony and I heard whoops and hollers instead of just the standard clapping, I can't even begin to tell you how warm and fuzzy that made me feel inside. Even though I didn't win my category, it was an honor just to be nominated. (And that's no bull, I really really REALLY mean it.)
If you went to Dallas, I'd love to hear your top ten moments. If you didn't, share what you did this week. I need to catch up!
I could go on and on about the workshops I attended, about everything I learned from this pub or that pub, but I thought instead I'd give you my top ten Dallas moments you probably won't read anywhere else. (Sorry I don't have pictures. My camera battery died and my roommates took all the pictures - which I haven't received in my email yet.)
Top 10 Dallas Moments
10. The Literacy Signing. I always love talking to my favorite authors and this year was no exception. Sherrilyn Kenyon knows how to wear a hat. ;)
9. The Forensics Workshops. There were a few this time. I got some great information and lists of resources.
8. Free Books! This time I was smart and brought an extra bag just for books. (And man, was it a bitch to haul through the airport.) Some will go to my chapter for our Fall Conference. Some will go right into my TBR piles. :)
7. Meeting some of my online friends in person. Edie Ramer, Karmela Johnson, Lexi Connor. It's so awesome to put faces with names, and these ladies are the up-and-comers. Names to watch for in the future. Their enthusiasm is palpable.
6. All the new friends I made. Shelby Reed, Delilah Ahrendt, Kristina McMorris, Lynda Gayle, JT Bock, Marcia Harris. The list goes on and on. I made so many new friends, and I can't wait to see all of their careers take off.
5. Hanging with my roomies. I love these girls! We stayed up late every night, got way too little sleep and were tired every morning, but it was well worth it. They are da bomb. (And remember girls, what happens in Dallas stays in Dallas.)
4. Having dinner with the other GH Finalists. What a great group of women. I wanted all of them to win.
3. Michael Hauge's workshop on plotting and character arcs. Oh. My. God. If you EVER have a chance to take a Michael Hauge workshop...DO IT. I would never have gone if my roommate hadn't taken his Saturday morning workshop, and I really didn't expect to stay through the afternoon one, especially since it was standing room only (and I was standing). But...wow. I had about 12 aha! moments listening to his workshop, never once looked at my watch, and didn't even care that my feet were killing me until after the session was over. It was head and shoulders above any other workshop I attended the entire week. So good in fact, it made the $325 conference registration worth it.
2. Meeting my agent face-to-face. I know there are authors who never meet their agent face-to-face, and I'm sure they have great relationships, but there's something about meeting your agent in the flesh that changes everything. You just can't read body language and enthusiasm over email (or even the phone) the way you can in person. And I gotta say, I love my agent!
1. Being a GH finalist. I'm a realist. I know being a GH finalist doesn't mean much outside the organization, but I'm really glad I went to Nationals because I finaled. It was the catalyst that pushed me into going. Someone told me you're treated like a princess when you're a finalist, and I have to say, that's pretty much true (though your roommates will give you a hard time about it. LOL). I met so many people I might not otherwise have met, I was included in parties I wouldn't have been invited to, and when my name was announced during the awards ceremony and I heard whoops and hollers instead of just the standard clapping, I can't even begin to tell you how warm and fuzzy that made me feel inside. Even though I didn't win my category, it was an honor just to be nominated. (And that's no bull, I really really REALLY mean it.)
If you went to Dallas, I'd love to hear your top ten moments. If you didn't, share what you did this week. I need to catch up!
Labels: Elisabeth's Posts
posted by Elisabeth Naughton at 9:17 AM
14 comments