In the Land of Proposal Hell

Long time no post, but then what else is new. I keep promising I will do a better job blogging but seem to loose track of time.

The good news is, I will be sending my proposal for romance #2 out to my agent this morning. The bad news is, she is tough and I'm nervous about her reading my idea. The other bad news is, I had to write a long synopsis! Me! A panster! Oh, the agony, the despair. How in the world was I supposed to tell an editor how my book will end when I don't know how they end until I write them.

I finally figured that's why they call it fiction and I reserve the artistic license to change the storyline as I see fit when I complete the book. It sounds good in theory anyway.

Some friends of mine are doing NaNoWriMo and I've been sorely tempted but the problem is, I'm right at the end of a paranormal (only lack 30 pages or so) and I want to get that out before year end (that darned accounting day job makes January hell), so I literally don't have 50k words I need to write at the moment. I'm kind of bummed because they'll all get to party and celebrate (or hide in shame) and I won't be part of it. Maybe I'll plan better for next year.

The Full-Length Mirror Syndrome

Okay, I've tried to be polite. I've tried to ignore what is happening in society, but every time I step out into public it was glaring at me, taunting me to shout out an opinion.......or run off screaming in terror.

It's the Full-Length Mirror Syndrome.

C'mon. Admit it. You've seen someone who has it. At some point and time all of us had the unfortunate occurance to view someone in public and blanch, thinking "she must not have a full-length at home or certainly she would not have left the house looking that way."

Now, I'm not a small girl myself, so I'm not only talking about heavy people, but let's pick on them first. Being a bit past buxom myself, I feel I can speak personally and correctly on the subject of how larger people should present themselves in public.

Rule #1 - Just because you can fit in it, does not mean you should wear it. One size does not fit all. C'mon now! You know it's true. Spandex just wasn't meant for everyone. In fact, spandex hardly looks good on anyone. Unless you are emaciated AND dehydrated, do not wear spandex for a fashion statement anywhere but the gym. And at the gym, cover it up with a long T-shirt.

Rule #2 - A belly shirt does not imply that your belly should be hanging out of it. No one wants to see a roll of jiggly fat. If you've got a six-pack, then by all means show it off - you've earned it. If you've consumed one too many six-packs, keep the results to yourself.

General Rule for all to follow:

Rule #1 - If you are thin enough to wear T-backs poking out of a pair of hip-hugging jeans, make sure they ARE T-backs. Full size granny panties hung over a slab of denim is not fashionable, attractive or the least bit cool. (I swear, I've seen it people!)

Rule #2 - Only one in a hundred thousand people look good in a bikini past the age of 18. Get a second opinion before you go into public wearing one. On an aside - men never look good or very masculine in a bikini. I think maybe it's the top........

Rule #3 - Back hair on women is not fashionable anywhere in the world that I'm aware of. So if you're unfortunate to have it and too foolish to remove it, please cover it up.

So the next time you go out the front door, ask yourself "is everyone looking at me because I'm a hot broad, or have I commited a full-length mirror felony?"

The answer may surprise you.

The Power of the Pen

Three years ago five women met online in the harlequin boards. They all aspired to write for the new Bombshell line (among other aspirations) and a couple of them got the great idea to form a private group off the boards so they could "talk turkey."

So began "The Bombshellers."

Well, the Bombshell Line evolved and changed and the women moved on to other things, but they kept their group and their friendship. The first sale came when Wendy Roberts sold her chick lit mystery to RDI, and The Bombshellers were celebrated online and started the tradition of the selling writer buying dinner for everyone at National. They also started another tradition - the tradition of the pen.

When Wendy sold, The Bombshellers wanted to get her a gift and one member had a connection with a guy who custom made pens of incredible beauty and all one-of-a-kind. So they pitched in, got the pen, and another tradition was born.

Next came a sale by Diana Peterfreund (at auction, no less) and thus came another dinner at National in Reno and another pen.

I sold this past month and wondered what the rest of them would do since the "pen guy" is a friend of mine and my husbands. Well, sneaky, sneaky, sneaky - Diana called me on my cell phone on night to "chat" long enough for Elly to call my husband on the home phone and get the information for Brian, the pen artist.

Last night my husband and I had dinner with Brian and he brought out the pens. I was excited already about getting one, but you could have blown me away when he said "This is a gift from your writing friends. For you, pick any one you want."

So now, I have a beautiful pen and that's a wonderful thing. But it's what the pen represents that makes it even more valuable than all the intricate work that went into it. That pen represents a dream we all set out to accomplish and the love and support of The Bombshellers, who have been there to prop each other up when things were going bad and cheer when things were going good. It represents everything that is "right" with humanity and quite frankly, something this cynical person thought didn't exist any more.

The Power of the Pen is an incredible thing.

Check out a Bombsheller at National next year. We'll all have our pens with us. We use them to sign contracts and for booksignings, and to constantly remind us of where we came from and the huge things we've accomplished - all with the support of friends.

A fourth member, Colleen Gleason, just sold. Looks like there will be two dinners in Atlanta. And the Bombshellers now sit at an 80% sell rate. Not bad for five women with a dream......