Story Ideas

If you read my post yesterday, you know I'm in sunny (not) Tampa. Well, it was probably sunny before I arrived. I have ultimately decided that I am the bad weather bringer. No sooner had the plane landed that it clouded up. I got to the hotel, checked email, unpacked, etc and it was still rumbling. I checked my watch and decided I might run out and grab an early supper and try to beat the rain - ha. I was about a mile from the hotel when the bottom dropped out. And where was my umbrella, you ask - back at the hotel. This, is very typical of my luck lately.

Which led me to thinking about story ideas. Sure, everyone says there is no relation to people they know, blah, blah, blah, but is that really true? Let's face it, for a book to have any depth, writers are playing every character in the story. So in a way, everyone is based on us. My book due out in October is even more so than basic resemblance and I thought I'd share the story with you.

Back in 2000, my husband and I made plans to get married in Las Vegas. I was working contract at the time, and had the flexibility to take a couple of months off work. I am sort of a math geek (dad is engineer + mom is accountant = really good math dna) so I decided to try to break the house on blackjack. I got software, read books, and generally studied and practiced for over a month. I knew every combination of cards between me and the dealer and what the best statistical play was. I could utilize a simple card-counting method on up to six decks of cards.

But I couldn't win.

If I had 19, the dealer had 20. If I had 20, the dealer had 21 - and on and on. To make matters worse, if I sit down at a table, everyone loses. I'm not even allowed to stand next to my husband (who is silly lucky at blackjack), when he is playing.

So when RWA conference was in Reno, I was meeting with my agent and she asked if I'd been gambling. I told her not really and relayed my Vegas story. She laughed and said "you know, there's a book in there somewhere." And so after much thought, UNLUCKY was born.

The funny thing is, at the time I wrote the proposal, I hadn't even heard of the word "cooler" much less seen the movie. My good friend, Diana Peterfreund, told me to work the word into my proposal and I (not wanting to look like an idiot), googled it to find out what the heck she was talking about. Low and behold, I found that if things don't pan out with this corporate training gig, I could have a covert career as a card cooler.

I have yet to actually get a casino employee to admit that cooler exist, but then why would they? All I know, is I switched to poker shortly thereafter. I'd like to say it went fine, but well, let's just say I'm back on slots. :)

Manic Monday

It's Monday again and I swear I don't feel like I've slept for a month. Well, maybe I haven't - not that good sleep anyway. So I wrapped up conference yesterday and am rushing around this morning like a chicken with my head cut off. Why, you ask - because I have to catch a flight at noon.

Yes, I haven't even unpacked my conference clothes and I'm throwing things into a carry-on for another training trip. I'm off to Tampa today, so I'm going to try not to complain as I really love Florida. I just wish I wasn't so tired, or sleepy. Maybe I can find a place to have dinner at the beach and that should make it all better.

I have goals for this week: Turn in my galleys (kinda have to do that one if I want any changes made), and polish and turn in my proposal to Kristin for submission to Leah.

I'll keep you posted on how I'm doing. For now, I'm off to print out a boarding pass - Hooray for first class upgrades!

More tomorrow from sunny Tampa.

Friday at Conference

Today is Saturday, right????? Okay, then what the heck did I do Friday?

Worked on galleys, I remember that part. Went to a workshop on visualization by my absolute favorite author Stephanie Bond. Had the Dorchester dinner last night. They always do a fabulous job with our dinners. It's always a cool, fun restaurant with great food and service and everyone has a blast. After that went with some friend up the tower ball (it's one of those revolving restaurant/bar things) and had champagne. Then changed clothes and went back to the bar to visit with more friends.

Finally went to the room sometime around 1:00, maybe. Got up this morning for breakfast - barely. And am trying to ready myself for another day.

So sorry this post is short and not as informative, but I am dragging butt - and for those of you who know me - that's a lot of baggage. :)

More tomorrow!

Thursday of Conference

Thursday of conference began with another expensive/non-tasty breakfast. But I met some people at the restaurant since we opted to share a table to get food (mostly coffee) faster. Also sharing the table was fellow Dorchester author, Lois Winston, and an author I've read but hadn't met before, Caridad Pineiro. After breakfast, I tried to get a bit of work on galleys and managed a whole chapter - I'm not exactly tearing them up here.

Lunch was RWA hosted and the guest speaker was Lisa Kleypas who was fab. She was so funny and so right about romance writers and the way we're perceived by the non-romance reading populas. I would love to have a script of her speech. Hmmmm, wonder if I can get one somewhere.

After lunch, I hung out with some of my friends and fellow DARA members then headed off to drinks with my agent at 3:30. Did not get much accomplished at our meeting because people have absolutely no manners. Here's a piece of advice for conference goers. If you see two people sitting a bit apart from others, even at a crowded bar, and one of them has on a name badge that says "Editor" or "Agent" they are having a meeting with a client. Do NOT speak to them. If you are looking to make an impression on said editor/agent, you just did, but it wasn't the one you wanted to make. I know some people don't realize this is the case, but people really need to exercise a bit more common sense. So we discussed absolutely nothing of value due to interruptions or people just hanging over my shoulder because they wanted to get in the conversation - and I do mean literally - I could feel them breathing.

My dinner with my editor, Leah Hultenschmidt, was soooooooo much nicer. Why, you ask. Well, for one - we left the hotel. We went down to the West End and ate at a place called Gators (which was very appropriate for a meeting with me), and Leah got to eat some fried alligator, which she liked. We had a great discussion about writing, my next proposal, marketing, books we read, movies we love and a host of other things. She is so much fun to talk to and the time just flew.

Back at the hotel, I headed to Moonlight Madness (which is a trade show of goodies) and picked up a T-shirt that has a cute quip about being a writer. I figure I'll wear it in airports and stir up more business. Then I ran into friends and headed to the bar. Ended up meeting with new Dorchester author and Nelson Agency client, Leslie Langtry, and her husband and had a blast. Leslie's debut is just about to release and she's one of the mystery/hybrid girls. Her first is called 'Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy, and is going to be great fun! Kathleen Bacus, who writes the Calamity Jayne series for Dorchester also joined us for a while and we had a great chat.

Finally had to call it quits around 12:30 and went back to the room to crash. I said I was going to sleep late today and by God, I managed 7:00! Cindy is still snoring. :)

More tomorrow!