SHE WROTE: Living the Dream in Atlanta
I know I haven't blogged. I"m working here.
But here for your enjoyment are two pictures from our YEX & Violence speech. Bob's speaking. I'm listening.
posted by Jenny @ 6:57 PM 208 comments 
He Wrote, She Wrote
In 2005, Bob Mayer and Jenny Crusie wrote Don't Look Down without killing each other, a miracle in itself. "He Wrote, She Wrote" is the continuing saga of their partnership during 2006, the Year From Hell, promoting DLD (out April 4) and writing their next work of genius, Agnes and the Hitman. 
Warning: Some Violence and Much Strong Language.
Monday, August 07, 2006
But here for your enjoyment are two pictures from our YEX & Violence speech. Bob's speaking. I'm listening.
208 Comments:
Yep. That's exactly how they did it. A lot of YEX and Violence in that room, I tell you.
Good thing there are pictures, cause I could hardly see at the time what with all the tears of mirth.
bw
I am SO going to National next year. :)
Jenny, were you covering your eyes to hold in the tears of hysteria? Or because you didn't want to watch the train wreck? Or was it sheer embarrassment? If embarrassment, for whom?
I really want to know what Bob was saying to cause this reaction.
ncessu -- Internet shorthand for "Into the cesspool you go!"
Love the pics! LMAO.
From the looks of things, maybe that water pitcher should have been a little bit farther away from Jenny. Gives whole new meaning to the phrase what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.
Funny. Jennys reaction is much like my DDs when I speak. Maybe we're related.
lbooth
Gosh Jenny - You look like you're having so much fun!! :)
Caption on photo to left: "It's really important that you set the stage for your novel with a prologue."
Caption on photo to right: "Once you've done that, I suggest that you include as much background material, in the form of an info dump, as you possibly can."
even her short posts are great.
"Bob's speaking. I'm listening."
i love that she thinks she needs to clarify that!
Hmmmm, I was there, I remember this. I think this is where Bob was talking about some Army stuff, I think CARVE? Creditability, Accountability, Recoupability, Vunerability and Effect? Did I get those right? See, I was listening to you Bob, and not just Jenny. And then in the middle of my notes I wrote "And Bob said, BTW, Prnicess is back." This must be where Jenny covered her eyes. Or maybe it was when Bob mentioned something about men, a warm body, and the warm body was there, so well they you know, and then he shurgged. Not to mention he said that men wouldn't notice the mosiqetos during those other scenes.
Either way, they were both just fantastic. Not only where they entertaining, but informative and I learned more from that two hour lecture then from most all day lectures. Bob and Jenny, hats off to you both. You two are truly amazing and very talented. And I'm not just saying that. Well, maybe I am, but well, nope, I mean it.
I'm trying to remember, too... I think this was after Bob made Jenny go stand behind a column for a while because she kept interrupting him with snarky comments. But before the part where Jenny was talking about why women fight (her story about breaking up fights in middle school was priceless) and she said that she'd kill anyone who so much as touched her daughter. So of course Bob gets this mischieveous smirk on his face and walks over to Mollie (who was taking the pictures) and pokes her in the arm. It's ok, I don't think he used his pinky. You should have seen Jenny's face. I thought that was the end for The GAM. And of course Mollie just stood there with a "I am so highly amused by these children" look on her face. LMAO.
Ten minutes after these pictures, the roles were reversed and Jenny was up there explaining YEX and Bob was face down on the table.
It was the blog come to life. I wish you all could have been there. Can you imagine?
bw
Jenny, Jenny, Jenny--I TOLD YOU NOT TO EAT THE COLESLAW!!!
zaegts -- Zut alors! Est-elle Ginèvre tres spooked?
I can, looking att he photos, see the Bob is talking part. But, Jenny, "listening"? Is that what they are calling it now?
jphyk: Just plain hold your kitastrophe
Best pics EVER.
BCB said "her story about breaking up fights in middle school was priceless"
did you learn nothing from the Princess J event? you have to tell us this stuff. i have to go to nationals next year. i do. i can't wait till SF '08.
you guys are awesome.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words...amen!!
In pic one, Bob is talking about Princess in her pink t-shirt, "they are this big." And Jenny's thinking I can't believe he said that.
In the second pic Bob's explaining how Shane has to take one for the team, in the form of boinking Princess. And Jenny's hiding her face so we can't see her warming up her death ray eyes.
The man's in big trouble.
Jenny's doing something. I'm not sure listening covers it.
G&T
llgwhvu
mother of god, I'M ON THE ROAD. I can't work with this stuff in a Comfort Inn room.
Ahhhh...
I knew that our Bob could do that YEC and YEX stuff.
I'm not sure that Jenny believes him.
Especially in the left pix.
He's hopeless in the right.
red nebkbszm
now even Bob keeps Bob sane, zizzling moments
b'gina: LMAO.
my mom just discovered a new book store. hear that Jenny? now there's even more places to buy the books that are making you twitch.
this is sad. three posts out of 18. got to stop.
eisfgolm: every icky Steven finds golem.
Sitting at LAX waiting to board. Love the photos. I enjoyed the small amount of this workshop that I got to hear, had to leave for agent/editor appts. and was really ticked off that I had to go. I've never heard the entire thing. Will have to listen to the CD.
The relationship between him and her, she and he,is priceless.
I'm gonna miss you guys.
rg
bthwdmc
by the way did my cat (come home?)
bon cheri bomb said...
"she said that she'd kill anyone who so much as touched her daughter. So of course Bob gets this mischieveous smirk on his face and walks over to Mollie (who was taking the pictures) and pokes her in the arm."
*Giggling*
b'gina said...
"In pic one, Bob is talking about Princess in her pink t-shirt, "they are this big." And Jenny's thinking I can't believe he said that."
LMAO!!!
*sigh*
Is there a dummies guide around here somewhere on how to make the font bold or in italics (or whatever you call it)? :(
B'gina - Oh my! They are this big? That is just classic! Poor Bob, we really like to give the guy a hard time, don't we?
Ha! BCB - I'm going to rat on you! :) You see, Jenny used to be a middle school teacher (me I was a HS teacher, but man, I can relate to this story). Anyway, whenever two boys would get into a fist fight, Jenny had no problems going over and breaking it up. The boys would actually look at her and practically thank her for breaking it up. Then they would go about their way. But when girls got physical, watch out, and stay away. No way would Jenny get inbetween two girls going at it. You ask why?
Women have to overcome taboos to fight, they are violating rules, so watch out because they've snapped. Or turn this around...
Men carry a lot of baggage into fights, women carry that same baggage into sex.
This is where Jenny made the comment about what what might motivate a women to fight - like don't ever touch my daughter. Yes, Bob was very smug when he went over to Mollie (what a beautiful child Jenny has), and poked Mollie in the arm then looked at Jenny like, come on, Jenny, bring it on. Jenny dealt with him later.
Okay, time to take kid to hockey practice, this is just cruel.
Love the pics!! Great stuff - thanks, Jenny! Ya know I'm thinking in Jenny's next book there might be a character named Bob who gets bumped off really early on.
Jen said ... Women have to overcome taboos to fight, they are violating rules, so watch out because they've snapped.
So true. Also, I read once that men have an unwritten code about fighting correctly, whereas women don't bother with rules. We just rip off their faces and get it over with.
ERICA to bold or italiceze or that underliny blue thingie ...
first you type a < then a i (or b or a) then a >
then you type the word/phrase you want emphasized
then you 'close it off' by typing < then / then i then >
You must insert the "/" when you close off
Oh boy I've missed popping in and commenting. I've only had time to just pop in and see if a new post is up. It has taken all my self control not to hit the little comments sign in the bottom right hand corner, sitting there, winking at me, taunting me....
On top of conference stuff - 3 pages of rewrites from my ed - argh!!! Need that like a hole in the head.
But hey, I get to see rg soon - yeh!! My very first real live cherry bomb meeting.
Love the photos. Good body language. Just like an old married couple - who occasionally want to do each other in - no, jeez, not like that - and email each other from the next room because they cant stand the sight of each other anymore.
Carry on....
yxpfx - yex with a bit of disdainful yex thrown in too
Gigglesnort.
I'm sorry missed going this year ; ;
Looks like everyone had the time of their lives, even if they were trying not look at the person speaking ^.^
I love this blog! Keep writing :-)
Finally Jen-T and BCB, we're getting some real Nationals Scoop on the J&B, B&J show.
These pics are hilarious. Wonder if Mollie is planning to put any up on any of the sites?
Maybe I'll work now.
jcgown - Jenny caught groaning over wonky narrative
Hey, I wasn't holding out on you guys. Just too tired last night to tell all. And geez, if we told you everything they said and everything that happened that week, well, there just isn't enough time. I do have a job and other stuff to do, you know. Plus there's that BOOK I'm trying to finish. Yes, only one at the moment -- we can't all be Ms. Crusie.
Such a demanding bunch you have become. Ok, WE. We are demanding. It's part of our charm. ;-)
Got to go work now. Maybe I'll make up some stuff-- um, relate some amusing anecdotes later.
bw
Why don't they just video tape their shows and put them on their blogs for sale? I know one or two (or all) the CBs would be pulling out their credit cards.
We should be able to get recordings of the speech through RWA. Of course, we miss all the body language, but it's better than nothing.
So funny!!! (And accurate).
The workshop was not only informative but highly entertaining as well--I recommend it. What a dynamic duo. :)
Glamour Geek,
FAB captions.
Jenny,
THANK YOU. Even when not speaking/writing, her hands and expressions convey OH so much.
CBs,
It's bittersweet but all of our prayers have been asked and answered. My friend died quickly and peacefully this morning.
I'll be back in a few days.
Thank you guys, so much.
lbooth
PS. And thank you for the much needed laughter. You guys can make anyone feel better. Keep it up.
Dear lbooth My sincere condolences but I am glad it was quickly and peacefully. The next few days will be hard but know that all the CBs are thinking of you.
Thank you for the pictures Jenny. They are self explanatory.
green vbpsengn
Verbose Bob presented some enjoyable notions given notice.
lbooth: (((hugs)))
Princess J (don't worry, your reverting back to JJ soon, this thing is too long to write out): i've read things about what you were talking about. speaking from experience (i've been in/seen both fights, with male and female opponents), i'd much rather fight the way a guy does than a girl. a guy circles around some and then you rush in and basically if you bend right none of the blows really hurt. plus, after the fight it's normally, "we cool", "ok, we cool". when girls fight you have to watch out that they're nails aren't going to poke you in the eye. they scratch, they bite, they pull, and when they punch or kick they seem to know how to aim for the spots that really, really hurt. plus, they can get pretty verbal during their fights.
hence the phrase: never piss off a woman.
well, ok, maybe it isn't a phrase, but it should be. or a warning.
It appears to be true: men seem to have rules of combat when engaging in physical altercations. Women, once riled, have no rules and will do whatever it takes to win.
Vicious creatures, aren't we? :)
But it seems to take more to push women to the point of physical altercation.
FYI, two interesting articles--"How women won the sex war" (subhead: Larry Summers may well ahve been right, but men are done for anyway) and "The mismeasure of women" (subhead: Men and women think differently. But not that differently)--in this week's Economist (cover date Aug. 5).
Those pics are a riot. Thanks, Jenny! (Although you kinda
look like you're going to be ill or are in the depths of dispair.)
Sigh..everyone's description of hearing Jenny and Bob give
a workshop/talk makes me wish I was a writer. I really have
no desire to write, which is making finishing up my thesis
a real joy, but I don't know, it might be worth it to get
to go to conferences and hear Jenny and Bob.
Theresa in Pgh
Head up folks. Jenny has added a post script to her blog over at Argh Ink.
lbooth - my deepest sympathies to you and the family of your friend. May he rest in eternal peace.
ibooth God bless you all.
Those pictures really capture the essense of Bob and Jenny speaking together. As do the suggested captions posted here. I sit giggling in my room happy I took a break from the dreaded synopsis and rewrite.
picture #1: bob reads from slide ... "you have to establish mood, especially anything that increases stress."
picture #2: "by the way, Princess is back in the book."
note how very carefully he doesn't look at Jenny when he says that.
lipenthl: Swedish choke hold
orihmptw: or, I have multiple personalities trying wine.
Pics are awesome! Captions make them even better. I can just imagine the look on Jenny's face when Bob touched Mollie. I think he's lucky to still be breathing. I know what she means though, I have the very same reaction at the thought of anyone touching a single hair on the head of ANY of my babies.
lbooth, hugs and prayers are being sent your way.
And any of your writerly types, we're having a contest over on http://deeceeonbooks.blogspot.com/ . The prize is a signed hardback copy of a book by a Cherry-writer, Robin LaFevers. Come on over and check it out, as we're trying to help promote Robin's new book. It comes out this month, and she's not getting the marketing she should be getting, so we're trying to help her out a little.
ibooth: Sorry! At least time calluses over eventually.
MvsW fighting. Here's something I don't understand. When my group (family, employees, etc.) are threatened I come out fighting like a tiger: vicious, no-holds-barred, killer instinct. I never would be any good in the armed forces since I won't listen to anyone at that point and have supposed that to be a female trait when group is threatened. BUTBUTBUT some of you females have been in armed forces, apparently successfully. How did you follow orders when you group was threatened?
Tapping my heels to go byebye tomorrow to Seattle and Victoria Island for a week. You all keep the faith, Bob, Louis, & Bryan straight, etc.
dvybf: Don't Vex Your Bats Forever.
lbooth, now you all can rest and remember the good things. (((hugs)))
GP - at a guess I would say its a matter of training. Male or female you are conditioned to follow orders and work as a team.
gatorperson asked...some of you females have been in armed forces, apparently successfully. How did you follow orders when you group was threatened?
I was in the Navy for 10 years. I was never in a situation where I felt truly physically threatened. The closest I came to that was in '98 when we went through the Straits of Hormuz and could see Iran. That was very tense. Also, passing through the Suez, I saw a man on a camel with a missile. Freaked me out. Evidently, he was just watching us, and the ship in front of us (a French carrier). During my entire time in the service, the only physical danger I recall was a bar fight in Crete, and I wasn't actually involved. So really, military or not, I think it just depends on the situation.
I've only been in one real fistfight in my life, and that was in middle school. Jenny is right, because it was pretty brutal. It involved a wacko girl getting mad at me because her boyfriend smiled at me. She hid around a corner and attacked me. It was vicious. I ended up bloody (from her FINGERNAILS of all things!), missing some hair. Of course, I fought back, and she was bloodier (I broke her nose with one well placed closed fist punch, and she went down). Hey, I don't have 10 uncles (all in the service) for nothing!
As for following orders and working as a team, MCB is right. That's what you're taught, and it's for a good reason. You can't question things in the heat of war. You have to be able to follow orders and get your job done right the first time OR PEOPLE CAN DIE. It's a lesson that you learn very early on, and hopefully very well. There is a time and place for questioning, but it is very rarely on the battlefield.
g-g: is there a way we can see the articles online for free or do i need to go out and buy it? oh, and 2 hrs at the gym today. (do you see what you've done to me?)
as mcb and dee said, you can be conditioned to do anything. including following orders.
OH: I think it's a charge online (or subscription). I get the paper subscription so I'm not sure.
Go stand in a Barnes & Noble and read the two things. One is 1/2 page, the other is 3 pages. Shouldn't take you long. :)
If it's any consolation, I went for a walk for about an hour today. Which wouldn't be a big deal, but I live in a VERY hilly area (if the Hayward fault goes, I'm in trouble: it's two bumps over and I'm in soft-story) and I came back totally worn out despite my time in bootcamp the last months. Probably means I should be doing this every day for the rest of the week and continue to do so even when bootcamp resumes. The instructor said if I wanted to take off more of the fat, I needed to step up the cardio. Which is, of course, the hardest part for me. Weights, not so much of a problem. Sigh.
In a perfect world, one could gain muscle and lose fat while sitting in a comfy chair reading and eating chocolate...
ibooth...
Hugs....
pecafn green
patience, even Crusie and family needs
lbooth . . . thinking of you.
OH - have you checked Suz Brockmann's site recently. In her COUNTDOWN section for her new issue - she's posted a new short story.
Hope you all enjoyed your walks and weights and workouts. For lunch today, I had a "Killer Turtle Caramel Apple" from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate factory. (Green apple, caramel, pecans, milk chocolate and white chocolate.) No, I didn't eat the whole thing - just 1/2.
wiwhrg - Well, I was hungry. Really (was) good!
marcia: oooooh! Sounds FABULOUS!
You got enough for all of us, right?
GG - got some for everyone. From now on, these apples are my signature contribution to any event.
They are the BEST!
yrqthtk - Yes, really quite tasty. Happy to know.
lbooth: ((hugs)) and continued prayers for y'all during this time.
Love the pictures and captions.
OH: Not that I'm saying you shouldn't go with the whole B&N thing, (love doing that myself) but you could probably get the Economist articles free through your library website or your college website. (With the college thing, I'm working under the assumption that you got your login info at orientation.) Your high school login might even still work.
My library subscribes online to most periodicals, so it’s free to all card-carrying patrons through EBSCO. (Same kind of deal with my college.) I just hopped on EBSCO through my library website and e-mailed the full text to myself to read later. If you're not sure how to do it you can contact me at cblori@gmail.com. (or e-mail me just to chat or send me anonymous hate-mail or spam or whatever)
aecgo: Around Economist, cherrybombs go.
lbooth - thoughts and prayers with you. Big hugs.
This is pathetic, but I can't look at these pictures now without thinking about breast size and taking one for the team. Geez, why do we always end up back there?
lbooth: my condolences. I hope that you're finding comfort by sharing time with mutual friends.
Marcia - yum! sounds decidedly fabulous. This vicarious food thing is actually pretty good. Although I had a non-vicarious/virtual ice cream cone today - very rich and tasty.
bdtbqe: bienniel digitalis turns blood quirks edgy.
Don't you think that a daughter raised by Jenny, if jabbed by Bob, would be able to work out her own, long-term, carefully-planned revenge?
mcb said... Love the pics!! Great stuff - thanks, Jenny! Ya know I'm thinking in Jenny's next book there might be a character named Bob who gets bumped off really early on.
Not necessarily early, but definitely slowly, and with exquisite agony.
OH wrote: hence the phrase: never piss off a woman.
And never, never, NEVER piss ON a woman!
lbooth: I'm sorry for your loss, but glad for the end of suffering.
cznlkkqs -- Czar Nicholas liked KIt-Kats w/ quince sauce.
inbojs --In books, Jenny shines.
Tal said ... mcb said... Ya know I'm thinking in Jenny's next book there might be a character named Bob who gets bumped off really early on.
Not necessarily early, but definitely slowly, and with exquisite agony.
~~~~~~~
It would be interesting to find out how someone can be done in slowly by a keyboard. But Jenny mostly does YEC and YEX ... she'll need help. I can see the email now:
J: So, just out of curiousity how easy would it be to snuff out a character with a keyboard?
B: character? fictional I hope.
J: Oh. Of course, fictional. Yes. That's what I meant. So, can it be done?
B: Why do you want to know. We don't have a scene like that in Agnes. I know. I have the high speed excell spreadsheet to prove it.
J: Mollie was asking.
B: Mollie?
J: Yes.
B: I'll get back to you on that.
marcia in ok: i've been watching the countdown religiously. (ok, bad phrase considering i haven't been to temple since the new rabbi, but you get my drift). i hate how she's doing the stories in parts- i'm so impatient when it comes to things like that. have to know: who's your favorite hero and herione and/or couple? (i love Brockmann. i think she should send those books out a week early).
lori: go check your e-mail. well, give me five minutes. then go check.
tal said "And never, never, NEVER piss ON a woman!"
LMAO.
thanks for the suggestions. will go do one of those things to see article.
lbooth I'm sorry your tears are beginnig, but glad his suffering is over. You're in prayers.
Don't you think that a daughter raised by Jenny, if jabbed by Bob, would be able to work out her own, long-term, carefully-planned revenge? Love it- Mommies (right? Mommy and then change the Y to I and and ES?) are good for teaching, but true carry through needs to be done by oneself for full satisfaction.
Y'all spelling lesson here (I can never remember how many Ls to put in an adverb, but I know my slang) y'all is a conjuction. In a conjunction you drop letters and squish words together. The ' get put in where the letters were dropped. In y'all the dropped letters are O&U so the ' goes where the O&U would have been, after the Y and before ALL. Any questions?
My mom asked me for pics of the construction/deconstruction of the house so I set up a quickie blog to post images on. Feel free to pop over and see my house in a little bit- right now I'm heading out to get a fridge and maybe an a/c. Oh, and I'm having a house warming party on September 2. So if any cherry bombs are in or are planning on being in NE Colorado that weekend post a comment on the blog and I'll get you the details- and yes, I'll nuke comments so your email isn't out there in the ether too long.
MCB: You up for another car trip? CC wants us to come trash-- um, visit her new house. I already sent her virtual bread so we don't even have to bring a housewarming present. Of course, I'm sure she won't mind if we happen to pick up an extra state trooper or two along the way. CC, they might be a little worse for wear but most of them rebound very nicely after a day or two. Should be fine by the time we get there.
I have lots of free books I got in Atlanta so I can bring the ones I've already read. Do you have bookshelves yet? I'm guessing yes. Priorities being what they are.
Sounds like a plan.
BTW, Tal, I really wouldn't characterize Bob's gentle little poke in the arm as a "jab" -- really he barely touched Mollie. He was in a room full of women, most of whom were probably mothers. The man is not stupid. And before you feel TOO sorry for Jenny, she gave as good as she got. I think in the interest of fairness, she should post some of the "tortured Bob" photos, too.
bw
I just can't keep up with you all. Go away for the weekend and there are hundreds of comments (on the last Bob post). So, what do you call a semi-lurker? That's me. This post is too funny. I was wondering if Jenny's blacks match?
Conscripted Cherry said...
Y'all spelling lesson here (I can never remember how many Ls to put in an adverb, but I know my slang) y'all is a conjuction. In a conjunction
er, contraction, but we get the idea.
you drop letters and squish words together. The ' get put in where the letters were dropped. In y'all the dropped letters are O&U so the ' goes where the O&U would have been, after the Y and before ALL. Any questions?
Thank you. I worked with a guy from S. Carolina who swore it was ya'll. I gave him the contraction speech, but he insisted that was Yankee thinking. >;-]
mfynxg (red)
Look out Arizona. M FNX G!
For the license plate challenged, that's "me Phoenix go." But not until October. Can't stand the heat this time of year.
kay t: Semi-lurker = road kill? You need to stay clear of those big rigs, dear. Either way, you're all CB's. We're just waiting for the hard core lurkers to figure it out and come out and play.
The suit looks black in the pictures but it was navy blue. The jacket did indeed match the slacks (though who the hell cared?). She was adorable. That IS what she said she wanted to be called, right? I told everyone who would listen.
bw
lbooth--my condolences and prayers go to you and his family and friends.
pxsuj....PiXies send unicorns jumping.
Thanks for catching my screw up. Let's see if I can get this right...
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses.
Conjunction Junction, how's that function?
I got three favorite cars
That get most of my job done.
Conjunction Junction, what's their function?
I got "and", "but", and "or",
They'll get you pretty far.
"And":
That's an additive, like "this and that".
"But":
That's sort of the opposite,
"Not this but that".
And then there's "or":
O-R, when you have a choice like
"This or that".
"And", "but", and "or",
Get you pretty far.
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up two boxcars and making 'em run right.
Milk and honey, bread and butter, peas and rice.
Hey that's nice!
Dirty but happy, digging and scratching,
Losing your shoe and a button or two.
He's poor but honest, sad but true,
Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up two cars to one
When you say something like this choice:
"Either now or later"
Or no choice:
"Neither now nor ever"
Hey that's clever!
Eat this or that, grow thin or fat,
Never mind, I wouldn't do that,
I'm fat enough now!
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up phrases and clauses that balance, like:
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
He cut loose the sandbags,
But the balloon wouldn't go any higher.
Let's go up to the mountains,
Or down to the sea.
You should always say "thank you",
Or at least say "please".
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses
In complex sentences like:
unfortunately School House Rock http://www.schoolhouserock.tv/ doesn't have a song for contractions or for word misuse so I'll just apologize and promise to use a dictionary/spell check/spare brain cell the next time I get on a soap box.
Just LMAO at all the captions y"all thought of for the pics.
Bob was being "a naughty boy" poking Molly, you can't get too mad at him Jenny, he's too cute.
Finally got the Linda Howard "Cover of Night and I see who reminds you of Bob [don't want to give a spoiler].
ibooth trite but true time does heal.
erica Hey I was so excited I was saying I know how to do that somebody told ME, Ill pass it on, but by the time I get to the end some "busybody' already told you. Sniff Sniff. I'm going back to lurking
nanaimo g isn't gator person coming your way this week? You should try to trap her for a coffee.
I love Suzanne Brockman too. I think I have read everything she has out to date. I hope to get her new one soon.
I saw the funniest thing in one of the news bites on the net. Apparently a doctor in Germany has developed an "anti-stupid Pill". It has worked in mice and fruit flies. It is too early to try it in humans. I can't wait. There are a couple of people who pass by here that could use it. /,D
Also for all of you that are dying of the heat there was a picture in tonight's paper of a snowstorm in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, some 1700 kilometres south of Beunos Aires. The storm has been going on for three days. Doesn't that make you feel cooler? /.)
red fdowne
For Doherty, our writing needs effort.
Conscripted Cherry, I read that and read it, thinking "conjunction" didn't sound right but not able to figure out why. It finally came to me, so don't feel bad.
gjfccpxt (red)
Girls just freakin' can't carry poor Xavier's Toyota.
CC: i had all this stuff i was going to say and then i read your post. please tell me you didn't have that memorized. this was the english rule i learnt:
i before e
except after c
and in neighbor and weigh
hey!
(the hey! was my little addition if you couldn't tell.)
BCB said "And before you feel TOO sorry for Jenny, she gave as good as she got."
i don't think any of us had a doubt.
scope dope: and that brought me right back. they are creating an anti-stupid pill. omigod, LMAO.
Aren't we clever, us Germans? An anti-stupid pill? I suggest the people from the gorvernment try it first because they need it most.
Sounds almost as useful as the new "Morning-After" pill Andy Borowitz was mentioning in his daily newsletter: makes the guy stay for breakfast and call when he said he would.
MCB Thanks *grins*
Nanaimo G Thanks for the thought :)
Hee! Hee! Hee!
:D
SDCB: Great idea!
Nanaimo G: DD#2's notes say we'll be staying at Ashcroft House B&B Sunday night, to/from Seattle Sun morn/Mon eve. I'd love to meet you. Leave a message for GatorPerson, if you're so inclined.
Turning PC off now, taking it to PC doctor, byebye, all.
emslgp: Every Mad Scientist Loves GatorPerson (really, I couldn't resist.)
BCB - I'm up for a trip! Do we know where she lives? Never mind that's not important.
CC - Oh thank you for the blast from the past! Schoolhouse Rock was the best. And that particular jingle actually helped me out once. Remember the one on government?
Nana - re LH's book; so glad another person 'got it'
A stupid pill. You know, its a great idea, but I'm convinced some people like being that way. Stupid I mean.
OH - my favorite Brockmann couple is Tom Paoletti and his wife the Doctor. Love Sam and his ability to manipulate language in such colorful ways, and Gina - because she's a survivor.
I'm glad Suz is at least writing and sharing something everyday. That gives me something to do while waiting for new J&B, B&B blogs and comments.
qqlfier - blogger did its own this time.
What kind of non life do you have if you're testing "stupid" pills on fruit flies and how do you tell if the bloody thing is working?
lbooth - sorry for your loss
Off to Oz National tomorrow then away on a family holiday. Will be gone from the blog for 10 days :-(
I will have the DT's.
aocgko - all of crusies gals (oh guys too luis and bryan) kan orate
CG sez: Sounds almost as useful as the new "Morning-After" pill Andy Borowitz was mentioning in his daily newsletter: makes the guy stay for breakfast and call when he said he would.
*snort* *gasp*
Thanks for that. Hilarious!
As for anti-stupid pills, I suggest they put it in the Washington, D.C. water supply first, particularly that of Capitol Hill. Sigh. Politicians. All of them.
Or maybe they could just put it in the Sacramento legislature's water pitchers next time they fail to pass a California state budget on time. Sheesh. I can balance my checkbook, what's their problem? :)
MCB wrote: "Jennifer Crusie writes romance novels because the 'romance' is at the heart of all her stories. Whatever else might be going on boy will meet girl and eventually they will live 'happily every after' (that's the HEA reference you see so often here). Relationships are important in romance novels because they are important to women. But its not the 'goal' if that makes sense.
Marian Keyes writes books about women, the ups and downs and various relationships (mother, daughter, lover, friend) that are, emotionally, what makes us different from men. There may well be romance in her books, because love and romance are part of a woman's life, but romance isn't the goal in her books.
So, you could say that romance books are about falling in love and chick lit is about being a woman. The genres overlap but also have a distinctive feel."
I might be going on everone's nerves with my constant "Chick lit vs. romance novel" topic, and curse me that I carry it over to the new post (so Bob also gets a chance to think about it... which presents me with an awful thought... because certainly you cannot call a book about being a man 'cock lit', right? How about 'gander lit'? Any other suggestions?)
But I just re-read 'Fast Women' and I think it doesn't do the book right to say it's mainly about the romance between Gabe and Nell, it is also about the friendship of the women, about Nell's coming to terms with her divorce, about solving an old mystery, about Suze's development... So I guess the distinguishing criteria are not quite clear here. Or I'm just not getting it. No, not that way, geez.
We need Mollie. Mollie if you can hear this, please post many, many pictures of Him & Her (He & She) and give us your side of the story. I'll bet it is full of insight (and funnier than hell)
CologneGrrl,
Your question can be applied more broadly to "What determines the genre of any book?"
When I tell people I'm writing a book, I am usually asked "Oh, what do you write?"
And then the answer is "It depends on who makes the decision what shelf to put it on."
Look at DLD for instance. Is it a romance? An action-adventure? Contemporary fiction? All of the above, right? Where should it be shelved?
The line between romance and chick lit is fuzzy.
I work in a library. I'm of the opinion that Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott should be filed in the 820's under English Literature. We have it filed in Fiction two shelves below a series of romances by Elaine Schulte and on a shelf to the right of all our John Saul books. Yet Goethe and Rilke are in the 830's in non-fiction with the rest of our German Literature. Go figure.
marcia in ok Tom Paoletti's story is my favorite Suzanne Brockman too. Like you, I like Sam. He has had such a hard time and he really tries to be a good guy, most of the time.
cologne girl LMAO at morning after pill.
Yesterday I was telling DH that Jenny was working on four books and I didn't know how she could do that and keep them straight in her head.
This morning, when we were sitting on our front porch having our coffee I was discussing my children's stories with him and then switched to talking about the book I am working on. He said "See you just did it too. You can keep the two things separate and work on both at the same time.
But I still can't get chatty little Sarah, into and out of, her problem in the barn. Wrote myself into a corner. I think I am going to have to rewrite it.
red nppgrdq
Not pretty people. Grunts rounded up Doherty's quarry. (Grunts-army)
CG said ... So I guess the distinguishing criteria are not quite clear here.
You're right. Its not always 'distinctive', or I should say the distinction is often a very fine line. Fast Women was very much about the bond between women. And not so surprising because Jenny's books are so much about the community people make. So you've got the 'chick lit' aspect there. But you've got the relationship that grows between Gabe and Nell that then becomes the HEA. That makes it 'romance.'
Look at Keyes' books again. Sometimes the girl finds the boy, but most often its about the girl finding herself, figuring out who she is. As often as not, she's not looking at HEA, she's looking at 'I'm going to be okay.' So you can't call it 'romance'. That makes it 'chick lit'.
And I think this is a very good example of what Bob talks about in his "Pitching" blog - figuring out what kind of book you have.
see Bob and Jenny ... sometimes we do listen.
SDCB - The problem isn't so much writing more than one book at a time, although since I'm now writing two, and a humorous anthology, I can tell you my head hurts. But the real problem is when the characters "bleed" into your everyday life - like when I called my son by the name of a kid character in my book. I tried to tell my son that I thought I was yelling at my brother, who shares the name of the kid in my book. Yeah, he didn't buy it either.
CG--anti-stupid pill? Cock-lit?! My kid thinks I'm strange because I'm laughing and he doesn't know why.
sigiqns....have to go take DS to his piano lesson, but this looks too good to pass up. Anyone wanna take it?
amc,
sigiqns - So I go in quite nonchalant, see...
SIGIQNS aren't those the little, round, metallic things they sewed all over women's dresses in the 30s, 40s,and 50s to make them shiny, amc?
I don't think I will have a problem with little barn critters and people "bleeding" together in my real life, jen-t. BTW you made me laugh and feel much better yesterday. Thanks.
blue cwujkanr
Crusie writes until Jenny kicks ass, Nora Roberts.
I guess "KIDLIT" would be for the younger or youngest set, eh?
"Manly Lit"??
"Macho Lit"???
Live the dream!
mhcur red
many hate Crusie, until Robert
lbooth - my condolences. I wish there were magick words of comfort but know we're all thinking of you
I finished my revisions, eating a kitkat to celebrate.
you know they've taken over our lives, him and her, J&B
If only someone would deliver malt vinegar on fries to the library lol
Happy Wednesday everyone!
DUG: have a good time and know you'll be missed here.
i hate the name "chick-lit"., and thank you for that aspiring "cock-lit" comment, CG.
i once was in a bookstore and saw shelves titled "men's fiction". so of course i looked over and found about ten authors i read. so obviously it's just not for men. it's for anyone who likes a good book. that just pissed me off. women can't enjoy well-written violent/action/shooter-up books? of course we can. just like guys can enjoy "tradtional" women's books. i hate that stereotypical bias. because then when one person crosses over and reads it, they get called names.
i'm feeling really good towards louis and bryan right now. good job, guys.
i'd work up more steam about this but it's too f-ing hot and i just came from the gym.
Caption for picture on left:
Bob: "Of course he had to take one for the team."
Caption for picture on right:
Jenny: "AGAIN with the 'me and her'."
xqqqs: X-tremely quiet, quivering quail slept.
(Geez, go AWOL for a week and the verification genie gets ticked off and gives me an x and three qs!)
hi CMS. thanks. i was trying to remember what kind of vinegar you're supposed to use. i wonder if i have any....
OH,
Not only have I started reading "across the line" but I've started writing it. Well, actually, I was writing it before I read any romance. I'd given one of my WIPs to a friend for an opinion and she told me it was better than most of the romances she read. At first I thought she just meant the writing but she explained that what I had so far was a romance. Figured I'd better research the market so I started to read some.
And I hate to admit it, but I'd never heard of Jenny until I read DLD. I just happened to pick it up at the library for a change of pace. I'm reading Tell Me Lies now, just to get an idea of what she's like as a solo writer. While I'm on the road later this month I plan to read Faking It.
kqeugs -- Keep quiet! Every ugly goon's searching.
CMS - I thought of you this past weekend. I'd stopped at a local burger chain (not fast food - real burgers) and had some fries w/ malt vinegar and salt. Yum. I'd send you some but they'd probably get soggy before they hit the border. Not to mention cold.
Wasn't there an article recently citing the increase of male readers to romance fiction? I think its the increase of suspense/mystery/thriller themes.
"Chick lit" is a term used to denote a genre of popular fiction written for and marketed to young women, especially single, working women in their twenties. The genre's creation was spurred on, if not exactly created, in the mid-1990s with the appearance of Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary and similar works; it continued to sell well in the 2000s, with chick-lit titles topping bestseller lists and the creation of imprints devoted entirely to chick-lit.
I don't think Jenny's books are particularly "chick" lit. More like "hen" lit? I mean, when I think of CL I think of stories about young women finding themselves, usually with some romance in there. I think of Jenny's stories as just plain old fiction, or women's fiction, with romance at the core.
dodging the semi here
sorry, I did not say that I lifted that first paragraph from wikipedia.