In celebration of her book about lies told... we are dishing about lies this week on the blog. You've heard some whoppers already - I mean, who can beat Tina's story about being a made-up physicist leading to meeting her true love - but I wanted to talk about a different kind of lie.
Did you ever see the movie The Usual Suspects? It's one of my favorites and has one of the best endings ever written in Hollywood. In the movie, Kevin Spacey says a line something like, "The greatest lie the devil ever told was convincing mankind that he didn't exist." It's a prophetic statement because it has much to do with the unfolding plot, but it also seems to point to a bigger idea about the world.
So what's your greatest lie ever told?
The longer I live, the more I realize the greatest lie ever told (and continue to tell!) is, "I can handle this on my own." How many times have I said those words, only to realize that I need my friends, family, and other folks to help me handle something.
Sometimes it's a good lie. Seriously, for perfectionists or overachievers, the lie that everything's fine and it's all going to work out, is almost a necessary mantra. It's part of optimism, a little bit of ego that helps you push through whatever task is at hand. The part that comes as a surprise is just how much you do need other people to help you get the job done. And, even more surprising is the fact that even though you are nowhere near perfect, it's okay to let them see you in your imperfection. They want to help you. And, P.S. -- they already know you're not perfect!
Need an example? Picture me baking four dozen buttermilk biscuits the night before my launch party for The Clearing and trying to manage those along with the other snacks, getting into a cute dress, preparing my talk, and packing for a vacation that was supposed to happen the very next day. When my handsome entourage of one came to pick me up, I just about collapsed into his arms from the sheer relief.
The reality is that you need your loved ones to help you out. You need your friends to cheer you across the finish line. Sometimes, I need reminding.
What an awesome week! Huge congrats go out to Stephanie for her brand new release, THE ALPHA BET! Can't wait to read it when my Amazon deliveries catch up to my traveling ways.
Oooo...pretty cover...
We're talking lies this week...and I've compiled a list of, perhaps, the greatest lies of all time. See what you think:
• The check's in the mail.
• I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.
• I thought I already gave you that money I owed you.
• I promise I'll pay you back next Friday.
• Now we're even.
• I'm fine.
• We'll have the repairs on your car done by noon.
• You look like you haven't aged a day.
• No, I don't think that outfit makes you look fat.
• This is what it will cost to repair your car.
• If elected, I promise...
• You're going to love working here.
• I don't know what you're talking about.
• Please hold, and a customer service representative will be with you shortly.
• I'll only take a minute of your time.
• Our cellular phones will give you more freedom...
• 100% compatible with your existing equipment.
• I'm being totally unbiased.
• I'll call you.
• This will hurt me more than it does you.
• I'm doing this for your own good.
• Oh well, no harm done...
• I didn't do it.
• I don't know who did it.
• We are experiencing a peak level of call volume...
• You may already be a winner!
• This product was made in an environmentally friendly manner.
• I know it's none of my business...
• I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but...
• It's nothing personal.
• New and Improved!
• Trust me. We found and fixed the last bug!
• The software will ship on schedule.
And those last two lead me to my confessed lie. Yes...I sold vaporware. (Vaporware is a word used to describe products, usually computer hardware or software, not released on the date announced by their developer, or announced months or years before their release.)
For four years, I worked in the dot.com (or, as I'd like to call it dot.bomb) industry at a company called SureSell Multimedia. We sold software for home builders. It was a noble idea, but, as the term vaperware implies, we just didn't have the finances, the personnel, or the development team to quite pull off the final product. Still, as the marketing and events director, I sent out marketing materials, fancied up the website, went to tradeshows, demoed the software and did all I could to sell it. Mind you...the 1.0 version worked just fine, but to compete in the highly competitive tech market, our 2.0 version had to sparkle, shine, cook breakfast for you and your kids, and drive them to school afterwards. Suffice it to say...the software never came to fruition. I was on vacation in Paris when I got the call that the company went kaput.
The things we do for a paycheck, eh? LOL!! I think that falls into the category of a "necessary lie." Don't you?
CONTEST
So...what "necessary lie" have you told? For a chance to win a copy of THE ALPHA BET and a copy of GHOST HUNTRESS: THE GUIDANCE, let us know you're "necessary lie." Be sure to check out the other posts this week and comment to increase your chances to win! Come back on Sunday, when the list of winners will be posted.
Hugs,
Marley = )
~*~ Ghosts don't hang up their sheets on November 1st~*~
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE REASON, May 2010
Yet another release week, here on the Buzz blog. This time it's Buzz girl Steph with her fourth book, THE ALPHA BET. (Do you have your copy yet? You should! If not, don't worry, because you can win one every day this week. Keep reading to find out how.)
To help Steph celebrate, we're all supposed to share a lie from our past. This is tough for me because I never lie. Okay, I
try to never lie. Partly because I'm really bad at it, but mostly because I think it's not very nice. Still, in the interest of Buzz girl solidarity, I will share my shameful secret.
Any writer who has ever been to writer's conference knows the joys (and terrors) of pitching your book to an agent or editor. This is a session, usually 8 to 10 minutes long, in which you try to convince them that you're book is the greatest book ever written, while trying to disguise the fact that you really think it might be total crap. Sessions vary from author to author and from agent to agent, but there are a few unwritten rules to every pitch.
- Be succinct.
- Be professional.
- Have questions ready in case there's a lull.
- Remember that agents and editors are people, too.
- Never, ever lie and say a book is finished when it's not.
Confession time: I broke rule number five. Twice.
I never set out to lie. In my defense, both times I was pitching to agents who NEVER EVER requested full manuscripts. It wouldn't even be an issue. They would request the partial (three chapters and a synopsis), which I had at the ready, and by the time they requested the full, the book would be done.
Only they didn't request the partial. The requested the full.
Rather than admit the books were unfinished (each was more than a hundred pages from being done) and potentially lose an opportunity, I just said, "Uh-huh. Oh, yeah, it's finished." Thankfully I survived both these situations because I am a VERY FAST writer and I excel under the pressure of a deadline. And I wanted a writing career way more than I waned anything as insignificant as sleep.
If I had the chance to do it all over, I would totally lie again.
ContestSo you see what kind of lengths I was willing to go to in order to become a professional writer. (Pretty much anything short of murder and animal cruelty was fair game.) For a chance to win a copy of THE ALPHA BET and your choice of OH. MY. GODS. and GODDESS BOOT CAMP, comment your answer to the following question:
What would or wouldn't you do to achieve your dream?
Be sure to check out the other posts this week and comment to increase your chances to win! And come back on Sunday, when the list of winners will be posted.
Hugs,
TLCOH. MY. GODS. and
GODDESS BOOT CAMP (out now)
FORGIVE MY FINS (coming June 1, 2010)
We are celebrating Stephanie Hale’s newest release, The Alpha Bet this week, with a daily giveaway of a signed copy the book. So be sure to comment each day to be entered to win!
Relating to the theme of The Alpha Bet, we’re going to be talking about lies we have told. And I must start with the line I’ve tried to live by all these years: if you’re going to lie, make sure you do it well. In other words, do not do what I did...
Okay...back in my single days, I found myself in a nightclub in Copenhagen. My friends had disappeared, and I was sort of killing time waiting for them, when this guy about my age approached me. We started talking about both being Americans on vacation in Europe...and then he asked me where I worked.
I told him the name of the university, and that I worked in the physics department. Where I was, incidentally, the office manager. I expected the usual so-what-do-you-do-there, and he really shocked me by instead asking what I had written my Ph.D thesis on.
And suddenly, I had this scathingly brilliant idea. I mean, here I was in Europe, talking to some guy I would never see again. What the heck? So I took a breath and relayed the title of a research paper that one of our professors had just had published.
Funny, huh? I thought so. Until he responded with a physics-lingo-appropriate question.
It turned out he was a physicist. And he was familiar with my “research topic,” my department, and my “co-workers,” (actually, my bosses). WHAT WERE THE ODDS OF THIS?
Happy, he started talking shop. Relativistic this-and-that, thermo-whatsis, hydro-whatever. While adrenaline raced through me. How could I get out of there? Where are my friends? And worst of all...if he showed up at my office, could I get fired for “impersonating a physicist?”
When it was my turn to speak, I impulsively blurted out: “I can’t...have this conversation. You don’t understand.” Then I really started lying. Because what better way to get out of a lie? “My--my husband and I divorced because we couldn’t talk about anything but physics. And I swore I’d never date another one. Or if I did, we wouldn’t talk about work.” (To be very clear, no such ex-husband existed.)
Stupid? Totally! Because of course, now to top things off, the guy thinks I’m interested in him romantically!
I made it through another hour or so, then my friends returned and we hit the door. He followed me, saying the next time he was at my university, he would look me up. Would this ever end?
So when I got back to my office a couple weeks later, I had no choice but to tell the front office staff what happened, so if he showed up, to say I no longer worked there. The story, of course, wen
First off...huge congrats to our lovely Stephanie Hale for the release of her book, SPRING BREAKUP! You know you want to read it and find out what's going on with Aspen!
I remember how awesome spring break was when I was in school. The planning. The anticipating. The day the trip finally arrived!
One the most memorable trips for me was a sophomore year trip with my church choir on the train from Atlanta all the way up to Stowe, Vermont, where we skiied (okay, a couple times down the bunny hill doesn't really qualify as skiing, but still...) and enjoyed the mountains and a cool lodge. We had a stop in Washington, DC, and Baltimore, but, by far, the highlight of the trip was staying in New York City.
Wow!!
I think everyone needs to go to New York City once in their life. And don't just be shy about it. Don't be a wallflower or scared to go out and do things. Attack the city with wide spread arms. Absorb everything it has to offer! That's what we did back then.
We did a tour around the city on a bus that took us through Chinatown and Little Italy and all over the place, starting at Rockafeller Plaza where we watched this video about the city.
A visit to New York City wouldn't be complete without the forever line wait to get to the top of the Empire State Building...with views to die for!
And, although, when I visited NYC, Times Square was a bit of a rough part of town, it's now a neon adult Disney that never sleeps.
It's also a must to see the Statue of Liberty. We went right after she had been refurbished and we were so proud that our school money we collected helped restore her for many years to come.
Aside from all of the touristy things the city has to offer, there's so much culture to absorb. The city is rich with museums, galleries, and diplays ranging from art history to ancient artifacts. I highly recommend visiting the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art. You could spend a day at each.
And, of course, New York City is all about the food! If you go hungry in this city, it's your own fault! There's everything...from every culture, every walk of life, from the $1.50 sandwich that will change your life to the expensive dining experience that you'll always remember.
My favorite cheap eat...the many souvlaki stands. Mmmm...my mouth waters just thinking about it...
When my choir went, we sat at Benihaba and were entertained by our chef. Back then, it was the only restaurant...now you can see them everywhere...but it was a time!
And of course...there's nothing wrong with simply strolling through Central Park.
Hope you've enjoyed this tour of one of the most awesome cities on the planet - New York City! If you get to go, you'll have the time of your life!
Congrats again to Stephanie!!! So proud of you, hon!!!
Hugs,
Marley = )
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING (Coming May 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE GUIDANCE (Coming October 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
GHOST HUNTRESS: The REASON (Coming May 2010, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
CHRISTMAS MIRACLES (Coming October 2009, St. Martin's Press)
SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (Available from Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (Available from Puffin Books)
Ahhh...vacation. What can I say? It's the end of summer, which calls for one more fling with the sun and surf. One more chance to get my skin golden brown and delicious to get me through the pasty-white New England winter. Fortunately, Tropical Storm Fay decided not to mess with my vacay too much and I have been happily floating in the pool, enjoying the sun, reading good books, and (hopefully) writing one. Couldn't ask for a better time.
And while I was in Daphne, Alabama, visiting the parentals, I stopped in at the local Barnes & Noble to sign stock of my books SORORITY 101: ZETA OR OMEGA? and SORORITY 101: THE NEW SISTERS. I was thrilled when then manager said he'd display them at the featured counter...next to a triva book about my Crimson Tide that he said is "flying" off the shelf.
While I was there, I checked out some of my friend's books!
Here's Tera Lynn's book...
And BOTH of Stephanie's books...
But my favorite view of all...the view from my beach house. Ahhhh...does it get any better than this?
What are you going to do to celebrate (mourn?) the end of summer? Let us know!
Hugs,
Marley = )
SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (Available Now! Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (Available Now! Puffin Books)
GHOST HUNTRESS Series (Coming May 2009, Houghton Mifflin)
It was a daunting task reading the over fifty (whoohoo!!) responses on the TWISTED SISTERS + SORORITY 101: ZETA OR OMEGA? contest. Your answers were so awesome that there was no way on this planet that I'd be able to choose one winner to get both books. So, I printed out all of the comments, gave them to my friend and co-worker, Rebecca, and asked her to read them. I asked her to pick out which comment moved her the most and answered the question the best. She's not a writer...just a fan of books, so she was totally impartial. Read more to find out who won!
So, a day in the life of moi, eh? I have to say that since my book(s) release date is creeping up (May 1st, baby!), life has been a bit crazier than ever. It seems that there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done...and get enough sleep to make it through the next day!
5:55 a.m. - my human alarm clock (my hubby, Mike) makes the first attempt to wake me. He's a morning person and always cheery and upbeat and giving me the weather report for the day -- which I never remember because I'm only semi-conscious.
6:00 a.m. - Mike sticks his head back in to ask if I'm getting up. I mumble out some nay incoherent response, but assure him I'm getting up.
6:05 a.m. - Mike returns to announce that he's getting in the shower. When I hear the water in the other room, I turn on the alarm clock, set for 6:13 a.m. If I can just sleep for 8 more minutes...I'll be fine.
6:14-6:15 a.m. - The clock radio/CD player has been going for about two minutes. I need to get my lazy arse out of bed and get in the shower. Shower time's the best time to think about writing. I've threatened to turn the walls of my bath into a water-proof white board where I can plot out my ideas and write them down so I won't forget them.
7:10 - 7:55 a.m. - Commuting. If I'm not trying to stay awake, we'll talk about news stories, TV shows, sports, etc. Recently, we've been talking about the book launch party coming up on May 2nd. Or, we've been bantering ideas about for the plot of GHOST HUNTRESS: THE GUIDANCE, which is the second book in my series.
8:00 a.m. - Noon - Hard at work at the day job. I work for an $800+ billion dollar financial company in Boston and I support two executive vice presidents, three vice presidents, two managers, and 50 sales people. I love my job. Everyone's wonderful and I'm kept busy planning meetings, events, travel, doing expenses, sales reports, and being a mother hen to everyone.
Lunchtime - I usually have lunch with my buddy Rebecca -- mentioned above -- but when I'm in the blood fever of writing, I'll bring in my Alphasmart and go sit in the cafe or go down the street to Au Bon Pain to sit with my headphones on (House/Dance/Techno music) and write as much as I can during my lunch hour. I'm also across the street from my publisher, so it's easy to visit my editor or get my revisions or what have you from her. Very convenient!
1:00 - 5:00 p.m. - More work! I love to be busy because the day just flies by. Lots to do...invoices, schedules, order supplies, reports, and PowerPoint presentations. 
Although...yesterday during this time period, the advanced copies of SORORITY 101: THE NEW SISTERS arrived!!! Whooooooohooooooooo!!! Everyone on the sales desk was excited to see it. Mainly because I used so many of their names (as requested) in the book. They all wanted to see their names in print. They're so funny!
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Commute home with Mike, which usually consists of a wrap up of our days, as well as sharing new ideas and brainstorming my stories with him. He's a great brainstormer and listener.
6:00 - 8:00 p.m. - Again, when I'm writing or revising, this is the time I like to downshift from the day job and read over what I wrote during lunch. I'll tweak and add and correct errors, but mainly, I'm just reading it to get back into the groove. I've found that if I can write 1,000 - 1,500 words per day when I have a book due, then I'm doing well. I just got my revisions for GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING, so I'll be working on those next week.
8:00 p.m. - on... I like to cook a nice dinner, or order something in if we're too tired, too busy, or working on things. We like to watch TV and chill out and then go to bed early to start all over again. A lot of people think I'm insane to have a day job and write, but as long as I can balance both, it really enriches my life and fills the day. Besides...I work with great people who make me laugh every day and I would miss that if I stayed home and wrote all day.
Now...without any further delay...the winner of the double-book giveaway of the fabuloso Stephanie Hale's TWISTED SISTERS and my first book SORORITY 101: ZETA OR OMEGA, as picked by my unbiased co-worker, Rebecca...
REVIEWER X!!!!And the crowd goes wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild!!! Whooooohooooo!!!!! Congratulations! Please e-mail me offline at
marley @ webstuffdesign.com (no spaces) to give me your snail mail address.
And one more contest...which I'll announce the winner on Saturday, April 19th - so that gives you plenty of time to post comments. If we can reach
fifty (50) comments again, I'll be giving away a copy of ZETA OR OMEGA? and THE NEW SISTERS to one lucky winner. All you have to do is leave a comment in the trail about your experience with sisterhood, whether it be in a sorority, in a school club, with your best girlfriends, or your real-life sister.
Thanks and hugs!
Marley = ) SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (May 2008, Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (May 2008, Puffin Books)
GHOST HUNTRESS SERIES (May 2009, Houghton Mifflin)
For some people, the enjoyment of reading books isn’t enough. Even writing books doesn’t fill the void. For them, they want to spread the love of books and the connections that they can create.
On this edition of Just One More Book, Mark speaks with Margriet Ruurs who says that what she likes most is getting children excited about reading good books. She’s certainly done her share to move that along. Besides writing children’s books including My Librarian is a Camel, Ms. Ruurs is the force behind three literacy initiatives:
Participate in the conversation by leaving a comment on this interview, or send an email to [email protected].
Photo: www.MargrietRuurs.com
Tags:
A Book Marks Our World,
Adopt a Mobile Library,
childrens books,
kidsWWWrite,
Margriet RuursA Book Marks Our World,
Adopt a Mobile Library,
childrens books,
kidsWWWrite,
Margriet Ruurs
Okay, now to the embarassing stuff. I. SUCKED. MY. THUMB. Big deal, right? UNTIL. I. WAS. LIKE. TEN. I know, right? In my defense, I was a child of divorced parents and I was constantly going back and forth between my mom and dad's houses. These households couldn't have been more different if they would have tried. At one house, it was perfectly acceptable to suck to my hearts content. But if I broke the thumb out at the other house, it was not good. Sometimes when I was tired I would forget and sneak a lick before I realized what I was doing. 
Of course my habit led to years of head gear, braces, retainers, and other orthodontia-related torture devices. But the worst part was the sheer embarassment of realizing that I was doing something that my friends had all outgrown. I was nervous about sleepovers because I knew my slurping in the middle of the night would wake the dead. My parents tried everything. Tabasco sauce, a metal cage installed in my mouth (not kidding about this one), even making me wear mittens. I'd suck through all of it. I realize now that I was just trying to deal with things that were scary to me in the only way I knew possible.
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It looks like you had a great time. Wish I could have been there.
I wish you had been there, too, Janie. You were missed!
Great pictures! I'm sorry I had to miss the gathering this year. You guys look like a million bucks!
xo,
Heath
ZOMG MEG!! I so hope one of you remembered to say hi to her for me. If not, that's ok. I'm sure I'd forget everything I wanted to say to her if I saw her in person.
I really wish I could have been there too. Ah well. I will just have to live through you guys and your recaps!
BookChic--I KNOW! OMG, Meg! And among the fun was telling her that we'd met before, at the Grove in Los Angeles years ago, when I brought my daughter to hear her speak about the Princess Diaries. And she remembered the event--not us, of course--but the event. That was fun for me!
It was so surreal meeting Meg. I don't think I said a word. What a nerd I am! It was a great time but the bees missed Heather and Dona!
I'm so happy for you guys!!!! Your pics are amazing!!!!! It sounds like so much fun!!!!!