Friday, February 3, 2012

Unforgetable Moments: Perfect or Bungled?


I woke up this morning to an email from my agent. IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! is written in the subject line. My debut book, Sanctuary for a Lady, arrived at her office yesterday and should be arriving at my house yesterday or today. Except I'm not home to get them! My mom had ear surgery at the beginning of the week, and I'm 600 miles away from my house--and my books--for eight days. So I'm sitting here wondering, "How on earth did I mess this up? I mean, I've been wanting to open that box and hold a book in my hand for FOREVER! I even have this vision of crying when I first see the book.

Then I remembered a little bit about myself figured out why I'm messing up my "first book moment." You see, I'm also the person who missed "the call" when my editor called to tell me her publisher originally wanted to buy the book. (My mom was visiting and took a message for me to call the editor back. Are you noticing a pattern here?)

And as if messing up my writing moments isn't enough, I'm also the woman who forgot to kiss her husband when he proposed. Seriously, he gets down on bended knee, pops out the ring, and asks the question. And what do I do? I say "Are you for real?" and then don't even remember to kiss him until we're walking back to the car.

So I've decided my personal life is probably part of the reason I like writing so much. I write all those perfect moments for my characters in my novels, because I can write them over and over again until they happen the way they're supposed to. On the flip side, I always seem to mess up the personal moments in my own life. Go figure!

What about you? Have you bungled any of your own "perfect moments?" I'd love to hear some perfect moment bloopers. Or are you the type to walk away from a proposal looking like a princess?

I'll post a picture of me holding my book when I get back home, just so all you wonderful readers can see it. Maybe since I have a week to plan out my hold-your-debut-novel moment, I won't bungle it quite so badly. Okay, that's probably a lie. I'll likely trip over the box of books, hit my head on the hard wood floor, and give myself a concussion. But I can still dream about that moment being perfect, right?

16 comments:

  1. Congratulations!
    I agree, Naomi. It's so much better when you can re-write those moments and think of the *perfect* thing to say!

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  2. My hubby set up the perfect proposal, the entire hotel was in on it and I'm visiting all the places of our firsts: First kiss, sunset, first meet, etc. picking up roses and reading letters as I traipse around the hotel being followed by the bell men as they are announcing it to everyone with walky talkies, etc. When I get back to the initial room of the treasure hunt, I expect him to be there! but I get another note instead and more roses. When he finally comes in and gets down on one knee and opens the ring box, I grab that sucker out of there and start to put it on my finger, then stop. I hand it back to him saying, "Um, I guess I'm supposed tp let you put this on me, huh?"

    you have a porch? Hope someone can put it inside for you so it doens't get wet

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    1. Awe, your hubby's so sweet, getting everything perfect like that. Did you remember to say yes or just grab the ring?

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    2. Um, the note that was left for me asked me "the question." And then I had to wait until he got in there which made me impatient so I swiped the ring and then Ross says I did a cute stamp and pout and then handed the ring back and said what I said. But neither of us remember me saying yes, but I don't think he vocalized the question either. Then he says I hit him and chastised him for it taking him so long to ask the question since I knew he'd had the ring for 3 months. I am soooo romantic.

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    3. Too funny, Melissa! That story beats mine, for sure.

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    4. Melissa~

      I never tire of hearing that story. I think it's gotta be in the top 10 most romantic proposals of all time. I had never heard the part about you snatching the ring and stomping your foot, but I can definitely see you doing that.

      Naomi~

      Hopefully I'll remember to stop by and enter that giveaway. I'll by it if I don't win it, of course, but I'll definitely throw my name and email address into that hat.

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    5. Romantic? Andrea, did you read where Melissa said she hit him? How's that romantic???

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  3. Congratulations!!! I missed the call from my editor the first time. I almost had a panic attack when I heard her message asking me to call her back. lol! That is too funny about the proposal. The important thing is that you said yes annnnnd... your books will be waiting for you. Yay! :)

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  4. At least I'm not the only one to miss the call. I do hope you were there the first time your books arrived!

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  5. Congrats on your book!
    I bungle things alot. Especially when it comes to remembering the names of people, and it get's harder when they have siblings who look like them!
    Thanks for sharing with us :)

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    1. I have a cousin I see only about once a year or every other year. He's been married for 10 years, but I still ask his wife her name every time I see her. He's a friend on Facebook now, so maybe I'll remember her name this Thanksgiving.

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    2. Yeah, I bet facebook has saved a lot of people from embarrassing name situations over the past few years!

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  6. Ah, yes. I bungle people's names far too often as well. At least I'm not the only one.

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