Why Do You Remember?

Tell Me Your Story Tuesday

There either is or is not, that's the way things are.

 The colour of the day. The way it felt to be a child. The saltwater on your sunburnt legs. 

Sometimes the water is yellow, sometimes it's red.

 But what colour it may be in memory, depends on the day.

 I'm not going to tell you the story the way it happened.

 I'm going to tell it the way I remember it.

Charles Dickens ~ Great Expectations

My husband and I had a conversation recently about first kisses. He doesn't remember his. 

I'll pause for a moment and let that sink in. 

HE DOESN'T REMEMBER HIS FIRST KISS!

How does that happen? He couldn't even with confidence remember the first time he kissed ME!*

*Disclaimer: I am married to an amazing man who supports me fully in everything I do. I can forgive the fact that he has let a moment on Sept. 21, 1997 at approximately 10:14 pm while slow dancing in my apartment to a local country station playing from my mini-stereo slip his mind.*

His explanation was that he "didn't catalog the information for future reference."

Then, he mumbled something about women never forgetting anything. 

But, my mind was already working. Why do I remember so well? 

I'm sure part of it is about being a girl and living for those kinds of moments, but I believe there is much, much more. 

I don't just remember my first kiss. I remember everything about it. Where I was standing, the butterfly army in my stomach, praying my mom did not choose that moment to walk into the kitchen. Everything. Just like I do so many other tiny but huge moments in my life.

But, I wonder how much of it is because I'm a writer. I love the story of each moment. I love hearing how other people met and fell in love. I love passing those emotions on to my readers and sharing the experience of moving through it together all over again. 

So, tell me your story. 

Do you remember the tiny but huge moments of your life with vivid detail? Were you cataloging it all for future reference? 

If you're in the mood for some nostalgia, you can check out this post about Remembering the Good Old Days (It's worth the click just to see my 1989 hairstyle!)

The Important Part...

Tell Me Your Story Tuesday

If you aren't a Romance writer, (or are a romance writer but live in an editing cave) you might not be aware there is this little thing happen this week known as RWA NATIONALS.

Just a little writer's convention in Anaheim with approximately a bazillion published, pre-published, wanna-be-published, might-be-published-someday and haven't-written-a-word-but-how-hard-can-it be-to-get-published-? authors descending next door to the "happiest place on Earth"!

And, I'm one of them! (pause for excited SQUEEE!)

Social media is all abuzz with Who is going? Not going? What shoes should you wear? How many shoes can you cram into a carry-on suit case? What color are your nails? (Passionate Purple, by the way, thanks for asking)

My new twitter friend, Diane Farr blogged about how unimportant all of the above are to getting published. Like an agent is seriously going to ignore your fabulous or not-so-fabulous pitch and decide your fate based on your footwear. 

But, most of us are girls. 

This is what we do.

 It's like getting ready for camp and prom all in the same week. 

Of course, I wore this to prom.

I'm hoping to project a little more sophistication this weekend. 

And, a lot less hair. 

So, it isn't the shoes, the nails or the earrings that's important. 

For me, it isn't even that I will see some of my FAVORITE writer friends  (although that is enough to make me bounce around the room like Tigger on street speed).

For me, it is the fact: I am going. 

One year ago, I sat at home reading the #RWA11 tweets, living vicariously, but not truly believing I would ever go. 

Wednesday, I am getting plane and proving to myself that this writing thing is real. It has value and I'm not too bad at it. 

So, if you see me there, PLEASE SAY HI!  and, let me show off my cute, new shoes! 

Never as Good as the Book?

Thinking about Thursday

Are movies ever as good as the books? Updated with my Movie review of 
ONE FOR THE MONEY

I recently overheard several teenage girls  involved in a lively discussion about a certain popular book series (yes, that one with the girl and the vampire and the werewolf). Their conversation focused on comparing the books and the movies. They were particularly blunt about their disappointment in the lack of acting ability.  

One made the passionate speech:

I read all of the books. Talked about it everyday with my friends. Watched every trailer, marked off days on a calendar, stood in line for two hours to see the 12:05 showing and THAT is the best they could do?

So, I have been thinking. 

Are any movies ever as good as the books?

Like the upcoming:

I am worried. I really am. This is one of my favorites. I know how the characters should look. I know how they should sound and I've been burned before.

Did any of you see the movie for this one? 

I think they forgot to take advantage of the "LOOK INSIDE" feature!

UPDATE:  

 

When I first ran this post, almost a year ago, I really wanted to be wrong about this movie. I truly wanted to like it...*Sigh*

I can't say I was disappointed, but I think the definition of disappointed involves expecting something better. Let's just say, I wasn't surprised. 

I spent the whole movie thinking, "It's all wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong!"

Yes, I get that the movie can't be an exact copy of the book. They have "creative license" or whatever, but UGH! 

Here is my list of complaints:  

• Katherine Heigl~ She just doesn't have the right body. Much of the book focuses on Stephanie being short and curvy. Katherine is neither. She is almost taller than Ranger! (If you are familiar with the books, you realize that is just an impossibility.)
•  Ranger~ In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit I heart Ranger. Morelli is okay, but Ranger makes my heart go pitter-patter. Yeah, this guy... not so much.  Don't get me wrong. He's not hideous. He just wouldn't have me swooning like the 6'5 ripped, hunk of man Ranger is in my dreams.................What? Oh, sorry, where was I? 
•  Grandma Mazur~ Sorry, Mrs. Reynolds, but you are too young and too pretty to be Grandma. Grandma is old, like dinosaur old, and overly wrinkled. She also doesn't dress as well as you. 

  

and then there are the plot changes.  

 I won't include any spoilers because according to my husband if you aren't overly concerned (Um, I think the words he used might have been "crazily obsessed", but, you know, whatever.) about the appearance of the characters, it is a pretty good movie. 

  There is one part I just can't let go. Lula is thrown in the street, not left on the fire escape. Which seems like a little thing, until you connect it to what happens in the future books on the fire escape. 

And don't even get me started on the ending! 

 

What movie do you think does the book justice? What movies have you anxiously awaited only to be disappointed? If you have seen  One for the Money, what is your opinion of the movie?