Susan wants to know: Do you wear your heart on your sleeve?
Or is it just me? I confess. I’m an emotional slob. Don’t get me wrong, I’m nobody’s pushover. But every darn time I try to express how proud I am of someone I love, tears invariably well in my eyes. And wouldn’t it be grand just once to have a disagreement where I make my argument in a calm, logical manner? But, no. Right when I want to look my strongest, I usually end up crying and looking weak and girly instead—a particularly annoying habit when my argument is rock solid. But, hey, if someone puts me down I always have the perfect comeback .
Tough luck if it’s an hour, a day, or a week too late.
That’s why I adore what I do for a living. Creating strong heroines with the juice to kick ass and take names, with the emotional chops to stand up for themselves without blubbering like babies, gives me soooo much pleasure. They’ve got their vulnerabilities, but having their verbal skills fail them when they need them most generally isn’t one of them. I’m not stuck with the first thing that comes out of my-- er, my heroine’s—mouth. I have a delete button, and I’m not afraid to use it until I get things right.
What I wouldn’t give to have one of those in real life.
So how about you? Do you handle your emotions with a bit more finesse than I? (Which, okay, I admit wouldn't exactly take a lot)
28 comments:
Thanks for joining us today, Susan! I confess to getting teary myself, which amuses and mystifies the husband and sons in my life. They'll look at me suspiciously when I have one of those I'm-proud-of-you moments. "Are you =crying=?" They just don't get it.
I also cry when the "Star Spangled Banner" is sung at school events and can tear up at many commercials. I try to hide it as best I can!
Welcome to the convertible, Susan!
I can remain completely cool and rational when I'm arguing or making a point. But that doesn't mean that I don't still tear up at dumb shows or commercials...or thinking about my kids. It *is* annoying and amuses my husband no end, because it's totally out of character for me.
Love your cover!
I'm reading it, I've reached the first 1/3 and am totally under Detective Sheik's spell... grrrr absolutly understand Poppy's reaction to him !!
When I'm angry or just plain pissed off, I yell. It hurts more if you keep it all inside. Don't get me wrong some people handle their own anger in a different way, but screaming is mine.
cindyc725 at gmail dot com
Hi, Susun and welcome to the vert today! I love your cover too. Very fun.
I'm an emotions on the sleeve person. You touched on one of the reasons I love writing - heroines who get to make the snappy comebacks! I'd love to have a delete button. Better yet, backspace!!
Emmanuelle: Don't you just love Detective Sheik? 'Course I love sheik books and detectives, so it so both together so hit my swoon button.
Susan, love your books, and this one sounds great. Anyone with a nickname Detective Sheik, sounds fantasy worthy.
I try to remain calm, and I am getting better at it, but the voice still wobbles and the knees shake and the eyes leak. I'm better at work, I can deal with irate patrons (with only a tiny wobble in my voice) but if it's more personal, yikes.
I heart book gossip - remind me never to make you mad...
And Kylie, I think I should take lessons, you sound like my husband, can stay focused during an argument, but becomes a blubbering sap during Extreme Home Makeover.
Susan, thanks so much for being here with us today. I haven't seen you forever, but I always enjoy your company when we happen to be seated together.
I actually am not an exceptionally emotional person. My mom's really tough. My son tells me I'm the least romantic person on the planet, and my daughter's boyfriend calls her his Viking queen. :)
Hey Susan. Welcome! much luck on the new release.
I'm easily reduced to tears or smiles. All I have to do is look at my grandkids and I feel tears of joy welling up. It can be embarrassing :o(
I have to admit that I cried at work once. I was SO mad at myself. I was 23 years old and I even forget what it was about, but it was in conversation with my boss. I wasn't in trouble, but I was adamant about some point and here came the stinging eyes. Mortification!
Hey, thanks everyone for the warm welcome. CHRISTIE, like you, I'm surrounded by males, men who can state their cases with calm logic. On my side is perseverance. I don't think well on the fly, but I'll go mull over their arguments--then come roaring back with a "WAIT a minute!" I usually wear them down. Sometimes stubbornness pays.
KYLIE: Oh, mama. I would kill to have your cool. I have a friend like that and my s-i-l is really good at keeping her cool and being well thought out and rational. Sigh. I can only give that attribute to my heroines.
EMMANUELLE,Thanks! I'm so glad you're diggin' it. By the way, I love your name. Not only it is pretty, but spelling it has a fun rhythm to it. (sorta like Mississippi, only cooler. :)
I HEART BOOK GOSSIP, do you get over your mad-on quick? I've found the people I know who yell when they're mad get whatever was bugging them off their chests and move on. The sulkers are mad forever.
HELEN BRENNA, yes my sistah, if only we could edit ourselves after the words that weren't what we meant to say left our mouths.
AMY*SKF, yep, I do better in professional situations as well, but unfortunately am nowhere near being the rapier debater who cuts wide swaths through my opponent's rhetoric that I dream of being. If only.
Hi, LOIS! Man, it's been forever since I've seen you. Viking Queen, huh? I want you on my debate team. You slash other guy's/team's argument to bits on the field while I sit back and pick holes in the logic of whatever crumbs you miss.
CINDY, that is so me. If I'm proud of my son and try to say so to him or my husband, my eyes well up with tears. It makes me feel pretty foolish, but what are you gonna do?
Cry, Cry you ask OMG I cry reading greeting cards I am buying in the store.. it is so embarrasing to be seen wiping your eyes.. I cry at tv commercials.. And reading books oh my, I can just go to pieces at a sad or very emotinal scene..
I have become a big fan Susan and cannot wait to read your new book.
KATHLEEN O, you are so my kinda woman. :)
Hey, Susan-- I had to laugh. My sister cries every time she has to have a serious meeting with her boss. She'll be screaming, shaking mad at something going on. She'll go into his office prepared to fight to the death and he just hands her the box of tissues and waits.
I think BENDING THE RULES is a great cover. It speaks to the core audience. Tells me what the book is about. Just a great "signal" cover.
Debra, what a great story about your sister--and her boss whom I'm guessing has women in his life, for he appears to get it.
Thanks for the cover kudos. I'm really tickled with Rules'. I generally prefer the headless covers because the models never look anything like what I envisioned for my hero/heroine. But this one? That IS Jase. I was blown away when I saw the Iris. The models were a bit farther away in it so you could see the guy's nose, which is good sized with a bump in it. Jason's nose. Jason's lips. Oh, mama. The cover angels kissed me with this one.
I can get angry with teens' behavior at the library, but I just get quieter... forcefully quiet. I've found that if I get louder, they get louder, enjoying the confrontation. But if I get quiet, they usually don't argue as much.
But I also tend to cry easily at sentimental stuff, sappy commercials at Christmas, etc. And I always take kleenex to the movies. ;)
FORESTJANE, see, that's just cool. I often lose my verbal skills when I need them most. Not always, but more often than I like. I'm going to try to remember your quiet tip the next time I need it. :)
Re: the cover. Can I just say I love a man in a jacket and tie? I should have been destined to fall in love with a CEO instead of a high school teacher who spent a lot of years coaching as well.
FYI, on the back of the cover she is slipping his belt out of the loops...
I really enjoy your books!
I have to admit my emotions lay awfully close to the surface.
TAYLOR, I'm with you on the suit and tie--and also am married to a man who wears more t-shirts and jeans than dress clothes. I loved the loosened tie look in particular.
ESTELLA, Thanks! I enjoy a reader who enjoys my work. :) Am also totally all over the emotions close to the surface thing.
Love your books, Susan. I have the latest at home, but I have to wait until my 19 year old finishes it.
Thanks, flip! I hope both you and your daughter (or son:) enjoy!!
Hi,
I'm trying to get a hold of Cindy Gerard, but her contact page keeps thinking I'm spam. I found illegal uploads of her books. I would give a link, but I don't want to advertise the situation.
I can be reached at
eva@evagale.com
Best,
Eva
Susan, I love your books.
And I definitely do not handle my emotions with any kind of finesse. LOL.
Pat L.
Hi Susan! I'm a super sensitive person and I sometimes even over read emotions, so give me a book and I do easily cry when it gets to me! I do openly too feel for others and show it. So I have no finesse either. I can handle it in professional ways when I have to but I can let it go when its ok for me to!
cathiecaffey(at)gmail(dot)com
Pat L, Thanks! I love readers who love my books :) And it's good not to be alone in my emotional slobdom.
Caffey, it can be a trial sometimes, can't it, to be so emotional?
Loving the book. I'm just taking a break between Chapter 13 and 14. What a wonderful surprise to have you guest here.
I'm exactly like you as far as tearing up and having the perfect response after the fact. I even take it a step further and literally get choked up and can't talk at all.
Already looking forward to Ava's story :-) And wanna know a secret? If it is released in audio, I'll be buying Bending the Rules again.
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