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The Glamorous Life

Before I was an author I used to dream about the good life. Working from home, setting my own hours, sleeping in, writing when I want to write and never again being tied to a bell (yes, I was a teacher in my previous life). And let's not forget the payoff...money. Lots of it. From all my sales I'd buy a bigger house, take lavish vacations. Write the next bestseller from the shores of Hawaii.

Talk to any of my friends and they think this is my life. I'm an author, right? And all authors live like Danielle Steel, don't they?

Ah, the glamour...

That fantasy trickled through my mind today as I was sitting in the library, working on revisions for my April 2012 release, ENRAPTURED. Why was I at the public library? Because it's free to work there. A dollar in parking pays for free Internet and a relatively quiet place where I can get away from my screaming kids (all three of whom had the day off from school...thank you, budget reductions). Of course, free comes with a catch. Homeless people in serious need of baths. Teenagers who chat too loudly. Security guards who give you the evil eye when you smuggle in a Frappucino to keep you going. And then today...oh, today was the best of the best. A moment when I realized just how glamorous this writing life really is.

I'd parked myself at a table near an electrical outlet, in a wide aisle between stacks. Tables around me were empty. The closest person was a good three rows away. I had my earbuds in, was rocking out to the Gladiator soundtrack, when a gentleman in a turban walked by and dropped his coat on the other chair at my table.

Now, my table was small, round, maybe 5 feet across, with two chairs. There were three other empty tables around me. At least six other chairs. But this man had to sit next to me. He walked behind me, browsed the shelf, picked a book, came back and dropped it on my table with a crack. Then he sat down. Heaved out a sigh...loudly...one that was easily discernible over my music. Braced his arms on the table. And as the uneven legs of my table knocked my laptop into my hands, the overpowering stench of his cologne hit me and made me want to gag.

I ignored him. (Though in my head you know I was thinking, What the hell?) He finally got the hint and left. I watched him stalk across the library and head toward the children's section. *shudder* I went back to work. Ten minutes later he was back, dropping his coat on the same chair and settling down to watch me write.

Would it have made a difference if he looked like Brad Pitt? Ah, no. Creepy is creepy no matter the outer packaging. I routinely work at the library, and I've learned to avoid certain people. This was the first time I ever had to stop working and close my screen. Never mind the fact I was revising a very sexy love scene. When you can't write because someone who smells like a cross between bad body odor and Brut cologne is buzzing around you, you know you've hit the big time.

What was the topic this month? Oh yeah, hope. I still have hope that one day my fantasy of "the good life" might just come true.


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Quick Addition:

This is release week for BODYGUARDS IN BED, my romantic suspense anthology with Lucy Monroe and Jamie Denton. All week long I'm promoing great authors and giving away books and goodies over on my blog. Stop by and leave a comment for the prizes you want to be entered to win!

Comments

  1. What? Your life isn't glamorous yet? You don't have someone to carry your luggage? LOL! Me, neither! Though I will admit to having a much hotter guy reading over my shoulder from time to time....

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  2. I hope you were practicing Observational Staring while Lord Brut was trying to hit on you. Will he show up as a character in your next book...question is will he take a shower before then?

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  3. LOL Elisabeth - Yeah, we sure are glamorous! I go to Starbucks--it's amazing how many refills I can get in one long day. A couple weeks ago it was awesome! They had Frappy Hour--half-price Fraps from 3 - 5! I'd died and gone to writer's heaven!

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  4. It is funny how people perceive the writing life - I'm lucky to have a quiet home (kids grown, husband very cooperative!) but I've thought about writing at the library just for a change of scenery. Um, maybe not. That's not the kind of scenery I need for inspiration, no matter what Carolyn says about Lord Brut:)

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  5. I love my library but do admit that I have also had some less than comfortable experiences... being stalked through the various sections was just alarming. It must be so annoying if you are actually trying to focus on something and have someone intrude.

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  6. Oh, crazy! When Baby Galen was very young I'd get a babysitter and go to Starbucks to write. You don't know (or maybe you do) how many people would stop and talk to me. They would tell me such weird things--none of which I could use in a book, unfortunately!

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  7. LOL, Cheryl. I'm sure the guy reading over your shoulder is MUCH hotter.

    Trying to decide if I take a chance on the library again today or go somewhere else.

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  8. Carolyn...oh he might show up in a book. And I love the name Lord Brut! (Writing that down.)

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  9. Robin - there's an adorable coffee shop near me where I've worked before but the music they play is too loud and I am easily distracted. I've tried to write at Starbucks, but end up running into too many people I know. I may have to try a Starbucks on the other side of town.

    As for the happy hour fraps...I saw those and had to restrain myself. I LOVE the mocha frap lite.

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  10. Joanne - I'd say you're probably safest writing at your nice quiet house. (Oh, how I am green with jealousy!!)

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  11. Lil - It was especially alarming because I was writing such a sexy scene. I partly closed my laptop because I was sure this guy was going around behind me to read what I was writing.

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  12. Shana - my CP writes and McDonalds and that happens to her all the time. She says she has a fan base of elderly men who like to tell her stories. So far, I've avoided that...but I'm thinking Lord Brut isn't a whole lot better.

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  13. Being a day job telecommuter, I do my best writing away from the house, at my hometown coffeeshop. It has great natural light, some elbow room between the tables, and free refills on brewed coffee. Spread out at 'my' table for 4, listening to my iPod with Bose noise reduction headphones - the cuffs over the ears say louder than words, "I don't want to talk to anyone, even you" - I am set to go. People usually leave me alone.

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