Many moons ago I attended a writer's
conference in San Francisco, a Rom/Con
affair in 1985, where I met some very
interesting ladies, such as the very
talented novelist Rebecca Brandewyne and her
charming mother. Her son Shane, wasn't
invented yet; but I see by the photos on her
website that he is a handsome brute. I
also attended another writer's conference in
Scottsdale, Arizona, where I met Barbara
Keenan. My photo appeared, in her
Affaire de Coeur's magazine Vol. 5, Issue 5,
as Alinka Sullivan author of Foreign
Affairs, which I am bringing out in trade
paperback, in a couple of months, as HUSBAND
HUNTING by Alinka Zyrmont. There
were also photos of other writers, editors
and agents smiling sweetly for the camera.
We all looked like a toothpaste commercial. We
probably would have made more money
appearing in a toothpaste commercial:
'see how the authors smile when you shine
your teeth with Xodent.'
Perhaps that is why I remained in showbiz;
it paid more!
The slogan at that time was "for the
romantic at heart" - "put a little
love in your life, have an affair!"
I followed their advice precisely as
indicated, but I had more than just one (1)
affair. Why bother? If you are
going to experiment so that you can improve
your writing skills, then do things
right! I did - and I bet you want to
hear all about my affairs. If you are
curious, pick up one of my books.
Sometimes I tell all - and I do mean all;
and sometimes I lie. Read HUSBAND
HUNTING and decipher for yourself what
is true and what is a pure fabrication of my fertile
imagination. The press had a circus,
to put it mildly, about about a certain
sentence I wrote which I thought was very
innocent, yet they quoted that sentence, over
and over, as if it was the most important
point in the novel. It wasn't, but
then, I have given up trying to second-guess
journalists. At times I fantasize, and
at others, I criticize. It all depends
upon my emotions the day I am writing.
As I said in FORBIDDEN PASSION, the story
runs the gamut of human emotions.
Writers know that emotions rule this small
world; or at least the tight publishing
world.
Just think how boring this planet would be
if everybody was logical and void of
emotions, like my lawyer. Sex, lust,
anger, hatred, indifference, jealousy,
passion - all the good stuff - what else did
I forget? Oh, yes, love; that tiny
word that means everything in a romantic
novel. And, of course, greed, the
reason we write in the first place; to sell
our books for remuneration. Or do we
write only for the love of expression?
I guess both.
If this earth were monochromatic gray, how
many blouses do you think the stores would
sell? Maybe seven gray blouses to go
with our gray slacks and skirts, one for
every day of our dull week. We would not
need more. Yet I can't get in to my
closet because it is so full of blouses and
T-shirts in every color of the rainbow. Here
in Florida we like vibrant colors such as
the oranges, pinks, blues, greens; such as the
tones I chose for my website, because it
attracts the birds and the bees. So
whenever I have writer's block, which is
seldom, I go in to my closet and close the
door and think. What
happened to me on the day I wore this
low-cut blouse? Whom did I meet?
What did he say? Did he make a pass at
me? If so, did I slap his face?
What did I respond? Did he come out of
the closet with me and onto the pages of my
book? Saks and Bloomies would have to
file bankruptcy if they only sold gray
clothing. The color, tones and hues
cause us to react to nature, just like the
birds, bees, butterflies and damn
mosquitoes. And how we respond, or our
lack of response, is what makes the
psychiatrists and lawyers rich. Oh, I forgot, publishers
too! Let me be politically
correct and not discriminate.
My thanks to Affaire de Coeur Magazine
for featuring my story, "Pitching a
Story in Hollywood," and displaying my
photo again, after twenty years. Who
knows? If I keep writing and slaving
away at this computer I might just appear on
their cover twenty years from today.
Surely, tenacity must be rewarded in
this business. Or, am I being naive
again? If the publishers keep
reprinting Agatha Christie's books, maybe
there is hope for me with my first attempt
at a murder mystery: MURDER BY ROSES,
to be released some time this summer.
