Friday, September 5, 2008

Welcome to the Lair, Marie Force!

posted by Aunty Cindy

AC and Marie are dining in their favorite cyber Asian restaurant on Shrimp Chow Fun, Sweet & Sour pork and bottles of Tsing Tao beer. Since this is cyber space, Marie is as adept with her chopstick as AC. What are they talking about? Why books, hunks, writing and a whole lot more! Let's listen in......

AC: So where did you come up with the storyline for your debut release Line Of Scrimmage? And even more, what or should I say WHO inspired your yummy hero, Ryan Sanderson?

Marie: Yeah! I get to be adept with chopsticks! My Aunty knows that I'm a clutz with the sticks in real life. Can we have some crab rangoons, too? How can it get any better than Chinese food, my favorite Aunty
and a chat about Line of Scrimmage--and the very yummy Ryan Sanderson? Let's see, where did he come from?

It all started with a pair of boots landing in a foyer. I knew they were cowboy boots, and I knew they were unwelcome. What I didn't know, at first, was why. As I got to know him better, I realized he was an NFL quarterback showing up to blackmail his soon-to-be ex-wife into spending their last ten days as Mr. and Mrs. together. As a New Englander,I'll confess that there's a little bit of Tom Brady in Ryan.

AC drools a bit over thoughts of Tom Brady and all those tight ends in football then orders the crab and some pot stickers and takes a long guzzle of Tsing Tao: I'm afraid I know all about those characters who will not fit into the molds we have in mind for them. Aunty does not carry a riding crop strictly for the Cabana boys and miscreant Banditas. So if Ryan was not very cooperative, I hope his Mrs. gave you less trouble.

Marie: His Mrs. gave me different problems. I had to work really hard to imagine what her life would be like as the wife of the NFL's biggest star. Sure, there were a lot of perks, but she had to put up with women throwing themselves at Ryan (even when she was right there with him!), rumors of his infidelity, his obsessive focus on the game and his team, the nonstop demands on his time, and his inability to be there for her when she needed him most. When her first love, her high school boyfriend Henry, reappears on the scene months after she and her husband separate, it's only natural she would be seduced by the peace and tranquility he offered.

If you'd had it with your NFL star of a husband, wouldn't a bow-tie wearing banker be the answer?

AC: Hmmmm, the last bow-tie wearing guy Aunty remembers seeing was Indiana Jones in his professorial mode. Yes, he would definitely be "the answer" but Aunty doubts peace and tranquility would be part of that equation!

ALL RIGHT! (Aunty snaps her crop to get back on track.) We LOVE call stories here in the Lair. Care to share yours with us?

Marie: Awww, can't we go back to thinking about Harrison Ford in all his bespectacled beauty? I guess not. I'm kinda afraid of you and that crop of
yours. After the way you mocked my lack of chopstick dexterity, I know what you're capable of. (Snorting over my rangoons...)

Okay, the call story went something like this.... My cousin Jen and I had managed to get her house to ourselves to eat wings and watch the season premier of Grey's Anatomy last September 27, except the phones kept
ringing. So when my cell rang just after the show started, she forbade me to answer it (using a string of swears that would shock even the Banditas! My baby cousin!) I replied that it could be my kids, and of course I was going to get it. A glance at the caller ID told me it wasn't my kids but rather my agent who proceeded to tell me Sourcebooks was planning to make an offer on Line of Scrimmage! Jen and I ended up watching Grey's on TiVo a week later!

Chow fun noodle dangling from her chopsticks, Aunty stares vacantly into space murmuring about football players, Professor Indiana Jones, and Dr. McDreamy. Suddenly, the noodle splashes into Aunty's hot and sour soup.

Aunty sputters for a moment: Where were we? Oh yes! The long and winding road to publication... So what were some important things you learned along your road, Marie? Care to pass along some pearls of wisdom? Did you receive any great advice? Who from?


Marie: I went blank in the head after the words "McDreamy." I looooove him. But I digress...

The most important pearl of wisdom I can impart is to NEVER, EVER give up. My motto was "The only thing I know for sure is if I give up, it'll never happen." Another really important thing I took it to heart was to KEEP
WRITING. You never know what's going to strike the right chord with an agent or editor. For me, it was my seventh book. Later, my editor said, "What else do you have?" And now my third book, "Same Time Sunday," is in line to be published next. I'm also a HUGE advocate of letting civilians (meaning non-writers) read your work. In my case, the enthusiasm and excitement of my readers kept me going.

As for advice, something Suzanne Brockmann said at our New England Chapter conference earlier this year comes to mind. She was talking about how those of us who are involved with RWA spend a lot of time around other people who have also written books, so we tend to forget what a very big deal it is to have finished a book. Suz said it's important to celebrate every accomplishment along the journey, no matter how big or small. It's a great
point and one to keep in mind.


AC: Yes it is! And we're so glad you've joined us here in the lair to celebrate your BIG accomplishment of seeing your VERY FIRST BOOK out on bookstore shelves everywhere!

Aunty finishes off her Chow Fun and Tsing Tao and breaks open her fortune cookie: You have a charming way with words, but beware of tall blond men with Nordic names. Hmmm... Okay, what does YOURS say Marie?

Marie: Muse will bring you man in tight white pants with big cup.

Please tell us about an accomplishment you celebrated recently, or maybe something you WISH you had celebrated. Marie will be giving away a copy of Line of Scrimmage to one lucky commenter!

The find out more about Line of Scrimmage, read some fabulous reviews, and get another chance to win a copy, check out Marie's personal blog:
http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com

86 comments:

Carol said...

Is he visiting ME

Carol said...

Yes! Yes!
Hey...on my D. Daughters Birthday!
Wow Drinks all round!

ps...Aunty now I'll go read your post...
Back soon...

Cheers Carol

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

WOW Carol!
You were fast outta the gate!

Did Louisa ever find the GR and Frodo? Not to mention her car?

Well, our fine feathered friend is headed to your place in Oz today.

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Oh and HAPPY BDAY to your D.Daughter!

AC

jo robertson said...

Great interview, Cindy and Marie.

Marie, so glad to have you guesting in the Lair today and congratulations on your debut book release! It sounds intriguing.

Yay on snagging the Chook, Carol!

Tell the truth, Marie, after you got the call didn't you scream and yell and drink lots of champagne?

I love the advice of celebrating each little benchmark of accomplishment toward our goals. Sometimes we forget to celebrate as we go along.

And, hey, I wrote a full GOOD page today. Celebration time!

Carol said...

Aunty Cindy, what a great interviewer you are...Lots of LOL !

Can I be a miscreant B.Buddy sounds a lot of fun...I'm sure Helen will be in it too, she loves some fun!
Well I googled Tom Brady and between him and Indy...Tough choice! Marie sure posses a tricky situation!
The books sounds fabulous Marie a definate for the TBR folder!
And your call story is great...you can always catch up on the brain surgeon but never the the Call..

Just as a reader...I wonder how many great books have never been published because they didn't get past a junior members of the agents staff or publishing department!
Cheers Carol

Fedora said...

Ooh, hi, Marie! Huge congratulations on Line of Scrimmage! It sounds fabulous, and of course, it's terribly exciting to be celebrating your debut! No doubt we'll be celebrating many future releases with you, too :)

As for recent celebrations, we're thrilled that our second is finally off to kindergarten! What I'm looking forward to celebrating (as soon as I get my duff in gear) is a cleaner house--right now we're still piled high with mounds of stuff that would be better off elsewhere, but I can dream... ;) One box at a time...

And congrats on snagging the GR, Carol! Happy birthday to your daughter!

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, Carol, is it Joanne's birthday? Way cool! And congratulations on the rooster - maybe you can give him some cake if there's any left!

Marie and Cindy, sounds like a fun lunch! Marie, huge congratulations on your debut book hitting the shelves. Sounds like a great story. I'm a huge fan of SEP's Chicago Stars books so it will be great to have more footballers to read about and drool over! In the classiest way, of course!

Carol said...

Thank you for the birthday wishes, I'll pass them on if she is to busy at work to visit!

Well the GR has arrived! and AC you are right! There was a bit of skullduggery with Frodo and Louisa's Car!

I thank goodness people like all of you want to spend the 'blood sweat and tears' and time to produce (not the right word.. not inspirational enough) Hours of pleasure for us (the audience!)

Cheers Carol

Carol said...

Yes Anna...today she is half my age! Yikes...(lovely baby...sniff sniff)

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

LOL Carol!
Yes, we can always count on our miscreant Bandita Buddies like you and Helen to help us PAR-TAY! Doesn't matter whether it's a big or little celebration.

ANd we LURVE you guys for it!

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

You're up late, Jo-Mama!

Congrats on the ONE GOOD page today! That puts you ONE GOOD page closer to "The End" never forget!

And LOL Carol, I totally agree, the brain surgeon can wait, but The Call CAN NOT!

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

WTG, Fedora!
2 kiddies in the school system, 1 to go, right?

Celebrate that one box at a time! May I recommend a good book? Line of Scrimmage! HA!

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Now Fo,
Feeding the GR cake and getting him on a sugar rush may not be the best idea... I'm just sayin, Carol already has some potent drink recipes and who knows what the chook might try when her back is turned. ;-)

The cover alone is enough to make me wanna pick up Marie's book. When she gets here in a few hours, somebody MUST ask her about the infamous "cup" incident and her cover! LOL! She's gonna kill me for bringing that up, but she's gotta catch me first.

AC

Helen said...

Well done Carol I am sure he is going to have lots of fun at your place happy birthday to your daughter, daughters are just so beautiful I am lucky I have three.

Great interview Marie and Cindy and yes I will be in on any fun that is going on love chinese food although I can't eat with chop sticks hopeless at it a few drinks lets get the celebrations happening as Marie has said you should celebrate all of your accomplishments along the way and as a reader I am so glad the authors don't ever give up because I have read some wonderful books over the years and that is because of the hard work and dedication you guys put into you writing I salute you all.

This books sounds wonderful and I have already added it to my must get list I love sports although I don't know a lot about American football I am sure I will learn about it as I read the book. Ryan sounds very yummy !!

Something that we have celebrated recently is the fact that two of my daughters are having babies and are due on the same day even though you all know about it it is still so exciting

Have Fun
Helen

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Hey Helen!
NOW we can get the party started! LOL! We definitely need to celebrate your impending grandbabies, and I'm STILL hoping one of the will arrive on my birthday. :-)

Yes, writing is hard work, but readers like you and Carol and so many other Bandita Buddies here in the Lair make it all worthwhile. I know I speak for the other Banditas when I say that it is such an honor when readers want to spend time with those figments of our imaginations. THANK YOU for supporting us!

AC

Helen said...

You are more than welcome Aunty Cindy the Romance Bandits is the best place on the net all the parties wonderful people lots of friends new authors to meet and lots of fun you Guys really are wonderful

Have Fun
Helen

Joanne Lockyer said...

Hi mum! Hi all!

Thank you so much for the birthday wishes! The day is going pretty well so far! laugh! Well done on snatching the GR. What a darling... as I pointed out to her earlier, she's been stuck with me for half her life!

Just about to start the 5pm drinks here at the office, then I'm dragging everyone out on the town (Brisbane) afterwards!

Hope everyone has / is having a wonderful day!
xx

Christine Wells said...

Hi Marie! Welcome to the lair. What a hilarious interview, thanks for that, AC!

LINE OF SCRIMMAGE sounds like a lot of hot steamy fun. Love me an American footballer! Yet another book to add to my TBR pile.

Congrats, Carol!

pjpuppymom said...

Terrific interview you two! Welcome to the lair, Marie and congrats on your release! Since I went out for Chinese last night followed by an evening of football watching on TV it sounds like this book will be right up my alley. I'm a football junkie and love books that incorporate the sport.
I'm not a Tom Brady fan though so I hope it won't offend you if I picture someone else in the starring role. And, what the heck, I'm feeling brave this morning. Would you tell us about the infamous CUP incident?

~PJ

pjpuppymom said...

Congrats, Carol! Happy Birthday, Joanne!

Marie Force said...

Holy moses, Banditas! Here it is only 8 a.m. in the east, I have yet to open my second eye, and there's already 21 comments! Just like I wasn't woman enough to go to Chinatown with Aunty (although she caught me with my mouth OPEN--not hard to do), I may not be woman enough for the Lair!!

Ahem, here goes! Carol, congrats on snagging the Rooster and happy birthday to your daughter!

Marie Force said...

Hi Jo,
Congrats on getting one great page done yesterday!! And yes, we did do some whooping and celebrating. It took DAYS to set in with me that it had really happened. LOS was my 7th book so it was a LONG road to get there. Celebrate everything. It makes the journey sweeter!

Marie Force said...

Hey Carol,
You are so funny! Not much comes before Dr. McDreamy for me, as my kids will attest after some Thursday night GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE shrieking sessions--yes, I am evil, ask Aunty! I mean WHY do they suddenly NEED me (all of them, the BIG ONE too) at 9 p.m. on Thursday night? After five seasons, I'm hoping I've got them trained. But yes, a call from the agent when the book is out on submission is one thing that will come before McDreamy!

Marie Force said...

Hi again Fichen,
You have been one of my best comment friends this week! Congrats on getting your little one off to kindergarten. I remember when my youngest bounded on to the bus. My brother, who had come over to be with him, said, "If only the poor bugger knew what was ahead for him. Do you think he'd still be bounding up those stairs?" For my son, it was ALL about the bus after years of watching his sister get on. Enjoy the quiet! Thanks for celebrating with me and watch for Same Time Sunday in the spring!

Marie Force said...

Hi Anna,
Congrats to you as well on all your recent great news!! I love SEP's Chicago Stars books! I hope you enjoy my football guy just as much. He is yummy, if I do say so myself!!

Marie Force said...

I know where you live, Aunty!!! Yes, there was once a GIANT CUP on my cover. And when I say GIANT, I mean HU-MAN-GOUS (as my daughter used to say, but um, not about Ryan's junk or anything... she was talking about her father's aircraft carrier... Well, it wasn't his, but the Navy's....) COFFEEEEEEE!

Marie Force said...

Helen,
Nice to see you here!! Thanks for sharing the reader's perspective. We are glad you are out there waiting for us when our dreams finally come true. Don't worry about the football in the book. It's more of a backdrop to the story than a central player. Oh, that was a pun. And I haven't had enough coffee to be punny, yet.

Congrats on two babies due on the same day! How exciting is that!! My grandmother's first two great-grandsons were born on the same day, about 30 years ago now. That was very cool for our family!
Enjoy that!!

Marie Force said...

Happy birthday Joanne!!!

Marie Force said...

Hi Christine!!
Thanks for having me, and enjoy that yummy football player with the big CUP!

Marie Force said...

PJ,
I will forgive you for not hearting Tom. I wouldn't heart him either if he wasn't playing for my team. Heart him or not, you can't deny the man can throw a football. He is pretty darned fun to watch and I have to say he made my foray into football much more interesting that it might have been otherwise. Since my character Ryan has been married for ten years in the book, he and Tommy don't have much in common in their personal lives.

See re-telling of the Cup incident of 08 above.

Dina said...

Congrats Carol.

My accomplishment so this year is surviving my job. ;)

Marie Force said...

Before I forget today, I want to thank my delicious pal Aunty Cindy for having me and for the great interview. We had as much fun doing that as we did in Chinatown. One of the very BEST parts of the last year has been connecting with the other Sourcebooks Casablanca girls, who have been such a great support system. As you all know, Aunty is the best of the best! And thank you Banditas for all your great support of our Casablanca Authors Blog!

Judi Fennell said...

Having been witness to Marie's real life inability to use chopsticks, I'm finding the picture quite amusing!!! LOL.

Whoever said football heroes don't sell, doesn't watch football. I, for one, can't wait to read LOS - but I'm waiting until I finish book 2 in my own series - deadlines you know. LOS will be my way to celebrate!

Congrats, ma'am! (and thanks Aunty for Harrison Ford...yum!)

Marie Force said...

Thanks for confirming my lack of chopsticks dexterity, Judi!! The picture looks pretty good, huh? Hey, I can fake it with the best of them. Glad you could come over to play with us!

Malena Lott said...

Great interview, gals! What fun. I'm so pumped football season is here - go Sooners! - and can't wait to read LOS.

As for my recent celebrating, I was THRILLED when my 3 year old didn't cry at his second day at kids day out yesterday (he'd bawled the first day.) It's all about the small accomplishments most days. I'll take it!

Malena

Louisa Cornell said...

Hide your car keys, Carol!! Mine came back with no gas in it, a mix of dog food and chicken feed in the back floorboard, several dings in the fenders and three speeding tickets in the glove box.

Great interview, ladies. What's not to love about a football player in those tight pants? I really like the sound of this book and Ryan sounds like a hottie.

Great advice on not giving up. I'm going to remember that when I start to feel like giving up.

I did celebrate when I finished Lost in Love and I WILL celebrate when I finish the next one.

I celebrate every final in a contest with a tea cup. Very sedate, I know, but I DO write Regency romance, okay?

I keep telling people, in almost 50 years I have never had a sip of alcohol, but when I sell my first book .... champagne here I come!

Donna MacMeans said...

Congratulations to Carol for being numero uno!

Marie - Sage words from Suzanne Brockman. I believe as well - never give up! Line of Scrimmage sounds like great fun - and the cover is to die for as well. Love those abs -

WOnderful interview, AC, as always -

p226 said...

Hmm. I seem to be having a dry spell of accomplishments of note. The only recent ones I can think of are little incremental accomplishments on my path to getting back in shape. Like, running one mile without stopping. Then shaving thirty seconds off that mile. Then running two miles without stopping. (That's a little over 3k for you ozzies.) But that's ... well ... It's... mmm ... meh, I consider it insignificant. And a little pathetic really. I used to run three miles (5k) in about nineteen minutes. Now three miles would leave me in the ER hooked to an oxygen bottle. But I'll get there. At some point.

Things have been kind of flat around here in accomplishment land. That's both a blessing and a curse. Because for something to be considered an accomplishment, by definition it has to be hard to achieve. So, the blessing side of my flat-line is that, well, things haven't been hard. And the curse lies in the lack of revelry for a job well done.

Rebekah E. said...

Congrats on your release. One thing I wish I would have celebrated was going back to college and getting my medical transcriptionist degree. But I was to busy raising my three little ones to celebrate. Thanks for the great interview.

Marie Force said...

Malena,
My Casablanca sister! Welcome to the Lair. I am so glad your little guy got thru day two without tears. That's a major victory!! Congrats Mom! And everyone, check out Malena's book Dating DiVinci in November!!

Marie Force said...

Look out for Louisa! When we see her lurching down the street drooling with an open bottle in her hand we will know she has SOLD! Don't you dare give up!! Took me seven books to hook the golden ring. There's a quote by someone famous that the world's biggest losers are the ones who gave up right before they became successful. I butchered that, but you get my point!! With every new book comes a clean slate and a million new chances. Keep writing!!

Marie Force said...

Glad you like the cover, Donna. I could've made more money pimping him out that I could ever make off the book in a million years! LOL! EVERYONE wants to know where they can find him. My second cover is pretty darned yummy, too. This time he's a lawyer, so we have the suit, opened to a fab chest. Mmmmm....check it out on my website at www.mariesullivanforce.com. Love a man in a suit ALMOST as much as I love a man in tight white pants!

pjpuppymom said...

I'm home from the "Grits with Grands" breakfast at my 2 year old grandniece's pre-school and still smiling from all the fun.

I have an accomplishment I'm celebrating today. I'm participating in the Cystic Fibrosis Unleash Your Story Fundraiser on Tessa Dare's "Chocolate Mafia" team and, after just 5 days, I've already exceeded my $150 donation goal for the entire month of September! :)

pjpuppymom said...

Definitely drool-worthy covers, Marie. I like the premise of Same Time Sunday!

Marie Force said...

ps226, congrats on increasing your distance! I used to be a runner many moons ago, so I can appreciate that accomplishment. I need to get back to it. OMG, so badly!! Maybe now that LOS is launched I will get on that treadmill. I wouldn't want anyone to be hurt in an accident when their car runs off the road watching the horror show of me running on public streets!!! :--)

Marie Force said...

Grits and grands! How cute, PJ! And congrats on the great fund-raising for a wonderful cause!! You go girl!

Marie Force said...

Thanks PJ! Same Time Sunday is based on a conversation I overheard in the Baltimore airport ten years ago. Two twenty-somethings on their way to visit their long-distance loves for the weekend discover they are also on the same flight home and agree to meet up again to exchange notes on how their weekends went. I imagined them falling for each other, and a novel idea was born! It's very exciting to see it becoming a real, live book!

Joan said...

So, did the chook DRIVE Louisa's car to Australia???

Congrats,carol :-)

And welcome Marie. Ok, I confess. I don't get football. At all.

However, from the cover of LINE OF SCRIMMAGE I would be willing to learn. I have this urge to run my hands up that six pack to..er, check his shoulder pads. Yeah. That's the ticket!

I love the premise too. LOTS of conflict there and kind of like the hero reacting to his impending loss with a game plan..using something he knows to get what he wants.

And I think sports guys make FABULOUS heroes! Our own Anna Sugden writes some hawt hockey hunks. Say that three times real fast, LOL

Marie Force said...

Joan,
I can't tell you how NOT into football I was before muse showed with man in tight white pants with big cup. Don't worry--you won't have to love the game to love Ryan. He is universally yummy and if you look VERY close at the cover, you will see a delicious bead of sweat rolling down between those ab fab pecs. He needs you to take care of that for him in any way you see fit....

Enjoy the book and thanks for having me (I was unable to say hawt hockey hunk twice, let alone three times!)
Marie

Trish Milburn said...

Congrats on your release, Marie! Very cool feeling, isn't it? I just saw my first book on the store shelf for the first time yesterday, and I just stood there grinning like a fool and then called my husband at work to tell him what I was staring at. :)

I'm intrigued that you've written a sports hero. That's one of those types of heroes we sometimes hear are hard to sell. Did you have any trouble selling Ryan's story? Oh, and I wasn't really super attracted to Tom Brady until I saw a Stetson ad with him in it.

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2007/10/10/tom-brady-stetson-ads/

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Great post, AC and Marie. Welcome to the lair, Marie...w're always glad to have new visitors.

Your book sounds very yummy, Marie. I'll be adding it to the TBR pile very soon!

Marie Force said...

Dina,
Congrats on surviving your job!!! Hope it gets easier for you going forward.

Marie Force said...

Rebekkah,
Congrats on getting your degree. That's a huge accomplishment. I hope you celebrated in style!

Marie Force said...

Hi Trish,
Congrats on seeing your book for the first time! I took my husband and kids with me, we took pictures, and generally made a scene in B&N. It was fabulous!

Luckily, I didn't know sports heroes were a no-no until after I had written one. I've since found out that women rule the NFL! There are huge female fan sites (one has invited me to come on as a guest) and more women watched the Super Bowl last year than men. Isn't that insane? It's got me thinking about doing another football book--and I wasn't even a fan before the muse brought man in tight white pants with big cup!

Love Tommy in that Stetson ad. Yum.

Marie Force said...

Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for checking out Line of Scrimmage! I hope you enjoy it!!

Cassondra said...

Hi Marie!

(And hi Aunty Cindy--thanks for bringing Marie to the lair!)

I am not a real sports fan, but I like soccer and football okay.

I've loved some sports heroes and absolutely abhorred others. I think the idea that they're a hard sell might be because it takes a certain skill to get people to relate to the lives they live. Much like any celebrity, even though we "know" intellectually that they work their butts off and face a lot of pressure, it's still difficult to empathize with the lack of...oh what to call it...."everyday difficulties" maybe?

You know--getting the dishes washed and the car cleaned and the house straightened and the kids where they need to go and too much month left at the end of the money and all that....their struggles are sometimes different ones, cuz they have lots of money and they can hire people to do the stuff they don't have time for.

So I think it takes a really gifted author to make us care about those folks. I can't wait to read LOS. Everybody who has had an inside peek has loved it, and the story premise itself is really unusual for a sports hero. So count me among those adding it to the list!

Now, as to celebrating stuff--I don't do it nearly as much as I should, and like P226, I tend to think if it's worth celebrating, it should be hard--or that's what I DID think. But I'm beginning to believe I should shift my perspective--because hard things get done one small, easy step at a time, and if we fear the big hard thing so much that it's not getting done, well then, maybe we need to celebrate each small step accomplished.

Perfectionism has its down side for certain. This is one of them. I'm about to change that small aspect of my perfectionism. I recently submitted for the first time in a while--I'd been slacking--and I have YET to celebrate that because it got interrupted, but the celebration is still on the schedule.

And I have more submissions waiting to be sent...so for each query, and each submission-I am planning to go and celebrate. Even if it's just opening a better bottle of wine than I would normally drink that night. Hey, WHY NOT?

Otherwise life will go by "waiting for something good to happen."

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Morning everyone... (Aunty pries open one eye enough to find caffeine)

Marie, I warned you about our Oz girls and late night/early am starts. 'Tis a wonderful thing here in the Lair!

And happy to see our Casa sisters Judi and Malena here so bright and early (esp. since Aunty is neither)!

Thanx for the nice compliments on the interview everyone. It's easy to have a GREAT interview when you have a fun guest like Marie! We really did have a blast in San Francisco Chinatown and Marie was a very good sport to go to my fave hole-in-the-wall restaurant!

Marie, how did your kidlets like those Chinatown souvenirs? And did your DH steal your SF 49er jacket?

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Dina, surviving the DDF (Dreaded Day Job) IS something to celebrate! And TGIF, right?!?! Hope you celebrate the weekend with a good book. ;-)

Louisa, we are all waiting impatiently for the day we can toast your first sale with REAL and cyber champagne! Listen to Marie's advice and NEVER EVER GIVE UP! But then... all of us here in the Lair would never ALLOW you to quit, so no worries!

AC

Maureen said...

Congratulations Marie on your new book. Just in time for football season which started yesterday.
We celebrated almost finishing putting a new floor in our family room by dragging the TV and couch back in so my husband could watch the Giants' first game.

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Glad you could join us P226!

And don't be so hard on yourself. Ain't none of us getting any younger (Even our birthday girl, Joanne, who at half her mum's age is a young and lovely whippersnapper), and the stuff we did ten -- heck even 5 --years ago might be a much bigger accomplishment NOW! The main thing is to stay in there and KEEP SLUGGIN' as we all KNOW you can!

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

PJ, Joanie, and Donna,
If you think the LOS cover is YUMMY now, you should have seen it when the INFAMOUS CUP was still in view. LOL! I'm afraid it did border on too hawt for family friendly or as Marie said, "I can't let my 13 year old daughter look at THAT!" :-)

On a more serious note, WTG PJ on the fundraising for CF. That is a horrible and tragic condition. GO YOU and everyone fighting to find new treatments and a cure!

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Maureen, getting enough new floor to drag in the couch to watch football is definitely cause to celebrate!

I'm a defacto Jets fan. My son has been a Jets fan since her was a very small boy and his uncle lived in NY and sent him a Joe Klecko jersey. Therefore, I MUST also be a Jets fan. :-)

Rebekah, if you didn't celebrate your MAJOR accomplishment of getting that degree is is NOT TOO LATE! Cabana boy! Bust open a few magnums of the bubbly! It's 5 o'clock somewhere!

AC
who really only watches football to view the huddles

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Cassondra,
Once again, I think your thoughtful insight is right on! I do think that's why it's hard to write a sympathetic sports hero/celebrity character. But just reading some of the wonderful reviews for LOS, I think Marie has pulled off the feat IN SPADES!

As for your accomplishments, we've already been cheering you on privately in the Lair. But we will also all be nagging... er, um, ENCOURAGING you to keep up those submissions. Listen to Marie, NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

AC

Marie Force said...

Hi Cassondra!
You raise some great points. What I love about Ryan (well, ONE of the things I love about him) is that he is an extraordinary athlete with ordinary problems--a wife who is through with him, some pretty serious injuries when the book opens, and almost no time to stop a divorce he never wanted. Hopefully most readers will relate to that ordinary side of him. Susannah doesn't give a CRAP about his football abilities or his superstar status or his ginormous ego. None of that is going to help him sway her. So again, he has to rely on ordinary charm!

Good luck with your querying! I will keep my fingers crossed for good news for you!
Marie

Marie Force said...

Hi Maureen,
Doncha love the kisment of that timing? My football book launching three days before the NFL season started?

Congrats on the new floor. I can't speak of the Giants, however, after our face off in the Super Bowl last year. Shudder.... LOL
Marie

Marie Force said...

Aunty,
The kiddos loved the treasures (aka junk) I picked up for them in Chinatown and I told DH hands off my $16 SF jacket. It's MINE. I will need it during the fall little league season where I freeze my arse off... Doncha wish that was actually possible? Anyway, it's a fun day in the Lair!!

catslady said...

I have a couple of celebrations - my one daughter got married this summer (finally all the planning is over lol) and my other daughter moved into her own apartment for college. Of course it's bittersweet since I now have empty nest syndrome.

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Catslady, WOO HOO!

I LURVE my empty nest! My biggest challenge has been keeping the little dear from moving back into it. :-P

Definitely celebrate. You have raised two wonderful responsible ADULTS! WTG!

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Marie,
There is NOTHING ordinary about that chest and those abs! I'm just sayin...

AC

Unknown said...

Marie, just left B&N, where I picked up a copy of Line Of Scrimmage

We had a heck of a time actually. They kept saying, it's not showing this book in the computer (I'd stopped by the service desk to preorder some other books) and I kept saying, "well, I know it should be here cuz I was just talking to the author" ahem...had to kinda look off to the side when I said that. But it was sorta true.

Anyway, turned out the cutie pie who was helping me was spelling scrimmage with only one "m".

GOT IT!

And they had four copies left after I bought mine, so it looks like the Sourcebooks staff has done a brilliant marketing job for you, and I can't wait to crack open the cover on this.

Unfortunately, I'm not allowed--not until I get my page count for the day. :0( Aunty Cindy will come after me if I don't keep moving forward.

But this--and a copy of Christine's The Dangerous Duke will be my rewards this weekend! WoOOOOOOOT! New books to read--and ones we've all been waiting for.

And Marie, your cover is even more gorgeous LIVE than on the web!

Marie Force said...

Aww, Catslady on the empty nest. Gets me misty just thinking about it. My kids are 10 and 13 so I have a way to go before that, but I know it happens fast. I can't believe my daughter started 8th grade this week. Next year to high school--already! Must go take a pause...I am feeling misty!

Marie Force said...

OH wow, Cassondra, how exciting! Thank you for that retail support and for helping the clerk learn how to spell! You are awesome! Get those pages done and ENJOY your weekend reading!! Thanks so much.

Anna Campbell said...

Thanks, Marie!

Jane said...

Wtg, Carol.

Are there any noodles and dumplings left? I'm getting kind of hungry. Congrats on your debut release, Marie. Ryan sounds very yummy, but being a sports wife is pretty hard. Your husband is gone all the time and there are always groupies waiting for them at the hotels. I don't know if I could deal with the pressure of having your husband being the object of desire by so many women.

Marie Force said...

Hi Jane,
That was definity an issue for Susannah and the subject of fidelity in the fishbowl is a central theme in the book. Hope you enjoy it!
Marie

Beth Andrews said...

Welcome to the lair, Marie! LOS sounds like a fantastic book!

I love football so your hero is right up my alley *g*

I also adore reunion stories. Did you find it difficult to have the characters change and grow when they had so much baggage between them and such a long history?

One accomplishment I recently celebrated was surviviing another summer vacation! Yay, me! Now the kids are back at school and I'm chauffeuring them around like crazy, but the 8 hrs of peace and quiet a day are so worth it :-)

Beth Andrews said...

Happy Birthday, Joanne!

Pat Cochran said...

Hello to Marie and Aunty Cindy!
Congratulations to you both on the excellent interview!

I am a life-long resident of the great state of Texas! You cannot live in Texas and not love football! So I already love this book and Ryan! I'm definitely looking forward to curling up with Line of Scrimmage and a glass of iced tea!

There is never a lack of reasons
for celebration in a family with
4 children and 10 grandchildren,
plus a LARGE extended family. We
recently celebrated the 10 August
birthdays with a large gathering.

Congratulations, Carol, and happy
birthday to your daughter!

Pat Cochran

Marie Force said...

Wow Pat, 10 birthdays in August!! Hope it was a fun gathering. Thanks so much for curling up with LOS. That is such an exciting thing for me to imagine. Cindy and I have had many chats about the surreal feeling associated with people we don't know reading our books. It's very humbling, and I'm honred you plan to spend your precious down time with Ryan and Susannah! ENJOY!
Marie

Marie Force said...

Hi Beth,
Great question about reunion romances. Yes! It was a challenge in many ways. Most of the time in romance boy and girl meet on page one, but mine started the book with 11 years worth of baggage. One of the biggest challenges I encountered early on was resisting the urge to data dump the backstory. I like the way it worked out and the way it forced me to rethink my whole process. By book 7, you think you have it figured out but then your characters send you in directions you haven't been before. That's one of the things I like best about writing.

BRAVO on surviving summer vacation! I am right there with you! I work full-time from home on the day job so the summers are enormously challenging. My kids are 10 and 13 now, which means it's easier than it was, but the "I'm bored" chorus drives me nuts. They sail three days a week, which has saved my sanity, but the other two days it's me and them and my JOB. Luckily, I've been there 13 years and have a lot of flexibility and an understanding boss! But I was glad to see that bus on Tuesday and then I felt bad for being glad. Ain't motherhood grand? It's all about the guilt!

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Hey Jane,
I'm with you, no sports figures for hubbies! In addition to the groupies, there's the element of danger. As you know, I'm a HUGE auto racing fan but there's NO WAY I could sit there and watch if someone I loved was in one of those vehicles (be it husband, son, daughter, sibling)! I'd be scared to death something would happen to them. Ditto with other sports. Nope, NO WAY! Couldn't do it.

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Beth,
YAY on surviving another summer vacation! And YAY! Your kids survived too. No easy task with the World's Meanest Mom. LOL!

Pat C.,
TEN birthday's in August?!?! Must have been a lot of cold winter nights in your family. ;-) But what a perfect excuse for a huge family gathering. So glad you took advantage and celebrated.

Yes, Marie and I are still adjusting to sharing our characters and stories with the world. It is such a gratifying but at the same time humbling experience. HUGE THANX again to all the wonderful readers out there who make the writing worthwhile.

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

HUGE thanx to Marie for hanging out with us and partying here in the Lair!

And THANX to everyone who showed up and partied with us! We'll announce the winner of the autographed copy of Line Of Scrimmage tomorrow night so be sure to check back.

AC

Marie Force said...

Thanks a million, ladies! I had a BLAST! I appreciate all the excitement about Line of Scrimmage. I love to hear from readers, so let me know what you think!
Much love to the Banditas as well as my partner in crime (and chopsticks) Aunty Cindy.
xoxo
Marie

kim h said...

hot cover, congrats on teh book. my birthday i s coming up hope to celabrate taht .