I am not what you might call quick on the pick up.Remember Grrrranimals? It was a line of kids clothing where you knew your shorts matched your top because they both had a little tiger (or kangaroo, or penguin, or whatever) on the label. Match the animal, match your outfit. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. (Hang on while I experience a moment of intense nostalgia for that concept. Okay, I'm back.)
Yeah, I was the last kid in my grade to realize it was dorky to wear those. I won't tell you how old I was. It's embarrassing.
And you know that exquisitely uncomfortable moment when you realize you've been insulted in front of a bunch of people? I often compound the humiliation by not even catching the insult. I just toodle merrily along, laughing & chatting. Then two days later I'm like, "Oh! Hey!"A stinging retort, no matter how superbly crafted, loses its punch when it's 48 hours late.
So, yeah, I'm that girl. Not super quick on the pick up. Things that jump out at most people just sorta fly by me. Which is how I come to you now with a book called MONEY SHOT featuring a heroine named Goose. (A book which is to be released this coming Tuesday, June 7. I should mention that.)I swear on all that's holy it did not occur to me that either of things would make this book difficult to promote. Somehow I did not realize that people would crack Top Gun jokes everywhere I went. (It's the Goose/Maverick thing, and though I love me some Anthony Edwards, this has gotten old.)
And the full import of naming a book MONEY SHOT didn't strike me until I started googling my title to see if review copies were out yet. (Do not do this. Especially not on Twitter. Just...trust me & save yourself an eyeball bleaching.)
This is not my fault. I can explain.
The Goose thing was an accident. Or at least a failure to look ahead the way an author should. I needed a secondary character when I was writing my previous book MONEY HONEY, & Goose just strolled onto the stage. She was six solid feet of sex appeal & polished charm, and made my heroine feel even dumpier and more awkward by comparison. In short, she was perfect. A little too perfect, actually. Nobody was going to like her if she wasn't a little more human.So I named her Maria di Guzman, & called her Goose. It's short for di Guzman, & a nod to the fact that middle schoolers are cruel when it comes to assigning nicknames. Especially when you're a six foot tall middle school girl, & awkward with it. Maybe Goose ended up gorgeous but damn, she earned it. And the fact that she still lets people call her Goose tells the reader that she hasn't let beauty go to her head.
Then she got her own book. And now I have to promote a book whose heroine--for excellent reasons!--is named after a barnyard animal. Or maybe Tom Cruise's Top Gun sidekick. Sigh.And now the money shot thing. Oh, double sigh.
Okay, I originally named this book MONEY MOON. It has a pagan subplot running through it--the island where the book takes place is home to an ancient altar that lines up to the moon just so at certain sacred times of year--and so the moon is a major story element. And since Goose spends the book tracking down a counterfeiter, the money reference seemed appropriate. Plus I thought MONEY MOON was a cute play on HONEY MOON which is what happens after people fall in love. Right?
Yeah, my editor wasn't so into it. And if you have to explain the reference, your reference was too obscure.
So we brainstormed a whole bunch of titles and MONEY SHOT was the one everybody agreed on. There's also a shooting subplot (Goose doesn't like to shoot her gun, though she's really good at it), so the shot part made sense. And though money shot is still used to refer to the, uh, grand finale scene of a porn movie, it's also become common parlance for somebody's signature move. You know, a basketball player's dunk, a pool player's favorite shot, a boxer's big punch, whatever. The porn thing just gave the phrase a slightly sexy connotation.
Or so we thought. Then I did a search on Twitter to see if anybody was talking about MONEY SHOT. Turns out they were. But they were NOT talking about my book.
Lot of porn out there, ladies. Lot of porn.
So there you have it. Could have happened to anybody, right?
But here's the thing. I love this book. Goose and Rush both started in a pretty dark place--Goose especially--but they came back to the light. And they worked like hell for it, & they did it with style and humor. So no matter how many Top Gun and/or porn jokes people make about this book, I'm keeping my chin up. You've got to have a sense of humor about these things or life is too grim. Just ask Rush and Goose.
How about you? Have you ever been the last one to get the joke? To catch a clue? Will a title or a name turn you off a book, or will you give things a chance? Be honest. I'm bullet-proof at this point & I really want to know. Plus, I'm giving away a copy of MONEY SHOT, so if you want to see how much the Goose/MONEY SHOT thing bothers you, comment & you could find out for free!
75 comments:
I'm definitely on the same page with the whole afterthought of, "wait that was an insult". I could fill enough pages of said unrealized insults to fill a book.
I see nothing wrong with the title, it's what you've chosen and if it fits your story who cares what the gutter minded, don't they realize top gun was forever ago(?), jokers have to add. It's all about what you wanted and created.
You put a lot of time and effort into your book I'm sure and that's something to be respected. :)
Congrats on the new release, Susan. I do get the money shot and Goose references. I usually get the jokes, but of course there are times where it just goes over my head. I do admit that there are some names that turn me off and I do have a hard time picturing them as a hero.
Congrats on your new release!
Okay, I must admit that your choice of "Money Shot" being the title of Goose's book did make me raise an eyebrow the first time I saw it (though I thought the "Top Gun" reference was on purpose). I loved her from "Money, Honey" and felt she deserved a better book title than a porn reference (yes, I did get that one right away). Still, I just figured that you and your team knew what you were doing.
At least "Goose" is correct for her, in the gender sense. It always bothered me about "Top Gun"; shouldn't "Goose" be "Gander" since he's a male?
I don't always get jokes and references either but what makes me really grumpy is that I can't come up with a good comeback until days later. :(
I think its hilarious! Random things like this will make me rush out and buy a book, so that's great news for you!
I'm getting much quicker on picking things up in my wisened age (is that even a word)? There is one time in particular that stands out as a moment I just didn't get it. In high school, group of kids talking about their "elements", I burst out, "I'm a Pisces" everyone burst out laughing and I so didn't get the joke. It was few years later that I finally figured it out.
I'm pretty good at getting jokes. In-house jokes are a different matter though. Sometimes I have to admit I have read a book and have wondered how the title fits, but good for you for creating titles that relate back to the story well.
Well done Lolarific have fun with him
Whoo Hoo Susan I am sooo looking forward to reading this book YAY, I loved Money Honey and I know I am going to love Goose's story.
Yep I am the same as you are most of the time as well LOL. The name of a book never turns me off I buy books for a couple of reasons
1. Auto buy author (you are)
2. The blurb on the back
3. A recomentation from a friend or blog
So I have no problems with the title or Goose's name I just want to read the book.
Have Fun
Helen
People (read: highschool kids) have commented (in the past) on my clothing "nice vintage", only to when my back was turned laugh and say "old grandmothers hand-me-down" type of thing.
I didn't get it at first, I loved my clothes. But after this happened a few times I realized they where trying to insult me. Didn't really work as I still loved my stuff & well it was only THEIR opinion so...
Enjoy Gr lolarific
Well done on the book Susan...... I sometimes choose to ignore some insults but I can always come up with a smart answer after the event LOL I don't always look at the title just the blurb on the back and I have authors that are auto buys
I didn't get the porno tie in so I liked the title. I could see a sports tie in but I like sports. The nickname of Goose didn't bother me. I liked Goose in Top Gun. I take things one at a time.
I wish you success with your new book Money Shot!
Nice article, thanks for the information.
sewa mobil
I can be slow on the uptake sometimes myself, if it is at least in a reasonable time frame, (maybe just two or three minutes) I just give them the evil eye and move on. If it is days later I just put my nose in the air and pretend I was ignoring their insult from the beginning.
I think it is a great title and it goes with Money Honey very well. I don't let a title kill it for me, just think of how many great books might be missed that way.
YAYYY!! Been waiting for Money Shot to come out!! And, for the record, I loved that Goose is called Goose. (I also love Top Gun too *g*).
I'm with you on the Money Shot, thing - for me, it's the banker play in sports or the best shot for an advert/movie. Didn't realise it was porn too, though I can see why it relates to what it does.
Frankly, I don't worry about the title too much. Like Helen, if it's an auto-buy author and I like the sound of the blurb, I don't even notice the title.
I'm usually okay on catching the insult, but it's coming up with a suitable riposte that's the issue! I usually wake up in the middle of the night with the perfect comeback - hours too late! I'm often a step behind on in-jokes, though. Usually because I'm caught between the English and American cultures.
Go Goose!
Lolarific definitely got the joke this AM! She got the GR! Whoops! Don't tell him I called him a joke. He has an overdeveloped sense of vengeance. (Shades of Princess Bride)
YAY !!!! Another Susan Sey book to read! I am really looking forward to Money Shot as I LOVED Money Honey.
I think it is wonderful to have a gorgeous heroine with the dorky nickname she acquired in school. And I tend to think of the money shot as the winning photograph by a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, but hey, what do I know? All the porn I read or see is from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries!
Sweet little gosling Susan, you are one of the most hilarious writers I know! Seriously, I've already spewed out my morning brew.
Goose and Money Shot, who would've thought. Goose doesn't turn me off at all because as you've explained the character, she earns the name, by damn.
I call my husband "little man," which is an ironic twist on the fact he's six four and weighs 230 pounds and has hands like a bear! And he likes it.
About Money Shot, oooh, that was a new one to me (guess I'm not quite the nasty old lady, huh?). I thought it branded your books -- Money Honey, Money Shot, you know.
I like Money Shot better than Money Moon and here's hoping lots of little old ladies don't take their copies of your book to church, displaying it for all those repenitant sinners to see LOL!
Duh, I blathered on without congratulating Lolarific on getting the rooster. Didn't you capture him yesterday? Kudos to you!
To answer the question, I never get the "man" jokes, you know those jokes men banter about like junior high boys and snicker and snigger like hyennas. But, let's face it, those are just plain stupid.
I usually get the "mature" subtle ones, but here's the weird thing about me. I never, ever, ever get a cut someone makes to me or about me, direct or indirect. I just figure everybody loves me so the remark must've meant something else. Talk about Polyanna! I guess having a large family that loves me has insulated me well. WHY they love me, since I'm a snarky old gal, still astounds me, but what the hell, there it is.
Okay, so yeah, I'm dominating your blog, Susan, tee hee, but one final comment:
You are such a clever, witty and truly funny writer that I know Money Shot is going to soar! I know I'll be buying a copy.
Congrats, gosling!
Ahh… I am going to admit to you I would not read this book where the whole could read the title. I do not want to explain. Thank goodness for my nook!!! I usually get the joke/insult I just wish I were quick witted enough for a good comeback.
Susan, congrats on your new release! I'm very excited to read Money Shot and I can't wait to see how Rush and Goose earn their HEA :-)
I'm not turned off by certain titles or names, and though I knew what Money Shot means in porn-terms, I didn't even think of it that way when I heard your title. I actually thought of the paparazzi and photos *g*
I'm sure there have been many times when I've needed to catch a clue but usually, I'm the one who has to explain something one of my kids has said to my husband *g*
First congrats on your new release!
Second, I feel really slow because I never got the money shot thing until I started reading your blog. Then it was like...duh!
A title or name doesn't usually bother me unless it's a name that is so hard to figure out how to pronounce. At least with Goose you have an explanation of why she's called that.
Lolarific said: I see nothing wrong with the title, it's what you've chosen and if it fits your story who cares what the gutter minded, don't they realize top gun was forever ago(?), jokers have to add.
Hi, Lola! And congrats on snagging the Golden Rooster! (We give him to our first commenter of the day & he's kind of a handful so watch out!)
And I laughed out loud at the "top gun was forever ago" thing. It *was*, right?! But hey, I love me some Anthony Edwards, so I'm going with it. :-)
Jane wrote: I do admit that there are some names that turn me off and I do have a hard time picturing them as a hero.
Are there any names in particular that turn you off? Me, for example? I don't care for the name Tim for a romance novel hero. I feel it makes him sound timid or something. Which is weird, because in real life I know a number of Tims & have no problem at all with their name. It's just in romance novels. Go figure.
Sheree wrote: Okay, I must admit that your choice of "Money Shot" being the title of Goose's book did make me raise an eyebrow the first time I saw it (though I thought the "Top Gun" reference was on purpose). I loved her from "Money, Honey" and felt she deserved a better book title than a porn reference (yes, I did get that one right away). Still, I just figured that you and your team knew what you were doing.
It's entirely possible you've been giving me too much credit. :-) I rarely know what I'm doing. But because it's too late at this point, I'm just going with it and hoping for the best!
Jen3128 wrote: In high school, group of kids talking about their "elements", I burst out, "I'm a Pisces" everyone burst out laughing and I so didn't get the joke. It was few years later that I finally figured it out.
Okay, I *think* I know what they were talking about but I'm not totally sure. Explain? :-)
And I'm thrilled that something this weird and random will actually inspire you to buy a book. Maybe people like you will balance out the people who'll hear the title & think, "Um, no." Here's hoping!
marybelle wrote: Sometimes I have to admit I have read a book and have wondered how the title fits, but good for you for creating titles that relate back to the story well.
I can! I can totally explain how we go to MONEY SHOT! That counts for something, doesn't it? And aside from the title, I love my cover. It's really true to the characters & I know a lot of authors don't get that lucky, so yay team on that front, right?
Helen wrote: The name of a book never turns me off I buy books for a couple of reasons
1. Auto buy author (you are)
2. The blurb on the back
3. A recomentation from a friend or blog
So I have no problems with the title or Goose's name I just want to read the book.
Aw, Helen, you're sweet. I really, really hope this book doesn't disappoint. But if it does, know I did the best I could & will try even harder next time if I'm lucky enough to get a next time.
Jo's Daughter wrote: I didn't get it at first, I loved my clothes. But after this happened a few times I realized they where trying to insult me. Didn't really work as I still loved my stuff & well it was only THEIR opinion so...
And this is the best revenge, isn't it? Knowing that this sad, petty, snarky person has to go home with themselves and you can continue to live a rich, authentic life full of things & people you love.
Plus, I love vintage clothes. In high school, I spent way more time in the thrift shop than I did in the mall. And I have the pictures to prove it, much to my mom's chagrin. :-)
Barb wrote: I sometimes choose to ignore some insults but I can always come up with a smart answer after the event LOL
Isn't that always the way? That's why I love writing. It's so satisfying when people have snappy answers at the ready, & that only happens in, like, draft five. If only life offered revisions...
Lolarific, congrats on the Golden Rooster!
Susan, I am frequently the last one to catch a reference. Half my brain is on Mars most of the time, so I just don't clue in.
I'm sorry you're having promo trouble because of the title and the nickname. But give yourself a break on both. You're just the author. There are divisions in publishing called Editorial and Marketing who are supposed to know these things for you.
Anyway, I LOVE Goose! She's a great character. Money, Honey was a fabulous book, and I can't wait for this one.
Does anyone know--if I preorder it via iBooks or Amazon, will actually appear, as if by magic, on my iPad on Tuesday/
Laurie G wrote: I didn't get the porno tie in so I liked the title. I could see a sports tie in but I like sports. The nickname of Goose didn't bother me. I liked Goose in Top Gun. I take things one at a time.
I'm with you, Laurie. Why try to find reasons to snark? Just assume the best, find ways to like whatever's in front of you, & life is so much better, isn't it?
Grya Mobil Kita wrote: Nice article, thanks for the information.
Thanks for stopping by!
hrdwrkdmom aka dianna wrote: I just give them the evil eye and move on. If it is days later I just put my nose in the air and pretend I was ignoring their insult from the beginning.
Ha! I love this! It's so much easier to look down your nose at people from the high road, right? And some people definitely deserve the evil eye. It's too bad they're so often too clueless to register the full insult of a good evil eye. Ah, well. It's still satisfying to do. :-)
Anna S wrote: I'm usually okay on catching the insult, but it's coming up with a suitable riposte that's the issue! I usually wake up in the middle of the night with the perfect comeback - hours too late!
And it's always the middle of the night, too, when nobody's around to appreciate the perfection of your come back. I can tell you from experience that husband's do not want to be woken up from a dead sleep to be informed of a comeback meant for somebody else.
Louisa Cornell wrote: And I tend to think of the money shot as the winning photograph by a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, but hey, what do I know? All the porn I read or see is from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries!
I have to admit, this intrigues me. What is porn from the 18th & 19th centuries like? It seems like things probably haven't changed that much in terms of what people want to see, just the vehicle for how they see it. What's your take on historical porn?
Jo wrote: About Money Shot, oooh, that was a new one to me (guess I'm not quite the nasty old lady, huh?). I thought it branded your books -- Money Honey, Money Shot, you know.
See, me too! I thought the porn thing was old & outdated, so when it was suggested for a title I was like, "Well, okay. Why not?"
Guess I know now why not. :-)
Hopefully it'll make people curious enough to check it out, & if they'd already read MONEY HONEY, they'll get the tie in.
Jo also wrote: You are such a clever, witty and truly funny writer that I know Money Shot is going to soar! I know I'll be buying a copy.
Oh, Jo, you're going to make me cry. This is such a hard business sometimes, & words like that are few & far between.
MONEY SHOT is a darker book than MONEY HONEY, & I know it'll disappoint a few people who were looking for the same experience with different characters but this was the book Goose demanded so this was the book she got. I really hope you'll enjoy it anyway.
Kat said: Ahh… I am going to admit to you I would not read this book where the whole could read the title. I do not want to explain. Thank goodness for my nook!!!
I know, right? I love my Kindle for this very reason. I mean, I love my romance novels but I, too, am leery of reading a book on the bus with lurid, half-nekkid people groping each other on the cover. Not because I'm a prude--sex is healthy & I'm definitely more into reading about it than violence, for example--but because I don't want to entertain impertinent questions from the drunk guy riding the bus beside me.
Yay for e-readers!
Beth wrote: I'm sure there have been many times when I've needed to catch a clue but usually, I'm the one who has to explain something one of my kids has said to my husband *g*
Ha! I'm always asking my husband's opinion on social nuance stuff. "Hey, did so & so just insult me & I didn't catch it?" And he's like, "Who?" So if I'm missing the subtext, he's often missing the entire conversation. Which, perversely, makes me feel better.
Jo wrote: I never, ever, ever get a cut someone makes to me or about me, direct or indirect. I just figure everybody loves me so the remark must've meant something else.
Jo, I love this attitude, & think it is SO healthy. If I could I'd make a mantra out of it. People love me, people love me, people love me. Even if it isn't true, there's no thing I can do to fix it so why waste the energy worrying about it?
Christie wrote: Second, I feel really slow because I never got the money shot thing until I started reading your blog. Then it was like...duh!
I cannot TELL you how much better this makes me feel. Sometimes I feel like everybody in the world caught this before I did & were just waiting for me to pull my head out of my butt & protest. But now it's too late & the poor girl's stuck. Man. That's too bad.
But no! Many people out there are like us, toddling innocently along just thinking paparazzi or dunk shot. I like my happy little world, actually. Think I'll stay here a while. It's nice.
Nancy wrote: Anyway, I LOVE Goose! She's a great character. Money, Honey was a fabulous book, and I can't wait for this one.
Oh, Nancy, this is so kind. Thank you! And I really, really hope MONEY SHOT doesn't disappoint. It's a bit darker than MONEY HONEY, and people who are expecting the same book with different characters aren't going to be happy. But hopefully, if people just let the book unfold it'll hold its own. (crosses fingers & sends up a brief but heartfelt prayer)
Susan wrote: It's a bit darker than MONEY HONEY . . .
Well, you know I've been drifting to the dark side. *g* And I have to say that I thought Money, Honey had its share of dark tones. It was also a very hot book, and I'm assuming this one is, too?
Nancy wrote: Well, you know I've been drifting to the dark side. *g*
I've heard that, & am intrigued!
And I have to say that I thought Money, Honey had its share of dark tones. It was also a very hot book, and I'm assuming this one is, too?
Well, I think so. Hopefully it'll be up to expectations but this is a weird business. I'm just going to have to see what readers think. I'll be interested to know what you think of it!
Susan,
CONGRATS on your new release!
Take comfort in the fact that most of us writers don't get much (if any) input on our titles.
I didn't like any of mine... The Wild Sight? That could definitely have porn overtones! I esp. objected to The Treasures of Venice, which always sounded like a guide book to me. Although... I suppose it COULD be construed in a pornographic way... And The Wild Irish Sea was set on the North Atlantic, NOT the Irish Sea (heavy sigh).
Readers are interested in the story and characters, NOT the title. And your story and characters are FAB! So no worries. ;-)
AC
If a blurb doesn't turn me off a book, a title certainly won't.
@ Susan - I too spend hours and hours in those thrift shops! They had all the cool stuff & I liked to daydream about the life those things had seen/experienced. :D
My parents were not keen on it either. Looking at those old pictures some things didn't really work... But hey, we all have outfits (or hair styles) we regret later on in life.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RELEASE OF MONEY SHOT, Susan!!
Oh, you do have to laugh along with the jokers sometimes, don't you? I'd never heard of the sexy connotation of the title so I'm afraid I'm in the minority on that one. I thought the title was hip and cool and there's no way a bad title would turn me off reading a book. I look at what the cover blurb says. As for Goose, Top Gun is sooo long agooo... My reaction was really? People are actually bothering to bring that up? I'm thinking they're the sad ones, frankly.
I LOVED MONEY HONEY. I'm so looking forward to MONEY SHOT!!
AC wrote: I esp. objected to The Treasures of Venice, which always sounded like a guide book to me. Although... I suppose it COULD be construed in a pornographic way...
Hee hee. This made me snicker. I hadn't thought of it before you put it just that way. And a guide book to porn? That just sounds like entertainment.
Minna wrote: If a blurb doesn't turn me off a book, a title certainly won't.
Oh, the blurbs. Man, those are hard to write, too! At least I got to write my own for both my books so far. I can't imagine letting anybody else try to encapsulate 400 pages of my writing into three little paragraphs.
Jo's Daughter wrote: They had all the cool stuff & I liked to daydream about the life those things had seen/experienced. :D
Oh, now you're speaking to my heart. My parents did NOT understand the concept of clothes with history. I had plenty of those, they argued. I had hand me downs. Why on earth would I want a stranger's old clothes?
Because I did. And my sisters hadn't worn them. :-)
Christine wrote: Oh, you do have to laugh along with the jokers sometimes, don't you?
I try. I definitely try. :-)
And thanks for the vote of confidence. I'm just closing my eyes, plugging my ears & la-la-la-ing my way through the next two weeks, I think.
Truth be told I am more turned back by covers, I am so horrid. Titles I can take :) As for name, ok sure sometimes it's weird. But it's more if they have a name someone think they use in my country but in truth it's really old-fashioned or something ;)
Blodeuedd said: "But it's more if they have a name someone think they use in my country but in truth it's really old-fashioned or something ;)"
Or something. I never forget that book where a supposedly Finnish guy was called Jarl Hendricks. Talk about strange...
blodeudd wrote: Truth be told I am more turned back by covers,
Oh, I'll admit to this. My kindle has forever changed the way I read. I don't ever worry about covers anymore. I'll read anything, anywhere, covers be damned. It's lovely. :-)
Minna wrote: I never forget that book where a supposedly Finnish guy was called Jarl Hendricks. Talk about strange...
Is that a weird name? I'm not Finnish & don't know much about the culture. Just out of curiosity, why is that name odd?
Frankly, Smoov, the ladies and gentlemen of 18th century Europe make Hugh Hefner look like a abstinence advocate! I'm currently reading The Sinner's Grand Tour - A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of Europe by Tony Perrottet which is not only a extremely wittily written it chronicles the author's research trip to all of the sex clubs, brothels and sources of artifacts and art associated with the promiscuous 18th century. There were volumes of pornographic stories and manuals published during the 18th and 19th century, not to mention the lurid paintings and drawings available for purchase. And lets not forget the discoveries made at Pompeii during the period as well. Some of the best preserved ruins are those of the various brothels and sex clubs of that city, complete with murals of each girl's specialties in LARGE LIVING color. This certainly gave the ladies and gents of those centuries LOTS of ideas. Some of the sexual "perversions" of those periods make some of today's porn look rather boring in comparison.
Hey, Susan! I'm right there with you. I've read MONEY SHOT (loved it btw) and I still didn't get the references! lol! Sure, I've seen Top Gun but the "Goose" comparison never occurred to me...in either book!
As for Money Shot... What can I say? I'm just a sweet, innocent I guess. *grin*
I want this book! Thank goodness it's finally here. Almost.
I didn't even think of the porn connotation when I heard the title. But I clicked a hastag on Twitter the other day and some of those porn people have HORRIFYING pictures on their profiles. I'm still using the brain bleach.
I don't usually miss the joke, but I'm one of those women who never knows when she's being hit on. (Not that this happens often. I don't think.) Oddly enough, guys don't keep trying once you've been clueless for, say, hours. Or days. LOL!
List me among the last! That was me in
jr & sr. high school, last to pick up
on the jokes and stories being told.
Wasn't the only one, our group was not of the "with it" generation. We were shy
and quiet and studious!!!
Pat Cochran
PJ wrote: As for Money Shot... What can I say? I'm just a sweet, innocent I guess. *grin*
Well that makes two of us. :-) Maybe we can sit together & ask the big girls to explain what's so funny.
Louisa wrote: Some of the best preserved ruins are those of the various brothels and sex clubs of that city, complete with murals of each girl's specialties in LARGE LIVING color.
Okay, color me innocent but wowza. I get the menu idea--here's what we have available, folks--but painting a mural of it? Wow. Just...wow. Guess you can't say you didn't get what you ordered though. It's, uh, THAT.
TerriOsburn wrote: I don't usually miss the joke, but I'm one of those women who never knows when she's being hit on. (Not that this happens often. I don't think.) Oddly enough, guys don't keep trying once you've been clueless for, say, hours. Or days. LOL!
Oh, & it's mortifying to have to go back & say, "Hey, remember when you said xyz & I said abc & totally didn't catch the clue? It was, um, a clue, wasn't it? I mean, did you mean...Oh, hell. I'll stay single." I'm with you. I never caught it. They had to be brash for me to clue in.
We're worth the work, that's what I say. :-)
Pat Cochran wrote: Wasn't the only one, our group was not of the "with it" generation. We were shy
and quiet and studious!!!
Well, me too! I loved the shy, quiet, good kids! My sister still rolls her eyes at me when I profess ignorance of something she figured out in 2nd grade. I defend myself with, "Well, non of *my* friends--"
She's like, "Yeah, that explains it right there. Go no further."
It occurs to me now this, also, was an insult. Huh.
Porn???? I come in late to the celebratory "Hot Damn, Susan's gonna have another book out" party and you mention porn?
With no links??
Oops....slip there.
I can't wait for Money Shot and Goose being called Goose settled quite well in my brain in Money Honey when I saw her last name....easy jump from there and she's such a great character you could have called her Mama DUCK and it would have been fine!
The story is great, can't wait for the book and about those links...
VBEG
Oh, and here's the thing...I still have no clue what Money Shot means .... :D
Susan, clearly I am WAY dorkier and behind than you, because you are just about the Queen Goddess of Cool in my book. So uh, don't Google the title, eh? Thanks for the tip :)
I absolutely adored Money, Honey, and I know I'm gonna love Goose and Money Shot, too! I was itching for her book when I finished Money, Honey...
As for belated retorts, I'm not even so good with those, although I appreciate a perfect comeback as much as the next reader! I think I just need my own ghostwriter... ;)
Too funny Susan!
Of course - I titled a manuscript Rehabilitation. It's about restoring a house and of course the hero's heart - but one contest judge wondered which character was the drug addict.
Changed that name real fast!
Nan
*LOL* Susan, you're killing me! Congrats on the new release and I can't wait until you blog with us on the Revenge on Wednesday. I'm glad I didn't make any Top Gun or Porn jokes, so I guess I'm a little slow on the uptake as well.
Is that a weird name? I'm not Finnish & don't know much about the culture. Just out of curiosity, why is that name odd?
It's weird because Jarl Hendricks is not in any way a Finnish name. Jarno Heikkinen or something along those lines would be more like it. Not that we wouldn't have always had our share of foreign names, but if the character is Finnish, Jarl Hendricks wouldn't be first on my list.
Congratulations on the new release. I enjoyed Money Honey and look forward to reading Money Shot.
I think titles and covers are only problematic for debut authors. If I've read and enjoyed an author, even if I hate the title or cover, I would still read it.
Joan wrote: Porn???? I come in late to the celebratory "Hot Damn, Susan's gonna have another book out" party and you mention porn?
With no links??
Hee hee. Next time, Mama Duck. :-)
As for the MONEY SHOT reference, let's talk in NYC in a couple weeks. I could explain but I'm afraid the language I'd have to use would bring the censors down on us!
flchen1 wrote: As for belated retorts, I'm not even so good with those, although I appreciate a perfect comeback as much as the next reader! I think I just need my own ghostwriter... ;)
Oh! Your own ghost writer! Why didn't I think of this? I know a LOT of excellent writers! I'm going to look into this...
Nan wrote: I titled a manuscript Rehabilitation. It's about restoring a house and of course the hero's heart - but one contest judge wondered which character was the drug addict.
See? It could happen to anybody! And we're smart people! How the heck did I not realize this was going to be an issue?
Ms. Hellion wrote: I'm glad I didn't make any Top Gun or Porn jokes, so I guess I'm a little slow on the uptake as well.
If anybody was going to crack the money shot joke, I figured it would've been Captain Jack Sparrow, but he was very gentlemanly about it. :-)
And it was actually my hero from MONEY HONEY who cracked the first TOP GUN joke. How can you be mad at him, though? He was delicious.
I'm so looking forward to my day on the Revenge on Wednesday! See you then!
Minna wrote: Jarno Heikkinen or something along those lines would be more like it.
Ah. Good to know. Thanks! And I hope you don't mind but if I ever have a Finnish character in a book, I'm naming him Jarno Heikkinen just to be on the safe side. :-)
Penfield wrote: I think titles and covers are only problematic for debut authors. If I've read and enjoyed an author, even if I hate the title or cover, I would still read it.
See, and this is what concerns me! This is only my second book. I don't have a lot of room to play around here. But I can only hope people might think it's funny or ironic and pick it up anyway. Sigh.
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