Last July at the Romance Writer’s of America national conference in Orlando I did a very embarrassing thing. I haven’t told anyone the story. That is--until now.
On the last night, after the awards ceremony I headed to the hotel bar to get a drink before joining a group of friends. The atmosphere in the small, dimly lit (remember this, it’s important) lounge area was festive and it was teeming with people.
When I approached the bar I noticed a woman sitting on a stool who looked very familiar to me. OMG! It was one of my very favorite authors. In fact, I had her latest book up in my hotel room.
What was she doing sitting there alone at the bar? Well, other than the obvious. I couldn’t believe my luck.
It didn’t matter that I had spent the week rubbing elbows with authors and getting autographs at the different booksignings…here was a chance to talk to, mingle and bond with an author I strive to emulate in my own writing. Maybe we’d become buddies who would stay in touch long after the conference.
A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and two-time winner of the Romance Writers of America highly respected and coveted RITA award. Wow!
So, I smiled, she smiled. Looked promising, right?
About this time I noticed there was a man chatting with her. He smiled. She smiled, I smiled. We all smiled convivially. You get the picture.
Although I must admit the guy seemed to be coming on to her and to have imbibed one too many. There was a moment when I wanted to tell him to back off, after all, I knew she was a happily married woman.
Okay, just to be clear and put your ‘stalker’ vibes to rest. This information is not a secret. Any of her ‘friends’ on Facebook know she is married.
I decided to ignore Mr. Chummy.
I was thrilled to be close enough to hear their conversation. Perhaps I could casually comment on something, like people sometimes do when standing at a bar waiting for their order. Besides I’m a really friendly personso it would have been completely out of character for me -and really hard-to let this opportunity pass without a word.
So there I was biding my time -a second or two- waiting for the perfect place to jump in…when I heard them mention something about sports. Bingo. There’s my chance, I smugly thought. I just happened to know she really, really likes Derek Jeter. (Again, not a big secret on Facebook.) So I slipped a comment about baseball into the conversation.
Now, I have to ask you. Have you ever been in a situation where you sense something just isn’t right but you can’t quite put your finger on the problem? As soon as I said whatever it was I said - a cute quip, I’m sure- about baseball and Derek Jeter, an uncomfortable feeling began to needle my subconscious.
It may have had something to do with the fact that the woman gave a noncommittal response to the mention of Derek Jeter. And she certainly didn’t act like baseball was of any interest to her.
This wasn’t what I expected at all. No way would she respond this way. I expected at the very least a smile or a sigh. Sort of like my response when I hear someone say, “Gerard Butler.” *Sigh!*
Well by this time my drink had arrived and I had no reason to hang around. Plus, the nagging feeling was… well…nagging me. I decided it was best to call it good and say good night. So I did, and reluctantly walked away lamenting the loss of the lifelong friendship.
Later as I sat in the large lobby area with friends I looked up and saw a woman with a RITA trophy in her hands. There she was. It was Kristan Higgins. WAIT. A. MINUTE. The fact she was not wearing the same outfit she had on just a little while earlier in the bar slowly dawned on me... and that bad feeling came rushing back to me.
OH CRAP.
Later as I was packing I saw a bookmark and business card, I realized who the woman in the bar was and the pieces of the puzzle fit together.
The woman in the bar was Joanne Kennedy, author of a contemporary romance cowboy series and who happens to be nominated for the RITA this year for her novel, One Fine Cowboy.
I think the reason she looked familiar to me was we met briefly on the first night in the lobby as people mingled. So of course she smiled at me in the bar, perhaps because I had a slightly familiar face to her, too.
How embarrassing was all my talk about baseball and Derek Jeter? She must have thought I was a bit strange at best. I hope she doesn’t remember the encounter and my secret is safe. Shhh.
You know the saying “Everyone has a twin somewhere in the world?” Well, I totally believe it.
What do you think? Do you think there is someone out there in the world who could be mistaken for you? Have you ever had this happen to you; made an embarrassing assumption or been the mistaken identity?
Note: This was originally posted on 6/28/11.
On the last night, after the awards ceremony I headed to the hotel bar to get a drink before joining a group of friends. The atmosphere in the small, dimly lit (remember this, it’s important) lounge area was festive and it was teeming with people.
When I approached the bar I noticed a woman sitting on a stool who looked very familiar to me. OMG! It was one of my very favorite authors. In fact, I had her latest book up in my hotel room.
What was she doing sitting there alone at the bar? Well, other than the obvious. I couldn’t believe my luck.
It didn’t matter that I had spent the week rubbing elbows with authors and getting autographs at the different booksignings…here was a chance to talk to, mingle and bond with an author I strive to emulate in my own writing. Maybe we’d become buddies who would stay in touch long after the conference.
A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and two-time winner of the Romance Writers of America highly respected and coveted RITA award. Wow!
So, I smiled, she smiled. Looked promising, right?
About this time I noticed there was a man chatting with her. He smiled. She smiled, I smiled. We all smiled convivially. You get the picture.
Although I must admit the guy seemed to be coming on to her and to have imbibed one too many. There was a moment when I wanted to tell him to back off, after all, I knew she was a happily married woman.
Okay, just to be clear and put your ‘stalker’ vibes to rest. This information is not a secret. Any of her ‘friends’ on Facebook know she is married.
I decided to ignore Mr. Chummy.
I was thrilled to be close enough to hear their conversation. Perhaps I could casually comment on something, like people sometimes do when standing at a bar waiting for their order. Besides I’m a really friendly personso it would have been completely out of character for me -and really hard-to let this opportunity pass without a word.
So there I was biding my time -a second or two- waiting for the perfect place to jump in…when I heard them mention something about sports. Bingo. There’s my chance, I smugly thought. I just happened to know she really, really likes Derek Jeter. (Again, not a big secret on Facebook.) So I slipped a comment about baseball into the conversation.
Now, I have to ask you. Have you ever been in a situation where you sense something just isn’t right but you can’t quite put your finger on the problem? As soon as I said whatever it was I said - a cute quip, I’m sure- about baseball and Derek Jeter, an uncomfortable feeling began to needle my subconscious.
It may have had something to do with the fact that the woman gave a noncommittal response to the mention of Derek Jeter. And she certainly didn’t act like baseball was of any interest to her.
This wasn’t what I expected at all. No way would she respond this way. I expected at the very least a smile or a sigh. Sort of like my response when I hear someone say, “Gerard Butler.” *Sigh!*
Well by this time my drink had arrived and I had no reason to hang around. Plus, the nagging feeling was… well…nagging me. I decided it was best to call it good and say good night. So I did, and reluctantly walked away lamenting the loss of the lifelong friendship.
Later as I sat in the large lobby area with friends I looked up and saw a woman with a RITA trophy in her hands. There she was. It was Kristan Higgins. WAIT. A. MINUTE. The fact she was not wearing the same outfit she had on just a little while earlier in the bar slowly dawned on me... and that bad feeling came rushing back to me.
OH CRAP.
Later as I was packing I saw a bookmark and business card, I realized who the woman in the bar was and the pieces of the puzzle fit together.
The woman in the bar was Joanne Kennedy, author of a contemporary romance cowboy series and who happens to be nominated for the RITA this year for her novel, One Fine Cowboy.
I think the reason she looked familiar to me was we met briefly on the first night in the lobby as people mingled. So of course she smiled at me in the bar, perhaps because I had a slightly familiar face to her, too.
How embarrassing was all my talk about baseball and Derek Jeter? She must have thought I was a bit strange at best. I hope she doesn’t remember the encounter and my secret is safe. Shhh.
You know the saying “Everyone has a twin somewhere in the world?” Well, I totally believe it.
What do you think? Do you think there is someone out there in the world who could be mistaken for you? Have you ever had this happen to you; made an embarrassing assumption or been the mistaken identity?
Note: This was originally posted on 6/28/11.
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