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Tonight a crowd of 28-plus filled the Den to hear our very own Diane Farr discuss accuracy in historical writing.
Here's the session log, below.
See you all next week, Paul C
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9/15/03 7:00:42 PM Opening "Chat Log 9/15/03"
HOST WPLC Dee R: Okay, so we're about to start with Diane Farr as our guest speaker. Diane, can you give us a mini-bio on your writing, and tonight's topic?
DianeFarr: a bio!! uh .... sure
DianeFarr: DIANE FARR was first published at the age of eight when the Bakersfield Californian printed a sample of her poetry
DianeFarr: She has spent most of her life with her nose in a book; sometimes reading, sometimes writing.
DianeFarr: During her first two years as a published author she was a 4-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award, the highest award of excellence in romantic fiction.
DianeFarr: Her Regency romances have been top vote-getters in the annual All About Romance "readers' favorites" poll and her first novel, The Nobody, received the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Best First Regency.
DianeFarr: So there.
LittCrazy: lol
Lightningbug1957: Applause!
DianeFarr: ;)
HOST WPLC Dee R: I'm impressed Diane. We're lucky to have you here with us, and as part of the group.
JsmnStrm: :)
Kathi Smith 116: wow
HOST WPLC Dee R: Thank you.
DianeFarr: aw, shucks ... on to the topic!
HOST WPLC Dee R: Go for it!
DianeFarr: "Veracity 101: The Fine Line Between Baloney and Brilliance." (Or, if you like, "A Liar's Guide to Writing Fiction.")
DianeFarr: Basically, we'll discuss various ways to handle settings with which you, as an author, are completely unfamiliar and cannot possibly research in any meaningful way.
HOST WPLC Dee R: love it. Everyone, please save questions and comments til Diane gives the okay sign
DianeFarr: Should you drop modern Americans into the French Revolution and hope nobody notices?
DianeFarr: Should you make your alien planet look, sound, and smell exactly like New Orleans?
DianeFarr: Or is that cheating?
DianeFarr: We are often advised: "Write what you know."
DianeFarr: But, as fiction writers, we often write what we *don't* know.
DianeFarr: So let's talk about that, and the problems one wrestles with
DianeFarr: when trying to choose what truth goes in, what truth stays out, and how much truth you may outright invent.
DianeFarr: ;)
DianeFarr: I'm going to start with the questions facing writers of historical fiction, because that's what I deal with on a daily basis.
DianeFarr: But similar problems are faced by every writer of fiction.
DianeFarr: I write romances set in Regency England. There is no possible way for me to do this, based on writing "what I know."
DianeFarr: I cannot visit Regency England; it ceased to exist nearly 200 years ago. No survivors remain whom I can interview.
DianeFarr: And you would be amazed at how imperfect our knowledge is of that specific time and place ... or any other time/place similarly remote.
DianeFarr: The kinds of things recorded in the history books are of little use to the fiction writer.
DianeFarr: Historians record the big thingsthe NEWS. But news is not what we fiction writers need.
DianeFarr: We need the minutiae of daily life.
DianeFarr: And that sort of thing is lost in the mists of time.
DianeFarr: A simple example: no one today knows for sure whether English women wore drawers in 1818. (Something a romance writer would love to know!)
DianeFarr: Outer garments are portrayed in artwork and the actual garments are often preserved for posterity.
DianeFarr: Underwear? No.
DianeFarr: (would you want YOUR used knickers kept after you die? I don't think so!)
DianeFarr: So the functional, daily details of life are often lost.
DianeFarr: Even more problematic: if I faithfully pattern my books on what we DO know of the realities, my books will not sell.
DianeFarr: I cannot ape, for example, the graceful cadence of Jane Austen. Even if I did it well, modern readers of mass market fiction would find it off-putting. (or so I'm told)
DianeFarr: So modern writers of historical fiction cannot write in the language and style of the period.
DianeFarr: It doesn't "fit in our mouths," and modern readers wouldn't "hear" it properly anyway.
DianeFarr: (this is obviously a generalization, but you know what I mean)
DianeFarr: Writers who set their books during medieval times wrestle with this question even more than I do.
DianeFarr: Regency English may be challenging to read, but Medieval English is incomprehensible to us.
DianeFarr: Writers of medievals generally compromise by salting their prose with a few medieval words, to give a "feel."
DianeFarr: Unfortunately, this is a highly individual thing, and nobody can tell you exactly where to draw the line. And some writers handle it better than others.
DianeFarr: But if you set your story in Spain, must you write it in Spanish? Of course not.
DianeFarr: You would do the same thing: sprinkle a few Spanish words into the dialogue, and eschew obvious Americanisms and/or slang.
DianeFarr: One always tries to avoid obvious anachronisms, of course, particularly in dialogue. But the language we use to tell the tale is, and must be, modern.
DianeFarr: Another question a writer of historical fiction must decide is: how frequently will your characters bathe? Or will you simply not mention things like body odor?
DianeFarr: Will the streets of "your" London be filthy and stinking? Running with raw sewage and caked with horse manure?
DianeFarr: Or will you, as most of us do, skip the seamy stuff?
DianeFarr: Unless your story centers on the horrors of slum life or something like that, you will probably choose to skip it. One possible rule of thumb:
OnlineHost: DONNERBROOD has left the room.
DianeFarr: if your characters take it for granted and think nothing of it, you, as the author, should leave it out.
DianeFarr: This question is not limited to writers of historical fiction.
DianeFarr: Every storyteller has to make choices about what goes into the story, and what is left out.
DianeFarr: I once read a short story (unpublished) which began with the main character waking up, going to the bathroom, and emptying his bladder.
OnlineHost: KD et al has left the room.
DianeFarr: This was described in painstaking detail.
DianeFarr: Was it realistic? Sure. But did it advance the plot? No. Did it illuminate the guy's character? No.
DianeFarr: And this is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.
DianeFarr: Again: if your characters think nothing of it, you, as the author, should leave it out.
DianeFarr: It may be beautifully written. But just because it's good doesn't mean it belongs in the story.
DianeFarr: This, by the way, is one of the hardest things we writers have to learn.
DianeFarr: Things to leave out: trips to the john. Chit-chat. Routine tasks. Sleeping and waking. Changing clothes. Phone calls.
DianeFarr: Except, of course, in the rare instances where mundane inanities actually advance your plot.
DianeFarr: Things to (possibly) keep in: anything your character will vividly remember doing, a week from now.
DianeFarr: And now we come to the other side of the coin ... just as there are times when you know what is real and choose to change or omit it,
DianeFarr: there will be times when you have no clue what the truth is, but mustfor purposes of your storycome up with something.
DianeFarr: And this is where you take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are writing fiction
DianeFarr: Your first allegiance, your only true allegiance, is to the story. Do what serves the story.
DianeFarr: To go back to my original examplethe one about women's drawersif you need your Regency heroine to have em on, put her in em.
DianeFarr: And if it serves your story to have her bare beneath the ballgown, leave em off.
DianeFarr: Since nobody knows what women of the time really did, you get to choose.
DianeFarr: But if someone comes up with definitive evidence one way or the othersay, they discover that women did wear drawersif
DianeFarr: your heroine goes dancing without her drawers,
DianeFarr: you are going to have to explain it.
DianeFarr: You can't just mutter, "Heck, nobody will notice."
DianeFarr: Somebody will notice, and your carelessness will ruin the story for that reader.
DianeFarr: If your first allegiance is to the story, your second allegiance is definitely to your readers!
DianeFarr: In other words, if you really do know the truth, you should work within the parameters of that truth.
Kathi Smith 116: if somebody notices she's not wearing drawers beneath her ball gown, she's twirling too fast
G1ft0fgabn0t: roflolol
BrownDvs: lol
DianeFarr: It's not that your heroine can't go to the ball without her drawers. But if she does, you need to give her a good reason. And tell the readers what it is.
HOST WPLC Lyric: If the hero doesn't notice we'll all be disappointed!
DianeFarr: Come to think of it, that would probably be an entertaining story in and of itself.
BrownDvs: lol Naughty, naughty Lyric.
G1ft0fgabn0t: you are soooooo bad ;
DianeFarr: So, to recap ...
DianeFarr: Truth is an elastic thing for a fiction writer.
DianeFarr: The more you stick to it, the better and "truer" your stories will be.
DianeFarr: But there will be times when you will know what is true, and choose to omit it.
DianeFarr: And there will be times when you stick to historical accuracy, but describe it in a modern voice.
DianeFarr: And there will be times when you don't have a clue what the truth is, so you pick whatever truth suits your story.
DianeFarr: Similarly, there will be times when your story comes slap up against an inconvenient truth (the drawers example),
DianeFarr: and your characters will defy what is truebut have plausible reasons for it.
DianeFarr: And then there are the times when we simply invent stuff.
DianeFarr: Does it happen? You bet. Not often, but it does happen.
DianeFarr: So far, I have only invented smallish things, not worthy of a footnote or an "author's explanation."
DianeFarr: In my current release, UNDER THE WISHING STAR ("in stores now!" <G>),
DianeFarr: I wanted a Regency-era character to carry something that resembled a Gladstone bag, but the Gladstone bag hadn't been invented yet.
DianeFarr: So she carried a "Glastonbury bag." I made it up.
DianeFarr: None of my editors batted an eyelash. Readers seem to understand what it is, and nobody has called me on it. Yet.
Kathi Smith 116: what's a gladstone bag?
DianeFarr: I did not deem such a small thing worthy of a explanation. But I know one author who changed the date of an important battle in the Napoleonic wars, to suit her story.
DianeFarr: She explained in an "author's note" in the back of the book. Not every reader would have noticed, but she extended the courtesy to those who did.
DianeFarr: Again, the rules are not carved in stone anywhere. But if you deliberately alter a Big Fat Fact, you should definitely acknowledge it.
DianeFarr: Questions? Comments?
FrBill26: ?
DianeFarr: ga Bill
HOST WPLC Lyric: Diane, do you want to keep your own queue, or have me and Donna do it?
DianeFarr: oh ... phew ... thanks, Lyric, take it away!
HOST WPLC Lyric: I guess since Bill is already called upon, Fr Bill, please ga
FrBill26: I do short stories that explain Biblical events. That I KNOW the GENERAL culture is an important matter to progress through a plot. Whatchathink?
HOST WPLC Lyric: Guys please have your questions typed so all you have to do is press send and not waste time
HOST WPLC Lyric: the queue is now open
HOST WPLC Lyric: ?
HOST WPLC Lyric: Bill could you explain your question a bit more?
DianeFarr: althoI think that's a great idea and could be a wonderful contribution to literature. Since you are basing stories on the Bible,
DianeFarr: I imagine there will be little or no confusion regarding what portions are lifted and which are your own invention.
DianeFarr: But I'm sure your editors will include a note just in case!
HOST WPLC Dee R: ?
DianeFarr: ga
KatrinaW2P: ?
HOST WPLC Lyric: I guess I'm next
HOST WPLC Lyric: lol
HOST WPLC Lyric: I feel that it's really important to try to keep events totally correct in their time period
HOST WPLC Lyric: I wanted to say that I and a number of readers do stop reading when they confront inaccuracies
HOST WPLC Lyric: does that influence you as an author?
HOST WPLC Lyric: ga
DianeFarr: sure ... I have readers who would be upset if one of my characters drove a Tilbury 3 years before the Tilbury was invented.
DianeFarr: And those are my favorite kind of readers. Since I was like that when I was a reader. ;)
HOST WPLC Lyric: Donna ga
FrBill26: ?
HOST WPLC Dee R: Do you fit the mores of the era into your love story...how do you get info on that stuff? That seems less concrete than if they wore drawers or not. ga
DianeFarr: I'm just saying that for a modern-day writer, it's almost impossible to use the language and rhthym of the period - but you still have to try to get the details right, if you know them
DianeFarr: Dee ...
LittCrazy: !
DianeFarr: Yes, to tell you the truth, that's one of my pet peeves ... when I read a "historical" where the main characters seem to be modern Americans playing dressup.
HOST WPLC Lyric: tell me when you're ready for the next question, Diane
JsmnStrm: ?
DianeFarr: To me, the reason why I set my stories in the Regency era has to do with the mores of the time. It adds much more tension to the story if your characters CANNOT behave like we do today.
DianeFarr: ga, I guess ... because if I get started on this hobby horse, I'll never get off ;)
HOST WPLC Lyric: Katrina ga
G1ft0fgabn0t: lol
HOST WPLC Lyric: no talk as long as you want on ANY topic, Diane
KatrinaW2P: I'm with Kathi...I want to know what a Gladstone bag is.
HOST WPLC Lyric: lol
HOST WPLC Lyric: me too
FrBill26: me three
DianeFarr: lol ... does it really matter? A Gladstone bag is sorta like an old-fashioned doctor's bag. Black bag with handles.
KatrinaW2P: LOL. What a bunch of curious cats we art! Thanks.
DianeFarr: Don't ask me what a Glastonbury bag is, because there's no such thing. ;)
HOST WPLC Lyric: Litt for a comment, first, ga, then Fr. Bill with a second question.
LittCrazy: Just wanted to say I loved Under a Wishing Star. The ending was fanastic and Im glad I will be able to visit Malcolm, Natale and Sarah again in your next book.
HOST WPLC Sushi: ?
HOST WPLC Lyric: Fr Bill ga
DianeFarr: LittCrazy, thank you VERY much!!! :) :) :)
HOST WPLC Lyric: again, guys, please have your questions typed
FrBill26: FREEZE...ga
HOST WPLC Lyric: Jas, ga
FrBill26: General dates can be "fudged "but knowing the differences between a HELLENISTIC and HEBREW point of view enable seems important enough to keep a story grounded in facts, EVEN when some are made up.
JsmnStrm: I have been reading a lot of romance right now, and I'm seeing a trend of writers not writing "traditional" romance stories, more modern, comical, and a different edge to it, does that seem to be a trend you see as well?
FrBill26: NOBODY speaks either KOINE GReek or Biblical Hebrew. Any Thoughts?
JsmnStrm: ga
DianeFarr: hmm ...
HOST WPLC Dee R: Diane, answer Bill first, then Jasmine.
JsmnStrm: Crud.. I'll pull back and let bill go.. I thought it was my turn...
DianeFarr: Bill, if I understand what you are saying, I think it's very important.
FrBill26: (sorry...9.0)
HOST WPLC Dee R: itchy fingers...sorry, Jasmn
HOST WPLC Lyric: except for Mel Gibson it seems, Fr. Bill
HOST WPLC Lyric: <G>
DianeFarr: You are absolutely right. If you are grounding your Biblical-era tales in the actual culture of the time/place, they will ring with authenticity, even if the readers aren't quite sure what it is that gives them that ring.
DianeFarr: The more you know about a period, the more it will seep into your prose.
HOST WPLC Lyric: no, Jas was okay, Bill was frozen, but recovered, so nobody is to blame
DianeFarr: I'll scroll back and see what Jas asked ...
JsmnStrm: I have been reading a lot of romance right now, and I'm seeing a trend of writers not writing "traditional" romance stories, more modern, comical, and a different edge to it, does that seem to be a trend you see as well?
DianeFarr: ah, yes, trends in romantic fiction!
JsmnStrm: I can copy and paste. :)
HOST WPLC Lyric: thanks for reposting Jas
Genjii555: ?
JsmnStrm: :)
DONNERBROOD: I'm to be an outsider like its because it make me use my talents mora
DianeFarr: I think there is a lot of feeling out there of "been there, done that" so writers are trying to push the envelope, come up with something new.
DianeFarr: Hence the comic elements, mystery elements, time travel stuff, etc.
HOST WPLC Lyric: Paul will be next
DianeFarr: ga
HOST WPLC Lyric: ga Paul
G1ft0fgabn0t: !
HOST WPLC Sushi: How important is it to visit the actual scenes of your novel, for research? g/a
OnlineHost: PT Maggy has left the room.
JsmnStrm: ?
DianeFarr: Weeeel .... it's sure nice when you can do it! But I'm not sure how essential it really is. Depends on how important the setting is to the tale.
HOST WPLC Lyric: Tiffany be ready
HOST WPLC Sushi: I try! :-)
DianeFarr: There are some stories where the setting is just wallpaper, and some where the setting is almost another character in the book.
DONNERBROOD: gee can i take english 101 again
AWeiss4338: ! Location
HOST WPLC Lyric: sorry, Gabby be ready with your comment first
DianeFarr: I'll tell you (briefly) a very strange feeling ....
LittCrazy: ?
DianeFarr: I visited England AFTER my first book was published, and walked the streets where it took place. Very, very, very strange feeling.
DianeFarr: Like suddenly visiting Narnia or the Neverland. A place one had only imagined, but imagined vividly.
HOST WPLC Lyric: it must have been great!
DianeFarr: I took lots of pictures. :)
DianeFarr: ga
HOST WPLC Lyric: ga Gabby
G1ft0fgabn0t: Bill, most Orthodox Jews speak what you call biblical hebrew fluently, so if you choose to use Jewish history in your story, make sure you have your facts down pat.
HOST WPLC Lyric: then Weiss for another comment
G1ft0fgabn0t: g;
HOST WPLC Lyric: Weiss, please ga
HOST WPLC Lyric: Tiffany, please be ready
AWeiss4338: If you need it for background, yes, if you don't know the area. My next book is going to be set partly at West Point and Hyde Park, so I'm going there literally tomorrow to scout everything out. I've never been there and it will be
AWeiss4338: important that it be shown.ga
HOST WPLC Lyric: Tiffany ga
Genjii555: In the historical fiction novel I'm working on, I've been having a bit of a headache researching the political scene at the time. Would it be okay to make up an independent political party to feature alongside the actual parties
HOST WPLC Lyric: Jsmn, please be ready
Genjii555: existing at that time or would that piss off history buffs too much
DianeFarr: Yes, and of course if you write stuff set in the present day, which means it is actually possible to visit the places where your book is set, that is definitely what you should do
HOST WPLC Lyric: Tiffany, would you please tell Diane what time period in case she didn't read your sub
DianeFarr: And I encourage you to set your books close to home if you don't have a big travel budget. ;)
FrBill26: !
Genjii555: Reconstruction in the US
Genjii555: actually towards the end of it
HOST WPLC Lyric: There are so many civil war buffs out there, do you think that would be wise, Diane?
DianeFarr: Gen, yes, I think that would be a great solution. You'll need to put an author's note in the back of the book, of course, but I say if you have a clear picture in your
DianeFarr: head of what you want, write it and go for it.
HOST WPLC Lyric: Jsmn, ga
JsmnStrm: What are the trends publishers are looking for right now in Romance? I read so many different types of romance, from Greek Superheros, to psychic romance thrillers, all romances, by lovespell, pocket, etc.
DianeFarr: If none of the existing truth "suits" your story, this is the point where, to serve your story (remember! serving the story is paramount) should be placed above literal truth.
DianeFarr: IMHO, of course.
JsmnStrm: and I wonder about the trends.
JsmnStrm: ga
HOST WPLC Lyric: sorry for being premature, Diane, I thought you forgot the ga! LOL
DianeFarr: Jas, bottom line is -- and I mean this sincerely -- write something that rings YOUR chimes.
DianeFarr: If it's good, they'll buy it. No matter what the trends may be.
DianeFarr: What writers have to understand is,
HOST WPLC Lyric: Fr. Bill, with a comment, be ready
DianeFarr: by the time you purchase a book in the stores, it's been about 2 years since it was written.
DianeFarr: So it doesn't do you much good to follow whatever trends you see in the stores. By the time you try to get there, they will be old hat.
DianeFarr: But a good story is never old hat.
DianeFarr: ga
FrBill26: One can get away with what is PLAUSABLE but matters that run contrary to fact mean that the AUTHOR proceeds at his/her own risk.
HOST WPLC Lyric: Littcrazy, ga
LittCrazy: How many books are you contracted for and/or planning in the Star series?
OnlineHost: Beachy1T has left the room.
DianeFarr: Yes. "Plausible" is good. "Contrary to fact" is beyond the pale, and you will need to put that "NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR" in the back of your book. :)
DianeFarr: Litt, UNDER A LUCKY STAR will be out in April, and thank you for asking. :) Not sure yet if I am going to write a third book in the series.
HOST WPLC Lyric: or like Barbara Cartland, right up front. ;-)
LittCrazy: Looking forward to April
HOST WPLC Lyric: queue is open
LittCrazy: ?
HOST WPLC Lyric: so I was going to plug Diane's book, but her fans here tonight have done it so admirably!
Lightningbug1957: ?
HOST WPLC Dee R: One more question from Litt
DianeFarr: I was originally going to write one called UNDER THE CHRISTMAS STAR, and I think Signet is still holding a Christmas 2004 slot for me in case I actually write it.
DianeFarr: Lyric, lol
HOST WPLC Dee R: and Lightening bug
HOST WPLC Lyric: remember, gang, using Amazon is really great for Diane's book, so if you choose to order it that way, please order it from the W2P site
JsmnStrm: ?
LittCrazy: What are you working on now?
HOST WPLC Lyric: And if not, force your local bookstore to order it for you
DianeFarr: You can see cover art and whatever at Diane's Home Page
TrounceM13: !
HOST WPLC Lyric: W2P
LittCrazy: I bought Wishing at Walmart
HOST WPLC Lyric: Jas next, ga
JsmnStrm: I understand that a good story is what editors want... but I'm asking about trends, what are the editors looking for?
HOST WPLC Lyric: opps sorry, Bev, you will be next
HOST WPLC Lyric: didn't mean to miss you
DianeFarr: Goodie, I haven't seen it at a WalMart yet
JsmnStrm: OOpps........ sorry, ZI'm jumping in again.
HOST WPLC Lyric: Aren't Walmart sales different from regular royalty sales?
DianeFarr: Jas, I hear that "damsel in distress" -- oops, sorry, that's not PC anymore. "Woman in jeopardy" stories, a/k/a "romantic suspense" are selling like hotcakes.
DianeFarr: At the moment.
JsmnStrm: I understand that a good story is what editors want... but I'm asking about trends, what are the editors looking for? Any specific things that they want in romance or don't want?
JsmnStrm: Okay...... that's what I was wondering about, thank you.
HOST WPLC Lyric: Bev, please be ready
Lightningbug1957: What is your position on imaginery characters like fairies and pixies doing things that purists would dispute. They're not even REAL
Lightningbug1957: Jumped the gun
DianeFarr: Well, they are not my usual cup of tea, but that means nothing. People are publishing it, and readers are buying it. Not everything is going to appeal to everyone, but there is a niche for that sort of thing.
DianeFarr: Even in romance.
HOST WPLC Lyric: Bev, Artemis Fowl made 1 million POUNDS, doing just that, let them criticize you all the way to the bank
Lightningbug1957: But if you have a leprechaun or something showing up
DianeFarr: They are calling it "paranormal" romance -- romance with angels, elves, werewolves, immortals of various sorts falling for mortals, time travel, that sort of thing.
HOST WPLC Lyric: Dion, be ready
Lightningbug1957: Do you think it has to be absolutely like the lore of Ireland?
DianeFarr: Not if you set it up to be something else. If you call it Faerie, it had better be Faerie.
DianeFarr: But you can call it whatever you want, and make your own rules.
DianeFarr: And it can resemble the "standard" mythology, or mix it up, or be completely different.
Lightningbug1957: thanks
DianeFarr: IMHO, again!
DianeFarr: ga
HOST WPLC Lyric: Dion, ga
TrounceM13: I just want to say that I think Diane is exceptionally gracious to her fans and assuming I ever have any fans of my own, I want to emulate the decorum Diane demonstrates. There are a lot of "artists" who display far less class.
HOST WPLC Lyric: I agree!
DianeFarr: gosh, Trounce ... thank you very much!
HOST WPLC Dee R: I second Dion's statement!!!
KatrinaW2P: Hear, hear!
HOST WPLC Sushi: yes!
WONiJACKS: !
DianeFarr: [blushing]
HOST WPLC Lyric: For those of you who don't know, Diane is in this group because she wants to give back the help she once received from others
Nil484swst: :-)
HOST WPLC Lyric: At this point I'd like to thank Diane for coming
DianeFarr: thanks, Lyric
Kathi Smith 116: we can use all the help we can get
HOST WPLC Lyric: and give her a rousing round of applause!
JsmnStrm: I second that, Kathi! :)
JsmnStrm: <><><><><><><><>
HOST WPLC Lyric: <clapping> <>
AWeiss4338: Great chat!
HOST WPLC Dee R: Diane...you are a special person!!!
Dhewco: (I gotta go; good night. )
KatrinaW2P: LOL. Yes, thank you, Diane!
Kathi Smith 116: thank you, diane. well done
DianeFarr: Many thanks to all of you for coming, and, of course, for staying. :)
G1ft0fgabn0t: <><><>clapping<><><>
HOST WPLC Lyric: At this point, if Diane would like to stay, we'll revert to open chat format
AWeiss4338: Thanks!
SarahStNy: Great job Diane!
Dhewco: thanks Diane
JsmnStrm: thanks diane
FrBill26: )()()()()()()
Sunan21: Thanks Diane, wonderful job!
Nil484swst: ::::applauding like mad::::::
HOST WPLC Lyric: remember you can find a link to amazon and Diane's book on our website.
AWeiss4338: Saying goodnight folks. See you next week.
Genjii555: Yes, thanks Diane... this was very timely for me
Nil484swst: even tho i came in late
HOST WPLC Lyric: And for those of you new to our group
DianeFarr: Hurrah ... sorry about the font, Genjii; I hope you are able to read the transcript!
FrBill26: Thank you Diane
LittCrazy: Thanks Diane
DianeFarr: or whatever it's called ... log?
HOST WPLC Lyric: please contact Host Wplc Sushi for information
Genjii555: LOL... my eyes are all red, but it was worth it
JsmnStrm: See you all later.. good to see everyone..
Mzdragonlady: Thanks bunches!
JsmnStrm: night.
HOST WPLC Dee R: night, Jasmn
G1ft0fgabn0t: niters Jas
SarahStNy: Diane, would you give the link to your site again?
DianeFarr: phew ... what a relief ... now I can leave the podium
HOST WPLC Lyric: Also, you will soon find reviews of great books for writing, and books authored by our members and guests on our website: W2P
HOST WPLC Sushi: yesss you may contact me :-)
DianeFarr: Diane Farr's Home Page
SarahStNy: thanks!
Genjii555: Diane, you *must* be a fascinating speaker b/c the hour just flew by
DianeFarr: oh, visit me anytime.
WONiJACKS: Oh, Trounce, you are so "right on!" and I would like to say thanks ever so much, Diane, you are so very gracious.
HOST WPLC Lyric: Also, just so everyone knows, there was only one no vote in the contest poll
DianeFarr: lol Gen -- a fascinating typer, you mean
HOST WPLC Dee R: yes, the time went by so fast...
HOST WPLC Lyric: so we will be having additional contests, using Sundays as the announcement/party day
Genjii555: LOL... you TYPED all that... I thought you were copying and pasting
HOST WPLC Dee R: lots of good information
OnlineHost: Likeacamel has left the room.
Lightningbug1957: what's it mean? [Likeacamel]
DianeFarr: someday I'm going to go get me one o' those
Lightningbug1957: Two humps?
DianeFarr: lol bug
HOST WPLC Lyric: better to drink with?
TrounceM13: Is it a reference to "Ballad of a Thin Man" by Bob Dylan?
HOST WPLC Lyric: like a wooden leg, perhaps?
SarahStNy: smokin typin?
Genjii555: He spits
TrounceM13: Just grasping. LOL!
HOST WPLC Lyric: lol
HOST WPLC Dee R: dion, I'm impressed!!!
DianeFarr: there's a Dylan lyric about camels?
HOST WPLC Lyric: yes, me too
TrounceM13: "You walk into the room lik a camel and then you frown."
HOST WPLC Dee R: did you just do a google search? lol
TrounceM13: "like"
Lightningbug1957: there's a Dylan lyric about everything
G1ft0fgabn0t: lol
G1ft0fgabn0t: for sure
DianeFarr: LOL Trouce -- that MUST be it, because that's what he's doing
HOST WPLC Lyric: Any other good news tonight, gang?
TheUsurpKing: Diane, any book signings coming up?
HOST WPLC Dee R: Well, I just want people to know I won't be here next week, and will be offline from Thursday on...for a week, cause of minor surgery...
WONiJACKS: Yeah, Lyric.... I just got a new printer, so I can now print out my ms. lol
HOST WPLC Dee R: but I'll be here in spirit
SarahStNy: Lyric.....you did a great job hosting!
DianeFarr: hmmm ... nothing formal, unfortunately, until the big RWA "readers for life" literacy booksigning in Texas
HOST WPLC Lyric: We will all be thinking of you, Donna
G1ft0fgabn0t: Hope you get well soon Donna
DianeFarr: I need to get going on the booksigning thing-! sheesh
HOST WPLC Dee R: I'm sorry to be missing Cecil's session
Kathi Smith 116: what sort of surgery, donna?
HOST WPLC Lyric: thanks Janice, but tonight, I think it was Donna who really held down the fort, and especially, Diane
HOST WPLC Dee R: bone spurs on foot
DianeFarr: owie
TheUsurpKing: Oh, that's too far from GA. Oh well.
Lightningbug1957: I bet that booksigning stuff gets real old real fast
DianeFarr: you poor dear
WONiJACKS: Dianne....Can you hold for a moment...?
SarahStNy: ;-)
Kathi Smith 116: youch, best of luck, donna
HOST WPLC Dee R: doesn't sound dramatic, but it is an drag..lol
HOST WPLC Dee R: thanks, guys
WONiJACKS: I just have one last question...
HOST WPLC Lyric: When will that be Diane?
DianeFarr: Lightningbug, it really does ... lol ... the first one is SUCH a thrill, but after a few of 'em, you sorta get over it
Sunan21: Good luck Dee, thanks Diane and goodnight all.
G1ft0fgabn0t: ouch
HOST WPLC Dee R: night, sue
G1ft0fgabn0t: niters Susan
BrownDvs: Goodnight Susan
Lightningbug1957: I have to think your hand has to hurt!
Sunan21: night
KatrinaW2P: Only if you have a big crowd, Bev!
Lightningbug1957: Night all
Lightningbug1957: It was great tonight
DianeFarr: oh, I only WISH my hand would hurt ... so far, I haven't had huge lines, lol
TrounceM13: Good night, all. I'm way out like Pluto.
OnlineHost: Irishwannabe1 has entered the room.
Lightningbug1957: Diane, you need better pr folk!
FrBill26: DOES ANYBODY write manuscript or do you all use W/P?
G1ft0fgabn0t: nite dion :)
Kathi Smith 116: night all
HOST WPLC Dee R: Diane, did you see WoniJacks had a question?
Lightningbug1957: Advance folk, that's what I mean
HOST WPLC Lyric: Diane, you should hire them, that's what the Beetles did for their first year! LOL
DianeFarr: WONiJACKS had a question ... where is it?
FrBill26: (I STILL like pen or Pencil on pad)
HOST WPLC Lyric: swooning girls
SarahStNy: Fr..what do you mean?
HOST WPLC Dee R: Wonijacks, go ahead and ask, now that I've got Diane's attention, lol
WONiJACKS: Oh, Diane.... I just had a question about booksignings....
DianeFarr: oh! that. :)
KatrinaW2P: Can't think anymore on manuscript, Fr. (though I remember when I couldn't think in front of a blank screen!)
WONiJACKS: How adamant are the publishers about doing tours...?
FrBill26: Sitting somewhere and sketching out ideas and sentences -- Prosaic and Poetic, until the ideas coallese
Lightningbug1957: Good question, Won
DianeFarr: I often duck into bookstores on an informal basis and sign books - the management is always glad to see an author stop in & help them sell books
Likeacamel: i cant get this thing to work i keep getting shifted to another chat
SarahStNy: you mean longhand?
Lightningbug1957: We noticed your comings and goings, Camel
WONiJACKS: Hmmm, I would have a LOT of trouble keeping a schedule.... reason I asked....
DianeFarr: Jacks, if the publisher wants you to tour, you have really hit the big time - they don't do it, alas, for the small fry
BrownDvs: Sounds good Diane.
DianeFarr: I'm still smallish fry. :)
WONiJACKS: Good! I'm a small fry...lol
HOST WPLC Lyric: well, I'm saying goodnight gang
Lightningbug1957: I'm not even a fry yet!
DianeFarr: Never tour unless someone else pays for it! lol
HOST WPLC Dee R: me too...night, Sry and everyone else, and thanks again, Diane. Great session.
DianeFarr: although you can, of course, write stuff like that off on your taxes - first you have to make enough to pay that much in taxes!
WONiJACKS: Yeah, I'm not ready for tours.... Thanks, Diane....
HOST WPLC Dee R: night all...
KatrinaW2P: Me too. Thanks again, Diane!
OnlineHost: KatrinaW2P has left the room.
OnlineHost: HOST WPLC Dee R has left the room.
Lightningbug1957: night all. See you next week.
DianeFarr: you're all extremely welcome ... good night!
HOST WPLC Lyric: thanks for coming, once again, Diane. Remember, Cecil is up next week! Hugs, to all!
Fjm3eyes: bye Lyric
Lightningbug1957: On to car wrecks and cowboy pajamas
WONiJACKS: Diane, I think like Rowling used to.... I'd like to make enough to buy a good used car....lol
DianeFarr: lol, yes indeedy
DianeFarr: that's about what I made on my first book
OnlineHost: HOST WPLC Lyric has left the room.
BrownDvs: Goodnight all.
G1ft0fgabn0t: Time to head out. Diane, thanks for a great session. Nite y'all :)
OnlineHost: G1ft0fgabn0t has left the room.
DianeFarr: :)
Lightningbug1957: Yeah, thanks again Diane
OnlineHost: Lightningbug1957 has left the room.
DianeFarr: I should head out, too -- thanks, everyone, for your support
DianeFarr: g'nite!
FrBill26: Night All..thanks
BrownDvs: You were great as usual Diane.
OnlineHost: DianeFarr has left the room.
9/15/03 8:07:23 PM Closing "Chat Log 9/15/03"
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