I love it when the 13th falls on a Friday. I always have the best luck. Or, at least, really good days. Not that anything extraordinary happened, but the sun was out, I got work done, and it was just about as pleasant a day as a person can ask for.
I did go to a flower shop, and while there encountered an army of teenage boys buying bouquets for their girls. Surprised me a little, but that’s probably because when I was in high school, the girls were lucky if they even got a hello on Valentine’s Day, let alone presents. These guys, on the other hand, were dead serious about the whole holiday thing. I suspect it was a matter of survival.
Boy 1 (to the florist): I need to buy flowers for a girl.
Boy 2: Don’t get roses. Don’t get roses, man! You’re not going out yet. Roses are too serious.
Me: Cackling with laughter.
Boy 1: Okay, okay. Carnations. How about carnations?
Boy 2: That’s cool. BUT NOT ROSES. SHE’LL THINK YOU’RE SERIOUS IF YOU GET ROSES.
Me: Still laughing out loud at him.
So, the boy bought carnations, plus a teddy bear, and a balloon large enough to carry away a small poodle. But the other kid did not let up on the lecture. Roses were taboo. Giving roses was practically the same as handing over the engagement ring. Though really, if you’re buying flowers, bears, and balloons, it sounds like you’re dating. Friends don’t normally go to so much trouble. I mean, none of the guys I hung out with ever gave me anything like that for Valentine’s Day. I don’t think they even knew it was Valentine’s Day.
Some questions from the comments:
W.T. asked: When you go to these conventions do you have to pay for the travel etc or does the publisher pay any part of the costs?
I foot the bill unless I’m specifically invited. But that’s only happened a couple times. Part of the reason I’m not going to the Romantic Times convention this year is the cost.
Nancy Henderson asked: Will the dolphin shape shifter have his own story? I loved Maxine & Grant, do you think you’ll ever write their love story?
Rik will definitely have his own story. He’ll probably show up in Book 10, though he won’t be the focus of that story. As for Maxine and Grant, I did indeed write their love story, which can be found in the novella, Hunter Kiss (now available as an ebook).
Finally, the preview for NYX #6 is out. The last issue will be released next Wednesday, and I’ll be posting interviews with the creative team all week long. If you have specific questions, let me know and I’ll see if I can get them answered.