Embarassing Business Flubs

I just interviewed Debra Benton, author of CEO Material: How to Be a Leader in Any Organization (McGraw-Hill, April 10, 2009). I enjoyed her stories so much, that I got her permission to share one with you. It’s a funny thing that happened to the author while speaking in front of a group of people.

Debra Benton was not returning to work, but doing a new kind of work. She was very nervous and was going to be in front of a group of people. Afraid there would be perspiration stains on her blouse, she had idea of having panty liners on her underarms to contain the sweat. As she was speaking in front of people who were about three feet away, she had a little problem.

“All of a sudden, I see a pantiliner coming out of my sleeve! I balled it up, thought I dealt with it and then saw one of them was lying on the floor!”

Benton stopped and decided to explain to the group before here. She was mortified, but explained what was going on. After she did, she asked, “Did anybody see this?” A man at the back of the room confessed that he thought she was doing a magic act.

The point of this story is that humor can take care of any social faux pas, even one as embarrassing as having a pantyliner fall out of your sleeve while speaking in front of a group!

Do you have a funny story to tell about a workplace flub? If you do, drop a comment here so we can all enjoy it!

Pipe Dreams

Do you know what’s cool? I can actually see the day when my first book, FIRST SATURDAY, is optioned as a screenplay. Some people would say this is a pipe dream, but this is actually my job! I am paid to write for people and I love it. I love that I can create people and events from my head for people to read about and enjoy.

This topic came up when a friend and I were talking about choices. We were discussing how when I was an actress in New York. People who were not in the business thought it was so glamorous to get on stage and accept the applause. I have news. Nothing is easy. It was hard work keeping my body and my voice in shape, prepare for auditions and get acting jobs. It was satisfying and fulfilling work because I loved doing it all, but work nonetheless.

That is the key to achieving your pipe dreams: work. You can choose to be successful or you can choose to just take a job. Those who just take any job without direction think things like optioning a screenplay or publishing novels are pipe dreams. Those who choose a path they enjoy and work hard, those people, my friend, are the people who achieve their dreams.

Go for it. Work at what you love and achieve your dreams.

To Agent or Not To Agent

Many new writers are getting into the self-publishing business. Through companies such as Author House and iUniverse, people with something to say have an easy way to say it. They simply write their book, pay the publisher, and get it out there. Of course, this is the simplified version that does not mention the revision process and all of the customer service some of these publishers offer, and it is all good stuff. The problem is who is going to read these self-published books? Where are they going to sell?

If you want to write something for the family to read, just want to see your name in print, or are producing a cookbook for a fundraising event, then self-publishing is a good idea. I attended a seminar presented by iUniverse at an ASJA conference a few years ago and discovered I could re-print my back listed novel for my readership, but why would I?

At the risk of offending self-published authors, or the self-publishers, authors need an agent. Yes, I sold my first book without an agent, but that was a fluke. A new small publisher requested it, and then accepted the book. I did not receive an advance, nor did I get much of a royalty check later. The result was that a publisher who chose good books published my first novel. They marketed to a degree, but being small, they could not do everything with their small staff. I ended up doing much of the marketing myself, which was fun, but left me little time to write the next book.

If I had an agent, it would have played out much different. After doing the “marketing” of my work and myself in order to snag an agent, I would have started writing the next book. Yes, I would have had to stop for revisions along the way after the editor got hold of it, but someone else would have been shopping the book to the big publishers. You know the ones with the royalty checks and advances not to mention the space on the bookstore shelves? Moreover, because my book would have been presented to a publisher by an agent and not by an individual author (known as an “unsolicited” manuscript), it would have headed to the publisher with a seal of authenticity. In other words, the publisher would know that the book is good and not fraught with typos, misinformation and bad writing. They cannot know that if you have published the book by paying someone to do so.

“So how do I get an agent?” you ask. You will have to tune in next week for an answer to that question. In the meantime, answer one of my questions.

Have you self-published a book?

Tell me about it. In the meantime, keep writing the next one.

Rosemary

Tolerance Is Grossly Underrated

DEFINITION:

tol·er·ance (tŏl'ər-əns) n. The capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others.

Even though we live in the 21st century and we are supposed to be enlightened, we are still concerned with the color of one’s skin, the god they worship and the person they love.

I just read a report on ABC News about J.K. Rowling’s announcement that Dumbledore is gay. So, what is the problem with that? I have many gay friends and did not notice anything related to Dumbledore’s sexuality when I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And so what if I did? What is the big problem?

My sons are growing up knowing the world is richly populated with all types of people, and that is a good thing. If we were all the same, life would be pretty boring. I can proudly proclaim that my sons are colorblind, appreciative of other faiths and customs, and whom a person loves will not be an issue with them as they grow. We have not even gotten to the age where love and relationships matter to them, but I do not expect their level of tolerance to change.

Moreover, why do we use the word “tolerance?” Do we have to steal ourselves to “tolerate” someone who has a sex life different from our own? Do have to tolerate someone whose skin is a different color? Do we have to “tolerate” someone who worships differently than we do? Why am I still shaking my head in 2007?

What do you think?

Are you open about the world and its inhabitants with your children?

I hope this question generates intelligent and thoughtful responses. All thoughts are welcome, but do not slam or bash anyone or your comment will be deleted immediately. Ignorance is one thing for which I have absolutely no tolerance.

eBooks or Paper?

I like paper. I like the crinkle a page makes as I turn it to read what happens next. I like the smell of the bookstore, even if it’s old and dusty. I like finding someone’s name in the front of a book if I pick it up at the Congregational Church’s monthly used book sale. In short, paper makes me smile.

My question, therefore, is this: why would anyone want to read a book on their handheld device or their computer screen? It is not fun downloading text onto your device rather than turning pages. Viewing the front page of your eBook cannot compare to feeling the cover of a printed book. And walking into Best Buy pales in comparison to walking into Barnes and Noble or an independent on a side street somewhere.

What’s your opinion? Do you think eBooks will one day replace the hard copy version of a book? Would you want to read a novel on a screen instead of on paper? Let me know what you think.