The Summer of Us

First, a piece of business:  I’m drawing the first winner in my summer-long website contest!  And that winner is:

AMANDA BAILEY!!

Congratulations, Amanda!  You’ve won a copy of Follow My Lead.  Check your email for further details.  To those who didn’t win, the contest goes on until the end of summer, so there will be plenty more chances.

There’s another thing that’s happening at the end of summer, too.  As many of you who pay close attention know, I will occasionally mention The Boyfriend here on the blog.  Not often, as he is somewhat bewildered (yet constantly supportive) of the whole Romance Novelist thing, thus he doesn’t often get featured in my book-related rants and writing.  (Although he did a blog for me, once.) Well, a little while ago, the Boyfriend asked me a question, I said yes, and he has since morphed into the Fiancé.

By the end of summer the Fiancé will have changed once again, this time into The Husband.   It is a short engagement, and thus a whirlwind of planning for me.  But I feel like I’m prepared.  Nothing like a Say Yes to the Dress marathon and the lifelong consumption of romance novels to teach you all about the Wedding Thing.  But do you know the biggest thing that I’ve found helpful in the wedding planning?

Being a writer.

I’m not kidding.  Being a writer has given me all the skills I need to throw a semi-formal function for friends and family.  I have mad research and internet skills.  I have the ability to manage time, else I’d never make my deadline.  I have the ability to create and implement a budget, since being a successful novelist is basically running a small home business with low overhead.  Being someone with an imagination has helped me visualize how all the pieces, from flowers to catering to tables and tents, are all going to go together.  And being a romance writer in particular has given me the optimism to say, no matter what happens, it’s all going to turn out all right in the end.  So, if you ever get discouraged in your writing, just remind yourself of what it was like during your wedding, and take heart, because the reverse also holds true:  If you can plan a wedding, you can be a writer.

I think it’s going to be a fun summer.

Until next time, sweets, Happy Reading!