Note: I'm back to blogging. I'll still send out newsletters with all the varied content you've come to expect, but I can link to articles here and write more for those who care to read it.
Such as this...
The Mad, Mad, World of Authors
I was on the phone with a dear author friend of mine--who will remain nameless because of what I'm about to share. She's multi-published, and, like me, has a zillion ideas more than she'll ever be able to write. We can talk for hours about all the writing we're doing, would like to do, and hope to do--as well as other creative projects.
During our last call, she had me laughing silly when she shared that one day she'd been thinking about one of her books and suddenly had a brain freeze. She couldn't remember the title. This was a book SHE WROTE. It was published by a small press and has been out for years--but she couldn't recall the exact title.
I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes--mostly because it struck a chord. I should explain that we authors like to refer to our books in shorthand. For instance, Before the Season Ends, (my newest re-release) is simply B.T.S.E. to me. The sequel, The House in Grosvenor Square, is THIGS. So my friend could only remember the acronym of her book.
When I recently revisited my earlier books to edit them for new editions, I was delighted by some of my own writing as if reading it for the first time. Now--authors grow and improve in their craft, just like people in other fields. So I also saw things that did not delight me--which is why I can say the series has been "newly edited." But the fact remains that we often forget our own words.
Sometimes even our book titles.
Not Just Books
I once had to leave a cart full of groceries at the store because back then I used a debit card and suddenly could not remember my PIN number. I drove to the bank, and there discovered--horrors--I still needed that same PIN number to withdraw cash. And my brain freeze hadn't cleared yet. In the end, I had to go into the bank to withdraw cash and then return to the store to check out our groceries.You can see why I laughed so hard when my friend couldn't remember her book title. I can relate all too well.
Book Giveaway
You don't need to be an author to have the occasional brain freeze. When was the last time it happened to you? Was it your phone number, your son's birthday, or maybe even the title of a book you've written? Share your answer in the comments and I'll draw one winner to get a copy of the just-released new edition of Before the Season Ends, or, The House in Grosvenor Square, both heartwarming romances. (Enter the drawing even if you've read the old editions. You'll enjoy the new ones even more.)
 |
| Leave a comment to enter the drawing for a free copy! |
DO YOU GET MY NEWSLETTER? If not, sign up here: http://www.LinoreBurkard.com
37 comments:
I am terrible at remembering names. I called my son by the dog's name one day. We still laugh about it.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
That's a good one, Mary! Thanks for the chuckle.:)
I call my granddaughters by my daughters names. LOL
vsincell (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) com
Thanks for the chance to enter!
I’m a midwife and run into past patients every where. They remember everything about me, but I remember nothing about them. Pregnant women look very different when not pregnant! My set phrase is, “So hows the BABY?” However this can really backfire on me when “the baby” is now a teen!
My sons names are Elliot and Trevor. On occasion, my brain has combined the two names, and out of my mouth comes "Trelliot".
debslonek
at
att
dot
net
The question, more accurately... is when do I NOT have brain freeze? :) Pretty bad when it happens way too often.
digging4pearls (at) comcast (dot) net
Just yesterday I was trying to share the first name of my grandmother and I could not remember. Still dont! But I am constantly in a bind because of a brain freeze. I use roll with the flow and am known to blurt out randomly...when I finally remember. Haha.
ttmom42 at gmail dot com
I'm a part time nanny, and have worked for several families, so my brain is constantly freezing over which name to call which kid from which family, and sometimes my dog's name is thrown in there when I need to call one of them really quick!
pocoauthor (at) gmail (DOT) come
I’m sure I did it recently but the one I remember was when I was trying to introduce a new friend to an old friend. For the life of me I couldn’t remember the old friend’s name. paulams49ATsbcglobalDOTnet
I often go into a room and can't remember what it was I was going after. Or, I'll be talking to someone and lose half of what I was going to say, or even the name of something I'm talking about. I go completely blank, lol! It's so frustrating when it happens in the middle of a conversation because it's embarrassing. :-) I mean, it's on the tip of my tongue and my brain just shuts down!
Maybe it's the whole getting older thing, but I don't like it at all. Thank you for the giveaway chance! Your books look terrific and you are a new-to-me author.
teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
Hi Linore! I had to call on a credit card for some reason, and it was in my husband’s name. They asked me for his social security number, which I normally have memorized, and I was a total blank! I couldn’t believe it! I just thought, wow, how old am I getting? Haha 🤪
eviep (at) att (dot) net
I wrote my real email so I reposted my comment. 😃
What great responses--I'm really enjoying them. It's good to know I'm not alone in getting brain freeze. ;)
Nicole, I'm reading a book called The History of the Nanny. Your profession goes back a long way!
I can normally reply to each response, but the blog isn't allowing that right now. Just know I appreciate each of you!
I'm posting this comment for a reader who was not able to get her comment to show up here.
Hi Linore,
I enjoy everything you do! You are very much a kindred spirit!
In the midst of my "menopause brain" - which is a perpetual brain freeze - I found myself not able to remember how to spell the word "the"! How do you forget how to spell one of the most commonly used words in any language?? I kept sounding it out, but was at a complete loss. It eventually returned after a few moments, however, it totally through me for an entire morning!
KFamily4God (at) Gee Mail (dot) com.
I'm pretty good about remembering names (I try to use a memory trigger; for example at a former church there was a man who played bongos & his name is Bob, so in my memory, he was "Bongo Bob." One day I slipped & called him "Bongo Bob" and, the moniker stuck! Oops! Badawson16 (at) AOL (dot) com
I have the most trouble remembering names, especially when I need to introduce someone.
bmatchack (at) g mail (dot) com
i have so much trouble remember anything LOL.....i use to blame it on getting old (56)...but now i blame it on my brain being deprived of oxygen...now i have to wear a cpap .....i hate not being able to remember.....especially short term memory.
barbslv at hughes dot net
The latest of many times was my not being able to tell someone what the gender of my baby was going to be. Felt so silly...
My email address is available on my google profile. :)
When I ask my husband a question or to do something for me, I always freeze at the next word - I.e "can you bring me the, the, the that thing over there." He laughs at me all the time!
shonid93(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks, ladies. More good ones.
I'm enjoying the chuckles!
I was trying to remember which store I had purchased something in and still don’t remember...that was awhile back. Oh well....
JFWisherd(at)aol(dot)com
Hi Linore! Thank you for the positive emotions lol, I was smiling while reading your post and I can definitely relate; although, I’m not a writer. Sometimes I have a brain freeze...my four kiddos have names starting with A...don’t ask me who named them lol I mix them up quite often 😂
kykla99 (at) gmail (dot) com
I drove across to town to meet friends at a Denny's. When I parked the car, I realized that I had to pick up my son at work in 15 mins LOL. I knew this information before I planned to meet my friends at Denny's LOLOL. I texted my friend and told her the deal and she replied with that it sounded like something she would do (I am 54 and she is 67) and that she completely understood. LOLOL So -- not sure if that is a brain freeze -- more like a brain fart LOLOL. I have a teflon-brain -- nothing sticks LOLOL. Well, teflon is a friction-less surface and so is ice -- kinda a brain freeze LOL. catsue2@yahoo.com
Two friends of mine had gone on an outing together. I was speaking with one of them afterwards and she told me they had met someone that had a bicycle accident years before. I was amazed at the story and was speaking with my other friend who had been on the outing. I was recounting the story to her and she couldn't remember ever hearing the story before. By the end of my tale I had her convinced she had met this man and heard the story from him. Not long after all three of us were together talking about it and laughed because my friend who had told me the story had told me that my other friend hadn't met the man when she originally told me the story.
snackie (at) ymail (dot) come
I have a terrible memory. My friend and I went to a restaurant. After we had ordered and had been enjoying our meal, i started raving about the dish because the food was so good! "I don't know why we haven't tried this before! This is amazing!" Smiling, my friend patiently let me know that I had ordered it a few times before. :)
hinani (at) me (dot) com
What a fun topic! I had to write a blog interview using the name of the hero in one of my books. I couldn't remember it! I actually had to go to Amazon and read the back cover blurb. But, the worst part is that his name was my grandparents' last name and my mother's maiden name. Duh!
Bonnie
bengstrom@hotmail.com
I have brain freezes all of the time. One Sunday after church I slipped into my room to change my clothes so I could make a quick lunch for my family. To my utter horror, I realized that I had worn my pants backwards the entire morning. I still have no idea how I managed that one. Then there was the day that I forgot to rinse Conditioner out of my hair. I looked like I had put an entire bottle of Dippity Doo in my hair. The really bad part was that I didn't even notice it til just prior to bed. I think people must think I have my own eclectic style.
Oh, gosh! You are all killing me...with laughter. Love it! I'm sorry I can't respond to each of you individually, but I have to say it's truly heartwarming to know I'm not alone. It seems that getting our own kids' names right is a challenge for many of us. My dad used to go through the line up of every possible sibling (there were eight of us) then he'd whistle and THEN get the right name. Bonnie--I totally understand!
Thanks, everyone. I'll close the giveaway on Friday--which means it will go for a full week. Tell your friends! :)
Oh Linore, you are totally NOT alone! These days I seem to have brain freezes all the time....being in a conversation and completely forgetting what I was taking about....going down to the basement to get something out of the pantry, only to forget what I went down there for. I don't know how many times I have called a friend 'Kurt' when his name is 'Keith' and then kicking myself when I walk away and realize what I've done. (Ugh!) Names are the worst! I sadly admit I have even called my kids the dog's name. Now that I turned 55, I just chalk it up to being 'senior moments'(haha!). Thanks for the opportunity of this giveaway! ~Alison Boss
nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com
I experience brain freezes on a daily basis,so I forget a lot. Just the other day, I accidentally called out our cat's name instead of my husband's name(I was trying to get his attention). Thank goodness we were at home and not in public. We had a good laugh over that one.
Sorry, I forgot to write in my email address for you.
y3lily(at)yahoo(dot)com
Oh, gosh, I love these comments about calling family members the name of a pet! You guys are great. I ought to put together a little PDF with our responses just to get a good laugh now and then!
Thank you, all. :)
Linore: Sorry to be so late in posting. I thought I'd posted later. I have no funny story except to say I thought I'd had reviews on my very first story accepted, a short story with Wild Rose available in ebook. no review on Amazon and none at Wild Rose. The professional reviewer I thought had reviewed it but nothing there either. It was out in 2007. I'm on the verge of perhaps getting a review when I send a gift copy to a friend. I did remember the title:Lab Partners. There will be a time soon when I'll forget.
My contact info is lhammersley (at) comcast (dot) net. I am interested in Grosvenor if I happen to be drawn. I enjoyed Season and Pulse.
Sorry I meant to say "posted earlier" rather than "later". Boy, I'm loosing it already.
Post a Comment