THURSDAY THIRTEEN....SHIRLEY JUMP, finally
HOW many weeks have I said I'd feature her? (Don't count, it's a rhetorical question.) Anyway, she's a gracious, funny best-selling author, and we like her. The word gracious sounds snotty. Friendly and warm--that's better. And the fact that she's attractive isn't relevant, but it's true. I'll have to go dig up a photo. In the meantime, here's a cover.
Her first book was one of the first romcoms I read and I thought, hey, this genre will take over the marketplace! I love fluff and this is fun--who can resist a heroine in a banana suit? The genre isn't taking off as I'd hoped (I finished writing my first Flipside the week the line closed) but Shirley is flying high. That's good.
13 Things About Shirley Jump by Shirley Jump
1. I cannot pass a shoe department without stopping to look. My children have taken to attaching me to a leash when we go to the mall. My husband has threatened to affix blinders to my head. But I’m JUST looking. Honest.
2. I have an acute radar for the location of women’s restrooms in any building in any city, at county fairs, at other people’s houses. You could drop me blindfolded in the middle of Uzbekistan and I would find the ladies’ room in five minutes or less.
3. I truly don’t weigh what people think I do. Tummy Tuck jeans, girls. They are my bestest friends.
4. I am a total weenie when it comes to roller coasters, water parks, basically anything that moves and goes up high. I have been known to stand on a platform ten feet off the ground and pray, “Please don’t let me wimp out in front of my nine-year-old.”
5. I love the ocean. LOVE anything aquatic. Sadly, I live in the Midwest. The closest I get to the ocean is going to Lobster Hut and putting my hand into the lobster tank.
6. My sole mission in life is to embarrass my kids. I have been known to sing Barney songs in the halls of their school, hug them in public and actually say “I love you” in front of their friends. I know, I know. I’d be horrified to have me as a mother, too.
7. I am more of a cat person than a dog person. My dogs have yet to realize that and keep on giving me more love than the cat, thinking they’ve got it made.
8. It took me ten books and eight years before I sold my first book. I was either a very slow learner or a serious glutton for punishment.
9. I cannot hold a tune to save my life. I have no natural rhythm at all. My stepmother, however, can sing like an angel and once sang backup for Michael Buble. I try to stand very close to her in church so she makes me sound good.
10. I’m the oldest child. Which means I’m always right. (And to my younger brother, if you argue with me…you’re wrong, plain and simple. Because I said so and because that research on CNN said so, too. :-).
11. My favorite food in the entire world is pasta. Any kind, as long as there’s cheese involved.
12. I am one of those shoppers who goes shopping at five in the morning the day after Thanksgiving. I LOVE the challenge. Love the bargains. And I LOVE Christmas. From that minute until December 26th, I am all-Christmas, all the time. I’d wear a Rudolph nose if the kids would let me.
13. I don’t believe in any superstitions, except, oddly, the one about spilling salt. I think it comes from reading Thomas B. Costain’s Below the Salt and realizing what a precious commodity salt once was--and how your entire life could depend on a simple salt shaker. Or maybe I’m just hedging my bets. Just in case. ;-).
1. I cannot pass a shoe department without stopping to look. My children have taken to attaching me to a leash when we go to the mall. My husband has threatened to affix blinders to my head. But I’m JUST looking. Honest.
2. I have an acute radar for the location of women’s restrooms in any building in any city, at county fairs, at other people’s houses. You could drop me blindfolded in the middle of Uzbekistan and I would find the ladies’ room in five minutes or less.
3. I truly don’t weigh what people think I do. Tummy Tuck jeans, girls. They are my bestest friends.
4. I am a total weenie when it comes to roller coasters, water parks, basically anything that moves and goes up high. I have been known to stand on a platform ten feet off the ground and pray, “Please don’t let me wimp out in front of my nine-year-old.”
5. I love the ocean. LOVE anything aquatic. Sadly, I live in the Midwest. The closest I get to the ocean is going to Lobster Hut and putting my hand into the lobster tank.
6. My sole mission in life is to embarrass my kids. I have been known to sing Barney songs in the halls of their school, hug them in public and actually say “I love you” in front of their friends. I know, I know. I’d be horrified to have me as a mother, too.
7. I am more of a cat person than a dog person. My dogs have yet to realize that and keep on giving me more love than the cat, thinking they’ve got it made.
8. It took me ten books and eight years before I sold my first book. I was either a very slow learner or a serious glutton for punishment.
9. I cannot hold a tune to save my life. I have no natural rhythm at all. My stepmother, however, can sing like an angel and once sang backup for Michael Buble. I try to stand very close to her in church so she makes me sound good.
10. I’m the oldest child. Which means I’m always right. (And to my younger brother, if you argue with me…you’re wrong, plain and simple. Because I said so and because that research on CNN said so, too. :-).
11. My favorite food in the entire world is pasta. Any kind, as long as there’s cheese involved.
12. I am one of those shoppers who goes shopping at five in the morning the day after Thanksgiving. I LOVE the challenge. Love the bargains. And I LOVE Christmas. From that minute until December 26th, I am all-Christmas, all the time. I’d wear a Rudolph nose if the kids would let me.
13. I don’t believe in any superstitions, except, oddly, the one about spilling salt. I think it comes from reading Thomas B. Costain’s Below the Salt and realizing what a precious commodity salt once was--and how your entire life could depend on a simple salt shaker. Or maybe I’m just hedging my bets. Just in case. ;-).
But if you wore the Rudolph nose, you'd certainly do the embarrassment thing!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm.... shoes.... Sadly, for my closet space, I have my husband trained to come along. LOL
ReplyDeleteAnd I think I've overdone it--it's now impossible to embarrass my kids. *sigh* Any suggestions for a new tactic?
Great Thursday post! I just posted my Thursday! Three in one!
ReplyDeleteWOO HOO!
DEB
Yay, I've missed the 13 Things About... series.
ReplyDelete"My sole mission in life is to embarrass my kids."
I always suspected my mother's was, too. ;o)
Hi Bettie,
ReplyDeleteLOL. I learned it from my mom, too :-). My daughter cringes, but smiles, too, so I know it's not THAT bad to have me as a mom. Though I am banned from shopping with her. I'm her ride (she's too young to drive) to the mall, so she's stuck with me IN the mall, but I'm not AT ALL SUPPOSED TO GO INSIDE THE STORE WHERE SHE IS because OMG, what if someone saw her SHOPPING WITH HER MOM?
So I let her shop alone for ten minutes or so...then go in anyway ;-) She's embarrassed...until she remembers that I'm the one carrying the checkbook, too. Then I suddenly become a lot cooler in Hollister, LOL.
Shirley
Carrie,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I'll have to do that at Christmas ;-)
Shirley
Darla,
ReplyDeleteThere's always a way, IMO. Breaking into song. The shouting of a baby name in a public place (as in, "I love you, pookie!" The sharing of baby pictures with complete strangers. :-)
Shirley
Have a great Thursday! Nice list by the way! Please stop by my blog if you can!
ReplyDeleteDEB