24/09/2005
Out of the comfort zone...
Yesterday I had an invaluable lesson for any author. Having agreed to do an interview I found my usual confidence deserted me utterly when asked to talk about those closest to me. Whoosh! Up went the maternal barriers as surely as if I had turned into a cross between Charlton Heston fending off invaders and Mother Duck (unfortunately my voice lacked the resounding quack of the latter and was more of a tremulous whisper!)
How easy it is to be confident when it's only your own head on the line, and how impossibly hard it is not to let the brain race into conjuring up a thousand ways in which you can let your family member down if you say the wrong thing. Out of the comfort zone? I was UP S**t Creek without a paddle!
It gave me pause for thought- when a character in one of my books behaves in an out-of-character manner perhaps they are finding that they too are 'out of their comfort zone'... gives me leave to utterly change their personality for that short time.
And now... thank you to a beautiful, gracious and statuesque young lady with a fabulous sense of style... T-Nia.
Hi T'Nia! We met in Selfridges, where you performed the most amazing 'hair extension miracle' within five minutes, just as you promised. You made one young lady very happy indeed, and for that I thank you. I also wish you every success with your acting career. I shall be looking out for you on TV. I know you will succeed- you stopped me in my tracks, and that doesn't happen very often.
More of the interesting people I met yesterday tomorrow (does that make sense?)
Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan
How easy it is to be confident when it's only your own head on the line, and how impossibly hard it is not to let the brain race into conjuring up a thousand ways in which you can let your family member down if you say the wrong thing. Out of the comfort zone? I was UP S**t Creek without a paddle!
It gave me pause for thought- when a character in one of my books behaves in an out-of-character manner perhaps they are finding that they too are 'out of their comfort zone'... gives me leave to utterly change their personality for that short time.
And now... thank you to a beautiful, gracious and statuesque young lady with a fabulous sense of style... T-Nia.
Hi T'Nia! We met in Selfridges, where you performed the most amazing 'hair extension miracle' within five minutes, just as you promised. You made one young lady very happy indeed, and for that I thank you. I also wish you every success with your acting career. I shall be looking out for you on TV. I know you will succeed- you stopped me in my tracks, and that doesn't happen very often.
More of the interesting people I met yesterday tomorrow (does that make sense?)
Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan
