Monica Burns …at http://www.monicaburns.com/
Ten Things about Me
1. I often forget how old I am. Some days it feels like I’m still in high school, I’m crushing on a movie star or can’t wait to learn the most current slang words, (see how that dates me). I have to depend on my nephews and nieces for that. I’ve said it before that behaving immature tends convince the people around me that I can’t possibly be as old as I really am. Even my coworkers, that I have worked beside for the last five or six years, are surprised when I mention my age. (not telling)
2. I am the third child out of six. Two sisters and three brothers. My youngest brother died in a motorcycle accident when he was twenty-eight. He was a good friend to me. He made me laugh. I was nine years nine years older than him, but when he got his engineering degree he moved up where I was and we had some really great times. Our friends still talk about him and it’s been sixteen years since he died. I still smile at some of his pranks. All my family are funny people.
3. In my twenties I used to sing. One particular job was at a Dixie land Jazz club in Corpus Christie, Texas. Eons ago, when the beaches were white. One of my numbers was “A Good Man Is Hard To Find.” Still love that song. It’s one I can still sing decently.
4. I had ear surgery about five years ago and went completely deaf in my right ear. I used that in my book. After a lifetime of turning in the right direction of where a voice or noise is coming from, I now always turn to the left. For the first year or two at work they’d laugh when I did that. It is weird not to have some sense of which direction a sound it coming from.
5. My family helps me in so many ways. My brother Cliff is my web-mister and designer. He has a very dry sense of humor and when I posted a contest on my blog about naming a character based on the picture posted. My first suggestion was from him, Klyph, god of all men. He’s played more seven letter words in scrabble than any other player I’ve been up against.
My older sister is my go to girl when I want to bounce ideas; she’s one of those Mensa people who can take a test on anything and score high. My nieces help with ideas to. My older brother is a dear, and I can throw any animal question at him, he’s a veterinarian. And my younger sisters is a medical librarian, I bother her a lot with my day job antics. She’s one of those people who doesn’t read romance, but prefers self help books and non fiction. We a so very different from each other and yet we shared a bedroom for too many years.
6. My favorite meat is medium rare filet. My favorite seafood is lobster. My favorite deserts are New York style cheesecake and Boston Cream Pie…I guess I’m a fan of east coast food.
7. My first Star Trek convention was in 1979 in Houston Texas. I was working as a waitress at a hotel and I looked across the lobby and there was a man holding a chain that was wrapped around a planet of the ape’s guy. It was a blast. Since that time I’m only been to about 10, but I love fantasy, science fiction conventions. My last one was Dragon*Con two years ago.
8. I have found from personal experience that it is easier to be rejected my some one you believe you are in love with, than it is to reject someone who is love with you.
9. I tend to be a voyeur when I am with people I don’t know. I am bothered when a group is not inclusive. For instance when you get two are three people with a private joke, who don’t include you in the story behind it or tell you what it means. And truthfully, I don’t know whether that makes me the snob or them.
10. I had a son who was stillborn at full term. His father had his masters in Pottery, so I named him Samuel Clay. I used his name for the main character in my first books, a science fiction series that I may or may not go back to revise and rewrite. I used his first name as part of my pen name. He was my only child. Oddly, I don’t think about him when his birthday comes around, but I do every mother’s day.
1. I have constant crushes on people too. Many who are way younger than me. I think that never ends. I also think it’s nice because it keeps us in our hearts and feeling good.
6. NY Style cheesecake– yumm… I’m originally a Nu Yawka and NY cheesecake is one of my favorites. I can’t have any though. I’m on a diet.
7. I lived in the same town as Capt.Scotty- James Doohan, and even waited on him at a restaurant I worked at once. I used to see him all the time, even at my bank. I got his autograph, but I think I’ve lost it long ago as that was more than 14 years ago and I’ve moved a lot since. He was a nice guy, though. I’m rather partial to Sulu-George Takei, though. He has the most deliciously deep voice and I’m so glad he’s on Hero’s.
8. Yes, I agree. I’ve had times where I’ve had to get really nasty and come down on someone hard because sometimes it’s happened that being tactful wasn’t enough to dissuade those from thinking that I had some feelings for them. It broke my heart though to do that because I lost a few friends and had to deal with some animosity on their part after that.
9. I love being a voyeur in groups. It’s the most comfortable position for me, just watching and observing what’s going on. Participating though, makes me break out in hives. I do agree though that it’s really rude to not include someone.
10. I’m sorry about your baby. That must have been hard. I know someone who that happened to and it was a pretty painful thing. From your book though and how you wrote the kids, I think you would have been a great mom.
See, now that you are on the threshold of being a NY Times bestseller, these are all the mundane and important things that your reading fans absolutely must know! : )
Comment by Madame Butterfly — February 16, 2008 @ 12:51 pm
That convention I talked about in ‘79, well I went back to have my lunch at the wait staff table, off to the side and George Takei was sitting there. I ate lunch with him and we chatted. It was pretty cool and he was exceptionally nice.
I am always reminded of that Bonnie Raite song. “I can’t make you love me if you don’t, I can’t make you love me if you won’t.” And there have been men who I wished so much I could have loved them that way, because they were kind and gentle men, who deserved it. Those were the one that it killed me to have to tell them I didn’t love them. ANd there was on particular bad penny, that became scary.
You are sweet, Leah. I would love to be a best seller, so I better get off my prodigious bottom and get some writting done. Today, I’m off to take my niece to lunch to help celebrate her 15th birthday. She is my myspace manager. I learn my current slang from her usually. I have a niece in college that I get and give eclectic music with and from. geez, I need to stop the rambling.
Rhianna Samuels
Comment by Administrator — February 16, 2008 @ 3:24 pm
Ok, this is TOOO damn scary woman!!
1. I don’t count the years unless the body reminds me. I’m still into RPG, Star Wars, Star Trek, although I confess that the latest “cool words” are only in my vocabulary because of my almost 18-yr-old and cruising posts on the Inet.
2. I’m the oldest with two sisters, and my only brother is named Cliff!!! See how I’m getting a little nervous here. LOL BTW, I just figured out exactly what your age is and I thought you were at LEAST 10-15 years older. We’re almost the same age. LOL
3. “One particular job was at a Dixie land Jazz club in Corpus Christie, Texas.” TOTALLY cool!!
4. No ear surgery, but my sister lost her hearing from a brain tumor. So I have some idea of the frustration you must have at being deaf. My sis got one of those implants in the back of her head. Circuits light up the back of her head just like Data’s!! It’s cool in a way.
5. My bro doesn’t play scrabble, but he’s a good guy. A little too conservative to my liberal way of thinking, but I love him just the same. My baby sister is very supportive of my work, my middle sister says I write smut (that hurt when she said it recently, primarily because she’s never read my books, and because I always identified with her more)
6. “My favorite meat is medium rare filet. My favorite seafood is lobster. My favorite deserts are New York style cheesecake” TOTALLY scary Although I confess to liking shrimp more than lobster, but I just had the best cheesecake last night from the Cheesecake Bistro!! Yum
7.”My first Star Trek convention was in 1979 in Houston Texas.” OMIGOD!! I’ve not been to an actual Trek convention, although I’ve always wanted to go and dress as a Klingon. I Soooo adore their culture. Wish I could speak the language!! Kaplah? LOL
9. “I am bothered when a group is not inclusive.” My Italian nature comes out, and I want to just smackdown someone when they’re cliqish! Rude and obnoxious behavior is the sign of an uncivilized person, and Hannibal Lector was right for ridding the world of blights of such despicable creatures. And I’d hardly call you a snob for expecting people to well-mannered.
10. “I had a son who was stillborn at full term.” I can empathize with your loss. I loss my second child to a miscarriage at just three months. It was devastating, but I’m sure not nearly so much as your loss. I lost my baby on Valentine’s Day…maybe that’s why I don’t care for the holiday too much any more, but I didn’t think of the baby this year, but then I didn’t realize it was Valentine’s Day either until later in the day when someone wished me a happy V-Day. I do light a candle for the Baby every Sunday of Advent during Christmas. But I then look at Baby and think, ahhh….my miracle child. I wouldn’t have her if my second child had lived.
Soooo…..see how scary it is that we’re so much alike. YIKES!!! See you June!! Monica
Comment by Monica Burns — February 16, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
P.S. I forgot to say thank you for the compliment about Mirage. It was lovely of you to say that, although I confess I’m not so certain it’s amazing. LOL, Monica
Comment by Monica Burns — February 16, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
Monica,
Hi! I’m so glad you dropped by. It is scary how you and I are on the same path in someways. Leah too. These kind of blogs can be fun or interesting. It forces you to look at your life and what kind of person you are and share that. It will be great to see you in June.
The June Lori Foster readers and author get together is very reasonable if any one else is interested in being there. I’m looking forward to seeing all the authors, but especially the readers. I am hoping I”m at a table with at least one fan of my book.
Rhianna Sameuls
Comment by Administrator — February 16, 2008 @ 10:56 pm
Rhianna- I’d come and be at your table for moral support to be your cheering section. And Cincinnati is even a fortuitous place for me, especially to buy lottery tickets. However, I will have just turned 50 and becoming suddenly old and hideous looking, I might burn the retinas of anyone approaching you, which would not be good.
On the other hand, if you are as scary looking as you say, I might actually look good sitting next to you. Hmmm… something to think about. : P
I’m sure many fans will show up at your table. : )
Comment by Madame Butterfly — February 17, 2008 @ 4:25 pm
OMG Leah, you are a riot. I’m still laughing at the last line. I am so looking forward to meeting you. I’m going to try to keep a non frightning smile on my face for this get together. We definetly must have dinner one of those nights. Anyone else interested needs to chime in and we can have a room party, although I was so hoping to crashe a room party for one of the big authors there, but the bigger the number of crashers the better. I am even more happy about the weekend!!
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — February 17, 2008 @ 4:36 pm
Oh it’s fun reading other peoples’ “About Me” posts! One thing that I always find interesting are the facts that people will mention… is there a Master list somewhere? Otherwise I’d probably just go on and on… or not have anything at all to say!
Now that’d be embarrassing!
Comment by KathyK — February 19, 2008 @ 5:46 pm
Kathy,
They only asked for 10 things. Thank goodness.
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — February 20, 2008 @ 1:01 pm