On Being Dressed

Okay, I have been working on this crazy plot revision for my fourth book and it's coming along. No, I'm not pounding out thousands of words per day. Can't manage that kind of output when I am hacking away weeds and jungle growth from the first three drafts. However, I am getting close to the midpoint of my WIP, polishing and shining up the story as a I go along. I occasionally back track and fix something -- a sentence here or there. While it may not be 100 percent DONE by Nationals, it will be close.

I'll have to go back and layer in deeper POV, which I am feeling better about executing. Oh, and the setting is weaving together nicely, and if the plot is not what people want to buy/read/rep then I'm okay with it. I just want to prove to myself I can flesh out this story and see if it flies. It might die. But it might, it just might, fly.

However, as I've been merrily fixing the plot and heigh ho'ing through  my story line, my constant reading has opened my eyes to a big problem. My people aren't wearing anything as they go about their business. The category and single title romance books have lots of descriptions of the clothing and hairstyles of the characters, usually as seen by another character looking at the person in question.

My characters are tooling around the USA on a publicity tour and I've forgotten to describe their clothing for at least 3 chapters. Despite the racy content, shall we say super sexy content, they do actually wear clothes. But I've forgotten to add that element. Yikes! My peeps are naked to the reader. Or will the reader miss the paragraph long descriptions about the clothing? I don't know.

I guess I was so busy getting the plot and the pacing to work, that clothes were not on my mind for a while. Ah well, I'll layer my peeps' clothing into the story in bits and pieces. A slip of a dress here, a show of color there, a bejeweled hand waving at someone over here, and a heck of nice set of buns in tight jeans added as a dash of interest. Really FINE interest!

The thing is, I'm not a fashionista. I don't have a lot of clothes in my closet. Some women might even be shocked by the fact that I SHARE my closet with Darling Hubby. Seriously. How many women share their closets? I know of some women who have two or three closets filled with clothes while their darling husbands have a woebegotten corner of a small closet for their stuff. Before darling daughter was born, I had more clothes, but honestly, half my wardrobe was BUSINESS ATTIRE *yuck*,  and I've cheerfully given that wardrobe the heave ho.

It was easier to dress my heroine when she was in starchy pin stripes and pencil skirts. But now she's supposed to lose her business armor and go about in much sexier clothes. It's a good thing I have a few fashion magazines hanging around (okay, just one and I think it's my darling daughter's magazine subscription), or I'd be in big trouble. Now my hero? Oh, he's easy. Butt hugging jeans, torso kissing T-shirts, a Glock and other concealed weapons make him GOOD TO GO. He's got to dress up on occasion, but throw the man in a tux and voila! I'm in heaven again.

Apparently, dressing men is just as easy as it is for them to buy pants and shirts in real life. Women? Don't even get me started on how hard it is to find clothes that fit even the best of bodies, especially bathing suits.

I guess that's why my wardrobe is so small. I loathe the hunt for the perfect fit.

So check out your own characters today. What are they wearing? Or did you forget to dress them, too?

The RWA Shopping Calvary has Arrived!

I have been dreading one aspect of my conference. No, not the pitch. Well, yeah, a little. But I think I will be okay because I love people and I am excited about both my stories.

No. The one thing has been the CLOTHES. I haven't worked outside the home since my daughter was born 14, almost 15 years ago! Sure, I have CUTE stuff, and a few dressy things, but mostly I have easy to wear clothes, jeans, old t-shirts, and summer tank tops.

I have a few pieces... and some amazing shoes, and I have a GREAT GH/Rita night outfit, but no "business casual clothes" that are all pulled together.

Enter my dear friend who is visiting from TX. She works as a math teacher, a consultant and she is a shopper extraordinaire. She kindly checked out my ideas for clothes, my shoes, and my very small jewelry collection. And now she is taking me to the shops to buy what I need to round out my clothes.

First of all, I inadvertently bought a pair of expensive, sassy black shoes that are designer and I didn't know it... pathetic, but I know what I like, and I like cool/cute shoes. But I am cheap. I got them at T.J. Maxx! For like $3o at most!! I am pleased. And she loves my GH Dress. I do need a new bra for it, strapless, but that is an easy fix. Any rate, we came away with a list and what to bring to Birmingham for when I shop.

After she helps me shop, I am so buying her lunch! I needed her help. And I knew she'd help me. She's a good friend and I've known her for 20 years (which blows my mind when I think about the time flying by!!). She's always known clothes and accessories. I love her for all her kindness and true style. She knows how to pull it all together.

And she listened to my pitch and she LOVES THEM BOTH. Whew!! I am so stoked!