I’ve been fascinated since I was a child by Marilyn Monroe. Apparently, I’m not alone. The Marilyn Monroe estate is on Pinterest. She has a Facebook page and a Twitter account. NBC’s SMASH likely owed some of its devoted fan base to the lingering fascination with the blonde bombshell.
I’ve read several of the many books written about her. She was a lot smarter than most people gave her credit for during her all-too-short life. Were she alive today, she would have celebrated her 87th birthday a few days ago. Much has been written about her tragic, untimely death. But her life intrigues me more. From a childhood spent in foster homes, orphanages, and with various relatives and friends, she created herself–an enduring icon. She was the personification of glamour, the woman everyone wanted–or wanted to be.
Few people have that kind of beauty and charisma. Far fewer achieve that sort of fame. But you don’t have to be glamorous, beautiful, or famous, to feel like Marilyn Monroe. Every woman should feel like Marilyn once in a while.
I had a Marilyn Moment in the most unlikely of places yesterday–my gynecologist’s office. I know, right?
I’ve known these wonderful folks forever, but typically only see them once or twice a year. Since the last time I was in, my first book came out. Several of the dear, wonderful, kind women who work in this office have read Lowcountry Boil. Two of them are reading it now. When I walked in, they made a big fuss over me. I was “their author.” They made such a fuss, in fact, that ladies in the waiting room were curious enough to ask about me after I went back to the exam room. One of the nurses made a point to tell me that another patient asked her if she knew me. We got a big laugh out of that. She knows me better than most folks.
Before I left, I made new friends among the other ladies in for a checkup. Several of them asked about my book, and I gave them business cards with all the pertinent info. Meeting fellow book-lovers is always fun. But I have to confess, the attention was fun, too.
Have you had a Marilyn Moment? Spill!
That is so cool! What fun, to be the star! You’ve certainly earned it, Susan. Enjoy every moment.
Can’t wait for the second book.
Thank you so much, Val! LOWCOUNTRY BOMBSHELL releases September 3. Please put Saturday the 7th on your calendar for the release party! Details to come! 🙂
First – how awesome is that? You are somebody!
It reminds me of when a friend said to her child, “You have to be ‘somebody’ in the Junior League to get to be president.”
And her child said, “But Mom, you are SOMEBODY! You are my mom!”
😀
I haven’t had a Marilyn Moment but I have had a Scarlett moment or two.
The last was when we had the big flood here in west Tennessee three (?) years ago. It tends to flood around the first of May if you live near the Mississippi river.
Anywho, the Navy base was flooded, levees broke, creeks rose beyond what the Army Corps of Engineers ever imagined. They called it the 100-year flood.
Awesome.
One hundred + Navy base houses had to be evacuated. My husband, who is the Morale, Welfare and Recreation director (civilian position)on the base, would leave our house at o’dark thirty and return in the middle of the night as he tried to accommodate and help all these pitiful people who had four-feet of water standing in their homes.
Evacuated by boat in a land-locked Navy base. Keepsakes gone. Children’s toys ruined. Food decomposing … and for some reason security thought it was a GREAT idea to close and lock all the windows and doors so the stank could just simmer in the early May heat.
Well, hello? Our home got water in it too. The morning he received the early phone call reporting the damage, I put my toes on the carpeted floor next to our bed and stepped in a puddle of water. At first, not listening to his phone convo, I thought, “Damn dogs peed on my side of the bed!” But after a couple of steps I found that the sopping wetness continued all the way from our bed into his closet in the bathroom.
I dug trenches in the pouring rain all morning (we got 15 inches!) trying to get water away from the house. Our best neighbors called while I was digging and my son, age 6 or 7, told them, “Mom can’t talk right now, she’s digging a ditch.” Thank goodness they came over with a shop vac, bigger muscles, a better shovel and a good knowledge about the location of power lines and other stuff you ought not dig up.
So, it’s a week later.
Our bedding has been propped on it’s side in order to let the carpet, I was able to save, dry. It’s early morning. We’ve been sleeping in the guestroom upstairs. My work office, also on the base got flooded as well. Co-workers found a dead fish by the main door! I worked in the volunteer center each day and helped my boss’ boss keep the 200+ employees up-to-date on the circumstances.
I, sweetly, of course, ask my dear husband to help me place the mattresses back on the bed frame. He said, “I have to go, people are depending on me.”
And with that, I threw a Scarlett …
Remember when Scarlett has made it out of Atlanta, is almost to Twelve Oaks, has helped with an arduous birth, has journeyed far and through fire and gun shots? You know, the point where good ole “The South has nothing but cotton and arrogance” Rhett has decided to join the Confederacy, hands Scarlett a gun, and asks for a kiss?
And what does Scarlett do? She throws a hissy fit.
And I did too. I let him have it. I told him he needed to think about me, our child, and our house and that placing the King-sized mattress would take less than five minutes of his oh-so-precious time. I cried. I thumped my fists against his chest and cried some more.
Of course, he relented and helped me and then went on his way to fight the Yankees … I mean help the homeless.
I’d much rather have a Marilyn Moment!
Congrats! I’m going to start reading Lowcountry Boil this weekend. Can’t wait.
That was a mighty long comment I made up there ^^
Hope you got through it. 😀
I did, and all I can say is bless your heart! And you know I mean that most sincerely. I cannot imagine. But I love, “I threw a Scarlett.” That’s priceless. I’m sure you weren’t aiming for entertaining at the time, but what a story. (I’ve had a few Scarlett moments myself.)
Thank you so much! I so hope you enjoy Lowcountry Boil!
Like you I’ve been a Marilyn fan since I was a child too. The closest I ever got to her was seeing Arthur Miller speak in Pittsburgh. I was dying to ask him what it was like to be married to her but I was just too shy!
We get wonderful authors here in Pittsburgh and I would love for you to visit us sometime. I am on my last chapter of Lowcountry Boil and it has been a real pleasure to read.
Please check out the Mystery Lover’s Bookstore in Oakmont for your next book tour. That is where I ordered my copy of your book and I told everyone about it.
I’m pea green with envy that you saw Arthur Miller speak. 🙂 I would have been tempted to ask the same thing.
I’m so, so happy you enjoyed Lowcountry Boil! That means so much to me.
I’m familiar with Mystery Lover’s Bookstore, and actually have some other friends in the area. I may very well show up there in the fall if they’ll have me.
Thanks so much for reading and telling others about the book! It is deeply appreciated.