The Voice From Beyond

DUDE!!!

Forget if chick lit is dead or cyclical or whatever ... Wonder Woman has a stamp! Wonder Woman has a stamp!

Actually she has two.

We can buy them on Friday and in order to obtain the sacred relics, we have to get a sheet with those other dillweeds like Superman and Plasticman. But I don't care because Wonder Woman is here fightin' for our rights in her satin tights!

Best,

Mary C. who wins hands down as the biggest nerd of all time

Selling Lemonade in a Business Suit

Did you see the Good Morning America story about the 11-year old kid who runs his lemonade stand while wearing a business suit? Ethan Esparza of Minneapolis, MN was making $5 a day selling lemonade in a t-shirt and shorts. But when his mama told him to switch up to a suit, he started making $30-40 a day.

Well, it got me thinking about the upcoming RWA National Conference in Atlanta and how there are always those poor souls who show up to their pitch appointments in either (a) the historical/western costume, (b) the dress their chick lit character would wear to Pure in Vegas, or (C) the velvet hooded cloak over black jeans and an "I believe in magick" t-shirt. I'm really sorry if this is offensive, but I'm saying this with the hope that you will not be uh, hindered by your fashion choices.

So here it goes. Ahem. Me me me.

When you walk up to the table where your first-choice agent or editor is waiting, do so in an outfit that makes you feel confident, strong and professional. If a business suit does the trick, go for it. But a healthy compromise are jeans, a dressy top and light sweater (hotels are always freezing). As an author, you're a professional artist/writer/whatever. But you're not a celebrity or a character. If you don't believe me, I am promising you that I once talked to an editor about this same phenomena. She said that when someone pitches to her while dressed in pajama bottoms, bunny slippers and her headlights on high beam, it's very difficult to take that writer seriously.

Bottomline: if you mean business, look the part.

For those of you who are not attending RWA Atlanta, I wrote "The Anti-Conference" for OCC RWA's Slice of Orange. By the way, I won't be in Atlanta this year. I'm revising Switchcraft (working title of my July 2007 release) and vacationing with the hub and the Little Dude.

Vaya con Dios,
Mary

When Does Wonder Woman Show Up?

I saw Superman this afternoon and it was cool. For once Lois Lane actually saves Superman and there's a Really Big Secret that I won't even hint at. But throughout the movie, even during the most tense moments, I kept thinking: so does Wonder Woman show up?

I'll give you an example ... or three. When the plane carrying the space shuttle plummets to earth, Superman tries to steer the plane by holding a wing. Wonder Woman would've figured out that the uneven distribution of weight would've ripped it off and lost precious time. When Kitty - Lex Luther's sidekick - acts as a diversion to Superman, Wonder Woman would've seen through the cheap feminine wiles and used the lasso of truth on her.

But what really felt like a missed opportunity for me was the ending when Superman passes out and lands in Central Park. That would've been awesome if Wonder Woman swooped down and caught him.

Okay, are you shaking your head at me? Now come on, all the boy superheroes have gotten their movies. Spiderman has a trilogy. Batman has had his movies. (What was the last one ... the fourth in the last ten years?) X-Men, Ghost Rider and- No, Catwoman doesn't count because it was unwatchable.

When do us women get a superhero we can cheer for? When does the female protagonist of a superhero movie get to be the one who saves instead of being saved? I really want to see how Princess Diana defies her mother to become the Wonder Woman of the Amazons.

If this post ever finds its way to Joss Whedon, please Mr. Whedon, please give us the Wonder Woman we deserve.