Tuesday, July 28, 2009

New Friends and Fun Talk

Since I'm currently out of town and using my son's computer, I can't put my little 'blonde girl' avatar up here but this is REGINA writing from the friendly South Plains and Lubbock, Texas. The other day I loaded up my daughter and we took a road trip to visit my son. He attends college here and in a few short weeks we'll be moving my daughter here, too...sniff sniff.

Anyway, today I want to talk about friendship and how sometimes the strangest things can bring people together. I've often blogged here about how lonely this biz is. We writers tend to stick to our private, quiet little cubby holes to do our thing and most of the time our friendships are limited to on-line writing buddies. Recently I joined the Jeanie and Jayha yahoo group to hang out and meet new friends. Very cool bunch and although I'm new there, I already love these chicks to death. Anyway, I learned that Drea, one of the members of the Posse is from Texas and well damn, when I found out she was practically within shouting distance, we decided to MEET.

Yeah...meeting FACE TO FACE with other writers just seems like Heaven on Earth to me. We met for drinks and chatting last night and we just had so much in common that I felt I'd known her forever. Honestly think we could have chatted all night. But since it was getting late, we parted with a promise to do it all again soon. Finding another writer and a kindred spirit so close to home was just cooler than hell. So thanks, Drea, for the drinks, the fun, and the laughs.

For those of us who tend to hide out in our little spaces, conventions are a great way to meet up personally for the first time but, let's face it, those times are so few, so far between. I find it so interesting that most of us find our closest friends are met on-line. Ain't modern invention cool. Brings us together and opens our eyes and expands our worlds. But still, it's nice to actually meet an on-line friend in person and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. So the next time I'm in town, you'd better believe I'll be calling up my new friend and hanging out for awhile.

I think we writers MUST get out more! What do you think?

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Reg,

Great blog! I couldn't agree with you more. I know that I tend to 'hide-out' a lot and am not a truly sociable person. I mean I like my friends, and I love my special BFF's who I have met online, you being one of them, but other than that, I'm a homebody!

I also recently found another EC author who lives up north and we are planning to do lunch next month. As nervous as I am, because that means I have to go out, drive, get dressed, etc...I'm excited too!

Yes, I agree. We should all get out more.

As for me, I can't wait to meet everyone at RomantiCon this year!

Regina Carlysle said...

I feel exactly the same. Yes, I am a chatterbox but big crowds of people make me downright edgy. Oh hell yeah, I like a small crowd and that's where you get the BEST conversations. Can't wait to hear how it goes with you lunch! It's so fun just getting to know other writers. I STILL SAY...writers are some of the NICEST people in the world.

Drea was a blast and despite the fact I'm old enough to be her MOM, we had soooo much in common in likes, dislikes, beliefs. She's funny too. Really funny!

Regina Carlysle said...

Oh yeah, Taylor...I WUUUUUB YOU TOO!~~~

Kelly said...

How great that you got to meet the Queen of Tease Drea. I know she was crazy. Don't mess with Texas...:)

Regina Carlysle said...

Hey Doll! I'm glad you stopped by. Drea is a WILD WOMAN. So funny. Wish you could have been with us. It's just fun to finally meet an online friend in person and to know we are sooooo close. I know I'll be seeing her lots since my kids are in school here.

LauraGuevara08 said...

Hey Regina.....my lil sis Drea is WILD and CRAZY ain't she ;-)

julia barrett said...

I think it's a great opportunity. I'm sure there are other writers in my neck of the woods but apparently, we're all quite shy! I'm so glad you had fun and got to connect with a flesh and blood friend!

Reana Malori said...

Hey Regina - Great Blog and I think you're exactly right. It's good to meet kindred spirits online, but meeting in person for some chips, salsa, and margaritas - Priceless!!

Anny Cook said...

So... where are the Baltimore chicks??? All hiding out, I guess.

Drea Riley said...

REGINA, I had a blast too and you are totally correct. The world of author's is small...and epub is smaller still. Its great to have someone close. The net brings us close, but its not the same. Some times you just need that face time.
And you're so right. I miss Laura like crazy!!! Texas is full of writers but heck its hours and hours between LOL! We forget how big it really is. Any way, yup I had a blast and...HEY I RESEMBLE THAT TEASE COMMENT...hopefully I can not be a tease much longer, but yeah it will be good.
DREA

Paris said...

What a great blog! And very timely;-) two of my critique buddies called yesterday because scheduling conflicts have had us separated for the summer.

Most of the time,I'm perfectly happy to stay in my writer's cave and work but I'm always more productive and much happier after we get together whether it's for critiquing or lunch.

I'm looking forward to meeting all of you at RomantiCon!

Regina Carlysle said...

Oooh Paris! I'm so glad you're getting to re-connect! Now that I've met Drea, I'll be doing more of that. It's not that I don't love being all 'private and shit' but I just feel so much more HUMAN being able to connect face to face sometimes.

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to go to Romaticon so I can truly meet many of the wonderful authors I've 'met' online.
Tessie Bradford

Regina Carlysle said...

Me too, Tessie! Counting the days!

Jeanie and Jayha said...

first let me just say that I LOVE the blonde chick avatar...second, let me say that we love having you over at jeanie and jayha...the one thing about the chicks and dudes that hang out there is that we have a love of smoking prose and peeps who aren't afraid to say what they think, feel and mean...we are a crazy bunch but we like it that way and you fit right on in...smile

and btw RESTRICTION for thinking that we wouldn't like you...

and we want to meet with you too so when we come visit drea in texas we ALL need to meet up...for cheesecake, ribs and wings.

Regina Carlysle said...

Oh yeah...and maybe some good Tex-Mex too. Oh and margaritas. A bunch of them! HA.

Fran Lee said...

Sorry I got here so late, dear. Having some computer troubles of my own. Glad you are back home. I love all my new online buddies and would love to meet all of them face to face...but I don't want to terrorize them.