I am very proud to welcome Lorelei to my blog. Lorelei is one of Samhain’s top selling authors. The books of her Rough Rider Series have all been instant bestsellers at numerous bookstores – as have her other novels. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Lorelei on the Menage and More Anthology, and I gotta say, it’s been a privilege and a pleasure. And now I won’t say anymore, because I know you are here to visit her and not me…
Jess
LORELEI JAMES:
Does too much information ruin your perception? And your reputation?
I was in the store the other day and that John Mayer song ?Real World? came over the loudspeaker. Now, I?ve always loved that song, and hummed along whenever I heard it. I thought it had a fresh, funky kind of vibe ? easy listening, but hip, with smooth jazzy undertones, know what I mean? So when it started playing, I didn?t experience that feeling of happiness I used to get, I thought?that John Mayer?he?s such a pompous jackass. Not only does he have crappy tastes in swimsuits (have you seen him in that neon one-piece atrocity?) he?s stunted emotionally, no better than a high school jock gossiping in the locker room. How could he kiss and tell, not only with what he?d done between the sheets with Jessica Simpson, but with Jennifer Aniston? He?s not that cute. And really, he does make the kind of music my mother likes?.
Whoa. Reality check. I don?t know John Mayer. Never met the man. I?m making all these assumptions about his character on here-say. What I?ve read in line at the supermarket tabloids like the National Enquirer, or thumbing through Entertainment Weekly, or what I?ve seen on celebrity gossip shows on TV and online clips. How do I know he isn?t misrepresented, misunderstood and just plain misquoted?
I don?t. In this day and age of instant entertainment, and tell-all?s about every person who?s had fifteen minutes of fame, you never know when it might come back to haunt you. Or you might come off looking bad?whether you intended it or not. And usually, there isn?t a damn thing you can do about it.
These days I?m more of a public person than I?ve ever been. My books are out there for download at several online booksellers and in print on the bookstore shelves. My website is out there for people to browse. I have a myspace account. I comment on blogs that interest me. I speak at conferences. I?ve volunteered my time to national writer?s organizations. I have a yahoo group devoted to readers/fans/interested parties of my work. On that loop I talk about works in progress, upcoming promotional appearances, all the usual stuff we authors have to do these days to get our names out there. I try to keep these things focused on the business part of my persona, but personal friendships and relationships always spring out of these situations. You share something personal with me, it?s only courtesy for me to do the same. So if I toss off a comment about how I don?t have a dog?and it resonates wrong with a reader, I?ve turned them off completely, not only from me personally, but from my work. Chances are they?ll tell another person that I?m anti-pet (and this has happened, I mentioned in passing I don?t have a dog by choice and the next person who saw me said, ?Hey, it?s the dog-hater!? true story) and so on. All because of one innocuous comment.
Have actions or reactions of a person you admired somehow changed your perception of him or her? Inquiring minds want to know?and naturally I?ll keep it just between us ?
Lorelei James is not a rabble-rouser, rather, a mild-mannered Midwestern housewife who pens hot and naughty erotic stories about modern day cowboys and Indians. For more information on Lorelei and her books, visit: www.loreleijames.com
I guess there’s a price to pay for fame, huh Lorelei?
I can’t help thinking back to Tom Cruise’s reaction to Brooke Shield’s postpartum depression. After that ‘incident’, I lost my will and interest to pay money to see another one of his movies – even though he apologized profusely. That one action of his made me lose respect for him forever.
Hi Lorelei,
Dropping in to support ya. I tend to be a very misunderstood person. I say things alot of times that I believe people take out of context. That, being said I try not to do that to others. My mother used to tell me opinions are like other parts of our anatomy, everybody has them! Just my honest opinion. People say things sometimes in the heat of the moment or in general convo and are misunderstood by the masses. Love ya Lorelei. Keep writing girl!
With instant ‘news’ on the internet it is easy to get carried away with gossip. People are just naturally inclined to vilify others and it sucks. Or you get crucified for having an unpopular personal opinion.
That’s the way of the world I guess so you just have to have a thick skin 🙂
You rock Lorelei!
so do you Jess *g*
Through out the last 20 years I have through my Husbands “interests” and through my work met a lot of “public persona’s” and have found them to be mostly of the normal sort who have personal likes and dislikes…people who can handle certain situations and some …not so good.~wince~
But, most of all I am glad to have found that stardom does not strike me blind and I look at everyone as an individual, even the normal live next to you kinda people. Whom I may not always agree with but I realize we are human and therefore have flaws which makes for a very colorful world in which I find joy in participating.
At times we are all gonna piss someone off but, I am almost positive their past or future is not going to be covered in streak free glass ~wink~
chucking in my two cents….may I have some change please?
Angela
P.S. I don’t have a dog …my son has been begging for a dog…but as of yet we are a dog free house too!….Hey, I like your books and not really concerned if you have enough time to clean up dog poop or not ~winks~ just get back to work! hee hee
Hi Lorelei, great blog. I suspect that happens often enough in a minor way that we don’t always notice it.
But there are always the shocing ones with Politicians and famous personalities.
And the personal ones. I was stunned the first time my 1’st hubby hit me, but just warned him. The second time I left him and got a divorce. That was a complete change in the away I saw him.
I am sure I’m not the only one to be jolted by someone’s hidden nature.
sandie
Thanks for having me today, Jess 🙂
Sandie I’m happy to hear you saw the hidden nature in time not to become another statistic – kudos to you and thanks for sharing such a personal moment of clarity.
I know my idols have feet of clay, Angela, but that one wrong word or phrase can just destroy everything I liked about them.
Joy, if I could change one thing about myself, it’d be that snap judgment aspect of my personality.
Kristie, I have a pretty firm rule about not talking about religion or politics in mixed company, and it’s served me well, because so often my comments are taken out of context…or I’m considered a redneck 🙁
Great blog, Lorelei. I try to judge a person on their own merits but in this age of easy information sometimes my perceptions are colored and it’s hard not to prejudge. It’s the modern lifestyle. As humans we’re nosy/interested in what’s happening around us.
I try not to judge celebrities and other public people by hearsay, but sometimess it’s hard to separate their personal life from their work. Tom Cruise’s bizarre behavior is a good example. Also some actors who have been caught cheating on their partner have made it difficult for me to enjoy their work (especially if children are involved)…I see the actor instead of the character.
As far as pets are concerned, I salute you for making the right choice for you. Pets are a personal and financial responsibility that not everyone can or should make. I like dogs (my best friend as a child was my boxer dog) but they are not a good choice for my family’s lifestyle (we’re not home enough to give a dog enough attention and care). We have three indoor only cats that are very independent, sleep much of the time, keep each other company by racing all over the house, and are content to snuggle with us in the evening and sleep with us at night.
Good luck with the writing!