I’ve never actually identified what a “whatnot” is but I see that word a lot. Maybe it’s like “bric-a-brac” and I’m destined to never fully understand exactly what it is. But in the spirit of bric-a-brac and whatnot, have some links! It is the internet, after all.
First: my latest column for Kirkus Reviews is up, and I’m writing about pop culture references in contemporary-set romances – specifically whether references to songs or tv shows that might date a book in a very specific time period are assets or liabilities to the book itself. Also – I don’t know if I came up with the title, “The Reality of Modern Day Romance,” but I suspect not because I really like it, and I tend to stink at titles (see above, re: whatnot).
Second: tonight! In a bar! Me! With Diesel eBooks and Harlequin romances! The finalists in the Diesel Harlequin Mashup Contest are over on the Diesel Facebook page, and Ron Hogan and I have read them all. One of them referenced a heroine who was “left shattered by his mullet” and I totally laughed my ass off at that one. Well played, shattered mullet, well played.
Want to come find out who is the winner, and drink wine with me and debate what the hell whatnot and bric-a-brac are? You totally can: just RSVP that you’re coming to the Harlequin Halloween Genre Mash tonight (28
November
OCTOBER JEEZ where is my brain!?) at 6:00 PM at The Brickyard Gastropub, 785 9th Avenue between W. 52nd and W 53rd St, in New York, NY. I’ll be tweeting from the event and will try to take pics, but the evening should be fun – the finalist entries will be read aloud, and the winners announced (also aloud) and I hear that instead of bric-a-brac, the winners get very spiffy prizes.
I hope I will see you this evening – and if not, let me ask you: what do you think of contemporary pop culture references in romances, especially shoulder pads?
