Thursday, November 8, 2012

Show Us Your Books! AKA Happy Anniversary to Us!

It's hard for us to believe--because time really does fly when you're having this much fun--but the Nine Naughty Novelists are celebrating anniversary number three this month. To celebrate, we're giving away a great big bag of NOLA souvenirs we brought back from our trip there last month. We had an outrageously good time (as you can probably tell from the video below) and winning this contest would be the next best thing to your being there with us...


So okay, maybe winning won't be that much fun, but it's still a really nice collection of goodies just the same. How do you win? That's the really fun part.

Y'all know what you have to do to get beads tossed your way during Mardi Gras, don't you? Well, in the spirit of NOLA and Mardi Gras...even though it's NOVEMBER and a THURSDAY and some of us are maybe having a little trouble remembering why we decided that was a really, really amazingly AWESOME fantabulous theme for today's party (after, you know, two or three...or ten...bottles of wine...naming no names) we're asking you to...

SHOW US YOUR BOOKS! Or, you know, OUR books, as it happens.

Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below and post pictures of yourself with any of your favorite Nine Naughty Novelist books. You get three points per post. Only have ebooks? Not to worry. Post a comment letting us know about any of your favorite NNN moments from the past three years and you'll earn two more points. Or tweet about the contest (up to once a day) for an additional one-point-per-tweet. Because three years = three ways to win!  Yeah, we're complicated like that.

Now, here are some of our favorite memories of our times together...

Well since I didn't get to NOLA or manage to meet any of my fellow Naughties in person yet, I'd have to say that brainstorming the serials have been my absolute favorite group memories. We didn't even need to be in the same room together to find each other hilarious as we all tossed out suggestions, building off each other's ideas, each one crazier than the last until we ended up with The Zillionaire's Secret Werewolf Babies and If You Give A Duke A Duchy. ~ Sydney Somers
The first time the Nine Naughty Novelists sat down to plot out our first serial, the story that eventually became The Zillionaire Vampire Cowboy's Secret Werewolf Babies, was one of the funniest episodes in our three-year history. Between PG's insistence on space-bound cruises, all nine of us trying to talk over each other, and me being in a coffee shop getting dirty looks for laughing out loud, it was certainly memorable. And every time I look at our finished work, I remember all the plot twists and ideas we thought of, deemed too quirky, and set aside to make room for the incredible story we ended up writing! ~ Skylar Kade
How can I share just one memory of the last – HOLY CRAP – THREE YEARS?? So I’m just going to share one memory which is -  New Orleans, our most recent get-together. Eight out of nine of us all together at the same time. So many smart, funny, creative, talented ladies all in the same room! I love that you all know exactly what I’m talking about when I talk about my writing – my characters, my frustrations, the voices in my head that keep me awake at night. I’m in awe of all of you and humbled that I’m part of this group.  ~ Kelly Jamieson
I love the Naughty Nine in all their moods, but I have a special fondness for the moment I looked around suite 709 at our hotel in New Orleans (that's the suite where all the fun happened) and saw everyone bent over their laptops, wine glasses within reach. Skylar and I stretched out on the fold-out couch, our computers on our laps. The rest sat around the table. Wine bottles, snacks, chocolate, and enough freaking talent to power a rocket ship. I got chills!  ~ Juniper Bell
I loved the night we were all in our room with our laptops and bottles - I think after Kate and Juniper came back from French street? Kelly and I staggered off to The Everything Store for more wine? That was a fun night. ~ Kinsey Holley
I have lots of great memories, but ONE of my favorites was doing our panel at RT last year.  The chemistry that seems to always be there online was there in person in front of other people, which was so cool. ~ Erin Nicholas
One of the things I like best is going online and reading about what the others are getting up to on Twitter…while we’re in the same hotel room.  Or receiving a text late at night summoning me upstairs (or downstairs, as the case may be) for a spur-of-the-moment brainstorming session (no. apparently none of us ever sleep) that includes the instructions, “bring wine, because we’re all out.”  I gotta tell you, these are eight of the funniest, most creative women I’ve ever known. Last year’s spontaneous “Kelly’s Shoes at ECWC” contest is just one example of the wackiness that ensues whenever any of us get together. I can’t wait to find out what the next year will bring! ~ PG Forte
First, exploring Frenchmen Street with Juniper. I wanted an old-time jazz experience in New Orleans, and this felt the closest to it for me. Wandering in and out of clubs and bars, listening to old time country and traditional jazz bands and a bluesy/jazzy jam session that had the entire club on its feet. Plus a sax player that hit all the right notes. Second, sitting next to the pool at the hotel, sipping champagne, and writing with Kinsey and Skylar. Encapsulated everything excellent about our retreat - lovely surroundings, great friends, time to write, and a little something extra to imbibe.  ~ Kate Davis
My memory would be sitting upstairs at the Royal Oyster House, sharing stuffed mushrooms and foodie advice (who knew PG was a chicken expert?). Also, the little bar we all stopped in on our way back from Bourbon Street, where they talked me out of a Sazerac (probably a good idea), but brought me a very nice Pimm's cup instead. Soft jazz playing. Exposed brick and vintage posters, Great company. Yeah, that I remember. ~ Meg Benjamin




13 comments:

Kinsey Holley said...

I grew up in Mandeville, directly across Lake Ponchartrain from New Orleans; for a long time it was the longest bridge across water in the world (I think a bridge in China or the Middle East might have passed it now.)

We would, naturally, go across the lake to N.O. for Mardi Gras parades, but for some reason some parades were more important than others, depending on who you were and who you knew. (Believe me - when you're on the street with 1 million other people, having a place to go to the bathroom is really, really important.)

There was a parade that always went through Metairie - maybe it was Zeus, I don't remember. But my best friend in high school - still my best friend today, 30 years later - had an aunt and uncle who owned a convenience store on this parade's route. I think maybe it was Zeus.

So every Monday night - the night before Fat Tuesday - we'd be in the convenience store, watching the parade and getting drunk as hell. (As teenagers - which is really, really drunk.)

And the next day we'd have to go BACK across the causeway (b/c we didn't sleep in New Orleans) for the real parades.

And one year my hangover was so bad that I sat in a lawn chair next to a ladder with a baby seat on top of it on St. Charles Avenue (Uptown!) to watch Rex, the King of Mardi Gras parades, to go by.

And I fell asleep. With my head against the baby ladder. And the Krewe of Rex pelted me with doubloons and neckalces. As they should have.

elaing8 said...

Happy Anniversary NNN!!!!
I love the 2 serials you gals wrote.They were so fun to read.Who knew what you'd come up with week after week.
Looking forward to the next one ;)

Fedora said...

Wow, happy 3rd anniversary, you Naughty Nine! Will have to find the camera to nab a photo ;) And your books have provided many an hour of blissful escape--from shifters to hunky exes to dukes ;) Thanks for taking us along for the ride--looking forward to the NEXT year of awesome!

Juniper Bell said...

Thanks for the anniversary good wishes, Fedora and Elaine! It's been great getting to know so many wonderful readers.

Kate, I loved our expedition to Frenchmen's Street. I can't wait to go back!

Eva's Flowers said...

Happy Anniversary ladies! It's been fun following your blog and hope to continue to hear about all the great stuff you all are coming up with for us to read!

Eva
evitap67(at)gmail(dot)com

June M. said...

Link to a picture showing some of my books :)

https://plus.google.com/photos/100295102258850217802/albums/5809322491510209537

June M. said...

Happy Anniversary ladies!!! H would love to go to NOLA one of these days, I would love to go to Mardi Gras but the crowds would cause me to have MAJOR panic attacks! I am trying to deal with this enough to at least be able to attend romance book conventions.

I don't know how many hours I have spent lost in a NIN book :) I think I found your website during a time when you all switched sites with other authors to do guest posts. Or, it could have been from one of your personal sites.

Kim B said...

I am having a hard to seeing all the pictures I posted, but they are all there!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nine-Naughty-Novelists/205435396148185?fref=ts

Kim B said...

I have so many favorite memories!

One of my most favorite was at RT. I was out wandering around meeting new people and picking up swag. It was around lunch time so I headed for the lobby. I spotted Kinsey sitting there and she looked up at me with a big smile and said "There you are!" :D (Yes, I am a little sappy)

Kim B said...

I put all my pictures on twitter too. Here's some links...

https://twitter.com/blakesmomma/status/267469310333689856

https://twitter.com/blakesmomma/status/267469745274634240

https://twitter.com/blakesmomma/status/267469848563556352

Kim B said...

OK here is my print PG collection:

https://twitter.com/blakesmomma/status/267469967937634305

Kim B said...

Another memory...

Going with Kinsey and Kelly to the Carr/Rylon room at RT and seeing Jayne spank Kelly. :D

Jen B. said...

I discovered NNN because someone sent me a link to The Zillionaire Vampire Cowboy... I laughed so hard I thought I might choke. I began tracking down the various authors and sites and I have been glad I did! Happy Anniversary!