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Nancy Northcott | The First Date Jitters
November 6, 2012
Do you remember your first date? Was it a mix of excitement and jitters and
hope? Mine was. I feel a little like that now. My first published author
"date," the first opportunity for readers who are not reviewers to check out my
debut novel, is today. RENEGADE is now officially
available in e-book format from Grand Central Forever yours. Just typing that makes me need a deep breath. I've worked for this day, hoped
for it, and waited for it. Now it's here. As RENEGADE's launch day
approached, I started thinking about my first "dates" with various authors'
work. Finding one I enjoyed felt much like making a new friend as I added those
authors' other books to my To Be Read pile (or, if we're being honest, the To Be
Read Mountain), and it occurred to me that those authors, on their first release
days, probably felt much as I do today. That "first time" feeling isn't confined to dating, of course. It can be the
first day on a new job, the first meeting with a relative's future spouse (or a
future spouse's relatives), the first trip somewhere special. First dates often appear in books and movies, but romance heroes and heroines
rarely have official "dates" early in their stories. Their first meetings tend
to leave them with impressions ranging from She's Ms. No-Way-At-All-Ever
or He's Mr. Not-If-I-Were-Dying-and-He-Were-the-Cure to She/He is
Totally-Hot-But-So-Not-My-Type. From there, they may or may not progress
to an actual "date." Griffin Dare and Valeria Banning, the mages who are RENEGADE's hero and
heroine, don't actually go on a date. They meet when he rescues her from their
deadly enemies, the ghouls. Because she's the shire reeve, or sheriff, of the
southeastern mages and he's their most wanted fugitive, neither of them thinks
the other is a good relationship bet. In the first Georgette Heyer novel I ever read, REGENCY BUCK, the Earl of
Worth and Miss Taverner meet by accident on a country road. He flirts with her,
and she despises him instantly. They later learn he's her guardian, so dating
is not on the agenda. NAKED IN DEATH, by J.D.
Robb, has Eve and Roarke meet through a murder investigation. They subsequently
have dinner and much more when she comes to his house to question him. Eve
wouldn't consider that a date, but Roarke seems to have set it up as one. What firsts do you remember fondly, either in life or in books or movies?
Comments
21 comments posted.
Re: Nancy Northcott | The First Date Jitters
My first date became my second. I was asked to go to a Rock & Roll show that
was three weeks away. I was sooo excited. Then a week later the same boy
called and asked me to the movies sooner. It seems he felt I would go to the
music show for sure but the movie date was because he wanted me to be his girl
once I agreed to his first offer. We dated for two years. My parents loved him.
(Sandra Spilecki 9:55am November 6, 2012)
Hi, Sandra--What a cool story. There's a guy who knew what he wanted.
(Nancy Northcott 10:07am November 6, 2012)
My first date was with my now husband & I was a wreck. We went to Bennigan's & I ordered simply - chicken sandwich. You would assume all would be well with a chicken sandwich, but oh no - I chewed each piece so much it became dry & almost gagged me with every swallow. No matter how hard I tried to stop, I chewed that chicken until it almost killed me each time.
....I ordered pasta on the 2nd date & that went much better. Of course, less nerves, which makes quite the difference.
Congrats on your novel & being published! It is indeed a dream come true! I look forward to reading your this story, as well as your others, in the future :)
(Elizabeth Bailey 1:37pm November 6, 2012)
Hey Nancy! Congrats on your release today of RENEGADE! This is an AWESOME read and I adore Griff (the hero) and Val (the heroine).
As to first dates, I remember calling my friend after I had gone out with the DH. We had gone to dinner and sat for nearly 5 hours talking. But I wasn't sure he liked me. My friend said, "If a man will willing sit with a woman and actually talk TO her rather than AT her for hours, he likes her."
Ha!!
(Jeanne Adams 1:38pm November 6, 2012)
Woohoo and congrats and congrats again on the release of RENEGADE!
I think life should be a series of "firsts." Don't you? New experiences all
around.
I met my husband thirty-nine years ago at a bar, so I guess my first "date"
with him was when he traveled 300 miles to come to my house for a long
weekend. He proposed that weekend - how's that for a first date LOL.
Fortunately, I was smart enough to insist we get to know each other a little
better first.
You may not believe this, Nancy, but I don't remember the release date of my
first book all that clearly anymore. You'd be the same, I'm sure. This is the
first of many, many Nancy Northcott books. Congratulations!
(Donna MacMeans 1:52pm November 6, 2012)
Elizabeth, thanks for the good wishes. I hope you enjoy Renegade!
What a horrible first date! I'm glad the second one went so much better.
(Nancy Northcott 2:00pm November 6, 2012)
Jeanne, thanks!
That's a cute story. I'm with your friend on that, and obviously, she was right.
:-)
(Nancy Northcott 2:01pm November 6, 2012)
Donna, I figure you don't remember because you've now released so many
terrific books. :-) Thanks for the good wishes!
That's an amazing first date. After 39 years, though, I think we can say he
demonstrated great insight!
(Nancy Northcott 2:02pm November 6, 2012)
I remember each man I ever dated, the first time I saw them, the way it felt to be asked, to get ready. I remember how each time my senses were heightened and how each time our eyes met across the table...
I miss that intensity, the new, exhilaration, and adrenaline all pumping throughout - the pheremones. Love the newness.
(Carla Carlson 2:21pm November 6, 2012)
Wow, Carla, I'm impressed. My memory isn't nearly as clear as yours. But I
agree that the newness adds a certain intensity and edge.
(Nancy Northcott 2:25pm November 6, 2012)
Great post, Nancy, and congratulations on your debut release.
First "date" or meet? Jane Eyre being run off the road by Rochester's horse has got to be one of the classics.
Every fall when I taught school I felt like starting a new semester was like a first date: you don't know the kids, they don't know you, and the "rules" might be a little muddy!
(Jo Robertson 3:04pm November 6, 2012)
Oh, I remembered a first date that I really regret. I was asked to see a campus production of MacBeth, but was later asked to see Peter, Paul, and Mary LIVE by a really cool guy I had a crush on.
My mother taught me well. Although I could've lied, I missed the cool concert for MacBeth. Guess that's why I became an English teacher
(Jo Robertson 3:07pm November 6, 2012)
Jo, thanks! That's so true about the start of each semester. Every class has it's
own dynamic, and it takes a while to develop.
That's too bad about the concert. Interesting thought about the "why" of
teaching English, though. Which did you regret more--missing the concert or
missing the date with the cool guy?
(Nancy Northcott 3:33pm November 6, 2012)
can't say I remember my first date (or kiss) but I do remember seeing my twin nieces for the 1st time shortly after they were born (see as I was just a teenager, it was pretty cool to be an aunt for the 1st time). Also remember the first visit & dinner at my house after the closing & knowing it was all mine (well, one corner was all mine & the rest the bank's but that was a mere technicallity I was willing to ignore) :) congrats on the release
(d Kenney 7:46pm November 6, 2012)
Hi, d--What a wonderful moment with your nieces!
I'd ignore the technicality with the bank's part ownership, too. That dinner
sounds very special.
Thanks for the congrats!
(Nancy Northcott 9:16pm November 6, 2012)
I remember the first date with my Husband, before he knew that we were going to be married. Marriage was the furthest thing on his mind, and he thought that we were just going to be "friends." I had known him for years, and the first time I had laid eyes on him, I had the gut feeling that we were going to be married someday. We had gone our separate ways, and gotten back together years later through a mutual friend. We seemed to hit it off a little better than he thought we would, because it wasn't that long after we started to see each other that he proposed!! Now we've been married for almost 30 years!! I just wanted to add that I know what you mean about the TBR mountain, because I'm really behind with my reading, due to my Father becoming ill this year, and I've been desperately trying to find the time to get to my books, as well as a few other things!! I would love to add your book to my pile!!
(Peggy Roberson 9:22pm November 6, 2012)
I also get the anxiety attack. My nerves would be running on the first date. The thing is that I really want the guy I'm going out with really, really to like me. After all, first impression is very thing.
(Kai Wong 9:42pm November 6, 2012)
Peggy, what a great story! Congrats on the 30 years.
I know what you mean about a family illness changing the dynamic. I hope your
father is better and you'll be able to read again.
(Nancy Northcott 10:04pm November 6, 2012)
Kai, you're so right about first impressions, especially when we really want to
make a good one!
(Nancy Northcott 10:05pm November 6, 2012)
My first impression of someone - if it is positive or neutral, that may change later because some people put on a polite mask. But a negative first impression is a warning from my subconscious to me, and I don't change that one.
(Clare O'Beara 7:42am November 7, 2012)
Georgette Heyer was my introduction to historical romance.
First impressions stay with you a long time, so I feel like there's pressure to make them good.
(Alyson Widen 6:07pm November 18, 2012)
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