What would Nora do?
I was stunned when my husband asked me this question as I dithered over outfits for a recent newspaper interview. I didn’t have to think about what Nora (Roberts) would do – intuitively I knew.
As a member of Washington Romance Writers, I was privileged for many years to hear Nora speak at our yearly Retreat at Hilltop House in Harper’s Ferry, WV. Nora’s talk religiously fell on Sunday just before high noon.
Over the years I’d heard about Nora’s childhood, about the beginning of her writing career, about a book tour (or two) from hell, and many more snips of her life. From this limited association, I could tell that the sass and spunk in Nora’s heroines comes as naturally to them as their dry wit.
Growing up with brothers and raising sons gave Nora a Clint Eastwood glint to her eyes when trouble strikes. She doesn’t suffer fools, and her conduct in public is strictly business professional.
When it comes to her appearance, she always looks put-together. You never get the feeling that her top came from the Macys clearance rack, the pants from Target, and the bag from an outlet mall. That’s not the Nora look; further, I believe her look is more than the clothes (and hers are flawless, of course!) or the hairstyle.
What would Nora do?
She’d wear whatever the heck she wanted to, and she’d do it with verve and class.
Just thinking about how she presents herself had me squaring my shoulders and raising my chin. The difference in the mirror, and in my attitude, was immediate.
Holy cow.
Just like that, my dithering ceased. I could do this, and I could do it in style.
WWND?
Well, I liked how that catch-phrase carried me through the interview so much that I’m keeping it around.
(By the way, this is my friend Holly McClure, on the left, with me)
Maggie Toussaint
MUDDY WATERS, coming Oct 22 from The Wild Rose Press
I'm in the process of bringing an early publication back out as an e-book and a trade paperback. SEEING RED is the story of Emma and Quentin and their quest for love.
