Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Help!



The main character (she's single, by the way) in my booky-wook is facing a dilemma, and to this end I would like to ask you my dear, occasionally unhinged (but in a good way) readers, if you wouldn't mind answering a question for me.

If you accidentally found out that the handsome stranger you were about to "bump" into on your birthday night out, was actually a male escort hired by your two closest friends, with instructions to "flatter you to within an inch of you life," how would you feel?

Outraged? Betrayed? Amused? Panic-stricken? Thrilled and excited? Sick to your stomach? Let-down?

Would you confront them? Go along with it and have a ball? Go along with it but vow to get your own back?

Also, is this something you would EVER do for a single friend who was still seriously off men, two years after a disastrous relationship ended - assuming she's spurned all "normal" attempts at setting her up with friends and colleagues etc??

I really need you to write my book for me some feedback here, because if it doesn't make sense it needs to go, basically. (No pressure then - Ed).

So, if you've got a second, I would most 'umbly appreciate your help (I'll stop grovelling now).

It's over to you...


Ooh, and there's another lovely award going round (makes it sound like a virus) which Lane has kindly passed on to me, among others, (I feel unfairly spoilt, I must say) with instructions to pass it on to TEN other people, which is nice actually, as so many of you deserve it. Yes I'm still grovelling, but I mean it, goddamm you! So, bearing in mind lots of people have already been handed it, I'm going to pass the award of excellence to... A.Writer CallyTaylor Alis Spiral Skies Leigh Mike Maddie Sarah *G* and Poetess.
Erm, in all the excitement, with your lovely awards and everything, don't forget I need HELP over here, will you now??? Good :0)

19 comments:

Jill Steeples said...

Oh my goodness, an award. How lovely! Thank you very much. I'd also like to thank my mum, my dad, my husband, my children, oooh, I feel a Gwyneth Paltrow moment coming on. Really though, thank you so much. :) I'm touched.

Now, your gal. I think I'd feel pretty peed off if my so-called friends did this for me. I think it's the thing of the guy being paid money to be charming and flirtatious. No, no, no I wouldn't approve. And I wouldn't arrange this for a friend of mine either because I'd just setting her up for a fall. He'd only be nice to her because he was being paid for it and if she has a low self-esteem then I think she'd probably feel worse after this.

Sorry, I have a feeling this is probably not the answer you were looking for.

Karen said...

No, this is exactly the sort of answer I'm looking for, so thanks for your time :o)

Jill Steeples said...

Meant to say, Karen, it all sounds very intriguing and just the sort of book I love to read. Will she find love? Oh, I do hope so.

Alis said...

Karen, that is SO kind of you! That's made my day! Huge appreciation from chez Bizarre.
OK, your dilemma. I think I agree with Maddie M. And, if she really, really liked him and tried to see him again, what would happen? Unless your plot twist then was that he had fallen for her despite being paid to be nice to her etc. Then you'd have another load of difficulties for the pair of them when she found out that he was originally paid... and he has to persuade her that - no - now he really does like her for herself... etc, you get the picture.
I think I'd be horrified if my friends did this - it would kind of imply that they thought my chances of hooking up with anybody halfway decent without money changing hands were negligible. I'd like to think I'd try and see that they were just trying to give me a nice time, and if the guy told some plausible lie like 'I'm about to fly off to the Yemen for a ten year contract and I'm not allowed to come back during that time'(did I say plausible?) you could just about get away with it. Except then she'd see him in town and... D'you see what you've done? I'm in plot-heaven here!
Anyway, that's so muddled it's probably no help whatsoever. But thanks again for the award - I shall treasure it!

Lane Mathias said...

Hhmm. I'd be mortified, Totally gutted. Having said that I can see that the friends maybe had the best of (if misguided) intentions in trying to boost my ego a bit. Was I supposed to find out when all high on compliments, I try to arrange the next date and he tells me it's 35 quid an hour? (not that I know the exact sum of course!)

No, I wouldn't go along with it if I found out although it would be fun to be horribly grumpy and make him really earn his money.
Would I set up a friend? I don't think they'd call me a friend after that.

I have to say that your plot sounds fascinating dahling and I am champing at the bit to read the finished book.

FPDuck said...

An award? For me? And the writers strike in America hasn't cancelled it? Thank you!

I can imagine one friend in particular doing this... Despite the fact I'm straight.

Obviously, I'm not female (and therefore my answer is not as useful), but I'd be rather amused, and go along with it. After all, sometimes flattery is needed to lift the spirits, as long as that all they hired him for (I really wouldn't trust my friends in that sense). Although vengeance would be mine, in the end.

Cheers,
Mike

Sarah*G* said...

ooh thank you for the award.

as for your question. if it were me i think i would be a combination of amused and concerned as to what my friends thought of the state of my social life to make me need some professional assistance!

Leigh Forbes said...

Thank you for the E! Marvellous!

re. character dilemma:
I'd be terribly upset. I wouldn't understand why my friends would think it appropriate to pay someone to what? Boost my confidence? Am I that bad with men? Perhaps I'm just not interested yet. I think I'd rather they kept their noses out. After all, the confidence would take such a knock when he didn't want to see me again, or I found out that he was being paid to be nice to me. Oooh, nooooo. I'd feel mocked, despite the obvious (but misguided) care of my friends.

No, I would never do this to someone else! Blind date, yes (subtly), escort, no!

Intrigued now!

DAB said...

Clarkey, let me ponder..........
.
(I'm eating a carrot whilst writing this, *me thinks* I really need chocolate!)
.
OK is this a funny book or serious and sophisticated? Is this guy only going to wine and dine her, or will it lead on to other things? Sorry, maybe two too many questions.
.
If his paying and no strings are attached, she should go for with the flow. You never know he might have a twin brother who is not into escorting. TFX

Jen said...

I would be horrified if my friends did that to me. I would seriously go home thinking that I was utterly doomed and even my friends thought I couldn't find someone to like me unless they were being paid.

I'd be much more likely to fix someone up in an embarrassing but well-meant blind date. AT least the other person would be desperate too!

And, ooh, fanks very much for the award... I might put it on my mantlepiece and drink champagne... lovely!

Rose Red Art said...

Thank you for the award!

I think I would feel absolutely horrified. I would probably go in a rage and fly off the handle at my so called mates. But if I found the guy cute then I might just play along for the banter.

Annieye said...

I'd be really upset, but wouldn't want to hurt my friends' feelings because (eventually) I'd probably see that they had done it for the right reasons - and after all it would have cost them all money.

I think I might go along with it and not admit that I'd found out. I'd probably make up my mind to make the best of it and enjoy it! That's if "it" was just a date and not the other "it". Or there again, after four alcoholic drinks, who knows ......!!!

HelenMWalters said...

I think I'd be humiliated, partly by the suggestion I couldn't get a man any other way (true - sadly) but also because I hate people keeping secrets from me. In fact I'd be more upset by that. And I wouldn't do it for someone else because I'd expect them to feel the same. However, we're all different and some people might find it really amusing! Would your character? is the question!

Sarah*G* said...

Right back at ya for the award!

Marcie Steele said...

I'd be really hurt that my friends had actually paid someone. If it was just a case of a blind date, then maybe I'd let them get away with it. But anything else, I'd be doubting them as well as myself. xx

Karen said...

This has been absolutely invaluable, and has totally helped me to move things in the right direction. You're all STARS!!
My premise was "there are several possible reactions upon discovering your two closest friends have hired..etc. etc." when in fact, as I suspected...there aren't! There's generally only ONE reaction and it ain't good! So thanks again, and if I can return the favour.. :o)

Wouldn't it be great to sit down and thrash out sticky plot points with each other (in a manner of speaking) now and then? I guess we'd never get anything else done (in my case, anyway!!)

Casdok said...

I would be amused.
Actually something sort of like this happened to me! But thats all im going to say!!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I would wonder why they would do such a thing and be mortified, however, I would also be relieved to have found out the truth and probably (depending on the guy, I suppose) have a lovely date and let them pay for the pleasure.

I would never do this to someone else though, too humiliating.

Karen said...

Ooh, Casdok, I'm intrigued now!!

Debs - I would never do this to anyone either, and it's to my character's advantage that she finds out beforehand :o)