Monday, March 7, 2022

And what do you do... on the perils of a mid-list author wafting past middle age

 HALLIE EPHRON: Right now I’m back from a little winter hiatus in Florida. It was painful to leave the snow and ice of New England but the prospect of hanging out in the pool with my grandkids as they show me their swimming tricks won out.

I did not write a single word of fiction, but I did teach Franny and Jody to make hand farts in the water and they taught me how to shoot water from a pool noodle halfway across the pool. We were very popular in the complex where the average age was… older than me.


One of the things that happens when you travel, especially to places where most everyone you meet is a visitor, too, is you get to talking to strangers. And every once in a while, one of them might ask what you do.

I always ask. The answers are usually interesting. This morning, the gentlemen sharing the hot tub with us had been in charge of custodial services for a large Wisconsin school district. These last two years, he’s had to become an expert on air filtration systems.

I once chatted with a woman who’d been a circus performer. Dressed in a skimpy spangled bikini, she rode in the nightly circus parade atop an elephant. She was out of work because the circus were liberating their elephants. We had a fascinating conversation about how scratchy that ride was (apparently close-up, elephants are hairy), and what she used to keep that tender skin between her legs from chafing. Quite an occupational hazard. I encouraged her to write about it. (Photo by AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikipedia)


Another time I chatted up a woman sitting next to me on a plane and discovered that her last name was EPHRON. Turned out we were distant cousins.

When someone (almost always a woman) asks me what I do, I usually say, I write. And watch their reaction, brightening or dimming. If they’re interested, I go on. Novels. Still interested? Mystery novels. I usually whip out one of my bookmarks and offer it up.

Then I add, modestly, that I’m not that well known. “I’m not famous like… like”—long pause as my mind goes a complete blank —"what’shername.” The spot in my brain where Louise Penny’s or Sue Grafton’s name resides has been replaced by a lacuna. Though for some reason I always remember the word lacuna.

Do you like to find out about the strangers around you, and what do you say when someone asks, “And what do you do?”

103 comments:

  1. Hanging out with grandkids should always win out, Hallie . . . it’s absolutely perfect.

    I am not good at striking up conversations with strangers . . . but if someone else starts the conversation, I’m good with chatting. The usual response to learning that I taught first grade was how hard that must be . . . I never quite understood why everyone thought spending every day with the little ones would be so difficult.

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    1. You're special though Joan--I agree that teaching grade school is very challenging!

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    2. I've taught first grade, and I think (to be generous) people might think it's "hard" because it's such a critical grade. They've GOT to come out reading and writing, when all they come in with is letter recognition. I'm so grateful that first is not the grade my grandson missed because of covid.

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    3. Missing school because of Covid has been hard on everyone . . . for most of them, it's like the children skipped the whole school year.

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  2. What a treat to hang out in a pool with the grands, Hallie! I had a great conversation toward the end of our flight when I came home from California in December. A woman about my age - also a writer - who had run into my cousin Andy in SF's tech circles. We're still in touch.

    When asked, I usually jump straight to, "I write murder mysteries." Younger listeners often say, "Oh, my mom loves murder mysteries." *sigh* So I give them a bookmark to take to Mom.

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    1. and isn't it interesting to see what your seatmate is reading, if they are...

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    2. I also glance to see what my seatmate (on a plane/train) is reading. Alas, I have not found many fellow mystery fiction readers.

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  3. Like Joan, I'm not good at striking up conversations but if the person seems friendly I will respond, especially if they like to read mysteries.

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    1. And if the person seems NOT friendly, I do try to respect that. You're reminding me that my mother-in-law (who chatted with anyone who sat beside her anywhere) took exactly one plane ride in her life, and on that plane she sat next to Will Lee who played Mr. Hooper on Sesame St. She had no idea what a big deal that was.

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  4. I'm an introvert so I usually don't start up conversations with strangers. But there are a few exceptions. When I used to travel for fun, I usually stayed at boutique hotels or B&Bs instead of a large generic hotel. I enjoyed chatting with B&B hosts and guests during breakfast, or happy hour evenings on the patio/backyard. I got great tips on places to visit & eat from the locals, I also developed friendships during those encounters that have lasted for years.

    When asked what I did (when I was worked), I gave a vague answer "I work for the Canadian federal government". I knew that saying I was a climate change researcher could be pretty polarizing, so I avoided giving those details.

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    1. Grace, we also like to stay at B&B's. We have met some very nice people that way.

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    2. Funny Grace, I would have immediately thought you were a spy!

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    3. The thought of chatting with strangers over breakfast gives me hives. At happy hour, sure!

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    4. HA HA, fortunately most people think federal government employee = boring bureaucrat. But I soooo much wanted to be a spy like the Bionic Woman's Jaime Sommers or Wonder Woman's alter-ego Diana Prince...I grew up watching 1970s TV shows.

      But since 2016, when strangers ask what I do, I say "I'm retired". The usual response I get to that line is "you look too young to retire"!

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    5. EDITH: Maybe the happy hour booze helps! But as you can see, I am an early morning person, so I am pretty alert and chipper at breakfast time.

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    6. I would hope that today, saying you're a climate scientist would elicit more positve responses. The complex I was staying in in Florida is right on the water, and as little as ten year ago you could walk on the beach in back of it. Now there's no beach, just boulders and marsh grash planted to slow erosion.

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    7. HALLIE: I would hope so too, but there were (are) plenty of climate change deniers around.

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    8. I would have absolutely thought you were a spy. Agreed. No question. Xxxxx

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    9. Except climate change, I hope!

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    10. DEAUN: OK, you got me there, lol.
      But after dealing with climate change deniers and now average citizens who have a mistrust of any (science) coming from the government, I tend to keep a low profile.

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    11. I get that. I was never a political scientist, always a political philosopher. Doesn't matter because when you tell people that you study politics the reactions can be, uhm, tiresome.

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  5. Hallie,

    I tend not to want to deal with strangers or converse with them unless they are the people I have to deal with while shopping for various stuff. And those conversations are generally limited to whatever needs being said to finish the transaction.

    Where it changes is if the stranger ends up being someone I see on a regular basis. Like how I ended up talking to people at trivia night. The first time I played, I was a solo player and I barely said anything to anyone except the bartender. But all these years later, I made friends with the people that I play with as part of our team and end up talking to other regular players and the various waitresses. All because I see them all the time now and they aren't "strangers" so much anymore.

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    1. Jay, I hear you - there can be a down side to ending up chatting up the "wrong" person... who tortures you with their political views or complaints about the state of the world ... But I figure sometimes you gotta kiss a frog.

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  6. Hallie, your visit with the grands sound divine! You've had some pretty interesting conversations with strangers, especially finding another Ephron sitting next to you on a plane.

    I can talk to strangers and do on occasion. (I jumped in here on the JRW blog, with both feet, right into the deep end.) In the past, when I flew more frequently on my own, I sometimes would have conversations that went all over the place. Now, there have been fewer encounters with strangers. I say am retired, but from work. My former jobs are not something I want to discuss right away. I don't volunteer lots of information. But sometimes you do click with a stranger and a conversation can be very nice.

    Have you read THE PEOPLE YOU MEET ON VACATION? I read it last month and loved it.

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    1. Looking it up right this very moment... Thanks for the recommendation, Judy!

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  7. HALLIE,

    How wonderful to see your grandchildren. Sounds like you had lots of fun! What a coincidence that you met a distant cousin.

    When I met you at Bouchercon in Toronto. we were having a conversation when I noticed that I could get EVERY word you said. You speak very clearly and I appreciated that. It is very unusual for me to be able to get every word someone says when I'm reading lips. Usually I get from 1/3 to half of what is said and I fill in the blanks (in my mind) based on the context.

    Do I strike up conversations with strangers? Before the pandemic, I would say yes. Now that we are wearing masks, it depends on if the person knows sign language. I've been more of an introvert during the pandemic.

    If someone asks what I do, I say that I work for a law firm. Whenever I meet someone who says they write books, I always ask for the title of their books. Sometimes they have an extra bookmark to give to me.

    Diana

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    1. Diana, I ALWAYS carry bookmarks with me. Ya never know!

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    2. Thank you SO MUCH for that compliment, Diana! Yes, masks are a real barrier for anyone with a hearing impairment. I'm starting to lose my hearing (runs in the family I'm afraid) and becoming sensitive to all the associated issues... a blog topic for another day. I do a lot of trying to 'fill in the blanks' for the words I don't quite catch, and sometimes I get an audio typo and completely go off the rails.

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    3. Diana, are you feeling better? I saw the entry on yesterday's blog that you made late last night. Hope today is better!

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    4. Edith,

      For sure, I will ask you for bookmarks when I see you.

      Diana

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    5. Hallie,

      That would be a great blog topic for another day!

      Diana

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    6. Judy,

      Thank you. I wish that I was able to comment earlier in the day so I could get a reply, though.

      Starting to feel a bit better today. Just took Tylenol and it seems to work, in addition to a big bowl of coffee, a cup of hot water with lemon, and a "steam facial". And Icy Hot!

      Diana

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  8. I say "I write mysteries." Right away you can tell if someone is the least bit interested. Isn't it hard to imagine that anyone would not be??

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    1. True, but I have met several people who say "I don't read fiction" or even worse "I don't read" when I mention that I am going to a mystery fiction convention!

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    2. And then there are the men who don't write women authors... but that's a topic for another day.

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    3. So agree, Lucy. If someone told me they were a mystery writer, I would want to know all about it.
      Briefly.

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    4. If I sat beside an author on a plane and that person was willing to engage in conversation, I'd be all in...unless it was some right wing kook, that is.

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    5. Judy, in addition to that, you would not want to engage in conversation with someone who is trying to "convert" you to their religion, right? I once engaged in conversation with this mild looking elderly couple on the plane. The grandfatherly type tried to give me a Bible and talked about religion. The grandmotherly type was knitting a blanket for their newborn grandchild and I complimented the knitting before the Bible conversation. LOL. That was donkey years ago!

      Siana

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    6. Grace, a friend told me that she is not a reader. However she loved the book about Frida Kahlo. I always say there is a book for everyone. Someone said that if someone say they are not readers, then they are reading the wrong books. Some people do not read fiction but love non fiction.


      Diana

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    7. DIANA: I agree with you that most people who say they are not readers have not found the right book. But I did know someone who was NOT a reader: MY DAD. I never saw him read a book. And when I packed up his retirement apartment last October, he did not own a single book. I got my avid love of reading (and collecting) books from my mom.

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  9. Hallie, sunshine and grandkids sounds like the perfect getaway. Glad you enjoyed

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  10. I'm also not good at starting conversation, but if someone else speaks I'll engage. If we get to the "what do you do?" question, I'll say I'm a writer: software instructions by day, murder by night. If they are interested, they are always more interested in murder. :)

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    1. Yeah there's no more surefire interest-killer than "software instructions." She said from experience.

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  11. I don't usually open a conversation with an adult stranger, but I'm a sucker for children. I think those interactions are like jewels in my day. What's not to love. And when flying, I always hope my seatmate will be under twelve. After that kids speak a foreign language as far as I'm concerned.

    If asked, I say I'm a retired hospice nurse. From there the conversation takes off. Most people are interested in death and dying, if a bit fearful. So the questions come fast and furious. I hope it helps someone, and I'm prepared to speak endlessly on my favorite topic.

    Besides, have I ever got some stories to tell

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    1. Hospice nurses imhop walk on water... you're expert in the one thing virtually all of us will one day have to deal with and have not a clue about. Death... and how it's kept separate from "life" in this modern world. Gosh. A topic for another day, too.

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  12. Hallie, going to warm sunshine and swimming pools sounds wonderful. I’m so done with furnaces and closed windows. Last night I actually got up and opened the window even though it was 34 and raining.
    I have got pretty good at talking to strangers. We can usually find a common interest. I’m currently retired but used to refer to my job as deposit queen because I did accounts receivable and handled a lot of cash.

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    1. "Deposit Queen" - good title for a book. Cash handler is a great job description, too.

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  13. So glad you could escape to Florida with the grandkids.

    I told the dentist I was a mystery writer and then during the entire procedure, he lectured me on the fact that nobody ever writes a mystery with a dentist sleuth and what a shame that was. I ran across a reference to a sleuth dentist recently. Anybody catch it?

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    1. I did not... but my last root canal the dentist talked nonstop about HIS mystery novel. Self published or about to be? I cannot remember. I almost bit him. Also: did I know Carl Hiassen.

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    2. Margaret, Hallie, too funny. Hallie, at least your dentist wasn't asking you questions while your mouth was otherwise engaged!

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  14. Me: I write crime fiction
    Them: oh, have I read any of your books?

    Or
    Me: I write crime fiction
    Them: oh I always wanted to do that but I never had time maybe this weekend I will write something

    Me: I write crime fiction
    Them: oh, I never read that kind of thing.

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    1. Ha ha! This is reminding me of the book group I was once in where when we read a crime novel, several in the group announced, "I never read books like this."

      Interesting that your answer is "crime fiction," Hank. I always struggle with whether to say crime fiction, mystery, thriller, or suspense... each conjures something slightly different.

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    2. Hank, I am surprised no one asked you for bookmarks? If someone told me they write crime fiction, then I would ask for a bookmark.

      Diana

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    3. Hallie,

      Yes! Each conjures something slightly different.

      Diana

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    4. Science fiction is my least preferred genre, but when someone in our book club chooses a sci-fi title I try to keep an open mind. I would never have read the amazing Klara and the Sun, otherwise.

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    5. Hank, so funny! I’ve had those responses. Also “ should I have heard of you?”

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  15. Hallie, that sounds absolutely blissful. I cannot even imagine being in the swimming pool right now. It is so cold! Things happen when there’s supposed to happen, and this was grandkid time!.

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  16. My mother was the middle child of nine, so I grew up with someone who could "talk to a stump", as they say. It embarrassed my kids that I would talk to total strangers, until I took them all the NYC for a long spring weekend once. Chatting with our server at lunch resulted in the chef making us all egg creams, which I had been unable to find in the city. He then organized a table for us for dinner that night at Carmine's, where normally reservations months in advance were required.

    After that trip they never again rolled their eyes when I started a conversation with a new friend!

    On a flight to Salt Lake City once I sat next to an interesting older guy who was involved in water conservation. At the time my middle daughter was about to be a featured speaker at a conference the guy was on his way to, so I took and gave names. That was a dozen years ago, and Robin still stays in touch. He's made important connections for her career.

    Hallie, time hanging out with the littles is a precious gift!

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    1. This reminds me of how, flying to a mystery conference, I'd try to suss out which fellow passengers were going there, too. And then on the bus to the hotel, checking out my fellow passengers and promising to catch up with them in the bar. Anyone GOING to a mystery conference is looking to connect.

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    2. The same is true of sewing conferences. Once I was on a flight from Cincinnati to Tulsa (I think), and a woman a few rows back was asleep, snoring loudly enough that the entire economy area was disturbed. (Seriously, it was intense!) When we landed I noticed someone I knew who was local, waiting for the arrival of the keynote speaker, a woman I'd never met. They offered to give me a ride to the hotel, too, and when the speaker appeared, she turned out to be the snoring woman. I'd so been looking forward to meeting her (prominent professor and author in her field), and found I couldn't look her in the eye.

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    3. The poor woman! And she never knew why you were giving her the stink eye. That is the problem wiht sleeping on a plane - you could end up lying there, face up, with your mouth open and drooling and you'd never know it. Talk about making a lasting first impression.

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    4. I wasn't giving her the stink eye, I was worried I'd spill the beans to her, accidentally! The poor woman, no one bothered to poke her awake.

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  17. I am the best fly on the wall. Meet and greets are the stuff of my nightmares if I have to engage. As often as I have watched with amazement people who could "work a room," I have never been able to master it. I have two techniques -- control the conversation if someone asks too many questions, but better to ask the questions and let someone talk about themselves. I find conversations easier if there is an already established common ground, like a community garden or a bridge hand or mystery authors. Once comfortable though, I'm hard to shut up, like a buzzing fly.

    My partner and I used to play lots of tournament bridge. I would listen for a bit and them make up character sketches or stories about my opponents. My partner, also my husband and a mathematician, always wanted facts. Silly person.

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  18. When traveling, I watch people but only speak of necessary. I always have a book and crocheting which saves me from long answers or conversations. When we are together, my sister can strike up a conversation with almost anyone which saves me from talking to strangers or just talking in general.

    It sounds like you had a great time, once you got there, with your grandkids, Hallie.

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    1. My seatmate on the way over would not so much give me a glance. I eventually realized she was worried about (listening for) her grandchldren who seemed to be sittng a few rows back.

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  19. I like chatting to strangers, also eavesdropping on conversations! I once sat next to a man who had led the investigation into a string of Murder in Arizona. He recounted the whole thing to me and I really wanted to take notes
    I find it amusing that anyone I talk to on a plane assumes I’m going to see my grandkids and not be on a book tour!

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    1. We women of a certain age are very often underestimated. Stealth is our superpower!

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  20. It's been a long time since I've had a chat with a stranger! Digging back in misty memory, it seems I do ask what folks do, and I love the variety of answers. As for me, I respond writer, and like Hallie, gauge where to go from there. Favorite response has been "Have I read anything you wrote?" Um, not sure, but if you haven't you might like my books - hands over bookmark.

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    1. DISengaging is an art as well. Some people are hard to get unstuck from.

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  21. I'm not one to start the chat (I can't do it without sounding like I'm drilling them) but in the Before Time, whenever I went anywhere with my friend Jean, she would chat up anyone within speaking distance, say, standing in line. She can elicit life stories while trading her own, AND provide them with mine, too. And the thing is, no one ever seems to mind. I just smile and try to look harmless.

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    1. Jean sounds great - I'd be standing there on the sidelines, taking notes...

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  22. I'm an introvert so starting a conversation isn't something I'm like to do. That being said, once I get started in a conversation my husband tells me I say interesting stuff!
    On top of the introversion I experienced hearing loss starting in my mid-40s. I have had bilateral cochlear implants since 2014 and my hearing is quite good. There are limitations such as crowded places with lots of background noise; in those situations I really on speech reading (combination of lips, facial expressions, context, etc.) and if I have a companion they often help me out.

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    1. My mother suffered from nerve deafness, which I believe is something cochlear implants can "fix"... sort of, if that's the right verb. I think it would have made SUCH a difference to her in middle age.

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    2. Yes, I believe it would have made a huge difference for your mother, Hallie. After 15 years of increasing hearing loss the cochlear implants absolutely changed my life. But it took years of undoing my reticence in many hearing settings. I had learned to hate the telephone pre-implants; post-implants I can use the telephone easily and even more so with streaming technologies. One place where I'm very happy to talk with strangers is if I see a fellow cochlear implantee--I pursue them to talk about our hearing loss stories!

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    3. Hallie,

      My hearing loss is nerve deafness and I lost my hearing before age 2. Hearing aids never helped unless I wore the FM system and it helped a little. I was thrilled to get the cochlear implants because they made a big difference! I can tell the differences between speakers. I can tell if the speaker has an accent. My auditory training is STILL ongoing and it's so worth it! However, it takes a lot of time! I have to spend at least an hour each morning listening to an unabridged book on tape with my speech processors.

      Diana

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    4. Emily,

      The cochlear implants are great IF you do not have to wear a mask. Since the pandemic started, I always wear a mask. And unfortunately I only wear the cochlear implants at home. I could wear a gaiter with my cochlear implants but I would have to keep my hand on the gaiter since it is always slipping down my nose!

      Thank you for sharing!

      Diana

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  23. and you were in my state and understandably didn't leave the pool for tea with moi? makes sense. I usually would say librarian and watch their eyes glaze over. when I said I work for an airline they would perk up. Welcome back from the pool.

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    1. Thanks, Coralee! I'm trying to decide if the cold feels colder after all that warmth.

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  24. Sounds like you have had some very interesting conversations. I don't tend to get that far with mine. I'm an accountant. Not all that interesting, even to me some days.

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    1. I used to feel that way when my answer was "teacher" - not all that interesting. "Insurance" elicits the same yawn.

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  25. I gab with repairmen who come to the house. Long distance with our new insurance agent in Virginia; his wife grew up in the Ohio town near where my husband owned acreage. Haven't asked yet what her maiden name is just in case she's related to the man we had a falling out with. One of our financial advisors and I have a regular gabfest when we get on the phone. He loves Virginia and his future wife was going to school there when they met. He grew up in the Dallas area and his dad was friends with one of the ZZ Tops. We trade interesting tales of Texas history and Civil War history. I will trade pleasantries with people in lines. Airport eavesdropping is phenomenal. I really don't start conversations on airplanes though because of the noise level.

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    1. People in airports talking on their cell phones! Seem to have no idea how loud they are talking and how ALL OF US can hear every word. I was so glad when allowing cell phones on planes was considered and rejected. Thank goodness.

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  26. So glad you had a warm getaway, Hallie, and with the kids!

    My dad was a salesman, so my extroverted-ness is genetic, I think. I love talking to strangers and have made so many friends over the years just from striking up a conversation. However, the one place I am less inclined to do that is on a plane, especially on an international flight. Nothing worse than being buttonholed by someone who wants to talk non-stop on a ten hour flight...

    When asked, I say I write British crime novels. This usually elicits and totally blank look, lol.

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  27. A cute guy sat beside me on a 1 hour flight from Tampa to Atlanta. 45 mins in I thought this is the type of man I could marry. It'll be our 44 yr anniversary in August. His name is Harry. When I met him I was going out with Tom. The boyfriend before Tom was Richard and what's a nickname for Richard. Yes, I dated Tom, Dick, and Harry😁

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    1. That is the plot for an entire novel in one paragraph!

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  28. I am an inveterate chatterer-to-strangers, although I tend to avoid doing it on airplanes, as one is well and truly stuck. In a pool, you can always say, "Gosh, I'm wrinkling like a prune, better get out!" if the person you're talking to turns out to be insane/boring/etc.

    I find people are always fascinated by my profession. Followed quickly by an apology that they're never read my work. My go to response: "That's okay, there are millions of Americans who have never read my books."

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  29. Hallie, I'm glad you got to spend some relaxing vacation time with your family. Being with the grands is always special, but it's nice to take vacation with them. I took mine to Universal in Orlando to do mainly Harry Potter world, and it was so much fun.

    Like Debs, my father was in sales, a real estate broker, and he truly never met a stranger. When I was still too young to drive (and my mother never had her driver's license), Daddy would take us to the mall in Lexington and sit in one of the sitting areas in the open area outside of shops. When we came back to get him, he was always involved in a conversation with someone he'd just met, and most of the time, he'd found a connection with them. I inherited some of that from my father, although I have periods of both extrovert and introvert. The introvert comes from wanting to be left alone so I can read. But, I did have someone say at one of the Bouchercons that John Bychowski (the amazing John who takes such great pics at Bouchercons) would stop and talk to people all the way across a room when crossing from one side to the other. Most times, that's true.

    People are so fascinating that I enjoy getting to know about them in conversations with strangers. I do like to read on the plane, but I also like to talk, if the passenger beside me wants to. I've discovered interesting information indeed on a plane. One of my favorites was striking up a conversation with a young man next to me about reading. He asked if I read Stephen King, and I explained that I had to read him with long pauses. Well, this young man was standing out in front of a fair gate with his cousins somewhere in the east, maybe Maine, and Stephen King stops in his car, gets out, and starts talking to them about the fair or carnival. He was doing research for his book Joyland.

    Of course, a good conversation is guaranteed when I talk to authors and readers at the Bouchercons. There's really nothing better than talking books with other people who love them.

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  30. I love talking to people and finding out who they are, where they're from, why they're traveling, and eventually what they do. Weirdly, I don't like to be asked what I do. I think I have a scorching case of imposter syndrome. I usually say I'm a recovery librarian and leave it at that.

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  31. Also, the laughter of your grands made me smile - thank you for that.

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  32. A few years ago, I started introducing myself as a writer instead of a lawyer. I discovered that the response was much more positive. . .

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    1. HA! Very wise! xxx (reporter and lawyer probably are equally iffy for reactions....)

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  33. I'm not all that great at striking up conversations with strangers. My MIL, on the other hand. . . almost missed getting off a train because she was talking with an Iranian couple. We lost sight of her at a diner in New Jersey, because she spotted a man with an LSU sweatshirt and talked about her time there in the 40s (his daughter was studying there). Also, there was a time that made my sweetie and I cringe--she struck up a conversation with a Chinese man on the train with us. This was also in New Jersey and asked him if he knew the only other Chinese man she had ever met. We CRINGED! Ma, all Chinese people in New Jersey don't know each other! Except, the both this new friend and the one she already knew worked in the same chemistry department at Bayer! Oy! Ruth is also one of those who never met a stranger. And I sometimes get odd responses when I say what I do--I edit and engineer audio books. People either love them, or have some response like "I prefer my books on paper. I actually know how to read!" Well, ok. And some people don't seem to think audiobooks come from anywhere. "Really? Here in CT? Audiobooks are made?" And my dad seems to think they're still only on tape. Ah well.
    -Melanie

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    1. You have the COOLEST job! Oh, could you write a blog for us about that?

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    2. It is a really cool job--narrators and authors who come in to record generally say things like "the energy here is so positive, everyone is smiling!" also, culturally, we do cool stuff like Pie Day (March 14), charity things--linking up a blood drive with a bake sale (to support a pet food pantry) comes to mind, and general nuts! Again, audiobooks, no need for a long face! Although, I have directed some authors with really tough stories to narrate. And sure, I'd love to do a blog if your readers are interested. Just get in touch: melanie.bodin@gmail.com or mbodin@tantor.com (that last is the work one!) - Melanie

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    3. Just checking in from yesterday and wanted to say I would LOVE to read about the making of audio books!

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