JAN BROGAN - Because Fridays the 13th roll around every so often, we've talked about superstition before . This time I have a better idea. Somewhere at sometime had to invent each and every superstition and most of them were created for a reason right? The whole breaking a mirror bringing seven years of back luck had to be invented by some frazzled mom who wanted to keep her sons from kicking the glass, don't you think?I sometimes wonder if I knew the actual little girl who invented the not stepping on the crack or it would break your mother's back rule. She also made me walk barefoot across the street in August SLOWLY if I wanted to play Princess with her. At any rate, you get my drift. We're writers, right? We are completely capable of making up our own self-serving superstitions, and I'll start:
1. Buying a used book on Amazon on Friday the 13th when it is still available new, you get one year of BAD LUCK. If you buy a used book in the month that it comes out new, it's ten years back luck.
2. If you talk loudly on the cell phone in a dentist's waiting room, when the room is filled with other people on Friday the 13th, really, really bad things will happen to your teeth.
3. If you put salt on anything I cooked for you before you taste it, you WILL get high blood pressure and have to go on a special diet.
Your turn:
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Laughing. SO HARD.
1. If you honk at me at the just-changed green light before I could POSSIBLY have pushed the accelerator, that's 7 more red lights you'll hit.
2. If you walk down the street and bump into me because you are distracted by texting, you'll get 7 calls from telemarketers in the next two days.
3. If you leave your grocery cart in line and run off to get one more thing and then don't come back by the time its your turn and make everyone wait, your, um, carry out chicken soup will spill into your carton of eggs.
RHYS BOWEN: Okay, I'm about to reveal my not-so-nice nature.
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1. If you invite a writer to drive fifty miles to speak to your bookgroup and then you tell her you found a copy of her paperback in THE USED BOOK BIN at the library and you buy no new books, then your arthritis will become so bad you won't be able to hold up a book anyway!2. And a favorite pet peeve: If I hold the door open for you and you walk through (talking on your phone) without saying 'Thank you' then on Friday 13th I'll let the door slam in your face.
ROSEMARY HARRIS: Oh dear! And I thought you gals were so much nicer than I! Okay, if you put me on your mailing list without at least asking me, you will get 87 emails about increasing your penis/breast size. In one day.If you talk during the movie, you will accidentally (ha!) put your coat down on the seat that is still sticky from the last moviegoer's soda or popcorn. At least, that's what you'll hope it is.
If I am trapped in an elevator with you and you are wearing far too much perfume, pigeons will find you and use your head as a toilet. (I know..it's supposed to be good luck, but I like the image.)
LUCY BURDETTE:
1. If you weave in and out of traffic on the New Jersey turnpike on Friday the 13th, you will be awarded an enormous ticket and points on your license. And when you slink back to start up your car, it won't start. And all the tow truck drivers are busy for the next five hours. Happy 13th! (Can you tell I've been traveling???)
Happy Friday the 13th--make sure to pat a black cat today....
JAN: Well now that we've had a good time inventing very specified bad luck on Friday the 13th, now it's your turn!
