Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Kodak Moments



Recently, my publisher had me sifting through old photographs to find a picture of me when I was young. And if you want to try to win a bunch of books, go to Dorchester editor Leah Hultenschmidt’s blog and see if you can match the baby pictures with present pictures of some of Dorchester’s authors. Can you figure out which one is me? Oh, please, I pretty much made it easy for you guys. Hint. Hint.

Anyway, this request required some searching through boxes of old photos, boxes of memories. Yes, boxes. I know . . . I bad! I haven’t gotten around to organizing my photos yet. I swear I’m going to do it . . . one of these days. When I don’t have a book due, or an idea to try to flesh out, or a blog to write, or emails to answer. Yeah, I’ll probably never do it.

Anyway, sifting through some of those photos was like taking a trip down memory lane. Some images took me back to places so vivid in my mind that I could remember the exact moment someone said “smile.” But some of those images were . . . well, vague.

Have you ever looked at old pictures of yourself and wondered who the hell you were back then? I mean, I know it’s me—but something about the image is a mystery. Like why the hell would I have worn my hair like that? Did I really think it looked good?

I stumbled across one school photo of me when I was a teen. I had this secret smile on my face. I know what that smile means. But I can’t figure out what that smile meant when the picture was taken. Was the photographer really good looking, or was I thinking about whatever boy had captured my heart at the time.

I found some pictures of me when I was three or four years old. And PLEEESE, why would my mama have dressed me in that? Did she go out of her way to dress me funny?

I found some of me as a child standing in a crowd of . . . strangers. Who the heck were those people? Family I don’t remember? Friends of my parents who were there one summer and gone the next? Of course, my imagination goes wild and I wonder if perhaps these people are my real parents and I was kidnapped as a child. (Hey, it could have happened.)

I found a few pictures of me when I was in an unhealthy marriage. I saw the lingering sadness in my eyes. Where was my smile? And if there was one on my face, could it have looked anymore fake? I almost wanted to throw those pictures out, but I knew they were a part of my story. I am who I am because what I have lived.

Yup, looking at old photographs of myself was a real trip. Some of them stirred up great memories, some brought on questions, and several brought on a few lessons.

· Live in the present.
· Dress like someone might take your picture.
· Create more moments that you’d like to see images of in the future.
· Don’t dress your kids funny.
· When I thought I was fat in my twenties, I wasn’t. I really looked pretty darn good.
· Think before you get your hair permed.
· Don’t let your mama take a picture of you when she’s highlighting your hair and pulling it through that rubber hat.
· There’s a reason you’re supposed to eat with your mouth closed.
· Don’t ever let anyone take a picture of you from behind. There’s really is a reason we don’t have eyes in the back of our heads.

Okay . . . anyone have a Kodak moment to share? A lesson sparked by an image? Hey . . . what plans do you have for Mother’s Day? Oh . . . below is my review from RT. GOTCHA! also got a great review by Booklist. I’m smiling now. Can someone take my picture?


GOTCHA!
4 ½ Stars
Top Pick!

Filled with plenty of action, delightfully quirky characters, a mean villain and a rocky road to romance, Craig’s novel is an entertaining tale that holds the interest from the first sentence to the final word. The hero’s family dynamics and the brother’s travails add to a great story.

Summary:

Macy Tucker vows not to get mixed up with a man again. The death of her beloved grandfather, the desertion of her father and the betrayal of her ex-husband have put her off men entirely.

But when Macy’s younger brother Billy lands in prison for a dumb mistake and escapes because of threats against his sister and new girlfriend, Macy winds up involved with Jake Baldwin, the detective Billy’s girlfriend call for help. As the danger escalates, Jake becomes convinced that Billy just may be a good guy who needs his help—as much as Macy needs his protection.



27 comments:

Edie Ramer said...

Congratulatoins on the great reviews! When I look back at my young self, I have those "I was thin and looked good!" moments, too. If only I'd known this then!

I'm off to see if I can match your pictures. :)

Christie Craig said...

Edie,

Seriously, I hear my daughter, who looks great, constantly saying how she doesn't look good, and I tell her, "Sweetheart, you look great, and one day you will look back on your pictures and think . . . wow, to look that good again!"

Thanks for coming by.

Teri Thackston said...

I saw Leah's post yesterday and scanned through the photos--I knew instantly which was was you!

Kate Douglas said...

Congrats on the great review, Christie! And on the old pictures... I hate to even go there! The ones that crack me up are of my husband and me when we got married (37 years ago tomorrow!) I was 5'7" and almost 95 lbs, he at 6'4" weighed MAYBE 140...we look about twelve--and we thought we were so cool!

Christie Craig said...

Teri,

So my clue worked, huh?

Thanks for stopping by.

CC

Christie Craig said...

Thanks Kate!

I know when I look back at my hubby's pictures, he almost looks like a teen.

Thanks so much for stopping in.

CC

Nancy Kay Bowden said...

Love your clue, and love your
"lessons." I always aim to be the person taking the picture whenever possible. It makes me laugh when I watch my daughters primping for pictures Christmas morning under the Christmas tree or complaining they "don't look good--please don't take my picture now, Mom" when the whole family gets together. But they're smarter than me--sad to say I should have primped more often. But, still, there's nothing we can do about those fashion choices that were SO cool... :) Can we strike the eighties, please? :)

Christie Craig said...

So True, Nancy.

The eighties need to go the way of the wind. Ahh, but no sooner than we say that, will those "cool" looks return to haunt us and make us feel old.

Thanks girl!

CC

Sandy said...

Great reviews, Christie.

We all dressed funny when we were young, no matter when that was.

I remember my hair always being permed. It was horrible.

Gemma Halliday said...

Sorry CC, but that wasn't even hard to pick you out. You haven't aged a day! ;)

~Gemma

Terry S said...

School photos - ugh. They are the worst of the bunch and probably the most prepared for photos anyone ever takes.

Congratulations on the great review. I was lucky enough to win an ARC and loved the book. I've been talking it up all over the place. It's my favorite book by you so far.

Christie Craig said...

Sandy,

At one time, I had my hair so curly that it stood out and up at least three inches. It makes me laugh so hard to see it now.

Thanks so much for coming by.

CC

Christie Craig said...

Gemma,

LOL. It wasn't my idea to do that. Leah suggested the photo shop addition.

CC

Christie Craig said...

Terry,

You are right, I remember my mother primping me for hours before I left for school on photo days.

Amazingly, I did the same thing to my kids and still those pictures came out funky. I think it's the herding effect that happens when we are lined up to get the pictures taken.

About GOTCHA!, my critique partner, Faye Hughes, says GOTCHA is her favorite, too.

Thanks for telling everyone about it. Word of mouth is the best PR there is!

CC

Julie Robinson said...

Too funny! and Congratulations Christie. :-)

My sis and I were just talking about this the other day. We were unmercifully teased about being skinny and ugly. She said, "I was looking at those pictures of when we thought we were too ugly and skinny . . . and I WANT THOSE DAYS BACK!!!!" Amen sister! If we could just go back knowing what we do now. Ah well.

Christie, thanks for an article that took me back down memory lane. I also want you to know that ever since your article on gardening a month ago, I've really been inspired to do some gardening of my own again. Thanks.

Julie

Keri Ford said...

yeah on the review!

Put me in the "figure I didn't know I had" group. Saw a picture of myself when I was probably 15 - 16. I had LEGS baby. and I always thought my thighs were big.

NOW my thighs are big. Back then, I was shapy.

Can't blame mom on the way I dressed. I usually demanded to dress myself (*ouch*).

Jr. year of high school-I wore this maroon colored lipstick. Me blonde and light skin in the winter. NOT a good look.

Christie Craig said...

Julie,

If only we could go back with the knowledge we've attained, we would be so much more self-confident young women. I keep trying to express this to my daughter, but I'm not sure if this isn't just something we all have to learn for ourselves.

Thanks for dropping by. And I'm thrilled you are gardening. We cooked our first "very small" batch of out-of-the-garden green beans last night. We have lots of green tomatoes, too. So I see a fresh tomato sandwich in my future soon!

CC

Christie Craig said...

Hi Keri,

Here's a scary thought. In ten years, will be looking at pictures of ourselves now and wish we looked this again?

AGGG! Somebody tell it isn't true.

Thanks for stopping in.

CC

Nancy said...

Christie, I love your blog -- and your list. The reason we don't have eyes in back of our heads - hilarious!

Congratulations on your awesome review!

Light,
Nancy Haddock

Refhater said...

Since my nieces were born we've spent alot of time going through old pictures. And we've come to the conclusion that genetics are a scary thing. It's like mirror images with slight variations of eye or hair colors. It's kinda cool to be able to see what you're gonna look like as you age.

Growing up in the late 70's and 80 wasn't conducive to any decent childhood pictures. Mom LOVED each one though and still proudly displays them much to our embarassment.

Tori Lennox said...

I recently inherited a bunch of old family photos from some recently deceased relatives. So I've been going through those. What a hoot! I came across one picture of one of my mom's oldest brothers (much older) that was taken in the '30s. He looks like he should be running with Bonnie & Clyde! *g*

Christie Craig said...

Hi Nancy!

Thanks for the review congrats.

And seriously, what's behind us should stay behind us without our knowledge. I got the picture to prove it, too!

Thanks for coming by.

CC

Keri Ford said...

Christie, that is so not even funny to joke about. Let me live in stupidity!!!

Christie Craig said...

Rfhater,

It is kind of cool if you doesn't scare the crap out of you! LOL.

And I know what you mean about those pictures. My grandma had some of me in the buff, and she was real proud of them, too. I've since inherited them and they are buried deep in that box!

CC

Christie Craig said...

Tori,

I've got one of my dad who looks a bit like Elvis. Wearing a black suit with his hair slicked back. I don't think I remember him when he had hair. It's kind of neat to him like that. I totally see why my mom fell heads over heels in love with him!

CC

Christie Craig said...

Hey Keri,

I'll join you in stupidity and we'll be happy.

LOL.

CC

Angie Fox said...

Congrats on the fantastic review! And too funny re: the pictures. I promise, from now on, not to dress my kids in silly outfits.