Romily Bernard's Blog, page 2

Wanna FIND ME this Weekend? Here’s How!

Hello out there!! Is anyone tired of my yet? I don’t blame you. At this point, the only people reading me daily are the Doomsdaisies (who love me) and the naked guy (who stalks me) so for anyone looking for the cliff notes’ version of today’s blog post here it is…

In today’s blog, I will discuss how I cured cancer with the help of my loyal golden retriever, Tucker. It will be heartwrenching and heartwarming. At the end, you may feel the need to do that clap thing where you start off slow and work up to a standing ovation. I won’t mind. I might even cry a little myself.

Well, that’s a stretch, but we’ve got our landing points, right? Cured cancer. Golden retriever. Probably no tears. Got it? Good.

In the meantime, you can find me (Heh. No that never gets old. For me at least.) at this weekend’s Decatur Book Festival. Check me out at the Georgia Romance Writer’s booth #413-416 on Sunday around 3pm.

Or you can pick up FIND ME in paperback!! Yay!!

Or you can pre-order LIE FOR ME: GRIFF’S STORY!!

Or you can just keep checking back here. I have new videos for y’all coming up in the next few days.

Q&A5: Kate Middleton Hair?

In this YouTube video I answer questions about my unintentional Kate Middleton hair style including which products I use. Thanks to Susan for the question and the compliment!

Do you have a question for me? Post a question in the comment section below.

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Q&A4: A Prequel to FIND ME?

Watch this YouTube video where I answer questions about my e-novella LIE FOR ME: Griff’s Story. Griff’s story gives another dimension to FIND ME, as told from Griff’s point-of-view! This digital download is available on Amazon and B&N and will be released on Sept. 2, 2014.

Do you have a question for me? Post a question in the comment section below.

Tweet me or post a question to me on Facebook.

Happy Birthday Romily! From Boy Genius

To my beautiful wife: my best friend, my biggest supporter, and the love of my life!

After fourteen years of being together I still feel like the teenager who bribed your mother into telling me which cell phone store you worked at. So I could then trick you into thinking I coming by to see you to buy a new phone. Only to show up at your store and fumble my way into asking you out in front of your manager and co-workers.

Looking back I remember holding my breath – waiting for your answer (even after I repeated it twice… much slower and less high pitched). You hesitated…

I cannot bear to imagine my life if you had said “No” to me that day.

I would have never awkwardly touched your knee on our first date. You would have never pushed me up against the truck for our first kiss. We would have never experienced the feeling of scandalizing a school bus full of children as we made out in the car behind them.

We would have never gone to Barcelona together. I would have never held your hand and asked you to marry me under the shadow of the Arc de Triomf.

At the time I thought it was the best moment of my life when you said “Yes”. But as time goes by, I realized the best moments have been since you first hesitantly said “Yes” to me in that cell phone store.

My troubles have become tolerable and my successes richer because I had you in my life. The various ups and downs that we have faced together have tested us and strengthened us. We’ve held each other in our darkest hours and celebrated our accomplishments together.

I cannot believe you said “Yes” to a boy like me. I hope you realize that every day with you is a blessing and a memory that I want to treasure forever.

I hope you have an amazing birthday sweetheart! I love you!
Love your somewhat awkward, super geeky, and often-grumpy husband,
Boy Genius

SCBWI Summer Conference 2014: Recap

Watch the YouTube video where I talk about going to the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) conference in Los Angeles, CA. I met up with my critique partner, Natalie D. Richards, author of SIX MONTHS LATER.

We snapped a picture with Jay Asher (in a silly hat), author of 13 REASONS WHY. We attended the conference classes where Maggie Stiefvater, author of the SHIVER & RAVEN BOY series gave the key note address. Plus my thoughts on my first trip to Los Angeles, California.

Do you have a question for me? Post a question in the comment section below.

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Our New Car: Toyota Prius | Thanks to CARVANA

Watch the YouTube video where Boy Genius and I review our recent car buying experience with CARVANA, the new way to buy cars online in Atlanta. A big THANK YOU goes out to Ben and Susie at Carvana, they made it the best car buying experience we’ve ever had!

If you are looking for used car, check them out: www.carvana.com or on Facebook

Do you have a question for me? Post a question in the comment section below.

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It’s Called Imagination, People

Life gets a little weird after you’re published. If I’m being honest, my life was a little weird already so maybe FIND ME just brought it into full bloom. It’s probably my fault. I have a bad habit (one of many actually) of wearing my riding clothes almost anywhere and, when you walk through Winn-Dixie in your breeches and boots, people think you took FIFTY SHADES a little too seriously.

 

But, for the most part, no one asked me any questions. Actually, for the most part, people avoided eye contact, but that’s another post. Now that I’m published, people ask lots of questions. Not necessarily in Winn-Dixie. I don’t walk around with my book in front of me.

But I have thought about it.

 

Anywho. I’m always amazed by the fantastic questions readers ask me. I have the best readers. They’re much smarter than I am, which means, sometimes, I don’t have any answers for their excellent questions. Then I have to squint (it makes me look like I’m Thinking Hard) before screaming “Ack! Monkeys!” and running away. But, because my readers are so smart, they never fall for it.

 

Mostly, it’s my non-readers that crack me up. Okay, okay. Mostly it’s my coworkers. I have a corporate job that involves spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and looking like I haven’t dug my clothes out of the laundry basket (I do it anyway) and they’re completely fascinated by my book.

 

Until they find out it’s a thriller.

 

About hackers.

 

And a dead girl.

 

Then all a sudden it’s very “Um, where’s the exit?” And, “Does Legal know about this?”

 

Of course, Legal doesn’t know, Silly Rabbit. And, if they do find out, I’ll know it was you and I will find you and make you pay because I work in HR and have access to your home address, m’kay pumpkin?

 

Kidding! I’m kidding. But that’s what I so so so want to say every single time. Because the follow-up to my coworkers’ really wide eyes and hanging-open mouths is always “So, like, are you a hacker or something?”

 

Or something.

 

For the record, I am not a hacker. I will never be a hacker. I’m not even qualified to type the word “hacker” because until a year ago I thought my television was powered by hamsters running reeeeaaaalllly hard on a wheel behind the screen.

 

Okay, that’s not true either. I know it involves electricity and the hamsters have to plug stuff in. I just like talking about hamster wheels because Boy Genius is genius enough to be a hacker and it makes the blood vessel on his forehead pop up when I tell people we’re rodent powered. Thankfully, he consulted heavily on FIND ME or we might be looking at a very different book.

 

The point (Surprise! You didn’t think I had one, did you?) is that you don’t necessarily have to be something to write about it. Instead, you use your imagination, Google, and whatever experts will take your phone calls. In the meantime, however, FIND ME’s sequel, REMEMBER ME, has a serial killer and my coworkers are slipping me worried sideways glances. I don’t mind though. They invite me to less meetings.

 

And that’s a win-win for everyone.

More Epic Reads Interview Questions!

Okay, I know we were doing the whole vlogging thing and I was answering y’all’s questions with the facial tics and weirdo digressions you’ve come to love (or loathe), but I can’t get the upload to work and the more I try, the stabbier I get. In summary? Let’s do this old school style. I’ve got your questions and my answers below.

 

During your interview, you talked about winning the Golden Heart and having your mouth full of cheesecake when they announced your name. Were you being serious? Absolutely. I also didn’t have an acceptance speech planned so I had to wing it (see it here). I managed to thank everyone except Starbucks for getting me through FIND ME. In retrospect, I totally do owe Starbucks a sincere thank you. Here, we can do it now: And, last but not least, I’d like to thank Starbucks for seeing me through. You’ve always been there for me SB. Love ya.

 

Is Romily your real name? Yep. It’s my real name. Yep. I didn’t consider the option of using a pen name until recently. And by recently I mean when someone sent me a naked picture of his junk. Although, I guess this could have happened with a pen name too.

 

Who’s Boy Genius? My long-suffering husband. I started the nickname as a joke because he really is the smartest person I know, but he also has the world’s worst luck and, if something can go wrong, it will. Like the time I nearly crushed him with a thousand pound hay round. Or the time I electrocuted him. Heh. Both times I electrocuted him. You know…come to think of it…most of his worst accidents usually involve me. I hope he doesn’t figure that out.

 

Be honest. You weren’t really eating while they announced the YA finalists for the Golden Heart? Um, did you hear the part about the cheesecake? RWA had plates of it at each table and you could stab it with your fork and dip the bites in chocolate. It was like a cheesecake popsicle and it was awesome.

Unlike these posts, which are probably going to give my mother fits. Have a great week, y’all!!

Our New Dog: Tripp | Thanks to Angels Among Us Pet Rescue

Watch the YouTube video where I introduce you to our newest dog: Tripperton Jacob Bernard, or just Tripp. Thanks to the Angels Among Us Pet Rescue for helping us find him.

Do you have a question for me? Post a question in the comment section below.

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VIDEO: Did You Always Want To Be A Writer?

Watch the YouTube video where BoyGenius and I answer reader questions.

Sharis asks: “Did you always want to be a writer?” Other questions asked: “What do your parents think?” & “How did you become a writer?”

Do you have a question for me? Post a question in the comment section below.

Tweet me or post a question to me on Facebook.