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Saturday, August 15, 2009

Class Reunions - Yay or Nay?

And the winner of any book in my backlist is: WATERY TART!! If you can drop me an email to Tawny@TawnyWeber.com with Tote Bags in the subject line and which book you'd like, along with your shipping info, I'll get that right out to you!
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I have a class reunion coming up at the end of this month, ironically enough, at the same time my next Blaze, FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME, is released. FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME is a class reunion story (nope, I didn't plan it, but isn't irony wonderful?) Because of timing and circumstance, this will be the first class reunion I've ever attended.

Like Zoe, the heroine in this story, I wasn't a huge fan of high school. So I can totally relate to her mixed feelings about going back to the small town she never fit into and trying to mix with people who never seemed to accept her. I mean, they did dub her the title 'Most Likely to Die a Virgin'. But Zoe's on a mission, so she forces herself to face the past and ends up with some very delicious surprises.

It was fun to imagine the what if's for the reunion -from the costume party, with guests dressed to hint at their career, to the tarot readings by the pool, to the varied events and games they'd play. Much like I remember homecoming week. Mixed up day, Pajama day, etc...

I really enjoyed, too, the different characters reactions to going back in time. Some loved school, some hated it. Some were still living in their school glory and others wished they were back in the good old days.

For me, I'm ecstatic to be long over the school days and away from the awkward and often painful times I remember. My husband, who was in the same class as I, is thrilled at the idea of going to the reunion and catching up on what everyone's been doing.

How about you? Did you love or loathe high school, or something in between? Would you/have you attended a class reunion? How was it? I'll choose one commenter to win their choice of any of my backlist books!!

27 comments:

ErinT said...

I just read Feels Like The First Time last night and I really liked it!
I did not go to my high school reunion because everyone I wanted to keep in touch with after school, I did. Now with being on Facebook, it is like a cyber high school reunion. So I don't even feel the need to go to the next one, I pretty much know what everyone is up to from reconnecting with old classmates on there.

Kristen Painter said...

I've never been to a class reunion. I've intended to go twice, but always found something better to do at the last minute. High school wasn't that great an experience for me, so why relive it?

Anonymous said...

I felt in between about high school, and I'd have to say the same for the 20th reunion I attended. :)

chey said...

I felt in between. I couldn't wait to be finished but enjoyed some of the activities. I have been to a reunion. Just seemed like same old, same old.

Laney4 said...

We have reunions for the high school itself, rather than individual class reunions. I went in 1995 and enjoyed catching up with people. I used to be an introvert in high school, but from perhaps age 21 onwards, I've evolved into an extrovert (at times). People gaped all night because they were astounded at the changes (not just with me but with many others). I also never wore dresses in high school and wore one to the reunion, which probably shocked some people, ha ha!
We had another reunion in 2005, but I didn't attend, simply for financial reasons. Instead of offering lower prices for individual events, they offered one big price to include all events. It wasn't in our budget at the time, so I went to the high school the Friday night of registration instead for free, where I saw several people "signing up". Luckily, I live half an hour away from my high school, so it was no big deal....
I am looking forward to the 2015 reunion, especially since I've spoken with organizers who are vehement that they won't have one big price again this time around (as a LOT of people did not attend last time because of this very reason). I know that there are less and less older people (like my siblings) who will be able to attend. Mind you, I hate the idea of people seeing how much weight I've gained, but they're probably in the same boat too. One never knows, though: I have 6 years to lose more weight....

Tawny said...

Hey Erin :-) Thanks so much! I'm thrilled you liked Feels Like the First Time.

Great point about Facebook taking up the reunion baton. It's like an online reunion all-the-time, isn't it? Without having to buy a fancy dress or pay for tickets LOL.

Tawny said...

Hi Kristen!! How are you doing?

I wasn't a fan of high school myself, so I hear you. Everytime a reunion invite shows up, I flash back in time and definitely have no desire to stay there LOL.

Tawny said...

:-) So you're saying the reunion was very similar to the school experience, Virna? In FLTFT the characters that loved school were really excited for the reunion, those who hated it, ditto. I guess thats close to real life, huh?

Jane said...

Never been to a high school reunion. It would be nice to find out what how everyone is doing. I wasn't an outcast, but not one of the popular kids either. I was just there and high school was an okay experience for me. Have fun at the reunion.

robynl said...

no reunions for our high school; was happy when high school was over with; wasn't popular but kind of just blended in.

EllenToo said...

I went to two different high schools in different towns and states and never really got involved in school functions or ever really made friends so no high school reunion for me even though the high school I graduated from is in the same town I live in now and recently had it's 45th reunion.

felinewyvern said...

Nay - but only because I attended a German High School and now live in Wales and can't afford to travel back :D

Paula R said...

Hi Tawny, just stopping by to show some love. I have never been to a class reunion. Not sure if I would. Too many complicated emotions surrounding it all. I bet you will have fun, especially when you let them know what you do for a living. I always wondered what it would be like though...maybe one day.

The book looks like it's gonna be a great one. See you around.

Peace and love,
Paula R.

Fedora said...

I've been to my own 10-year HS reunion and one of my husband's (15, I think?) I had an OK time in HS, and thought the reunion was OK, but am not in a hurry to repeat the experience. I graduated with a pretty large class (over 700) and spent much of the reunion evening seeing people that looked vaguely familiar--much of the time was spent thinking, "huh... I think I ought to know who that is..." but of course, I didn't remember! And most of the conversations were repeated mini-summaries of what we'd been doing since... My take-away from my own reunion was that most of the people I really wanted to stay in touch with, I was already in touch with OR could find another way (i.e., Facebook ;))

On the other hand, my husband went to HS overseas, and his reunion was much more of a chance for him and his classmates to reconnect here. (It was a reunion for folks who happened to be in this area or who were willing to travel here for it.) His class was also smaller, so he knew a much greater percent of the attendees and had more of an interest in catching up with them :)

For what it's worth, I do love reunion stories! It's a lot of fun to read about characters who have some history already!

Fun topic, Tawny!

housemouse88 said...

I didn't particular like high school. I was consider a nerd so I didn't really fit in to well. They have had three reunions since we graduated. I have yet to attend one. We are supposed to have one at 25 years. I don't know if I'll attend it or not. Have a great day.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Hey Tawny! Great post. I've not yet attended either high school or college reunions. They always seem to fall at weird times for me, times I can't go. I would love to see what everyone looks like, but as Erin said, there are some I've caught up with on Facebook already. Some, I'd reallllly rather not catch up with at all! Hahaha! Can't wait to read Feels Like the First Time. Grins. You get great titles and covers, you know?

Hart Johnson said...

Ironically, I am, as I type, missing the first one--I went to 10 and 20 and loved them, though none of my close friends did, and they will be at the 25.

I was a person who, while not 'popular' was always nice so generally liked. I get that nice people are sometimes excluded for stupid reasons, but I was fortunate not to be one of them. (maybe I just had an exceptional class--I find it was the more bitchy sort who missed a few, as they were ashamed of their teen selves)

I think people mature and get over themselves, so maybe not by 10, but definitely 20 and after, people really are just people who love to reconnect. I'm sad i couldn't be there--I just live across the country now and we couldn't swing the air fare in this ecnomy.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

I should also say that I moved to my HS in the middle of my freshman year. I SO did not fit in - moved from the South, to the waaay North (Cleveland, Oh), and was already a nerdy book worm to begin with. Urg. Talk about awkward.

Estella said...

I loathed high school. I have been to three reunions in 49 years. The reunions were ok---just not my cup of tea.

Kytaira said...

This year is my 25 year reunion. I choose not to attend any of them. I lost touch with all of my old friends when I went into the military. Now I live on the other side of the country and really have no desire to catch up.

I was like Watery Tart. Not exactly popular but liked by all of the cliques. Most of the kids knew who I was in my grade out of over 500 (closer to 3,000 in the school).

My husband attended his 10 year. He spent most of the time catching up wit other people in the area, not his classmates.

Nicole's Book Musings said...

I'm one of the people who hated high school. I'm so very happy see to be done, but the ironic thing is I went and graduated from college. I'm not sure if I'm going to go to my reunion or not, my first one will be in 5 years.

Crystal Kauffman said...

That is one hot cover! And is it just me, or does that look a little bit like you...? How cool is that!

My answer is definitely nay. I was never so glad four years were over, so why try to relive it?

Mary Kirkland said...

I didn't like high school, I wasn't very popular since I spent most of my free time in the library and was painfully shy. So, I've never been to a reunion, never really wanted or felt like I needed to go to one.

Michele L. said...

Wow! I am in the minority here. I loved high school. I liked it so much better than middle school. I was able to pick the classes I wanted to take, along with the required courses everyone has to take. I took a lot of art, english, math, and shop classes. I had a really great time and the teachers were great. I didn't have a boyfriend though in highschool which was fine by me because I was having so much fun painting, taking art classes, sculpting, basically being creative. My art teachers were a riot! We laughed a lot in our classes.

I found my husband in my first year of college. We both have degrees that had similar classes so we wound up taking a lot of classes together. We both got our Bachelor degrees within a year of each other while we both worked full-time at engineering firms.

Also, my husband and I both went to the same high school. I never knew him in school though. He was 2grades ahead of me. We have gone to all of our class reunions and also we have worked on all the class reunion committees. We keep in contact with a lot of our classmates. We live in a small town where practically everyone knows everybody.

We even have classmates that live far away in California, Texas, Alaska, Oregon, etc. that come to all the class reunions. We live in Northern Indiana. In fact my class reunion was just a couple of weeks ago! We had a blast seeing everyone again!

kim h said...

congrats on the book
great cover
it was in between for me
did not go had no money lol

Tawny said...

Hey all!! Wow, what a great combination of responses. It looks a little heavier on the eh than the yay side of high school *g* I'm glad to know I wasn't in the minority!

Thank you all so much for hanging out and sharing today!! The random number generator picked WATERY TART (love your name *g*) to win the free book!! If you can drop me an email to Tawny@TawnyWeber.com with which book you'd like and your shipping info, I'll get that right out to you!

cheryl c said...

Congrats, Watery Tart! Enjoy your free book. :-)