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Friday, September 03, 2010

It’s All About the Dream... Except When It’s About the Fantasy - Tawny Weber

by Tawny Weber

Dreams... We all have them, don’t we? Some special dream we like to think about. Maybe it’s to write a book or to craft a bigger career. To find Mr. Perfect and/or raise a family. Or my current favorite, to have a body we personally admire. Or maybe that vague thing called financial security.

My dreams right now focus on a little bit of all of those.

But for Drucilla Robichoux, the heroine in my September Blaze, RIDING THE WAVES, her life is completely focused on building her dream career as an astrophysicist. A great dream, right? Except she’s so busy with that, she finally realizes that her love life totally sucks. Suddenly, she’s obsessed with the fantasy of having at least one memorable sexual escapade. Something she can look back on and smile over, that might not keep her warm at night but will give her plenty of memories to use to warm things up on her own if she has to. So she takes her friend’s advice and heads off to a luxury beachside resort for vacation. On her first night, she discovers the answer to her dream –or in this case, her fantasy—in the form of a hot, sexy surfer who makes her insides melt. She gives in to the fantasy and has a wild, intense and memory-worthy boy-toy fling.

Then she heads back to the dream. Only her fantasy is there, waiting. So... how does she reconcile her day to day dream and her hot sexy fantasy? Well, let’s put it this way... She doesn’t do it very well *g* At least, not at first.

So this made me think. I’ve got quite a few dreams. And I’ve got a few fantasies. For instance, nurturing my marriage and growing old next to the man I love is a wonderful dream that I work on every day (well, to tell you the truth, I’m trying to avoid the growing older part, but so far no luck). But my Johnny Depp fantasy is pretty awesome. And yet, as much as I love both, I probably can’t combine the two. At least, I haven’t figured out how, yet :-D

How about you? Is there some special dream you’re working towards? How’s that going? Do your dreams and your fantasies ever conflict with each other? If you care to share, I’ll pick one name from the comments to win a book from my backlist!

29 comments:

Helen said...

Whoo Hoo Tawny I ordered this new one today can't wait till it arrives and I can read it.

Dreams are wonderful aren't they I had always dream't that I would marry the man I love have children and grow old together as well LOL and it is happening and the older I get the faster it goes. My fantasty to have enough money not to work and be able to travel the world and meet some great people and some awesome hunks and I hang onto that fantasty LOL.
Congrats on the new release I do love your stories they always give me hours of pleasure

Have Fun
Helen

Tawny said...

Aww, Helen :-D thank you!!! You have to let me know what you think of Waves after you read it, please.

And see, you're a smart lady. You really CAN combine your dream and your fantasy. And both rock :-D

Amazingrose said...

My dream is to have a sucessful career, have two children, get married to my handsome fiancee and live in UK and my fantasy is to be very a famous singer, that would never happend....looooooooool(i sing only in the shower)

Congratulations on the new release.
God BLess
Amanda

Alison said...

House in the country - roses round the door... aaah!

practimom said...

I always dreamt of a house and family, which i now have. My fantasy was to be a trainer with a major football team...yeah that did not happen. but i still love wathcing football with the fam, so i have a good mesh of dream and fantasy!!

Laney4 said...

When I was 13, I realized that if I wanted to stay home with my future family, I should have a job that I could do from home, and I knew that typing was the way to go for me.
I began by typing recipes and school assignments on an old Remington manual typewriter. I took all the Secretarial courses offered in high school and then signed up for a Secretarial college program. However, I was told that I already had the qualifications necessary, so I should instead take Business Administration. I did that and have had Secretarial jobs all my life.
While attending the local college, I typed fellow students' reports on my portable typewriter while the kids I babysat slept, plus I typed their reports during my spares in a typing classroom. When working full-time in an office, I typed reports and letters for businesses during the evenings on my electric typewriter and then my electronic typewriter.
I got married and years later became pregnant. When my maternity leave came to an end, I quit my full-time job and had only my self-employment typing instead. Customers still bring me work now 25 years later, although I've progressed from handwritten pages to cassette recorder to digital transcription through the years. I've also (obviously) moved on to various computers throughout the years, but I still have my electronic typewriter, which is great for big envelopes and application forms.
So, yes, my special dream was to work from home so I could stay at home with my kids -- and I did it! My kids have now graduated college and are both working full-time. They bought their almost-new cars for cash, and now they are saving toward homes.
I am blessed.

Michele L. said...

Hi Tawny!

I always dreamed of working in something artsy or creative. I got a BS in construction and worked at an architectural firm for 18 years. That was a great experience! Then was laid off in 2003. Now, I work for an art/office supply store. I absolutely love it! I have worked there for over 6 years now. I get to put all the new stuff away and price it as it comes in. So much fun, bad for the wallet! Ha, ha!

Congrats on your new book! It sounds absolutely awesome! Love the cover! I wish that was me!

aromagik said...

Two of my best dreams - having a loving husband and son - have already come true. And with my dream husband I've also been able to live some of my fantasies. :)

So now my dreams are focused on building my online business and fixing up our "new" (to us) house. I make wish lists and small goals that aren't too hard to reach, and that usually pretty satisfying. All in all, I'm pretty darn happy.

~Lindy
aromagik@gmail.com

Tawny said...

Hi Amanda, and thank you! What a lovely dream, I love it :-) And LOL at the fantasy of being a famous singer - that shower-only rule would definitely be a hitch. But you know, you could take one of those really gorgeous claw-footed tubs on tour with you, with a sparkly shower curtain and stay hidden in the shower the entire time you're on stage singing!

:-D It'd definitely get noticed, right?

Tawny said...

Ahhh, Alison. I can see it now!

So beautiful :-)

Tawny said...

Practimom, what a cool fantasy! And that is so wonderful (and inspiring) how you've combined it with your dream life. Go you!

Tawny said...

Wow. Laney, I'm applauding you. That is so impressive how you knew exactly what you wanted and found a way to make it happen - on your terms. You're AWESOME!

Talk about living the dream!!!

Jane said...

Congrats on the new release, Tawny. I'm still figuring what it is I want and hopefully I'll be able to achieve that goal.

Tawny said...

Thanks, Michele :-) The art dept at Harlequin is the best, always making my stories proud *g*

It must be so fun to work at an art store. I'd get into so much trouble, though. All the pretty colors and projects and things I could make. Oh man!!! It sounds like you love it :-D Congrats.

Tawny said...

Lindy, YAY on having so many of your dreams (and ::ahem:: fantasies) coming true. That's what it's all about, right?

Good luck with getting the biz going - and extra good luck on fixing up the house. It sounds like your goal setting process is rocking.

Tawny said...

Hi Jane! Thank you :-)

You know, figuring out the dream is sometimes the hardest part, isn't it?!

gigi said...

Congratulations on the new release.
I love your stories I don't ever start one unless it is early enough in the day or night because I know I have to read it all the way through.

Well my fantasy of a wonderful family turned out. Great husband, two daughters both in college. The oldest graduates this year.
Now I am looking into the fantasy of a week long spa retreat. I just told my sister-in law today that I would love to go away and be pampered for a week.

Estella said...

Congrats on your new release!

I am living my dream. My husband and I are retired, have a small lot of ground for lots of flowers and a small garden.

I have never had a fantasy--unless you call winning the lottery a fantasy.

Linda Henderson said...

I used to dream of owning a bookstore, but that dream never came true. I'm okay with that, I am retired on disability now and I enjoyed, well mostly, all the jobs I worked in my career. My last job was working for the school district where I live and I felt so rewarded helping to make sure the schools were safe and healthy for everyone's children. Now the only thing I would like is to go see some lighthouses, I've always loved looking at lighthouse pictures and I collect postcards of them. I live in the middle of the USA so it's not like there are any close. Maybe someday though I'll go on a trip and see some.

Tawny said...

Hi Gigi, and thank you so much! There isn't a higher compliment a writer can get - you just made my month!!! :-D

I'm so glad to hear your family fantasy worked so well. I think thats one of the greatest ones we can have and we all deserve to see it be a happy dream :-)

As for the spa weekend fantasy. OMG!! I want to go! I told my husband tonight, as soon as I turn these books in, I'm heading for the dayspa. Mani/pedi, massage, facial. Given that he knows from experience that I'll probably look like something that crawled out from under a rock, all hunched over and gray, he totally agreed LOL

Tawny said...

Hi Estella :-D

YAY for the dream- it sounds beautiful. I love gardens and can't wait to get a new one started. I think that's one thing I miss most about my old house, the gorgeous wild gardens. There's nothing as soothing as flowers, right?!

Winning the lottery is a pretty sweet fantasy, too :-D and one that you'd definitely be able to combine with your dream :-)

Tawny said...

Linda, what a great career you've had- and to touch that many lives, that's so important. I think a bookstore dream is so fun, I'm actually writing a heroine right now with that exact same goal!

My MIL collected lighthouse memorabilia. Figurines, pillows, shirts, all kinds of stuff with lighthouses on it :-D She found them fascinating, too. I hope you get your trip to see one! That would be a great fantasy-come-true.

Laurie G said...

My dream is for my 3 sons to graduate from college and grad school so that I can retire, relax and read in peace!

Pat Cochran said...

My dream is something I recently
started thinking about: going back
to school and completing the certi-
fication I never finished a million
years ago. At my age, I probably
wouldn't be accepted but it couldn't hurt to try! It's in nursing!

Pat Cochran

kim h said...

always wanted tostart a new busness
congrats on the book
very hot

Mary Kirkland said...

Congratulations on the new book! I know it will be just as great as all the others, I absolutely love to read your books. :)

When I was younger I wanted the husband and kid and now my daughter is all grown up and out in the world. My hubby and I have been together for 20 years and I couldn't be happier. My dreams came true when I met him. :)

Tawny said...

Wow, how's the week go by so fast?! I'm sorry I fell into a deadline hole, but I'm back to catch up and choose a prize winner :-)

Lauri, I think that's an amazing dream. I'm a big fan of anything that lets us relax and read :-D

Kim - owning your own business would rock, wouldn't it?! And thank you so much for the congrats.

Mary, wow, thank you :-D and what a lovely dream come true. I'm so happy to hear that you found your own hero and have so much to be happy with :-D

Tawny said...

I left the choice up to the random number generator, and the winner is...

Michelle L.

Michelle - if you'll send me an email to Tawny@TawnyWeber.com with Tote Bags in the subject line and your shipping info and which book of my backlist you'd like, I'll get that right out to you.

Thank you so much to everyone for sharing your dreams and fantasies with me!! You all rock!

Anonymous said...

I have to say just graduating college and getting a great job would be a wonderful dream. Congrats Michelle!