Goo-goo-googly Google

I just googled my name.

I figured since I told thirty people yesterday to do that to get to my blog and books, it wouldn't hurt me to do the same.

Well. It says there are pages and pages, but really after three pages(!), it becomes all sorts of things. Poor Hill Harper gets in my stuff, which I figure means my stuff shows up in his stuff. He's pretty famous as an actor and author too. Who knows? Maybe somebody will buy a book of mine and decide they like it anyway.

I was amazed that you could "rent" one of my books. Is that, like, the library?

There were some reviews on goodreads.com.

I found out you can still buy "Falling" from Barnes and Noble on line.

I read my bio, and I found a site that will do"book signings and speaking engagements for me". They ain't never asked me about it...

But yesterday was fun. Sold a few books and they gave me a lovely pot full of Shasta Daisies.

Sweet.

Little Secrets

I know it sounds bad.

It may even be bad.

But I've done it, more than once.

At first I was embarrassed and told no one. Then my family found out.

I've gotten so brazen I told someone else to do it the other day.

I admit it.

I've googled myself.

Oh, the first time is thrilling. There your name is, on the Internet, man! It tells about my books, my blogs and other weird stuff (some of which I don't know what they are talking about). 

There are pictures of other women whose name is spelled like mine, and I bet they don't like that one bit.

I've also noticed when you type in my name at amazon.com, sometimes Hill Harper comes up. He is an actor and an author. I bet he doesn't like that one little bit, either.

Anyway, google yourself.

One time won't hurt, will it?

Famous People I Have Known

Jesse James, Michael Fox, William James, Michael Nichols (but not Diane Sawyer), Henry James, Tim Rice (but not Andrew Lloyd Webber), John Hancock, James Taylor, Betty Crocker, Johnny Cash, James Bond.

I was discussing the budget with my boss one day at work, so when my phone buzzed saying I had a call, I ignored it. The secretary, thinking I was wandering around the building somewhere, came on the building intercom speaker and announced, "Kathi, James Bond is on line two for you."

My boss raised an eyebrow and said, "By all means!"

I answered the call in a cool voice, "Yes, Mr. Bond?"

I listened for a moment then replied, "That's correct. It is the men's toilet that is stopped up."

Maybe my title should have been people I have known who have a famous name.

The James Taylor I know doesn't think it's funny when people ask him if he can sing.

Betty Crocker always smiled and said yes, she could cook, but probably not as good as the other one.

Jesse James was my great-great uncle. I always thought when I was a kid how cool it was that I had an honest to goodness outlaw in my family.

Well, obviously he wasn't the Jesse James, anymore than his brother, Henry James was the famous writer of realism, nor the other brother, William, the great philosopher and psychologist (the famous Henry and William were brothers too!)

I don't think it would be much fun to have a famous name, especially a very famous name. Hey, I get annoyed when I google my name, Kathi Harper Hill and get Hill Harper, the actor/writer. I can only hope  that I show up when he googles himself sometimes.

I'm sure it can't be helped occasionally. After all, some famous people have common names: Will Smith, for instance. I bet there are a boatload of them around, and all but one get kidded about their name.

However; if you are expecting a little one in the near future, do them a favor: name them something that doesn't have a famous ring to it.

Sincerely,

Jane Doe