The Wager
Jul 16th 2009
Karen HawkinsGoddess Classics & Karen Hawkins
Not too long ago (ok it was a REALLY long time ago . . . more than a year and a half ago) I and a fellow author (Hint: initials are SE and yes, she’s a goddess, too) and I made a little wager here on the board of the magical Goddess Blogs. We wagered to see which of us could use the words “leather man panties” in a book first.
I win!
Coming May, 2010, in LOIS LANE TELLS ALL, I used the term ‘leather man panties’ not once, but a DOZEN times.
Technically (as I’ve tried to explain to SE), this means I’m entitled to a DOZEN times our prize, but somehow SE refuses to agree.
She’s so difficult.
What did I win? SE has to wear a shirt to next year’s RWA Rita Awards that says “KAREN HAWKINS IS THE BEST ROMANCE WRITER IN THE WORLD AND ALL I GOT FOR IT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT.” Not only does SE have to wear that shirt to the Rita Awards, BUT she also has to wear leopard print stretch pants WITH it.
Because I know life pretty well, I predict that next year SE will win a Rita and will have to wear that outfit on the stage to accept her award.
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Have you ever made a wager with a friend? Did you win? Lose? What was the prize? I have friends who are in a battle to see who can lose the most weight and they’ve EACH dropped an amazing 20 lbs already. I’d like to try that wager, myself! Would you?
48 Comments »
48 Responses to “The Wager”
nancyg on 16 Jul 2009 at 3:38 am #
K-Hawk:
Congrats on winning the bet – I *knew* you could do it, but a DOZEN times? That’s awesome!!
I’m not much of a wager-er. Fantasy football is about the limit.
We have friends who make stupid bets all the time – it’s fun to watch.
I had a friend who jumped into a pool in her bridesmaid dress during a wedding reception for $300, lol.
Today, I did buy a beer for a guy in our golf group who I bet couldn’t hit the slow-playing people in front of us… he did. (nobody got hit or hurt – and they started playing faster, lol).
It’s fun to watch my kids double-dog dare each other and their friends, lol.
MizMacgyver on 16 Jul 2009 at 3:52 am #
I would probably lose that wager since I only seem to lose one lousy pound at a time but in any event it seems no matter what you would all be winners since you would all be losing some weight.
Lorihandeland on 16 Jul 2009 at 4:05 am #
I love that! Can’t wait to see that shirt next year in Nashville
I can’t recall making wagers with friends but I have made them with my husband and kids. Usually small bets. Usually because they don’t believe something I’ve told them.
Judy f on 16 Jul 2009 at 5:32 am #
I am sure I have bet with friends but don’t remember any off hand.
WOW Karen that is something. What would you had to do if you lost the bet?
Suzanne Enoch on 16 Jul 2009 at 6:37 am #
Okay, technically I agreed to the wager. Technically I thought KH would be wearing a “SUZANNE ENOCH IS THE BEST ROMANCE AUTHOR IN THE WORLD AND ALL I GOT FOR IT IS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT” next year. But I don’t recall that it was to be worn at the Ritas. I recall that it was to be at an unspecified RWA event of the loser’s choosing.
I have to go look something up now. *g*
Pesky on 16 Jul 2009 at 6:50 am #
LOL Congratulations Karen and Suzanne…did the bet say anywhere how BIG the writing had to be on said tshirt? Could it be a tastefully embroidered sentiment?
SuzyQ on 16 Jul 2009 at 6:53 am #
Suzanne – If you are to wear it to the Rita’s you could always “dress it up” a bit. Want to borrow my Bedazzler?
Karen Hawkins on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:01 am #
nancyg, I laughed so HARD (you can ask Suzanne) when I read about the golfers wager. Your golfing guy has a LOT more control over his golf aim than I ever have! I’d love to have that. That’s awesome!
MizMacG, I’m thinking of issuing a weight challenge for people like you and me — who lose it one. lousy. pound. at. a. time. We’re the ones who need a little extra support and maybe we could support each other.
Lori, my son probably owes me a couple of hundred bucks — all won in $5 increments for that very thing. He NEVER thinks I know what I’m talking about. I should make him ‘mow’ off all of the money he owes me for that.
JudyF, me? Lose the bet? Ha! I LAUGH at the thought of me losing the bet! (Ok, I could have lost the bet but I don’t like to think about that.)
Suzie E, heh! Look it up, girlfriend! Look it up!
Cail on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:02 am #
to the RITA’s? Really Karen? I wish I could see that though. I once saw a woman at a bar wearing the most amazing leopard print leggings. I felt a mixture of horror, envy and being impressed.
By the way, it was ABSOLUTELY lovely meeting all of you last night. I had an amazing time. I sort of felt like I was on a giant sugar rush after the literary signing. That was one of the coolest events I think I have ever attended.
I’m not really one for bets. I’ve been known to only take ones that I’m 100% sure to win, so people rarely agree to the final bet, since they know I only bet when I’m going to win.
Karen Hawkins on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:03 am #
Pesky, bite your tongue! (Or, more correctly, stop that typing RIGHT NOW!)
Ohhh, SuzyQ, I like how you think!!!
Suzanne Enoch on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:06 am #
Oh, I hadn’t thought of Bedazzling the shirt, SuzyQ.
I’m sitting next to KarenH right now, and she’s STILL laughing.
Cail, it was great to see you last night, too! Did you keep your tiara?
Kathy on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:14 am #
hahahahah!
I burst out laughing reading this!
Leather man panties- funny story.
A friend posted pics of an event here a while back called the great naked bike race. He wasn’t in it, but the participants wore various stages of undress; some going completely naked with body paint on.
To promote driver awareness of cyclists in our city. My landlord rides his bike everywhere. So imagine my COMPLETE surprise while looking through my friends facebook pics, when I see a rider in leather-freaking-man-panites riding his bike. yup. my landlord.
It took me 2 wks to get up the courage to ask him if it was him, not want to embarass.
He wasn’t, and only asked me to email the picture so he could have a copy. hahahahah!
The man has guts
Kathy- aka Cookiedough
SuzyQ on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:18 am #
You guys got to wear tiaras? OK, now I’m really jealous I didn’t get to go!
Cail on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:24 am #
I most certainly still have my tiara!!! I’m debating if I should drive home today wearing it. I wonder what the cops would say if I got pulled over for speeding (which I better not be!) I was impressed that PJ even brought her own!
Karen Hawkins on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:32 am #
Cail, it was lovely meeting you, too! Wish I could have come to the party, but I had my editor/publisher dinner and . It’s so cool to meet fellow goddesses from tgb! I’m not on big book signings but I always do the RWA one every year. It’s just such an incredible set up and it all goes to such a great cause.
Kathy, that’s so funny! Your landlord sounds like a complete card!
Btw, Hot Cop is a bike rider and one year ago Monday, some arse ran a red light and plowed into one of our friends on a bike and shattered his hip. He’s young, though, and tough as stones, and after a lot of surgeries and physical therapy, he’s healed and back on his bike, racing with a team. But it’s made me so aware of how we need to share the road with people on bikes. It’s an environmentally sounds mode of transportation and deserves our support.
Karen Hawkins on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:34 am #
SuzyQ, goddesses ALWAYS wear tiaras. Come to Nashville next year and wear one with us!
Cail, wear the tiara! Of course, if you DO get pulled over and have the tiara on, you might ALSO have to take a sobriety test, but hey! That could be fun and maybe the cop’ll be cute. One never knows!
Cail on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:44 am #
Karen- I’m not sure that my DH would like it if I met a Hot Cop. I think I’ll let you have the Hot Cop and keep my Hot DH for myself.
Ok, time to start to get ready to drive back north! Have a safe and fun day at the conference!
::shuffles around bag, trying to locate tiara and put it on…::
Karen Hawkins on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:58 am #
Cail, lol! I didn’t mean to suggest you leave your Hot DH for a Hot Cop. Just thought it might be a nice addition to the scenery on the way home! Enjoy your road trip today! It was lovely getting to meet you!
Be careful on your way home!!!
TrishD on 16 Jul 2009 at 8:04 am #
Sounds as though everyone is having a blast in DC. And congrats on the win Karen! I’m going to have to buy that book just to count the number of times you used those words… not that I don’t trust you, I just like those words, they make me smile, and I’m dying to see how you used them!
amy1242 on 16 Jul 2009 at 8:06 am #
I don’t make too many bets with people. My kids know better than to bet with me and with my friends it’s usually a small wager where loser buy’s the next round. I like your bet though! How cool will SE look in her t-shirt and pants? As always…like a Goddess! I hope to go next year! Glad to hear you all had a good time. And Cail, yes…wear the tiara!
TrishD on 16 Jul 2009 at 8:10 am #
The most memorable bet I made was for a kiss. I bet a boyfriend that we could make it across the little town I live in and back home in a certain amount of time. He didn’t believe me and thus the bet was made. Either way, win or lose, I won!
So, on the way back home, 3 blocks from my driveway, there are suddenly flashing lights behind me. The boyfriend smirks thinking he’s won the bet. The cop (can’t remember if he was hot or not, but since I have a thing for cops I’d say he was) came to my window and asked for the usual. I handed it all to him and them asked why he stopped me. He told me I had a headlight out. (Hey, I live in a small town, fix it tickets are big around here!) I then asked him how long it was going to take because I had made a bet and I was 3 blocks and 5 minutes away from winning it. He looked at my ID, looked at me, smiled and said he was sure he could help me out.
Yeah, I won. Maybe that’s when I started having a thing for cops??
Freshechelle on 16 Jul 2009 at 8:55 am #
I had a wager with a colleague that she had to achieve a certain sales volume for me to eat my first taste of seafood. Fortunately, the economy tanked and I remain untainted by fish of any kind. Sorry all those nice people lost their jobs and savings but really, fish?
Freshechelle on 16 Jul 2009 at 9:16 am #
K Hawk, now I like Suzanne so don’t tell her this idea came from me, think about adding to that outfit Lucite stripper heels.
Karen Hawkins on 16 Jul 2009 at 9:26 am #
TrishD, yup, ‘leather man panties’ is a wonderful phrase, isn’t it? Heh! And oh my gosh on your Hot Cop story! That’s AWESOME!
Congrats on winning the bet, too, in more ways than one!
amy, Suzanne is a fashion goddess. She’ll work it, I know. Btw, I wore a pair of her shoes last night to an event. There I was, with a dozen pairs of shoes, and Suzie with her oh, four pair and it she pointed out that her one pair of heels matched my outfit better than ANY of my shoes . . . and she was right, darn it! She graciously let me borrow them with only a minimal amount of grinning.
Ok, not so minimal.
Fresh, you don’t eat fish? NONE? I don’t know what I’d do without my tuna steaks and salmon fillets. I loooove me some fish! Is this an ongoing bet? So if the economy goes back up, you could be in danger of being fish-i-fied again?
Margaret on 16 Jul 2009 at 9:29 am #
I am so bummed I wasn’t able to be there last night! Do you mean I missed out on getting to wear a tiara? The last time I wore one was cough, cough years ago when I was a high school senior.
I do have a shiny new hot water heater, but it doesn’t quite make up for costing me a goddess trip. I thought of you all last night and had a nice little pity party. Unfortunately, there was no booze on the premises. So, I had to make do with a cup of Constant Comment.
But Nashville’s not too far away. I’ll set my sights on next year. Love Tennessee.
Freshechelle on 16 Jul 2009 at 9:45 am #
KH, it was a one year deal but for the amount of $ in business, I’d gladly renew the bet.
Lisa H on 16 Jul 2009 at 9:53 am #
Karen H- please don’t be mad at me, but my heart is breaking for poor Suzie. I would DIE if I had to wear leopard pants to the RITA’s. Is there anyway you could grant her a cup of mercy and let her wear it to another event. OH THE HUMANITY!
But I also think, hooray for you. 12 mentions of leather man panties does deserve something special…I hope you enjoy your victory, you do deserve it. And I so can’t wait to read your next book!
Ellen on 16 Jul 2009 at 11:48 am #
I am going to think of a splendid wager…and the loser will have to wear leather man panties on her head at next year’s conference. And oh yeah…not perched on her head like a cute little beret, but positioned so she is looking through the leg holes while crying out “Help Me…Help Meeee” in her best FLY in a web voice.
Have a drink on me, gees! Wish I was with you, ALL!
colinfirthfan on 16 Jul 2009 at 12:13 pm #
KarenH, nice bet. Can’t wait to read it in the book. When will you have an excerpt up?
Suzanne, did it say anywhere in the bet terminology that the tee had to be visible to all? I’d wear it under some clothes.
I too frequently make bets with my DH and kids. My DH owes me a couple of hundred $$$.
Ellen, that would be a spectacular site.
colinfirthfan on 16 Jul 2009 at 12:25 pm #
I meant sight not site.
SheridanLA on 16 Jul 2009 at 12:46 pm #
ok.. I (heart) you all for the leather man panties.. AND a wager!! BWHAHAHAHA.I need to find a way to come out to one of those conferences so I can giggle with you all in person.
wagers and bets.. oh yeah.. all over the place. From silly to serious, though rarely for money. All in fun.
and i would totally help you bedazzle that shirt, Suzanne… I say wear it in glory… then plot the next wager.
sounds like you all are having so much fun. YAY!
Cail has a tiara?!? tiaras are fabulous.
TinaLouiseF on 16 Jul 2009 at 1:23 pm #
Last year at work we started a wager. We each chipped in $5. The first person to loose 15 pounds by the time the boss left for her conference would win.
We are still working on the wager. The conference has come and gone twice and we still have not declared a winner.
Technically, the boss has won, but she insists that being sick is no excuse and she must maintain the loss for two weeks. She plans to take us to lunch with her $15.
Paula on 16 Jul 2009 at 2:28 pm #
Karen H LOL on the wah=ger. Suzie I sympathise but can you, as colinfirthfan said wear it underneath other clothes?
I have a bet going at work at the moment and will know the result on Monday/Tuesday and will tell all then, just in case someone from work is peeping on here!!
Suzanne Enoch on 16 Jul 2009 at 3:45 pm #
I suppose I could wear it under my dress — unless I Bedazzle it, in which case it would scratch. *g*
Karen Hawkins on 16 Jul 2009 at 3:54 pm #
Ooooih, Fresh, I’m diggin’ the lucite heels thing! I’m suggesting that to Suzie R right an–ACK! SHE THREW A PILLOW AT ME!
She looks mad, too.
Hm. Maybe not. We may be at our Limits of Wagerdom with the bedazzler t-shirt.
Btw, Fresh, you’re a good sport to offer to renew the bet for the profit it’d bring to the business. We all need little incentives to keep us going. Sometimes Suzie and I will race in page count for a few days. It really pushes our production!
Margaret, I’d give up a LOT of Tiara Time to make certain I had a good hot water heater. Life without hot water is not real life, in my book. It’s cold and miserable life. Glad you got a new one!
Tennessee is gorgeous. And there are some VERY reasonably priced hotels near the conference events next year, so you don’t end up spending an arm and a leg. Can’t say that about DC. I think we should have a really, really BIG Goddess Party next year!
Karen Hawkins on 16 Jul 2009 at 4:05 pm #
LisaH, Suzie E deserves as big of a cup of mercy as she’d give me — I’m thinking thimble sized. But I do have to admit that she let me wear her comfy hi heels yesterday . . .
Ellen! Glad to see you! And yes, we’d love to have had you at the partee. Think you can come next year? I like your wager. Lemme know who took it and then post pix of the end result. Gotta see that one!
colinfirthfan, excerpt up in May, right before the book comes out. Btw, no fair adding caveats AFTER the wager has been placed and won. Very underhanded! I cry FOUL!
Btw, you should get your dh to pay up … with dinner and a movie. There are some GREAT ones out right now.
Anyone seen the new Harry Potter yet? I’ve GOT to catch it!
Sheridan, tiaras were plentiful at the Goddess Partee. Can you come to Nashville next summer? Put it on your calendar! It would be great fun to see you!
TinaLouise, you have a VERY fair boss. I like that! It’s nice that she’s planning to turn the money back to you guys. Where do you work and can we all apply?
Karen Hawkins on 16 Jul 2009 at 4:09 pm #
Ohh, Paula, we wanna know about your wager at work! So come back and tell us, please, please, please? And no, Suzie may NOT wear her bedazzler t-shirt under any other clothes. Com’n, peeps! This was an honest wager! I just KNOW Suzie wants to do the right thing and honor her word.
She’s that kind of gal.(insert noble music here)
Suzanne Enoch on 16 Jul 2009 at 4:09 pm #
No, I’m not.
Freshechelle on 16 Jul 2009 at 4:56 pm #
Hey Felix and Oscar, you’re very entertaining when you share a room. Keep these posts coming.
nancyg on 16 Jul 2009 at 5:30 pm #
I think I’m going to make a bet with myself – I’m going to actually *finish* a manuscript by this time next year. Then I will treat myself to another RWA conference. Sounds like a road trip to me! I can hit Nashville in a day from Dallas….
SheridanLA on 16 Jul 2009 at 5:35 pm #
K-Hawk.. where do I find the dates for Nashville? I would love to make the trip. I can stand in doe eyed worship of all you goddess.
Tina on 16 Jul 2009 at 6:30 pm #
I work at the County for a very broke department.
We match people 55 and over with volunteer locations around the county.
TinaLouiseF on 16 Jul 2009 at 7:16 pm #
KarenH,
You have a great excerpt on your website.
The website for work is: http://www.flatheadrsvp.org
All of the videos were done by our office.
Tina
Pesky on 16 Jul 2009 at 8:39 pm #
LOL well I’ll take back the tastefully sized embroidery, if you have to wear leopard print anything under it tasteful is out the window. Soooooooooooooooo…if you’re gonna do it Suzanne do it big, go for the hot pink leopard print pants and the flourescent yellow tshirt. Wear it around the hotel room a lot…the colors alone will have Karen begging you to release the bet.
But don’t you do it…you stand strong….
Patricia Barraclough on 17 Jul 2009 at 12:10 am #
Poor SE. The T-shirt part isn’t so bad, it is the leopard print stretch pants. This is why I don’t usually make wagers. I have done so a few times, but it is usually for little stuff. The biggest ones usually involved the winner being able to pick the charity the other would have to donate to.
Now the weight loss wager is one worth making. I’ll have to think of someone to do that with.
sapience on 17 Jul 2009 at 1:35 am #
wager when in my coaching i bate the student who speak fast but i didn’t complete my task so i have a sing a song with choked throat at that time i got a lollipop ant i have to suck the lollipop like a kids so i never try to wagering.
=====================================================================
reshu
Karen Hawkins on 17 Jul 2009 at 8:57 pm #
Fresh, Felix and Oscar – HAH!! I like that! Btw, “Oscar” is even now reading one of her own books whilst lounging upon her bed. She’s looking up examples for our talk tomorrow called “Pitfalls to Pratfalls, Adding Humor to the Romance” which is a horrid title. We wanted to call it this:
“How to Earn Copious Monetary Units by Incorporating the Judicious Use of Humor and Wit Within the Acceptable Know Boundaries of Romantic Literary Endeavors.”
But they said it wouldn’t fit in the conference printed schedule.
Huh. I think they should have MADE it fit.
Nancy G, yesssss! Make that wager! Do! Do! Do!
Sheridan. I can’t imagine you being doe-eyed, but hey, I suppose with enough margaritas, we’ll all be doe-eyed and grinning! The conference dates should soon be listed on the http://www.rwanational.org site once this conference is over. They usually post the dates, hotel, etc within the week.
Karen Hawkins on 17 Jul 2009 at 9:06 pm #
Tina, I used to run a volunteer referral service as part of my G.A. duties while I was in college and it was one of the most rewarding jobs I ever did. I just loved it. I’m going to take a peek at your videos as soon as I log out of tgb! Looking forward to seeing more about where you work! (Glad you liked the excerpt on my website — Tuesday is coming fast!)
Pesky, don’t give Suzie E any ideas. She’s not above visual-terrorism to achieve her goals.
Patricia, you have to wager with care or you’ll end up eating a gold fish or wearing leopard skin pants. I applaud your caution!
reshu, sounds like you had a rough time with your bet! Better luck next time!