1
00:00:01,002 --> 00:00:04,803
              [♪♪♪]

2
00:00:09,477 --> 00:00:10,843
             Dinner?

3
00:00:10,911 --> 00:00:12,578
     Can we make it dessert
          instead, Dad?

4
00:00:12,613 --> 00:00:13,879
        I'm meeting Garth
       for a book-reading,

5
00:00:13,914 --> 00:00:15,180
      and I'm already late!

6
00:00:15,216 --> 00:00:16,849
        <i> [Dad]: How about</i>
    <i> some Christmas cookies?</i>

7
00:00:16,884 --> 00:00:17,950
      Okay, sounds perfect.

8
00:00:17,985 --> 00:00:19,151
          I'll swing by
      as soon as I'm done.

9
00:00:19,186 --> 00:00:19,952
         I've got to go.
            I'm here.

10
00:00:19,987 --> 00:00:21,387
            Love you.

11
00:00:25,993 --> 00:00:27,226
             Sorry.

12
00:00:27,261 --> 00:00:29,528
      [muted conversation]

13
00:00:31,098 --> 00:00:33,032
           Hey, Garth.

14
00:00:33,067 --> 00:00:33,932
[man]: Thank you.

15
00:00:33,968 --> 00:00:34,967
              Kim?

16
00:00:35,002 --> 00:00:36,769
         Sorry I'm late.

17
00:00:36,804 --> 00:00:39,738
 I didn't think you'd still come
      to the book reading.

18
00:00:39,807 --> 00:00:41,206
         Why wouldn't I?

19
00:00:41,275 --> 00:00:43,442
  After what I left for you...

20
00:00:43,477 --> 00:00:44,777
          the envelope?

21
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,247
     Oh, your chapter pages
    for your new manuscript?

22
00:00:48,315 --> 00:00:49,548
I'm so sorry.

23
00:00:49,617 --> 00:00:51,150
I had a crazy day
at work.

24
00:00:53,721 --> 00:00:54,987
                   Kim, don't
                   read it here.

25
00:00:55,022 --> 00:00:57,222
     Solid opening sentence,

26
00:00:57,291 --> 00:00:58,357
 excellent use of adjectives...

27
00:01:04,265 --> 00:01:05,364
    Is this a break-up note?

28
00:01:05,399 --> 00:01:07,766
       I'm sorry, but yes.

29
00:01:07,802 --> 00:01:10,869
   You're breaking up with me
          with a note?

30
00:01:10,905 --> 00:01:13,472
        I just didn't want to
        embarrass you in public.

31
00:01:14,775 --> 00:01:16,275
              Why?

32
00:01:16,310 --> 00:01:17,409
        It's in the note!

33
00:01:17,445 --> 00:01:18,410
  [man]: All right, everybody,
          let's begin.

34
00:01:18,446 --> 00:01:19,711
                      All right,

35
00:01:19,747 --> 00:01:22,481
       just come back here
        with me, please.

36
00:01:26,554 --> 00:01:27,986
                      Look, Kim,

37
00:01:28,022 --> 00:01:29,655
                you're... you're
                really great,

38
00:01:29,690 --> 00:01:32,124
       but I've been working
       at "Dash of Romance" blog

39
00:01:32,159 --> 00:01:33,492
        for three years,

40
00:01:33,561 --> 00:01:34,860
       and I'm at a point

41
00:01:34,895 --> 00:01:36,095
   where I need to get serious
      about my own writing,

42
00:01:36,163 --> 00:01:38,030
                and I need to be
                with someone

43
00:01:38,065 --> 00:01:41,066
             who's serious about
             t my writing!

44
00:01:41,102 --> 00:01:43,402
          Real writers
      show their work, Kim.

45
00:01:43,437 --> 00:01:47,005
     They talk to each other
   about writing all the time.

46
00:01:47,041 --> 00:01:48,474
       We've been together
        nearly two years.

47
00:01:48,509 --> 00:01:50,442
      You've never shown me
       so much as a word!

48
00:01:50,478 --> 00:01:51,844
     But that's just because
       it's not ready yet!

49
00:01:51,879 --> 00:01:52,811
  I mean, what if you hate it?

50
00:01:52,847 --> 00:01:53,979
              The point
              I'm trying to make

51
00:01:54,014 --> 00:01:56,849
  is that I am showing my book
         to publishers.

52
00:01:56,917 --> 00:01:58,784
               We're at
               different levels.

53
00:01:58,853 --> 00:02:00,085
           I'm sorry.

54
00:02:00,121 --> 00:02:01,086
        I just need to be
with a serious writer right now.

55
00:02:03,057 --> 00:02:03,989
            Goodbye.

56
00:02:07,228 --> 00:02:09,361
    [Christmas music playing]

57
00:02:17,872 --> 00:02:18,704
      There she is, Sarge.

58
00:02:21,509 --> 00:02:22,374
      Our Christmas angel.

59
00:02:24,345 --> 00:02:25,978
       Ready to fly again.

60
00:02:26,013 --> 00:02:27,713
            Hey, Dad.
           Hey, Sarge.

61
00:02:27,781 --> 00:02:29,915
           Hi, honey!

62
00:02:29,950 --> 00:02:31,550
          Is it really
      that cold out there?

63
00:02:31,585 --> 00:02:33,218
Well, yeah,

64
00:02:33,254 --> 00:02:36,421
 when you factor the wind chill
from the car heater not working.

65
00:02:36,457 --> 00:02:39,591
         Honey, you work
      for a car dealership.

66
00:02:39,627 --> 00:02:40,726
Yes, Dad,

67
00:02:40,761 --> 00:02:41,927
but they're not going
to give you a free car

68
00:02:41,962 --> 00:02:43,195
as a Christmas gift.

69
00:02:43,230 --> 00:02:45,464
                Maybe they'll
                give you a deal.

70
00:02:45,499 --> 00:02:46,798
 You have been there five years.

71
00:02:46,867 --> 00:02:49,168
     Ugh, it sounds so long
    when you put it that way.

72
00:02:49,203 --> 00:02:50,669
              Kim?

73
00:02:50,704 --> 00:02:52,171
          What's wrong?

74
00:02:52,206 --> 00:02:55,240
  Apparently, I'm single again,
   just in time for Christmas.

75
00:02:55,276 --> 00:02:56,608
                   Aw, kiddo.

76
00:03:02,950 --> 00:03:05,717
          [Kim]: Well,
    we met at a book reading

77
00:03:05,753 --> 00:03:06,885
and broke up
at a book reading,

78
00:03:06,954 --> 00:03:09,354
        so...

79
00:03:09,423 --> 00:03:12,191
seems only fitting.

80
00:03:12,226 --> 00:03:14,159
       In literary terms,
  we'd call that "bookending."

81
00:03:14,195 --> 00:03:16,094
   I never liked Garth anyway.

82
00:03:16,130 --> 00:03:17,029
           You didn't?

83
00:03:18,465 --> 00:03:19,698
  And what was his lame excuse?

84
00:03:19,733 --> 00:03:22,801
       Oh, something about
   him being a "real writer,"

85
00:03:22,836 --> 00:03:24,670
           and me not.

86
00:03:24,705 --> 00:03:26,505
               Ha!

87
00:03:26,574 --> 00:03:29,174
  Have him read the manuscript
     for your romance novel.

88
00:03:29,210 --> 00:03:30,342
           It's great!

89
00:03:30,377 --> 00:03:32,044
      Well, you're my dad.
      You have to say that.

90
00:03:32,112 --> 00:03:36,281
Anyway,
I haven't finished it yet.

91
00:03:36,350 --> 00:03:38,217
He's so critical.

92
00:03:38,252 --> 00:03:40,185
            Garth's not entirely
            wrong on one thing.

93
00:03:40,221 --> 00:03:43,956
  If you want to be an author,
   you need a bigger audience.

94
00:03:44,024 --> 00:03:45,090
Now, more than ever,

95
00:03:45,125 --> 00:03:47,392
          I want to get
    that manuscript published

96
00:03:47,461 --> 00:03:49,127
   just to prove Garth wrong.

97
00:03:49,163 --> 00:03:50,796
          So finish it.

98
00:03:50,831 --> 00:03:51,897
    Submit it to publishers.

99
00:03:53,601 --> 00:03:57,603
        Stop playing it safe and
        put your work out there.

100
00:03:57,638 --> 00:03:58,637
                          Honey,

101
00:03:58,672 --> 00:04:01,440
        if Mom were here,
       what would she say?

102
00:04:02,610 --> 00:04:04,009
            Honestly?

103
00:04:04,044 --> 00:04:07,246
        "Quit complaining
       and take a chance."

104
00:04:08,282 --> 00:04:09,948
              Yeah.

105
00:04:10,017 --> 00:04:12,317
              It's getting late.

106
00:04:12,353 --> 00:04:13,852
            I made your room up.

107
00:04:13,921 --> 00:04:15,020
              Stay here tonight.

108
00:04:15,055 --> 00:04:17,456
    Everything will be better
         in the morning.

109
00:04:17,524 --> 00:04:19,825
                      I promise.

110
00:04:19,860 --> 00:04:23,729
              [♪♪♪]

111
00:04:25,466 --> 00:04:27,032
            [laughs]

112
00:04:54,628 --> 00:04:57,396
            I wonder
   what you're doing tonight,

113
00:04:57,431 --> 00:04:59,097
          H.T. Cowell.

114
00:05:08,542 --> 00:05:09,975
                       I did it!

115
00:05:10,010 --> 00:05:10,842
          Say sayonara
          to last year's models.

116
00:05:10,911 --> 00:05:12,477
    I just sold the last one!

117
00:05:12,546 --> 00:05:14,279
            Whoo-hoo!
          Good for you!

118
00:05:14,348 --> 00:05:15,180
        Oh, my goodness,
          look at this.

119
00:05:15,215 --> 00:05:16,815
Oh...

120
00:05:16,850 --> 00:05:19,951
unless Terrence pulls off
a Christmas miracle,

121
00:05:19,987 --> 00:05:22,554
you have the trip to Aruba
in the bag.

122
00:05:22,589 --> 00:05:24,523
          Speaking of Christmas,

123
00:05:24,558 --> 00:05:26,124
      you doing a little
      holiday shopping yourself?

124
00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:27,959
  More like workshop-shopping.

125
00:05:27,995 --> 00:05:30,028
I figured if I'm going
to up my writing game,

126
00:05:30,064 --> 00:05:31,229
    I've got to do something
          really bold,

127
00:05:31,265 --> 00:05:33,732
          so I decided
 to look into writing workshops.

128
00:05:33,801 --> 00:05:34,766
        Way to go, girl.

129
00:05:34,802 --> 00:05:37,536
      Summer MFA program...

130
00:05:37,571 --> 00:05:38,737
 no, that would be too much time
            off work.

131
00:05:38,772 --> 00:05:40,739
Look at this.

132
00:05:40,808 --> 00:05:42,274
      Semester in Italy...

133
00:05:42,309 --> 00:05:43,809
oh, I wish
I could do that.

134
00:05:43,844 --> 00:05:45,210
        Hang on a second.

135
00:05:45,245 --> 00:05:49,681
         "Mistletoe Inn
 Romance Novelists' Conference."

136
00:05:49,717 --> 00:05:51,316
Five days at an inn
in Vermont

137
00:05:51,352 --> 00:05:52,617
right before Christmas?

138
00:05:52,653 --> 00:05:54,553
         That's right up
           your alley.

139
00:05:54,588 --> 00:05:55,987
      This is totally fate.

140
00:05:56,023 --> 00:05:57,222
   Is there any way you think

141
00:05:57,257 --> 00:05:58,990
      you guys could manage
    without me for one week?

142
00:05:59,026 --> 00:06:00,025
              Sure!

143
00:06:00,094 --> 00:06:01,293
           Thank you.

144
00:06:05,466 --> 00:06:07,366
            Oh, that one's cute.

145
00:06:07,434 --> 00:06:09,434
   Nah, look at all the pitch.

146
00:06:09,470 --> 00:06:11,136
        It's too sticky.

147
00:06:11,205 --> 00:06:12,337
             How about that one?

148
00:06:12,373 --> 00:06:14,339
That's not
a Christmas tree,

149
00:06:14,375 --> 00:06:15,941
that's a Christmas shrub!

150
00:06:15,976 --> 00:06:17,542
                How silly of me.

151
00:06:18,712 --> 00:06:20,979
All right,
that one's nice.

152
00:06:21,014 --> 00:06:22,981
            That is right out
            of "The Nutcracker."

153
00:06:23,016 --> 00:06:24,416
[laughs]

154
00:06:24,451 --> 00:06:26,785
"Right out
of 'The Nutcracker,'" huh?

155
00:06:26,854 --> 00:06:28,220
          I like that.

156
00:06:28,255 --> 00:06:29,855
      I'm going to use that
           in my book.

157
00:06:29,890 --> 00:06:31,056
Well,
it won't be much good

158
00:06:31,125 --> 00:06:32,858
unless you let people
read it.

159
00:06:32,893 --> 00:06:33,925
              Oh, I am way
              ahead of you, Dad.

160
00:06:33,961 --> 00:06:35,026
         Check this out.

161
00:06:35,062 --> 00:06:36,194
    I found the perfect thing

162
00:06:36,230 --> 00:06:38,663
to jump-start
my writing career.

163
00:06:38,699 --> 00:06:39,798
             Ta-dah!

164
00:06:41,602 --> 00:06:45,103
           "The Mistletoe Inn
           Writing Competition?"

165
00:06:45,172 --> 00:06:46,004
Mm-hmm. I just
decided to go ahead

166
00:06:46,039 --> 00:06:47,272
      and take the plunge.

167
00:06:47,307 --> 00:06:49,674
     H.T. Cowell is speaking
        on closing night.

168
00:06:49,743 --> 00:06:51,743
He is my favorite
romance author,

169
00:06:51,779 --> 00:06:54,613
    and he has never actually
      been seen in public.

170
00:06:54,648 --> 00:06:56,314
        That's definitely
        a selling point.

171
00:06:56,350 --> 00:06:57,649
         I just realize

172
00:06:57,684 --> 00:06:59,117
         that if I don't
      actually do this now,

173
00:06:59,153 --> 00:07:00,252
    I'm never going to do it.

174
00:07:00,287 --> 00:07:01,887
   I'm so proud of you, honey!

175
00:07:01,922 --> 00:07:02,854
Thank you.

176
00:07:02,890 --> 00:07:04,289
                And it says here

177
00:07:04,324 --> 00:07:05,757
            that your manuscript
            will be read

178
00:07:05,793 --> 00:07:08,026
               by an established
               publisher

179
00:07:08,061 --> 00:07:10,495
         and a literary agent...

180
00:07:10,531 --> 00:07:12,764
          oh, and that
      there's a competition

181
00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,367
     for this Cowell fellah
       to read your book?

182
00:07:15,402 --> 00:07:18,870
            There is?
  I must have missed that part.

183
00:07:18,906 --> 00:07:20,272
      Hey, you're not going

184
00:07:20,307 --> 00:07:21,673
   to let a little competition
     scare you off, are you?

185
00:07:21,742 --> 00:07:24,543
            Too late.
    I've already registered.

186
00:07:24,578 --> 00:07:26,578
     That is so good, honey.
               Oh!

187
00:07:26,647 --> 00:07:28,480
                      Thank you.

188
00:07:28,515 --> 00:07:29,948
        You will be back
     in time for Christmas?

189
00:07:29,983 --> 00:07:31,216
      Of course I will be!

190
00:07:31,251 --> 00:07:32,717
      Celebrate with lunch?

191
00:07:32,753 --> 00:07:33,985
          Yes, please.

192
00:07:34,021 --> 00:07:35,520
                        [laughs]

193
00:07:35,556 --> 00:07:38,056
              [♪♪♪]

194
00:08:05,285 --> 00:08:06,918
    Someone will be right out
       to help you, miss.

195
00:08:09,790 --> 00:08:11,289
      [loud crash, yelling]

196
00:08:11,325 --> 00:08:12,424
Excuse me!

197
00:08:13,660 --> 00:08:14,659
                   I'm so sorry.

198
00:08:14,695 --> 00:08:17,262
You almost crushed
my laptop!

199
00:08:17,297 --> 00:08:18,263
            Goodness, your stuff
            is just spread

200
00:08:18,298 --> 00:08:19,130
             all over the place.

201
00:08:19,166 --> 00:08:20,398
        Well...

202
00:08:20,434 --> 00:08:21,733
       I see somebody came
       prepared for the holiday.

203
00:08:21,768 --> 00:08:23,735
      Okay, you know what?
        This is personal.

204
00:08:23,804 --> 00:08:25,770
     I'm sorry, I'm just...
  I'm trying to help you here.

205
00:08:25,806 --> 00:08:26,972
All right.

206
00:08:27,007 --> 00:08:29,107
             What is this stuff?

207
00:08:29,142 --> 00:08:32,244
            That's...
  that's very important to me.

208
00:08:32,279 --> 00:08:34,446
            You here
  for the Writers' Conference?

209
00:08:34,481 --> 00:08:36,448
    I am. Guilty as charged.
         My name's Zeke.

210
00:08:36,483 --> 00:08:39,050
Kim.
Nice to meet you... I think.

211
00:08:42,789 --> 00:08:44,122
        Who brings a clock radio
        to a hotel?

212
00:08:44,157 --> 00:08:46,024
    That's not a clock radio.

213
00:08:46,059 --> 00:08:47,726
 This is my white noise machine.

214
00:08:47,761 --> 00:08:49,060
      It helps keep me calm
       while I'm writing.

215
00:08:49,129 --> 00:08:51,396
    You know, I just met you,
          but somehow,

216
00:08:51,431 --> 00:08:52,697
           I'm having
       a really hard time

217
00:08:52,733 --> 00:08:54,699
             picturing you calm.

218
00:08:54,735 --> 00:08:55,567
       What is that item?

219
00:08:56,870 --> 00:08:57,936
              This?

220
00:08:59,139 --> 00:09:01,072
          This is my typewriter.

221
00:09:01,108 --> 00:09:02,274
            [laughs]

222
00:09:02,342 --> 00:09:03,875
Okay.

223
00:09:03,911 --> 00:09:07,245
          1950 called.
They want their technology back.

224
00:09:07,281 --> 00:09:09,047
           All right,
       laugh all you want.

225
00:09:09,082 --> 00:09:10,348
             This is
 the exact same model typewriter

226
00:09:10,384 --> 00:09:11,683
   Hemingway used to type out
           his books.

227
00:09:11,718 --> 00:09:13,818
       Plus, this baby helped me
       bang out the first novel

228
00:09:13,854 --> 00:09:14,819
        I got published.

229
00:09:14,855 --> 00:09:15,954
       You got published?

230
00:09:17,424 --> 00:09:19,391
      Uh, it's a book deal.
       Book's not out yet.

231
00:09:19,426 --> 00:09:21,326
       Well, maybe I need
   to get myself a typewriter.

232
00:09:22,529 --> 00:09:24,796
        Maybe you should.
       Works great for me.

233
00:09:24,831 --> 00:09:26,298
                 See you around.

234
00:09:29,670 --> 00:09:31,169
            Bellhop!

235
00:09:58,465 --> 00:09:59,397
                       Hi.

236
00:09:59,433 --> 00:10:00,665
             Hello.

237
00:10:00,701 --> 00:10:01,967
                   You look lost

238
00:10:02,002 --> 00:10:04,002
      in that "conference
      registration" kind of way.

239
00:10:04,071 --> 00:10:05,303
 I didn't know that was a look.

240
00:10:05,339 --> 00:10:06,571
                      Oh, it is.
                      Trust me.

241
00:10:06,607 --> 00:10:08,506
             I had it last year,
             but way worse.

242
00:10:08,542 --> 00:10:10,008
                        I'm Sam.

243
00:10:10,043 --> 00:10:11,042
            Hi! Kim.

244
00:10:11,111 --> 00:10:12,010
               Nice to meet you.

245
00:10:12,079 --> 00:10:13,144
        Nice to meet you.

246
00:10:13,213 --> 00:10:15,246
    Wow, this is so exciting.
             Hello.

247
00:10:15,282 --> 00:10:16,681
               First conference?

248
00:10:16,717 --> 00:10:18,717
     Yeah, and I'm as giddy
 as a kid on Christmas morning.

249
00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:19,751
           How does it all work?

250
00:10:19,786 --> 00:10:20,819
Well, the mornings
are filled

251
00:10:20,887 --> 00:10:22,621
with lectures
that we are assigned to,

252
00:10:22,689 --> 00:10:23,622
and that just leaves
the afternoon

253
00:10:23,690 --> 00:10:24,556
     for workshops
     to choose.

254
00:10:24,591 --> 00:10:26,191
      I still can't believe

255
00:10:26,226 --> 00:10:28,259
     H.T. Cowell is speaking
        on closing night.

256
00:10:28,295 --> 00:10:29,961
      I've read every word
       he's ever written.

257
00:10:29,997 --> 00:10:31,129
             I know,

258
00:10:31,198 --> 00:10:32,530
      and no one even knows
       what he looks like,

259
00:10:32,566 --> 00:10:34,065
       though in my mind,

260
00:10:34,134 --> 00:10:36,101
  he's has a twinkle in his eye
       of a Dylan Thomas,

261
00:10:36,136 --> 00:10:37,769
 and a Jack London-esque passion
            for life.

262
00:10:37,804 --> 00:10:39,537
            [laughs]

263
00:10:39,573 --> 00:10:40,872
        The real mystery

264
00:10:40,907 --> 00:10:42,507
    is why he hasn't written
     anything in five years.

265
00:10:42,542 --> 00:10:43,942
       Well, rumor has it

266
00:10:43,977 --> 00:10:45,877
  he's announcing his new book
       at this conference.

267
00:10:45,912 --> 00:10:46,878
             Really?

268
00:10:46,913 --> 00:10:49,347
And apparently,
it's 800 pages long.

269
00:10:49,383 --> 00:10:50,782
             I know.

270
00:10:50,817 --> 00:10:52,951
     It'll be like a monsoon
after a five years of drought...

271
00:10:52,986 --> 00:10:54,552
            [laughs]

272
00:10:54,588 --> 00:10:56,021
     And I have a theory...

273
00:10:57,524 --> 00:10:58,990
     that he's already here.

274
00:11:00,927 --> 00:11:02,260
              Yeah.
 Oh, well, we'd better hurry up.

275
00:11:02,295 --> 00:11:03,561
       Mixer's in an hour.

276
00:11:03,597 --> 00:11:04,763
      Oh, yeah, the mixer!

277
00:11:04,831 --> 00:11:06,297
     I have to go to my room
           to change.

278
00:11:06,333 --> 00:11:08,099
      Oh, let me show you.
            This way.

279
00:11:11,371 --> 00:11:12,270
So we meet again.

280
00:11:12,339 --> 00:11:13,238
          Small world.

281
00:11:13,273 --> 00:11:14,305
       Mm-hmm.

282
00:11:14,341 --> 00:11:15,306
Think maybe
they overdid it

283
00:11:15,342 --> 00:11:16,608
with the Christmas
decorations?

284
00:11:16,643 --> 00:11:17,842
       Well, it is called the
       Mistletoe Inn, after all,

285
00:11:17,911 --> 00:11:19,210
           and I happen to think

286
00:11:19,246 --> 00:11:21,246
     you can never have too many
     Christmas decorations.

287
00:11:21,314 --> 00:11:22,580
Interesting theory.

288
00:11:22,649 --> 00:11:24,849
Uh, you know,
I think that is me.

289
00:11:24,918 --> 00:11:26,084
                     That is me.

290
00:11:26,119 --> 00:11:28,920
   Oh, fancy that.
   See you around.

291
00:11:28,955 --> 00:11:30,522
         Guess you will.

292
00:11:31,658 --> 00:11:32,657
          [door beeps]

293
00:11:34,294 --> 00:11:35,694
          [door beeps]

294
00:11:49,976 --> 00:11:51,309
             Oh, no.

295
00:11:59,319 --> 00:12:01,820
            Oh, no...

296
00:12:01,855 --> 00:12:02,754
           [Sam]: Hi.

297
00:12:04,458 --> 00:12:05,990
Wow,
you look... amazing.

298
00:12:06,026 --> 00:12:07,258
                  Samantha,
                  what happened?

299
00:12:07,294 --> 00:12:08,293
      I thought we were supposed
      to come dressed up

300
00:12:08,361 --> 00:12:10,028
         as our favorite
       literary character!

301
00:12:10,063 --> 00:12:11,896
Oh, they sent an email
canceling that.

302
00:12:11,965 --> 00:12:13,331
   I guess people complained.

303
00:12:13,366 --> 00:12:14,332
            They did?

304
00:12:14,401 --> 00:12:15,400
I know,
but don't worry.

305
00:12:15,435 --> 00:12:16,801
    You are pulling this off!

306
00:12:16,870 --> 00:12:18,536
   No, I'm going to go change.

307
00:12:18,572 --> 00:12:19,537
Oh, no, no, don't.

308
00:12:19,573 --> 00:12:20,939
It shows
a defiant spunk.

309
00:12:20,974 --> 00:12:22,006
I love it.

310
00:12:22,075 --> 00:12:22,974
Let's grab a drink
at the bar.

311
00:12:23,009 --> 00:12:24,309
                 Okay...

312
00:12:24,377 --> 00:12:27,011
    Look at how festive it is
            in here.

313
00:12:27,047 --> 00:12:28,379
      Ooh, holiday drinks.

314
00:12:28,448 --> 00:12:31,216
Snowball Express,
Rudolph's Big Ride,

315
00:12:31,251 --> 00:12:33,184
Santa's Helper,
or the Tiny Tim.

316
00:12:33,220 --> 00:12:35,553
        I think the Tiny Tim
        sounds very appropriate.

317
00:12:35,589 --> 00:12:36,788
I'll get you
a Tiny Tim,

318
00:12:36,823 --> 00:12:37,989
and I'll have
a Gingerbread Gimlet.

319
00:12:38,024 --> 00:12:38,990
                    Okay.

320
00:12:39,059 --> 00:12:39,991
Be right back.

321
00:12:40,060 --> 00:12:41,126
                 Thank you.

322
00:12:42,996 --> 00:12:44,696
Let's get this...

323
00:12:44,731 --> 00:12:45,930
Who designed this thing?

324
00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:48,967
       Oh, I am so sorry!

325
00:12:49,035 --> 00:12:49,901
                      Oh, hello.

326
00:12:49,936 --> 00:12:50,935
               Hi.

327
00:12:51,004 --> 00:12:52,170
          I don't know

328
00:12:52,205 --> 00:12:53,171
   why they can't just give us
        normal name tags.

329
00:12:54,808 --> 00:12:55,774
        [British accent]
         'Ello, gov'na!

330
00:12:55,809 --> 00:12:57,542
              Oh...

331
00:12:57,577 --> 00:12:59,144
            It's like
   Charles Dickens over here.

332
00:12:59,179 --> 00:13:00,411
              Yes.

333
00:13:00,447 --> 00:13:03,281
      I seem to have missed
     a very important email.

334
00:13:03,316 --> 00:13:05,116
     Well, I'm glad you did.
 I think that's a great costume.

335
00:13:05,152 --> 00:13:06,284
      Now, the question is,

336
00:13:06,353 --> 00:13:07,685
 which Charles Dickens character
            are you?

337
00:13:07,721 --> 00:13:09,687
      That is the question.

338
00:13:09,723 --> 00:13:10,688
         It's a mystery.
     I'm going to solve it.

339
00:13:10,757 --> 00:13:11,589
      I'll see you around.

340
00:13:11,625 --> 00:13:12,590
              Okay.

341
00:13:12,626 --> 00:13:13,792
       Mm...

342
00:13:13,860 --> 00:13:15,760
who's your friend?

343
00:13:15,829 --> 00:13:17,195
Oh, he's the guy

344
00:13:17,230 --> 00:13:18,096
                 across the hall
                 from me.

345
00:13:18,131 --> 00:13:19,597
He's cute.

346
00:13:19,633 --> 00:13:22,500
I'm so not interested
in men right now.

347
00:13:22,536 --> 00:13:23,668
            [Garth]:
        Kim, is that you?

348
00:13:25,972 --> 00:13:27,105
    What are you doing here?

349
00:13:28,441 --> 00:13:30,875
         I could ask you
       the same question.

350
00:13:30,911 --> 00:13:32,310
             Hello?

351
00:13:32,345 --> 00:13:34,145
    What writer wouldn't want
  H.T. Cowell to read his work?

352
00:13:34,181 --> 00:13:35,013
    He's been an idol of mine
           for years,

353
00:13:35,081 --> 00:13:36,114
       and you know that.

354
00:13:36,149 --> 00:13:37,549
       Garth, I'm the one

355
00:13:37,584 --> 00:13:40,418
       that turned you on
   to H.T. Cowell last summer.

356
00:13:40,487 --> 00:13:41,786
  That's not how I remember it.

357
00:13:41,822 --> 00:13:43,288
              Okay.

358
00:13:43,323 --> 00:13:44,789
Nice... outfit.

359
00:13:44,825 --> 00:13:46,558
Let me guess...
uh...

360
00:13:46,593 --> 00:13:47,659
Alice in Wonderland?

361
00:13:47,694 --> 00:13:49,060
           [Zeke]: No,
    not Alice in Wonderland.

362
00:13:49,129 --> 00:13:50,261
     I just figured it out.

363
00:13:50,297 --> 00:13:53,231
        You're the Ghost
  of Christmas Present, right?

364
00:13:53,266 --> 00:13:54,566
                  Yes, good job!

365
00:13:54,601 --> 00:13:55,767
        [Zeke]: I got it!
  Hey, that's a great costume.

366
00:13:55,836 --> 00:13:56,668
       Don't you think...

367
00:13:57,704 --> 00:13:58,670
              Garm?

368
00:13:58,705 --> 00:13:59,838
           It's Garth.

369
00:13:59,906 --> 00:14:01,306
        Oh, I'm so sorry.

370
00:14:02,742 --> 00:14:04,309
Well, I should
go do an update.

371
00:14:04,344 --> 00:14:06,277
I'm live-tweeting
the conference

372
00:14:06,313 --> 00:14:08,112
for all of my fans
at the "Dash of Romance" blog.

373
00:14:08,148 --> 00:14:09,247
         All 23 of them?

374
00:14:10,884 --> 00:14:12,851
   2,300.

375
00:14:12,886 --> 00:14:14,352
                  Right.

376
00:14:14,387 --> 00:14:15,286
See you around.

377
00:14:15,322 --> 00:14:17,222
                   Okay.

378
00:14:17,257 --> 00:14:18,556
          Okay, I know

379
00:14:18,592 --> 00:14:20,058
       you're not supposed
  to judge a book by its cover,

380
00:14:20,093 --> 00:14:22,227
        but it does seem
  like you two know each other?

381
00:14:22,295 --> 00:14:23,795
       Yes, you might say

382
00:14:23,830 --> 00:14:27,765
           that Garth
 is my Ghost of Christmas Past.

383
00:14:27,834 --> 00:14:29,634
   My sympathies.

384
00:14:29,669 --> 00:14:31,669
            Samantha!

385
00:14:31,705 --> 00:14:33,104
             Luanne.

386
00:14:33,139 --> 00:14:34,105
            [kisses]

387
00:14:36,243 --> 00:14:38,309
      This is Kim and Zeke,
       and this is Luanne.

388
00:14:40,580 --> 00:14:42,714
   I am surprised your husband
     spared you for a week.

389
00:14:42,749 --> 00:14:44,349
Well, for H.T. Cowell
coming out of hiding,

390
00:14:44,384 --> 00:14:45,850
my husband doesn't have
much of a say.

391
00:14:45,886 --> 00:14:47,151
           [chuckling]

392
00:14:47,187 --> 00:14:48,586
[Sam]: Kim here
is singularly focused

393
00:14:48,622 --> 00:14:50,855
           on winning
  that H.T. Cowell competition,

394
00:14:50,891 --> 00:14:52,490
as am I.

395
00:14:52,525 --> 00:14:54,158
You admire him
that much, huh?

396
00:14:54,194 --> 00:14:55,326
            Oh, yes.

397
00:14:55,362 --> 00:14:56,728
  I think he's the only author
         I've ever read

398
00:14:56,763 --> 00:14:58,963
      who can fully capture
     the way a woman feels.

399
00:14:59,032 --> 00:15:01,266
          Amen to that.

400
00:15:01,334 --> 00:15:02,901
         Cowell's solid.

401
00:15:02,936 --> 00:15:04,035
    I think I've read better.

402
00:15:04,104 --> 00:15:05,003
                       [Kim]:
                       Oh, yeah?

403
00:15:05,071 --> 00:15:06,137
                  Does that mean

404
00:15:06,206 --> 00:15:07,538
           you're not in the
           competition yourself?

405
00:15:07,574 --> 00:15:08,873
         Oh, no, no, no.
         Of course I am.

406
00:15:08,909 --> 00:15:11,709
So, Kim...

407
00:15:11,778 --> 00:15:13,978
         how many books
    have you written so far?

408
00:15:14,047 --> 00:15:15,446
                     Well, um...

409
00:15:15,515 --> 00:15:16,881
                    I've written
                    one book...

410
00:15:16,917 --> 00:15:18,383
                which is
                almost finished.

411
00:15:18,418 --> 00:15:20,118
                It's about 3/4
                of the way done.

412
00:15:20,153 --> 00:15:23,187
         I still have to get the
         ending quite perfect,

413
00:15:23,223 --> 00:15:24,822
                      but, um...
                      yeah, one.

414
00:15:24,858 --> 00:15:26,824
Well, it is
very important

415
00:15:26,860 --> 00:15:28,993
to get through
that first book.

416
00:15:29,029 --> 00:15:30,261
I remember
my first book.

417
00:15:30,297 --> 00:15:31,296
Of course,

418
00:15:31,364 --> 00:15:32,297
I was in high school
back then,

419
00:15:32,332 --> 00:15:34,132
but still counts.

420
00:15:34,167 --> 00:15:36,634
[laughs]

421
00:15:36,670 --> 00:15:37,669
And you,
Zeke, is it?

422
00:15:37,737 --> 00:15:39,404
How many books
have you published, Zeke?

423
00:15:39,439 --> 00:15:40,438
            Who, me?
              Uh...

424
00:15:40,507 --> 00:15:42,006
           just, uh...

425
00:15:42,042 --> 00:15:43,274
          just the one.

426
00:15:43,310 --> 00:15:45,176
       A published author
          in our midst?

427
00:15:45,245 --> 00:15:46,244
Which publisher?

428
00:15:46,279 --> 00:15:47,245
                   [Zeke]: Well,
                   it's funny

429
00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:48,446
          when you use
          that word "published."

430
00:15:48,515 --> 00:15:50,715
      Uh, it's not quite...
         published yet.

431
00:15:50,750 --> 00:15:52,450
    Now, what does that mean?

432
00:15:52,485 --> 00:15:56,421
             It's a book deal,
             so it's coming out.

433
00:15:56,456 --> 00:15:59,490
         It's just not quite
         out into the world yet.

434
00:15:59,526 --> 00:16:01,326
    Your editor's ripping it
      to pieces, isn't he?

435
00:16:01,361 --> 00:16:03,261
     Gosh, I just remembered

436
00:16:03,296 --> 00:16:06,164
           that I left
 my coffee machine on upstairs.

437
00:16:08,201 --> 00:16:09,767
              So...

438
00:16:10,837 --> 00:16:11,803
                I'm going to go.

439
00:16:11,871 --> 00:16:14,005
[Sam]: Luanne!

440
00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:15,073
      You ought to be nice
        for the newbies.

441
00:16:15,141 --> 00:16:16,441
    You just scared him off.

442
00:16:16,476 --> 00:16:17,909
Darling, if he can't hang
with the real writers,

443
00:16:17,944 --> 00:16:20,211
then he should stay home.

444
00:16:20,246 --> 00:16:22,981
Now, Kim,
we have all been you.

445
00:16:23,016 --> 00:16:24,983
Many authors
say not to show your work

446
00:16:25,018 --> 00:16:26,751
'til you've wrote
at least five books,

447
00:16:26,786 --> 00:16:27,752
but, you know.

448
00:16:27,787 --> 00:16:29,520
              Okay.

449
00:16:29,556 --> 00:16:31,022
Well, that's really good advice.
           Thank you.

450
00:16:31,057 --> 00:16:32,123
                         I think

451
00:16:32,158 --> 00:16:34,792
     this is probably my cue
            to leave.

452
00:16:34,828 --> 00:16:36,394
      Tiny Tim and I are
      feeling a little inspired,

453
00:16:36,429 --> 00:16:39,197
so we're going to go to our room
      and do some writing.

454
00:16:39,232 --> 00:16:41,366
             Cheers.
         Happy writing.

455
00:16:41,434 --> 00:16:42,467
              Yes!

456
00:16:42,502 --> 00:16:43,468
        See you tomorrow.

457
00:16:43,503 --> 00:16:44,702
           -Okay. Bye.
            -Bye now.

458
00:16:44,738 --> 00:16:45,903
             All right, you need
             to reel it in

459
00:16:45,939 --> 00:16:46,804
                 on the newbies.

460
00:16:53,179 --> 00:16:54,312
Kim!

461
00:16:54,347 --> 00:16:55,613
[chuckles]
So...

462
00:16:55,648 --> 00:16:58,883
you finally finished
writing that book?

463
00:16:58,918 --> 00:17:00,385
             Mm-hmm.
             Almost.

464
00:17:00,420 --> 00:17:02,453
             Almost.
          Right, okay.

465
00:17:02,489 --> 00:17:03,921
              So...
     why didn't you tell me?

466
00:17:03,957 --> 00:17:06,457
             I guess
       for the same reason

467
00:17:06,526 --> 00:17:08,593
     that you didn't tell me
     about this conference.

468
00:17:08,661 --> 00:17:10,495
   Guess we both have secrets.

469
00:17:10,530 --> 00:17:13,498
    Well, you'd never showed
          any interest

470
00:17:13,566 --> 00:17:15,066
    in coming to conferences
             before.

471
00:17:15,101 --> 00:17:17,035
           Until now.

472
00:17:17,070 --> 00:17:19,804
     You're not the only one
  who takes writing seriously.

473
00:17:19,839 --> 00:17:21,172
         Is that right?

474
00:17:21,241 --> 00:17:22,907
             Mm-hmm.
 I just might win this contest.

475
00:17:22,942 --> 00:17:25,143
         Look, uh, Kim,

476
00:17:25,178 --> 00:17:28,346
         you might want
   to lower those expectations

477
00:17:28,415 --> 00:17:29,347
just a bit.

478
00:17:29,416 --> 00:17:30,415
        What do you mean?

479
00:17:30,450 --> 00:17:33,418
          Well, I mean,
      it's your first book.

480
00:17:33,486 --> 00:17:35,520
You're still green.

481
00:17:35,555 --> 00:17:36,788
You won't win.

482
00:17:36,823 --> 00:17:39,190
         Don't sweat it.

483
00:17:40,827 --> 00:17:42,693
         I'm never going
to be good enough for you, am I?

484
00:17:42,729 --> 00:17:45,163
     I never said that, Kim.

485
00:17:46,733 --> 00:17:47,632
        It's really good
       to see you, Garth.

486
00:17:49,436 --> 00:17:51,035
    May the best writer win.

487
00:17:51,071 --> 00:17:53,071
    Yeah. He will.

488
00:18:09,255 --> 00:18:10,388
              -Kim!
            -Oh, hey.

489
00:18:10,423 --> 00:18:11,489
              You're not
              going out are you?

490
00:18:11,524 --> 00:18:13,057
            The sun's barely up.

491
00:18:13,093 --> 00:18:14,158
      An early morning run

492
00:18:14,194 --> 00:18:15,526
          helps give me
     a jump-start to my day.

493
00:18:15,562 --> 00:18:16,794
   I bet when you were a kid,

494
00:18:16,830 --> 00:18:18,463
     you stayed up all night
       waiting for Santa.

495
00:18:18,498 --> 00:18:19,897
        Didn't everyone?

496
00:18:19,933 --> 00:18:21,165
Anyway,

497
00:18:21,201 --> 00:18:22,200
the final chapters
of my book

498
00:18:22,235 --> 00:18:23,534
    are still holding me up.

499
00:18:23,570 --> 00:18:24,635
         I've got to do
   something to clear my head.

500
00:18:24,671 --> 00:18:25,903
              Okay,

501
00:18:25,939 --> 00:18:27,405
  but our first session starts
       in a couple hours.

502
00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:29,607
          Then I guess
      I'd better run fast.

503
00:18:41,454 --> 00:18:44,288
                      Whoa! Sir!
                      Excuse me!

504
00:18:44,357 --> 00:18:45,857
Oh, you dropped
a couple of them.

505
00:18:45,892 --> 00:18:47,091
           [laughing]

506
00:18:47,127 --> 00:18:48,793
There you go.

507
00:18:48,828 --> 00:18:50,294
        Merry Christmas.

508
00:18:50,330 --> 00:18:52,463
Merry Christmas!

509
00:18:54,601 --> 00:18:56,000
                        Oh, hey!

510
00:18:59,305 --> 00:19:01,372
              Whoo!

511
00:19:01,407 --> 00:19:03,040
Whoa!
Whoa-ho-ho!

512
00:19:03,076 --> 00:19:04,509
            Hold on.
     Don't get up too fast.

513
00:19:04,544 --> 00:19:06,477
       [Kim]: I'm okay...
            I think.

514
00:19:06,513 --> 00:19:07,478
                  Anything hurt?

515
00:19:07,547 --> 00:19:08,446
       Uh, just my pride.

516
00:19:08,481 --> 00:19:10,414
              Whoo!

517
00:19:10,450 --> 00:19:11,516
Yeah, the sidewalks
can get pretty icy.

518
00:19:11,551 --> 00:19:12,517
                  Am I bleeding?

519
00:19:12,552 --> 00:19:13,518
         Oh, no, no, no.

520
00:19:13,586 --> 00:19:14,652
You're just...
you're a bit slushy.

521
00:19:14,687 --> 00:19:15,820
               Ah.

522
00:19:15,889 --> 00:19:17,421
Hey, listen,
you went down pretty hard.

523
00:19:17,457 --> 00:19:18,356
    Are you sure
    you're okay?

524
00:19:18,391 --> 00:19:19,390
                           Yeah.

525
00:19:19,425 --> 00:19:21,792
   The humiliation will fade,
             I hope.

526
00:19:21,828 --> 00:19:23,294
           Do you want
    to come inside the cafe?

527
00:19:23,329 --> 00:19:24,428
           It's warm,

528
00:19:24,464 --> 00:19:25,863
      the peppermint lattes
       are kind of great,

529
00:19:25,899 --> 00:19:27,165
      and our first session
   doesn't start for an hour.

530
00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:28,199
                       You know,

531
00:19:28,234 --> 00:19:29,967
 I think I am going to head back

532
00:19:30,003 --> 00:19:31,335
      and try to shower off
       the embarrassment.

533
00:19:31,404 --> 00:19:32,703
Okay.

534
00:19:32,739 --> 00:19:34,739
    So I will just see you...
              soon.

535
00:19:34,774 --> 00:19:37,341
All right. Okay.

536
00:19:37,377 --> 00:19:39,844
Whoa...

537
00:19:39,879 --> 00:19:40,811
       [laughs nervously]

538
00:19:42,382 --> 00:19:43,814
           So, how was your run?

539
00:19:43,850 --> 00:19:45,016
           Horrifying,

540
00:19:45,051 --> 00:19:46,317
        and if you ask me
          for details,

541
00:19:46,352 --> 00:19:47,919
      even more horrifying.

542
00:19:47,954 --> 00:19:49,053
               Oh, well, I think

543
00:19:49,088 --> 00:19:50,354
               it's time to pick
               our workshops.

544
00:19:50,390 --> 00:19:52,790
      See this partridge-in
      a-pear-tree-looking thing?

545
00:19:52,825 --> 00:19:54,091
        [Kim]: Partridge?
   I thought those were quail.

546
00:19:54,127 --> 00:19:55,426
             [Sam]:
           Oh. Well...

547
00:19:55,461 --> 00:19:57,428
   a partridge is just a quail
    with a better publicist.

548
00:19:57,463 --> 00:19:59,096
   [laughs]

549
00:19:59,165 --> 00:20:01,599
 So you just pick the ornament,

550
00:20:01,634 --> 00:20:03,401
         and our workshop group.

551
00:20:03,436 --> 00:20:04,402
  That's fun.

552
00:20:04,437 --> 00:20:05,303
          I'm Group B.

553
00:20:05,371 --> 00:20:06,204
       Oh!

554
00:20:06,239 --> 00:20:07,838
Oh, I'm Group C.

555
00:20:07,874 --> 00:20:09,540
                             Oh!

556
00:20:09,609 --> 00:20:10,508
I wish
we were together.

557
00:20:10,543 --> 00:20:12,143
             Me too.

558
00:20:17,183 --> 00:20:18,182
             Hello!

559
00:20:18,218 --> 00:20:19,150
                 Well, hi there.

560
00:20:19,185 --> 00:20:20,318
       Is this seat taken?

561
00:20:20,386 --> 00:20:22,086
       I think it is now.

562
00:20:22,121 --> 00:20:23,221
            Perfect.

563
00:20:25,658 --> 00:20:28,159
Good morning,
fellow writers!

564
00:20:28,228 --> 00:20:29,760
     And good morning, Kim!

565
00:20:29,796 --> 00:20:30,895
          Good morning.

566
00:20:33,299 --> 00:20:36,434
          Good morning.
       I'm Karen Watanabe,

567
00:20:36,469 --> 00:20:38,202
        your facilitator
     and senior book editor

568
00:20:38,238 --> 00:20:39,270
       at City Publishing.

569
00:20:39,339 --> 00:20:41,005
   For the next several days,

570
00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,507
 we'll discuss the finer points
       of romance writing,

571
00:20:43,576 --> 00:20:45,643
           but first,
    some tools of the trade.

572
00:20:45,712 --> 00:20:47,411
We'll meet every day

573
00:20:47,447 --> 00:20:50,214
with nightly assignments
to improve your process,

574
00:20:50,283 --> 00:20:53,084
and you'll share
your work with the group,

575
00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:55,820
    but this is a safe space
           for ideas.

576
00:20:55,855 --> 00:20:58,022
     Writing is brave work.

577
00:20:58,057 --> 00:21:00,891
      Ridicule is the tool
       of shallow people.

578
00:21:00,927 --> 00:21:02,293
            Don't be
  one of the shallow people...

579
00:21:03,663 --> 00:21:05,096
          and don't be
       a writing-Scrooge,

580
00:21:05,131 --> 00:21:07,632
   miserly sharing your work.

581
00:21:07,667 --> 00:21:09,066
    We're all here to learn.

582
00:21:09,102 --> 00:21:11,269
      As to the competition

583
00:21:11,304 --> 00:21:13,404
     to have your work read
         by Mr. Cowell,

584
00:21:13,473 --> 00:21:15,039
   each workshop will compete

585
00:21:15,108 --> 00:21:16,974
         in three rounds
      of daily assignments.

586
00:21:17,010 --> 00:21:18,609
    The winner of each round

587
00:21:18,645 --> 00:21:20,077
     will select one chapter
     from their manuscript.

588
00:21:20,113 --> 00:21:24,815
The more rounds you win,
the more chances you have.

589
00:21:24,851 --> 00:21:25,950
        So, let's pair up

590
00:21:25,985 --> 00:21:27,285
     with a writing partner
          for the week,

591
00:21:27,353 --> 00:21:29,820
  to give each other feedback,
    go to lectures together,

592
00:21:29,856 --> 00:21:31,389
and help each other
survive.

593
00:21:31,424 --> 00:21:32,323
                       Shall we?

594
00:21:32,358 --> 00:21:33,257
            We shall.

595
00:21:33,293 --> 00:21:34,692
          Hey, do you--

596
00:21:36,663 --> 00:21:38,329
   I see we have a lone wolf.

597
00:21:38,364 --> 00:21:40,298
         You know what?
     It's no problem at all.

598
00:21:40,333 --> 00:21:42,400
      I love working alone.
            I will...

599
00:21:42,435 --> 00:21:43,934
               I will persevere.

600
00:21:44,003 --> 00:21:45,403
            Oh, hey!
         Sorry I'm late.

601
00:21:45,438 --> 00:21:46,370
       My group was full,
   so they sent me over here.

602
00:21:46,406 --> 00:21:47,772
[Karen]: Ah-hah!

603
00:21:47,807 --> 00:21:49,407
I think we've found
your new partner!

604
00:21:49,442 --> 00:21:50,941
           Him? I'm not sure
           that's such a good...

605
00:21:50,977 --> 00:21:52,209
            Perfect.

606
00:21:52,245 --> 00:21:54,312
For your first
assignment tonight,

607
00:21:54,347 --> 00:21:55,880
you'll compose two pages

608
00:21:55,948 --> 00:21:57,448
of a fictional man
and woman

609
00:21:57,483 --> 00:21:58,416
meeting romantically

610
00:21:58,451 --> 00:22:00,384
      in a holiday setting.

611
00:22:00,420 --> 00:22:01,652
        In the meantime,

612
00:22:01,688 --> 00:22:02,553
       introduce yourself
    to your partner, please,

613
00:22:02,622 --> 00:22:03,487
     and we'll get started!

614
00:22:06,626 --> 00:22:07,758
                 Well, hi there.

615
00:22:07,794 --> 00:22:09,226
                 My name is Kim.

616
00:22:09,262 --> 00:22:11,495
         My likes include
         perfect Christmas trees

617
00:22:11,531 --> 00:22:12,663
                     and eggnog.

618
00:22:12,699 --> 00:22:14,432
             My dislikes include
             writing partners.

619
00:22:14,467 --> 00:22:15,599
               Nothing personal.

620
00:22:15,635 --> 00:22:16,600
Hilarious.

621
00:22:16,669 --> 00:22:17,702
Tell me something,

622
00:22:17,737 --> 00:22:18,569
did I do something
to offend you?

623
00:22:18,638 --> 00:22:19,537
What's going on?

624
00:22:19,572 --> 00:22:20,638
                      No!

625
00:22:20,673 --> 00:22:21,505
               It's just between
               the costume

626
00:22:21,574 --> 00:22:23,107
              and the faceplant,

627
00:22:23,142 --> 00:22:25,376
             I am not used to
             embarrassing myself

628
00:22:25,411 --> 00:22:27,211
             quite so many times
             in a 24-hour period

629
00:22:27,246 --> 00:22:28,546
                with one person.

630
00:22:28,614 --> 00:22:29,647
All right,
that's fine.

631
00:22:29,682 --> 00:22:30,748
                 That's my area.

632
00:22:34,053 --> 00:22:35,186
                   No, that's...

633
00:22:35,221 --> 00:22:36,187
               that's your area.

634
00:22:44,864 --> 00:22:47,698
                It's going to be
                a long week.

635
00:22:47,734 --> 00:22:50,267
      [whale song playing]

636
00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,640
           [whale song
    from white noise machine]

637
00:22:56,676 --> 00:22:58,676
      [quiet laptop typing]

638
00:23:05,618 --> 00:23:06,751
    [loud typewriter typing]

639
00:23:13,292 --> 00:23:15,092
    [typewriter dings, stops]

640
00:23:18,398 --> 00:23:19,663
    [typewriter starts again]

641
00:23:28,441 --> 00:23:29,407
           [Kim]: Hah!

642
00:23:34,147 --> 00:23:35,546
         [typing stops]

643
00:23:36,616 --> 00:23:38,649
         [starts again]

644
00:23:38,684 --> 00:23:40,484
            [knocks]

645
00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:41,919
          [Zeke]: Agh!

646
00:23:44,157 --> 00:23:45,723
         Can I help you?

647
00:23:45,758 --> 00:23:47,224
      I am trying to write!

648
00:23:47,260 --> 00:23:50,027
           Uh, yeah...
            so am I.

649
00:23:50,096 --> 00:23:51,295
    Well, it sounds as though

650
00:23:51,330 --> 00:23:52,430
    you're sending Morse code
        down the hallway.

651
00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:55,966
         Well, I'm not,
          but if I was,

652
00:23:56,002 --> 00:23:57,034
  it might say something like,

653
00:23:57,069 --> 00:23:59,069
    "Leave me alone, please.
          I'm writing."

654
00:23:59,105 --> 00:24:00,137
       Is your typewriter
  supposed to sound like that?

655
00:24:00,173 --> 00:24:00,905
          Because maybe
      you need to return it

656
00:24:00,940 --> 00:24:01,872
        to the swap meet?

657
00:24:01,908 --> 00:24:03,841
         The swap meet?

658
00:24:03,876 --> 00:24:05,009
 Look, you've got your process,

659
00:24:05,044 --> 00:24:06,210
                    I have mine.

660
00:24:06,279 --> 00:24:08,012
     Uh-huh, and my process
      requires tranquility

661
00:24:08,047 --> 00:24:09,447
       in order to focus.

662
00:24:09,482 --> 00:24:11,916
    Well, my process involves
typing on my vintage typewriter.

663
00:24:11,984 --> 00:24:12,883
       That's my process.

664
00:24:12,952 --> 00:24:13,984
    Well, my process involves

665
00:24:14,020 --> 00:24:15,619
          not allowing
     other people's process

666
00:24:15,655 --> 00:24:17,721
      to derail my process.

667
00:24:17,757 --> 00:24:19,323
      [whale song playing]

668
00:24:21,527 --> 00:24:23,194
       Did you decorate your
       hotel room for Christmas?

669
00:24:23,262 --> 00:24:24,795
Yes, I did, okay?

670
00:24:24,831 --> 00:24:26,030
I happen to find it

671
00:24:26,065 --> 00:24:28,299
extremely inspiring
when I'm writing to have...

672
00:24:28,334 --> 00:24:29,700
        Oh, that explains
     all the Christmas gear

673
00:24:29,735 --> 00:24:31,135
       in your suitcase...
            [laughs]

674
00:24:31,170 --> 00:24:33,938
           I'm sorry,
     is that amusing to you?

675
00:24:33,973 --> 00:24:35,172
       No, it's just that
      we're standing here,

676
00:24:35,208 --> 00:24:36,474
       arguing underneath
         the mistletoe.

677
00:24:36,509 --> 00:24:37,475
Oh, goodness.

678
00:24:37,510 --> 00:24:38,476
              Yeah.

679
00:24:40,780 --> 00:24:43,914
   So... what are you writing
         there, anyway?

680
00:24:43,983 --> 00:24:45,049
      Where are you going?

681
00:24:46,619 --> 00:24:48,085
Um, what are you...
what are you doing?

682
00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:50,120
That's not finished.
I'm still polishing that.

683
00:24:50,189 --> 00:24:51,989
Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
I like it.

684
00:24:52,024 --> 00:24:53,491
This is great.

685
00:24:53,526 --> 00:24:54,358
They're meeting in line
while waiting for Santa.

686
00:24:54,393 --> 00:24:55,426
That's really good.

687
00:24:55,461 --> 00:24:58,062
  Your title gives it all away,
             right?

688
00:24:58,097 --> 00:24:59,363
"Love in Line for Santa?"
Come on.

689
00:24:59,398 --> 00:25:01,832
A title's got to be a hook,
not a hammer.

690
00:25:01,868 --> 00:25:03,801
      I don't recall asking
       for your feedback.

691
00:25:03,836 --> 00:25:05,936
                 We're partners,
                 remember?

692
00:25:05,972 --> 00:25:07,271
              "Safe space."

693
00:25:07,340 --> 00:25:08,973
        Come on, if you're going
        to be a writer,

694
00:25:09,008 --> 00:25:10,374
           you need to be
           a tad more resilient.

695
00:25:10,443 --> 00:25:11,775
And if you want
to survive this weekend,

696
00:25:11,811 --> 00:25:12,843
          you have got
    to keep your noise down.

697
00:25:12,912 --> 00:25:13,878
              Do you understand?

698
00:25:13,913 --> 00:25:14,845
      [whale song playing]

699
00:25:14,881 --> 00:25:17,348
    Your whales are calling.

700
00:25:17,383 --> 00:25:19,450
      The whales are saying
           good night!

701
00:25:19,485 --> 00:25:20,651
[mimics whale song]

702
00:25:27,860 --> 00:25:29,927
     It's a fantastic title.

703
00:25:37,336 --> 00:25:38,335
[Sam]:
Late night, huh?

704
00:25:38,371 --> 00:25:40,070
             [yawns]

705
00:25:40,106 --> 00:25:41,438
    Yeah, you could say that.

706
00:25:41,474 --> 00:25:44,575
Zeke, the fellow
across the hall from me,

707
00:25:44,644 --> 00:25:46,777
       he was up all night
            clacking!

708
00:25:46,812 --> 00:25:47,912
           "Clacking"?

709
00:25:47,947 --> 00:25:50,281
Yeah, and clicking
on his typewriter.

710
00:25:50,349 --> 00:25:51,382
           Seriously?
   Does it still do that thing

711
00:25:51,417 --> 00:25:52,516
          when it gets
     to the end of the line?

712
00:25:52,552 --> 00:25:55,019
         The ding-dings
       ringing in my ears.

713
00:25:55,087 --> 00:25:56,921
                      Oof.
                      Excuse me?

714
00:25:56,956 --> 00:25:58,956
           She'll have
      a North Pole Special,

715
00:25:59,025 --> 00:26:01,692
 and I'll have the Elf Espresso,
          extra strong.

716
00:26:01,727 --> 00:26:02,660
           Thank you.

717
00:26:02,695 --> 00:26:03,694
                      Thank you.

718
00:26:03,763 --> 00:26:05,429
       Oh, I can't focus.

719
00:26:05,464 --> 00:26:08,098
  Strangers are reading my work
      at this very moment.

720
00:26:08,167 --> 00:26:09,700
        Kim, if you want
         to be a writer,

721
00:26:09,735 --> 00:26:10,935
      you have to be read.

722
00:26:10,970 --> 00:26:12,803
     Otherwise, may as well
       just keep a diary.

723
00:26:12,838 --> 00:26:14,572
      That's a good point.

724
00:26:14,607 --> 00:26:15,673
     That's the whole reason
        I'm here, right?

725
00:26:15,708 --> 00:26:16,740
             Right.

726
00:26:16,809 --> 00:26:17,741
How are you doing,
anyway?

727
00:26:17,810 --> 00:26:19,043
         What's going on
            with you?

728
00:26:19,111 --> 00:26:20,778
               Oh!

729
00:26:20,813 --> 00:26:24,214
       I may have spotted
    the elusive H.T. Cowell!

730
00:26:24,250 --> 00:26:25,516
               No!

731
00:26:25,551 --> 00:26:26,984
             Mm-hmm.
   See that fellow over there?

732
00:26:27,019 --> 00:26:28,752
              Him?

733
00:26:28,788 --> 00:26:31,255
             [Sam]:
       He's wearing tweed.

734
00:26:31,290 --> 00:26:32,890
     So is half of Scotland.

735
00:26:32,925 --> 00:26:34,325
           Well, yes,

736
00:26:34,360 --> 00:26:37,761
 but tweed is how the men dress
     in H.T. Cowell's books.

737
00:26:37,797 --> 00:26:38,562
           I can think of at
           least three examples.

738
00:26:38,598 --> 00:26:39,563
              Okay.

739
00:26:40,666 --> 00:26:42,366
             I think
  you might be onto something.

740
00:26:42,401 --> 00:26:43,500
                         Mm-hmm.

741
00:26:43,536 --> 00:26:44,602
           Nice work!

742
00:26:44,637 --> 00:26:46,036
You keep an eye
on Mr. Tweed.

743
00:26:46,072 --> 00:26:47,137
             Mm-hmm.

744
00:26:47,206 --> 00:26:48,439
I've got to get
some of this reading done

745
00:26:48,507 --> 00:26:50,307
       before class starts
            up again.

746
00:26:50,343 --> 00:26:52,309
           Excuse me.

747
00:26:56,449 --> 00:26:57,381
             Wha...

748
00:26:58,384 --> 00:26:59,283
No!

749
00:26:59,318 --> 00:27:00,150
              What?

750
00:27:00,186 --> 00:27:01,418
         [gasps angrily]

751
00:27:01,454 --> 00:27:02,319
           He didn't!

752
00:27:04,123 --> 00:27:05,689
         The nerve of...

753
00:27:09,328 --> 00:27:10,628
              Kim?

754
00:27:10,663 --> 00:27:12,262
[Kim]:
Unbelievable.

755
00:27:17,970 --> 00:27:19,370
              Zeke!

756
00:27:19,405 --> 00:27:20,371
Hey, good morning.
Look at that.

757
00:27:20,406 --> 00:27:21,271
I see you took my advice
on your title!

758
00:27:21,340 --> 00:27:22,206
      What's the big idea?

759
00:27:22,241 --> 00:27:23,307
What big idea?

760
00:27:23,342 --> 00:27:25,109
             Don't play innocent
             with me.

761
00:27:25,144 --> 00:27:26,543
         Your story,
         "Christmas on the Ice?"

762
00:27:26,579 --> 00:27:27,711
Yeah?
What's wrong with it?

763
00:27:27,747 --> 00:27:28,545
           What do you mean,
           what's wrong with it?

764
00:27:28,581 --> 00:27:29,713
                The couple meets

765
00:27:29,749 --> 00:27:30,914
       when the woman faceplants
       into a snowdrift

766
00:27:30,950 --> 00:27:32,282
             and the guy
             is drinking coffee!

767
00:27:32,318 --> 00:27:33,517
             You wrote about us.

768
00:27:33,586 --> 00:27:35,119
That's what makes it
great fiction.

769
00:27:35,154 --> 00:27:36,453
        Except it's not fiction,
        and just for the record,

770
00:27:36,522 --> 00:27:37,655
             I did not "blather"

771
00:27:37,690 --> 00:27:38,956
           when I climbed
           out of the snowdrift.

772
00:27:38,991 --> 00:27:39,957
Well, you kind of did.

773
00:27:39,992 --> 00:27:41,492
Look, real life
is inspiration

774
00:27:41,527 --> 00:27:42,760
for every writer!

775
00:27:42,795 --> 00:27:44,528
Besides, that coyote-like
"yelp" you made

776
00:27:44,563 --> 00:27:45,996
when you slid
across the ice horizontally...

777
00:27:46,032 --> 00:27:47,131
you just can't make
that stuff up!

778
00:27:47,166 --> 00:27:48,332
                  That yelp
                  belongs to me,

779
00:27:48,367 --> 00:27:50,134
       and you can't just
       borrow it for your story!

780
00:27:50,169 --> 00:27:52,369
Life is fodder
for fiction.

781
00:27:52,405 --> 00:27:54,672
           Fodder? What are you,
           a horse?

782
00:27:54,707 --> 00:27:57,207
               What, no snappy
               comeback to that?

783
00:27:57,243 --> 00:27:58,442
Well, I wasn't sure
you were done,

784
00:27:58,477 --> 00:27:59,543
and I know you need
total silence

785
00:27:59,578 --> 00:28:01,011
to come up with dialogue,
so...

786
00:28:01,047 --> 00:28:02,680
             Okay, Zeke, let me
             tell you something.

787
00:28:02,715 --> 00:28:05,149
             I am here
             to learn, to focus,

788
00:28:05,184 --> 00:28:06,483
               and to be
               a serious writer.

789
00:28:06,519 --> 00:28:08,519
                I am on
                a mission, okay?

790
00:28:08,554 --> 00:28:10,320
Okay, fine.
Look, I'm sorry, all right?

791
00:28:10,356 --> 00:28:12,656
    I know I can be awkward.

792
00:28:12,692 --> 00:28:13,791
I'm a finance guy.

793
00:28:13,826 --> 00:28:15,492
I probably
just don't get out enough.

794
00:28:15,561 --> 00:28:17,227
  Well then, perhaps you ought
 to stick to investment advice,

795
00:28:17,263 --> 00:28:19,229
  and leave the writing advice
      to the professionals.

796
00:28:19,298 --> 00:28:21,031
         Even if I think
        you have talent?

797
00:28:21,100 --> 00:28:23,333
 I don't care what you think...

798
00:28:23,402 --> 00:28:25,135
    you think I have talent?

799
00:28:25,171 --> 00:28:26,503
              Look,
   the story you came up with

800
00:28:26,539 --> 00:28:27,705
       for the assignment,

801
00:28:27,740 --> 00:28:29,606
           it's funny,
    it's smart, it's festive.

802
00:28:29,642 --> 00:28:32,109
     That's a triple threat
    that you just pulled off.

803
00:28:32,144 --> 00:28:33,711
Having them meet in line

804
00:28:33,746 --> 00:28:36,046
      at a Santa's Village
        in a local mall?

805
00:28:36,115 --> 00:28:37,347
     And then all the angst

806
00:28:37,383 --> 00:28:39,149
           of thinking
 the other's married with kids,

807
00:28:39,218 --> 00:28:40,551
     when the kids turn out
    to be nieces and nephews?

808
00:28:40,586 --> 00:28:41,719
       That's a fun twist.

809
00:28:42,922 --> 00:28:43,987
Honestly, I was jealous

810
00:28:44,023 --> 00:28:46,023
  of how you came up with that
            so fast.

811
00:28:46,092 --> 00:28:49,059
         Oh, thank you.
    I really appreciate that.

812
00:28:49,095 --> 00:28:50,260
      I mean, your dialogue
     needs a bit of work...

813
00:28:50,329 --> 00:28:52,029
     Why don't you just quit
       while you're ahead?

814
00:28:52,064 --> 00:28:53,597
              Okay.

815
00:28:53,632 --> 00:28:54,631
              Kim!

816
00:28:54,667 --> 00:28:55,632
              Yeah?

817
00:28:55,668 --> 00:28:56,700
            [Karen]:
        Just a heads-up.

818
00:28:56,736 --> 00:28:58,268
       Your story's great.
           I loved it!

819
00:28:58,337 --> 00:29:00,204
  Seriously?

820
00:29:00,239 --> 00:29:01,505
  And the title fit perfectly.

821
00:29:01,540 --> 00:29:04,274
   Not going the obvious route
       was a smart choice.

822
00:29:04,310 --> 00:29:05,876
Anyway, congrats!

823
00:29:05,911 --> 00:29:07,544
  You just won the first round
       of the competition.

824
00:29:07,580 --> 00:29:08,712
             I won?

825
00:29:10,282 --> 00:29:11,648
[Karen]: Zeke,
you got a minute?

826
00:29:11,684 --> 00:29:12,549
                             Ah.

827
00:29:12,585 --> 00:29:14,118
      I won!

828
00:29:20,793 --> 00:29:21,625
              Kim!

829
00:29:21,694 --> 00:29:23,494
               Hi.

830
00:29:23,529 --> 00:29:25,629
      Just wanted to say...

831
00:29:25,664 --> 00:29:27,164
good job
winning the first round.

832
00:29:27,199 --> 00:29:29,133
Really...

833
00:29:29,201 --> 00:29:30,734
        surprising stuff.

834
00:29:30,770 --> 00:29:32,703
           Thank you.

835
00:29:32,738 --> 00:29:34,171
       So how'd you do it?

836
00:29:34,206 --> 00:29:36,140
You didn't just pull
that story

837
00:29:36,175 --> 00:29:38,075
     out of your hat, right?

838
00:29:38,110 --> 00:29:40,811
  Well, I actually was thinking
         about this time

839
00:29:40,846 --> 00:29:43,280
  when I was about five or so.

840
00:29:43,315 --> 00:29:45,382
          My Mom and Dad took me
          to see Santa Claus,

841
00:29:45,417 --> 00:29:47,217
                and we were
                waiting in line,

842
00:29:47,253 --> 00:29:48,652
               and I looked over
               at them,

843
00:29:48,687 --> 00:29:50,053
       and they started kissing.

844
00:29:50,122 --> 00:29:51,121
         At the time, of course,

845
00:29:51,157 --> 00:29:52,055
           I was super
           embarrassed about it,

846
00:29:52,091 --> 00:29:52,990
                  but then,
                  in retrospect,

847
00:29:53,058 --> 00:29:55,192
                it sounded
                really romantic,

848
00:29:55,227 --> 00:29:57,694
            and a great thing
            to base my story on,

849
00:29:57,730 --> 00:29:59,530
      so that's where I got
         the idea from.

850
00:29:59,598 --> 00:30:02,432
        Wow, all of that
           to just...

851
00:30:02,468 --> 00:30:04,168
     right out of the gates.

852
00:30:04,203 --> 00:30:05,235
         Well, score one
   for beginner's luck, right?

853
00:30:06,672 --> 00:30:07,771
[Sam]:
Garth.

854
00:30:07,807 --> 00:30:09,540
            So close!

855
00:30:09,575 --> 00:30:10,841
         You were about
     to make a classy move,

856
00:30:10,876 --> 00:30:12,242
        until you dropped
   the beginner's luck comment

857
00:30:12,311 --> 00:30:13,510
        and sank it all.

858
00:30:13,546 --> 00:30:14,444
[laughs]

859
00:30:16,248 --> 00:30:18,148
           Shoo, shoo.

860
00:30:19,385 --> 00:30:22,186
Oh, my gosh!
Congratulations!

861
00:30:22,221 --> 00:30:25,489
      Rocking the workshop!
You already won the first round.

862
00:30:25,558 --> 00:30:27,191
I guess
on to round two.

863
00:30:27,226 --> 00:30:29,026
   Well, tomorrow's assignment

864
00:30:29,061 --> 00:30:32,196
       is "writing a description
       for a romantic dinner."

865
00:30:32,231 --> 00:30:34,765
           That sounds
     kind of daunting, so...

866
00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:36,333
     Well, you're doing well
           in English.

867
00:30:36,368 --> 00:30:38,001
      How about Chemistry?

868
00:30:38,037 --> 00:30:39,036
              What?

869
00:30:39,104 --> 00:30:41,071
           You know...
          you and Zeke.

870
00:30:41,106 --> 00:30:44,541
    Oh, Sam, don't be silly.
           He's so...

871
00:30:44,577 --> 00:30:45,642
            Perfect.

872
00:30:45,678 --> 00:30:46,777
           No, hardly.

873
00:30:46,812 --> 00:30:48,245
            Anyway, I'm not sure
            if you've noticed,

874
00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,381
  but my ex is kind of lurking
        everywhere, so...

875
00:30:51,417 --> 00:30:53,550
             Well...
  all the more reason to flirt.

876
00:30:53,586 --> 00:30:54,518
     That's so not my style.

877
00:30:54,553 --> 00:30:56,153
       Anyhow, this week,

878
00:30:56,188 --> 00:30:58,689
   my motive has nothing to do
            with men.

879
00:30:58,724 --> 00:30:59,890
   It's just ironic, you know,

880
00:30:59,925 --> 00:31:01,558
   being at a romance writers'
           convention.

881
00:31:02,728 --> 00:31:04,528
Right?
Oh, and...

882
00:31:04,597 --> 00:31:06,163
here's your chance.

883
00:31:12,104 --> 00:31:13,237
Let me guess...

884
00:31:13,272 --> 00:31:14,438
you came to gloat
about the title?

885
00:31:14,473 --> 00:31:16,440
                   Oh... no.

886
00:31:16,508 --> 00:31:17,674
      To congratulate you.

887
00:31:17,710 --> 00:31:19,443
        Well, thank you.

888
00:31:19,478 --> 00:31:21,445
          And to gloat.
  You're welcome for the title.

889
00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:23,513
Hey, I admit it,
you were right.

890
00:31:23,549 --> 00:31:25,182
Okay?

891
00:31:25,217 --> 00:31:27,818
I have a lot of resistance
to feedback.

892
00:31:27,853 --> 00:31:30,087
For me, it feels more like
facing a firing squad.

893
00:31:31,190 --> 00:31:32,589
So...

894
00:31:32,625 --> 00:31:34,324
you know...

895
00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,326
thank you.

896
00:31:36,362 --> 00:31:38,428
Okay?
You happy?

897
00:31:41,100 --> 00:31:42,733
    Let me buy you a coffee.

898
00:31:42,801 --> 00:31:43,800
                    I'd be happy

899
00:31:43,836 --> 00:31:45,002
if I could come up
with romantic stuff

900
00:31:45,037 --> 00:31:46,603
as fast as you can.

901
00:31:46,639 --> 00:31:48,872
           What about
   your face-plant ice story?

902
00:31:48,908 --> 00:31:51,475
    Honestly, I just typed up
    everything that happened,

903
00:31:51,510 --> 00:31:53,477
     so you pretty much did
      all the work for me.

904
00:31:53,512 --> 00:31:54,444
Look...

905
00:31:56,615 --> 00:31:57,881
      I'm sorry that I used
     your life for fiction.

906
00:31:57,917 --> 00:32:00,183
It's just that...

907
00:32:00,219 --> 00:32:01,818
      writing has just been
     so hard for me lately.

908
00:32:01,854 --> 00:32:03,587
             Really?

909
00:32:03,622 --> 00:32:04,855
     You know, the truth is,
  I've hit kind of a dry patch.

910
00:32:04,890 --> 00:32:07,190
  You get writer's block, too?

911
00:32:07,226 --> 00:32:09,426
            Oh, yeah.
  It happens to the best of us.

912
00:32:09,461 --> 00:32:11,261
           That makes
     quite a partnership...

913
00:32:11,297 --> 00:32:13,263
        a seasoned writer
       with writer's block

914
00:32:13,332 --> 00:32:15,632
           and a newbie who
           can't take criticism.

915
00:32:15,668 --> 00:32:17,501
  I'd say our career prospects
         are rather dim.

916
00:32:17,536 --> 00:32:18,468
All right,
how about this?

917
00:32:18,504 --> 00:32:20,270
          From now on,
           you and me,

918
00:32:20,306 --> 00:32:22,239
we help each other make the most
      of this conference...

919
00:32:22,274 --> 00:32:24,007
or at least
declare a truce?

920
00:32:25,811 --> 00:32:27,210
             Peace?

921
00:32:27,246 --> 00:32:29,746
                      I suppose.

922
00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:43,126
              So...

923
00:32:43,162 --> 00:32:44,061
     what's on the schedule?

924
00:32:44,096 --> 00:32:46,263
      Are you following me?

925
00:32:46,332 --> 00:32:48,031
   No, I just left my schedule
            upstairs.

926
00:32:48,067 --> 00:32:49,266
  I think it's a lecture called
   "How Not To Get An Agent."

927
00:32:51,103 --> 00:32:52,102
    You okay?

928
00:32:52,137 --> 00:32:53,203
                   Yeah.
                   No, I'm fine.

929
00:32:53,238 --> 00:32:54,571
      You can't go to that.

930
00:32:54,606 --> 00:32:55,872
   I can't?

931
00:32:55,908 --> 00:32:58,275
   Look, didn't we just agree
       to help each other?

932
00:32:58,310 --> 00:33:00,210
          That speaker
   is a proven dream-crusher.

933
00:33:00,245 --> 00:33:02,412
              Look, I've been
              to enough of these

934
00:33:02,448 --> 00:33:03,480
     to know that you don't need
     a professional nay-sayer

935
00:33:03,515 --> 00:33:05,215
           telling you
    how slim your chances are

936
00:33:05,284 --> 00:33:06,283
          at making it.

937
00:33:06,318 --> 00:33:07,250
              Plus,
   I've seen her talk before,

938
00:33:07,286 --> 00:33:08,118
  and that speaker's a menace.

939
00:33:09,521 --> 00:33:11,054
      Besides, I could teach you
      everything in that seminar

940
00:33:11,090 --> 00:33:12,022
        with far better results.

941
00:33:12,057 --> 00:33:13,156
You could, huh?

942
00:33:13,192 --> 00:33:15,025
You're not trying
to sabotage me, are you?

943
00:33:15,060 --> 00:33:17,060
Win this competition
for yourself?

944
00:33:17,096 --> 00:33:18,095
            Why would I do that?

945
00:33:18,130 --> 00:33:19,429
                You already won
                the first round.

946
00:33:19,498 --> 00:33:20,664
     Plus, Karen said you've got
     to trust your partner.

947
00:33:20,699 --> 00:33:22,265
          Guess what? That's me.
          I'm your partner,

948
00:33:22,301 --> 00:33:23,767
            and I'm telling you,
            don't go!

949
00:33:23,802 --> 00:33:26,536
Zeke, I can't not go
to the lectures!

950
00:33:26,572 --> 00:33:27,838
I'm a newbie writer

951
00:33:27,873 --> 00:33:29,806
with one unpublished story
to my name.

952
00:33:29,842 --> 00:33:31,842
I came here to learn.
That's the whole point.

953
00:33:31,910 --> 00:33:33,410
       All right, look...

954
00:33:33,445 --> 00:33:35,112
       give me 10 minutes
          of your time.

955
00:33:35,147 --> 00:33:36,480
     If you think I'm wrong,

956
00:33:36,515 --> 00:33:37,614
       you still have time
      to go to the seminar.

957
00:33:40,319 --> 00:33:41,718
  Okay. Fine.

958
00:33:41,754 --> 00:33:42,853
             Great.

959
00:33:42,888 --> 00:33:43,754
      Meet me in the lobby
        in half an hour.

960
00:33:43,822 --> 00:33:44,688
        Bring your coat.
         Can I eat this?

961
00:33:44,723 --> 00:33:46,023
                         Thanks.

962
00:33:51,830 --> 00:33:53,230
                        Snowmen?

963
00:33:53,265 --> 00:33:54,664
        Oh, no, actually,
          snow-ma'ams.

964
00:33:54,733 --> 00:33:55,899
There's two of them.

965
00:33:55,934 --> 00:33:57,601
 I got some lost-and-found items
           from inside

966
00:33:57,669 --> 00:33:59,369
    to help me make my point.

967
00:33:59,405 --> 00:34:00,837
     Which is what, exactly?

968
00:34:00,873 --> 00:34:02,572
Just hear me out.

969
00:34:02,608 --> 00:34:05,242
      This is Evelyn Crab.

970
00:34:05,277 --> 00:34:08,612
     She is a failed author,
 which simply means she gave up.

971
00:34:08,647 --> 00:34:09,913
     She became a book agent

972
00:34:09,948 --> 00:34:11,381
  and now enjoys being spiteful
       to newbie writers.

973
00:34:11,417 --> 00:34:12,783
              Why?
        For one reason...

974
00:34:12,851 --> 00:34:14,317
because she can.

975
00:34:14,353 --> 00:34:16,119
 It's nice to meet you, Evelyn.

976
00:34:16,155 --> 00:34:17,821
             Oh, no.
 Miss Crab, thank you very much.

977
00:34:17,856 --> 00:34:19,890
             Sorry.
           Miss Crab.

978
00:34:19,925 --> 00:34:22,859
  Okay, this is Kelly Lovelife.

979
00:34:22,895 --> 00:34:25,429
She adores
reading and authors,

980
00:34:25,464 --> 00:34:26,463
  and she discovered in college

981
00:34:26,498 --> 00:34:27,864
   that she knows how to sell

982
00:34:27,900 --> 00:34:29,533
   and how to encourage people
      towards their goals.

983
00:34:29,568 --> 00:34:32,302
She's going to be offering
counterpoint today.

984
00:34:32,337 --> 00:34:34,938
     It's nice to meet you,
         Miss Lovelife.

985
00:34:34,973 --> 00:34:36,840
      Oh, uh, Miss Lovelife
  prefers you call her "Kelly,"

986
00:34:36,875 --> 00:34:39,876
       and she wishes you
     a very Merry Christmas.

987
00:34:39,945 --> 00:34:42,145
        Oh, look at that,
 Miss Crab just rolled her eyes

988
00:34:42,181 --> 00:34:43,980
 and suggested that agents keep
       a healthy distance

989
00:34:44,049 --> 00:34:45,782
       from their clients.

990
00:34:45,851 --> 00:34:47,384
         Miss Crab says
        that just because

991
00:34:47,419 --> 00:34:49,786
     your family and friends
  might think you're talented,

992
00:34:49,822 --> 00:34:51,288
          doesn't mean
    you're actually talented

993
00:34:51,323 --> 00:34:53,557
   in any sort of professional
        sales sense of...

994
00:34:53,592 --> 00:34:54,658
        hold on a second.

995
00:34:54,693 --> 00:34:55,492
         Miss Lovelife's
      whispering something.

996
00:34:55,527 --> 00:34:56,393
       Yes, Miss Lovelife?

997
00:34:58,464 --> 00:35:00,230
               Oh!

998
00:35:00,265 --> 00:35:02,399
     Miss Lovelife says that
  you're off to a great start,

999
00:35:02,434 --> 00:35:04,801
     and every tiny victory
         along the road

1000
00:35:04,837 --> 00:35:06,103
      is worth celebrating.

1001
00:35:06,138 --> 00:35:07,737
          Oh, hold on.

1002
00:35:07,773 --> 00:35:09,072
            She says

1003
00:35:09,108 --> 00:35:11,975
    that the point of writing
    is not to be discovered,

1004
00:35:12,010 --> 00:35:15,145
    but rather self-discovery

1005
00:35:15,180 --> 00:35:17,080
        that, hopefully,
     other people can enjoy,

1006
00:35:17,116 --> 00:35:18,548
       so that's... whoa.

1007
00:35:18,584 --> 00:35:20,150
 Miss Crab does not look happy.

1008
00:35:20,185 --> 00:35:21,318
            [laughs]

1009
00:35:21,353 --> 00:35:23,353
      Well, why would she?

1010
00:35:23,422 --> 00:35:25,322
    I mean, there's ice water
          in her veins.

1011
00:35:25,390 --> 00:35:26,690
            [laughs]
          There you go.

1012
00:35:26,725 --> 00:35:27,624
Now you're getting
into it.

1013
00:35:27,693 --> 00:35:28,892
Now, come on.

1014
00:35:28,927 --> 00:35:29,826
    Doesn't this beat getting
     hammered over the head

1015
00:35:29,862 --> 00:35:30,894
       for an hour inside?

1016
00:35:30,929 --> 00:35:32,295
         I have to admit
          that it does.

1017
00:35:32,331 --> 00:35:33,630
And how are you feeling

1018
00:35:33,665 --> 00:35:35,665
   about that "one unpublished
    story to your name" now?

1019
00:35:35,701 --> 00:35:37,534
                   Well, I might
                   be crazy,

1020
00:35:37,569 --> 00:35:39,703
           but I think

1021
00:35:39,771 --> 00:35:43,206
    that Miss Kelly Lovelife
 has just boosted my confidence.

1022
00:35:43,242 --> 00:35:44,374
            [laughs]

1023
00:35:44,409 --> 00:35:45,142
            [giggles]

1024
00:35:48,447 --> 00:35:49,646
           How long do you think

1025
00:35:49,715 --> 00:35:51,214
              those snow ma'ams
              are going to last?

1026
00:35:51,250 --> 00:35:52,382
      All winter, probably.

1027
00:35:52,417 --> 00:35:53,383
                 Do you think?

1028
00:35:53,418 --> 00:35:54,317
                       Hey!

1029
00:35:54,353 --> 00:35:56,920
Hey. There you are.

1030
00:35:56,955 --> 00:35:58,955
          What happened? Did the
          lecture let out early?

1031
00:35:59,024 --> 00:36:00,924
    Oh, no, I escaped early.

1032
00:36:00,993 --> 00:36:03,326
    "How Not To Get An Agent"
    should have been titled,

1033
00:36:03,362 --> 00:36:06,263
   "How To Never Feel Inspired
        To Write Again!"

1034
00:36:06,298 --> 00:36:07,898
Oh, and your ex, Garth?

1035
00:36:07,933 --> 00:36:09,799
He was applauding
everything she was saying.

1036
00:36:09,835 --> 00:36:13,336
               I am so not sorry
               I missed that.

1037
00:36:13,405 --> 00:36:14,371
                  Well, next up,

1038
00:36:14,406 --> 00:36:15,539
               I think we're
               supposed to write

1039
00:36:15,574 --> 00:36:17,174
                five descriptive
                paragraphs

1040
00:36:17,209 --> 00:36:18,575
                  of a romantic
                  holiday dinner

1041
00:36:18,644 --> 00:36:19,776
                  for tomorrow's
                  assignment?

1042
00:36:19,811 --> 00:36:21,144
           [Zeke]: That's right.
           I'll be seeing you.

1043
00:36:21,180 --> 00:36:22,312
I promise
to type more quietly

1044
00:36:22,381 --> 00:36:23,246
     if you keep
     your whales down.

1045
00:36:23,282 --> 00:36:24,281
                You have a deal.

1046
00:36:24,349 --> 00:36:25,549
   Oh, um, actually, hang on.

1047
00:36:25,584 --> 00:36:27,651
Why don't the three of us
go for dinner tonight

1048
00:36:27,686 --> 00:36:28,685
as research,
you know,

1049
00:36:28,754 --> 00:36:30,487
     for our romantic dinner
           assignment?

1050
00:36:30,556 --> 00:36:32,222
       Hey, that's a great idea.

1051
00:36:32,257 --> 00:36:34,157
         I'm a little bit rusty,
         admittedly.

1052
00:36:34,193 --> 00:36:35,992
               Garth's idea of
               a romantic dinner

1053
00:36:36,028 --> 00:36:39,396
        was free wine and cheese
        at a book launch.

1054
00:36:39,431 --> 00:36:41,698
    I mean, I guess we could,
        uh, get a table.

1055
00:36:41,733 --> 00:36:42,999
           Oops! Uh...

1056
00:36:44,636 --> 00:36:45,735
   Sorry, there goes the mark.

1057
00:36:45,771 --> 00:36:47,370
I have a little
spying mission to do,

1058
00:36:47,406 --> 00:36:49,506
              so...

1059
00:36:49,541 --> 00:36:51,841
      why don't you two go
       to dinner together?

1060
00:36:53,111 --> 00:36:54,978
You two enjoy dinner.

1061
00:36:58,016 --> 00:37:00,116
         Well, you know,
          I mean, uh...

1062
00:37:00,152 --> 00:37:03,086
there are some great
restaurants around here.

1063
00:37:03,121 --> 00:37:04,521
           Definitely.

1064
00:37:04,556 --> 00:37:05,589
             Right.
  I was thinking for research.

1065
00:37:05,657 --> 00:37:07,023
             Uh-huh.
       For the assignment.

1066
00:37:07,059 --> 00:37:08,325
         Yeah, perfect.

1067
00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:09,492
                           So...

1068
00:37:09,528 --> 00:37:12,395
   I will see you in the foyer
         at, say, 7:00?

1069
00:37:12,431 --> 00:37:14,497
      7:00 sounds perfect.
          That's great.

1070
00:37:15,701 --> 00:37:16,666
Okay! 7:00 it is.

1071
00:37:16,702 --> 00:37:17,601
                   'Til then!
                   Alrighty.

1072
00:37:17,636 --> 00:37:18,501
            Research.

1073
00:37:21,173 --> 00:37:22,739
              Huh.

1074
00:37:36,555 --> 00:37:39,189
           You look...

1075
00:37:39,224 --> 00:37:40,190
             great.

1076
00:37:40,225 --> 00:37:42,892
    In the name of research,

1077
00:37:42,928 --> 00:37:44,761
  I never do anything halfway.

1078
00:37:45,797 --> 00:37:47,464
             Well...

1079
00:37:47,499 --> 00:37:49,666
    in the name of research.

1080
00:38:00,412 --> 00:38:01,444
[Zeke]:
That was amazing.

1081
00:38:01,513 --> 00:38:02,445
       Oh, it really was.

1082
00:38:02,514 --> 00:38:03,380
May I clear
your plates?

1083
00:38:03,415 --> 00:38:04,381
           Thank you.

1084
00:38:04,416 --> 00:38:05,515
[Zeke]:
Thanks.

1085
00:38:05,550 --> 00:38:06,916
Thank you.

1086
00:38:06,952 --> 00:38:10,887
    Now, we're not here to
    talk about the food, though.

1087
00:38:10,922 --> 00:38:11,988
                       Research.

1088
00:38:12,024 --> 00:38:13,490
Okay, well...

1089
00:38:13,525 --> 00:38:14,491
       I think the candles
        are a nice touch.

1090
00:38:14,526 --> 00:38:16,092
            [laughs]
          The candles?

1091
00:38:16,128 --> 00:38:17,794
             Come on, you can do
             better than that.

1092
00:38:17,863 --> 00:38:18,895
          Let's see...

1093
00:38:18,930 --> 00:38:20,463
   check out that chandelier.

1094
00:38:22,768 --> 00:38:24,467
Okay.

1095
00:38:24,503 --> 00:38:26,036
            [waiter]:
   How was everything tonight?

1096
00:38:26,071 --> 00:38:28,071
            So good.

1097
00:38:28,140 --> 00:38:29,306
         I'm writing you
       a four-star review

1098
00:38:29,341 --> 00:38:30,840
as we speak.

1099
00:38:33,211 --> 00:38:35,245
     Would you like to have
        dessert tonight?

1100
00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:36,179
          Uh, could I have the
          fresh berries, please?

1101
00:38:36,214 --> 00:38:37,347
                       [waiter]:
                       Berries.

1102
00:38:37,382 --> 00:38:38,214
I'm going to have
the chocolate mousse.

1103
00:38:38,283 --> 00:38:39,316
                      Excellent.

1104
00:38:39,351 --> 00:38:41,584
           Thank you.

1105
00:38:41,620 --> 00:38:42,719
           So listen,
 I've been meaning to ask you...

1106
00:38:42,754 --> 00:38:44,788
              um...

1107
00:38:44,823 --> 00:38:45,855
     what's your book about,
             anyway?

1108
00:38:45,891 --> 00:38:47,824
              Oh...

1109
00:38:47,859 --> 00:38:48,792
            let's...

1110
00:38:48,827 --> 00:38:50,427
      let's talk about you.

1111
00:38:50,462 --> 00:38:53,897
     Can you even still buy
   typewriter ribbons anymore?

1112
00:38:53,965 --> 00:38:54,864
You know,
I know what you're doing,

1113
00:38:54,933 --> 00:38:55,899
and you're changing
the subject.

1114
00:38:55,934 --> 00:38:57,801
Don't do that.
Look...

1115
00:38:57,869 --> 00:38:58,601
you talked
about your work today,

1116
00:38:58,637 --> 00:39:00,570
and you won, right?

1117
00:39:00,639 --> 00:39:03,039
              Well, the winning,
              I really liked.

1118
00:39:03,108 --> 00:39:04,674
              The sharing of the
              work, not so much.

1119
00:39:04,743 --> 00:39:06,509
Well, I think

1120
00:39:06,545 --> 00:39:07,544
that you need
to get over your fear

1121
00:39:07,579 --> 00:39:08,678
of sharing your work...

1122
00:39:08,714 --> 00:39:11,047
is what I think.

1123
00:39:11,083 --> 00:39:12,582
           Okay, fine.

1124
00:39:12,617 --> 00:39:15,885
             My book
        is about a woman

1125
00:39:15,921 --> 00:39:17,721
        who finds herself single
        at the holidays

1126
00:39:17,789 --> 00:39:20,590
         after a string
    of failed relationships,

1127
00:39:20,625 --> 00:39:23,893
     and she meets this guy
          who suggests

1128
00:39:23,929 --> 00:39:27,197
 that they pretend to be dating

1129
00:39:27,265 --> 00:39:28,231
            in order
    to survive the holidays.

1130
00:39:28,266 --> 00:39:30,433
           That's fun!

1131
00:39:30,469 --> 00:39:31,768
     I'd love to read that.

1132
00:39:31,837 --> 00:39:34,371
      I'll think about it.

1133
00:39:34,439 --> 00:39:35,338
Oh, while
you think about it,

1134
00:39:35,374 --> 00:39:37,073
maybe you can tell me

1135
00:39:37,109 --> 00:39:38,641
what got you writing
in the first place.

1136
00:39:38,710 --> 00:39:41,678
  "Who" got me started writing.

1137
00:39:41,713 --> 00:39:42,612
          It's my mom.

1138
00:39:44,249 --> 00:39:46,716
               She had such
               a way with words.

1139
00:39:46,752 --> 00:39:50,120
           She would write these
           offbeat short stories

1140
00:39:50,155 --> 00:39:52,122
           for our annual
           Christmas newsletter.

1141
00:39:52,157 --> 00:39:55,024
       They were so funny,
 they could just make you laugh

1142
00:39:55,060 --> 00:39:56,826
       until you had tears
     rolling down your face.

1143
00:39:56,862 --> 00:39:58,695
     Your mom sounds great.

1144
00:40:00,198 --> 00:40:01,898
         Yeah, she was.

1145
00:40:01,933 --> 00:40:04,934
            She, uh,
 she passed away four years ago,

1146
00:40:05,003 --> 00:40:06,169
       at Christmas time.

1147
00:40:06,204 --> 00:40:08,171
          I'm so sorry.

1148
00:40:08,206 --> 00:40:11,074
             Thanks.
           I miss her.

1149
00:40:11,109 --> 00:40:12,509
      My dad is fantastic,

1150
00:40:12,544 --> 00:40:15,145
           but, you know, my mom
           was like my muse.

1151
00:40:15,180 --> 00:40:16,579
             She read every word
             I ever wrote,

1152
00:40:16,615 --> 00:40:17,747
                    and somehow,

1153
00:40:17,783 --> 00:40:21,050
          her feedback
  always went down really easy.

1154
00:40:24,156 --> 00:40:25,088
             Anyway,

1155
00:40:25,123 --> 00:40:27,791
                  how does
                  a guy like you

1156
00:40:27,859 --> 00:40:30,460
                get into
                writing romance?

1157
00:40:32,497 --> 00:40:33,596
            You know,
     I've always thought...

1158
00:40:35,233 --> 00:40:38,668
that all literature
is romance, essentially.

1159
00:40:38,703 --> 00:40:40,036
            You know,
 the human heart is our canvas.

1160
00:40:40,105 --> 00:40:42,872
       It's the landscape
        that we toil in,

1161
00:40:42,908 --> 00:40:45,408
from Shakespeare
to J.K. Rowling.

1162
00:40:45,444 --> 00:40:46,342
           That's really poetic.

1163
00:40:46,378 --> 00:40:47,277
        Well, thank you.

1164
00:40:48,780 --> 00:40:50,180
     I mean, I always wanted
         to be a writer.

1165
00:40:50,215 --> 00:40:53,116
   You know, I was in finance.
    It was very cut and dry,

1166
00:40:53,185 --> 00:40:54,651
and then, one time,

1167
00:40:54,686 --> 00:40:56,619
I picked up
this romance novel,

1168
00:40:56,655 --> 00:40:58,655
and it got
the wheels spinning.

1169
00:40:58,723 --> 00:41:00,089
       I mean, my wife...

1170
00:41:00,125 --> 00:41:02,225
     used to say that I was
      a die-hard romantic,

1171
00:41:02,260 --> 00:41:06,062
so I decided to channel
our relationship,

1172
00:41:06,097 --> 00:41:07,897
        and our marriage,
     and the life around us,

1173
00:41:07,933 --> 00:41:09,766
        into my writing,

1174
00:41:09,835 --> 00:41:12,302
        and it was great.

1175
00:41:12,337 --> 00:41:14,404
             I mean,
      everything flowed...

1176
00:41:14,439 --> 00:41:15,572
     when things were good.

1177
00:41:15,607 --> 00:41:17,340
          Everything...

1178
00:41:19,010 --> 00:41:20,977
           and then...

1179
00:41:21,012 --> 00:41:23,112
             when...
     when the divorce hit...

1180
00:41:25,750 --> 00:41:28,718
       it was like hitting
          a brick wall.

1181
00:41:28,787 --> 00:41:30,587
     I'm sorry to hear that.

1182
00:41:30,622 --> 00:41:32,755
              Yeah.

1183
00:41:32,791 --> 00:41:34,557
          Is that when
   the writer's block started?

1184
00:41:34,593 --> 00:41:35,725
              Yeah.

1185
00:41:35,794 --> 00:41:37,694
           I feel like
  I fell off the romance horse,

1186
00:41:37,762 --> 00:41:40,864
 and I just, I haven't been able
     to find a way back on.

1187
00:41:40,899 --> 00:41:44,667
       So how come you go
    to writers' conferences?

1188
00:41:44,703 --> 00:41:46,069
        Well, yeah, um...
               oh!

1189
00:41:46,104 --> 00:41:47,737
           Thank you.

1190
00:41:47,772 --> 00:41:48,705
                And your mousse.

1191
00:41:48,740 --> 00:41:49,772
Thank you.

1192
00:41:51,510 --> 00:41:52,642
           Why do I go
    to writers' conferences?

1193
00:41:52,677 --> 00:41:54,611
           I guess...

1194
00:41:54,646 --> 00:41:55,879
     I'm desperately hoping
   something will shake loose.

1195
00:41:55,914 --> 00:41:57,447
You know?

1196
00:41:58,750 --> 00:41:59,849
    Well, I do have an idea.

1197
00:41:59,885 --> 00:42:01,684
             I'd like to propose
             a little exercise.

1198
00:42:01,753 --> 00:42:03,086
  Oh, so you're helping me now?

1199
00:42:03,121 --> 00:42:05,188
             Mm-hmm.
       You need it, right?

1200
00:42:05,223 --> 00:42:06,589
So the shoe
is on the other foot.

1201
00:42:06,658 --> 00:42:07,590
This is what it feels like.

1202
00:42:07,659 --> 00:42:08,725
      Do you have a problem
           with that?

1203
00:42:08,793 --> 00:42:09,759
         You know what?
           Strangely,

1204
00:42:09,794 --> 00:42:10,760
       I have no problems
        with this at all.

1205
00:42:10,795 --> 00:42:12,595
          Well then...

1206
00:42:12,631 --> 00:42:14,264
         so here we are,

1207
00:42:14,332 --> 00:42:16,466
        in a romantic restaurant
        at Christmas time.

1208
00:42:16,501 --> 00:42:17,834
              I want you to look
              around this room

1209
00:42:17,869 --> 00:42:19,836
           and tell me

1210
00:42:19,905 --> 00:42:23,573
what the most romantic detail is
        that you can see.

1211
00:42:23,642 --> 00:42:24,841
                 Don't make it
                 something trite

1212
00:42:24,876 --> 00:42:27,610
       like the Yule log
       burning in the fireplace,

1213
00:42:27,646 --> 00:42:30,113
             or the faint echoes
             of Christmas music

1214
00:42:30,181 --> 00:42:31,214
              in the background.

1215
00:42:31,249 --> 00:42:32,515
Okay, all right,
I'll try.

1216
00:42:35,020 --> 00:42:36,886
      One romantic thing...

1217
00:42:39,190 --> 00:42:42,492
          Well, I guess
   it would have to be, uh...

1218
00:42:42,527 --> 00:42:44,894
             Go on!
          Spit it out.

1219
00:42:44,930 --> 00:42:47,830
    How shiny that spoon is.

1220
00:42:47,866 --> 00:42:51,267
     How shiny the spoon is?
       Are you kidding me?

1221
00:42:51,303 --> 00:42:52,635
        You are seriously
    not even trying, are you?

1222
00:42:52,671 --> 00:42:54,237
    I mean, I have a reason.

1223
00:42:54,272 --> 00:42:56,172
        There's a reason
   why the spoon is romantic?

1224
00:42:56,207 --> 00:42:57,340
              Yeah.

1225
00:43:03,114 --> 00:43:07,650
 It's because of how it reflects
  just a hint of candlelight...

1226
00:43:10,088 --> 00:43:11,421
         into your eyes.

1227
00:43:18,630 --> 00:43:19,829
        ♪ Deck the halls
     with boughs of holly ♪

1228
00:43:19,898 --> 00:43:21,798
      ♪ Fa, la, la, la, la
        la, la, la, la ♪

1229
00:43:21,866 --> 00:43:24,133
 ♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪

1230
00:43:24,169 --> 00:43:26,502
      ♪ Fa, la, la, la, la,
        la, la, la, la ♪

1231
00:43:26,538 --> 00:43:28,304
      ♪ Don we now are... ♪

1232
00:43:28,373 --> 00:43:29,472
What's the deal
with you and Garth?

1233
00:43:29,541 --> 00:43:31,741
                [chuckles]
                Garth...

1234
00:43:31,810 --> 00:43:33,810
            He was always
            the "serious writer"

1235
00:43:33,845 --> 00:43:36,212
                of the couple...

1236
00:43:36,247 --> 00:43:37,847
           or at least
           he liked to think so.

1237
00:43:37,882 --> 00:43:39,015
                At parties,

1238
00:43:39,050 --> 00:43:40,650
               I would hang back
               and stay quiet

1239
00:43:40,685 --> 00:43:43,186
             while he held court
             to the crowd

1240
00:43:43,254 --> 00:43:45,254
                on all his
                brilliant ideas.

1241
00:43:45,290 --> 00:43:46,255
Well, you know...

1242
00:43:46,291 --> 00:43:47,357
some people feel bigger

1243
00:43:47,392 --> 00:43:48,825
by making others
feel smaller.

1244
00:43:48,860 --> 00:43:51,794
        Yeah, he certainly feels
        like he's a big deal

1245
00:43:51,830 --> 00:43:55,498
         now that he's at the
         "Dash of Romance" blog,

1246
00:43:55,533 --> 00:43:58,034
               but it was partly
               my fault, too.

1247
00:43:58,103 --> 00:43:59,335
  I'm just getting to the point

1248
00:43:59,371 --> 00:44:01,571
 where I'm able to say the words
         "I'm a writer"

1249
00:44:01,606 --> 00:44:04,007
    without wanting to hide.

1250
00:44:04,042 --> 00:44:06,109
          So, Writer...

1251
00:44:06,144 --> 00:44:07,310
      you going to show me
        your manuscript?

1252
00:44:07,345 --> 00:44:08,911
       Well, I don't know.

1253
00:44:08,947 --> 00:44:10,179
     You're so opinionated.

1254
00:44:10,215 --> 00:44:11,581
Kim, look, you helped me.
Let me help you.

1255
00:44:11,616 --> 00:44:13,383
      If you want to grow,

1256
00:44:13,451 --> 00:44:15,618
        you need to learn
      to take criticism....

1257
00:44:15,654 --> 00:44:19,856
       even if that means
        standing still...

1258
00:44:19,891 --> 00:44:21,457
          while people
     throw snowballs at you.

1259
00:44:22,627 --> 00:44:23,626
    Metaphorically speaking?

1260
00:44:23,662 --> 00:44:24,727
              Nope!

1261
00:44:24,763 --> 00:44:26,229
              Whoa!

1262
00:44:26,264 --> 00:44:27,497
       What was that for?

1263
00:44:27,532 --> 00:44:28,865
It's for using
too many adjectives.

1264
00:44:28,900 --> 00:44:29,866
                Are you serious?

1265
00:44:29,901 --> 00:44:31,834
Mm-hmm.

1266
00:44:31,870 --> 00:44:33,102
How else are you going
to get a thick skin?

1267
00:44:33,138 --> 00:44:35,271
          Why, you...!

1268
00:44:35,340 --> 00:44:36,406
         Your paragraphs
  could run a bit shorter, too,

1269
00:44:36,441 --> 00:44:37,473
           by the way.

1270
00:44:37,509 --> 00:44:40,143
             All right,
             Mr. Writer's Block!

1271
00:44:40,178 --> 00:44:41,077
                Does this knock
                any ideas loose?

1272
00:44:43,948 --> 00:44:44,881
               Ah!

1273
00:44:44,916 --> 00:44:47,750
    What, that's all you got?

1274
00:44:47,786 --> 00:44:48,651
Now you're getting
the hang of it.

1275
00:44:48,687 --> 00:44:49,452
Resilience!

1276
00:44:49,487 --> 00:44:51,387
        [screams, laughs]

1277
00:44:51,423 --> 00:44:53,322
       [yelling, laughing]

1278
00:44:56,194 --> 00:44:57,093
           [laughing]

1279
00:45:05,003 --> 00:45:07,270
    Thank you for helping me.

1280
00:45:07,305 --> 00:45:09,205
            Likewise.

1281
00:45:15,747 --> 00:45:18,314
             I think
   I might have misjudged you.

1282
00:45:20,151 --> 00:45:21,551
             I think
I might have misjudged you, too.

1283
00:45:30,428 --> 00:45:32,261
           I guess...

1284
00:45:33,765 --> 00:45:35,064
  I guess we should head back.

1285
00:45:36,201 --> 00:45:37,233
              Yeah.

1286
00:45:37,268 --> 00:45:39,535
We've got a class
tomorrow.

1287
00:45:39,571 --> 00:45:40,570
             We do.

1288
00:45:40,605 --> 00:45:41,571
    Yeah. Come on.

1289
00:45:48,613 --> 00:45:50,012
        Thank you for trusting
        my taste in restaurants.

1290
00:45:50,048 --> 00:45:51,214
          And thank you

1291
00:45:51,282 --> 00:45:53,983
           for knowing
    the way back to the Inn.

1292
00:45:54,018 --> 00:45:56,385
You're not going to do
any typing tonight, are you?

1293
00:45:56,421 --> 00:45:57,720
                     Typing? No.

1294
00:45:57,756 --> 00:45:58,988
            As a matter of fact,

1295
00:45:59,023 --> 00:46:00,523
          I think I am going to
          be doing some reading.

1296
00:46:00,592 --> 00:46:01,491
      Oh, yeah?

1297
00:46:01,526 --> 00:46:03,292
                      Mm-hmm.

1298
00:46:03,328 --> 00:46:04,393
                You're giving me
                that manuscript.

1299
00:46:04,429 --> 00:46:05,695
Oh, Zeke,
come on...

1300
00:46:05,730 --> 00:46:06,829
                    Kim, listen,

1301
00:46:06,865 --> 00:46:08,831
           sometimes, you've got
           to take a chance.

1302
00:46:08,867 --> 00:46:10,633
              Instead of dipping
              a toe in the pool,

1303
00:46:10,668 --> 00:46:12,368
        you've got to just jump
        right into the deep end.

1304
00:46:12,403 --> 00:46:13,836
    Uh-huh.

1305
00:46:16,841 --> 00:46:18,307
I... I... fine!

1306
00:46:18,343 --> 00:46:20,209
Okay, I surrender.

1307
00:46:21,579 --> 00:46:23,412
I think
it's in here somewhere.

1308
00:46:27,152 --> 00:46:29,018
There it is.

1309
00:46:29,053 --> 00:46:30,353
You do have
a computer, right?

1310
00:46:30,388 --> 00:46:31,187
                   Give me that.

1311
00:46:31,222 --> 00:46:32,622
I hope.

1312
00:46:32,657 --> 00:46:33,956
You promise to be nice?

1313
00:46:36,728 --> 00:46:37,493
                 I promise
                 to be truthful.

1314
00:46:39,664 --> 00:46:41,130
                Come on, let's
                get out of here.

1315
00:46:41,166 --> 00:46:42,131
              Aw...

1316
00:46:49,941 --> 00:46:51,073
             [Sam]:
          Where's Zeke?

1317
00:46:51,109 --> 00:46:53,075
Oh!
Believe it or not...

1318
00:46:53,111 --> 00:46:55,144
    I gave him my manuscript
            to read.

1319
00:46:55,180 --> 00:46:57,446
            Oh, wow!
            That's brave of you.

1320
00:46:57,482 --> 00:47:00,716
       So your "research dinner"
       must've gone well?

1321
00:47:00,752 --> 00:47:02,251
         I think it did.

1322
00:47:02,320 --> 00:47:04,187
    He threw snowballs at me,
              so...

1323
00:47:04,222 --> 00:47:06,155
                    Ah, okay.

1324
00:47:06,191 --> 00:47:07,390
Ooh, any plot updates

1325
00:47:07,425 --> 00:47:09,225
   on the Gentleman in Tweed?

1326
00:47:09,260 --> 00:47:11,694
              Oh, I am convinced
              he is Cowell.

1327
00:47:11,729 --> 00:47:13,462
          I mean, he's still
          playing it coy, right?

1328
00:47:13,498 --> 00:47:15,164
         But get this...

1329
00:47:15,233 --> 00:47:18,100
     last night, he ordered
 a glass of Flying Loon Merlot.

1330
00:47:20,205 --> 00:47:21,103
Straight out of the dinner scene
        in chapter eight

1331
00:47:21,139 --> 00:47:22,038
   of "Love Among the Maples."

1332
00:47:22,106 --> 00:47:23,873
      Right, right, right.

1333
00:47:23,908 --> 00:47:25,775
     Anyways, we have plans

1334
00:47:25,844 --> 00:47:27,176
   to tour a goat cheese farm
             later,

1335
00:47:27,212 --> 00:47:30,112
          and I intend to get
          to the bottom of this.

1336
00:47:30,148 --> 00:47:33,916
            Samantha,
 they broke the mould with you.

1337
00:47:33,952 --> 00:47:35,251
             Thanks!

1338
00:47:35,320 --> 00:47:36,319
See you later.

1339
00:47:36,354 --> 00:47:37,186
I have to run
to the next one.

1340
00:47:37,222 --> 00:47:38,154
                       Bye!

1341
00:47:45,063 --> 00:47:45,962
     Good morning, everyone.

1342
00:47:45,997 --> 00:47:48,264
                   Morning, Kim.

1343
00:47:48,299 --> 00:47:50,900
  How was your romantic dinner
     last night with, um...

1344
00:47:50,935 --> 00:47:53,703
                Oh! Did he
                skip out on you?

1345
00:47:53,771 --> 00:47:55,404
         Food poisoning?

1346
00:47:55,440 --> 00:47:57,273
Man, he just left you all alone.

1347
00:47:57,308 --> 00:47:59,242
   Thank you for your concern,

1348
00:47:59,277 --> 00:48:00,843
     but I will be just fine
        on my own today.

1349
00:48:00,879 --> 00:48:02,044
         Let's hope so.

1350
00:48:05,216 --> 00:48:07,583
Sorry I'm late.
Made it just in time.

1351
00:48:07,652 --> 00:48:08,851
          Good morning.

1352
00:48:08,887 --> 00:48:09,785
           How are you
     this beautiful morn...

1353
00:48:09,821 --> 00:48:11,287
                I bet you're one
                of those people

1354
00:48:11,322 --> 00:48:13,756
   that opens Advent calendars
 one day at a time, aren't you?

1355
00:48:13,791 --> 00:48:15,658
          Out with it!
   Did you read my manuscript?

1356
00:48:15,693 --> 00:48:17,393
              Well,
   I picked it up last night.

1357
00:48:17,462 --> 00:48:18,661
  And you couldn't put it down?

1358
00:48:18,696 --> 00:48:19,662
    Actually, I haven't quite
    finished reading it yet.

1359
00:48:19,697 --> 00:48:21,097
          You hated it.

1360
00:48:21,132 --> 00:48:22,865
  No, no, no, I just, you know,
    I read slowly, carefully.

1361
00:48:24,002 --> 00:48:25,001
Is that okay?

1362
00:48:25,036 --> 00:48:26,202
    Oh, that's just stellar.

1363
00:48:26,271 --> 00:48:28,404
     Waiting around for pain
          is super-fun.

1364
00:48:28,439 --> 00:48:29,572
              Look,
   I hate to break it to you,

1365
00:48:29,607 --> 00:48:30,473
    but waiting for feedback
       is part of the job.

1366
00:48:32,510 --> 00:48:33,809
            [Karen]:
     Welcome back, class...

1367
00:48:33,845 --> 00:48:36,112
       and I think we have
  our latest winner to announce

1368
00:48:36,147 --> 00:48:37,914
          for round two
       of the competition.

1369
00:48:40,251 --> 00:48:42,285
Congratulations,
"winner."

1370
00:48:42,320 --> 00:48:43,252
                      Thank you.

1371
00:48:43,288 --> 00:48:44,453
              Save me a seat
              at lunch, partner?

1372
00:48:44,489 --> 00:48:45,922
You got it.

1373
00:48:45,957 --> 00:48:46,956
              Hey.

1374
00:48:47,025 --> 00:48:48,758
Congratulations.

1375
00:48:48,826 --> 00:48:50,326
              Thanks, Kim,
              and you know what?

1376
00:48:50,361 --> 00:48:52,094
          Sorry about
          yesterday's blog post.

1377
00:48:53,898 --> 00:48:55,097
              What?

1378
00:48:55,133 --> 00:48:55,998
    Oh, tell me he didn't...

1379
00:48:59,137 --> 00:49:01,604
             "Ex-Mas
  At The Writers' Conference"?

1380
00:49:01,639 --> 00:49:03,205
As in "my ex."

1381
00:49:03,241 --> 00:49:04,373
     You know, he's just trying
     to throw you off your game,

1382
00:49:04,409 --> 00:49:05,574
                   right?

1383
00:49:05,643 --> 00:49:07,276
Well, it's working.

1384
00:49:09,180 --> 00:49:11,080
     Look, Garth was always
  going to have the upper hand

1385
00:49:11,115 --> 00:49:12,882
    when it came to that sort
         of assignment.

1386
00:49:12,917 --> 00:49:13,883
             I mean,
        look at his blog.

1387
00:49:13,918 --> 00:49:14,850
It's nothing
but a bunch of...

1388
00:49:14,886 --> 00:49:17,286
you know,
mundane observations.

1389
00:49:17,322 --> 00:49:19,088
         Ugh... I know.

1390
00:49:19,123 --> 00:49:22,558
     I guess there's always
 round three of the competition.

1391
00:49:22,627 --> 00:49:24,794
Well,
what does it matter?

1392
00:49:24,829 --> 00:49:26,262
You already won
the first round,

1393
00:49:26,297 --> 00:49:27,196
and you got your hat
in the ring

1394
00:49:27,231 --> 00:49:28,264
with Cowell.

1395
00:49:28,333 --> 00:49:29,332
                Yeah, it's not
                just about that.

1396
00:49:29,367 --> 00:49:30,466
             It's about the fact

1397
00:49:30,501 --> 00:49:31,801
              that Garth doesn't
              believe in me.

1398
00:49:31,836 --> 00:49:34,103
                I just want to
                prove him wrong.

1399
00:49:34,138 --> 00:49:36,005
Kim...

1400
00:49:36,040 --> 00:49:37,974
look, whether it's Garth,
or Cowell,

1401
00:49:38,009 --> 00:49:39,175
or anybody
reading your work,

1402
00:49:39,210 --> 00:49:41,477
the only person who needs
to believe in you...

1403
00:49:41,512 --> 00:49:43,679
is you.

1404
00:49:43,715 --> 00:49:44,547
Now look, can we please
go back inside,

1405
00:49:44,582 --> 00:49:46,182
where it's warm?

1406
00:49:46,217 --> 00:49:47,817
          Zeke, please.

1407
00:49:47,852 --> 00:49:48,851
         Am I any good?

1408
00:49:48,920 --> 00:49:51,053
Kim...

1409
00:49:51,089 --> 00:49:53,055
you get more compliments
than anybody in our group.

1410
00:49:53,091 --> 00:49:55,825
          But that's on
    the writing assignments.

1411
00:49:55,860 --> 00:49:56,993
           You've read
     some of my manuscript.

1412
00:49:57,028 --> 00:49:58,060
          You must have
         some thoughts?

1413
00:50:01,032 --> 00:50:02,131
    I mean, I'm just one guy.
        Why do I matter?

1414
00:50:02,166 --> 00:50:05,101
   Because I just want to know

1415
00:50:05,136 --> 00:50:07,470
   before I chase this rainbow
          any further,

1416
00:50:07,538 --> 00:50:08,938
          before I start sending
          this stuff out

1417
00:50:09,007 --> 00:50:10,506
                  to publishers.

1418
00:50:10,541 --> 00:50:12,475
            I mean...

1419
00:50:12,510 --> 00:50:14,276
          I don't know
if I can take any more rejection

1420
00:50:14,312 --> 00:50:15,711
         in my writing.

1421
00:50:15,747 --> 00:50:17,680
 I've certainly had plenty of it
    when it comes to dating.

1422
00:50:17,715 --> 00:50:19,648
Come on, now that,
I find that hard to believe.

1423
00:50:19,684 --> 00:50:21,417
          Oh, trust me,

1424
00:50:21,452 --> 00:50:22,952
         my dating life
        makes the Titanic

1425
00:50:22,987 --> 00:50:24,387
  look like a pleasure cruise.

1426
00:50:24,422 --> 00:50:26,489
                    [chuckles]

1427
00:50:26,524 --> 00:50:28,991
  Would you please just tell me
         your thoughts?

1428
00:50:29,027 --> 00:50:31,227
             Look...

1429
00:50:31,262 --> 00:50:32,028
           I think...

1430
00:50:33,164 --> 00:50:35,464
that you need
to stop obsessing,

1431
00:50:35,500 --> 00:50:36,799
all right,

1432
00:50:36,834 --> 00:50:38,334
and there's a great industry
lecture today at noon.

1433
00:50:38,403 --> 00:50:39,702
It'll take your mind
right off of this.

1434
00:50:39,737 --> 00:50:41,203
            I thought
     you hated the lectures?

1435
00:50:41,239 --> 00:50:42,738
I do.
I'm not going.

1436
00:50:42,807 --> 00:50:43,706
I've got a manuscript
to finish.

1437
00:50:43,741 --> 00:50:45,608
             Okay...

1438
00:50:46,911 --> 00:50:49,412
  but hurry up and finish it...

1439
00:50:49,447 --> 00:50:51,714
       but take your time.

1440
00:50:58,589 --> 00:51:00,056
     [Sam]: I am soited
         for this talk.

1441
00:51:00,124 --> 00:51:02,425
Catherine McCullen!

1442
00:51:02,460 --> 00:51:03,225
She's like the Grand Dame
of romance fiction.

1443
00:51:03,261 --> 00:51:04,226
                    I know.

1444
00:51:04,262 --> 00:51:05,461
       [Sam]: Here she is.

1445
00:51:05,530 --> 00:51:07,396
           [applause]

1446
00:51:10,201 --> 00:51:11,934
       Seasons Greetings,
            everyone.

1447
00:51:11,969 --> 00:51:14,036
           As you see,

1448
00:51:14,072 --> 00:51:16,172
         I never travel
        without my tree.

1449
00:51:16,207 --> 00:51:17,339
        [audience laughs]

1450
00:51:17,375 --> 00:51:18,607
        As I was thinking

1451
00:51:18,643 --> 00:51:21,210
       about what to talk
       to you about today,

1452
00:51:21,245 --> 00:51:23,712
         I flashed back
    to my friend H.T. Cowell.

1453
00:51:23,748 --> 00:51:27,616
    He has a very interesting
      approach to writing,

1454
00:51:27,652 --> 00:51:30,719
  which I don't think he'd mind
      if I shared with you.

1455
00:51:30,755 --> 00:51:35,558
    Think of a Christmas tree
   as the story you're living,

1456
00:51:35,593 --> 00:51:39,328
          or the story
     you're wanting to tell.

1457
00:51:39,363 --> 00:51:42,198
       A string of lights
      illuminates our path.

1458
00:51:42,266 --> 00:51:45,701
    Each bulb is a plot point

1459
00:51:45,736 --> 00:51:49,805
      or a meaningful event
          in our lives.

1460
00:51:49,841 --> 00:51:52,408
            Ornaments

1461
00:51:52,443 --> 00:51:54,677
       are the characters
         and concepts...

1462
00:51:56,047 --> 00:51:58,414
 giving the tree personality...

1463
00:52:01,085 --> 00:52:03,986
          and the angel
   is our clear point of view

1464
00:52:04,021 --> 00:52:05,554
           from above,

1465
00:52:05,623 --> 00:52:07,556
      that lets us peek...

1466
00:52:07,592 --> 00:52:10,292
   into the lives of others...

1467
00:52:11,929 --> 00:52:14,363
   which just leaves the gifts
         under the tree,

1468
00:52:14,432 --> 00:52:16,966
          and the gifts
 are what each person takes away

1469
00:52:17,034 --> 00:52:18,267
     from what we create...

1470
00:52:18,302 --> 00:52:22,304
        our gift to them.

1471
00:52:22,340 --> 00:52:25,975
            I have just got
            to meet H.T. Cowell.

1472
00:52:26,043 --> 00:52:28,644
I'm working on it.

1473
00:52:35,052 --> 00:52:36,685
          That will be
     a tough act to follow.

1474
00:52:36,721 --> 00:52:37,953
                Even for Cowell.

1475
00:52:37,989 --> 00:52:39,688
         How's he going to top
         that at his big speech?

1476
00:52:39,757 --> 00:52:41,323
      [Sam]: Not possible.
           Just not...

1477
00:52:41,392 --> 00:52:42,358
              What?
               Oh.

1478
00:52:43,761 --> 00:52:44,727
                          [Kim]:
                          Yes?

1479
00:52:44,762 --> 00:52:45,661
            All done.

1480
00:52:45,696 --> 00:52:46,695
              And?

1481
00:52:46,764 --> 00:52:48,564
And I'm taking us
to lunch,

1482
00:52:48,599 --> 00:52:49,565
so go grab your coat.
I'm going to get the car.

1483
00:52:49,600 --> 00:52:50,599
      That's not an answer.

1484
00:52:51,869 --> 00:52:52,635
Grab your coat.
I'm going to get the car.

1485
00:52:53,538 --> 00:52:54,537
               Go.

1486
00:52:54,605 --> 00:52:56,672
                  He loves
                  the book. Yay!

1487
00:52:56,741 --> 00:52:57,907
          He loves it.

1488
00:53:03,181 --> 00:53:05,948
All right, you brought me
to a happy place.

1489
00:53:05,983 --> 00:53:09,852
I'm here.
I am prepared.

1490
00:53:09,887 --> 00:53:11,120
Hit me with it.

1491
00:53:11,155 --> 00:53:12,755
        Listen, we're on
        a work break, all right,

1492
00:53:12,790 --> 00:53:14,156
               so let's enjoy
               our crepes first.

1493
00:53:14,192 --> 00:53:15,124
               We can talk
               about that later.

1494
00:53:15,193 --> 00:53:16,559
Zeke,
tell me the truth.

1495
00:53:16,594 --> 00:53:18,460
Go on.

1496
00:53:18,496 --> 00:53:19,862
                   All right,
                   fine, look...

1497
00:53:19,931 --> 00:53:21,597
             I think you're
             genuinely talented.

1498
00:53:21,632 --> 00:53:23,199
         I think you're as solid
         a writer as it gets.

1499
00:53:23,234 --> 00:53:25,734
          I think that your
          structure and dialogue

1500
00:53:25,803 --> 00:53:26,669
           are fun and lively...

1501
00:53:26,704 --> 00:53:27,703
       "But"?

1502
00:53:27,772 --> 00:53:29,171
                   But I just...

1503
00:53:29,240 --> 00:53:30,406
                 I don't think
                 it's there yet.

1504
00:53:30,441 --> 00:53:31,740
      Ouch.

1505
00:53:31,776 --> 00:53:32,675
                No, come on.
                Hear me through.

1506
00:53:34,045 --> 00:53:36,178
     I think your characters
   aren't fully realized yet,

1507
00:53:36,247 --> 00:53:40,549
  and I think that the details
      don't feel personal.

1508
00:53:41,819 --> 00:53:42,985
              Okay, let me give
              you, for instance,

1509
00:53:43,020 --> 00:53:43,953
         the hotel where they're
         staying in New York,

1510
00:53:43,988 --> 00:53:44,954
               the Leone, right?

1511
00:53:44,989 --> 00:53:45,888
              Yeah.

1512
00:53:45,923 --> 00:53:46,755
                    Does it have
                    a doorman?

1513
00:53:48,259 --> 00:53:49,892
    Does it have solid doors
       or revolving doors?

1514
00:53:49,927 --> 00:53:52,161
     Does the vintage lobby
      take your breath away

1515
00:53:52,196 --> 00:53:53,262
      when you step inside,

1516
00:53:53,297 --> 00:53:55,431
             or is it a shell of
             its former glory?

1517
00:53:55,466 --> 00:53:56,398
          I don't know.

1518
00:53:56,434 --> 00:53:57,433
                 I don't either.

1519
00:53:57,501 --> 00:53:58,968
      That's the problem...

1520
00:53:59,003 --> 00:54:02,238
         is the details
       don't feel real...

1521
00:54:02,273 --> 00:54:03,906
          almost as if,
          I don't know,

1522
00:54:03,941 --> 00:54:05,374
      like you'd never been
    to New York or something.

1523
00:54:05,409 --> 00:54:08,143
      Well, I haven't spent
        much time there.

1524
00:54:08,179 --> 00:54:10,212
      Well, a writer's got
  to know her world inside out.

1525
00:54:10,248 --> 00:54:12,881
Where's a good snowball
when you need one?

1526
00:54:12,917 --> 00:54:14,250
                  And we have to
                  see that world

1527
00:54:14,318 --> 00:54:15,284
               through your
               characters' eyes.

1528
00:54:15,319 --> 00:54:16,752
                   That's really
                   important.

1529
00:54:16,787 --> 00:54:17,786
         Look, honestly,
   I'm not talking down to you

1530
00:54:17,822 --> 00:54:19,154
    from a high horse, right?

1531
00:54:19,223 --> 00:54:20,189
    I'm the guy who fell off
   the writing horse entirely,

1532
00:54:20,224 --> 00:54:21,190
                       remember.

1533
00:54:21,225 --> 00:54:22,091
              I think it's a
              solid first draft.

1534
00:54:22,159 --> 00:54:23,692
       All I'm saying is,

1535
00:54:23,728 --> 00:54:25,361
  it just needs a little tweak
 and a little work, that's all.

1536
00:54:25,429 --> 00:54:26,328
                      We all do.

1537
00:54:26,397 --> 00:54:28,097
         All right, so,

1538
00:54:28,132 --> 00:54:30,733
           as someone
  who's about to be published,

1539
00:54:30,801 --> 00:54:32,601
   in your humble opinion...?

1540
00:54:34,839 --> 00:54:36,205
    It's not publishable yet.

1541
00:54:52,690 --> 00:54:54,089
       [phone text chimes]

1542
00:54:54,158 --> 00:54:55,491
           Zeke again.

1543
00:54:56,560 --> 00:54:57,860
                     Don't care.

1544
00:54:58,996 --> 00:55:01,063
  Despite giving you feedback,
     he's still a great guy.

1545
00:55:01,098 --> 00:55:02,665
                I know,

1546
00:55:02,700 --> 00:55:04,700
          but I still can't help
          being mad at him.

1547
00:55:04,769 --> 00:55:06,835
     Because he didn't fall
  in love with your manuscript?

1548
00:55:06,904 --> 00:55:08,937
 I mean, that seems a little...
      just a little unfair.

1549
00:55:08,973 --> 00:55:11,073
    Maybe just a little bit,

1550
00:55:11,142 --> 00:55:12,708
 but see, that makes me mad, too

1551
00:55:12,777 --> 00:55:14,343
 because I'm being so childish.

1552
00:55:14,412 --> 00:55:16,245
Then you probably
blame him for it.

1553
00:55:16,280 --> 00:55:17,546
           Well, yeah,
     'cause it's his fault.

1554
00:55:17,581 --> 00:55:19,014
              -No.
             -It is!

1555
00:55:19,050 --> 00:55:19,948
What?

1556
00:55:19,984 --> 00:55:21,617
          [they laugh]

1557
00:55:21,652 --> 00:55:23,252
    No, look, it's one thing

1558
00:55:23,287 --> 00:55:25,788
       when I get feedback
     on my writing exercises

1559
00:55:25,856 --> 00:55:27,189
         from the class,

1560
00:55:27,224 --> 00:55:30,326
       but Zeke not liking
         my manuscript,

1561
00:55:30,361 --> 00:55:31,927
 that's like a piece of my soul!

1562
00:55:31,962 --> 00:55:34,663
Okay, whoa.
He did not "not" like it.

1563
00:55:34,699 --> 00:55:35,798
He just...

1564
00:55:35,833 --> 00:55:37,466
he just said
it could be even better.

1565
00:55:37,501 --> 00:55:39,001
Also, you know,

1566
00:55:39,070 --> 00:55:40,536
Zeke's where
we want to be...

1567
00:55:40,571 --> 00:55:43,038
the book deal,
right?

1568
00:55:43,074 --> 00:55:44,573
    Well, it's just one book.

1569
00:55:44,608 --> 00:55:47,343
 Well, it's more than you and I
            combined.

1570
00:55:47,411 --> 00:55:49,211
        Plus, you've got
        to give him props

1571
00:55:49,246 --> 00:55:50,412
    for giving you pointers.

1572
00:55:50,448 --> 00:55:51,914
          That's true.

1573
00:55:51,982 --> 00:55:53,182
Yeah.

1574
00:55:53,217 --> 00:55:55,084
           Well, hey,
 I have my big sitdown tomorrow

1575
00:55:55,119 --> 00:55:56,385
        with a book agent
      and publisher, so...

1576
00:55:56,420 --> 00:55:57,953
          You're going
          to be great.

1577
00:55:58,022 --> 00:55:59,088
        If nothing else,

1578
00:55:59,156 --> 00:56:02,024
maybe Zeke helped take the sting
           out of it,

1579
00:56:02,093 --> 00:56:03,826
       You're so talented.

1580
00:56:03,894 --> 00:56:05,594
          Thanks, Sam.

1581
00:56:05,629 --> 00:56:06,895
             Cheers.

1582
00:56:06,931 --> 00:56:08,297
              Yes.
             Cheers.

1583
00:56:09,834 --> 00:56:11,333
              [♪♪♪]

1584
00:56:14,739 --> 00:56:15,904
          [phone rings]

1585
00:56:18,909 --> 00:56:20,109
           Hi, honey!

1586
00:56:20,144 --> 00:56:21,377
             [Kim]:
           <i> Hey, Dad.</i>

1587
00:56:21,412 --> 00:56:22,578
         <i> I just wanted</i>
      <i> to hear your voice.</i>

1588
00:56:22,613 --> 00:56:24,213
   <i> I didn't wake you, did I?</i>

1589
00:56:24,248 --> 00:56:25,481
          Not a chance.

1590
00:56:25,516 --> 00:56:27,483
     I've been up for hours
         wrapping gifts.

1591
00:56:27,518 --> 00:56:28,917
     <i> How's the conference?</i>

1592
00:56:28,953 --> 00:56:31,253
            <i> Are you</i>
   <i> a literary rock star yet?</i>

1593
00:56:31,322 --> 00:56:33,889
    Well, I haven't destroyed
         my hotel room,

1594
00:56:33,958 --> 00:56:35,357
           but, um...

1595
00:56:35,426 --> 00:56:37,092
  I was up pretty late working.

1596
00:56:37,128 --> 00:56:39,261
         How's it going?
           Seriously?

1597
00:56:39,330 --> 00:56:41,964
       Well, the criticism
        is kind of hard.

1598
00:56:41,999 --> 00:56:44,600
        <i> I'll bet it is.</i>

1599
00:56:44,635 --> 00:56:46,235
         <i> It can be hard</i>
     <i> to give tough advice,</i>

1600
00:56:46,270 --> 00:56:46,902
          <i> even harder</i>
       <i> to listen to it...</i>

1601
00:56:48,706 --> 00:56:50,539
 <i> even when it's meant to help.</i>

1602
00:56:50,608 --> 00:56:53,876
  I wish I could just carry you
  around with me all day, Dad.

1603
00:56:53,911 --> 00:56:55,110
           [chuckles]

1604
00:56:55,179 --> 00:56:56,879
         It'd be murder
         on your lumbar.

1605
00:56:56,914 --> 00:56:59,281
            [laughs]

1606
00:56:59,316 --> 00:57:02,050
          Well, I have
   my professional panel today

1607
00:57:02,086 --> 00:57:04,420
       with the book agent
         and publisher.

1608
00:57:04,488 --> 00:57:06,054
Do you have any words of wisdom?

1609
00:57:06,123 --> 00:57:08,824
            It's time
to put your game face on, kiddo.

1610
00:57:08,893 --> 00:57:11,660
         Love you, Dad.
         See you later.

1611
00:57:17,501 --> 00:57:18,434
           Hey, Zeke.

1612
00:57:18,469 --> 00:57:21,036
             Hey...
            oh, hey!

1613
00:57:21,071 --> 00:57:22,037
          I caught you
          just in time.

1614
00:57:22,072 --> 00:57:23,138
        Look, I came down

1615
00:57:23,174 --> 00:57:26,074
        because I wanted
     to wish you good luck,

1616
00:57:26,110 --> 00:57:27,109
           and because I kind of
           wanted to apologize

1617
00:57:27,178 --> 00:57:28,110
            for I said yesterday
            if it was too harsh.

1618
00:57:28,179 --> 00:57:29,077
                I didn't mean...

1619
00:57:29,146 --> 00:57:31,113
No, Zeke, stop.

1620
00:57:31,148 --> 00:57:32,981
I know that those snowballs
you threw at me

1621
00:57:33,017 --> 00:57:33,816
were only meant
to help....

1622
00:57:34,852 --> 00:57:35,884
and it occurred to me,

1623
00:57:35,920 --> 00:57:37,519
you spent so much time
reading my book,

1624
00:57:37,555 --> 00:57:39,688
you didn't even have time
to turn in your assignment

1625
00:57:39,757 --> 00:57:40,889
for the competition.

1626
00:57:40,925 --> 00:57:42,224
                 Well, you know,
                 I was torn,

1627
00:57:42,259 --> 00:57:43,592
          but then I figured
          I'd much rather finish

1628
00:57:43,627 --> 00:57:45,627
        a very talented
        new author's manuscript.

1629
00:57:45,663 --> 00:57:47,496
You don't have
to say that.

1630
00:57:47,531 --> 00:57:49,565
              I wouldn't
              if it wasn't true.

1631
00:57:49,600 --> 00:57:52,401
Well, it's time for me
to face the music.

1632
00:57:52,436 --> 00:57:55,137
My professional panel
is starting right now.

1633
00:57:55,172 --> 00:57:56,338
                   Well, listen,

1634
00:57:56,373 --> 00:57:57,406
          if I can give you some
          unsolicited advice,

1635
00:57:57,441 --> 00:58:00,909
              just think of them
              as snow-ma'ams.

1636
00:58:00,945 --> 00:58:01,977
     Okay.

1637
00:58:02,012 --> 00:58:02,845
                   All right.
                   You got this.

1638
00:58:02,880 --> 00:58:04,046
Thanks.

1639
00:58:05,416 --> 00:58:06,281
                      I'm sorry.

1640
00:58:06,317 --> 00:58:07,749
                      [woman]:
                      Thank you.

1641
00:58:09,887 --> 00:58:12,087
          Come in, we've got
          to keep things moving.

1642
00:58:12,122 --> 00:58:13,789
Miss Rossi?

1643
00:58:13,824 --> 00:58:14,756
              Yes.
      You can call me Kim.

1644
00:58:16,026 --> 00:58:17,860
               That's all right.

1645
00:58:17,895 --> 00:58:19,661
        We enjoyed your premise.

1646
00:58:19,697 --> 00:58:21,763
              You know your way
              around a sentence,

1647
00:58:21,799 --> 00:58:23,565
and your structure
is respectable,

1648
00:58:23,601 --> 00:58:24,900
but from the sample
of the manuscript

1649
00:58:24,935 --> 00:58:26,068
that you submitted,

1650
00:58:26,136 --> 00:58:27,236
at times,
your characters...

1651
00:58:27,304 --> 00:58:29,438
         they lack authenticity.

1652
00:58:29,473 --> 00:58:30,873
           They seem
           a little too perfect.

1653
00:58:30,908 --> 00:58:33,041
I'd like
to see the world more

1654
00:58:33,077 --> 00:58:35,010
from their perspective.

1655
00:58:35,045 --> 00:58:37,613
             Mess them up,
             give them problems,

1656
00:58:37,648 --> 00:58:38,881
         contradictions,

1657
00:58:38,916 --> 00:58:40,449
     something that they...
        they ache for...

1658
00:58:40,518 --> 00:58:43,986
            and more detail,
            a lot more detail...

1659
00:58:44,021 --> 00:58:45,020
           and when you do that,

1660
00:58:45,089 --> 00:58:46,622
you might have
a really good book here.

1661
00:58:46,657 --> 00:58:50,392
      Would you be willing
to work with me to get me there?

1662
00:58:50,427 --> 00:58:52,427
             Oh, no.

1663
00:58:52,463 --> 00:58:53,762
This still has first draft feel.

1664
00:58:53,797 --> 00:58:55,764
Mm.

1665
00:58:55,799 --> 00:58:57,199
You've got
a long way to go,

1666
00:58:57,234 --> 00:58:58,634
but, and I mean this,

1667
00:58:58,669 --> 00:59:00,302
           don't be discouraged.

1668
00:59:00,337 --> 00:59:01,570
I can assure you,

1669
00:59:01,605 --> 00:59:03,038
he hasn't said that
to anyone else here today.

1670
00:59:03,073 --> 00:59:04,673
            [laughs]

1671
00:59:04,708 --> 00:59:06,542
                  So keep up
                  the good work,

1672
00:59:06,577 --> 00:59:08,043
and you've got talent.

1673
00:59:08,112 --> 00:59:09,978
       So you're saying...

1674
00:59:10,014 --> 00:59:11,079
                     We're done.

1675
00:59:11,115 --> 00:59:12,080
            For now.

1676
00:59:12,116 --> 00:59:13,582
                      Thank you.

1677
00:59:13,617 --> 00:59:15,050
          Oh... right.

1678
00:59:15,085 --> 00:59:16,151
           Thank you.

1679
00:59:21,025 --> 00:59:22,758
       Hey.

1680
00:59:22,826 --> 00:59:24,393
          How'd it go?

1681
00:59:24,461 --> 00:59:26,028
              Ugh.

1682
00:59:26,096 --> 00:59:28,463
           I just want
       to hide in my room

1683
00:59:28,532 --> 00:59:29,731
        and bury my head
     in an H.T. Cowell book

1684
00:59:29,767 --> 00:59:31,533
                and forget
                about the world.

1685
00:59:31,569 --> 00:59:32,467
             Really?

1686
00:59:33,537 --> 00:59:34,503
You know what?

1687
00:59:34,572 --> 00:59:35,437
I have
an even better idea.

1688
00:59:35,472 --> 00:59:36,405
Come on.

1689
00:59:40,778 --> 00:59:41,810
             [Zeke]:
   You have officially entered

1690
00:59:41,845 --> 00:59:43,178
            the world
   of the professional writer.

1691
00:59:43,213 --> 00:59:44,146
         [laughs]

1692
00:59:44,181 --> 00:59:45,447
            Okay.

1693
00:59:45,482 --> 00:59:47,149
         In fact, a rejection is
         something to be savored

1694
00:59:47,217 --> 00:59:48,784
               and celebrated...

1695
00:59:48,852 --> 00:59:50,319
               like a fine wine.

1696
00:59:50,354 --> 00:59:51,320
       It is?

1697
00:59:51,355 --> 00:59:52,321
                    Mm-hmm.

1698
00:59:55,225 --> 00:59:57,192
          Wait, what...

1699
00:59:57,227 --> 00:59:59,027
          what is this?

1700
00:59:59,063 --> 01:00:01,296
             [Zeke]:
       We're celebrating.

1701
01:00:01,332 --> 01:00:02,631
What?

1702
01:00:04,468 --> 01:00:05,701
                   There you go.

1703
01:00:05,736 --> 01:00:07,002
              Oh...

1704
01:00:11,041 --> 01:00:12,074
As a matter of fact,

1705
01:00:12,109 --> 01:00:14,142
I remember
my first rejection.

1706
01:00:14,178 --> 01:00:15,077
              Yeah?

1707
01:00:15,145 --> 01:00:16,612
Yeah.

1708
01:00:16,647 --> 01:00:18,347
 I strolled down to the mailbox,

1709
01:00:18,415 --> 01:00:21,216
 thinking I was going to pick up
      some Christmas cards,

1710
01:00:21,251 --> 01:00:23,352
          and instead,
 I got a rejection form letter.

1711
01:00:23,387 --> 01:00:24,620
     It was like a snowball
          to the face,

1712
01:00:24,655 --> 01:00:26,021
but the good news is,

1713
01:00:26,090 --> 01:00:28,357
the sting gets
a little less each time.

1714
01:00:28,392 --> 01:00:31,526
           I remember
       my first rejection.

1715
01:00:31,562 --> 01:00:33,328
     It was Timmy Lonnegan.

1716
01:00:33,364 --> 01:00:35,764
        On the playground
           at recess,

1717
01:00:35,799 --> 01:00:37,065
        he just dumped me
 in front of the entire school.

1718
01:00:39,637 --> 01:00:42,004
    Look, whether it's love,

1719
01:00:42,072 --> 01:00:42,904
   or whether it's writing...

1720
01:00:45,209 --> 01:00:46,341
it takes
a lot of resilience

1721
01:00:46,377 --> 01:00:47,976
       to stay in the game
           long enough

1722
01:00:48,012 --> 01:00:50,345
   for a happily-ever-after...

1723
01:00:50,414 --> 01:00:51,546
  and Timmy's loss, by the way.

1724
01:00:52,950 --> 01:00:54,216
             Well...

1725
01:00:54,251 --> 01:00:55,550
            [laughs]

1726
01:00:55,586 --> 01:00:56,985
    Listen, I've got an idea.
      Would you be willing

1727
01:00:57,021 --> 01:00:58,320
        to try something
  a little different tomorrow?

1728
01:00:58,355 --> 01:00:59,921
           Like what?

1729
01:00:59,957 --> 01:01:01,356
     Well, they've given us
  the day off to do re-writes,

1730
01:01:01,392 --> 01:01:02,524
 so we don't have class anyway.

1731
01:01:02,559 --> 01:01:04,626
          That's true.

1732
01:01:04,662 --> 01:01:06,662
             I want
     to take you somewhere.

1733
01:01:06,697 --> 01:01:07,829
      Maybe a little trip?

1734
01:01:07,898 --> 01:01:09,064
             A trip?
             Where?

1735
01:01:09,099 --> 01:01:10,499
         Just trust me.

1736
01:01:12,302 --> 01:01:13,435
        Plus, my motives
       are partly selfish.

1737
01:01:13,470 --> 01:01:14,569
             I mean,
  they say a change of scenery

1738
01:01:14,605 --> 01:01:16,071
        can work miracles
       for writer's block.

1739
01:01:16,106 --> 01:01:17,773
            [laughs]

1740
01:01:19,309 --> 01:01:21,376
          I don't know
     what it is about you...

1741
01:01:21,445 --> 01:01:22,644
           but I'm in.

1742
01:01:24,148 --> 01:01:25,747
      Okay.

1743
01:01:38,529 --> 01:01:39,428
Good morning!

1744
01:01:39,463 --> 01:01:41,930
                 I tend to think
                 morning begins

1745
01:01:41,965 --> 01:01:43,265
         after I've had
         my first sip of coffee.

1746
01:01:43,333 --> 01:01:44,199
I'm pretty sure
they have coffee

1747
01:01:44,234 --> 01:01:45,233
where we're going.

1748
01:01:45,302 --> 01:01:45,934
Did you bring
a change of clothes?

1749
01:01:45,969 --> 01:01:47,469
              Yes.

1750
01:01:47,504 --> 01:01:48,704
  We're not going duck hunting,
             are we?

1751
01:01:48,739 --> 01:01:49,705
    'Cause I don't like that.

1752
01:01:49,740 --> 01:01:51,273
          It's winter.
            No ducks.

1753
01:01:51,341 --> 01:01:52,207
           Lucky them.

1754
01:01:53,644 --> 01:01:55,010
     So where are we going?

1755
01:01:55,079 --> 01:01:56,311
     Green Mountain Valley?

1756
01:01:56,346 --> 01:01:57,913
                 Winooski River?

1757
01:01:57,948 --> 01:01:58,880
         New York City.

1758
01:01:58,916 --> 01:02:00,582
I got us tickets.

1759
01:02:00,651 --> 01:02:01,717
               We're going
               to New York City?

1760
01:02:01,785 --> 01:02:02,651
                Like, right now?

1761
01:02:02,686 --> 01:02:03,852
             Mm-hmm.

1762
01:02:03,921 --> 01:02:04,820
                Are you kidding?

1763
01:02:04,888 --> 01:02:05,954
No.

1764
01:02:06,023 --> 01:02:07,189
            I've got
    more frequent-flyer miles

1765
01:02:07,224 --> 01:02:08,323
  than I know what to do with.

1766
01:02:08,358 --> 01:02:09,357
  I'm a finance guy, remember?

1767
01:02:09,393 --> 01:02:10,959
        I've got clients
     up and down the coast.

1768
01:02:10,994 --> 01:02:12,427
              Okay,
  I have a confession to make.

1769
01:02:12,463 --> 01:02:13,562
               Mm?

1770
01:02:13,597 --> 01:02:15,564
    I've never actually been
        to New York City.

1771
01:02:16,800 --> 01:02:18,133
    Yeah, that's pretty clear

1772
01:02:18,168 --> 01:02:20,135
  from your descriptions of it
          in your book.

1773
01:02:20,170 --> 01:02:22,270
         You know, you're pretty
         funny sometimes.

1774
01:02:23,707 --> 01:02:24,873
         Now is not one of them.

1775
01:02:24,908 --> 01:02:26,641
    Big Apple, here we come.

1776
01:02:52,069 --> 01:02:53,602
  [Zeke]: Thanks so much, Sam.

1777
01:02:54,738 --> 01:02:55,804
       -[Kim]: Thank you!
     -[Sam]: You're welcome.

1778
01:02:59,376 --> 01:03:00,809
              Bye!

1779
01:03:00,844 --> 01:03:02,177
       Oh, you always hear

1780
01:03:02,246 --> 01:03:03,645
   about how New York cabbies
          are so rude,

1781
01:03:03,714 --> 01:03:05,580
              but he was totally
              into my questions.

1782
01:03:05,616 --> 01:03:06,915
  That's what I'm telling you.

1783
01:03:06,984 --> 01:03:07,816
You've got to experience a place
      with all your senses

1784
01:03:07,851 --> 01:03:09,050
           to be able
       to write about it.

1785
01:03:09,119 --> 01:03:10,585
Okay, so this is
Midtown, right?

1786
01:03:10,621 --> 01:03:12,587
So Soho and Wall Street
are that way.

1787
01:03:12,623 --> 01:03:14,156
Broadway's
behind us somewhere.

1788
01:03:14,191 --> 01:03:16,658
             Oh, I am officially
             overwhelmed.

1789
01:03:16,693 --> 01:03:17,926
                           Zeke!

1790
01:03:17,961 --> 01:03:18,994
      Look, it's the hotel

1791
01:03:19,062 --> 01:03:20,095
       that I wrote about
           in my book,

1792
01:03:20,130 --> 01:03:21,429
        the Hotel Leone.

1793
01:03:21,465 --> 01:03:22,898
Uh-huh,
that's right.

1794
01:03:22,933 --> 01:03:24,332
Why'd you choose
this one?

1795
01:03:24,368 --> 01:03:25,367
                           Um...

1796
01:03:25,435 --> 01:03:27,302
        I liked the look
         of the facade.

1797
01:03:27,337 --> 01:03:28,737
             [Zeke]:
          That explains

1798
01:03:28,772 --> 01:03:29,838
  why your descriptions didn't
   quite capture the details,

1799
01:03:29,873 --> 01:03:30,972
but that's okay,
right,

1800
01:03:31,008 --> 01:03:32,307
'cause now
that you're here,

1801
01:03:32,342 --> 01:03:34,309
in person...

1802
01:03:34,344 --> 01:03:36,611
any thoughts?

1803
01:03:36,647 --> 01:03:38,113
                         Well...

1804
01:03:38,182 --> 01:03:40,782
        doorman... check.

1805
01:03:40,818 --> 01:03:43,018
   Carved wooden double doors.

1806
01:03:43,086 --> 01:03:44,486
     Those are really nice.

1807
01:03:44,555 --> 01:03:47,222
      It just kind of takes
        your breath away.

1808
01:03:47,257 --> 01:03:49,558
       It feels like being a kid
       on Christmas morning,

1809
01:03:49,593 --> 01:03:51,226
       like, that moment when
       you're just about to open

1810
01:03:51,261 --> 01:03:53,395
                  your very
                  first present.

1811
01:03:55,499 --> 01:03:56,398
What do you say
we open this present

1812
01:03:56,466 --> 01:03:57,766
and see what's inside?

1813
01:03:57,801 --> 01:03:59,100
          -Let's do it.
           -All right.

1814
01:04:04,908 --> 01:04:07,676
              [♪♪♪]

1815
01:04:07,744 --> 01:04:10,011
              Wow!

1816
01:04:10,047 --> 01:04:10,912
What do you say we take
an elevator

1817
01:04:10,948 --> 01:04:11,980
to the top floor?

1818
01:04:12,015 --> 01:04:12,948
We should check in first.

1819
01:04:12,983 --> 01:04:13,982
Separate suites,
of course...

1820
01:04:14,017 --> 01:04:15,650
                       Check in?

1821
01:04:15,686 --> 01:04:16,952
               What do you mean,
               check in?

1822
01:04:16,987 --> 01:04:18,286
A client of mine
runs this hotel.

1823
01:04:18,355 --> 01:04:19,154
I called in a favor
for a couple suites.

1824
01:04:21,525 --> 01:04:22,691
            Amazing!

1825
01:04:22,759 --> 01:04:23,658
                      Thank you!

1826
01:04:23,694 --> 01:04:24,626
After you.

1827
01:04:28,999 --> 01:04:30,799
       Wow!

1828
01:04:30,834 --> 01:04:32,100
             [Zeke]:
       Check out the view.

1829
01:04:32,135 --> 01:04:34,102
Oh, my goodness!

1830
01:04:34,137 --> 01:04:35,270
[sighs happily]

1831
01:04:37,074 --> 01:04:38,773
Christmas in New York.

1832
01:04:38,809 --> 01:04:42,677
 Wow, I can still barely believe
    this is really happening.

1833
01:04:42,713 --> 01:04:43,812
                            And?

1834
01:04:43,847 --> 01:04:46,214
        Is it everything
      you expected so far?

1835
01:04:46,283 --> 01:04:47,682
          Actually, no.

1836
01:04:48,886 --> 01:04:49,918
               No?

1837
01:04:49,953 --> 01:04:51,720
        It's even better.

1838
01:04:53,290 --> 01:04:54,155
          [phone rings]

1839
01:04:54,191 --> 01:04:55,357
             Sorry.

1840
01:04:56,894 --> 01:04:58,460
Oh, this is Samantha.

1841
01:04:58,528 --> 01:04:59,828
You don't mind
if I tell her where we are?

1842
01:04:59,863 --> 01:05:01,630
                   No, knock
                   yourself out.

1843
01:05:01,665 --> 01:05:04,966
Hey, Samantha,
I'm so glad you called.

1844
01:05:05,002 --> 01:05:06,635
Wait,
why are you whispering?

1845
01:05:06,703 --> 01:05:08,703
        I'm having dinner
         with Mr. Tweed!

1846
01:05:08,739 --> 01:05:09,704
             [Kim]:
              <i> No!</i>

1847
01:05:09,740 --> 01:05:10,805
             I know.

1848
01:05:10,841 --> 01:05:11,706
     So I went by your room
          this morning,

1849
01:05:11,742 --> 01:05:12,641
     and you weren't there.

1850
01:05:12,676 --> 01:05:13,575
           What's up?

1851
01:05:13,610 --> 01:05:14,643
            [laughs]

1852
01:05:14,711 --> 01:05:16,077
           Zeke and I
       are playing hooky.

1853
01:05:16,113 --> 01:05:18,046
              Hey!
         Research trip.

1854
01:05:18,115 --> 01:05:19,748
      Yeah, research trip.

1855
01:05:19,783 --> 01:05:21,917
          Zeke flew me
        to New York City.

1856
01:05:21,952 --> 01:05:23,551
       That's so exciting!

1857
01:05:23,587 --> 01:05:25,153
          And speaking
    of more exciting news...

1858
01:05:25,188 --> 01:05:26,354
      I won the third round
       of the competition

1859
01:05:26,390 --> 01:05:27,689
         in my workshop,

1860
01:05:27,758 --> 01:05:29,591
       so I guess my hat's
        in the ring, too.

1861
01:05:29,626 --> 01:05:32,761
      Hey, congratulations!
         That's awesome.

1862
01:05:32,829 --> 01:05:33,995
   Hope you have a great time
            tonight.

1863
01:05:34,031 --> 01:05:34,796
     You really deserve it.

1864
01:05:34,831 --> 01:05:36,031
               Oh!

1865
01:05:36,099 --> 01:05:38,066
         Here he comes.
         Got to go. Bye.

1866
01:05:38,101 --> 01:05:39,401
              Okay.

1867
01:05:42,539 --> 01:05:43,772
                           So...

1868
01:05:43,807 --> 01:05:45,073
       you ready to hit the
       streets of New York City?

1869
01:05:45,108 --> 01:05:46,474
           Definitely.

1870
01:05:46,543 --> 01:05:48,543
              [♪♪♪]

1871
01:05:52,449 --> 01:05:56,084
         What I mean is,
         New York is so amazing,

1872
01:05:56,119 --> 01:05:58,553
       but the details...

1873
01:05:58,622 --> 01:06:00,588
        they're different
      than how I expected.

1874
01:06:03,026 --> 01:06:05,260
The street lights
off the pavement...

1875
01:06:05,329 --> 01:06:08,363
the electricity
in the air...

1876
01:06:08,432 --> 01:06:10,298
                    Go on.
                    Be specific.

1877
01:06:10,334 --> 01:06:13,835
It also smells different
than I thought it would.

1878
01:06:13,870 --> 01:06:15,003
                     Okay.

1879
01:06:15,038 --> 01:06:16,671
Sure, there's
the roasting chestnut smell

1880
01:06:16,707 --> 01:06:18,340
that I expected,

1881
01:06:18,375 --> 01:06:20,709
but there's also the air

1882
01:06:20,744 --> 01:06:23,611
coming up
from the subway grilles...

1883
01:06:24,915 --> 01:06:26,114
the taxi exhaust

1884
01:06:26,149 --> 01:06:29,551
mixing with the smell
of expensive perfume...

1885
01:06:29,586 --> 01:06:31,152
     it's really beautiful.

1886
01:06:31,188 --> 01:06:32,220
          [Zeke]: Yeah.

1887
01:06:32,289 --> 01:06:33,455
           [Kim]: Oh!

1888
01:06:33,490 --> 01:06:36,257
         This is exactly
   what I've been looking for.

1889
01:06:36,293 --> 01:06:39,728
  Chestnuts literally roasting
    on an open... cart grill.

1890
01:06:39,796 --> 01:06:41,429
           [laughing]

1891
01:06:41,465 --> 01:06:42,430
                   Not quite
                   an open fire,

1892
01:06:42,466 --> 01:06:43,698
                      but close.

1893
01:06:43,734 --> 01:06:44,866
        Good stories are
        grounded in the details,

1894
01:06:44,901 --> 01:06:46,334
          aren't they?

1895
01:06:46,370 --> 01:06:47,502
                That's right.
                Can I get a bag?

1896
01:06:47,537 --> 01:06:49,838
                   Okay, thanks.

1897
01:06:49,906 --> 01:06:52,407
                     Writers are
                     just people

1898
01:06:52,442 --> 01:06:53,408
                 who pay really
                 close attention

1899
01:06:53,443 --> 01:06:54,342
               to those details.

1900
01:06:54,378 --> 01:06:55,677
                       Chestnut?

1901
01:06:55,712 --> 01:06:57,579
Yes. It's hot!

1902
01:06:57,614 --> 01:06:58,813
        Yes. This is your
        first New York chestnut.

1903
01:06:58,882 --> 01:07:00,548
My first New York chestnut!

1904
01:07:00,584 --> 01:07:02,717
              [♪♪♪]

1905
01:07:12,863 --> 01:07:15,563
    [loud typewriter typing]

1906
01:07:15,599 --> 01:07:17,132
            [knocks]

1907
01:07:17,200 --> 01:07:20,168
              Hey!
How's the writer's block coming?

1908
01:07:20,203 --> 01:07:23,138
      [Zeke, through wall]:
      What writer's block?

1909
01:07:23,173 --> 01:07:24,439
     Is my typing too loud?

1910
01:07:25,909 --> 01:07:28,176
   No, it's kind of soothing,
            actually.

1911
01:07:29,946 --> 01:07:31,179
       [typewriter typing
          starts again]

1912
01:07:51,301 --> 01:07:52,267
       Hi!

1913
01:07:52,302 --> 01:07:53,234
                Hey.

1914
01:07:54,337 --> 01:07:55,470
           How'd the writing go?

1915
01:07:55,505 --> 01:07:57,439
          It was great.
   I was up all night working.

1916
01:07:57,474 --> 01:07:59,107
          Yeah, me too.

1917
01:07:59,142 --> 01:08:00,208
       [phone text chimes]

1918
01:08:00,243 --> 01:08:01,242
                 Hey, Kim, look,

1919
01:08:01,278 --> 01:08:02,877
           there's...

1920
01:08:02,913 --> 01:08:04,679
        there's something
 I've been meaning to tell you.

1921
01:08:04,714 --> 01:08:06,614
        Hang on a second.
      Samantha just texted.

1922
01:08:06,650 --> 01:08:08,049
She says they're expecting
a huge storm in Vermont,

1923
01:08:08,085 --> 01:08:09,350
and they've just moved
Cowell's lecture

1924
01:08:09,386 --> 01:08:11,352
    from tonight to today...
           2:00 p.m.!

1925
01:08:12,489 --> 01:08:14,389
           Okay, uh...

1926
01:08:14,424 --> 01:08:15,890
     look, let's not panic.

1927
01:08:15,926 --> 01:08:17,192
           Not panic?
    But we're 300 miles away,

1928
01:08:17,227 --> 01:08:18,159
 and they're canceling flights.

1929
01:08:18,195 --> 01:08:19,327
      What do you suggest?

1930
01:08:19,362 --> 01:08:21,362
            I suggest
      you be ready in five,

1931
01:08:21,431 --> 01:08:22,564
    and I'm going to find us
          a new flight.

1932
01:08:22,599 --> 01:08:24,232
          On no notice
     with a storm coming in?

1933
01:08:25,168 --> 01:08:26,167
     Then I can rent a car.

1934
01:08:26,203 --> 01:08:27,068
       We can drive there
         if we have to.

1935
01:08:27,137 --> 01:08:28,436
                  We'll be there
                  in time.

1936
01:08:28,472 --> 01:08:29,671
             Well...

1937
01:08:29,739 --> 01:08:31,439
           I hope so.

1938
01:08:38,448 --> 01:08:41,116
            Hey, Kim?

1939
01:08:41,184 --> 01:08:42,584
          I just wanted
        to double-check.

1940
01:08:42,652 --> 01:08:44,018
         It's Chapter 19, right?

1941
01:08:44,054 --> 01:08:45,153
           Thank you!

1942
01:08:45,188 --> 01:08:47,322
        Yes, Chapter 19.

1943
01:08:47,390 --> 01:08:48,223
         I've just been
        so inspired here.

1944
01:08:48,258 --> 01:08:49,257
        That's so great.

1945
01:08:49,292 --> 01:08:50,158
           I'm loving
    this new confidence thing

1946
01:08:50,193 --> 01:08:51,092
      you've got going on.

1947
01:08:51,161 --> 01:08:52,360
         I know, right?

1948
01:08:52,395 --> 01:08:54,028
       It's the first time
   I've actually been excited

1949
01:08:54,097 --> 01:08:55,396
     <i> about somebody reading</i>
            <i> my work.</i>

1950
01:08:55,432 --> 01:08:56,531
                 So great. Well,
                 I'm going to be

1951
01:08:56,566 --> 01:08:58,166
        the first person
       in the auditorium,

1952
01:08:58,201 --> 01:08:59,000
    and I will save us seats,
      so just please hurry.

1953
01:08:59,035 --> 01:09:00,502
       <i> Thanks, Samantha!</i>

1954
01:09:00,537 --> 01:09:01,703
           Okay, bye!

1955
01:09:01,771 --> 01:09:02,904
Hi, I'm submitting

1956
01:09:02,939 --> 01:09:04,739
for Kim Rossi
and Samantha Pyke.

1957
01:09:04,774 --> 01:09:06,074
           Thank you.
             Noted.

1958
01:09:06,109 --> 01:09:08,309
              -Hi.
     -Just give me a minute.

1959
01:09:24,961 --> 01:09:26,427
        [Kim]: Samantha's
        saving us seats,

1960
01:09:26,463 --> 01:09:27,896
          but she said
      it's already packed.

1961
01:09:27,931 --> 01:09:28,963
               Kim, wait, before
               you go inside,

1962
01:09:29,032 --> 01:09:29,898
             there's something
             I need to tell you.

1963
01:09:29,933 --> 01:09:31,065
Zeke, we're going
to be late!

1964
01:09:31,101 --> 01:09:32,367
I'll see you inside.
Hurry!

1965
01:09:39,976 --> 01:09:41,843
So you missed
the submission, huh?

1966
01:09:41,878 --> 01:09:43,912
             Oh, no,
  Samantha submitted it for me.

1967
01:09:43,947 --> 01:09:46,114
           Your name's
        not on the board.

1968
01:09:46,183 --> 01:09:47,815
              That's impossible.

1969
01:09:51,588 --> 01:09:52,453
              Kim!

1970
01:09:53,723 --> 01:09:54,689
             Hurry!

1971
01:09:57,994 --> 01:09:58,993
My gosh!
Sit down.

1972
01:09:59,029 --> 01:09:59,961
I had to fight
these people off

1973
01:09:59,996 --> 01:10:01,029
for these seats.

1974
01:10:01,064 --> 01:10:01,963
                   Samantha,
                   what happened

1975
01:10:02,032 --> 01:10:02,997
                to my manuscript
                submission

1976
01:10:03,033 --> 01:10:04,199
                      to be read
                      by Cowell?

1977
01:10:04,234 --> 01:10:05,233
Oh, I submitted it.

1978
01:10:05,302 --> 01:10:06,935
                   My name's not
                   on the board!

1979
01:10:06,970 --> 01:10:08,069
Are you sure?
I submitted it myself.

1980
01:10:08,104 --> 01:10:09,470
It must be
some sort of mistake.

1981
01:10:09,539 --> 01:10:10,905
                 I don't know.
                 It's not there.

1982
01:10:10,941 --> 01:10:12,373
           [applause]

1983
01:10:16,179 --> 01:10:17,212
          Oh, my gosh!
            It's him!

1984
01:10:17,247 --> 01:10:18,780
I told you,
it's him!

1985
01:10:18,848 --> 01:10:19,714
I was right.

1986
01:10:21,384 --> 01:10:23,985
  Modern romance as we know it

1987
01:10:24,020 --> 01:10:25,920
   was invented by the French
     in the 12th Century...

1988
01:10:27,490 --> 01:10:28,523
and I don't know
an author

1989
01:10:28,558 --> 01:10:31,025
          more in touch
     with that legacy today

1990
01:10:31,094 --> 01:10:32,093
        than H.T. Cowell.

1991
01:10:34,965 --> 01:10:37,131
     It was the saddest day
   of my career as his editor

1992
01:10:37,167 --> 01:10:41,402
when he decided
to stop writing new books...

1993
01:10:41,438 --> 01:10:42,403
             but...

1994
01:10:43,873 --> 01:10:44,906
   I'll let him tell you more.

1995
01:10:44,975 --> 01:10:46,674
      Ladies and gentlemen,
          H.T. Cowell!

1996
01:10:46,710 --> 01:10:47,609
           [applause]

1997
01:11:16,172 --> 01:11:16,971
 I never planned to be a writer.

1998
01:11:20,310 --> 01:11:21,476
I mean,
I dabbled a little...

1999
01:11:23,546 --> 01:11:27,315
   but I had a button-down job
          in the city,

2000
01:11:27,350 --> 01:11:28,283
  and my wife would get worried

2001
01:11:28,318 --> 01:11:30,752
    if I spent too much time
            writing.

2002
01:11:30,787 --> 01:11:32,553
     So I played it safe...

2003
01:11:33,957 --> 01:11:35,323
         and it was only

2004
01:11:35,358 --> 01:11:37,625
   when I was riding the train
     into the city every day

2005
01:11:37,661 --> 01:11:40,328
  that I would think of stories
         and characters

2006
01:11:40,363 --> 01:11:44,265
 based on some of the passengers
           around me.

2007
01:11:44,301 --> 01:11:46,601
   What if that bike messenger

2008
01:11:46,636 --> 01:11:49,070
    swept that transit worker
          off her feet?

2009
01:11:51,508 --> 01:11:52,974
   What if that woman reading
    the "Wall Street Journal"

2010
01:11:53,009 --> 01:11:54,475
  suddenly turned and proposed

2011
01:11:54,544 --> 01:11:55,476
     to the construction guy
         one seat over?

2012
01:11:57,247 --> 01:11:58,546
Anyway, uh,

2013
01:11:58,581 --> 01:11:59,647
    one thing led to another,

2014
01:11:59,683 --> 01:12:02,150
        and pretty soon,
      I had one bestseller,

2015
01:12:02,218 --> 01:12:04,419
 and then another bestseller...

2016
01:12:04,454 --> 01:12:05,420
      and that whole time,

2017
01:12:05,488 --> 01:12:08,022
       I avoided the press
           because...

2018
01:12:10,160 --> 01:12:12,226
        because I needed
        to be anonymous.

2019
01:12:15,398 --> 01:12:17,465
            I just...
  I wanted to stay an observer.

2020
01:12:17,500 --> 01:12:20,835
Well, pretty soon,
I was writing all the time,

2021
01:12:20,870 --> 01:12:22,670
and I was juggling
deadlines,

2022
01:12:22,706 --> 01:12:25,940
    and I didn't even notice

2023
01:12:25,975 --> 01:12:28,242
       that my second love
       was taking me away

2024
01:12:28,278 --> 01:12:30,878
         from my first,

2025
01:12:30,914 --> 01:12:34,549
          until my wife
     asked me for a divorce.

2026
01:12:36,119 --> 01:12:37,218
Looking back,

2027
01:12:37,253 --> 01:12:38,419
I should have done things
differently.

2028
01:12:41,291 --> 01:12:42,590
Writing
about love and romance

2029
01:12:42,625 --> 01:12:44,559
became a lot harder

2030
01:12:44,594 --> 01:12:47,195
      when love and romance
    disappeared from my life.

2031
01:12:49,899 --> 01:12:51,332
          Pretty soon,
       my writing stopped,

2032
01:12:51,401 --> 01:12:53,267
 and I withdrew from the world.

2033
01:12:56,840 --> 01:12:58,139
          The truth is,

2034
01:12:58,174 --> 01:12:59,874
      I had really drifted

2035
01:12:59,909 --> 01:13:01,008
        from what it was
   that I loved about writing

2036
01:13:01,044 --> 01:13:04,345
       in the first place,

2037
01:13:04,381 --> 01:13:08,883
    which is seeing the world
  through someone else's eyes,

2038
01:13:08,918 --> 01:13:11,152
  whether that's a character...

2039
01:13:13,790 --> 01:13:15,656
   or just someone special...

2040
01:13:17,894 --> 01:13:20,061
    especially at Christmas.

2041
01:13:27,337 --> 01:13:28,636
              Yeah.

2042
01:13:28,671 --> 01:13:30,772
     So are the rumors true?

2043
01:13:30,807 --> 01:13:33,541
        Are you releasing
        an 800-page book?

2044
01:13:33,576 --> 01:13:35,243
[Zeke]: Uh...
they're sort of true.

2045
01:13:35,311 --> 01:13:38,846
    My publisher is releasing
     an 800-page anthology.

2046
01:13:38,915 --> 01:13:42,016
         So no new book?

2047
01:13:42,051 --> 01:13:44,385
        Not as such, no.
           I'm sorry.

2048
01:13:44,454 --> 01:13:46,354
     Not right now, anyway.

2049
01:13:46,423 --> 01:13:47,422
       Oh, come on, look,

2050
01:13:47,457 --> 01:13:48,456
       I didn't come here
         to be a downer,

2051
01:13:48,491 --> 01:13:51,559
        so maybe I can...

2052
01:13:51,594 --> 01:13:54,595
       serve as some sort
       of cautionary tale.

2053
01:13:56,332 --> 01:13:58,266
       Don't play it safe.

2054
01:13:58,334 --> 01:13:59,667
        Don't hide out...

2055
01:14:01,137 --> 01:14:03,337
               even if it feels
               easier sometimes.

2056
01:14:03,406 --> 01:14:04,939
             You know, recently,

2057
01:14:04,974 --> 01:14:06,407
     somebody reminded me...

2058
01:14:08,077 --> 01:14:09,644
        that inspiration
    can come from anywhere...

2059
01:14:13,450 --> 01:14:16,150
          and surprises
      come along every day.

2060
01:14:18,621 --> 01:14:19,587
              Whoo!

2061
01:14:19,622 --> 01:14:21,088
Thanks.

2062
01:14:21,124 --> 01:14:22,623
           [applause]

2063
01:14:43,847 --> 01:14:45,379
           Kim! Kim...

2064
01:14:46,749 --> 01:14:47,982
          Hey...

2065
01:14:48,017 --> 01:14:49,183
You didn't answer
my texts.

2066
01:14:49,219 --> 01:14:51,285
       Well, I didn't know
          what to say.

2067
01:14:51,321 --> 01:14:52,487
         You lied to me.

2068
01:14:52,555 --> 01:14:55,223
         You've been lying to me
         since we first met.

2069
01:14:55,258 --> 01:14:56,257
            For someone who says

2070
01:14:56,326 --> 01:14:57,391
              writing is all
              about the details,

2071
01:14:57,460 --> 01:14:59,026
           you sure left one
           important detail out.

2072
01:14:59,095 --> 01:15:00,261
For a reason, okay?

2073
01:15:00,296 --> 01:15:01,462
I wanted you...

2074
01:15:01,498 --> 01:15:03,698
to know me for me,

2075
01:15:03,733 --> 01:15:06,067
not H.T. Cowell.

2076
01:15:06,135 --> 01:15:07,935
              You promised to be
              honest with me.

2077
01:15:07,971 --> 01:15:09,337
                 You had so many
                 opportunities

2078
01:15:09,405 --> 01:15:10,605
                      to tell me
                      the truth.

2079
01:15:10,640 --> 01:15:12,507
         Instead, you wanted
         to save your big reveal

2080
01:15:12,542 --> 01:15:14,809
              for the promotion
              of your anthology?

2081
01:15:14,844 --> 01:15:15,843
No, it's not like that.

2082
01:15:15,912 --> 01:15:18,646
I never wanted
to go public at all,

2083
01:15:18,715 --> 01:15:19,747
but even
bestselling authors

2084
01:15:19,782 --> 01:15:21,315
have shelf-lives,

2085
01:15:21,351 --> 01:15:22,617
especially if they don't
produce new work.

2086
01:15:24,087 --> 01:15:25,586
So the board
at my publishing house

2087
01:15:25,622 --> 01:15:27,421
told me I had to come here,
I had to go public,

2088
01:15:27,457 --> 01:15:29,257
I had to promote
the anthology...

2089
01:15:29,325 --> 01:15:30,458
or they wouldn't
publish me anymore,

2090
01:15:30,493 --> 01:15:32,994
but look, listen,
I just never expected...

2091
01:15:34,564 --> 01:15:36,397
that I would meet
somebody like you.

2092
01:15:36,432 --> 01:15:38,900
      And that whole story
   about having a book deal...

2093
01:15:38,935 --> 01:15:41,068
    Gosh, talk about fiction!

2094
01:15:41,104 --> 01:15:42,103
        I don't even know
        what to call you.

2095
01:15:42,138 --> 01:15:44,171
        What's your name?

2096
01:15:44,207 --> 01:15:47,441
   Well, my mom
   calls me "Zeke..."

2097
01:15:47,477 --> 01:15:48,576
short for "Hezekiah..."

2098
01:15:50,580 --> 01:15:53,648
and Kim, we do know
each other...

2099
01:15:53,683 --> 01:15:55,116
in person
and through our writing.

2100
01:15:55,151 --> 01:15:57,818
        Except the person
        I thought I knew

2101
01:15:57,887 --> 01:15:59,420
     was a struggling writer
          just like me,

2102
01:15:59,455 --> 01:16:00,588
     not some writing star!

2103
01:16:00,623 --> 01:16:02,823
     Former star.

2104
01:16:02,859 --> 01:16:03,758
            And what,
     you needed some newbie

2105
01:16:03,793 --> 01:16:04,692
      or a muse or whatever

2106
01:16:04,761 --> 01:16:07,061
             to get re-inspired?

2107
01:16:07,096 --> 01:16:08,496
              And all this time,
              you're telling me

2108
01:16:08,531 --> 01:16:09,597
               to be "authentic"
               with my work,

2109
01:16:09,666 --> 01:16:10,831
               and you're
               completely hiding

2110
01:16:10,867 --> 01:16:11,866
           who you actually are?

2111
01:16:11,935 --> 01:16:13,668
I... I...
I wanted to tell you.

2112
01:16:13,736 --> 01:16:14,869
                 But you didn't
                 trust me enough

2113
01:16:14,904 --> 01:16:17,672
      to tell me the truth,

2114
01:16:17,707 --> 01:16:19,607
      and that's the worst
     rejection slip of all.

2115
01:16:28,418 --> 01:16:31,719
 [Kim]: That writer's conference
     was a real eye-opener,

2116
01:16:31,754 --> 01:16:33,321
          and I learned
   something really important.

2117
01:16:33,356 --> 01:16:34,522
                   Okay.

2118
01:16:34,557 --> 01:16:37,491
    No more playing it safe,
       in life or in work.

2119
01:16:37,527 --> 01:16:39,594
I'm going to scale back my hours
      at the car dealership

2120
01:16:39,629 --> 01:16:41,762
     and fully commit myself

2121
01:16:41,831 --> 01:16:43,197
       to being the writer
        I was born to be.

2122
01:16:43,232 --> 01:16:44,498
                    Wow.

2123
01:16:44,534 --> 01:16:46,467
        Maybe we should send you
        to a writers' conference

2124
01:16:46,502 --> 01:16:47,435
                every Christmas.

2125
01:16:47,470 --> 01:16:48,769
Next time, I intend
to speak at one.

2126
01:16:48,838 --> 01:16:49,870
          [phone rings]

2127
01:16:49,906 --> 01:16:52,039
Oh, hang on, Dad.
I have to get this.

2128
01:16:52,108 --> 01:16:54,508
Samantha!
How are you?

2129
01:16:54,577 --> 01:16:55,743
      <i> I'm good, actually.</i>

2130
01:16:55,778 --> 01:16:57,745
         How about you?
    How's the writing going?

2131
01:16:57,780 --> 01:17:00,781
      I have been rewriting
          like a fiend.

2132
01:17:00,817 --> 01:17:02,883
     Look at you, going pro.

2133
01:17:02,919 --> 01:17:04,418
            [laughs]

2134
01:17:04,454 --> 01:17:06,821
 Make sure you don't just write
  your way through the holiday.

2135
01:17:06,856 --> 01:17:09,156
              Hey,
 I'm a Christmas romance writer.

2136
01:17:09,192 --> 01:17:11,292
    This is the time of year
      I feel most inspired.

2137
01:17:11,327 --> 01:17:12,526
            <i> Uh-huh.</i>

2138
01:17:12,562 --> 01:17:13,861
    Well, speaking of which,

2139
01:17:13,896 --> 01:17:15,963
           have you...
     heard from Zeke at all?

2140
01:17:15,999 --> 01:17:17,965
               No.

2141
01:17:18,001 --> 01:17:19,066
         Even if I did,

2142
01:17:19,102 --> 01:17:20,101
          I don't know
    what I would say to him.

2143
01:17:22,105 --> 01:17:23,838
       Well, I don't know
how to break this to you, but...

2144
01:17:23,873 --> 01:17:26,574
        I won the contest
       to be read by him.

2145
01:17:26,609 --> 01:17:28,609
        Congratulations!
         That's amazing.

2146
01:17:28,645 --> 01:17:30,711
           Yeah, well,
 it felt good to beat out Garth.

2147
01:17:30,747 --> 01:17:32,313
         [laughs] I bet.

2148
01:17:32,348 --> 01:17:33,914
    It's the least I could do
            for you,

2149
01:17:33,950 --> 01:17:36,250
         <i> and tomorrow,</i>
    <i> I'm going to meet Zeke,</i>

2150
01:17:36,285 --> 01:17:38,919
     so if there's anything
     you want me to ask him,

2151
01:17:38,988 --> 01:17:40,154
       anything at all...

2152
01:17:40,189 --> 01:17:41,956
           No thanks.

2153
01:17:41,991 --> 01:17:43,324
          Are you sure?

2154
01:17:43,393 --> 01:17:45,726
             I mean,
  you two are so good together.

2155
01:17:45,762 --> 01:17:49,330
    Even if I could get past
  the fact that he lied to me,

2156
01:17:49,365 --> 01:17:51,165
  what would a big-shot author
           want to do

2157
01:17:51,234 --> 01:17:52,933
 with a wannabe writer like me?

2158
01:17:52,969 --> 01:17:55,036
   Do not sell yourself short.

2159
01:17:55,071 --> 01:17:57,204
 Well, hey, maybe my new ending
           will work.

2160
01:17:57,273 --> 01:17:58,406
   Oh, so you have new pages?

2161
01:17:58,441 --> 01:17:59,807
             <i> I do.</i>

2162
01:17:59,842 --> 01:18:02,076
        Send them to me!
    What are you waiting for?

2163
01:18:02,111 --> 01:18:03,210
            Come on.

2164
01:18:03,246 --> 01:18:04,245
           Think of it
   as an early Christmas gift.

2165
01:18:04,313 --> 01:18:06,180
       You know what? Yes.

2166
01:18:06,249 --> 01:18:07,615
    I will send them to you.

2167
01:18:07,650 --> 01:18:09,216
       I could totally use
  a fresh pair of eyes on them.

2168
01:18:09,252 --> 01:18:10,251
           Thank you.

2169
01:18:10,286 --> 01:18:11,218
         That's my girl.

2170
01:18:11,254 --> 01:18:12,720
        <i> Merry Christmas.</i>

2171
01:18:12,789 --> 01:18:14,188
        I've got to run.
            Bye, Sam.

2172
01:18:14,257 --> 01:18:15,122
     <i> Merry Christmas, Kim.</i>

2173
01:18:33,409 --> 01:18:34,875
Kim!

2174
01:18:34,911 --> 01:18:36,410
            Garth...

2175
01:18:36,479 --> 01:18:38,446
              Hey!

2176
01:18:38,481 --> 01:18:40,247
           Um... wow.
    What are you doing here?

2177
01:18:40,283 --> 01:18:42,283
I just came
to say Merry Christmas

2178
01:18:42,351 --> 01:18:44,018
and that...

2179
01:18:44,053 --> 01:18:45,953
          I was wrong.

2180
01:18:47,290 --> 01:18:48,989
    Not that I'm disagreeing
            with you,

2181
01:18:49,058 --> 01:18:50,524
         but what about?

2182
01:18:50,560 --> 01:18:53,794
      Oh, about, you know,
  you not being a real writer.

2183
01:18:53,830 --> 01:18:55,830
            Oh, that.

2184
01:18:55,898 --> 01:18:57,098
             I mean,
          to be honest,

2185
01:18:57,133 --> 01:18:59,600
       at the conference,
   your pages were amazing...

2186
01:18:59,669 --> 01:19:01,836
some of the best,
by far.

2187
01:19:01,871 --> 01:19:04,271
     But I thought you said
  it was just beginner's luck.

2188
01:19:04,307 --> 01:19:05,873
      No, pff, not at all.
         It was a joke!

2189
01:19:05,908 --> 01:19:06,874
Obviously!

2190
01:19:06,909 --> 01:19:07,908
                   It was funny.

2191
01:19:07,944 --> 01:19:09,477
           Yeah, um...

2192
01:19:09,512 --> 01:19:10,377
     well, I was wondering,

2193
01:19:10,446 --> 01:19:11,979
actually...

2194
01:19:13,249 --> 01:19:14,715
             Go on.

2195
01:19:14,751 --> 01:19:18,185
             Well...
      maybe you want to...

2196
01:19:18,221 --> 01:19:19,954
         pick things up
  where we left off, you know?

2197
01:19:19,989 --> 01:19:23,390
Go on a date sometime?
Talk about writing?

2198
01:19:23,426 --> 01:19:25,025
              Um...

2199
01:19:25,061 --> 01:19:27,128
       gee, you know what?

2200
01:19:27,163 --> 01:19:29,396
         Uh, I think...

2201
01:19:29,432 --> 01:19:30,464
             I think
     maybe you were right...

2202
01:19:32,068 --> 01:19:34,034
         about us being
       on different paths.

2203
01:19:34,070 --> 01:19:35,536
         Right... but...

2204
01:19:35,605 --> 01:19:36,837
           the paths,
        they can come...

2205
01:19:36,906 --> 01:19:38,806
   And I am just really busy.

2206
01:19:38,875 --> 01:19:40,741
            Yeah, no,
          you're busy.

2207
01:19:40,810 --> 01:19:42,209
     I'm pretty busy myself.

2208
01:19:42,245 --> 01:19:43,611
               Oh?

2209
01:19:43,646 --> 01:19:44,812
            You know,
        here's a thought.

2210
01:19:44,847 --> 01:19:45,880
            Maybe...

2211
01:19:45,915 --> 01:19:47,848
you could...

2212
01:19:47,884 --> 01:19:49,517
  put in a good word for me...
          with Cowell?

2213
01:19:49,552 --> 01:19:50,484
            [laughs]

2214
01:19:52,288 --> 01:19:53,420
  Aw, you're too funny, Garth.

2215
01:19:53,456 --> 01:19:54,622
            [laughs]

2216
01:19:54,690 --> 01:19:57,191
   You have a Merry Christmas.

2217
01:19:57,226 --> 01:19:58,492
         See you later.

2218
01:19:58,528 --> 01:20:00,427
           Yeah, uh...
        Merry Christmas.

2219
01:20:00,463 --> 01:20:02,396
              Bye.

2220
01:20:02,431 --> 01:20:03,864
Bye.

2221
01:20:14,210 --> 01:20:15,342
Not bad for a guy

2222
01:20:15,378 --> 01:20:17,912
     who eats frozen dinners
        90% of the time.

2223
01:20:17,947 --> 01:20:19,213
       It's perfect, Dad.

2224
01:20:20,383 --> 01:20:22,349
         Now we just have to
         get the gravy finished.

2225
01:20:22,385 --> 01:20:23,651
        [doorbell rings]

2226
01:20:25,021 --> 01:20:26,120
        Can you get that?

2227
01:20:26,155 --> 01:20:27,555
I'm carving.

2228
01:20:27,590 --> 01:20:29,657
        Who would come by
        on Christmas Day?

2229
01:20:29,692 --> 01:20:31,192
     Just a friend of mine.

2230
01:20:31,227 --> 01:20:32,493
      Didn't have any place
   to go for Christmas dinner.

2231
01:20:32,528 --> 01:20:34,128
               Oh.

2232
01:20:43,973 --> 01:20:46,507
          Hello there.

2233
01:20:49,345 --> 01:20:50,744
               Hi!

2234
01:20:50,780 --> 01:20:53,247
        Merry Christmas?

2235
01:20:53,282 --> 01:20:55,349
Merry Christmas.

2236
01:20:56,752 --> 01:20:58,552
 Zeke, what are you doing here?

2237
01:20:58,588 --> 01:21:00,921
             I mean, I can't not
             chase after you.

2238
01:21:02,391 --> 01:21:03,524
           I'm a romance writer.

2239
01:21:04,660 --> 01:21:05,993
           You're also
       a successful author

2240
01:21:06,062 --> 01:21:08,128
    pretending he isn't one,

2241
01:21:08,197 --> 01:21:09,830
        and you just used
 a double-negative, by the way.

2242
01:21:09,866 --> 01:21:11,665
            [laughs]

2243
01:21:13,369 --> 01:21:15,102
                   Look, Kim....

2244
01:21:15,137 --> 01:21:17,171
           I was wrong
 not to be more honest with you.

2245
01:21:17,206 --> 01:21:18,339
            I just...

2246
01:21:18,374 --> 01:21:20,274
          I was just so happy
          spending time with you

2247
01:21:20,309 --> 01:21:22,643
           that I didn't want
           to shatter the magic.

2248
01:21:22,678 --> 01:21:24,712
          I'm so sorry.

2249
01:21:26,716 --> 01:21:28,449
             Well...

2250
01:21:28,484 --> 01:21:31,318
      I did learn one thing
       at the conference.

2251
01:21:31,387 --> 01:21:33,053
          What's that?

2252
01:21:35,057 --> 01:21:37,691
       It's never too late
      to rewrite a chapter

2253
01:21:37,760 --> 01:21:39,894
    'til you get it right...

2254
01:21:39,929 --> 01:21:41,829
    'til you get it perfect.

2255
01:21:41,864 --> 01:21:43,564
      So you're saying...?

2256
01:21:45,801 --> 01:21:47,334
       Hi, my name is Kim.

2257
01:21:48,971 --> 01:21:50,571
                 I'm H.T.

2258
01:21:50,606 --> 01:21:51,472
                My friends
                call me Zeke.

2259
01:21:51,507 --> 01:21:53,440
            [laughs]

2260
01:21:53,476 --> 01:21:55,309
       Well, in that case,
  it's nice to meet you, Zeke.

2261
01:21:56,979 --> 01:21:58,279
              Ooh!
         Almost forgot.

2262
01:21:58,347 --> 01:22:00,047
                This is for you.

2263
01:22:00,082 --> 01:22:01,315
                Merry Christmas.

2264
01:22:05,187 --> 01:22:06,921
      "Pendant Publishing"?

2265
01:22:09,058 --> 01:22:11,125
         They want to...
    work with me on my novel?

2266
01:22:11,160 --> 01:22:13,627
                    Your rewrite
                    was amazing.

2267
01:22:13,696 --> 01:22:15,195
          Wait, how...
         how did you...?

2268
01:22:15,231 --> 01:22:16,497
            Samantha.
   She sent me the new pages.

2269
01:22:18,467 --> 01:22:20,868
       So you forced them
         to take it on?

2270
01:22:20,903 --> 01:22:23,037
           No, no, no,
 I just got them to look at it.

2271
01:22:23,072 --> 01:22:24,071
       It was your writing

2272
01:22:24,140 --> 01:22:25,306
              that made the
              chief editor flip.

2273
01:22:25,341 --> 01:22:26,206
           Seriously?

2274
01:22:26,275 --> 01:22:27,675
                  Serious.
                  He loved it...

2275
01:22:27,743 --> 01:22:28,742
                 and that's all
                 because of you.

2276
01:22:28,778 --> 01:22:30,778
        I don't even know
          what to say.

2277
01:22:30,846 --> 01:22:31,812
       Thank you so much!

2278
01:22:36,619 --> 01:22:38,185
            [laughs]

2279
01:22:38,220 --> 01:22:40,154
     Wow...

2280
01:22:41,390 --> 01:22:43,757
          Well, I think
      that's what they call

2281
01:22:43,793 --> 01:22:46,427
       a happy-ever-after.

2282
01:22:46,462 --> 01:22:49,463
          Yeah, I suppose it is.

2283
01:22:49,498 --> 01:22:52,099
       So kiss me already.

2284
01:22:52,134 --> 01:22:54,068
         We are standing
      under the mistletoe,

2285
01:22:54,103 --> 01:22:55,736
           after all.

2286
01:22:58,441 --> 01:23:00,708
          So we are...

2287
01:23:02,144 --> 01:23:05,713
              [♪♪♪]