All posts in Conference Gossip

For RWA!

I’ve been invited to blog as a RWA conference blogger. This should be interesting!

I’m scheduled for Thursday morning, July 31st, and I’ll probably chat about the Literacy Signing the night before. Or who knows, it’ll be the RWA through my eyes. hehe.

I hope you’ll tune in…

10 Things Maybe I Should Have Done At Conference

1)Maybe I should have worn my badge at all times so other conference attendees wouldn’t have been talking about other writers I know while in the elevator. *wince*

2)Maybe I should have taken the time to get to know more people instead of rushing around and just taking everything in like a girl on the first day of school. Oooh!

3)Maybe I should have taken more pictures. LOL!

4)Maybe I should have waited in the long line and actually met Nora Roberts! *sigh*

5)Maybe I should have ignored the unfriendly feeling when authors didn’t smile at book signings and asked for their book anyway. Yikes!

6)Maybe I should have attended more workshops. But then I also should have taken some kind of energy booster to go-go-go-go. ;D

7)Maybe I should have brought more long sleeve tops instead of so many sleeveless to a 24/7 air conditioned hotel. Brrrr.

Maybe I should have known I was sitting at a table with Rachel Gibson, and sat next to her instead of the attendee who sat next to the agent and talked, and talked, and talked… *snicker*

9)Maybe I should have left the biz cards at home since I only gave out 1. LOL!

10)Maybe I and other bloggers should have worn special ribbons to identify us so we could find each other! ;D

Check out Anne Frasier’s blog. She tells us about the new literary award, The International Thriller Writers Awards!

RWA CONFERENCE SEEN THROUGH
THE EYES OF A FIRST TIMER Part III

I apologize for the dead air, I am now semi-settled at home. =) Just a few more tidbits about Conference…

On Friday I attended a chat with Nora Roberts. Even though I am a major fan of hers, I never introduced myself, but I took a few notes from the Q & A she participated in. She is very funny, smart, confident, and seems to always know the right things to say. (These summary of comments from Nora Roberts are in my own words unless quoted.)

-Everyone has 1 hour a day where they do something they enjoy…watch TV, read, etc. Sacrifice that 1 hour and write.

-When writing a trilogy, she plots the 3 books as one big project in 3 parts so she can follow the weave of the thread through the books.

-Someone asked why she didn’t add dedications in her J.D. Robb books, she stated, “I’m running out of people I like.” LOL!

-She never missed a deadline in 25 years. She believes in professionalism. Always honoring your word and presenting yourself well.

-She usually writes books in 3 drafts. 1st) Book is written all the way through, what she calls the discovery draft. 2nd) She adds texture, fixing sentences, punching it up. 3rd) Polishing to what she believes is the best it can be before sending to the editor.

-She does not believe in trends because they come and go. Write what you would read for pleasure.

-In her early days of promotion the types of promoting she performed were purchasing bookmarks and visiting bookstores. She believes in building relationships with readers and booksellers. It’s okay if only a couple of people come to your signing, those people may tell others about your book, who then may tell more.

-Only use 10% of your advance for promotion. Only what you can afford. The Internet is a vast tool for on-line promotion.

I also attended the Pocket/Avon book signing where the authors sign and give away books. Yes, for free. I really had no idea about this. It was a fun experience chatting with authors, and introducing myself to those I had interviewed through e-mail, or some way met on-line. I also discovered something from when I’d run into a late luncheon on Thursday with no one to sit with. There was one free table left, and 2 other ladies looking around for a seat. I asked them if they’d like to sit at the table with me, they did. I didn’t sit next to them since they were pretty much only talking with one another, but when I attended the signing, I realized one of the ladies was Rachel Gibson, an author I truly admire and enjoy reading. {{head thunk}} LOL!

Thanks so much to everyone who have stopped by and visited these past few days. I hope to be back on my blogging duties tomorrow. =D

RWA CONFERENCE SEEN THROUGH
THE EYES OF A FIRST TIMER Part II

Ahhh, sorry I couldn’t post last night, it ended up being a late evening. Yesterday was great. A wonderful luncheon with keynote speak Debbie Macomber. She spoke of her struggle with publication and she teared up when she spoke of her wonderful children. It was very inspirational. We also received her latest books, A Good Yarn, and The Shop On Blossom Street.

Later, I attended the Welcome Reception. The place was packed! LOL! I didn’t meet anyone from the blogging community there, and ended up hanging with my chapter mates from Monterey Bay Chapter. We had fun!

I attended the Kiss Of Death’s Death By Chocolate Party. Oh my gosh, the chocolate! Cakes, fruit and cheese for fondue, cookies, eclairs, so much rich chocolate! LOL! I had a wonderful time meeting new people. I highly recommend the event should anyone attend RWA next year. The committee did a wonderful job.

I finally got a shot of my CP, Tina and I. But ack, of course, we got her with her eyes closed!

Here’s Kristin Nelson and me.

That’s all for now, until later… =D

RWA CONFERENCE SEEN THROUGH
THE EYES OF A FIRST TIMER Part I

I made it! I made it! ;D

I made it to the RWA Conference in one piece, folks, and now I;m here to give you the low down on the showdown…er, or something like that.

First off registering was simple and sweet. No line, and I walked up and received my tickets for all the events, along with a name badge, pen, pin. Then I moseyed on over to receive my nice tote absolutely LOADED with books.

The Doctor’s Latin Lover by Olivia Gates
Rules Of Engagement by Kathryn Caskie
Threshold by Sara Douglass
Secrets Volumes 10 & 11
Innocence by Kathleen Tessaro
Love in the Asylum by Lisa Carey
The Challenge by Susan Kearney
A thousand Tomorrows by Karen Kingsbury

Anyway, let’s get to the Readers for Life Literacy Signing. Here’s a big viewpoint shot. Notice it’s a short viewpoint shot, because, well, I’m short.

Here’s me with my CP, Dianna Love Snell, meeting for the first time in person! =D

Here’s Suzanne McMinn. I got her while she was signing. I’m such a stinker. Damn, I should have took a pic of the one pair of shoes she brought with her to Nationals. ;D Suzanne, also took my pic, I hear she was taking A LOT. LOL! Suzanne’s super sweet!

Here’s me with Jill Shalvis! She’s so nice! Here daughter took the pic. Jill will be September’s Words of An Author guest!

Okay, I also saw Nora Roberts, and Linda Howard. And I don’t have pics of them because I couldn’t bring myself to cut in front of everyone and just snap an annoying flash in their faces. LOL! But yeah, it was a wow moment to see them in person.

I also received an autograph from one of my FAVE authors, Wendy Rosnau, and ignoramus me was like,”Oh, I just love all your books, your romantic suspenses are wonderful.” {{Insert nervous ignoramus laugh}} Totally novice moment. I didn’t even remember to take her picture!

That’s all for now. (I don’t want to get charged an arm and a leg!) I’ll try to post some pics tomorrow evening!

-Finish packing (Which is basically packing a section of my life!)

-Get the infamous tote ready (Notebook, biz cards, pens, camera, tentative schedule etc…)

-Work on finishing revisions (Riiiiiight.)

-Get nervous about Nationals (weird, I seem to be the only one feeling this) while going to Nationals.

-Clean house…? (Um, we’ll see.)

O-kay, since this will be my first time attending Nationals (Wednesday – Friday evening, I’m skipping the ceremony this year =b), I’m going to bring my little laptop and attempt to blog about the experience. The only problem is I don’t know how this will work techie wise, hook-ups and all that jazz, as well as time frames of when I’ll be posting. So please bare with me, and if all fails, I’ll be blogging during the weekend. And as many of you know, Jill Shalvis will be blogging about Nationals with pics while she’s there! So don’t forget to mosey on over. =)

*Sigh* Here I go!

New self-promo column up at Road To Romance. BTW, they are also looking for experienced reviewers!