Orlando - RWA - There's No Place Like Home and Final Thoughts

So - I'm home. And it's so nice to be home. The conferences are great but I think just about everyone who goes is ready to head home by Sunday. It's been a long day, starting at 5:15 am when I woke up. The plane left at 8:15, a two and a half hour flight, a two hour wait for the shuttle bus and then a two hour drive home makes for a very long travel day. I didn't get in until 4:30 or so. And wonder of wonders, what a pleasant surprise, Brent really went to town while I was away and did a great job at cleaning the house. I was kind of hoping he would, but didn't really expect him to. Since once again, I left a lot of packing until the last minute, thus not cleaning like I wanted to, the place was in quite a shambles when I left. So it was ever so good to get home again.

But I had a wonderful time at RWA once again this year. There are so many memories I'll hold dear and so many wonderful people I met and met again that I'll keep in my heart. I can't possibly remember them all, but here are just a few.

• Having Wendy for a roomie again. This is the fourth year in a row that we have roomed together and even though I only see her once a year, when I do, it's like I just sat down and had a nice long coffee with her last week. Instead of doing the Wendy, Wendy, Wendy thing, I just started making a list of books she has to read before next we meet. Of course I forget to give her the list, but Connor's Way heads it up with Lord of Scoundrels a close second. I think I have a few more on there, but I'll have to look it up. She also needs to watch North and South and yes, even if she doesn't love it to pieces, I'll still let her be my friend - my good friend :-)

• Meeting up with Rosie again. She spent one night with us before her room mate Lisabea. This arrived. This is the third year with Rosie and again, it was just like I had coffee with her last week.

• Seeing Lisabea again. This is the second time this year as we saw each other at RT in April. It's been most excellent getting to see her so often. And it's great hearing all her excellent news!!

• Hanging with AnimeJune. I tell you that girl is a machine when it comes to sightseeing! She took in FOUR parks in two days!! Despite having the worst experience trying to get to RWA, I think things recovered for her in a most excellent way and I'm sure she will be sharing her news. And may I just say she has this killer red dress that she wore to the RITA's. Wowzers!

• Seeing Aztec Lady again. She has such an excitement about her, she just makes you smile. I could always find her since I could hear her infectious laugh. She was always first or near the first in any lines and I think she made new friends each and every time. I also have to give her a special shout out, since she offered to ship the boxes of books I got to me. She commuted some nights as she doesn't live that far away. But we did get to keep her all night a couple of times. She offered to play mail person and saved me from standing in what I hear was a very long line.

• I met Kim first at RomCon and now again at RWA. It was great getting a chance to see her and chat with her again. And *laughing* she gave me some Canadian change that she had saved and didn't think she would need. There is a slight travel distance between Canada and Hawaii.

• Sarah also did the trifecta of romance conferences/conventions again and I was very excited to get to see and talk to her THREE times this year. And does she strut her stuff - in a good way *g*. One of my big regrets is I missed the Mulletgasm. I'm going to have to email her with my apologies. There were a couple of book signings around the same time and Lisa was at one of them and I didn't want to miss her. I did get down to where I thought it was being held and looked all over for it but didn't see Sarah or anyone else and so I headed up to the room. Wendy came in a bit after that and told me it was at the other hotel, the Swan - d'oh, but by that time my feet were so sore, I would have had to shuffle v e r y s l o w l y over in the most humid of weather I've ever endured and while the spirit was willing, the feet just couldn't do it. But I did have the mullet with me and was ready to wear it if that was any help.

• The hotel itself. I thought it was a great place to hold a conference. After taking two days to find myself around it, I had no trouble finding where I wanted to go. The meals were good. Even though all three were chicken, they were each cooked differently and very tasty and the desserts were to die for delicious. The wait staff and all the hotel employees offered up the most incredibly good customer service. They really need to be commended.

• The elevators. I know, I know, I've already mentioned them, but still they are worth mentioning. Not once did I have to wait more than a minute and not once were they crowded. With a conference crowd that huge plus all the regular guests on top of that, I was in awe.

Not everything was completely perfect. The weather was not to my cup of tea to put it mildly. When my glasses steam up at 7:00 in the morning when I stepped outside, that's just nasty for me. Beyond nasty. I know there are some confused people who actually like that kind of weather, but give me six inches of snow any day!!!

For those who are thinking of going to a conference or convention, I can't recommend the experience highly enough. I know it's expensive and very hard to do for some people, but truly, the experience is worth it. It's not just the tons of free books that you get, though that's certainly an added benefit, but it's so much more and I don't know if I can put it into words. But for me, going to past RWA conferences and RT, RomCon and RWA this year has been very empowering. Where once I hid what was for me an overwhelming passion; reading romance novels, I can now honestly say I'm proud of what I read and never again will I keep it hidden. This hasn't happened overnight but has come about over time. The women (and few men) who write in this genre are people to be proud of. They are smart, they are intelligent and they are people I'm proud to associated with. They do something that not everyone can do. They entertain us and they make us feel good when we close the final pages of a book.

One of the most frequent questions I'm asked, especially at RWA is what do I write? The first couple of years I answered almost embarrassed that "oh, I don't write romance, I'm just a blogger". But this year I had a different answer. Instead when I was asked what I write I answered 'I don't write romance, I write about romance. I love the genre and while I don't think I have what it takes to write a romance book myself, I can't help but write about something I love so much, whether it's a book that has touched my soul or rocked my world, or a genre or sub genre that I find fascinating or one that I would like to see more of, or sometimes of the authors themselves, I do have something to write and I want to help promote and share something I'm so passionate about with others of like mind."

And I think everyone who has thought about going to a conference/convention has the same to offer. They will get such a feeling of pride about themselves and what they love. I really hope that RomCon takes off since if they keep it they way the first one went, it is more affordable than the longer, more expensive conference/conventions. Being surrounded by so many people, meeting online or blogging friends in person is something I think everyone should try their hardest to undertake. At every conference I've attended, it's barely begun before I start thinking about the next one. This year it's a bit different as next year I want to go global and attend a convention in Australia; combining my life long dream of visiting there with meeting fellow romance fans from across the world. But whatever next year holds, it will hold meeting once again with what I very lovingly consider "my people"

I'll never say I'm just a blogger again.

Oralando - RWA - Day 5

I had to check back to see where I left off. There is so much happening here and my short term memory loss grows worse and worse as the years role by.

The luncheon with Jayne Ann Krentz was interesting (and good). As she was speaking, I realized I'm not the quote normal quote reader. She said that she started writing these very strange books that no one had read before. Those turned out to be her futuristics. I read them way back when, books like Sweet Starfire, Shield's Lady, Gift of Gold and Gift of Fire. I loved those books. But fans of those ones didn't necessarily follow over to her contemporaries. Or those who read her contemporaries often didn't follow her to her historicals under Amanda Quick, but I loved those too. I followed her no matter what she wrote but in her talk she said that didn't happen often. She gave some good advice to writers and I enjoyed the luncheon.

After that I sat in on a Publisher Spotlight - one for Avon - which I found interesting, though at times somewhat very boxed into what they were looking for. And then I hit the first of many publisher signings. For those not in the know, these are where they give away books - FOR FREE - and the authors will sign them. I've learned over the years to get the books I want at the literacy signing and wait until the publisher signings to get books that haven't been so much on my radar. It's a great way to try new and new-to-me authors or authors that have fallen off my radar. All the signings are beginning to blend together, but one stands out. I've mentioned that I've been getting many of my coworkers to try romance and so far, they are loving the genre. JD Robb is the author that most are reading at the moment with Lisa Kleypas's contemporaries shortly behind. Since I'll be working in another department when I get back, I wanted to get something special for my coworkers so I've picked up a number of JD's books. At the one publisher she was signing at, I got her to sign a book to the entire department and I'm going to give the JD Robb books, 'specially the signed one, as a department 'book' department. They had a new reissue of Naked in Death so that will be a department book for anyone that hasn't tried her yet.

And today I also had Lisa Kleypas sign a book to the coworker who headed away from my desk hugging Smooth Talking Stranger. She asked if I could get her a signed copy of one of Lisa's books.

So what else????? So much has been going on that my thoughts are scattered.

Aztec Lady has been the advanced guard for publisher signings. She has been the one holding a spot in line and I can always tell where she is because I hear her joyful laughter as she is making friends wherever she goes.

I met some new nice people, May from Malaysia and Kris who runs a German Romance Magazine called Love Letter.

I've taken a lot of pictures this time since I finally clued in that if I'm the one taking the pictures, that means I'm not the one in the pictures. Sometimes I'm a bit slow on the uptake.

Last night Wendy called it an early evening but I wasn't ready to turn in so I headed down to the bar and just kind of went over to a couple of people and said I was going to be brave and ask if they minded if I joined them. The let me thank goodness. It turns out one of them writes Futuristics for an epub. She handed me her card and a bookmark. When I got up to my room, one of the books sounded familiar and sure enough, it was one of the first books I downloaded onto my Kobo.

I was thrilled a few weeks before the conference to get an invite to the Berkley cocktail party. The party was last night. When I first got there is a bit of tough time. I've been shy most of my life and while in the past few years I've gotten over a lot of it, still moments of paralyzing shyness hits and it did last night. But I did my best to banish it and ended up having a great time. I had a very nice talk with author Jodi Thomas where I told her about the Great Western Drive that Sybil, Wendy and I did. I was thinking of Nath and all the girls at Book Binge since I know they are great fans of her books too. And then Carrie Lofty and I had a great time talking about North and South and Richard Armitage - we always do when we get together. Oh, and Julie James and I talked earlier in the week about SYTYCD and Carrie and I did last night. She's also a fan of the Canadian SYTYCD and I got to tell her that Nico, the first season winner got married not too long ago.

I ended up getting a lot more books than I planned too. I figured I'd keep it under control this year, but alas, the addiction took over again. Paranormals seemed to be the ones I picked up the most of. Though there are also a number of other genres too. I'm so glad I read across the board. It really lets me feed that addiction to books. I didn't want to end up shipping books home this year, but alas, I'm going to have to again.

Well - I should get going. I left the RITA award show early so that I could pack - books and clothes. Wendy and Rosies flight leaves only about 15 minutes before mine tomorrow, which is at 8:15 am which will make for a very early wakeup!!

I've had such a wonderful time, but I am looking forward to getting home now. I'm sure I'll have a further thoughts blog or two, along with some of the books I picked up. But until then,

'til later

Oralando - Day 4 - RWA - Part 2 & Day 5

I just got back to my room from the first two publisher signings, Harlequin and Avon. I couldn't stay too long as it was crowded as all get out and since this is the third 'event' I've been to this year, I already have books from the previous ones still unread.

I do get amazed though when I see some people walk by. I think they must have grabbed every single book in the room they are so loaded down. I only pick up books I want to read and I know in Rosie's case for example, she also picks up a lot of books for other blogger friends so I can see why she would have a bunch. But some just go hog wild. Although I suppose I was probably like that at my first one - see book, must have.

So - back to yesterday. I heard that a lot of Nora's speech went around on twitter. Since I had to have Wendy answer my phone once and then show me how to make a call - I was trying to call Brent and after entering his number, it kept wanting me to add him to my contact list. Once she explained I had to hit the green button on the left and that green meant go, I can use word association and get it right next time. But for those who aren't on twitter, she gave a great speech. I love how she wasn't afraid to use the word bullshit. She was both funny and inspiring and if I had intentions of writing a book, she had excellent advice. The meal was good too. It was chicken and mashed potatoes and while the chicken was covered with something that looked like green mold and was a bit off-putting to look at, it wasn't really mold and was quite tasty.

And then after lunch the workshops began. In the past 3 years, I only attended on and decided to take in more this year. The first one I went to was given by Suzanne Brockman and Lee Childes. It was interesting as they compared the romance genre (which more women read) and the mystery genre (which more men read) and what would appeal to men and women about the other genre. There was all kinds of other interesting things I can't remember, but they said it would be available on the RWA site sometime.

After that I attended a workshop held by Jennifer Ashley on professional jealousy and how to handle it and even use it to work for you instead of against you. It was also quite interesting.

After that, Wendy, Aztec Lady and I headed out to meet Angela James and others for a Harleqing/Carina Press dinner we were invited to. It was ever so much fun. I've know Angie for a while now and she is such a delightful person. One of the cool things is she visits Toronto several times a year which is only a two hour drive away from me and Malle Vallik, the Director of Digital Content and Angie's boss suggested I take a trip to Toronto and get a tour of the Harlequin offices when Angie is down some time. How AWESOME is that!?!?!
Lynn, Sandy and Blythe from AAR were also there and it was great to talk to them again. Another member of the group was Sabrina Heise, a fellow blogger of Cheeky Reads a new to me blogger and a few other people who were interesting to talk to, but my deepest apologies if they visit here as I've forgotten their names. This short term memory loss is getting worse and it's killin'me.

We went to this incredible restaurant called The Oceanic and I went outside my food comfort box and ordered crab cakes. And they were good. And I learned something I did not know - besides the fact that Sandy broke the news to me that Paul Newman cheated on his wife - that devastated me for some reason - that Creme Brulee is supposed to have a crunch top!!!! I did not know that. I've had it a number of times but no where that I had it, did they blow torch the top to make it crunchy. I loved it!! Though after the meal I stayed full for about 7 hours. The meal was delicious, the company was great and the talking we did was so much fun.

After that we were invited to the Harlequin Slumber Party. Wendy decided to forgo it and I was late. By the time I got there, things were just wrapping up, but I did run into Michelle Styles there and we briefly talked North and South. Speaking of which, I said I'd meet her and Carrie Lofty at 11 and good gracious it's past already so I gotta fly.

'til later!

Dang! I missed them. Hopefully I can catch up to them later.

One thing that continues to impress me about this hotel is the elevators. I still haven't had to wait for one. I thought that maybe once the hotel filled up with RWA conventioneers they would be slower and fuller but that's not the case. A very nice added benefit. Ah well, I just came up to the room to grab my tote bag before heading back downstairs for the luncheon with Jayne Anne Krentz as the key note speaker this time. I'm looking forward to it as I've been reading her books for YEARS.

Oralando - Day 4 - RWA - Part 1

So - again I didn't do a part 2 yesterday. We are out and about and in and out so often, it seems I have to blog when I get a chance. Plus Wendy is also blogging and since I'm using her laptop - well, I should let her use hers. She so very kindly offered me the use of it when I emailed her before the conference asking if she was bringing it since mine is so big and heavy and I was tired of shlepping it with me at the other two and not even using it.

So - the literacy signing. It was confirmed once again that again I do not like them. I knew I should have waited and gone later after it opened and there was no line, but everyone else was lining up so I did too and by the length of the line and standing so long in one place, I was half done it before it even started. It amazes me that once upon a time I worked as a cashier in a grocery store and stood in one place for hours and hours at a time. How did I do that??????

And because I didn't make a list, once again I forgot some authors I wanted to see. Hopefully I'll see them at the publisher signings. The big one I totally forgot was Joss Ware - I didn't make it all the way to the W's. I've loved her first 2 books in the Envy series. In case anyone is wondering though, I did pick up the second book by Nancy Gideon - the one I downloaded on the Kobo 'cause I couldn't wait to read it, but also wanted a print copy. AND they have the third one here in the on location 'book store'. They didn't have it for signing at the literacy signing last night, but I picked up a copy this morning.

Another book I was thrilled to get was Elizabeth Naughton's newest series, Entwined. I was telling her that one of the biggest thrills in my blogging life was seeing a quote from Ramblings in Marked. Honestly - when I saw that I was excited beyond words!!

I also picked up a few other books - I'll have to do a wrap-up post of all the books I've gotten when I get home. But the BIGGEST thrill of the day was when I was sitting outside the signing room resting - I've done a lot of 'resting' when who should walk by but Jill of Romance Rookie!! She was one of my two room mates from RT, Nath being the other. Jill stayed with us for the second blogger bash and I just wanted to jump around like a puppy that both of my roommates from conferences, Wendy and Jill were both there and they got to meet each other. Quite a few people showed up and both Wendy and I were surprised. I got to see Sandy and Lynn from AAR again as well as meeting Blythe. This was so exciting too as I've been a fan of AAR for years now and meeting the people behind the site is so kewl!!

This morning Wendy, Rosie, Elizabeth (AnimieJune - who by the way has packed more sightseeing into her first few days I'm in awe) and I all had breakfast together. I'm three for three now on the Mickey pancakes. Then we headed to the goodie room for swag and stopped at the bookstore on the way back. As well as picking up Captured by Moonlight, I also got Ruthless by Anne Stuart, and Infamous by Suzanne Brockman (because Jill read and raved about it and it's not a Navy Seal book)

Next up is the luncheon with Nora Roberts so I'm headed there now. Not sure if I'll get to another part today or not.

I'm having a great time and although I know a lot of people are envious, I hope they are living even a little bit vicariously through these posts.

Orlando - Day 3 - RWA - Part 1

OK - so obviously I didn't get around to doing a part 2 yesterday. The blogger bash was great but since it was outside and for those non-Floridians and those not used to the humidity, it is draining! By the time I got back to the room, I was bushed. After just chatting with Wendy for a while I headed to dreamland.

There were quite a few who showed up at the Blogger Bash. One of the drop-ins was a nice surprise. Blythe Gifford, who writes Medievals for Harlequin Historicals showed up. I meant to get her latest release at RT but forgot. She was also at RomCon so I got a copy there but since it was only a few weeks ago, I haven't had a chance to read it yet. Kim from Hawaii showed up for a bit and Kris a blogger I shall have to look up and her friend Paula. Of course there was Wendy and Aztec Lady and me. One real thrill was meeting Lynn Spencer from All About Romance. She was saying Sandy and Blythe will be here also. Hopefully I'll get a chance to talk to them too. Meghan Frampton was there with some friends but I didn't get much of a chance to talk, we were kind of spread out. But it was fun and we have another one planned for tonight after the literacy signing.

I'm still not sure what to do about that - whether to brave the line or go down a little bit later once it's dispersed. I think when I finish this post I'll put the blowfish up and see if they deflate a bit. I'm really wishing I'd remembered my running shoes. They would keep my feet from swelling too much.

So far it's been rather a lazy day today. Wendy's been in the Librarian's event all day, she's even a speaker this year along with Tessa Dare. I checked out the good room. I've been collecting book flats and book marks for several years now without really having anything to do with the collection I've got going, but I saw something similar somewhere and thought it was really kewl. I have a beaten up coffee table and two end tables that are scratched and marred. I was just going to throw them out, but once I saw this picture, I've decided to cover them with book marks and cover flats - a decouloage - (is that what it's called) and then varathane it and put it in the 'library' when I get it back up again. So now I'm collecting with a vengance.

One of those small things that really impresses me so far about the hotel is the elevators. So far I haven't had to wait for one yet - as soon as I hit the button, one opens up. And our room isn't far from the elevator. I like that too! And the room is cool 'cause it has the shower and toilet in a separate room from the sink and counter. That means that one of us can be having a shower while the other dries their hair and brushes (not washes) their teeth. With two, sometimes three women roommates, you gotta love that!

Well - I'm going to rest my feet for a bit before the big ordeal I'm going to put the poor dears through.

'til later

Orlando - Day 2 - RWA - part 1

Well - it's almost time to leave for the Blogger Bash that Wendy has organized. So far today is great and I expect it will get even better. Sitting in the sun, knocking back a few brewskies should give me a nice buzz. And thankfully our room is fairly close to the elevator.

So far I've run into Julie James - we still need to talk SYTYCD and Courtney Milan. She introduced us to Tiffany Clare who has her first book coming out the same time as Courtney's next book.

Right at the moment I'm in our room with Wendy and Aztec Lady. I had lunch with Wendy, Rosie and LisaBea. And I had pancakes this morning shaped like Mickey Mouse - for some reason that cracked me up.

Karen - I did sit with my feet raised and it helped. Earlier my blowfish feet were so bloated I couldn't walk right and was much slower than Wendy and Rosie since I was forced to clomp as my feet wouldn't bend.

We've registered already and alas, 3 of the books we got in our registration tote bag I either already have and have read (Sugar Creek - Toni Blake) or books I'm in the middle of reading (Enemy Lover - Karin Harlow) or plan to read shortly (Wicked Becomes You - Meredith Duran). But since I'm hoping us Canadians have a blogger meet sometime soon, I'll have books to share. I obviously started my book buying ban too late - though the Karin Harlow book was a freebie at RomCon.

Well - I know Wendy wants to head down so I'll wrap up Part 1

Orlando - Day 1

So - I made it to Orlando all right. And I find it hard to believe, but it IS even more humid here than back home. I did leave packing to last minute again *sigh* but I did get it done - well mostly. I have both toopaste AND toothbrush this time. No washing my teeth this trip. And I remembered to bring a brush. But alas, I forgot my running shoes. I live in running shoes except for in the summer when it's sandals. Hopefully I won't notice the loss, though my feet have already swollen up like blowfish, a big fat hugely blown up blowfish.

It was great travelling! I only brought one book. Normally, even going to a book convention where I'll be getting tons of them, I still feel the need to bring about five or six. But with my new and improved Kobo, I didn't need to bring a bunch. Made my purse a lot lighter let me tell you.

The hotel is incredible. It's huge and I've already got lost a couple of times. I'll have to take pictures. I was the first to arrive - got to the hotel around 5ish and unpacked. Then I decided to to go down and wait for Wendy and Rosie - and wasn't Wendy standing in line checking in!! So the three of us have connected and after dinner we are in the hotel. We met a nice lady from Australia who joined us for dinner and hopefully will show up to the blogger bash tomorrow. I told her to bring a pen and paper so she can write down books she should look for. Now we are back in our room waiting to see if AnimieJune shows up.

And something else occurred that I found rather bizarre. We are here in Florida and it's hot. There's a couple of pools I think and a guy walked by with in just a bathing suit. And I realized that was the first time I'd seen a guy with no shirt in person other than my sons and they don't really count in quite some time. How bizarre, how bizarre, how bizarre.

Anyway, since Wendy was nice enough to bring her much smaller and lighter laptop so I didn't have to lug my big and heavy one around, I shall be back later with further updates.