Category: RWA

Wednesday dawned on NYC bright and fair. Wednesday dawned on Betsy with sickness and…well, we won’t go there. So unfortunately I missed the opening session with Diana Gabaldon, Tess Gerritson, and Steve Berry. But I hear it was wonderful. Fortunately I felt better a little later and so was able to enjoy the rest of my busy day.

After the annual general meeting (I didn’t bother to take pictures there), was the keynote luncheon with Madeline Hunter.  The room was, of course, packed (hey, it was free food).

 Favorite takeaway quote from Ms. Hunter – “We find our voice when we embrace our exposure.”

When I embrace my exposure, the voice I hear is usually saying “Hey, don’t do that here, lady!”, but I don’t think that’s what she was talking about. 😀

Next up, the Pitch Witch workshop, then off to the Spotlight on Carina Press, the press nearest and dearest to my heart.

I think…is that Angela James up there (in the blue)? She does exist!

Next, on out to Times Square because, hey, I came all this way so I might as well see some of the city, right?

Wow…um…BIG!

REALLY big!

The hotel from outside:

More to come in Day 3!  In fact, it might be coming shortly in the next post!

So, you may or may not know that I am attending the RWA National Conference.  This event has been preceeded by much anxiety, but today I left with Bookseller Ann to the BIG city – New York City!

We decided to take a limo because we don’t live far enough away to fly and the bus didn’t appeal. And no WAY am I driving in New York. 

Thank you, limo driver, for getting us there safely! 

Oh, look!  We’re getting near the city!  Woohoo!

Oh, no!  Will we get there?  Will we get through?  Will we stuck in the tunnel? 

Never fear!  After a few tense moments, the limo driver weaves through traffic (scary – I kept my eyes closed) and delivered us safely to the hotel! 

The hotel is quite massive and looks just a little bit like a scene from a Star Wars movie.

 The room is very, very high up.  It doesn’t have a view of Times Square, but it’s close enough!

Hey, look at all of the little people down there.

After settling in a little bit, I met wonderful people from Harlequin’s digital team who led me on the path to digital righteousness, and taught me a lot of stuff.  Then it was time for the Literary Booksigning.  500 authors. Open to the public.  Mass hysteria. Dogs and cats sleeping together.  Think I’m lying?  Look…

But it was awesome because I got to meet Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, Nalini Singh and many other wonderful authors.  I had some complete fan girl moments, spent way too much money (for a good cause), and go many autographed books.

And now here I am back in the hotel room, blogging, Facebooking, tweeting, and looking forward to Day 2.

More to come….

As some of you may know, I’m heading to New York City in less than two weeks to attend the RWA National conference. And in EXACTLY two weeks from this MOMENT, give or take an hour, I shall be sweeping majestically into the freaking Waldorf Astoria hotel as one of the attendees of the Harlequin black and white ball.

Um, ‘scuse me?

In my mind’s eye, I’m wearing a beautiful black dress (because, hello, white dress? Are you kidding me?). I am perfectly coiffed and made up. I walk with elegant ease in mile-high shoes. My skin is flawless.

And then I see myself tripping and falling on my butt right in the middle of the dance floor.

The RWA (Romance Writers of America) is the trade group for – wait for it – romance writers. And the national conference is the big enchilda in the romance industry. Very well-known authors will be there. Authors of all levels of experience will be there. Agents and editors from all over the place will be there. The hotel has been sold out for months. The conference itself is sold out, despite difficult economic times. There will be workshops and parties and opportunities for madness, mayhem, and shopping.

And I’m so far out of my comfort zone that I can’t even see it from where I’m standing. (Hello, comfort zone? Are you there? *crickets*)

On the other hand, I’m also very, very excited about attending. I’m looking forward to meeting other Carina Press authors and editors I’ve only met through email. I’m hoping that I’m will learn something. I’ll be able to wear a ribbon announcing my first sale and hand out business cards saying that I’m a romance author. I’ll be able to talk about “my publisher”, because I actually will have a book being published. I’ll meet some of the wonderful people at Harlequin.

So, in two weeks, give or take an hour, I shall sweep majestically into the freaking Waldorf Astoria hotel. I will indeed be wearing a very lovely black cocktail dress (provided by my friend, Bookseller Ann). I will glide across the floor in dress pumps that, although not mile-high, are significantly dressier than anything else I’ve bought in a while. And my skin might not be flawless, but I do have babe-ilicious brown hair – again.

In other words, I shall look as good as a Betsy can look, and to that look I shall remain true for the entire evening. I shall be the Betsy of the Ball.

And I’ll try not to fall on my butt.

Stay tuned for more “Betsy Goes To A Conference” updates in future blog posts.

Woohoo! New York City!