Its a Small Small World

One of the weirdest things happened to me while I was at Nationals. Really weird. Weirder than me chillin' with famous people.

There are over 9000 members of the RWA, there was over 2000 members at nationals. In the entire time I was there I didn't meet a single person from New England, let alone New Hampshire.

Enter my stalker. During the Warner 5Spot, Avon(?) and a couple of other publisher book signings I was standing in a line having the ususal conversation (see previous blog). I saw this girl, standing a few people back, reading Conversatioins with the Fat Girl. I of course told her I thought it was wonderful and went back to my conversation. When it came around to my turn and I said NH, I heard from the back of the group, "No way, what part?" Low and behold it was the girl with Liza's book. I said, "It's a little town called North Conway." Her mouth dropped and she told me that she was moving to Conway in a month. Not only was she moving to Conway but she was also moving to the street I grew up on.

WTF?

That wasn't the last time I bumped into her either. I went to the dinner match up and who was there? I was looking for a place to eat breakfast the next morning and who was sitting there? I was leaving for the airport (sick as a dog) hopped into the front seat of a shuttle that was about to leave and who was sitting behind me? Ooooo. Spooky.

What are the chances?

Anyway, she seems like a really nice lady, and I think it might be good to have another writer so close. Can we say kick in the pants? We have already met up to see the new HP movie. We had one of those cool conversations about authors and books we have (or haven't) enjoyed.

This is a picure of our group at the dinner meet up. Yumm!

RWA members so nice they could be a Disney Ride

Conference rehash Part Deuce

I believe I mentioned how worried I was about not knowing anyone and the fact I was worried that I wouldn't speak to anyone the entire time I was there.

I am happy to announce that this is not the case.

It started right from the very beginning. After my tussle with the front desk lady I met my first conference ladies at the elevators (actually this is where I met a lot of people at the elevators due to the excessive time spent waiting for the down elevators) Everyone was sooo nice! Always asking how are you doing, are you having a good time, and when I got my first timer flag on my name badge, they would asked how my first time was going.

And this wasn't just us wannabe writers (not that there is anything wrong with being a wannabe writer). Authors I've read before were totally nice to me too. Here were some of my favorites: Karen Rose, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Samantha Graves, and Liza Palmer. There was this one time where I was sitting around a coffee shop table with Liza Palmer, Megan Crane, Michelle Rowan, and Jane Porter. It was a major pinch me moment. If I wasn't afraid of being too much of a geek, I would have gotten a picture, but once invited to the cool kids table, I was afraid of setting myself apart.

Anytime you were standing in a line we could look over to the person next to us and start up a conversation. We were all there for the same reason, we go there knowing you had something in common with the person next to us.

Of course we would have the same conversation over and over again. This is how almost every conversation went:
What's your name?
Where are you from?
What do you write?
You could mix up the order but that was the gist everything.

On my very first night, I went out to one of the hotel restaurants and waited in a really long line just to get to the line, to give them my name. I started talking to the ladies behind me, (actually I inserted myself into their conversation) when it got to be my turn and I told the hostess, "just one." The ladies behind me said "Oh no, you should join us!" and they meant it. I had a very nice evening with them talking about books. At the end of the dinner, we even shared a dessert.

It was actually weird to come home and 1 not have everyone wearing name tags and 2. not be interested in chatting.

I already can't wait for next year!

I'm a naughty, naughty girl.

I haven't blogged for a while. Honestly I haven't written anything of worth for a while either. I thought I'd come back from Nationals raring to go. This has not been the case. Actually I think I might be moving backwards. I will sit there in front of the keyboard and I'm like a kid with ADD high on pixie stix.

I have decided that I need to purchase a new computer. Perhaps I will leave my bad writing Karma here. (Either way it's a pretty sweet computer) But then I think, do I really deserve a new computer?

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!

I know it was poofy from the humidity of TEXAS, but after looking at my pictures from last weekend, I have realized that my new haircut has this weird mushroom look to it.

Crap.

On a Stick.

Nationalies

While I languish here with the killer headcold I developed at the RWA Conference I thought I would let y'all know how fricken cool this weekend was. Let me just put it this way, you remember all the goals I was hoping to achieve? (See previous post) Well I accomplished everyone and have the photographic evidence to prove it.

Meet Samantha Graves? CheckSuper nice lady, who seemed just as excited to meet me a loyal listener of the podcast. (Or maybe in all my excitement I just made her nervous, and she just wanted to shoo me along.) Either way, I got a copy of her new book Sight Unseen. She also took what had to be a very unflattering photo of me doing my "I curse you Lani Diane Rich for getting me hooked on bubbleshooter!"-face. Anyway I was the first one to mention Will Write for Wine and received the prize of the Coaster with the logo printed on it.

I met up with some Smart Bitches over Diet Cokes in the bar, where we proceeded to have the loudest most inappropriate conversations about male genitalia, sexual perversions, and The Office.

I listened to Michael Hauge speak. He was of course amazing... and of course I bought the 6 hour video, I am nothing if not a sucker for a good upsell.

I came home with (not kidding) about 50lbs worth of free books. If I were to add them up, I do believe that I have gotten back the conference fee in free books.
Other Highlights:

I met Sherrilyn Kenyon She is super nice. She is also one of those ladies one would speak of there in hushed, awestruck tones. (You know in the same realm as Nora or SEP)There was a huge line to get her autograph at the signing. I didn't see her there (not a big fan of lines) but I had a stroke of luck at one of the publisher signings. I was wandering about just as she was about to sit down for another signing and was able to get into the beginning of the line. Even then I waited quite a while. But it was totally worth it, she was SO nice, and funny, and pretty.... (I will stop now)

My Bed. The Hyatts food might have sucked, we might have had to wait for the down elevators for too long, the coffee shop's hot chocolate might be the worst swill imaginable, but the bed was uber comfortable

Okay that is all for now. I've decided to save some for additional posts. (actually it's now night time here and the dreaded nighttime tickle cough has arrived and I'm having a little trouble staying focused) Upcoming posts include, RWA members so nice they could be a Disney Ride, Stalking my new BFF Liza Palmer, It's a Small, Small Word, and How I am like Kathy Griffin.

Bye

OMGWTF!

It has been one of these days, weeks, and months. I am soo stressed at work right now. Its one of those times that I now dread going in. I actually have a dread feeling in the pit during my days off, knowing that I have to go back. Blech. We are just going through one of those times where almost every single person has a problem. Almost every single call is some unhappy customer looking for someone to vent their anger and frustration at. I am honestly not sure how much longer I can keep up this pace.

Who am I kidding? The other businesses in the area where I live cannot support me in the manor to which I have become accustomed.

Blech.

I am almost ready for the conference. I have been shopping like a storm. I believe that I have all the apparel I need. I have been looking into the all the authors who are going to be at the Literacy Signing. Here are the people who I am most excited to meet:
Samantha Graves I haven't read anything she's written but she is 1/2 of the awesome Will Write for Wine Ladies. (I am actually writing this while I wait for the new episode to be posted to itunes.) She writes romantic suspense under the name Samantha Graves and Futuristics under the pen name C.J. Barry.
Liza Palmer She wrote Conversations with the Fat Girl. I loved this book, not only is it on my keeper shelf but reread it all the time.
Heather Osbourn She was a publisher with Elloras Cave last year and she was on a panel for a workshop called "Pillow Talk: Hint, it's not porn". She was so funny.
Michael Hauge He teaches screenwriting. I listened to his workshop from last year and he teaches storytelling, character arcs, ect. One of my favorites last year and he is teaching two different ones this year.

What do they want from me?

I am so tired my eyes are starting to cross, characters are starting to talk to me. I have decided that my book actually starts earlier than previously intended, so I have been up adding a couple of scenes. These are actually going pretty well. It is so funny how you go into a project knowing something, saying okay this is what the books about, I'm not sure about all the details but this is what the core of the book is. Then you work on it for a little while, finding out what works, what doesn't. In that time one, just one, of your core facts change, and it's like knitting when you should have purled. What seems like a little mistake, continues on in your project, getting bigger and bigger, until you just can't ignore it anymore. Then you must make a decision, rip out all the work you've already put into it, or you can adjust your pattern. Okay that might not be very clear, but it's after 12, pity metaphors left me a while ago.

Lay off. And that goes for the people in my head, as I am going to go to bed now.

Introducing...

I was lurking around Dogs and Goddesses and I found the coolest thing. They did a layout of all the characters of the book they are working on. I had already collected a bunch of pictures as its actually really helpful. Looking around for photos you clear in your head who the character is by eliminating who the character isn't. You know or it could be a huge delaying tactic as it took me forever to do this. Big shout out to Mary Ann who suggested Power Point. Anyway the characters are coming together really well. Now I am going to go and figure out how to put this picture on my computer as my wall paper. Oh yeah and WRITE while I am so excited.

The Sky is Falling!

Good lord. I was away from work for 2 days and the world fell in. Now don't misunderstand me, I am no overlord, it probably would have caved in whether I was there or not. The last two days I have put in so many hours my butt is numb from sitting at the computer all day. Not generally a bad thing, but then when I come home and I am faced with my own computer... Needless to say not much is getting done.

Something good, something good... Lets see, oh yes this weeks episode of Will Write for Wine just came out. This is the little treat I have for my car ride in tomorrow. They are discussing Chocolat, which I have to say I didn't really enjoy. Kate was all, watch it you'll love it, I know you. I was able to say after all that "You don't know me at all", which didn't faze her any. The only redeeming quality of the movie was the Johnny Depp character. And not because I drool over JD. His was a really interesting character. I hear his next movie is Sweeney Todd. Somehow that suits him.

Ooo something else I love, I am really enjoying The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas on sundays on my ride home from work they are playing on my local radio station. I went online and they offer a couple of free downloads. At this moment I am listening to Ring a Ding Girl. Check them out

Anyway I can't spend one more moment in front of the computer, so I am off!

Thats what Authors do

It's official, I'm an author. And I have the business card to prove it:

Now I just have to get published. You know or finish something. I have a lot to do to to live up to my business card. Isn't it pretty!?

Why would an unpublished writer (not that there's anything wrong with that) have a business card you ask? I am going to my very first writers conference! It is the Romance Writers of America (of which my the ink on my membership card isn't even dry yet) National conference, which is taking place in Dallas. I am SO excited about it. And I am going by myself so I am wicked nervous as well.

Of course I am not a member of any local chapter, so I really won't know anyone. And to be perfectly honest I am not the outgoing type (at least when I don't know anyone). That was okay at first because I am really there to take the workshops anyway. But then I realized how much 'free' time we were given. I am totally going to be that girl in the corner who finds her drink very fascinating. They say this is a great time to go meet people. You know, go up to a table at lunch and ask if the empty chair is taken. Of course if it were me, when I ask if I can sit, the table will be full of very popular published authors, and they will be like "Umm... No. This is the popular kids table?" THEN they will be all offended that I didn't know who they were. (right because people can recognize authors. Show me a picture of your cover and then I'll know who you are) Already I am making enemy's and they don't even know me yet.

The dress code is business casual. Of course business casual for one state is not necessarily business casual for another. In NH business casual means khaki or even jeans and a nice top. So I am packing for everything. I went shopping with Amy this week and apparently I am going to be skirt girl. Even though I didn't know what business casual was, I was sure what it wasn't. I told Amy, I need my clothes to convey a particular message. I need people to look at from my spot in the corner, and say "Look at that lady in the corner, the one with what must be a really interesting drink, her clothes are telling me she is a really interesting and unique person. I feel compelled to go over and introduce myself" Can you do that with a $200 budget?

Oh and get this, there is a full on formal night, which believe it or not I already had a dress for.

Anywhoo, I am not shopping anything, which I think is a good thing. I can go experience this without an agenda, learn a lot, and scope everything out. My big goal is to meet some interesting people and to hopefully come out of this energized with a great critique group.

You know 'cause that's what authors do.

BRB

'Allo Guvnah'

I now have external conflict for my character! I thought it was cool when the internal conflict fell into place. I knew what the external conflict is for the hero, but that doesn't really work for her. I didn't think it was such a big thing, until I was reading He Wrote She Wrote.

If there is anyone out there trying to write anything (fictional) should definitely check it out. Much worth the time.

Anywhoo, I am house sitting for the next couple of days without an Internet connection. So bad for you because I won't be posting anything but good for my writing because I won't have any of those web distractions.

Unfortunately they do have movie channels which get me every time.
Dang.

Gift with Purchase

Reading through my previous blogs, I found that I had already mentioned the jobbie. Here is a gift to you: Hottie Mchothot.





Yeah I am not ashamed to admit my hero is patterned after Mr. Hot, really who can blame me?

What've I been doing you ask? Causing trouble. See below:

Holla Chicas! Wow I didn't realize how long it had been since I had done this. Okay that is a total lie. I am a bad bad person. I am hanging my head here. Okay that's a lie too. If I hang my head down I will miss the crazy shit going down on the new season of Top Chef.



I have updated my links, check 'em out.



There has been a lot of changes here. The biggest one is that I have officially admitted I am a reality show junkie. Top Chef, Project Runway, Americas Next Top Model, the list goes on and on.



Lets see what else is new? Oh Yeah my job. Not only do I have a new job but I am now lower to middle management. I am now the sales manager of an internet company. While it is great to be working at a place that not only do they think great things of me but I also get to use my brain. (The money doesn't hurt either) Of course the downside is my job is so stressful it makes my blood pressure go up 20 points.



Lets see I am now an official member of the RWA, thats the Romance Writers of America for all you schlubs out there who didn't know. I am even going to the National Conference. Wahoo! I won't talk too much about it here because I am sure I will bore you all with it later.



Anyway this is just a quick post to reintroduce myself.



Hello.