MOANday-Eddie Cibrian

I wanted to post a hunk for MOANday that was as hot as this July has been! I think Eddie Cibrian is our man.



Recently appearing in “The Starter Wife”, Nora Robert’s Northern Lights, and Ugly Betty, he’s also appeared in Invasion and Third Watch. I just think he’s cute. ;)





Hope y’all are recovered from your holiday weekend! I know the start of a new work week can be hard, but hopefully this will bring a little smile to your day.

Angel

P.S. I’d like to send a great, big I LOVE YOU to my Little Man, who turns 5 today.

Cole Slaw and Explosives

It's almost here. Even now as I'm writing this, I can hear the pops and bangs of juveniles with incendiary devices run amok in my neighborhood.

Oh yes, the Fourth of July.

I've been dreading it since I saw the first trailers go up in gas station parking lots across town. To explain for those lucky souls who live in states where fireworks are illegal, they're always sold out of rickety looking trailers crammed packed with stuff set in parking lots in every gas station you pass. (Which never made a whole lot of sense to me. Wouldn't it be better to set them up in a grocery store lot or something far far away from gasoline pumps? In case there's some freak tragedy of some kind that would blow up a city block?)

Anyway, I'm all for celebrating independence and all that, but I find that most holidays have evolved to these weird convoluted commercial versions of themselves. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for chocolate bunnies and spiderman costumes, but when it comes down to it, they really don't have much to do with anything. Fourth of July is no exception. How cole slaw and small explosives became the symbols of freedom, I'll never know. Of course, it doesn't help that I really don't like cabbage or fireworks that aren't handled by paid, licensed professionals. Wonder what the 4th of July equivalent of "Bah Humbug" is? :)

At least I get a day off of work for it. (Which I'll probably spend making an American flag cake to take to whatever bbq I end up at.)

A lot of others are probably off today, too, so I'll make this brief...

My heartfelt thanks go out first to the founders of this nation. They had the nerve to do something that had never been successfully accomplished and would've led to their execution for treason if they failed. And to all the soldiers, past and present, who fought to obtain our independence and keep it... thank you as well.

Happy Independence Day.
SP

Wuv True Wuv

I'm going to break the cycle we seem to have going on the Playground this week. I'm not going to talk about conference (although, I still need to shop for a couple of things and make my packing list and put my schedule together and...)

However, I am going to talk about something else that's close to our hearts on the Playground - Love. We deal with it every day. The push and pull of two people trying to find a way to reconcile their emotions and make a life together. It isn't easy - in fiction or in real life. But it is sooo worth it - in fiction and in real life.

Tomorrow is my anniversary. Eleven years of wedded bliss...or rather eleven years of give and take punctuated by moments of bliss that make it all worth it. I met my wonderful husband fifteen years ago. We've grown up together (We were both pretty young when we met. I'm not telling you exactly because I know you guys can do math...)

I've made mistakes. He has too but I'll be nice and not list them :-). The important thing is that at the end of the day nothing was worth giving him up. Nothing. I'm very lucky to have Zilla in my life.

I'm going to spend today moving my office (pray for me) and won't have internet access all day. But tomorrow I plan to spend the entire day with Zilla and our girls. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the life we've built together over the last several years. I love you, sweetheart!

Instigator

More advice

I love going to the annual RWA conference. I just don't like all the stress of getting ready to go. You have to pay your registration fee right after Christmas. Then you monitor airline fares and pounce the moment you see a great deal. You have an email loop with you and the others in your chapter who are going too so you can all obsess over the new baggage rules and how to get enough clothes for a week into one suitcase -- especially when you have to have not only business casual but sightseeing clothes and formal wear as well.

But once I've pared the clothing down to bare minimums, squeezed it all into the bag along with shoes, toiletries, jewelry, et cetera, flown to the conference city, negotiated that city's transportation system and checked into the hotel, the stress falls away (mostly) and I'm ready to learn and see old friends and make new ones too.

This year I get to go to something new -- the PRO retreat. And I've been pouring over the other workshop listings to see which I want to attend. Wouldn't you know that a couple I really like are the same time as the PRO retreat? Thank goodness for the conference CDs.

Anyway, I thought I'd borrow from my last year's conference blog and offer a few tips I've gleaned from both past experience and some of my ever-so-helpful writing friends from around the world.

* Volunteer because it's a great opportunity to meet other writers. And you'll be giving back to the organization that gives us so much.

* Wear comfy shoes. Mine this year will be not only comfy but ugly. My leg cast will come off three days before I leave for DC and I don't want to stress my foot. So I'm going to polish up my boxy-looking black shoes with rubber soles and wear them for everyday so I can don my new Kenneth Cole sandals for the awards night.

* Take a jacket or shawl to wear in the conference rooms. They keep the temps at a level comfortable for a man in a wool-blend business suit, which means a woman in slacks and a blouse will have blue lips and goosebumps before you can spell Antarctica.

* The workshop schedule is online at the RWA site. Take an afternoon or evening and go through it. Make a chart with Word or Excel for every day you're at the conference. Write down the workshops you want to attend. Add the get-togethers with various groups of friends you only see once a year. With a schedule, the whole affair seems a little less overwhelming, especially if this is your first conference.

* Do not do as I did at my first conference and try to attend a workshop during every slot of every day. By Friday night I felt as if I'd slammed into a concrete wall. I had major brain overload. Select the workshops you really want to attend, and if it's a popular one, arrive early to assure you get a seat. Then when there's an hour where no workshop really calls to you, visit the Executive Conference Room AKA the hotel bar or the hotel coffee shop and rest.

* If you are targeting a particular publisher, be sure to attend their spotlight session. You'll get a world of information straight from the horse's mouth.

* Speaking of mouths, be careful what comes out of yours. You never know who may be at the back of the elevator car. It could be the editor who has your manuscript or her best friend. Be especially careful not to enjoy the ECR too much because loose lips sink ships -- and writing careers too.

* If you see someone who looks lost or scared, walk up to them and say, "Hi, my name is _______ and I'm from ________. Is this your first conference? What do you write?" Invite them to sit with you at lunch. Introduce them to your friends. A big part of this business is networking and just saying hello may lead to something big.

* One of my writing friends is really big on goals -- even at conference. She doesn't leave home without a goal in mind. I try to do this too and come up with something that is tangible and can be measured, such as networking with five new people or learning about several publishing houses you were not familiar with before the conference.

* I always take a new bottle of over-the-counter pain reliever. I carry it with me everywhere for my own aches and pains or for the editor in the elevator who complains of a splitting headache. This is a great way to make a new friend too.

* Remember to take your camera and remember to use it so you can take home memories of the week. I have photos of myself with favorite authors and love to go back and look at conferences from years past. Remember the charging cable too!

* If you take your cell phone, be sure to TURN IT OFF during workshops. Put in on vibrate and stick it in your pocket. You'll know when someone calls but it won't disturb the speaker (unless you shriek when it vibrates). And remember the charging cord for it too.

* Leave your favorite perfume at home. Many folks have allergies, and even if they don't, fifteen women all wearing different perfume in an elevator can be olfactory overload.

Have I forgotten anything? Please tell me if I have because right now my brain is beginning to turn to mush.

P.S. How on earth can it be July already??? Check out the new contest at our website. I'm going to help one person Run Away from Home.

Yep, a conference post from me, too...

Things I’m looking forward to at Conference:

• Wearing nice clothes every day.I spend most days in sweats, so the opportunity to actually look good is one I actually look forward to. I know, folks who have to get dressed every day won’t see this as a plus, but I love it. Possibly because it is only for a few days.I can go back to my normal schlumpy self after.

• Putting names with faces. I “know” a lot of people on line. Folks who read our blog, other Harlequin authors, other bloggers, etc. Meeting them face-to-face is something I’m really looking forward to.

• Being Kimberly Lang. Don’t get me wrong – I adore my husband and child. I like being a wife and a mom. But sometimes I want to be me – not AC’s Mom or DG’s wife. No one expects me to cook or clean or find their socks. I need that occasionally. Conference is my time to be me.

• Time with folks I don’t see often. My fabu CP will be at conference, plus there are folks I only see a couple of times a year at different events. It’s like a reunion only without the horrible memories and residual teenage angst.

• Free books. What’s not to love there? And you all should love that too because I’ll be restocking my giveaway shelf.

(Things I’m not looking forward to: trying to fit all my stuff into one suitcase, air travel, lack of sleep, big crowds, and the sore throat/cough I’m guaranteed to get.)

So, if you’re going to Conference, what are you looking forward to? If you’re not going, do you have an event you look forward to every year?

PC

A Fever of Preparations

In case you haven’t noticed, the Playground is in a fever of preparation for RWA National Conference in a couple of weeks. Two exactly. Most of us leave on a Monday.

Anyway, today I thought I’d offer a few tips on preparing for writer’s conferences, whether Nationals or a regional conference. These experiences can be some of the most exciting and nerve-wracking activities in a writer’s journey. I hope these tips might smooth your way just a bit:

1. Plan your wardrobe around one color.

As we mentioned last week when we talked about shopping, planning around either black or brown for your wardrobe can cut down on the number of clothing items you have to take. For instance, I’m taking a black skirt with 2 different shirts for my cocktail events this year. One black pair of shoes that will go with those outfits, my black dress pants, and one of my formal dresses. That’s really helpful because shoes take up lots of space and add up weight quickly.

2. Get travel size bottles whenever possible.

I’ve been grabbing travel size soap, shampoo, and toothpaste at the store over the past few weeks. Taking these instead of full size bottles can really cut down on the weight of your suitcase. Need specific products that don’t come in travel size? Purchase some refillable bottles.

3. Wear new shoes before you go, even if it is just around the house.

There is nothing worse that breaking in new shoes at conference. That is just a blister waiting to happen. If you’ve purchased new shoes (which I have), be sure to break them in before you go. I have some just-purchased flats that I’ve been wearing out and about, but my new black heels aren’t exactly made for running errands. My family laughed when they walked into the kitchen to find me wearing them with a pair of gray shorts and a t-shirt, but at least I won’t have to deal with as much foot pain in DC.

4. Prepare your story pitches before you leave.

In the rush to get everything ready, working on your editor and agent pitches can get shuffled to the background. But trust me, you don’t want to be up until 1 a.m. the night before, stressing over just the right word to describe your hero. (Been there, done that.) Instead, you should be getting a couple of extra hours of sleep. Do yourself a favor and put together your full-length and elevator pitches before you go. It will save you a lot of stress later.

5. Write out your schedule, but leave room for the unexpected.

It is said that a lot happens in the bar at National conference, and that’s certainly true. Even if you don’t meet your dream editor there, lots of hilarity can ensue with the right group of friends. I have a lot of events that I have to attend this year, so this list-maker definitely has her schedule already worked up. I’ve also listed a couple of workshops that I’d REALLY like to attend in person. Other than that, I’ve tried to leave some space free. You never know what you might get swept up into during that down time.

6. Take whatever steps necessary to leave home without worrying what you’ve left behind.

I’m not talking about stuff here. You can always purchase something you forgot to take with you. I’m talking about peace of mind. My husband makes fun of me for the extensive lists I write out for those keeping my kids and the freezer full of convenience foods they’ll probably leave in favor of fast food, but that’s okay. If putting myself to all that trouble means I can fly to Washington with a little less worry over leaving my loved ones, then I think it is worth it. So do whatever you need to, in order to feel more comfortable about what is happening in your absence. You’ll be happy you did.

7. If you haven't already, go read the fine print on your travel requirements... now.

While this may seem self-explanatory to well-seasoned travelers, I rarely fly anywhere except to conference. Imagine my surprise when I looked up the luggage weight limits and found a little tidbit about checking my luggage in before I get to the airport. If I don't, they are going to charge me an additional $5 for doing it when I get there. Go read all your flight information now, so you aren't surprised and scrambling at the last minute. You'll be glad you did.

These are some of the travel tips working through my brain at the moment. With conference 2 weeks away, this stuff is at the forefront of my mind. But thanks to Kathy, I’ve got 2 full pitches and an elevator pitch ready to rehearse. My wardrobe is planned and the suitcase is sitting in the living room for me to drop stuff into it as needed.

For those of you heading out to conference, or used to traveling, what other tips can you offer those of us about to wing our way to our nation’s capital?


Angel

The Return of the Comprehensive, Must-Have, Magical, Mystical, Packing List

All righty, people. Nationals is right around the corner. Its time to start thinking about really important stuff like "What am I going to wear?" and "How many shoes can I cram into this bag without going over the weight limit?" In honor of this important event (and because I'm at a wedding in Napa) I'm bringing back the Comprehensive, Must-Have, Magical, Mystical, Packing List. Its a great place to start building your own list.

Mine is broken into sections, starting with what I'm wearing on the plane. These are usually items that are too bulky to pack and comfortable for travel. Jeans, a sweater and sneakers are must haves in my book and I've racked up my share of airline miles in them. Planes get cold and I've been so happy to have my sweater instead of wearing shorts and flip flops like all the other tourists. Plus, when they change your gate for the 10th time or your plane is late and you have 5 minutes to make your connection, sneakers are a godsend.

Wear on Plane :

• Shirt
• Jeans
• Sweater
• Sneakers
• Socks

Then I have the list of what goes in my backpack. I like backpacks because my hands are free, but this could be your carry on, your toiletry bag...whatever. Just make sure these items are in a bag you physically have custody of at all times. Must have stuff. You don't want it to end up in New Jersey while you're waiting at the luggage carousel in DC.

Backpack :

• Plane Itinerary / Ticket
• Camera & Battery Charger
• Cell Phone & Charger
• 1 extra pair of panties & socks (just in case)
• Book to read on the plane
• ID and/or Passport (I keep this and some cash in an easily accessible pocket - one that zips for security - for the 20 times I have to get it out to travel. This is mainly because of the next item.)
• Purse (I transition to a smaller purse and stuff it inside my backpack so I have less to carry. This makes it harder to get to, so I take a few essentials out for the day. Even though you won't need your keys, be sure to carry them with you as well so you have them when you get home.)
• Snacks (They don't feed you on planes anymore, so this is a MUST. Its also good to have once you get to Nationals so you have something to eat aside from the overpriced hotel food.)
• Prescription Medication (Never, ever check your pills with your luggage.)
• Travel Alarm Clock (If you can't set your cell phone, and you can, I'm pretty sure)
• Mini flashlight
• Business Cards

Next is what goes in my toiletry bag. Mine is actually a small bag that fits inside my luggage, which is good considering all the charges for extra pieces these days. If you're carrying this on, remember all liquids, gels and aerosols must be smaller than 3 ounces and must all fit within a clear, one quart ziplock bag. You have to pull this out and run it through the security x-ray separately. If you do check the bag, I still recommend putting liquids inside a ziploc bag in case a bottle comes open and leaks all over your clothes.

Toiletry Bag :

• Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss & Mouthwash
• Deodorant
• Hairbrush
• Clips/Bands/Barettes
• Shampoo & Conditioner (if you can use the hotel provided ones, ok, but my hair is too picky)
• Lotion and Soap (I will use the hotel provided stuff, but if you can't, pack your own)
• Hair Products - Gel, Hairspray, Mousse, Detangler
• Hair Electronics - blow dryers, curling iron, flat iron, etc.
• Makeup, brushes, cotton applicators, good mirror, tweezers
• Moisturizer w/ SPF (you might also take outright sunblock if you'll be outside a lot)
• Razor & Shaving gel
• Feminine Hygiene (I always take an emergency stash just in case.)
• OTC Meds - Pain Reliever, Antacids, Stomach Pills
• Clear and colored nail polish & file for manicure fixes and hosiery runs
• First Aid Kit & Extra bandaids (if you have to ask, you haven't read this blog for very long)
• Mini Sewing Kit
• Mini bottle of Downy Wrinkle Release Spray & Febreze (another must on the Playground!)

Luggage :

• Another copy of your flight itinerary in case your bag loses its ID tag
• Panties x # of days, plus one
• Sport or Trouser Socks x # of days needed
• 1 pair pantyhose (I hate them, but its good to carry one pair JIC. I have a pair of shoes that just rubs something fierce without them, but are super comfortable otherwise)
• Regular bras & dress bras (as needed for formals, etc)
• Spanx (the ever-so important foundation garment) & slips as needed
• Casual tops x # of siteseeing/travel days
• 1 pair jeans (if you aren't doing a lot of tourist stuff, this might not be necessary, especially as I'm wearing a pair on the plane)
• Seasonal Jacket, etc, as needed (depends on where you're going, as SFO was cold, DC is NOT)
• Pajamas (I don't know how many times I stress over every outfit, then forget PJs)
• Daytime Outfit Components (see breakdown below)
• Party Outfits as needed for Ritas, etc.
• Swimsuit, if you think you might manage to make it to the spa at some point
• Badge Lanyard with conference and chapter pins (RWA did a nice one in Reno for their Anniversary that had a pocket and a pen holder that I like to bring and use instead of the normal ones they usually have.)
• Shoes - At a minimum, 2 pairs of comfortable casual shoes or sandals, 1 or 2 dress pairs for formals, maybe some slippers or flip flops if you're inclined to swim or visit the spa. If you coordinate your outfit to a color scheme, you can cut down to less. You could wear the same shoes every day if it matches, but I find even the most comfortable pair will start to rub and make your feet sore if you wear them over and over.
• Jewelry - Make sure you know what you're wearing with each piece and put them all together in a bag with tissue if you don't have a jewelry travel case.

Finally, to determine my outfits, I use a daily breakdown. I try to bring some neutral pieces like black capris or a skirt that I can use a couple times. Microfiber is awesome - it doesn't wrinkle and it takes up almost no space in your bag. I also advocate the inclusion of one extra outfit that lies somewhere between your workshop attire and your formal in case you get an impromptu invite to a dinner or a party someplace nice. Here's my breakdown based on my typical activities...

• Wednesday - black microfiber skirt, pink top, black heels, pink jewelry
• Thursday - black capris, blue microfiber top, black sandals, blue jewelry
• Thursday Night - eHQN PJ party attire, flip flops/slippers
• Friday - black microfiber skirt, purple microfiber top, black sweater, black heels, purple jewelry
• Friday Night - purple formal, dress heels, purple jewelry
• Saturday - black capris, pink satin top, pink heels, pink jewelry
• Saturday Night - turquoise formal, gold dress heels, gold jewelry
• Sunday - t-shirt, jeans, etc. for flight home (add days as needed if you're coming early or staying late to sitesee)
• Pitch Outfit - if you are pitching, bring the outfit that makes you feel your best if its not already one of the ensembles you're wearing
• Extra Outfit - a fabu just in case outfit that you can wear with the shoes and jewelry you're already planning to bring

Hope The Comprehensive, Must-Have, Magical, Mystical, Packing List helps make planning for the big trip a little easier for you. Have I missed anything? What's on your must pack list?

SP