It Really Does Happen - UPDATED

Conference was great. The best one I've had so far, I think. Sadly, if I don't count the workshop I gave, I only went to one and a half sessions, but there was so many other wonderful things to fill my schedule. Book signings, meet and greets, chatting with friends in the bar. Nevermind all the wonderful touristy things to do. I can't imagine how different it is for someone who also has publisher events, meetings with their editor, etc. Heck, we hardly saw Lynn for all the Golden Heart events she had to go to.

This year, I deliberately didn't pitch. Last year I did and was mightily disappointed by the way the agent I pitched to handled my proposal over the last year. I had plenty going on my own, thanks to the Circle of Five, so I was just going to relax and enjoy it.

My college roommate, Dr. Brilliant, lives just outside of SFO. You might remember her from these previous posts. Anyway, she took the train into town and we went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory Thursday night. Afterward, I brought her up to our room to pick out a historical romance from the pile I'd collected. As we waited for the elevator with another lady, Dr. Brilliant asked me about my badge, which said "PRO" across the bottom. I told her it meant that I had finished a book, and well, been rejected. About six times. The woman waiting with us offered that it was a badge of honor and something to be proud of.

So we get on the elevator and the other woman asks me what I write. I tell her I write quirky paranormals. She asks if I'm pitching this year. I said no, by the time I got around to it, there wasn't much available. Then it happened. The thing that everyone says happens, but I've yet to hear or experience an actual instance of it.

She told me she was taking appointments Saturday morning at 9. If I could meet her down there at 8:45, she'd fit me in. At this point, I hadn't a clue who she was or who she worked for. She gave me her card. She was an agent. I was nearly stunned speechless. I gave her my card and told her that was fine. I wasn't really sure what to say or do. I walked Dr. Brilliant to her subway stop, then returned to the room, sort of bewildered and numb. Of course, I dashed off to meet the other Playfriends at the eHQ PJ party and share my news. We had a little squeee and immediately googled the agent. Everything checked out.

Saturday morning I showed up and we had a nice chat. She told the lady checking in appointments that she should expect a tall, thin woman with lovely long blonde hair and light eyes. She had me at "thin." Anyway, it all went by pretty quickly. I was completely unprepared, so it was all very casual. She asked for a partial. I'll be sending it shortly.

I don't know how this will all work out in the end. We'll see. Either way, I wanted to share my story so the next time you go to conference, you'll have that elevator pitch all prepared. You might, in fact, actually need it! If you went to conference this year (or in the past) what was your craziest or best moment? If you've never attended something like this, have you ever had something great drop into your lap when you least expected it?

SP

The Circle of Five Rides Again!
1 full MS with an editor
1 partial soon to be with an agent
5 short stories and features with the Trues

The winner of an autographed copy of Whispers in the Dark is Ellen! Email Instigator with your information to collect your awesome prize! Thanks to everyone who came out and made Kira's launch party a success. If you didn't win, remember you can pick up your copy at Amazon or Books a Million.

Launch Party - Whispers in the Dark

The past week and a half have been an absolute blur. Oh who am I kidding? The past fourteen months have been a blur. But it's finally here - Whispers in the Dark is on the shelves! Cue the happy hamster dance music and the Squee machine.

I'll be honest and say that the experience has exceeded even my wildest expectations. There's nothing like walking into my local Walmart to see my own book on the shelf (which is the picture to the left).

And I have to say that I couldn't have asked for a better release date - right smack dab in the middle of national conference. In fact, my book's official release date was the same day we presented our workshop.

As if that wasn't enough, I got to attend the literacy signing for the very first time. It was a bit of a surreal experience but what better way to lose my signing virginity than with 520 of the most talented writers? (I have to say a huge Thank You to Nalini Singh! She sat next to me and was so friendly and wonderful.) Whispers was also featured at the book fair and about Saturday morning Smarty Pants reminded me that it would probably be an excellent idea if I went and signed them all. Doh! I seriously should have thought of that sooner. All week I had trouble remembering that I was supposed to be promoting my book. I seriously need to practice that a bit. However, my kick ass first sale shoes got me some major attention which usually reminded me (how could I forget the reason for them in the first place?!?).

I'm so glad that everyone here on the playground has been on this amazing journey with me over the last year. It wouldn't have been the same experience without the excitement and support of the Playfriends and the wonderful friends I've met through this blog. So, in honor of y'all we're throwing a huge party. Indulge in the chocolate fountain, free-flowing drinks of every variety, calorie free cheese cake and cheese pizza (what can I say? I like pizza). Schedule an appointment with the masseuse and pull up a mani/pedi chair. Indulge and enjoy - I know I will!

Thanks everyone!! I couldn't have gotten here without you all.

Love,
Kira

P.S. I'm going to give away a free copy of Whispers to one commenter today so be sure to say hi!

Tony was Right

Tony Bennett that is. I definitely left my heart in San Francisco, which is appropos since I was there for a romance writers' conference. I've been to big cities all over the world, but none have ever impressed me as much as the city by the bay.

Trolley cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, giant redwoods, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz -- there was so much to see and do, and we still didn't get to do it all. And while Alabama was suffering from 100+ degree temperatures, I was bundled in multiple layers of t-shirts and polartec fleece and wearing a hat and gloves. Someone was right when they said the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco (this is often attributed to Mark Twain but Snopes says it ain't so).


I'm exhausted after a week of conference and touring. I'm sure if they hooked me to an EEG, my brain waves would be close to flat. I've had long days, walked STEEP hills, danced til midnight, braved strong winds coming off the bay, but by damn, I left my heart in San Francisco and want to visit again.

We missed all of y'all while we were gone and appreciate you keeping Angel company. Many thanks as well to our awesome team of guest bloggers; you're da bomb. Heck, my mother even sent me something to use for today if I was too tired to blog. I actually wrote this longhand in the Oakland airport so all I'd have to do was type it in. Anyway, we have a San Francisco treat for our guest bloggers, and it ain't Rice-a-Roni. :-)


If you've never been to San Francisco, I highly recommend it. It has a little something for everyone.


If you have been, what was your favorite part??

P.S. And what would a Playfriends' trip be without chocolate?????

P.P.S. A couple of the Playfriends found stones in Chinatown with the symbols for "Write Books" carved into them. I was not one of the lucky ones, but I did find a website with Chinese characters and according to the site, this symbol means "writer."

I'm Back!

After being gone for over two weeks, I can’t tell you how great it is to be home—my bed, my pillow, my shower. Email access whenever I want it. The sounds of crickets in the evening instead of sirens (cities are noisy!). The piles of laundry. The empty cupboards. The mail that’s been stacking up.

Hello, my life.

Yes, I had a fabulous trip with the Darling Geek and the Amazing Child—saw great things, ate good food, had quality bonding time. AC even lost a tooth in San Francisco. (The Tooth Fairy brings extra money for ones lost on vacation—after all, cost of living in SF is much higher!)

But the conference, of course, is what you want to hear about. And let me say it was FABULOUS. I’m exhausted, my voice is gone, and I attended very few workshops, but it was the bestest RWA conference I’ve ever been to. I think the cause was this:



Yep, there’s my name tag with the lovely PAN notation across the bottom and the even lovelier pink First Sale ribbon beneath. I got to revisit that feeling I had back in May when I announced I’d sold and all the congratulatory emails came in. Strangers stopped me in the elevator to say congratulations, and that warm, glowy feeling came back. The occasional “squee” escaped.

That ribbon also means that conference is a totally different animal than it was before. My schedule filled up quickly with meetings, lunches, drinks and the like. And while it meant I didn’t go to many workshops (and there were some very interesting ones on the schedule), the only ones I got to be at from beginning to end were the one I moderated and the one where I was on the panel.

But it was a GREAT time! And since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll save the ones I need for my book and just post some pictures.

My wonderful (and just disgustingly young and beautiful) editor, Lucy Gilmor

Smarty Pants, me, and my Fabu CP with some pomegranate margaritas.

Lynn Raye Harris and us dancing at the Harlequin party

My beautiful, fabulous (but slightly uncomfortable) First Sale Shoes

The whole HOD gang at the RITA ceremony

I'm sure once everyone else gets home there will be more pictures to come. I know I need copies of the ones on other folks' cameras (like our workshop, our breakfast with Barbara Vey, and so many more.)

PC

And I'd like to thank everyone for keeping Angel company so wonderfully last week. All the comments were great! I think she still missed us though!

Achievable Goals

My circle of 5 is very healthy at the moment.** Unlike Smarty Pants, I’m a slow writer and have a difficult time getting many different things out simultaneously. I’m not looking for an agent, so that also lowers the number of potential submissions.

But this week I hit six! I’m very happy about that, and encouraged by my progress. I’ve come a long way from having nothing out for months at a time.

Even though I haven’t been nearly as consistent as I would like (I still have a tendency to let other stuff come first in my day), I’ve made very encouraging progress. I’ve learned to be careful, because I’ll tell myself I’ll write just as soon as I feel like it or get XYZ over with, and lo and behold I look up weeks later and don’t have a d*mn thing to show for it. So I’m trying to be much more conscious of what I’m doing, when.

Reaching my Circle of 5 goal this week shows me I’m making progress in the one area that has disappointed me a great deal in the past few years—the lack of quantity in my writing and submissions.

I’d like to pretend it is simply a lack of time, what with a family and business commitments too, but it’s really not JUST that. At various times, it might be related to any of the below:


1. When you aren’t being paid, putting writing high on your priority list becomes really hard. Especially with a family and other work responsibilities screaming out their own urgent cry for attention. Of course, you have to write before you can get paid, so that’s a catch 22…

2. I have a very emotional personality, thus rejections or bad contest scores tend to hit me hard for a few days, at least. Any momentum I might have at that point can be completely lost. I’m getting better at this (with much Playfriend help), but the disappointment still slows me down.

3. I tend to write slowly. This too is changing. Just recently I was able to switch from writing my first draft out long-hand (yep, you read that right) to typing it into my alphasmart. This has speeded up my process quite a bit, but that first draft is still slow in coming. I try not to compare myself with other people whose processes are much faster than mine, but that is hard not to do.

4. Procrastination. Need I say more?

5. Lots of unpublished writers, not faced with a concrete deadline, often let their muses rule them. We have a tendency to be hard on muses here on the Playground, but I’m still more likely to put other things off for my writing projects if that exciting inspiration is speaking to me.

6. Fear of failure. There’s a vicious cycle that comes with fearing failure. If you write, you have to revise. If you revise, it really needs to be sent out. If you send it out, there is a high risk of rejection. Did I mention I don’t handle rejection well… Sometimes a little voice whispers it might be easier never to submit at all. But again, I’ve made progress through the years. When I first started, that voice was yelling instead of whispering. :)

So there you have it. The honest struggles I go through to reach my Circle of 5 at any given time. None of them are pretty. Some probably don’t make any sense to anyone but me. But each one of the items on this list makes me more proud to have reached my goal this week.

So what goal have you reached recently that meant a great deal to you? What struggles did you face to achieve it? If you are a writer, what are the biggest obstacles to your writing time and how do you cope with them?

Angel

** For those of you who don’t know what this is, you can read Smarty Pants’s blogs about it by clicking on the Circle of 5 link at the bottom of this post.

Coming Up:
Launch party for Instigator's first book is this Thursday! We throw a mean party here at the Playground, so don't miss it.
Next Monday, we'll be visited by two awesome ladies from our local chapter who are going to talk to us about writing as a team. Join us in welcoming Jean Hovey and Stephanie Jones on August 11th.

Keep Angel Company Winners!!!

First, I want to thank everyone who commented and the wonderful Honorary Playfriends who were nice enough to guest blog with me this week. Though I miss the Playfriends, I've had a great time at home and enjoyed spending it with all of you.

A few things of interest before we get down to business:

Don't forget to check out Instigator's book! It hit the shelves yesterday (officially!), though it has been sold out around north Alabama. It can still be purchased on eHarlequin at this link:


http://www.eharlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=17401&cid=192
As you can see, we're all reading it right now. :) We'll be having a special launch party next Thursday, August 7th, here on the blog!

Also, if you'd like to see some of the things going on at RWA National Conference, check out our good friend Barbara Vey's blog at this link:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/880000288.html

Now, on to the fun part. Each of the following visitors will receive a prize pack from the Playfriends! Just email me at angel@writingplayground.com with your snail mail address so we can send it out to you. All prizes must be claimed within 7 days or they will be reawarded.


Jane

Liza

Jolie

My Writers Attic

Cherie J

Michelle L

I really appreciate you ladies keeping me company!!!

Next week, I hope you'll join us as we return to our regularly scheduled programming. :) And don't forget Instigator's Launch party on Thursday. There will be lots of squees, cyber petit fours, and bubbly.


I'm sure the Playfriends will be full of news from Nationals and maybe I can con them into posting a picture or two...



Angel

Guest Blogger: Sue Jochens

As our last Honorary Guest Blogger this week, I’d like everyone to welcome Sue Jochens. Sue has been a lurker for a while, but I know her email address now, so I better start seeing some comments! Let’s start this weekend right with a teeter totter (or your drink of choice) and some lovely reminiscents about the good times we have with our girlfriends. (Sniff, sniff… I sure miss the Playfriends!!)

Don’t forget, one lucky commenter will win a book and surprise goody from the Playfriends. Check in tomorrow to see if you won!

Sue, take it away!!!

My name is Sue Jochens (no names have been changed to protect the guilty) and I am a 57 year old (for the next two months, anyway) woman living on the outskirts of Shawnee, in east, central Kansas. I am married with a son. I am also mother to 32,789 dust bunnies, all of whom have been with me long enough to have names. When not being a frustrated wannabe writer and photographer, I am an oxymoron, aka accountant for USDA. I’ve been lying….uhm….writing and telling stories, ever since I was old enough to grasp the green Crayonex crayon in my chubby little fist and make a scrawl. I wrote an account of my 2004 girlfriend getaway, and won $250 worth of books in a contest from Elaine Viets. Check it out at http://www.elaineviets.com/pages/log.asp (Scroll down to the August 17, 2007 entry.)

My hobbies are taking photos, reading, deck sitting, listening to music, and writing funny things to amuse my friends. If you want to be my friend, this is important to remember: don’t touch my cheeseburger, chocolate, or Absolut Peppar unless invited (but think twice even then.)

This is me….and I hate it. I look like a dumplin’ that’s been overpowered by the chicken:



FAMILY VACATION: Several days (or more) trapped in a car, plane, or small hotel room, with some of the people who caused you to need to get away in the first place.

GIRLFRIEND GETAWAY: Several days (or more) trapped in a car, plane, or small hotel room with people who aren’t obligated to like you, but do, no matter how bitchy you can be. In fact, when you do get on a major bitch, it’s the girlfriends who urge you to bitch away. I’d like to see the husband or child that would willingly offer that little service.

Hi. My name is Sue and I take at least one girlfriend getaway a year. Being a late bloomer, I didn’t take my first one until 2002. It was so much fun, that this past year I took two, and if it wasn’t for work interfering, come October, it would be three. I’m a greedy little sucker. Just got back from one, and it was so much fun, I actually liked the family for a few days afterwards.

Things…occurrences….happenings, which would completely send a family vacation down the toilet have been the makings of some of our best times ever. Take 2004. Crossville, Tennessee, and an inn that hadn’t been fixed up since Sherman marched to the sea. Chiggers, ticks, a small lake with so much scum on it you could walk across and stay dry, and a lawn with so many holes we spilled more liquor than we drank, didn’t stop us. We had fun with a capital F.

The next year we took a couple of cabins in Branson, Missouri and hardly left the deck of the biggest cabin. Ten women together in tight quarters for 4 days, and blood was not shed. We cooked, laughed until our faces hurt for a week, watched poker on TV, imbibed a few adult drinks, played Trivial Pursuit, and went to an outdoor deli with a fabulous view and an accordion player who took requests. That was a complete hoot.

The view from our cabin…who wouldn’t relax?:



We’ve been lost on the University of Georgia campus trying to find the theater where King Lear was playing. We’ve had a blowout fixed by the courtliest little fellow who ever lived under a troll bridge. (I defy you to have a rollicking good time being lost on a family vacation and having a tire blow on top of it.) While out of town with the girls, I’ve even had my credit card company call me about a large purchase made at a liquor store in Dalton, Georgia (one of my proudest moments as an independent woman.)

This year we chose a tiny town in Tennessee for our destination, because it was having a production of “Midsummer Night’s Dream” featuring a few people we know.

Several of us drove to Bell Buckle, unloaded, and headed to the Nashville airport to pick up those flying in. Less than ten minutes on the highway, traffic stopped. I don’t mean got slower – I mean turn off your engine, open the windows, get out of the car and wander around stop. For two hours. Had I been with the family, not only would the highway patrol have been investigating a hit and run, they’d be investigating a murder, or at least a serious maiming. Fortunately I was with girlfriends. We called back and forth between cars and those waiting at the airport. We sang Aretha songs. We watched a huge, beefy trucker climb down out of his big rig and walk his itty bitty Chihuahua. Several hours later, when we finally got there, were those waiting even a wee bit cranky? Nope. They too were with girlfriends and had been having a blast.

Two days later, the good times kept rolling during a torrential storm that trapped us in a large tent where we were supposed to be watching a play. It was a Noah’s Ark type rain that flooded the tent to ankle deep, and wind hefty enough to fell a tree on the road to the highway. They eventually called off the show, so we took our wet selves back to the inn, played guitar hero, ate cheese dip, drank margaritas, and recreated the hysterical Pyramus/Thisbe death scene that we had seen the night before during good weather.

I defy you to endure those sorts of conditions and have fun with the family. Can’t be done. Someone’s gonna die and I can bet it won’t be me or you. Girlfriends rock!

Trying to figure out what essentials to take on a girlfriend trip:






Got a girls-have-more-fun getaway story of your own to tell us? Spill it!

Guest Blogger: Sherry Werth

One lucky commenter will be chosen to win a Keep Angel Company prize. All winners will be announced on Saturday, so don’t forget to check back in! And click on the Barbara Vey link in the sidebar to check out some RWA-San Francisco happenings. Yesterday she posted a picture of the Mavens!

Today I’m proud to welcome a fellow Heart of Dixie chapter member who all the Playfriends have enjoyed getting to know. She’s seems quiet at first, until you loosen her up. :) And she’s always willing to lend a helping hand. We like that. So give a big welcome to our friend, Sherry Werth.



Pushing Past Procrastination

Could it be possible to be this stuck? My procrastination has hit an all time high at this point.

Oh, maybe I should introduce myself. Hi, my name is Sherry and I am a procrastinator. And at this very moment I am wondering who or what alien being invaded my body and responded in a voluntary affirmative manner to do this guest blog. What ever made me think I could fill a pair of Playfriend shoes for one day while they are away having a wonderful time in San Francisco? All I can think about right now is hiding under the couch. I have finally lost it.

So, here I sit staring at this stupid little blinking cursor and cursing. See, cursor – cursing, it looks like it belongs in the same word family. I’ve had a week to get this together but as usual I wait until the last minute to ‘Get er’ done’. Oh Lord, I’m starting to talk like Larry the Cable Guy. Next I’ll be cutting the sleeves out of all my shirts! I knew this was a bad idea.

I could blame my lack of productivity on starting a new job this week. Between the information overload from that and the expected nightly feeding frenzy of my family, time just got away from me. Or I could fault past generations for blessing me with the blasted procrastination gene. Procrastinate. Who invented the stupid word anyway? More than likely some idiot like me trying to do something they know nothing about and with the expediency of a slug. Come to think of it, slugs move faster than my fingers on this keyboard. Slugs are such nasty little creatures, don’t you think?

A muse, that’s it. I need to call in the powers of a muse. I wonder if you can buy one on EBay? I would like mine to be tall, dark and handsome or tall, blond and brawny. I’m not picky. Just like one of those guys on the covers of Blaze. Where do they find those guys anyway? You just don’t see men like that walking around in WalMart. Oh yeah, I need to make a WalMart list. We are out of toilet tissue and Diet Coke. Can’t live without either one of those.

Ok, time to settle down and turn something in. They say to write about what you know. Right now I don’t know squat. And who are ‘they’? You always hear people saying ‘they said this’ or ‘they said that’. Is it group of people of just a few? Is it like the group that follows the guy around in the cell phone commercial? Would they be considered a ‘they’? And speaking of cell phones, I need to program my new one. Only I will have to read the book first to figure out how and I don’t know where I left my reading glasses. Reading glasses…that hurts my feelings. Makes me feel old. Maybe if I get some really cool looking ones it will make me feel better about it. Put that on the WalMart list.

Whoops! Sorry, I went off on a tangent there. But that’s how my life goes. One thing just seems to lead to another and another. I want to stop this merry go round and get off.

So, are you a procrastinator like me or a go-getter that I want to become? How do you push past procrastination to get things accomplished? Do you jump in with both feet and 'Just Do it' to overcome the avoidance issues? Are there time management tools you have incorporated into your lifestyle that assist you in being more organized? Do you set goals for yourself with a time frame to achieve them? I am open for suggestions!

Sherry

Sherry Werth makes her home in northern Alabama with her husband, two beautiful children and two very lazy dogs. Her life revolves around taking care of her family, working full time and squeezing in a bit of time for herself to pursue her dream of a writing career in romance.

Guest Blogger: PM's Mother

We have a very special lady filling in the part of the Playground Monitor today. In fact, it is the Playground Monitor's own Mother! As we're learning on the Playground, she's one smart lady, filled with funny anecdotes and wise advice. Guess that's where PM gets it. Help me make PM's Mother welcome today!

Don't forget. One lucky commenter keeping me company today will win a book and surprise goody from the Playfriends!


THE ADVENTURES OF AN OLD FART AND HIS
BEAUTIFUL LADY FRIEND AT THE CIA*
(*Culinary Institute of America)



This is a romantic tale about the adventures of an Old Fart (hereinafter referred to as OF) and his slightly overweight Beautiful Lady Friend (hereinafter referred to as BLF) and their unforgettable journey to dine at the renowned Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York (hereinafter referred to as the CIA) ...

The OF and his BLF arose at the break of dawn and drove for hours to reach the CIA by the appointed time. At the magic hour they were lead into the American Bounty Room to a table for two laid with fine cotton, Villeroy and Boch china and stainless steel flatware. The table was appropriately decorated with flowers but alas, there was no romantic candle light, for it was the middle of the day.

Having read a menu in the lobby, the BLF had her appetite whetted for a repast of mountain trout, but the menu for today was contrary to the one in the lobby and no trout was to be had. Instead, both the OF and BLF decided to dine on Spit-Roasted Cornish Game Hen with Wild Mushroom Sausage, Savory Bread Pudding and Sherry-Thyme Jus.

This majestic (pronounced expensive) meal began with a soup sampler of three soups -- a Puree of Roasted Carrot, Apple and Vidalia Onion Soup, Tortilla Soup with Quesa Blanco and Hominy and a Crayfish and Asparagus Bisque. The couple could have selected only one of the soups, but what the heck, this was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure and they decided to go for broke!

The OF, having a more hearty appetite, ordered a salad of Jaxberry Farm Organic Mixed Greens with Sherry-Mustard Vinaigrette and Roasted Sunflower Seeds. While having such an exotic name, the plate looked as if someone had raked up the greens from a freshly mowed field. The artistic arrangement of sunflower seeds on the plate created an aesthetic arrangement worthy of the price.

While awaiting the soup and salad, a slightly nervous young waiter (hereinafter referred to as Bread man) served a mouth-watering selection of breads consisting of crusty French Baguettes, Savory Herb Muffins and (good ol’ southern) Corn Sticks with fresh creamy butter. The BLF showed no imagination and selected a baguette while the OF took a corn stick. Fortunately, the Bread man returned several times. BLF was able to get a corn stick and OF sampled the herb muffins.

Enter the Magnificent Entree! The OF and BLF were presented with a plate worthy of a place in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Set before them was a dish of succulent roasted fowl with a delicious sausage stuffing and a savory bread pudding and garnished with six slightly blanched Blue Lake green beans, complete with tails and two pencil-thin steamed carrots with stems intact. The entire effect resembled something akin to the NBC Peacock.

Only slightly glutted themselves, when the Bread man returned to clear the table of dishes and scrape the crumbs away, he suggested an after dinner beverage. OF had a cup of mundane coffee while BLF drank a more continental espresso. ...

Dessert was a sight to behold! The OF gorged himself with a luscious Raspberry and Lemon Napoleon and the still slightly overweight BLF indulged herself with a Milk Chocolate-Caramel Crème Brûlée.

Being assured that she would not have to wash dishes before leaving the premises, the BLF waddled to the Ladies Room while the OF shelled out his life savings to pay for this great banquet.

No adventure would be complete without a visit to the Gift Shop. As the hero and heroine departed this institute of sinful (and fattening) cuisine, they ended the adventure with a slow walk though the splendid aisles of the CIA Book Store (such an artful name for gift shop) and returned to the asphalt carpeted parking lot for the trip home to indulge in the customary activities of OF’s and BLF’s around the world . . . to sleep away their excess culinary indulgences.
The public dining room at the Culinary Institute of America is a training ground for young folk wanting to make a career of the food service industry. Our BLF enjoys any meal she doesn't have to cook for herself, so she really appreciates the expertise of chefs around the world. What was your most memorable dining experience?

About PM’s Mother: This widowed octogenarian retired in 1992 after a 30 year career in newspaper advertising. She relocated from North Carolina to the coast of Georgia to live near family, consisting of 2 daughters, 2 great sons-in-law, 3 grandsons and 1 precious two-year-old great granddaughter. Soon after her retirement she became involved in her church and served as president of her ladies' group for three terms and secretary for two terms; also she served as the only three term president of the local Women's Club (only because they couldn't get anyone else to do it.) Now she enjoys traveling, reading, messing with the computer and avoiding all domestic duties, hence hiring a house cleaner and eating out a lot!

Guest Blogger: Mary Freeman

Don't forget our Keep Angel Company contest! Today we have Mary Freeman guest blogging with us. Besides being one of our chapter mates, she's a really cool lady! Like some of the Playfriends, she juggles writing with family and other work. Let's see how she does it!

As with all writers, I’ve been living in my head for as long as I can remember. I thought that if I did enough, I’d stop daydreaming. So I traveled, spent time in the military, studied art, became a nurse, and had a family. It just created more stories. I gave in. It took me a few years, but I finally joined RWA and Heart of Dixie. Of course, I wondered -why did I wait so LONG? At last I have a group of people with the same need to write those stories that beg to be told.

I am unpublished book wise, but I have a few non-fiction articles published. My heart is in fiction; specifically paranormal. I also like suspense and fantasy. At the moment, I am working on a partial that I going to submit to Harlequin Nocturne.

So here I am ready to write a blog while the Playfriends are away at nationals. (yes, I’m envious, but NEXT year I’m there!). Hmmm, what to do first… Ha! I’ve stolen Instigator’s Horns, taken a page from Problem Child’s file, copied from Smarty Pant’s paper, blown the Play Ground Monitor’s whistle, and thoroughly bothered Angel… I am quite the wild child… I guess the next thing to do is write the BLOG!!!

M.V. Freeman

SMOKE ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM….
(Or, Write when you can)






One of the first things as a writer that everyone has to learn is: YOU MUST WRITE. In my dreams I have the whole day to write, in a quiet secluded spot with a candle burning, coffee (or tea) at my side, music softly playing (depending on the story), and no interruptions.
Nice dream. (Are you laughing yet…because that did make me snicker a bit)

The reality is a whole lot different. Like with a majority of writers out there, I work full time in a job that requires a minimum of 45 hours a week, call on some weekends, and a holiday or two. Those dratted bills just don’t go away, no matter how many times I’ve paid them. Add in two girls (ten and seven) who require me to get them to and from school (Why can’t they drive at six?), a husband, and one neurotic cat. For some reason, they like to be fed occasionally. The laundry needs to be done- even if I insist my child wear that shirt one more time. The dishes are always there, although I use paper plates whenever possible. I swear the cups just breed on their own (we can start with two and end up with twenty by the end of the day.) It all equals to a very busy life.

Oh, and there’s the matter of this partial that I have to finish.

How in the world do I write? When do I write? I write when I can. This isn’t about time management, it’s about necessity.

Many years ago while in basic training, I received some invaluable advice from one of my drill sergeants (in one of those rare moments when they weren’t trying to make you cry). He was trying to make all of us understand the importance of the small breaks we would get. They would last anywhere from five minutes to hours. He said “Take any breaks you get and use them”. He illustrated this by talking about his time as a raw recruit. When breaks occurred he and his fellow soldiers would be ordered to “Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” (smoking was accepted then). He added if you didn’t smoke then most everyone else would sit down, shut their eyes and get cat naps because they never knew when they would get the next opportunity to do so. I ignored that advice…but not for long.

Toward the end of basic training we were marched out to the field. Now, consider this, it was a large group of women of varying ages and backgrounds carrying ruck-sacks that weighed anywhere from thirty plus pounds on up walking, sometimes running, for twelve miles. Let’s just say, nary a one made it without vocalizing something. It was only the beginning. There was night training, guard duty rotation, putting up tents (imagine five women, one tent, and a frustrated drill sergeant- I still cringe), digging of foxholes, gas mask drills, physical fitness training, etc. There was little time to relax or sleep. That’s when I understood what my drill sergeant had meant. Anytime a break was called I found that if I leaned against my hated ruck-sack I could get a few minutes of blissful shut-eye. One time, I got about an hour or two, it was heaven.
I still follow that advice, but not with sleeping, with writing. I write at odd hours. If I have a moment, I write because I am not sure when the next time will occur.

I have read that you have to keep a schedule. I am not sure about you, but every time I try a schedule something screws it up. I have to go to work early, I get off late, my children get sick, my cat throws up, I get sick…you know how it goes. Life happens. Sometimes I write just before I go to work, about five-thirty in the morning (I may get 30 minutes). I write at night after the kids are in bed and before I pass out due to pure exhaustion. Still, after a day of getting chewed out at work, coming home to fighting kids, burning dinner, and having a grumpy husband-I just go to bed and don’t write anything. It’s better to start fresh the next day.

At the moment I wrote most of this blog outside as my kids are swimming, my husband is cleaning the patio furniture (I hate cleaning the patio furniture). I am writing when I can and where I can. I am learning to bring my computer on business travel (those dratted layovers) and on family trips.

Before I whine too much, let me just say I am lucky. I have a husband who really helps out. He cooks (ok, we have scrambled eggs and pizza way too many days in a week), does laundry (washes, folds, and puts away. So what if I can never find it? I am NOT complaining), and coerces the kids to help clean the house. He does this because I work long hours and to support my writing. It’s not always perfect, but it’s a gift and I take it as such.

Tell me how you write? When do you write? Do you have support while writing? Is it worth it? For readers, what do you do with those little pockets of time that come your way?

For me, that answer is a resounding yes.

Don't forget to comment! One lucky winner from today's comments will be announced on Saturday.

What's Your Shoe Personality?

We're kicking off "Keep Angel Company Week"! See details at the end of this post!

As many of you have probably noticed, we are a bit obsessed with shoe shopping here on the Playground. I have to admit, this was an undiscovered part of myself before we formed this group. But I’ve since come to embrace the joys of purchasing the perfect pair of shoes to go with an outfit and have finally surpassed my husband in the shoe quantity department.

Today, I’ve decided to spill all the Playground secrets and discuss each of our “shoe personalities”. What is that? you ask. Well, it is the specific type of shoe each Playfriend gravitates toward when out looking for shoes. I’m not talking about your everyday footwear (the choice of which this summer seems to be Teva flipflops), but the style of those “special” shoes you purchase for the “extra”ordinary event.

High Class Call Girl


I’d call Problem Child’s taste in shoes something along the lines of High Class Call Girl. She likes the really high heels and pain is not a consideration, so much as style. She’s been a dancer so long, pain in her feet doesn’t register like it would with us mortals. And her enjoyment of the spotlight makes for some show stopping, fabu shoe choices that I could never pull off in a million years.

Hooker Gear



Yes, I’m not exaggerating here. As a matter of fact, Instigator actually owns a pair of Hooker boots and I’ve seen her wear them in public. A conservative black compared to these babies, but I’m sure she’d have these if she could find them in a store. That being said, they fit her personality. She isn’t published with Blaze for nothing, honey!

She also has a thing for gladiator styles. I don’t know and I don’t ask.



Drag Queen

Smarty Pants often calls her style of shoes Drag Queen (from years of living in Vegas, baby!). Well, I’d call it Upscale Drag Queen. Over the top classy with lots of bling.



I’d also call SP a fan of Retro. I’ve often seen her drooling over a pair of plaid Converse tennies at the mall.



Cute and Comfy

Playground Monitor always goes for comfy shoes. Not that I can blame her. She’s had several foot surgeries and, well, if your feet hurt, I know from experience the rest of you will be miserable. And though her shoes are comfortable, they have an understated style that fits her. She doesn’t need lots of bling. Her personality shines for itself, as evidenced by her ability to walk into a room at Nationals and already know half the people there.



Feminine and Flirty

I like to think of my own style as feminine with a subtle touch of sexy. Taking a page from PM’s book, my shoes have to be mostly comfortable. I’m not into torture, even if I do want to look good, so 4 inch heels are out. But I’m developing a taste for something a little different, instead of the same boring black pumps. My husband is rejoicing…



So there you have it. I’ve told you our secrets, now we want to know yours. How would you describe your shoe personality? Come on… spill the details!

Angel

It's Keep Angel Company week, though the Playfriends don't leave for San Francisco until tomorrow! I'll be choosing one commenter from each day this week to win a lovely prize. All 5 winners will be posted next Saturday.

PS. Elle Kennedy chose Amy S. as her winner from last Thursday. Email Angel at angel@writingplayground.com with your email address to receive your prize. All prizes must be claimed within 7 days.

It's Over!

I apologize in advance, but this entire blog is going to be about food. It has been the focus of my obsession for the last two weeks.

The 11 day diet is over at last. Hallelujah. I can hardly believe I made it. I made it through 11 days of funky food combinations and without a stitch - not one lick - of chocolate the entire time. (Tragic, I know.)Were I not leaving town for Nationals Tuesday, I'd probably start this torture, I mean diet, over again on Monday. I mean, for all the griping, I did lose a good bit of weight in 11 days. That's better than I've done on other diets. I'm sure more than a few will return after the free weekend and vacation time, but I'm okay with that.

Now begins the 3 days we get "off." You're deliberately supposed to eat higher calories these days to trick your metabolism, then start the diet over again on Monday. Since I'm going to take more time off, I am going to aim for a happy medium - basically good eating with some treats woven in for good measure. Sadly, whole wheat bread and granola bars are now considered treats. :)

To celebrate today, I will be going to the Krispy Kreme. A coworker brought a box of them in last week, when I couldn't eat them. He's lucky to still be alive. Anyway, I didn't eat them, I was good, but I promised myself one hot one off the conveyor belt this weekend when I was on my free days. I'm not going hog wild and eating a dozen, as much as I'd like to, but 1 as a reward. Maybe 2. I also forsee my favorite, pizza, slipping its way in. There will be no mention of tuna salad or peanuts for the next two weeks.

Once I get to San Francisco, I will eat my catered food, including dessert. I will drink margaritas in the bar with the other writers. I will eat the chocolate in my goodie bag. I will enjoy the wonderful sourdough bread and seafood that the area has to offer.

Then I'll come back and try this again. I sort of look at these two weeks as me losing the weight I'd gain on vacation before I left.

What are you treating yourself to this weekend?
SP

(Don't forget - Monday kicks off our special week where we turn the blog over to our readers! Be sure to keep Angel company while we're away!)

Guest Blogger - Elle Kennedy

I am so excited to welcome Elle Kennedy to the blog today! Not only is she a wonderful writer, but she's also a great friend and a fantastic critique partner. She's spent many hours helping me make my writing better. I'm thrilled to be able to share her success with everyone here. Please give Elle a warm Playground welcome!

First off, I wanted to thank the ladies of the Playground for letting me blog with them today! I’m proud to say I had the chance to read Kira’s debut Blaze and I can’t wait to get my hands on the final version! Kira in turn read a romantic suspense of mine, and actually, she was the one who suggested I submit it to Silhouette Intimate Moments, now SRS—and what do ya know? I sold it and now have my own debut coming out in April! Needless to say, I owe you, Ms. Instigator!

So today I’m going to admit to something: I sometimes forget fictional characters are, well, fictional. Yes, it’s a problem.

For example, the other day I was thinking about something someone had said, a flirty little comment, and I’m searching my brain trying to remember who said it. And I’m thinking, who was it?! I remember he was really hot and cute and funny…and wait, I’m thinking of Ben Barrett, the hero of my latest Samhain release, Midnight Encounters.

I’d like to say that I love my characters so much that they become real to me (which I do, and they do) and that’s why I develop crushes on them, but alas, I often crush on the heroes of some of my favourite authors. I blame my current fictional crushes on two authors.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips. This author has a problem—her characters are so darn real I can’t help but fall for them! At the moment, I have a thing for Dean Robillard from Natural Born Charmer. If you’ve read this story, you know why. Dean is a sexy, charming football quarterback. Rich, sexy, funny, smart, sexy, generous, kind, cocky…did I mention sexy?

It’s sad, how badly I wish this guy was real. I’ve read this story about eight times and I’m still not sick of it, all because of SEP’s ability to make her hero come alive and make me want, well, him.

My other current crush is on Mark Trevor, who’s appeared in two of Iris Johansen’s books, Blind Alley and Countdown. Now, a lot of people I know who have read this book did not like Trevor. I think they’re insane. So what if he’s kind of a jerk? So what if he’s arrogant and macho, a bit of an ass at times and somewhat of a criminal? Bad boys are my guilty pleasure, and although I know he’s not real, I wish he was, only so I could tame his bad boy heart….

Now, I know these characters are not real. I’m not delusional or anything. But I can’t help crushing on them, either. Like I said, it’s a problem.

So my question to everyone is: have you ever found yourself falling for a fictional hero? Crushing? Fantasizing? Are there any authors you love who provide unbelievably real heroes? And for the writers out there, have you ever fallen for your own heroes?

Oh, and I’ll be giving away a free download of Midnight Encounters to one commentator. The story features Ben Barrett, a sexy, charming movie star who I need to remind myself is not real!

Elle Kennedy

Thanks for visiting with us today, Elle! And don't forget to visit Elle at her blog www.sizzlingpens.blogspot.com. That's where I am today talking about my very first book signing coming up in San Francisco next week.

Home Alone

Nope, this isn't a movie review, but rather a continuation of the “Getting Ready for Conference” blogs. We've talked about coping at your first conference, our efforts to lose weight (I'm down 5 pounds and if I never eat tuna again I will die a happy woman), super-duper packing lists and how to win prizes while we're gone.

But there's still one more aspect of leaving I need to take care of (besides my pre-conference haircut (tomorrow) and manicure and pedicure (Monday afternoon).

I need to make sure the DH is taken care of.

Before I board that flight to San Francisco next week, I have to make sure he has clean clothes and plenty to eat. “Leave him a bunch of take out menus,” I hear from one corner of the audience. “Let him do his own laundry,” says another.

Yeah, I could do that. But for the past twelve years I've had the privilege of being a stay-at-home wife and mother, and part of the deal was that I handled the housework, laundry and cooking. He can do all those things. He did them on a regular basis while I worked because we had a weekly chores schedule posted on the fridge door every week.

Besides, we all know that restaurant food isn't the healthiest fare around. It's okay once in a while, but not every day. He has to travel fairly frequently on business and must eat out then. So when he's home, he needs good, healthy food.

Since 2000, the DH has been on a health and fitness kick. He's in the gym at least 4 days a week and plays competitive volleyball. So I'd hate for him to eat calorie-laden, sodium-infused food and blow his diet while I'm having fun in San Francisco eating overpriced bagels and rubber conference-luncheon chicken.

So I'll hit the supermarket before I leave and stock up on plenty of salad fixins and meats he can easily grill or nuke. I'll make sure there's a fresh half-gallon of 2% milk in the fridge and a full box of his favorite organic granola in the pantry. I'll have plenty of peanut butter and Polaner strawberry fruit spread for his favorite snack. And I'll get an extra loaf of wheat bread and tuck it away in the freezer.

I know, I know. I've spoiled him rotten. But spoiling works two ways. I have limited income from my writing and I pay for as much of my RWA expenses as I can. But when that runs out, he flips his Amex card to me and says “Go and have a good time.” So the very least I can do is make sure he has clean socks and underwear and stock the pantry, freezer and fridge.

The other Playfriends have babysitter and/or petsitter issues to tend to as well. So their “home alone” preparations are more extensive than mine cause it's a heck of a lot easier to stock a fridge than line up sitters for a week. Been there, done that too.

For some reason, I don't think the rabbits invading our backyard will notice I'm gone. But I do need to remember to put my potted outdoor plants by a sprinkler head so they'll get some water while I'm gone.

Then after I've left my heart in San Francisco I can come back home, crash for a few days (conference always leaves me exhausted, but it's a good kind of exhaustion) and get back in the swing of the routine at home. But only after I've downloaded my camera and sent the pictures to Angel. ;-)

Do you ever travel and leave your spouse and/or kiddies home alone?

How to get gifties from the Playfriends...

Conference is coming… let the countdown begin!

For those of you going to San Francisco:

We’d love to meet any of the Honorary Playfriends who will be there. Our Instigator, Kira Sinclair, will be signing for the first time at the huge Literacy Signing Wednesday night. Come by and tell her hello (and grab a copy of her book to support a great cause).

On Friday at 2pm, Instigator, Smarty Pants, and I will be giving a workshop with Blaze editor Brenda Chin. We promise it will be entertaining—and PM will be there handing out all kinds of goodies to the participants. We’d love to have friendly folks there to cheer us on, so come by.

Should you happen to see us around the hotel, please stop us and introduce yourself. To encourage you shy types, we have special surprises just for our blog readers who find us at the conference. Just let us know you read the blog to claim yours.

And, and if you do see us, remind us that Angel expects lots of pictures and we’re supposed to be using those cameras in our bags.

For our blog friends who won’t be at the conference, we’ll have plenty going on here. Our Angel has to stay home, so we’re running a Keep Angel Company Contest while we’re gone. To be entered for great prizes (books, chocolate, gifties from San Francisco), all you have to do is help keep our Angel from getting lonely. Comment on the blog, send her jokes and messages, whatever you can think of to entertain her in our absence. We’ll show our gratitude when we get home!

Water--Friend or Foe?

Picture of leafy seadragon

I’m out of town today, making a trip to the Tennessee Aquarium with the family as a kind of farewell to summer. My children go back to school starting Aug. 6th. We haven’t been to this particular aquarium since Drama Queen was 3. They’ve expanded a great deal since then, so I can’t wait to get there and explore. That's where that cute little guy above lives. Isn't he darlin'?

I’ve always loved water. Love to look at it, sit next to it, hear it. The sights and sounds soothe me and yet call to me at the same time. Every month on the way to our monthly RWA meeting, I have to cross a bridge over the Tennessee river. It’s all I can do to keep my eyes on the road. I keep wanting to glance over and stare, which is certainly not safe while driving. :)

But I don’t like to BE in water. Don’t get me wrong. Swimming is one of my preferred exercises, but only in a pool. It’s the murky ocean and muddy rivers I can’t handle. There, my love of water wars with fear of the unseen. I can’t see what’s in there, so I’m afraid to move. What if I step on a crab? What if a jellyfish wraps around my leg? What if there is a shark? Not that I’d get that deep in ocean waters. I saw Jaws at too impressionable an age to make that mistake.

So I have this weird love/hate relationship with water. Or maybe hate is too strong a word. I simply dislike swimming in it with other creatures. But I love looking at them safely from the other side of the glass.

What about y’all? Is your enjoyment of water limited to the fountain at the local shopping center, or would you live in it if you could? Or am I simply as neurotic as I suspect I am?

Angel

PS: Don't forget to join us on Thursday when author Elle Kennedy braves a visit to the Playground!

Winners!

A couple of winners to announce...

My winner from Tuesday is... Jane!
Nicola Marsh's blog winners are... Jolie and Kathy!

Y'all can email your snail mail addys to me (problemchild@writingplayground.com). I'll get Jane's in the mail and forward the infor for Jolie and Kathy to Nicola.

PC

Playfriend Bloggers

I've been so excited as I've vetted blogs for Nationals Week here on the Playground. I think y'all are really going to enjoy the range of subjects we'll be talking about and getting to put some faces with the names you see here on Blogger.

Here is our Playfriend Blogger line-up:

July 29th Mary Freeman
July 30th PM's Mother
July 31th Sherry Werth
August 1st Sue Jochens

I'm looking forward to having these lovely ladies and all our readers keep me company here on the blog during Nationals Week. Don't forget to join us and comment for all the great prizes we'll be giving away.

Angel

The Comprehensive Must-Have Magical Mystical Packing List

I had a panic attack earlier this week. I'd lost my packing list. This was a problem. This wasn't just some piece of scratch paper with a couple things doodled on it. This was The Comprehensive, Must-Have, Magical, Mystical, Packing List. Its a computer file I use for all my trips. It even has a special version just for Nationals. And it was gone. Poof. Not on my hard drive at work. Not on my hard drive at home. Not on my flash drive. Perhaps I'd gotten over-zealous cleaning stuff off my flash drive and dumped it on accident. What tragedy! Alas, I borrowed PC's list and used it to rebuild my own. I thought I would share it with all of you because it is so handy. Use this to develop your own Comprehensive Must-Have Magical Mystical Packing List and save it someplace special. (Personally, I know that by posting it in the blog, I will never lose it - it will always live in the archives!)

My list 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.

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. You'll notice mine includes several things for the workshop we're doing on Friday. Must have that stuff. You don't want it to end up in Seattle while you're waiting in California.

Backpack

• Plane Itinerary
• Camera & Battery Charger
• Cell Phone & Charger
• Workshop Stuff - Laptop & Accessories, Flash Drive w/any necessary files, Handouts & Notecards
• 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 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
• 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 (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
• 2 pair pantyhose (I hate them, but its good to carry one pair JIC and an extra if it runs)
• 1 regular bra & 1 strapless bra (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)
• Waterproof Windbreaker (SFO is cool, wet and windy)
• Pull over sweater (layers are good)
• Gloves and a hat if its really cold by the water
• 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.
• 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. As PC has mentioned, 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, red top, black heels, red 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 - formal, PM dress heels, silver/black jewelry
• Saturday - black capris, pink satin top, pink heels, pink jewelry
• Saturday Night - formal, SW dress heels, silver/black 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?

Oh, and don't forget the deadline for blog proposals is coming up. Email Angel with what you'd like to blog about and you could replace one of us while we're at conference!

SP

Conference Ten?

You know, I never had to worry about the freshman 15. I stayed home for college and my mommy continued to cook most of my meals. However, I seem to have replaced that dreaded experience with the conference 10 - the opposite of freshman 15. Instead of fretting over gaining...I'm obsessing over losing those 10 pounds that I've been ignoring for the last, oh, eleven months. Several of the playfriends have started a crash diet. So far I'm pretty pleased. We'll see if I have enough time to lose those 10.

But I think this highlights an interesting point about my life. I have an alter ego...my conference ego. This woman wears stylish clothes, kick ass shoes and - gasp - make-up. She does not exist in a ponytail, five year old blue jeans and a Sea World t-shirt complete with jumping Shamu. Do you know, I buy more clothes for this one week of my life than I probably have the rest of the year combined.

But it's the only time I get to play grown-up. I get to leave the kids at home (wouldn't mind if DH were along for the fun though!) and bring out my heels, rhinestones and curling iron. Somehow I don't think those things have a place here down on the farm. I can just see the goats eating the jewels off my fabulous shoes. Someone would die!

I have my conference wardrobe planned - most days have at least two outfits. I will probably spend an average of 90 minutes in front of the mirror throughout the day (must change jewelry, make-up and hairstyle to match new clothing). While at home I roll out of bed as late as possible, stealing those last nine minutes from the snooze on my alarm and forsaking make-up in exchange for another nine. I pick the closest thing out of the closet...because it was probably the last thing hung up when DH did wash and I know it a.) is clean and b.) fits.

If this happened more than seven days out of every year I might contemplate the possibility that I was schizophrenic. Instead, I just think I enjoy being around other people who get me. I enjoy dressing up, feeling pretty and confident. And Lord knows Eeyore just doesn't appreciate high fashion.

What's your favorite thing about national conference? If you aren't a writer (or won't be attending) do you have a time/place in your life where you act like a completely different person?

Instigator

Losing Your Virginity

Conference virginity that is. All of us were first-time attendees of RWA’s national conference at one point. My first time was in Dallas in 2004. I’d only been a member of my local chapter for about two months and didn’t really know any of the members well. I did, however, have bunches of online friendships I’d made through my book reviewing.

So I booked my flight to Dallas, arranged to room with an online friend who had an opening in her room, read everything I could about the conference and away I went. In addition to the workshops, I volunteered to help the Silhouette Desire authors at the Literacy Signing.

Looking back, it was a great experience, and it’s one I’ve repeated every year since. But there are some things I wish I’d known to help make that first conference go just a little smoother.

So I reached out to some of my writer friends and asked them for pieces of advice they’d offer to newbies. As usual, they were more than generous with their time and advice.

Sheri Whitefeather (who also writes as Cherie Feather) and Eve Silver (who also writes as Eve Kenin) both suggested volunteering. Eve says it “gives you the opportunity to meet and connect with other volunteers, and it also segues into conversation with those attending the event you are volunteering for.”

Linda Winstead Jones and Linda Howard both advised to wear comfortable shoes. You'll walk miles at conference. "And take a jacket!” Linda Howard added. A friend who lives in that area told that SF temperatures are very erratic.

Nalini Singh suggested, “Make a schedule! It’ll help you from being overwhelmed and make sure you get the most of your conference experience.” Mine is in the form of a Word table with the days across the top and time slots down the left side. It's an easy way to know where I need to be and when.

However, while you’re making that schedule, keep in mind this bit of advice from Leslie Kelly. “I would suggest NOT trying to choose a workshop for every single slot of every day of the conference. Be judicious, pick the ones you really want to go to and give yourself a break if there’s a block of time with nothing that really interests you.”

Kristi Gold suggests you get to the popular workshops early so you can get a seat. She said she’s been shut out of workshops before because she arrived late and the room was packed. She also said to “make a point to visit the publisher spotlights for the house you're targeting. Usually individual editors list their personal preferences."

"If you're planning to meet up with people, especially people you haven't met in person before," says Abby Gaines, "call the hotel reception and ask them for a 'landmark' in the lobby where you can tell people to meet you. It's much clearer to say, 'Meet you next to the statue of Paul Revere' than to say 'Meet you in the lobby.'"

Tanya Michaels says, “Close your eyes and think of England!” Hey that works for me. She also suggests snagging a bit of downtime to rest. Many of the workshops are taped and you can buy the CD’s to listen to later. The definition of downtime varies from person to person, so it may range from having drinks at the bar to taking a nap with a cool cloth across your forehead.

Tanya also said if you have an editor appointment to “jot down ahead of time the names of a few of your favorite authors at that house.” This way if you freeze up from nerves like she did, you can refer to your notes. “Thankfully,” Tanya said, “she bought my book anyway!”

One of my favorite bits of advice came from Debra Dixon. “Repeat after me: ‘Hi, this is my first conference. Is it yours?’ Too often people sit like stones staring at their plates or lap instead of turning to the person next to them and saying a simple hello. Making connections is one of the most important benefits of attending a conference. You never know where a simple hello will lead unless you actually say hello! Be bold. The bold shall inherit the contacts.”

In that same vein, Roxanne St. Claire said, "You can have a conversation with anyone, anywhere, any time at conference. All you need is one question: "What do you write?" Every single person there will have an answer, and it will spark dialogue. Even if that answer is, 'I don't. I'm an agent.' Hey, that's not bad, is it?"

Jennifer LaBrecque reminds you, though, to "be careful what you say anywhere other than the privacy of your hotel room. You never know who you're standing next to or whose friend you're standing next to." She also cautions this is not the place to drink too much. "Loose lips sink ships," one of my old bosses used to say.

Many writers are introverts who spend the majority of their time holed up with a computer and the voices in their heads. Talking to other people is outside their comfort zone. But with the two questions above, you can break the ice and maybe even make someone's day and make a new friend -- or two or three or a dozen.

At my first conference, I went to lunch the first day and apparently looked like a little lost lamb. A friendly woman came up to me and asked if I'd like to sit at her table. We chatted during lunch and she made me feel like the most special person in the world. Her name is Susan Crosby and she has written for Desire, Next and now Special Edition. Our conference lunch has become an annual event (we just firmed up our plans for this year yesterday) I look forward to. If she hadn't made that move, we'd never have met and eating lunch alone might have set a bad conference tone for me. So look for little lost lambs and invite them to join you.

Roxanne also suggested taking along at least one outfit you feel absolutely great wearing and saving it for the most stressful day (an editor/agent appointment or the workshop you're giving). Just be sure to try on all your clothes and shoes before you leave home to make sure they fit and don't have any loose buttons or ripped hems.

Another of Roxanne's ideas (she was simply a font of advice -- this is her ninth national conference in a row) was to go with a goal in mind -- something tangible and measurable like "I'm going to learn somehting about five different publishers I didn't know when I left." The Playfriends will remember the goal I gave each of them last year. I heard moans and grumbling, but by golly, each of them made their goal and I was proud as punch of them. Angel is our shyest and she was grinning from ear to ear when she showed me her results.

Along with all the great advice above (and thank you so much to all the authors who shared their conference wisdom), I’d like to suggest the following:

Be sure to pack a bottle of your favorite over-the-counter pain reliever. Carry it with you at all times. Even if you never need it, you can offer some to another conference attendee and make a friend for life.

Drink plenty of water. Hotel air conditioning can dehydrate you quickly, and that can lead to the mother of all headaches. Most hotels offer glasses of water in each meeting room. Or do as I do and buy a bottle of water in the airport once you’ve passed through security and then just refill it throughout the week.

Remember your camera so you can have memories of your conference once you get back home. The photo of you with your all-time favorite romance writer will be priceless to you.

Also remember the charger for your camera as well as for your cellphone.

You’ll get lots of free books and goodies at the conference and may make purchases at the Midnight Madness Bazaar, the book fair and local souvenir shops. Getting these back home can be a challenge, especially with the new luggage fees. Go to the Federal Express website and set up a FedEx account. It’s free. And it will allow you to ship stuff back home from the business center of the hotel at a pretty reasonable cost. I shipped back several hundred dollars worth of books plus goodies last year for around $35.

Or you can take the advice of Barbara Vey from Publisher's Weekly. She says to tell folks to "pack their suitcases and then take out 5 things, because you never need all that you take and you need room in your suitcase for all the books and goodies you get. Also, make sure you have extra batteries for your camera because there are lots of opportunities for pictures."

Before the days of baggage charges, I would pack a duffel bag flat in the bottom of my suitcase, fill it with books and goodies as I collected them and send it back as my second piece of luggage. If you're on an airline that still allows a second piece free (Southwest does) you may want to take that option.

I hope this helps the newbies who will be attending their first RWA conference in San Francisco in just – YIKES! – two weeks. And feel free to add your own advice in the comments section.

Your heroine's baggage is nothing compared to mine...

If you visit lots of blogs in Romancelandia, you can’t help but realize that the National Conference is coming up quickly. Goodness knows I’ve been in full conference prep mode for a while now.

The baggage restrictions on most airlines really suck, you know, so I’m all about getting everything I can into the smallest, lightest suitcase. Which can be quite difficult when you’re taking nine outfits for a four-day conference. As I get my act together and start packing, I thought I’d share some packing tips.

Some hints and ideas to pass along:

Open a FedEx account. Yep, I’m serious. With all the books and such you’re going to pick up at Nationals, most folks will tell you just to ship a box of your newly acquired goodies home. It’s a great idea—at least until you see the line at the business center as everyone tries to get their boxes shipped. Did you know that if you have a FedEx account, you can just fill out the form with your account number and drop the box off at the concierge desk? Most hotels will seal the box and get it shipped off for you. No waiting in line. It only takes a few minutes to set up an account on-line—much faster than waiting in that really long line with everyone else. You know, you can ship stuff to the conference as well…

Learn the wonders of non-wrinkling fabric. I’m loving the microfiber. Most of my clothes are made of this wonder fabric—including one of my evening gowns. Not only can I fold (read “wad”) everything into a suitcase instead of using a hanging bag without dreading the time spent with an iron at the other end, the fabric is so thin that it takes up very little space. Meaning I can bring even more clothing!

Bring hangers. Especially if you have roommates. Hotels rarely have more than a few non-removable hangers in the room, and you’ll need those extra hangers for all your stuff. If you bring some metal ones from the drycleaner, you can leave them behind (opening up a little space for one last book or souvenir).

Speaking of roommates, advance communication with those roommates is critical. Consolidate and plan ahead--you don’t need four hairdryers. If one of your roommates happens to wear the same size clothes or shoes, maybe you could have an extra fabu outfit ready to wear, yet not in your suitcase!

And one last tip—this one for saving the planet. Many hotels are now trying to save water and lower the amount of detergents uses, so they give you the option of not having your towels replaced every day. It’s a nice idea, except if you have three roommates (like I do), it’s impossible to keep up with whose towel is whose. Take a couple of small pieces of colored ribbon and a few safety pins. Mark your towels with a ribbon and hang them up to dry.

I'm sure you have some of your own travel and packing tips to share. Feel free to do so in the comments tail. I'll start the goodie giveaway extravaganza that is Nationals a little early and give books to the best tipsters!

PC