After the Party...
I think I finally caught up on my sleep last night; today is the first morning that I woke up feeling good, and not like something the cat dragged in. The National Conference was exhilarating, exciting, and totally exhausting. Aside from the fact that my roommate and I never got to sleep before 2 a.m. (we were like a couple of tweenies at a slumber party!), just being on the go for four days was enough to sap your energy. That, and the worrying.
What did I have to worry about, you ask? I wasn't up for any awards, I wasn't pitching to an editor or an agent (guaranteed to cause gastro-upset), and I wasn't presenting any workshops. Still, I worried...
Would anyone come to visit me at the booksigning, or would I sit there for two hours, a smile pasted on my face, feeling foolish? (Thank you, Cathryn, Nina, Jessica, Margaret, and countless others for not letting that happen!). Would Brenda have feedback on my latest book, and would it be positive? Would I trip coming off the escalator and do a full face-sprawl across the lobby carpet, like I did last year in front of hundreds of people who watched from an overhead balcony and then clapped? And most of all, would I be accepted by my fellow Harlequin authors, or would they see me as a interloper; a fraud?
I needn't have worried on any of the above. I had plenty of friends stop by to visit at the booksigning, and did some visiting of my own. Brenda came by and showed me a prototype of the new Blaze covers, coming in Jan 09. I finally met Jeannie Watt and her husband (she's as gorgeous and funny in real life as she is on the blog), and spent several long moments chatting with one of my new favorite authors, Meredith Duran.
I didn't trip or fall once, and I loved meeting the Harlequin authors. I have to say, the Blaze authors are a gorgeous bunch of women and the Harlequin authors as a whole are an incredibly warm and friendly group. Thank-you, Tawny, for being my gal-pal at the Blaze dinner, and ensuring I had excellent company at the Harlequin party! Meeting Leslie Kelley, Stephanie Bond, Nancy Warren, Holly Jacobs, Jordan Summers, and so many others whose names I can't recall right now, was really a thrill. Here I am with Kira Sinclair and Tawny Weber.
The awards ceremony was great, and it was so thrilling to see Sam's name and picture up on the big screen as a RITA nominee!
Next year, I won't stress a bit about what to wear to any of the parties, since anything and everything goes, from pants and camisoles to floor-length, sequined gowns. I'll just have fun!
Karen---Thank you, thank you
Karen---Thank you, thank you for finding me at the Literacy signing! I was rather overwhelmed that night, since I was one of the organizers of a reader appreciation party immediately following the signing and we didn't know if any readers were going to come. They did :) Next year we will have to arrange a coffee date so that we can actually talk!
I also got to meet Tawny, who is friends with Beth Andrews, whom I met at the reader party that readers actually came to. They're both so much fun to talk to.
Great conference. I can't wait until next year and we do have to make arrangements to meet.
Jeannie
Absolutely, Jeannie! I
Absolutely, Jeannie! I think it would be wonderful to plan some sort of get-together next year!
Karen
You are amazing, and I loved reading your updates on the KarenCruises blog. :) How do you always manage to take such great pictures? You always look great.
I'm planning for DC next year... hopefully a road trip hauling along a few other authors with me, though I need a solitary cave to return to so I won't share a room. Weird that way. I'll share my car, but not my bathroom and sleeping space, LOL.
Maybe we can have a Cigars party or lunch if everyone is down there next year -- that would be fun. :) Or we can give books away to people who find us from the blog, LOL. ;)
I'm VERY relieved to hear the whole fashion thing has loosened up. DC can be freakin' HOT in the summer, LOL, so I say, be comfortable!
Sam
Thank you, Sam! I'm pretty
Thank you, Sam! I'm pretty cagey about pictures, and you'll notice I always manage to hide (at least partially) behind others, LOL! I remember taking this picture and as I threw my arms around Tawny and Kira, thinking, "Uh-oh, I am so pushing the girls out there!" So I was relieved when that didn't come across in the photo.
A Cigars event would be so much fun! And I totally understand about needing the cave to go back to. I think that was part of my whole exhaustion thing. No down time at all, although I have the best roomie imaginable.
And yes...comfort should be the word of the day next year. I was almost late for the Blaze dinner and ended up running back to my room to change, all hot and bothered, and have you ever tried to squeeze into Spanx when you're overheated? Sheer torture, I tell you! Never again.
New Covers...
Oh, I'm just now noticing all the pretty new covers on the right!! Shirley, that guy IS simply the best!! And your December cover is so soft and romantic! Jeannie, love the cop cover! Congratulations to both of you!
What fun!!
Thanks for the snippets and photos, Karen! Glad it was a terrific time! (But I'm thinking that maybe you should have let us see Tawny's shoes... ;)) And you looked fab as well as ready for having fun!
You know, I may just do a
You know, I may just do a shoe-blog after the conference next year! Jacquie D'Alessandro wore the prettiest pair of blue-striped (or maybe they were polka-dot) heels I've ever seen! You'll recognize me as the one snapping pictures of everyone's feet, including Tawny's, LOL!
And thank you, Karen...
...for not backing away, hands raised, when I totally fan-girled you at the book signing. Seriously. You could have so called security on me. Instead you signed a book for me! You rock! ;)
It was so fun to meet you! Thanks for the great chat and all the kind thoughts! I'll see you next year in DC!
Margaret
OMG, Margaret, are you
OMG, Margaret, are you kidding? You totally made my night! I'm so glad you came over to see me, just sorry we never got out of the hotel; I would have liked to check out Greens! Next year...in D.C., right?
Thanks for the pics and the
Thanks for the pics and the insight into your parties.
Thanks, Estella. It was a
Thanks, Estella. It was a lot of fun, but very tiring. I'm looking forward to next year when I can get Sam to go a little wild!
Uh-oh....
RWA 2009 -- subtitle: Foley and Hunter Take D.C....
LOL
Sam
Not next year...
But I promise if any of you ever make it to Seattle, I'll be there!!
Thanks for the behind the scenes look at everything!
ani
The Today Show
Thanks, Ani! I would be so excited if they did a conference in Seattle! It's on my list of cities to visit. Interstingly, The Today Show covered the literacy booksigning in San Francisco! They did a great job, and really affirmed the romance genre as an industry to be respected and admired. Here's the link if anyone is interested. I don't know how to make the link active, so you might have to copy and paste it into your browser, but it was a great clip:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25966976#25966976
Thanks for that, Karen
Great little video!
Sam
Seattle
If you ever make it this way, conference or not, let me know. I can plan an agenda for you if you'd like, of course, it would mean a meet up! ;-), help you with reservations, etc.
ani
Thank You!
Ani, that's incredibly nice of you, and I'll definitely look you up if I make it out there!
love all those blaze books
love all those blaze books hottt
Hi Karen. It was great to
Hi Karen. It was great to meet you at the conference. I always meet the nicest people on the airport shuttle. I finally feel like I am recovering from the whirlwind, too. I am glad that you enjoyed your first booksigning.
Hey, Rae Ann!!
It was such a pleasure to meet you, too!! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope we see you around here often! BTW, I think you had the right idea by staying at the hotel across the street; it looked like an oasis of peace compared to the Marriott, LOL!
Aaw!
Your post makes me want to tear right up!! It just goes to show that romance writing is indeed a great business to be in for the company alone, especially Harlequin authors! Congratulations on your "arrival", Karen. :P
Thank you, Sassa!
Yes, I feel so fortunate and honored to be in the company of such amazing women! They really are a wonderful bunch.
Glad to see you Karen...
...even if it was only for a second the minute I got to San Fran!! Next year, Foley and Force will be signing buddies!
Marie
www.mariesullivanforce.com