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Friday, August 9, 2013

Behind the Scenes at RWA Nationals-past experiences (Part II)


Behind the Scenes at RWA Nationals-past experiences (Part II)

Reliving the current Romance Writers’ of America’s conference got me to think about past conferences and the scenes I fondly remember.  Didn’t realize how funny some of them were until I looked back.

I vividly recall a pitch to an agent in San Francisco.  I encouraged myself that ten minutes was a minute amount of time to talk about my novel and convince an agent that he really needed me on his roster.  He finished our ten minutes by telling me to kick out a character, change the relationship, and a host of other minor changes, then we can be successful.
ghirardelli chocolate photo: Ghirardelli chocolate DSC03041.jpg
Kill me with the word successful.  That made me think he had the perfect resolution to my story’s placement.  I wandered from the “pitching den” and relayed my story to other authors to see what they thought.  As I approached the escalator, I stated “I need a hunk of chocolate and a sexy story to read.”  No sooner did I get to the bottom of the transit when a group of erotic writers had a table set up with Ghirardelli chocolates and erotic novels.  Then I wondered what else I should wish for!  

One more short story…In Washington D.C., the writers shared the hotel with a police convention and service men on leave.  I was oblivious of this until during a break on the outside patio at dusk.  Two Marines sauntered up to me and my friend.  “Do you have a cigarette we can bum?”  My friend and I glanced at each other, and before we answered, the men forgot their quest and proceeded to tell us their titles and that they had purposefully come to the hotel to find their soul mates-they thought romance writers could help them.   stack of books photo: stack-of-books stack-of-books.jpg

How touching.  When I relay this episode to other women, they are touched also.  When I tell men of the meeting, a smirk creases their faces until they can’t help but laugh. 

What?!?  Apparently the Marines were hitting on us.  Call me oblivious and I don’t write inspirational (no offense, of course).  Maybe I should, but I think I’ll stick to suspenseJ
Happy

2 comments:

  1. Love these stories, Dawn! I need to hangout with you at conferences more often ;-)

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