Lexi’s RWA National Conference Experience in Brief

RWA Literacy signing raises over $50,000 (Photo: RWA)

This is a blast! I can’t believe how much fun I’m having here at the RWA National Conference. Literally hundreds of romance writers to talk to, old friends I’m catching up with, and lots of new writing friends I’m connecting with. It is non-stop energy, exciting and exhausting.
 

So I’m going to hit some of the side notes because, well, I’m sure others have hit the main events on facebook, twitter, and all the other networks :-}

Before the conference started, I had lunch in High Velocity here in the hotel. Through chatting with our waiter Kamal, I warned him that 2,000 of us would be descending upon the hotel in the next couple days. His response? “Oh, I’m looking forward to it. I was here in 2006 and looking forward to this.” Now, that set a great tone for the days ahead as far as I was concerned.

Then I watched as a specialist covered the elevator doors with romance novels. That made waiting for an elevator a whole lot more interesting.

My Wonderful Editor

People started to trickle in. Drinks in the bar and dinners out with fellow authors became the norm. Authors from Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Wisconsin, all friends, shared time and advice. More stopped by and said hello and shared their great news. It was also fun to spend time with Dawn Kunda, a fellow blogger on Happily Ever After Thoughts.

One highlight has been the time spent with my wonderful editor who is a lot of fun and very informative. We chatted about future story ideas and the latest in the industry.

I also joined the Passionate Ink chapter for their party. Very educational as the speaker talked about BDSM. Some of the information I knew, other information I didn’t, and I’m glad I had a chance to learn more about this erotic arena from a person who lives the lifestyle. I have also met two more Ellora’s Cave authors. It was so nice to put faces with email names :-)

I enjoyed being the moderator for my friend Laurie Schnebly-Campbell’s great workshop on Description and Dialogue.  She gave me some good ideas, but then again she always does.

At the RWA National General meeting, it was announced that not only would indie published books be allowed in all RITA Award categories, but RWA added another category, this one for Erotic Romance! Whoohoo! Hmm, maybe I should enter next year. What do you think?

That’s RWA so far, but I may have more to share after I get home.

Always

Lexi

Guest Laurie Schnebly Campbell: Outgrowing High School

Next weekend I'm off to my high school reunion, and wondering why -- after all these years -- I still care so much about what my classmates think of me.

Sure, you expect teenagers to be consumed with the desire for popularity. But shouldn't we outgrow it eventually? Or does that shrinking feeling of "I'll never be cool" come back with the same intensity as during high school whenever those same people get together?

In theory, this should be a pure delight. And I suspect if I weren't spending so much energy worrying about whether I'll be accepted -- or, more to the point, admired -- it WOULD be a pure delight.

Yet I've spent the past four months dithering over what to wear, planning the best day for a haircut, imagining ways to work my book titles into the conversation while sounding ever so casual...which, good heavens, just made me realize this is all about Me-Me-Me!

Ulp.

Years ago my dad said his method for enjoying any social event was to walk into the room saying "THERE you are" instead of "HERE I am." And it's a safe bet there'll be a whole lot of fascinating people at this event -- in fact, it'll be the anniversary of when my best friend from high school met her soon-to-be husband (another classmate) at our ten-year reunion. They happened to sit near each other at dinner, and...whoosh.

But they won't be there since their daughter's school is still in session. And a few other friends I've stayed in touch with can't make it either. And I didn't invite my husband because it would've been ludicrously expensive to bring a date.

So there won't be any Guaranteed Friendly People to chat with. Surely there'll be other people arriving without a date, though, right?

Surely there'll be something to do besides hide out in the bathroom, right?

Surely this'll all be a pleasant memory by the time our NEXT reunion comes around...won't it?

But if you have any tips for making a reunion more fun and less scary, I'd really love to hear 'em!

 Laurie, who can't wait to check back

~ ~ ~

After publishing half a dozen romances, including a Special Edition that beat out Nora Roberts for "Best of the Year," Laurie Schnebly Campbell saw a bumper sticker that changed her life: "Those who can, do. Those who believe others can ALSO do, teach." Now she teaches other writers about query letters, fatal flaws, plotting via motivation and more -- see her picks at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurieClass .