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.
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. 
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
