Eve Gaddy: RWA 2016

Every summer Romance Writers of America has a huge conference. This year it was held in beautiful San Diego, California. Over 2000 authors and publishing and industry professionals meet for workshops on everything from the mechanics of writing, to experts in various fields discussing their professions and how they might relate to characters, to things like promoting your books and social media. We network with agents, editors, publishers, and other writers. We attend the RITA and Golden Heart awards ceremony (Romance Writers most well-known contest). I love the RWA National conference for a variety of reasons, but the main one is I get to see my friends, many of whom I only see once or twice a year. 

Left to Right: Katherine Garbera, Eve Gaddy and Julia Justiss

Left to Right; Eve Gaddy, Nancy Robards Thompson, Julia Justiss

My friends and I correspond online all the time, we FaceTime, we talk on the phone, but meeting in person is wonderful. And it can be magical. There's something about being around a lot of other writers, talking writing, thinking writing, and breathing writing that makes the air crackle with creative energy. (Chocolate also helps.:) And as my friend Julia Justiss puts it, we get to be writers. Just writers. We're not working another job, we're not moms, wives or grandmothers. (Unless our family comes with us.) 

If we get to the conference early enough we might go sight-seeing. Or shopping. This year I didn't get to do as much since I managed to break my toe the first full day I was there. First thing in the morning, yet. Stupid doorstop! (Seriously. Broke my toe.) So I spent a lot of the first couple of days I was there in my room with my foot propped up. I did manage to hobble down to the bookstore on the waterfront.

And I went to some dinners and parties. 

All in all it was a fun and rewarding conference. I saw old friends, met new ones, and even managed to write some. And when I came home I got the beautiful cover for my newest book, Love Me, Cowgirl, which will be out this fall.

Visit me at my website: www.evegaddy.net or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EveGaddyAuthor or Twitter: @evegaddy

P.S. I have a book up on www.authorshout.com/cover-wars . If you get a chance go vote for your favorite cover. Voting lasts all week long. Mine is my fave.:)