Equality - Donna Alward

I've been sitting here for a few hours, working away, trying to come up with a topic to write about. There shouldn't be any shortage; I've just come back from RWA Nationals where tons of exciting things happened.

But I didn't want to give another conference report, you know? And then as I was doing the dishes I thought about what the takeaway is from Nationals. We get asked that on our art fact sheets, you know. What's the takeaway?

And as I was thinking about all that I realized what it is that makes Nationals so special. It's not the fangirl moments - though those are great from both sides of the coin. It's not the networking, though that's pretty darn energizing too. It's not even awards or parties...wait. Ok, so maybe the Harlequin Party is the exception, because it's pretty damn fabulous (here I am with my roomate Fiona Harper at the Waldorf Astoria), but even that kind of contributes to the point I'm about to make.

The takeaway is equality.

At Nationals everyone is the same. We all love the romance genre. We all love writing. We all just GET IT. Nothing brings this home like listening to the keynote speakers and it is why I hate to miss them and really try not to. It is so inspiring and humbling to hear someone speak about how they wrote on the QT for more than a decade before finally selling their first book. It's awe inspiring to hear about some people's struggles not only to be published but to get through life - if you haven't read Sherrilyn Kenyon's keynote speech on facebook, go find it. It is encouraging to know that best selling authors suffer the same trials of just WRITING THE DAMN BOOK as we do. And it doesn't matter if you're unpublished, newly published, a midlister or a NY Times Best Selling author. When it all comes down to it, we're all the same. And do you know what that means?

It means anything is possible. If they (meaning the "stars") can do it, why not us? The possibilities are endless. There is hope. And I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of hope, and of promise, and of hard work.  I love that there doesn't have to be limitations.

In the words of Red Green, "We're all in this together."

That's what I bring home from Nationals, and that's what fills my heart and makes me excited to keep doing this job. It's not the awards or signing books or shaking hands with people. It's this feeling of community and positive energy. It's addictive, and it's hard to come back to real life when it's all over.

But real life intrudes just the same - and includes a brand new release day for me. A FAMILY FOR THE RUGGED RANCHER hit store shelves yesterday! And I have to admit this is a special story for me. The hero is dealing with the issue of aging parents and facing his own mortality. He was lovely to write!

Until next time, happy reading!

Donna

www.donnaalward.com

Getting ready to go the RWA National Conference -- Michelle Styles

It's official. I'm over excited. For the last six years, I have watched from the sidelines with envy as people reported back. I have combed the blogs for scraps of info and generally longed to be there.
This time I will be! The RWA National Conference in Orlando Fl!
Because I am bringing my new netbook, I will be doing news flashes on the Pink Heart Society blog and several of the Harlequin Historical Authors will be blogging on the Harlequin Historical Author blog about the events they are attending. So hopefully I will be doing my bit for those staying behind. (Or at least that is the plan...but I know that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions and I am one of the contractors in chief)
I have been to Romantic Novelist Association conferences before and so know how full on they can be but the RWA is supposed to take it to a whole new level.
In an effort to decide which workshops to attend, I have looked at the handouts. You do not have to be going to the RWA conference to see the handouts and they can be useful. If a workshop has a red title, it means it is the link to the handout. I know I have applied Susan Elizabeth Philips 6 magic words already to my writing and unfortunately Julia Quinn's workshop on dialogue clashes with something that I have to do, so I can't go to her workshop on dialogue but the handout looks excellent. And if you want to know about Steam punk -- what is it etc -- the handout for the workshop looks fantastic. But be warned, looking at handouts can make you determined to go to the conference...
There is the literacy signing which is open to the general public. Over 500 authors! I shall be signing but suspect my line will be short. I'm sitting next to Blaze author Cara Summers and If anyone stops by from Tote Bags and tells me, I will have cover flats to give away. But basically I will just be grateful to speak to people.
Besides the workshops and the signing, there are parties -- Thursday seems to be packed -- starting with a breakfast for Harlequin Historical authors, a keynote lunch with Nora Robert speaking, and going through to the legendary eharlequin pj party in the evening. And then on Friday, it is the Harlequin Author party proper. This year there is a rumour that they are going to be much tougher on gatecrashers...
But mostly I am looking forward to meeting people that I have only met via the Internet. So if you happen to be there and see me, please do come up and say hi.
I suspect by the end of the time, I will be exhausted (and will not have seen Disneyworld!)!

But before I go to the conference, I have revisions on my latest full manuscript to do. My new editor is wonderfully efficient -- not only have I sold a Roman set Undone (these are the sexy short stories that are made to be read in a lunchtime) this week but she has also given me some really good revisions.

And if all this has you excited about writing, Harlequin Mills & Boon are doing a global talent search with their New Voices contest. More details should be up on the http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/ website soon. Various authors in the UK are doing workshops in August to support the contest during August and September. My workshop at Knaresborough Library, North Yorkshire is on the evening of 1 September.

In the meantime, if anyone has any tips about surviving business conferences, please let me know.

You can learn more about Michelle Styles and her books at http://www.michellestyles.co.uk/

Getting Ready For Nationals - Kimberly Van Meter

Sometimes I envy the relatively simple process men enjoy when preparing to travel. As I prepare to leave for the Romance Writers of America National conference, I’m struck by how much there is to do and how I should’ve started preparing way before this moment. You see, I think women are the only ones who stress about things that are fairly ridiculous in the big scheme of things.

To put it into perspective: North Korea might very well be readying to blow the United States (or at least some part of it) to the hereafter yet, the networks are too busy going over the minutia of Michael Jackson’s funeral arrangements to bother with something so boring, hence it makes perfect sense that I’m fretting over all the pampering that still needs to be done before I’m ready to make my entrance among my writer/author friends. I’m completely guilty. I am more worried that my aesthetician will manage to squeeze me in before I leave when I really should just make do with a good facial scrub and moisturizer and call it a day. I’m being completely frivolous and I admit it. Does that count for something? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Internally, I’m rolling my eyes at my own foolish primping I’m not going to stop. And I know I’m not alone. My friends are tweeting and posting on Facebook, listservs and IMs how appointments have been made at the hair dresser, manicurist, and shopping trips have either been scheduled or finished, all in prep for this major event.

So what’s the big deal? I’m a wash-and-wear kinda girl. I choose comfort over fashion most days and I rarely bother with make-up during the work week, yet during National I’m a diva of the primped, coiffed, and stylized (well, my version anyhow) of the jet set. It makes no sense. I have new clothes to purchase, dresses to squeeze myself into, new make-up sets to put together, hairstyles to try out, new shoes and bag to match my outfits, not to mention all the accessories that go into putting together a fashionable look and let me tell you, this stuff is not cheap. So not only am I going to all this effort for a week’s worth of activity that I don’t bother with the rest of the year, I’m spending a fortune to do it. It’s crazy.

My husband, on the other hand, is content with throwing deodorant, assorted toiletries, just enough clothes, one pair of shoes into the suitcase, and he’s ready to rock and roll.There’s no need for fancy haircuts, a massage, a pedicure, fake tan, new clothes or some ridiculous compulsion to diet one week before leaving.

Oh well. It is what it is.

So, let’s commiserate together. Tell me, if you’re going to National, what prep you’ve undergone and if you’re not going to National, share your war stories of another event you had to go into hyperdrive to attend with any measure of success. One lucky poster will receive a free copy of my July Harlequin Superromance novel, KIDS ON THE DOORSTEP.

Kimberly
http://www.kimberlyvanmeter.com/

***The winner is Rachie G!*** Congratulations! You should have an email from Kimberly soon. :) Thanks to everyone who left a comment! For questions, please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com - Thanks!!