I had everything planned. Really, I did. Yeah, right. I had plans too. Besides meeting and chatting with all the authors I’ve gotten to know online over the past several years, I was going to write to ya’ll and let you know what’s happening. What’s stopped me? I forgot my wireless adapter for my laptop. Hmmmm. Do I have a brain? I thought my brain was intact and figured it would be so until I met my first real, live author. Maybe not. 

So I’m doing the next best thing. Paying for internet access at the Marriott. It’s better than nothing, which is what I’ve had for the last two days. Has it been worth it? Not having access to net? At all? You betcha!

I’ve had lunch with Sandy Blair and C.L. Wilson, chatted with Jade Lee, Jo Davis, Eve Silver, Caroline Linden, Jill Shalvis, Thea Devine and a multitude of other writing greats, dinner with Melissa Mayhue, chatted with aspiring authors like myself who have been nomiated for the Golden Heart, drinks with Tracy Garrett. I’ve listened to wonderful, humorous speeches by Victoria Alexander and Connie Brockway. I’ve gotten great advice from Elizabeth Hoyt and Susan Elizabeth Phillips so far. There’s still a boatload of workshops to choose from to learn so much more from those authors who I’ve admired for years. And there’s still the RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony Saturday night to experience.

Talk about a dream come true. I never, ever thought I’d be doing any of this just a few short years ago. If I hadn’t listened to friends and decided to begin writing again, I wouldn’t have known RWA was going to be sorta in my backyard this year. Of course, I’m having fun more as a reader this week.

More than 500 authors were at the Literacy Signing on Wednesday night. OMG. Left and right, up and down aisle after aisle I saw Sabrina Jeffries, Cherry Adair, Jayne Ann Krentz, Lorraine Heath, Shana Abe, Stacey Kayne and so many more than my poor brain can’t even recall them all in one sitting. Who I couldn’t see because of all the people in line and surrounding them so you had to ask folks who they were in line for, Nora Roberts and Sherrilyn Kenyon just to name a couple. That’s okay though this time around. My noggin probably would have exploded if I’d seen them up close and personal!

Despite the tiredness and the sore feet, I’m in heaven. As usual, time is going way too fast and I’ll be headed home before I know it, but I’m going with a myriad of memories that will last me a lifetime. Usually when I come to San Francisco for a visit, I’m the common tourist roaming through Fisherman’s Wharf, Piccadilly Square, riding the cable cars, taking a crooked drive down Lombard Street, eating shirimp cocktails while watching waves roll across the ocean. Haven’t missed that a bit this time. And I won’t think of San Francisco in the same way ever again.

Time to go! Have more authors to meet! I’ll chat with ya’ll when I’m back home and recovered from the trip of my dreams!