Sigh. I’ve been trying for a couple of months now to get this Pondering completed and posted. But better late than never applies when life, things, appointments, and everything in general don’t go as you expect. So I hope you’ll read and enjoy my musings, my lessons, and my gushings anyway, even though time got by me.

I’ve been to two Romance Writers of America conferences, San Francisco in 2008 and now Orlando this past July/August. I truly do go to learn more about the craft of writing romance, but I’ve been a reader much longer than I’ve tried to be a writer. After a couple of days of being surrounded by the authors I’ve read over the years, I become a fan. A fanatic Fan Girl.

But a little decorum first.

Most of you don’t know that I am an aspiring writer, a very fledgling one at that with just three years under my belt. Life has been throwing curves at me for the last year or so and my writing has suffered. I am vice president of my local RWA chapter in California and the membership very graciously sent me and our chapter president to this year’s conference.

We needed representation in Florida because it’s been two years since any of our board has to been to a conference. It’s our responsibility to stay on top of what’s happening in the writing industry — you wouldn’t believe all those rules and regs out there even for romance writers — get new ideas for meetings, fundraisers, and anything else that will benefit our members, but as the last year or so started to degrade for me, I also needed this time to reinvigorate myself when it came to my writing. This trip did that for me in spades.

Talking to both published and other aspiring authors puts things in perspective, gives you encouragement, and gets the excitement coursing through those romance veins all over again, you can’t wait to see the words magically appear your computer screen as fast as your fingers can fly over the keyboard. The person who motivated me most of all during that week in Orlando was our keynote speaker, Nora Roberts.

The most prolific romance writer on the planet, Nora pulled no punches in her speech that showcased her discovery of Romance Writers of America at the beginning of her career, the support she found with other authors, and the life-long friends she made during the three decades RWA is now celebrating.

Writing is hard, she told us. It’s supposed to be. Stop thinking about the good old days when it was supposedly easier to get a publishing contract and “ride the hard.” It’s just as hard today as it was ten years ago, ten years before that, and it will still be hard ten years from now.

Today when we have access to the internet, computers, and meetings with our contemporaries, it is easier now compared to typewriters and carbon paper — hell, even White-Out — but the core of writing itself is still hard. So quit whining, jump in the pool and swim. Her speech alone was worth the cost of the entire week for me.

A couple of the workshops I chose to attend were also very helpful. My preference in both reading and writing is paranormal and historical, so as luck would have it, I found a workshop on both, though the historical was really alpha heroes, which included Monica McCarty, Bella Andre, and Jami Alden. Monica writes Scottish historicals and Bella and Jami write contemporaries, and all three authors are masters at the alpha hero, which is my favorite type of hero to read and to learn to write effectively.

Another examples of life-long friends discovered through RWA, these three authors are also critique partners as well as cheerleaders for each other when “the call” still comes through for each of them today. Their idea of the alpha male overlaps at certain points, but they do have their own clearly distinct concept of what constitutes such an alpha romance character. Their talk was not only inspiring, but their friendship, their laughter, their companionship, and their championship of each other was terrific to experience. Great BFFs.

The paranormal panel I chose was quite interesting. Kelley Armstrong, Jeaniene Frost, Terri Garey, Colleen Gleason, Juliana Stone, and C.L. Wilson discussed the differences between paranormal, fantasy, and urban fantasy, including the marketing of each and how that marketing has affected the sales of their books over time.

Aside from the information learned from such best-selling authors as these six, it was nice to see the camaraderie among them considering how differently they all write, from style to genre. And who wouldn’t be in awe when in the same room with such names in romanceland.

Enough decorum for now? Good!

I figured since I had also attended the 2008 conference in San Francisco I shouldn’t be as wide-eyed and awestruck this time around. At the Literacy Signing, the sight of 500 authors in one room is a sight to behold, no matter how many times you see it, and I stood still once again just to look the room over before wending my way through the crowd. This is the one time books come second for a reader, and I had now turned into a reader. Author galore awaited at my fingertips.

But in Orlando I had a few more years of reviewing books behind me, talking to authors online, interviewing them, getting to know them a little better, and I have to say, I was deeply humbled by the thanks I received for my reviews over the years, even for those that didn’t receive a top grade.

Beth Kery summed it up perfectly when she and I met for a drink. She explained she gets more as an author from a C- minus review when the reviewer takes time to explain what did or didn’t work, what’s too much, what’s too little, etc., than an A+ review from a reviewer who doesn’t discriminate book to book, doling out high grades (roses, cups, angels, stars, halos, whatever) every single time with nothing to back it up. I appreciated her insight quite a bit. It’s good to know there are some authors out there who don’t overreact when they receive a lower graded review and they truly take our comments and thoughts about their books to heart.

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Shana Abe, Jennifer Ashley, Kathryn Smith, Julie James, Lorraine Heath (could go on forever, but I won’t!)….

I got to say hello to so many of my favorites, new and old alike.

Elisabeth Naughton, who’s new Eternal Guardian Series started with a bang with Marked and the second book, Entwined released while she was in Florida, became a favorite of mine with her Stolen series, and her new series is a terrific followup. I love it when debut authors get the kudos they deserve. She was up for a RITA award this year, but, alas, the statuette went to Kate Brady. She’s a winner in my book!

Of course, the place was super crowded, romance lovers roaming all over. Sometimes you had to stand in line just to find out who you were standing in line for. But that’s okay. Knowing someone you really would like to meet after reading their works for so many years is worth the wait. Ask those who have stood in line for Nora Roberts or Sherrilyn Kenyon over the last several years!

A new author I discovered last year is Caroline Fyffe. Her heart-warming historical westerns are full of family, love, danger, and romance. It was a joy to meet her, to put a face with the lovely words she writes.

The Literacy Signing brought in more than $60,000 for different literacy programs in Orlando and Nashville, the original site for the conference before flooding closed the Grand Old Opry Hotel. Romance readers should give themselves a pat on the back for that nice hefty number. Of course, I did my part. Even bought some books I already have because I’d rather have them autographed. Call me crazy, but it had to be done. What manic reader is going bypass an autographed book, for heaven’s sake? LOL I have the TBR mountain to prove it!

Of course, had to have a pic with Monica McCarty. She’s been a terrific friend to our chapter, visiting us this past year and imparting the knowledge and experience she’s gained over her writing career. She’s a terrific lady, giving, funny, strong, and just a delight to talk to. LOL, it looks like I’m standing on tip-toes as Monica’s doing her best to meet in the middle so we’d both be in the picture. She’s also a tall lady! Especially considering I’m quite short!

As a native Californian, I’ve experienced humidity only once, years ago when my family visited New Orleans. We were actually lucky, had only one day that was bad. But it was bad enough that when the relatives we were visiting took us to see Lake Pontchatrain, I stayed in the car. I was not about to suffocate just to look at a lake. So I figured the humidity would get to me in Florida. Seems I was lucky once again.

Though there were a couple of thunderstorms in the late afternoon, my glasses would fog up the second I walked outside the hotel, and I ended up with a nice sheen walking from the Dolphin to the Swan and vice versa – not a huge distance to go, as you can tell from the photo, but far enough – I could at least breathe! And there was no way a little (or a lot!) of humidity was going to keep me from a roomful of authors.

Beth Williamson and I ran into each other several times and we had that look that everyone experiences, “Where do I know you from?” We laughingly pulled our name badges out and the light would dawn for both of us at the same time. “Oh, yeah!” LOL. It was a delight to meet her.

Are you tired of this darned yellow shirt of mine yet?? I swear, you could see me comin’ from a mile away. Well, it helped my chaptermates find me any time we got separated that Wednesday evening. And that happened a lot. We went in three or four different directions quite a bit when one of us found an author we were looking for. With 500 in the room, you can just imagine how difficult it was to keep track of each other. But I digress. More yellow shirt coming up.

I’m a fan of time travel romance, and Melissa Mayhue is one of the best at that genre. She’s another wonderful author who gives back. Our chapter has enjoyed author chats with her, regaling her with question after question after question about the writing industry and her experience, and she patiently answered every single one with grace and kindness. I can honestly say she’s as nice in person as she seems online. This is my second time meeting her and I do hope it’s not my last.

Though all of my pictures are from the signings I attended, which was the first night of the conference, I have to jump ahead to Saturday. That was a good day. And a bad day. First the good since it happened….first.

We’d been running from signing to signing all day, then running to the shipping department at the hotel to ship home all those great books we’d gathered. Needless to say, we were tired and, ummm,  a little sweaty. That night was the RITAs, so a shower and other fixing up was necessary. So we headed back to our room to do just that. There was a phone message waiting and we figured it was our chaptermate wanting to nail down a time and place to meet later. Nope! It was great news – I won a Kobo ereader!

I was actually stunned. I’m one of those who never wins anything like that. A book here and there but not the lottery, not a new car, not a trip, and not an ereader. So you can say I was feeling pretty darned good. It’d been a great week and this was a nice top off, even despite that one bad moment that came right on the heels of my winning news.

Getting ready for the evening ahead, I fell while in the shower! OMG. Couldn’t believe it. It was as fast as can be and I was on the tub bottom. LOL it scared me and my roomie! Twisted the knee really good. That was the initial pain I felt anyway.  But the pain calmed down, I finished my shower, and that’s when I felt more pain. Also twisted a finger on the way down. In fact, it was worse than the knee as time went on. Black, blue, purple and nearly twice its normal size. Couldn’t bend it for anything. But who’s going to let a little discomfort keep them down and out? Not me! Gingerly walked over to the Swan for the awards ceremony, had a terrific time despite it all. Found out the next day that I wasn’t the only one to be beaten by a tub and shower. Author Debra Webb also fell in hers and fared much worse than I did, broken bones and bruises. I hope she’s doing okay today!

Okay, back to the fun stuff.

I also met Nancy Haddock in San Francisco, so it was nice to see her again in Florida. She’s a terrific paranormal author who writes with humor, which, to me , is one difficult thing to do as an author. So I admire her a lot for her talent. I’m very glad I’ve gotten to know her.

Now, you’d think with this conference being held at Walt Disney World that I would have made it to the park to check things out, wouldn’t you? I actually thought I would, especially since I doubt I’ll ever make it back to Florida for another chance. But time and humidity and that darned bum knee kind of nixed the idea of trying to find Mickey for a day or two. And, heck, I’m a California girl. It’s not like I’ve never seen Disney before!

One of my new favorites this year is Alexandra Hawkins. Her Lords of Vice series has been a hit and I”m very happy for her. She had a bit of a letdown at the St. Martin’s signing, though. Someone plugged in the wrong ISBN number and her books never made it to Florida for folks to pick up an autographed copy!   But I know those readers who met her at the Literacy signing and purchased her books there were very happy indeed.

Well, this Fan Girl’s biggest treats came at the end of the line at the signing. I met Shiloh Walker for the first time. What a special moment that was. She’s become one of my favorite authors over the last few years, so I was very excited to see her on that last row of authors in that huge room. We were able to chat for a few minutes and I’ll remember that for a very long time. She’s also one of the nicest ladies, and that’s saying something when you can discern that with on a few minutes’ conversation.

C.L. Wilson was also at that last table, but I’d been lucky enough to see her earlier the day before when we got to sit and chat for a couple of hours. This woman is one of the most dedicated writers you’ll ever hear about. She began writing 25 years ago, kept her dream to the fore and kept writing despite the rejections received after submitting her Tairen Soul book (yes, book, it was one book in those days!) to publishers. Her tenacity and dedication is simply admirable. Success was a long time in coming, but it is still oh so sweet even after five books on the shelves.

Also at the end of the line that night was Nora Roberts. For those of you who have never been to an RWA conference, the biggies like Nora and Sherrilyn Kenyon and others of their caliber are given tables and space at one end of the room or another for fans to line up. And do they line up. Lines extend down the room for these authors.

It was also near the end of the signing, so Nora was out of books and had no line at that moment. I didn’t need to buy a book from her, I have them all, but figured I’d say hello. I mean, why not? So I did. And as I said hello, I suddenly said to her, “I have to tell you a story.” Have no idea what possessed me, I just remembered this little tidbit right at that instant.

Me: I was recently in my local Goodwill, checking out the books, when all of a sudden a title popped out at me. Promise Me Tomorrow.

NR: I don’t why you guys want that book!

Me: Well, it completes my backlist of your books. I was stunned when I saw it. I know I stood there for a good 30 seconds and just stared at it, wondering if I was truly seeing what I thought I was.

NR: You paid 50 cents for it, right?

Me: Actually, yes, I did!

NR: Good!

LOL we both are very happy about the sale of that book – me for finding it and Nora for the fact I didn’t overpay! I’m going to have to get that one read to see why she thinks it’s only mediocre. And no, I don’t have a picture of me and Nora. Can you believe I forgot to ask for a pic with her? I guess sometimes you have to trade one awesome moment for the next.

That ended the night of 500 authors. I think it was a perfect ending.

I have two more favorites I’d like to share with you. One of these authors I met for the first time a few days after the Literacy Signing and one I met before in San Francisco. These two are a fitting end to the highlights of my trip.

Cynthia Eden has hooked me with her paranormals over the last couple of years, so it was a thrill to meet her and chat with her for a few minutes. I caught her at the end of her signing, so we happily chatted away. She was very gracious in her compliments about my reviews of her books, but my response to that is to thank the author. If they didn’t write such emotional, romantic, sexy, suspenseful, entertaining — and, again, I could go on — books for all of us readers and reviewers, well, there wouldn’t be anything to talk about. So it’s my pleasure, Cynthia.

And finally.

Lisa Kleypas. My goodness, what a sweet woman she is. I was just as excited this time to say hello to her as I was in 2008. She’s been a guest many times here at TGTBTU. She’s a favorite of most every reviewer here,especially Sybil. And I know why. There’s just something about her. Besides her writing. That’s terrific too, of course! Thank you, Lisa, for being so gracious and kind. You truly are one of a kind, and I’m so glad I didn’t have that neon yellow shirt on when we took that pic!

Okay, yeah, my pondering has been me, me, me, me. Well, it was my trip! LOL Sybil wanted me to post something every day while at the conference. I actually thought I might be able to do that. Seriously. And then I got seriously real about halfway into the first day. No way on earth I could have done that, obviously, since in the end I didn’t post a thing from Florida. That’s why you’re getting this Pondering now, all at once, all in one. Especially because I won’t be attending another RWA conference until 2012 when RWA is back in California.

This conference was super special, giving me a new perspective to start writing again and allowing me to see old friends again and meet new ones.

This Fan Girl is ever grateful for that.

Romance Writers of America ended their week-long conference in Orlando with laughter, tears, and love, all emotions that these authors and friends use to create their compelling romantic novels, which ultimately led them to be nominated for RWA’s Golden Heart and RITA Awards.

Everyone knows romance authors have a way with words of love, grief, vulnerability and anxiety, happiness, sadness, and, of course, romance, but who knew they’re capable of rocking a room with laughter??

From light chuckles to roaring out-loud guffaws to a few unexpected tears, the 2010 Golden Heart and RITA winners gave conference attendees a night to remember for months to come. Most joked they appreciate the fact their husbands and children have learned over the years to leave the family writer alone as they work their magic, while one winner tugged her hero husband onto the stage with her to show her love and appreciation for his support to the audience.  And there were plenty of tears of joy and triumph shed by winners during their acceptance speeches.

Even emcee Sabrina Jeffries contributed to the fun with her running dialogue and attempts to heist one of Nora Roberts’ numerous RITA statuettes, lamenting the romance queen will never miss the loss of one of her golden beauties.

Here is a list of the 2010 RITA and Golden Heart winners:

RITA Award:

Best Young Adult Romance – Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Best Inspirational Romance – The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander

Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements – The Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O’Neal

Best Romance Novella – The Christmas Eve Promise in The Night Before Christmas by Molly O’Keefe

Best Contemporary Series Romance – A Not-So-Perfect Past by Beth Andrews

Best Contemporary Series Romance Suspense/Adventure – The Soldier’s Secret Daughter by Cindy Dees

Best Historical Romance – Not Quite A Husband by Sherry Thomas

Best Regency Historical Romance – What Happens In London by Julia Quinn (Julia Quinn was also inducted into RWA’s Hall of Fame for winning three RITAs in the same genre category)

Best Paranormal Romance – Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole

Best Romantic Suspense – Whisper of Warning by Laura Griffin

Best First Book – One Scream Away by Kate Brady

Best Contemporary Single Title Romance – Too Good To Be True by Kristin Higgins

GOLDEN HEART:

Best Young Adult Manuscript – Unchosen by Erica O’Rourke

Best Inspirational Manuscript – Unforgiven by CJ Eerniss Chase

Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements Manuscript – A Place At The Table by Patricia O’Dea Rosen

Best Contemporary Series Romance Manuscript – Fake Fiancee, Real Love by Cat Shield

Best Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure Manuscript – See Jane Run by Angela Platt

Best Historical Manuscript – Between Heaven and Hell by Jacqui Nelson

Best Regency Historical Manuscript - A Most Improper Gentleman by Elisa Beatty

Best Paranormal Romance Manuscript – Bloodborn: Book One in the Light Blade Series by Kylie Griffin

Best Romantic Suspense Manuscript – The Yard Man by G. Jillian Stone

Best Contemporary Single Title Manuscript – Songbird by Lizbeth Selvig

Over the past few weeks, one topic has engaged the writer message boards and forums. But, although I’ve read it as an author, it occurred to me that the reader hasn’t really said anything yet. So I thought I’d see what readers think about the current RWA ruckus. Yes, I’m a writer, but I’m a disinterested party, as I’m not a member of the RWA, and I don’t enter either the RITA or the Golden Heart. I want to look at this as a reader, an avid consumer of the product that the RWA members produce, if you will. So I don’t care about the rules and regs, or about the plight of the authors, not in this column, just in what I see as a reader. 

Yesterday, Jasmine Jade, which owns the Ellora’s Cave, Cerridwen, Lotus Circle and Exotika imprints, announced it would not be going to the RWA’s big conference, usually known as Nationals. It is no longer a recognized, or acknowledged, or whatever they’re calling it publisher, so it would have to pay for everything, and it’s simply not worth its while. So anyone wanted to pitch to them, or to learn more about them, or visit with their authors at the booksigning will be disappointed.

Alongside this is a row about the RITA and the Golden Heart, the RWA’s two awards for published and unpublished writers respectively. E-published writers cannot enter either contest. The Golden Heart is for unpublished writers only, so they can’t enter that. But in order to enter the RITA, the book has to fulfill a number of criteria, one or more of which excludes e-published writers. Whether the intention was to do that or not, it’s impossible for an outsider to say, but that’s the effect. It’s all very complicated, and please, please, no more discussion of the actual rules and regulations. That’s none of our business, all of us who don’t belong to the RWA. What I’m concerned with is the effect.

In the past, I sometimes bought books because they were RITA winners. The award guaranteed a certain amount of quality, so it was safer to invest in a previously unknown or unexplored author. Readers would buy the whole of the list, winners and runners-up, to find the best of the best. That’s what the RITA seemed to represent.

These days, I don’t do autobuy anymore. Instead, there are authors I look for, and assess when I read more about the book. And these days there are as many e-published authors as there are mass-market paperback New York authors on my list. True, I live in the UK, so my ability to browse bookstores full of romance paperbacks is limited to my yearly visits to the States, but I have Amazon.

I’ve moved over to e-books as my format of choice. Only if the book isn’t available in e-book do I get the paperback. So I’ve discovered some new authors that I love. Joey W. Hill, especially her Natural Law books are musts for me, and Linda Winfree’s books are side by side with Suzanne Brockmann and Linda Howard. I eagerly look forward to new releases from all four.

But if the RITAs are limited to the books from the big print publishers, then that halves my interest in the awards. I know there are books out there that equate with anything New York puts out, because I’ve read them. I love discovering new authors, whatever the format their books come out in. I don’t check the RWA list of approved publishers before I buy a book. I look at the cover art, read the blurb and an excerpt and maybe, if there’s an award like the RITA attached to it, I’ll pay a bit more interest in it, and maybe take a chance on a previously unknown author.

The attitude of the people awarding the RITAs seems similarly strange to the publishers. All publishers are all increasingly putting books out in e-format, so it is fast becoming just another way you can buy books. I know there are serious ramifications for authors and contracts, but I’m trying to ignore that here, and look at it from the point of view of the consumer.

So, as a reader, would I attend RWA Nationals, or visit the big booksigning there? I’d be disappointed because some of my favorite authors won’t be there, and it’s so expensive to attend, so probably not. Would I buy a book based on the fact that it had been awarded a RITA? No, not any more. I can’t trust it anymore, because it excludes the books of some writers that I love.

The RWA is busy sidelining itself. It’s a shame, but it makes my choice of which conference to attend that much easier.

Well, it’s taken me a week to recuperate and get back into the swing of things since I got home from San Francisco.  Was it all worth it?  Damn straight!

I was supposed to be at the RWA National Conference as a writer.  I started writing only a year or so ago, so I was really looking forward to learning more about the craft.  But who was I trying to kid?  I was 99.9% reader in San Francisco.   I couldn’t help myself.  Everywhere I looked were authors I’d been reading for years, authors who I just discovered, and even newer authors who I hadn’t yet discovered while at the conference.   And the books!  You’ve all seen my TBR mountain.  You all know how bad my addiction is.  There was no way in hell anyone could have kept me away from the books in the city by the bay, no matter how they tried.  So while I did learn a little, I had a dream of a week just schmoozing and staring in awe the majority of the week.

I had some wonderful highlights during the hustle and bustle of the conference.  The first was meeting two of my all-time favorite authors, who have also become friends.  First is Sandy Blair.  I started reading her books because of the time travel elements that appear every so often in her Scottish historicals.  But I joined her fan club because she’s one of the nicest, sweetest ladies I’ve ever met.  So it was a thrill, indeed, to meet her in person.  We had lunch together a couple of times, had drinks together, just chatted, laughed our tails off — she’s a great storyteller even outside of her books — and I enjoyed my time with her immensely.  I will remember each and every one of those moments forever.

Added to all that, I found some friends to get re-acquainted with while schmoozing with Sandy B.  It was great to meet author Tracy Garrett since getting to know her when I interviewed her online last year, and soon-to-be-published-I-just-know-it Suzy Welsh from the Romance Bandits is a hoot and a half and it was nice to chat with her outside Sandy B’s group.  I also met author Jo Davis, who just had her debut book, Trial by Fire, released last week.  You know, I started talkin’ with a southern accent after spending time with all those Texas ladies!

My next highlight came when I met author C.L. Wilson.  We’ve been chatting online for the last year or so after the release of her first two books, Lord of the Fading Lands and Lady of Light and Shadows.  Her series of Fae and magic and flying jaguars has captured not only my imagination, but the world’s.  It was so enjoyable meeting this lady who has such a lyrical voice when writing, an imagination that takes you away into fantasy so that you never want to leave.  Cheryl is a delight.  She’s so friendly, open and honest, and getting to know her was a pleasure.  She also joined Sandy B. and me for lunch on our first day in San Francisco. Let me tell you, I haven’t laughed so darned much and so darned hard in a very long time.   Author Susan Edwards also joined us at lunch, along with several other friends, and a good time was had by all and another wonderful memory was made.

If you haven’t read Cheryl’s books yet, you should.  There’s very few authors out there who can string ordinary words together and make them sing like Cheryl.  The next two books in the series, King of Sword and Sky and Queen of Song and Souls,  are being released this October and February 2009, respectively.  Start now and I guarantee you will be mesmerized and anxiously awaiting those new release dates.

Then there’s the Goody Room that’s a highlight at every conference.  My heavens, what an oasis and/or cacophony, depending on how you look at it and when you were there, of activity and goodies that was.  And everything there was free!  Books, buttons, bookmarks, candy, ink pens, CDs enticing you with book excerpts, business cards and flyers advertising anything and everything, and so much more filled table after table throughout the room.  You had to be quick in that room too.  No thinking you can come back later and pick up whatever you were looking at.  No guarantees whatsoever.  You had to make quick decisions and stick with them!

The Literacy Signing on Wednesday night was almost ovewhelming.  500 authors just waiting for you to walk up, chat for a minute, and buy a book.  What reader wouldn’t be in heaven while in that room?  I met more authors there who I’d corresponded with online or had gotten a thank you for reviewing their book:  Melissa Mayhue, Nancy Haddock, Lorraine Heath, Jill Shalvis, Lisa Kleypas, Kresley Cole, Kathryn Smith, Lynda Sandoval, just to name a few.  Then there were the authors that I’d read and loved for so long and newer authors who have given me hours of reading pleasure: Shana Galen, Jennifer Ashley, Shana Abe, Susan Crandall, Marianne Stillings, Christina Dodd, Julia Quinn, Gena Showalter, Elizabeth Hoyt, Bonnie Edwards and the list goes on and on.  And so many more than I’ll ever be able to remember!  It was a spectacular night and all topped off quite nicely when we learned the next day approximately $60,000 had been raised for literacy.  Good show!

There were other book signings the last days of the conference, and I had been warned to take large totes, rolling and handheld, and to be prepared to ship box after box of books home.  Pffft.  We were able to drive to San Francisco, who needs to ship the books back home?  I did.  Four of them.  Four big, big boxes of books.  I’m glad I took all the advice given to me. I definitely went prepared and I’m sure I was a sight lugging all those books across that big old hotel for two days!

My last huge highlight was meeting author Melissa Mayhue for dinner at Bubba Gump’s on Pier 39 our last free night of the week.  What a lovely lady!  Not only is she a wonderfully talented author, Melissa is one of the sincerest, kindest people I’ve ever met.  And there’s something about authors and humor.  Twelve women together with writing in common and we laughed and laughed.  And laughed.  For several hours.  I made a few more new friends that night and hope to keep in touch in the future.

In fact, I made new friends throughout the entire week, even some from my area.  It was a great time to share experiences and knowledge and I’m so glad I was part of it.  It was a time in my life that will never be forgotten, even when I attend another conference in the future.  The first time is special and the people I met will always have just as special a place in my heart.

Oh, the writer in me?  Yes, I did go to workshops and I did learn some.  So maybe the next time I’ll have more percentage points on the writing part of it all.  I have a feeling, though, the reader in me will emerge once again because she just has to be part of the fun.

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!

a.k.a. My unpopular opinion/Tis about me not you

a.k.a. I will share anyway cuz I rawk like that, a.k.a. this is so in sybilish you might want to stop reading NOW for fear of brain damage/migraine, a.k.a. gwen isn’t going to edit this into English (but will hopefully fix spelling & add links-HINT), a.k.a. I am prolly not even going to edit it (RUN), a.k.a. this shit is long and you aren’t gonna read it but I can point to it from now on when asked /end warnings

Otherwise known as the answer to…

1. There were things I wanted to do for the blog that I thought the conference would help since I had decided to shift TGTBTU from a sole reader bitch board to more of a review blog.
2. It was in Texas.

Easy whore be thy name sybil. ::shrug::

Now many a person has asked me if I would be in San Fran this year and I made the decision a while ago not to go. You have NO idea how happy that makes me because I wouldn’t be able to go @ this point in time (crappy shit here) and it would blow big ass chunks if I had signed up and paid. And I DO plan to go next year… so why didn’t I go this year? You don’t care you say? HA! I am gonna tells you anyway…

Last year was FAB. I had the best time and was able to do tons I wanted to for the blog. I was sharing a room with Jane of Dear Author, who I was lucky enough to have helping me with the blog at the time because we were both in something of the same place of changing a mind set of what we wanted to do with our blogs vs. what we first started with. (It is her post here that made me think “coolio I can post about this in public”.)

I asked her, at the time last year, if she would mind more roommates, selfish reasons mind you cuz I had no clue how much much this was gonna cost me and a 4-way split rocks more than a 2-way. What? Sybsisnottehlawyerbabe. Who did I want to invite – again had a thought and selfish motive behind it (almost EVERYTHING I do does – yes, the blog has changed but it is still all about me me me to a point and my interest – I suck like that).

KristieJ had (at the time) recently lost her husband, had her first vacation trip in a while cancel on her and I often heard say – one day I am going to write a book. RWA is for writers. Are they all published? NOPE. Do you HAVE to be a member to publish? Nope. But I think many a person can say RWA helped them greatly move from wanna-be-someday-writer to published STAR! So all those factors made me say a flippant comment to KristieJ one day about joining our ‘lil RWA-Blogger-Train.

I was going, Jane of Dear Author was going, and the SmartBitches, so I knew/thought/assumed (in syb’s IKNOWALLFASHION) that KristieJ wouldn’t feel left out. I had seriously hoped she would go to some of the workshops and it might push her to write that someday book. Yes people, sybs is a buzy body. I suck like that too sorry.

Once she signed onto the lurvetrain, I also stuck my nose into biz and contacted a friend I knew KristieJ would die to meet. Why? Because I could, have no issue with being told “no” (HA! I made myself giggle – really I hate being told no – it irks me but if by friends I get over it ). I forget what Wendy said/posted/emailed/blogged that made me again say a flippant ‘come to Dallas’. Her response, IIRC, “Were you serious?”

I emailed Jane “Am I serious?” and she shrugged [while no doubt thinking "goddamnit sybil stop putting so many people in the room". I am a pushy lil duck - sort of. As Gwen sez, one must learn to tell Sybil "NO" or she will have you doing WAY more shit than you can. This is true. OCD be thy name and a lesson Gwen learned the hard way *eg* yes and I ramble but I like to think of it as 'SIDENOTE'.] Long story short (too late) Jane was all sure, fine, whatever….

Why did I think Wendy should go? (Yes, once again there was reason behind my madness.) At the time THE WENDY was not at all apart of TGTBTU, her blog isn’t (wasn’t?) anything other than a reader blog. Of course, it is one of THE reader blogs, as in we all would not be here without Rosario, Wendy and McVane (a.k.a. THE Maili) (who I so hope touches base someday or at least fucking tells me what the fuck name she is posting under these days). And I, selfishly (yes, yes, yes I am – I admit it – I know I shouldn’t – too lazy/seenoreason/amnotstoopid, a.k.a. why hide the obvious), wanted to meet THE WENDY (oddly I had no designs to put her to work at TGTBTU @ that time, came later ) but I was thinking she should go cuz of her job. It would be fab for us, the romance reader, even RWA sees that as they have a day just FOR the wendy’s of the world.

And BAM! our room was born (at least in my mind who the hell knows what they were thinking).

PART II

Some point during the conference I started to think “FUCK we are presenting this wrong…” because so many reader bloggers started to make noise about coming next year (this year) and I said so to Jane… who I think/thought (might-still-I-haven’t-asked) I was being my normal vain self and was saying “le gasp we won’t be TEH SPECIAL anymore” and she was of the mindset that any and all readers should be welcome. We are paying so have just as much right to be there.

I didn’t agree. (Jane and I OFTEN disagree, her coolness with that was always the thing I luv.) I think the highest of INTERNET MEDIA. I think if you are a blog that reports on the industry, does things to promote romance or aim too, you should be there if you can be.

My thought is the RWA Conference is not a fan event. The book signing, yes – the rest, not so much. I don’t see how having ‘star gawkers’ wouldn’t be distracting for authors. And most of all, holy hell, it is expensive, so it doesn’t make sense in my head as a fan get together. And I don’t get that type of ‘fangrrlish behavior’ that would make people travel just to meet THEIR FAVORITE AUTHORS EVAH. (I am not saying any reader blogger there is there for these reasons – haven’t asked – don’t know.)

Again… I AM NOT SAYING ANY READER AT THE CONFERENCE IS A BAD PERSON. I AM NOT SAYING THEY ARE DOING THE WRONG THING. I am not even saying they will cause a problem. I have seen MANY authors be all for them being there but in my normal selfish way IF there is fall out from having reader blogger there (with no author aspirations or a blog that is geared toward reporting on the Romance Industry), I didn’t want to be guilty by association. See? All about me…

Dear Author and Smart Bitches (in my ‘lil no one agrees with me opinion) SHOULD BE THERE. In my mind they are JUST as much members of the press as any fucking one else. And THAT is why I am still so not amused RWA said they weren’t (for all I know that has changed by now, couldn’t say). But this is the first year (I think) fans have gone in such numbers, so I don’t think RWA has/had a way to qualify who would be ‘internet press’. And maybe they got stars in their eyes and saw coin. Not sure… I plan to follow up with them after the conference. Again that is NOT a dig at RWA, as I think the organization, while flawed, RAWKS SOCKS. They do a fucking fab thing for romance writers.

So what do I mean?

A perfect example is katiebabs (co-blogger with the fab KristieJ), when she first said she was going, I thought she was going as a reader fan. When the ever smart LLB saw the window to have her report for All About Romance, and I think Katiebabs works for All About Romance in a publisher contact way once she stopped reviewing for them. Again I think – could be wrong – too lazy to check… So iIMHO (just me) Katiebabs now SHOULD be there as she was ‘internet press’.

Does that make sense as to what I was thinking? If not… situation normal *g*.

But the RWA Conference in my ‘lil mind is for writers (published or would-bes) NOT a fan event. Jane’s thought was I over think shit (I do), readers belong everywhere, their money spends just as well, you are no better than anyone else sybil (which wasn’t my point) and other thoughts I forget now.

So when we got back, Jane was allllllllllllll over planning for the next one. Jane is THE awesome and so organized it is sick. I? Not so much. And you may have noticed I tend to take on too much, over think (see above), distract EASY and can’t make a decision to save my fucking life. So when she started making plans in AUG 2007 for this year… ::dies:: I was like “you are on crack.”

None of this is secret . But my unease grew with more and more reader bloggers deciding to go. And, le sigh, I felt guilt because I am like that and thought we might have presented it in a star gawker way. Jane did a lot of twittering and reporting. I did mostly behind the scenes stuff, setting up guest days, contests, making contacts and pimping out the Romantic Advances (le sigh, again, another post which makes me ashamed). That means you, our reader here @ TGTBTU [HA! as if anyone is still reading this ramble] didn’t see why I was there so maybe I looked like a star gawker?

I went back and forth… there were things I wanted to do for the blog and I thought again “I should go…” “omg! san fran fucking coolio…” “omg! san fran too expensive for me to invest in a hobby blog…” and then RWA made their decision that unless an Internet outlet was tied to a MAJOR print or TV media they couldn’t apply for a press pass.

I have made no secret I HATE that decision (working on coming out of my shell and saying what I think – how I doing?) not because it means “no press pass for sybils” but because the volume of traffic in that thinking doesn’t compute. Tell me I can’t go because my numbers are not good enough. Tell me you don’t think TGTBTU does anything for the Romance Industry. Even tell me you I don’t belong, so if I want to go I have to pony up cash. DO NOT tell me I don’t ‘count’ because I am just internet media.

I have, and still will, argue that Smart Bitches and Dear Author reach more readers than what stoopidlyy counts as ‘true press’. Again, I know… most, if not all, don’t agree with me. ::shrug::

So that sealed the deal for me. In my mind, RWA told me Internet doesn’t count. Might not have been their point but that is what I heard. I hate being told “no” without an intelligent reason and saying “gosh a year isn’t enough time to figure out how to understand (or attempt to figure out) how to measure traffic” smacks of greed, laziness and I thought a clear message of “readers not wanted”.

And most of all I am a bad, bad, bad, suckyass fan. I admit that… I am NOT a good fangrrl. I can love an author to pieces and still not like a book they write. Ask me my opinion – regardless if I think you want it, agree with it or if it will piss you off – ask, I tell. Hell, don’t ask and I tell. Blogger be thy name.

PART III (a.k.a. syb gets to her point – sort of)

So what do I think now, for those of you seriously bored and still here *g*.

1. I still don’t think the RWA Conference (as I saw it last year) is worth the coin for readers to go.
2. I have NO clue if they [the readers] will prove to be a distraction to the point of the conference for writers, and if they do, I think that is bad, bad, bad, bad for them to be there. Cuz I am greedy and I want the conference to be for writers so they can write me nifty books to read.
3. I LOVE the idea of a reader blogger event with authors cuz I think that idea rocks socks. Someone should make that happen.
4. I plan to try and attend one of the ‘reader’ events in 2009. Haven’t decided which one… either RAW or Lori Foster’s thing… unless something else comes up and that could be a possible too *g*
5. I think if RWA wants the conference to welcome readers they should do things to include them and make it interesting for us on that level. Gwen had a nifty thought on this I think but I forget it [Gwen: it was to do what ComiCon did - have a concurrent "Alternative Media Expo" in the same hall or a meeting room where bloggers, etc., could get face time with whomever attends the conference]. Cuz tis too much money to spend to just hang at the bar and/or meet up with other bloggers. Of course, that is just my general opinion, if you have that money to blow and/or that is your want AND RWA/authors wants us there, rock on with your badself.

TGTBTU will have a few odds and ends on the conference (which, correct me if I am wrong, but that is a different word than convention - and if this was the RWA Convention I would have completely different thoughts on this). Sandy is a wanna be author, who will one day write THAT book. And I hope to hell she reports on some of the workshops she goes too. I think that is interesting from a reader stand point, but as a reader, wouldn’t want to attend unless I planned to blog about it. I think (as I have said) RWA is for her. And, like KristieJ, I HOPE it pushes her to start and finish that book that is in her. Do I know if either will be good? Nope – but I think if you wanna you should try. Wendy is going to a dinner for me and I will be reporting on all things Harlequinish that go down. Her other blogs on the conference will be at her blog (I think).

Everything else – I would point you to Dear Author, Smart Bitches and All About Romance. And most likely if you are a reader – you know that *g*.

So as an author or reader, tell me why you disagree with me, tell me what changes (if any) you would like to see at the RWA Conference, tell me what your dream convention is and what you would like have planned as events, tell me you agree with me (cuz hey I would love at least one person *g*), tell me you think the RWA Conference is useless for writers or readers, tell me whatever you wanna…

CONTEST INFO MOVED HERE – will close contest at end of this week Sunday August 10, 2008.

This just in…

Romance Writers of America’s 28th Annual National Conference is about to kick off in California. Authors, readers, publishers, agents, just to name a few, will be gathering in the city by the bay, San Francisco, starting today, July 30, through Sunday, August 2, at the Marriott Hotel at Union Square.

~ The Annual Conference is a four-day event filled with educational workshops, career enhancement, and community involvement.

~ Wednesday, July 30, is the Literacy Signing where a list of who’s who of authors will be signing books, the proceeds of which will go to ProLiteracy Worldwide. This event is open to the public and is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Yerba Buena Ballroom.

~ Victoria Alexander will be the Keynote Speaker and Connie Brockway is the speaker for the Awards Lucheon. Suzanne Brockmann wraps up the conference as emcee for the 2008 RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony.

~ Lisa Kleypas, Lisa Jackson, Jayne Ann Krentz, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Barbara Samuel, and Jane Porter will deliver other keynote addresses during the conference.

~ Some interactive news at the conference this year – two radio shows are slated to stream live on the web, featuring some of the very best authors in paranormal romance and historical romance with the Ladies of the Night Blog Talk Radio Show, and you’re encouraged to participate.

~ Wednesday, July 30, 8 – 9 PM PDT, 11 pm – 12 am EDT will be a night of romance and the supernatural, featuring: Jocelyn Drake, Kerrelyn Sparks, Kathryn Smith, Melissa Marr, Terri Garey, Jeaniene Frost and an introduction by Kim Harrison. You can call in and chat at (347) 826-9686 or just listen in. Or you can just listen on the web. Send an email to avoncontest@harpercollins.com if have any questions you’d like answered by one of the authors.

~ There will also be Historical Romance Radio, a discussion of all things historical romance. For any questions, send an email to avoncontest@harpercollins.co.

~ More than 100 workshops are being offered on a variety of subjects from leadership development for authors to choosing new clients for publishers.

~ Career-focused romance writers will be networking with fellow writers and have interaction with editors, agents, publishers, booksellers, and other romance publishing industry professionals.

Consider yourself flashed.

This just in…

Sylvia Day has a lot going on, so listen up! You have to pay attention or you just might miss something important…

If you’re going be in San Francisco at RWA’s annual conference, you can pick up a copy of Eve of Darkness, the first book in Sylvia’s Marked series – nine months before it hits the shelves!

Sylvia will also attend the Literacy Signing at the conference on Wednesday, July 30, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the San Francisco Marriott Hotel. Be sure stop by to say hello and pick up one of her books. Or two.

All About Romance’s Favorite Books for Favorite Authors is still going strong and Sylvia’s books are currently in the running. Other authors such as J.R. Ward, Kathryn Caskie, Keri Arthur, Rachel Gibson and others are also competing. Check everything out and place your ballot here. Hurry, though, the contest is only open through July 6.

Sylvia will also be at Lora Leigh’s 2008 Reader Appreciation Weekend September 19 – 21 at the Pullman Plaza Hotel in Huntington, West Virginia.

A new series with a new pseudonym is also on the horizon for Sylvia. Her Sapphire series is being written under her new pen of Livia Dare. The first book, Sapphire’s Worth, will be released in June 2009 with two more following in June 2010 and June 2011, respectively. The first book was written in 2004 and sold to Kensington Zebra in 2006. “It’s been a long time coming, so I’m excited and hope that those of you who have been waiting for this book since it was first posted on my site find it to be worth the wait!” Sylva said.

Now for the contests! Sylvia has two current contests running at her website. In her Christmas in July contest you can win a “Fairies On The Moon” figurine. Taken from Nene Thomas’ immensely popular fantasy art print , “Star Gazer”, this is a wonderful ornament to decorate and accentuate any home area. Plus, the winner will receive two Marked series coffee mugs.

In her Sizzling Summer Reading contest, one winner will receive copies of Sylvia’s Pleasures of the Night, Heat of the Night, and Alluring Tales I: Awaken the Fantasy.

Also included in this great prize package is a book cover, playing cards, and a Marked series coffee mug.

Go here to enter both contests! Now, aren’tcha glad you stuck around?!?

Consider yourself flashed.

WOOT! My comment wouldn’t save right so being, you know, like the blog owner and, oh yeah, lazy, I just made a new post. Go team me! Aren’t you glad I am posting again? I know… I missed you guys too.

The heart of my issue is INTERNET MEDIA does matter. RWA really needs to contact the writers on Strike and let them know there is no promotion, money or worth in the internet because they are costing a ton of people a shitload of money saying the ‘net matters.

Yes, there are special badge for press and a room for press that you can’t get into without the badge.

But that is neither here nor there. What I am trying to say, and I guess doing it badly, isn’t that bloggers should be treated differently, or get freebies, but that if a blog is there to report on the conference – not as a fangirl/boy, not as a wannabe writer – then they should not be discounted for a press pass JUST because they are internet media.

There are ways to gauge print publications: subscriptions, syndication, etc. There are ways to do the same thing for websites. So saying there is no way to turn down ‘teh kitten blog luvs romance’ with two readers and accept Dear Author or All About Romance, doesn’t make sense to me. I understand it could be a lack of knowledge on RWA’s part in the ways of ‘how’ to qualify websites and web traffic.

But it has been a year… so the answer being keep press passes only for ‘print’ press and throw out internet media… to me reeks of agenda. It is stated in such a way that keeps Barbara Vey and Michelle, both who state repeatedly they only focus on the positive. Michelle even has posts about women can only be supportive of other women if we only tell them the nice stuff. And PW and Lifetime.com both get a large amount of traffic – that does NOT automatically mean Vey’s blog does or Michelle’s page does. That doesn’t mean their visitors = what the main page of PW or Lifetime.com is…

Vey gets a shitload of comments from authors who gravitate to happy shiney things.  Michelle can get a nice amount of comments – she also repeatedly posts in her comments to engage with the author-heavy commenter’s. Are the press passes meant to promote the romance genre to romance authors? Because, uh, you guys are already there and sort of on board.

The point “I” would think is to promote it to readers.  Readers who will be buying the books. Readers who may love Nora Roberts but never heard of Chrsitine Merrill. So being here, in this thread and after the OMFG is that REALLY NORA ROBERTS (which happens alot, it is rather funnah) many of those people will click on Merrill’s name (which should link to her site and girlfriend if it doesn’t make sure in the future you do that!).  Word spreads and new fans are made.

That is what DA and TGTBTU do for romance. I have always made it point to mix genre’s to help crossovers, and to present more than one side of an issue. And I admit I do it for readers not the authors. BUT if I CAN help – in whatever little way – to promote [again authors I enjoy reading because my blog, me me me] than I WANT to. Because you guys work really hard, for little pay and a serious lack of respect.

So RWA is telling me they have no respect for me. They want to keep out the meangrrls. And I am sorry but I would bet AAR, DA, SBTB have done a hell of a lot more to promote the Print Romance genre than Lifetime.com.

And if you wanted to get really technical, they state national affiliation. So where you may only find Dear Author or TGTBTU on Reuters and IBS, which means over 70+ newspapers (be it their websites) from New York to CA, 2 to 4 times a week… and where the only place that reprints just about every TGTBTU post is San Antonio Express News (only a ‘local’ print affiliation, even if it is the 7th largest city in the US, before San Diego and Dallas)… USA Today syndicates TGTBTU about once a week – maybe – but you will find Dear Author there just about every day.

That is national, no? So if the fear is lawsuit and those bloggers (again, a possible thing but I am cynical) not even responding to the question seems a touch… wrong.

Of course I have no idea if Jane even questioned it. I know I asked about it because, even though I am not going, it reeks of agenda and I hate being told ‘no.’ But once Jane’s Dear Author Post went up communication with RWA, an org I have always been on very good terms with, has stopped. Now I haven’t really pushed. There is that li’l thing called a phone…

Yes, it makes me pissy. Yes, authors volunteer at RWA, although really Nora you are a special kind of animal. There are a few of you, as in bestselling authors who do give of your time. TONS! That, to me, is what makes you NFR (that’s Nora F’g Roberts to the uninitiated), not how awesome your books are, not how much you sell, but the fact you give back to a genre that MANY authors, who don’t even reach your level of success, turn around and abandon. And not in a way as they change genres as much as to say repeatedly how much they hate the “shallowness” of romance.

And really out of the three plus hours we were setting up, there were quite a few volunteers.  Not enough, but many (hell I called Kristie J and she came down to help) but honestly Nora… there wasn’t one ‘name’ there. Just about everyone I spoke to was a hopefully, one day, to be published author. And I think I remember one Harlequin author in the medical line.

BUT, again neither here nor there… my point, which was lost, was while I had fun and got to go to some nifty things, the reason I went to RWA last year was not to become a writer or to meet my favorite authors evah (I suck as a fan and don’t do well with the awe thing). I went because of things I wanted to do with the TGTBTU, things which promote the industry, the authors, the books and the publishers, and I wanted to see what other people – authors, readers, bloggers – thought of those things.

So if I were to go again – for those reasons – and there were press passes, I would expect to be considered. If I didn’t meet the guidelines, ok I don’t get one. BUT to say no, I am not even allowed to ask because I am internet media and don’t matter, isn’t true.

**I think I sound seriously pissed off and annoyed and really I am not. It is much more a passionate belief that internet media deserves some respect. And the fact I am not a professional writer so I don’t express myself as well as I should. ok fine and I am lazy and not gonna edit this shit.

::heart you gwen::  [You better - g]

Wendy, a.k.a. THE Super Librarian, as an interesting post up regarding RWA, Press Passes and Fans: Group Mentality. As normal she has many a good point, go check it out if you haven’t seen it.

I like RWA. I don’t see them as the window to becoming Nora Roberts and I don’t think you have to be apart of it to write the next best selling novel. It has its pros and cons, and each writer needs to look at it and decide if it is worth their money to join, go to the chapter meetings, and attend nationals. It is a big cost (I think), not to some of course - and yay them – but to many people, it is.

To me the cost of joining RWA, what is does for the writer or brings to the genre, isn’t the point or my issue with the new policy. Nowhere does RWA state “No bloggers allowed” or even “no fans“, they are saying “pony up.” I fall into the camp of “fans” who don’t need to go, unless they fall into the “I want to be a writer when I grow up” camp. Many a fan does grow up, so sure it makes sense they should pay to play, but going just to go, hang at the bar and go to the author signings (where you pay for the books and all the money goes to charity), seems like a cool thing to do if you are a fan and live in the area.

Other than that, events are mostly invite only and the rest you pay to play, “crashing” events even if you say “Nora Roberts said it was ok,” is not something I would do or suggest. It was a concern of mine last year when we went that the view some readers took away was, ”OMG that is so cool, I wanna go play too!” And when I voiced that, along with the thought presenting it in a “fans should go way” would put RWA in a position to not ‘give’ alloted press passes to bloggers, I believe I was told “Why shouldn’t fans go?”

The reason, IMHO, is because it isn’t for ‘fans’ and nationals isn’t a ‘convention’ but a ‘conference’. So saying that, why do I care “internet media is being excluded”, especially when I hadn’t planned to attend? It seems from the comments in this post the thought is ‘hey chick I pay, you should pay‘.

To which I say, no, not in all cases.

There are many different reasons for going to nationals. If you are a writer, going for your job, it makes sense to have fees. If you are a publisher, going for your company, it makes sense to have fees – like the authors you are getting something for your craft, your company, your job out of attending. As well as it makes sense that if you give back in the form of your time, you get a discount or comp (depending on WHAT you are doing). If you are a fan, going to stargaze, you should pay.

I am sure some of you are thinking this just comes down to me thinking everything is about me. Oddly it isn’t.  Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying I don’t think everything is about me, but that would be a different issue. WHAT? Like you don’t have issues.  Shut up.

My point goes with Stephanie Feagan, a member of the RWA Board who responded with her personal opinion at DearAuthor.com regarding the quoted email sent to internet media who received press passes last year:

…What is it, specifically, that RWA gets in return for handing out press pass comps? Hopefully some national media coverage that will get the word out about romance and the authors – hopefully in a positive light.

If there are 13 comp press passes and the point is ‘national media coverage ‘, how is the answer to exclude ALL internet media? Tina, an editor at Blogburst, recently posted, “Bloggers and Journalists form an uneasy alliance“:

A new survey of US journalists found that nearly 70% check a blog list on a regular basis and the majority of journalists surveyed said blogs were having a significant impact on news reporting in all areas tested except news quality.

The quality part is another post for another day, but did anyone see the report on Cassie Edwards? It is possible you caught it at CNN, New York Times, Newsweek, or that little used source The Associated Press. In case you missed it, the story (or witch hunt as authors who I can only guess don’t like ‘national media coverage’) was discovered by a BLOG. You probably haven’t heard of it, being just a blog and all, but The Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books would be the chicks who got the word out that lead to “national media coverage”. Oh and they were at Nationals last year. Were they one of the 13? I have no clue and haven’t asked. But if that is the purpose of having those passes, excluding ALL internet media might be a BAD IDEA.

Go Google “RWA National Conference”, go ahead, I will wait. Here have a link. Isn’t it nice to see all that “national media coverage”? Makes total sense to not have internet media there to muck up the place. Oh I know, we should have spelled out RWA… let’s try that… Are you tired from all the national news coverage reading yet?

Hmmmm let’s try another way… searching Publisher’s Weekly, the top return is regarding a conference from 2003: Sweet Savage Bookselling: Opening Day at the Romance Writers Conference. Most recent coverage would be Barbara Vey, who will be in San Fran. Nice blog, all positive, author heavy (as positive, nice blogs are) and a very, very nice person running it but how can it be argued The Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books is a bad way for nonromance readers to get a view into romanceland because they won’t get ‘we are more than snark and naughty words’ but it is fine to present the view of women MUST give ‘only praise to be supportive,’ are only here for teh sex, “oh look at that cover hunk” and “do my thighs look fat” is a good way to present romance to the nonreader?

That is just a small part of my point though but I hate long ass posts so shall continue this in part II. No really there is a part II, I know.  Try to contain your excitement.

Friday night is the night of parties and such at RWA. We had RSVP’ed to attend three and were going to go back to the room before heading out to the Harlequin party. I am forever a dumbass and didn’t notice it was at another hotel.

On our way back to the room we ended up in the bar, ran into some authors who were gonna go crash and decided to walk with them to the hotel. My migraine was back, my feet were killing me and I am a wuss. Seeing HelenKay and Sylvia Day sitting in the bar waiting for Kate Duffy was my sign I needed to sit my ass down.

I had never met Kate Duffy and I bother her often with emails so I had to stay. And when she joined us she didn’t even scream in horror and send me away. Cool huh?

Since my buds had left for Harlequin and moving seemed like a really really bad idea, I made a pest of myself for two or three hours. Sadly since I already had a migraine I didn’t even add more than one virgin drink to the bar tab. (I think I had one glass of wine during the whole conference)

Not really much to report on the whole thing. It is somewhat shocking to me that authors make such asses of themselves in front of editors. Another author who joined us later had no clue who I was, even after I tried to explain, and went on at length to tell me what was bad about online reviews.

Well not really… it started with she was really fine with them. If they are done right. To which I asked what ‘right’ meant… I am still not sure but I do know if you say a book made you take an asprin after you finished it that is attacking the author. I still don’t make that connection but to each their own.

A group of people joined us at one point, we were very happy to see them, I had no clue who the hell they were. Turned out it was Hilary and I am pretty sure her daughter and soon to be son-in-law. Sadly I didn’t get a chance to be introduced because she slipped away before I could pounce. I know! I wasn’t feeling well, what can I say.

Jami joined us, lovingly fondingly her book Built. Sylvia Day flipped through it looking for the dirty parts, at least that is what it looked like she was doing. There were random other authors popping in and out, trying to catch a ride on the Kensington tab. And really just doing a great job on networking.

HelenKay kept staring at me, I think waiting for me to mock the stupid but I was on my best behavior. Ok really I just wasn’t feeling well and maybe a touch in shock. A few notes if an editor askes you what you write – Smut – isn’t a good answer. Please someone correct me if I am wrong. Stories of how you buy your mom vibrators for christmas – not impressive. Oh and just to help clear it up in case anyone doesn’t know it – Kate Duffy – doesn’t edit the erotic romance line, Aphrodisia. (hmmm at least I don’t think so…)

I met a lovely couple David Wind and his omfg fabulous wife Bonnie. No really, I will forever loveseses her for giving me Sudafed on Saturday. I was sort of like what the hell ever at that point. And it worked! The woman is a god.

The funniest part of the night was when sarah and candy came back from wherever the hell they had been and were oh so nice to check up on me (although I think they just noticed who I was sitting next too ). Sarah was very motherly and told me I looked like shit and she hoped I felt better soon (I did too). And I got to say hello again to the oh so fab Heather Osborn (editor at TOR).

After I sat back down I leaned over to Kate, most likely scaring her, and quietly asked if she wanted to meet the Smart Bitches. The bar was loud and she gave me an odd look, thinking on it now the woman prolly thought I called her a bitch. It had been an odd night for people saying strange shit to Kate Duffy, so I repeated myself thinking lovely she prolly hates the bitches. And she was like oh, I would love to meet them but I haven’t seen them.

So I once again played hostess (I can’t remember all the people I introduced to other people… sniff no one prolly even recalls meeting ME) and caught Sarah’s eye and waved her over. Candy soon followed and there were bitches all around. Turns out Kate reads the Smart Bitches blog… who knew? The bitches than waddled off and we spent a good 30 minutes talking about blogs and the good things they are doing for the industry. I know oddly enough many a person doesn’t know about blogs and bloggers! David Wind pulled out his cell phone and next I knew I was recommending Joey Hill’s book The Vampire Servant because the cover caught his eye on my blog. Behold the Power of Blogs.

I can’t remember when I made my exit but I would bet those girls (and guy) closed the bar. Me? I went upstairs and passed out, without ever taking a drink. All in all though, it was a blast. Even if I didn’t leave with a copy of Built *g*.

RWA will host the “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing on July 11, 2007, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. This is during the 27th Annual RWA Conference in Dallas, Texas at the in the Hyatt Regency hotel.

There will be over 450 romance fiction authors will be signing books donated by publishers with the proceeds of the sales going to literacy charities. It is a great excuse to spend money on books *g*. You do not need to be attending the conference to go.

When I lasted checked this was the list of authors who will be signing:

Shana Abe, C.T. Adams, C.H. Admirand, Lara Adrian, Jami Alden, Lacey Alexander, Victoria Alexander, Renee Alexis, Regan Allen, Karen Anders, Jessica Andersen, Bella Andre, Gina Ardito, Kelley Armstrong, Judith Arnold, Keri Arthur, Jennifer Ashley, Melanie Atkins, Kate Austin, Lori Avocato, Jina Bacarr, Kathleen Bacus, Roz Bailey, Mardi Ballou, Nina Bangs, Jill Barnett, Linda Barrett, Gerry Bartlett, Beverly Barton, Shelley Bates, Elizabeth Batten-Carew, Alexandra Benedict, Jules Bennett, Renee Bernard, Heidi Betts, Elizabeth Bevarly, Jo Beverley, Jenna Black, Shayla Black, Sandy Blair, Toni Blake, Stephanie Bond, Lori Borrill, Marie Bostwick, Elizabeth Boyle, Eden Bradley, Shelley Bradley, Shelley Brannigan, Jean Brashear, Cynthia Breeding, Helen Brenna, Allison Brennan, Dee Brice, Kate Bridges, Terri Brisbin, Pamela Britton, Suzanne Brockmann, Connie Brockway, Gemma Bruce, Nina Bruhns, Niki Burnham, Monica Burns, Jaci Burton, Nancy Bush, Gayle Callen, Candy Calvert, Dawn Calvert, Anna Campbell, Linda Cardillo, Opal Carew, Kathy Carmichael, Teresa Carpenter, Robyn Carr, Dixie Cash, Kathryn Caskie, Mary Castillo, Maureen Caudill, Michelle Celmer, Victoria Chancellor, Janet Chapman, Layla Chase, Lisa Childs, Judy Christenberry, Ann Christopher, Cathy Clamp, Pamela Clare, Jaycee Clark, Debra Clopton, Kresley Cole, Debby Conrad, Kristina Cook, Jerri Corgiat, Beth Cornelison, Nicola Cornick, Leigh Court, Tami Cowden, Gretchen Craig, Susan Crandall, Megan Crane, Susan Crosby, Claire Cross, Melinda Curtis, Victoria Dahl, Claudia Dain, Jacquie D’Alessandro, Margaret Daley, Kathleen Dante, Kay David, Patricia Davids, Stephie Davis, Geralyn Dawson, Alyssa Day, Sylvia Day, Gail Dayton, Kimberly Dean, Cindy Dees, Ann Defee, Robyn DeHart, Claire Delacroix, Jana DeLeon, Kathie DeNosky, Anna DeStefano, Thea Devine, Delilah Devlin, Lori Devoti, Helenkay Dimon, Christina Dodd, Susan Donovan, Kate Douglas, Cheryl Dragon, Dianne Drake, Isabelle Drake, Laura Drewry, Eileen Dreyer, Judy Duarte, Michele Dunaway, Natalie Dunbar, Diana Duncan, Lois Faye Dyer, Kathleen Eagle, Jennifer Echols, Anne Elizabeth, Simone Elkeles, Suzanne Enoch, Jennifer Estep, Wendy Etherington, Anna J. Evans, Molly Evans, Lillian Feisty, Tina Ferraro, Caridad Ferrer, Honora Finkelstein, Gaelen Foley, Jacey Ford, Elaine Fox, Mara Fox, Kit Frazier, Barbara Freethy, Patricia Gaffney, Barbara Gale, Shelley Galloway, Diane Gaston, Cindy Gerard, Tina Gerow, Rachel Gibson, Blythe Gifford, Debby Giusti, Colleen Gleason, Kristi Gold, Linda Goodnight, Carol Grace, Donna Grant, Jane Graves, Samantha Graves, T.L. Gray, Carmen Green, Jennifer Greene, Shannon Greenland, Leigh Greenwood, Diana Groe, Elizabeth Guest, Laura Lee Guhrke, Shirley Hailstock, Stephanie Hale, Gemma Halliday, Lori Handeland, Kristin Hannah, Beth Harbison, Kristin Hardy, Fiona Harper, Kim Harrison, Celia May Hart, Raven Hart, Ellen Hartman, Karen Hawkins, Rachel Hawthorne, Jasmine Haynes, Lorraine Heath, Candice Hern, Kristan Higgins, Sandra Hill, Cindy Holby, Emma Holly, Diana Holquist, Hannah Howell, Elizabeth Hoyt, Charlotte Hubbard, Jan Hudson, Janis Reams Hudson, Kalen Hughes, Madeline Hunter, Laura Iding, Jessica Inclan, Jackie Ivie, Lisa Jackson, Myla Jackson, Ann Jacobs, Delle Jacobs, Allyson James, Elle James, Eloisa James, Marcia James, Marianna Jameson, Anna Jeffrey, J.M. Jeffries, Sabrina Jeffries, Beverly Jenkins, Sophia Johnson, Linda Winstead Jones, Brandy Jordan, Sophie Jordan, Wayne Jordan, Shirley Jump, Julia Justiss, Lisa B. Kamps, Virginia Kantra
Gayle Kasper, Kathy Kaye, Stacey Kayne, Karen Kelley, Karen Kendall, Julie Kenner, Janette Kenny, Alison Kent, Cassidy Kent, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Megan Kerans, Shayla Kersten, Joan Kilby
Cindy Kirk, Mindy Klasky, Angela Knight, Deidre Knight, Amy Knupp, Betina Krahn, Jayne Ann Krentz, Pamela Labud, Lynn Lafleur, Judith Laik, Jill Marie Landis, Elizabeth Lane, Ruth Ryan Langan, Kaenar Langford, Leslie Langtry, Julia Latham, Stephanie Laurens, Kathleen Lawless, Day Leclaire, Jade Lee, Kara Lennox, Marion Lennox, Julie Leto, Cathy Liggett, Caroline Linden, Julie Linker, Cathie Linz, Marjorie M. Liu, Kimberly Llewellyn, Julia London, Beverly Long, Julie Anne Long, Gennita Low, Denise Lynn, Janice Lynn, Kate Lyon, Heather MacAllister, Ann Macela, Kinley MacGregor, Sally MacKenzie, Donna MacMeans, Margo Maguire, Anne Mallory, Marianne Mancusi, Michelle Marcos, Lynne Marshall, Kat Martin, Sandra Marton, Jolie Mathis, Liz Maverick, Cathy Maxwell, Melissa Mayhue, Amanda McCabe, Dinah McCall, Penny McCall, Erin McCarthy, Monica McCarty, Barbara McCauley, Melissa McClone, Judi McCoym, Cathy McDavid, Denise Belinda McDonald, Maureen McKade, Morag McKendrick Pippin, Annmarie McKenna, Lee McKenzie, Terry McLaughlin, Suzanne McMinn, Teresa Medeiros, P.J. Mellor, Marliss Melton, Christine Merrill, Tanya Michaels, Cindy Miles, Janet Miller, Micqui Miller, Stevi Mittman, Lisa Mondello, Rae Monet, Alexis Morgan, Pamela Morsi, Brenda Mott, Sophie Mouette, Janet Mullany, Debra Mullins, Hannah Murray, Sophia Nash, Carla Neggers, Tara Nina, Hailey North, Brenda Novak, Terry Odell, Jana G. Oliver, Robin D. Owens, Sharon Page, Liza Palmer, Pamela Palmer, Nancy J. Parra, Kate Pearce, Kate Perry, Marta Perry, Diane Pershing, Jenna Petersen, Carly Phillips, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Andrea Pickens, Barbara Pierce, Michelle M. Pillow, Caridad Pineiro, Allie Pleiter, Robin T. Popp, Jane Porter, Patricia Potter, Mary Alice Pritchard, Amanda Quick, Julia Quinn, Tessa Radley, Susan Ralph, Francis Ray, Shelby Reed, Virginia Reede, Cynthia Reese, Eileen Rendahl, T.A. Ridgell, Christie Ridgway, Leigh Riker, Kelle Z. Riley, Christine Rimmer, J.D. Robb, Nora Roberts, Farrah Rochon, Joanne Rock, Maya Rodale, Emilie Rose, Karen Rose, Pam Rosenthal, Ann Roth, Mandy M. Roth, Robin L. Rotham, Stephanie Rowe, Michelle Rowen, Gerri Russell, Hank Ryan, Sharon Sala, Barbara Samuel, Lynda Sandoval, Lynsay Sands, Patricia Sargeant, Melissa Schroeder, Sharon Schulze, Sandra Schwab, Brenda Scott Royce, Alice Sharpe, Isabel Sharpe, Kathryn Shay, Gena Showalter, Eve Silver, Misty Simon, Elizabeth Sinclair, Linnea Sinclair, Nalini Singh, Jennifer Skully, Susan Smily, Kathryn Smith, Barbara Dawson Smith, Jeri Smith-Ready, Maria V. Snyder, Sharon Sobel, Jamie Sobrato, Annie Solomon, Teresa Southwick, Catherine Spangler, Kerrelyn Sparks, Susan Squires, Roxanne St. Claire, Jennifer St. Giles, Sloan St. James, Kelley St. John, Cricket Starr, Carol Stephenson, Kay Stockham, Kelly L. Stone, T.A. Stone, Todd Stone, Deb Stover, Amie Stuart, Cara Summers, Sunny, Karin Tabke, Hope Tarr, Teri Thackston, Jacquelin Thomas, Melody Thomas, Colleen Thompson, Vicki Lewis Thompson, BA Tortuga, Anne Tourney, Jessica Trapp, Janet Tronstad, Stephanie Tyler, Leah Vale, Bonnie Vanak, Evelyn Vaughn, Rachel Vincent, J.R. Ward, Christine Warren, Linda Warren, Nancy Warren, Tracy Anne Warren, Margaret Watson, Jeannie Watt, Debra Webb, Peggy Webb, Tawny Weber, Phaedra Weldon, Karen Whiddon, Karen White, Loreth Anne White, Pat White, Karen White-Owens, Diane Whiteside, Merrillee Whren, Andrea Wilder, Eileen Wilks, Beth Williamson, Michelle Willingham, Dolores J. Wilson, Ruth Wind, Lois Winston, Lenora Worth, Trish Wylie, Cathy Yardley, Susan C. Yarina, Mia Zachary

So this contest is uber easy. Tell us at least five authors you would stand in line to have sign your book if you were or are going. Jane and I will be there, in fact we have volunteered for the set up, I think, at some ungodly hour of 8am or something.

So give a shout and maybe we will meet up .

Comment with your list until Thursday June 14, 2007 @ midnight CST. The winner will 3 books:
Karma Girl, Dinner, First, Me Later? and A Dangerous Beauty

All unsigned and donated by the publisher (Berkley, Grand Central Publishing, Avon).

RWA changes are afoot…

That Time of the Year Again

What are some of those changes?

Carrie Lofty posts at Unusual Historicals about the proposed changes in the history categories. I have to say I agree with tossing the Traditional Regency category. And the whole word count thing has always seemed dumb to me at least how it is structured.

They want to cut the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements from the Golden Heart. I completely agree with this idea unlike Elizabeth Kerri Mahon. I can see her side of it but as a romance reader why should the Romance Writers Association spend time and resources promoting non romance novels? I can somewhat understand it for the RITA’s as romance authors either branching out or trying something different but honestly I think it should be dropped from there as well.

Barbara Ferrer talks about the suggested changes in the Young Adult category and she makes a lot of sense.

BEST YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE – Novels with a strong romantic theme geared toward young adult readers and in which the level of sexuality may range from sweet to extremely hot.

I like the changes they want in the category but do think they need to fix the wording. Because as Barbara sez, I can already hear the click click click of the keyboards as people write in going OMG! Extremely HAWT YA? Are you nuts?

I do question, Novels with a strong romantic theme, I understand we need new blood. I get we want younger readers but mining them from YA novels so we may warp their lil minds later into romance readers doesn’t work for me. (yes that was sarcastic) I think they should drop theme. Should be a strong Romance that fits the age of the characters. Are there not enough YA novels that do that? I tend to think there are… correct me if I am wrong.

And I can see why they are adding the verbiage, may range from sweet to extremely hot, but really I tend to think it shouldn’t matter and it shouldn’t be included period. Unless you are talking about an award for Erotica or Erotic Romance.

This is something I had sitting in draft that should have been posted five years ago. Oops. What other changes are being suggested? What do you guys think? I really don’t see this or really any changes to the contests meaning much to readers or changing what people are writing. But it is fun to talk about.

That should so be a button. I think we covered everything now.

Jill covered erotica being the evol. The Blaze chick (whose name I am too lazy to go look up) drew the readers are the evol. St. Giles has amazon is the evol. Karen had a big hand in the covers are the evol. Now Jan W. Butler has the gays are the evol.

Did we miss anything? So is this day seven where we rest?

Wendy proves once again that she is the smartest

There’s another dust-up brewing online over the RITA judging, the most interesting being Jamie Sobrato receiving a comment that her Blaze novel had “no strong romantic elements.” Basically it wasn’t a romance. Intriguing since last time I checked, Harlequin required books in the Blaze line to be romances. But what do I know?

Now I’m not very well read in the Blaze line, but I find it hard to believe that they all suck so bad that not one was capable finaling in the RITA the last couple of years. Which begs the question is the RITA process broken?

Personally, I think broken is the wrong word. More like flawed.

go read… very good post

sez I, then go check out Jamie Sobrato. Her blog is a blast. As Helenkay said, if you aren’t reading it, why not? ::off to see what JS books I have to read, I think I recall ordering one in my last harl order::

I don’t get it. How are these books put into categories?

Info from RWA site…

2006 RITA for Best Long Historical Romance Finalists

A Most Unsuitable Man by Jo Beverley (never read her)
This Rake of Mine by Elizabeth Boyle (have but way didn’t like this book, hoping reading the first one would improve it, haven’t done that yet)
The Devil to Pay by Liz Carlyle (sssssssssqqqqqqqqeeeeeeee)
The Dark Queen by Susan Carroll (never read her)
Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase (have tbr)
Sin and Sensibility by Suzanne Enoch (only read one book by her and it was boring as hell haven’t tried again)
The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie (oh liked… good book)
To Pleasure a Prince by Sabrina Jeffries (sssssqqqqqqqqeeeeeeeeeee… LOVE this book, one of my faves of the series and has two of my favorite secondary characters)

here is where I go wtf?
2006 RITA for Best Short Historical Romance Finalists

When We Meet Again by Victoria Alexander (never read her – but how is this SHORT?)
The King’s Mistress by Terri Brisbin (good book)
Abbie’s Outlaw by Victoria Bylin (sqqqqqqeeeeeeeee western! And a good book)
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas (::taps foot:: VERY good book but what the fuck? How is this a short historical?)
Highlander in Love by Julia London (didn’t read – but short?)
To Love a Thief by Julie Ann Long (tbr – again short?)
The Texan’s Reward by Jodi Thomas (ssqqqqqqqqqqeeeeeeeee another western – uh but don’t read her)
His Secondhand Wife by Cheryl St.John (do I even need to sqqqeeee again here?)

Lets break it down:
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas – nom for SHORT
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Avon (October 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0060562498
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces. (View shipping rates and policies)

When We Meet Again by Victoria Alexander – nom for SHORT
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (June 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0060593199
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.0 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces. (View shipping rates and policies)

Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase – nom for LONG
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley (March 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 0425201503
Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces. (View shipping rates and policies)

What the fuck? Mr. Impossible is the shortest of the three but nominated in the long category. What am I missing? And really His Secondhand Wife, Abby’s Outlaw and The King’s Mistress are all three excellent books and show that HH has some great talent in their ranks. They deserve to be judged against other books like them, shorter stories that are told well are hard to do. It doesn’t seem right to judge them against a 400 page Lisa Kleypas novel.

Smart Bitches

Alison Kent

Jorie gives good link

And I am sure there is more but I need to go read and do reviews. Go me…