Once again I’m making it in under the wire....barely! Got home from RWA in San Antonio early Sunday morning and have spent the past two days doing laundry and going through stuff. Yes...lots of stuff! Which is why my contest this month will be bags of swag from RWA for two of you, including books from the Rita entries I read to the books that were given out at the conference. I didn’t get as much stuff as I usually do or as many books, so can only award two bags, but there’s definitely stuff...
This is what hits us the opening night of RWA! The Literacy Signing, where readers start lining up a little after noon for the 5:30 signing. This photo was taken looking toward the short side of the room, the wall I was closest to. The next one is the other direction...it was nuts! I have a lot of admiration for the husbands who accompany their women and carry huge bags of books.That's the sign of a really healthy marriage!
 Reader Pat Jass stopped by my piece of turf with a really neat handmade ruffly scarf--I'm sure there's a name for it, but it is so cool! I saw a lot of readers and know I'll never remember everyone's names, but thank you so much to those of you who stopped and introduced yourselves. Best part about a book signing. Which reminds me--I'm still trying to find Kimber. I signed a book for her and it was lying on my table when I closed up for the night. I bought it and brought it home, so sure hope she checks in with me so I can mail it to her! I arrived in San Antonio Tuesday night and had dinner with authors Ann Roth and Caroline Fyfe at Maria Mia's--the BEST Margaritas in the whole damned town as far as I'm concerned. Wednesday was a day to get acclimated to the muggy San Antonio weather and explore the River Walk. Definitely gorgeous! Wednesday evening was the signing, and afterwards, dinner at Tony Roma's with my assistant editor from Kensington, Martin Biro. I absolutely love Martin--a terrific editor and a whole lot of fun. We ate WAY too much food, but damn it was good! Martin is now heading up Kensington's ebook imprint, Lyrical--he's going to be fantastic, and I envy the authors who will have the chance to work with him with either print or digital releases or both. (Susan Lyons, aka Susan Fox, aka Savanna Fox, I'm talking to you!) Thursday was busy--started out by waking up at 9:45, and realizing I was signing Dark Moon at 9:45! Texted Martin to tell him I'd screwed up, showered, brushed my teeth, threw on some clothes and made it there--without coffee--by 9:50. I learned that adrenaline can take the place of caffeine for only a very short time...  Later in the day, after the BookEnds Agency margarita party, (Photo above--that's Jessica Faust, my agent, on the right) I did a panel with Rebecca Zanetti and Cynthia Eden--they're both absolutely wonderful--and I was pleasantly surprised by all the positive comments afterward. The same with the one titled HOW TO WRITE HOT SEX on Saturday. That one was held in a huge room and we filled it--me, along with Christine D'Abo, Delphine Dryden, and Shoshanna Evers. (photo below)  The conference was wonderful. I got to touch base with a lot of old friends, made new friends, did a couple of panels, attended four cocktail parties, and "taste-tested" a variety of margaritas in San Antonio.  It wasn't all parties, though. I also met my new St. Martin’s editor (Eileen Rothschild, right) who is an absolute doll, met with my agent, the wonderful Jessica Faust of BookEnds Literary Agency (who knows me MUCH too well!) and attended a fascinating marketing panel put on by St. Martin's Press that should help me handle my social networking without losing as much writing time. Of course, I ate too much, and drank too much, and I am so thankful that I’d packed enough pants with elastic waists, but all in all, RWA 2014 was a wonderful experience. For those of us who write--and I know a lot of my readers are among that group, whether published or not--it's wonderful to be surrounded by so many others who "get it." They understand what it's like to live with voices in your head, to be driven to get stories down in black and white, to give our characters a voice. It's such an empowering thing to spend time with our peers and know we're taken seriously, not as nut-cases, but as professionals always trying to learn more about our craft. And now, I’m finishing up the laundry and preparing to leave next Monday night for Charlotte, NC for the Authors After Dark conference and signing at the Westin Charlotte Hotel. In fact, if you live within driving distance, come to the Westin on Saturday, August 9, 2014, from 2-4 for the AAD book signing. Address is 601 S. College Street, Charlotte, NC. I will have a few print copies of Dark Spirit and Dark Refuge to sign, along with Dark Moon and hopefully Dark Wolf. On another note, you've heard me talk about "re-reading" my favorites. I had just finished Nalini Singh's SHIELD OF WINTER (after reading it three times!) and ended up taking two of her older psy/changeling books along to read on the plane to Texas. Such a wonderful series, and I got to see Nalini and tell her how much I'm loving her books--again and again! If you want some swag and miscellaneous books, don't forget to enter this month's contest. And if you're interested in reading some terrific romantic suspense, the five-book bundle I'm in -- Fatal Obsession -- will only be available until around Labor Day (that's September 1) for $4.99. Then it will come down, and those same titles will only be available as single title books once again at their regular price. And Kimber, if you're out there, leave a comment so I can find you! This contest will run until Sunday morning, as I'll be busy getting ready to leave on Monday and won't have time to deal with it then. Take care, be safe, and enjoy these last days of summer as we start rolling into Fall. And don't forget--be safe, enjoy life, and save time to read a few good books! Kate Douglas |
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