8 Reasons I Love RWA Conference
Jul 17th 2007
Sabrina JeffriesOn Writing!
1. Free food: If you’re a published author, you get wined and dined (to varying degrees). If you’re not, you still get several meals through the conference, not to mention all that lovely free food on the plane (inside joke—several of us had to pay $3 for a cookie on our flight in on American).
2. Famous authors: where else can you chat with Lisa Kleypas at a tea or pass Nora Roberts in the hall?
3. Free books: I can’t help it—despite years in this industry, I still get a thrill out of the free books. This time it was Samantha James’s The Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell and Lisa Kleypas’s Sugar Daddy, both of which I’ve been wanting to read, and about ten other interesting newer releases. Woot!
4. Parties: Okay, so both parties I attended were thrown by me and my roommates, but hey, any party where chocolate and champagne were the order of the day is a good party, IMO.
5. Free goodies: I got pens, chocolates, pretty notepads, buttons, and an emery board, among other things.
6. Meeting readers: I never tire of having people stop me to say how much they enjoy my books. That’s why I write—to give pleasure to people who love books as much as I do.
7. Free advice (are you noticing a pattern here?): Where else can you get help with your earring choices from 20 different fashion-savvy women? This is important for a woman with the natural fashion sense of a rhino.
8. Old friends: Getting to see friends I only see once a year, if that. This year, I caught up with two women whom I haven’t seen in at least ten years. And I got to hang out with the goddesses. THAT was the best thing ever. So when I leave conference battered and exhausted, I still leave with regret. Because for me, the best thing about RWA conference is seeing old friends and making new ones.
Did you happen to go to RWA conference this year? Have you ever been to a writers’ or readers’ conference? What was your favorite part?
32 Comments »
32 Responses to “8 Reasons I Love RWA Conference”
Keri Ford on 17 Jul 2007 at 5:43 am #
I was a first timer this year at conference, and I loved it for all the reason you listed! Well other than meeting readers, I met authors. I didn’t throw my own parties, but enjoyed going to others! hm…didn’t have any old friends I only see once a year, but I met lots of new ones! All in all, I had a fabulous time!
Stacy ~ on 17 Jul 2007 at 5:55 am #
I was at RWA last year and had a lot of fun - meeting the authors was great, and seeing old friends was a blast. Sometimes it was surreal to be chatting with an author whose work I love and there she is, right in front of me, just like a normal person LOL. And I love sitting at a table or chatting in the lounge area with others who adore books as much as I do. And having those celebrity moments - seeing Nora, Brockmann, Kleypas - I felt like I was in heaven.
I am more of an introvert and don’t feel comfortable in large settings like that, but it’s worth the effort once I force myself to jump in and involve myself in what’s going on. I enjoy smaller venues too, like Lori Foster/Dianne Castell’s annual gathering in June. It’s a fabulous atmosphere.
Karen Rose on 17 Jul 2007 at 6:14 am #
I LOVE conference, too! I got to see old friends like Sabrina, meet many of the goddesses for the first time - they were of course DELIGHTFUL!! I was blown away by the number of goddess bloggers that stopped by my table at the Literacy signing. Many of you are only lurking, so come out into the light and let us know you’re here! We don’t bite. Honest
I think the shining moment for me was presenting the RITA for best suspense. It would have been an estatic moment for me no matter who had won - every finalist on the list is a phenomenal writer. However my dear friend Annie Solomon won for her suspense BLACKOUT and being able to read her name was a special thrill. Also longtime friend Roxanne St. Claire won for best novella and I could not have been more overjoyed. For me, the RITA gala caps off conference in the best way!
SuzyQ on 17 Jul 2007 at 7:26 am #
I have never been to a conference but it sounds like so much fun!
I’d love to see some pictures of the goddesses at this year’s conference (hint hint)
Susan K on 17 Jul 2007 at 7:39 am #
I have never been to a conference either. But I want to go to one really bad. My best friend and I SWEAR one of these years we are going to make it to Romantic Times conference. This past year would have been perfect because it was in Pittsburgh and that’s only about 3 or 4 hours from me here in Ohio. But, alas, no money with which to go.
Karen Rose on 17 Jul 2007 at 7:41 am #
Actually, Susan, the RT convention in Pittsburgh is this coming April, 2008. So save those shekels! At minimum, I don’t think it’s expensive to go to the book fair. All the authors are there and you can chat with them and get signed books!
Caren Crane on 17 Jul 2007 at 7:53 am #
I adore the RWA conference! I did get to see (at least in passing) all the Goddesses who were attending. They looked a bit shell-shocked at times. All that adoration takes its toll.
My favorite part of every conference is seeing old friends. People who are my conference buddies I don’t get to see any other time of the year.
It was especially nice this year to see my friends at Romance Bandits in person. We don’t have nearly the following the Goddesses do, but we had fans seek us out to say hello. What fun! I saw lots of non-Banditas wearing our buttons and I saw Goddess buttons everywhere!
Plus, Carly Phillips blogged on the official RWA conference blog about the Goddesses last Saturday. You guys are hot!
Susan K on 17 Jul 2007 at 8:06 am #
Why did I think it was this past April? I must be going crazy! Planning a wedding will do that to you! And do you know what? I won’t be able to go! I’m getting married and will be on my honeymoon that month and there will be no money left! Life is just not fair! Maybe 2009!?
Stacy S on 17 Jul 2007 at 8:20 am #
I’ve never been to one, but would love to go. I would like to see all the authors.
Hey Sabrina, I wanna know about your brother!! There are several blogs talking about him- Orlando Bloom look alike.
Caren Crane on 17 Jul 2007 at 8:29 am #
Sabrina’s brother is like an *older* Orlando!
He is very handsome, though, just the sort who should not be roaming a conference full of romance writers!
Oh, and I think HRDWRKDMOM sometimes lurks here. If you are here, please pop over to Romance Bandits. You won a book from Alyssa Day and we need your address!
Claudia Dain on 17 Jul 2007 at 8:53 am #
I love, love, love going to the RWA conference. For all the reasons Sabrina gave and maybe one more: I love getting out of the house once a year! I get to dress up, talk all day long and into the night, meet new people, drink pina coladas in hotel bars, hear fabulous speakers–the Lisa Kleypas keynote was especially wonderful.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but my life is pretty quiet as a rule. The RWA conference is my chance to meet and mingle and party! I love everything about it, um, until the credit card statement comes.
Sabrina Jeffries on 17 Jul 2007 at 11:43 am #
I promise to write my brother and ask him if I can post his picture on my site, since everyone keeps asking about him. But in the meantime, he does have a website at http://www.realchangenow.com , where his picture is posted. I think it’s a good picture; he says no. If he wants a better one posted, he’ll have to tell me.
He’s single, so that made it even worse.
Oh, and soon there will be info up on my site about Celebrate Romance, a conference for readers being held next year at the end of February. Stephanie Bond and I are speakers, so y’all should come over to Columbia, SC. It’ll be fun!!!
Dot C on 17 Jul 2007 at 11:55 am #
Having been in the book industry for almost a decade, I’ve been to several of our company sponsored annual conventions which have, at different locations, hosted some of you!
On the retail side of it, it’s just as much fun because WE love having lots of free stuff thrown at us too..I mean, who doesn’t? LOL And the publisher sponsored breakfasts were awesome. Getting to hear from a great author is truly inspiring to those of us that sell….having a great book is one thing, but forming a connection with the writer really cements our desire to do everything imaginable to sell that book. We also get to see our fellow managers from around the country, and let loose for a few days. It’s always great when you get to see the lampshade head pictures posted for the entire Borders Group to view online.
Karen Hawkins on 17 Jul 2007 at 12:19 pm #
I looove seeing the other authors . . . I’m such a fan girl, too. I get heart palpatations around Nora, Kleypas, et al! It’s awesome to see all of that talent waltzing around, looking posh in their business suits and perfect makeup. Very cool to a down home gal like me!
Also, it’s great getting to spend some face time with my editor. She’s great and I chat her up frequently from FL, but it’s nice to see her face-to-face!!!
I also love the book signing. It’s so cool when people come up and touch the cover of one of my books and say, “oooooh! I LOVED this one!” Makes me grin all the way to my pedicured (first time this year!) toes!
Jami Alden on 17 Jul 2007 at 1:27 pm #
I love RWA! I’m with you Karen - I’m enough of a newbie that I still get starstruck, (Julia London actually sat down and had a glass of wine with us! Nora Roberts nuzzled my baby! Susan Elizabeth Phillips was on the same floor as me! Kate Duffy knows my name (well, considering I now write for her line, it shouldn’t shock me, but it does)!) so one of my prime directives is not to make a complete ass of myself when I encounter people I’ve long admired from afar. My favorite part of conference is hanging in the bar, flitting from group to group and meeting the women behind some of my favorite books.
Megan on 17 Jul 2007 at 1:41 pm #
I’m one of the lurkers who promised Karen Rose I would come out of hiding.
This was my first RWA, I didn’t actually go to the conference just the book signing. It was so amazing to see all of the authors that I enjoy so much and getting to meet them! I loved getting to meet the Goddesses. The book signing was especially wonderful since a dear friend published her first book this spring and we got to see her at her own table!
I did go a little crazy with the books, my sholder was sore for days from piling them all in the bag. LOL But it was so worth it to meet all of the authors and everyone, especially the Goddesses, were so gracious. It was an amazing experience, I hope I get to go again one day.
Julia London on 17 Jul 2007 at 1:49 pm #
Oh Jami, that made me laugh. Here’s my highlight: People actually let me sit and drink with them!
I loved meeting the goddesses I’ve not met before. Rachel has such a dry wit, Suzanne is so kind and laid back, Claudia Dain is so charming and put on THE Best published author workshop schedule EVER (plus got more mentions at the RITA than God, I think), and Karen Hawkins has some serious mental issues that really should be addressed.
Plus I loved seeing old pals Karen Rose and Sabrina Jeffries, and meeting all their friends.
Karen R, I loved presenting the RITA too — first, because I wasn’t nervous, even tho I could hardly read the thing, which means someday, if I win one, I won’t faint dead away, and second, because I got to present it to Betina Krahn, who is a lovely woman and a wonderful writer. That RITA was long overdue.
As usual, it takes me a day to recover–laundry, sleep, and slimfast are all top priorities
Susan K on 17 Jul 2007 at 1:55 pm #
I can’t wait to attend a conference where I can meet the goddesses! I am stewing in jealousy here as I read about how much fun everyone had. And all the books to be had.
Julia L. - Just finished browsing your website. You are one funny lady! I am now armed with a list of books that I MUST read. And your dogs are adorable!
Sybil on 17 Jul 2007 at 2:02 pm #
Shouldn’t number 9 be getting to sit in some readers very messy room and talk about nothing for a bit :).
Nicole Jordan on 17 Jul 2007 at 2:12 pm #
Oh, I’m so envious! Sound like you all had a fab time at RWA. I had so much going on in my plebian life that I couldn’t make it this year.
And some of my fave conferences are smaller and more intimate than RWA:
Moonlight & Magnolias in Atlanta every fall, put on by the wonderful GRW chapter.
Novelists’ Inc. since there are so many savvy hard-working writers there.
And I love Celebrate Romance, which is mainly for romance readers, although lots of authors usually attend. My good Utah friend, Leanne Davis, and several others are already hard at work planning CR for next year, so if any of you are interested in getting more info, you can get put on a mailing loop to recieve announcements, updates, etc. Just let me know and I’ll post the link here.
NicoleJ
Julia London on 17 Jul 2007 at 2:16 pm #
Susan K — I can ship them to you today if you’d like! Great dogs. They are actually good for…..hmm……(wait a minute, let me think….I know there has to be a selling point for a couple of old and stinky dogs if I just concentrate…)
Jami Alden on 17 Jul 2007 at 2:22 pm #
Julia, you can drink with me any time - next time, drinks are on me. And next year conference is in SF, so you know the wine will be better :)!
Susan K on 17 Jul 2007 at 2:30 pm #
Julia - I’d take them but my smelly old dog would be very, very, very jealous. He doesn’t like to share his people.
Julia London on 17 Jul 2007 at 3:49 pm #
Jami, I am taking you up on it!
And Susan K, I know what you mean. I don’t think mine would consider travel at this point. That would be one of those times they wouldn’t even lift their head to look at me, would just ignore me completely.
DebMarlowe on 17 Jul 2007 at 6:39 pm #
Number 9–All the new friends we get to meet! I loved meeting the goddesses I caught up with! I missed too many, but maybe I’ll catch you in SF!
I’m exhausted but happy. What a great time. Karen and Sabrina and Julia and Rachel (did I forget anybody?) were lovely presenters at the Rita ceremony.
And finally Claudia has been recognized for her fine fashion eye. I can rest easy now.
RachelG on 17 Jul 2007 at 7:06 pm #
I had a great time drinking champagne with the Goddesses. And it’s always huge fun to get together with fellow writers and talk about the biz. I also love to gossip about authors behaving badly. This year, I am sorry to say, I didn’t hear anything good. No one misbehaved–that I am aware of– and the awards show zipped along nicely without incident or scandal. Which was a bit of a shame.
rachel
Julia London on 17 Jul 2007 at 7:08 pm #
Rachel, I could not agree more. That is why I go to RWA — scandal and gossip
Kay on 17 Jul 2007 at 11:22 pm #
This was my first time at RWA, and I got to meet most of the Goddesses. :SIGH: I can die happy.
Throughout the conference, I was standing around, looking clueless, and wearing my “first timer” ribbon, and several kind souls (who are all published and well known) SPOKE TO ME & ASKED IF I WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME!!!!
I don’t think I’ve ever been surrounded by so many kind and helpful women. If you have never been, I hope that you will someday get to experience what I did.
I will have to take an extra hanky to the Golden Heart/Rita awards next time. Oh my goodness, those people at the Oscars have something to learn about giving acceptance speeches!
Thank you all for being so NICE.
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Jul 2007 at 12:52 pm #
Kay, it was fabulous meeting you. The rest of you may not know this, but Kay is the sweetest woman you’ll ever meet. We sure enjoyed having her around!
It was also wonderful to meet Jami and Sybil and bunches of other people whom I only know from online. That’s my favorite thing about conference!
Sybil on 18 Jul 2007 at 11:33 pm #
Damn… so I am not number nine eh?
Well there is something to aim for in San Fran *g*
MicheleG on 20 Jul 2007 at 6:20 pm #
I was a first timer as well this conference. There were so many highlights. One of which was embarassing myself completely in front of RachelG. I was in the Goody Room and noticed the cover for Rachel’s next book. I think I actually squealed and did a little happy dance. Which wouldn’t have been terrible except Rachel was standing right behind me. Oops. Rachel you were very kind and offered to sign the cover for me. Thanks so much. And Sabrina thanks for not taking offense when I mentioned in passing that you were “killing my conference”. I couldn’t put Beware A Scots Revenge down. Argh! Read Sabrina??? Or get sleep??? Sabrina you won out!
Sabrina Jeffries on 21 Jul 2007 at 3:38 pm #
Trust me, MicheleG, no author in her right mind will take offense when someone says they couldn’t put her book down, and especially not me! I was delighted! I do hope you eventually got sleep however. I certainly didn’t. I went all five days (six, if you count the Tuesday I came in) averaging about 5 hours of sleep. But oh, it was worth it!