I’m back from an amazing, overwhelming, wonderful experience at the 30^th Romance Writers of America National Conference. In four too-short days (and even shorter nights) I met wonderful people, made new friends, and learned more than I thought possible. I squee’d embarrassingly in front of the amazing Ann Aguirre (one of my favorite authors) and showed little more decorum in front of Carrie Lofty (whose What a Scoundrel Wants is still the book I recommend to people who say they don’t read romance.)

If I could pick a theme for the conference (aside from its given logline) I would have to make it “Not for Wimps.” It seemed echoed in keynote Nora Roberts’ opening speech, with its recurring theme of ‘No Whinging,’ and showed itself all around me as steely nerved writers spent their days breaking their backs at workshops and their nights cutting loose all around the hotel. I came away inspired. I came away motivated. Most importantly, I came away with the sorts of experiences and joys that stick with you forever. Some of the high points for me:

• Watching my new friend Kylie win the Golden Heart for paranormal romance. Knowing she travelled 20+ hours from the wilds of Australia to receive her award only made her winning it even sweeter.
• Hearing the amazing Donald Maas explain, in his enlightening way, the things that make truly engaging fiction spring to life on the written page.
• Heading to the FF&P Chapter party, and being wowed by the steampunk costuming of my fellow writers (and having a wonderful meal that wasn’t chicken!)
• Perhaps the most important – being welcomed and accepted into such an amazing and talented group of writers who believe firmly in their craft and feel just as passionate about storytelling and writing as our characters do about each other.
• Meeting some of the members of my local chapter, who admonished me for my absence, and all but demanded that I show up at the next chapter meeting. To them I can only say ‘Aye-aye.’
• Having people recognize me days later, after a rendition of Copacabana at the local karaoke bar that could only be described as ‘lounged to the gills’.

I can’t wait until next year, and know that I have plenty of brilliance to look forward to – reading, writing, and promoting. Look out New York; we’re coming, and if you think you’re the city that never sleeps, then you’ve clearly never seen the RWA in high gear.

Tags: Conferences, Not for Wimps, RWA, SF Romance, writing

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