The Gathering – the annual awards dinner for the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal genre chapter was once again a smashing success, and the PRISM awards were handed out to some incredible writers. Science Fiction Romance was well represented (and even got a pair of nods at the Rita Awards for Marcella Brunard’s great romp “Enemy Within”).

Speaking of SFR – this year’s keynote speaker was Sherrilyn Kenyon, and there weren’t many dry eyes in the room after she told her story of triumph and success despite what seems like insurmountable adversity. Her signature, on the inside cover of my Nook, will be a reminder of her inspiring story, and will definitely be a place for me to look when  I think it’s “just too hard” to do this crazy carousel. By comparison, I can assure you that I haven’t even begun to see a rough road.

Dry eyes were also hard to find during the Rita and Golden Heart awards – RWA’s yearly awards for published works and unpublished manuscripts. Most of the recipients got teary eyed with joy, and we followed right along with them. Tales of unwavering support, loyalty, and love reminded us that no matter how much this feels like a solitary endeavor, none of us exists in a vacuum.

Old friends were met, and tales of the last year were swapped (because despite all the time spent writing, I and many others are simply rubbish at answering our e-mail). New friends were met, and friendships kindled over drinks, cheesecake, and more drinks. Workshops filled us with new ideas, and if other folks are like me, left with notes about current and upcoming manuscripts scribbled hurriedly in the margins around their notebooks. Critique groups formed, and so did plot brainstorming circles. Manuscripts were pitched (and some of those will probably be started in the coming weeks, no matter what their state was declared to be when pitched).

In other words, it was the best of times and I was sorry to see it end. Now the challenge will be to keep the magical feeling of that time alive in the weeks after the Big Show has ended. Fortunately, like everyone else I talked to, I came away with my creative batteries at full charge, eager to take on the world and pour myself into the writing at a fever pitch. I hope that everyone else who attended got as much out of it as I did.

So yes, there’s links below, some old, some new and some just things I felt like sharing. Come back Monday for a real post. In the meantime, things you might like to see:

Links:

• If you’re like me, you’re probably worried about the things that have been leaking out about the remake of Conan (Even if it does have a line from “Queen of the Black Coast” in the trailer, and a lot of Jason Momoa’s abs). If so, remind yourself of the original film with a Musical Adaptation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGOQ7SsJrw
• Smart Bitches, Trashy Books wins my heart (at the cost of my already damaged liver) by linking us all to the incredibly awesome Jane Austen Drinking Game, complete with live video. http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/friday-videos-love-womanly-skillz/
• If you’re the book buying sort, and you don’t know this already, there’s a movement to boycott Dorchester. I’m not normally into telling folks what to think, but this is the exception. I’ve had friends that got screwed in this and had to fight to get their rights back. If it helps sway your mind RWA uninvited them from the National Convention last year for “unfulfilled contractual obligations “. Brian Keene began it all here: http://www.briankeene.com/?p=6140 and for another author’s take you can go here: http://www.stacydittrich.com/blog/2011/03/guess-what-dorchester-its-on/
• A bit of good news for fans of the Glastonberry Thorn – despite last year’s horrific vandalism, there is new growth on the tree: http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/New-life-holy-tree-welcomed-great-news/article-3363186-detail/article.html
• And while we’re talking about religion, there’s few things make me smile as much as the Saga of Biorn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV5w262XvCU

I’ve come up with some tricks over the years to make up for my shortcoming in the name-association department. First, I participate aggressively in what a friend once called the ‘almost Japanese obsession with business cards’ at conferences. I swap business cards with anyone I exchanged more than ten minutes with at a conference.

I can’t stop there though – If I do, I’ll come home with a stack of business cards that I won’t know as anything but names on cards. It’s tough for me to send a thank you to the people I met at conference, if I cannot remember the circumstances of our meeting. I have a trick, however that helps me keep this from happening. As soon as I get the chance (sometimes even sitting at the table with the person with whom I’ve swapped cards, but typically in my room before bed) I go through the business cards I’ve received. On the back of each one, I write where I met the person and the circumstances of our introduction. If we talked about something in particular, I write that on the card as well. When I come home from the conference, and it’s time to send e-mails to the people I’ve met, I have all the information needed to jog my memory written on the back of each business card.

Of course, saying this, I realized in the middle of RWA10 that I had prevented anyone from doing the same for me. My cards were black, and the back of the card was emblazoned with the cover for Hearts and Minds, making it impossible to take notes anywhere on the card. Ah, well. Point for me to remember in the future.

So, there’s my trick. Do you have any particular tricks you use to remember the people you meet in the swarm of conference faces? I’d love to hear about them. I’m never too old to learn new tricks.

It taught me why I continue to knit whenever I get the chance – as I’ve said, it keeps me calm in difficult situations (like surrounding an introvert with 2500 new people). Even better, it provides an instant connection with other people who knit or do other crafts. No matter where we may be with our projects, there we suddenly had a common ground as Makers of Things discussing our passions.

These thoughts spawned an unusual thought in my head – for too long, my knitting has been the unwinding act that I use to step back from my job or my writing and immerse myself in something else for a while. Instead, I wonder if I should use it to draw myself deeper into my craft. I’ve new ideas in the wake of RWA, and plenty of things that make me more excited about my craft (and my crafting) than I’ve been in ages.

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.

As for how I’ve spent it, lets just say I’ve spent my days in workshops, and my nights socializing. The SFR Brigade had a little get together two nights ago, and tonight will be The Gathering for RWA’s Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter. I’ve picked up a little sun down here, mostly during my spin through the Magic Kingdom, and I’ve met more wonderful people than I will ever be able to thank or remember.

Nora Roberts gave a phenomenal keynote speech that had us all cheering as she reminded us of how far we’ve come in the last 30 years, and about the friendships that form at Nationals that can  carry you through a lifetime.

This is an unusually rambly post for a Potpourri day, but I wanted to start a write up of the fun and hard work that has gone into this conference. Truly, having a blast.

As someone doing media tie-in work, GenCon is a chance for me to interact face-to-face with the people whom I see only as e-mail addresses and twitter feeds the rest of the year. Ideally, I try to arrange time with them before hand, since I know that they are as busy as I am. This is as much a courtesy to myself as it is to them – my order-craving side tends to come out in a convention situation, and I like to know exactly what I am supposed to be doing and when.

There’s plenty of interesting seminars on this year’s writing track as well – for those who were unaware, GenCon hosts a writing symposium in-house that gets bigger year after year.  There are even a few seminars for those who write genre romance, as well as for those doing (or interested in doing) tie-in work. I will end up having plenty to do to keep myself busy over the four days of the con, even if gaming isn’t likely to make an appearance.

For those interested, I’ll be holding down a corner of the Fantasist Enterprises table in the heart of Author’s Avenue. If you’re attending this year’s GenCon, stop by and say howdy!

Note that I say should.

To be honest, I don’t do the conference thing well. Like a lot of writers, I suffer from terrible Imposter Syndrome when I meet other people who practice my craft. It doesn’t matter that I have a full shelf over my desk with all my works on it, I still feel like the kid who’s snuck into the party and will be thrown out as soon as they figure out I don’t belong. This is why I started taking my knitting to conferences, it helped keep my relaxed. As an added bonus, it provided a safe neutral topic I could talk about without seeming nervous.

Writing is a solitary business – it’s a profession that is, for most of the year, carried out in semi-vacuum.  It’s you, your beta readers, your editor, your agent and occasional forays into media-marketing. There’s not a lot of face time for most writers, even the ones who are lucky enough to have a local support group with whom they can share the trial and triumphs. The great majority of us are introverts, and the idea of being in a social situation leaves us uncomfortable. We get together anyway, and eventually we either build up our courage (or have a drink to settle our nerves) and we say hi to somebody. Because as much as it can be a rough road to walk alone, it’s also pretty cool to meet someone on the same road and be able to catch a few pointers, or warn them away from a few pitfalls. Some of my dearest friends are people who I met at writers’ conferences.

I say all of this because this week is RWA – that the National event for Romance Writers of America (of which I am a member). It’s a big deal, sells out early, and is generally awesome. Take all those things I just said about having issues at a regular conference, and triple them. Then add in the discomfort that this will be my first RWA, and you can imagine the sort of stomach churning terror I am dealing with.

Seriously. I eat Tums like they’re a fifth food group.

That said, I try to think of myself, despite all evidence to the contrary, as a friendly sort. So if you’re at RWA, and you see me (I’ll be knitting, probably a red-orange clapotis scarf, I haven’t decided yet), please come say hello. We can always talk about knitting.

Are you back? You probably noticed it was a serial release – they’ll be putting out a chapter a week for the next four weeks. Be sure to visit again each Wednesday to read the next thrilling chapter.

Likewise, head over to The Galaxy Express to read my contribution to Parallel Universe. The Literature of Hope hits a lot of the things that make Science Fiction Romance one of my favorite genres to read or write.

Keeping up with Appearances

In other news, this next week will see me at RWA, trying not to melt in the heat even while I work on knitting and learning. After that, it’s a trip to GenCon, where you’ll be able to find me in Author Avenue. Look me up and say hello!

Speaking of my random tours of the Web, I am pleased to announce that I am participating in this year’s Parallel Universe – a blog party for writers of Science Fiction Romance hosted out at The Galaxy Express, and timed to coincide with RWA. My bit, “The Literature of Hope” will be posted the evening of the 24th, but I hope that you stop by every day and read the essays, since plenty of wiser heads than mine have been asked to contribute. Parallel Universe runs from tomorrow (20 July) through the end of the month.