RWA Nationals and My Contest Win!


As most  of you know, I had the privilege of attending my first RWA Nationals a little over a week ago. The conference was amazing, fun, and overwhelming.  I highly recommend going if you ever get the chance.  I think I'm hooked now and will be saving up to attend every year.  Next year it's in New York!

Now, the amount of information to be had was daunting and I tried to attend as many workshops as possible (often forgoing getting stacks of free books from the publisher-sponsored signings in order to do so.  See how dedicated to learning I am?  :)  Okay, so I still came home with about thirty free books but I didn't miss any workshops to obtain those.)

I plan over the next few days to share as much as I can about what I learned including: lessons from Queryfest, a practical way to do a synopsis, notes on voice, digital publishing/ebooks, breaking the rules, the awesomeness of writers, and a number of other things.

But first, before I get to the meat of those topics, I just wanted to share (in case you didn't see on Twitter or notice in my sidebar) that my manuscript won FIRST PLACE in Passionate Ink's Stroke of Midnight contest!!!  Winners were selected by the senior editor at Harlequin Spice.  :) This is the second first place win for Wanderlust (and is the last contest I entered it in), so I was really excited.

Also, on that note, I actually saw the Harlequin Blaze editor who has the full of Wanderlust in one of my workshops. Despite my extremely introverted tendencies, I knew if I didn't approach her and introduce myself, I'd be kicking myself on the way home.  So, after the workshop, I stopped her to chat.

She was very gracious and actually remembered the title of my manuscript without me mentioning it (so I thought that was a good thing). And though I told her I wasn't asking about status (because I'm not one of those crazy conference stalkers), that I just wanted to say hi and let her know about my contest win, she did let me know that I'm still in her to be read pile and that she hopes to get to it in the next few months.

So, it was good news (not rejected!) and bleh news (more waiting.)  But I'll take more waiting if that's what's needed. We're going on nine months since they requested the full, so even though that seems interminable in my own Roni-time, it's really not that long in this industry.

So, all around, the conference was a terrific experience and totally fed my writer soul.  If you ever get the chance to go to a conference, even a smaller, local one, I say go!  Yes, you can learn a tremendous amount online and (if you're like me) that saves you having to push past your shyness.  But nothing can substitute for the feeling you get being surrounded by other writers and talking to people who truly UNDERSTAND this crazy existence.

*And for those of you who care, the picture above is of me with some of the members of my local RWA group at the conference.  From left to right: Michelle Welsh, Kim Quinton, Me, Jerrie Alexander, Marsha West, author Nikki Duncan, my bestest conference buddy Jamie Wesley, author Shayla Black, and author/blogger Heather Long.

Have you gone to any local or national conferences?  What was your experience?  If you haven't gone to one, besides the cost, what are your concerns?


**Today's Theme Song**
"Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" - Fall Out Boy
(player in sidebar, take a listen)

Finalist! Yeah, Baby, Yeah!

 


Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  Mine was jam-packed, but terrific.  Not only did I get to see Bon Jovi in concert Saturday night (sweeeeet), I also attended the DFW Writers' Conference--which meant ten workshops, plus one keynote speaker (NY Times Bestselling author Jodi Thomas), plus an agents panel (ten agents!) all in two days.  If you live anywhere near this area, you should definitely check out the conference next year.  This group really puts on a good one.

 

I will try to compile my notes and pass along as many tidbits as I can over this week to let you know what I learned.  But first, I want to share my good news.  Last night I came home after the conference to a wonderful email.

My manuscript Wanderlust is one of the five finalists in the contemporary category of Passionate Ink's (the erotic chapter of RWA) Stroke of Midnight contest!!!  So now my first thirty-five pages go to the editor at Spice Books (Harlequin) for final judging.  Winners will be announced at the end of July.

 


I also received some superfabulous feedback from the judges to put in my you-are-not-a-total-hack-so-stop-feeling-sorry-for-yourself file that I pull out when I'm ready to toss the laptop into the wood chipper.

 

There is officially no better feeling than having a complete stranger (who's there to judge you, no less) read your work and have them tell you that you've totally hooked them and that they love your characters.  It's like writer crack.  That is, by far, the part I look forward to most if I were to when (yes, universe, I'm putting you on notice) I get published--making readers feel something and connect with my story.

Now, all I need is a book deal.  You hear that out there dear editors at Harlequin?  I ♥ you, please ♥ me back.  :)  (I'm not above begging, incessant flattery, or gifts.  Just let me know what you prefer.)

Alright, how was your weekend?  Do you keep a folder of good stuff to get you by when you're feeling frustrated about writing?  What do you look forward to most WHEN you get published?

 
 
 

**Today's Theme Song**
"Song 2" - Blur
(player in sidebar, take a listen)