RWA 2013 Bar Highlights

Non-bar highlight: Barbara O’Neal hugged me!

I feel like I should write a Romance Writers of America national conference 2013 wrap up post, but I’ve read so many “how to get the most of your conference” and “Wisdom from RWA 2013” that I’m scared. The number one tip seems to be “Don’t spend all your time in the bar.” Guilty! On any given night you could find me sitting in a group of fun folks with a beer in one hand and a glass of water in the other. I didn’t get drunk once, but I successfully fought the urge to go hide in my room. No one ever believes I’m shy, but drop me down into a room full of strangers, and I want to read my book. I might do a quick pass through the bar, simultaneously hoping someone will flag me down while trying to look like I have somewhere super-important to be. Does this sound familiar to anyone? If so, find me in the bar at the next conference. We can be strangers together.

Tiffany Reisz and Eden Bradley burning up the bar!

Bar highlights: Eden Bradley, Jessica Topper, and I hashed out an RT workshop proposal and sent it off – from the bar! People introduced me to people, and I got to fangirl. Yes, it’s a verb. For example, I found Robin Covington hanging in the bar. She introduced me to Avery Flynn. Kimberly Kincaid is already my pal, and it was sweet to hang out drinking IPAs with those three musketeers of smex and awesome. I love their books! Tiffany Reisz met me in the bar.  I could probably stop here. I adore that woman. As much as I love her books! A LOT! Of course, we could have arranged to meet somewhere else, but we landed in the bar, so it counts as bar #win. I became comfortable enough in the bar that I made NEW friends, and they found me on FB and Twitter so we can continue being friends. I reconnected with old friends I look forward to seeing every year. I guess they know they can find me in the bar…

Jessica Topper and I played hooky from the conference and went to Tough Love Yoga. Balance! Read her post here.

While I was standing in the bar, two women from the Microsoft convention (also at our hotel) came over to talk to us. They were avid romance fans and had a lot of questions. One of them even had an app on her phone that tracked her favorite authors release dates! Yes, we swagged her up one side and down the other, but she was begging for it. And then we just talked about our favorite authors and books. Now, are you ready for this? Kristan Higgins and her McIrish came into the bar Friday night. Yes, yes I did. And anyone who heard her speech and didn’t get to tell her it was amazing will understand why. I totally shook her hand or hugged her, I don’t even know which, because my heart flew into my throat at memory of the grace and humor and strength and brilliance she displayed during her speech. I thanked her for sharing it with us. And I thanked her adorable husband for supplying her with all that good sex. I also asked her to fill in the last blank here because I was sobbing too hard during the speech. Balance = joy = heart =…books. You all KNOW how I feel about balance.

Balance is my Holy Grail.

Let’s look for it in the bar next year in RWA14  in Texas!