Comic-Con
![](http://www.lorenjavier.com/cpg133/albums/comiccon2006/02-rich-at-comic-con.jpg) So, I was supposed to be autographing one of my Silhouette Nocturne books at Comic-Con last Friday. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Not so much. A two hour trip to San Diego took my dh and I THREE hours with the stop and go traffic. And when we finally hit SD, five minutes before my signing was to happen, we couldn't find anywhere to PARK THE CAR. There were three million people wandering around and not a parking spot to be found! I even tried to get a hotel room (that we wouldn't use) just to have a parking spot. Nope. Hotels all full. I finally had to give up, call my publisher (who was inside waiting for me) and confess that I couldn't get near the Convention Center!! Note to San Diego.....think about providing spill over parking for your HUGE events!! Note to self.....if you're asked to sign again next year, which I would LOVE, go the day before. And book a hotel room six weeks in advance!
More Random....
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_w8Wdj5DWjwg/RqPPpGPVNfI/AAAAAAAAADc/98pXWqGxHNA/s320/conference+07+Dallas+007.jpg) This is the view from my Dallas hotel room and since I'm a big clouds and sky person, I really enjoyed it.......although. Hmph. I know Texas is tired of rain (with good reason, hey, I'm no fan of flooding), but COME ON!! I couldn't see ONE thunderstorm while I was there??? Couldn't sit in my room with that great view and watch lightning??? We don't get lightning in So. Ca. and clearly, that's my doing, since Texas was pretty much dry while I was there.........
Rita Night.............
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_w8Wdj5DWjwg/RqJLHmPVNdI/AAAAAAAAADM/h7x9IVwP8oE/s320/conference+07+Dallas+021.jpg) Rita night at conference is a biggie. Think Oscars for Romance Writers......... Chris and Susan were both nominated for Ritas this year--(unfortunately, they didn't win)--but the nomination is huge, considering how many romance novels are released every year! And I was a presenter...the terror. Standing up in front of a couple thousand conference attendees was enough to make me look for the closest bar right after the ceremony! ![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_w8Wdj5DWjwg/RqJOlWPVNeI/AAAAAAAAADU/Xq7iwQOwbs8/s320/conference+07+Dallas+027.jpg) And here's a pic of our Rita nominees, Chris and Susan together. Gotta say, we all clean up really well! And next year, we WIN!
Random pics.......
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_w8Wdj5DWjwg/Rp-032B411I/AAAAAAAAADE/syCUB0-9uGA/s320/conference+07+Dallas+020.jpg) So here's a shot of the dancefloor at the Harlequin party in Dallas. Every year, all of the publishers throw a party. But NOBODY puts on a party like Harlequin! The food is great, the bar is free and the chocolate fountain is always a hit! But it's the dancing that keeps people there until the joint closes. That's right, we rock out all night and this picture explains why not one, but THREE different waiters asked us if we were a lesbian organization! A few hundred women dancing together--sans men--(okay, there were one or two brave guys there)--is bound to get a few questions, I guess.........
Success!!
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_w8Wdj5DWjwg/Rp7CDGB410I/AAAAAAAAAC8/DWoOi625Hi8/s320/conference+07+Dallas+004.jpg) Wow. Finally got the picture to post! I should probably try for a few more. But now I'm too mad at Blogger for stringing me along..=) I'll try for more tomorrow. In the meantime, here are me, Susan Mallery and Kate Carlisle on the first official day of conference. As promised. At last.
Post Conference--still asleep. Sort of....
Well, we're back and everyone I know is exhausted. Conference week is fun, but every day, there's something going on. Somewhere you have to be. Someone you have to meet. And the worst part?? At least for work at home writers who only have to deal with the occasional UPS and FedEx guy?? The pressure of looking good. That's right. For one week out of the year, we have to wear makeup. (And most of us actually have to BUY makeup before conference!) We have to convince our hair to do something other than just hang there and cover our heads. We have to wear clothes that MATCH. We wear high heels instead of flip-flops. We carry purses that are way too small to hold all of our crap but hey...see above...they MATCH.One of these days, I'll haul my laptop to conference with me, so I can do email and blogs from the hotel, like my good friend Jill Shalvis! But until then, I'll just do a few recaps afterward. The picture above is me with my pals Susan Mallery and Kate Carlisle on the first official day of conference! (No, you're not going blind. There is no picture up there because Blogger wasn't cooperating! I'll try to edit it in tomorrow. Hey, maybe Blogger's tired, too............)
Dallas Here We Come...........
![](http://www.visit-dallas.com/Dallas-Texas-Skyline.jpg) Time for conference. The packing frenzy is getting into high gear and the frantic remaking of the schedule is in its fourth incarnation! Back in a week. You guys read some good books so you can tell me all about them!
Countdown time.....
![](http://img1.jurko.net/wall/paper/harry_potter_8.jpg) Everybody else looking forward to the last Harry Potter book?? I really am, though I'm sorry it's the 'last' one. I suppose I understand why JK's ready to say goodbye. After all, this started as a young adult series for kids.... writing about a grown up Harry wouldn't be the same thing. Still, hard to say goodbye to characters you love. And terrible to know that she's going to be killing off at least two of the characters we love! Who will it be? Got any guesses? And did you notice that the Harry Potter movie opens on Friday the 13th?? Coincidence? I think not......
Conference Time Again!!
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_w8Wdj5DWjwg/Romhr83eMQI/AAAAAAAAAC0/nM3LS7uFjIY/s320/suitcaseDCJ.jpg) Cannot believe it's time for Romance Writers of America's national conference again already!! Hello?? Weren't we JUST in Atlanta?? And yes, Atlanta in July. This year, Dallas in July. Any wonder why most of us hole up in the hotel and never go anywhere else?? But my point here is...the pre-packing ritual has begun. A week before conference, out comes the suitcase. Open it up, lay it out on the bed and spend the next several days throwing EVERYTHING I'VE EVER OWNED into it! After all, you can't forget something!! I always do though. And I'm not alone. Inevitably, there's a group of us at the desk, claiming FedEx packages from home. So conference is here and that means books!! A couple thousand of us get together and we talk books. We plot books. We plan for the next books. We get signed copies of books. We hold a literacy reception where several hundred romance authors sign their books and the money raised goes to Literacy in America. There are writers and readers and agents and editors. Could it GET any better than that??
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