Well, this is going to be a mighty exciting weekend for yours truly. Not only do I have the honor of speaking and signing books at my local RWA chapter, I get to share that honor with the amazing Linda Howard. Seriously, Linda Howard. The topic of my craft presentation in the morning is pacing. It wasn’t until I started seriously preparing my talk that I realized I’d set myself a real challenge. Nothing could be worse than a talk on pacing that dragged or ran over time! Talk about pressure! But my chaptermates are very friendly and forgiving, so I will just do my best. 🙂

A little roundup of links:

Two more review sites recently gave high marks to Surrender of a Siren!
Review at All About Romance
Review at The Romance Reader

And if you click here, you can read an in-depth interview about writing Siren that I did for Rhapsody Book Club.

Don’t forget – the release of book three, A Lady of Persuasion, is coming up September 29! I’ve got plans in the works for a great big launch party right here on the blog, with prizes galore. Stay tuned for more details!… Read More »

Okay, so I have a very loose definition of “tomorrow”… *shrug* Click on any of the pictures for a better view.

Friday was a big day at RWA, and I began it by sleeping late. 🙂 Seriously, I’d planned to attend morning workshops, but I was just so beat by the previous two days’ activities to drag myself out of bed before 9:30 AM.

So my first real activity of the day was to attend the Awards Luncheon, which I would not have missed for the world – because the speaker was none other than Eloisa James. And what a speech she gave.

A Washington Post columnist happened to be in attendance, and you can read his summary and reaction here. (Be sure to scroll down and read the comments for a more rounded view of the event.) For me, Eloisa’s main point was that we can’t be afraid to use the drama and humor of our own lives to fuel our fiction. A quote I tweeted from the luncheon went something like this: “Best-sellers are born of strong emotion, not just lots of sex.” 🙂 I can tell you that there was not a dry eye at our table at the conclusion of the luncheon.

After the luncheon, Courtney Milan and I were on a panel with our wonderful agents, Kristin Nelson and Helen Breitwieser, and historical authors Sherry Thomas and Tracy Anne Warren. The topic of the panel was something akin to “How to be an Anomaly”–which, … Read More »

Whew. Why did I think I’d be able to blog from RWA National Conference? I don’t think I even cracked open the laptop but once. It was iphone or nothing. But anyway, I am finally home and had such a great time. This was my first conference as a really, truly, almost-all-grownup author! And it ROCKED.

The fun started Wednesday with the Eloisa James/Julia Quinn Bulletin Board get-together, catered by the amazing Kim Castillo (we were enjoying the fruits cookies of her labor all week). Later that day, I had my first-ever book signing at the RWA Readers for Life literacy benefit. I only had about 15 copies there, and they were all gone within minutes, thanks to my wonderful friends. I can’t tell you how touching it was to see people I’ve “known” online for three years show up with hugs and misty eyes to support the release of GODDESS OF THE HUNT. I am so blessed with a wonderful network of friendship and support.

Thursday started with breakfast with my roomies Courtney Milan and Carey Baldwin, plus…oh…a dozen? of the historical romance genre’s most esteemed authors. Oh my stars – Joanna Bourne, Sherry Thomas, Mary Jo Putney, and several more – all before I’d had my coffee. I may have dreamed it.

After breakfast, I attended the Rogue Digital Seminar presented by Sarah Wendell of Smart Bitches Trashy Books, Kassia Kroszer of QuartetPress, Angela James of Samhain Publishing, and Jane Litte of Dear Author, … Read More »

I’ve been interviewed by The Season, author Beverley Kendall’s beautiful online newsletter for readers of historical romance.  Bev asked me all sorts of thoughtful questions about Goddess of the Hunt, writing in series, and what I’m working on next. In conjunction with the interview, she’s running a giveaway – one lucky person will win a copy of GOTH and a $15 gift certificate to the online bookstore of her choice!  So click on over and win.

It’s also a sort of holiday season for me…I’m getting ready to fly off to DC next week for the RWA National Conference, which is pretty much my Christmas in July.  It’s definitely the occasion that warrants the most shopping outside of December!  I’ve got my new frocks and shoes and bookmarks and promo buttons (click photo for a better view):

I plan to set up a form on this website, to give away extras once I get home from conference…

If you’ll be in DC, please do stop by and see me Wednesday at the Literacy Signing (even if you don’t buy a book!  Really!), or the panel I’ll be on with authors Courtney Milan, Sherry Thomas, Tracy Anne Warren, and our wonderful agents, Kristin Nelson and Helen Breitwieser – it’s Friday at 2PM.

I’ll try to post a few updates and pix from conference!… Read More »