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Bigger, Sexier, and A Lot More Fun!
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I’m shamelessly borrowing it from my good friend (and roomie!) India, because Ms. Eloisa James came up with the phrase while giving India pitch pointers and it quickly became our battle cry.
RWA was phenomenal. Meeting those of you who were there was awesome, because without exception, everyone was even more fantastic in person than I’d imagined. (Geez, I’m already running out of superlatives, and I’ve barely started the blog!) I was so proud of everyone who pitched and got requests and networked their little badges off. There were so many great moments, I can’t begin to list them all. Well, okay, I can begin, and I’ll just have to save the stuff I forget for a later post:
Highlights:
- High tea with Julia Quinn and Eloisa James and several of their esteemed readers
- Meeting more of my idols at the literacy booksigning
- CM’s birthday bash – after which we caught a pimped-out limo for our Harry Potter showing
- Pitching and plotting with the Manuscript Mavens
- Lisa Kleypas’ inspiring keynote address, and Lisa Jackson’s Hot Tamales giveaway
- Attending the Avon off-site booksigning with several Fanlitters, including a couple of the Romance Vagabonds
- Hanging out in the pitch room with any/all of the above
- Hanging out in the bar with any/all of the above
Of course, there was the RWA bylaws drama to keep things interesting, and the nerves inherent to pitching and networking – I barely slept, and I’m sure I lost at least three pounds! All in all, though, it was an amazing weekend. I’m so glad I went. Sitting in that huge ballroom in a sea of women (with a few men here or there) who create, publish, and promote this genre – it was an amazing feeling, and so inspiring. Now I just have to focus all that energy and get back down to work. And tackle the mountain of laundry ….
July 16th, 2007 at 9:46 am · Link
Glad you had a wonderful time!
July 16th, 2007 at 12:50 pm · Link
I finally bit the bullet and wrote the RWA check…San Francisco here I come. Glad everything was fun and inspiring!
July 16th, 2007 at 1:38 pm · Link
Yay! So glad you had a fun & productive trip! Thanks for the report – and count me in for next year!
July 16th, 2007 at 3:20 pm · Link
Tessa, you’re my hero! It was lovely to meet you, and I can’t wait to see your name in bookstores (it *won’t* be long)!
July 16th, 2007 at 3:36 pm · Link
San Fran in 2007!
July 16th, 2007 at 4:13 pm · Link
Tessa, it sounds like all of you had a fabulous time! I’m so happy for all of you!
July 16th, 2007 at 4:46 pm · Link
Tessa,
It was a wonderful time! Speed through that mountain of laundry, and let’s hope that Friday the 13th luck is still holding strong.
July 16th, 2007 at 6:09 pm · Link
Well, Tessa,
I found your three pounds! I’m returning them as soon as possible.
🙂
July 16th, 2007 at 9:12 pm · Link
Tessa, it was a joy to meet you. I can’t wait to hear about all the good things that will come as a result of all your hard work 🙂
July 16th, 2007 at 9:23 pm · Link
WB! So glad your trip was safe and you had such a good time!
July 16th, 2007 at 9:23 pm · Link
Tessa, what great stories! I am so envious. It sounds as if you all had a wonderful, awe-inspiring, and productive time! My mantra now is “San Francisco or Bust!” Beth (aka Gillian) and Erin had a wonderful time and represented the Slaves as only those two wonderful ladies could. They cannot stop talking about meeting all of the Avon FanLit crew and what a fun group of ladies you all are. Now, write – write – write!!
July 16th, 2007 at 9:41 pm · Link
Gah! How could I forget to mention that Pamela/Doglady WON the Royal Ascot!!! I wasn’t lucky enough to be there to see it, but we were so excited to hear all about it from Beth/Gillian.
And it was so wonderful to meet all of you who were there. Maggie, Ericka, Lindsey, Pamela, Kelly, Ely – I’m counting on you all for 2008! SF used to be my hometown!
July 16th, 2007 at 10:26 pm · Link
Loved, LOVED hanging out with you in Dallas, Tessa. Can’t wait for SF!
July 17th, 2007 at 6:05 am · Link
San Fran was a maybe but the more I read about the wonderful time everyone had it’s changing to a must! Gosh, I’ll need to start that fund right away.
So glad you had a good time and that everyone got so much out of this trip. Can’t wait to buy the book. Whoohoo!
And I love the catch phrase! Leave it to Eloisa…
July 17th, 2007 at 7:22 am · Link
Sounds like a blas- I’m sorry I missed it!
July 17th, 2007 at 7:42 am · Link
As you already know (because I’ve blogged rapturously about it everywhere), it was absolutely marvelous to meet you at long last.
And next year, I expect to see you signing ARCs for GOTH! Or at least being introduced to everyone by Tessa Woodward as Avon’s next big star :)!
July 17th, 2007 at 10:04 am · Link
Loved getting to meet you face to face, finally. And I will definitely try to see more of you in 2008.
July 17th, 2007 at 12:08 pm · Link
Sounds like a great time was had by all.
Glad to hear that you “networked your badge” off.
July 17th, 2007 at 12:15 pm · Link
Wasn’t that pitching room amazing! At any given point we were all there either waiting to pitch or waiting for an opening or encouraging those without appointments to pitch. I am so glad Bev, J Perry and Manda decided to take the plunge!
I’m going to tell you guys what I told Tessa and Sara Lindsey as we were exiting the RITAs….that I want to see both their books up there for Best First Book and/or Best Long Historical Romance. A Golden Heart wouldn’t be anything to sneeze at either!
Great to meet everyone and I can’t wait for SanFran so I can meet some more of you!
Congrats DogLady on your win!
July 18th, 2007 at 5:49 pm · Link
Tessa! It was so cool to get to meet you! I can’t wait to do it all again. Maybe next time I can actually snag an agent appointment. 🙂