A fresh skiff of snow on Wedge Mountain — must be midsummer. Home. And I am psyched about the road that lies ahead after the RWA conference in San Francisco. A good, hard, and hot run in the sun cleared the cobwebs from my conference brain, and I came up with some ideas for my new online read. Also managed to unpack. I have issues with unpacking, so am particularly proud to have tackled the chore ASAP.

I’d post more pics from RWA but am having WordPress issues — for a teensy visual slice of what went down in San Fran, please visit my Facebook page (way easy to upload pics there) .. and friend me while you’re at it!

The true highlight of my conference was meeting my agent, Jennifer Jackson face-to-face for the first time, and discovering that she was everything I expected, and so much more. A wonderful food ‘snob’, Jennifer took me here.

The other highlight was having dinner with the awesome Susan Litman, my editor, who rescued me from the slush pile not that many years ago. Always a delight to see and chat with her.

Beyond that — I connected with old friends, made new ones, and found nuggets of pure gold in the workshops.

Again, I was impressed with RWA, the RITA event, and everything in between.

There was work. There was fun. I met some incredible people in my profession. I connected physically with cyber faces. And I made new friends.

For me, RWA nationals in Dallas was a very good conference.

I didn’t manage to hook up online as I had hoped … and I didn’t take photos during the ‘business’ sessions, but as you can see, romance writers know how to have fun!

  Myself and roomie Ola (Olivia Gates)

Suzanne McMinn does her thing !                           The beautiful Nina Bruhns

Caridad Pineiro goes for the cheese (a woman after my heart)

 
SRS authors from back, left to right: Nina Bruhns, Cindy Dees, Moi, (and second row from left) Diana Duncan, Jenna Mills, Beth Cornelison, (and front) Caridad Pineiro (We had one with Suzanne, but no Cindy, so Suzanne gets her own pic )

Me and the wonderful Suzanne. (I blinked at the flash) (and yes, I am pitching my tent on her farm!!)

Richard Curtis, lone male on the dance floor

Yes, I was *this* close to The Nora. Here with a beautifully pregnant Michelle Willingham, and .. due to conference brain, a charming author whose name is escaping me .. help! (Addendum — it’s Diane Gaston!!! Thank-you Michelle )

Can you spot Rae (Heather Rae Scott), Tara Taylor Quinn, and Stacy Boyd in the conga line?

And Beth Cornelison, and the beckoning Danica/Dream?

Me with my other roomie, fellow Canadian and GH finalist, Anna Perrin, on Rita night– Anna is a person I was truly privileged to meet.

Ola, Rae et moi, having way too much fun

Bailey Stewart!!!!            Sandy Moffat-Parks                         The wonderful Ken Casper

Literacy booksigning: Chaptermate Susan Lyons – 2007 Booksellers Best winner in both mainstream category and best first book (left), and SRS author and Rita finalist Diana Duncan (right)     

 
My dear friend, the glamerous, dramatic and inimitable Olivia Gates. With baklava!!!

The romance-writing WHITES — Karen White, Loreth Anne White, Pat White, and  Karen White-Owens (Standing). We’re going on tour (Pat’s idea)

 Melting in the Texas heat with Anna outside the Sixth Floor museum, from which JFK was allegedly shot by Lee Harvey Oswald

 I got real close to that stage!! Anna invited me to sit with her in the VIP section at the Rita/GH awards ceremony. Congrats to ALL finalists and winners.

 And last but most definitely not least, a kindred soul — GH finalist and double Daphne winner, Kim Howe. I truly loved meeting this talented lady.