RWA Conference

Just started to recoup from RWA conference which seemed a lot larger this year. Between workshops (Donald Maas gave an excellent one on fire in your writing) and keynotes where Janet Evanovich talked about burning a bin full of rejections and socializing with fellow writers and friends, I feel like it was a total whirlwind of activity. Couple of highlights:

• Meeting and rooming with Kate Johnson (aka Cat Marsters), who is a fantastic, witty woman and who put up with my hyperness very well. (And she has great taste in men, shoes, clothes, pop culture, and fictional hotties. Really, why is she so far away?) I'm looking forward to reading her books that her two personalities write: Kate Johnson writes chick-lit mysteries of Sophie Green and Cat Marters writes sexy (and smart) paranormal romance for Changeling Press and Ellora's Cave. We had a wonderful time hanging out at the conference, even if she attempted to steal my dog at the end of it. :P
  
• Rooming with Sybir and getting to see her do an excellent presentation on relaxation techniques for writers. I was so proud of her and how far she's come in her public speaking. She's doing a writing challenge: write 500 words a day and collect 10 rejections per month. I LOVE the idea of collecting rejections. I needed something to steer my mind away from receiving the DREADED rejection. If I make a game out of it, then I won't get stuck on the negative and it will force me to send out to more agents and editors. One of my major issues.
• Finally getting my wonderful friend E. Tate Johnson, who has been working on a fabulous story for the past few years, to attend a conference. It was so much fun seeing her meet other writers and get inspired and AWAY from the stresses of life for awhile. Yay!
• Hanging out with Marcia Collette, whose career is really taking off (not to mention a very special event happening in a few months). She writes Urban Fantasy and has books with Parker Publishing and Samhain. Can't wait to check them out. She is absolutely a force to be reckon with and an amazing person and woman. Her enthusiasm is infectious! I never stop laughing with I'm with her.
  
• Seeing Karmela and trying to convince her to join us again. She has a fantastic writing style and is really denying the writing world a talent by not submitting right now.
• Hanging out with Karen and dragging her around DC–poor thing. Though I cannot thank her enough for her encouragement. I get by with a little help from my friends. :)
• Seeing Ann, who is sooooo close to selling, and telling her not to give up. She is such an easygoing, positive person. She's the best.
• Having dinner and a coffee with Maya Rodale, one of my critique partners, who has some big things planned and I'll keep you posted on her next books coming out soon. She's got a great idea. Can't wait to read it. She's a wonderful writer and friend and she is doing amazing things besides writing. Her and Ann have established the Share the Love organization. If you have any gently used romance novels, ship them to the address on their site and they will distribute them to women's shelters and other places where women are in need of a pick me up. Romances are shown to make people happier who read them, why not share the romance, share the love?
• Having dinner and dessert with Alix Rickloff. She is such a fun, down-to-earth person and I'm so happy for her success. I'm reading her book Lost in You now, and it is a wonderful, unique story (and the hero is very sexy). I picked up her second book in the series that deal with Fey set in the Georgian period. She'll have more stories set in this world out next year. She's a rising star. Yay!
• Alix suggesting that I go through an agent list and just keep submitting down the list as I get rejections. All the while, I should continue working on my revisions to my latest story. When I get to the bottom of the list, start again at the top of the list with the next story (and begin another book). She said it will at least get my name on agents' desk and they'll start remembering it. I LOVED this idea. This is why I enjoy hanging with writers and it's so important to join organization—for the support and fantastic ideas.
• Seeing Laurel, Victoria, and all my other friends from WRW and being excited for the wonderful successes they had.
  
• Learning from Donald Maas that I should think about my story from the villain's persective. How this will help keep the villian three dimensional.
• Learning from another workshop about using props and locations and even what people are wearing to build in characterization. How a charater sets up their home or dresses can say volumes without being too overt. Very cool.

I'm sure there's lots more, but now I need to get back to writing. I need to beat Sybir at the rejection game: one way or another.