Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Acceptance Speech

This is the gist of it.  I did ad-lib some things that weren't in my notes.  You all are getting "just the notes."  Because frankly it's easier for me to copy and paste than try to remember all the blathering moronic things I probably said in front of 2000+ people.

Enjoy the insanity below:

+++++

Mrs. D, my high school librarian, and the reason I hit upon the career in the first place.  Sign up to do a work-study in the media center, or suffer through another semester of geometry?  The choice was easy. 

DT, director of The Library That Gave Me My First Professional Job, for taking leave of his senses and hiring a very green 23-year-old fresh out of college, who had no idea what she was doing.  I couldn’t have asked for a better first boss in this profession.

My former supervisors at My Current Employer – GW for getting me in the door, and JT for giving me my dream job in collection management. 

My current supervisor, SQ, for being incredibly supportive, and all-around awesome.

The local RWA chapters I’ve begged and pleaded with over the years to do my library’s annual Literary Event.  Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego.  Your members have taken pity on me, and made me look good to my bosses.  Thank you.

To RWA, yes for this wonderful honor, but for also not having this conference during the baseball trade deadline.  Seriously, 2008 in San Francisco almost killed me. 

Dede Anderson and her staff at The Romance Reader for being the reason I got hooked on the genre in the first place.  My first Nora Roberts trilogy, my first category romance, my first Maggie Osborne, Susan Wiggs, Emma Holly, Megan Hart – yeah, all their doing. 

To all the fine folks I’ve met online and out in cyperspace thru the years.  The Scandalous Ladies for all the coffee klatch’ing, all the SoCalBloggers for the fabulous book talk, with a special shout-out to Rosie.  The first official meeting of our group was just the two of us, and now there are over 20. Sybil who exploits my category romance addiction for her own nefarious purposes, KristieJ for slapping me upside the head every now and then over all the great books I still have languishing in my TBR.  For the record, no Kristie, I still haven’t read Connor’s Way, Sugar Daddy or any of Patricia Potter’s westerns.  I know Kristie.  Yes, I know.  I suck.  And now everybody in this room knows it too.

My parents who have loved and respected each other for 40 years, for raising three relatively well-adjusted daughters – for supporting us, loving us, and most importantly, letting us go off on our own, even if they thought our “plans” were a disaster waiting to happen.  Some of them were, some of them weren’t – and we all turned out OK.

My two sisters for being more of everything I wish I was.  When I grow up, if I’m half as awesome as they are, I’ll consider myself rich beyond words.

And finally to My Man.  For being persistent, tolerant of the book mountain range growing in our apartment and loving me when it wasn’t always easy.  Thank you.

16 comments:

Julia Broadbooks said...

Thanks for posting this and congrats again.

Anonymous said...

That made me teary just reading it. I can't imagine how it was to hear. Thank you for all you do for romance, and have a wonderful rest of the trip in NYC!

Rowena said...

Awwww, I'm so frickin' happy for you. I'm super stoked to see us So Cal Bloggers got a shout out (Rosie is pretty darn special isn't she?). Like Jessica, I teared up a bit while reading your acceptance speech.

Congratulations again, Wendy. You so seriously rock (no matter what you told those 2K+ people).

Big hugs!

shayera said...

That's lovely. All the twitters were super positive about your speech!
Great job!

Theresa Romain said...

Congratulations to you! I would have loved to see/hear this in person, but the notes are pretty dang great. I'm really enjoying your RWA posts--thanks for sharing the conference through your rockin' librarian eyes.

Phyl said...

So nice, Wendy. Thanks for sharing it for those of us who couldn't be there. Once again, congratulations. Hope you're having a blast.

Lil Sis said...

Thanks for the shout out! :) Although you are a superhero while I am just a mere mortal. I also have to tell you that Lemon Drop was concerned that you didn't mention her in your speech. I reminded her that she was already acknowledged when you gave her credit for winning the award. Oh, and she has had numerous posts and that she should let you have this one. But you know Lemon Drop...it's all about her. :)

Leslie said...

I'm sure there were quite a few teary eyes in the room. Wonderful speech! Congrats and thanks for everything you do for romance readers. You so deserve this!

nath said...

you did such a fab job and you got me all teary eyed. And other than `cause of laughing so hard, I don`t get teary eyed over much. You are the awesome!!!

Kristie writing this under Nath`s name cause we are leaving shortly for the Berkley signing where I expect we will see you :-)

Big Sis said...

You already are half as awesome as I.
Tee hee hee, just kidding sis. You rock!

Wendy said...

My sisters, the smart asses. See if I ever mention either of you an acceptance speech ever again. Neener, neener, neener.

And thanks everybody else!

Christine said...

Congratulations once again, Wendy! What a lovely acceptance speech. My eyes got watery by the time I got to the bottom of that, too.

It was great meeting you on Tuesday! You ARE super. : )

Karenmc said...

Lovely notes - I bet the speech was great and funny (how could it not be?) :)

Jami Davenport said...

Great speech, Wendy. Wish I'd been there, but we'll meet next year if not sooner.

Megan Hart said...

Wendy, I was thrilled to see you'd won an award, and I was stunned and honored to be included in your acceptance speech. Thank you! And Congratulations, your award was well deserved.

M

Dede said...

Congrats, Wendy!

You really deserve this - as a superb advocate for romance!

We still all miss you at TRR.

Dede