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, July 18, 2013

RWA 2013: Hitting The Ground Running

I landed in steamy Atlanta in the early evening, and somehow managed to beat KristieJ (my roommate) here.  She arrived shortly thereafter however, and after a brief settling in that including hugs and much squee'ing - we hit the bar to hook up with Rosie and World Famous Author, L.B. Gregg.

Talk was talked, drinks were consumed, and I ate dinner at an unreasonable hour.  Then it was back to the room where at 1:00AM, and still on Pacific Standard Time and I thought to myself, "Gee, I need to get up to get ready for Librarians Day at 6:30AM.  I might, oh, want to try to force myself to go to sleep."

So yeah, I started RWA off right by not getting enough sleep!  A growing trend sure to last the rest of the week.

Librarians Day was a big success.  There were several good panels and Jennifer Lohmann (another World Famous Author AND a librarian!) and myself got a lot of nice compliments from attendees about our panel on romance-related programming for libraries.  Jill Shalvis was a really good luncheon speaker, and I was able to track down author Vivien Arend thanks to her omnipresent cowboy hat.

The Librarian Goodie Room was, once again, off the chain.  I had a full bag of books, and that was me holding back.  Oh silly Wendy.  It's really time to consider decluttering the ol' TBR pile.  I still have books lying around on my desk from, oh, last year's RWA.  Sigh.

Then it was off to the Literacy Signing where I stood in line with Rosie and Kristie.  I told both of them that I probably wasn't going to buy much, and $136 later we know Wendy is a big fat liar.  Here's the thing though, I bought a hard cover book for a coworker, and ended up with three trade paperbacks - so there you have it.  Hey, it's only money - and it went to charity - so it's all good.  Here are some photos that I snapped from last night:

Giant lumbering Wendy (who lumbers over everybody) next to JUDE MOTHER-EFFIN' DEVERAUX!  I only babbled like a moron a little bit.

Carrie Lofty (whose historicals I lover) signing copies of her new Lindsey Piper paranormals for me.

Bronwyn Parry who came all the way from Australia (well via the UK) signing a copy of her latest (and RITA nominated) Romantic Suspense title for me.  

Jennifer Lohmann, my copresenter at Librarians Day and author for Harlequin SuperRomance.
After the Literacy Signing I decided to skip the Smart Bitches party - mostly because I had been going non-stop since 7AM and boy howdy my feet were shot!  Rosie, LB Gregg and I hit the bar, met up with Ally Blue and Jet Mykles and grabbed some food.  Then, naturally, has can happen at RWA - when I was all set to head back to my room I ran into friends (online friends I've known longer than I've been blogging!) in the bar.  I chatted with Sandi and Mo - and then I really, really had to get back to the room where, of course, I found KristieJ and of course we had to share our bounty from the Literacy Signing.

And you know, I went to bed at 1AM.

Go Team Wendy.

10 comments:

Kim in Baltimore said...

Thanks for the pics and update! I'm in the middle of a military move ... so I am missing the fun! But I'll be back on the mainland, ready for future conferences in Romanceland!

nath said...

Wish I was there with you guys :)

136$ is really not bad at the literacy signing Wendy. When I went, I spent twice that ^_^;

And oh, I had no idea Ms Lofty had released under a pen name. Need to check on her books now :) And Bronwyn Parry's books sound great!!

I'm curious to know how did the others fare? :)

AnimeJune said...

Sounds like a great time! I love your recaps - they make me sad I'm not there! LOL!

Ally Blue said...

Dropping in waaaay late (I was hardly online AT ALL in Atlanta, ha), but I wanted to say it was awesome meeting you! I hope we get a chance to hang out again next year in San Antonio, if not sooner :)

Wendy said...

Kim: Rosie asked if you were coming and when I told her you were moving she said, "Oh yeah, it's that time of year!" She's former Air Force brat :)

Wendy said...

Nath: Well considering I got a hard cover, three trade paperbacks, plus a couple of mass market? Yeah, $136 isn't too bad I guess!

I read Parry's first two books (Australian publisher) and REALLY liked them a lot. Anxious to read this new one, which was nominated for a RITA.

Wendy said...

KristieJ said, "I miss AnimeJune" (although she used your Real Life Name - LOL). We all missed you! I love talking books with you, especially when we both get on a Ranty McRant :)

Wendy said...

Ally: It was so great meeting you too!

Caren Crane said...

Wendy, I am in RWA 2013 withdrawal and was Googling for people's stories and updates (to hang onto while at work) and found your blog. I love it! Imagine my surprise to find you hanging out with the likes of Jennifer Lohmann (a chapter mate of mine and super awesome romance programming librarian!) and Kim in Hawaii (who is leaving Hawaii but has been known to hang out with us at Romance Bandits)! Obviously you have fine taste. :D

It is a goal of mine to attend a Librarian's Luncheon one of these days. Perhaps not next year, but some year soon. I hope I get to meet you one day! I also hope I get a good night's sleep tonight to combat the conference exhaustion, but that is iffy. Too many conference-induced ideas whirling through my brain for sleep!

Wendy said...

Caren: It's a small world! Glad you stumbled across my blog.

I took Monday off work, but it was back to bitter reality on Tuesday. And just to ease back into real life? I work the Sunday shift this weekend. Blah. I had more fun in Atlanta :)