October has sure turned
out to be a very busy month! Along with the college admissions/visit journey
we've been on at home, there's been a lot of fun things going on in the writing
life.
For starters, my fellow
HVRWA members and I participated in a Wine & Sign event at Palaia Vineyards
in Highland Mills, NY. That was Saturday, October 4, and despite the gloomy
weather, we had a fantastic turnout, and everyone sold books - we had something for everyone who came by that day. It was so much
fun, we've decided to look into doing similar events in other area wineries, so
keep an eye out for details as we plan.
Here's the whole crew
just prior to the start of the event:
Our Fearless Leader,
HVRWA Chapter President Elf Ahearn:
And some of our other prolific
members:
The biggest October
event was the NJRW Put Your Heart in a Book conference. I attend this every
year, and it is always a great time. I think all my fellow attendees had just
as much fun as I did. It really was a fabulous time – a good chunk of my local
RWA chapter attended, which always makes it more fun, because we all know how
to trigger each others' silly spots! We all know what couple of words will set one
of us off into a tizzy of delirious laughter.
The thrill of being a
finalist in the Golden Leaf this year added to the excitement. Alas, neither I,
nor my fellow finalist, critique partner and friend, Elizabeth Shore, took home
the coveted award. Still, as they say, it was an honor to be nominated. But I
really do mean that – having my book chosen as one of the best in the category
says a lot, and tells me I'm doing something right.
Special thanks to Tara Andrews who managed to get a shot of this:
Truly, though, as
always, this conference is a wonderful experience, on so many levels. I posted last
year that the hotel services were very strangely a little under par – this year, they
were on the mark (or above it) every time, so that was great. I've been to this
hotel many times over the last 20 or so years, so last year was truly an
anomaly. Though I must be honest - $9 for a glass of wine was a bit much. A lot
much. Even when I was working FT, I learned a long time ago how to work around
that, but this year, it was on the outrageous side.
So what did I like?
Everything! The PAN retreat, the Editors Panel, the workshops – everything offered
was just what I needed, whether I knew it going in or not. I gained some really
valuable info, which has me re-arranging a few things.
I also got to meet several
people in person who I'd only previously met online. Yeah, there's a bit of
fangirl in me. I doubt it will ever go away completely!
I made some good connections,
discovered some new opportunities, and learned a few techniques (some that will
make life a whole lot more manageable, if I do them right). So stay tuned, I
hope to be able to be sharing some upcoming events – I promise they'll be a ton
of fun!
One event on the
horizon that I can share now is that a few of my critique partners and I are
participating in a Book Talk at the Washington Township, NJ library on November
20. We'll be talking about our books, writing craft and the romance fiction
industry, holding a Q&A, plus we'll be signing our books. I'll have more
specific details about that later on, with links and how you can get in on the
fun!
October is also a big birthday/anniversary
month in our house, too, and it reminds me of how truly blessed I am to have
such a wonderful family, fantastic friends and a rich full life in general. I
am truly thankful for that.
Thanks for the pictures!!!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you couldn't join us this year. We really missed you. Hope you're doing better these days.
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