RWA Conference - The Clock is Ticking

It's that time of year, the RWA Conference is around the corner and after over a dozen years as a published author, I am finally attending.

Happy dance.

This year's conference is in New York. That's a bonus as New York is on my to-see list and I've yet to go there. So it's a trip of firsts.

But it's a bit of a project getting ready as I realized that after a work day spent in my basement office in front of a computer, there's been no need for office attire. Now I need clothes that look good and can be used when I return home. A shopping trip guarantees that I'll be the best dressed person in my basement office - population 1. Next up, a trip to the courier store for a proper size box for my give-away books. Then, notebooks to write down what I might learn - a few pens that actually have ink.  As I'm only taking my i-phone, I doubt if I'll be taking many notes on it - thus, the pens. Although, I plan to blog from my i-phone. We'll see how all that turns out.

So I'm shopped and almost packed and there's only days to go. The app that the RWA supplied is great at organizing the seminars and events I want to attend. No worries about remembering and getting there - there's maps too.

Before I had a chance to schedule the workshops that are listed for the event, the e-mail invites start coming. I'm published by Harlequin and they surprised me with all the events they have - from workshops, meet and greets, and book signings, to a vintage dance to celebrate milestones of both Harlequin and its authors. The vintage dance provided a whole new dilemma - dressing vintage. The dress I'd just bought wasn't going to cut it unless... one vintage hat - lacy half-gloves, and a vintage purse later and I think I've cobbled together something of a look.


And the most important, what I will learn and who I will meet. There's my editor at Harlequin and the authors who write for Harlequin Intrigue, along with some "sister agent" authors, and the author that shares the same province. Up to now, they've only been voices on my e-mail and social media but many of them will be there. I'm looking forward to meeting them.

It's a chance to discover other opportunities for stories that didn't make one publisher or another because they weren't the right theme, or right country, or right hero or heroine occupation, bad timing etc.  Books where none of the reasons for rejection were because of the writing - where the hero and heroine's adventure might yet find a home. Who knows what opportunity awaits.

Looking forward to it all. And, I'm sure that none of it will be like I imagine. We'll see how it all plays out. For now, my suitcase is just waiting for the lid to be flipped and for the adventure to begin.

Ryshia

www.ryshiakennie.com

                                                        ...a world you never imagined!

Keep up with it all:

News, giveaways and a bit of fun! Sign up for my newsletter The Walkabout! 

                                                         This gentleman posed with Ring of Desire in the Dead Sea.