Gone To The Big Apple

Many of us from the Rockville8 are packing our bags for the RWA national conference in New York City this week. Please stop back over the next few days to enjoy our bite-size commentaries on the goings-on at the premeire romance writers' event of the year. We can't wait to be in the company of so many successful, smart authors. Come join us for the latest buzz.


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Tuesday - June 28, 2011 - Times Square

Okay, I've been in NYC less than twenty-four hours. There's been one bomb threat at Times Square and this morning some guy decided to climb a traffic light and sit on top, right at the corner of Time Square and Broadway (I think). Crowds gathered round to watch both times, pulling out their video cameras and trying to capture the latest scoop. Gotta love NYC!

Officially events start (for me) tonight with the Literacy signing. So I was off at 7:00 a.m. to hunt or gather, I'm not sure which. My youngest sprog designs jewelry. So I found a few wholesale bead shops in the Garment District. Happy Day! Yes, only a mile away from my hotel. Resting my feet now while I wait for my roomie to arrive from Canada.

Dinner last night at Ollies with friends. Great Chinese. Yum. Stay tuned for lots more literary/romance writing nuggets as the conference kicks off tonight and I'm sure a few culinary delights as well. I'll be sure to start carrying my camera to get pics, too.

Ciao!

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Wednesday - June 28, 2011

Opening Session - Tess Gerritsen, Steve Berry, Diana Gabaldon

Awesome panel with these three NY Times Best Selling authors. Great sound bites. Diana Gabaldon's analysis of characters as either an onion (with layers), a mushroom (someone who pops up and walks away with the scene), or a hard nut (a character you need to do the best with you can) was brilliant.

Steve Berry's perseverence in the face of 85 rejections and writing from 6:30 to 9:00 every day while holding down a career as a lawyer and a county commissioner was awe-inspiring. His encouragement to "stay long enough for the world to change" and "make your own luck" were words taken to heart by the crowd.

Tess Gerritsen admonished writers to "keep the forward motion" by continuing to write the first draft, even when it gets hard. "Only once you finish the book do you know what the story is about."

The panel's favorite authors were:

Tess Gerritsen ~ Stephen King

Diana Gabaldon ~ Charles Dickens, Robert Louis Stevenson, John E. McDonald, Dorothy Sayers, and P.G. Woodhouse

Steve Berry ~ Clive Cussler, Robert Ludlum, James Michner, and David Morrell.

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Wedesday night - Fabulous dinner out at Trattoria Del Arte on 900 7th Avenue. The Brooklyn-born waiter was funny and played along with the antics of our group of ten romance writers who teased and gave him a hard time. We ate lasagna, tuna, warm sea food salad, pasta bolonaise, and for the vegetarian among us--mashed potatoes and mushrooms. Limoncello topped off a perfect dinner. Thanks, girls. A night to remember.

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Thursday - June 30, 2011

Sherilyn Kenyon gave a heart-wrenching motivational speech that had us all laughing, crying, and cheering. We'll all fight a little harder for our dreams because of her words this afternoon!

Several members of the Rockville8 pitched their projects to agents and editors today. Hopefully a few of them will report on their successes later in the post.

Tonight members of WRW donned their fancy dresses and headed to the St. Martin's party, thanks to Jen Enderlin's generosity.

Stay tuned to more updates tomorrow . . .