A Few Photos from the 2011 RWA Conference

A view of Times Square from the hotel

The gang, after seeing Jersey Boys on Broadway

Keli Gwyn and I, dressed up for the Awards Ceremony

The Broadway Ballroom before the ceremony began

Me at the podium, accepting the Golden Heart

Lisa Connelly and I (Lisa won for Contemporary Single Title)

Celebrating!

The Golden Heart® Call(s)

10:35 Between classes I sneak a peek at my phone. Husband texted a half hour earlier . . . someone from RWA® will call me during my lunch break. Heart palpitations ensue.

10:36 How will I survive today's long division lesson?

12:01 Lunch time! I run to computer to log on to RWA site . . . internet connection is down, dash it all. I will my phone to ring.

12:04 It rings. A lovely RWA board member informs me How to Reform a Rake finaled in the Regency category of the Golden Heart. While she graciously imparts information, I alternately gasp/cry. We hang up.

12:07 In a valiant attempt to avoid splotchy face, I dry my eyes and take deep breaths.

12:08 I call husband to tell him the good news and--What's this? Someone's beeping in. Probably the recorded message about home mortgages, but still . . . I should answer it.

12:09 Hello? It's a different--but equally lovely--RWA board member. Uh-oh. Obviously, there's been a mistake, and they're calling to revoke my finalist status. I brace myself. But no . . . she explains that my other entry, The Proper Miss's Guide to Bad Behavior, is also a finalist. OH. MY.

12:12 Attempts to avoid splotchy face are utterly futile. Happiness!

Counting Down to the Golden Heart® Deadline

It gut-check time, ladies. And gentlemen.

I glanced at my calendar today, and saw that on Nov. 24--exactly one month from today--I'd written "mail entries." Golden Heart entries have to be at RWA® by close of business on Dec. 2. I like to mail them before Thanksgiving, though. I save a little on postage and get to have a stress-free turkey day.

It's funny how it always seems to come down to the wire. This will be the 5th straight year I've drafted a new manuscript to enter in the contest. I love having a deadline at the end of November. In December, I plan to goof off. Shopping, decorating, baking, and reading are all on the agenda. Also, catching up on all my TV shows.

This year, I think I'm a little bit ahead of where I usually am. I still have 10K words to go on The Proper Miss's Guide to Bad Behavior, aka The Etiquette of Extortion, aka The Blackmailing Seamstress, but it's going swimmingly. I think this has been my easiest story to write so far. Of course, easy doesn't necessarily translate into good. And I still have days when I want to pull my hair out, and I'll need to do a lot of revising, but the end is in sight.

If you're like me (scrambling to get your GH entry ready), take heart! It can feel overwhelming, lonely, and daunting, but a lot of us are in the same boat. Here are a few of my favorite GH related articles from various blogs that might give you the information or inspiration you need.

A Recipe for Golden Heart Success -- this is by Darynda Jones, super-talented and super-nice author of First Grave on the Right. She knows of what she speaks.

Goal Setting for the Golden Heart and Beyond -- Vivi Andrews, author of eight (8!) paranormal romance novels and novellas gives solid advice on goals.

Golden Heart Rotisserie by the Numbers -- Ruby Sister and GH winner, Jamie Michele, breaks down the numbers behind the categories. Really fascinating stuff.

The Woman Behind the Curtain -- that would be Carol Ritter, RWA professional relations manager. Multiple GH finalist Bev Pettersen interviewed Carol and got some great behind the scenes info.

Nine Nuggets from my Golden Heart Experiences -- if you want to know what it's like to be a GH finalist, this article by my awesome critique partner, Keli Gwyn, sums it up quite nicely.

You CAN Finish your Manuscript in time for the GH -- and avoid a FedEx bill that makes you weep. That's the plan, anyway. This one's by me.

If you have other GH articles you like, please let me know! I'll add them. Good luck to everyone racing to finish and polish their entries. We can do it!

Signs your Golden Heart Entry is Ready

1. You decide you need to revise the opening paragraph. Again. You send the new opening to your critique partner, and she tells you--in the nicest possible way--"STOP playing with it!" And she's totally right.
2. You realize you've deleted and inserted the same comma 7 times.
3. Your thoughts turn to binder clips, CDs, and colorful jewel cases.
4. The mere sight of the FedEx logo on a truck, sign, or package gives you heart palpitations.
5. The calendar says it's time.

The deadline for receipt of entries at the RWA office is Wednesday, December 2 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.

Good luck to everyone who's entering, and Happy Thanksgiving!

You CAN Finish Your Manuscript in Time for the Golden Heart

I just know you can! But, if you feel like you need a kick in the pants, check out my post at the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood.

You know the tough-as-nails, evil cheerleading coach from the show Glee? I think I sound a little like her. At least I hope I do.

The Ruby Slippered Sisters Make Their Debut

Do you know what today is?

• The first day to enter the Golden Heart.
• The last day of summer.
• Monday.
• All of the above.

But most importantly . . . it's the launch date of The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood blog (the 2009 Golden Heart finalists). Drop by and see what we're all about:

The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Blog

Pride vs. Vanity--The Sequel

“Pride,” observed Mary, who piqued herself upon the solidarity of her reflections, “is a very common failing, I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed, that human nature is particularly prone to it . . .”
–from Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

Today I got my picture taken for the Golden Heart. I could have used my photo from last year, but, I’m a little sick of it. Besides, romance writing is supposed to be glamorous, right? This was the perfect chance to get my glam on.

In anticipation of my appointment, I deprived myself of carbs for two hellish days. Then this morning, I hopped into my car without a lick of makeup and drove 30 miles to the mall, confident the glamour would begin soon.

When I arrived, the makeup artist clucked her tongue and rushed me to the makeup chair. She asked what kind of look I wanted. I told her natural, but since she was very young, tattooed, and pierced, I worried we might not be on the same wavelength.

She went to work–-and I do mean work. She sprayed, brushed, powdered, and dabbed till I barely recognized myself. Mission accomplished! After a liberal application of hairspray, she guided me to my next stop–the photographer.

He was an unshaven guy who looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, and he wore jeans that barely hung on to his hips. Since that's what every self-respecting photographer looks like, I knew I was in good hands. The photo shoot began with this awkward conversation.

Photographer: (Professional.) Give me an idea of what the pictures are for.
Me: (Babbling.) I write romance, and I’m going to use one as sort of a publicity picture. Sort of.
Photographer: (Impressed.) So, you’ve written a book?
Me: (Never sure how to answer this.) I’ve completed a few manuscripts.
Photographer: (Confused.) Are they published?
Me: (Why don’t you just stick a knife in my back?) No. I’m working on it though, and the picture will be used at a national conference of romance writers, and . . . (insert more incoherent rambling here).

He proceeded to take a bajillion pictures, and four of them were pretty good.

While I’d love to be able to show you the photos, I don’t have them just yet. They are going to the lab for some retouching, and, Lord knows, that may take a while.

I was feeling pretty darn good about the trip–especially since I hit a drive through and more than made up my carb deficit–until I got home. One of my darling children said I looked like a vampire (which might have been a compliment), and another said if I wasn’t going to wash my face maybe we should skip going to dinner and get carry out. The third couldn’t pry his eyes away from his text messages long enough to weigh in.

Does it get any more glamorous than this?

A Golden (Heart) Ticket

You know how Charlie felt when he found the fifth golden ticket?

That's the kind of joy I felt today.

Midnight Promises is a 2009 RWA Golden Heart finalist.

I checked voicemail while I was at school. Got a little thrill when I heard there was a message. Prayed it wasn't the usual recording asking if I wanted to extend the warranty on my minivan. It wasn't! It was one of my favorite historical romance authors--who happens to be on the RWA Board of Directors--calling with the good news.

Congrats to all the finalists and to all who finished a manuscript and entered this year. Thanks for the warm wishes I've already received.

I want to jump up and down and scream, "I'm going to Hollywood, baby!" (Except Nationals is in DC this year.) Hmm, I feel an eBay shopping spree coming on. More later . . .

A Peek at My Dance Card

So... it's almost time.

I'll be leaving for the RWA National Conference soon, and I wanted to thank lots of people. Your support has come in many forms: offering encouragement, kid-sitting, blog commenting, giving flowers, and lending dresses. I'm grateful for all of it.

In case you're interested, I've listed some of the highlights of my schedule in San Francisco this week.

• Wednesday night is the Literacy Signing where over 500 authors autograph books for charity. I will be there, camera in hand, stalking my favorite authors.
• Thursday, I'm attending workshops for most of the day. A couple I'm looking forward to: "Secrets of the Best-selling Sisterhood" and "Writing the Hot Historical."
• On Friday morning there are more workshops, but in the afternoon there's a champagne reception for RITA and Golden Heart finalists. That means I will be in the same room - sipping champagne - with Regency authors extraordinaire, Julia Quinn and Anna Campbell, to name a few. I'm very excited about this and see LOTS of potential for embarrassing myself here.
• All my fellow finalists are meeting up on Friday night for a Pixie Chick Party. We even had fun Pixie T-shirts made up. However, I will not over-imbibe because...
• ...I have my editor and agent appointments on Saturday morning. (I have prepared color-coded index cards with talking points and will try to memorize them on the plane.)
• Later that night is the RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony, of eBay dress and purse fame. It starts at 8:00 San Francisco time, but if you have insomnia, check out this blurb from the RWA website:
  
  "Live from the Red Carpet! RWA will post the winners of the 2008 RITA and Golden Heart awards on the RWA Web site, www.rwanational.org, as they are announced on August 2 from 8-10 PM Pacific Time. So, tell your family and friends to visit the RWA site and root for their favorite authors."
  
  I'm looking forward to blogging all about the conference when I get back, so be sure to tune in next week. Thanks again!

Pride vs. Vanity

"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously....Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."
- Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), Pride and Prejudice, 1811

Pride is a good thing, usually. (Unless it goes before the fall.) After all, we say "I'm proud of you," and encourage others to "take pride in their work." There's school pride, team pride, national pride, etc. , and all these are generally positive things. Right?

What I've been experiencing this week is not that. It's more sinister. It has me buying "eternally mauve" lipliner and digging through my jewelry box for shiny hoop earrings that I haven't worn in 10 years. It has me dragging my husband to the mall on cold rainy nights. It's pure, simple... vanity.

One of the first tasks of Golden Heart finalists is to provide a publicity photo. It'll be used on the RWA website, on promotional materials, and at the RWA National Conference in San Francisco. So, I wanted it to look just right. Professional, but not stuffy. Fun, but not frivolous. Easy for potential publishers and agents to visualize on the back of my book...

I'm not sure I accomplished all that, but I feel great relief in finding a pose that doesn't make me cringe when I look at it. I guess I can't ask for much more than that!

P.S. - Thanks to all my friends and family for the congratulations on my GH final. I feel like I've already won.

Getting the Golden Heart Call

First, let me say that my hands are still trembling and my heart is still racing. I received a call from a lovely RWA person about one hour ago, and she said that MIDNIGHT PROMISES is a 2008 Golden Heart Finalist!

I wish I could have been a little more graceful and composed on the phone with her. I wish my kids weren't seriously concerned about my sanity after witnessing the screaming and tears. I wish I could lose 10 pounds before having my publicity photo taken. But I feel incredibly lucky and honored to be a finalist. More later...