Last week, it was the annual Romance Writers of America convention, and 2200 delegates from all over the world descended on Atlanta. I’ve wanted to be at one of these events for a couple of years now, and I devour all the reports I can find online. This year was really bad though. I felt as if I should be there. I actually felt as if everyone had gone on the school trip and I'd been left behind. Awwww! Yes, you may laugh :-) It was partly because I’ve forged such good relationships with so many fellow authors and I wanted to meet them in person. I wanted to chat with my editors and publishers, and my lovely agent, Roberta. I had to turn down the chance to schmooze with them all. Saying “no” to cocktail parties, dinners, and meetz of all types. Ach! :-( Hopefully I’ll make it one day, not too far away.
That’s partly why my occasional meet with local author pal, Wendywoo -- AKA Portia Da Costa -- was very well timed, yesterday! I always enjoy our meetings, and it was just fab to chat over coffee, lunch, more coffee, empty cups LOL We often realise they might be about to chuck us out when we finally leave. Lots of decompression. The sort of chatter that we’d be doing bit by bit if we worked in a regular job, we manage to squeeze several weeks worth in, over a few hours. We exchange our troubles and our mad moments, and have a really good laugh about the funny side of the business, and of being an erotica author. I treasure my time with Wendy, and think myself very lucky to be pals with someone so widely published, who is such a mistress of erotica and such a down to earth, lovely woman to boot. I confessed to her yesterday that when I realised she lived so close to me, I was overawed. I mean...THE Portia Da Costa. I first read her work with her sexy paranormal, Gothic Blue, back in ’97, when being a writer was a fledgling dream for me! So it took me some time to muster up the nerve to get in touch and declare myself. A couple of years on from then, and I wouldn’t be without our friendship and times together.
As full time writers, we have the amazing characters that live in our head and inspire us, and we have the online friendships we form through the fabulous online writer network, but a real meet with a fellow author is the best.
Looking for reports from the recent RWA? Go HERE.
