Conference game plan

I'm prepping for the Emerald City Writers' Conference, which will be happening this weekend at the Westin in Bellevue Washington. Last year I was the conference chair, so ran around quite a bit putting out fires and managing little details with the hope that none of the attendees would noting any of the snags we encountered.

This year I'll be giving a workshop. Get Out of Your Own Way: An Introverts Guide to Interpersonal Relationships. It's a crazy huge title, but basically I'm going to be breaking down the various interpersonal relationships that you, as a writer, want to develop and assist in making a plan in how to do it. To start, there are professional contacts, fellow writers, bloggers, and readers. And there are all sorts of ways that you can encounter these people. One of the areas I'll be focusing on is conferences. Sort of makes sense since we'll be at one, right?

Last year I had several people approach me to tell me they could 'never' do what I did. That getting up and talking in front of three hundred attendees would send them into vapors. That speaking to their favorite author is terrifying. Forget sitting with an acquiring editor at dinner. We're not supposed to pitch to them, so what would we talk about? eek!

First, take a deep breath. Next, straighten your spine and dive in. I know that's not the hand holding, flowers and rainbows advice that some people want, but it's what you have to do. You can help yourself by preparing. Hone your elevator pitch--you know, that small, thirty second bit you can rattle off any time someone asks you what you write? That. Because the first time someone asked me what I wrote, I froze. Seriously, what did they mean? I'm at a writing conference. A ROMANCE writing conference at that, so that can't possibly be what they mean, right? So, the first thing that came to me? "I write words. On a good day, lots of them."

*forehead smack*

But, the ice was broken. So, my first bit of unsolicited advice is to prepare. Work on your small talk, practice your pitch and prepare your game face. Because when it comes to conference, you have to be social to a degree.

If you'll be at ECWC this year, I'd love to see you. Please be sure to stop by and say hello. And if you'd like more tips, be sure to attend my workshop, Friday afternoon.

Hope to see you all there!

Where is your happy place?

You have to have one, right? Your 'happy place'. The place you go when the world seems to be caving in around you. The place you can escape the rigors of day-to-day life and just relax. Maybe it's a hike into the woods to a favorite waterfall. Or a cozy mountain cabin. Or a small sliver of beach not too far away.

Or maybe it's not that far at all, but a room in your house. Or even a little corner where you can kick back and read a book or listen to music. Whatever it is that helps you release the stress of the day.

I've had several of these over the years. My happy place seems to change depending on the demands of life, the age of the kids and all sorts of other factors.

In fact, I can be pretty happy anywhere. I've like people. I like trying new things. And I have to have light. As the kids have gotten more talkative (so since they hit age 3 and just wouldn't stop talking) I find myself craving silence too. Even though I know I should cherish these moment when they're talking to me, because there's bound to be a time in the not too distant future when I'll have to threaten them with the cat o' nines to get them to open up. But, sometimes, I just need to be alone with my thoughts.

So, I have a new writing nook. (Not the one above, though isn't it lovely?) It's removed from the main traffic areas of the house, but still accessible. No longer near the TV which seems to be on all the time (particularly if I'm otherwise occupied and unable to engage) and right in front of a big window which holds my antique cobalt bottle collection and several plants. I had visions of being able to light little tea light candles while I worked, but the cat has claimed a portion of the window for herself, so I don't see that happening anymore.

It's been a major redecorating project in order to create this little writing nook, but as I sit here this morning, watching the sunrise through that big gorgeous window, I couldn't be more pleased.

Tell me about your happy place!

Readers and Writing

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending a reader event in Washington DC. I went, not as an author, but as a reader and friend. Since I use a pen name I try to separate the two a bit-although that line gets fuzzier as the days go by.

The view of "Nick's office" from the release party location.

I was busy doing my thing, but since I know the author I was hearing little details about the readers that were coming in. A few came in early to tour and look for locations from the books. (Hello authors, research is important!)

As you know, I'm chairing the Emerald City Writers' Conference this year and have attended for the past few years, but a readers event is much different than a writers event.  For one thing, as big as the romance industry is, everyone knows someone. Especially the readers. They connect with authors in a way that is impossible for us to connect with each other. And, at an event like this, they like to talk about who they know, who they read, who they don't care for, who wasn't so nice to them when they did meet them before...it all gets around.

But more than anything, I kept realizing that so many new authors see these events and think, "That is what I want." while missing the larger picture. The readers are there, first and foremost, because of the books. Because of the quality of work that they enjoy, that provides them a release-that little moment to escape from reality and take them away from their own troubles.  We, as writers, need to concentrate on the books and the quality of our work. Let's not rush that part, the most important part, in order to have a cool release party.  Because if we do, it may be the only one we ever have.

I had a fabulous time meeting everyone and hope to do it again soon! For those who want the dirty details, the party I attended was for Marie Force's FATAL MISTAKE, the sixth book in her FATAL series, which is set in DC. The first book in the series (FATAL AFFAIR) is free until the end of the month-as are the other first books in her other series.