So I attended RWA Nationals this year, for those of you who don’t know it’s the Romance Writers of America convention. Here’s what I took away from it.

Always have a plan B. The conference was originally scheduled for the Gaylord Palms Opryland in Tennesse, due to a devastating flood  RWA was forced to move the conference in a short amount of time. The fact that they pulled it off was incredible. Though there was a complaint about the chicken for every meal. It could have been worse, we could have had no conference.
 
You have something worth contributing. This was discussed over breakfast one morning. As writers we tend to think we have nothing to contribute if we’re not published, or let people treat us this way. The truth is we come from different backgrounds. We have degrees in different fields and have worked in those fields. The wealth of knowledge that we have, shouldn’t be ignored just because someone isn’t published.

Just because you’re not published now it doesn’t mean you won’t ever be published. Writing is a process. That includes learning how to finish the book. How to revise the book. How to revise the book again. How to pitch. How to submit.  How to choose an agent, and if you can’t find an agent, how to read a contract. It’s about perseverance and the willingness to learn and to keep learning.

It’s about having a base. Nora Roberts spoke of having friends. Friends who are willing to be there for you. I’ll add to that family. they may not understand what you’re doing but they support you.

Research. Whether it’s an agent or an editor, a publishing house, or something for your story. Do the research.

Jayne Ann Krentz spoke of killing her career three times over. what she meant was think your decisions through. Don’t be afraid to try something new. However you may want to do it under a new name if you’ve already got an established presence.

Hi! I’m back from RWA Nationals. That means it’s back to the grindstone. The Kidlets are gearing up for school and so am I. I’m polishing my manuscript and will send it off soon. Which means I’ll be ready to work on another project while I wait on news from Query Hell.

Next on my list of things to do: attend my local chapter meeting CFRWA. Karen Rose will be speaking. I’m looking forward to hearing what she has to say.

So. I’ll never tell you guys when I’m going on vacation. Why? Because even though I know you’re all  wonderful, there are those who monitor blogs, facebook and the like, for just that information. What that means is I was on vacation in the wilds of West Virginia.

My family made the twelve and a half hour drive to Charleston, WV in one piece and spent time with those near and dear to us. My godson was one of the bunch. So we headed to the Greenbrier where we had a relaxing few days at a really awesome house. I’m sad to say I can’t find the cable to my camera but I will post pictures soon. I saw Bears and deer and trees galore. It was a peaceful vacation.

Some interesting things came out of that vacation. My godson loves nature shows so we watched a video on Stoats.

Ok so the other place I went to was RWA Nationals. Which I will post pics from though not many. It was a little overwhelming with two thousand people, but it was fun and informative. I’m so glad that I decided to attend in Orlando this year versus New york as my first conference.

And in keeping with my vow to let you guys see what interests me, Have a look at one of the blogs I follow. Punctuation Mark

So I guess you guys noticed that some changes have been going on. My website is now up and running. Jaxadora Design   has done a wonderful job, she nailed it on the first try and has been really patient with me. She’s also changed the look of the blog. Wink , wink.

I opted to keep my blog at blogspot instead of on the site itself. that way if something goes wrong with the website it doesn’t go down. well that and the fact that you guys already know where to find me and really why make you break your habit. It takes way too long to train yourself into a new one.

So, that being said, what do you think?

I’m a lurker.
Yes, I lurk on the blogs I follow. Occasionally I pop up and make a comment on something I find interesting but not always. Sometimes I come across something that’s so thought provoking or beautiful that I can’t comment. (See Holly’s Blog).
The point is that more people than you expect actually read what you have to say or the pictures you post and appreciate what you’ve done. In the end the only thing they leave is a number on your counter or info on your analytics page.

That being said. It’s been a rough week for myself and my family. My cousin has been gravely ill. He still is sick, but is getting better.
I can’t imagine a world without my Eddiemundo. My little cousin who’s six foot something. In my head he’s stuck at three year old. Chubby and inquisitive. A sweet little rascal who turned into a man.
A man who knows his own mind. Who is steady, determined and focused. With a smile. Well, what a smile.
We love you Eddiemundo!