STATUS: In San Fran for Romance Writers of America national conference. Even more alarming to me is that Worldcon will literally follow right on its heels. I’ve got a crazy two weeks ahead of me.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? WALK ON THE WILD SIDE by Lou Reed
After I got here, I realized the one thing I forgot to pack. A jacket. Dang it’s chilly here in San Fran. With several weeks of 95+ degree weather in Denver, I just plum forgot.
So what has happened to me today?
1. While boarding my plane, I ran into a children’s book publicist I knew and we spent the flight chatting about the biz (well, amongst other things).
2. Had a lovely afternoon tea with said publicist.
3. Checked into my hotel room (which took blessedly only about 5 minutes or so). I don’t think that’s ever happened to me before at RWA. Lines are usually long.
4. Wrestled with the hotel internet connection. I’m happy to announce that I was victorious.
5. My dinner plans were derailed but happily an agent friend took pity on me and invited to me to her agency dinner instead.
6. Had a blast talking with her clients—one of which mentioned that she didn’t know that agents could be friends with each other (and she didn’t ask in a bad way—she was just surprised). Yes, agents are often friends with each other and we celebrate each other’s success.
7. Authors are so loquacious when wine is involved. I heard some great stories this evening (but client confidential—even if they weren’t my authors!).
8. Some writers are coming from as far away as England and New Zealand for this conference (waves to all the Kiwis I hung out with last August—be sure to say hello).
9. Checked email. Frightful amount I might add. Still lots of it is last minute planning that needs to be accomplished for the week to kick off right.
Tomorrow morning I’m having coffee with an editor from MacAdam/Cage (and no, they don’t do romance at all but they are based here in San Fran and I love to connect when possible).
I’ve got lunch with an editor. Afternoon tea with a client. Literacy Signing and then the evening parties begin.
This year’s RWA is especially exciting as the agency has 6 RITA nominations for 4 authors:
Linnea Sinclair
Hank Ryan
Kelly Parra
Simone Elkeles
And to top off the excitement, I also have a new client who is a Golden Heart nominee:
Courtney Milan
Boy am I going to be on pins and needles come Saturday evening when the Awards ceremony takes place.
Ah, this sounds like so much fun. I almost wish I wrote fantasy as I have heard some interesting tales about the romance conferences.
Congratulations on the nominees.
Congratulations to your RITA nominated authors, and kudos to you too.
Hooray for Courtney Milan!
Good luck to all.
Yay for your clients and their nominations! I’m rooting for Linnea, since she’s a friend. I’ll bet she’s excited, too.
Just started Shades of Dark, by the way. Looks like it will be a great read.
I hope I get the opportunity to meet you in WorldCon. I’m enjoying your blog immensely.
Lisa Iriarte
Having lived in San Francisco, three years, and in the bay area for 30 more, (Half Moon Bay), I gotta tell ya Kristin, the locals will string you up if you refer to their 49 sq miles as anything but…
San Francisco… not Frisco, or,
The City… not San Fran. Although they take kindly to the appellation… “The Paris of the United States.”
I know, silly, but thems the rules. (LOL, I can’t imagine San Francisco with rules)!
And Mark Twain said it best…”The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco!”
Haste yee back 😉
Hahah! Welcome to our fair (and COLD) city. Yep–it’s July, it’s freezing. (that’s how we can tell who the tourists are…all you poor things in t-shirts!)
As far as agents being friends, I’m not sure why someone would be surprised.
Writers are competing with each other, and there are plenty of places around where they congregate, celebrate each other’s successes, and help each other reach the goal. I would have figured agents would be in a similar situation.
It sounds like so much fun. I lived in San Francisco for about three years, and yet, they only get about two weeks of warm weather. Otherwise it’s cold and rainy (for California standards, anyway!).
I can’t wait until I can start going to those!
Agreed with the hope to meet you at Worldcon! Your blog is one of my daily “must reads.”
Go Linnea!
(Kimber sends subliminal message to judges: “GAMES OF COMMAND, GAMES OF COMMAND, GAMES…”)