With the RWA National conference in full swing, it’s time for me to engage in my annual mid-July pastime—living vicariously through conference attendees and suffering the occasional and brief moment of regret I’m not there.
Hubby: Why the long face?
Me: Everybody on the planet is at Nationals but me.
Hubby: You should have said something earlier. You could have gone.
Me: I’m not spending thousands of dollars to hide in dark corners. I’m a little bit shy in crowds, remember?
Hubby: A little bit? When that author you know from eHQ said hi to you at the conference in Natick, you screamed and covered your face.
Me: I didn’t scream. Screaming attracts attention. It was more like a squeak, but I did wave before I covered my face.
Hubby: What do they do at these conferences, anyway?
Me: Socialize. Get industry news. Learn more about writing. Wait for elevators. Eat chicken.
Hubby: Speaking of chicken, stop eating Doritos over the keyboard. And isn’t that the same stuff you do online everyday, but without the elevators?
Me: Yeah, but there you can also pitch your book to editors and agents.
Hubby: Didn’t you just do that by mail? Cost like five bucks in postage—or maybe six with all the Doritos crumbs weighed in?
Me: I washed my hands before I printed that partial, dear. But at the conference you might get to hang out with the editor in the bar, have a few drinks, make an impression.
Hubby: The last time you went drinking you started belting out “Like a Rhinestone Cowboy” at the top of your lungs.
Me: Well, not that much of an impression, maybe. But westerns are coming back, you know.
Hubby: So go next year.
Me: You could go with me.
Hubby: I live with a romance writer. There’s zero chance of me spending my vacation with a couple thousand of them. You can go alone.
Me: *considers it…for about five minutes* How about you just give me the money it would cost in cash and we call it good?
Hubby: No, and quiet—the show’s back on.
So if, like me, you’re currently poring over blogs, loops and sites for conference tidbits, what’s your favorite part? The gossip? Pictures? Industry news? What are you scouring the romance ‘net for?
No related posts.
Really enjoyed your dialogue!
Sweet!
Great post, I love seeing the photographs and hearing about an inside info as to what the publishers and agents are currently looking for.:grin:
was that me? screaming at you? years ago? you still haven’t recovered? or did lots of people scream at you?
I’m sorry if it was me.
I promise if we ever go to another conference I’ll be sure to say THAT IS *NOT* SHANNON STACEY OVER THERE IN THAT CORNER HIDING. NOT S-H-A-N-N-O-N S-T-A-C-E-Y.
But I do occassionally miss the thought of seeing some friends who will probably be there.
As a reader,
I dread conference time
’cause that’s all writers’ blogs are crammed with.
It does sound different than most business conferences I attend though (’cause those are 100% work and these don’t sound like much of that is going on).
So I can see why stay-at-home writers miss it.
Oooh, I thought of the absolutely worst thing about being left behind: the blind items.
A NYT bestselling author spilled her drink all over the new hot thing at her publishing house and CLAIMED it was an accident, but we all know better. And, no, I won’t say who!
I hate that! It’s just cruel.
While I do check out every picture I can find, I do miss the industry buzz. I’m still listening to last year’s CDs and anxiously awaiting the new set.
Not there, don’t care.
Really.
I’ve been twice. The first time I realized that four days stranded in the same hotel with two thousand other women was not my thing (I’m an only child, I HATE crowds). The second time I combined National with a family trip to NYC, and we stayed in another hotel five blocks away. MUCH better.
I’m not even rooting for anyone in the contests this year, so I have zip interest in internet trolling for news.
Me? I’m headed out to Wal-Mart later. And Sam’s. Yep, it’s a thrill-a-minute back here in Albuquerque. And I’m just fine with that.
I had not even heard of RWA before keeping up with this blog. Then again I wasn’t much of a blog reader before recent months either so that explains it.
Adorable.
I make pretend it isn’t going on, ignore everything about it posted as if it’s another ad for male enhancement products in my junk mail folder, and swear I’ll have the money next year. Which is what I’ve done three years in a row.
Sigh.
I’m hanging out at the Romance Divas Not Going to Conference Conferece. Or, I will be when I’m done blog hopping and, er, taking care of my kids! LOL
I didn’t realise you weren’t going to conference Shannon. I posted on Jaci’s blog that you were one of the ones I wanted to meet. You mean to tell me now that if I said hi you’d squeek and cover your face. Would you at least sign my fangirl tshirt?
As for me, I’m hoping to be in SFO next year.
Love your humor. I’m a reader and enjoy all the pics of authors I’ve read or go to their blogs.
I *think* I’ll be going to the nationals next year. This year our good friend Phaedra Weldon will be there promoting her Zoe series (first book is Wraith ).
I’m not sure because by 2008 I will not have a published product to promote.
For unpublished mss I’m thinking, based on what I’ve read, that it’s not quite the marketing environment I thought it was. Or rather, the marketing does not work in ways with which I am familiar. (As in selling game companies at GenCon that I can consistently produce quality words in whatever area they need.)
I will be reading the blogs of editors and agents for tales of writers who offended them and writers who wowed them — trying to glean the moves that work.
I used to hang out at SFF conventions (at least they have singing and movies). Then I pub’d a few SFF short stories and started doing speaking panels. Suddenly I was a pro and rubbing shoulders with editors and producers and amazing comic book artists. But by then I figured I had to act cool and not pitch anything. Not even when I was chatting with the movers and shakers in the private pro lounges. Then funds dried up and the cons I was attending went away, all before I realized what a golden chance I was being offered if I just knew how to take advantage of it. Pity.
I pined and whined about RWA Nationals when I joined RWA at the beginning of the year. I live about 1.5 hours out of Dallas, and I thought, what an opportunity! But then I realized I wouldn’t really get that much out of it. Experience had shown me I don’t have the conference personality. So I grit my teeth and refused to send in my fees. Then the blogs and the PRO loop and everywhere I turn, that’s ALL anyone’s talking about. What to wear, where to meet up, where to shop. Yawn. I’m waiting for the industry scoops once the bloggers get back home. They’ll hit the highlights, and do it succinctly. Four days compressed into a couple of hours worth of reading. That works for me!
ROTFL!! What a great conversation!:lol:
I doubt I”ll ever to to a conference but reading what everyone else experiences is so much fun!
This is how a wallflower has fun.:wink:
How about here?
Can I finally say something HERE?
You got your revenge after all these years. You managed to make me shut up for a whole day all blogwahtsit comments.
I promise never ever to stand up and shout YO! Shannon!! again. I know what, I’ll take it a step further. I will stand up and make sure that everyone knows that woman in corner is really NOT S-H-A-N-N-O-N S-T-A-C-E-Y. That should be enough to make you go to a good conference or two, right?
I’ll have to go back to the New England conference someday just so I can get drunk enough to stand up and shout “YO KATE!” across the room.
I’m loving the pictures! (Though not the industry news *pout*). And http://bloggingnational.blogspot.com is the best ever!
Your dialogue was great, Shannon, and it had a familiar ring to it!
I’m painfully shy too, and yet so wistful over the conference news. I’m loving the reports and the photos, makes it all come alive.
I’m leaving this comment from the conference. I thought I was a extremely shy person too. But then I realized these were writers like me. Then I started seeing people I talk with almost every day on the internet. I mean really it just started to feel neighborly to sit and chat with a complete stranger.
One honest thing is that I’m not at the Hyatt. I’d probably would never sleep talking myself to death.