Aloha to Dylann Crush - A First Timer's Perspective of RWA

First, I want to say a big “Thank you!” to Kim for inviting me to write a guest post. I had the pleasure of meeting her at RWA in NYC and she’s just as awesome in person as she is on her blog. I’m a newbie in this industry – I’ve only been writing seriously for the past two years. Although I’ve completed a couple of manuscripts, I’m still working through the publishing process. But I knew I wanted to make it to RWA and I’m so glad I did. If you’re on the fence about attending or need some advice for next year, here are my top five tips:

Don’t Be Afraid to Sleep with Strangers - In an effort to do things on the cheap I offered to share my room with three other women. We met through the forum and exchanged a few emails. What could go wrong? My husband thought I was crazy. I called it being adventurous and resourceful. They were writers like me, how bad could it be? As soon as we met, I knew I’d made the right decision. I couldn’t have asked for three better ladies to share my room and my first RWA experience with. (Hi, Elizabeth, Kathy & Nikki!) Although we all come from different backgrounds and have different styles, we bonded over New York pizza and discussions over the difference between straight up erotica and erotic romance. (I still think I’m right on that one.) Moving on…

Sampling New York pizza

(Kim: another G spot?)

Find Your Own G-Spot - My first “What the hell have I gotten myself into” moment hit me as I walked into the ballroom for the author literacy signing. Lines of tables filled the entire ballroom. As an author attendant, I was told to pick a row. I snagged a spot within the “G’s” and for the next three hours became a water wench for a handful of the most grateful, fabulous authors. The number of people who turned out in support for the event and the romance industry in general overwhelmed me. It was a great way to start the conference and I highly recommend volunteering as much as you can. It’s a fantastic way to meet other people and I kept running into my “G-spot” authors over the course of the next several days. It was fun to see a familiar face and a few of us have connected via Facebook and Twitter.

The Early Bird Gets to Worm – As in, the early bird gets to worm her way up to the front of the room. I’m not typically a morning person. But as soon as the buffet line opened at 7:30am, I was ready to fill my plate with whatever yummy breakfast food the hotel had ready. By being one of the first people in the ballroom I had my pick of seating. Though my group usually gravitated to the right side of the ballroom, if I’d wanted to sit front and center and get starry-eyed all over the keynote speaker, I could have snagged a seat right under her nose. Same goes for the workshops. A few times I ended up standing in the back of the room or even (gasp) settling in my new business casual clothes on the floor. If you want a good seat, get there early and stake your claim. Oh, and wear good shoes. I know there isn’t really a spot for this piece of advice, but I highly recommend Aerosoles wedges. After four days, not one blister. Sorry, shoes have always been a major distraction for me. Let’s continue…

My roomie and a fellow member of my
online group, FTHRW, about to see Kinky Boots

Be Your Own Pimp - Talk to everyone. You never know who you’re going to be sharing an elevator with, standing by in line for the bathroom, or sitting next to at breakfast. This being my first RWA, I was in a unique situation. Besides the few members of my local RWA chapter who were all busy with agent/editor appointments and book signings, I didn’t know a soul…well, besides the people I’d been sleeping with. I talked to everyone. And when I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. In the process I met editors, bloggers, agents, authors from overseas…and made many connections and hopefully some lifelong friends.

My suitcase full of books and swag

Bigger Isn’t Always Better – Well, sometimes it’s better (wink, wink) but when you’re attending RWA and you get to spend time around your idols, the authors who have shaped our industry and inspired you to strike out on your own writing journey, it’s easy to become star struck. Such as, I was almost rendered mute when Sylvia Day told me she loved my dress. Yeah, she did. I said something stupid like “I love YOU.” We’re BFF’s now, really. Here’s the picture to prove it. Sure I fangirled over my favorites at the book signings (don’t even get me started on the free books…it was like “Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Happy Kwanzaa for four days straight.) But as many of the keynote and workshop speakers pointed out, it’s important to make connections with other authors who are at the same place in their journey. They’re the ones who will crawl through the trenches with you, become your cheerleaders, your fans and your pillars of support as you make a name for yourself in this industry. And you’ll do the same for them. Let’s face it, having Sylvia Day as a BFF would be a great thing. But she probably wouldn’t have time to chew me out over another spliced comma or the overuse of the word “stroked” in my steamy scenes. (Can you really overuse the word “stroked?” Probably a conversation for another time.)

Hopefully my experience and perspective have given some of you that gentle nudge (giant shove) to sign up for RWA in San Diego next year. It’s an experience like no other and you’ll learn so much from the workshops, the speakers and the other attendees, it’s priceless. I’m planning on being there. Just look for me as soon as the buffet opens. I’ll be the one sporting a new pair of Aerosoles wedges and pimping myself to anyone who makes eye contact.

Until then, Cheers!

Dylann Crush

Dylann Crush writes contemporary romance with sizzle and sass. A romantic at heart, she loves her heroines spunky and her heroes super sexy. When she’s not dreaming up steamy storylines, she can be found sipping a margarita and searching for the best Mexican food in the upper Midwest. Although she grew up in Texas, she currently lives in a suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul with her unflappable husband, three energetic kids and a canine who doesn’t think he’s a dog. She loves to connect with readers, other authors and fans of tequila. You can find her at dylanncrush.com, on Twitter @DylannCrush or Facebook facebook.com/dylanncrush.

My roomie, Elizabeth Harmon, a Carina author, 

and me ready for to attend the RITA awards

Mahalo, Dylann, for sharing your experience!  I love your humor ... and I look forward to reading your debut book.   I am giving away a copy of PREMIERE - A Collection of Romantic Tales from RWA:

From Romance Writers of America® comes a never-before-published collection of tales that showcases the breadth and complexity of the world's most popular genre of fiction!

New York Times bestselling authors Cindy Gerard and Allison Brennan bring the thrills in their tales of romantic suspense.

New York Times bestselling authors Sabrina Jeffries and Courtney Milan take you on a trip back in time with lush stories of historical romance.

New York Times bestselling authors Vicki Lewis Thompson and Joan Johnston show the wonder of contemporary romance, while New York Times bestselling authors Monica Murphy and Laura Kaye's New Adult romances delve into the evolving Millennial perspective.

And editor and #1 New York Times bestselling author Sylvia Day's tale of angels and sizzling desire takes readers to the edge with paranormal romance.

From the first love of Young Adult romance to tales of second chances, LGBT romance to the realms of the supernatural, contemporary to historical, suspense to inspirational, the genre of romance has a story for every reader and this blockbuster inaugural collection from Romance Writers of America showcases it all!

Plus tales from:
Lila Bell
T. L Costa
Diane Kelly
Amber Lin
Katy Regnery
Erica Ridley
Regina Scott
Harper St. George
Lex Valentine

To enter the giveaway, 

1.  Leave a comment with your advice for a first timer at a big convention ... or what do you think is the best advice Dylann offered?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, August 22, 10 pm in Baltimore. 

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, August 23.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to RWA in NYC - Made in Manhattan with Avon Authors

One week from today, I will be on the train from Baltimore to NYC for RWA's annual conference.  Above is the (nearly) Naked Signing Cowboy I met the last time I attended RWA in NYC.

Harper Collins/Avon Romance recently sent a press release to the Avon Addicts.  I received permission to reprint the following ...

~MADE IN MANHATTAN~

“New York City is the most romantic city in the world,” Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times bestselling suspense author and New York resident, boldly declares. The 2400+ romance writers, industry professionals, and readers descending upon the city for the 35th annual Romance Writers of America conference from July 22 to 25 will soon be able to decide for themselves if they agree!

What is it about New York City that makes for such grand romance? Some of America’s top New York area-based romance authors, all published by Avon Books, offer their insights on the romantic appeal of this beautiful city:

Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author and Washington Post columnist, thinks the energy of the city lends itself perfectly to romance. “There are few places in the world more alive with excitement and adventure,” she says. “With those two qualities, passion can’t be far behind!”

Historical romance author Megan Frampton agrees that the variety of the city is ideal for couples. “The city is so huge, it can accommodate whatever type of activity you and your partner might want. Want to hit the Museum of Sex? We’ve got that. Vegan food at 11 p.m.? Yup. Drum circles in the park? You can do that too.”

Not only does New York offer a stellar setting for real life love, it also offers an abundance of inspiration to the romance writers who call it home.

“New York is an island and islands are necessarily romantic—this one more than most,” Eloisa James, New York Times bestselling historical romance author, says. “Intelligent, beautiful people are as thick on the ground as sand, and skyscrapers are much more interesting to look at than coconut trees.”

“New York is the perfect backdrop to a thoroughly modern romance,” Maya Rodale, a USA Today bestselling romance author who set a series of novels about a romance writer and a tech entrepreneur in New York City. “What makes the city so romantic is how accepting it is of all kinds of people and all kinds of love.”

Even MacLean, whose historical romances are all set in 19th century England, draws inspiration from modern New York. “With 8 million people living here, love is everywhere. And where there’s a love story, there’s inspiration.”

Whether it’s the hustle and bustle, the magnificent sites, fascinating mix of people, and opportunities to stumble upon charming, off-the-beaten-path locations around every corner, could a more perfect place for romance as exist. As Staub puts it, “In no other city is there such a perpetual sense that, at any given moment, something unforgettable might happen.”

Top 10 Romantic Movies Set in New York (from Avon Authors):

1.  Moonstruck.
2.  When Harry Met Sally
3.  You've Got Mail
4.  Breakfast at Tiffany's
5.  Enchanted
6.  An Affair to Remember
7.  Annie Hall
8.  Love Story
9.  Seredipity
10.  Sex in the City

That's a great list of movies!  Do you have a favorite movie from the list ... or can you add to the list? One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, July 18, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, July 19.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

A Broadway Dancer in Times Square

RWA in NYC ... Authors About Town

The Lions of NYC's Public Library are ready to welcome the Romance Writers of America (RWA) for its annual conference at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square from July 22 - 26, 2015.  Authors will be out and about at events open to the public.  Mahalo to Pamela Jaffee at Avon Romance for the press release detailing these events ... 

Why Are We Just Now Discovering Romance?

Tuesday, July 21, 2015
7:00pm 8:00pm
Fueled Collective, 568 Broadway, NY, NY 10012

For hundreds of years, romance novels have been derided as fluff, degraded as 'light reading' and ignored as a literary genre. Yet they're among the biggest revenue drivers for publishers from print to Kindle. And they're almost every woman's guilty pleasure, starring women making choices for themselves, their lovers, their children and their future

We explore power of the female protagonist over time, the multi-billion dollar romance novel industry and ever so much more in conversation between moderator (and author) Maya Rodale (Dangerous Books for Girls), Sarah MacLean (The Washington Post), Carla Neggers, and more.

Romance Authors. Hosted by Joyce Lamb, Happy Ever After Curator & Blogger, USA Today
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
12:30pm – 1:45pm

Bryant Park Reading Room

Robyn Carr, Never Too Late
Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew
Elizabeth Hoyt, Dearest Rogue
Beverly Jenkins, For Your Love, Destiny’s Captive
Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Heroes Are My Weakness
Meredith Wild, Hardwired

Gotta love it! Harlequin, Avon, and Forever authors dish on their best-selling romance novels.

RWA's Readers for Life Literacy Autographing

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

5:30pm - 7:30 pm
Marriott Marquis, Westside Ballroom

At the "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing, hundreds of romance authors meet with and sign books for fans in this two-hour event, with the proceeds from book sales going to literacy organizations. This year's beneficiaries are ProLiteracy Worldwide, Literacy Partners, and Literacy Assistance Center.

In 2014, Romance Writers of America raised more than $53,000 to benefit literacy organizations. Since 1990, RWA has raised more than $878,000 to fight illiteracy.

The stars will be shining bright in the Big Apple!  If you could attend the literacy signing, which author would you visit?   Here's the link to the participating authors.  One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, July 18, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, July 19.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City 

Aloha to Leslie Wells, KEEP DANCING, and NCY in the 80s

Today I am speaking with Kimberly Rocha at the monthly NJRW meeting. The chapter invited us to give a practice run of A Tale of Two Bloggers - How to Promote Your Book (and have a life).  It is the workshop we are giving at the RWA National Conference on Thursday, July 23, 1245 in NYC.

Speaking of NYC, Leslie Wells returns with KEEP DANCING, the continuation of Julia and Jack in 80s NYC ...

Julia is a young book editor on the rise. Jack is a British rock star at the pinnacle of his fame.  Can they both get what they want—when what they need threatens to tear them apart?

It’s January, 1982. Twenty-four-year-old Julia Nash has just moved in with her boyfriend, rock and roll guitarist extraordinaire Jack Kipling. Their connection deepens as Jack takes her to England to meet his intimidating mother, and afterwards to a private Caribbean island for a sensual retreat.
But back in New York City, they hit a turbulent patch. Julia is in the running for a new job, while Jack prepares for a thirty-city tour and butts heads with the band’s lead singer. 

Things get more chaotic when Jack’s six-year-old nephew comes for a visit, Julia makes a disastrous attempt at cooking, and a new puppy wreaks havoc in the penthouse. Although free-spirited Jack likes to keep things loose, he craves more support on the home front. But Julia isn’t sure if she can ever be a domestic goddess—or if her wild boyfriend can ever be domesticated.

On tour, Julia experiences the glittering excesses of private jets, mind-blowing concerts, shocking hotel room antics, and screaming headlines. Back home, she has to decide if their relationship can withstand the ravages of fame and conflicting interests—not to mention a suave bestselling author who seems to like more than her grammar sense. And when her long-lost father resurfaces, the bookish young woman must choose whether to listen to her heart, or to her head.

Hilarious, entertaining and steamy, Keep Dancing will delight brand-new readers as a stand-alone novel, and serves up even more of what fans raved about in Come Dancing, the first book about Jack and Julia.

Broadway dancer in Times Square

I giving away a print copy of KEEP DANCING to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about NYC - have you visited the Big Apple?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, June 27, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 28.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Check out my review of COME DANCING (Book 1) at this link.

Celebrate Little Victories - Planes, Taxis, and RWA in NYC

A Cowboy in Times Square

I set aside Saturday to celebrate little victories.  This feature is inspired by Mary Gramlich, The Reading Review.  We met at RT/06 in Daytona and roomed together since then at several conventions.  Mary is a prolific reader of all genres and posted online reviews long before book blogging exploded.  She encouraged me to create this blog when I moved to Hawaii.   We chat once a week to celebrate the little victories.   Today Mary is my guest with a nostalgic look out our last adventure together in 2011 ....

Planes, Taxis, and RWA in NYC 

Before my sons grew up, got married, and started giving me grandsons, I had money to spend on trips instead of toys. I love my grandsons and every moment that I spend with them is a gift so great it cannot ever be duplicated.   But I do miss those trips I used to take with Kim because we had such an amazing time together.

The year we went to RWA in New York City is the one that sticks out in my mind as a full blown adventure.  Kim and I flew from different cities to Baltimore to connect on the same flight to NYC.  We were feeling no pain as the flight departed for LaGuardia as the rosary beads were out and the lovely relaxing pill we both take had kicked in.  After getting off the plane and riding down the escalator to baggage claim, we spotted a limo driver holding up a sign for “ROBYN DeHART”.  This prompted me to look at Kim and say “If I had known she was going to be so famous I would have spent more time on my reviews of her books”. 

(Mary's reviews are spot on whether the author is famous or not).

We start off by getting into an unofficial car service with another woman who wanted to share the ride.   The driver was an EMT who mastered warp speed down a four lane highway feeding into a tunnel.  He turned on his siren to get us ahead of the crowd.  The adventure continued in Manhattan when the woman riding with us jumped out of the taxi, threw money at the driver, and ran off like the FBI was after her. 

(I think this should be a scene in a contemporary romance).

Our hotel was located on Times Square, which hosted the Transformers III World Premier.   I spotted Bumblebee up close and personal.   During the book fair, Roxanne St. Claire yelled my name to come see her.  We dined with Eileen Dreyer. We followed Delilah Marvelle through Hell's Kitchen for a late night donut run.  The next day, we enjoyed breakfast with Katie Lane, lunch with Tracy Anne Warren, and drinks with Kat and Larry Martin. I soaked up NYC's atmosphere by accompanying Kim on her many trips to the post office; one included me running into the hot dog vendor that left mustard on my shirt.  Kim pulled me back out of traffic several times so the taxis didn't run me over.  And this was only Day 2 of our week at RWA in NYC.

Bumblebee from Transformers

Mahalo, Mary, for recounting our "Lucy and Ethel" moments. If only I had you to entertain me on my trip home to Hawaii (as I hate flying, especially over the ocean).   I will miss you at RWA in San Antonio but I carry your spirit (and that of Bumblebee) with me to next week's RWA Annual Conference in San Antonio. 

Can you share a wacky travel story?  One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash. Comments are open through Sunday, July 27, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Monday, July 28, should I recover from RWA.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Mary and her reviews at marygramlich.blogspot.com. 

Chorus Dancer in Times Square

Aloha to Linda Yellin and WHAT NORA KNEW

This cover reminds me of my recent trip to NYC.   It suggests romance is in the air ...

Molly Hallberg is a thirty-nine-year-old divorced writer living in New York City who wants her own column, a Wikipedia entry, and to never end up in her family's Long Island upholstery business. For the past four years Molly's been on staff for an online magazine, covering all the wacky assignments. She's snuck vibrators through security scanners, speed-dated undercover, danced with the Rockettes, and posed nude for a Soho art studio.

Fearless in everything except love, Molly is now dating a forty-four-year old chiropractor. He's comfortable, but safe. When Molly is assigned to write a piece about New York City romance in the style of Nora Ephron, she flunks out big-time. She can't recognize romance. And she can't recognize the one man who can go one-on-one with her, the one man who gets her. But with wit, charm, whip-smart humor, and Nora Ephron's romantic comedies, Molly learns to open her heart and suppress her cynicism in this bright, achingly funny novel.

I am giving away a print copy of WHAT NORA KNEW to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,  

1.  Do you have a favorite Nora Ephron movie?  Here's a list at this link.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, May 24, 10 pm in Baltimore. 

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 25.  

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Linda and her books at lindayellin.com.

View from the Empire State Building ... an inspiration to Nora Ephron.