Your Hidden Talent |
 You're super sensitive and easily able to understand situations. You tend to solve complex problems in a flash, without needing a lot of facts. Decision making is easy for you. You have killer intuition. The right path is always clear, and you're a bit of a visionary. |
On our way back from Borders, we stopped at Union Square for a quick picture. The other three stayed to have a coffee, but I had to get back to the hotel to pack. I decided I'd rather head to my friend Jen's house, then sit through the awards' ceremony. I was really tired at this point.
My friend Deb drove up from San Jose and met me and our mutual romance writer friend Alice for lunch.
Friday night at the RWA conference means one thing...the Harlequin Party. This is the best publisher at the conference and you can tell by the number of party crashers who attend the annual event. The room was much smaller than the ballroom at Dallas and felt as if there were twice as many people. I wonder if that was because it was right next door to the Marriott so people didn't need to spring for a taxi, but I also noticed several people who looked as if they might have just wandered in. 
I sat at a table with two crashers (one published author and her "assistant") while munching down yummy Chinese food. Though the writer said she'd been invited by a Harlequin author, she kept trying to hide from a Silhouette editor because, in her own words, "she knows I don't write for Harlequin." I guess the great food, free alcohol and dancing until your feet hurt is too much to resist for other conference goers.
The food was very similar to what I had served at our San Francisco themed reception-themed stations based on the different areas of San Francisco (Fisherman's Wharf, Ghiradelli Square, Chinatown, etc.) They even had dim sum. The dessert buffet included the now famous chocolate fountain complete with rice crispy squares, muffins, marshmallows, strawberries and bananas to dip. Hubby said he'd give me five dollars if I'd lick from the fountain. I said maybe if he upped it to $500 I'd be tempted!
In addition to the fondue, they had a table with mini frosted cupcakes and spoon-sized creme brulees. Hubby liked this table best. I liked the chocolate cupcakes, but found myself drawn to the chocolate fountain.
One of these days, I should probably write a special post about Romance and Modern Extra writer Trish Wylie. Trish and I met last year in Dallas at Sandra' HMB pizza party. I was fortunate enough to spend much more time with her this year in San Francisco. She would have to get my new BFF award this year. Anyway, I have so many pics of Trish taking a picture of me and me of her it's become a bit of a joke. We've become photo nemesis so I had to at least post one of the pictures somewhere. Here it is! 
Silhouette and Harlequin editors also attended. I spoke with Mary-Theresa Hussey, my first editor. She's the one who bought Fiance For the Night way back in 1997. Here's a picture of me with two of the Mills & Boon editors, Sally Williams and Lucy Gilmour! They were really tearing up the dance floor, too!
Hubby attended with me and we had a fab time dancing. He was extra careful with his knee though. Gotta love a man who thinks about stuff like that, but he had no problem hanging on the dance floor for the evening. Thank goodness because that's what I love most about this event...the dancing!
The usual wedding songs were played: Conga line, Love Shak, The Twist, It's Raining Men, Achy Breaky Heart, Shout, Grease medley, Macarena. Lots of others, too. We left a little before midnight and I heard the dancing continued on past the designated end time. I was ready to call it a night!
Another fun day at the RWA Conference! This morning I attended a workshop session by Lisa Gardner then bumped into Elizabeth Boyle in the hallway. She was headed to the Avon signing so I tagged along. I'd planned on picking up some autographed books to giveaway on the blog. The line was already long, but I started to head to the end when Elizabeth, who was going to be signing, told me just to come with her. I suddenly became her "assistant" and went into the room with all the other Avon authors. As any good assistant would do, I helped hang the poster in front of her table and made sure she had everything she needed before moving over to Susan Elizabeth Phillips' table.
I managed to snag an autographed Susan Elizabeth Phillips novel for you guys! It's trade size and since I collected two boxes worth of books to giveaway, the title escapes me. As usual she was friendly and gracious. I was feeling particularly fortunate that I didn't have to wait in that long line to enter the room and then the line to meet her!
I was very excited to see Kinley MacGregor would be signing in the Avon room. I had heard her speak at the Rose City Romance Authors Readers Luncheon in 2007, but the lines were just too long to meet her. She emanates warmth and friendliness. Later I saw her by the elevator and asked how she writes with children in the house! I'm trying to figure out how other authors do it and if I can figure out a schedule that will work better for me and the kidlets.
I saw Jane Porter at another signing where I picked up even more books. One of her books, Flirting with Forty, will be a television movie (Lifetime, I believe but I may be wrong) staring Heather Locklear. I can't imagine how excited it would be to have a book made into a movie! Only in my dreams!!!
After I dropped off all the books, it was off to Lovejoy's Tea House in Noe Valley for the Harlequin Romance authors tea party. I couldn't believe when I received the invitation because I mention Lovejoy's in my blinddatebrides.com book! Imagine being invited there by Mills & Boon editors!
The interior of the tea house was very cozy and eclectic. Lots of chintz and lace, mismashed tea cups and teapots, old pictures and other knick knacks. It was just as I imagined it would be when I checked out the pictures on the website when writing the manuscript.
Each table had a special reservation on it. Our tables were reserved for Queens, but here's a picture of the sign for the Princesses. 
Here I am with Claire Baxter and editor Suzanne Clarke. I had ridden over in a taxi with Claire, Linda Goodnight and Melissa James. I realized when we arrived at the tea house that I'd left my camera on the back seat of the cab. Luckily the driver had given me the number of the dispatcher so I called and he was sent back with my camera!
Just like last year, the Mills & Boon editors attending the San Francisco conference are so nice. It'll be fun to see them on the dance floor at the Harlequin party.
We were served high tea. I drank vanilla tea and apricot tea. Trish Wylie thanks we Americans should be prosecuted for our tea. The air in her mouth tastes better than the teas over here. And cold tea is a sin against mankind. I did not add quotation marks, but those are her exact words.
Here's a group shot taken outside of Lovejoy's of the Harlequin Romance authors and the Mills & Boon editors who attended the Harlequin Romance Tea.
Instead of taking a taxi back to the Marriott, a few of us decided to ride the trolley. This is something I'd never done even when I lived in the city! It was so much. Here are Carol Grace, Linda Goodnight and Trish Wylie.
The other editors had to get back for appointments, but Linda Fildew decided to join us on our little trolley adventure!
We were rewarded with beautiful views and also got to chat with riders who wanted to know what Harlequin was because some of the writers were wearing their conference badges. A few riders started pitching story ideas to us. And we had one man recited his poetry to Carol for easily five stops.
We enjoyed a nice walk back to the hotel. A great finish for a wonderful lunch with the other authors and the four editors!
Another fun day at the conference! 
Four editors flew across the pond to attend the conference. I met three of the four. All were so welcoming and nice. I really do love working out of the Richmond/London office! Here is a picture of two of the editors, Linda Fildew and Sally Williamson.
My favorite part of the morning was meeting Romance author Melissa James in person. We worked on the Wedding Planners continuity together and it was great to finally put a person to the name on the emails and Yahoo chats! But I didn't recognize her. I thought she had red hair, but it was dark brown/black. That took me by surprise. Linda Goodnight was also there so the three of us posed for this picture of the SF Wedding Belles!
I headed downstairs and bumped into the must-always-read-but-not-alone-at-night Lisa Gardner. Her books are so good! If you aren't reading her, you should be! Her daughter is the same age as Rose. It's hard to believe I met her on-line before either of us had any children or she was even married.
