Book Buying Freeze

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MAY

14

2010

5:18 pm

It’s almost June, RWA conference is coming up in a couple months, and I already have more books in my TBR pile than I can read by July. Now is the time to declare a book buying moratorium.

I always overspend at Nationals so I came up with this process a couple years back. I would stop buying books a couple of months before conference in order to save up a bit. Plus the RWA literacy signing is for charity so they do encourage you to buy books there and not drag in your bookshelf from home to be signed.

It’s killing me this year. Sherry Thomas’ His at Night is coming out…Joanna Bourne’s next book is coming. I can buy them all at Nationals, but…but…

Another thing about the buying freeze is it also frees me up a little to finish whatever imaginary deadline I’ve given myself before Nationals. This year the goal is to finish the first draft of my paranormal, Sorcerer’s Daughter.

Speaking of deadlines. I suppose they’re no longer imaginary…*shudders*

So the freeze starts…now. :(

P.S. I am making two allowances for two category books that come out in June that I really, really want. Now that I know how category sales are time sensitive, I have to buy these two books to support the authors. But that’s it!

P.P.S. I’ve decided checking out books from the library is still okay.

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Getting in Shape

Filed in: blog | slice of life    Tags: |

APR

22

2010

1:00 am

iStock_000000050273XSmall

“Let’s talk about your goals,” my physical trainer says. “What do you want to achieve?”

“I need to look good by July.”

I know this is very shallow. I should be trying to stay healthy all year round and I should be more concerned with having a strong heart than a firm middle. *Hangs head in shame*

“What’s in July?” he asks.

“I have to look good in front of hundreds of women,” I say, shame forgotten. “Everyone goes shopping for cute clothes and shoes. It’s the gathering of the year.”

I tried to explain the historical fashion show I’m a part of and how I’m presenting a workshop…let’s just say I don’t want to suck it in for four days.

I should have been warned by the gleam in his eyes.

“Oh, we can do July,” Mr. Strange says. (That’s my trainer’s name. Strange. I wish I wrote contemporaries so I could write him into something.)

So I woke up this morning barely able to walk after jump roping. I popped two Advil and dragged myself to the gym anyway. At one point in the workout he laughed diabolically when I was limping from the exercise bike to the mat. I swear, there was diabolicalness to it.

Then I ended the workout doing a fitness drink taste test because he insisted these were the ones that “tasted good”. I nodded politely and tried not to make a face. The grape one was better than the fruit punch.

“Take the whole bottle with you,” he offers.

“No, no.” I force a smile. “You can have it.”

He wants to start looking at a food journal starting next week to which I agreed. It’s really hard to trim down when you’re 5’1. There’s very little wiggle room. But I’m going to look good in July, darn it.

Maybe I should add a daily fitness goal to the Fast Draft goal?

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Off to RWA Conference!

Filed in: events | pitching | publishing | travel | writing    Tags: | |

JUL

14

2009

5:22 am

I’m off to conference for the rest of the week. I probably won’t be blogging here unless there is…*ahem*…news.

In case anyone’s wondering — YES! I’m a wreck. An absolute basket case. For a bunch of different reasons. The outer sense of zen calm I may exhibit *snicker* is only a defense mechanism to hide a squirrelly bundle of nerves.

But it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t at least attempt to reflect a little and put some order to all this. Last night I was thinking of all the RWA conferences I’ve been to. Each one sticks in my mind as a milestone.

  • 2006 – Atlanta: My first writer’s conference ever. I stayed by my lonesome in a free room I got from hotel points. I hardly knew anybody and I had 8 chapters of my first novel done. I attended workshops back to back and tried to soak up everything. This conference motivated me so much. Real people did this, I could do it too!
  • 2007 – Dallas: This year I was able to rope one of my critique partners into staying with me in a dinky hotel room outside of the conference hotel. My book was still about four chapters from finished. I was too scared to pitch — in fact, I didn’t even know how to sign up for an appointment! I met my beloved Romance Divas including Crystal Jordan who had received an offer right on the eve of conference! I watched Trish Albright, my chapter-mate, vie for the Golden Heart® award. She didn’t win the pendant, but she did win a contract with Dorchester. That’s the real prize, right?
  • 2008 – San Francisco: I jumped in with both feet. I had two books complete by now. The first one took 2 years, the second one, two months. (disclaimer: first draft only) I pitched to agents and editors for the first time and received three requests for fulls and a couple requests for partials. I schmoozed at chapter parties. I volunteered and lugged books around until my back was sore. I did that magic thing people always mention — I “networked”.
  • 2009 – Washington D.C.: I’m going to conference this year as a Golden Heart® finalist with the support of my wonderful agent and so many friends. Butterfly Swords is sitting on the virtual desk of publishers. I can hardly sleep with excitement.

RWA conference gives me a marker to stop and say, am I getting closer? Every year,  this conference has given me new hopes and dreams. Sky’s the limit this year, I truly believe that.

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Holy heartbreak, is that July coming at me?

Filed in: events | pitching | slice of life | writing    Tags: | |

JUN

30

2009

7:01 am

Close up: Me frozen like a deer in the headlights.

Is it really the first of July tomorrow?

Cue: Hysterical scream.

I don’t freak out often, believe it or not. But July means that there’s only a couple of weeks left until RWA conference. I’ve been building up to this for so long. I’m going to room with friends I haven’t seen in a year. I’m totally excited to meet a bunch of online writerly acquaintances that I’ve made recently. I’m thinking over elevator pitches and picking outfits.

I expect to be on a natural high the entire week of July 15-18 in D.C. with all the networking parties, workshops and award ceremonies. Butterfly Swords is up for four awards including the Golden Heart®. The Dragon and the Pearl (aka Silk and Seduction) is up for an award as well. *eek* I need to prepare a speech for the GH® in case I get called up because I don’t want to look like a total goof up there. (I never could wing it in 3rd grade with the book reports. I know I’m not going to be able to wing it now so I’m preparing a speech.)

Underneath it all, I know the build up is going to lead to the adrenaline crash of the century once it’s all over. Already dreading that. :( All the while, “real life” continues.

Camera pans wide:
Big, daunting “real life” monsters closing in. Let’s have them dressed as the Wild Things from “Where the Wild Things Are.”

Fade to black.

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Guide to Style: Shopping for Conference

Filed in: events | friends and family | miscellaneous | slice of life | travel    Tags: | | | |

MAY

21

2009

7:16 am

shopping_bagsI’m supposed to go shopping today for the RWA conference along with some chaptermates. I find conference very intimidating. First of all, I have to shop for it. That means I don’t have closets full of fabulous outfits to choose from and that makes me feel like I’m already behind the 8 ball.

It’s really daunting to be surrounded by savvy, stylish, beautiful women. And I don’t care what people say about “just be comfortable”. This is a professional, social setting. You wouldn’t go to an interview dressed inappropriately. Plus since I’m up for an award so I have to get a killer dress. It’s like the Academy Awards for romance. People have been talking about their dresses for months! *gulp*

My sense of style can pretty much be summed up in one sentence — “Black goes with everything?” Yes, the question mark is included deliberately.

Is it bad that I’m resorting to Tim Gunn’s 10 Essentials for my shopping list?  Here’s what I’m looking for today:

  1. Basic Black Dress - Need a new one. I wore all my LBDs at last year’s conference.
  2. Trench Coat - Going to pass. This is a summertime event.
  3. Dress Pants - Check! Although the ones I have are a little snug.
  4. Classic Shirt - Need a tailored white shirt
  5. Jeans - Need to get some in time to have them altered for my short legs
  6. Any Occasion Top - Something fun. MUST HAVE COLOR.
  7. Skirt - Check! One of the few things I have covered.
  8. Day Dress - Check! I’ve got several fun ones.
  9. Jacket - Need a nice tailored one, preferably not black, with pockets.
  10. Sweatsuit Alternative - Check! Casual skirt and top for me.

And finally something snazzy that might potentially go on stage…ACK!…fingers crossed.

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