RWA away away (and back again)

Unsurprisingly, I’m writing this on yet another plane. This time I’m on the way home from RWA Nationals, where I’ve been since Tuesday. Dudes. My brain is full. Six days of workshops, 2000 writers (95% female—woah, the estrogen levels in that hotel!), an abundance of food and drink, and not a whole lot of sleep. I met so many wonderful people and reconnected with so many more.

I roomed with the fabulous Christine, the other half of my brain Phaedra, my coauthor Teresa, which was a blast. I was the only one who knew any of them—I was the pivot point friend—but as I suspected, they all got along famously. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time…

I spent some quality time with Teresa’s and Sarah’s and my editor, Adam. Fascinating man, and lots of fun.

I hung out with fellow Lust Biters Kate Pearce, Anne Tourney, Deanna Ashford, and Deanna’s daughter (also a Kate), as well as Michelle M. Pillow and Mandy Roth (a fellow ‘80s aficionado!). I also got to meet the amazing Emma Holly.

Thanks to Phaedra, who took me as her date, I got to go to the Berkley/Penguin/Ace party. Fantastic hors d’ouvres, free wine and champagne, and oh my gods squeak I’m at a party with Nora Roberts!

I took mostly workshops on creativity, on re-finding the joy and refilling the well, although also a few on structure and whatnot. Much of the former was stuff I already knew, but needed to be reminded of, needed to get it to sink back into my subconscious. During one workshop I did have a lovely (dark and sad, though) epiphany about the book I’ve just started. It breaks my heart to do it to my heroine, but I can’t shy away from it.

I’ve been in a writing slump for a while, and just before the conference, when I started to haul myself out of it, I realized I’ve been mildly depressed overall. I didn’t want to write, but I didn’t want to do much of anything, except maybe costuming. As I started to come back to my normal self, I decided to start a new project, go in a different direction to clear out my brain. (Phae, what did you call it? Something about coffee?) Cleanse the palate. So I’m working on an urban fantasy, and it’s different that what I’ve been doing, and I’m enjoying it. I need to just play with it, not worry about whether it’s “right,” explore and learn the book while I’m writing it.

Pictures can be found here—enjoy!

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Currently Reading: Dime Story Magic, Kelley Armstrong
Lately Listened To: the buzzing in my brain
Recently Watched: Dr Who