Wednesday's Words for April 15, 2009

The countdown has begun. In five days I will be getting on a plane—alone—and jetting off to Orlando for my fourth Romantic Times Book Lovers’ convention.

I have yet to slip into full list-making mode. Those who know and claim to love me are getting worried. How can they make fun of my lists if I don’t make any?

It’s been a busy and eventful year since last I made my way to this annual celebration of books. Last year, of course, it was held in Pittsburgh and I was able to drive there. This year sees me flying, and this will be my very first flight on my own.

I have to make some adjustments, of course, because I am traveling alone. Since my roommate, the lovely and talented Ms. Raina James, fellow Siren author and friend extraordinaire is taking her laptop computer, I’ll leave mine behind. That sucker is heavy, and I’m going to be challenged enough as it is.

I was going to take the larger of our two suitcases, but think perhaps I’ll take the other, middle-sized one instead. I’ll have to have a look at my list (when I get around to making it) and see what would be best. I suspect it’s going to be an interesting exercise, limiting the amount of clothing. Do you think I can cram more into the suitcase if I roll my clothes as opposed to folding them?

I have been taking a fair bit of ribbing from friends and family about becoming a wild and wanton woman off on my own, so far away from my nest. As I believe I may have mentioned before, there have been covert plans to check out “Grannies Gone Wild” to see if there is any video evidence of my indiscretions. By the way, I thought they were kidding until I actually googled “Grannies Gone Wild”. Who knew?

Of course I assured everyone that when it came to indiscretions I would be extremely discreet and ensure that no cameras of any kind were present. My eldest smiled and informed me that with all the fancy cell phones in the world today, there were cameras present everywhere all the time.

I love attending this convention, but I don’t go for the seminars and panels; I don’t go for the freebies you can grab in promotion lane; and I don’t go, amazingly enough, for the promotional opportunities included in this sort of a gathering, including the two book fairs.

I love attending this convention because of the people. There are volunteers who work year after year, whom I’m always happy to see, and vice-versa. There are new people to meet—authors and readers alike. Oh, how I love it when someone comes up to me, reads my name tag and then introduces themselves because they’ve heard of me. Last year someone came up to me and said, “Oh my gosh, I read all your books!” That put me on cloud nine for the entire week.

I also love to reconnect with my sister authors who have become very special friends. This year, roving the environs of Orlando will be an amazing quartet, composed of Emma Wildes, Lara Santiago, Raina James—and yours truly. I’m looking forward to seeing Wendi Darlin again—we met in San Francisco last year. And I’m excited to be meeting, for the first time, Siren-Bookstrand and Extasy author, Tonya Ramagos.

Sitting around, chatting with fellow authors, talking about writing is pure heaven for me. Sitting around and chatting with other women is a relatively new experience, but one I have found I really like. I never had any really close female friends growing up, not until I got into my late forties. I never had a pyjama party, the kind young girls usually have with manis and pedis and dishing on guys.

In some ways I was a very late bloomer.

I’ll be spending a great deal of my time, this year, at the Siren-Bookstrand table in the hospitality suite, called “Club RT”.

If you’re going to the convention this year, why not stop by and say hello. My fellow authors and I will be giving away an enormous gift basket. So come on by and enter.

I’ll see you there!

Love,
Morgan
Two hot books, one award-winning author.
The Lady Makes Three / Wanton Wager
http://www.bookstrand.com/authors/morganashbury