Next Week Is Uber Busy Time

A few of you are going to Dallas for the RWA Convention in Dallas next week and have contacted me with some questions so I'm going to talk about the Literacy Signing and some convention suggestions today.

The Literacy signing is on the 11th from 5.30-7.30pm. There's about 450 AUTHORS sitting in a HUGE convention ball in alphabetical rows, waiting to sign their latest books. These books are NOT FREE; all proceeds go to literacy charities to promote reading. It's a great cause and RWA raises a lot of money every year.

SEE the madness:

If you are staying longer, yes, you can meet your favorite authors sitting at the bars, lounge, restaurants ;-). They are a friendly lot and love to meet with their readers.

If you are registered for the convention, bring extra tote bags because there are freebies (BOOKS! LOTS OF BOOKS!) given in workshops as well as publishers' spotlights. There are LONG LINES if there happen to be a very famous author freesigning (for example, Sherrilyn Kenyon or Jennifer Crusie or Linda Howard), so wear comfortable shoes. Bring a lounge chair ;-). Water bottle. And lots of patience is required, but that's easy if you strike up a conversation with the reader in front and behind you.

For first time attendees, yes, the RITA awards is dressy. Most of us love to dress up for the occasion and show off our new shoes and swanky froufrous. Some of us even bring a man, hahahahaha. Warning, if you are short like me, do NOT take a picture with Marjorie Liu, who will be wearing her eight-inch spike heels and ultra-slim sexy gown. She will make you look like that stupid bumble bee child in that ancient Pearl Jam video who attended the MTV awards dressed like that too...utterly out-of-place...and if you remember this kid, you are getting old like me ;-).

If you see those Mary Kay women who are having their annual convention in Dallas about the same time, run! RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN. They can't catch you with the big pompom ribbons weighting them down. If they corner you at the bar, you are DOOMED. If you're stuck in an elevator with them, use my excuse from a few years ago. When they start asking you whether you're a Mary Kay lady, tell them you're an Avon lady (heh, well, I was telling the truth back then....) Okay, I've probably offended a few dozen Mary Kay readers out there :::hanging head in shame::: Tell you what, you can make fun of my roofing outfits.

It is HUMID and RAINY in Dallas at this time of the year. Bring an umbrella if you're dining out. Makeup-backup in the bag. Extra tissue to wipe off perspiration. Deodorant is important!

Do NOT douse yourself in perfume. I love a nice smell myself but think of 2000 attendees and 3000 Mary Kay Sweethearts walking around in a cloud of perpetual aroma. :::cough cough::: There are many of us who are allergic to perfume too, so have pity.

Please do SCREAM my name when you see me. And WAVE. I'm shortsighted and short and can never see over anyone. Like I tell everyone, I'm only four foot four. Nobody seems to believe me but it's true. I only look taller because I'm good at illusions ;-). I also love hearing girls screaming GENNITA out. It makes me feel important, like hey, damnyouMarjorieLiu, theycansoseeme-besideyoutoo important. Can you tell I lurv this girl? ;-)

Guess who's standing on her toes here, between two of her favorite people:

Do not ask me for directions. I'm equally lost myself.

Let's see, what else...oh, yeah, enjoy yourself! It's a great place to network, get to know about publishing and trends, if you're into that, or meet with your favorite authors and ask them those urgent questions you have to have the answers for, or connect with booksellers. If you're an aspiring author, best of luck for your agent/editor pitch. If you want to try it out on me first, just come on over to my table or stop me anywhere you see me (being lost, as usual, I'm always wandering). I'll try to help out, having been there, done that myself. Mind you, there's no guarantee that my advice will be helpful, depending on time of day (not good to talk to me before Coffee. Always good to bribe me with wine--any time, LOL. Zinfandel, please, with a spritz of triple sec, heh.)

I'll be blogging from Nationals as much as I can, with pictures. I know there will be many readers linking from the "blogging from Nationals" and I'll try to write with their perspective in mind.

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