New York, RWA and a RITA Winner!



I admit I go through writing lulls. There are times, like lately, where I just can't put a story down on paper. And I really didn't want to go to the national RWA meeting in New York this year---but my DH somehow got me two tickets to The Book of Mormon, and I'd paid for the hotel, conference registration and booked my ticket months ago (when it seemed like a good idea), so what the heck, I'd go and at least see my first ever Broadway show.

I am sooooo glad I went. I drifted through the conference, picking up inspirational nuggets and many books, met with editors and my agent and came right home to write proposals (3 in a weekend!), motivated for the first time in a long time to write. I sat through sessions on epubbing, and heard a great historical author, Madeline Hunter, tell 3000 women authors that for the first time, thanks to the internet, the author has power over what she publishes.

I'd read on another loop that the historical book business was not good this year, and some of the publishers would not be doing historical author book signings. So totally NOT true. Historicals were everywhere, are here to stay and there's no hint of a popularity decline.

Our own Hoyden, Lauren Willig won the RITA for best Regency and wow, the competition is so tough in that category! Well done, Lauren and Meg Cabot loved your beautiful dress (we all did!).

The Book of Mormon was AWESOME. I was laughing so hard I missed some of the dialogue. I was star struck. Catie Couric was sitting in a seat across from me. Russel Brand and the Mayor of New York were there, too. That show made my jaw drop with a "did they really say that?" gasp...and a laugh that I couldn't stop. Sadly, the show tweaks so many conventions and is so funny-obscene, I think it will never find a theater home in many parts of the country. It strangely has a wonderful moral to the story and at the same time is going to offend so many. But that's part of the fun.

So I return from New York energized to write, aspire to have a book as good as Lauren's and to go see more theatre. Mission accomplished, says my husband.

Does anybody have some interesting experiences to report from the conference? Or reviews on a Broadway show?

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