I’m just back from the Romance Writers’ of America National Conference in New York City.  It was held at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square.  2200 writers gathered to network and attend workshops–and to have fun.  Most of the time, we’re parked in front of our computers but for a

few days each year, we actually get out and interact with other writers and our editors.  During those few days, we’re Cinderella at the ball.  I went to the top of the Empire State Building, looked out on Times Square from my hotel room, assisted in a workshop on

Victorian underwear (no, I did not model), ate at a cool Scottish restaurant with Cara Summers and my editor, Brenda Chin, and went to see Sister Act with a group of writer friends.  And then there was the Harlequin party at the Starlight Roof of the Waldorf Astoria.  Utterly fabulous!  All good things must end and I arrived home, exhausted, to roses from my hubby!  I almost forgot that I have a book out this month–KEPT IN THE DARK, the last book in the 24 Hours Blackout series.

Now it’s back to work.  But first, who has been to New York?  What did you do and did you like it?

I’m sitting at home.

There are no workshops here. There is no bar. There are, sadly, no happy writers thrilled to see me (unless you count my daughter, whose written 3 books for the Young Authors program, but I don’t think she’s very thrilled). I didn’t have to choose clothes and get a pedicure. I don’t get to strap on my cutest shoes and show them off. I won’t be dancing and drinking and celebrating at the renowned Harlequin Party. I won’t even have email, a plotting session or my CP to distract me.   And I wont’ be hanging with the fun Blaze authors, celebrating Blaze’s 10th Anniversary!

In other words, it’s hellishly boring here.

Which is usually okay, but not this week!!! Because I have to miss the Romance Writers of America National conference. It’s in New York. Right there, in Times Square. But I have family commitments and just couldn’t make it happen this year.

So now I have to find some way to distract myself.  To stay busy.  I could write — I have a book due September 1st.  I could scrapbook – I have about 10 years of photos screaming to be put in albums.  I could work in the garden – my backyard is horribly ugly and sad right now.  So I have plenty to do before I head to Idaho.  But… I don’t wanna.

I wanna be in New York.  Partying Blaze style.  Hanging and learning and enjoying.

So help me out – when all your friends are off having a good time and you’re not, what do you do to distract and entertain yourself?

It’s travel time!  The annual Romance Writers’ of America conference is at the end of the month, which means I’m headed to New York.  I don’t travel as much as I used to and I’m out of practice.  I haven’t been on a plane since the new passenger screening rules were put into effect.  Does it take longer to get through security than it used to?  And packing–it took me forever to pack for last year’s conference.  Why?  It’s not like I haven’t done it before.

I learned about those space-saver bags that you can squash your clothes into, but they still weigh the same and I have had to take stuff out of my suitcase and cram it into my purse to get under the 50-pound limit at the baggage check-in counter.  I am not a light traveler.

Who’s going on a trip this summer?  Any travel tips?  Please share!

To continue Rhonda’s theme from yesterday, I’ve returned from the RWA National Conference in Orlando where I also had fun at Harry Potter, but did not win any awards. However, I do have pictures.

The massive literacy signing that kicks off the conference raised over $55,000 in two hours. The authors are sitting alphabetically and since I’m an “M”, I took this picture from the middle. It shows just half the people. There’s an equal number behind me.

After a couple of days of workshops and meetings, we’re ready to party! Here I am at the Harlequin party with Geralyn Dawson. One of the food tables had candy apples with yummy sauces.

All too soon, I was back home and doing laundry.

When you return home after traveling, do you unpack immediately, or put it off until the next day—or week?

Well, it’s actually conference time for a couple thousand Romance Authors as they all congregate for the Romance Writers of America national conference, held this year in Orlando Florida! There are workshops. There are awards ceremonies. There are keynote speeches and spotlights and book signings. There are parties and get-togethers and luncheons. There really is something for everyone.

This is one of the most fun, and most exhausting, events of the year for many writers. And having never attended any other type of conference, I’m not sure if that’s the norm for conference fun or not.

What it does mean, though, is that the blog will be a little on the quiet side for the next week. With most of the authors computer-less and the editors busy with appointments and giving workshops, it’s likely to be a little quiet around here. But don’t worry – we’ll be back in full blogging mode by the beginning of August and everyone will have fun stories and tales to share.

In the meantime – what’s your conference experience? If you’re a writer, do you attend the RWA conference? Readers, would you come to the literacy signing if it was nearby? And have you ever attended a conference? What’d you think?

Sometimes I’m too clever for my own good. I enjoy signing at RWA’s Literacy Autographing, which kicks off the annual conference. So do 400 or 500 other authors. Since we’re all packed into one room, space is at a premium. Therefore, we’re no longer allowed to have posters of our book covers or any vertical displays to lure readers to our spot. Some authors are so well known, they don’t need to do any luring. They sell out in fifteen minutes and head for the bar. The rest of us smile gamely and wait for our legions of fans to find us. Or legion of fans. Or even one fan.

I needed an attention getter. Around Valentine’s Day, I found a string of heart lights and got an idea. I would decorate my signing space with blinking lights. There aren’t any rules about blinking lights, probably because there isn’t any place to plug them in. Oh, but I’m married to an electrical engineer. “Can you design me a power supply that will fit in a flat-rate mailer and run this string of lights for three hours?” I asked him. And like magic, he produces a plastic case with a plug and a red on/off switch. There’s even a cooling fan inside along with a cord to recharge the battery. After mailing it to myself–in Washington, D.C.–I learn that the nifty case is actually a gun case. A gun case?!? “It was the right size,” he explains. I figure the US Mail will never let the thing through. Nevertheless, I pack the lights in my suitcase and head for the conference. After landing, I get to baggage claim and hear, “Continental passenger Heather MacAllister please report to the baggage service office.” I knew it couldn’t be good.

What happened was airport security had removed my suitcase from the plane prior to take off because my heart lights, wiring neatly arranged in the unopened box, resembled a bomb. I’m lucky they didn’t blow the suitcase up first and ask questions later. I could hardly wait to find out if my gun case made it to the hotel.

It actually did and so did my suitcase after Continental put it on the next flight out and rushed it to the hotel in time for the literacy signing. Here I am, blinking lights and all.

After all the drama, I’m curious–how do you feel about book signings?