Girls' night out

Writing is a lonely business. So I can hardly wait to fly to Dallas this week for the Romance Writers of America national convention. Once a year it’s such a relief to spend four days with several thousand people who type just as fast and get a glazed look in public just as often as I do!

I’m looking forward to meeting Sangeeta, who’s in charge of the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies. I’ll spend quality time with my literary agent and my critique partners, one of whom I’ve never met in person even though we’ve been partners for three years! I’m giddy about the National Readers’ Choice Awards ceremony because MAJOR CRUSH is a double-finalist. It’s a huge thrill to be nominated alongside Rachel Hawthorne, Mari Mancusi, and Gena Showalter!

Another highlight of the conference is always the “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing, a book signing open to the public with hundreds of authors. Publishers donate new books, you buy them at the cover price and have the authors sign them, and the proceeds go to literacy charities. The complete list of authors is posted here, but at a quick glance I see YA authors Niki Burnham, Rachel, Mari, Gena, and Lynda Sandoval, plus best sellers in the adult romance world like Connie Brockway, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Nora Roberts. It’s on Wednesday, July 11, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Dallas Hyatt Regency. I hope you’ll come out to see us, and bring your mom!