Jeri Smith-Ready

RWA Part Two

So Thursday was the official start of the conference. I went to a panel composed of buyers from the big chain bookstores. It was really enlightening. The Published Author Network (PAN) panels are for authors only--no editors and agents allowed, which leaves us free to ask frank questions, like "How do I know if my publisher's just not that into me?" (Not an actual question asked out loud.)

Had to miss the luncheon because I was busy moving from the Adam's Mark to the Hyatt (the conference hotel), where my window looked out over Dealey Plaza. Well, if I craned my neck to the right I could see it and the Book Depository (and yes, The Window).

I didn't get a picture (the window wouldn't open), but here's a public domain shot from 2003:



Thursday night Harlequin held a dinner for all the single-title (i.e., non-category romance) authors at the Iron Cactus Grill. The party was hosted by Diane Moggy, VP of Global Single Title Sales, whom I got to meet for the first time. I also got to see CEO/Publisher Donna Hayes, whom I first met at BEA last month, as well as Executive VP Loriana Sacilotto. On the editorial side I met Margo Lipschultz and Tara Parsons, who was my interim editor when Stacy was on maternity leave last year.

And last but not least, my personal heroine, account manager Andi Richman, who is the Barnes & Noble sales rep for all of Harlequin. It's thanks to her that Eyes of Crow had such great placement and support at that chain last year. She told me she read Requiem for the Devil and loved it. Yay, another cult member!

Everyone was incredibly friendly and accessible. Even though Harlequin acts as a large publisher in terms of their market muscle, the people who work there give it a personal touch that makes it feel like a big family, cheesy as that sounds.

Fawning over. Back to the food. Yummy margaritas, but again, no vegetarian appetizers, so I had a crabcake. Which is hilarious, that a Marylander should go to Dallas for a crabcake. Then they set out a fajita bar, and I was oh-so-happy.

Shared a raucous table with fellow LUNA authors PC Cast, Robin D. Owens, and Maria V. Snyder, as well as Rachel Vincent (who writes for the MIRA imprint), Gena Showalter (ditto, HQN), Mindy Klasky (Red Dress Ink), Pamela Britton (NASCAR), and my fabulous editor Stacy Boyd, who, I discovered, shares my birthday.

Which was last Wednesday, by the way. Forgot to mention that in my previous post. Why yes, my Amazon wish list is up-to-date, thanks for asking.

Speaking of Stacy, here's a photo of us before going out to dinner the night of the Rita Awards:



I took my hair down later, which may have been a mistake. I get rather shaggy in humid weather.

Anyway, back to Thursday. Later that night in the bar, Jana and I caught up with Rachel again, as well as her critique partner Rinda Elliot, her agent Miriam Kriss of the Irene Goodman Agency, and author Jenna Black, also repped by Miriam. Other than Rinda, I'd met all of them at RT in Houston.

Miriam's Minions (as I have dubbed them just two seconds ago) have become one of my favorite little groups of people to see at conferences. I'd take a bullet for any of them. Well, a rubber bullet, tossed by a toddler. But still...

More tomorrow, if you can stand it!

Incredibly appropo A-Z Update: "Open Book" by Cake

Labels: appearances, food

• posted by Jeri @ 7:36 AM
• 2 comments