So maybe I don’t get out as much as I used to but… I did have a very exciting surprise in my inbox today! Marilyn from Romance Designs is the first person besides my agent, editor and friends to read BOUND AND DETERMINED. I was sooo nervous as I mailed the copyedited manuscript to her about 10 days ago. I’d send you a picture of me holding my breath, pacing and generally fidgeting while waiting on this review, but I don’t want to scare anyone. Well, this morning, I woke up and found the review! You can view the entire thing here: but here’s a snippet:

“This was HOT–SIZZLING HOT–and…the story had plot, and a very good one… The lead duo definitely had chemistry–rather explosive–like an Atom bomb–and this was delivered in spades!–I loved it!”

Yipee!! So now it’s happy Friday for me, and I’m off to go float on a cloud or something. I’d celebrate by getting up close and personal with the contents of a margarita machine, but I’ve crawled back on the Weight Watchers wagon so I don’t feel like a hag at the Romantic Times convention in Daytona Beach next May, and alas, margaritas have waaaaayyyy too many points. I’ll have to settle for jumping up and down–burns more calories anyway. Hopefully more good news soon!

Mood: Happy (but still tired–I still hate insomnia)
Music: Beethoven and Depeche Mode

Okay, so I usually try to express something semi-intelligent here or at least write something I’ve thought through. This week has completely flown by, so I’ve devoted less than 2 seconds to thinking about this topic. Hence, the random rambling. My apologies.

It’s so hot here, and humid, that showers almost seem pointless. Doesn’t look like it’ll cool off anytime soon. Good, since we’re enjoying our pool on the weekends with friends. Their 7-month old daughter is loving the water, and it’s great to see her little smile. Bad since our electric bill likely equals the GNP of a small third-world country. And of course, with my fair skin, I have no tan to speak of. Don’t even talk to me about this many consecutive bad hair days. Ugh!

But this is the week to start getting serious again. I’ve had a decent break since mailing off STRIP SEARCH a bit over a month ago, so it’s time to get back to work. Now, I’ll be devoting my energies to the erotic romance (with a TBD title) that will hit bookstore shelves in January 2007, I’m told. This is my first REALLY erotic romance. Like my mother is going to DIE if she ever tries to read this sort of erotic romance. The kind of erotic romance that, if BOUND AND DETERMINED hadn’t already scared off some of my previous critique partners who weren’t all that wild about sexy books…this one would send them screaming to the nearest asylum. *g* Seriously, it is going to be darker and edgier than either BOUND AND DETERMINED or STRIP SEARCH. I’ve been dying to dive into this book for a long time, and I’ll definitely do everything possible to make it a big, enjoyable read. But…I’m a little nervous. I want to do this right. Wish me luck!

Rambling completed. Pretty random, right? I’ll try to think of something that’s not a waste of cyber-space in the next few days. Honest!

Oh, and for those who asked…
Mood: Tired (I hate insomnia!)
Music: U2, Elevation

I’ll be back later this week!

Shelley

I asked my hubby to be a monthly feature on the blog, starting this month. I told him I’d keep it close to the middle of the month, so we’ll call him the centerfold *g*. Anyway, I told him to start by saying a few words about being married to a romance writer (for 14 years, as of next month!). Here’s what he had to say, and before you ask, no, I didn’t write this myself or bribe him. Honest!

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Being married to a romance writer is like climbing a mountain–it has its highs and lows. The highs, as you can imagine, can be all a man ever asked for (think hands-on research). The lows…well, let’s just say Mr. Laundry and Mr. Mom are not two aliases I’d ever planned on assuming.

The tireless hours I see Shelley, and the really little she asks of me in return, always brings me back to one special feeling: The words I spoke on our wedding day, and it is as true now as it was then. “I am a lucky man.” (An aside from Shelley: I have this on video. He really did say this on our wedding day!)

Ahh, are those the dulcet tones of my cave-dwelling significant other, huddled away her asylum, glowing in candlelight? I answer, “Yes, dear. Hot chocolate and a Milky Way bar are on their way. You just keep those creative juices flowing!”

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Not bad for a blog virgin, huh? Besides, it’s a little real-life romance.

Come back next time when I try to explain to my daughter that, no, I don’t write the kind of books Dr. Seuss did.

So I’ve decided to be merciful and end this series here. I could have dragged out out more, but you’ve been waiting, right? Patiently…I’m not sure about that .

2002 – Denver – The blood bath. This was a year of major upheaval for RWA. Our annual general meeting was, in a word, ugly. Very political. Very long. The aftermath continued for months. I don’t think much else happened at that conference–except I endured another very cold hotel. My editor indicated she was leaving Kensington just prior to the conference, so she didn’t attend. I missed seeing her. The hotel was very spread out, and made walking in uncomfortable shoes a real bitch. I came home fairly down and not certain what to do next. I opted for resting and reading…for almost a year.

2003 – NYC – I have to be honest and say I don’t remember a lot about this one, either. Except that I enjoyed the city much more than the first time. I saw Mamma Mia and Thoroughly Modern Millie on Broadway. Both were very good. We had lunch one day at a WONDERFUL Italian place. I still remember the ziti… I attended a party at the Kensington offices and got to see firsthand what a publisher’s place looks like–cluttered, as you might imagine. Stacks of paper everywhere! I remember spend a lot of that conference wondering what I should write next and having some very interesting ideas… BOUND AND DETERMINED was conceived shortly before this conference.

2004 – Dallas – This hotel was better, in terms of layout. The rooms…so-so. BUT, I had a great time talking to friends old and new. I had a new publisher, Berkley, and was feeling very optimistic about life again. My roommate and I that year opted to sneak out of workshops on Saturday and go to the mall. I don’t think I learned a lot from workshops, but I got a beautiful red dress to wear to the awards gala that night (which I’ve worn several times since). I bought the entire conference on MP3 since I attended so few of the workshops and I haven’t figured out how to play them yet. LOL.

2005 – Reno – The good news: Nice hotel layout, not too cold, plenty of restaurants. The bad news: More political junk. Ugh! At least it wasn’t a repeat of Denver. I spoke with some interesting people who imparted some really cool information about publishing. I went to far more workshops than I had in years. Several were outstanding, and really sent me home with a drive to write. Too bad I just finished a book…but I’ll be starting another soon. A huge highlight for me was getting to meet my new editor, have lunch and “hang” time with my agent (who also took all her clients to a beautiful lunch right on the shores of Lake Tahoe). I roomed with an old friend, who is now writing for Avon and having the time of her life. I came home feeling pretty good about things and eager to dig into a new book. And I will–now that I’m almost caught up on my sleep and recovered from the nasty cold that made me remember ever meal I skipped and every hour of sleep I lost. I can’t wait. Hope you’re excited, too!

So that’s it! I hope you enjoyed the look back at my treks to RWA conferences over the years. Stay tuned for the next installment–the first from my husband, who dishes all on what it’s like to be married to a neurotic, demanding, stubborn, opinionated…Oh, I don’t have to go on. All I have to say is romance writer. The rest, you can (no doubt) fill in all by yourselves!

Shelley

Are you wondering yet when this will be over? If I’m actually ancient? Or making this stuff up? No, seriously. I’ve been to a LOT of these things! Here’s the latest:

1999 – Chicago – Do you know I remember almost nothing about this conference? I remember the Kensington Author dinner being at an Chinese food restaurant and being very hungry because I don’t like Chinese. I remember meeting my wonderful agent Deidre Knight for the first time and knowing we were going to be a great team in the first three seconds. Beyond that…it’s a blur.

2000 – Washington D.C. – My memories are mostly of a very cold hotel, a very rainy city and very vague editors about the continuation of the line I was publishing in. The line eventually folded, which wasn’t unexpected, but did make for a bummer of a summer. Mostly, I remember really wanting to get out and sightsee, but the rain preventing me from seeing anything more exciting than the McDonald’s down the street. By contrast, this was the first year I attended a Romantic Times conference, where you don’t have to leave the hotel for scenery, as they are cover models aplenty. I had the pleasure of meeting John DeSalvo, who was very nice to me, despite my slobbering.

2001 – New Orleans – My fondest memories of this trip are actually of things a girlfriend of mine and I did before conference started: We took tours of the plantation houses up and down the Mississippi, then spent the night in a former slave cabin (much renovated, complete with a modern kitchen and 2 bathrooms). The history of the plantations were fascinating, and the differences between the Creole and American plantations was something I’d known nothing about. The most fascinating place we visited was the Laura Plantation. They were full of factoids! We also visited the bookstore that provided the first orgasm by research materials on our trip 10 years previously. My editor took a friend of mine and I to a very loud bar on Bourbon Street, across from a very risque T-shirt shop, where we drank margaritas and tried to keep the flies out of our drinks. Powerhouse agent Donald Maass was the keynote speaker for the published authors, and was so impressive–and cute. It was a fun conference.

Tune in next when I’ll tell you about the blood bath, among other chilling things.

Shelley

Yes, the never-ending blog series is back with the latest installment of thrills, chills, spills and… well, my recap of conferences past.

1994 – NYC – My first trip to New York. I have to admit, I wasn’t impressed, except with Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. We stayed at a hotel not far from Times Square. When we checked in, the bellhop told us not to go below the lobby floor, to the public restaurants and shops by ourselves at night because some woman had just been raped down there the night before. As if that wasn’t enough to scare me off, five of us girls went to a huge bookstore on another side of town a few hours after arriving in NYC. We were nearly mugged by 2 jerks on inline skates. After that, I didn’t leave the hotel. From there, the scary turned funny. One of my friends was late for an editor appointment. We were stayin on the 23rd floor, and most of the elevators were broken or being repaired, so getting down that many flights of stairs was damn near impossible. So she was brave and opted to go down the stairs so she wouldn’t be late. The problem: Her pantyhose went down faster. As she lifted her skirt to yank them back up her legs, a pair of waiters entered the stairwell. Needless to say, my poor friend was wishing not just for an elevator, but that the ground would open her up and swallow her whole.

1995 – Hawaii – I didn’t go. I’d been to Oahu before, and for the same amount of money, I could go to England for 10 days with my mom. So I did. I have great memories, too!

1996 – Dallas – I can sincerely say this was my worst conference to date. The hotel was confusing and nowhere near any good restaurants. The market news was depressing. My former agent and I were about to part ways and I knew it. One of my dear friends was giving up her writing. And to top it off, it was damn hot! I was actually glad when this one was over. The bright spot was that my good friends and I all had our husbands attend this awards ceremony and banquet. I distinctly remember my husband being unhappy about being all dressed up on a Saturday night and asking every five minutes, “Is it over yet?”

1997 – Orlando – I didn’t attend this one, either. Funny how having a newborn will make the idea of travel seem so impossible.

1998 – Anaheim – This one I was really looking forward to. FINALLY, I could wear a “First Sale” ribbon, as I’d sold my first book to Kensington. What a rush, what a thrill! I have lovely memories of this conference. The conference opening mixer was a huge amount of fun. My girlfriends and I were all wearing our “First Sale” ribbons, and we made so many friends…and closed down that mixer, then headed straight to the bar. Our first author dinner was grand – at the Disneyland Hotel, complete with mouse ears, half-dressed Hercules in a plastic wig and fireworks over the castle. Lovely!

Come back to hear about a return to some familiar places and my first trip to Washington D.C.

Shelley

Here’s more on the ongoing saga of my epic voyages to distant lands in search of adventure… Not exactly. Let me try again. Here are recaps (some vague–it’s been years, folks) of RWA conferences from years past with some crazy anecdotes of what made each year memorable, for better or worse.

1992 – Chicago – It was my first trip to Chicago, other than the O’Hare airport to change planes. Having been to an RWA conference already, I had some idea what to expect, right? Well, yes and no. The hotel was totally different. I remember a beautiful ballroom, so pretty in fact, I spent the annual awards ceremony staring at the room. I don’t remember who won anything that year. Some friends of mine and I took a lovely, guided bus tour of the city the day before the conference started. Blue skies, great sights. Then a few days later, we snuck out of the hotel one day and visited a Civil War museum. We chose the adventurous route and took the city bus. Neat museum, but we chose the safe taxi ride back to the hotel, as we’d all reached our adventure quotient for the day after a very odd man started serenading one of my friends on the way over.

1993 – St. Louis – The conference that almost wasn’t. It was the year the Mississippi flooded, and we were at a hotel very near the crest of the flood waters. We all held our breath that year to see if the conference would continue. Thankfully, it did. That year, I was a Golden Heart finalist–a very big deal if you’re unpublished. A friend treated me to the VIP treatment and had a limo meet me at the airport, then whisk me to the hotel. Which was small. And totally unprepared for the deluge of women. Then the pro baseball team, the Mets, arrived for a game and stayed at the same hotel. The restaurants, nightclubs and minds of many conference attendees were suddenly crowded with non-RWA folks. At that year’s award banquet, I hoped to win the Golden Heart, but I didn’t. I did, however, see a very drunk hunk in an elevator carrying a pizza with his fly unzipped (and he was wearing no underwear) just after the banquet. Life provides its compensations, I guess.

Tune in next time to hear about my first trip to NYC and why I skipped palm trees and grass skirts!

I realized before trekking to this year’s annual Romance Writers of America’s conference that I was about to attend my 13th in 16 years. A lot of members go to one every few years, or go when they are close. I almost always go. I realized that I had a lot of memories around these, some good, some not. I thought I’d share a look back… These are not short thoughts, so I’ll be kind and give you a year or two at a time.

1990 – I didn’t know a soul. I would have liked to go to San Francisco, but I was in summer school and couldn’t afford the time away…

1991 – New Orleans – This was my first. I had no idea what to expect. What do I remember? The elevators were deathly slow and we were sharing the hotel with a convention of cardiac surgeons. Two of them scowled at me in an elevator and said, “You do what?” Even with very slow elevators, you can’t explain romance writing that quickly. I gave them the abridged answer. When they wanted to know how I did it, I said, “I wouldn’t expect you to explain all the ins and outs of performing heart surgery in two minutes or less, so let’s remain a mystery to one another and leave it there.” A friend of mine and I went on a riverboat tour one day, which was lovely. Oh, and we found the neatest old bookstore. It was orgasm induced by research materials! I also remember walking the French Quarter on a Saturday night in a formal gown with lots of other RWA members and getting interesting looks from other tourists. And the weather…well, it was July in New Orleans. Need I say more?

Watch for more tomorrow. I think I’ll include stops in Chicago and St. Louis!

Happy Reading!
Shelley