From The Trenches

Okay, you non-conference goers need to understand one thing. I CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO COMPOSE COHERENT, WITTY (not to mention INFORMATIVE) prose under sleep-deprived, alcohol-laced, ANT-INFESTED conditions.

Deal with it.

Here now...random notes as they come to me.

Dragged myself out of bed, bid farewell to the little red and black guys (uh, for those of you getting here late, I'm talking the multi-legged variety) and made my way down to an eleven o'clock workshop. Uh...way too crowded for this chick. Quick exit.

Luckily, I ran into Brooke who was of like mind, so we wandered around until it was time for lunch.

(Oh, by the way, on the "lost badge front": NO NEWS. Got it replaced, but WHERE ARE MY LOVELY PINS? Will I be able to replace them by searching Ebay?? Now, there's a scary thought.)

Went to lunch...yada, yada. Great keynote speaker (Lisa Kleypas) who told a touching story about losing all her belongings to a flood, then going to Wal-Mart for "the essentials" and winding up with a romance novel in her basket because...well, when all is lost, there's always hope and promise in a romance novel, right?

Later, along with writing friends Brooke and Elizabeth, met new friend, Jessica Barksdale Inclan who is rumored to give great hugs whether you want one or not. Jessica put to rest my theory that the gorgeous guy haunting the bar was a cover model....oh, no....agent stalker.

Which, y'know, I really aspire to. Agent/editor stalking, that is. I had the quintessential opportunity this afternoon. Yep, just as I was entering a stall in the ladies' room, I realized the woman waiting behind me was none other than an editor I queried last November. According to this publisher's website, their query response time is two weeks so, duh. Mine probably got lost. Or trashed. Or burned.

I was dying to yell something stupid from the stall, but cooler heads prevailed.

Then, when I exited, I noticed new prey. The editor who sprung for my cab ride to the airport in Atlanta last year. Alas, I let her off the hook, too. (Recall: Conference Commandment No. 1: Thou shalt not accost publishing industry personnel where they pee--or, something like that.)

Let's see...what else? The RWA Board decisions began slowly filtering into conversation, although I suppose now that the AGM is over, watch out for flying fur. Likely to cause the biggest stir? Well, if I interpret correctly (read: ya better not quote me on this) they've abolished the traditional "RWA publisher recognition" as it relates to PAN membership. Now it's only about eligibility to participate in the conference...and...um...they ix-nayed publishers whose primary distribution is via the publisher website...in other words, epublishers.

Okay, everyone. To your corners. May the best man win.