>Osiyo~

I just had a wonderful weekend! Friday I got together with fellow OKRWA members for a ‘meet and greet’ with guests, agent Lucienne Diver, of the Knight Agency, and Associate editor, Charles Griemsman with Harlequin/Silhouette. I can honestly say I have never met two more wonderful people! Lucienne, also a YA author, has the most fantabulous wardrobe! When I commented on it she said she has to keep up with her Fashionista vampire. Lol
Oh, and Charles and Lucienne love, love, love chocolate! Shhh

I would, first, like to thank these wonderful people (and their companies) for visiting our neck of the woods for OKRWA’s SHMC (OKRWA Summer Heat Mini Conference). I truly appreciate them both giving us ideas of what they look for when acquiring new authors to represent. THANK YOU!

SO, what was the best part of this past weekend for me? Meeting them of course, hanging with my favorite writers, the OKRWA Outlaws. And, by far not least, the networking op. Harlequin Intrigue author, Merline Lovelace and Love Inspired author, Margaret Daley each gave great workshops on the craft of writing which is great for me, someone who is still learning so much about this career I’ve chosen. I think it has chosen me, because I can’t seem to stop even if I tried- which I’ll never do!

And then I pitched my story to each of them and was nervous, even though I’d had margarita’s with them just hours prior! Maybe I didn’t have enough, the effects wore off? 😮 But…because of the professionalism of these two, their respect for writers, I felt confident, comfortable (as much as was possible), and in control of my writing.

Believe me when I say, I felt NONE of that at my first ever pitch two years ago! That was mostly because I had no idea what the heck a pitch was really all about. I’ve done a lot of reading/research since then. Also, I had never met anyone in the industry before so, I think its fair to say, I was more than a little intimidated by the overall experience. It was still fun, the agent and editor who visited were great, wonderful ladies, but I wasn’t comfortable in my writing skin back then.

Does that mean I am now? Ahhh-nope!

Just more so, and it’s because of people like I spent my weekend with that have helped me gain confidence and thicker skin about writing. And I can’t end this post without saying-I know a lot of any successes I have writing-wise has to do with the fact that I have a wonderful support system in my critique partners of CBC, my Twinkies. These women are so thoughtful, respectful, and when necessary, tough-love cps. I highly recommend you find one, two, or ten! We have a lot of fun too. Oh, the laughter aches I go to bed with on some nights after staying up with them! And the tears we cry.
You can check out their blogs in my Twinkie-link on the left.
[Elisabeth Meadows had an interview here two days ago for her first book ‘Her Decision’ which has been requested by Harlequin. If this link doesn’t work, you can find it through her website.]
I hope one day we will get to have a Twinkiefest. I’d love to meet them! I just know one of us will publish soon!!!! I think that’s the one who needs to foot the bill for us to meet. But that’s just me.

So, until then (and way beyond) I will continue to write, read, and anything in between, that has to do with the craft I love so much.

Dodadagohvi~ until we meet again