|
|
Archive for July, 2009
Thursday, July 30th, 2009
I’ve now been back from the RWA convention for over a week. I really did mean to get back and blog about that final day, but Saturday was the busiest for me of the whole conference, what with all that was happening. First came the breakfast with Elaine English, my wonderful agent, and her great assistant, Naomi, which was full of interesting conversation and updating each other on our plans for future projects.
Lunch was with my editor at Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich, and Steeple Hill authors Winnie Griggs and Irene Hannon. It was enjoyable meeting Irene–I’ve known Winnie a long time–over Italian food at a nearby restaurant at a table outside the restaurant, and to hear about the future of Steeple Hill, particularly the historical line, since that’s what Winnie and I write for. The best news is that Love Inspired Historicals is going to 4/month instead of 2, which is indicative of a healthy line. I could wish it was taking place sooner than 2011, so MARRYING MILLY would be out sooner, but hopefully that will mean the next in the Simpson Creek Spinsters Series, SOMEONE FOR SARAH, can come out closer to MILLY. I was hoping to hear that it was now permissible to send in our manuscripts via email, thus saving a ton o’postage and time and paper–a GREEN practice, Pru!–but no, not yet. Soon, I hope.
In mid-afternoon the Love Inspired Authors gathered to meet with the editors, but this meet’n'greet was different from last year; there were no organized announcements. We did manage to meet with Joan Golan and ask our questions afterward in the hall, at least. I enjoyed meeting her for the first time, since I have great admiration for how she started Steeple Hill and got the lines off to a great start.
The evening, of course, was given over to the Ritas. I had judged a couple of the finalists, always a thrill, but alas, they didn’t win. But it’s always a glitzy good time.
Then the day was over and I returned to my room to pack. The trip home was painless.
I’ve been horrendously busy ever since. Not only is time getting short before my deadline for SOMEONE FOR SARAH, but this is the busy time of the year at the E.R., both with volume and Competency Day papers to do. And then there’s my CPR card to renew…ARRRGHHH!
But I’m proud to report that I finished the rough draft yesterday at 3 pm–now begins the polish-it-up and send-it-off process. I wish I could just stick it in a machine to polish while I lounge in a bubblebath, but unfortunately, we haven’t progressed so far yet.
All for now…Blessings, Laurie
Posted in RWA, Rita awards, SOMEONE FOR SARAH, Washington DC | No Comments »
Saturday, July 18th, 2009
The last two days have been busy here in Washington D.C. I’ve gotten a little writing done–during the opening keynote and General Assembly, I hid out in my room and was decently productive. Not sure how the business meeting came out, but the older I get, the less patience I have with strident politics of the few in RWA, and with parliamentary procedure. Let those who groove on such things hold office and make decisions.
Had lunch with old friends, Mary Jo Putney and Patricia Rice, and new friend Anne Gracie from Down Under, at a charming Mediterranean restaurant called Medeterra (I hope I’m spelling it right). Great tabouleh and marvelous company.
Attended a few workshops–I’ve decided I’m going to have to spend the extra to get the conference MP3 collection–there’s just no way one can attend all of these marvelous offerings.
And last night was the Harlequin party–as usual, a wonderful, noisy time, complete with the traditions of this party–the chocolate fountain and decadent desserts, the great DJ, dancing to “It’s Raining Men” and “Brick House” and all of us singing the “Summer Nights” medley from “Grease.” An added feature this year were the historic book covers projected on the wall, many of them laughably pulp-fictiony–you could sure tell men were the artists. They reminded me of the the old romance comic books. Then there were the newer ones, and among them was good friend Deborah Simons’ next month release, THE DARK KNIGHT. WOOHOO, Deb! I wish she had been there to see it!
Today’s the biggest–breakfast with my agent, lunch with my editor and some other authors, the Rita Awards tonight. I better go get started!
Blessings, Laurie
Tags: Deborah Simmons, RWA conference
Posted in Deborah Simmons, Harlequin, RWA | No Comments »
Thursday, July 16th, 2009
I didn’t get to this yesterday, as dinner ran late, but I had a great time at RWA in Washington DC yesterday. My free breakfast–once I found out where it was held among the hotel restaurants, was a spectacular breakfast buffet. This morning, though, that option was not feasible as the RWA in their infinite wisdom (?) did not provide breakfast to the attendees so the line was way too long. McDonald’s around the corner came through, though!
The Literacy autographing was amazing. As always, it was a wall of noise with row upon row upon row of authors with their books. I’ll have to post a picture later when I can load it. Since my publisher couldn’t get my books to me in time, I had to schlep my own here, so I only brought 10, but I was very pleased to have sold 7 of those. Most touching were those who didn’t know me, and stopped for whatever reason and bought my book. Bless all of you who did that–those were moments that make an author’s life worthwhile.
Dinner at Harry’s afterwards was fun, thanks to the superior planning of author Janet Tronstad, who arranged a private room for us and a set menu, making it all very easy for the rest of us. Thanks, Janet!
More later–right now, I better get to work on my manuscript. I’m being an apathetic slug and not going to the business meeting, so I need to have something to show for it.
Blessings, Laurie
Posted in "Romantic Times" | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
Hi from Washington DC! I’m here for the annual Romance Writers of America convention. I’ve only arrived a couple of hours ago and have just had time to settle into my room and get hydrated again. It was an quick flight–It’s cool the way the plane swoops in low over the Potomac and you can see the obelisk and the Capitol Building and the Jefferson Memorial as you come in. We went by the back of the Lincoln Memorial–sadly, that’s probably all the sightseeing I’ll get to do. Nice room here at the Marriot Wardman–they gave me a free upgrade to the concierge floor which means free breakfast and appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks in the afterernoon. I’m hoping to find someone to eat dinner with…The Faith, Hope, and Love (Christian) chapter of RWA meets tomorrow and the big signing is tomorrow night. Wish I hadn’t had to schlep my own books here when it’s out just next month–grumble, grumble.
The conference begins in earnest Friday morning. I’m going to have to check my calendar every day to make sure I’m where I’m supposed to be! I’m going to try to do an update here every day like I did from San Francisco last year.
It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged except for the few to review books for Waterbrook. I’ve been busy-busy-busy getting this book (SOMEONE FOR SARAH) done, and since it’s not quite, I’ve brought it to DC with the firm intention to get some writing done here when I’m not going to workshops or business meetings. The hospital’s been the usual summer madhouse–certainly no time for blogging there! And if it wasn’t busy enough just *working* there, they add on all these “competency” things. Sheesh. AND my CPR card is up for renewal, and they’ve even managed to make that a complicated process. So….wish I could blog every day, but that’s why I haven’t been…
More later!
Blessings, Laurie
Tags: Marriot Wardman hotel, Romance Writers of America, RWA, travel, Washington DC
Posted in RWA, SOMEONE FOR SARAH, Washington DC, conferences, travel | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
 Bohemia is certainly a location I’d never imagined reading a historical novel about, nor did I think I would ever find one about martyr Jan Hus, but since Random House published this first novel in The Heirs of Cahira O’Connor series, this lack has been remedied, and remedied excellently. The story begins within the frame of a college student researching piebaldism, the same trait she has of a pale streak running through a lock of hair. Through the aid of a mysterious stranger she discovers she is but one in a heroic line of women with this trait, and begins with the story of Anika of Prague.
Amidst the backdrop of the persecution of family friend Jan Hus by Catholic prelates, Anika is forced to go into hiding disguised as a squire to escape a lecherous lord. Previously, I’ve disliked novels that feature a woman wielding a broadsword because they’ve never been done convincingly, but author Hunt does this realistically, not trying to gloss over the differences in strength that handicaps the heroine. A wonderful love story is developed gradually between the knight-in-disguise and her lord, John of Chlum.
I learned much about Jan Hus, the Bohemian priest who taught the fundamentals of Christianity rather than the dogmas and traditions of the Catholic church. His teaching formed part of the foundation of the Reformation, and knowing what has gone before enriches my faith.
Like THE VEIL, the Random House book I reviewed yesterday, Waterbrook has been innovative enough to let an author write about a unique setting with unusual characters and a subject that is the bedrock of the evangelical Christian faith. I’ll be watching for Angela Elwell Hunt’s next books!
Blessings, Laurie
Tags: Add new tag, Jan Hus, martyrs of the faith, novels about Bohemia
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
Waterbrook sent me two great new historical novels to review this month. The first one I’m going to tell you about is THE VEIL, by Diane Noble. The early Mormon church, with its polygamy and violent Dannite enforcers have always been fascinating to me, but it’s a subject that until recently was rarely visited in books, so I was very eager to read this novel, which deals with a hero and heroine scarred by their experiences with the Mormon church during the time when it left Nauvoo, Illinois and settled in Utah, and the infamous but little known Mountain Meadows massacre. This book interweaves two sets of characters, Hannah, a girl who finds herself fleeing Illinois with the Mormons, and Lucas, who is drawn into the ranks of the Dannites, and that of the settlers who teach them another way, the way of Jesus Christ. Hannah and Lucas have long secretly questioned what they’re taught by Brigham Young and the other Mormon leaders, but it will take tragedy before they are finally able to break free.
It was fascinating to me to see how the author wove together these two plotlines without stinting on either, and I cheered for Hannah and Lucas and the two settlers who changed the course of their lives. Kudos to Waterbrook for telling a story that could be considered controversial as it rips “the veil” off the picture the idealistic picture the Mormon church has painted of its pioneer beginnings. I will be eager to read more by Diane Noble.
Tags: Mormons, Mountain Meadows massacre, THE VEIL by Diane Noble, Waterbrook novels
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
|
|
