RWA NYC Conference

Last week I was fortunate to attend the National Romance Writers of America Conference in New York City. Take aways:
1. To my new writing friends from New Jersey, Boston, and here in my hometown of Denver - you are amazing, incredible women. You inspire me with your talent, determination, and enthusiasm, and I am so grateful that I met you.
2. To all the volunteers who made the conference possible - thank you! Your hard work made everything possible.
3. To all the industry professionals in attendance who conducted pitch sessions, spotlights, and workshops, thank you for your time and effort, it was tremendously informative and rewarding. I dipped my toe into the gigantic sea that is publishing and it was exhilarating. Can't wait to plunge in all the way one day.
3. I love Central Park.
4. I love Times Square.
5. I love writing, my fellow writers, and the inspirational stories of hard won success that some of you shared. Thank you for your courage and camaraderie.

Romancing the Love Boat

Why do I write romance?

Blame it on The Love Boat. I grew up watching that 70s TV show religiously every Saturday night with my grandmother and my older sister. As a six-year-old, I absorbed those weekly stories of romance on the high seas with Captain Stubing and his crew and it was a very comforting ritual for a child. I knew I could sit in the basement with my matriarchy and watch characters fall in love and live happily ever after.

Then, when I was twelve, I saw the movie Romancing the Stone. I thought Joan Wilder was the coolest person on earth. She wrote romance novels, she lived in NYC, she got a jungle makeover, she fought the bad guys, wrestled with crocodiles (or was that Michael Douglas?) and, in the end, saved the day.

My latest favorites? The English Patient (both the film and the book): great love story (not necessarily happy) with a world view. Perfect. Or how about Pride and Prejudice - great UST (unresolved sexual tension) and character development. Love stories are great platforms for all kinds of lit and film, and I've never met a love story I didn't like.

So, why do I write romance - is it a question of nature or nurture? Certainly, TV and film have influenced me, but I think it's also in my nature to gravitate towards a genre with empowered women and plenty of room for comedy. Love stories and happy endings don't hurt either.

Manifest Destiny

Starting a blog feels like staring out at a vast new frontier - the wild, wild west, otherwise known as cyberspace - and staking out the fence posts of my very own homestead. This blog is my own small piece of the wilderness that I will attempt to tame, cultivate and grow.

Hello my fellow bloggers and neighbors in this online land. Hello fellow writers and readers. Hello to anyone kind enough to stop by. Stay tuned for highlights on the RWA National Conference, my thoughts on writing, and my (mis)adventures and discoveries in the online frontier. Cheers.