Good Reading and Fan-Girling!
This week is flying by way too fast. I can’t Believe Today is May 1st. I’m trying my best to hold it back, but nothing I do is slowing the progress of time.
The good thing is that in less than a week I’ll be in New Orleans at the Romance Slam Jam conference & then the week after that I’ll be at the RT Booklovers Convention also in New Orleans.
So what could be bad about either of these super exciting events? Just the fact that I feel so not ready. I will literally be flying by the seat of my pants as I wander around as a newly published author, faking looking smooth, while trying not to fangirl geek-out over all other not fake the cool published authors in attendance at both events. This should be interesting. I’ll be sure to check in as often as I can either here, on FB or on Twitter so look out for me and please wish me luck. Question: Which author would you fan-girl over?
And on another fun note, my Goodreads Giveaway ended last night and I was thrilled to have over 700 entries. Congrats to my Southern winners Hannah & Danielle. Your signed copies of BOUNCE are on the way! I appreciate all of you who entered. Thanks so much for Bouncing along with me!
All the best,
KMJ
P.S. check out the cool cards there in the corner from my friend PVE Design
May image fm We Heart It.
Swanky!
I’m getting really excited and a little bit nervous about going to New Orleans next month and attending my 1st Romance Slam Jam and my 1st RT Conference back to back. It will be 10 days of Authors, Readers, Books and (if rumor has it) Wild Fun.
I’m looking forward to a chance to connect with readers on more of a one on one level and as the romance fangirl that I am, I’m also looking forward to geeking out a bit over all the way cooler than me authors that I’ll get to meet up close and in person. BTW I need to start practicing my cool and unaffected face now… let’s see….
…nope not gonna be able to pull it off.
And speaking of pulling it off, I hope I can pull off playing the part of a human billboard because I just got in what I think are the swankiest tees with my BOUNCE book cover printed on them and I can’t wait to show them off in NOLA as I hand out my bookmarks and postcards to anyone I see with a free hand. Watch out NOLA I’m on my way 🙂
Bouncing Along!
All the best,
KMJ
Strip a What? Strip a Who?
Once again under the heading of: ‘Totally Educational’, whilst at Rom Con there was session called Strip a Hero and since I saw a bunch of other smart looking ladies flocking to it I thought I’d join in the stampede queue.
Historical authors Kimberly Killion, Jade Lee, Jennifer Ashley and Mary Wine hosted. They all wrote funny skits that were acted out by our heroes where they just so happened to end up disrobing a bit. Only a bit mind you. LOL.
So for today I give you Strip a Hero!
Happy Friday!
Best,
Kwana
Ok So Enough Of That…
This weekend I did nothing but lounge about and read with increments of eating bbq thrown in just to keep my lounge strength up (a girl had to stay strong mind you). But today marks the start of a new week and it seems after Nationals a new outlook on work.
RWA Nationals is always renewing to a writer like that and for me this year it particularly is with the twins leaving for college. Time to get that old grind on with a renewed spirit. But before I get started here are a few more pics from Nationals. Hope you have a wonderful week.
Here I am at Juniors enjoying a Cheesecake meet and greet with team Heroes and Heartbreakers meeting some of the other team bloggers for the first time.
Me and my friend author Jax Cassidy. Jax had me all over Times Square taking new author photos of me. Yeah, Uh, ANTM I am not.
Enjoying an Italian tourist meal with Maureen McGowan and Stephanie Doyle. We were starving and had energy to only step outside the Marriott for the meal. It was good though. Check them out on their great blog Drunk Writer Talk.
Harlan Coben and Lisa Jackson talk. So much fun and inspirational.
Finally mypushed to the limit H & H bag and my handbag wiped out in the Atrium lounge.
Best,
Kwana
And the Fun Begins…
Thanks once again for all of your well wishes for the Dear Twins and their graduation. It was such a great time and one of the happiest, proudest and most emotional moments of my life.
I wish I had a little more time to decompress but week the of RWA National excitement begins today and it’s in my town of New York! So I’ll be out and about at writing workshops, and book signing and hopefully meeting lots of friends I have not gotten to see since the last conference and yeah, making some new ones. It all starts tonight down in Soho at Lady Jane’s Salon. Better get my skates on!
Happy Monday!
Best,
Kwana
image from here
Mojo Monday
What’s Jack up to? Jack had a very happy 3rd birthday yesterday. Filled with fun and new toys. I even let up on his special diet and got him a birthday cupcake which though his was happy to eat, didn’t stay down. Oh, well at least he enjoyed himself.
Jack, says thanks for all the well wishes yesterday!
I’m back from the NJ romance writer’s conference and happy to report that I had just THE BEST time. It’s such a well run conference full of friendly people with top speakers and presenters. The only downside? The 4 and 5 am fire alarm. That stunk. Here is some of the NY crew at dinner lunch. Notice the wine on the table. The hotel thought it would make up for lack of sleep. It did not. That cute little sweetie there did not partake.
But as you can see I think the rest did.
(Carolyn, Isobo (holding other the cutie Jack) Leanna, Stacy)Upside. Rooming with my PIC Megan and Liz M. too for a hot minute. Sorry I don’t have a picture of Liz. Hi Liz! Here are Megan and I in the hotel’s faux Soho lounge. It’s pretty. The only pic I have of Liz was taken during the fire alarm. I think it’s nice. I’m afraid she may not.
Some of the great workshops I attended were:
One on digital publishing with super smart Icantalkdigitalinmysleep and, yes, I think she can, Angela James.
Darn, how did I let her leave without telling me what format was best for my Sony.
A dialogue workshop with Bestselling author Karen Rose. Here is Karen with friends and fans Louise and Danielle.
Also a super workshop on Collages with Jennifer Crusie that blew my artist mind. I already do story boarding but this will have me taking it to the next level. I knew Jennifer was Ms. New York Times Best Seller but now that I know she was an art teacher and is quite an artist I think I’m more in love. Notice it says behind her “creativity is play” something to keep in mind.
Finally I spent many an hour hanging around Bestseller (I was doing that a lot trying to get some mojo to rub off) Madeline Hunter. She had 2 workshops1. Surviving Almost There (a place where I seem to have been hanging out for quite a long time)
2. Alaso a double session on conflict that rocked my world. I learned so much. She really got the gears working.
Now I just about thought I’d swoon when I went to the book signing later and gave Madeline my card and she said that she had been to ye little old blog before. Oh happy, swoony day! Thanks for that moment Ms. Hunter.
And now for your viewing pleasure a few more pics from the signing:
Golden Leaf Winner YAY!!! Anna DePalo. Congrats Anna.
Leanna Renee Hieber
Isabo Kelly
Janet Mullany. Lucky me getting her last copy of: A Most Lamentable Comedy.
So as you can see I’ve had quite a weekend. Now time to put all that inspiration and fun into practice. Gotta hit the writing cave. Will be popping out for brief sips of air.
Bye!Best,
Kwana
Smart Women Rule
What’s Jack up to? Jack’s running in circles right now with his new birthday chew toy. It’s already missing and ear. He’s going round and round. I’m not sure why, but as long as he’s not getting into serious trouble I’m happy.
I had such a good time at the New Jersey Romance Writers Put Your Heart In A Book conference. It was a wonderful weekend getaway. No kids, no stress, tons of books. Bliss. And just enough info to not put me on overload.
Like in said in yesterday’s post there were so many smart women there and so many writers that I adm
ire such as: Eloisa Ja
mes who reminded us of the importance of writing from your heart and Lisa Scottoline who gave such a funny and inspirational luncheon speech that she had many of us running to her workshop on how to write a novel right after. I’ll admit, I ran.I had an ah-ha moment in the world building workshop with Jessica Anderson (Hi Jess!) and J.R. Ward (Yep J.R. Ward!) when one really smart attendee asked the question abou
t what was the hardest thing you had to learn or get over. I was shocked when J.R. said it was learning to plot. She used to be a pantser. Hmmm… Thanks J.R. you may have rocked my world.I have a new saying: “Plot it out B!” I won’t fill in the B here, but think Ari from Entourage and you’ve got it. Said with that type of attitude to really mean it and get to work. And make no mistake this is WORK.
My all time favorite moment came when I got to meet live and in person, Elizabeth
Hoyt. The very sa
me author whose Prince series I blogged about last week. Who woulda thunk it! I’m happy to say she was lovely in person and gave an, um, informative workshop called: Sex Scene Viagra. Thanks Elizabeth!I was
also thrilled to end up sitting right next to Katie from Rambling on Romance which got one of my blog awards last week. Small world. This was our first meeting and we hit it off right away.The conference ended with dinner at Bonefish Grill with old and new friends. So much fun.
Clockwise from top left: Leanna, Sinead, Abby(hiding) , Megan, Me, Maureen, Katie, Stacy and Elizabeth.Big shout out to the PIC! Thanks for putting up with me. You’re the bestest!Best,Kwanapic thanks to NJ website and me
