RWA Nationals, here I come...

I'm not leaving yet, but I'll be there soon enough. I can't wait to learn tons, meet new people and see old friends. I'm excited about The Gathering party too. I get to meet all the FF&P groupies...should be fun.

Anyway, BURIED BONES, my romantic suspense with paranormal elements is hoping to find a home with an agent and then with a wonderful publisher. Now to get my pitch down to a science. I've only changed it twenty times. Must leave it alone. haha...

I'll have a couple USB drives (they have cute little skeleton heads on it) with a sample of the first 30 pages just in case. Must go prepared. One never knows when the opportunity will arrive.

If you see a brownish-blonde, curly hair woman - that might be me. Come say hello.

Have a great time if you are going. If not keep reading or working on your book.

Dawn
Nationals bound, baby!
NOT AN ANGEL, OUT NOW!
www.dawnchartier.com

RWA Nationals

Last year I attended the RWA Nationals for the first time, and boy was I surprised.
I had no clue what to expect, I stayed with 3 people I had no idea who they were, even though we were all on-line writing buddies. My hubby thought I'd gone off the deep end.

He says, "You who are afraid to go anywhere by yourself flies to Houston to stay with three strangers." He shakes his head....

How could I make him or my family and friends understand. Once you make a writing buddy on-line, you get to know them really well. Besides, they are writers, they can't be bad, right?

One of my WB's picked me up at the airport with her hubby and 2 little girls. For all they knew I was a axe murderer. But, us writers have a good judge of character. So, I sat next to the baby girl in the back of the van, and what a sweet little doll she was. Talking baby talk up a storm to this stranger. (me). Sweet!

WB's hubby drops us off, and we go inside the Hilton and there are tons of people everywhere. My mouth hung open. "Holy Crap." I had no idea. Huge!

We then find our other WB partner and she's so excited, we all hug, find our room and then we stalk famous authors, agents and editors. (no, we didn't, not at first.)

We mostly hung out at the bar, then we had people join us. I saw some other writers I met at other conferences, and hung out with them too. I ended up having a great time.

I didn't have any appointments last year, I wasn't ready, but I did go and tell a few editors hello that I met. And yep, they remembered me by name. Shock Shock.... Made me feel less nervous...

So those that are wanting to go but are scared to because they are not the out going type. Just do it. I did, and I have to say I had the best time. Don't focus too much on your pitch if you have one. Just enjoy the information you'll absorb, the great people you'll meet, and just an opportunity to mingle with people that love the same things you do. "Reading and Writing"....and if your pitch happens to be great, thats a plus. Remember everyone has different taste, just like we do.

Oh, and don't forget to bring a camera. You'll get some great pics. of your favorite authors.

I'm sad I'm not going this year, but I had another writers thingy that cost a ton this year and I chose to do that instead. Which it turned out really well. I had a NY Editor request my work and 3 NY Agents as well. (no news yet)

I'll miss my WB's but they'll see me next year, maybe by then I'll have signed a deal.
And keep my bed empty, Dawn and Nikki!!! And nope, I don't want the blue smurf this time, I think Dawn M. wants to keep it.

Dawn C.