K-Con 2009 was a great time, including the cute naked butt!

K-Con started on a Friday afternoon were I had lunch with Debbie, Cheryle and Jenn at Commanders Palace. Food, service and company were all awesome.

After that, I had to run back across the river to visit my mom in ICU. She was doing well, but they wanted to watch her for a few more hours just in case.

Then I went back to the hotel, signed up, and then hung out in the hospitality suite for a few hours. I volunteered with the ladies mentioned above to help with incoming fans, etc. After our deal was over, we were in the hall way and Debbie asked a very good looking man to pose with her for our treasure hunt picture. He did along with his friend who ended up taking his pants off and mooning us. Only in New Orleans!! (What is that you ask? Um, yeah it was a nice cute butt.) Deb has pictures to prove it.

The next morning I picked up Barbara Vey, Deb, Cheryle, and Jenn and we went to Cafe' Du Monde' in the Quarter. We had messy beignets, cafe' au lait, and I had hot chocolate. Yep, we made a mess. (go to Barbara Vey's blog at publishersweekly.com and you'll see us in her pictures pigging out - de-lish..). Not sure if you know it but Barbara Vey reviews books and such, and she shares tons of info on conferences too. Her site is a must.

Next we had to rush back for Diana Love's class, we made it just in time. Barbara then announced my new contract for my novel "Not An Angel". I need to get use to this, because I know my face must have turned red, purple, blue, and red again. It was sure hot as hell.

Then there was the League party. Everyone in costumes. Think, Terminator style... Lots of assassins and such... Next up was the dinner...they had so many people show up we ended up eating in the hall, but it didn't matter, we had a blast...Sherri's just a popular gal...and by the time desert came, we had more tables in the dining room.

Once we moved into the main room, Sherri was giving little gifts to all her helpers and she called me and Deb to go up there and get our gifts. I hugged Sherri, and then Diana Love tells her the news. So then Sherrilyn proceeds to announce to approx. 200 people my book news. I know, you want to know if I fainted right?? Actually, not that I can remember....(grin) I held it together, but after that, its all a blur. (grin)...

There was Q&A's with Sherri, and she gave away some top secrets to some future novels, but we were sworn to secrecy. Then my time ended after the Dark-Hunter tour. I had to visit my mom who was now moved into the regular hospital. I didn't go back on Sunday for the brunch, too much going on, but my mom sure got a kick out of my K-Con experience as did I.

Hugs,
Dawn

Author Deborah LeBlanc is speaking at Sola's writers meeting on 4/18/09

On April 18th @ 11am at our Sola-RWA meeting our speaker will be the award-winning and best-selling author, Deborah LeBlanc.



Deborah is a business owner, a licensed death scene investigator, and an active member of two national paranormal investigation teams. She's the President of the Horror Writers Association, Mystery Writers of America's Southwest Chapter, and theWriters' Guild of Acadiana. Deborah is also the creator of the LeBlanc Literacy Challenge, an annual, national campaign designed to encourage more people to read and Literacy Inc., a non-profit organization with a mission to fight illiteracy in America's teens. Her latest book is WATER WITCH. For more information go to http://www.deborahleblanc.com/ and http://www.literacyinc.com/



If you need inspiration to write, submit, or whatever it is, she is it!



Come join us at 4747 W. Napoleon in Metairie, LA (East Bank Library).

(Visitors are welcome for free)



Dawn Chartier

http://www.dawnchartier.com/

NOLA STARS WRITERS CONFERENCE, LOUISIANA

Argh...I still need to pack for the conference. I haven't started because I always debate on what to wear. I could dress up or I could just dress up jeans, maybe I could just could go el'cas-u-al...I know, who cares....(me!)

I've never been to Nola Stars, but a fellow Sola writer, Pamela Kopfler, said it was pretty good. I enjoy smaller conferences because you really get to meet people. Bigger conferences you tend to feel a little lost, too much of everything.

But, if I were a big time author, then that would be a totally different story! (I'll get there.)

All I want to do is learn all I can about the craft. Meet some people who like to write, and maybe meet a few agents or editors, put some feelers out there...

Anywho, gotta get my butt out of this chair and start packing for the conference. If you are going, come say hi... I'd love to meet you.

Dawn Chartier
www.dawnchartier.com

Pen to Press Writers Retreat

After a week at the Pen to Press writers retreat, I must say I was sad it ended.
I learned so much information from authors Sarah Langan and Hank Schewable (sp?) Sorry if I messed up Hank's last name. Other wonderful authors there were Scott Nicholson, Cherry Adair, Natalie Collins, Alex Sokoloff, Debra LeBlanc. All there to help other writers along the publishing way....

Anyway, the entire experience of the retreat was so helpful. I learned how to write a better query and synopsis. I also learned how to hook the reader with a meaningful first sentence. Not some spiced up hook, a real true meaning to the book "hook".

I did well pitching to agents and editors that attended. I was so happy when I heard they were interested in my story. But, at the same time, I'm thinking to myself, oh boy....
Now I learned some new tricks to writing, I need to fix a few things in my story and get it out to them soon... Cross your fingers or toes or whatever you can.......

So writers if you want a great writers bootcamp, Pen To Press is very small, which is what I liked, and they work with your story. I recommend it highly.

Dawn Chartier
www.dawnchartier.com

Picture from Jamb. Jub. Conf.

Me with two cool authors.
F. Paul Wilson and Kathy Love. (Love their books)
And author Erin McCarthy is taking the photo.
I need to do a review on Erin's My Immortal, enjoyed it very much.


Dawn Chartier
www.dawnchartier.com