On Writing

More from RWA, this time on various book signings and parties …

Best signings: The Literacy signing on Wednesday and the Berkley author signing on Friday. Honestly, those were the only two I went to. I had so many events and meetings I didn’t have time to get to any of the others. Maybe next year …

Worst signings: None. I think just about any signing where lots of people show up is a great one, even if they don’t buy my books. There’s always a crowd at RWA, and everybody is just so happy to meet authors and so nice. I’ve done events where nobody came — not even my Mom. RWA was wonderful.

However: There was a major snafu with the Dorchester signing (I think it was Dorchester), and it was cancelled. According to the grapevine, there was some sort of mixup where the Dorchester books got put in the Goody Room (where everything is free) instead of held back for the signings. That makes me really sad and angry for the Dorchester authors and fans. To come all that way and poof! signing cancelled. Shaking head.

Strangest compliment I got: You actually look like your author photo. Said by an associate who will remain nameless to protest his/her identity. (Authors are rather notorious for not looking anything like their photos).

Another compliment I got: You’re even prettier in person. Said by one of my really sweet online pals. 😎

One more compliment I got: Your book is like book candy! Said by a very nice lady at the Literacy signing (I think it was one of the gals from Romance Junkies, maybe Staci?). I’m going to post more in-depth about this later.

Going down under: During the Literacy signing on Wednesday night, a woman came over and got a copy of Karma Girl for someone in Australia. Australia! My evil influence spreads. Wha-ha-ha! Perhaps my plan of world domination isn’t so far-fetched after all … 😈

Biggest fangirl moment: When Marjorie Liu said she had a copy of my book (I’m assuming she meant Karma Girl). I got her to sign a copy of Wild Thing at the Berkley author signing, and she wrote something about superheroes in it. Marjorie Liu has my book. Marjorie Liu knows that I write about superheroes. Marjorie Liu sort of knows who I am. Oh. My. God!

(BTW, if you’ve never seen Marjorie Liu in person, the girl is gorgeous.)

Second biggest fangirl moment: Making eye contact for about a second with Nora Roberts at the Berkley party … twice!

Stupidest thing I did: I was talking with a group of people at the Berkley party. Me, Cathie Linz, and this other woman. She wasn’t wearing a nametag, so I asked her who she was. Her answer? Jayne Ann Krentz aka Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle. Aka a Big Name Author.

Of course, you’re Jayne Ann Krentz. And I’m Jennifer Estep, the girl with her foot perpetually stuck in her mouth. 🙄

Second stupidest thing I did: They had these little rolls with glaze on them at the Berkley party. Very tasty. For some reason (probably hunger pains), I thought they had beef in them and announced this to several people at the table where I was sitting … before I realized they were just spring rolls. No meat, just veggies.

In addition to having my foot stuck in my mouth, I also evidently do not know what beef actually tastes like. Still cringing.

More to come …

Here are some of my impressions of the hotel and Dallas in general:

960 miles: That’s how far it was from my house to Dallas. Yes, Virginia, I drove to conference. Probably won’t happen again …

15 hours: How long it took me to drive said miles one way.

$150: Total amount I spent for gas. Not too bad. The hotel room was more than that per day.

The hotel: Overall, it was pretty snazzy. I thought the rooms were nicer than Atlanta last year, but the bar area/restaurants needed to be much, much bigger. You could never find anywhere to sit, no matter what time of day it was. And they had some of the events in Union Station which was a good hike through a dark tunnel from the rest of the meeting rooms.

Best food at the conference: At the Chick Lit Writers party. They had these chocolate parfait things in tall shot glasses, and this strawberry-lemon drink that was to die for. Yummy!

Worst food at the conference: I’d have to say the hotel in general. The restaurants were overcrowded, and the food was overpriced ($12 for a ham sandwich and fries!). Even the little kiosk/snack place on the first floor was wicked expensive with not that great of a selection.

Best food outside the conference: A tie between the Y.O. Steakhouse and the Iron Cactus. Both were really good. The Y.O. had an excellent steak and sides, while the Iron Cactus was more Tex-Mex.

About Texas: Texas is flat. Really, really flat. There are no hills — at all. It was a little disconcerting for a mountain girl like me.

The best thing about Texas: The huge reservoir you cross when you go into Dallas was the most interesting thing I saw. Very cool. 

The worst thing about Texas: The heat. You started sweating as soon as you went outside.

Quirkiest thing I did: Ride the train around town (mainly because it was air conditioned!). I also took a couple of cabs, which was a new experience for me. I had never taken a cab before (where I live, you drive yourself everywhere). And really, they weren’t so much cabs as cab-like vans.

Stupidest thing I did: Mixing up the address for my agency party and then deciding to walk about 6 blocks in the heat in sandals instead of flagging down a cab. My feet were not happy with me after that.

More to come …

Well, I’m back from the annual RWA conference.

Whew! I’m still exhausted, but I thought I’d share some thoughts and pictures from the conference.

This is Stephanie Hale and me at the Berkley author signing on Friday afternoon. Stephanie was nice enough to put some of the chocolate she’d brought on my side of the table (I totally forgot to bring any) and sign a copy of her book for me, Revenge of the Homecoming Queen. 

During the publisher signings, conference-goers come in and get free, autographed books. It was a madhouse, but lots of fun.

And since the books are free, they go really fast. Nora Roberts was also signing in the same room, along with Jaci Burton, Marjorie M. Liu, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, and lots of other great authors.

More to come …