Read my article this month at Romance Divas http://www.romancedivas.com/resources.html and you can see what this “newbie” to RWA Nationals found valuable.

Once again I need to thank Romantic Inks for making it possible for me to attend conference in the first place. For those who don’t know, I had to write an essay for and won my conference fee paid by Romantick Inks. I had to come up with my airfare, hotel and food expenses, but without the conference fee paid I would not have been able to go.

Thankfully, I had request for a partial and for a full so am busy working on those. I appreciate your support so very much!

More conference photos and stuff in the next couple of days, but first…

Vampire Oracle: Harmony by M.G. Braden

Recently engaged, Kara Staten and Marc Brodeur are in love, and Kara has a brand new business. Life is good. When things start to unravel, they struggle for the harmony they once had.

Unbeknownst to Kara, Marc’s a vampire trying to live a normal life. When her skincare salon produces a special serum that results in several fatal love bites, she doesn’t know where to turn. Hoping to keep her safe, Marc runs away. As their lives spin into separate paths, they find that what could tear them apart is the one thing that will ultimately keep them together.

Read an Excerpt

Vampire Oracle: Harmony NOW available at Cobblestone Press

Content: Erotic Romance
This title contains explicit language and graphic sex

I’m home and I’m exhausted (not great when you have three young children who haven’t seen you in almost a week and don’t really care how tired you are).

Nationals was all at once amazing, confusing, exhilerating (I know I’m spelling that wrong, but too tired to look it up) and overwhelming.

I think my favourite part was meeting up with my online friends - many of whom, I’ve known for over three years online without having met face to face. Romance Divas? You rock - each and every one of you. I almost cried when I met Diva Lisa (ok, let’s be honest there was no almost about it - the lady is a class act and she proved it in person). If I could go back and change my vote for switching teams Diva, I so would. Jax? She could fit in a tea cup she is so tiny. I felt like a giant next to her, but her personality is giant so it was all good. What a dynamic, fun lady. I wanted to add a quick shout out to Feisty, who braved the conference her leg in a cast, crutches in her hands, with dignity and aplomb. I can’t imagine how hard and frustrating that must have been. You are a strong and amazing woman - must be why you’re called Feisty.

There are so many more Divas to mention (not the least of whom were my two roommates, but I will get to them later) and sufficed to say, I loved you all. And what is most amazing is how gorgeous they all are - inside and out (click on photos to see in full).

I also met with a Canadian contingent of authors from back East. I only know most of them through Christine D’Abo and following them through her blog posts. To Christine, Amy, and Wylie - you are beautiful, lovely ladies - you made me laugh and made me proud to be Canadian. I know that you will all go far on your writing journey because you all just kick ass.

I met so many people and obviously I would be writing for days if I listed them all. There are stand out authors for me, who were gracious, fun and encouraging: Sylvia Day (can’t wait to start Eve), Allison Brennan (don’t know which book to start first) - I promise I won’t stalk the two of you as much any more (at least for a little while LOL), Lisa Kleypas and Sherrilyn Kenyon (new to me authors - don’t gasp I have heard of them, obviously, just never read them before) who were each so friendly and nice.

I talked to an agent (not having a clue she was an agent, because I don’t like to look like I am reading the name cards in front of people’s chests) who made laugh and who also made me rethink who I wanted as my dream agent. I will never forget the “bathing in baby seals” comment as long as I live (and thank you very much again for that, total highlight). Even if you never become my agent, I hope we run into each other again and go for drinks. I can always use another friend.

Last, but not least, I need to mention my absolutely fantastic roommates. When we met we’d known each other from online, but more in a “yeah, I know who you are and I’m sure you are not strange” kind of way. In person you couldn’t find three more different people, not only in size, but personality. However, these ladies made me laugh and smile and were there for me when I found out, shortly after I arrived, that my Dad had suffered a heart attack and was going for double bypass surgery on the Thursday. I told no one else about that (not until I had a little melt down on Saturday morning) and they kept me strong. I needed to get through conference and there was nothing I could do for my Dad except pray and I was already doing that. Chi and Christina made me laugh so hard, they understood me, they were considerate (three women, one bathroom and it was all good) and mostly they were just lovely ladies who captured my heart and friendship forever. I would room with them again in a second and I hope they would say the same of me.

So - what about the workshops, the agent/editor appointments, the literacy signing, the food, the learning and so on? Yeah, it all happened. But my highlights are the people. Plus, I have to write an article regarding the rest, so when that’s done you can find out all about it.

Today you can find me at the Cobblestone Press Blog where I’m talking about Vampires and Harmony.

You will also find me at the airport, winging my way to San Francisco to Nationals.

Tomorrow, check out Romancing the Blog, where I’m talking about being a reader at Nationals.

So now, I go and pick my daughter up from Kindergarten, come back to pull the chocolate chip banana muffins I made my family out of the oven (there is someone here I am not leaving it on with no one home), pack the car, pick my oldest up from school early and the five of us will head out for the long trek to the airport. I will try to post from Nationals (if I can find the time! )

for Snowbound. This ms of mine has gone through quite the process from when I originally wrote it in the Fall of ‘06. It has been revised numerous times and even entered in a contest. It bares little resemblance to what it started out as, but that’s ok. I hope it’s all the better for it. My writing has changed a lot in two years.

Apparently emotional abuse is a tough sell in , even when it’s with the ex, not the hero. However, I felt strongly that this story needed to be told. For part of it is my story. I may have said this before, but emotional abuse (really any abuse) does not only happen to stupid women. It happens no matter what social-economic scale you are on, no matter what IQ you have. And it’s not easy to cut your losses and run, no matter how simple it seems form the outside.

In any event, Snowbound will be published by Blade Publishing. Blade Publishing is fairly new, but I have high hopes for them and a lot of respect for the people behind the scenes.

PS: Did you know I’m leaving for Nationals tomorrow? Just sayin’.