RWA National Day One

Okay, I promised that I would write about my take on the National Conference in Atlanta last week. Since I didn't go to Reno last year (too difficult to find a flight that didn't leave at 7:00 a.m. either way and then having to change planes. Can you believe there are no direct flights to Reno?), I really wanted to attend the conference this year. After all Atlanta was the home of Margaret Mitchell, author of the second best selling book of all time (behind the bible).

I left for Atlanta at 11:00 a.m. and we actually arrived a little early. Shared a cab with Lois Winston, author of Talk Gertie to me, and Irene Peterson of the NJRWA. The airport, it turns out, is literally like ten minutes from downtown. Arrived at the Marriott to check in, they were giving out peaches at the front desk, which I thought was cute, although mine wasn't ripe and I couldn't eat it.

One bad thing about the Marriott, at least for those of us who are afraid of heights, the elevators are partially glass so that you can see out as you go up. Yikes! I spent the entire time I was in Atlanta facing the doors so that I didn't have to see out. Registered for the conference. Found out my badge didn't say that I was a chapter president, which I remedied by writing it in, and then getting a Chapter President's badge. Avon donated a really cool bag that was stuffed to the fills with books, books, books, and the conference hadn't even started yet!

Went down to the literacy book signing, where I discovered due to a glitch that our basket for the raffle had not been picked up and brought to the ballroom, so I ended up donating it to the Chick-lit party to raffle off, where it was a big hit (although they could have made much more it than they did). Bought books by Gena Showalter, Jane Porter, Kathleen O'Reilly (from my local chapter), HelenKay Dimon (who's blog I read) and a few others.

Had dinner at the Sports bar at the Marriott before heading up to the Chick-lit party. Another bad thing about the Marriott, the lack of decent places to eat. Maybe I'm spoiled by the Marriott Marquis here in New York, but the one in Atlanta, although it had comfy beds looked more like something they build during the Communist years in the Soviet Union. Plus, it totally lacked in air conditioning. Normally the workshop rooms are freezing, but this year they were tolerable. I don't know if was the fact there were so many women at National this year.

Chick-lit party was a blast. Got a chance to catch up with people I hadn't seen in awhile like Kelly Remick. Met lovely agent no. 1, and pitched my book to lovely agent no. 2, and lovely agent no. 3 was there for awhile as well. Drank the red chick-lit drink before heading up to bed. Chatted with Megan Crane and Liza Palmer (whose books I scarfed at the Warner signing). Megan is so much prettier than her picture where she looks kind of like Dyan Cannon, and she's tiny too. Liza was a hoot. We bonded over our love of Project Runway and other reality TV series.

Met up with my lovely and tiny pregnant roommate Sapna, who is also our web-goddess extraordinaire. It was her first conference, and I hope that we made it a great experience for her.

More tomorrow! (plus pictures)

EKM