All I can say is Wow!

At the risk of sounding like the wide-eyed newbie author...I am attending my first Romance Writers of America convention. After finishing my first full day here, I've had the chance to gawk at some of my favorite authors -- Kristan Higgins, Robyn Carr, and Jayne Anne Krentz. I listened to a really powerful and motivational speech by Cathy Maxwell at our keynote luncheon and left it really uplifted. It was great to find out that even authors I consider to be "Super-authors" have some of the same jitters I do. It's humbling to see so many men and women who've come here not only to hone their craft, but help others do the same. So a big thank you to all the people who are taking time out of their lives to help the rest of us figure out how to work our way through the world of a writing career. The sessions I've attended have already helped me get a better handle on who I am as a writer...and where I want to go. As Angela James said this morning in the spotlight on Carina Press "There is no one right way" to publish. What we should be looking for is the best way for us...and that means matching our strengths and weaknesses to find the right fit with a publisher. In the end, we all come away winners. I think Robyn Carr had the right idea too when she told writers in the contemporary chat audience that rather than planning a series arc too far in advance, writers should concentrate on making the book they're working on the best book it can be. And to my husband who wondered if we should really spend the money on this...oh yeah...definitely!