New York!

The national RWA conference was in New York this summer, and it was a blast!  My daughter Emily and our usual roomies  enjoyed our room on the 40th floor of the Marriott Marquis, where we could see the dazzling lights of Times Square.  The RWA Board did a wonderful job of picking the conference site! Wonderful restaurants, Broadway shows all around...such fun.  We even got to see all of the premiere hoopla in Times Square,  in celebration of  the release of the new Transformer's movie.

Horse lover that I am, I just loved seeing all of the beautiful police horses on patrol around Time Square.  The cop in this picture was giving her horse his "break"--and though she is seen here tying him to a scaffolding that would be no match for a powerful horse heading in reverse,  she actually bow-tied a little leather shoelace around the pipe, then looped the reins through that--a nifty quick-release set-up in case he spooked.

The horses pulling carriages for hire around Central Park and Times Square were beautiful, too--sleek, fat and healthy looking, their white carriages so festive set against all the bright neon lights.

But the conference week was more that just the dazzling lights, crowds and wonderful restaurants.  The workshops, and all of the industry buzz in the hallways, left me re-charged and excited about getting back to work!

What are some of your favorite places to visit?  What vacations have been your most memorable? 


Wishing you a wonderful summer,
Roxanne Rustand
www.roxannerustand.com
Home at Blackberry Hill, 7/2011

Awards all around!

It was so exciting to read the list of finalists for the Rita this year, and see how well our Craftie Ladies of Suspense and Romance were represented.  Wonder writers, wonderful recognition of their talents.  It will be such fun to cheer everyone on at the awards ceremony during the last week of June in New York!

Do any of you readers live near New York?  The awards ceremony isn't open to the public, but the vast literacy fundraiser sure is--over four hundred authors, autographing books!  The event draws huge crowds no matter where the conference is held each year, and it's a great opportunity to meet and interact with your favorite authors! I'm sure we'll all be talking about who will be there as the time draws near, so stay tuned!