Well, not quite yet... That's not happening until the end of the month.
I'm Lisa Mondello and even though it's a few weeks away I'm getting really excited about attending the annual Romance Writer's of America conference in Orlando! I've visited Mickey several times in my life and have always enjoyed myself in Orlando. But this year will be different. I'll be going without family to spend some time with my writing family and friends, many who are on this blog, the Craftie Ladies of Romance blog and the Love Inspired Authors blog. I always have a great time and learn a lot from the Steeple Hill family of authors every year.
This year will be special in another way. A dear friend is up for the Golden Heart award and has invited me to enjoy the Rita and Golden Heart Awards with her. (Yes, that's you CJ!) I always have a lot of fun and leave the conference tired and fully charge to write.
Lyn Cote posted a nice update about what the Rita Awards are over at the Craftie Ladies of Romance blog so make sure you go over and check that out. AND check back here during the conference to get updates and pics of the Literacy Booksigning and what's happening with the Craftie Ladies.
Until next time, many blessings, Lisa Mondello
Christian Romance Authors with Fictionalized Tales of Intriguing Edginess
Showing posts with label RWA conference. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RWA conference. Show all posts
Friday, July 16, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
RWA Announces the RITA and Golden Heart Finalists!
by Debby GiustiTomorrow Romance Writers of America will announce the RITA and Golden Heart finalists. Writers from around the country--even around the world--will be waiting to receive calls that announce their top placements.
Throughout the day, emails will sail back and forth as hopeful aspirants wait in anticipation. I enjoy reading those cyber messages and can feel the swell of excitement as the calls go out.
Yes, I entered, but the competition is stiff and the odds are I won’t final. That’s okay. I’m excited anyway.
Will I do anything different on Thursday? Probably not.
I’ll work on my current work in progress, check my favorite blogs, take a walk, run some errands, fix dinner for my family and do all the other things that normally fill my day. But I will be rejoicing with those who are selected.
Congrats in advance to all the finalists. Congrats, also, to all the writers who entered.
How will you spend this Thursday?
Good luck, everyone!
Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
www.DebbyGiusti.com
www.crossmyheartprayerteam.blogspot.com
www.seekerville.blogspot.com
KILLER HEADLINE, available from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense, now in large-print hardcover.
Friday, July 24, 2009
A whole lot of fun...
I'm finally recovered from my trip to DC last week where I attended the Romance Writers of America National conference. I met a lot of wonderful people, including people on this blog. I know I'm posting at the end of the week and you've probably read all the juicy details from some of the other CRAFTIE Ladies this week so I'll just touch on a few things.
First, I loved meeting all the Love Inspired authors on the opening night of the conference. The LI ladies took over a back room of Harry's Pub and had dinner. (Thank you Janet Tronstad for arranging all of that!) I think there were about 25 LI authors there and it was nice meeting everyone and just getting a chance to chat before the conference went into full swing. I know Lenora Worth took some pictures, so keep checking the blog and the Love Inspired Authors website for more pics.
One of the highlights of the week was doing a wonderful workshop with Lenora Worth and Renee Ryan about the inspirational market. It was very well attended and everyone asked a lot of questions, which shows there is great interest from authors who want to write inspirational stories!
Another highlight was the Harlequin Party. Here are a few pics. I took them on my cell phone so I hope they came out okay.
I finally had a chance to meet my editor, Elizabeth Mazer. Harlequin was celebrati
ng 60 years of romance at this party and here we are standing in front of a beautiful collage of old Harlequin book covers.
I came home very jazzed to get writing. That can be good and bad because while I wanted to write, write, write when I got home, I had been gone for FIVE whole days and while the house didn't look like a bomb had exploded, you could tell I'd been gone. So I spent the week doing a bit of housework, writing and reading some of those books that weighed down my suitcase on the train coming home.
Until next time, many blessings, Lisa Mondello
First, I loved meeting all the Love Inspired authors on the opening night of the conference. The LI ladies took over a back room of Harry's Pub and had dinner. (Thank you Janet Tronstad for arranging all of that!) I think there were about 25 LI authors there and it was nice meeting everyone and just getting a chance to chat before the conference went into full swing. I know Lenora Worth took some pictures, so keep checking the blog and the Love Inspired Authors website for more pics.
One of the highlights of the week was doing a wonderful workshop with Lenora Worth and Renee Ryan about the inspirational market. It was very well attended and everyone asked a lot of questions, which shows there is great interest from authors who want to write inspirational stories!
Another highlight was the Harlequin Party. Here are a few pics. I took them on my cell phone so I hope they came out okay.
I finally had a chance to meet my editor, Elizabeth Mazer. Harlequin was celebrati
I came home very jazzed to get writing. That can be good and bad because while I wanted to write, write, write when I got home, I had been gone for FIVE whole days and while the house didn't look like a bomb had exploded, you could tell I'd been gone. So I spent the week doing a bit of housework, writing and reading some of those books that weighed down my suitcase on the train coming home.
Until next time, many blessings, Lisa Mondello
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Home Again
I loved attending the Romance Writers of America Conference in Dallas last week! The days were packed with great workshops and excellent speakers, but the most fun was seeing old friends and making new ones. With 2,000 writers attending the conference, there was always a new person to meet.
Did anyone else see Prudence, the pink pig from Iowa? The gals from the Iowa chapter were showing her the sights in Dallas, and I had the pleasure of meeting Pru during the Mystery and Suspense Writers tour on Tuesday. Pru dressed up that night for the buffet dinner by wearing a to-die-for pair of diamond studs in her cute little piggy ears. :)
Spending time with other Steeple Hill authors is always a treat, and this year I was able to meet our own Crafty Ladies Pamela and Lisa for the first time. They're great gals and so talented!Terri Reed--another of our Ladies of Suspense--is on the RWA Board and did so much to make the conference a success. It was great seeing her as well. The LofS made a point to get together often throughout the conference and again at the gala Harlequin party on Friday night when everyone looked so beautiful in their party attire!
Saturday started off with the 8:30 AM workshop I had the honor of presenting with Steeple Hill authors Janet Dean and Leigh Bale. Our Senior Editor Krista Stroever joined us for an informative look at a writer's FIRST YEAR ON THE JOB. We hope to present the program next year so if you missed us in '07, be sure to look for us in '08!
Later that day, I attended two workshops given by screenplay consultant Michael Hauge. The man is a genius! I learned so much that I hope to incorporate into my stories in the future.
The flight back to Atlanta on Sunday went smoothly. I sat with my dear friend and great critique partner Darlene Buchholz, and we brainstormed some new ideas for our stories. We also did a fill in the blank drill that Michael Hauge suggested. Apply the following sentence to your character and see what you come up with: I'd do anything to (include your character's goal here), but just don't ask me to (insert his or her greatest fear) because that's just not something I would ever do. Mr. Hauge's technique is a great way to come up with the obstacle that will most dramatically affect the character. At the end of his talk, he challenged all the writers to fill in the blanks for their own writing goals. His premise was there may be something holding us back. If we can identify our struggle, we can work to overcome the problem to achieve our dream. Try it and let me know if it works for you.
The conference was great, but I must admit that I was ready to come home on Sunday. Yes, I had a wonderful time and enjoyed every minute, but as Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home." Let me know about your conference experience, and if you couldn't make it this year, start planning now to attend in 2008 when RWA heads to San Francisco!
Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby
Did anyone else see Prudence, the pink pig from Iowa? The gals from the Iowa chapter were showing her the sights in Dallas, and I had the pleasure of meeting Pru during the Mystery and Suspense Writers tour on Tuesday. Pru dressed up that night for the buffet dinner by wearing a to-die-for pair of diamond studs in her cute little piggy ears. :)
Spending time with other Steeple Hill authors is always a treat, and this year I was able to meet our own Crafty Ladies Pamela and Lisa for the first time. They're great gals and so talented!Terri Reed--another of our Ladies of Suspense--is on the RWA Board and did so much to make the conference a success. It was great seeing her as well. The LofS made a point to get together often throughout the conference and again at the gala Harlequin party on Friday night when everyone looked so beautiful in their party attire!
Saturday started off with the 8:30 AM workshop I had the honor of presenting with Steeple Hill authors Janet Dean and Leigh Bale. Our Senior Editor Krista Stroever joined us for an informative look at a writer's FIRST YEAR ON THE JOB. We hope to present the program next year so if you missed us in '07, be sure to look for us in '08!
Later that day, I attended two workshops given by screenplay consultant Michael Hauge. The man is a genius! I learned so much that I hope to incorporate into my stories in the future.
The flight back to Atlanta on Sunday went smoothly. I sat with my dear friend and great critique partner Darlene Buchholz, and we brainstormed some new ideas for our stories. We also did a fill in the blank drill that Michael Hauge suggested. Apply the following sentence to your character and see what you come up with: I'd do anything to (include your character's goal here), but just don't ask me to (insert his or her greatest fear) because that's just not something I would ever do. Mr. Hauge's technique is a great way to come up with the obstacle that will most dramatically affect the character. At the end of his talk, he challenged all the writers to fill in the blanks for their own writing goals. His premise was there may be something holding us back. If we can identify our struggle, we can work to overcome the problem to achieve our dream. Try it and let me know if it works for you.
The conference was great, but I must admit that I was ready to come home on Sunday. Yes, I had a wonderful time and enjoyed every minute, but as Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home." Let me know about your conference experience, and if you couldn't make it this year, start planning now to attend in 2008 when RWA heads to San Francisco!
Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby
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