Most people who hang around the online romance community have heard of RWA–aka the Romance Writers of America. It’s a great organization, 10,000 strong, comprised of both published and unpublished authors. Every year there’s a big national conference attended by about 2000 writers, plus lots of agents, editors and industry professionals.
This year–this week, actually–the conference takes place in my own back yard, Washington D.C. Three of the monkeys actually arrive at the conference hotel today and they’ll start working on a little plotting without me. I, meanwhile, will be picking up my editor and bringing her back to my house to spend the night. Bruce and the kids are really looking forward to seeing her, too, as the whole family loves her.
It’s really kind of funny, when I think back to the conference in Orlando in 1997. I attended a workshop taught by Brenda Chin and one of her authors, sitting all the way in the back of this very crowded room, so I couldn’t even see her! On that day, I was awestruck and overwhelmed, still unsure I even belonged at the conference, and who was I to think I could actually sell a book?
On that day, if someone had looked into a crystal ball and told me I’d one day be picking Brenda up at the airport and bringing her back to spend the night eating junk food and going to the movies with me and my family, I would have laughed out loud.
My, how things do change!
Anybody else going to be at the conference? Carly is actually registered and will be signing at Wednesday night’s Literacy Signing. The rest of us are staying at the hotel but aren’t officially attending the conference, so we will not be doing anything conference related, except walking around the lit signing saying hello and having fun. If you see us, please say hello!
Safe travels to anyone en route to Washington!
Oh, PS: I am guest-blogging today at www.murdershewrites.com talking a little more in-depth about the pitfalls of a writing career. Stop by if you have a chance!
Leslie Kelly used to say she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, but then she discovered Nancy Drew books. Being a flashlight-under-the-covers-nose-in-book reader throughout her childhood, she couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather do as an adult than continue to lose herself in fictional stories. Her real life marriage of 20 years to the man of her dreams is a constant reinforcement that happily-ever-afters really can happen…and that they’re worth writing about. Living in Maryland, Leslie spends her non-writing time laughing a lot with the above-mentioned romance hero and their three daughters. Though an author of more than thirty sexy, contemporary comedies, she has recently branched out to write dark romantic suspense under the pseudonym Leslie Parrish.
Destiny
Dirty Little Secrets
Once Upon A Valentine
Through The Night
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Woa! OK…Give me a second to get used to this new look. Love it, btw, just gonna take a minute to figure out what to do.
I’m not at conference but I sure wish I was! Next year, no matter what, I will be in Nashville. I hope everyone who is going has a wonderful time and I can’t wait to hear all the details.
Happy plotting, Plotmonkeys!!
Oh, Leslie…I’ve actually started reading Fade To Black. I didn’t think I’d be able to do it, and I do struggle a little with some of the details (I am so overly-sensitive about some things that it’s actually a real PITA) but I like it and you did an amazing job. Definitely not the Leslie Kelly that I’m used to, but Leslie Parrish is awesome too!
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I love the new look to the site, too! I’m here! In DC! Woot! Well…actually, I’m in Fairfax as I type this. Going to the Smithsonian today and then checking into the conference hotel this afternoon. Will look for all of you at the literary signing. I’ll be the one looking shell-shocked and all fangirlish.
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Hope everyone has a wonderful time in DC. I’m missing out this year, but can’t wait for next year when everyone comes to Nashville.
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Whoaaaa… new blog look! I am so jealous of everyone going to RWA! And I love love love DC. *sigh* I’m hoping that missing out on all the greatness will help motivate me to bury my nose in BarBri and pmbr books :\ Here’s to hoping, because it’s down to crunch time >.<
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I live in the DC area and work in DC, I am excited to attend my first RWA literary signing. Excited to meet Carly, Leslie, Julie, and Janelle, if I see them on Wednesday night.
Leslie, I bought your book Fade to Black at the Barnes & Noble in Alexandria, there was a huge stock of the books saying “Brand new releases”… I even talked a lady into buying your book to read on the beach.
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I love the new look, but I don’t understand the quicktags. Oh well, hope I don’t make too much of a mess of commenting.
Silver–glad you made it safely. Elisa–that is so something I would end up doing I know Leslie appreciates it.
Leslie, I love you and all the plotmonkeys. I get that same omygoshis this happening feeling when I get an e-mial from you or last year when I won signed books and they came in the mail. Congrats on such a successful career and aren’t you glad you pursued your dream?
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Have fun plotting…hopefully, that means lots of good books headed to us!
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I’ll be there tomorrow and I can’t wait! I’m on my blackberry so I can’t see the new look.
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Hi Leslie-
I had wanted to go to RWA this year…would be my first one and I love DC. So much to do. Alas it didn’t fit in the budget. Next year it’s in Nashville only about 6 hours from me so I am hoping to go then. I really like Nashville to so it should be fun. Hope to maybe finally meet you, Julie and Janelle. I have met Carly a couple of years ago on the bus tour that was in Ohio.
Good luck with your yearly plotting weekend. Looking forward to many more exciting stories from all of you.
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hey ! not going to this year’s conference but I was told there will be one in NY soon and I’d like to go – plenty of notice right ?!?
have fun everyone !!!
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I love the new look at well but I don’t understand Quicktags either…Love the pic of you Leslie. You’re so pretty! And how fun to be picking up Brenda. Please tell her I said Hi. I’m disappointed I won’t get to attend the conference this year but it just isn’t in the budget. Have a wonderful time.
Cher
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One funny thing…A couple of years ago Brenda came to Denver to attend my local chapters all day workshop–featuring Brenda :-) Anyway I picked her up at the airport and on the way to the hotel, I asked her if she’d rather come and stay at the house. She gave me this look like I had just morphed into something slimy. Too funny. After the workshop weekend, we went up to Breckinridge for a couple of days with another writer. Had a great time.
Cher
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I was surprised when I checked in yesterday that there were no comments about the new look!! Today everyone is noticing! The Quicktags as: B-BOLD, I: Italics! As to the others I have no clue!!
I hope you all have a wonderful time “Plotting” new books for us. Can’t wait to hear what you will all have in store for us. Wish I could have come to DC but I am so glad I got to go to San Francisco last year & meet not only the Plotmonkeys, all lovely people, but Cher, Paula, Jill Shalvis, Roxanne St. Clair and others that I can’t remember at the moment! I highly recommend going to RWA for the book signing if you are able even if you don’t write.
It was a memorable experience. 
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Well get a load of the new jungle look. I like it !
Leslie You always doubt yourself.hee hee. I hope after this release that will
stop, but probably not. I have painted for 40 years and still need validation.
I read propositioned and liked it, but Fade to Black was quite a book, wow!
I wish i could go to a book signing with all 4 of you there. I now have read
every book you have all written except for a couple un-available ones.
Leslie I know you appreciate good theater and music, have you heard
David Garret yet?
Oh boy and easy on the eyes too. if you can catch his PBS showing on his
concert in berlin you and the girls will not be disappointed.
Hugs have fun this week.
Your books have earned you the right to have a blast!
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Grandmas’ Birth Control Pills !!
——————————————————————————–
A doctor that had been seeing an 80-year-old woman for most of her life finally retired. At her next checkup, the new doctor told her to bring a
list of all the medicines that had been prescribed for her.
As the young doctor was looking through these, his eyes grew wide as he realized she had a prescription for birth control pills.
“Mrs. Smith, do you realize these are BIRTH CONTROL pills??”
“Yes, they help me sleep at night.”
“Mrs. Smith, I assure you there is absolutely NOTHING in these that
could possibly help you sleep!”
She reached out and patted the young Doctor’s knee.
“Yes, dear, I know that. But every morning, I grind one up and mix it in the glass of orange juice that my 16 year old granddaughter drinks… And believe me, it helps me sleep at night.”
hahahahahahahahahhahaha
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Thankyouthankyouthank you to everyone who keeps on buying and strong-arming other people to buy Fade To Black.
I really appreciate it!
And Debbie, you are so sweet! And yes, I am VERY glad I pursued my career in new directions.
And I like the new look too, but it does take a little getting used to. I am tryingn to get the Gravatar thing to work…just don’t have time to mess with it right now.
Cher–Brenda was sitting here and read your comment and cracked up!
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Oh, she read my comment! I’ll never forget that look on her face. :-))
Hope you’re having fun at the conference.
Cher
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Snazzy new look!
Woo hoo! It looks like there are a few of us locals going to the conference. Hopefully, the red line will be working tomorrow night and I can to the conference and home again.
It will be fun matching screen names with faces.
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Hey the new look is awesome! I miss seeing you guys @ RWA. Hope you’re having a blast.
And Leslie, my Fade to Black is posted @ http://www.romancenovel.tv today, just so ya know. Need to get the word out about this awesome book.
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I thought about going, but the dates just didn’t work out. Instead, I’ll be heading to DC next week for my cousin’s wedding.