I Left my Mind in San Francisco
Hi, all! I’m writing this Friday night from San Francisco. I’ll give you a quick report and updates and a few pictures because that’s all I took. 
The Plotmonkeys were at their finest during the time the four of us spent holed up in Julie and Leslie’s room, working and plotting and not seeing daylight for over 48 hours. I kid you not! But I have all of LUCKY BREAK (book 3) plotted and I could not be happier! I love hanging out with my plotmonkey pals, meeting people from the jungle was one of THE highlights of the conference! It showed us what a fantastic community we’ve created here. Not just a website but a place for friends to congregate! 
I am happy to report that Julie was not sent to the bathroom on a time out this trip! Yes, she actually behaved! 
There was less junk food than usual since Leslie is svelte and Carly is trying a new diet to lower her cholesterol, and Julie is recuperating and Janelle tried hard not to be too bad an influence on the rest of us. 
Other than the Literacy Signing, I must admit to being more of a hermit this trip than usual, but I think that’s because I needed a break and I really did get one. I’m happy to be home and I’ve missed all of you!
ADDED THIS MORNING: Again, never travel with Carly~ I had a 6:30 am flight, left San Fran on time, arrived in NY early only to sit on tarmac for 40 minutes because there was no place to unload the plane, then the luggage didn’t come out for over an hour and a half, I was on line at the baggage office to file a complaint of lost luggage for half an hour, the line did not move, when we heard the luggage was on the conveyor belt at last. The FAR conveyor belt. Sigh. Well at least that part of the trip is OVER! I feel extremely battered and tired though I slept 9 hours. The time change is rough! But the week was so worth it!
I hope you’ve enjoyed my quick summary from RWA! If you went, what was your favorite part? If you didn’t, what would you like to know about our trip?
Spill the dirt!!
Actually, I am looking forward to next years since I am going to try and get there. When will the info for that be up and ready??
Comment by ev — August 4, 2008 @ 7:37 am
Carly, sounds like fun!
Comment by katie — August 4, 2008 @ 8:58 am
I don’t know if I told you, but have Hot Property…all ready for my night away (along with Leslie’s two new ones!).
Comment by katie — August 4, 2008 @ 9:05 am
Hi Carly,
Glad you had a safe trip home. So sorry about your luggage. When I got to Denver my bag was like the second one off the conveyor belt. Then my husband picked me up and I was home in no time.
Julie, you looked so wonderful when I saw you at the literacy signing that I completely forgot to ask how you were feeling. So sorry. How rude of me.
Leslie, what a thrill to finally meet you in person! You look great!
Plotmonkeys, it was m’avelous to see all of you again. Seeing you was one of the biggest highlights from my trip. Thank you for signing the books that I brought with me and Janelle so happy to get a signed copy from you of Wild For Him.
I hope that all of you are home safe and sound.
Take care and as always it’s a pleasure to swing through the jungle,
Cher
Comment by Cher — August 4, 2008 @ 9:34 am
Sounds like y’all had a great time and I would love to hear even more about the week. Sorry about the travel delays, but glad y’all made it home safe.
Comment by Liza — August 4, 2008 @ 9:39 am
Ooh, sounds like a productive week for all of you! RWA is probably old-hat for you Plotmonkeys, but did you have any “squee!” moments of your own? (I wasn’t able to make it to the signing, but I imagine I would have spent pretty much the whole time ecstatically in fan-girl mode!) :oops:
Comment by Fedora — August 4, 2008 @ 10:48 am
Glad you had a safe flight home, however, i feel your pain in flying. I flew twice to Connecticut in July. Planes were delayed. Once was over the 4th of july weekend due to thunderstorms. My flight was suppose to leave at 7pm, well it didn’t leave till 1am. Its only an hour flight to Baltimore. You know I could have driven home and been home by that time. lol. The second time my best friend and I called the airlines, and sure enough it was delayed again, so we went shopping and went out to dinner. Of course I missed work due to thunderstorm delay. Had the same experience with the baggage. Baggage didn’t come off the plane for over an hour. Everyone was tired, and wanted to get the baggage and sleep in their own beds.
Anyway, im rambling again. lol. Have a great Monday. Sounds like everyone had fun and looking forward to seeing the pictures. Did anyone get out to see San Francisco?
Comment by Elisa V — August 4, 2008 @ 11:01 am
Carly, sounds like your break was really productive. My breaks are never that productive. They’re about as far from that as possible.
Comment by Karin — August 4, 2008 @ 11:36 am
I missed rwa this year because I was on family vacation in Europe but I love reading about it!
Comment by wendy roberts — August 4, 2008 @ 1:20 pm
Glad you had a productive time in San Fran, and that you made it home safely. Just wondering who is in the photos with you, are they friends of the jungle?
Comment by Tina Martinesi — August 4, 2008 @ 1:25 pm
OOOPS!
From top to bottom photo:
Carly
Carly and Theresa Madeiros
Carly and Paula from the jungle with us! Peace and Love, Paula. She’s so cute isn’t she!? We really had fun.
I didn’t fawn over anyone this year but I’ve been known to fawn in my day. AND now since I have a sort of recognizable name I’m more comfortable just introducing myself, hoping they’ve heard of me, and then gushing.
Thanks, Katie! I hope you enjoy Hot Property!
Comment by Carly — August 4, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
Carly thanks for sharing your “plotting” time with us. Of course my highlight was getting to meet the four of you! I’m already reading my books! I started with ones I got at the Blaze signing but will soon start on ones that I bought! That Blaze signing was such an unexpected bonus! I was so flattered that Leslie remembered me & my name! You are all the best.
Sorry to hear your flight home was less than perfect! I hate waiting for luggage but what are you going to do!!
Comment by Donna M — August 4, 2008 @ 2:29 pm
We want all the dirty details- I was over at the RWTTD blog and saw some fab pics of cleavage (you’d have to see it) and read that a giant tree fell over during some party. I hope that I can someday get to the literacy signing and meet my fav authors but for now i will settle for reading all about it.
Glad you all had fun and “behaved”- can’t wait to read the finished products from all that plotting.
Comment by Anna D — August 4, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
I want to hear everything!
I wanted to be there so badly, but I’m so glad I wasn’t. With everything going on with hubby I know I would’ve been miserable but I’m really hoping next year he can go with me. It’s only a 4-5 hour drive to DC so I’m really keeping my fingers crossed that we can go.
I’d be happy to hear any and all details!
Glad everyone is making it home safely!
Comment by Jodie/Alannah — August 4, 2008 @ 6:05 pm
Glad you are all safely home! I’ll play Mom: get your rest, then you can dive right back
into you regular schedule!! Would love to see more photographs of the big doings!!
Pat Cochran
Comment by Pat Cochran — August 4, 2008 @ 6:16 pm
I didn’t get to go. (OK, I have to stop whining.
I’m all set for DC.) 
I looks like everyone had A BLAST and I’m just looking forward to finding out the scoop on everything and anything.
Comment by Yolanda — August 4, 2008 @ 6:19 pm
DC??? Good, I will drive there. Want me to pick you up on the way by Carly??
So someone, please, tell me how I should act when I meet Ann McCaffrey in October?? I am afraid I will be speechless. Honestly. It does occassionally happen.
Comment by ev — August 4, 2008 @ 6:34 pm
Hey everybody…I am in NYC right now visiting my mom before I fly out tomorrow…I am hoping and praying that I am able to access the Internet while I am away…
Carly, I am glad that you made it home safely…sorry to hear about your flight back…it took forever for me to get back home on Saturday.
Thanks for posting the picture…the highlight of my trip was meeting the four of you guys…I really enjoyed myself at the literacy signing…
It was quite a bonus to actually ride down in the elevator with you and Janelle, even though I didn’t really say much…
btw…could you send me a copy of the pic via email, so I could add it to my collection?
I am planning on going to DC next year…my camera is all fixed now, and I will definitely not forget Janelle’s pic…
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Comment by Paula R. — August 4, 2008 @ 9:49 pm
I did have several “squee” moments and I wasn’t around all that much.
After Literacy, I had a meeting with an old friend. She was very busy and didn’t have time for dinner and I was headed to my room to order room service when I saw Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe in the lobby. I stopped to talk to them, along with their friend, Kassia, who blogs at Booksurge.com (I’m almost sure…she’s super and I’m going to be very embarrassed if I got that wrong!) They invited me to go eat (and drink) with them. I was already very honored to be included when their fourth joined them…Kresley Cole! Now, yes, I know Kresley, but I’m a huge fan of hers, too and I hadn’t had a chance to talk to her in a really long time…so it was a totally cool moment!
I also had the pleasure of sitting beside Jill Shalvis at the Blaze dinner, another author I rarely get five minutes to talk to. And Brenda Jackson, who will be writing for Blaze in the future, was there and I’m so excited that she’s joined the line! I’d never chatted with Jade Lee, either, so it was great to have her at my table.
Vicki Lewis Thompson received the Nora Robert’s Lifetime Achievement award at the end of the RITA ceremony. She actually thanked each of us Plotmonkeys in her speech and to say we were floored and honored and humbled was a huge understatement. Vicki has always been a mentor to all of us…and a friend. AND MAN, was she H-O-T in her cobalt blue gown. S’rsly, people…if I can look half that good someday, I’ll be very happy!
I did a lot of squeeing when meeting Plotmonkey readers like Donna & Paula (and Cher, who of course, I’ve met before!) But anytime people came up and identified themselves as Plotmonkey readers, it was very exciting. It simply does not get old!
On the plane to SF, there was a striking, beautiful lady sitting a few seats behind me. I knew she was an author and that I should have known her name, but I couldn’t bring it out of the ether that is my brain. Then Saturday at the RITAS, her picture flashed as a contestant in NOVEL WITH STRONG ROMANTIC ELEMENTS. It was Women’s Fiction writer, Karen White. And guess what…she sat right across the aisle from me on the trip home! I introduced myself and she was so gracious and so wonderful…she’ll be guest blogging here at PM in November! I’m very happy.
I know there was one other instance…my brain really is still under anesthetic. I feel great. I did lots of resting.
Maybe tomorrow, I’ll tell you all my travel horror story. It has to do with Hartsfield Atlanta airport :wallbash: and nearly missing my plane.
Comment by Julie Leto — August 4, 2008 @ 10:50 pm
I’m glad you all had a great time. I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it this ear. But… Next year I’m in!
Hopefully, I can manage to work it to get to DC a a day or so early for work (snicker) and that way they can pay for my airfaire in and out (it could work, after all my bosses are there)! I could still meet and greet in the evening those days. Then, I will already be there for the conference.
Plotting it out already…
Comment by Lynn M — August 5, 2008 @ 12:45 am
Fun pics, hope you all have time to share some more of your time in SF.
I too am going to try and make DC next year. this sounds like a really fun
time and I would love to meet my favorite PM authors in person.
Katie you have 3 terrific books there.
Finished Then You Hide by Roxanne St. Claire.
I read it without putting it down
and the preview of Then You Die looks like it is
going to be a winner too.
I am in need of a Janelle fix for my next couple of books
and then I might read a couple of Lida Lael Millers.
I am trying to downsize my TBR pile until September.
Hugs to all. Glad you all had fun and are home safe and sound.
Comment by jeannie and Zoey — August 5, 2008 @ 2:35 am
Carly it looks like you had a blast there I seen you had a bunch of your new books on the table, as I wait for mine. I ordered and then I was emailed there was a problem with the order not sure what was going on so I decided to order from another source and they emailed me today and said it is on it ways… This must be a great book because I have had so much trouble getting it. Can’t wait to read it.
Comment by Brenda M — August 5, 2008 @ 4:08 pm