What does this photo have to do with RWA? Who cares? Enjoy the view, chicas.

I don't think I've ever been as aware of an approaching RWA conference as I am this year. I told myself that I would not go to RWA this year unless I was a RITA finalist, knowing full well that my chances of being in that final number were roughly the equivalent of my sprouting feathers and flying to the moon.

And then I got the phone call.

As I told you all, I nearly fainted when the voice on the other end told me Surrender had made that final cut. I truly had to grab and chair and hang on because gravity and adrenaline were doing a number on my brain.

Once I recovered, I registered for the conference thinking it would be my funnest, easiest, lightest conference yet. I don't have a panel to give, no presentations to make it through despite a horrendous hangover like last year. (Why do they always give me early morning panels? It's almost as if they know I'm going to be hung over.)

Tonight I wrote up my schedule, and I realized it may be my busiest conference yet due to the RITAs and the Daphnes. Am I complaining? Heck, no! Bring it on! Meetings, more meetings, still more meetings. Luncheons, breakfasts, dinners, RITA rehearsal (who knew they rehearsed the ceremony?) and DRINKS. Yes, at the end of the day, drinks!

A week from this moment, I'll be drunk on chocolate at the Daphne du Maurier Awards. For those of you who've never attended Death By Chocolate, it is Nirvana for the chocoholic. The only thing that could make it better would be nude men coated in chocolate and placed on the tables for us to nibble. But, hey, I know that probably violates some kind of food-safety code. Um... Sorry, distracted myself...



At any rate, it's absolutely going to be my busiest conference yet, and with the need to commute from the Adam's Mark to the Hyatt for the conference, time is going to be very crunched. Trickiest of all will be getting dressed for the RITAs between dinner and the start of the award ceremony next Saturday. I think I'm going to be able to borrow my agent's room at the Hyatt to quick-change from dinner clothes to glamor gown. If not, then perhaps it's the phone booth like Superman.

A huge contingent of women will be there from RBL Romantica, and I'm looking so forward to seeing them all. I'm also looking forward to meeting Emma Holly face to face and connecting again with Bonnie, Gennita Low (no getting lost outside the hotel this year, Jenna!), CJ Barry, Ann Christopher, and a whole host of other wonderful people — authors, booksellers, librarians, the great folks at both of my publishing houses — and my agent, Natasha Kern, whom I've seen three times this year.

So those of you who are reading my blog who will be attending RWA — what are you most looking forward to this year?

For me it will be sitting at the literacy signing with that beautiful RITA finalist banner on my table — and seeing everyone again!