A little too much fun

Conference season is upon us, and as the unmarried, non-parental agent in the house, I'm the Knight Agency's rep most likely to travel. So, last weekend I headed off to Dallas for the Dreamin' in Dallas Conference. I had a great time with the ladies there, and an especially entertaining night out for drinks with TKA's own Gena Showalter and Shelley Bradley, fellow agents Lucienne Diver and Kristin Nelson, and a host of other writerly types who helped get us dubbed "the loud group" by several passers by. Keep in mind that several of these ladies write erotica, and you get an idea of what the conversation sounded like after a few Godiva Chocolate Martinis. As for agents, well, we tend to trade stalker stories once the drinks start flowing, and compare notes on the strangest places we've ever been pitched. No, passing your manuscript under the stall in the ladies' room is not particularly original; we've all had it happen at least once. (Be prepared to have it flushed.) Beyond the merriment, there were some great workshops, and a variety of pitches ranging from interesting to exciting, and occasionally bizarre. Definitely a great way to kick off the spring, even if it was 90 degrees in Dallas most of the weekend.

This weekend I stayed on home turf, speaking at my local LA RWA meeting. Another lovely experience, with a welcoming, engaging group of writers. At the end of April, I hit the road once more, off to Chicago for the Northern Chicago RWA's Spring Fling, and the following week I'm at the Silicon Valley Conference. All a great warm up for the National Conference in Atlanta this July.

The New England Chapter's conference was this weekend, as well, and rumors have been trickling back to me regarding some serious partying among the TKA ladies in attendance. NEC was my very first conference last year, and it's definitely a terrific group. I met Marley Gibson and Janet Campbell there last year--funny, warm ladies, and great writers--both of whom are now TKA clients (Deidre's and mine, respectively). And when my friend and client Melanie Hayden called to say she was joining RWA, I realized that she was going to end up in the NE Chapter, too. Can New England survive three TKA women in such close proximity? You be the judge.

Melanie, Marley, and Janet, at NEC Conference '06