Conference Mania #RWA13

RWA13 is next week! I’m so excited (and nervous) I can hardly stand it.

For those of you who don’t know, RWA13 is the Romance Writers of America annual conference. Writers, authors, agents, and editors are traveling to ATL for this three day event. Luckily, I live in the hot mess that is ATL so no need to travel (and by travel I mean get on a plane. I still have to get in the ABYSMAL traffic for 45 mins – 75 mins to get to the venue each day *sigh*). Note: If you are staying off site you should consider taking MARTA to and from.

This is my first writers conference so I want to make the most of it. I wanted a big conference experience and RWA fits the bill. It’s got classes on so many aspects of this bussines, from craft to managing the business finances of writing (yay), and vendors to take your headshot or print your business cards. See my cards from MOO below.

Aren’t they pretty? (Thanks MOO and RWA)

I’ve even done research on the lectures I want to attend, scheduled a ‘rough’ agenda to follow each day, and have even signed up for agent and editor appointments.

Possibly the best part about this conference is the chance to meet writers face to face. Most authors have awesome avi’s but a thumbnail digital image can only take you so far. I’m very lucky that a writer friend from one of my LitReactor classes will be in attendance (hey CA!).

If you are nervous about attending a conference (like I was/am) here are some helpful links to help you understand what to expect:

https://twitter.com/jennspiller Top 10 Ways for an Introvert to Survive a Conference.

Angela Quarles's One Stop Shop for [RWA conference] Linkage.

Another great idea is to follow the conference hashtag on twitter. I joined conversations using the #RWA13 tag and met several awesome writers already.


Are you going to RWA13 - or any other writers conference this year? Any tips? Share here:

Review: #Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Some of you have probably picked up on this by now: I’m a huge Stephanie Perkins fan. From her hair to her books I adore her (in a non-scary, fangirl sort of way). And this week is a big week for my favorite book (so far) by Stephanie: Lola and the Boy Next Door.

Lola is a YA Contemp Romance. The cover is getting a facelift which hit shelves this week. Here are the links to buy on Amazon and B&N.

Isn’t it pretty? Very grown up. Stephanie talks about the new covers as a means open the book up to all sorts of new audiences. I, for one, think you’d be hard pressed not to fall in love this Lola. Here’s a brief plot summary I grabbed from the blurb:

*NO SPOILERS – NO CRY*

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My favorite things about this book are the characters. They all jump off the page in fantastic, tactile ways. I can imagine Lola’s hair and makeup. I can see Cricket’s walk. I can sense Calliope’s pride. Stephanie creates a world that is tangible and heartbreaking and I fell, head over heels, in love with it.

The first time I read this book I blew through it in a matter of days. Two days, to be exact. I couldn’t put it down. Then, I re-read it over the weekend because I couldn’t get enough.

It’s a wonderful romp through teenage romance that reminds us all what first love feels like. *sigh*

Five of Five Kitty’s to Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins.

P.S. During a recent move I lost my hardcopy version of Lola. I was devastated. I bought the ebook but it’s not enough. I’ll be adding the new version of Lola to my book shelf.

Have you read Lola? What did you think?

Want more Lola? Check out Stephanie's blog later this week for a deleted scene.

Review: The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

If you couldn’t tell, I’m a nerd. A band-o, comic book reading, super hero loving, book loving nerd. I’ve been in nerd girl heaven these last few days because I’ve read TWO good books that quench my nerd thirst. The first was ONE by Leigh Ann Kopans. Check out my review here.

The nerd book I want to discuss today is THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD by Leah Rae Miller. Here’s a bit of plot overview from the blurb (don’t worry, no spoilers here):

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

Sounds great, right? Grab a copy here: Amazon or B&N

Logan IS adorkable for a lot of reasons, but primarily (in my humble opinion) because he loves Green Lantern. Can I get a ‘woot woot’?

What? Why you no like Green Lantern?

That’s okay. I’ll forgive you.

The book was a fast read. I’ve had a few of those lately. I enjoyed the characters, especially Logan. He is swoon-worthy in he persistence and sweetness. *sigh*

I really enjoyed THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD. Four out of five Kitties of SUMMER. It’s a fun, fast, fling that won’t leave you disappointed.

Did you read SUMMER? What did you think?