RWA recap, part one!

Sorry for the delay on this post. Aside from getting ARCS ready for UNLEASHING DESIRE, I caught con crud and feel like I'm dying. 

Holy wow, you guys. My mind is still spinning from the RWA 2016 National convention. This year it took place in San Deigo, so not only was it my first RWA, but it was also my first time in California. Pretty nice state.

Wednesday

Right when I arrived at the hotel, I had an embarrassing moment where I thought my roommate, Terry Spear, had booked the room under her real name. No, her real name is Terry Spear. I was just at the wrong hotel. I'm still blushing because I talked to a ton of people before I figured this out.

Then one of the guys at the Mariott hotel told me it was too far to walk to the Embassy. HE LIED. It was only 3 blocks down the street. Not only that, but my cab driver got lost, almost got us killed from checking the GPS on his phone, and overcharged me. Ass.

But once I got to the right place, Terry was an angel about me fan-girling all over her and we got to dish about industry gossip before getting ready for the literacy signing.

That signing was incredible! And I guess we raised over $10,000! People came and saw me and took pictures, making me feel like I was all famous n'stuff. :D

I also ended up with the coolest seatmate, author Jackie Ashenden. Her New Zealand accent made me feel more welcome since my aunt is from there and she shared her delicious NZ candy!

After the signing, I met up with one of my Facebook groups, "Binders Full of Women Romance Writers" and had a drink with them by the pool. They were a lot of fun and we made other plans.

Then I wandered back to my hotel, where I discovered that the bar there had Angry Orchard in PINTS!! (Insert Hobbit Voice here)

There was a nice enclosed outdoor smoking area which was surprisingly deserted, which was nice because I needed quiet before bed.

Thursday

Early in the morning (okay, 9:30) I met with my fabulous agent. Then I met with a few Binders and attended the Key Note Luncheon, where Beverly Jenkins was the speaker. That woman is amazing. I just started reading her book, Night Hawk, and I love it.

This was us waiting in line to see her.

After lunch, I went to some workshops. Holy wow, Barbara Vey is AWESOME! It is my new goal in life to attend her Reader's Appreciation Luncheon.

I also got to socialize with Carolyn Brown and Grace Burrowes! Fangirl squeal!!  

Afterwards, I walked down to Ralph's for Red Bull and hard cider, because Thursday was party night. Since my schedule didn't match up with anyone, I got dinner at the store and sat outside and ate with a homeless veteran. He reminded me of my drinking buddies at the Powder River Saloon.

Afterward, I caught up with Terry and we went to a room party hosted by the Binders. The view from their room was killer. 

After that we went to the Harlequin Pajama Party and made a new friend in Librarian Frannie. She was awesome.

Then I hung out by the pool and made a new Canadian friend, Author Trish Loye Elliott. (Later I accidentally called her an Aussie friend because I was talking to Aussies earlier, lol)

Then I stumbled into bed way too late.

Check out Part 2!!

      

Thank you to those who improved my life this year.

Whew, I'm finally getting caught up with things and in a much better mood than the last time I posted.

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I want to give a shout-out to some people who have done wonderful things for me this year.

In no particular order, I am grateful for:

My aunt, Wendy Masten:

Thank you for all the little random treats you've surprised me with. My mom used to do things like that and now it's like you're filling a part of the hole she left behind.

Kent Butler: 

When we first met, we talked and laughed for hours. The next time I saw you, you brought me hard cider because you remembered I liked it. When my college book bag was hurting my shoulder, you gave me a wheeled bag. When my mouse broke, you gave me another one. That is why I fell in love with you and I am so thankful your kindness has remained steadfast. When my back hurts, you rub it, when I am cold, you make a fire. You saved Thanksgiving for my family by opening your home to all of us. You always cheer me up and help me with everything, big and little. You are the the best boyfriend I've ever had and I'll never be able to fully express how much I love you and how grateful I am that you came into my life.

Bonnie R. Paulson:

My fantastic friend and critique partner, I can never thank you enough for all you've done for me. You've provided invaluable feedback on my books, cheered me up and motivated me with our conversations, shared all of your knowledge on the crazy world of book-marketing, and written wonderful stories that I adore.

Every single piece of advice you've given me has improved my career.

Your successes never fail to cheer and inspire me. You are my patronus!

Rissa Watkins:

Longtime beta reader and excellent friend, I still can't believe you drove all the way to that convention in Vegas and I finally got to meet you in person. I don't think you'll ever truly know how much that meant to me.

And I cannot thank you enough for your invaluable feedback on my stories. I am so happy that you finally put out a book of your own. Your writing is spectacular!

Rachel Faircloth:

My best friend since third grade, thank you for always being there for me and sending me little cards and letters and forgiving me when I get busy and lose touch. You are the best friend anyone could ever hope for and even though we don't talk every day, I always think about you.

Shona Husk:

My friend and fellow author down under, thank you for giving me editing work, allowing me to vent on you about random things, talking advice, and helping me improve the most difficult novel I ever wrote.

Micah Allen:

My wonderful, awesome son. I live for your smiles and laughter. I love spending time with you and I want you to know that my world is so much better with you in it. On my worst days, I only live for you.

Jeff Miller:

For always being the Zen Master of common sense and surprising me with a bookcase.

Jeff Jeskie:

For all fun conversations and the helpful things you do without a second thought.

Dean Chamberlain:

For being an amicable housemate and not dying on me, and all of our intellectually stimulating conversations, for giving me Microsoft Word 2007 when my computer died, and most of all, a place to live.

Noreena Lewis:

For giving me those CROW cards and being a wonderful friend.

Angie Hacker Christianson:

For that wonderful package of hard cider, chocolate, and kitty toys that you randomly dropped off "To brighten my day." It brightened my whole year. I am now inspired to surprise someone like that.

Rebecca Larsen, Bonnie Maestas, and Beverly Ross:

For being dedicated readers, spreading the word about my books and assuring me that my stuff is worth reading.

Ashley Reader Granger:

For all the awesome facebook parties you hosted for me with my new releases. They were a blast!

Shelley Martin:

For helping me out with some things this summer, for invaluable help with Conjuring Destiny and being a fun friend.

Layna Pimental:

For catching all the passive voice and overuse of adverbs in Conjuring Destiny. You made it stronger.

Grace Burrowes:

For providing wisdom, encouragement, and moral support in my publishing journey and having my back during its inherent struggles.

Rebecca Butts:

For being compassionate to everyone, understanding my craziness, coming to my book signing, and making ye olde dreaded day job bearable. If it weren't for you being such a nice boss lady, there's no way I could handle it.

Merrilee Remmick:

For being an amazing coworker, coming to my book signing, reviewing my books and being an understanding listener to my ranting and raving.

Raye Roeske, David Bawden, and Jeremy Shipp

For creating Bad Movie club and giving me a ridiculously hilarious reprieve from the stress of my three jobs. During our movie banter you guys became my friends and a source of cheer.

Nephele Tempest:

Thank you for being a spectacular agent and improving my career.

Cammile Hahn:

For providing a home for my heavy metal romance and putting up with my nit-picking on the cover art.

Tamara Lush: 

For our wonderful chats and expanding my horizons on author opportunities.

That guy at my neighbor's barbecue who offered to use his truck to haul my new desk.

I was a stranger to you and you offered aid when I needed it. 

WINNER of Grace Burrowes's WINDHAM BOOKS!!!

AND the winner is: Bonnie Blue! I'll pass your email on to Grace. :)

Congratulations!!!

The Sibling Advantage: by author Grace Burrowes

I’m hard at work on the eighth volume in the Windham family series, a set of Regency romances about the children of the Duke of Moreland. Like many titled fellows of the day, His Grace’s children were not all born to his duchess, though—once he learned of his two pre-marital by-blows—all of his offspring were raised under the ducal roof.

The Moreland Miscellany consists of three sons and five daughters, though Their Graces also lost one son to the Napoleonic Wars, and another to consumption. A family this size and of this composition would be typical of the day (George III had fifteen children, William IV had at least ten (all illegitimate), and Victoria had nine), but that’s a minor reason for why I constructed my cast of characters this way.

The Windham Family Tree

The sibling relationship is seldom without intensity. Siblings generally know us longer and better than anybody else on the planet, including our parents. Siblings are often the first people about whom we feel protective (though as toddlers we can be possessive of our parents), and particularly for boys, sisters are often the first females for whom they feel responsible (Dad having Mom’s protection assigned to him). At the end of life, when our children are grown and gone, and our parents deceased, it’s often our siblings with whom we have the most in common. 

Siblings can use their proximity to make our lives hell, or they can be the people with whom we share the best, most cherished memories. In either case, the relationship has depth, intensity, and range. Even in a situation were siblings no longer speak to each other, the relationship has presence, though it’s a silent presence.

When I’m casting around for how to sustain a reader’s interest across eight books, the sibling relationship is one tool at my disposal. In addition to the romances arcing through each novel, I can develop themes among the sibling cast that will resonate from story to story. For example, in each book in the Windham series, the brothers who have been lost to death are grieved by their siblings differently. One sister, Sophie, has a hard time with Christmas, because her brother died of consumption near the holidays. Her brother, Valentine, misses the departed sibling who was closest to him age, because that brother was also the closest thing he had to a friend in the familiar household. The loss shapes how the siblings relate to each other as adults, and it brings them closer together.

Using a sibling cast also allows me to use each book as opportunity for “epilogue scenes.” In book five, we get to check in with the couples we fell in love with in books one through four—as if they were our siblings. While I still have to do some character development for the secondary siblings from book to book, the burden is lighter because I know them all so very, very well.   

And this is probably the primary reason I use siblings in such abundance in my books: I am one of seven children, and I’m on very good terms with my siblings. They know me better than anybody, in some senses, and they love me better, too. When I turned to writing novels, the sibling milieu was a place I felt at home.

And in celebration of the sibling bond, to one commenter, Brookyn Ann and I will giving away one signed set of the first four books in the Windham series: “The Heir,” “The Soldier,” “The Virtuoso,” and “Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish.”

What’s your take on the sibling bond? Do you like to see it in your books, get tired of it, wish there were more sisters and fewer bros?

For more about Grace's books, click here: http://graceburrowes.com/books/main.php 

Grace Burrowes is a child welfare attorney living in western Maryland. She does not own a TV, and thus has plenty of time to correspond with readers, and also to write more books. You can reach her through her website, graceburrowes.com, on Facebook (Grace Burrowes Author), or twitter @graceburrowes