My Most Fabulous Day--so far

Here's the thing, and it's a pretty great thing. I just returned from Nashville where I attended my publisher's sales conference, actually a launch party for their fall 2010 line. I had such a great day. Actually I was in Nashville for five days. I stayed with my dear friend and author extraordinaire, Nancy Rue. We talked writing and books and played with her two Lab pups. On Wednesday I met my editor, Barbara Scott and since I was tad early, we went, where else? To Starbucks and talked about writing and books and my career and silly stuff that just made us laugh. Then it was back to the publishing house, which by the way is not a house, it's a huge building in downtown Nashville. HUGE. Barbara took me on a tour and it just went on forever.
I met some pretty terrific people who are instrumental in making the fiction line a success. I will admit it was a tiny bit strange to see my picture on a poster. I mean really. I walked into the building and right there in the lobby was a big welcome sign with my picture on it. Well, mine and the other guy's (the other author invited to speak). It was pretty cool. That's it in the picture.
I visited Barbara's office and saw the infamous "slush pile" which frankly wasn't very big or very slushy. But I think that's because of Barbara's tremendous and wonderful organizational skills. I did see one of my proposals on her desk. It was nice to see it there. Comforting and encouraging. Next we moved through the building like two mountain lions prowling around for who we could snag and say hello to, including Tammy the vice president. Yep, that was awesome. I like Tammy a lot. She's smart and sophisticated and really cares about creating a first-class fiction line
for Abingdon Press. Then we found Maegan Roper my publicist who is just as cute as a button and sweet and bubbly. We ran into Susan Salley who has been a major cheerleader from the very beginning. Susan is getting a new puppy this week. Yay Susan.
From there we headed to the luncheon where I sat at the table with Barbara, Tammy, Susan, Maegan, Neil, Ed, Stacy and Amy. Great fun! They are all great folks truly committed to making good books. And then it was time for the big show. Wow.
Okay, here's the other thing. I was very concerned about what I was going to wear because as we all know I am not exactly a fashionista, I'm more of a whatever is lying on the flooranista. But I did get to wear my Chucks. Blue ones that went real well with my blue, flouncy shirt. What else would you expect the Queen of Quirk to wear? More about that later. I hear the shoes were a hit though, memorable. And this makes me happy because I like my Chucks in all their fabulous colors. So I'm just
saying if I get the Christy nomination I WILL wear Chucks to the event. So anyhoo, Susan introduced the nonfiction line and then brought out two folks who performed a skit introducing the fiction titles. Let me tell you my loyal subjects (I can say that now since I am the Queen of Quirk) it was a blast. I laughed and laughed. They did an awesome job discussing the titles. And it wasn't too shabby to see my new release about a mile high on the screen behind them. Well not too shabby and very humbling. Thank you guys. I hope Maegan sends me the tape soon. I want to use it in other places. Then Barbara introduced me. Applause, applause.
Then I got up on the stage and well, I will admit I was a little bit quivery and scared. But I did okay telling the folks about how I came to write quirk and become the Queen of Quirk and where Bright's Pond came from and I was so relieved when everyone laughed in all the right places. Phew!
Then the other guy talked. (I'm joking, he was good, he was non-fiction so there you go).
Then it was over and I signed a few books, spoke with a few people including some of the awesome Abingdon sales men and women. I met Curtis who is now the CBA president and he was so sweet. He told me he likes quirk. Go Curtis!
Then I was hungry. I couldn’t eat much the two or three days leading up to the event—nerves and all. I wanted pizza. So Barbara and I got a pizza and headed back to Nancy's hacienda where we hung out all evening laughing and enjoying some great conversation and pretty much kicking back.
All in all it was a most fabulous day. I love being a part of the Abingdon family.

We are not elves!

Here's the thing, I'm supposed to be leaving for my publisher's sales conference this afternoon. When I told my daughter the first thing she said was, "what are you going to wear, Mom?" um, that was a good question because we writers pretty much get to work in our jammies or sweats and no one knows and no one cares. But occasionally we are lured out of our dens to attend some kind of public function. Which I enjoy. I love meeting people. I think it's the only way readers know that writers are real and not Elves living in a shoe, tapping out stories under the light of the mysterious Moonberry plant.
So I went shopping. I bought real clothes and even a pair of real shoes which I wore to church yesterday and I got to say, my feet were not happy. They like being inside my Chucks, of which I own several pair in many colors. Joseph had his coat, I have my Chucks. But in the interest of what is, apparently, proper I bought some new stuff, pretty stuff, casual but nice clothes to wear on my trip that will hopefully take me from my writerly frumpiness to fashionista—no not really. I don’t think I ever want to be called a fashionista. It makes me think of women in gray business suits goose-stepping in strappy sandals down the street. Not for me.
But doing this has raised a serious question for me. What's my style? I think as a writer I would like to have a style, something fun and quirky like my books yet not clownish. I'm thinking about a tattoo. Writers should have a style don't you think? I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out.