RWA Conference 2011

Back home from my ninth RWA Conference. This year it was held in NYC. The conference hotel, Times Square Mariott Marquis was fab. The location is full of attractions.

This year two of my four daughters and two of my five grands came along. They had a blast. As the eight year old said when asked about the Broadway show, Mary Poppins, "Awesome."

I took it a bit easy this year. Attended the Literacy signing on Tuesday night. It was jam packed. I think the room was samll for 500 seated authors and the number of people who came to meet the authors and get signed copies of their books. But it was a hoot. Met up with fellow Avalon authors Wednesday morning and then went to the lunch. The PAN retreat took up the remainder of the afternoon and then there was a fab cocktail party for the Avalon authors at the Avalon office.

On Thursday, I attended Michael Hauge's workshops. Two hours in the morning and then two more hours in the afternoon. I had heard him speak twice before, but what he offers is so important I need it to soak in and become automatic.

Thursday night I joined my family for pizza and pasta at Johns, cheesecake from Juniors, and a seat on the red steps in Times Square. Lot of fun, lot of light, lot of noise.

This year I left the morning of the last day. Family had a huge and delicious breakfast at Juniors, then we said goodbye to one daughter and the rest of us headed for the train station and the trip back.

We got home to find another daughter and her husband here painting interior doors. When she lived with us, she got a rabbit who removed much of the paint from the bottom of several doors. Somehow she persuaded her husband to paint them. He did a super great job. They stayed for the fourth of July celebration and were joined by our oldest daughter and three grands. Hectic but fun.

Getting back to writing will take some real discipline on my part.

How lucky we are to live in the USA. Other countries have a much longer history and many splendors, but we who claim the USA as home are priviledged.

Pray for our troops. They are still putting and often giving their life to protect us from those whose desire is to destory us.

Best,

Susan