Puttin' on the Ritz

Okay, so I sent out a Nag-O-Gram to all my nearest and dearest conference buddies and slowly but surely (and for sure, slowly) photos from last week's Romance Writers of America Conference in San Francisco are beginning to t-r-i-c-k-l-e in.

The above photo was taken at a pre-Awards cocktail party on Saturday night. From left to right are authors Sophia Nash, Elaine Fox, Kathryn Caskie, and some brunette chic in pewter who apparently didn't get the memo on the basic black cocktail attire.

Oh, yeah, right, she's me. ;)

I'll be posting pics daily, at least that's my plan, so please don't be a stranger.

Hope

July Contest Winners

Okay, I am if not exactly fully rested up from the RWA Conference in San Francisco, then certainly back on the J.O.B. And one of the very best parts of this particular J.O.B. is announcing contest winners--and giving away books!

Jane C of New York, NY is the Grand Prize Winner of my previous month's contest. Like the two runners up, Jane knew that "caudle," a mulled wine with bits of brown bread, sugar, eggs and spices, is the drink Brianna first serves the captured Ewan in BOUND TO PLEASE. Jane's prize is a signed copy of THE HAUNTING, my time travel Harlequin Blaze romance set in Fredericksburg, VA, and a signed copy of Monica McCarty's HIGHLANDER UNTAMED, the first in Monica's blockbuster trilogy about the MacLeods of Skye. BOUND TO PLEASE also features the MacLeods albeit more than a century earlier.

Robyn L of Portage, PA and Andrea A of Bath, NY are my two additional winners. Robyn and Andrea will each receive a signed copy of VANQUISHED, the kick-off to my "Men of Roxbury House" historical trilogy along with a signed cover flat for BOUND TO PLEASE.

Per my previous post, I'm still waiting on all those fab RWA Conference glam shots, so if you're one of my shutterbug buddies, don't be shy. Send 'em on. (Memo to self: next time remember to take digital camera. Also, remember to learn how to use said digital camera). ;)

Hope

Back from San Francisco

Hi Everyone,

I'm jet-lagged but grinning big time after wrapping up yet another fabulous Romance Writers of America Conference. This year's setting was San Francisco, one of my favorite US cities, second only to--you guessed it--New York. As always the conference was a fabulous forum for mixing business with yes, pure fun.

Determined to log in a little sightseeing, I got into San Francisco on Tuesday and hooked up with my posse of conference buds, including the lovely and prolific Kathryn Caskie, for a fortifying seafood dinner at Scoma's in Fisherman's Wharf. Set back from the main drag on Pier 47, Scoma's bills itself as offering San Francisco's freshest seafood. The cracked Dungeoness Crab was to die for as was the Lobster Thermidor and Lobster Newburg. I know because I had them all!

The conference officially kicked off on Wednesday night with the annual charity literacy autographing. Hundreds of romance authors from Nora Roberts to Julia Quinn to yes, Yours Truly packed the SF Marriott's grand ballroom to sign our latest releases and chat with readers and the press.

The Harlequin Party on Friday was held at the ever elegant Four Seasons Hotel. In between fortifying forays to the food stations for an array of Asian dumplings, succulent cheeses, and completely calorie-free desserts (yeah, right)--hey, a girl's gotta keep up her strength--I shook my booty and ground my groove thing to the 80's tunes rocking the house.

On Saturday romantic suspense author, Terri Ridgell and I gave our workshop on Tracking Trends, Fording the Future. To the strappy souls who turned out for us despite the 4:30-5:30 time slot, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

All that talking turned out to be thirsty work. After whetting my whistle with some lovely champagne at an awards pre-party, it was time to settle down to the Awards Ceremony emceed this year by best-selling author, Suzanne Brockman. In addition to doing a bang-up job keeping we attendees rolling in the aisles with laughter--and the program rolling along right on schedule--Suzanne is well, a pretty cool chick. You've got to hand it to a woman who accessorizes a floor-length ballgown with...cowboy boots.

Sunday morning was time to pack in the razzle dazzle and come back to home and yes, "reality." Now that I'm back, my first official action item (okay, second) is to announce my July contest winners, so please check back tomorrow (Tuesday) for details on the latest three lucky ladies (or gentlemen, as the case may be). The grand prize includes a title from bestseller Monica McCarty's Highlander series.

Finally, to all my shutterbug buddies who also attended the conference--and yes,I know not only who you are but where to find you--this stands as my official shout out. All those group photos you made me mug for, and which I valiantly worked not to ruin by blinking, send 'em on. I'll be posting the images as they trickle--make that rush--in. In the meantime...

Happy Monday,

Hope

Red Shoes Diary...

Okay, so last night I had one of those quintessential Manhattan evenings that makes me proud to be a newly minted New Yorker tricked out in four inch red platform heels. Recently I reconnected with romance writer extraordinaire, Liz Maverick. Liz and I met "back in the day" at a Celebrate Romance Conference but beyond quick catch-ups at a conference here and there, we kind of lost touch. Like me, Liz is a recent transplant to the city, in her case from the West Coast, and a Saturday night out seemed as good a time as any to compare notes on our Single Girl in the Big City experiences so far.

Start point: Blue Ribbon Sushi in Soho where I met Liz and her buddy, Bonnie, for an early (for New York) dinner. After pounding down a truly amazing amount of excellent sushi, we headed Uptown to Terminal 5 where not one but three great bands were playing. The headliner, She & Him, was seriously amazing. The lead vocalist, Zooey Deschanel, who also happens to be a song writer and pianist, is so over-the-top talented it's well...pretty insane.

This week my Manhattan adventuring will be put on the back burner as I head to San Francisco for the Romance Writers of America national conference. The conference kicks off on Wednesday night with a charity autographing to benefit literacy programs in the area. I'll be signing copies of BOUND TO PLEASE as well as ENSLAVED and later in the week giving a workshop on "Tracking Trends" in romance fiction with my friend, Terri Ridgell. In between taking care of "bizness," there's the Harlequin party at the fabulous Four Seasons Hotel and of course the conference finale, an awards ceremony and desert reception on Saturday night. Once I'm back in the city to catch my breath, I'll be dishing on all of it--I promise!

In the meantime, have a great week...

Hope

Calling All Urban Cowgirls

Okay, so I started off my Monday night with the best of intentions, namely to drop in on my French language "meet-up" group, say a quick good evening--better make that bonsoir--drink a glass of vino and then call it an early night and catch up on my zzz's.

Then again you know what they say about the road to hell...

At the meet-up, I ran into a friend who persuaded me to extend my evening. Our first stop was Bryant Park. Through the summer months, the park's Summer Film Festival presents free-to-the public outdoor films every Monday night. Last night's selection was the classic "Arsenic and Old Lace" with the forever wonderful Cary Grant. You just don't say no to Cary Grant...The park lawn was covered in blankets as movie watchers noshed on picnic fare, enjoyed the cool, clear (for Manhattan) evening air and yes, watched the film. Think Silver Screen at its best.

But there's more. Afterward, my friend proposed we drop-in at Johnny Utah's at Rockefeller Center where some other friends of his were bellying up to the bar's mechanical bull. By that time, I was wide-awake and game to add to my mounting roster of Manhattan experiences, so I went along for the um...ride.

Johnny Utah's bills itself as the ultimate urban cowboy experience and last night's Bull Riding Challenge didn't disappoint. Think single women, couples, girlfriend dyads, and yes, even the occassional strapping Manhattan male all riding to the um...range while a play list from hip-hop to classic rock blared in the backdrop.

Bull riding is probably one of those pursuits best left as a spectator sport and, in my defense, I wasn't exactly dressed for the occasion. So I passed--this time. That said, I was on that bull in spirit, really I was.

The above photos are, strictly speaking, from last year in Dallas. Still, you've met one mechanical bull, you've probably met them all. Then again, sometimes you just have to giddy up and go.

Hope

Happy Bastille Day from the Big Apple

Okay, so admittedly Bastille Day was yesterday, July 14th, but alors, c'est la vie. I was too busy enjoying the festivities to report on them--my bad. Then again here in New York, Bastille Day isn't so much a single day as a week of festivities and, quite possibly, a state of mind. My personal celebrating didn't start until Sunday when I attended the Brooklyn Bastille Day street fair. A friend and I watched the festival goers play Patanque (a sort of hybrid of bowling and croquet) and then headed to the food and drink tent to sample a French aperitif--pastis--with an unpronounceable name as well as some traditional country French fare.

Last night I attended the Bastille Day Ball as the guest of a Francophone friend. The party was held at Spotlight, a club in Times Square, and sponsored by French Tuesdays, a group of Francophiles/Francophones with clubs not only in New York but also in Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Traditional French music early in the evening segued to popular club tunes as the evening wore on, some French, others American, not that the crowd seemed to mind. Small groups gathered on the rooftop balcony, which provided a panorama of Times Square--think "bright lights, big city" at its magnificent best.

A bientot,

Hope

Win, win--win!!!

Congratulations to the winners of my June contest, all of whom knew that in BOUND TO PLEASE, Brianna says that love potions are for silly young maids. The grand prize, a signed copy of my paranormal romance, THE HAUNTING, and of the talented Monica McCarty's HIGHLAND UNTAMED, goes to Jennifer T of East Millinocket, ME.

But, as they say, there's more... My two second prize winners, Kitty S of Muncie, IN and Christine W of Lawton, OK, will each receive a signed copy of VANQUISHED, the first book in my "Men of Roxbury House" historical trilogy and signed cover flat keepsakes for UNTAMED, the final book in the series.

Many thanks to all of you who took the time to stop by and enter. If you didn't win this time 'round, no worries. I'm repeating the same great prizes for the current contest, so if you haven't yet, please take a moment to try again.

Hope