It was the Washington Romance Writers retreat this weekend. I enjoy this things so much even if I come back exhausted. Something about the staying up late talking craft or playing Apples to Apples and then getting up early to attend workshops leaves me with a tiny bit of sleep deficit. I somehow feel unable to begin to do justice to the whole of the weekend, so will use my traditional 7 Things format.
1. So many times the things that stick with me seem sort of silly, like Cathy Maxwell talking about how at writer's conferences people think it's normal that you say you're a writer or Angela James talking about publishing myths - like editors don't edit anymore, and once you get published you'll just sit there on piles of money. And yet these things are no less important. 2. And there is the fun, which is not to be minimized. Apples to Apples is just as important to one's well-being as the yoga workshop where the lovely Kimberly Kincaid (coming to a bookshelf near you, if she's not already there) always manages to remind me of something my sedentary jobs are doing to me. I'm less convinced that Romance Jeopardy is good for my health, given that the game is not fair.
3. The social media panel included Sarah Wendell, Pam Jaffee, Sue Grimshaw, and Joyce Lamb. They mentioned that social media is ever evolving, and that you need to be aware of the context in which your message is going. Your message about your new book may look a little tone deaf amid posts of an ongoing tragic event.
4. The American Author event was interesting just to see how often the opening words can either confuse or ground you. Or just be infodump. There were also wonderful keynotes from Dorien Kelly, Shiloh Walker, and Mary Burton.
5. I might have told the lovely Stephanie Dray/Draven that it was so convenient for her to sit next to me at lunch so I could stalk her up close and personal.
6. I continue to be amazed how many people I managed to talk to and reconnect with, and yet each year I need it to be longer, because I barely got to talk to this or that person. The best of problems to have really.
7. And well, somebody better write that Zombie Mafia Secret Baby story. 
