Reblog: No Longer a Virgin - RWA National Conference Edition

Ever wonder what the RWA National conference is like? Get the first timer experience (mine) today on the Ruby Blog. I'm interviewed by the always wonderful Kim Law. And yes, there is mention of zombies. There's also squeeing, motivation, and discussion of what it's like to be the "fun group."

Come check it out: A First Look - RWA Conference from a Newbie's Perspective

Of Luncheons and Lora Leigh

They say variety is the spice of life. NY Times and USA Today best-selling author Lora Leigh has learned this lesson well, giving readers more than eighty novels in four subgenres and fifteen different series. She has created worlds we long to return to again and again, and enduring characters full of flaws and failures and the strength to rise above. From the formidable undercover agents of her Elite Ops series to the reckless affection of the Nauti Boys and the genetically enhanced drive to mate in her ever-popular Breeds series, Leigh has offered a buffet of searing hot romance that captivates readers from all over the world. And this May, she’ll be here to share it all with us.

Leigh will be the featured speaker at the 15th Annual Readers’ Luncheon hosted by Heart of Dixie, the north Alabama chapter of Romance Writers of America. This annual event celebrates romance and literacy in the north Alabama community. Registration is now open for the event, held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL, on May 5, 2012, from 11am until 3pm.

Special guest author Lora Leigh will share tales from her prolific world of writing during the keynote speech. She, along with over twenty other favorite romance authors, will host a table for lucky romance readers and sign books at this year’s event. Other attending authors include Linda Howard, Linda Winstead Jones, Peggy Webb, Rhonda Nelson, Lynn Raye Harris, Kimberly Lang, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Kira Sinclair, and Melanie Dickerson.

HOD's Annual Luncheon includes lunch with guest authors, door prizes, raffles, and much more. A book fair and autograph session with the attending authors following the luncheon is open and free to the public at 2pm. Profits from this year’s book fair will be donated to the Hackleburg School for their library, helping encourage children in this area devastated by last year’s tornados to embrace literacy and the love of reading.

Join us as we celebrate romance in all its various forms! Registration is $25 and must be received by April 21st. Seating is limited, so register today. More information and registration forms can be found at the HOD website or by calling 703-861-4271.

*** Permission to Forward Granted & Encouraged ***

Of Luncheons and Commemorations

Vampires, werewolves, and angels are popular icons in today’s fiction. New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kerrelyn Sparks combines them all in her popular Love at Stake series, and now she is bringing them to the annual Romance Readers’ Luncheon sponsored by Heart of Dixie, the north Alabama chapter of RWA. Sparks is the featured speaker for this annual event celebrating romance and literacy in the north Alabama community. Registration is open for the 14th Annual Heart of Dixie event, held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL, on June 4, 2011, from 11am until 3pm.

Special guest author Kerrelyn Sparks will share her vampire world during the keynote speech, host a table, and sign books at this year's event. Attendees will enjoy a delicious garlic-free lunch and blood-stirring conversation with fellow romance readers and favorite romance authors including Linda Howard, Linda Winstead Jones, Lynn Raye Harris, Kimberly Lang, and more. HOD will also honor founding member Beverly Barton.

A dear woman who is greatly missed

Kerrelyn Sparks’s first paranormal romance, How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire, zoomed out of the bat cave so fast it became the Borders bestselling debut romance of 2005. Each book in the Love at Stake series has become a USA Today bestseller, and the fourth book, The Undead Next Door, landed on the New York Times bestseller list. Ms. Sparks lives in the Greater Houston area with her husband, children, and a house full of garlic, but so far there are no vampires in her family.

HOD's Annual Luncheon also includes mysterious door prizes and celebrations. A book fair and autograph session with the attending authors following the luncheon is open and free to the public at 2pm. Profits from the book fair are donated to a local literacy charity.

Join us as we celebrate romance in all its spine-tingling forms! Registration is $25 and must be received by May 22nd. Seating is limited, so register today. More information and registration forms can be found at www.heartofdixie.org or call 256-586-5962.

 *** Permission to Forward Granted & Encouraged ***

Of Congratulations!

Finalists for RWA's RITA and Golden Heart awards were named today. Congratulations to author, fellow MCRW member, and friend Annie Solomon, a finalist for the 2011 Romantic Suspense RITA for Two Lethal Lies.

Synopsis:
A love to die for...

On the run since his daughter was born, Mitch Turner has concealed a truth so dangerous, its discovery could jeopardize both their lives. But when a series of shocking murders hits their newfound home, the trail leads straight to Mitch. With the police out for blood and his daughter ripped from his arms, he has nowhere to turn--until a beautiful stranger offers her help.

Neesy Brown has made mistakes in her life, yet she refuses to believe this mysterious man is a killer. There's a strength in his broad shoulders that draws her to him and a weariness in his eyes that she longs to ease. As the murders tear her small town apart, she vows to help Mitch find his missing child. But a cunning predator is pulling them deeper and deeper into his fatal game. And the price of losing is the child--and the future--they could both share...

Congratulations to Annie! May you soon have a second RITA gracing your shelf!