I spent most of yesterday with Eve Vaughn, Shara Cooper, and Lynne Connolly. Oh what fun we had.
Saturdays are usually busy days for me, but I foolishly agreed to meet them at 12pm, so that I could have lunch with them. Like that was ever gonna happen.
Anyway, I eventually got to the quaint pub where we were meeting round about 1530hrs.
I entered the pub, and there they all were, sitting and chatting. Totally weird.
I immediately hugged Eve, my long time cyber pal. I was so chuffed that she’d come over from Philadelphia.
Five minutes after our initial ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re really here!’, greetings, we of course start talking about online stuff, and publishing in general. It was fun.
Although, I must confess, I did have a surreal moment when I sat back, and realised that we were loudly, and frankly discussing sex toys, and different erotic romance sub-genres. I looked around the pub, and noticed that people were actually listening to us discuss the vagaries of BDSM books. Heheh.
Anyway, we talked about lots of things, including online people we liked and actively disliked. I think I had a pretty short list, although there is really only one person in Blogland I would happily send to Iraq for a holiday. During an air strike.
Lynne Connolly was fun, although I have to say, I’ve always liked her online persona, so I wasn’t in the least surprised that I liked her in the flesh as well. We Brits are quite cool anyway methinks, but then again, I am biased.
Shara Cooper was all sorts of crazy, but she had me laughing out loud on several occasions, and this was without the benefit of alcohol. I also loved her crazy collection of romance books. I’m still in awe over the 600 Mills and Boon books gracing her shelves.
I’ve known Eve Vaughn since before she became an author so I knew she’d be a blast.
When we got back to Shara’s house, (minus Lynne Connolly) Eve was a total doll about us telling her that she had some of the cheesiest character names evah. She of course denied it, so we looked up all her books, and pointed out some of the craptacular names in them. Charlie Brown, notwithstanding. Her defense was that she loved all things cheesy. Eve, ya don’t say? *g*
The conversations turned to really bad book covers, and we had a hysterical time discussing these.
I finally left at 10pm, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed my first meeting with Eve, Lynne, and Shara.
Now, I just need to make 2008, the year that I meet Sybil, Jane, and Bam. Can you imagine the carnage? Heheh…
Barbara B.
May 27
4:38 pm
That DOES sound like fun and Eve’s character’s names ARE cheesy!
Angela James
May 27
5:15 pm
I’ve met all three (Shara and Lynne at the last RT and Eve on multiple occasions) and I have to agree, they’re all fun, smart, entertaining ladies! Sounds like you had a blast!
Eve Vaughn
May 27
6:48 pm
We had a blast meeting you as well, Karen.
Craptacular? ROTFLMAO. Yes, I suppose my character names are, but in my defense, I still actively watch Saved by The Bell reruns and love boy bands so I’d like to spread a little cheese to everyone.
I hope we can meet up again the next time I’m in this part of the world or if you come to the East Coast in the states. We had a wonderful time. Shara sends her love.
Scott
May 27
7:49 pm
Isn’t it wonderful to meet cyber pals? My wife and I had a cyber pals from, South Carolina and Spain attend our wedding. And before that we met one in London.
Hey Eve, we missed her at Pizza Night on Friday (your hubby was there though) and hope you are having a good time. Remember to give Karen a kiss on the cheek for me. 😉
sybil
May 27
11:09 pm
Hon, I am not sure if Dallas is gonna survive jane and I, god knows what would happen if you and bam were added to the mix.
good times that 😉
Sounds like you guys had a blast!
Dionne Galace
May 28
4:04 am
RWA 2008, Karen! 🙂
MERLIN
May 28
1:56 pm
And why wasn’t I invited ?
M.
Jane
May 29
2:22 pm
I don’t know why Sybil thinks that I am going to make Dallas implode. I am quiet. No one will even know I am there.
But yes, come to San Francisco in 2008. It will give me an excuse to go to RWA. 🙂
Karen Scott
May 29
3:00 pm
And why wasn’t I invited?
Because you live in Wales, and we met in Warrington, which is a fair distance from you. The only reason I was there was because I was only an hour away, if I’d have had to go to London, I probably wouldn’t have bothered, lol.
Jane, group dynamics alone would ensure that you would not be quiet, lol
By the way, I told TTG that we would be going to at least either RT or RWA next year, he kinda looked at me, nodded his head, and then changed the subject. Although, I did tell him that I would be going, with or without him, hehe.
We loved San Fran, but we’d probably fly in for the conference then fly back to Canada (which is where we’re thinking of going next year).
Lynne Connolly
May 29
4:15 pm
Well I had a great time. It’s ages since I’ve spent time discussing books and not obsessing that I’m not typing, not working! The break I needed after my recent stressful time.
Of course, then I get back to the news that Gail N has resigned from Triskelion. So I’ve gone, too.
Back to the stress, but strangely, now the decision has been made, I feel a zen-like calm.
That won’t last long! I already have deadlines from other pubs looming up, so back to the grindstone/laptop!
But I would love to do that again. All three ladies were great fun, and it’s good to talk, you know? Even if it is about erotic romance and bad book covers!
Eve Vaughn
May 31
9:50 pm
I plan on attending both conferences next year, but Karen, if you do decide between one or the other, I think you would probably enjoy RT a bit more. RWA is definitely more business or so I hear, but RT is one big party, and half nekkid cover models.