Weirdest place to get ideas...

One of the things I love about RT is getting together with other writers and finding out what works for them. Whether it's a certain type of computer, a method of editing or revising, or whatever...

This year, in many conversations, I kept hearing how many of us think of new story ideas, solutions for tricky scenes and good bits of dialogue whilst (do you like that? I'm feeling very anachronistic today) showering. I suspect it's because the environment is fairly relaxing, there are few (if any) distractions, and it's the rare bit bit of private time during which it's acceptable to stare off at nothing and think of random bits of things...unlike, say, when you're driving. : )

Anyway, fabulous fantasy author, Lisa Shearin, mentioned something about shower markers, so when I had a minute this week, I went a-Googling and found the following:

Crayola Bathtub Markers

Woot! If they have these in Target, I'm picking some up, just to give them a whirl. Though, knowing me, I won't want to erase what I've written until I've got it [the scene, the character's motivation, whatever] all worked out, so our shower doors could could become quite colorful over the course of a week or so!

Side note: I also found this blog entry, 10+ Things to do with Dry-Erase Markers, which I thought was great. I never would have thought of all the ways to use dry-erase markers and I LOVE them. Okay, so it doesn't exactly work for those shower brainstorm moments, but I like a lot of the ideas he has!

Anybody ever used tub markers at home? Do they come off easily enough? We have glass shower doors so that's what I'd be writing on...Thoughts?

Did I mention I met Fabio at RT?

Okay, technically, I didn't meet him so much as pass him in a little narrow hotel hallway. Only Lisa Shearin was brave enough to say hello! (Yea, Lisa!!!) He's better looking in person and SUPER tall. Or so it seemed to me. : )

On that topic, here's a link to a video about how they make romance novel covers (Thanks to Colby Hodge for the link! Watch for her book, Star Shadows, in the video.):
http://better.tv/bettertv/?cid=507869917&tid=1493152359

RT in photos

Okay, here are photos from RT. Start from the bottom and scroll up. Yes, I know that's backward but it's late and I'm too tired to fix it! : )

Also, take a look at the Rebels of Romance videos on the RT home page. Days three and four are now up. They show snippets of the Mr. Romance competition and the giant book fair! They did a great job!!!

Walker on the floor in my writing room, relieved that Mommy is home after a week of being gone. : )

My favorite piece of SWAG from the RT registration bag--new mouse pad! : )

The gorgeous Chris Winters, Mr. Romance 2008, posing as one of Colby Hodge's heroes in the pose-down portion of the competition.

Aack, sorry this one is out of order. This is more from Isabo's baby shower! Authors Jade Lee, Lisa Shearin and Linnea Sinclair. Did I mention how much fun this baby shower was? : )

Authors J.C. Wilder and Isabo Kelly!

Isabo and me at the book fair. Doesn't her hat look absolutely fabulous? It is SO her! : )

Louise and yours truly at the book fair. (Thanks for the photo, Louise!)

Me, at the huge book fair on Saturday.

Isabo did her best Cousin Itt imitation! Had us in stitches. : )

Baby presents!

Author Isabo Kelly's baby shower. We had so much fun!

Another sideways one! Authors Leanna Renee Hieber and Marianne Mancusi dressed for the vampire ball. : )

Authors Isabo Kelly and Carolan Ivey having a chat in the bar.

One of the advantages of coming to RT early--prime positioning in Promo Alley. Linnea's materials are on the left and mine are on the right.

Sorry, this one is sideways and I don't know how to fix it! The hotel was under construction and this was a door they evidently didn't need anymore. I found it kind of creepy and

very Stephen King like!

Day 2 of RT: Author Colby Hodge is catching a ride down to the lobby on a luggage cart! : )

Want to see what RT is really like?

Check out these awesome videos made by authors Marianne Mancusi and Liz Maverick. Leanna Hieber, another fabulous strawberry blonde author and a new friend, also worked on these.

These videos give you a pretty good taste of the costumes, the chaos, and the crazy fun. In fact, you'll see me, for a very quick second, in the first video when they show a snippet of the Intergalactic Bar and Grille. I think Linnea is on stage, but I'm not sure. It goes by very quickly! Isabo Kelly, dear friend and fellow SFR author is interviewed, too! She looked fabulous. She was dressed as a (pregnant) ninja with a huge (plastic) sword across her back. Kick ass!

I'm going to meet The Highlander!!!!

Many of you have heard me talk over the years about the RT cover model contest (all men, barely clothed, sometimes dressed as incredibly hot angels...and yes, there is something terribly wrong--and right--with that last statement).

Okay, so this year, they've gone all out. The scheduled special guest is going to be...I can't even freaking believe it...Adrian Paul. Star of The Highlander! So, just so we're clear on this...he is not only a good looking man (duh), but he is also The Highlander, immortal until he (or another of his kind) is the last remaining. At least, that was the role he played. In the show, his character, Duncan MacLeod, fell in love with a human woman (actually, more than one over time, I believe) and stayed with her even though she would age and he would not. *Sigh*

This is a double whammy as far as I'm concerned. Not just meeting someone famous (which we all know I'm horribly bad at) but someone who was in a science fiction (well, paranormal, at least) show that I LOVED.

Oh, good God, it's going to take serious strength to maintain some form of dignity and not stutter out a request for a photo at the earliest opportunity.

Head spinning

I know, I still owe an update on RT (the best one that I've been to yet), but I'm scrambling here, trying to pull a bunch of things together. I promise I'll be writing a full entry soon. Right now, though, I've just got to keep my head down and keep working. : )

Uh-oh

I had two and 1/8 butterscotch martinis last night. Or, butterscotch "RTinis" as I dubbed them last night in a fit of drunken genius because, for whatever reason, it has been "the" drink of the convention and the hotel bar actually admitted they made it up. They are so good.

Also, I was just buzzed enough to ask one of the cover models to come over and take a picture with us. He said he would. He didn't. Probably all for the best. Funniest part is, I knew I would be embarrassed about it in the morning, but I couldn't be bothered with being embarrassed at the time. As I told my friend Kat, my "inhimbitions" were lowered. Yeah. No more "RTinis" for me.

Okay, more later...I had never laughed so hard in my whole life last night, and that was even before the drinking started. : )