Thursday Thirteen - 221 - 13 Blog Posts by Fellow Bloggers

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on some great posts I've enjoyed in the last little while:

1 - So Many Books...So Little Time... by Kelly Boyce

2 - More on RWA11-part2: Lit Signing & Evil Elevators by Leah Braemel

3 - Everything You Wanted to Know About Digital Publishing But Were Afraid to Ask - A Q & A With Maya Banks by Jane Litte

4 - On Cowboy Sex Appeal - Give Me a Real Good Man by Julianne Maclean

5 - A Peek Behind the Cover by Deborah Hale

6 - On the Shelf (secret librarian tips for historical research) by Michelle Helliwell

7 - Trekking to Toronto by Linda @ Are We There Yet?

8 - Carrie Preston From True Blood Interview by Melissa Bradley

9 - Playing Tourist at Home! by Anna Campbell

10 - To Float or Not To Float... by Jeanne Adams and Cassondra Murray

11 - Life Through the Eyes of a Child by Stella MacLean

12 - Something Borrowed by Ginger Merante

13 - Belleau Wood, 1 June to 26 June 1918 by Travis Cody

Thursday Thirteen - 219 - 13 Things About My First Writer's Conference

1 - My trip to New York a few weeks ago was a conference trip - not only my first visit to NYC, but my first-ever conference.

My writers' association - Romance Writers of America - holds an annual conference at a different location each summer. These are booked several years in advance, and when I saw a few years ago that the 2011 conference would take place in Manhattan, I promised myself I would make things happen so that I would be in a position to attend, pitch my books and see one of cities I've longed to visit since I was a kid.











2 - The conference hotel was the New York Marriott Marquis, which meant my address for five glorious days was on Broadway and 7th Avenue.

Pictured here is the Atrium Lounge where writers gathered informally to meet up and chat. Out of camera range but at the top beneath the row of lights is the Encore Restaurant, where I enjoyed several breakfasts and one yummy lunch.












3 - One of the more amusing aspects of a conference for writers is the reality of introspective people pushing themselves out of their comfort zones in order to network, which is one of the main reasons to go to a conference in the first place.

Prior to the conference, I encountered quite a few how-to-survive-the-conference guides for attendees who find socializing a bit of an ordeal.

Here's a way around that - make close friendships in Blog World and then finally meet In Real Life. It's SO exciting! This is my first real-world chance to sit and have coffee with Christina Brooke, who once blogged at The Popculturedivas with me.















4 - But when you do make new connections, it shines a light on your conference experience. I bumped into Georgia Romance Writers president Nicki Salcedo in the goody room (where you can pick up promotional items like bookmarks, pens, etc.) thinking she was my cousin Julianne until I looked up.

"I can't wait to meet my twin," she said, so when Julianne came by we took this shot.

We continued to meet up all through the conference - it was great fun.












5 - The conference ran workshops from 8:30 - 4:30, and this one was my favorite by far.

Any guesses as to why...?








































6 - We had a great turn-out from the Maritimes, and the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick writers gathered to share breakfast together. There were about 15 of us altogether.











7 - The huge booksigning fundraiser was open to the public as well as to conference goers, with proceeds going to adult literacy programs. The authors were arranged alphabetically, so big names were sitting next to debut authors, which gave a sense that we're all in this together - a wonderfully empowering sight.











8 - It was such a joy to see so many authors from my local chapter, Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada, signing at the literacy event.

Here I'm pictured with Harlequin and Samhain author Donna Alward.




Also from Down East - Tor author Taylor Keating.




















My cousin, St. Martin's Press and indie author Julianne MacLean



New Brunswick author Stella MacLean, who writes for Harlequin























9 - My greatest challenge for this conference was to score requests during my agent / editor pitches.















Thankfully, my dear friend Kelly Boyce was pitching at the same time as me for the afternoon session, so she sat next to me and calmed me down when she noticed a telling shaky breath as I tried to become Zen-like.

Thank you, Kelly! Not sure what I did for you in return, other than provide a distraction, perhaps.












RWA thankfully scheduled this pitching workshop the day before, presented by Carina Press author Carrie Lofty. It really helped me to reshape my pitch presentation.

It also REALLY, REALLY helped to have two wonderful roomies who listened to my practise pitches the night before.



























These workshops stood out amongst many wonderful sessions I attended.




















































10 - There were several keynote speakers, including the opening session featuring historical thriller writer Steve Berry, historical time travel writer Diana Gabaldon and medical thriller writer Tess Gerritsen.













Paranormal and urban fantasy writer Sherrilyn Kenyon gave an inspirational speech unlike most any I've ever heard (but very similar to the students-introducing-ourselves-to-our-film-school-professor thing where one of my fellow students told us how his family had been attacked by pirates as they escaped Cambodia.)














Among the service awards given out by RWA was the Librarian of the Year Award, for supporting the romance genre.

Wendy Crutcher from Orange County, California received this year's award. Go, librarians! I found myself thinking of my own childhood spent at the downtown Dartmouth library as she honored a librarian who was influential in her decision to pursue that career.











The Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot was the glamorous host of the awards night ceremonies.











Receiving the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement award was Sharon Sala, who told a very cool story about seeing a wolf totem as a girl - I tend to get animal totem messages in my life, so her story was completely awesome.

I also cherished the moment when she mentioned that her late husband leaves her pennies to find here in this world. As soon as she'd said it, Annette sitting on my left and Kelly sitting on my right both silently tapped me in unison, neither one knowing the other was echoing her gesture.

The reason they tapped me is because I also get spirit world messages in similar fashion. Just wanted to say how wonderful it is to have friends who know me that well - you guys are awesome.












11 - All glammed up for the Ritas - that's Carina Press author Kelly Boyce and yours truly.














My elegant cousin, Julianne MacLean.












My local chapter president Annette MacPhee-Gallant and new chapter member Carol, with Anne MacFarlane snapping pix.











Some of my local chapter who managed to snag a table together:

Back row L to R - Dawn, Annette, moi, Kelly, Carol

Seated L to R - Julianne, Daisy Piper, Anne
















12 - This conference was full of little moments that reinforced the It's a Small World After All theory.

As I wandered through the leviathan-sized literacy signing with my sister, I heard someone call my name. It was Toronto Romance Writer Leah Braemel, a blog friend I'd met In Real Life on a trip to Toronto. On my first day in a city I'd never visited before, someone recognized me in a gigantic crowd. Huge world shrinking to comfy-cozy size - commencing.












In one of the many snaking line-ups to get into the various publisher book signings - where, for example, St. Martin's Press authors signed free books for their rabid fans - I found one of my chapter mates, Heidi.











Stumbling in the too-early-for-it-be-considered-vacation hours, I found my other chapter mate, Deborah Hale, who received her 25th book pin from Harlequin during the conference.











Snagging snacks and gifts for people at home, we bumped into our chapter prez Annette, who accepted our invitation to come up to our room and chill. With ice cream.














13 - My first writers' conference couldn't have been sweeter. A city I've always longed to visit, a room with a rockin view, a dream-come-true ballet performance and requests for partials of my work.

Time to live my life.

Join me next week when I share more memories from New York City.

Thursday Thirteen - 113 - 13 Reasons to Read Baby in Her Arms by Stella MacLean

For some reason, there's nothing quite like the feeling of popping into the grocery store to grab something, and out of the corner of my eye the book rack flagged me down - and there, with all the other books, was the latest release from one of my writers' group members.

What a mega-thrill! Maybe it's because I went into the store for something food-related and I wasn't thinking about books. It took me by surprise, even though I knew it was coming out. So I just brought it up to the cashier like I was a normal person buying normal things. I watched her ring it through with such a feeling of secret excitement.

And then I got home, turned the first few pages - I laughed. I cried.

No wonder Shirley Hailstock, past president of Romance Writers of America, gave this review on Amazon:

"I hope Harlequin knows what a treasure they have in Stella MacLean. Her second SuperRomance, Baby in Her Arms, is the lifetime story of the love between deceased husband Andrew and his wife Emily. At the same time, it's the parallel love story of a second chance at happiness. MacLean weaves the two elements seamlessly together, making us love both the sensitive man that was her husband and the caring neighbor who harbors a quiet and sincere longing for the lonely woman next door."

1 - Baby in Her Arms is a Bundles of Joy imprint from Harlequin SuperRomance, released in March 2009. As a category romance, it has a limited shelf life in brick-and-mortar stores - and is likely already sold out - but is available for order online at Amazon.

2 - Stella MacLean's debut novel was Heart of My Heart, which followed the contemporary story of James and Olivia, while flashbacking to their initial romance and all the hills and valleys it survived. I really enjoyed the breadth of the story and the contrast between the young lovers and the mature characters they'd evolved into. Love is so much deeper when it is hard-won.

You can read my review here.

3 - The reason that Baby in Her Arms had me in tears so quickly stems from my own loss of my dad and my father-in-law in the past two years. Staying in the hospital rooms with my step mom and my mother-in-law as they said goodbye to their loves was very intimate and special, and it made the heartache of main character Emily very immediate for me.

4 - We meet Emily Martin, rushing to the hospital for the birth of her daughter's first child. The joy of this moment is painful for what it exposes in Emily's heart. Her late husband's presence is everywhere for her - by his absence.

5 - Andrew Martin was a trial lawyer whose family growing up were not the best at sharing emotions. Andrew subsequently falls into patterns he'd sworn never to share with his parents: work first, family when he could squeeze them in. When he developed cancer in later years, his inability to share his fear and grief with his wife drove him to write a series of letters which he addressed to his love - but never told her about. He told his best friend, however - neighbor Sam Bannister, a man whom Andrew knows carries a flame for Emily.

6 - Sam is a retired classics professor with "a penchant for reading Shakespeare out loud in his back garden during the summer." A widower himself for some years, he maintained a close friendship with Andrew, who had little time for non-work-related relationships as he tried to be the dad he'd never had himself, and the husband his wife deserved but didn't see near enough. A passionate gardener, Sam started to mow Emily's lawn when Andrew's illness became too much for that sort of thing.

7 - I really, really love the flashback aspects of this story. Straight contemporary romances aren't really my thing. There generally has to be something paranormal or highly original or quirky to get me interested in following a couple, such as getting to skip back and forth through time through Andrew's letters to Emily, and continuous flashbacks through different times in their marriage. Emily finds his letters when she decides to enter her late husband's home office and finally clear it out to use as a playroom for her grandchildren. Having the flashbacks come to the reader through both Emily's and Andrew's POV's is really effective. We get a he-said-she-said version of major events, which throws a revealing light on both of them.

8 - As a Harlequin SuperRomance, the sexual dynamics remain in the sweet category. But Stella MacLean's big strength is wringing the reader's heart with emotional punches, and you know I love stories that do that. Erotic escapades are referred to but not dwelled upon. She brings us quickly into complicated emotional territory instead.

9 - She intertwines subplots concerning two of Emily's grown children into the mix of Emily's recent farewell to her husband, the close-to-the-surface memories of their life together, and her emerging relationship with neighbor Sam. All in 239 pages. She excells at storytelling that gets right to the heart of things without sacrificing style, her wry voice or solid characterization.

10 - MacLean really knows how to end each chapter with an emotional hook. Like this, for example:

"I waited to hear more, but he said nothing, which told me there was something seriously wrong in his life. I wanted to jump in with a dozen nosy questions. 'I'll dust off my roaster and cook a chicken. To go with the chocolate cake.'

'You do that. See you Friday. Love you, Mom.'

How I wish Andrew was here. He'd be so happy to find out Jonathan was coming for a visit. Andrew loved to have the children home on the weekends, or anytime for that matter.

He and Jonathan enjoyed going fishing together. I can still see the two of them unloading the old Jeep we had years ago, their sunburned faces wreathed in smiles as they dragged their gear out of the back.

Thinking of Andrew made me wonder how he'd react to my tea date with Sam. And the fence. I could almost hear Andrew's throaty chuckle when I explained how determined Sam was to install one.

Would this desire to talk to Andrew, to tell him how I feel, what was going on in my life, eventually ease? Would I ever be spared the urge to compare my past with the reality of my present?"

11 - Stella MacLean had a long route to publication, which just goes to show all the yet-to-be-published writers out there: it's all worth it, in the end. Just read what one reader had to say when she wanted to read MacLean's backlist.

"I could have misplaced my mind LOL but I was sure that you have written more than two books. Am I right or have I really lost my marbles?? If you have written more will you please sent me the titles of them. I am currently writing a list of all the books I want or need to complete my collection." - Ashley Saunders

She has indeed written more than two books - but so far only two are in print. Not for long!

12 - MacLean has this to say about the writing process:

"Creativity is about adapting the reality of everyday living to the 'what if' of imagination. Creativity is not a one shot deal. It is nurtured by every event in life, whether large or small."

She takes the same approach with Baby in Her Arms. For Emily, love is not a one shot deal. Her marriage with Andrew took nurturing through every event in their lives, large and small. Now with Andrew gone, her neighbor Sam awakens feelings that don't belong to her past with Andrew. They whisper of a future - with Sam.

13 - I leave you with an excerpt. Enjoy!

"Dearest Emily,

I was on my way downstairs when I felt the need to go into the room we'd done up years ago for the twins.

The room's changed a number of times over the years, yet as I glance around I remember the yellow paint you and I put on the walls, and the Dr. Seuss characters we pasted above the wainscoting.

I'll never forget the look on your face when Dr. Reeves said he could hear two heartbeats. The drive home from the appointment that day was a once-in-a-lifetime ride. We were both in shock. How would we cope with two babies? Where would we get the money to buy all the baby things we needed - two of everything?

In the backseat, Jonathan talked about babies and how he didn't want too many of them. He had a friend in school with twin brothers, and that wasn't a good plan, in Jonathan's opinion.

Didn't we laugh as we listened to him.

How could I forget the Saturday morning you hurried into the bedroom and told me to get out of bed and come see what the twins were doing.

Somehow, they'd managed to pull their cribs close together and they were throwing stuffed animals back and forth.

Somewhere during those years after the twins were born, our nightly chats dwindled. I'd get home later, usually after the children were in bed, exhausted after a busy day. I'd be so tired I'd go to bed and sleep straight through the night, waking the next morning and heading back to the office for another long day.

As I write these words, I can hear you outside my office door. You're anxious to know if I'm okay, if I've had anything to eat this morning and if I'm ready to go to the Oncology Clinic. You'll scold a little about how I shouldn't have gotten up alone.

I'll stop writing for now. Maybe we'll have lunch out, or go to the bookstore, all the simple pleasures that keep me connected to the real world. Our world.

Love always,

Andrew"

- Stella MacLean, 2009

Join me next week when I review Mirror Blue by Thomma Lyn Grindstaff.

Alica Audrey says You bring out the excitement of being in the know.

Shelley Munro says I always get a buzz out of seeing local writers on the shelves too.

I Beati says Good summer read if it creates that emotion so fast.

Thursday Thirteen - 74 - 13 Things I Long To Do

Last week I listed 13 things I'll always take a pass on. But what do I long to do?


1 - Go to the home venues of all the great ballet companies of the world to see these elite artists perform.




Which ones? Oh, let's start with the Mariinsky Ballet Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia.





Originally the Imperial Russian Ballet, and afterwards known as the Kirov Ballet, it's now been restored to its proper theatre-based name.





A Mariinsky production of Swan Lake.







Other companies I long to see:

The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, London, England
American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House
Paris Opera Ballet at the Palais Garnier
Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen, Denmark
La Scala Ballet in Milan, Italy
The Australian Ballet at the Sydney Opera House


2 - Walk the red carpet as an Oscar nominee.










3 - Attend the Cannes Film Festival as a filmmaker.









4 - Direct my favorite actors and actresses in my films.










Gerard Butler











Richard Armitage















Ewan McGregor
















Hugh Jackman
















Scarlett Johansson
















Natalie Portman
















Shirley Henderson
















Emma Thompson







5 - Learn to stage-fight with swords.





6 - Go to a Romance Writers of America national convention as a published author and meet up with all my blog buddies.

These are two writers from my RWA Atlantic chapter at this year's San Francisco convention - my cousin Julianne MacLean and Stella MacLean.


7 - Drop into a book store and see all my books on the shelf. In the meantime I do that now with many friends' books.


Like this one by my chapter mate Cathryn Fox.










Or this one by my cousin, Julianne MacLean. That's my friend Lisa as my partner in crime.

Look at Julianne's shelf of books! Sweet.






8 - Have my engagement and wedding rings remade. If you put these two rings together, you'd get a close approximation of what they looked like. Losing them ranks up there with one of the worst things that has ever happened to me. I lost them when we moved from Toronto to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.


I wasn't wearing them at the time because I'd lost a diamond out of the wedding ring and had them in a container, packed in a box of all my most precious things (including my diaries. I know.) Needless to say, this box did not get put on the truck.

At the moment I'm wearing a simple gold chevron ring with a small diamond which I bought on my trip to Toronto last October, with money my gram gave me. (Gram: "Come here, you. Take this, now. Don't spend it all in one place.")


9 - Drive a black Jag XJ6.











10 - Live in a restored Victorian mansion.

























11 - Attend a reenactment Victorian all-night ball.









12 - Visit historic gardens with exceptional rose displays.










13 - Go to Scotland.