Confessions of a Romance Author: The RWA Diaries, Day Two

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Alcohol units: 0

Social gaffes: 0

Ego boosts: 3 (I have a line at signing! People claim to have come in specifically to meet me! My publisher notices I have a line and tweets about it on Twitter!)

6:00 a.m. The phone rings and wakes me with a start. Ugh. The wake-up call I ordered before we went to bed at two a.m. Sleep is for wimps, I tell Julie. The Animal Kingdom awaits!

7:30 a.m. Julie O. and I are showered, dressed, and ready for adventure. We meet Julie K, Dee, and Dee's daughter at the bus stop. The bus never comes. But aha, author Jessica Scott, waiting with her adorable family, saves the day by suggesting we all share a cab. We're at the AK by the 8 a.m. opening.

8 a.m. Julie O. doesn't like big coaster rides. The rest of us can't wait to encounter the Yeti at Expedition: Everest. We split up, Julie heads to the Kilimajaro Safaris with plans to meet us at Dinosaur later. As we walk along, we're all truly overcome with the beauty of the park and Disney's painstaking way with details. Well done!

By ten, we've conquered Everest twice, met back up, and rode Dinosaur twice. Julie O. and I separate off to make lunch reservations and grab FastPasses for the safari (Julie's second of the day) while the rest of us ride Everest again (it's that good). We meet back up, go on safari and see all kind of animals (giraffes, elephants, hippos, warthogs, lions, hmm no zebra, must have been hungry lions.). The ride ends with a capture of some nasty poachers (some guys never learn) and we're off to lunch at the Yak and Yeti.

Among us, we have many tasty dishes: Seared Ahi Tuna, sesame crusted, with wasabi aioli and sweet chili slaw. Crisp Lettuce Cups filled with minced chicken breast, chopped vegetables, and a maple tamarind sauce. Tempura Shrimp with chili-plum sauce, coconut-ginger rice, and stir-fried veggies. Crisp Honey Chicken with broccoli and carrots. And Shaoxing Steak and Shrimp, marinated skirt steak with tempura shrimp, jasmine rice, chili-plum sauce, and stir-fried veggies. The veggies are crisp and delicious. The steak is tender and flavorful. The shrimp, yum, and that dipping sauce is a great touch. Everyone is very happy with their meals. After a wonderful, but filling, lunch, we all waddle like the ducks that wander around the park back to our bus. So much accomplished, and it's barely after noon!

It was pretty hot in the AK and an air-conditioned bus ride is not quite enough to undo the damage of a day in the heat. We're all looking scroungy. Fortunately, not many people are milling around near the elevators for the walk of shame back to our rooms. It's time for some R & R before the big multi-author RWA autographing to raise funds for literacy efforts in Orlando and Nashville (where the conference would have been if not for major flooding).

4:00 p.m. My dilemma begins. What to wear? What to wear? I ask my roomie Julie. Batik sundress with sweater? Or black cardigan with patterned white-black-green dress? Julie chooses the one I wasn't going to wear. It looks more "author of Jane Slayre." Though, none of my clothes actually look like "author of Jane Slayre." Hmm. Julie recommends I develop a signature style. Food for thought. (Fortunately not actual food, since I am still stuffed from our amazing AK lunch).

5:30 p.m. I went against Julie's recommendation and chose the batik print sundress. I feel good. Have a little trouble finding the autographing room. Go wrong way down hall, feel overwhelmed by huge line of waiting book fans, finally turn around and find my place. I set up and expect to have a few hours of sitting and watching the crowd line up for other authors, with the occasional buyer stopping to look at my book (my usual RWA signing experience).

Surprisingly, I stay on my feet awhile. People keep coming, stopping, not just walking by. People say things like "I saw this at the airport." (Yay!) Or, "I bought this last week." (Love it!). One woman (Colleen) has the book, loved the book, came in to the event hoping to meet me. (So cool!). And it's all a blur for a bit because people keep coming and picking up the book. (An actual line!) Then Linda and Gene from MA introduce themselves. They were vacationing at WDW and saw that I would be signing. (Wow, fellow MA residents meeting me in FL!). Then a line again. And Suzie Townsend from FinePrint Literary Management (I'm with Stephany at FinePrint) apparently recommended my book to a few people (xo Suzie, Thanks!). It's an incredible signing for me and I am overwhelmed by the turnout and the number of people who picked up Jane Slayre.

7:30 p.m. The signing is wrapping up and it finally feels quiet enough to leave. I sign the four books left just in case anyone comes in or wants them afterwards.

8:00 p.m. Julie, Dee, Dee's daughter, and I change clothes fast and head to Disney Hollywood Studios park. We can't get enough. The line for Rock n Roller Coaster is too crazy, but we manage to ride Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, and Great Movie Ride plus grab a bite before park closing time. (Thank you, evening Extra Magic Hours). I tried the chicken and ribs with baked beans and coleslaw at Fairfax Fare. The beans are good, though not the New England style I prefer. The cole slaw, not bad. The chicken and ribs, though, have a fake smoky taste and are not that good. I recommend giving Fairfax Fare a pass. Dee and her daughter fared better with a cheese pizza and a hot italian deli sandwich at Catalina Eddie's.

We head back and I get to bed just after midnight. A good thing, because Thursday is the first full day of conference and I expect a busy day. But before bed, at midnight, a phone call to my daughter. It's her birthday! She's turning 17. And yes, I am at Walt Disney World without her, but I know she forgives me. "It's business." :)