Shelli Stevens

I didn’t die on the plane!!!! And I knew I wouldn’t. Well as soon I saw some big authors like Julia Quinn, Jane Porter, and Christina Dodd on the same flight. They’re too big to be in a plane that’s destined to crash. :)

Okay, so where to begin? I’m so freaking exhausted I don’t even know how I’m typing a blog post. BUT how can I not? So much happened and so much great news to share!

So Atlanta… RWA National Conference 2006. My first time…. WOW. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of my week is one word. DIVAS. Romance Divas. We were attached all week, and I really got to know these people who I’ve only got to chat with online and, occasionally, on the phone. And the bonds we formed a week were so tight, that we all got a little teary hugging goodbye last night. Twenty-four hours ago when Lacy and I booted them out of our room so we could get three hours of sleep before me left for the airport.

This is Lacy and I at the PI luncheon at the Aquarium. She’s my crit partner, friend, mom of my daughter’s playdate, and fellow Seattle RWA board member. We had a blast. Throughout the week there were times when we all might have gotten *cough* a little on the wild side. But it wasn’t anything too bad. And you have to understand we’re mother’s who never get a break! And boy do those Divas know how to party.

But besides the wild stuff, I also got in some good info. I attended the Pro retreat, which rocked. And which I desperately hope to not be a part of next year. (Just saying I want to have sold to NY by then!) But I got to hear speakers like Nora Roberts, Jenny Cruise, Editors from Harlequin, Elloras Cave, and Berkley. I practically got up and started dancing when I heard they had been picking up authors who’d been selling to epubs. Because ‘we knew the business’ we ‘tend to be very productive.’ We’re untapped territory! Here’s fellow Cobblestone Press authors Lia Sebastian and Mia Romano with me at the Pro retreat.

So at the PI Luncheon, which was fabulous. I got to meet Roberta Brown and she’s a wonderfully nice woman. (We need not quake in fear of these agents and editors, they’re real people!) I also got some great news. I was totally blown away when it was announced that Kate Duffy judged my book Grounds for Arousal first place in my category for the Stroke of Midnight contest. I about fainted. And everyone at my table, and the rest of my friends throughout the room, screamed the place down for me! I was beyond happy. This was my supportive table.

And of course I got to meet a bunch of Cobblestone Press author’s at the Diva dinner. So here we are, not all of us, but the most of us I could get together in one place!

And finally a big congrats to Seattle RWA president, and my friend Heather Koenig who won the Golden Heart for YA with her book Do You Really Want To Haunt Me.

I loved Nationals. It was wonderful. The people, the information. Beyond the Divas I met up with a lot of other wonderful people. Like writers for Highland Press that I like to bug, and April from April’s Space (I was so tired I think she thought I was blowing her off. I wasn’t! Just delayed reaction!) People from my local chapter. And Passionate Inkers, who are usually Divas too.

Okay so I took about 200 pictures. And some I promise will never see the light of day. But the others I will put in some kind of album and post it soon. I missed blogging all week and visiting blogs!

Oh SHEEZE! I almost forgot. I have more good news. I got home and had two reviews in my inbox.

“I applaud Shelli Stevens for her ingenuity and imagination in bringing such a fun and hot book to life” – 5 angels Recommended Read from Fallen Angels Reviews.

“kept me reading from beginning to end in one sitting and I loved every minute of it” – 4.5 Rating from Romance Junkies.

Okay so now I’m going to bed. Because my eyes are crossing and my stomach has that pukey feeling you get when you haven’t slept in awhile. Know what I mean? Thank God for west coast time… it’ll feel like sleeping in. If Emma doesn’t wake me up at the butt crack of dawn. *yawn*

Good night! It’s great to be back, I’ll be blog hopping tomorrow to say hello!!