Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Shoes (and more) of Moonlight & Magnolias 2012

Hello, Dishies!  Andrea and I spent the past weekend in Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia Romance Writers 30th Moonlight and Magnolias Conference.  As usual, M&M was an opportunity to re-connect with old friends, make new friends, hone our writing skills through an assortment of outstanding workshops, rock out with DJ extraordinary, DJ Silver Knight, celebrate the accomplishments of those honored at the Maggie Awards and, lest we forget, pay homage to some amazing outfits and shoes, glorious shoes!  Here's our pictorial stroll through the 2012 M&M Conference!





#1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn (who is also the youngest member of Romance Writers of America's Hall of Fame) was this year's smart, funny and inspirational keynote speaker.  Here she is with one of our favorite new historical romance authors, Manda Collins.













Kellie Kamryn's outstanding workshop on staying motivated was one of my favorites.  She worked the crowd like a pro and did it in sparkly silver heels.  Here she is, rocking those fabulous shoes with an equally fabulous outfit on Maggie night!

By the way, this year's theme was Corsets, Crime, Craft.  There were ladies rocking some amazing corsets!












Busy ladies, and published authors, Kim Killion and Jennifer Jakes of Hot Damn Designs offered two great workshops and an up close and personal look at some of the historical clothes featured on the first class book covers they create.

By the way, in case you haven't noticed the Hot Damn Designs logo at the bottom of this page, Kim Killion is the very talented designer of The Romance Dish banner!










Jennifer McQuiston won last year's Maggie for unpublished historical romance.  This year, she's celebrating a contract with Avon and a Scottish historical romance, What Happens in Scotland, that will be released February 26, 2013!












For sexy shoes, look no further than the ladies from Charlotte...










...or the ladies from Jacksonville.

















More ladies from Charlotte.  (These women know their shoes!)










Love, love, love these black and white striped shoes!  Apologies, but I can't remember who was wearing them.












And finally, not to be outdone, these awesome boots from our own Trish Milburn!











Multi-talented Jeanette Cogdell not only made this outfit but also painted her shoes!















The uber-talented Tamara DeStefano.  Love this outfit!  And yes, she made her outfit too.


















The author of Georgian historicals, Emery Lee (a/k/a Victoria Vane) could have stepped from the pages of one of her novels!













Emery Lee/Victoria Vane was kind enough to send me a photo of her blue suede shoes.  I was so dazzled by her outfit, I totally missed her shoes!




Finally, a highlight of the M&M conference is the Basket Raffle with all proceeds of ticket sales going to literacy.  Everyone outdid themselves with this year's baskets as evidenced by the fact that they sold out of tickets!  The Romance Dish basket (an awesome basket, if I do say so) was won by Madeline from Jacksonville (who happens to be one of those ladies rocking the fabulous shoes in the photo above).  Congratulations, Madeline and thank you for supporting this great cause!








We hope you've enjoyed our stroll through this year's M&M conference.  We'll be adding the rest of our photos to the M&M 2012 album at The Romance Dish facebook page over the next few days so be sure to stop by and take a look.

Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes.  Do you favor hot pink stilettos or prefer the comfort of a great pair of sneakers?  Or, if you're from a warm weather state, maybe sparkly flip-flops are more your style?  One person leaving a comment on today's blog (U.S. and Canadian addresses only) will receive a package of books and swag from our conference stash, including Just Like Heaven and The Lady Most Likely..., both signed by Julia Quinn!

~PJ

65 comments:

  1. I always enjoy seeing the costumes and the pretty shoes everyone was rocking. Right now my favorite pair of shoes are this pair of flats I bought on Amazon. They're super comfy and fit me just right.

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    1. Jane, I would pay very good money for a cute pair of flats that fit me well and are comfy!

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    2. I'm a "flats" gal, Jane. My feet are too wide to look good in heels!

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  2. You missed my sapphire blue suede platform shoes!Lol!
    Victoria Vane

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    1. Blue suede shoes? And I missed them?!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

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  3. My favorite shoes are a pair of six inch gold lamė strappy stiletto sandals. Somehow they never seem to make it out of the house! My Dh bought them for me and I believe that was his original intention!

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    1. LOL! You think your dh may have been thinking "private party" when he bought those shoes? :)

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    2. Yes, PJ and Andrea; that is exactly what he was thinking, and it is so sweet that he still thinks of me that way after 34 years of marriage!

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  4. Once upon a time it was nothing but heels all the way but now I am afraid sneakers is my footwear of choice.
    Before I had to give them up my favorite pair was strappy 4" sandals, I totally loved those shoes, they were multi-colored, orange, yellow, green, and pink straps.
    I love the costumes, I wonder how long it took the ladies to make some of those costumes?

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    1. Right there with you, Dianna. I spent 25 years wearing high heels to work every day and now I'm paying for it. Alas, I can only admire them from afar these days...or through my camera lens. ;-)

      I didn't ask how long it took them to make their costumes but, knowing how talented these ladies are, I'm willing to bet not long!

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    2. Sneakers for me, too, Dianna...especially in winter. Flip-flops for summer. :)

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  5. PJ!! It was so great to see you again.

    My (current) favorite pair were worn only on Friday night...and I don't think I saw you then. They're black stilettos, with thin, bungee-cord-like straps around the ankle. :D I love heels, but since I work from home, I only get to wear them to conferences and monthly chapter meetings. *checking calendar to see how long before November's meeting...*

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  6. I feel dorky seeing everyone in their "hot" shoes and knowing that my favorite pair is a fake fur lined pair of boots :) They are super comfy though and so warm! And the fake fur makes it feel like I"m walking on a super plush carpet all day ;)

    I'm so jealous you got to meet Julia Quinn! When my local borders went out of business I went book mad and bought about 15 of Julia Quinn books and I think it was 13 Eloisa James books..... Only problem was I tried to carry all 28 books by myself to the check out.... and yes not only did I drop the leaning tower of Eloisa and Julia, but they went air born right at the cashier.

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    1. Oh, savannah, I hope you get to meet Julia Quinn and Eloisa James one day so they can sign all those books!

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  7. LOVE the pictures PJ! SO glad you and Andrea had such a great time at the M&M conference. My favorite pair of shoes? Currently it's a pair of brown strappy sandals that I wore to RWA. Pretty and comfy-can't beat it!

    I admire y'all who wear heels on a regular basis. I couldn't possibly do it because I'd fall and break my neck, lol.

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    1. Wish you could've been there, Lisa! Next July we'll all be together!

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  8. So glad I was able to go this year!

    I prefer comfy shoes, but every now and then I'll break out my heels. :)

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    1. PJ and I are so glad you were able to be there, too, Trisha!

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  9. It was a fabulous conference and so good to see you, PJ and Andrea again!! I had a great time & I'm happy you enjoyed the workshop. My sparkly silver shoes were very comfortable believe it or not, LOL So nice to see these conference highlights & great outfits! :)

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    1. Kellie, it was so good to see you again!! And I was so excited to win your raffle basket!!! Thank you SO much!

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  10. Special outfits that look wonderful and great photos. I have a pair of stylish but comfortable sandals that I can wear everywhere.

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  11. What a lovely event and I enjoyed the pictures so much. Shoes that are cute, open toed and low heels I love for occasions.

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    1. We're glad you enjoyed the pictures, traveler!

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  12. You gals look to be having so much fun! I only wish I could be there with you. Those shoes are awesome! Who's wearing the boots? Fabulous! My favorite shoes are lime green with heels that are so high, they make me dizzy thinking about them. I bought them to go with a dress I wore to my niece's wedding. They're just gorgeous and therefore, they have been labeled My F-M shoes! Yes, that was naughty but then again, I couldn't help it.

    Have fun! A report of every minute at the conference is hoped for we Cinderella's who didn't get to go to the ball. Sniff...

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    1. Trish Milburn is wearing the boots, Connie. Aren't they awesome?! They have sort of a steam-punk vibe to me. Love 'em!

      Maybe one day you'll get to come to a conference/signing, Connie. We'd love to meet you!

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    2. Thank you so much, Andrea! I would love to attend a conference and get to meet you lovely ladies in person!!

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  13. I really enjoyed the shoe pics! I feel like I'm back at the conference...only now I'm wearing my not so high heels aka my Uggs while I sit and write. :) Great times! Great memories!

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    1. Elizabeth, we are always on "shoe patrol" during conferences. They are almost as exciting as the books!

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  14. I enjoyed having pictures put to names and what gorgeous shoes and outfits!!! I have skinny feet so have never been in love with shoes because I have such a horrible time finding any to fit much less ones I love. But I have had a couple of boots that I use to love. One was white patten laced up white go-go boots (we're talking 40 yrs. ago lol.) Then another pair of leather boots that I splurged on with the pointy toe and 4 inch heels and up to the knee. I'd probably kill myself in them now but I still own that second pair.

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    1. I have the opposite problem, catslady--my feet are too wide! It stinks because it seems as if very few shoes come in wide. Those are the ones I end up with. lol I love the sound of your boots!

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  15. Great pictures!! I love looking at all the gorgeous shoes. I can't wer anything like that at all, so I stick with my reeboks in winter and flip flops and sandals in the summer. My feet are wide also and I say they just don't make shoes to fit my feet. But I do love to look at them.

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    1. I'm like you, Martha. It's New Balance athletic shoes (with prescription orthotic inserts) for me year round.

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  16. I'm all about comfort. My favorite pair of shoes is my current pair of sneakers!

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    1. Mine too! Though I do love looking at all the fab shoes and reminiscing about the days when I could actually wear them. ;-)

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  17. Seeing all these shoes makes me wish I have some new ones! Lately I've been wearing canvas runners. They are durable, cute and most importanly, comfortable. I have suede flat boots as well that I don't wear as much but still adore. I wear them when the weather is cool but not wet because I don't want them to get water-stains on them. Sadly, it's not easy for me to find shoes that I like and can wear. Most end up giving me bruises or blisters but I do like watching them from afar. Good thing finding good books is much easier.

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  18. I'm loving all the M & M pics here and elsewhere. The shoe photos are always a special treat. Trish's boots are terrific, and those hot pink heels--wow! Now I want to hear about Julia's speech. No one's said anything about it.


    Since I always wanted to be taller, I used to wear the highest heels I could find and stand in them all day as I taught. Then, I gave up standing and wore heels and sat on a high kitchen stool behind a podium while I taught. Then, I lowered heel height to two inches and alternated standing and sitting behind a desk in a comfortable chair. Now I write barefooted seated in a computer chair and wear flats or sneakers when I leave home. But I still enjoy shoe shopping and "buying" super high, sexy heels for my characters who are much younger than I with no back and knee pain.

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    1. I remember a podiatrist telling me - back when I was in my 30s - that those gorgeous heels I wore every day at the bank would ruin my feet. I now have bad feet, bad knees and no more heels but I have wonderful shoe memories!

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  19. What fun to read about the conference, PJ! I'm glad you and Andrea enjoyed yourselves.

    My fave pair of shoes are no more because I wore them constantly with everything from skirts to pants to jeans! They were flats with just a bit of a heel that were a maroon velvet. Loved those shoes and put off tossing them years ago. Now days, I wear tennies on the weekends and a buff-colored pair of flats during the week. I very seldom wear high heels anymore, but do have a gorgeous pair of black velvet-satin 2-inch shoes for dressing up.

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    1. I have a pair of shoes like that, Deb. Should have been tossed years ago but I just can't bring myself to do it. ;-)

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  20. Oh wow! It looks like you had a lot of fun :) I'm a sneakers gal all the way! Just the pics of those shoes made my feet hurt!

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  21. I am afraid to say I don't wear any heels any more, to old. Myself I like a nice pair tennis shoes for walking and that's about all I need except unless I have to dress for something then its a nice pair of flats. No high heels for me.

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  22. Janga asked about Julia Quinn's keynote speech. Here are a few highlights:

    Things to remember before writing a book:

    When setting up your workspace, make absolutely certain you cannot reach the refrigerator without getting up from your chair.

    The only way to finish writing a book is to actually finish it.

    Rejection is part of the journey.

    What to remember while writing:

    Hit save on your computer every single time you pause to think about what you're writing.

    Accept the fact that the people on your covers will never look like the people in the book.

    What she learned after publication:

    You must have a life outside your writing.

    Make friends with other writers.

    You will never hurt your career by helping another writer.

    Final thoughts

    Everyone needs an editor. (JQ has been with her editor since 1994)

    Your writing will determine where you go but luck will determine how fast you get there.

    Romance writers make people happy. Don't forget to be proud of what you do.

    Have fun!

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  23. Thanks, PJ! Some good advice there.

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  24. It looks like a fun time. My favorite shoes are a pair of black sandals with kitten heels which are comfortable but cute.

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  25. Fun post, PJ. It was so great to see you, Andrea and Trisha at the conference. And there were a lot of great shoes, weren't there?

    For the most part, I'm a sneakers kind of gal, but if I'm going out to a conference, I bring out the awesome shoes. I have a closet full in an array of styles and colors.

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    1. There were some amazing shoes, Trish but the ones I covet the most are those fabulous boots you were wearing!

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  26. Hi PJ!

    My favorite shoes are ones that fit! You see first of all I'm undertall and second I have very small feet - I need a size 5 - or smaller! Most stores don't even carry a size 5 anymore and they keep trying to send me to the childrens department!

    Now wouldn't those sneakers look great with the suit I wear to work! I keep on having to buy those stupid "inserts" that they sell at the grocery store and sometimes with even two or three my shoes are still too big and I go clunking down the hall. My niece who is almost 6 feet tall thinks it's histerical and she's 40! I usually have to try the consignment shops, without much luck. My oldest sister recommended an on-line site - the shoes started at $150.00! Are you kidding me. She's married to a retired airline pilot so I understand she can afford them but to me I see us not eating for a week so I can buy a pair of shoes!

    So just find me a pair that fits and is actually wearable by someone 64 not 12 and I'd be a happy trooper.

    PS: If you don't believe me check out your local stores that carry shoes and look for a size 5 that you would wear.

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  27. It looks like y'all had a blast! Thank you for sharing a little bit of it with us. :)

    I do not do heels. I've tried and I like my body without the bruises tyvm, LOL! I'm more of a flip-flop/hiking boot kind-of gal. The prettiest flip-flops that I have are the ones I bought to wear at my daughter's wedding this past May. They have big sparkly diamond looking stones on them and believe it or not, I actually pulled off a look in them with cut-offs and a black t-shirt. :)

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    1. Leah, as you already know, my shoe wardrobe generally consists of flip flops and hiking boots too. For everyone else: Leah and I had been chatting on a book blog and finally got a chance to meet when my husband and I spent the summer in North Carolina where Leah lives. We love to hike and Leah does too. Hi, Leah! *waving*

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  28. Ike the sneakers whomo flip flops too
    Kimh

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  29. A pair of sneakers

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  30. I'm a comfort girl. I own three pairs of tennis shoes and one pair of comfortable high heels. My athletic, stay at home lifestyle does not cater to evening wear.

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  31. I love all the picture and all the happy energy The Romance Dish brings wherever they go! Thanks for supporting writers and readers. You keep my TBR pile stocked year round with wonderful book suggests. Love you ladies!

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  32. I am a sneakers of flip flop person myself. I like to be comfortable myself. I am wearing sneakers right now because have to take son to school shortly but most of the time here I have on my flip flops even when its cold.

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  33. It was AWESOME seeing you two at M&M!!! Love the post. I didn't see all these shoes, so thanks for sharing them. :) :) :)

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