RWA 2018 - Westward Bound (Part Three)

This year's RWA national conference kicked off on Wednesday, raced through a series of workshops, parties, random meet-ups, meals with friends, book signings, awards ceremonies, Blogger Day, warm reconnections with old friends, introductions to new friends, and wrapped up with the Readers for Life Literacy Autographing Saturday afternoon. It's a whirlwind ride but one I happily jump on every year and intend to repeat for as long as I'm able. Here are a few final highlights.

This seemed to be the year of flat shoes but I managed to catch a few people wearing heels. 

I was excited to discover that this rich, gooey, chocolate cake at the Librarians Day/Blogger Day luncheon was flourless. Which meant I could eat it! 

Joanna Shupe

Have you discovered Joanna Shupe's Gilded Age historical romances? I love them!

Katie Ruggle

You've heard me rave about Katie Ruggle's romantic suspense novels over the past couple years so you can imagine how excited I was to finally meet her in person..and come home with ARCs of her October release, Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas!

Author Victoria Vane led a fascinating workshop on ladies fashion through the centuries. In case you're wondering, yes, she made all of those fashions herself! Fashion models are authors (left to right) Madeline Martin, Eliza Knight, Julie Johnstone, Laura Kaye, Collette Cameron, and Victoria Vane. 

Valerie Bowman

Valerie Bowman pens some of my favorite historical romances and is one of the nicest people you'll meet in the world of romance. 

Carey Baldwin

I was so excited for Carey Baldwin. Her book, STOLEN: A Cassidy & Spenser Thriller, won the Booksellers Best Award for Single Title Romance. Her books keep me reading late into the night and she never fails to toss in a twist that catches me completely by surprise. I love that!

Miranda Liasson

Miranda Liasson is as warm and friendly in person as she appears in her photo. I just discovered her books about a year ago and have enjoyed catching up with her backlist. (My review of Then There Was You.)

Maisey Yates

I've fallen in love with Maisey Yates' western-set contemporary romances. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in her new Gold Valley series but the one I'm really looking forward to is Good Time Cowboy (due out 8/21). It's an enemies to lovers story and sparks have already been flying between these two characters in the first two books. I can't wait!

JoAnn Ross

I've been reading JoAnn Ross books for years but this was the first time I've met her in person. What a gracious lady!

More shoes!

PJ & Kristan Higgins

Celebrating Kristan Higgins' RITA® win for Now That You Mention It!

PJ & McIrish

And in the interest of equal time, here I am with Kristan Higgins' fabulous, firefighting husband, known affectionately online as McIrish. 

Sarah MacLean

Sarah MacLean was looking stunning at the RITA® awards! Her book, The Day of the Duchess was a Finalist for Best Historical Romance: Long. 

Nancy Haddock

It was such fun to catch up with Nancy Haddock, an author I hadn't seen in years. If you like cozy mysteries, give her books a try!

PJ & HelenKay Dimon

With 2018 RITA® winner, HelenKay Dimon, enjoying the Avon Romance and Rosé book party at the Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver. What a fun night! Winner of Best Romantic Suspense: The Fixer

PJ & Avril Tremayne

RITA® finalist, Avril Tremayne traveled all the way from her home in Australia for this year's conference. I so enjoyed visiting with her at this year's Blogger Day reception. The Dating Game: Finalist for Best Contemporary Romance: Long.

Wendy, Fran, Kristan

Enjoying the Librarians Day/Blogger Day luncheon with three of the nicest people around: Kristan Higgins and RWA Cathie Linz Librarians of the Year, Wendy Crutcher (2011) and Fran Cassano (2018) - both worthy recipients of this prestigious award. 

Erica Ridley

Erica Ridley is not only a terrific author but also did a wonderful job of emceeing this year's RITA® ceremony. 

Wendy LaCapra

Wendy LaCapra was a RITA® finalist in the Best Novella category this year with Her Duke at Daybreak (my review). I love to see good things happen to good people and Wendy is one of the best. 

Maria & Tracy

2018 Rita® finalist, Maria Geraci and Western Romance author, Tracy Garrett are two of my favorite people. It was fun to find them side by side at the Literacy Signing! This Can't Be Love: Finalist for Best Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length. 

Kelly Bowen

I'm so happy for Kelly Bowen who won her second consecutive Rita®. If you haven't started reading her historical romances, I highly recommend them. Between the Devil and the Duke: Winner of Best Historical Romance: Long. (my review)

PJ, Bronwyn, May Goldrick

I enjoyed visiting with  Rita® Finalists Bronwyn Scott and husband and wife writing team, May McGoldrick. Finalist for Best Novella: "Dancing with the Duke's Heir" by Bronwyn Scott (in Scandal at the Christmas Ball) and "Sweet Home Highlands" by May McGoldrick (in Christmas in Kilts:a Highland Holiday Box Set)

Nancy Naigle

Watch for a new Hallmark movie based on Nancy Naigle's book, Christmas Joy coming to television for this winter's holiday season! 

Lorraine Heath

Lorraine Heath is so lovely and gracious and I am loving her new historical romance series. Watch for book two, When a Duke Loves a Woman, scheduled for release August 21, 2018. 

Liz, Jeanne, PJ

I had a wonderful time visiting with Liz Fielding and Jeanne M. Dickson, both 2018 RITA® Finalists. Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M. Dickson: Finalist for Best Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements. The Sheikh's Convenient Princess by Liz Fielding: Finalist for Best Contemporary Romance: Short. 

Beverly Jenkins & PJ

If there's anyone who can spend more than two minutes with Beverly Jenkins without smiling, I've yet to meet them. She was the belle of the Avon Romance and Rosé book party at the Tattered Cover Book Store. 

They're not heels but I thought they were adorable!

PJ & Sophie Jordan

Whether you enjoy historical romance, steamy contemporary romance, or YA, Sophie Jordan has a book for you! 

Kandy Shepherd

Australian Kandy Shepherd is not only an outstanding roommate but she's also a darn good author. I always look forward to a new book from her!

Kianna Alexander

Kianna Alexander with Back to Your Love, the first book in her Southern Gentlemen series. Kristan Higgins calls it "a lush, beautifully written story about the indelible mark of first love. Intelligent, fresh, and utterly lovely."

Jennifer Ryan

If you like emotionally charged romantic suspense set in rugged Montana, I enthusiastically recommend the books of 2018 RITA® Finalist, Jennifer Ryan. I can't put them down! Montana Heat:Escape to You: Finalist for Best Romantic Suspense. 

PJ & Cathy Maxwell

If you enjoy laughing, you'll adore Cathy Maxwell. This smart, kind, funny, generous, and talented author of more than 40 books and novellas lights up a room and her books will light up your keeper shelves.  

PJ & Alyssa Cole

I may have fangirled a bit over Alyssa Cole (okay, so I ambushed her in the hotel lobby while she waited for her room to be ready) but I can't overstate how warm and patient she was with this admirer of her work. She even waited for me to run up to my room to get my two copies of A Princess in Theory which she signed - one for me and a second one to give away here at the blog. 






A final toast to RWA 2018 at a cozy meal with friends. If you're ever in Denver, give the Blue Agave Grill a try.  The service was outstanding, the food (grilled salmon and roasted brussels sprouts), delicious...

...and my drink (a Sangria Swirl), divine!
It was the perfect exclamation point on another successful RWA national conference.










So, tell me... 


Have you ever attended an event where you got to meet favorite authors?

Which author would you most like to meet?

What's your favorite sub-genre of romance? Historical? Contemporary? Romantic Suspense? Paranormal? Something else?

What book are you reading now?


Comment on this post before 11:00 PM (Eastern), July 30, 2018 for a chance to win one of the two packages below.

Package #1: a signed copy of A Princess in Theory, a signed copy of An Affair With a Notorious Heiress by Lorraine Heath, a signed copy of His Cowboy Heart by Jennifer Ryan, an Advance Reader Copy of Rocky Mountain Cowboy by Katie Ruggle (on sale October 2018), an official 2018 RWA conference tote bag, and assorted swag. (U.S. addresses only)

Package #2: a signed copy of Coming Home to Crimson by Michelle Major, a signed copy of Run to Ground by Katie Ruggle, a signed copy of A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe, a signed copy of Herons Landing by JoAnn Ross, an official 2018 RWA conference tote bag, and assorted swag. (U.S. addresses only)

And that's a wrap!

RWA 2018 - Westward Bound (Part One)

This year's Romance Writers of America® national conference was held in the Mile High City, Denver, Colorado. I'd been looking forward to the event as I had never visited Colorado and was eager to do a bit of exploring. I flew out the Saturday before conference and joined friends Kim Lowe of the SOS Aloha blog and Australian author Kandy Shepherd in Colorado Springs. We spent the next three days exploring all the beauty that city has to offer. Here are a few photos.

Exploring the Garden of the Gods was truly a spiritual experience. Nature's majesty is all around you among the ancient rocks that sit in the shadow of Pikes Peak. 

The walk to Seven Falls offered another stunning display of rock formations and waterfalls.  

I opted out of climbing to the Eagles Nest observation deck (taking the inner-mountain elevator instead) and was content to view the falls from the base. My fear of heights did not play well with those stairs. I was more than happy to anchor myself to the wall and take photos of others. ;-) 

Kandy & Kim

Manitou Springs was a lovely western town with lots of quirky shops and a beautiful mansion/castle. The four-story Miramont Castle is open to the public and also features a history of firefighting museum, as well as authentic period furniture, and beautiful mountain views. The original owners were a French priest and his mother. While the mother's money built and furnished the castle, the priest's vow of poverty apparently didn't prevent him from enjoying it. 

Miramont Castle

Firefighter PJ, reporting for duty!

An interesting side note: Kandy and I wandered into a jewelry story in Manitou Springs and while chatting with the owner, discovered that when he moved to town 42 years ago he lived in the castle. At that time, (before it became a museum) it was divided into apartments. Lucky him!

A trip to Colorado Springs isn't complete without a stop at the luxurious Broadmoor hotel and resort. 

The Broadmoor

Broadmoor Entrance Drive

Broadmoor - View from the terrace

The Golden Bee

We lunched at the authentic Golden Bee English Pub. And when I say authentic, I mean it. This restaurant originally sat in England before it was dismantled, shipped across the ocean, and reconstructed at the Broadmoor. I kept expecting to hear English accents. 

Golden Bee Bar Area

After lunch, we walked through the beautiful hotel. I could have happily spent the entire afternoon cozily tucked into one of the reading nooks in their library. 

Broadmoor library

On our way back to our car we spotted this deer strolling down the boulevard in front of the hotel. Obviously, it was lunch time for her too as she found a lovely garden and was happily munching away until a groundskeeper arrived in a golf car to chase her away.

Of course, it goes without saying that if I'm traveling there's going to be food photos, right? We headed out one evening for dinner at an Italian restaurant but discovered when we arrived that there would be a 30 minute wait. They suggested we might want to wait upstairs at their sister wine bar. We trudged up the stairs and discovered not only a cozy cafe atmosphere but fabulous food and the best waiter ever. We cancelled our reservation downstairs and had a wonderful evening at Sopra Antipasto & Wine Bar where we savored these delicious offerings.  

Roasted Veggies

Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

Squash Blossoms

Roasted Mushrooms & Gorgonzola

Chocolate Nutella Cannoli

Our waiter very kindly had the chef make this dessert without the pastry shell so I could eat it! 

Kandy, PJ, Zack (Waiter & Sommelier Extraordinaire), Kim

We capped off our stay in Colorado Springs with a visit to the Air Force Academy. One highlight of that visit was meeting these falcons and the cadets who are charged with their care.

The second highlight was the incredible Chapel. This architectural wonder has a stunning exterior and an interior that fills the soul with its spiritual beauty. I could have spent hours there. 

PJ, Kandy, Kim

Tuesday afternoon, we loaded up our luggage and headed for Denver and the RWA conference which would be starting the next day. You never know who you'll run into in the lobby, elevators, and hallways of the conference hotel. The first author I saw was none other than Kat Martin. She graciously posed for a photo (taken by her husband) and I told her how much we Romance Dishers enjoy her books. I had just arrived and was not looking my best but what the hey. When Kat Martin offers a photo, you take it! :) 

PJ & Kat Martin

Other first day sightings included:

Harlequin Author Carrie Nichols & PJ

PJ & Theresa Romain

Christie Kelley, PJ & Donna MacMeans

Kristan Higgins & PJ

That's it for Part One my RWA 2018 adventure. More photos and stories to come!

Have you visited Colorado? If so, what were your favorite parts?

Did you go to the top of Pikes Peak? 

Tell me the truth. Did you drool just a little when you saw that Chocolate Nutella dessert? ;-) 


One randomly chosen person who comments before 11:00 PM, July 27, 2018 will receive a book and swag from the conference. U.S. addresses only

I'm adding a bonus second giveaway to this post. A second person who leaves a comment before 11:00 PM July 27 will also receive a book and swag from the conference. U.S. addresses only.