Saturday, July 30, 2005

Saturday

Well, I managed to get to my editor appointment. Barely. This is embarrassing for an ex-girl scout leader and camp-crafter to admit. I simply couldn't find the area where the appointments were. So I asked the sole girl at the Registration Desk. She directed me to the Mezzanine level. Back through the hotel I go, grab an elevator that says it'll take me to the mezzanine level. It doesn't. Back to the casino level. Starting to panic now--I only have about 5 minutes to register for the appointments. I finally find the escalator to take me to the mezzanine level. Head up. Don't see any signs. I ask a woman passing by and she waves in the general direction she's come from. Down the hall I run. There are no signs for the appointments. I stop in one of the rooms where other RWA members are gathered and ask directions. One kind lady says they're on the casino level. I head back down. Starting to sweat. You don't want to miss your appointment. They'll blackball you. Finally I see a hotel staff member and ask him. He directs me back to the area near the Registration desk. In fact, it's right across the promenage. With a sign. A big sign that my panic had blinded me too. I rush inside, explain how I'd gotten lost and miracle of miracles, I'm on time! The editor appointments are running late so I get in line. I'm trying to catch my breath--I don't do panic well at all. Finally, they let us inside. My appointment is with Anna G of Tor. I apologize for being breathless--she tells me to take my time. But I'm so scattered I can barely remember my pitch and the panic starts to return when she smothers a yawn. Am I boring her? Or did she spend too many hours in the casino last night? She finally asked me to send her a partial and put us both out of our misery. This was just as well. My agent appointment was in 1 minute so out I scurry, back to the registration desk to find out where they're lining up for that.

The agent appointment was with Lucienne Diver (and isn't that a pretty name) who answered our questions and gave us details about her agency. She invited us to send 30 pages plus a synopsis. Ordeal over, I returned to my room to catch my breath before lunch.

At the luncheon, I sat with Susan Baxter again but this time I was joined by Jane Perrine, a friend from The Golden Network. Our speaker was Susan Elizabeth Phillips (yes, the same SEP who spoke at the workshop I attended yesterday). Her speech was just as I'd expeced--full of humor and lively. After a short visit to my room, I went to a Luna workshop where I discovered a potential home for DC. Now DC has been sitting on an editors desk for 9 months so hearing this makes me happy. I'll be sure to send MTH a partial when I get home.

I'm still tired from the bout of illness I had Thursday so I came back to my room. I have one more workshop I'd like to attend but I may just sit here and collect myself until the Awards Dinner tonight. This has been a great conference (except for the stomach flu/food poisoning) but I'll be glad to see it over.

Tomorrow I'm scheduled for a tour of the area, then on Monday I return home.

I plan to sleep for 3 days when I get to my own bed :-)

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