I’m home from my first Romance Writers of America (RWA) conference. Location: Times Square, NYC. That would be Broadway, with all the lights, glitz, and topless women walking around with paint (paint!) “hiding” the girls. (Didn’t fool any of us.)
Inside the Marriott Marquis, 2500 friends and I cozied up to listen to a variety of speakers.
I don’t do cozy well.
You see, I’m a bit of an introvert. Honestly, I don’t know if that is entirely true. Put me in front of a camera and all is great. Of course, I’m not really talking to a human so it’s all good.
Set me at a table with people I know and I can hold my own in the conversation department. Put me in a room of people I don’t know and I will observe and not bother anyone.
Which leads me to my biggest regret while at RWA15. I didn’t get to meet Jill Shalvis. I did see her across the room during the Literacy signing event.
I volunteered to help at the event and I saw her before the signing, talking to people. (Snapped a picture because it didn’t happen if there are no pics)
Hi, Jill!
I suppose I could have walked over, but she was busy. I would have hovered nearby waiting for her to notice me. Kinda like a stalker…
Yeah, no. I doubt I’m her biggest fan. I love her books. I think I’ve read them all and she is on my “must buy” list. But I wouldn’t follow her around or travel to every one of her appearances or rent a kayak and slowly paddle by all the homes on Donner Lake… BTW, if that did happen, it was not me. Pinky swear.
I had another chance to meet Jill at the Grand Central Publishing book signing. But… I didn’t get there. Missed opportunity. Turned out it would have been my best and only opportunity. *sigh* I was not about to walk around the tables at the RITA/Golden Heart awards ceremony and bust in saying (spoken in a high-pitched bubbly stalker-like voice) “I just love your books,” because…well… that would be weird.
It is unlikely I will get to RWA16 in San Diego, because of that whole it’s on the other coast with its high cost of travel thing. I’m setting my sights toward RWA17 in Orlando and if Jill is there, I’ll make sure I get to the book signing.
So to Jill I say, (from a distance), “Congratulations on your RITA! I love your books, thanks for writing them and please keep writing them.”
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How about you? Are you somewhat introverted or are you hide-in-your-shell introverted? Is there a line you can’t cross when it comes to talking to people? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.
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