Niambi Brown Davis - A Renaissance Woman

Talk about six degrees of separation.

Niambi Brown Davis has debuted in the literary scene at the top of her A game. She was born in Philadelphia and currently lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

I went to college at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, MD for two years before transferring to the College Park campus (you'll see more about our connection on this topic).

Niambi not only lived in Washington, D.C, but also lived in Trinidad and Tobago for three and half years. I also had the pleasure of Caribbean living while making Guyana home for eight years.

While balancing her writing passion, she indulged in her other passion for sailing and travel. I can certainly understand that travel bug. The world is such an interesting quilt of culture and people. She served as publicist of for the Black Boaters Summit and as a member of the National Association of Black Travel Writers. Presently she writes for Travel Lady Magazine. This dynamic lady has a lot more to share, so relax and enjoy.

Q: What female role models played an important part of your life and why?

Niambi: My mother was born in an era when racial lines were more of a deep trench than a line in the sand. Because they wanted an education for their only daughter, when she was 12 years old my mother’s parents sent her halfway across the state, or rather down the state of Maryland, from Harford County to the Princess Anne Academy, a boarding school for black girls. That school is now University of Maryland, Eastern Shore. In spite of the times in which she lived, my mother went on to earn a Masters from Temple University. For 40 years, she taught in segregated schools through the civil rights era and finally into the age of integration. In her own words “who would have thought” that she would one day travel extensively through North America, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean? That when in Zimbabwe, she would shake the hand of the man who, for a few months, served as Prime Minister of that country? That she would be a part of a private audience with the Pope?

In “You Know Better” Tina McElroy Ansa refers to a certain group of women as “big women” - women who made their own way and were well-respected by members of their communities. My mother and her peers, the women who served as my surrogate aunts, were truly big women. Some were educators; others were household staff to wealthy families. Later in life, when they all retired, it was hard to find them at home. They’d call their families with an itinerary of where they were headed next. One of those trips was to sail on the Queen Elizabeth II. We called them “Golden Girls.” In spite of the times in which they were born and lived, those “merry widows” took control and lived their best lives. They had their own money, owned their own homes and bought new cars when they felt like it. More important than that, they didn’t know a person they wouldn’t help. At my mother’s wake, one of her former students spoke for so many of them – “she was my teacher and I loved her.” I wish she could be alive to witness the history that is being made – I know she would say “who would have thought that I’d live to see a black man become President of the United States.”

After my mother, there is my home-girl Harriet Tubman, the original ride-or-die sister. Nineteen trips, 300 slaves and her pistol to make sure that no slave lost heart, ran back and derailed her freedom train. In her own words “I never run my train off the track, and I never lost a passenger.”

Q: What other organizations are you a part of?

Niambi: I just can’t seem to stay away from the water (lol). Since returning from the Black Boaters Summit I joined the Universal Sailing Club, a club made up of sailors and sailing enthusiasts from the Washington Metropolitan area. I’m also a member of the National Association of Black Travel Writers. Now you can see why I titled my website “Romance and Rhythms Around the World.”

The Black Boaters Summit was founded by Paul Mixon, or Cap’n Paul as he’s known in the sailing world. Paul is a sailor himself and a member of the National Brotherhood of Skiers. In 1996 a major yacht company approached Paul with the idea of marketing yacht charter vacations to African-Americans. In 1997 the first Black Boaters Summit set sail in the British Virgin Islands and the rest is history.

Q: Tell us about the Summit

Niambi: It was fabulous, it was splendid; it was exhilarating, it was therapeutic. It must be experienced to achieve the full effect, but I’ll give it my best.

I traveled to Tortola a few days before the event to spend some time on my beloved Cane Garden Bay. I love that place – no McDonalds, no high-rise hotels, no obsessively manicured grounds, just the real beauty of the Caribbean – poinciana, palms and tropical foliage of every kind. Instead of an alarm, my early morning wakeup call was a rooster crowing. I spent one whole day on the sand with a book until sundown and the tide pushed me off the beach.

When it was time for us to sail, it wasn’t the Minnow and we didn’t end up on Gilligan’s Island. We boarded Pleiades, a 50 foot catamaran equipped with showers, a fully equipped galley, barbeque grill, DVD player, air-conditioning, and plenty of lounging space.

That first morning when Cap’n Paul started the engine, and Pleiades rumbled to life, it was a real thrill. Out in the water, I turned to my friend. “Here we go,” I told her. “Now the adventure begins.” (She took it to heart – we have a picture of her, arms flung out into the sun and wind, seated in the “Queen of the World” chair at the bow of the boat). Imagine seeing the sails raised; feeling the power of that big boat surging through open water. Or looking back and seeing the BBS flotilla, all of us sailing together in a line, one behind the other.

I loved greeting the Caribbean sunrise on the deck, and waving over at another early riser on another boat. Add good music, good food and drink and good company. A word about good company – many of us were strangers when we boarded our boat. Soon after the introductions we clicked and became a crew in every sense of the word. We lived, worked and played together, developing real friendships over the days of the Summit. That bond is so strong that we’ve planned to keep our crew intact and sail together next year.

BBS sailed, but BBS also partied. At lovely Leverick Bay, the resort provided us with a lavish beach buffet. Under the stars, the party started with the Cupid Shuffle, followed by a live band that kept it going until last call. Near Norman island we took over the infamous Willie T., a bar boat accessible only by water. “From the window to the wall…”

Our trip ended with two days of shore leave at the Westin St. John. We shopped, swam and took full advantage of the Westin’s trademark Heavenly Beds and Showers. On the last night of the trip, Cap’n Paul held his traditional White Linen Party. To me, it was pure magic. The luxurious Westin Villa was full of beautiful black people, all dressed in white, all toasting to a another voyage well done.

Cap’n Paul commended our captains – the men and women who sailed us safely from Road Town and Soper’s Hole, to Cane Garden Bay, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, Norman Island and back again. Some new captains were made on that trip. While we were sunning and swimming, BBS’s “Learn to Sail” students were living, learning and studying aboard their floating classroom. For you black history buffs, one of our captains was Bill Pinkney, the first African American to sail solo around the world, and Master of the Freedom Ship Amistad.

Now that I’ve thoroughly whetted your appetite, here a link for more information on BBS: http://www.blackboaterssummit.com/. Once you’re on the site, check out the bulletin board and sign up for the BBS newsletter. You’ll receive first-hand information on next year’s Summit.

For a sneak peek, and even more testimonials, join us from October 10-12 in Annapolis where the BBS reunion is held in conjunction with the Annapolis Sailboat Show. Come on down; we make our own fun. Another reason to sign up for the BBS newsletter - you’ll also receive complete information on the reunion.

Q: What does the future hold for you?

Niambi: I’m so grateful for the support from readers and for the great reviews I’ve received for From Dusk to Dawn. I’ve had people knock on my back door, with money in hand, to purchase a book. My neighbor across the street told me that she couldn’t go to sleep until she finished reading. She’s cornered anyone who will listen to tell them all about From Dusk to Dawn. She’s a one-woman promotion machine. Hometown support is a wonderful thing.

So now I’m taking a cue from my mother – the sky is the limit for me. I have two books in the works. One is a historical, with which I am totally obsessed. For From Dusk to Dawn, my virtual tour was titled “Against All Odds.” I may have to call the historical’s tour “Against All Odds in Overdrive.” (lol) I’m also working on a contemporary suspense, sparked by my reaction to an event in my own life. Now I understand how people can lose their minds for a minute. FYI, it had nothing to do with love or romance (lol)

As part of my promotion for From Dusk to Dawn, I’ve developed Maracas Bay – a line of body products created by my heroine Ayodele Montgomery, and named for one of the best-known beaches in Trinidad and Tobago. They’ll be up on the website soon. For now, check out Sand and Silk, my other line of products at http://www.sandandsilk.com/

Now, if I can only find someone who will pay me to travel and write about it – but I’m working to make that happen!

In closing, thank you so much for the opportunity to ramble on about my writing and about Black Boaters Summit. And thanks for giving me free reign – talking is a family trait that is alive and well in me!

http://www.niambibrowndavis.com/
http://www.niambibrowndavis.blogspot.com/

From Dusk To Dawn (Parker Publishing; ISBN: 978-1-60043-036-7; $10.95)

Successful body products CEO, Ayo Montgomery, has her life on track. Her son is away at Annapolis, her business is flourishing and she is comfortable in her own skin despite the untimely death of her husband. She doesn't know she's missing something in her life until on a hot, August day she meets a younger man, Bilal Abdul-Salaam. Bilal Abdul-Salaam has been waiting for the right woman all his life, a woman he can love, cherish, have children with and grow old with. On a hot, August day he finds her, but she's everything he didn't expect. Ayo and Bilal are worlds apart. She's Christian and he's Muslim. She is ten years older than him and already had her family, and he is just wanting to start his. But both are overwhelmed by a smoldering attraction that refuses to acknowledge their differences. As they work their way through the obstacles of family and friends, they discover their love is strong enough, passionate enough and deep enough to make every sacrifice worth-while.

Niambi, it has been a pleasure to chitchatting with you!!

All the best.

A Lesson in Perseverance

Tomorrow, stop by for my guest blog on Niambi Brown Davis, author of From Dusk To Dawn.

Occasionally I hear from an aspiring author, and with growing frequency published authors, after receiving a rejection from an agent or publishing house. In this business, the rejections can come fast and furious, sometimes with detailed criticisms or a curt rebuke, maybe even a form letter.

I know it hurts. I've been there. There isn't an author out there that can boast of not ever having a rejection or being critiqued.

Is it worth it to go on? After all, you may have invested years, thousands of dollars attending conferences, and let's not dismiss the emotional toll of the journey to becoming and staying published.

Gather round, grasshoppers. Here's my story about perseverance.

Several years ago, I had registered in the Marine Corp Marathon. I started off on this goal with the attitude that if Oprah could run a marathon (add the eye roll), I could do so. I was smaller than she was, at the time, and the instructions on the website under the charity I picked made the training regimen sound doable. I started off with gusto. I did the recommended training at home and met the group on the weekends. Then the weather got cold, rainy, or sunny -- any excuse worked for me. Slowly I skipped the training at home, but still managed to meet with the group on the weekends.

Steadily over the weeks, the ones who were dedicated and trained outran the ones...well, like me. My run-walk portion was more walking, than running. I began to feel defeated, but I kept up. There were other miserable souls on this ride, too. Then I began to miss a weekend here and there. Then it was several weeks. I'd show up and do my run-walk in agony, wondering why I had started this in the first place.

Finally the day of the marathon arrived. I headed to the designated spot and my running buddy and I decided for some odd reason to start with the (passionate, no tomfoolery) joggers. This is not a good idea, just like not sticking your wet finger in a socket. We were the run-walkers, and mostly walking. We had no business being in the front. And when that gun was fired, we quickly found out why. Joggers were passing us as if we stood still. And we were steadily trying to get over to the side because being trampled was a definite possibility. Finally we got over to the side after several joggers cursed our stupidity. I was too breathless to yell, kiss my you know what.

By now, I thought my heart would burst. My lungs couldn't fill up fast enough with air. I wanted to go home. But Oprah did this, dammit.

So we walked until we could catch our breaths. Then it was time to jog. By now I had lost my running buddy. I was happily jogging and walking, drinking water from great plastic bins and fire hydrants, places that you couldn't drag me to at any other time. I even took a bag of fruit from a little girl, wondering if I would fall over from poisoning. The Marines cheered me on, and when I got tired, I also got tired of their cheers and glared at them. This caused them to laugh at me instead.

By mile 11, I got a cramp in my calf. You could see the lump in my leg and it hurt like hell. I was trying to pound it out. People were telling me to go to the first aid tent. But I knew that meant defeat, and dammit, Oprah did this. So I limped my way from mile 11 to the end of the marathon. I cried. I prayed - well, since I change religions about every 5- 10 yr intervals, I was chanting at that point. Then I cried some more.

My husband who was waiting at some other place for me decided after several hours to come look for me. He rode next me as I limped my way. One of the volunteers wanted to know if I wanted the bus. No, dammit. I wasn't getting on the bus. I jogged as much as I could, but that annoying cramping would occur. Finally I got to the end, but not before an 81 year old lady beat me. Tons of people beat me.

But I was never running against them. Although, I used Oprah to spur me on, the only driving force was the inner resolve that I was going to finish that darn race. I may not have trained at optimum level. I may not have taken the nutrients to help my stamina. I may have taken longer than the average. But I had perseverance. I had the inner grit to tough it out. And I have my certificate and medal to say that I finished it.

Dig deep, fellow authors. Tap into what inspires you to be who you are. As cliched as this sounds - The Sun Does Come Out Tomorrow.

You can do this!

Double Reviews - Charlene Teglia & Nora Roberts

I've been behind on my reading since I headed off to Romance Writers of America's annual conference in San Francisco at the end of July. Leading up to this week-long major event in a writer's life doesn't allow for much reading time, especially if a book is due. And nowadays, when I return from a conference, I need a few days to unwind. In this case, the days turned in a couple weeks.

In the meantime, I discovered Charlene Teglia's Satisfaction Guaranteed.

"Welcome to The Capture Agency, a fantasy dating service for dominant men who know what they like and how they like it, and women who can handle limitless pleasure. After being matched with a partner, the male will capture his date and make her a slave to passion. This service is for couples who aren’t afraid to push the limits, let go of their inhibitions and lose themselves in the fantasy.

Clients include Chase Hunter, the agency’s owner, who decides to break his cardinal rule against dating clients and capture a woman for the first time. Kane Woods, a man of superior size and strength who’s always had to reign in his desires--until now. And Gage Michael, who learns that his ex is using the service…and decides to capture her. Will these couples enjoy a hot romp between the sheets, or will they capture each other’s hearts?"

This book is classified under erotic romance. Once again, I'm happy to say that I've discovered an author who can mesh the two worlds. This book is hot and would be a great read and discussion piece for a girlfriends' retreat. I enjoyed each story as the heroes and heroines had a wild, sexy time falling in love.

Then, I re-read Nora Robert's Dance Upon Air.

This is the first in the Three Sisters Island trilogy where paranormal tendancies are quite normal. Dance Upon The Air takes place on Three Sisters Island with a backstory about witches fleeing from Salem. The heroine - Nell Channing - has been abused by her husband and seeks refuge on this island. She works for Mia, witch #2 and becomes friends with ornery Ripley, witch #3. And it wouldn't be a romance without sexy Sheriff Zack Todd, Ripley's brother. With a splash of suspense, blend of sizzling romance, and plain good story telling, Dance Upon The Air boldly leads the way for the trilogy.

I don't tend to re-read books, even though I have lots of keeper books on my shelves. However, I was exhausted from a writing deadline, had a couple trips to take or were just taken, and I wanted a comfort read. I didn't want to take risks and opt for a new book or new author. I wanted something or someone who I know wouldn't disappoint me. And Nora fits the bill. The book was like warm apple pie, a daybed in a partially sunny room, and no one calling my name.

South Africa's Miriam Makeba

I'm getting back to my regular line up of blogging topics. Monday is the day to express to everyone who has inspired me.

Miriam Makeba, who is as old as my mother, has earned the honor in my heart as one of my biggest inspirations. How could anyone look at this woman's life and not be inspired and humbled. Born in 1932 she is known around the world as Mama Afrika. In 1959 her passport was revoked after she went to Italy for a documentary premier she had participated in about anti-apartheid. Her journey to being a great singer connected her with Harry Belafonte and eventually to Stokley Carmichael, Black Panther Leader. Their marriage brought a halt to her career in the U.S. and she moved to Guinea.

Later in her life, her only daughter died. She then wrote her autobiography - Makeba: My Story - It's a great read and she is such a humble spirit. In 1990 Nelson Mandela invited her home. And it was a great welcome. She is still touring, paying tribute and saying goodbye in all the countries and venues that marked her ascension to being an ambassador of music and peace.

She is a symbol of what we women can do despite incredible odds.

Romance Writers of America Conference - San Francisco, Part III

Here's the final installment to the fabulous RWA conference.

Saturday

I was supposed to have dinner with a writer who won breakfast with me. Unfortunately a time wasn't set and I couldn't reach her in time after rousing myself much later than I planned (after the hellified Harlequin party).

Anyway, I still went down for breakfast, but instead, ate with Marcia King-Gamble, a fellow Kimani author. We caught up on our lives and careers. She's a great person and I'm hoping to entice her to volunteer on the national level in the published author network.

Then it was off to attend the Theft of Creative Property, a workshop panel with Nora Roberts. Plaigerism and copyright theft were the topics. It was very informative and Nora issued a challenge to our writing community and organization, as a whole, to make the environment uncomfortable for those who plaigerize and, in effect, create a deterrent for those who may think to do so.

At this point, I'd given up on ever seeing San Francisco beyond the few blocks of the hotel. I was incredibly busy every day and didn't plan to stay over to do sightseeing.

Instead I attended the Integrated Marketing, which talked about the ways to brand your name and style. This was informative, but I still think that it has to suit the style of the author. Otherwise, you could go broke or get overwhelmed by all the things you need to do to keep your name out there. And Shannon Aviles, a publicist, who was conducting the workshop is not for the beer-budget.

Now, I was in a panic because I didn't have anything to wear for the RITA awards (RWA's peer judged annual contest). I knew this before I arrived, but I figured that I'd have time to go shopping. HAH! So off I went to Macy's. I found two pieces that were my style. I originally wanted something glittery for the evening. But instead, I got this caftan-looking top that looked Asian Indian/Middle Eastern-ish and regular slacks. But I wore silver shoes and with the big jewelry that I borrowed from a friend, it sparked up the outfit for the evening. More importantly I was comfortable for the lengthy seated time.

After Macy's I raced back for the President's Tea, which is a small reception the RWA President hosts for special guests. I met several past presidents, including Shirley Hailstock - who was the one encouraging me to get on the board, initially. I also met Rita Gallagher who is the daughter of one of the co-founders of RWA. Rita Gallagher is also the inspiration for the name of the RITA award.

With no time to spare, I raced off to my room to change for the award show, but first, I had to attend Nora Robert's reception in her suite. This is an annual reception that she hosts for her friends and local chapter members. I get an invite because I'm on the outer circle of her friends - LOL and I was a local chapter member, and I'm currently on the board, so I get an automatic invite. Nice to shore up all avenues to make sure I'm on THE list - LOL.

Finally the last event for the night occurred where we celebrate the finalists and winners of the published and unpublished authors. Suzanne Brockmann did a a great job as mistress of ceremonies. We also celebrated the lifetime achievement award, which went to Vicki Lewis Thompson. Desserts followed the ceremony. I quite happily helped myself to mini-eclairs, tiny lemon meringue tarts, and fruit.

And with not much energy to spare, I finished saying my good-byes to the board and staff in the president's suite that night. Plus I still had to pack - Acck!

Sunday

After getting to bed around 1 a.m., I was up at 3:00 a.m. to catch the shuttle to Oakland airport. My flight was at 6 a.m. I was so happy to be home (arrived at 6 p.m. after a delay in Dallas). I had no more energy left for San Francisco. After a week, I wanted to be in my own bed. Luckily I sent the kids to Atlanta for two weeks, so I could recuperate more gently.

Next year - Washington, D.C.

Romance Writers of America Conference - San Francisco, Part II

Thursday

Bright and early I had breakfast with Joan Johnston. I met Joan at a conference hosted by Firstcoast Romance Writers in Jacksonville, FL. She was the keynote. Joan has an impressive career, and is frequently on the NY Times Bestselling list. I love her humor and she's a wealth of information and isn't scared to share. We've made it our annual thing to have a quick sit-down and catch up over the year with our accomplishments. She's also a bundle of energy and has lots of wonderful life experiences/adventures.

Then it was off to attend the opening session for the conference. For the first time, we had a non-industry, motivational speaker/entertainer. Theresa Behenna plays the piano, sharing her life experiences, and providing motivational tidbits. She was flashy and quite the entertainer for the early morning. I wondered if I would strangle her since I'm not a morning person. But once she started playing the piano - boy, was she incredibly talented - she had the same effect as if I'd had a cup of coffee. She played one particular song - Georgia On My Mind - a song that she frequently played for Roger Moore (one of the many James Bonds) when she performed in Switzerland. The song brought goosebumps to my arms. It was so beautiful and hit some sentimental part of me. I bought her CD and have enjoyed listening to it in my car or just before I fall to sleep.

Then it was off to the Annual General Meeting, an official business meeting conducted for our members. Members can share their concerns or bring questions to the board and/or Allison Kelley, RWA's executive director.

Then it was lunch time. We had Victoria Alexander as our keynote lunch speaker. I'm not familiar with her work, but as a speaker, she is dynamite. She's funny, which is extremely important, considering that many attendees may be dealing with jet lag, overwhelming feelings with the large amount of workshops, and just having consumed a good meal.

Later that day, we had the keynote speaker for the published author network -- Gail Blanke. This woman was fantastic. She was not an entertainer, but very much a motivational speaker who had the good fortune to be on Oprah's show. She lives in New York and has the high fashioned, sleek, impressive stature that you associate with New York success. Unfortunately I had to leave thirty minutes into her talk, but I was truly impressed with her quiet confidence.

I dropped Gail Blanke's session to attend the Leadership Development Committee meeting. This session was to provide members, expressing interest in volunteering, with pertinent information. It was also the last time that candidates could submit their intent to run for one of the many board positions at the national level. I had already declared my intent to run for RWA's president-elect. At 3 p.m. PST, the deadline closed and I am now officially running unopposed. Elections begin Sept. 1 and the votes are tallied on Oct. 1.

I'd hoped to get to Cherry Adair's workshop on Layering and Texturing, but I was hopping around like crazy. I think that I also ran out to Ross store next to the hotel to find something to wear to the Harlequin party on Friday.

At 5 p.m. I headed to Passionate Ink's reception. This is the erotic romance chapter of RWA. I recently joined since I'm writing some steamy stuff, plus I wanted to see how they support and motivate their members. I've had a warm welcome from several and look forward to sticking around for a bit. At the reception, they were giving away goodie bags. The bags contained a bullet vibrator with instructions on how to find the 13 ways to use this bullet on the website. Of course, this was the subject of late night discussion at the bar.

Just when I thought I had the evening to myself, I got a phone call reminding me of an appointment that I almost missed. I headed off to relax and hang out with past president, Jill Limber, current president, Sherry Lewis, and incoming president, Diane Pershing. Good conversation and Chinese food was a great way to end the day.

Friday

I had my workshop - 21st Century Heroine - How Far She's Come and Where She's Headed. We had a great panel with authors: Francis Ray, Candice Poarch, Caridad Ferrer, Tracy Montoya, and editors: Rose Hilliard, St. Martin's Press and Kate Duffy, Kensington Publishing. I was thrilled to see so many faces in the audience. The session was interactive and discussion was great. I think we hit on a great topic for analysis.

Mid-morning I had the pleasure of meeing my editor, Kelli Martin, face-to-face for the first time. I also met with Glenda Howard, the executive editor for Kimani, my publisher. These ladies were wonderful and were fantastically professional. They announced that an After Dark series for highly sensual/erotic novels will start in 2009 under the Kimani imprint.

Time to eat again, this time the keynote speaker was Connie Brockway. She had a power point presentation showing the journey of ourselves as authors. I'm very impressed with all these people who have broken down barriers to pave the way.

For the first time, I participated in a publisher signing. Harlequin had an autograph session where they provide free books to the folks in line and all we have to do is smile and sign our names. This is a wonderful way for a reader to try new authors or as writers, a way to get books to read so you can determine whether you want to write for that particular publisher.

Friday evening is the slew of publishers' parties. As a board member, I get an invitation to most of the events. This year I chose two to attend: St. Martin's and Harlequin. St. Martin's was at the E&O Trading Company, which was a delight since I'd recently eaten there. They served "St. Martinis" and lots of good appetizers. Here, I mingled with authors and editors, conducting a little business, also. I stayed about an hour and then headed over to the party of the night.

Harlequin throws the best parties. This year was no exception at the Four Seasons. The DJ had all the usual songs ranging from the 60's, settling heavily into the 70s and 80s, and a spattering from the current hits. I danced until I thought my legs would give out. Note to self: exercise three weeks before Harlequin to get my legs limber.

Stop by tomorrow for the final installment highlighting Saturday and Sunday. I will select a random winner from those who comment to receive the first 30 pages of my galleys for Gamble For Love - October 2008.

Michelle

Romance Writers of America Conference - San Francisco, Part I

I'll be blogging in three daily installments of my experience at the Romance Writers of America (RWA) conference held at the San Francisco Downtown Marriott, 55 4th Street, on July 30-August 2, 2008.

I'm on the board of this illustrious organization and, therefore, had to come in on July 26 to participate at the board meeting on Sunday, July 27 and Monday, 28.

Yes, I was celebrating my birthday while sitting at a board table for the entire day.

Board meetings began at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast and then we went into work mode from 8 a.m. We conducted substantive business through the day and would break for dinner around 4:30-5:00 p.m. On the second day, we went into the evening, eating dinner at the board table so that we wouldn't have to meet on Tuesday.

As a board member, you are there to be of service to the members throughout the conference. Your only off-time is in your room. Otherwise, you have mandatory appearances and need to be helpful and engaging with members. After all, this is the finale of a productive year, organizationally, and a time to educate fellow writers and celebrate the members' accomplishments.

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY

On Tuesday, I managed to set aside an hour to meet with my publicist - Leena Hyatt, Sound Author Relations. She is located in Washington, so having the chance for an in-person meeting was great. I'm ramping up my publicity and being a bit more strategic. I'm looking forward to continuing my business relationship with Leena.

Later I had to meet, for the last time, with the RWR advisory group. RWR is the magazine that RWA produces on a monthly basis. I was the board liaison for this group. It has been a great pleasure working on improving this magazine and bringing it more into line as a professional
trade journal.

Considering the long, tiring trip to San Francisco and the rigor of the conference, I scheduled a hot stone massage for Tuesday evening. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't one of my best experiences. The masseuse did everything right, but there are some people who just have the right touch. And unfortunately you don't know that until you're on the table having the massage. Also most spas have you separate from other activity. I had to wait in the dressing room area that also served women using the gym. So you didn't relax and get into the mood. And then when you're finished, it was back into that harsh environment. They had a steam room, but I had no desire to stay any longer than necessary.

I finished up the evening having dinner with Beverly Jenkins. She's a dynamite woman with so much experience. I unofficially call her the tribal elder of our writing community.

Wednesday, the day was packed. From 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., I attended the published authors network strategic brainstorming. In the middle of this, I popped over to the Chapter Leadership seminar that was a meeting for chapter presidents and other chapter leaders. Most of the board have served in their local chapters in various leadership positions. So meeting these future leaders at the national level is important.

The evening ended with the large author (520 - wow!!!) booksigning that RWA hosts to raise money for literacy (donations go to Proliteracy Worldwide). The organization has given almost $600 million to date and this year, we hit a record with over $58K dollars raised at this function. The books are donated by the publishers, authors sign, and the public buys. Every penny goes to literacy. I was happy to have several readers stop by to purchase my book and many said that they have read my other books, naming characters that they like. It's nice to know that a fan base is growing.

The long day didn't end there. My friends and I went to E&O Trading Co. 314 Sutter Street. The food was Asian fusion. We ordered several meals and shared. Our grand feast consisted of:

Peanut chicken satay (skewered chicken) with peanut sauce
Spicy sweet potato naan (sweet potato stuffed between flatbread) with mango chutney
Indonesian Corn fritters (corn kernels in an egg batter fried crispy and light) with chili soy dipping sauce
Crispy shrimp in a lime and ginger crust with sweet chili dipping sauce
Pad Thai (rice noodles) with shrimp (the lime flavor was too strong in this dish; it was our least favorite)
Steamed Jasmine Rice

We were pleasantly full. I was, by now, exhausted. The evening ended with me skipping the bar scene in the lobby and heading to bed.

Stop by tomorrow, for the next installment of my conference experience on Thursday and Friday. I hope to have a few photos posted at the end of the week.

Michelle