A Whole Lot of Heartwarming

Pamela Tracy here, and I'm home.  I spent the last week on a road trip/conference foray.  I can honestly say that except for the conference when I was up for a RITA (pinch, pinch) this was the best one ever.

Why?

First... I went to college in Texas.  Not in San Antonio, where the conference was, but in Lubbock.  Yup, I'm a Red Raider!  The picture below has Sandra Lagesse (she is going to be published soon and dates my father-in-law).  Next is Marion Ekholm (Heartwarming); Cathy McDavid (American, and she was my maid of honor); Stacy Connelly (Special Edition, she was bridesmaid number five and my nephew is still in love with her) and then there's me.  The last two are Mimi and Kelly, my buds from those ole college days.  They met us Tuesday morning (Mimi drove in from Abilene; Kelly lives in Hondo) and squirreled us around San Antonio.  Here we are at the Hemisphere Needle, mega high in the air, at a restaurant that rotates.  

Wednesday morning, the Heartwarming authors met in Marion's room.  We got ready for the Librarian Luncheon and for the Goody Room.    An unidentified arm, Marion, Anna, and Melinda get us started.





Below is Rula, holding the box she made that will hold our books!  On the side, she put pockets for our bookmarks.  We named her Boxmaker of the Year.


 If you think that's cool, get a look look at the water bottle label that Cheryl Harper designed.

We spent over an hour in Marion's room, getting organized and getting to know one another.


Kate James and Karen Rock
Rula

Marion, Anna S, Melinda, and Carol
 We weren't done.  We moved on to other things.  Such as...
Editor Extraordinary Victoria Curran and Pamela Tracy at the Harlequin Meet and Greet


Amy Vastine, Rula Sinara, Pamela Tracy, Tara Randel, and Carol Ross at the RITA
Almost Everyone
Top (left to right)
Tara Randel, Rula Sinara, Roz Denny Fox, Kate James, Cheryl Harper, Anna Steward, Karen Rock, Amy Vastine
Bottom (seated)
Victoria Curran, Jennifer Snow, Carol Ross, Marion Ekholm

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so enjoy the photo bomb today and know that the Heartwarming Authors know how to Rock! (Especially Karen)

Comments

  1. Thank you for the wonderful recap of our time in San Antonio, Pamela.

    Now I just have to rethink my post for tomorrow!

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    1. I'd still love to hear/see how your conference went, Kate!

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    2. Same here. That's just my recap and I don't take that many pictures.

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    3. Yes, we can't have enough recap and pics :)! This is so much fun!

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  2. I love that someone remembered to take pictures! Thanks, Pamela! I'd love to hear from readers which event they might have liked to attend. Chime in!

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    1. Good question, Melinda. I have to say, the meeting in Marion's room was great because we got to know each other day one. The dinner with Victoria cemented everything.

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  3. The best part about the conference was meeting all the lovely Heartwarming authors. What a great bunch of women!

    To our readers, the conference reminds us that as much as we love to write, we love to hear from you too. Drop us a line if you went to RWA or if you want to know more about our talented authors!

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    1. Tara, my favorite memory with you is the one where we walked forever to find a restaurant to eat at before the RITAs. LOL. I kept thinking, "I'm glad I'm not wearing heels!" Kate impressed the tar out of me in hers.

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  4. It was a great time. I'm even more excited about being part of the Heartwarming team. And I hope our readers know how much this group loves to for them! :)

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  5. Great pictures! And I totally agree with everyone-meeting all of you was the best part of the conference for me as well. I couldn't wait to get there, and then the time flew by. I'm so glad we had as many opportunities as we did to hang out and get to know each other:) xo

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    1. Yes, it went way too fast. I think I only made it to my hotel room three times during the day and then only for like 30 minutes. My feet hurt!

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  6. What a fantastic time you must have had.Well done girls for flying the Heartwarming flag so well.Rock on!

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    1. It's easy when the flag is stitched together with friendship and respect.

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  7. Now I'm sorry I didn't get there on Tuesday. The conference was fantastic. So many workshops that I hated to miss. Fun seeing old friends and making new ones. I didn't take pictures. My camera phone is on the fritz. I got home to a line edit, so I'll be in lurk mode a while. Rula, love your pens. I restocked your bracelet box on Saturday. I think people loved them.

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    1. Aw, thanks, Roz! You're so sweet and meeting you in person was one of the highlights of the meeting!

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    2. Roz, you should have hopped in the car with Sandy and Marion and me. You and Patti would have had a blast!

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  8. Thanks for the recap and pics, Pam! I loved getting to hang out with all of my Heartwarming sisters! You're all even funnier and sweeter in person!!

    And although she didn't make it to the dinner, it was wonderful to meet our lovely Shirley Hailstock in person at our Heartwarming Open House. We had quite the crowd there!

    And congrats to the Harlequin Heartwarming forum contest winners who were announced at our open house: Gina Ardito, Kendra DeSantolo (both who were at the open house :), Margaret Land, Kathleen Cherry, Abbi Wilder, Marcy Bassett-Kennedy and Sophia Sasson!!! I'm telling you, this was an incredible meeting on so many levels!

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    1. Rula, thanks so much for posting their names :)
      <sigh< we have to wait a whole year for another foray.

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    2. Pamela - thanks for all the photos. It's wonderful to see all of you together - made me feel as though I could have stuck my head in between Rula and Roz! Congratulations on all your effort that went into showing off Heartwarming at the conference. I'm sure you made us more friends! Kate - do blog on about it tomorrow. I want to hear more, more! (And you're all so cute! Stop that!)

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    3. Muriel, in two years, it's in San Diego. I'm crossing my fingers that you'll get to attend that one.

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    4. That would be so great! I'll work toward that.

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    5. I'm going to hold you to that!

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  9. This was my second RWA and the best! I loved the sense of community between the Harlequin writers. We are so supportive and happy for one another. I really felt such a strong connection with everyone- like a sisterhood. I was happy to be home, but now I miss my sisters!

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    1. Karen, you're so right. We ate together, Rita'ed together, etc. So much fun. I think this was my 16th RWA. My first was in Anaheim. I can remember looking out the hotel room window and watching two of my roommates get on the Harlequin bus. Back then, they sent a bus to pick up authors and take
      them to the party. I said to myself, "Some day, I'm going to be on that bus!"
      I should have said, "Some day, I'm gonna share me a cab!"

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  10. Hi everyone! Late to the party this morning (story of my life). Great pics, Pamela! Miss you all already and I'm hoping more of us can attend next year's conference. I love your comment above about the Harlequin bus and your optimism. One of the best moments for me happened at the party when you put your hands up and gestured around (you were trying to get me to dance;) and said something to effect...."Look around this room. Isn't this great? This is your dream!" I almost cried. Thank you, Pam!

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    1. I love the Harlequin party. Rula and I stayed until the end. I think I lost a whole pound.
      One of my favorite moments, absolutely, was meeting you.
      Next year, will you dance?

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  11. Fantastic time and Pam gets to include all the pictures. It was great to finally meet everyone and work with them as well as party. Go Heartwarming!

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  12. This is so great!! The pictures of all of you ladies together put a smile on my face. I challenged myself to remembering all of you by name while viewing your pictures. I did a great job if I have to say so myself. As a reader I can't tell you how much I appreciate your hard work and dedication. I sure wish I could have been at RWA, although the heat in San Antonio probably would have had me passing out!! It would have been such a treat to see my favorite group of authors all in one place. I probably would have talked you to death, asking questions and snapping pictures. Congratulations to all of you and thanks again for taking such a keen interest in your readers.

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    1. Laurie, Next year it's in New York; the year after in San Diego. We'd love for you to talk us to death. There's a huge book signing. We're all readers too.

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  13. Sounds like a great time in San Antonio! Would have loved to be there if nothing more than to meet everyone! Anyone going to ACFW?

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  14. I'm not. Dana, Loree, are you going to ACFW? For those of you who don't know ACFW stands for American Christian Fiction Writers. It's a fun conference also. I've been twice. Patricia, you going?

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  15. What great photos. It looks like you all had a blast. Pamela, I'm a Red Raider too, class of '82.

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  16. Beth!
    I was class of 86.
    So, are you a reader, writer, both? So glad you stopped by.

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