If Home Were To Be England...

Drawing inspiration from Anna Sugden of Romance Banditas’s list of what moving home to England for her was like and from Amanda McCabe of Risky Regencies’s list of her sightseeing plans of England, here’s my list of what I would do if I had the opportunity to call England home for once in my lifetime for a few moments (read that as: months).

First the assumptions. I would have to be a lady of a certain age and certain independent means if I have to achieve this dream.

1. I can rent rooms at a hotel in London for a few weeks, at Oxford for a few weeks, then a few other sites, and finally settling in Bath.

2. Hang the unpacking. Sightseeing's going to be foremost on the agenda in London, and that's going to mean the Tower, the V&A Museum, the British Museum, the British Library, Hyde Park, Mayfair, London townhouses, watch Shakespeare at the Globe Theater, Sir John Soane's Museum, Devonshire House, Windsor Castle, and the list is endless. The only stopping point is going to come when I'm exhausted.

3. Then I'll hie myself off to Oxford and stay with my cousin. From that vantage point, I can reaquaint myself to the beauty and peace and splendor that's Oxford. Perhaps I can inviegle a couple history classes from their education outreach programs.

4. Derbyshire and the Peaks and Lake districts, then it's off to Bath and rooms at a bed & breakfast. This is where I hope to remain for the majority of my staying: working and writing.

5. Staying at a B&B and walking everywhere is an absolute must for me to integrate myself into the fabric of the place I'm in.

6. Buying groceries, eating local produce, delicious curry take-aways, talks with regulars who sit in the main church square...food and conversation make for good starts to friendships.

7. Working in a place increases the stake I have in the community. When I'm paying taxes, I start caring what those taxes support. Getting to know people I work with also means I care what their concerns are.

8. Similarly, attending the parish church on Sunday mornings and joining the choir further enmeshes my square into the town's quilt. I'm not a fan of organized religion, but music makes my heart sing.

9. Resume my building up my collection of Enid Blytons. My goal is to own every known EB book published by her (not by other authors in her name) before she passed away.

10. Squirelling away a lifetime's worth of memories, sights, smells, sensations, tastes, touches, sounds for when I return and miss England with a visceral ache.

So, Romanistas...
What would your dream location be? And would you like to permanently move there, or just for a while?

Was MIA, Back Now

Nope, I didn't levitate off the face of the earth (no matter what those ancient wise yogis thought). Hiding under a rock also isn't the explanation for my absence from this blog.

My first week off, I was in Milwaukee for a wedding. It was an emotional experience. Life was at its hardest and at its best when I was living there all those years ago. I was creative; I matured; I did many new, fun, and some scary things. Meeting up with the people who'd watched me grow up, and attending the wedding of a dear, dear cousin and one of the people I admire the most, was empowering and touching all rolled together.

The second week, I was off to San Diego to an ayurvedic retreat. That was an out-of-body experience: some good things, some puzzling, some definitely woo-woo. My takeaways were: twice daily meditation, yoga stretches, and eating a bigger, heavier lunch than dinner. The best part of the experience was the wonderful group of people I met. I laughed, definitely cried, and came away immensely comforted.

Every conference/event I attend, it's never the talks, perks, deals, etc. that make a difference to how much I value the experience. At the end of it, what I remember are the people. I go for the people, even some of whom I haven't met face-to-face yet and some whom I know only as names on a list. And I come away taking them with me in my heart.

The third week off was due to a bunch of "then life happens" stuff: school, activities, bills, chores (read: a Mt. Everest of laundry), food, etc. etc. etc. The weekend was devoted to Le Migraine.

Early this evening, I typed up this blog and then typed up one on Eric Maisel for tomorrow and was about to post them, but I got sidetracked and sorely tempted into watching part one (for the 1000th time) of North & South. (Longtime friends know how this story is going to end.) At the end of the first episode, I said only ten minutes of the 2nd episode. Before I knew it, I was hitting next for the third episode with a mere twinge or two of the conscience. At the end of the third one, I had had to watch the last episode. I mean, you wouldn't want me to toss and turn and not know if Richard Armitage ends up with the girl or not? I mean, you never know. At the 1000th viewing, I could get lucky. Well, never fear for my husband, my friends. RA got his girl, and I got to re-live one of the best love stories on film (a wet Darcy rising from the lake, notwithstanding.)

Conference by Numbers

Following in the tradition set by Lindsey Faber of the Romance Vagabonds, here's my conference experience as a meme.

Number of books I brought with me to the conference: Zero, since I thought I'd be loading up.

Best Traveling Companion: My laptop on Virgin Airlines, which has a power socket. Score! Yano flying Virgin for a historical writer has got to be a surreal experience.

Moment being at conference really sank in: When I met my roommate Cassondra Murray and immediately got immersed in the Romance Bandits party happenings. The party was the next day. In my room. Oops, surprise. Fifty people. I was like cool!! Par-tay!

Best Roommates: Cassondra was fabulous. I'd room with her again in a heartbeat.

Best Reason to Get Out of Bed: Fun people to renew aquaintances with and make new friends with.

Best Nametag Flair: Goddess of the Hunt pins, not to mention, pins from: Candice Hern's Bluestockings, Risky Regencies, Romance Bandits, and Squawk Radio.

First Nora Sighting: Wed, Jul 30, 7:30am at registration.

Second Nora Sighting: Book signing, Wed, 7/30, 7:30pm

Number of books I bought at the literacy signing: Four, including two I already owned (Joanna Bourne and Connie Brockway), Teresa Medeiros, and Susan Crandall.

Best Dinner: Beau Monde Soirée

Best Goody Room Find: Books, mais oui, pens and bookmarks. I also snagged a Marian Keyes title.

Most Star-struck Moment: Meeting the Harlequin executive editor. I babbled. Every time. I met her five times. Ugh!

Best Lunch Table Companions: Fog City Divas and Christie Ridgway

Best Celebration: The Awards Ceremony always causes me to choke up and cheer, and go home and write, write, write.

Fun Event Outside the Marriott: Cupcakes and Champagne party by the Fog City Divas at Citizen Cupcake. Everybody who's who was there. Spotted Jayne Anne Krentz walking outside, and she was so nice, she didn't mind my gushing all over her.

Number of time I tried to have breakfast with Anna Campbell: Thrice, but I did meet her in brief snatches. Something is far better than nothing.

Best Workshop: Eric Maisel on Creativity and Life. It was simply WOW!!

Dinners I expected to have: Five

Dinners I had: Two, by myself at the Terrace Restaurant and at the Beau Monde soirée.

Coolest Moment: When Mary Jo Putney met me and asked, "Are you THE Keira Soleore"? Yeah, totally made my day.

Funniest Moment: Megan Crane and I were talking about her taking pole dancing lessons for the recent launch party. She said that she has bruises up and down her legs. So she hoiked her leg up and rolled up her pant leg to show me, and some fan snapped a picture. Yikes!

Tastiest Moment: Kalen Hughes's Kickshaws class, with authentically prepared snack food and wines.

Number of booksignings I attended: Two, main and Grand Central Publishing.

Number of books I shipped home: 20

Best RITA Dates: Romance Banditas

Best RITA Entertainment: Emcee Suzanne Brockman

Number of RITA statues I touched: One, belonging to JQ

Number of days it has taken me to recover: I’m not sure I’m there yet! I'm still unpacking, but I've been reading, reading, reading.

Number of authors I blogged about meeting: Many. All mentioned in my photo captions.

Number of authors who blogged about meeting me: ?Don't Know?

Number of people I owe thanks for an awesome conference: Everyone I met, and so many unsung tireless volunteers. For the History conference, Kalen Hughes, I love you. For the touring, caring, and general awesomness, Diane Gaston, I love you. Ammanda McCabe, for your fashion sense and friendship, and Anna Campbell, for your delight and kindness, you both have my love. Candice Hern, as always, love you for everything. And to the Golden Rooster, Chook of the Romance Bandit Lair, hugs and kisses and grapes.

RWA Conference Photos

[Edited 8/12: The album links are all working now.]

[Edited 8/11: So. After I spend a few hours uploading and annotating the pictures on Facebook, I find out that it doesn't allow non-Facebook people to see them. Now, I'll have to come up with a different plan. Aargh!]

I've uploaded photos from the conference with detailed notes to my Facebook. Here are the quick links to all the coolness with daily notes to follow.

Album One
Album Two
Album Three

Touring and Packing (the redux)

I've been in SF exactly 38 hours now. I've brunched at Mimi's Cafe, taken an ethusiastically guided tour of the Google campus in Mountain View, taken a drive-by tour of the famous spots of San Francisco, and supped on haute Vietnamese cuisine at Bong Su in the SoMa (South of Market) area of San Francisco, couple blocks from the RWA conference hotel.

The secret techie inside me was thrilled by the tour of Google. What an exciting place to be. A simple idea. A complex problem. An enormously successful business plan. Et voilà. A dynamic company is born, thrilling users, developers, and investors alike.

Today I'm to lunch at the Samovar Tea Lounge that has it's own Internet TV channel, blog, in-the-news, podcasts, iTunes, in addition to a food-and-tea pairing menu. Sounds üaut;ber delish. Dinner's to be at Chez Papa Bistro. I could eat the menu. Looks très, très magnifique, n'est ce pas? After being in foodie heaven, it's going to be back to packing for my move to the hotel, with the promise of Nepali food next Sunday before I get shipped to the airport and home.

[Edited: OMGosh. My palate's permanently exploded. At the Tea Lounge, I had the Russian Chay Platter with zavarka black tea from the samovar.]

My conference day starts bright and early tomorrow when I meet Diane Gaston for breakfast and a tour of the city, followed by lunch with Amanda McCabe and more touring with them. Then I meet my roomie at the Marriott, check-in, register, and stuff bags for Wednesday's Historical Romance Writers' Conference. Then there are drinks with the extraordinary duo of Waxcreative Emily Cotler and Abi Bowling (recommended by Avon editor Lyssa Keusch, and dinner with Kalen Hughes. At which point, I shall repair to the bar to recoup and regroup before heading to the room to collapse in preparation for four intense days of conferencing.

So, Romanistas: If you're on your way to RWA, are you excited or panicking or both?

What is the one takeaway you're looking forward to from the conference?

If you're at home and reading this blog, what is the one thing you want me to look for and blog about for you?

Packing, part 3 of x: Almost, Almost

By Saturday one o'clock, we'd just returned from a birthday brunch, my bag was totally full, with more clothes to go, and tragically, no business cards in hand yet. Staples messed up the order thrice.

The third time, I had two hours to go before heading out to the airport and more clothes to iron and stuff, er, lay out carefully, into the one suitcase Virgin Airlines allowed me to carry for free. So I made do with the glossy (isn't matte!) photocopying with lighter inks, crammed clothes into suitcase, and sniffled on the ride to the airport.

Now, I've been security-screened and am posting from the airport gate.