Saturday Thrills

Our RWI meeting was Saturday. I know it’s Thursday. Wonder why I’m just now telling you about the meeting?

I’m just now catching up.

When I walked into the meeting Saturday (during the critique session) I noticed a blond woman who wasn’t a member, but didn’t pay much attention. We frequently have visitors. Especially when we have great authors such as Jaci Burton as our speaker.

Later, at the start of the meeting, we all introduced ourselves.

(Question of the month for the introduction: What is — or was — your mom’s favorite book? Would you know? If not, find out!)

I was first (I made up the question) then finally we got to the blonde. “My name is Ann . . . .”

As I listened to her talk, her voice sounded familiar. So I turned and looked at her. The way she glanced at the group while she spoke reminded me of someone I used to know. Even the way she held her head was familiar.

She took a breath, so I interrupted. “Tell me your maiden name.”

A look of panic flashed in her eyes. Her lips trembled. (That might have been because I was on my feet, heading her way.) “Uuh, my maiden name? It was . . . Sudberry.”

“Sudberry!” I said at the same time. “I’m Susan Spess! I was your roommate at college!”

“Spesser?” She jumped up and grabbed me around the neck. “I can’t believe it!”

We laughed and cried and talked, trying to catch up on the last few years. It was great! Come to find out, Ann is a writer, too. Mysteries! Award winning!

We were in drama together in college–she won the drama award, not me. *sniff* We did “The Robe” together (I was the SIL, she was the wife) and went to Colorado to do the play for several churches around Denver.

I was even in her wedding.

Then our illustrous Jaci Burton spoke to us about what we need to do before and after the sale. Jaci is a smoking hot writer–in more ways than one! She’s selling books every day, it seems and the books themselves are . . . hot! 

She advised us to write the book, choose a pen name, buy the domain for it and set up a website. Continue writing. Get your name out there. Volunteer. Look into publicity. Blog. Guest blog. Do interviews. There was tons of great advise.

The most important thing I heard was, Know when to put the book that hasn’t sold away. So many writers I know feel as if they can’t go on to another story until they’ve sold the first.

I have a few books so deeply ensconced under my bed, they’ll never see the light of day. Moonshadow. Oklahoma and a Cowboy to Boot. Picture a Cowboy. Great titles, not so great writing. But they were fantastic learning experiences. Just don’t ask BFs Marilyn Pappano and Margaret E. Reid about them.

It’s not seemly for grown women to roll across the floor and wet their pants laughing.