I owe my proto-career to other people.

Seriously, I do. I owe getting my agent to the folks who put on the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers contest, and I owe my agent for getting me my first contract, and last week, during the RWA National Conference, I owed my fellow Wet Noodle Posse members big time.

The lovely Trish Milburn. Multi-GH winner, including this year!

First of all, RomanceNovel.Tv covered the conference, and Trish Milburn scored an interview for some of the Posse e-zine staff. Thanks to Trish’s tireless energy and extraordinary organizing talents, we had a list of questions that might be asked, and a time and place to meet. All we had to do was show up. Not only did we get excellent media experience in doing video interviews, plus a chance to plug our books, current and upcoming, but my editor definitely perked up her ears when she heard about it. And now the Posse has some currency with RomanceNovel.Tv, which will probably provide interview opportunities for Noodlers who didn’t get interviewed this time around.

Colleen Gleason terrifies a gummy shark, but in a cute way.

More thanks go to Colleen Gleason (aka Collette Gale), who was my roomie at conference. Colleen, and I mean this in the best possible way, is a diva in training. Colleen doesn’t enter a room. She bubbles in like a tide of champagne, upping the energy level by about 50% and making everyone giggle and let their hair down. And all the while, she’s getting serious work done. Introductions are made. Cards are exchanged. People who have a need are matched up with people who can benefit by meeting it. I met a lot of people hanging out with Colleen, and I watched her like a hawk to see how she works her magic. I can tell you this – it’s a lot of work for something that looks so effortless.

I owe Sandy Blair, who kindly took me under her wing at the Kensington party (my first time), gave me a lot of good inside information, and also made a lot of introductions.

I owe Stephanie Feagan, who took me party-supply shopping even though she was swamped with RWA board duties.

And then there were the writers I met for the first time, who welcomed me to their table at a local restaurant and made sure I got to my interview on time and dry when it started to rain (Laura Martello and friends!), or offered to let me guest blog when my book is released (Ann Campbell!), or told me I should email them to get on a valuable loop (Ann Christopher, and I still need to do that!), or bought me a drink (and I’m a little fuzzy on who those folks are.).

So my thanks go out to the Noodlers and all the other wonderful, helpful, generous women at the RWA National Conference. You haven’t just made my day, you’ve undoubtedly made my career. I’ll do my best to return the favor.