RWA Wrap Up

The Romance Writers of America (RWA) National Conference in New York City ended this past Saturday, and my head is still spinning. So much great information, so many things to add to my to-do list, and so many new story ideas.

World Trade Center

The conference began with a little family time. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I got to hang out with my nephew and his beautiful wife who live in Queens. On Wednesday, I spent a solemn morning at the September 11th Memorial then headed up to Chelsea to walk the beautiful High Line from beginning to end.

High Line

On Thursday, the conference began in earnest, and I had my first fan-girl moment when I spied Jill Shelves having breakfast two tables over. Following an awesome session with Nora Roberts, I had several more fan-girl moments. Like when I saw first Jodi Thomas, then Jayne Ann Krentz, followed by Kristan Higgins and Julie James. Only at RWA can you see the rockstars of romance up close and personal, and they don't even call security.

Nora Roberts (left) and Kristan Higgins (far right)

I capped off the fun-filled week with a fabulous dinner at The View, New York City's only revolving restaurant, followed by the RITA and Golden Heart Award Ceremony – the Oscars of the romance writing world.

The Chrysler Building (left) not to be confused with my dessert (right).

Now it's time to put all that new-found knowledge to work and start the next book, Romancing Dr. Love. Sigh. Until next year . . .

Top 5 Most Romantic Classic Novels of All Time

Continuing my theme of "top five most romantic," since I'm at the national conference of the Romance Writers of America this week, it seems only fitting that I should list my top five most romantic classic novels of all time. So here they are. 

#5 Wuthering Heights – Wuthering Heights is the turbulent and wildly passionate love-story of Cathy and Heathcliff, two people who cannot love together, yet cannot bear to live apart. Their love-hate relationship and unresolved passion eventually threatens to destroy them and many around them. But they’re two parts of the same soul destined to be joined for all eternity.

#4 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte’s classic story of a young orphan girl who overcomes cruelty,

loneliness and heartbreak and falls in love with her dark, dashing and handsome employer, Mr. Rochester, is one of great passions and dark secrets. A true Gothic tale complete with a shadowy manor house, unexplained noises, suspicious activities, and a brooding hero. But it’s the love of Jane and Rochester that make this number four on my list.

#3 Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell’s sweeping epic novel about the South during the Civil War. The saga tells the story of Scarlett O’Hara and the dashing, roguish Rhett Butler, beginning on the eve of the war through Sherman’s March, the Reconstruction Era and beyond. Scarlett’s evolution from spoiled Southern Belle to tough, smart business woman is one of the main reasons I love the story. Many find nothing to admire in Scarlett, but I admire her grit in the face of war, hunger, and death.

Rhett is the quintessential bad boy, but the one soft spot in his heart is for Scarlett. He not only loves her for who she is, he respects her smarts and her determination. She leads him a merry chase, but she finally succumbs to his relentless pursuit. While he does leave her in the end, I believe the two are destined to be together in the story after the story.

#2 Emma - Jane Austen’s brilliant novel about the beautiful, wealthy, meddling matchmaker, Emma,

who refuses to listen to her friend George Knightley when it comes to arranging marriages. Emma is stubbornly certain she knows the best match for all involved. The complications Emma runs into, with Austen’s cast of droll characters, each mistaken in their beliefs as to who loves whom, including Emma herself, makes for delightful comedy. Emma must learn she isn’t always right, but it takes a spark of jealousy to make her realize she has loved Mr. Knightley all along.

#1 Pride and Prejudice – Austen’s “darling child” celebrated its 200^th anniversary in 2013! It’s astonishing to think a novel published 200 years ago is still relevant today. For those of you who don’t know, this wonderful novel tells the story of the fiercely independent, Elizabeth Bennett, one of five sisters who must marry rich.  Along comes Mr. Darcy, wealthy, arrogant, and of course, quite handsome. Confounded by her, he plays the aloof, superior gentleman, determined to snub his nose at her and her family. But he soon finds himself unable to resist her wit, charm, and beauty. With delightful twists and turns, this comedy of manners is far and above my favorite romantic novel of all time. 

What novels would make your top five most romantic classics?

RWA Style 2015

The National Conference of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) is less than a week away and this year it's in the Big Apple. What is RWA, you ask? It's the once-a-year extravaganza where over 2000 aspiring, newbie, and best-selling authors (mostly women, but not all) converge on a conference center to learn, share, talk, rub elbows with, and generally immerse themselves in all things romance. Think of it as Comic-Con for romance authors.

It's really quite extraordinary to see 2000 people in one place, all devoted to the romance genre and all it's sub-genres. There's something for everyone! It's also exciting to see your favorite authors up-close-and personal. The tried and true greats from Nora Roberts and Jude Devereaux, to the latest phenoms like Kristan Higgins and Julie James are all under one roof. The week culminates in the Golden Heart Award (unpublished works) and the RITA's (published works), the Oscars of the romance world. I have to admit I go a little crazy fan-girl when I see Nora.

For the last couple of years, I've blogged about my preparations for the Big Event, and by preparations I mean wardrobe, of course! It's important to look your best, because you never know who you might meet, but it's also equally important to be comfortable. The week involves long days, lots of walking, and Arctic conference rooms. I contend that you don't have to wear a suit and heels to look polished and pulled together. Smart combinations, stylish but comfortable shoes, and some well-chosen accessories create a look that says, I'm professional, fashionable, and confident, and can earn you styles points.

I have such fun putting together my wardrobe! What can I say? I'm a clothing junkie.

I've learned over the years that building a wardrobe around one or two colors helps cut down on the number of accessories, like shoes and handbags, because you can mix and match. And if you wear one of the pairs of shoes on the plane, that's one less pair you have to pack.

So, here are my wardrobe choices for this year's RWA.

For the flight, I've chosen a pair of comfortable leggings and a tunic sweater. I get cold on airplanes and in airports, so I like something with a sleeve. I'm wearing black ballets (easy on and off at security), and I'll also wear them at the conference with another outfit or two.

For two of the conference days, I've chosen skinny jeans that can be dressed up or down. Pairing

them with a structured jacket or a cardigan really pulls the look together. Add a pair of ballets, and you've got a comfortable, but fashionable outfit. Sweaters and jackets are a must for conferences. I don't know about you, but when I'm cold, I can't concentrate. It's also a good idea to throw a pashmina in your conference bag. More on the conference bag below. (And, no, I'm not pregnant. My bed pillows just make my outfits look like an ad for Pea in a Pod.)

Bring along a couple of dressy T-shirts, and those jeans become something a little more casual. The T-shirts also make a great choice for the flight home.

On one particular day, I have special evening plans, so I'm bringing ivory and black skinny pants, along with a breezy black top. I'll add a bold necklace to the outfit to up the chic factor. During the day I'll be wearing those black ballets. But in the evening I'll slip into a pair of black patten platform pumps and add a small handbag in teal to add a pop of color.

The Awards Ceremony (aka The Big Night), every guy and gal puts on their best. Everything from evening dresses to little black dresses, and everything in between. Whatever makes you feel special. This year I'm going with a pair of champagne silk dupioni skinny pants with a champagne and black blouse. Black strappy sandals and a turquoise handbag complete the ensemble.

Don't forget to bring or carry a handy-dandy tote bag for carrying all that swag and the free books you pick up. Select something that looks polished, but has great organization pockets. When someone asks for your card, you don't want to scrounge around for ten minutes looking for one. Have them handy.

On the subject of swag, bring plenty of business cards, bookmarks, pens, lip balm, whatever you have  with your brand front and center. You don't want to miss an opportunity to introduce someone to what you write.

Last but not least, have fun. Remember why we all go to RWA – to get out of our writers' caves, meet other like-minded people, and have a little fun. And what better place to have a little fun than the Big Apple.

What did I miss? What do you think are conference essentials?

Top 5 Favorite Classic Romantic Comedies

Last week I listed my top 5 favorite modern romantic comedies. This week I'm listing my top 5 classic romantic comedies. I had to create two separate lists – otherwise I might have listed all classic movies, because growing up, I saw more classic movies then I did current ones. I cut my teeth on black and white movies starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, and Cary Grant and, well, anyone. Musicals were my favorite. I loved the costumes, the dancing, the kitsch. But right behind musicals were the romantic comedies, especially screwball comedies.

When American Movie Classics (AMC) actually ran classic movies, I was a huge fan. Then I made the switch to Turner Classic Movies (TCM). And my favorite favorites? Well, I bought them so I could watch them any time I wanted.

What makes the classics so great? The were funny without being raunchy (not that I don't enjoy a little raunch), and being funny without the raunch takes skill. And the subtle innuendo – so well-finessed you almost miss it.

So what are my top 5 favorite classic romantic comedies? Well, here they are (in no particular order):

His Girl Friday  (January 1940) - This madcap movie stars Cary Grant as Walter Burns, a newspaper editor and Rosalind Russell as Hildy Johnson, his ex-wife and former reporter for the newspaper. When he learns about her impending marriage, he schemes to get her back by asking her to cover one more story. With great chemistry between Grant and Russell, snappy repartee and "inside" remarks, it's not to be missed. The movie came in at #19 on the American Film Institute's (AFI) 100 Years ... One Hundred Laughs list in 2000.







It Happened One Night (1934)  - Directed by Frank Capra, starring Clark Gable and Claudette

Colbert -- need I say more? Colbert stars as a pampered socialite who elopes against her father's wishes. When she jumps ship in Florida, she boards a Greyhound bus bound for New York, where meets Peter, played by Clark Gable. Peter, a newspaper reporter, recognizes her and blackmails her to get her story. The film follows their adventures, until, you guessed it, they fall in love. Aww. You'll recognize many a device used in other movies and television shows: the blanket rolled up and placed down the middle of the bed; the shapely bare leg to attract passing cars. Despite a less than rousing start at the box office, the film went on to win five academy awards -- the first film to accomplish that feat.

Bringing Up Baby (1938) - This hair-brained comedy stars Cary Grant, as David Huxley, a nerdy paleontologist, and Katherine Hepburn as Susan Vance, an eccentric scatterbrained woman. The movie boasts a complicated cast of characters, but here's the Cliffs Notes version: it involves a Brontosaurus skeleton, a baby leopard, and a dognapped intercostal clavicle. Just like It Happened One Night, the movie didn't receive good reviews. But decades later, it remains a critical favorite screwball comedy.







The Philadelphia Story (December 1940) - This George Cukor film stars Cary Grant (are you

beginning to see a pattern here?), Katherine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart. Hepburn plays Tracy Lord, a divorced socialite, whose impending marriage runs into trouble when her ex-husband (played by Grant) returns and a tabloid magazine reporter (plaayed by Stewart) shows up for the scoop on her wedding. Madcap adventures soon follow, with perfectly-delivered lines from the all-star cast. The movie received 6 Oscar nominations, and walked away with two. It's also one of Rotten Tomatoes Top 100 Romantic Comedies of all time.

My Favorite Wife  (May 1940) - Cary Grant (yes, you've guessed it, I'm a huge fan of Cary Grant) and Irene Dunne star in this hilarious comedy about a shipwrecked Ellen Arden, played by Dunne, and her unwitting bigamist husband, Nick, played by Grant. Ellen had been missing 7 years and declared legally dead. She returns to find her husband off on his honeymoon with his new wife. Determined to track him down before his honeymoon night, Ellen confronts him. Unsure how to tell his new wife that Ellen has come back from the dead, Nick devises all manner of schemes to avoid the confrontation,. And the courtroom scene is priceless.

How about you? Do you have any classic romantic comedies that make your top 5 list?

Top 5 Favorite Modern Romantic Comedies

Last month I wrote about my top five most romantic real couples, fictional couples, and movies. Today, I thought I'd talk about my top five favorite modern romantic comedies. So what makes a romantic comedy one of my favorites you ask? Romcons that I can watch over and over and always sigh with pleasure at the end.

The Proposal (2009) - Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds (cu-tie pie!) turn up the heat and the

comic relief in this story about a pushy boss (Sandra Bullock) who essentially forces her assistant (Ryan Reynolds -- did I mention, yum?) to marry her so that she can keep her job with an American publishing house. In the spirit of famous comedic couples like Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, Bullock and Reynolds on-screen chemistry is charming and oh, so sexy. Especially that last kiss -- made my Hollywood's Hottest Kisses list.

Love Actually (2003) - This movie, with it's all-star cast, follows the stories of eight couples/friends during the course of the Christmas holidays. I love these sweet, sad, and silly vignettes, and who doesn't love Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson and Colin Firth (again, yum!)?  The movie is on my list of must-see holiday movies, along with other holiday favorites like It's a Wonderful Life.









Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) - Another Hugh Grant film, which follows the stories of

Charles and Carrie (played by Andie MacDowell) who repeatedly bump into one another at four weddings (one of which is Carrie's) and a funeral. I'm fond of British humor, especially when it involves Hugh Grant, and this delightful film didn't disappoint.

Sweet Home Alabama (2002) - Starring Reese Witherspoon (Melanie) and Josh Dempsey (Jake) as an estranged married couple. When Melanie gets engaged, she has to convince Jake to sign the divorce papers before her fiance (Patrick Dempsey -- so many yums!) finds out she's still married. This sweet, light-hearted romance leaves me sighing wistfully every time. And that kiss on the beach! Well, it made my Hollywood's Hottest Kisses list. Need I say more?









Pretty Woman (1990) - Julie Roberts and Richard Gere -- could there be any two more beautiful

people? Sort of Pygmalion meets Rapunzel (referred to in the movie), the RomCon explores the relationship between a high-powered corporate raider (Edward) and a reluctant hooker (Vivian). In the end, Vivian holds out for "more" than being someone's mistress, and gets her fairytale when Edward realizes he can't live without her. Le sigh.

So, what Romcons make your list?