Sandi Shilhanek | Reliving RWA In My Dreams

Sandi Shilhanek
August 8, 2010

When I thought about the blog post this week I really wanted to be bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed detailing the totally wonderful time I had in Orlando at RWA 2010. However, I am sick, and while I understand that it’s a side effect of being worn down from the fun I had, I’m really ready to be over the sick, so I can truly reflect on the fun!

Meeting Robyn Carr

Sherrilyn Kenyon arriving at Walt Disney Dolphin Hotel

I had the chance to attend RWA due to the generosity of Sara Reyes, and Fresh Fiction. It truly was a wonderful experience, and I would suggest anyone and everyone take the opportunity to attend even if like me you don’t think you want to be an author. Being surrounded by the amazing people of the publishing industry is really inspiring, and I have to admit had me giving a fleeting thought to writing a book. For all you other aspiring authors…your chances are still safe, because I don’t see myself writing a book, and I’m beginning to believe if you can’t visualize it you can’t achieve it.

There were so many highlights, but two that really stand out was the opportunity to meet Robyn Carr. If you’ve been reading me you know I’m probably the biggest Carr fan ever! When my friend Pat got to meet her first I really thought I would never speak to her again. Luckily for Pat my first encounter with Robyn came just a few hours later, and not a whole day later! It meant our friendship was safe!

Another huge highlight was standing around chatting with a friend I knew from online, and had never met, Debbie. I turned around and Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love were standing behind me. I had the opportunity to introduce Debbie to them for the first time, as I’ve met them several times in my local area. I’m not sure who had the biggest thrill…Debbie for finally meeting two of her favorite authors, or me for being able to know them well enough to introduce them to Debbie!

So even though I’ve been sick I wouldn’t give up a moment of this experience, and am still living the high of it even if my voice is gone, and I can only live it in my dreams, and not actually tell anyone about it!

Until next week happy page turning!

Sandi Shilhanek

DFW Tea Readers
Readers 'n 'ritas... celebrating literary obsessions

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PS: We picked up over 600 books, most signed, in the past week! So be sure to comment today and tomorrow to be entered to win! Everyone LOVES free books!

Comments

38 comments posted.

Re: Sandi Shilhanek | Reliving RWA In My Dreams

Sounds awesome. Glad you resisted the urge to take Pat out. Hope you feel better soon.
(Maria Munoz 9:41am August 8, 2010)

Oh, Sandi what a dream come true for you. I would so love the chance to meet some of my favorite authors and Sherrilyn and Dianna are at the top on my list. Where I live I don't have a snowballs chance so I will continue to live vicariously through you and the otheres that do get to travel and meet authors and write about your experience.
Hope you recover quickly from being worn down.
(Gigi Hicks 9:45am August 8, 2010)

I am glad that you had such a good time. It does sound like a wonderful experience. It's a shame that you came home sick. I have heard other convention attendees also got sick. I hope you feel better soon!
(Cheryl Castings 10:09am August 8, 2010)

From reading your comments, I would say that losing your voice, and getting sick were worth it!! I would trade places with you in a heartbeat!! Instead I had to stay home, weed the garden, and get covered with bug bites, which are itching me like crazy!! I'd much rather lose my voice and be sick a few days. That way I could stay in bed and catch up with some reading!! lol Feel better soon.
(Peggy Roberson 11:09am August 8, 2010)

I'm so jealous! I love Robyn Carr! I have all her books and can't wait for more!
(JoAnn White 11:46am August 8, 2010)

My husband and I are retired and we travel a good bit - usually visiting friends and relatives. But, we always end up in FLorida when the conventions are in Ohio or something like that. I know I would have enjoyed meeting in person some of the great authors I have met through blogs and/or their books. You picked a great time to 10 get sick and 2) get over 600 books. READ and get well!
(Karin Tillotson 12:15pm August 8, 2010)

That sounds so wonderful! How does it feel knowing so many of us are living vicariously through your experiences?
(G S Moch 12:20pm August 8, 2010)

Congrats on the opportunity to go to RWA. I got to participate in a small way by going to the RWA Literacy Author signing, and I had a ball.
(Barbara Elness 12:35pm August 8, 2010)

Looks like you had a lot of fun at RWA.
(Donna Simmonds 12:43pm August 8, 2010)

Lucky you! I can't imagine how
exciting it was to be bumping
into my favorite authors left
and right!
(Jacqueline Cook 1:39pm August 8, 2010)

I am so envious because I did not get to attend RWA but I am getting ready for next yr. lol..Get well quick and enjoy your books..
(Brenda Hill 1:51pm August 8, 2010)

Get well soon... Enjoy reading about everyone's experiences!
(Colleen Conklin 2:13pm August 8, 2010)

OMG, WHAT A FUN TIME!!!! I am green with envy at meeting all those authors:)
(Barbara Studer 2:41pm August 8, 2010)

Hope you're feeling better. Looks like everyone had a wonderful time.
(Jane Cheung 3:14pm August 8, 2010)

It is a thrill to meet favorite or soon-to-be favorite authors. You know what they say if you need to rest your voice, write instead. I thought that will make you giggle with groans and irony. Take care of your voice and get weller.
(Alyson Widen 3:17pm August 8, 2010)

What a wonderful memory day.
(Cathy MacDonald 3:42pm August 8, 2010)

Hello Sandi, Please enter me in your fantastic contest on freshfiction.com and please let me know when I am a winner too!
May GOD bless you with success,
CECILIA
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 4:47pm August 8, 2010)

Sandi, what a wonderful time you must have had, even though you weren't feeling well. To meet all of those fabulous authors and to be surrounded by books...what a feeling that must have been! Best wishes to you
(Debbie Lemaire 6:01pm August 8, 2010)

Oh Sandi, I hope you are feeling more yourself soon. How lovely it must have been to experience RWA.
(G. Bisbjerg 6:02pm August 8, 2010)

Since I am also a big fan of Robyn Carr I might be jealous you met her except I like you to much!! I'm so glad you had a good experience even though you ended up sick & no voice. Hope you are well soon. 600 books! Wow!!!
Sandi as you know I got to go to the RWA book signing when it was in San Francisco, in 2007 I think. It was fabulous! Thanks to the kindness of Jill Shalvis I got to go to a Blaze book signing that was not open to the public and the books were free! Jill is another of my favorite authors thanks to her humor and writing skills. Her daily blog is a must for me. Anyway, I hope you will share more with us because I have a feeling what is posted here is only a small segment of the whole experience.
Take care,
Donna M
(Donna McClure 6:05pm August 8, 2010)

You had a great time we can tell!
(Diane Sadler 6:17pm August 8, 2010)

Sandi, hope you feel better soon. Glad you had such a good time. I love Robyn and Jill too.
(Joyce Mandle 6:53pm August 8, 2010)

It's too bad that you're not feeling well but it sounds like you had a fabulous time. I hope you feel better soon.
(Maureen Emmons 7:00pm August 8, 2010)

I'm always wishing I am the one attending. Sounds fabulous.
(Mary Preston 7:31pm August 8, 2010)

I envy you the chance to go to the RWA. The idea of so many books and their authors--many favorites and possible new favorites there to be found--is delicious to think about!
(Dolores Feagin 7:49pm August 8, 2010)

It sounds like a great time and I wish I could have been there! I hope you feel better soon...Never mind that!...Feel better NOW! LOL
(Dawn Detkowski 8:08pm August 8, 2010)

I am glad you had such a wonderful
time. I was hoping to go but had
made reservations for Nashville prior
to the flood, so that is where I spent
RWA week. Maybe another year I'll be
able to make it.
(Patricia Barraclough 9:30pm August 8, 2010)

So glad that you had fun and are able to tell us about some of the highlights. Get better soon.
(Leni Kaye 9:32pm August 8, 2010)

Sorry to hear you are sick but I'll bet it was worth it.
(Vicki Hancock 10:00pm August 8, 2010)

Obviously the conference was a blast! It has been fun reading everyone's remarks about the event. I have attended similar events to that and I understand just how much enjoyment like-minded friends getting together can create.
(Gladys Paradowski 11:32pm August 8, 2010)

Times like those are the ones we all look back on our lives and enjoy the memories.
(Vickie Hightower 11:42pm August 8, 2010)

That's my dream - to go to RWA! And you're right - who doesn't love free books?! Especially if they're signed!
(Kelli Jo Calvert 12:14pm August 9, 2010)

That's my dream - to go to RWA!! And you're right - who doesn't love free books?! Especially signed books!
(Kelli Jo Calvert 12:21pm August 9, 2010)

OMG, 600 books. Sorry you were
ill but it founds like you had a
fantastic time.
(Lisa Richards 7:22pm August 9, 2010)

Sounds like a great time. I'm hoping next year to get a chance to attend RWA. :D
(Molly Wilsbacher 10:14pm August 9, 2010)

I can't believe some of you are wishing you are were ill so you could stay home and read books. Crazy! I've been so sick I can't read books, can't follow story, for 2 weeks! I hate it! I only got 2 books read!
(Brenda Rupp 12:13pm August 11, 2010)

Sandi,
Loved visiting with you at the Sourcebooks dinner ... what fun we had and what wonderful memories ... Carolyn Brown
(Carolyn Brown 6:11pm August 17, 2010)

As always, enjoyed what I read.
(Sheila True 2:17pm August 21, 2010)

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