Romance Highlights

Last week I flew out to San Antonio for RWA which was fabulously hot.

Seriously, that Texas heat!

I stayed in a gorgeous bed and breakfast on the Riverwalk. It was beautiful. It was also about a half mile walk to the conference, which was a good thing...

I got my exercise in so that I could enjoy even more of those margaritas and Mexican food!

As always RWA was full of romance and creativity and super inspiring and talented writers.

Here are the highlights:

Booksmarks Bar

Summer Fridays have officially started.

With nice weather finally here and my affinity for a great view, a Friday afternoon rooftop bar is in order. Last Friday we went over to Bookmarks, a rooftop bar/lounge on top of The Library Hotel.

If I was ever going to grab a hotel in NYC this is where I would want to say. The rooms are themed around books. 

On the roof, it was sunny and wonderful. So much so that Jaida posed for me.

A few times...

So did Danielle and Sarah.

Jess gave me the side eye when I kept taking her picture.

We sat together outside, sipped on our drinks (I had the Bookmarks Fruit Punch), and looked around.

 The views were so great, I didn't snap any shots of our drinks.

I wasn't the only one taking pictures this time.

I did manage to snap a picture of Jaida's hand and the notes she wrote on it. They were completely unrelated but it still looked rather funny.

Bookmarks is one of my favorite rooftop bars in the city (though I am on a hunt to try out some more), and not just because of the name. It's not overly crowded. There's a cute inside area in case the weather turns--or you just need some shade, and the drinks are good. It's a fun place to get together.

Books of Wonder and East Side Sushi

Wednesday Night there was YA Genre Face Off at Books of Wonder.

The amazing and talented and all around awesome guy, Adam Silvera, asked me if I was up for helping represent science fiction with the lovely Joan Paquette and I said of course.

My books were in great company.

Representing contemporary Elizabeth Eulberg (or Elizabeth #1 since there were two of us) mentioned that Better Off Friends was inspired by the age-old question can a guy and a girl really be best friends--and nothing more--and the quintessential girl-guy-best friend movie, When Harry Met Sally.

She also said that when she does school visits, she gets a lot of blank stares at this movie restaurant.

This happened to me a lot when I was teaching. I'd mention a movie and get blank stares and be like "um I am not that much older than you, please see more movies" and most of my students would roll their eyes. But anyway...

Also on the contemporary team, Laurie Boyle Crompton was there with The Real Prom Queens of Westfield High, a book about a bunch of outsiders who get to go to prom queen makeover camp, which is also a reality show, and they have to battle it out to be prom queen and win a million dollars.

I totally wish this had been a real thing when I was in high school because while I might not have cared about being prom queen (I was so not on that radar) me and my competitive drive would have been really into trying to win a million dollars.

Laurie inspired us SF and Fantasy writers to talk about what our own characters prom ambitions would be. 

Janelle and Ben, by the way, probably wouldn't have gone to prom. I mean, with the whole world falling apart they were a little busy, but I think that would have had a lot more fun getting dressed up and doing something together or with a small group of close friends rather than going to the prom.

On team fantasy was Marie Rutkoski with The Winner's Curse, the first in a trilogy. Interestingly enough though, she conceived of the book as a stand alone only once she got near the end she realized she was going to have to write more than just one book, otherwise her readers who be really mad at her for ending the book like that. 

This is also a fantasy novel but without magic--it's set in another world but feels more historical. After hearing Marie talk about it, I definitely am into reading this. I think Janelle and Ben might have something in common with Kestrel and Arin.

The other fantasy member was Leah Cypess whose novel Death Sworn is near the top of my TBR pile. The contemporary and SF teams had to decide what weapon our characters would use if they needed to assassinate someone. I said Janelle would probably use a gun since she's been taught how to use one. 

But I really like Joan's answer: death ray stare. Since that seems easier and potentially more affective. 

We had a lovely crowd who asked some really great questions. 

Almost everyone had a great time.

Okay, really everyone did have a great time.

After the event ended I was starving and my friend Whitney (who used to live in my building but just moved to midtown East) and I headed over to her neighborhood for sushi at Tenzan.

We both started with Miso Soups.

 Then we feasted:

 It was fresh and cheap and delicious. All clear signs of a great night.