Monday, July 30, 2012

Aloha to RWA - Librarian's Day


Dani is the winner from last week's post!  And I was a winner at RWA's Librarian Day:


7:30 – 8:00 a.m.
Registration/ Badge Pick-Up


Imagine my surprise when I picked up my bag from one of my favorite historical romance authors - Shana Galen! 


8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Creative Marketing: Connecting Romance Readers and Authors at the Library

Speakers: Amy Alessio, Simone Elkeles, and Susan Gibberman

Make the most of your resources with some interactive romance-themed programs for teens and adults including book launch parties, online book discussions, chocolate tastings and writing workshops. The 2008 RWA Librarian of the Year, Susan Gibberman, will join notable teen librarian Amy Alessio as well as best-selling and RITA award-winning author Simone Elkeles to highlight creative ways to market events to capture the attention of romance lovers. Fill seats at your events, and keep them coming back for more.

These ladies were perfect for the first session - their enthusiasm for readers percolated the room.   Simone shared how she recruited a top model for her book trailers ... she is one clever mom!

Susan Gibberman, Simone Elkeles and Amy Alessio

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Focus on Historical Romance

Speakers: Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins, Sabrina Jeffries, and Julia London

Chat with four popular (and hilarious) historical romance authors. What’s popular in historical romance now? What do they see coming in the subgenre? What do they love about historical romance, and why do they write it? Who are their “must-read” romance authors? Attend this fun discussion, and bring your questions, too!

I concur with "hilarious" as the audience laughed along with their hijinx!

Suzanne Enoch, Julia London, Sabrina Jeffries, Karen Hawkins
thegoddessblogs.com

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Romance Readers’ Advisory

Speakers: Wendy Crutcher, Kristan Higgins, and Kristin Ramsdell

Two former RWA Librarians of the Year and bestselling romance author Kristan Higgins will share their tips for “romance readers’ advisory 101.” From the RA interview to information on the genre, find out what you need to know.

They may look serious in the picture below, but their panel was interactive, seeking suggestions from the audience on books to recommend to librarian patrons for specific genres.  

Kristin Ramsdell, Kristan Higgins, Wendy Crutcher

12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Librarian Luncheon Featuring New York Times Best-selling Author Kerrelyn Sparks. Librarians will also be eating lunch with more than 50 published authors!


I sat next to the incomparable Linda Howard and Librarian of the Year, Mary Moore from the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library.   Below, Kerrelyn Sparks shared her reading (and writing) journey.   Everyone needed a hanky for her inspirational story.


2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Librarian/Bookseller Networking Event with Authors
Come to this fun, informal meet-and-greet with romance authors!

I chatted with Canadian cowgirl
(and paranormal author) Vivian Arend.

Carrie Lofty and Wendy Crutcher

Erin Knightley, Kieran Kramer, and Anna Lee Huber
Tim Tams - yum, yum!
  
Margaret Mallory and Kris Alice,
the founder of LoveLetter Magazine 
(in Germany, loveletter-magazin.de)

Jessica Scott and Sue Grimshaw

Tim Tams were everywhere at RWA - thanks to the Aussie authors who brought them!  If you attended RWA, what would you bring from your "home town" to share?   I gave away goodie bags with a foldout map of Pearl Harbor plus fruit flavored tea.   One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash - I mailed home 7 boxes!   Comments are open through Saturday, August 4, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, August 5.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Hawaiian Fruit Tea at the Hickam Commissary

27 comments:

  1. Looks like you had a grand ol time there! I had an Aussie friend send me three boxes of Tim Tams as a belated birthday gift. They are quite yummy.

    Raonaid at gmail dot com

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  2. I really envy you! I want to meet those fabulous writers too someday and I will give them our own delicacy, dried mangoes. They're really sweet and healthy too.

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  3. 7 boxes? Omg wow, you had a huge haul didn't you.

    I think I would bring cactus candy. It's a candy that we have here in Las Vegas made from the juice of cactus.

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  4. Wow, I can't believe that you traveled yesterday and have gotten this posted already Kim...I haven't even finished unpacking and I was only a few cities away! It was great to see you and thank you again for all of the wonderful experiences you made it possible for me to have (0:

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  5. It was fabulous to see you. I'm so glad I got to check you in (the perks of volunteering).

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  6. Seeing you, Kim, is one of the big highlights of attending conferences for me!!! You're amazing. You have such INCREDIBLE enthusiasm for romance, and I can't thank you and your readers enough!!!

    Hugs,

    Kieran :>)

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  7. It was great seeing you again, Kim! And thanks for making my sister feel welcome, too!

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  8. Great to see you there, Kim!

    Margaret

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  9. Hi Kim! It's always a delight to see your smiling face and hear your words of encouragement! I was lucky enough to receive two boxes of Tim Tams. One was already gone by the time we left. Thank you for all you do! Hugs!

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  10. Wow... that's a terrific idea!

    I live in Toronto so can't think of much traditional food. Maybe just Maple candies? They do taste pretty good.... Ice Wine is pretty good too but they are hard to carry all the way on a plane!

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  11. Congrats Dani! Lots of wonderful pics - it's nice putting faces to all these wonderful ladies! Sounds like you had a wonderful time! Well, we are known for a famous Primanti's sandwich which started out for something truckers could take with them - huge sandwiches of all kinds with the coleslaw and french fries right in the sandwich but I guess that would be hard to give out lol. I have yet to taste those Tim Tams - 0ne of these days lol.

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  12. You understand military life, we moved to soon out of California. I would have loved to gone. We were only a couple of hours away when we lived Cali. One day I will get there.

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  13. Congrats on winning. And on getting to spend time with so many wonderful authors. There are so many authors that I would love meet. One of these days I will definitely make it to a conference. I just have to work on my anxiety issues, lol.

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  14. How wonderful I so wish I could have gone ... SOMEDAY....
    I would giveaway Real Maple Syrup, Maple syrup Fudge, I hear they now have a maple syrup flavored Tea though I have not tried it or found it.
    Kim I love the Hawaiian fruit teas I save them for the night when I can't sleep.
    Have a good one ann/alba

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  15. Thanks for sharing your stash, Kim. I might bring bagels and hope they don't get stale.

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  16. OMG! Thank you Kim!! Wonderful pictures I'm so jealous.

    Thanks for sharing your stash.

    My hometown is Chicago -- so I would bring everyone a taste of Chicago -- pizza, hot dogs and Italian Beef sandwiches!

    I love TimTams, last yeat I bought them at Target around Christmas.

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  17. Sounds like you had a lot of fun. I'd probably bring trail mix.

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  18. what a wonderful time you had!!!
    so happy for you!!
    & how nice that you wish to share your goodies with us!!

    good luck to all!!

    cyn209 at juno dot com

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  19. Wow, 7 boxes?! I think my personal best has been six :)

    So great to see you - and thank your boys again for all their help Wednesday night! My colleagues back at the library did most of the heavy lifting of unloading and storing once we got out of the convention center - I, at the very least, owe them donuts tomorrow morning.

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  20. Woes great pics, looks so much fun, whoo great books, Wtg dani, bring to tomato from my garden
    Kimh

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  21. Great post, Kim. I would bring chocolate covered dried Michigan cherries. I love the Hawaiian macadamia nut tea--it's like a little bit of the islands in the middle of a Michigan winter.

    And thank you Kieran Kramer for sharing your Tim Tams.

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  22. That'S a good question Kim. I could bring something from Texas but none of the food I could think of would travel well lol. Maybe pick up a variety of Texas wines to share. But not being a wine drinker I'd be lost choosing. You'll just have to wait for San Antonio in 2014 ;-) . I so hope to make it to Atlanta next year. I see the pictures and think oh man I want to go.

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  23. I had Tim Tams once. They were very good! I'm not sure what I would bring. Not too many things travel well. We are know for our chipped ham and lots of people like pierogies.
    I'm glad you had a great time!

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  24. IU have never had Tim Tam but I hear they are wonderful

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  25. I also live in Texas and having difficulty thinking of a food item that would travel well. Maybe something to do with our state flower - Bluebonnets. Packages of seeds?? Love the pictures of you and the authors. So glad you enjoyed yourself!

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  26. Hello! Thanks for your lovely picture and comments here. We had an amazing day and enjoyed doing our panel. I hope I see you again next time!

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  27. Thanks for sharing your photos! Looks like you had a wonderful time :)

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