Jayne Suggests the Perfect Road Trip

If you're looking for a good excuse for a summertime road trip, have I got a suggestion for you!

Call some friends, pack some road food and head for Atlanta, GA, on Wednesday, July 26. That evening hundreds of your favorite romance, romantic-suspense and women's fiction authors will be gathered together in a giant ballroom at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in a massive book signing event.

Yes, you can bring some books from your home collection to be signed, although the officials ask that you limit that number to five. This is a fundraiser for literacy, after all and the idea is to raise some funds!

The annual "Readers for Life: Literacy Autographing" is a regular feature of the Romance Writers of America summer convention. Trust me, it is a Really Big Deal. There will be well over four hundred authors present that evening, including most of the Big Names -- not to mention a bunch of Quills and that rowdy gang from Squawk Radio.

Think about it: you may never have another opportunity to see a lot of Quills and Squawkers at one time when we're all dressed up, legs waxed (okay, maybe shaved) and acting genteel. There will be no, I repeat no, green ghost margaritas served until after the signing event is concluded. (The officials made us promise on a stack of ARCs. That's what officials do, you see, they spoil all the fun).

The really cool part is that the publishers donate the books, the authors donate their time and the proceeds go to various literacy projects both in the host city, Atlanta, and around the world.

Here's who will be there from RWQ: SUSAN ANDERSEN (our newest Quill, whose first blog will debut here on Friday, July 21st. by the way), STELLA CAMERON, SUZANNE SIMMONS and moi, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ. (Lori and Elizabeth couldn't make it this year but after the signing, we will, of course, toast them with plenty of green ghosts)

Squawkers present that night will include: ELIZABETH BEVARLY, CONNIE BROCKWAY, CHRISTINA DODD, ELOISA JAMES and TERESA MEDEIROS. (There are rumors circulating to the effect that the infamous KITTY KUTTLESTONE will also be present but the officials are trying everything within their power to squelch that gossip).

For a list of the four hundred other authors who will be signing that evening, go to www.rwanational.org and click on "Conference" at the top. When the drop down menu appears, click on "Literacy Autographing".

Like I said, this giant signing event has Road Trip written all over it! Hope to see some of you there.

Here are the details: LOCATION: Atlanta Marriott Marquis, 265 Peachtree Center Avenue, Atlanta, GA. DATE: Wednesday, July 26. TIME: 5:30 - 8: 30 p.m. (But if you're going, plan to get there early if you want to be sure of obtaining books by all of your favorite authors. Some of the most popular writers run out of books early).

See you in Atlanta!

--Jayne