Running With Quills: When in doubt, take a shower

Welcome to Running With Quills, your online newsletter designed to keep you up to date with what your favorite authors (that would be us) are doing throughout the year. Here you will find the release dates of our new books and get information about our backlists. We'll preview our cover art here long before the books hit the stores and we'll keep you informed about works-in-progress and special projects. You'll also receive advance notice of signings and appearances. From time to time we'll give you a peek at our worlds, tell you what we're reading, and introduce you to some new authors.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

When in doubt, take a shower

Last time it was my turn to blog, I totally dropped the ball. It was the same weekend as my and Dianne's "Reader and Author Get Together," but I knew that well in advance. My plan had been to get a blog ready, then post it on my way out the door on Friday.
Yeah. You know what they say about well laid plans. :::Snort::::

The entire week (month?) leading up to the event was a comedy of chaos, so I totally forgot. Sorry! But I know you're a forgiving bunch, right? :-)

This week I figured I'd tell you about the event, and dazzle you with lots of photos to make up for my lapse last week, AND tell you how I managed to write through craziness.

First, here's a photo of Dianne and me on Friday night, looking a little dazed.

... and then on Saturday, the authors who attended, or at least as many as we could get grouped up at one time:

... and the Tails of Love authors... even though we kept missing two people in each shot.

Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Marcia James, Kate Angell, Donna MacMeans, Dianne Castell, Stella Cameron, Lori Foster, Patricia Sargeant.
Sarah McCarty and Ann Christopher are missing. (Ann was doing an airport run for an agent!)

Back row: Marcia James, Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Patricia Sargeant, Kate Angell, Dianne Castell.

Front: Lori Foster, Donna MacMeans, Ann Christopher.
Sarah McCarty and Stella are missing. Popular authors are forever pulled away. LOL

The event was an enormous success with $6,616.00 made for the One-Way Farm for abused and abandoned children. Here's a pic of Dianne and me handing over a "blown-up" check to the director, Barb Condo. But I promise we gave her a real check too!

And we had a lot of great "physical" donations for the AAF - Animal Adoption Foundation - along with $225.00 in gift cards.

(Note the TAILS OF LOVE car magnet on the van between me and the director, Eric.)

We also had a ton of donations for the Troops (which Laurie Damron takes to mail out) and $506.00 in cash, checks and gift cards for shopping and shipping to the Troops.

And lastly, Allen (my hubby), Dianne, me, Linda Keller (bookseller), and Tammy from the Marriott already met to make arrangements for NEXT year's event!
Mark your calendars for June 4th - 6th 2010!!!

The photo is a little blurry, but it was taken by a harried waitress trying to get drinks out to everyone. :-)

Let me tell you, with over 300 people in attendance, Dianne and I had our work cut out for us. We have the most amazing volunteers in the entire world, but there's a lot that she and I have to remember.

And just as a kicker, I'm on deadline with a book! Let me tell you, there were many, many times when my brain shut down on the plot because it was so busy trying to finalize plans, remember arrangements, make notes of "to do" lists, and just in general stay sane.
So what kept me writing?

Showers!

Honest to goodness, whenever I'd get stuck, a shower would kick-start my brain. I'd be under that water, and entire streams of dialogue would come to me. New twists, resolutions to previous twists... it was amazing!

I still have around 80 pages to write, but I'm hopeful that things will keep moving along so I'm not late on this book. I detest the thought of being late. It keeps me awake at night!

So... two questions.

What do you do when you get stuck and can't think straight?

And if you were going to attend a gathering like mine and Dianne's, what authors would you REALLY want to see there?

I was THRILLED to have Stella around this year. Totally made it extra-special for me and gave me huge bragging rights. :-) And I know the Quills on a whole are mega-busy, so I won't list them as who I want there, but they all know I'd do flips for that. :-)
I'm on a mission to get Kresley Cole to attend, as I'm a giant fangirl for her books!

Hope you all enjoyed the photos!
Have a stellar week!

Lori

27 Comments:

DFender said...: Happy Friday, Lori!
Looks like it was a phenomenal success! Congratulations to you and the rest of the authors.
Deb; 5:05 AM
wstridgerunner said...: Lori, it sounds as if the "get together" was a success; ya'll got so much accomplished and if the pictures say anything, it looks as if everyone had a grand time too!

What authors? Any that write in the romantic/suspense and fantasy would be awesome!; 5:12 AM
susan andersen said...: Lori, I can't even imagine all the work that goes into putting on that event. It sounds like it gets larger every year!

And re getting stuck, 20 minute naps help get me back in action. I set the timer on the stove and sack out on the couch.; 5:51 AM
Keri Stevens said...: Lori,
I think the afterglow has finally faded somewhat--am elbow deep in edits, myself. How I get the juices flowing again? Um...sleep. I usually have some weird dream I can't remember, but wake up with a new direction.

I think SUSAN ANDERSEN up there ought to come next year!; 5:56 AM
Lori Foster said...: Keri, I've been twisting her arm (cyberly, of course) trying to get her to the event for 2010. :-) As a fangirl myself, I'd LOVE to see Susan there.
But I also know she has oodles of commitments, so I try not to be too obnoxious about it. LOL

Lori; 6:03 AM
Anonymous said...: As usual your "to-do" lists and accomplished tasks paid off. Everything went off without a hitch once again and there was plenty of fun to be had no matter where you went throughout the hotel! I wished I'd gotten to meet and talk to those authors who visited for the first time. I always seem to gravitate to those people I'm most familiar with! Next year I may think about bringing hubby with me...we'll see! I returned home and found he'd contracted a virus as had I too and he's been sick ever since, so our 25th anniversary that fell on June 9th was not all that romantic. I'm feeling better than hubby now except for the same nagging cough that's still around to date. I guess it just takes us older folk more time to recover than when we were younger and more resilient! As to how I get my juices flowing and become more motivated is by reading books that take me to another setting than the one I'm entrenched within and of course sleep does a body good as well! Thanks for yet another wonderful time! It's the one event I make a priority to attend each and every year, hands down! :-)

Joni; 6:14 AM
Michelle Buonfiglio said...: Hiya, Lori and everyone! the Get-Together was such a blast, and what's really cool is the buzz it's getting behind the scenes right now. I hate to sound like a major name-dropper type (sorta), but I was talking with a big NYC publicist yesterday who really is impressed by what's goin on in WC Ohio.

And I'm w/Keri on the sleep thing being the ultimate healing balm. When I have so much to do and am so stressed I can't think straight, I know it's time to catch some rest, even if it takes a nice glass of wine or something -- and a load of denial of what I'm putting off -- to make it happen. Then everything looks more clear and easier to accomplish afterward.

Of course, at the Get-Together, who needs sleep? You might miss some vital gab...; 6:15 AM
Lori Foster said...: Joni, you've brought your hubby before, right? Or am I imagining that. LOL

Michelle, oh Michelle... we could NOT have done things this year without you!
For those of you who don't know, this year my hubby and I arranged for a videographer to be on hand to catch some of the fun and to do some "short" interviews. Har.
Shows what I DON'T know.
Michelle very graciously agreed to do the interviews, and more, but what I thought would be "a few" hours of work turned into 10x more hours than I'd anticipated!
I kid you not, we worked that poor woman near to death.
The upside is that everyone said it was so much easier doing the interviews with a pro guiding them, but still... I feel bad that Michelle had like zero time to enjoy the event.
IF we do a videographer again next year, I will totally cut back on that a LOT.
So a giant THANK YOU to Michelle.
I can't wait to see what the videographer comes up with. He and Michelle made an incredible, very professional but fun team!

Hugs to all,

Lori; 7:30 AM
Dorthy said...: That sounds like it was a wonderful weekend!

When I get stuck, I do a couple of things, depending on what's going on. I will take a relaxing bath, usually a bubble bath. Or go for a walk.

You said the next one is in June of 2010...where is it located?; 7:33 AM
Lori Foster said...: Unless we outgrow the hotel one year, it'll always be at the Marriott in West Chester, Ohio.
:-) They do a fantastic job for us there, and the staff is wonderful!

Lori; 7:40 AM
Keri Stevens said...: Um, yeah, Michelle,

Who needs sleep? (*snort!*)

(Lori, I caught her having fun once or twice--or at least faking it really well! The pic up on my blog last week has her looking fresh as a daisy while I'M all bleary-eyed and goofy. Sigh.)

Keri; 7:46 AM
kat1reader said...: Lori and Dianne - I thank you both SO MUCH for having this event. It is the one thing I plan my summer around.
Note about the hotel - the staff is wonderful!!! They are so gracious and helpful.
Who would I ask for next year - well, I'll ask for someone I probably won't see at any event in the US... Nalini Singh.
Kathy; 8:03 AM
Anonymous said...: I think next year I'm going to have to stay at the hotel instead of going home at night!
But an author I'd love to see there? I'll choose a couple from the East Coast that may be easier to attend - Holly Jacobs, Susan Gable, Ellen Hartman. From the West Coast - Deb Salonen, Jeannie Watt, Kim Van Meter. I'm a fangirl of SuperRomances!

MarcieR; 8:14 AM
Kate Douglas said...: Lori, I was really sorry I couldn't make it this year. Your gathering is just about the neatest weekend ever for hanging out with people who love to read. So glad it was such a success!

As far as recharging--showers work for me, too. Also long drives along country roads. There's something about the grown-up part of the brain keeping busy driving the car that lets my "lizard brain," the creative part, be free to think.

Susan's idea works too--I actually have a small bed in my office where I can take short naps to recharge the creative juices. Sometimes it's just getting up from the computer and taking a walk through the garden--I've got a million tricks and run through all of them at some time or another with every book I write!; 8:16 AM
Lori Foster said...: Keri, I'm relieved that Michelle found at least few moments to relax!

Kathy, thank YOU for being our photographer! I love the photos I've seen so far. :-)
Naliny would be an awesome attending author! But yeah, probably not feasible for her.

Marcie, we should definitely try to get Holly Jacobs to show up. I've known her for awhile. Terrific lady!

Kate, we missed you! HOpefully you'll be able to make it out again some year, but I know it's one heck of a long trek for you!

Hugs to all,

Lori; 11:52 AM
Jayne Ann Krentz said...: Lori, Congratulations on a truly spectacular event! And thanks for the pictures.

--Jayne; 12:36 PM
Judy F said...: Lori I had a blast this year. You and Dianne and Linda do an awesome job. Thanks so much for taking care of me. I appreciate it greatly.

Get that Susan girl there and I guess my next fav would be Jill Shalvis.

Though being interviewed terrified me no end. I lived. LOL Poor Beth had to keep talking to me to keep me from going off the deep end. LOL

I can't wait till next year. HUGS; 4:16 PM
Kaleen said...: I had sooo much fun again this year. Each year it gets better. Thank you, Lori and Dianne! This event is the highlight of my summer. It's fun, not to expensive, and I love seeing everyone again and meeting new people. I also have fun watching the faces of the people who wins the raffle baskets. The proceeds always goes to a good cause. I do have one question. I saw the tails of love magnet on the van, do they have these for sale?

Kaleen; 5:33 PM
Lori Foster said...: Kaleen, I've been giving the TAils of Love magnets away! :-) Well, those and L.L. and Lori magnets too. ;-) Fun promo!
If you want one of Tails of Love for your car, just let me know.
Send me an email and I'll load you up with goodies!
Hugs,

Lori; 5:38 PM
Elsa said...: Congratulations on a successful event!! The shower thing is funny because that's where I do my best thinking too. Every morning I have to fight the urge to bring a hand-held recorder into the bathroom with me, hoping that I don't forget any of my 'great ideas'.; 6:30 PM
Keri Stevens said...: Hey,
That "recorder in the shower" idea ain't half bad. You'd need a ziploc baggie . . .; 6:34 PM
Kaleen said...: Yay! I love magnets. I just sent you my address. Thank you for offering.

Michelle was great doing the video. She had us laughing a time or two when she had us in the groups wishing everyone was there. I can't wait to see it.

The author I would like to see come to the event is Karen Kelly. I did miss Kate Douglas this year also.

Kaleen; 7:10 PM
Stella Cameron said...: Lori: The most memorable thing about the get-together is all the smiles and laughter. Folks had a wonderful time and providing that was a service to your fellow people! Dianne and you couldn't have done a better job.

I think I've pretty much exhausted talk about my bench. I was there today, yesterday and plan to be there tomorrow. It's the most peaceful spot with a canopy of leaves through which I can see the sky--mmmm.

Showers also help break blocks for me, as do short power naps.

Hugs, Stella; 7:17 PM
Anonymous said...: Lori,
I go outside. Nothing like a few trees and a little sun to reset the old software, so I take a walk.
As for the authors I would love to attend an event with? All ya'll Quills, of course, Linda Howard, Beverly Barton (again), Dorothy Garlock, Christina Dodd, Jessica Speart, Mary Kay Andrews, Brenda Jackson, and many more. And if I could go back in time, L.M. Montgomery would be someone I would love to meet.
I'm so glad your event went so well, and you all looked so pretty together.
Lynne Thomas; 6:53 AM
Catherine said...: Hi Lori
Wow, your event sounds wonderful!! Comin' to Calif anytime?
My brother always said he wrote his best sermons in the shower.
Me, when things get crazy, I read a book. I've "re-grouped" with your SBC guys many a time.
What authors would I love to see? Added to the list--- Julie Garwood, Catherine Coulter, Christine Feehan,
Janet Evanovich, Johanna Lindsay.....the list goes on.
Just finished your "Real Men Last All Night", what a ride, talk about needing a shower =)
Better add Lora Leigh and gang to that list.

Catherine; 7:57 PM
Lori Foster said...: Great author suggestions, folks. I have no problem personally inviting authors if I can find contact info for them. :-)

Being outside is a great way to free up my mind, too. Sometimes I walk down to the pond and feed the fish (in warmer weather) and it clears away the cobwebs.

I sometimes think the shower works because of water is a part of the outsides/nature, right?

No California for me, sorry Catherine. Dianne and I have to keep it local to keep it manageable for us. :-) But we'd love it if you visited! My friend Shana comes all the way from Cali.

Happy Father's Day!!!

Lori; 5:00 AM
annie said...: What fabulous pictures, Lori, looks like everyone had fun.
When I get stuck or can't focus usually a walk helps. If I can't walk, music from the 60's...gotta love those Temptations!! Swaying is a lot like walking.
Frankly when an author takes the time (and we know you are all very busy bees) to come out to the public arena it's appreciated. So any author who does this (over and above the usual bookstore signings, well...I'd be super impressed with them. Annie; 12:34 PM

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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

When in doubt, take a shower

27 Comments: