After I blogged yesterday on being excited to hear on Agent Kristen’s blog that editors were chatting about historical fiction and chick-lit, I read an article by Bob Mayer on Romancing the Blog that chastised me (well, not me personally) for being interested. The general gist was, who cares what’s hot–write what you feel passionate about. In a perfect world of publishing, that would be fine, but this is a fierce, ever-changing, discouraging business. It’s nice to get little good news every once in a while.

Right about now I’m feeling a little envious and a little relieved. I’m not going to the RWA Conference in Atlanta next week. I started writing my first romance in 2000, and I haven’t been to one yet. I’m thinking maybe next year, when the conference is in Dallas–only a few hours from my Houston hometown, but I’m not too committed yet. I’d really like to get a good feel for what people really think about the conference.

Is it a big party? A place to network? A steller learning experience? An over-priced, but necessary, business trip? I don’t have a good feeling about it at all. If polled on why RWA members attend, I wonder how the breakdown would fallout….

Any opinions?

On writing: Still going, day six…I’m a regular Energizer bunny…for now.

I really do need to stop surfing, or blog-bouncing, as the case may be, and get on to my WIP. I’m kind of on a roll here and more than a little bit excited about it. I have worked on my manuscript everyday since Sunday, so if I count today…and why not be optimistic…let’s! Then, I’ve got five days in a row under my belt. And I’m really going to try hard to keep the momentum going. But first, some comments (because I’m also doing my darnedest to blog everyday)…

Fellow RWA chapter member, Sandra K. Moore will be chatting this evening at 8:00CST at Novel Talk. She writes for Silhouette Bombshell, and her second book is on my TBR stack, newly signed. Come meet this quirky chick!

Next…I’m getting the best insights into the bookseller perspective (at least one side of it). Recent blogs include a summary of how her store chooses selections over and above the buyer’s choices, and a summary of what not to do if you want to get a local bookseller’s attention.

And some good news over at Kristin Nelson’s blog. In speaking with editors, Agent Kristin reveals that historicals may be making a comeback, and that chick-lit is still a viable genre (with the right voice and an original story).

Now I’m off to write!

My sister and her girls came to visit a couple of weeks ago and they brought the CD to High School Musical with them. Very catchy, very fun–my boys loved it and were singing right along and doing their own dance moves (particularly to the basketball-themed, Get Your Head in the Game). Anyway, I was told that this Disney made-for-TV movie was the ‘New Grease’ and veeery popular with the pre-teen set. My niece just turned eleven.

Well, Monday night, I was watching TV with my husband, and as he was perusing the guide, we saw that the movie was playing. So we watched. It was totally fun. A little silly, a little unbelievable in parts. But I was so willing to suspend my disbelief for those kooky kids. It brought back great memories of high school, and we even DVR’d it so my boys could maybe learn some of the dance moves. I love a musical and wish that movie style/genre would come back into popularity. Mike Myers is certainly doing his part with Austin Powers and Shrek, but I’d really like to see more.

Highly recommended!