Well, cowgirls, I managed, with a lot of help from my friends, to make it to the Romantic Times Conference after all. Not bad for a woman virtually climbing out of a sick bed to board a plane! I had originally intended to attend the entire conference, but that wasn’t in the cards. Fortunately, with modifications, I managed to attend the Rhinestone Cowgirl party, a little shindig intended to honor my readers, chat a little, and say thank you. The party, orchestrated by the amazing Nancy Berland, was a real success; everywhere you looked, there was a cowgirl wearing a blinking Western hat. We did a lot of laughing, shared hugs, and even cried a few tears together.
Saturday evening, I hosted a dinner, with lots of help from Nancy and Mike Berland and Super Jen, and several readers were invited to join us. We ate at a great restaurant called Cuts, swapped stories, and generally got to know each other. It was, along with the party earlier in the day, one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Although the picture above, courtesy of Super Jen, is a little dark, I hope you can make out our happy faces!
Since I’m conserving my strength, I returned to this hotel room right after dinner and I have essentially been here ever since. Super Jen kindly fetched sandwiches and Smartwater, while I lounged and slept. Then lounged and slept some more. I want to be ready to WRITE when I get home! We fly back to Spokane this evening, and I will be so glad to see my puppies and Mr. Wickle Pickle, my love-guru of a cat. (His real name is Wiki.)
This being Monday, there are winners to announce. Congratulations to Betsy and to Beverly Sivacek. You will each receive a signed copy of my latest books, with my best regards and sincere gratitude. A new contest begins, with the usual rules, i.e., if you comment, you’re entered. Two winners will be chosen at random, notified by Super Jen, and announced on the blog next Monday. (Give or take a day. 🙂 Each will receive an autographed book.
Be well. And if you are well, be grateful. If this illness has taught me anything, it has been appreciation for my normal good health.
About Linda
The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West.
Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a horse property outside Spokane.
