Howdy, Chickies!

I’m cheating here. Instead of chatting about a writing topic I’m giving you the 411 on the June Reader/Writer Get-together Lori and I do each year. This will be our third and biggest year ever! We have two agents (Berkley and St Martin) and two agents coming in. Sweet! Okay, I realize if you are a reader this may not tickly your funny but it should! These are the gals that get the work from the author to the bookstore. They are our heroes. And this year they’ll give a little talk on what’s new and headed your way. Always nice to hear from the powers that be.

And there will be an author cookbook to ogle over and tons and tons of donated baskets to bid on and line dancing Saturday night and a huge bookfair and yummy food and a looooovely hotel and a very relaxed way to sit and chat with authors and readers. All this for $35. That covers your food for Fri night, Sat breakfast and lunch. What a deal! Lori and I take care of the other expenses. And any profits we make for the raffles and bookfair (not all, some goes to B&N) we donate to the YWCA battered women’s shelter in Cincy. They will be there too to tell you how they spend the money. Last year we donated 2700! See picture above. 🙂

So, if you can make it do! It’s fun and casual (I wear pink jeans, T-shirt, gym shoes and cowboy hat!) I’m giving away new hats this year of a different nature. Come and see!

If you have any questions let me know. Need directions just let me know. Register at Lori’s site LoriFoster.com. Below is an outline of what’s coming your way.

Hope to see you all!!!!!!!!

Hugs, Dianne

Readers and Writers Get Together
Lori Foster, Dianne Castell, Linda Keller
Friday June 1 – Sunday June 3
A portion of the book fair proceeds will benefit the
YWCA BATTERED WOMEN’S SHELTER

— Meet authors Lori Foster, Dianne Castell, and more! (Check the updated list online)
— Meet agents Jennifer N. Schober, Spencerhill Associates Ltd.
Roberta Brown, Brown Literary Agency
— Meet editors Rose Hilliard, from St. Martin’s Publishing
Cindy Hwang, Berkley Publishing
— Meet your online reader friends face to face.
— Gab sessions, prizes, gift baskets, casual photo ops (bring your camera!), meet-the-author round-tables, pajama parties, used book trade, and more!
— Book Fair Get the newest releases signed by your favorite authors!
— For unpublished authors there will be opportunities to have your work critiqued by pubs, your questions answered, networking, etc…
Check http://www.lorifoster.com/ for updates!

ALL THIS FOR THE PRICE OF MEALS ( $35 )
AND YOUR ROOM ( $99 + tax ) if you stay overnight

ROOMS: Friday night and/or Saturday night — $99 per night plus tax
To get the $99 rate, tell them you’re with the LORI FOSTER READER AND WRITER GROUP

HOTEL RESERVATIONS: *must register by May 19th*
Call: 1-800-MARRIOTT or 513-874-7335 or Email: jerry.rigney@Marriott.com
Cincinnati Marriott North
(Just north of Cincinnati on I-75 at Union Center Blvd, exit 19)
West Chester, Ohio, 6189 Mulhauser Rd, West Chester, OH 45069-4842

Friday, June 1th Reception – open to all registered attendees.
6:00 to 11:00 pm register, agent and editor appointments; Reception in the Tri-County Room; refreshments & pizza party provided

Saturday, June 2th Events in the West Chester Ballroom III
8:00 am – donuts, bagels, coffee & tea
12:00 – 1:00 pm – lunch buffet
Barnes and Noble BOOK SIGNING (inside the hotel) 4:00 to 6:00 pm

Sunday, June 3th
“on your own” breakfast with friends or authors (sign up sheets available Fri & Sat)

PUBLISHED AUTHORS only attending the signing: contact Linda Keller directly at CRM2170@bn.com or call (513) 755 – 6193
Send letter (email) of intent by May 1st, ISBN and titles by May 11th

PUBLISHED AUTHORS attending the event: please register BEFORE contacting Linda. Send questions to Lori at lorifoster1@juno.com

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Friends

It’s still cold and windy here with snow on the ground, and everything looks tired and worn out. The snow is black and deflated, the grass that’s showing is brown and soggy, the sky is a hazy gray, and I’d rather be anywhere but here. To combat the weather, responsibilities, and life in general, my local writing friends and I have started an annual girl’s sleepover. Yes, I mean grown women having a slumber party like a bunch of 13 years olds, complete with music, munchies, and gossip. Only since we are adults (even when we’re trying hard to forget that fact!) we also add dinner and a Sunday spa visit, with massages, manicures, and pedicures. Husbands and boyfriends raised their eyebrows when we decided to do this for the first time last year. Apparently they think it’s slightly odd that women would want to stay up half the night talking and reading each other’s tarot cards. Frankly, I can’t picture men doing the same. LOL.

But it’s been a fabulous way to step outside out all that life expects of me and hang out with my girlfriends for twenty-four hours. We laugh, we talk, we eat, we drink wine. We worry, we dole out advice, we support each other, we confess. We even watched the Justin Timberlake Sexy Back video and generated theories as to what is actually going on in that- aside from him walking around looking smoldering, sexy, and angry. Which really is all that matters anyway.

So what do you and your friends do to catch up? What special memories of girlfriends and childhood friends do you have?

Erin,
Raising a glass to all my girlfriends, near and far. Thanks for everything!

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