Today was the Heart of Dixie Readers’ Luncheon in Huntsville, Alabama. I was attending for the first time, and as a guest author. I’m sure I was grinning like an idiot the entire time. I’ll admit to being a bit nervous. After all, I was low on the author totem pole since I don’t have a book out yet. I had visions of no one sitting with me or being forced to sit at the “loser table” when the big authors’ tables filled up. I didn’t have anything to really give the ladies sitting at my table other than my new bookmarks. I was lamenting this last night, when my faboo roomie for the event, author Janice Lynn, mentioned that some authors in the past had bought the people at their table raffle tickets for the big baskets of books that are raffled off. Great idea!
Well, like most things I worried about, I shouldn’t have. A lovely lady named Susan came up and said she had been looking for me because she wanted to sit at my table. Color me shocked! And thankful. We started talking about my books and where we were from, and then something amazing happened. More people sat at my table! 
I ended up with the most wonderful group of ladies, and we had a great time talking. That’s them below. Susan is on the far right. (Sorry I can’t get the picture to post any bigger. It’s being contrary.)
Lady Luck seemed to be with our table too. Of the eight people at the table, five won raffle baskets. Three of them won two baskets each, including the biggest basket donated by the published authors of the Heart of Dixie chapter of Romance Writers of America. Dorothy, Susan’s mother-in-law, won the huge basket of goodies. And here’s the funny part. Even though she’d bought several raffle tickets, the one I’d given her was the winner of the big basket. How cool is that!? Here’s Dorothy looking very happy with her large, very cool basket.
The keynote speaker today was Roxanne St. Claire, who was just lovely and entertaining. She was so popular that she ran out of books at the book signing. Here I am with Roxanne. We evidently got the subliminal memo to wear black and white, as did many of the other attendees.
The authors in attendance also gave away special baskets. Again, since I didn’t have any books yet, I put together a basket from my Romance Bandits gals. Here is the lovely Ann Linker, who won the basket. See, she got the black-and-white memo too.
I got to meet the wonderful Pamela Bolton-Holifield (who comments as “doglady” on the Romance Bandits, Wet Noodle Posse and many other blogs). She was sporting her shiny new gold heart bin for being a Golden Heart finalist. Here’s Pam with me and then with my roomie Janice. Pam comments frequently on the Writers at Play blog, where Janice is a member.
Finally, here I am with fellow RWA board member and shoe shopper extraordinaire Linda Howard. (I think she got the memo too.)
Thanks to the ladies of Heart of Dixie. I had a wonderful time and hope I can come back next year. Hint, hint. And I’ll even have books to sign by then!
May 18th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Hi, Trish! Is Janice smart or WHAT?! Unbelieveable about the raffle ticket! How cute that everybody was wearing black and white (which is what I wore to church today LOL), and how nice to see a picture of “doglady”. I didn’t know she was a Golden Heart finalist!
Have a great day.
May 18th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
What a fun party. I love looking at gift baskets, which make me ooh and aah.
May 19th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Trish- it looks like you had a wonderful time!
May 19th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
What fun! Sounds like you had a great time - and I love that everyone got the subliminal black & white dress memo!
May 20th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
You all look lovely! I can’t believe so many people at your table won baskets–you had some serious mojo workin’. And you got to meet Doglady in person! How cool is that.
Looks like a really nice event.
May 21st, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Sorry to be late commenting, but it was so great to have you at the HOD luncheon and we certainly hope you come back next year. Everyone’s already fighting over sitting at your “lucky” table.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Terri, yes, that Janice is smart — and fun! And I can let the world know that she doesn’t snore.
It was a really fun event. I’m already planning to attend next year. My rowdies from my table are already promising to look me up. What sweet ladies!
Esri, every time someone won a basket we couldn’t believe it. It was seriously the mojo table.
Hi, Marilyn! It was great talking with you at the luncheon. I’ve already talked to Kathy about attending next year.