RWA UPDATE - THURSDAY

Thursday began with a whiz-bang of an Opening Session. The speaker was none other than NYT best-selling author of the Stephanie Plum novels Janet Evanovich. Rather than give a prepared speech, she answered questions from cards given her by the RWA president, questions she'd never seen. She was gracious, generous with her experiences and advice, spontaneous, and SURPRISE--funny and witty. Afterward, she stayed by the registration desk and signed autographs. I'm a total groupie and ditched my friends to stand in that line. Here I am with Janet!

The From the Heart Chapter had a group dinner at the Cafe Paradiso across the street from the conference hotel, the Marriottt Wardman Park. I didn't talk to everyone but there were members who knew each other only on line, from as places as far ranging as Kentucky, Ohio, Las Vegas and Maine (that's me). In the evening, the Kiss of Death Chapter's Death by Chocolate party with the Daphne duMaurier awards ceremony is always a big event. Here's a shot of the group enjoying delicious chocolate treats. The hotel has yummy desserts.

I'll leave it to others to post the entire listof winners but here are two. The overall unpublished Daphne winner was Sandra van den Bogerd for her manuscript Escape to Terror. Silhouette Romantic Suspense author Kylie Brant was the overall winner in the published category for her book Terms of Surrender. I got a picture of proud Kylie. It's her second win. She was stunned.

Check in tomorrow for more.