Any day that starts out with danishes has got to be a good one.

The Romance Divas dinner last night was tasty, loud and insane! We were all squished in together so I feel know some of those fabulous ladies on an intimate basis. Pun fully intended. Thanks ladies!

Back to the Friday happenings:

The hotel has Diet Coke again, thank the heavens. Today was biz-ay and I needed all the caffeinification I could get.

Feeling I was ready to get hardcore with the workshops, I attended one on self-promotion led by none other than the ever-so-awesome Kelley St. John. Did you know that she gives away trips to the destinations her books are based in? How cool is that? And a Canadian reader won her contest last year? And can you believe it wasn't me? ;)

Have no fear, dear friends. My contest-winning karma has finally arrived in San Francisco, and my name was drawn for a prize (a copy of Kelley's To Catch A Cheat)! And, if you don't know me, I should explain that I tend to get verra verra excited when I win something. Think Showcase Showdown on The Price Is Right and you're getting close.

So I squealed, jumped up, raced to the front and caused a flurry of fabulousness. Then I asked Kelley to sign the book, making it out to "Bonnie the Screamer." And she did. Gladly.

Later, when I was telling Michelle about my experience, she gently reminded me that all the workshops are being taped. So my screams of delight will become legend, I'm sure. Or not.

Just remember to turn down the volume when they do the first prize draws when you're listening to that particular workshop.

Oh, and I had my agent appointment today...no agents were harmed in the pitching of my novel. Plus, I was able to contain all bodily fluids during my allotted time. Thanks must go to Laurie for helping me keep my pitch under three hours, Wylie and Christine for listening to it and not running away, and Amy for being the last friendly face I saw before stepping into the hallway of destiny.

Okay, maybe I'm being a little dramatic. But for me, this was a big deal. It's a lot easier writing up a query letter, hitting the send button and getting a "sorry, try again" in your inbox. That's because email has no tone. And it's way more comfortable facing rejection while in the comfort of my own home.

But at RWA, you've got to bring it, put it out there and get an immediate reaction.

This is when having a vivid imagination does not come in handy because writers are really good at expecting the worst. Like an agent laughing hysterically (in a bad way) or shrieking "Nooooo!" before calling security.

Luckily, my efforts paid off and the agent requested a partial. Yeah me!

And no, I did not squeal like a game show contestant during the appointment. So double yeah me!

Oh, we got even more books at lunch, and then I swung by some book signings to pick up a few hundred more. I'm now considering wearing all my clothes on the flight home to make more room in my suitcases. ;)

While all the workshops I've attended have been great, I'm finding the how-to-find-an-agent ones are getting a little repetitive. It could be that they're all on the same topic. ;)

Jane Porter won me over with her workshop on writing in first person by helping alleviate my fears of limiting myself by writing in first person. (Did that make sense? Maybe I need another Diet Coke.) Anyhow, I took tons of notes and can now take over the world. Starting next week.

Like a true rebel, I joined a gaggle of romance writers and crashed the Harlequin party, which wasn't that hard since all we had to do was walk in. LOL

After a scan of the crowded dance floor, the glittering gowns and sea of fabulous women and token suit-wearing men, I bailed. Without name tags, I was as lost as an Eskimo in the desert.

Will tomorrow be the day that puts this RWA-newbie over the edge? Stay tuned.

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