Packing for RWA
I'm going to RWA this year. It's in New York City. I'm sitting next to Miranda Neville at the Literacy Signing. I'm STOKED.
However, packing for a huge conference isn't always the easiest thing in the world. It's not like it's vacation, where you throw a bunch of shorts and t-shirts into a suitcase and just go. Things need to be planned. Carefully.
So, I give you my packing list. Yup, it's…
What I'm taking to RWA.
1. 5 business casual outfits for 5 days of meeting and greeting, including but not limited to day dresses and dress-up-able jeans, tulip and A-line skirts, smart summer weight jackets, and cardigans. (NYC is a swamp in the summer and the hotel will invariably be air conditioned to within an inch of its life – and if not there will be a riot – so… layers, people. Layers.)
2. 2 cocktail dresses, for cocktail parties. (Cocktails will be obtained on the scene.)
3. 1 insanely fabulous dress for the RITA awards ceremony. (I'm not nominated this year, but I'm still going to win Best Dressed, dammit.)
[image error]4. Awesome WALKABLE shoes. (It's NYC. I lived there for 9 years. People walk. Everywhere. Learn to love it.)
5. 1 pair spiky shoes of sparkly goodness for RITA awards ceremony. (See above re: Best Dressed.)
6. My gym clothes. (Because I have to at least pretend I'm going to get in gym time.)
7. Any hair product that promises to tame frizz. (See above re: NYC is a swamp.)
8. Money. I'm in New York and I'm going to a Mario Batali restaurant, come hell or high water.
9. Computer and computer devices, the cords of which will work themselves into a Gordian knot somewhere over Kansas, never to be untied.
10. Bookmarks. (Oh my god, I hope you guys like bookmarks because SOMEBODY NEEDS TO TAKE THESE FROM ME. I have a thousand of them!!)**
11. Photos of all my favorite authors so I can stalk them – sometimes those name tags get twisted around and you don't know if that person you missed is Eloisa James or a different tall Shakespearean professor.
12. My camera, for above stalking purposes.
13. My phone, which will have my downloaded schedule and every number I need of people I'm meeting with so when we get mixed up trying to find each other in the hotel we can play a high tech game of Marco Polo.
14. Stickers! Books will be signed and stickers will be affixed telling everyone it is so!
15. Ideas. Ideas, ideas, ideas. Seriously, living across country means I don't get a lot of face time with my fabulous editor and agent, so I have to make the time I do get count.
So, that's what I'm bringing. Let me know if you think I missed anything!
Until next time, sweets… Happy Reading!
**If anyone wants bookmarks but will not be attending RWA, just write me an email! I'm happy to post them to you.
