The countdown has begun.  This is my last blog before I leave for the RWA National Conference in San Francisco later this week.  *pauses as crew applauds*  Very funny.  Wenches.

This is my first national conference and my first time traveling cross-country.  I’m actually more excited than I am nervous, but I’m sure I’ll start shaking like a leaf once I walk into that hotel and see all the other attendees milling around.  It’s almost as if it doesn’t feel real yet.  As if I’m going to wake up Wednesday morning and realize I’m not actually going anywhere.  Which would really suck since I have this suitcase packed to the brim sitting in my living room.

You would think, being the procrastinator that I am, packing is the last thing I’d do.  But no, packing is all done.  I even have a fancy new binder (for the handouts I have to print myself…gah!) and a sassy little schedule spreadsheet I color coded.  I know, this may be the most anal thing I’ve ever done.  But never fear, there are several things I’ve put off so I haven’t lost my charming “I can do that tomorrow” ways.

I have three goals for this trip.  Have fun, have fun, and have fun.  Seriously, that’s it.  I mean, I intend to learn lots of craft stuff that will inspire me to come back and finish my WIP by the end of September (stop laughing!) and meet as many people as I can.  It’s all about the networking, baby.  But the bottom line is, have a good time!

Now, here’s the cool part.  Anyone who isn’t going to San Francisco can still do the same things I’ll be doing.  Turns out, there are online conferences going on for those not able to make the trip this year.  First up is the Not Going to Conference Conference.  Isn’t that a great name?  This one is courtesy of the Romance Diva’s.  The virtual conference runs from July 30 to August 2 with lots of workshops and prizes.  Registration is free and you never know what contacts you’ll make by taking part.

The other option is the Left Behind and Loving It Conference which actually starts today.  Multi-published author, Lynn Viehl, is offering workshops and prizes all week long on her Paperback Writer blog.  Everything from plotting and editing to branding and a Q&A session, this is a great opportunity to have the conference experience all from the comfort of your own home.

Then there are various other blogs that will keep you in the action.  The RWA National website will have frequent updates throughout the event and pretty much any other blog you visit on a regular basis will be talking conference.  I know you’ll want to be here Friday because Santa O’Byrne (who will be here tomorrow as well with her own pre-conference blog) and I plus any of our friends we can recruit will post a “conference so far – who we’ve squealed at and who is taking out a restraining order against us” blog. 

EDITING!!!  Can’t believe I forgot to mention where you can get your blog hook-up all in one place.  This fantastic woman named Judi put together all the blogs regarding the conference in one place.  Go HERE for everything conference at your fingertips.  (And we’re there too!)

Now it’s time for the questions.  If you’re going to San Fran, are you packed?  Are you calm?  Or are you freaking out on the inside?  If you’re not going, will you check out one of these online conferences?  Will you surf the net to every site you can find to follow the action?  Or would you rather do what we should probably all be doing and spend the time writing?