The business card

I'll be attending the Romance Writers of America national meeting next week. It's being held in Dallas, for the third time since I joined RWA in the fall of 1995.

In July 1996, knowing absolutely nothing about all this, I bravely printed business cards and jumped into the fray. I'd written 3 books and thought I was on the verge of stardom if I could find a right-minded agent/editor. Things don't always pan out the way we plan. I'm no longer innocent of the ways of RWA and conferences, I've written 11 books and found a right-minded editor at eWings Press. Stardom still eludes me and I'm a bit jaded. However, I've once again printed business cards.

Looking at them, I was struck by the differences from 11 years ago. Beyond the obvious of a different email address, I had printed on the back of the originals synopses of my three novels. I wonder if anyone ever turned them over and read them! I have a website now, a blog, and a publisher. I won the 2003 HOLT Medallion for Short Contemporary Romance. Considering I entered A SUITE DEAL, an ebook at the time, on comb-bound self-printed paper, I've always considered this a major accomplishment. I won against three Harlequin Temptations and one Silhouette Desire. I'm proud of it and it's on the card!

I always print more than I need, so this year I've stuck with 20. I imagine I'll come home with half of them, but I'll at least be prepared should the verge of stardom present itself.