Sunday, October 16, 2011

Preparing for the Florida Coup

If you read Leslie's post last week, then you may have already called ahead to St. Pete's Beach and let them know we're coming. This Wednesday, Leslie and I will land in Florida to attend our first ever NINC conference. We're hoping they'll allow us back again after this one.

And let me tell you, after this week, I need a vacation. WTH is going on with pre-empting X Factor with stupid baseball? Baseball? Seriously? I think all sports should be required to be hosted on individual channels and not interfere with what the rest of the sane public wants to watch. Jeez. But I digress.

Besides being the absolute best organization for professional novelists, NINC does several things right when it comes to conferences.

First off, they hold conferences in cool places in the off season. That means, it's not hot, expensive or dripping with screaming kids and angry tourists. So for a ridiculously low price, Leslie and I get a tropical suite complete with cabana and cabana boy. No lie.

Second, it's entirely casual. It's the beach, people! No fancy dinners that require me to go sans underwear (panty lines ahoy), duct tape my boobs and stuff myself into a dress so tight that I'll be limited to a single salad tomato and a sip of water to keep all of me inside the dress the rest of the night. And did I mention that I'd have to eat standing? Seriously, if the fabric isn't stretchy, it's not going to NINC conference. My getting-ready laundry consisted of 100 pair of yoga pants, T-shirt and a single pair of denim capris (for if we want to dress up one night). My collection of FitFlops will be going along with the yoga pants.

Third, they have a lineup of the best speakers and the most important topics to published authors today. But the conference fee is only $285. You simply can't beat it!

So Leslie and I will be attending workshops, tending bar for ourselves in our cabana, and generally enjoying everything the beach has to offer for two women who haven't had a vacation in years. I will be tweeting pics and anything interesting during conference, so if you're not following me, add me to your twitter feed: JanaDeLeon. If you are not a twit and don't wish to become one, don't despair; my twitter feeds to my Facebook, so if we're friends, then you'll still see my ramblings complete with blackmail worthy photos.

This is a pic of our plans for Sunday - and this is an actual photo from the hotel:





So wish us well and pray for St. Pete's Beach.


Deadly (Dyin' for a Vacation) DeLeon


12 comments:

Angela Hood-Ross said...

Prayers are being sent up for you and the people at St. Pete's Beach. Have a great time!

Kathy Bacus said...

OMG! The stories you'll be able to tell...and write! ;)

Kima said...

I wish you and Leslie lots of fun and alcohol on your vaca, oops, conference! But I have to disagree with you about baseball. The boys of summer rock! Go Cards!
- Kima, the Die Hard Cardinals fan

Jana DeLeon said...

Thanks, Savannah!

Jana DeLeon said...

Kathy - well, we MIGHT be able to tell them. Writing them is out. Every time I write true stories, the editors tell me no one would believe them. LOL

Jana DeLeon said...

Kima - but they could still have their own station, no? And let the rest of us watch important things. For the record, I think the president should be forced onto only one station also. He pre-empted American Idol WAY too much this year. And I never, ever care what any politician has to say. If I want lies, I'll read fiction. :)

Robin Kaye said...

I'm so jealous! Have fun--but not too much...

Jana DeLeon said...

Robin - we'll try to restrain ourselves. :)

Diane Kelly said...

For a few extra bucks maybe the cabana boy will feed you grapes! Have fun!

Jana DeLeon said...

Diane - Now see, there's an idea we could get behind. :)

Tori Lennox said...

Hey! Some of us like baseball. LOL! Go, Cards!!!

But your vacation sounds way more fun than baseball! :)

Jana DeLeon said...

Tori - I'm perfectly happy to leave you to baseball, as long as it's on a different channel. If FOX would stop hogging everything, this wouldn't be an issue.

For example, most all of my auto-racing favorites are all contained on the Speed channel. :)