I really need to blog about last week. Between being on vacation with my family and my first RWA National conference, there’s a lot to say and many pictures to share. But I’m so buried right now, I haven’t even transferred the photos to the computer yet.

But besides actually going to the conference for the first time, here are a few of my other firsts…

My first book signing. (It was fun, though I was very, very nervous.)

My first time meeting people in person who’ve been among my best friends for years, which is something not everybody gets.

My first time eating filet mignon. (Beat the hell out of Applebee’s house sirloin, which I previously thought was the best steak on the planet.)

My first martini. And my second martini. (With a glass of champagne between.) (With only a few crackers topped with Vermont cheddar for supper, after only half a very dry Starbucks berry coffee cake thing for breakfast/lunch.) (So, yes, I danced at the Harlequin party, despite my lack of intention to do so.)

My first time riding in a taxi. (I wish y’all could have seen HelenKay Dimon’s face when I said that.)

My first time reading the instructions on the back of a hotel key card, after staring at the door for a couple of minutes, wondering where the hell the slidey-slot-thing was. (Just waving the card in front of the thing never occurred to me.)

There are no doubt more which I can’t think of now, but I’ll be sharing pictures and stories in the coming days. I can tell you that all the money spent and the anxiety felt were worth it to see my teenager with his hand in a rhino’s mouth.

But one picture to start. I started off my conference experience having a fun, fabulous breakfast with HelenKay Dimon, Jill Shalvis, Jaci Burton and Julie James. And none of us spilled or dribbled!