There is a dog on my shoulder.
I dyed my hair last night in preparation for today’s excitement. I had to. The gray is not so much gray anymore but silver, and it had been rather shocking. This is a better look, I think. And I wanted to look good: The Romance Writers of America Conference started today!
Luckily, it started with a knitting meet-up, or I think I might have expired of nerves. I met up with Theresa, Bronwyn, and Tara at the Marriott and I took them on an abbreviated tour of the city — Artfibers, Imagiknit, and Taqueria Cancun. No yarn trip is ever complete without Mexican food, I always say.
Back at the conference, I wandered and met people. I was worried that meeting writers would be hard, but I swear, it was as easy as meeting knitters. And in Imagiknit, I did both: I met a woman named Patricia (who was wearing a lovely February Lady Sweater) who was in town attending the convention with Debbie Macomber, who was right there and fondled the yarn I was holding.
I ended the day bringing home nothing but the new Knitscene magazine (I really like that one, do you?). And I outed myself a couple of times, something I’ve been vaguely worried about. With fellow knitters, I wasn’t worried. But I had a long conversation with a loud, opinionated, very cool Cuban woman, and decided to try it out. "You know, it’s weird, I write straight romance, but I’m married to a girl." She just leaned forward and asked, "What is THAT like?" Then she proceeded to tell me about the straight woman writer she was working with who wrote gay male erotica. It’s a different world, I tell you. A good one.
I am tired. I want a glass of wine and maybe some sushi. I most definitely do NOT want to go out to buy dog food, but I fear an uprising if I don’t.
Oh good heavens there’s a metric f-ton of gay male erotica on the intarwebs written by straight and not so straight women. Most of it is fanfic based on visual and print media, though lately there’s been a surge of bandfic. But boy howdy. If you like a show on TV, a movie or a book, I can probably point you to the fic. And some of it is mind blowing and absolutely incredible. And longer than about half of the commercial fic I read.
Good heavens I’m just a pimp for all my interests. 😀
Oh! Forgot! Depending on the fandom, there’s a whole hell of a lot of femmeslash too. Exhibit A – Xenafic. *nods fervently* One of my favoritest authors ever is a Xena writer.
I went a yarn shop and only came home with knitscene! I really want to make the nubby cardigan. With handspun. I think it will take years to finish the project with the wee one. It’s good to have goals. The tunic is super sexy too, and the skirt! Love it!
Ha ha ha, sounds like an amazing day!
Purty hair! And you know I loves Miss Idaho. 🙂
And you did it with a girl from downunder – the yarn crawl, I mean, not the other thing. 🙂
Hee. When you said you came out, I thought you meant as a knitter.
Damn, that’s a cute picture of you!
Like Anne, I thought you meant as a knitter too LOL. The hair is looking really good, I’m in the same boat. All the new growth is officially silver, at some point the dye is not going to work. Last but not least, those are some very cute doggie toes Miss Idaho!
Romance is about fantasy – not about who you go to bed with at night! It’s your imagination and writing skills that count.
I’ll have to check out the Knitscene. I’m on a no-yarn-buying streak (along with a whole lotta not buying other stuff) but knitting patterns that encourage me to use up stash don’t count, right?
I have to make a rabbit food run soon. Or I will be nibbled to death by a sweet critter.
Exhausting fun day! Good. I think you’ve been needing some of those.
Sounds so fun!! I too thought you meant coming out as a knitter!!
And you look fantastic!!
What a beautiful photo!
How cool that Debbie Macomber fondled your yarn. It’s her fault that I knit you know. The hair looks pretty but I generally think you’re pretty anyways.
Like Anne & Katherine I had to pause to think a little on it, skimming in the bloglines preview before your next sentences and the little light bulb illuminated it. “Oh, she means ‘cuz o teh gayz, I gets it!” I love the Cuban woman’s reaction.
you look really pretty!
You took the knitters to all the best spots in SF! Tho I see you held out on the Bi-rite…
Oh heavens, go get dog food, you don’t want that pack gnawing off your newly tatted arm!
one of the things that i *loved* about living in the bay area was that i had no fear about outing myself while i was there. it was harder before i moved there. we’ve moved again and yet i’m still able to hold on to the freedom of having lived in berkeley for 4.5 years. thank god! good for you.
My lovely housemate/neighbor Liz Bemis is there, and will laugh if you out yourself, since she has read your blog. So if you bump into her, know you have met a friend 🙂
Enjoy the conference!
That is so funny. When you wrote that you outed yourself, I was totally not thinking of your orientation, but rather, “I’m the Rachael of Yarn-a-gogo.” Ha!
Well, now you know what you’re famous for in *my* mind.
It definitely was a fun yarn expedition! Thank you so much for being our guide – I had a great time, shops, company, scenery, food – it was all wonderful.
Now I just have to organise to ship my yarn home, along with some books from the conference. Although i think at least one skein is coming in my suitcase with me, ‘cos I’ll hate being separated from all my new acquisitions, even for just a week!
Your gray is sounding like my gray now. You look fab in that color. 🙂
I’m a straight (okay, bi) woman who likes gay male erotica. I think there’s a subsection of women who love man-on-man action, but we’re quieter about it.
Anyways, back on-topic, a story is a story, and people are people. Lots of male writers write female characters, write about their feelings and thoughts. You don’t need to be something to write about it.
Oh crap, reading this post just reminded me I forgot to buy dogfood. And now its 1030 and I am in my pjs… believe the dog will be eating a mess of milkbones for dinner tonight. Funny, he never complains when I run out of dogfood…
What, no ice cream?
Hey, while you’re out, could you buy some dog food for my dynamic duo as well? And then overnight it to GA? 😀
You are covering your silver hairs, and I am trying to cultivate mine :-). If I could talk them into huddling together in one spot so I could have a Bonnie Raitt-style streak, that would make me very happy.
Good for you for only coming away with a KnitScene! That’s some really good restraint.
This is the most beautiful photo, Rachael. You look lovely and rested and peaceful. Please frame that for Lala, you sweet, sweet girl!