Events

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Friday, November 20 at Rust Belt Books in Buffalo at 7pm.

Saturday, November 21 at the Midtown Tap & Tea Room in Albany at 8pm.

Written by Georgia Sunday, July 26, 2009

I’m back, and happy to be here. What a weekend! I’m freaking exhausted, running on three hours of sleep (if I’d known the shuttle has to pick you up 2-3 hours before your plane leaves, I wouldn’t have booked myself on a 6 a.m. flight), and in need of a shower, but I wanted to take a little time to empty my head, share with you my very first blog on my new website, and talk about how the GCLS annual conference always makes me feel.

There’s something so incredibly inspiring for a writer to attend a gathering like the GCLS conference…the understanding that a large percentage of the people there paid a good chunk of money to see you and get your autograph or listen to you read or (in my case this year) actually hope to learn something from you about their craft, is immensely humbling. I have participated in panels and discussions in conferences past and I did so again this year. Rachel Spangler and I spent a wonderful hour in a Coffee Chat where we took turns making one another blush while also actually managing to talk about our writing (and Rachel snagged not one, but two Goldies this year…woo hoo!). I also took part in the Author Auction, which was such a blast (despite how nerve-wracking it is to stand onstage while women shout out the monetary amounts they’re willing to spend—or not spend—to dance with you), and together, my fellow authors and I helped raise more than $2,300 for the GCLS. We were a pretty proud bunch and weren’t above some questionable behavior to raise the bids—lap dancing, assless chaps, and stripping, to be specific. (I’ve already started saving my money for next year so I can buy Karin Kallmaker—I want to see if I can use osmosis to soak up some of her writing juju, but the woman doesn’t come cheap.)

Written by Georgia Tuesday, March 31, 2009

I'm incredibly excited to report that Finding Home was named a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award this year in the Best Lesbian Romance Category! Totally surprising and unexpected to me and I'm so, so psyched. I'm in amazing company once again, grouped with such wonderful authors as JLee Meyer, Karin Kallmaker, Radclyffe, and Catherine Friend, so to be nominated truly is an honor. The ceremony takes place on May 28 this year in New York City, and as of right now, Bonnie and I are planning to attend. We went in 2007 and had a blast, so I expect this year to be no different (and to offer less pressure, since I have no allusions of winning. LOL!).

Visit the Lambda website here for details and information.

Written by Georgia Thursday, June 26, 2008

Wow. That's the first word that comes to mind. It was a whirlwind 5 days in Phoenix for the 2008 Golden Crown Literary Society's annual conference. As I always do, I had an absolute blast.

First and foremost: it was friggin' hot in Phoenix. I thought it was hot here in North Carolina, but it didn't really compare to Arizona. Who goes to Phoenix in July? I'll tell you who. Stupid people, that's who. Luckily, we had the benefit of an unbelievably gorgeous resort and lots of air conditioning (too much, some would say...some=me). I've always loved Arizona with its beautiful red clay and vegetation that's so utterly different from what I'm used to. The Sheraton Wildhorse Pass was massive and very southwestern in decor and the staff was wonderful. Had it been cooler, I would have spent more time out by the pool (though I did manage the water slide - and tore my bathing suit bottoms for my trouble). As it was, I ended up too busy for much of that anyway. And Bonnie soaked up enough of the blazing sun and did enough exploring for both of us. Just ask her burned shoulders and boo-boo toes.

My Coffee Chat with Karin Kallmaker was tons of fun. I had a list of questions to ask her, but didn't need them because once we got talking, we just went with it. Karin was classy and humble and genuine, as she always is, and she held the audience captivated by her answers. The hour flew by and was over way too soon. We had a sizable crowd and we were mic'd and recorded! I felt a little like a celebrity on a talk show.

Friday, I spent the entire day learning from none other than lesbian literary icon, Katherine Forrest. Holy crap! I think my wrist is still cramped from the pages upon pages of notes I took as she spoke. She was intelligent and straightforward and witty as hell and I still can't believe I had the honor of learning from her. The best part: SHE KNEW WHO I WAS! No, seriously! She came up to me during a break and said she hadn't yet had a chance to congratulate me on my Lammy win last year, that she was looking forward to reading Fresh Tracks, and that she'd hear' that I'm 'one of the fresh new voices of the genre.' Can you believe that? Yeah, picture me sitting there and grinning like an idiot. Definitely the high point of the trip for me.

Saturday, I moderated an erotica panel that featured Anne Laughlin, Nell Stark, Moondancer Drake, and Catherine Lundoff (who later won a Goldie for her erotic anthology, "Crave"). We had a small but attentive crowd and each author read some fantastic stuff, getting us all hot and bothered. Phew! When I wasn't introducing the panel, I was busy fanning myself.

And let us not forget about the Author Auction. What a hoot! Five of us were auctioned off to the crowd - me, KG MacGregor, Nell Stark, Lynn Ames, and Karin Kallmaker. I believe the proceeds went to the GCLS scholarship fund (which I was psyched about because I met Jeannie, the woman who went on this year's scholarship and she was just giddily happy to be there). I have to say that it's a very new experience to stand on a stage and have lots of lesbians shout out monetary amounts, bidding on you. And not altogether unpleasant. Hee. I'm happy to say that I did sell (thank God...how embarrassing would it be to stand there to the sound of crickets?). Nancy and her partner, Phyllis, from California, paid over $200 to dance with me at the banquet that night. How cool is that? They were so sweet and they have Aussies, so we talked a lot of dog. I was very flattered and I thank them for their generosity. Nancy is a photographer, so she took lots of pictures (she took the one of me and Phyllis to the right).

I got to meet and/or hang out with so many cool women. KG MacGregor and her partner, Jenny, were sweet and funny and wise; Lisa "Follow Me" Girolami bought me lunch and was fabulous company; Ruth Perkinson and her partner, Sandy, kept me in stitches the entire trip; Karin Kallmaker, the classiest of classy women; MJ Lowe, whom I adore and just want to hug all the time; Nell Stark, whose abs I somehow managed to keep my hands off of, sadly; Catherine Lundoff, who totally wins the debate about reading length; Jane Fletcher, who let me touch her partner Joan's hair; and on and on and on. It was a wonderful conference and I want to say thank you to all the readers who not only attended, but asked me to sign things for them. I really appreciate you taking the time to approach me and tell me what you think of my work. That's what keeps a writer going, that feedback. So thanks.

If you couldn't make it, I'm sad for you; you really missed out.

Good thing there's always next year...