2015 Romance Writers of America conference

I spent the end of July at the Romance Writers of America conference in New York City, which took place right in the heart of the theater district at the Marriott Marquis hotel.

  
For someone afraid of heights, a hotel room on the 44th floor was a challenge for me...

A long way down!
But it did afford some spectacular views out my window...

Cruise ship on the Hudson river
Sunset over New Jersey


I also had trouble with the hotel's glass-enclosed elevators, which felt like we were in freefall going down to the lobby. GULP!

It was all worth it, though, to be able to be one of 480 authors signing their books at RWA's Literacy signing, which raised $48,000 for various literacy organizations. The event was overwhelming!

At the Literacy book signing

The conference itself was exhausting but energizing, and if there’s one thing during the jam-packed four days that I regret, it’s that I didn’t take my cell phone to a late-night workshop titled “What Really Happens During A Cover Model Shoot?”

Photographer Kim Killion of the Killion Group shared some deep, dark industry secrets, like… she sprays a male model’s chest with PAM cooking spray to give it that sweaty, glistening look! And this one… she has a male model do 20 push ups before shooting his (now) bulging, vein-y muscles for an impressive Highlander-in-a-shirtless-kilt pose, LOL! 

Kim also passed out cover model calendars, so even though I didn’t take pictures at the actual workshop, I can treat you to the cover model she used… meet Harvey, in (almost) all his glory!



It was a wonderful, overwhelming, crazy, inspiring, action-packed conference, the kind that makes you itch to get back to your keyboard and start creating some sexy, happy-ever-after stories.

Until next month!

Leigh





8 comments:

Carly said...

Thanks for sharing! Kim certainly has a great job. lol

Natasha Moore said...

Sounds like you had a great time. Sorry to miss that cover shoot!

Leigh Court said...

Yes, Kim does have a great job, but it was so funny the way she tossed out directions to the model, Harvey, like "drop and give me 20" to get the bulging muscle shot, and "his nose, her nose" to describe the angle of a kissing shot, and shaking her hand at him wordlessly as a signal to get him to turn slightly for a better camera angle. Not very "romantic" for a romance cover shoot, but very enlightening!

Leigh

Sam Beck said...

I wonder if Kim needs an assistant to spray down her models? I have PAM and I will travel!

Leigh Court said...

Sam -
Kim had TWO assistants with her, LOL! I have a feeling there's a waiting list to be her assistant :)

Leigh

Kathy Bennett said...

Ha! And I thought PAM was just for cooking!

It sounds like the conference was a lot of fun and enlightening in more ways than one.

Leigh Court said...

It certainly was, Kathy :)

Leigh

Alyssa Kress said...

I hope he's well-paid!