What first impression did you make?

We all get but one first impression. We have only one chance to make it a good one. And I know I've lacked sorely in that department. 

Do you know how important it is? Before you tell me yes, and before you tell me a story of someone's first impression on you, allow me this. 

Years ago, I went to a Romance Writer's National Conference in Washington. It was my first and walking into the literacy signing that first day was like a baptism of fire. I was overwhelmed by the number of women there. Thousands.

Then, a tiny, pretty woman stepped from the crowd. "Barbara!" she called. Her name was Danica Favorite, a fellow writer who took care of some of the Harlequin boards and rallied the Love Inspired writers when we needed rallying. She recognized my name and wanted to say hello.

I could have hugged her. A light shining in the dark, she was, for I was not well known back then. That first impression that she made was awesome.

Fast forward a few years later, in Atlanta, my second conference, and I still remembered Danica's kindness. And there she was, sitting in the lounge, talking to another writer. I couldn't help myself. I hurried up to her and told her, after excusing myself for interrupting, that I appreciated what she'd done years before. She'd made a wonderful, kind first impression on me.

I walked away, telling my companion what Danica had said to me, years before. My friend promptly grabbed me. "Did you see what you did!  Did you see who Danica was talking to?"

I swiveled my head around. "No. I just saw Danica."

"She was talking to Nora Roberts!"

Oh. Well, there goes my good first impression with Nora. I'd been terribly rude, but in my excitement of seeing one kind person I had forgotten my manners. (It's not good form to interrupt people talking at conferences, I was told. Oops. But to be honest, if I followed that rule to the letter, with 2,000 plus romance writers, I probably wouldn't get a word in edgewise!)

Still, my point remains. Danica had made a wonderful first impression. We only get one chance to make that first impression and yes, we screw it up sometimes. 

Now that you've heard my sorry story, the story behind my rather poor first impression on Nora Roberts, I'm going to ask you to do something the next time someone makes a bad first impression on you. 

I'm going to ask you to remember me, because that person ruining his or her first impression with you may not be doing anything malicious at all.

They just don't realize that you're as special as Nora Roberts is.

My first conference! Blog 1 of 5

WARNING! May contain moments of lapsed memory, proof of conference head, and symptoms of chocolate withdrawal. Reader discretion advised.

I’m going to attempt to blog about my trip to Washington, DC this past week. I went there to attend the Romance Writers of America’s national conference, and I must say the experience was well worth it. First up, I got a terrific deal on the flight, and then I finaled in Daphne, a contest showcasing excellence in mystery and suspense. How cool is that? It was accompanied by a Death by Chocolate party. Well, if you can’t die peacefully in your sleep at age 100, death by chocolate would be a great alternative.

I arrived unable to meet up with a friend to catch a shuttle to the hotel, but decided to brave the subway. How hard can it be?

I’m proud to say it wasn’t hard at all. The biggest problem was trying to figure out the vending machine that spits out subway tickets if you manage to decode the instructions. Just as I was feeling a bit like Tom Hanks on an adventure to save humanity, a very nice couple walked up and offered me a pair of tickets, good anytime until Thursday. I snatched them out of their hands in a flash, and was off. I actually met up with some fellow writers and we traveled to the hotel together. I’d begun my conference!

You see, I went there for the schmoozing. I roomed with a pair of veteran conference goers and wow, they really know what to do. One gal, and she knows who she is, took me under her wing. Because she knows me, she told me she’d nudge me when I was in danger of putting my foot into my mouth.

I’m bruised all along the left side of my body now. But I did manage to shove that size 9 into my mouth one time, telling a strange man waiting for the elevator beside me that he looked terrible. Oh, well, nobody’s perfect, right?

Of course, too late did I realize that I could be telling the man with whom I had an editor appointment that he looked awful, but I have to live dangerously once in a while.

We stayed at the Marriott near the zoo. One roomie did her research and discovered the older part of the hotel was the best deal. It sure was. On the sixth floor, you could pick up the local McDonald’s wifi, which was more than others could do.

I personally don’t think that a hotel of the Marriott’s caliber needs to charge for wifi in their standard rooms. The room was lovely, with a dressing room and spacious bathroom, and yet, oddly, two three-quarter beds instead of double. And you can’t tell me that’s the US double beds are smaller than in Canada. You Americans aren’t any smaller than us Canucks, and being from the Great White North, we need to cuddle in the night to keep warm, so if anything, we’d take the three-quarter beds, not you down in sweltering DC.

Tune in tomorrow when I begin my first full day in the US capital.