I know some venues and groups have already started their round of parties. My company had theirs this past week, I think. I wasn’t there.

Today, however, was my RWA chapter party and while I go to the monthly meetings to recharge, renew, refocus and share news and writerly information with my peers. There are some well known authors in my chapter, some not to well known and some just starting out. We are in print and electronic, small houses and large. We writer traditional romance, historical, inspirational, erotic and everything in between. Ours is a wonderfully eclectic group with an incredible and limitless reservoir of information.

Today was, as I said, our party and it was just plain ole good to see everyone. We talked about our recent successes, including one author’s first sale, new contracts and almost sales. There was also a bit of chat about current events in our own lives and, as those events inevitably do, talk of the potential story from those events.

Karin Tabke, our outgoing chapter president talked to us about writing and she is an extremely inclusive person. She inspired many if not all of us, especially when she asked several members how long they had been writing until they received their first contract – one member who has mentored me said 8 years until she sold, another 12, another member was the chapter president before any of the rest of us – which includes the member who’s been there over 15 years. I feel fortunate because I had my first contract on my first book within a month of submitting it. It’s no longer in print and I didn’t even know about RWA then. But it’s not the name of an organization that makes it a part of your fabric, it’s about the people that are there with you.

Actually, except for good wishes at the end of this incredible buffet lunch in a restaurant that overlooks San Francisco Bay, we didn’t talk about the holidays. We talked about celebrating our writing. We had rain in the Bay Area last night – I slept through it which is odd because I LOVE the rain, especially at night when I’m in bed. Today dawned chilly – it got up to a whopping 42 degrees, but the sky was clear and the bay was breathtaking. Well, San Francisco bay is always breath taking but today it was even more so. The deep sea green of the water was incredibly rich, there were sailboats on the bay with colorful spinnakers seemingly painted across what started out as a marvelous blue and cloudless sky. The skyline of the City by the Bay was a stunning accent. The setting perfect, the company some of the best people I know and each one a gift to know.

Today’s party is the only holiday event I’ll be attending. Oh yes, there will be a Yule dinner or brunch with a few friends and a dinner with some close friends, but in terms of the get all duded up and sparkly, this was the only party. The words and support of my chapter mates are gifts that will endure long past the new year.