Two days from today, I'll be arriving in Chicago as a delegate for IMRR...the very best online group for authors and readers of multicultural and interracial romance, in case you didn't know. But I'm pretty sure you did...and its sister group, R. I. C. H. Writers and to tell the truth, I'm stressed!

First off, I'm meeting my absolute fave author of all time, Dyanne Davis. I won't go into how much I absolutely adore her, but lets just say that I now save her books when I get them rather than reading them immediately, because I like knowing I have a a guaranteed fabulous read waiting for me on my shelf. Especially when I've been all but forced to read an honest to God wallbanger. You know the kind of book. It's so bad that you find yourself throwing it across the wall, grinding your teeth and cussing out the stupid characters. Anyway, Dyanne's a doll and I know she will put me at ease immediately. But I'm still kinda nervous about meeting her. After all, this is the woman who wrote "The Color of Trouble" and created, or maybe I should say, "exposed the world to" Adam Omega.

The next reason for my stress...is all the things that IMRR is doing to make sure that the attendees learn more about the author members, myself included, of IMRR.

The delegation and management of IMRR is hosting a daily give away of books, t-shirts, totebags and whatever else has been donated by author members and publishers and just making sure that we contacted, mailed out and thanked everyone has been...not really stressful. Actually, that part has been fun. I've gotten to know tons of authors on a more personal level and can't wait to meet them.

What's been stressful is my stupid printer! Dear Lord can't Lexmark make a printer that doesn't cause me to backslide everytime I hit "print"?

Now, I know you're wondering what my printer has to do with going to Slam Jam?

I'm the person responsible for the lovely entry forms for the giveaways and silly me...I decided that refilling my own cartridges would be a great way to save money on flyers since I need...oh, a thousand of them, give or take a dozen or so. I also still need to print out the gorgeous iron-ons that will go on the totebags and t-shirts. All of this is fairly easy to do. Only problem is, the doggoned cartridges are nearly impossible to refill and once filled, the printer refuses to recognize the cartridge as being full.

Needless to say, I'm stressed over that. But, a quick trip to kinkos will solve most of that I'm sure.

But here's the deal....

I haven't packed, although I have been getting everything together and putting most of it in one place for the past two weeks.

I have a ton of promo items that I didn't send ahead of me....Thank you once again to Dyanne Davis who's also had her home act as THE drop-off/receiving station of ALL the promo items for Slam Jam. God Bless her. She finally gets her home back this weekend....and I have to find room for them in my suitcase.

My ONE SUITCASE!

Did I mention I HATE flying?

This whole, "you can only check one bag for free" business isn't helping. But the good news is that I was able to get a non-stop flight to Chicago, thank the Lord. So, I dont have to worry about "taking off" more than once.

But of course, this is only the tip of the iceburg for the next 24-48 hours. As I type this, I'm in all places...at church printing out programs for a special service this evening. I have a big meeting tomorrow night after work where people will pepper me with questions about the academic competiton being hosted by my church...and I still have to pack. Although, it might be a good thing I haven't packed yet. Word is, it's seriously cold in Chi-town and most of what I planned to pack probably wouldn't work. Especially the no coat part of packing.

And lets not forget that I lost my glasses. I have contacts. But still. No glasses to make me look studious and sharp.

BUT....

I get to spend a week with my online friends...some of whom I've met previously...and hang out talking books, learning about the industry, meeting readers and telling them about not only me, but the fabulous authors that hang out on IMRR! Can't get much better than that. Well, it could. The weather channel could be wrong and I could come home married to Adrian Paul. Hey...you never know!