2008 Put Your Heart in a Book Conference

 Key  Information

© Is this year's conference at the same hotel as last year?

A: Yes.  The Sheraton at Woodbridge Place has changed its name to the Woodbridge Hotel and Conference Center.  Same address of 515 Route One South, Iselin, NJ 08830.

© What’s new for this year?

A: We’ve made some schedule changes.  The Special Presentation Chat with JR Ward (a ticketed presentation available only to our first 100 registrants) has been moved to its own timeslot on Saturday morning to avoid conflicts with editor/agent appointments.  Also, the Friday night dessert reception has been changed to an hour-long hor d’oeuvres reception before the awards ceremony.  The food served will be with networking in mind and cash bar will also be available.  Please see the Conference Schedule for more detailed times.  In addition, please remember no totebags will be provided this year.  Please be sure to bring your own totebag, present it when you check in at the NJRW registration desk, and you will be entered into a prize drawing.  One entry per full conference registration attendee only.

© When do the conference events start on Friday and when do they end on Saturday?

A: Conference Registration opens at 11:00 a.m. on Friday.  If this is your first NJRW conference, you may want to join us at 1:00 p.m. for the First Timer's Workshop given by Christine Bush. Starting at 2:00 p.m., there are three hours worth of workshops.  If you are published, the PAN Retreat also starts at 2:00 p.m.  We break for one hour at about 5:00p.m., then reconvene for the Golden Leaf & Put Your Heart in a Book Awards Ceremony and Reception at 6:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m.  Saturday begins with our Special Presentation Chat with JR Ward at 8:00 a.m. (this is a ticketed workshop available only to our first 100 registrants.)  Breakfast starts at 9:00 a.m.  This is where Lisa Scottoline will be speaking.  This is followed by two hours of workshops and editor/agent appointments.  Lunch begins at around noon.  This is when Eloisa James will be speaking.  We have two more hours of workshops in the afternoon, followed by a literacy book signing from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., which is open to the public.  Everything closes with a party from 8:00 p.m. through 11:00 p.m.

© What are this year's conference fees?

A: The conference registration fees are $180 for NJRW members and $200 for non-members. We accept payment via check or Paypal. If you opt to mail in a check, please be advised that your payment must be received within 14 days of your registration. If payment is not received within that time period, both your conference registration and your hotel room will be subject to cancellation.

© I registered online, but I have not received an email confirmation. Do I need it and if so how do I get it?

A: The email confirmation form is very important. That is your proof of registration and it also contains your conference confirmation number. That number is a vital piece of information. Without your confirmation number, you will not be able to register for the book fair and/or an editor agent appointment.  If you have registration questions, contact Kathy Fawcett at registrar@njromancewriters.org.

© What are the criteria for buying a meals only ticket? How much does it cost?

A: A meals only registration is available for $85. The meals included in the cost of this ticket is the Golden Leaf and Put Your Heart in a Book Awards Reception on Friday evening, Saturday Breakfast and Luncheon, and the Saturday evening close of conference party. This registration is available only to family members or significant others who are not members of NJRW or RWA – and who accompany a full conference registrant. Pre-payment is required.

© How do I reserve a room at the hotel?

A: This year you will need to input your rooming request on the NJRW registration form. The hotel will email you a confirmation number and you will then need to call in with a credit card number in order to secure your reservation. **NJRW is not responsible for room reservations that are cancelled due to the attendee’s failure to contact the Woodbridge Hotel and Conference Center with a credit card to secure said room.**

© When does the conference hotel room rate end?

A: The group rate ends on October 1st. If you do not book your room by then, you will have to pay regular hotel rate.

© How do I get to the hotel?

A: There are three ways to get to the hotel.
          By Plane: You will fly into Newark Liberty Airport (EWR). You can make reservations with State Shuttle at www.stateshuttle.com for service to the hotel.
          By Train: You can take Amtrak or NJ Transit into the MetroPark train station. The hotel offers a free shuttle from the train station to the hotel. Call 732-634-3600 upon arrival at Metropark and they will send a shuttle for you.
          By Car: Click here for driving directions.

© Is there any on-site registration?

A: No, there is no on-site registration. You must pre-register.

© What should I wear at the conference?

A: It's wisest to wear business or business casual attire. You may also want to bring a sweater or jacket. New Jersey temperatures can be unpredictable in October. Also, while the hotel does their best to find a comfortable temperature for all, there is no telling how you're going to feel in the meeting and banquet rooms.

© What is the conference Cancellation Policy?

A: Refunds will be made in full if you cancel by Sept. 1, 2008. Cancellations made though September 21, 2008 are subject to a $30 handling fee. Cancellations made after September 21, 2008 are subject to an $85 cancellation fee. Refunds for no shows will be made at the discretion of the conference chair.

© Who do I need to notify if I need to cancel and what is the cancellation procedure?

A: If you should need to cancel your registration please notify conference chair, Michele Richter, at confchair@njromancewriters.org and/or the conference registrar, Kathy Fawcett, at registrar@njromancewriters.org as soon as possible.

© Who are the key conference contacts?

For Editor/Agent appointments contact Linda Parisi at ed-agchair@njromancewriters.org

For Registration questions contact Kathy Fawcett and/or Christine Clemetson at registrar@njromancewriters.org.

For Book Fair questions contact Tara Haff at bookfair@njromancewriters.org.

For Gift Basket Donations and Goodie Room donations contact Cathi Ricci at ctriccie@comcast.net or Anna Lipovsky at lipovsky@rci.rutgers.edu.

For general questions contact Michele Richter and Rayna Vause at confchair@njromancewriters.org, Kathy Fawcett at registrar@njromancewriters.org, or Charity Scordato at president@njromancewriters.org.