The RT Booklovers’ Convention, which just wrapped up in Kansas City, was such a blast. Here are some of the many highlights/memorable moments from the week.
- We kicked off the con with Cinema Craptastique, narrated by the hilarious Damon Suede. We watched The Covenant and live-tweeted the event on a screen next to the movie so that everyone could read what others were tweeting. We showed up in our PJs and had movie food and goodie bags for all. Man, it was fun…even though I got thrown into twitter jail for tweeting too much. (I was in charge of the live-tweeting, so I was RTing everyone like crazy and trying to keep up with Damon’s hilarious commentary.) The next day, we heard everyone loved it so much that RT invited us back next year to do it again! New Orleans, here we come!
Your hosts, minus CJ Ellisson who took the pic
- In the Vampires To Die For panel, we read excerpts from vampire romances and had readers guess the vampire. If you got it wrong, you were “bitten” and had to get a temporary tattoo bite mark. Winners got one of the many prizes.
Caridad Pineiro is “biting” a reader
- Gary the RT Gator made an appearance at the after parties and was a huge hit. (Kelly from Demonlovers Books and More nabbed him after a Samhain party where he was masquerading as a decoration.) Everyone wanted their pictures taken with him.
Kelly with RT Gator
- While Tiffany Reisz hosted an informal storytime in the lobby, we watched from the sidelines and filmed a goofy Vine video.
- At the Vampire Social, where everyone had Bloody Marys and received a tote filled with vampire books and swag, Carmel from Rabid Reads won a Kindle. I’m pretty sure that her pal Jennifer from The Book Nympho is plotting to nab it when she’s not looking.
Carmel and Jennifer
- Trying to keep my fangirlness to manageable/non-stalker-like levels, I got to have dinner with some of my author crushes Lara Adrian and Alexandra Ivy. Lara shared with us some of her upcoming projects. Exciting!!!
Dinner at RT
- A bunch of us went out to celebrate Elisabeth Naughton hitting the NYT bestseller list in a big, big way.
Celebrating with Elisabeth Naughton
- I also got to hang out with my author pals Shelli Stevens and Karen Erickson. Karen shared all kinds of awesome news about her writing alter-ego Monica Murphy. Holy cow, peeps, it’s sooo exciting!!! If you’ve read One Week Girlfriend and/or Second Chance Boyfriend…Marshmallow!
- E.L. James, author of Fifty Shades of Grey, showed up in the audience at a panel (based on RT’s reaction, they didn’t know she was coming). As you can imagine, her appearance created quite the stir and lit up the twitterverse. What a fun surprise!
- Late one night in the hotel lobby, Delilah Marvelle filmed a Harlem Shake video with dozens of authors, readers and cover models. She made Andrew Shaffer wear a horse head, but knowing Andrew, it didn’t take much convincing. During the first part, it was so hard pretending to read my book while Delilah was grinding on the woman in front of me. As soon as she’s got it edited, I’ll be sure to post it here. ETA, here’s the video!
- Last but not least, I finally got to meet my dear friend Janna in person. Along with Mandy, we have been online pals for years. We laughed, we cried, we gossiped, we swooned over cover models and authors, we ate BBQ, and we pretended they were my assistants (which was actually a huge giant help to me because I’m ridiculously scatterbrained at cons). Tears were shed when we had to part ways at the end.
Mandy, Janna and Me
Hi Laurie – Looks like so much fun!!! I hope to go to one of these some time – perhaps next year in New Orleans. It would be so nice to meet you. I’ll have to figure out a way to get there. If not there, maybe another conference. They all look like fun! Glad you had a great time! 🙂
It was sooo fun, Julie! You should try to go next year. My online reader friends and I make it like a mini-reunion. They go around and get all their favorite authors to sign their books while I sign books at the Giant Book Fair.
Julie, you should go if you ever get the chance, at the very least, hit the Giant Book Fair. I’ve been to 3 RT Con’s and each one has been a blast, (primarily because I get to hang out with Laurie and other friends) and just keeps getting better.
There was so much going on every day, I ended up taking notes so I wouldn’t get home and think, “what the heck did I do for 4 days?” I’m completely beat.. like I spent 4 days running around Disneyland… beat. I wouldn’t miss being with you and Janna for anything, well, almost anything.
See you next year in New Orleans!!!
I miss you already, Mandy!
It was great meeting you Laurie. I love the picture you took of me and Jennifer. My new Kindle Fire is charging as I type this. 🙂
You’ll love your Fire. I have a first-gen and it’s great. I love that goofy pic!!! Kinda captures the essence of the whole fun-filled week. 🙂
She locked that Fire up in the room safe. LOL
I wish I didn’t talk into it. I would have had fun hiding it from her.
She was so lucky, she won a Nook Tablet at another event but was sweet and gave it to her room mate Amber I from Awesomesauce Book Club.
Loved seeing you across the aisle at the book signing. What a crazy whirlwind of a week. Hugs and happy writing~
Nancy
And I loved seeing you too!!!
Awesome Laurie! I’m so sad I missed it this year. See you next year?
I’m bummed I missed you too! Yes, I’ll be going to New Orleans. We’ll have to meet up there!!!