Things I Enjoyed Most at the RT Convention.

I'm a dud. Really.
While everyone else is charging from one event to the next, I'm...
Yeah. Yawning. Sleeping. It's sad. And embarrassing.

RT puts on this great convention full of parties and activities and I usually spend a lot of time hiding in my room, napping, or just putting my feet up.
You'd think I was pushing 85 instead of closing in on 50 with my lack of energy.

My only excuse is that it's an intimidating thing to see so many people who know your name, when you can't pull a single name, not even your own, out of your tired brain. I see people heading for me, and I feel like...
That way, I can't offend anyone with my terrible memory.


Once long ago at a forgotten convention I saw a button that said, "That's Okay. I don't remember your name either." I need one of those!
There seems to be some mental block for me when it comes to crowds and loud noises.
But hey, I'm a writer.

I spend a lot of time in noise of my own making - like my music choices and the sounds of my dogs snoring. It's no wonder the chaos gets to me.
So why do I attend the huge, wild, bursting-with-non-stop-activities RT Convention?

Here are just a few of the things I really enjoy.

This is me with the lovely Rosemary Potter
(in pink) of Rosemary's Romance Books
in Brisbane Australia. Rosemary does an incredible
job of selling our books, and she's so fun and
enthusiastic that seeing her is a major lure.
It feels like I've know Rosemary forever, and now she's
not just a bookseller to me. She's a friend.





Since Rosemary isn't the only Aussie to make the long trek over for the festivities, Kathryn Falk hosted a party for them, and I was honored with an invitation. (It was a morning party, so I was actually awake and happy to attend!) So fun!
The Aussie booksellers are generous, kind, and hilarious, and they bring the authors those delicious chocolate TimTams! Great nibbles for the flight home.

Here's a group of us posing for the camera at the Australian gathering.

That's me in white, sans hat. Behind me is the super sweet and very talented author Karen Kelley, then the incomparable Katheryn Falk of RT fame, followed by Rosemary Potter, then good friend and amazing author Rosemary Laurey, and another Aussie bookseller whose name I have shamefully forgotten already. (See above paragraph about my awful memory!)
Mugging for the camera is a given if you attend the convention. At times, my mouth will begin to twitch from so much smiling!

Now, if you're wondering about those bright pink hats the ladies are wearing, or the festive yellow shirts, thank my best friend Dianne Castell. She's a writing dynamo who passes out goodies from one end of the convention to the other. Dianne, Rosemary Laurey and Karen Kelley have an incredible anthology titled Texas Bad Boys coming out in September, thus the cowboy hats, and the shirts with the cover printed on them. (It is a smashing cover, by the way.)

And see the water bottles in Dianne's hands? Ha! You should have seen her room! Boxes of water bottles filled it. I doubt anyone left Daytona without a Texas Bad Boy water bottle.


(This is Dianne handing out more water bottles,
and Rosemary is thinking of other people
they can give them to. )





Hanging out with author friends who I don't get to see as often as I see Dianne is the biggest plus. Because writing is a solitary biz, we all chat online a lot, but it's so nice to sit down face-to-face and catch up on who's publishing what and where, and when the books will be out.
I get such a kick out of my friends, how different they are from me, and how alike they are.



One way we differ is that that most of my friends
have a lot more energy than I do! Here's a photo
of good friends LuAnn McLane and
Janice Maynard snuggled up to a cover
model at one of the parties.
Go ladies, go!
I think this particular party was the Fairy Ball - see
LuAnn's tiara?


Here we are at breakfast on the patio, with the surf behind us, dining with some of those lovely Aussie booksellers and a few of my published friends.











In the first photo, the yellow shirt is Rosemary Laurey, and next to her is LuAnn McLane. That's me in black. Yeah, I'm usually in black. My wardrobe mostly consists of black, white and blue jean.
In the second photo, the yellow shirt is Dianne Castell and behind her is Janice Maynard, and then Karen Kelley.
The rest of the smiling faces are Aussie booksellers.

The booksigning, which lasted 4 1/2 hours, afforded another opportunity to visit with reading and writing friends, and then Dianne and I headed home. Traveling with Dianne is wonderful. We get along so well and usually keep each other laughing.

Did I mention the convention was in Daytona Beach this year?

I left the cool rainy days of Ohio for sunshine, surf and sand. It was heavenly. I got out for several walks in the early evening, and when I was in my room, I kept the curtains and balcony door open to relish the fresh air and sounds of the ocean.

I think I'll leave you with an image of the beach from my room.
The sunset and sunrise was truly lovely.












So you see, even as a non-partier, I had a great time at the RT bash. There's always something for everyone, even a party pooper like me.

What part of the convention do you love best?
(If you've never been, what part do you think you'd love best?)
Meeting authors.
Meeting online friends.
Free books! (Did I mention that a lot of the publishers have small signings where their author autograph free books for you?)
Parties, parties and more parties.
Cover models.
Workshops on everything from writing to psychic talents and more.
Promo material goodies.
Location - like the beach at Daytona.

Whatever your choices, every reader and writer should attend an RT Convention. It's an experience you won't soon forget!

Hugs to everyone!