RT Convention -- The Saturday Book Fair

Since my computer died at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention (actually the case fell off the bed while I was packing to go -- dang it), I wrote my blog posts in longhand. Here is the one for Saturday -- the big day. The Book Fair. The pic above is me at my table, ready and eager to sell. ; )

Saturday, 8:30 AM -- Armed & Magical is in the building! WOOT! My case of Magic Lost , Trouble Found is supposed to arrive between 8-noon via Fed Ex. I gave the hotel staff at the front desk the heads up last night and just stopped by again this morning. Great staff at the Pittsburgh Hilton! Kevin the Super Concierge fixed us up with a great breakfast with plenty of fruit to take with us to the booksigning. And he gave me a big coffee cup full of mixed nuts so I'd have plenty of protein to snack on. Kevin, you are the best! The authors have to be in the ballroom at 10:15 and can't leave (unless we get someone to watch our table) until the Book Fair is over. Needless to say, you don't wanna drink too much coffee. ; ) My case of MLTF arrived around 9:15. Valerie Cortes, my publicist is a force of nature for pulling this off! Val, you're amazing!

I've got my camera in my briefcase (with pens, postcards, bookmarks, fruit, nuts, cereal bars, peanut butter crackers, water and ginger ale). I felt like I was packing for an Everest expedition. When all was said and done, I'd just sipped some water and snacked on the nuts. I was way too busy selling books. ; ) The book fair runs from 11-2. At 2:00, they close the doors and don't let anyone else in. So I've heard we might not get out until 4:00. Danged straight I'm hauling in food.

The Book Fair was the most fun! Meeting rabid fans, making new fans, selling 41 out of my 48 books -- I was a book-selling machine on fire! And for you aspiring authors, let me tell you that the reality is just as good as what you daydream about. There is absolutely nothing as thrilling as having fans come up to your table, squeeing, saying how excited they are to meet you, and wanting to take your picture. It just doesn't get any better. : )

At 2:00 the lights in the ballroom -- all of the lights even the emergency lights -- went out. We were using cellphones, camera flashes, and glow balls and sticks that Linnea had been handing out during the convention. Linnea's giveaways were lighting the ballroom, it was so cool. Fortunately, the lights came back on after about ten minutes.

I made so many incredibly valuable contacts -- there just isn't any substitution for meeting industry people face-to-face.

Oh, and I saw Adrian Paul as he was arriving at the hotel (very nice). But the most fun was passing Fabio in the hall on the 18th floor (the floor where my room was). I think he was staying in the suite at the end of the hall. I spotted him as soon as he turned the corner -- believe me, there's no mistaking seeing that walking toward you. Now my type is dark hair; I've never been much for blonds. But DANG! I told myself I was NOT going to walk past Fabio and not even speak. I said "hi"; he said "hi". The man makes some serious eye contact when he talks to you (NICE blue eyes), and that "hi" was danged sultry. That is one more fine-looking man. And he was taller than I thought he'd be -- he's around 6' 4".

That night, Linnea, Stacey Klemstein, Robin Owens and I went to the Mr. Romance 2008 pageant, then hit the hotel bar, then around 10:00 went to Palomino (fabulous restaurant) for appetizers and more drinks. Linnea hired a car to take us to the airport on the next morning, and I'm home now.

Thanks to my computer dying, I'm five days behind on my writing. My deadline is next Thurs. Yikes! So if you all will forgive me, my posts are going to be quickies until then. I have some pics from the conference to post, and some others as well. So keep coming back, there will be something every day, but just nothing "educational" until I get The Trouble With Demons turned in. And the last MLTF contest is this Saturday. So if you want to be entered in the contest, send me an email with "MLTF contest" in the subject line before Saturday AM EST.

I didn't proof this, so excuse any typos. ; )
Lisa