RT 2010: Day 2

Let see if I can make this short and sweet :P (Especially since Jill is leaving in a few hours and off the laptop goes with her LOL).

Day 2 started off early again. Seriously, I haven't really slept in at all this week... although, I mean, it's not surprising to me, cos I rarely sleep in. Anyway. It started with the Mystery Chix & Private Dix morning mixer where they serve bagels, yogurts and coffee. There were many authors present: Lori Armstrong, Brett Battles, Juliet Blackwell (aka Hailey Lind), Robert Gregory Browne, Carole Nelson Douglas, Harley Jane Kozak, Julie Kramer, CJ Lyons, Rick Mofina, Brad Parks and Diana Rowland. While we were eating, they each introduced themselves and talked a little bit about their books. Some really sound interesting and I'm planning to check them out :P (I already bought 2 CJ Lyons and 1 Harley Jane Kozak at the pre-signing :P)

Then, Kristie and I made our way to the Read A Book, Save an Author with Toni Blake and Dakota Cassidy (last minute replacement for Julie Anne Long) along with their PR person/assistant. Tessa Dare was also in audience and Sarah dropped by. It was very casual and intimate as there was about 10 persons in the audience... and we simply chat. Basically, the most important is word of mouth. Good reaction or bad reaction, it's better than no reaction. Also talked a bit about Twitter and Facebook, etc. We also talked about how authors should react to bad reviews or even good ones, etc. By the way, Dakota Cassidy has an amazing voice LOL. (Dakota Cassidy is on the far left and Toni Blake, on far right)

Next was the Author Chat with Jennifer Crusie, Lani Diane Rich and Anne Stuart which I attended with Jill. Unfortunately, Ms Crusie was unable to attend due to sickness - bummer. Still had a great time though. I have to say, Anne Stuart is a hoot and she doesn't hold back at all!! You can also see the friendship and connection between Ms Rich and Ms Stuart - they are most certainly best of friends. LOL, I think Lani Diane Rich almost choked one or twice on her water at some of Ms Stuart's comments and she was certainly mortified once or twice as well... especially when Ms Stuart talked about Good Vibrations - or something like that. Basically, Ms Stuart and Ms Rich were asked about the fairy tales collaboration (kind of in the same style as Dogs and Goddesses). Ms Stuart indicated that she along with Ms Rich and Ms Crusie were hoping to get together before the RWA and work on the first draft. In the meantime, she's been doing research by watching Good Vibrations (again, not sure of the title... but from what I understood, it's a porn movie...). LOL, Ms Stuart was so candid about it :P It was definitively awesome to hear her talk. Ms Rich was also great, giving advices on writing - you shouldn't let anyone sway you from writing what you want and do not follow trends - and was very open about the divorce she's going through. She's currently blogging about it on her Lucy March blog. All in all, it was a very nice and entertaining hour :P For those who are interested, Ms Stuart has a new historical trilogy coming out in back to back months this summer, starting in August. Each book will cover a generation, with a free prequel available on e-Harlequin. When she was asked why she was going back to historicals, Ms Stuart answered that she didn't have much choice as it was requested by her publisher - the Ice series haven't "sold" that well. She'll also have a new series (with New American Library IIRC) about blood-sucking angels :P Interesting twist, right? As for Ms Rich, well going through a divorce is not very inspirational when writing romance; however, she'll be back in 2011 with a new release - A Little Night Magic which is a fun, light contemporary romance with magic. By the way, during the whole session, I just couldn't stop thinking how much Cindy would enjoy this talk and how good they'd get along :P

After this, I went to get an ice cream given away during the Red Sage Ice Cream Social. Then, went to have lunch with Kristie - because, well I was starving! LOL. Then, I didn't realize how much time has gone by, I had to rush to the Special Autographing session - many authors had to leave before Saturday so a special signing was organized. There wasn't many people, so it went really fast. I was going to get a book for Cindy, but then the only Anne Stuart book available was Tangled Lies and I think you got that one autographed already, right Cindy? However, I got to get a picture of me standing next to Anne Stuart!! Anyone who's familiar with photoshop and who could put Cindy in there instead of me? :P

Then, I made my way to Bad Boy Bingo hosted by Victoria Dahl, Alyssa Day and Cindy Holby (there might have been a few more authors as hosts, but I can't remember). Sarah from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books was calling out the numbers: Bitches, Indecent, Nipple, Groping and Orgasm. Strangely enough, Orgasm 69 seemed to be called at every game... Coincidental? :P By the way, Sarah did an excellent job, but boy was she fast calling them out!! Oh and Bingo winners had to read hot scenes from selected passages in the authors' books :P Luckily for me, I won the last game when we were running out of time - phew! :P (In the right picture: Sherry Thomas, Carrie Lofty, Courtney Milan, Zoe Archer, Sarah and Kristie)

There was then a little down time - or perhaps not, but I can't remember what I did ^_^; I think Kristie and I and probably Jill went back to the room for a break. Then, I got ready - all dressed up (well not in a costume, but just nice top and jeans) for the Mullet rendez-vous. Yes, at 4.30pm, it was time for Kristie to honor her lost bet... and it was all recorded by a woman who is making a documentary about romance!! But don't worry, you don't have to wait for so long - I have pictures and videos. Also, Kristie had a little surprise for Sarah...

We then attended the RT Book Reviews.com Launch Party - yep, they have a whole new website. There were some prizes drawing and OMG, those baskets were huge and filled of books!! Unfortunately, I did not win... but it was nice. Also ran into Lisabea and Jane again.

Then, at 8.30pm, there was the Faery Dinner & Dance Ball... and wow, some of the costumes were amazing!!! Some of these ladies really go all out!! It's really incredible... My favorites were Delilah Marville and Richelle Mead... and there was food!! Food!! LOL. Although for some reasons, they serve the salad and then brought out dessert... and everyone kind of started freaking out, because we thought: That's it?!?!? Luckily, the main course came out and so we were happy campers :D And I pretty much turned in after dinner, because I was getting a headache... I'm not much of a dancer either. LOL, I was so soundly asleep that I didn't hear Kristie come in... but I did wake up when Jill climbed into bed :P We also talked a little before going to bed, but yeah, I quickly drifted back to sleep. I need my sleep :P

So that's it for Day 2. I'll try to put in the pictures later tonight... or when I get back home. For now, I gotta run!! Later!!