Archive for the Category »romanticon 2009 «

Oct
15
Romanticon 2.0
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I finally made it home! I don’t want to see a gray security bucket for at least six months. Unfortunately no such luck I’ll be in the Windy City the first week in December for another conference. So before I have a nervous breakdown, I’ve downloaded more pics from this past weekend! Hmmm, where did I leave off? Ah, yes the Psychedelic party!

(All the fun on the dance floor)

(Channeling Minnie Ripperton)

(Psychedelic triplets)

(Author Eve Vaughn and I…love…peace…and soul!)

(Liz Andrews and Lena Matthews before Bobby K stole her Afro wig)

(Bobby K in Lena’s Afro wig)

The most memorable moment of the night? Too many to name so, I’m going to break them down to my top 6! Why not 10? It was a 6-0′s theme party!

KOKO’S 6 MEMORABLE MOMENTS OF ROMANTICON’S PSYCHEDELIC PARTY

6. Ellora’s Cave for starting the party on time! Yippee no more waiting 45 minutes in line like other conferences

5. Austin Powers’ Psychedelic dance contest intro…”Oh, behave!

4. The (great) DJ dressed like Bowser from Sha Na Na

3. Posing for a personal picture with Angelo

2. Bobby K serenading the audience while being freaked by Lena Matthews

1. Meeting author Sherri King!

Yes my most memorable moment was finally meeting author Sherri L. King. Poor thing. I’ve stalked her for two straight years ever since Romantic Times’ Convention in Pittsburgh. I think I actually made her blush! Tiny little thing. Cute to death! And one of my all time favorite authors. So much so, that I’ve bought her book Fetish no less than four times over the years.

WHY? I kept losing the story due to two mother boards burning up, getting locked out of my hard drive, and erasing everything on my jump drive:( And I hate to admit it, but when I met her I still didn’t have a copy due to a new computer. But I made up for it by snagging an autograph copy at the book signing:)

After all the fun on Friday night, EC had much more in store for conference attendees in the form of one-on-one author meet and greets, craft workshops -the branding workshop headed by Adele Dubois, Susan Edwards and Judith Rochelle/Desiree Holt was great-, and an appreciation dinner.

Any Highlights?

Collecting fellow authors’ autographs, meeting Bronwyn Greene and hearing the pet names for her books, and the human sandwich EC cover models Rodney Chatman and Angelo made of author and “Golden Whip” winner Joey Hill.

(Appreciation Dinner: Angelo, Rodney, and author Joey Hill is sandwiched between them)

I was having so much fun at the Appreciation Dinner, I was sad it ended right after the awards. Too bad they didn’t have the same great DJ from the night before. But I hear EC didn’t need a dance floor for the fun to continue because I heard the party moved to the hotel bar where a little impromptu karaoke singing and light spanking was on the menu.

(Yolanda from Two Lips Reviews and I before the Appreciation Dinner)

Unfortunately, I missed out on the action because I went back to my hotel room right after the dinner. Seems cold air and this Florida girl don’t mix…makes me sleepier than a bear at the first sign of winter.
Don’t feel sorry for me, I made up for it on Sunday! The third and final day of Romanticon was packed with even more activities: workshops, a huge author book signing and a farewell bingo party.

In the morning, I sat in on a very informative panel on “Researching and Writing BDSM” headed by Joey Hill, Diana Hunter, and Tawny Taylor. And a job well done I must say especially when they held a tight reign on the attendees who wanted to share their experiences into BDSM much to my delight and I’m sure everyone else.

After too short of a group discussion, it was my turn to step up to bat as one of four authors –Liz Andrews, Lena Matthews, and Eve Vaughn– heading a panel on “Researching and Writing for the Multicultural and Interracial” genre. In our panel we covered everything from the difference between the two genres, great websites for researching different cultures/ethnicity’s, stereotypes, and Do’s and Don’ts of writing within the two genres. Hopefully, everyone had a great time and no one’s ears were singed:)

After our panel, I stayed behind for “Researching and Writing Historical Romance” with Solange Ayre, Kathleen Coddington, Tracy Cooper-Posey, and Ruby Storm. Despite the limited time allotted for the workshop, the group was able to share a wealth of information with us. I especially liked the history portal containing links – covering various time periods, clothing, and culture/traditions -the group created to help other writers. Can you say fabulous?

(Sunday Book signing: Authors Adele Dubois, Isabelle Drake, Cheryl Dragon, and Dalton Diaz)

The mega book signing was phenomenal. I met a lot of readers I didn’t get a chance to meet over the course of the weekend and I also had a chance to chat with my girls Dee Brice and Regina Carlysle! It was really nice to meet Regina because she and I used to be in an online word count group this past Spring before I bowed out due to a bout with carpal tunnel syndrome. But we didn’t get much gabbing in due to signings, talking with readers, and being teased by Rodney during the raffle drawings.

(My unlucky bingo card)

Fortunately for some people’s bank accounts, the book signing finally ended. Tons of people walked away with dozens of books – or more like two dozen! I witnessed one woman’s $250 bill – others a brand new Sony reader and a Netbook which was won by Ruby Storm’s sister and self-described GPS system. After the book signing we all hung around a bit then headed downstairs for the farewell bingo party.

(EC staff & cover models getting in on the Bingo Party fun)

(Author Jory Strong…trust me she was having a great time:)

Unfortunately I didn’t win anything even though I came close, but it just wasn’t enough with Lady Luck aka Cris Anson sitting at my table;p She won three times. But who cared about winning when we were all giggling at Rodney having so much fun calling out the numbers! I-69! Oh yes, a big thanks to everyone for the birthday serenade!

(Author & Lady Luck herself Cris Anson)

(Author J. Hali Steele hamming it up for aspiring author & “Bobbie Smith Challenge Winner” Rhonda Marks)

Romanticon 2010 is scheduled for the weekend of October 8!

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Category: Bobbie Smith Challenge, Dee Brice, EC cover models, Eve Vaughn, Regina Carlysle, angelo, j hali steele, jory strong, mr. romance, rodney, romantic times convention, romanticon 2009, ruby storm  7 Comments
Oct
11
Romanticon 1.0
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I know this is late, but at least Romanticon isn’t over and I can still report to you what’s been going on. As you can guess this weekend has been nonstop! EC has our schedules so filled, I really didn’t have any downtown until I fell into bed or now…finally.

I got in on Friday evening about an hour before the Psychadelic 60s party. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of people who’d shown up and delighted about our gift bags, which were these nice light weight tie-dye numbers that were a welcome depature from all the computer-type bags I’ve collected from several conferences over the years.

Even better?
Each bag came with 6 free books and a souvenir book that contained pages for author autographs and all the outlines for each workshop! AND we also received a Tarot card gift bag compliments of the Lotus line.

(Ellora’s Cave’s infamous tour Bus! Yes it’s just as nice in the inside)

(Psychadelic gift bag and souvenir book)

(Free swag from the gift bag)

 

(One of the best swag items from promo alley–an Ann Kinnenkamp sleeping mask)

Well after settling in, I hurried up and dressed for Friday night’s party which was a 60s themed Psychadelic party which at first I was pretty aprehensive about since the whole hippie/flower child thing sort of evaded me until the 13th hour.

At first the party started out pretty slow, but then as you know with any EC party everyone threw off their inhabitions and prediliction for shyness and got on the dance floor. Can I just say that the party was a blast. From the dance by EC’s new cover models to the dance contest hosted by Samantha Kane and Mary Freeman.

(EC’s Randy Thompson dressed as Shaggy)

(Eve Vaughn and I gettin’ our groove on)

 

(EC’s newest cover model from Venezuela Angelo and I…I don’t think they made them as beautiful back then did they?)

 

(EC models pleasing the crowd…as always)

Check back for more pictures and updates on the great workshops I went to and how I stalked Sherri King and bought Fetish for the 5th time!

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Category: Eve Vaughn, Psychadelic, Sherri King, ellora's cave, fetish, romanticon 2009, tarot cards  7 Comments
Oct
09
Ohio or Bust!
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Well, I finally made a plane on time. Must have been because I was so excited about Ellora Cave’s Romanticon Reader’s Convention this weekend in Akron, Ohio:) And I am. I’ve been up all night packing, unpacking, and making an afro wig for tonight’s psychadelic 60s party tonight, stuffing bags with cds, vampire fangs, and candy poker chips. If you’re one of my readers you know exactly which book I’m promoting:)
Anyway, I think this weekend is going to jam packed and I fear I won’t be able to get in any sightseeing like I usually do. The powers that be at EC have us pretty much busy the entire weekend. The next three days will be filled workshops (I’m sitting on the Multicultural/Interracial panel on Sunday), on-one meet and greets with readers, an appreciation dinner, pictures with the cover models, a book fair, and even a send off bingo party.
AND I CAN’T WAIT!
The authors at EC are great and they know how to party! I think it’s because we’re so shunted up the rest of the time writing and not socializing that reader conventions allow us to be around people who understand the agony we put ourselves through to find the perfect word to hook the reader. Also, it’s great to talk with readers who appreciate your work:)
Well if you’re reading this and you’ll be at Romanticon come by and say hello or check out the “Researching and Writing Multicultural/Interracial Romance” I’m on the panel with Eve Vaughn, Lena Matthews, and Liz Andrews. I’ll save some chocolate poker chips for you. If you’re not attending keep checking back because I’ll be blogging all weekend and uploading pictures.

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Category: Eve Vaughn, Lena Matthews, akron, and Liz Andrews, books, ellora's cave, interracial, multicultural, ohio, romanticon 2009  Leave a Comment
May
11
Romanticon 2009? Pencil Me In!
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It’s official…I’m going to Romanticon 2009!

What exactly is Romanticon you may ask? Well, Romanticon is Ellora Cave’s inaugural reader’s convention, which seemed to sprout from a need to be around more people who appreciate and support romantica.

The convention will be a three day event where reader’s will be able to meet their favorite authors and cover models. Aspiring writers can take two days of workshops on everything from what genre’s are hot right now, how to write BDSM romances, how to perfect your online persona, to having their story’s critiqued by an editor or author. And authors can meet readers in Sunday’s booksigning.

I’m pretty excited, since all the EC people are so cool to be around, plus its my birthday weekend and I usually take a trip (last year I went to Berlin and Prague) so why not Ohio…whoo hoo!

So, if you’re interested in attending, visit Ellora Cave’s Convention website at http://www.jasminejade.com/romanticon.

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Category: Koko Brown, ellora's cave, romanticon 2009  Leave a Comment