Romantic Times Booklovers Convention 2012

Hi everyone –

I just got home from the RT Conference late last night, but I had such a great time, I wanted to share all the pics and stories while they’re still fresh in my head…

First off, I was lucky enough to make the trip with my super travel buddy Mary Leo! We laughed our way through airports and security checks, always remembering that maturity is a choice! LOL

Anyway, I got the Hyatt O’Hare and quickly met up with the fabulous Laura Kaye to stuff goodie bags for the Name that Vampire game. We had so many fabulous prizes! It was great to meet all the other vampire authors too, Caridad Piñeiro, Laurie London, Elisabeth Staab & Joyee Flynn!!! I was in such good company!

Then it was time to race off to help moderate a panel on “Graveyard Mash-up”… We discussed lots of new twists on vampire mythology and answered reader questions. I had such a blast! And I was lucky enough to be sitting right beside Kerrelyn Sparks!!! She is every bit as funny and sweet as her books! J
With that panel out of the way, I met up with my roomie for RT, fellow
Entangled Publishing author, Jane Kindred! J We stayed up way too late every single night, turning RT into one extended slumber party!

Wednesday night finished off with a Hip Hop party hosted by Ellora’s Cave… Ready to see my uber hip-ness?

Am I bad-ass or what??? LOL

On Thursday I kept busy with the indie-signing…

I signed and gave away 20 Night Walker posters! They’re so yummy!!! It was great to meet romance readers too. The coolest peeps in the world!

Thursday night wrapped up with the Faerie Court Ball…

Mary Leo, Jane Kindred & I had a blast and are still laughing over the Faerie duo in the costume contest… Yow! J And check out my cool new shoes… I could even walk in them… Woot!

Friday Jane & I taped interviews with each other for Entangled. We were both a little nervous, but I think they went super well! It ended up being pretty fun! Then I raced off to help host the Name that Vampire Contest…



Over 50 people attended and we shared 22 excerpts from vampire novels… Everyone seemed to have a fun time guessing which vampire we were reading, and we had fun giving away prizes and wallowing in all the vampy goodness! J

Later I had the pleasure of meeting Charlaine Harris!!! See my fangirl grin??? LOL She was so sweet and congratulated me on my book… Love her!

Meanwhile, Panda had made a steampunk costume for my author friend, Suzanne Lazear, and Suzi wore it beautifully!!!

The white buttons are actually pocket watches! It came out so cute, I had people coming up to me all day asking “Didn’t your daughter make the steampunk dress for Suzi Lazear? Yep I was a proud Mom! 🙂

Then came Saturday… The huge RT Book Signing! Anne Rice, JR Ward, Kelley Armstrong, Angie Fox, JA Konrath and many more were there, along with about 2,000 readers! Yow! I was so worried I’d be sitting lonely for all 4 hours since I was a debut author…

But lemme tell ya, my Night Walker abs poster was a babe magnet!!! LOL I signed lots of books and almost every person who came down my aisle stopped by to appreciate Calisto’s abs!!! J

I ended up having a blast and the 4 hour signing flew by! YAY!!! Thanks SO much to everyone who stopped by to see me and bought a book!!! You rock!!!

Also, thanks go out to the random blue pirate wandering the aisles! LOL Not sure why he was there, but it definitely made me smile… 🙂

Later I attended the Entangled Candy & Spoons Party!!!  We had standing room only!!! 🙂  I tutored the room on how to play spoons and it ended up being a WILD party!  I’m serious, we had people flipping over in their chairs to grab spoons and win Entangled books!!! 🙂  Crazy fun!

 

Here’s my table…  Team Abs! LOL


I got home late last night, still glowing from all the great conversations shared with author buddies, and readers… If you’ve never been to RT, it’s worth going! The vibe there is so inspiring… I had a blast!!!

And look what I had waiting for me when I got home….

My author copies of the new Mass-Market edition of Night Walker!!! They’re so gorgeous!!! J And right now they’re on sale for preorders on Amazon! WOOT!!!

Remember if you decide to preorder a copy, email me your receipt and I’ll mail you a signed bookplate and enter you in my preorder contest for fun prizes! LdyDisney at aol.com

Shew! So it was a whirlwind trip and I’m still exhausted, but ready to go back next year! LOL

Thanks again for all your support!!! Look where Night Walker is on the Gothic Romance coming soon chart on Amazon…


#2!!! SQUEE!!!! So anyway, less than a month to release day!!!

So were you at RT? Any highlights you’d like to share?

And if you weren’t at RT, what are some of your favorite book conferences to attend?

Lisa 🙂


40 Comments

  1. Ciara Knight April 17, 2012 at 3:32 am

    It was such a pleasure to meet you, Lisa. You are just a genuine and fun in person as you are online. That pirate was a hoot. I thought the same thing. Great fun, but don’t get it. 🙂 Glad you had such a great RT experience.

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:42 pm

      It was great to meet you too Ciara!!! (And now I know how to pronounce your name too!!! 🙂 )

      I hope you had a great RT too!!! Looking forward to meeting up with you again…

      *HUGS*

      Lisa 😉

  2. aquariandancer April 17, 2012 at 6:33 am

    I was not at RT but I do go to RomCon. I’m excited for that to come around again!

    Karin

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:43 pm

      Hi Karin –

      I’m hoping to make it to RomCon again this year… If I do, we have to meet up! 🙂

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Lisa

  3. Hildie McQueen April 17, 2012 at 7:09 am

    Hey Lisa, I enjoyed meeting you those few brief times, you always had a smile on your face, I could tell you were having a blast! It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Congratulations on the mass-market debut of your book! I’m super jealous!! Wish you nothing but the best.

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:44 pm

      Hi Hildie! *waving*

      It was great to see you too!!! Next conference, we need to hang out!!! LOL

      Thanks for the good wishes for Night Walker!!! I’m counting down the day until May 15th! 🙂

      Lisa 🙂

  4. Savannah Chase April 17, 2012 at 7:35 am

    Thank you for sharing the pics and everything. It looks like you had a blast. I wish I had been there..Will you be doing RT next year?

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:46 pm

      Hi Savannah –

      I hope to be at RT in 2013 too! 🙂 Are you planning on going?

      I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures! Talk to you soon…

      Lisa 🙂

  5. Lynn Rush April 17, 2012 at 7:44 am

    Yay!!!! RT was so fun. I’m glad I got to run into you a few times. Congrats on all the crazy awesome success of Night Walker. It’s a fantastic book!!!!

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:47 pm

      Awww thanks Lynn!!! 🙂 Next conference, we need to hang out, or at least grab a sandwich together! We were like two ships passing in the night… LOL

      I’m glad you had fun at RT too! Such a great vibe there with all the readers!

      Talk to you soon…

      Lisa 😉

  6. Lea Nolan April 17, 2012 at 7:49 am

    Oh my gosh, you forgot the fantastic, and crazy Entangled Candy and Spoons party. You were the most excellent Mistress of Ceremonies teaching us all how to play!

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 9:40 am

      Yikes!!! I did forget!!! My pic is still on my phone!!! *face palm* Thanks for the heads up Lea!!! I’m fixing it now! LOL

      It was so fun meeting you!!! And the spoons party was a wild blast wasn’t it??? 🙂

      Lisa

  7. Melissa Cutler April 17, 2012 at 7:51 am

    So happy you had a blast (and sold lots of books). Thank you for sharing your pictures. What a fun time! And the mass market Night Walkers are gorgeous.

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:50 pm

      Hi Melissa –

      It was a blast!!! You definitely need to come with me next year!!! 🙂

      I’m glad you enjoyed the pics!

      *HUGS*

      Lisa 🙂

  8. Regan April 17, 2012 at 7:53 am

    It was great seeing you at RT, Lisa. I had a great time (though I was at all the historical panels and no vamps!).

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:51 pm

      Hi Regan –

      I wondered why our paths didn’t cross more often! LOL How were the historical panels?

      Glad to hear you had a great conference too!

      Lisa 🙂

  9. Pamela K. Kinney/Sapphire Phelan April 17, 2012 at 8:34 am

    I was doing Ravencon the 13-15th and was busy. Glad you had a great time, Lisa. RT is super–went to one years ago.

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:52 pm

      Hi Pam –

      How was Ravencon? I hope you had a super time!

      Next year you should brave RT again! It was so much fun…

      Lisa 🙂

  10. Chris Marie Green/Christine Cody April 17, 2012 at 9:15 am

    So much goodness in this post! Love your purple Awesome Shoes. Love Panda’s sense of style (those buttons!). Love that your book is out in mmpb. 🙂

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:53 pm

      Hi Chris –

      Aren’t the shoes cute??? I almost didn’t bring them, but Panda insisted… She was right! LOL And I could even walk in them too! 😀

      Next year you should join in the RT craziness!

      Lisa 🙂

  11. storimom2 April 17, 2012 at 10:44 am

    Lisa, I am sooooo sorry I missed you!!!! I was there on Sat, and saw the pirate several times, but never got his picture. Can I ‘steal’ it? LOL:) I also wanted a picture of the woman dressed like Marie Antoinette.

    Didn’t get to meet Charlain, but my friend sat in her chair:) Hope to see you next year!

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:58 pm

      Oh I’m bummed I missed you!!! But of course you can steal the pirate! LOL

      I never saw the woman dressed as Marie Antoinette! Wow! 😀

      We definitely need to meet up next RT…

      Lisa 🙂

  12. Lisa Burstein April 17, 2012 at 11:21 am

    So fun meeting you and reliving through pictures! 🙂

    1. Lisa Kessler April 17, 2012 at 11:59 pm

      Hi Lisa –

      Great to meet you in person too!!!

      We Lisas need to stick together, right? LOL

      Lisa 😀

  13. Tonya Burrows April 17, 2012 at 11:34 am

    Looks like you had an awesome time. I admit, I am completely jealous of those shoes!

    1. Lisa Kessler April 18, 2012 at 12:01 am

      Hi Tonya –

      And to think I almost left the shoes at home! LOL

      RT was a blast! Definitely worth attending if you can…

      Thanks for checking out the pics!

      Lisa 🙂

  14. Marie Andreas April 17, 2012 at 11:45 am

    Great report Lisa! Since I couldn’t go this year, I had to live through you- and I feel like I was there! LOL_ your hip hop outfit….HEH!

    And Panda is WICKED talented, that dress of Suzi’s was so cool!

    Thank you so much for the great report- makes missing it not as bad 🙂

    1. Lisa Kessler April 18, 2012 at 12:02 am

      HI Marie –

      Yay! I was hoping you’d be able to see RT vicariously through me! LOL

      Wasn’t the hip hop outfit something? 😀 So me! LOL

      Lisa

  15. ChristineWarner April 17, 2012 at 12:00 pm

    Hi Lisa, I can feel your excitement through your words! (And I loved your shoes…gorgeous!)

    Thank you for sharing the pictures and giving highlights about your trip…sounds amazing. I have never been, but it’s on my radar for next year. Fingers crossed I can manage it!

    And CONGRATS on your book….very exciting!!!

    1. Lisa Kessler April 18, 2012 at 12:03 am

      Hi Christine –

      You should definitely go next year if you can… The vibe there with all the readers is so inspiring! Super fun!!! 🙂

      Lisa

  16. Tara Fuller April 17, 2012 at 12:31 pm

    Looks like it was a blast Lisa! And your mass market copies of Night Walker are beautiful!! 😀

  17. NJDamschroder April 17, 2012 at 2:19 pm

    Thanks for making me feel even worse about not being able to attend! LOL I hope to make it next year. Or something.

    I love the shoes, too, and I am SO not a shoe person!

  18. Robin April 17, 2012 at 2:38 pm

    Hi Lisa! Thanks for this awesome recap! I’m glad you had such a good time, and you were way bad-ass. 🙂 Congrats on the mass market copies of Night Walker!! So exciting! I can’t wait to see them in my local B&N!

  19. Shelley Munro (@ShelleyMunro) April 17, 2012 at 2:43 pm

    Thanks for sharing, Lisa. It sounds as if everyone had a lot of fun. Loved the costumes, especially the Steampunk one. Very cool!

  20. Elen Grey April 17, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    I love the pic of you at the Hip Hop Party. You are totally uber hip. LOL And the shoes. Well, you can’t leave me alone in the same room with those shoes. Just sayin’. Good times! Thanks for sharing.

  21. James Garcia Jr April 17, 2012 at 4:35 pm

    Very awesome, Lisa. I’m very jealous. I’m glad it went so well. I’m looking forward to the day when I’ll get to go to my first one.
    Thanks for sharing the experience and the great photos.

    -Jimmy

  22. cassicarver April 17, 2012 at 6:56 pm

    Oh, man! I so wish I could have been there. Rooming with you for RT11 was awesome! I definitely need to go in 2013!!!

  23. Sarah Mäkelä (@sarahmakela) April 17, 2012 at 9:43 pm

    Man, looks like it was a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing! I’ll definitely have to plan on going to 2013!

  24. Jill Archer April 18, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    Charlaine Harris, white pocket watch buttons, random blue pirates — wow! What a party! Loved reading your write up almost as much as I would have loved going. Congrats on receiving your mass market copies. Looking good!
    p.s. I love Spoons!! 😀

  25. thetruebookaddict April 19, 2012 at 1:36 am

    Wow, looks like you had a great time. And it was a success too. 🙂 I have not been to a conference yet, but I’m hoping to go to the Historical Novel Society conference in Florida in 2013. *fingers crossed* Glad you made it home safely.