RT Booksigning- Part One

Lots and lots to post here and I'll even have a link with pictures, but first, I wanted to explain some of them *vbg*.

I took my mom and daughter with me--this was to be a girls day out and what better way than to meet authors and get books autographed--especialy since the three of us are readers and total fan girls of certain authors. Plus, my daughter wanted to know what I really did, aside from sit and play at my computer, and she'd never been to an event like this--neither had my mom.

Off we ventured to Pittsburgh. My 45 minute drive took a whole lot longer because they shut part of the 'parkway' down--which is one of the ways into the Burgh and the easiest route to take to the hotel--and detoured us. Bumper to bumper, start and stop up and down the hills of Pittsburgh Suburbs. 45 minutes turned into two hours.

For me, RT is a lot different than RWA and perhaps I'm spoiled in the fact that at RWA, it isn't very hard to find a Harlequin/Silhouette author. RT is a blended mix of other publishing houses--their authors--their fans--readers and lots and lots of models. Our authors were a little harder to pick out of the crowd.

But I'm stubborn and I knew some of them were there and I was bound and determined to find them. And little by little, I did. The first was Vivi Ana, who'd sold out of her books and Vivi, my daughter said to me after, "Mom, you called her Vivi AnnIE--it was ANA."   I am soooo sorry, Vivi. It was so nice to meet you and I am so glad that you sold out of your books.

After that it becomes a slight blur as to who was next because we jetted up and down aisles looking for people and then we decided to get some water and there she was--Lori Wilde who writes for Blaze and HQN. She's done some awesome discussions with us in the past and I completely adore her.

The poor woman didn't see me coming.

Professionalism went right out the door and fan-girl Rae took her place. The one who squeals and does a happy dance and it took Lori a moment to realize WHO I was and the fact that I was squeeking at her. And of course, I drew attention--haha. Lori, I apologize.

I met Intrigue author Elle James who happened to be sitting beside the one, the only Miss Holly Jacobs, who also got a squeal and a hug. Holly won an award for THE HOUSE ON BRIAR HILL ROAD--it won The Reviewers Choice Award for Best Harlequin Everlasting.

CONGRATS HOLLY!!!

I gave Elle my email address and told her that she had to come to the boards to have fun with us. Told her y'all would love to have her and in time, once she got to know me that I too would 'squeal' in her presence. Maybe I shouldn't have told her that....

I left Holly knowing I'd be seeing her later. We talked to Brenda Novak, who informed my thirteen year old daughter that her son was hot. My daughter isn't into boys and she was of course mortified that her mom and some author were trying to arrange a marriage. She doesn't know how much we all love and adore Brenda Novak or that she's a best-selling author. And somehow, even when I explained all this to her--she still wasn't buying that Brenda's son was hot, and she still didn't appreciate the fact that I was ready to marry her off to a ...boy!

 We spoke to the ever funny Kayla Perrin who had to be reminded who I was and that I was her partner in crime in the limo ride back to the hotel in Dallas. As always, Kayla was hysterical.

I'm forgetting Kate Bridges, who writes for Harlequin Historical and HQN. Kate was lovely as always and my mom was very pleased at the man-fan Kate signed for her. I think he was a cowboy, but my mom claimed it and wouldn't put it down. And she'd only give me quick glimpses of her man-fan.

*sighs*

More tomorrow, I promise!