Liz Harris

MANIC! That’s the word that springs to mind when I think of the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention, held in Kansas City, Missouri, from which I returned last week. MANIC and FUN!! There was so much on, both day and night, that it’s hard to remember all of the things that I went to. There were three parties/balls/dances every evening to give you a hint of what the week was like.

I went to the event with a team from Choc Lit. To give you an idea of the sort of things we did, and the ambiance of the place, I shall share a few of the photos that I took with you, and I’ll let the pictures and their captions do most of the talking.

I travelled from Heathrow, via Newark Airport, to Kansas City, in the company of two other Choc Lit authors. Here they are in Newark Airport, New Jersey.

Christina Courtenay (Pia)

Sue Moorcroft

First stop in the airport, the Dunkin’ Donut stand.

Upon arrival at the Sheraton Hotel Crown Center …

Choc Lit Marketing Director, Lyn Vernham, looks at the windows lining the Mezzanine corridor

Not even the lift escaped the long arm of the convention. Doors closed …

Doors open …

And so the fun began.

The lanyard I wore. Every published author had a flower.

At the start of the convention, Christina, Sue, me, Australian chocliteer Beverley Eikli

Dinner at a local Japanese restaurant. Sue, Editor Rachel Skinner, Lyn, Christina and me.

We were there to promote Choc Lit and to sell our books.

Direct promotion: meeting readers at Club RT

Me, Evonne Wareham, Sue, Beverley, Christina

Direct promotion: Lyn and Rachel in the Publishers’ Spotlight

… and books

Direct promotion: setting up for the Grand Book Fair, sitting next to fun US author, Molly Harper

Waiting for the doors to open, balloons everywhere …

Indirect promotion: Sue, Christina and Lyn off to Heather Graham’s Freaky Friday Paranormal Party

Sue, Lyn, Evonne, Beverley, Christina, Me: tiara-ed up for The Ball

Watching the floor show: Evonne, minus tiara, Me, Lyn

A taste of the Wild West at Rosie Gulch’s Saloon …

Rachel

Rachel strangling Beverley, as you do.

Beverley

We all had fun

Beverley and me

The lanyard went everywhere with us, even to the Wild West

Inevitably …

Where there’s Choc Lit …

… there’s chocolate.

Gearing up for another day…

Rachel, Sue, Lyn, Evonne

Christina, Susanna Kearsley, US friend Jenn Spiller.

There were workshops. Some we gave, some we attended. A fun Choc Lit workshop, organised by Juliet Archer, tested the readers about their knowledge of Pride & Prejudice. With chocolate and cover models, of course. There was even an interview with Mr. Darcy at the end!

View from the back of the workshop

A panel’s-eye view on the broad shouldered cover models who were helping

Juliet Archer and her son, Will, later to transform into Mr Darcy

I ought to show you a glimpse of two of Kansas City.

On one of the sunny days, one of the 200 fountains in KC. This is on the edge of the Plaza

View from the Sheraton, showing the glass walkway between that and the Westin Hotel

The weather was dramatic: 82 degrees, sun for 2 days; 37 degrees, snow for 2 days, then rain

Farewell from Kansas City!

See you next week, when I blog from the RNA Summer Party. Yes, with pics!