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!
Fabulous photos, Liz. I wish I could have been there with you.
Hx
Many thanks, Henri. I thought they were fun. Perhaps they don’t make it look wild enough …
You obviously had a blast!!! I trust you (and Choc-Lit) all thought it was worth it.
I think we all did. How it affected book sales, it’s too soon to know, but Choc Lit really made its presence felt with their talks and workshops, and that’s good news for all of the CL authors.
Looks wild enough to me! What a great time you had and I’m sure it improved Choc LIt’s recognition in the US!
I do hope you’re right, Angela. Thank you for your comment.
What a fun, fun blog, Liz!! Your choice of photographs really give a good idea of what it was all about… as you said, ‘fun and MANIC!’
Hope we’ll all be seeing each other again there next year!!
Many thanks, Beverley. I’ve just discovered a few more pics of the last evening Pia, Sue and I spent. Will include them soon.
Fabulous pics, Liz – really envious, but glad you all had such a great time.
Many thanks for your comment, Liv. Yes, we had a terrific time
One of the most amazing things was the weather. The extremes for going from 82 sun to 37 snow on consecutive days is something I’ve never seen before.
Hi Liz
It does look crazy, stetsons and corsets, cover models and Mr Darcy, what larks. I’m sure your book and all the other Choclit publications went down a storm. What a fabulous experience. Green with envy back here in dear old blighty. Can’t even say our weather was better – I’d rather see some sun and warmth instead of this endless cold even if I did have to pay for it with a bit of snow! Still, I’m off to the RNA London chapter today to talk writing, not quite as exciting as Kansas, but it’ll do. Enjoy having a bit of a rest you deserve it.
It certainly was an experience,Cara!! Many thanks for your comment.
I would have gone to the London meeting today but for the fact that I have to go into London early this evening to take part in Bookstock, a gathering of the North London Reading Groups. To attempt to do them both, when I’m talking tonight, would have been foolhardy. What a shame about the clash.
Perhaps, I’ll see you at the conference.
Thanks for sharing Liz, it looks as if you had a lot of fun but also hard work. Glad that you and the other Choc-Liteers enjoyed yourselves
It’s just the sort of hard work I love, Jules 🙂
What super photos and blog, Liz. Thanks for sharing it. You all look as if you both worked and played hard, so what more can one ask!
Love
MargaretK
We did, and we enjoyed every minute – at last I did, and I’m sure the others did, too.
Thank you for your comment, Margaret.
Fantabulous posting and what a great time you all must have had. Thank you for sharing all this.
Many thanks, Carol.
Loved all the photos. Deeply envious, but delighted you had such a great time, and hope it will promote Choc Lit and your book in equal measure.
Love Denise
I hope so, too, Denise. But if it doesn’t, it was still great fun. Am now saving the pennies for next year’s convention, which is in New Orleans.
Fab photos – what an adventure you all had – loved the fancy dress outfits and tiaras! Thanks for sharing Liz.
Janice xx
Many thanks for your comment, Janice. It was a terrific experience in a years full of wonderful experiences.
What great pictures!
I’m sitting here in 100 degree heat in Texas, staying with the fabulous Kathryn Falk, owner of the magazine and convention, cooking up stuff for next year. And cooking me, in this heat, too!
New Orleans, here we come! The International meet and greet will be official this year, and with more features, and we have workshops planned. It was so good to see you all (or should that be y’all?) at Kansas City, and like Liz said to me at one point, “If you want to get into the American market, this is a must.”
Plus the fun! Kim has just put up some pics on her Facebook page, so check here (look who’s holding the wine, lol!) http://is.gd/ywvOCU
It sounds absolutely fabulous, Lynne. Do say hello to Kathryn from me.
Good luck with the plans for the RT Booklovers Convention 2014 – I’m already saving the pennies.
Back to a damp, grey day. I shouldn’t complain, though, I suppose, as we had a wonderfully sunny day yesterday. Mustn’t be greedy 🙂
Wow, it looks as if you had a crazy fun time! I love the chocolate fountains!
All the pineapple, graham crackers, marshmallows, etc, that you were given to dip into them, were fantastic, too. It’d the stuff that dreams are made of.
Sounds a fantastic trip; I love the photos.
Many thanks, Heather. We had a fabulous time. I just hope that I can get to New Orleans next year.