The Day Before BEA

Countdown to BEA: 1 Day!

Liz arrived late last night and we stayed up way too long talking about our plans for BEA. There's so much to do! But it will be fun as well. I tried my costume on last night and it's soo great! I'm going to be totally manga'ed out--little black jacket with buckle sleeves, red plaid skirt, legwarmers with pom poms, etc. I'm even going to put up my hair in two little buns, I think. Liz and I are going shoe shopping in the East Village after work to complete the outfits. I want to find some platform Mary Janes maybe. I ordered some embroidered skull Mary Janes off the Internet, but they haven't come yet... Boo!

We also have to spend some time tonight stuffing our press packs. Not as fun as shopping, but even more necessary.

Okay much to do - must go!! :)Remember - we're signing from 11-1 tomorrow at the Dorchester booth if you can stop by!!

Marianne

Quick Update

Last night I went to Roosevelt Island, which is between Manhattan and Queens and hung out and barbequed with my friend Jamie and her mom. Was fun. It’s really nice over there – you can sit by the river and look at the skyline across the way. You feel like you’re away from it all, but really you’re very close. We had steak and it was yummy.

This week is both dragging and flying by as we get closer to BEA. I am looking forward to it, but feel very unprepared. Of course going out last night instead of actually, say, preparing may not have been the wisest mood. But a girl’s gotta have some fun too, you know? At least my costume arrived. Liz Maverick and I, if I haven’t mentioned it before, are dressing up manga/cosplay style for our signing. I’ll make sure someone takes pics.

In other news, Diana Peterfreund talks about her new YA deal on her blog. Let’s just say there are killer unicorns involved. Yes, killer unicorns. I need to read this book like yesterday! You go, Diana!! And another woot to Terri Brown who sold her first book to Simon Pulse. Yay!!

I’ve finished the rough draft of Gamer Girl. Now I need to go back for some intense polish. I want to try to finish it by mid June so my agent can take a look before we send it to Dutton. (She has great editorial instincts!) It’s been a fun book to write and I’m happy with how it’s shaping up.

That’s about it for now!

Marianne

zomg so funny!!

If you are a dog lover, you have to watch this...

Yay - 3 Day Weekend!

It's Memorial Day weekend! And it's going to be a hot one from the looks of it. I think it's in the 90s today in NYC. Summer in the city - fun, fun. :)

Not too much planned this weekend - maybe a barbeque type thing tomorrow. Dinner out tonight. Lots of time spent working on Gamer Girl, etc. Gotta lay semi-low cause next weekend is BEA. Can't hardly wait for that! Liz is arriving on Weds and we have a packed weekend of promotion for our Rebels of Romance campaign and the new SHOMI line. Should be fun and hopefully rewarding. This is the most promotion I've ever done for a book, but it's been a great experience. It's much more fun to promote with a partner, btw. You keep eachother motivated and on task. Too easy to slip and get lazy if you're not held accountable by another person.

BTW if you're going to be at BEA we're in booth #3681 signing Friday 11-1. Come see us!!

In other news - I finally finished the first season of LOST. I know, being a non-cable DVD type of girl I'm always at least a year behind on any televised cultural phenomenon. Not to mention I had assumed I wouldn't like the show. Boy was I wrong! I am totally hooked now and desperate to watch Season 2. Of course I heard it wasn't as good, which is too bad cause I really, really dug Season 1. Though I have to say I was very disapointed that they killed off Boone. I know most people are in love with Sawyer or Jack but I, myself, always go for the sad, tragic pretty boys.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Marianne

So Long, Piggie....

There once was a guinea pig named BING who became a web star and loved by many. He sang and he danced and even got his friends to chime in. But I learned today that he and his brother Frank tragically passed away in the night. No word yet as to why.

So in memory of a much beloved pig, here's Bing, once more with feeling...

Hey Fat Boy

Add to My Profile More Videos

The Guinea Pig Way

Add to My Profile | More Videos

The Real Bing Cavy

Add to My Profile | More Videos



And yes...Bing had his on MySpace page. And I was lucky enough to be one of the many to call him friend. :(

Mar

Ah the old MySpace debate again

The blogosphere has been weighing in about the cons of promoting on MySpace. Sybil at Redwyne (a blog I love!) even used a post I wrote a while ago on Alison Kent's blog to prove her points. I commented back, of course, if you care to check it out.

Evidently it's become very cool and trendy in the romance author world to knock MySpace and brag about how you find it annoying or stupid or you can't figure out how to make your page look less than cheesy. Fine. Okay. Uh, then don't make a MySpace page. Like, no one's holding you at gunpoint! If it doesn't work for you...cool. But there are millions of people who do get something out of it, so I think it's kind of naive to dismiss its merits entirely.

Personally, I get a ton out of it. I get to commune with my readers, for one thing. (Nora Roberts weighed in saying she's not interested in communing with her readers - she'd rather write more books-which is obviously working for her since she has three thousand books out a year. Me? I enjoy the back and forth with my readers that I get on MySpace. In fact, it's one of my favorite parts of the job!) I also get to notify them about upcoiming events, book releases, signings, sneak peeks of the next book in the series, etc. It's like the 21st century version of a fan club. I have a very nice regular website, but no one ever visits it. They all go to MySpace.

Bottom line: people can say anything they want about the effectiveness of MySpace marketing. It works for some. It doesn't work for everyone. Just like ANY type of promotion. **shrug**. I find it very worthwhile myself and really that's all that matters to me! (Though I will say it's definitely more effective marketing YA and than adult stuff.)

Okay rant over. :)
MARI

Monday Stuff

Hey all, happy Monday!

My weekend was good. Aaron came down from Boston for the weekend which was fun. We went to my favorite Moroccan bar Shalel on 70th/Columbus then headed down to the village. We were supposed to go to Chumley’s this really cool speakeasy from the 1920s but when we got there, we found out the building had been condemned. Such a shame. So we headed over to the uber hipster meatpacking district and ate at Buddha Bar, which was excellent. Then we walked all the way back. (About 3 miles of Manhattan, including a very busy trek through Times Square.) Was fun. The next morning we had brunch at Good Enough to Eat and went shopping. I miss Aaron so it was nice to see him. I hope next time he comes he brings his dog!!

Speaking of dogs, Molly is doing much better. Though she still has to wear her cone, which she hates. Poor thing. I wish you could explain to dogs that it’s for their own good. Oh well.

In writing, I’m plugging away at Gamer Girl, which has so far been a breeze to write. I love when stories just come to me with little hair pulling out. I must say, no matter how much I love my paranormals, contemps are just so much easier and quicker to write. Which is good considering it’s due July 1st. I think it’ll be no problem though.

Then again, I also bought a Playstation 2 yesterday so who knows how productive I’ll be once I get addicted to Final Fantasy XII. Ah to neglect writing my book about videogames because I’m playing a videogame. There’s some poetic justice there somewhere, right? And yes, it is a Playstation 2, not 3. I can’t afford a game system that costs $600 tyvm.

Less than two weeks ‘til the Book Expo of America. Liz Maverick and I are signing in the Dorchester booth from 11-1 if you’re there and interested. The first 25 people get a complete set of arcs for the first three Shomi books. I need to snag myself Eve Kenin’s arc “DRIVEN” as I haven’t gotten a chance to read it yet. I mean, post apocalyptic trucker romance – how cool is that?

I’ve never been to a Book Expo before so I’m excited to check it all out. I heard it’s pretty crazy – and tons of free books! (Not that my apartment can fit more books…)

That’s all for now!
Marianne

Mrs. Giggles' drinking game

I know this has been posted all over the place but I just have to add it here.

Mrs. Giggles' blog drinking game.

I love this woman! Even if she DID give one of my books a 2 rating...

:)
Marianne

Yay Friday!

So it’s official. I am now writing Gamer Girl before Camelot Code for Dutton. This is actually a big relief cause the proposal for Gamer Girl has just refused to leave my head and has been relentlessly distracting me while I was supposed to be writing Camelot Code. I have a big problem, you see, switching gears halfway through a book. Or jumping back into a book I’d written a proposal for months ago. At the same time, I need to get writing as I have a lot to do before the July 1st deadline. But I shall prevail. I’m really excited about this book.

BTW, if I could describe the premise I would say it’s “You’ve Got Mail with videogames.”

My other summer project will be an anthology story for Dorchester. Another kick-butt paranormal kind of thing. That should be a lot of fun to write.

I’ve been on a reading binge. Just finished Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. Gotta say, Gaiman IS a god, though not an American. I wish I could write like him. Now I’ve just picked up Jim Butcher’s first Dresden Files book. I saw him at RT and he was really funny so I had to grab a copy. So far I love it. Urban fantasy – a similar voice to early Anita Blake books, though with a male narrator. Very entertaining.

My dog is finally back home. She’s pretty much hating life right now. Eight teeth gone, lots of stiches in her belly, doped up and having to wear one of those horrible cones. Hopefully she’s recover quickly. I hate to see her in pain. She IS, however, sure enjoying the gourmet canned dog food she has to eat for the next 2 weeks. ;)

TGIF!


Marianne

Thursday

Hey all,

We’re getting through the week – slowly but surely! Thanks for all the pic comments! I agree - the full body shot is the most fun. I just don't know if it'll fit on the back of the book. Especially accompanied by my long winded bio. ;-)

Last night I finally took a much needed rest and stayed indoors. I’ve been having way too much fun going out lately and felt I needed a night off to just sit home and play videogames. The night before that was a different story. I went down to Union Square to eat Cuban and drink margaritas with agent Nadia Cornier and Harper Collin’s Editorial Director Michael Stearns. Nadia’s a long time friend but this was my first time meeting Michael. He’s very cool though – got a great sense of humor. All in all it was a fun evening.

The next day I had to bring my dog in for surgery. She had to have a lump removed (turned out to be just a fatty tumor, thank goodness!) and 8 – count ‘em – 8 TEETH extracted. Poor baby. But it’s better to be aggressive with these kinds of things than let the bacteria from her gums travel to her heart. I’d rather have a totally toothless dog than one with a bad heart. So hopefully this will ensure Molly will be healthy and happy for a few more years to come. I can’t even imagine the day I have to finally put her down. She’s been my constant companion – through good times and bad – for 10 years now – my entire working adult life. She’s moved with me from Florida to Boston to California to Boston and most recently to NYC. I don’t know what I will do without her. But she’s just turning 11 this week so I’m hoping we have quite a few years left.

That was the bad part of yesterday. The good part was that my Dutton editor loved my new proposal and wants to make it the second book on my contract. In fact, we might even switch things up and do this book first and Camelot Code second. The book is called Gamer Girl and deals with my favorite subject of all time – videogames!! J Woot. I love that I get paid to write about things I enjoy myself. And I’m so thrilled that my new editor is totally into my second idea. (And that Camelot Code wasn’t just a fluke!) This will also be in hardcover. Very cool.

Also, I got my arcs for Moongazer – woot!! Will start sending them to be reviewed soon!

Mar

Random Stuff and Pics

First off – all Star Wars fans have to read this. Was the attack on the Death Star an inside job?

Last night I went out to NY’s oldest rock club, The Bitter End, in Greenwich Village. Met up with my friend Jamie and her mom to see a couple bands play. (Her mom works with the singer of one of the bands.) The music was really good actually. Had a few drinks, chatted with Jamie, who I hadn’t seen in a while, and then headed back up to the west side. Was a fun night, especially for a Monday!

Tonight I’m supposed to have dinner with my friend, agent Nadia Cornier, and some other industry types, I think. Somewhere down in Union Square. I swear I should have moved down to The Village instead of the Upper West Side as that’s where everyone always goes out. Actually maybe it’s for the best though – as I really need to buckle down and work more. These books don’t write themselves, you know. :)

Oh, remember how I had some author photos taken last week? Now I’m trying to decide which one to use for my official back of the book pic.

I think I've narrowed it down to these three - let me know what you think!

Also had them take a wider shot, just for fun.




The best thing is that the photographer is the same photog that did my cover for Girls that Growl. She also did Crimson City and Alyssa Day’s 2nd Atlantis book. She was really really nice and very talented and said if I ever wanted to come down to her studio to watch a book cover being shot, I could! How cool would that be?

Hope your week is going great!!
MARIANNE

My Weekend and Liz's Kick Butt Review from PW!!

It was another fun filled, nice weather, NY kind of weekend. Friday night I ate at a delicious Italian place with outdoor tables. My dog Molly, as she has now become accustomed to doing, sat just outside the perimeter and spent the meal begging. This time, however, she was rewarded, when our waiter brought out a whole bowl filled with scraps of meat!! He earned a friend for life from Molly and a VERY good tip from us. It’s that kind of service that makes a restaurant really stand out. Oh and his wine suggestion was really delicious too.

On Saturday my friends and I took a train up north to a lovely place called Cold Spring, a tiny town named by George Washington himself when he touring the Hudson River for a location for West Point. Set along the Hudson, the area boasts scenic hiking trails. We spent about four hours hiking and had lunch at the top of the small mountain. Then we wandered the town in the evening, eating ice cream and checking out the shops. Was a great escape from the city.

Sunday I had to work on my book and clean my apartment. But I did take a nice long walk to meet a friend for dinner that evening. But by that time the sun had gone down and it had gotten a bit chilly. In any case, I felt I had enough sunshine as to not feel deprived.

Got to enjoy the spring weather before it turns boiling hot and smelly!!

In writing news – my friend/cohort Liz Maverick received a STARRED REVIEW from Publisher’s Weekly for her upcoming Dorchester SHOMI book “WIRED.” I’m so excited for her – though now the pressure’s on me to get favorable reviews for MOONGAZER – Shomi #2. Liz’s book is so great – Ive really got a lot to live up to…

Here’s the review, in case you’re curious:

Wired
Liz Maverick. Dorchester/Shomi, $6.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-505-52724-0
If Maverick's fast-paced, genre-bounding novel is any indication, Dorchester's new imprint, Shomi—which aims to hook a younger generation of readers—should catch an audience quickly. Maverick grabs readers from page one, throwing together romance, science fiction and cyberpunk—a mash-up hinted at in the anime-style packaging— to tell the story of L. Roxanne Zaborovsky, a high-strung freelance computer programmer whose reclusive life gets tossed on its head when two men show up looking for her. Appearing mysteriously one night, the pair immediately set to fighting over Roxanne; before long, she realizes one is an old college acquaintance, Mason Merrick. Taking off with Mason, Roxanne learns that the men are each after a valuable bit of her work—a piece of code she hasn't even written yet. When even stranger things follow—like close friends showing up with entirely different lives—Roxanne discovers that her pursuers are playing with the threads of reality, trying to gain advantage over the other. Maverick's roller-coaster ride doesn't always stay grounded, but it's easy to get drawn into her world of twisting realities and shifting identities, especially with superb heroine Roxanne handling narration. This excellent piece of genre fiction shows much promise for both Maverick and the imprint she spearheads. (July)

Hanging with Fonzie!!

Last night’s event was really cool. We got to meet Jerry Seinfeld and his wife Jessica, Bradley Whitford from West Wing/Studio 60, Elisabeth Hasselbeck from The View, and most importantly Henry Winkler – the Fonz himself.

Often stars come across bored, icy or disinterested when you meet them in real life. But Henry was so sweet and so cool – he spent a long time chatting with us and even hugged and kissed me on the cheek twice! (He smelled really good too.) I told him how much I loved Arrested Development and he seemed really happy to hear that and as he was leaving thanked me again for the compliment. He was so nice and genuine – a really good person. I am a huge fan now. (Not that I wasn’t already!) Henry struggled with dyslexia for a long time and said he was 31 years old before he realized he wasn’t stupid. If I had thought about it, I would have told him how teachers use my YA books to help dyslexic and reluctant readers. But I was too fan girl to think about that at the time.

Mar

Quick Update

Last night I went to a really fun event called KidLit Drinks. It's a monthly bar romp with YA authors, agents, and editors. Everyone was really fun and nice and I met a lot of great people. I'll definitely go next month too.

Tonight I am covering my company's CHILDREN'S CHAMPIONS event. They are honoring people who have been advocates for children. The coolest part? I'll get to meet/interview Jerry Seinfeld, Henry Winkler, and other celeb types. :) Don't worry - I won't make the "ayyyyy" sound when I see the Fonz in the flesh. hehe.

That's all I have time to tell you now! More tomorrow.

Mar

NOW TOURING: Sylvia & Shanna

Hey all,

Got two authors with new releases to tell you about today as part of the Out of the Blogosphere blog tour.

The first is a sexy paranormal by Sylvia Day called Pleasures of the Night. It's a May release from HarperCollins.

Here's the blurb:
--
In the Twilight between sleep and consciousness, a battle rages between Dream Guardians and Nightmares. Captain Aidan Cross is a legend, as skilled in fulfilling erotic dreams as he is with the glaive that kills his enemies. Women see Aidan as part of their fantasies...except Lyssa Bates. Exquisite, desirable, enigmatic Lyssa perplexes this immortal seducer because she sees him as he really is. And as he attempts to unravel her secrets the unthinkable occurs: Aidan Cross falls in love.

Lyssa has been having the most incredible dreams about a man whose blue eyes hold the promise of decadent pleasures and tempting intimacies. And then he appears on her doorstep! This intoxicating stranger is just as irresistible as the man of her dreams...but with her surrender there is also grave danger...

Because Aidan is on a mission, and the passion that consumes them body and soul could have dire consequences. Loving the mortal woman prophesied to destroy Aidan's world is not only impossible...it is forbidden.
--
You can find an excerpt here.

-------

If you like your paranormals on the lighter side - try Shanna Swendson's latest fantasy chick lit DAMSEL UNDER STRESS. Shanna and I actually share agents and her books are a lot of fun! I can't wait to read this latest installment.



To-do: Stop the bad guys. Rescue the wizard. Find the perfect outfit for New Year’s Eve.

At last, Owen Palmer, the dreamboat wizard at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., has conjured up the courage to get Katie Chandler under the mistletoe at the office holiday party. But just when it looks like Katie has found her prince, in pops her inept fairy godmother, Ethelinda, to throw a wand into the works. Ehtelinda’s timing couldn’t be worse. A plot hatched by MSI’s rogue ex-employees, Idris and his evil fairy gal pal Ari, threatens to expose the company’s secrets ­ and the very existence of magic itself. Even worse, it could also mean the end of Katie’s happily-ever-after.

Now Katie and Owen must work side by side (but alas, not cheek to cheek) to thwart the villains’ plans. Braving black-magic-wielding sorceresses, subway-dwelling dragons, lovelorn frog princes, and even the dreaded trip to meet Owen’s parents at Christmas, Katie and her beau are in a battle to beat Idris at his own sinister game. All mischief and matters of the heart will come to a head at a big New Year’s Eve gala, when the crystal ball will drop, champagne will pour, and Katie will find herself truly spellbound.

For an excerpt you can go here.
----

HAPPY READING!
Marianne

A little update

When the weather gets nice, the nice stop blogging. Or something like that. Anyway, I apologize for my absence and promise to be more faithful to ye olde blog.

But seriously, the weather here in NYC has been fabulous. I spent a good portion of the weekend outdoors. Brunch, dog walks in the park, dinners and drinks in outside establishments, rollerblading, etc. etc. Okay, sure, there was some video gaming to be done indoors but I did get out a lot, I swear!

New York is so great that it’s become hard to buckle down and write. But I’ve been plugging away. At least the book I’m working on is a lot of fun – The Camelot Code – which will be my first hardcover. It’s a time travel young adult that comes out next year from Dutton. I’m having a lot of fun with it. After taking a break from comedy with Moongazer I feel refreshed and ready to joke again.

On Thursday I’m getting new author photos taken. Really need to figure out what I’m going to wear for those! I swear I have nothing suitable in my closet. Might have to **ahem** do a little shopping.

This weekend some friends and I are planning to leave the city to go up to Cold Spring, a pretty little spot overlooking the Hudson river. There’s hiking and outdoorsy kind of stuff. (And of course ice cream!) Should be fun! Hopefully this beautiful weather will hold.

That’s about all that’s going on in Marianne world. Hope you are all doing well too!

Marianne

My Day Job

Happy Thursday everyone!

I'm sure you're sick of RT stories and pics by now, so here's something a little different. As you know, I've recently started a new job producing for Better.tv, the broadband station for Meredith Corp - a company that publishes consumer magazines like More, Ladies Home Journal, Better Homes & Gardens, Parents, Family Circle, etc. etc.

You might remember we went to Charleston, SC to cover the Family Circle Tennis Cup a couple weeks ago. Here's a link to the final story. Hope you like it!

http://better.tv/bettertv/?cid=713344342&tid=823380176&ordersrc=rafbettertv

:)
Marianne

RT Wrap-up

DAY ONE

It took me 8 hrs to make the 3 ½ hr trip to Houston. We took off on time, but some severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings had us circling the airport for an hour and a half. Then they closed the airport all together and we were running out of gas, so we headed to Austin, Texas to land. Spent an hour and a half in Austin, then were finally able to get to Houston. Thank goodness the hotel hairdresser was still able to blow out my hair even though I missed my scheduled appointment. Bad conference hair is never a good thing so I am forever in debt to my hotel hairdresser.

The first night was the Moulin Rouge party. Serena Robar dressed up in the most adorable can can girl outfit. I was lame and costumeless for this one – you can only buy so many outfits without breaking the bank. Liz and I took video of the event, interviewing authors and just being silly. We’re making a documentary of the event—I’ll let you know when we’re up and running. Then there was dancing – I danced with this adorable cover model named Travis. I’m not usually into the cover model thing, but he was so sweet and so NOT cheesy. I had to make an exception. Also, he seemed very genuine – not like the type who was just flirting because he was trying to win the contest.

DAY TWO

On Thursday, Liz and I hung out in the morning at Club RT, where we talked to readers about the new Shomi line. Then we headed over to the Dorchester spotlight, where our publishers were giving their spiel. We handed out Shomi temporary tattoos and bookmarks to the attendees. Then Liz, Cindy Holby, Serena Robar, Barb Ferrer, Chris Keeslar, and I ventured out of the hotel in search for someone to eat. After I vetoed Coney Island hotdogs, we eventually found Healthy Burger, which was yum. Chocolate shake, grilled cheese, and air baked fries. Mmm.

That afternoon I captained three hours of the Young Adult panels. I was really happy how it went. We had good attendance and people seemed really interested—asking intelligent questions about the industry and what publishers were looking for. The first session was especially fun as we had MaryJanice Davidson and her husband Anthony Alongi, talking about their Jennifer Scales series. MJ is awesome, plain and simple. Later, she actually plugged my Boys that Bite book in her comedy vampire panel, which was sooooo nice of her. I love when big name authors are so open to helping us little people. When I grow up, I want to be just like her. The NYC version of her.

That night, we ate at the restaurant at the top of the hotel. It was one of those rotating ones. The food was excellent, but the rotating made me dizzy. I had to sit with my back to the window and not turn my head.

Later, we attended the fairy ball. Liz and I went all out, dressing up as bad girl fairies. Liz had on a black wig and little devil wings. I had a bright red wig and a plaid, punk rock outfit with fishnet wings.. We spent most of the night in the bar, talking to Tim DeYoung, vice president of sales of Dorchester who had just arrived. He is so nice and even bought us ice cream bars! J I love how approachable and cool Dorchester people are. Writing for them makes us feel like we’re part of a family. It is truly the best place to get your start in the writing world.


Friday

Friday was the big awards luncheon. I won a Reviewer’s Choice Award for Most Innovative Historical Romance for What, No Roses?. That meant I had to get up in front of like a thousand or more people and give a speech. Argh. I was so nervous. But I got through it and everyone said I was “so cute” so I guess I didn’t mess it up. The blinding white lights were pretty intimidating though. I got a very nice plaque that I’m going to hang up on my wall. So cool – now I am officially an “award winning author.” I love Romantic Times Magazine!! I also love Kathe Robbin, the reviewer who gave me the award. Not just because she gave it to me, but because she’s so nice and supportive.

Friday night, after a bunch of us went out for Mexican food, I brought my laptop down to the lobby and we watched a bunch of silly YouTube videos. People were so into it, it became difficult to wrestle my laptop away so I could go upstairs and dress for the vampire party. I went as a teenage vampire slayer. (You can see a pic in my previous entry.) The music was terrible so we didn’t stay too long. I wish they’d instruct the DJs better for these parties. I mean, think about the audience! Play fun wedding tunes – not bad 80s hip hop!! We hung out at the bar instead, but I was so tired from the previous two nights I didn’t last too long.

Saturday

Saturday was the gigantic book fair. It went fine, though there were less teens buying books this year than last. Probably because last year the conference was on the beach in Daytona. More of a teen friendly spot. I still met some cool people and it was a good experience over all. I also got to tell a lot of people about the Shomi line, which is always good.

After lunch, we had a bookmark binding party. Liz and I had to bind 27,000 bookmarks in stacks of ten by the end of the conference. We’d been working on it all weekend and were now at critical mass. Luckily we had some great volunteers!! Including Jennifer Ashley’s darling husband. You guys rock!!

Saturday afternoon was the Mr. Romance pageant. Dorchester was the sponsor this year, which was cool because the cover models dressed up as the heroes in various Dorchester books. And there was actually a Robin Hood, based on my book A Hoboken Hipster in Sherwood Forest. It was indescribably cool to see a cover model walk out on stage dressed as one of my characters!

After Mr. Romance, Liz and I went to a pizza party in MaryJanice Davidson’s suite. (I won a t-shirt – woot!) Then we donned our costumes and went to the Dorchester Bookseller event. We dressed as our characters from our Shomi books. I had a black vinyl jacket (like Trinity in the Matrix) and a black wig. I’ll post a picture of us once I find one. We sat and chatted with the Publisher’s Weekly blogger, Barbara Vey, for a while. She is the sweetest, nicest person ever. We love her! She took a pic of us with her in our costumes - hopefully she will post it so you can see. :)

Then we headed to the Dorchester sponsored Immortals party. I had to ditch the vinyl jacket and wig because it was just too darn hot. (Plus the darling Gerri Russell had on the same jacket!! How embarrassing!!! hehe) I went and danced up a storm with Gena Showalter, PC Cast, and Marjorie Liu. Then the party ended and I hung around goofing off with a bunch of people before heading down at the bar. (That’s when the silly dragon pics were taken!)

The next morning we woke up and went to the airport! A great time was had by all. I really have a great little posse – Liz Maverick, Alyssa Day, Barb Ferrer, Serena Robar, and Cindy Holby – you guys make it all so much fun!

I saw Carol Stacy (the RT Publisher) at the baggage claim and she’s like “You’re going to do this again next year, right?” Oh yeah! Definitely.

:)
Mar