Michelle Rowen
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Michelle's RT MemoirsAs I was saying to a couple people before leaving Daytona… I probably won’t realize how much fun I’ve had until after I’m home. And it’s true. While there, the whole RT experience was nearly overwhelming for a small town girl like myself, but now that I’m back in the so-called small town, I want to go back to Daytona Beach.
Quite the week. The only thing I have to compare it to would be the RWA National Confernece from last year, but this was way different from that. Where Nationals is all about learning and business, The Romantic Times Booklovers Convention is all about partying and the schmooze.
Let’s take it one day at a time as I walk down memory lane:
Tuesday: Travel day. Went rather smoothly I think, but still it was seven hours of travel before I checked in at the Daytona Beach Hilton. My last leg of the flight, from Atlanta, I shared with several fabulous convention-goers. Party on the plane! I got to sit right next to the bathroom, which is always both a blessing and a curse.
Checked in at the hotel. My roomie Karmela was already there. Freshened up, and headed down to the Welcome Luau. I immediately get lei-ed by a Mr. Romance competitor who would become The Perfect Man Of My Dreams for the rest of the week –
Travis Greiman (the 22 (!!) year old son of author Lois Greiman). The luau was very crowded, not enough tables. There was some hula dancing. A small, but adequately tasty, buffet. Me and Karm had a couple of drinks. Then she dragged Travis over for a couple of pictures and to question him about his fine self (as per her journalistic past). I stood by trying not to look too geeky and awkward, sucking back my Corona.
Met up with Megan Crane and Liza Palmer, and we all went to see Mission Impossible 3, playing at the movie theatre right next door to the hotel.
Wednesday: First I discovered the coffee shop at the Hilton that made a decadent Caramel Macciato (sp? My new favorite non-alcoholic drink) and then went down to the “Goody Room” where I stood in the first of one billion lines for the week, waiting to be let into the room where everyone was allowed to grab 5 novels and 5 Red Sage Secrets anthologies.
Met Kathy Love in passing in the hallway. Awesome, funny chick. I decided to latch on to her to head into lunch.
On to the Waldenbooks Luncheon which was cool, especially finally seeing the fabulous Sue Grimshaw.
During this lunch I came over feeling a little ill and excused myself for the remainder of the afternoon as I recovered in my hotel room. It wasn’t the questionable hot turkey sandwich’s fault. Though, I’m sure it didn’t help.I went out for dinner to a local restaurant with Megan and Liza. Liza ended up leaving her expensive designer sunglasses behind as accidental tip. But the food (and wine) was very good.
That night was the Ellora’s Cave party. Not as raunchy as I expected, but good music. My feet were already starting to hurt. MLM (my acronym for Megan, Liza & Michelle) escaped to the beach for a bit before calling it a night (but not before deciding that Thursday we were going to Disneyworld!)
Thursday: MLM meet at 7:00 a.m. to head to Orlando, hitting a ton of traffic, but finally getting to the Happiest Place on Earth at about 9:45. We opted for the “all parks pass” which was about a hundred bucks. Magic Kingdom first, we went on a few rides, including Space Mountain, and took lots of pictures, before heading over to the MGM park, followed by Epcot. We briefly got stuck on the Norway ride which lost its Viking Magic when the lights went up while our plastic boat bobbed in the dirty water for fifteen minutes.
Rolled back into the hotel at a little after nine o’clock. Too tired to go to the Vampires of the Carribean party. Alas. I hear it was a good time.
Friday: Back to Business. I put on my war paint, and a shirt that I thought was pretty, but ended up making me look thirty pounds heavier in pictures (or maybe that's just wishful thinking), got my caramel macciato and went to a paranormal panel. Met Deirdre Knight (fabulous lady – so happy to be a part of her OOTB blog circuit!), and FINALLY met the fabulous MaryJanice Davidson.
This chick is just as funny as her books. I must admit, I was a little intimidated, even though she was very gracious and friendly. It must be because she’s incredibly tall. And incredibly successful.Next up was the Awards Luncheon, which boasted a questionable tuna salad concoction, followed by a yummy piece of cake (thus, my diet by this time, totally out the window).
That afternoon was the Warner Spotlight where I finally got to meet my wonderful editor, Melanie Murray. It was only a half an hour, but jam-packed with authors, aspiring authors, and readers.
I had my editor’s meeting later, which went very well and included Elly and Gina, two other lovely Important Warner People. Right after this was the Warner dinner, where we were served by a Felicity lookalike who didn’t know how to open a bottle of wine (fairly typical of the service at the Hilton this week). Then on to the Faery Ball. It’s amazing how many people actually DO wear the costumes. Like, we’re talking a 50/50 split. Watched Travis dance with everybody, while he looked equally happy and embarrassed. That’s my Travis. Le sigh.
Crashed at about midnight. My social butterfly of a roomie came in at 3:00 a.m. after closing down a couple of bars with Maggie Shayne. She is a serious dynamo. I think she met EVERYBODY at the convention. Danced and partied with EVERY cover model (including my darling Travis). When I grow up, I want to be just like Karmela! She even got up early EVERY DAY to work out! I mean, come on, people!!! She’s got the energy and the vibrant personality. I’ve got the sarcasm and couch potato tendencies. It’s a trade-off.
Saturday: Book Fair! Starting with a Caramel Macciato and a questionable bagel and cream cheese, I packed up my bookmarks, excerpt flyers, promo pens, and headed to the signing. Before it started I briefly got in line at the Laurell K. Hamilton area. Then I bailed because I thought the doors were opening to the public. I already had the books LKH was signing, but I would have liked to, you know, soak in her vibe for a minute. But I might have gone all drooly fangirl, and that’s never a pretty picture. Stopped by Charlaine Harris’s table and got her latest hardcover. She recognized my name and told me that she’d read my book and loved it. After I picked myself up off the floor and thanked her profusely, I headed back to my table.
I loved meeting each and every person who stopped by to say hi or get something signed. It was fantastic! I’d get up every now and then to stretch my legs, and always seemed to return to my table with two more signed books. What can I say? I’m addicted. By the end of the four hours I was about ready to drop. It’s a long time to look plaintively out at passing people (who were mostly headed for the long, long LKH line up).
Met up with Lori Handeland and her lovely mother for a quick drink before the Mr. Romance competition.
Just as cheesy as it sounds, but incredibly entertaining (though not enough bare chests). My true love Travis came in second. He looked embarrassed. Which was very endearing. Le sigh. For dinner, Karmela took me out to a Japanese restaurant where I had my first real sushi (it’s raw fish, you know). Karm and I are about as different as night and day, but we get along great. Wish we lived closer. Also wish she was coming to Nationals! She might just get me to come out of my shell completely (My shell = Michelle… get it?).
We then went to the Cosmo Chix mini-party where Travis was waiting bar for his mom. I believe I said something innocuous and lame to him and a couple of the other models in attendance. I’ve blanked it out. I do way better with my fictional men. Not that this is a revelation to me.
Last party was Dorchester’s Rock ‘n Roll party, which I stayed till the bitter end, soaking up the last remnants of this exhausting week with the fabulous ladies who shared their time with me.
The music leaned toward ZZ Top, but it was big fun. Said goodbye to Megan and Liza, both whom were heading back to sunny Los Angeles, and their day-job-free lives. They were so much fun. Buy their books. Immediately.Back up to the room where I packed and went through the 226 pictures I took over the course of the week.
Sunday: Bright and Early. Finished packing. Said goodbye to Karmela. Check out. Head to the airport feeling more ferklemped than I thought I would leaving Daytona and all my conference friends (and, you know, Travis). :::sniff:::
It was an exhausting week, a complete one-eighty from my normal, rather dull life, that I knew I wouldn’t truly appreciate it until I got home. And I didn’t. But I do now. The RT Convention is something everybody who has any interest in the romance writing industry should experience at least once in their lives.
Will I go again next year? Not sure yet. Ask me in a couple of weeks when I've adequately recovered. ;-)
