Michelle Rowen
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Back to real lifeGoing to an RT convention is a lot like going over the rainbow to the Land of Oz. Things look similar to reality until you look closer and then it's anything but. It's kind of bizarre and it must be experienced to understand it completely. It's Romancelandia where the rules are different and people eat what's put in front of them no matter what it is, watch strange and questionable forms of entertainment, and wear fairy wings and vampire fangs.
I had fun and met some seriously amazing people -- readers and writers and editors and publicity people and reviewers -- but I have to say, I'm a little outside of my comfort zone when it comes to these big shin-digs -- which is actually one of the reasons I go to them. One should not be comfortable all of the time!
I have to say... Pittsburgh is a lot like Daniel Craig. This is the best analogy I can come up with -- I'm still recovering from my trip. I didn't think Daniel Craig would make a good Bond, and I didn't think Pittsburgh would make for a good destination. I was wrong on both counts. Craig rocks and so does Pittsburgh. It's a beautiful city! Kind of like a mini New York and surrounded by water and what seemed to be a million bridges.
Yes, the Hilton was still under construction but I didn't find it too annoying.
Number one annoyance of conventions/conferences is waiting in line. Waiting at the elevators. Waiting to be let into the luncheons/dinners -- which inevitably wasn't for an additional 20 minutes past the stated start time. But as writers, we know how to wait so we're quite used to it.
Richelle Mead did a great write-up and photo montage of the week which includes the best and worst pics taken of me at the con. Truly. The diet starts today. At the latest, tomorrow.
I attended the Mr. Romance competition and it was just as fun as the last time I went to it. People are either really into this thing or they snark on it completely. I'm somewhere in between. It was entertaining...but I didn't take it too seriously.
Here's some really crappy video I took of winner being announced (btw, Chris Winters was definitely the hottest -- even though in my video he seems to have no face. He can be on my cover any day)...
The book fair went very well and I got to meet loads of cool people who stopped by to buy a book or have me sign a book they already had (brought from home or Lady & the Vamp was available free in the goody room!). Then there was a complete and total power failure and the room was plunged into absolute darkness. Which was exciting. Kinda. A hundred cell phone screens flickered on during the five or so minutes we were without power. Just another surreal moment at the con.
I took some video again, and it sucks, but it will give a glimpse at how massive this thing is...
For better coverage, check out the Rebels of Romance who did video blogging while there, even though I don't think I saw Liz and Marianne once the whole week. It is a sea of romance writers and readers, I tell ya.
I'll be posting pics to my photo gallery and on Facebook in the next few days... rock on...
Yesterday I had some non-writing stuff to do, but today I officially start on my new book, which since it's currently due July 1st, there's no time to waste.
So, yeah. Writing now. After all, that's what it's all about, right?
