Authors After Dark 2012 - A Recap

I’ve seen so many wonderful posts about Authors After Dark 2012 and since I would have to dedicate a week to posting about it, I’m going to recap my own personal highlights (and hope I get all my facts straight since the week flew by in a blur of awesome). If you were there and read this and I get something wrong, feel free to call me out! I totally should have posted earlier but I was a zombie the first few days after I returned.

All right, my AAD adventure! I arrived Wednesday afternoon with my driving buddies Cynthia Eden and Manda Collins. We arrived with sooooo much stuff I’m amazed we were able to cram it all into Cynthia’s vehicle. Not long after arriving I ran into my friend Naima Simone who I haven’t seen in almost a year and a half so it was wonderful getting caught up with her. If you haven’t read her and you’re a fan of super sexy erotic romance, omg, check her out now! Her books are delicious!

Almost as soon as we arrived a bunch of us went out to eat and I met Laurie London for the first time and I’ve got to say, she is one of the nicest authors I’ve come in contact with. She’s so sweet and genuine and we barely ate anything because we were talking the whole time (Pickyme was sitting right across from us and mocking us, lol). Pickyme (Patricia) was also uber adorable! Then, even later that night all of us met up again and hit Bourbon Street. I love New Orleans and I’ve been there multiple times but I always avoid Bourbon for good reason. So other than the ick factor of hookers, it was so much fun hanging out with everyone that first night. We made it to Patrick O’briens where I met Jen from Twimom blog (LOVE her!), Jen from Red Hot Books, Beth Williamson, Shelley Stevenson, and Justine Willis from Kensington (who I’m also a little bit in love with) who gave me her hurricane glass to take home as a gift for my hubs! So sweet. And luckily I got to hang with Justine for more of the con!

 

Thursday was panels, then dinner with Cynthia Eden, Manda Collins, Jade Lee (who is hilarious) and Barbara Vey (also hilarious). After that was the ‘I Scream Party’ I hosted with Cynthia & Manda. It was so much fun meeting so many readers and as you can see from the picture, I finally got a shot with my boyfriend. That’s right, don’t be jealous ;) Everyone went out again Thursday night after the party but I’ll totally admit, I was wiped out from a full day and it was close to 11 when they left so I stayed in. Yes, I need my sleep!

Friday was the Bookie Awards and my roomie won one for best werewolf book! Yay Cynthia! The Masquerade Ball was that night, but before that Mel Schroeder and Kris Cook had an open bar event that was pretty cool because I got to meet some more people that I’d been looking forward to chatting with. Katiebabs and Carolyn Crane to name two of them. We all used to blog together (years ago!) so meeting them in person was very nice. Later that night a group of us went on a carriage ride and Cynthia let me borrow her phone to take oodles of pictures since my own phone is a bazillion years old and a bit sad (everyone mocked my phone). I got to sit next to Sasha White, who I had never met in person up until then, and she was very sweet.

 

On Saturday morning I woke up early and met up with Carolyn Crane. We walked around the city (in a light drizzle) trying to find a diner and we eventually settled on one and talked forever. Meeting Carolyn was definitely one of the highlights of AAD for me. She’s so genuine and really funny online and I’ve gotta say, that definitely translates to her real life personality. She’s just wonderful! On our way back to the hotel we noticed a lot of men wearing red dresses and found out that they were drinking and/or ‘running’ for charity. I didn’t see a lot of running, but hey, it’s for charity and that’s what counts!

 

The book signing that afternoon was well organized and I was pleasantly surprised that the bookseller had been sent copies of Primal Possession which isn’t due to release for another couple weeks (Thank you NAL!). I almost sold out too, which was pretty sweet ;) My tablemates, Bronwyn Green & Erin Kellison, were full of energy and the best tablemates I could have asked for. I am now stalking, er following both of them on twitter!

Other major highlights: Meeting so many readers was amazing! As a writer who works from home I’m a hermit probably 85% of the time and I’m definitely a conference virgin so that was such an experience in itself. Tracie and Karen, two lovely Australian readers, were so giving and sent me home with a bunch of Tim Tams (some didn’t even make it out of my hotel room because I devoured them like a rabid animal) and cute Australian souvenirs. I’m still amazed by their generosity! I met so many other readers and I’m almost afraid to name them all because I’m afraid I’ll leave someone out but: Rana, Suzanne, Tina, Anne, Elizabeth & Beth! I know I’m leaving out names but I still have conference brain so I hope you cut me some slack ;)

Overall, a wonderful conference and I’m so glad I went! Stella, the woman who planned everything, did a fantastic job! AAD 2012 = Awesomesauce!