I'm a bad, bad girl + RomCon

Yikes. I blew it. JUST this moment realized I was to blog today (1:24 pm central). In my defense, I've been home 3 days so far this month, will be home 3 more then I'm off again for the rest of the month. I don't know how I get myself into these things.

Anyway, DH had a Dr. apt this morning to recheck his shoulder post surgery and I guess he just took top priority - as it should be, right?

In any event, I want to tell you a little bit about the 1st ever RomCon conference that was held in Denver, Co last weekend. WHAT A BLAST!! RomCon was the dream of some amazing writers from the Denver area who wanted to create a conference where fans could get up close and personal with their favorite authors and promote authors to new readers. Well, let me tell ya. Mission Accomplished!
in photo:Mary Burton, me, Cool Australian bookseller who gave me TimTams :o), Susan Crandall, Tara Janzen, Pamela Clare

Sue Grimshaw, the Romance buyer for Border Books was there with her crew doing author video interviews (watch for me on Borders True Romance sometime soon), to present the Borders Bestseller awards and head up the huge book signing. There was also tons and tons of book giveaways.

The spotlight authors there were Carly Phillips, Lori Foster, Pamela Clare, Jo Beverley, Anna Campbell (all the way from Australia), Nalini Singh (All the way from New Zeland) Brenda Novak, Elizabeth Hoyt, Jeaniene Frost, Julia Quinn, Susan Mallery, Tara Janzen, Melissa Mayhue, Hanna Howell, Lil ole ME :o) and (fangirl moment here) Christine Feehan who rarely attends conferences. There were many more featured authors (including our Leanne Banks) and many, many fans as well as some industry figures, most notably Randall Toy from Harlequin, plus editors from Harlequin, St Martins Press, Berkley and Grand Central.
(photo: Still not sure why i was holding 2 glasses of champagne :O)

We did 'speed date' an author, intimate chats, invitational teas and breakfasts, many, many panels and in general were 100% accessible to our readers 100% of the time. I loved it and from everything I've heard, a good time was had by all.

Oh - and one night they had a mystic carnival. I had my palm read. Good news. I'm going to live to be 92 and one of my next books is going to be made into a movie :o)

Far right - me, Lovely Leanne and amazing Tara Janzen. Leanne and I look like throw-backs to the 60's love child era in our tie die, don't we? And no, we didn't plan it :o)

So, what do you all think of a 'READER' centric conference? Is it something you'd like to attend and if so, who would you like to see there and in what venue? One on one? Group meets? Speed dates?