Even though I've been in the industry since 2008 this was the first time I ventured out into the huge world of conventions. Now I have admitted that I am a home-body that doesn't have much contact as many who live in big cities. I mean we don't even have a bookstore here.
So when I decided to attend RT 2014 I was super nervous.
Signing up late I wasn't able to be one of the many signing authors at the convention. Although I went as a published author I did not sign at the big book fair Saturday. But that was okay. I got a little more experience and got to see how things were ran.
I do plan to attned the 2015 convention and hopefully will get to be able to be part of the signing fair.
That said I still had plenty to keep me busy.
It's was fun and entertaining. I am posting pictures of some really fun moments!
The hotel: Now I didn't stay at the hotel that the convention was held or one of the overflow. It was too wait by the time I signed up. I do beleive by not staying there I did miss out on some. Having to run to and from my hotel which was three blocks one way and another three blocks past made it difficult to quickly change or grab anything.
If I had it to do all over again (and I will next year) staying at the main hotel is one of my goals. I heard several stories about people running into their favorite authors or someone they wanted to meet at the elevators or at the bar. So that is a plus.
Also a quick change of clothes or shoes. If you forgot something? It's a headache to have to go back and forth.
However I do not know if it was just me or f anyone else had the issue of being confused to where to go. I got lost several times and the hotel floorplan did not help. I know the convention can't really help with that but hopefully they will keep that in mind with the next convention.
The panels: One of the best parts.
I have to hand it to the organziers for this part. There were tons of different panels offered. On the RT website it says the convention was based around readers and what they want. I have to agree with this. The panels had some big name authors that spoke about their books and what they are working on.
I attended a panel with Kim Harrision and three other authors that I had never heard of. After that fun talk I looked up the other authors and loved listening to KIm Harrision talk about the Hollow series. This was a total fan moment for me and I loved it.
As an author I also wanted to attend panels that were for writers. I did more of these than reader classes but they were just as good. I attended several different panels. From Novella to Novel, world building, erotic E-serials and more.
The hosts and speakers were all organized and I easily found myself jotting note after note down. The panels had a real teaching feel for me.
These are men and women who think they are better than you. These are people that have been were you are. They've had to learn hard lessons trying to help you out.
I loved that!
The events: The schedule was jammed packed. I arrived on Wednesday afternoon and had to get ready for the big event at the Mardi Gras world.
This event was fun, the food was awesome, and there were poeple everywhere! I started to meet some of my fellow authors and they were wonderful! I actually wouldn't have had such a great time if it wasn't for the people I met.
You have something in common with those around you. Your love of books! And the majority of people were very welcoming!
There were parties and special events every single night. By attending the entire convention you get into all of these activities.
Book signing: I had never been to anything like this. The crowd was huge! But the authors were at their tables where you could go right up to them. There was only 1 author that I wanted to meet but didn't because I didn't want to stand in such a long line. They also gave out numbers for some of the more in demand authors but I didn't go over there either. By the time I started marking authors off my list to see I already had seven books to buy and was tired.
There were two rooms that held author signing. Now I understood the difference between the two rooms. However it was not explained that you had to pay for your books per room. That should have been told. But it really wasn't that big of deal.
The authors were so very sweet and everyone of them welcomed readers. I took pictures had books signed and so on. The stamping the books with invisible ink that you brought from home was a great idea and the line to have your book stamped was not long at all.
The check out process was the one part that I think fell apart. You had to line up to show the security your books and seperate them. The problem was we didn't have enough space and were actual;ly blocking authors tables. I felt so bad! You could not see the authors that names started with A because of the line.
Once you got past that point the checkout tables were in lobby. They had several registers and the workers were helpful and friendly. It went quickly and you had your book.
For the most part the staff was my biggest issue with the signing. I am a thirty five year old woman and do not apperiacte being yelled at. Or treated like a child. There were several times I overheard a staff member talking down to someone who didn't understand. especially as we were waiting for the signing to start in the room. Also during the signing the staff were just to busy to answer any questions. I had to walk away at one point when I overheard a young woman being yelled at becuase she went out the wrong door. Like she knew!
But it's the authors and readers meeting and talking that this event was all about. I went right up to some of my favorites and told them how much I loved them! It was great!
Time and schedule: I thought the entire event was coordiated well. I heard there were fifteen hundred people or more there. That is a huge crowd and everything ran on time and was organized. That couldn't have been easy.
New Orleans: Now I will probably not go back or plan a trip here again. Don't get me wrong we had a fantastic time and I thought RT did a great job in picking the locations. There is so very much to do.
When not at the convention we had tours, and walked around, had great food and drink. The best coffee I've had in the entire world as matter of fact.
If you didn't want to attend one of the parties there was so much more to do! This was a great choice! But saying that I'm glad I attended and loved being there but it was just nice to visit. And then go home!
Overall: Now remember I was more of an observer than being in the thick of things. I had a great first experience and am so glad that I finally bit the bullet and went. It was a wonderful time! I enjoyed myself. RT2014 was well done and deserves some major props! I couldn't have done it.
My advise to anyone thinking of going is do it. Whether you are a reader, aspiring author, published author, blogger, etc - I do think RT had something for everyone. The panel options alone are worth the price. I learned so much and was more motivated to write once I left then I had been in years.
I also met some really great people that I will look for at some of the upcoming events I hope to make it to in the next year or so!
The pictures should show how much fun I had. Maybe next year we'll have fun together?
Crissy Smith
Romance on the 'WILD' side...
http://www.crissysmith.net
