RT Recap: Day One

I'm back home. Yup, went on the roof today. Chased after a couple of inspectors. Sigh over some permits. Oh...yes, it was toolbelt time. How I long for yesterday....

I'm going to give a recap of my RT 08 experience day-by-day, so bear with me as I resize pics, cut out odd shots, and brighten-n-contrast.

Like I said, the hotel room was just horrendous. It smelt of sawdust and plaster and like I told you, I developed an allergy on the last day of the conference. A side of my face was red with some kind of weird looking rash and my throat was feeling scratchy.

But let's not go there yet...we're at the beginning, when everyone was getting started. And where do authors start their conference? Why, at the bar, of course.

Ro my right is Jill Smith (RT reviewer) and to my left, Jackie Kessler (Road to Hell).



Sitting across from me was the very talented Caitlin Kittredge (Night Watch) and Jeanne Stein (The Watcher).


Also across from me was Cheyenne McCray (Shadow Magic) and Barry Eisler (Requiem for an Assassin).

All these photos are courtesy of Mark Henry (Happy Hour of the Damned). Also present was Michelle Rowen and Richelle Meade. We were all thirsty and noisy, and I was so happy to be among so many talented authors.

Then I met with my roomies, Jeri Smith-Ready and Ann Aguirre, and we giggled at how to fit the extra bed in our tiny room. We finally decided to send that away and push the two beds together to make one huge one for all three of us. There were suitcases and boxes of books strewn all over the room as we chatted away, still kind of in shock at the state of the hotel and that we were all Internet-less. I felt horribly lost without it and vowed to look for the Vortex of Internet Connectivity in the lobby.

But first, we must go to the Ellora's Cave party. Why? Well....


It is not the beginning of RT without a welcome by the Ellora's Cavemen, you know.

The theme for the night was Hollywood. The EC authors all have their own Hollywood Walk Star. Those in costume came as a Hollywood icon.


Here is the lovely Heather Graham, dressed as Carmen Miranda. I look like a dowdy grandma beside her.


The fans were having fun too, as you can see from the above shot.

On the dance floor, sexay Lauren Dane made flirty eyes as she boogied.

I was hugged left and right by friends I haven't seen for a year. Here's me and Mark with his friend.

Here's my good friend, Rodney, Mr. Romance 2006. He was my "speech trainer" in 2003 and we've been great drinking buddies since.

Yes, I didn't need no steeenkin' Hollywood costume to get hugged by Rodney, nyah nyah. I shared a few drinks with Michelle Buonfiglio, who cracked me up with her earthy sense of humor. She taught me the secret of lip gloss and camera ;-).

The EC party got quite wild. There was some eyebrow raising moments. Some ladies swooned at the gyrating bodies. Others were watching with big grins on their faces. Let's just say, the EC Cavemen lived up to their name ;-).

Later in the night, way past innocent bedtime, not to be out-danced, some of the Mr. Romance contestants took over the stage and showed the girls some of their own moves too. As you can see, they weren't shy at all.

Yes, the roofing world was far, far away....

Day Two Recap tomorrow.

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