NOLA NOLA NOLA

The Romantic Times Booklover's Convention (#RT14) is just a week away!

Some people are reading every post they can find about RT, and some are so sick of it all that they are running screaming from social media.

Me? I am in a very real panic of how to get everything done that I want to. I am trying to tidy up the story line of my Hart Clan Hybrids book #3. Seriously, Shelly is being difficult. It's not my fault.

I am also trying to figure out what to pack, and where my luggage is. I don't travel all that much (read at all) so I always get a bit nervous around this time.

I will be traveling with Samara Blu. She's a new author, and she is in charge of fun. We are both on the RT Guidebook app so feel free to find and connect with us. We are always looking for fun places to visit and people to meet.

Below are the events I will be participating in. I am linking to the RT convention site, so if you somehow are missing out on this fabulousness, you can add it to your schedule pronto.

Tuesday May 13th

Cinema Craptastique - I will be playing along from home, so you will have to see me online. My flight leaves at 6am on Wednesday. I will be hopped up and tweeting as @RoxyMews along with the movie using the hashtag #RTCC. Make sure your twitter app is up and running, or if you aren't attending the con, this is a great way to play from home.  There is also a Facebook event set up for this, so check out all the details HERE.



Wednesday May 14th

Mardi Gras World Carnivale  - I am going to be a "float walker" at this event. I am going to have on a sash identifying me as a Samhain Publishing Author and from what I have heard, I will have beads to fling at all of you. Make sure you stop by, because according to the schedule I have been given it is going to be an AMAZING party.



Thursday May 15th

Samhain Saints and Sinners Party - This event is going to be an absolute blast. I am going to be with Jodi Redford representing our group blog Lust With a Laugh.

Even Mary Hughes will be sending some goodies for everyone who ventures over to the Sinner side of the party space to sit at our table.

I'm bringing buttons and magnets and some more beads, because we all need some beads to wear around New Orleans.


I will be adding a few more events that I am attending for fun, but since Samara is in charge of fun, who knows where the night will take us?



To find me, just look for my swag bag with my book covers on it (see below and pet your computer screen if so inclined). My purple hair will probably also let you find me fairly easily. And before you ask, yes, it's my natural color. ;p

A Love Worth Biting For (Out NOW)

Love's a Witch (June 2014)

Come up and say hello. I'd love to chat with everyone I can. Can't wait to meet all of you!

Roxy

Edits...oh, edits...you all-consuming, soul-destroying...thing.

There are some times when re-reading your own work is a pleasure, and you can't wait to take apart the pieces and let them fall into place.

Yeah. So that didn't happen this time.

I got lost for the last month in a haze of winter storms that kept me locked in my house, flu that kept me stuck in bed, and edits that had me pulling my hair out by the roots.

The words...all the angry red words!!!

*HORRIFIED SCREAMS*

Anyway, it took a lot out of me this round. 

I am putting the finishing touches on "Love's A Witch".  This is the second book in the Hart Clan Hybrids series and I am onto the last round of edits before I get that final glorious copy in my hands.

This book, just like book one, is in first person point of view.  The voices in my head like to talk that way, so that tends to be the way I write.  Mary and Craig are both telling their stories this time, and they were a lot more stubborn than Amber was.  Yes, it's possible.

By the end of all the work, though, Mary found her voice.  Craig got frustrated enough to follow along and do what I told him to. I am so happy with where the book and the trilogy has gone so far, and I am so excited to share this book with you.  As soon as I have the official release date, I will let you all know.

Now....

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. I have been working like a crazy person on a special blog project.  My favorite books all have humor prevalent in their pages. So I started LustWithALaugh.com with Mary Hughes and Jodi Redford.  I couldn't be more excited to launch the blog tomorrow. (follow @LustWithALaugh  on twitter for updates)

2. I am excited to take part in a Facebook party with Mary Hughes on March 5th. Her latest book Downbeat is the main attraction and it deserves to be.  I loved this book.  And I will be giving away a copy of A Love Worth Biting For and an Amazon or Samhain Publishing gift card to whoever comes to play with me. I'll even have a couple quotes from the next Hart Clan Hybrids book, Love's A Witch. ;p

3. I am getting my next projects in order, and getting ready to go to the Romantic Times Convention in May.  My publisher has some FANTASTIC things coming your way if you plan to party in New Orleans with us.  I will have swag from various authors, and other industry peeps.  So make sure if you see me running around, you stop and ask what I have left.  I will also have some special author cards that Samhain is printing up for me that I can sign to you personally. I only have 50, so ask early if you want one.

4. I joined Pinterest!  I will be posting some of my favorite things at the Downbeat release party, but you can snoop around the pictures I love HERE.


Now...I need to get to work on editing two more projects to submit, BUT...if I do any more editing I might cause an alcohol and coffee shortage in the US. 

I think I'll write about robosex instead. ;p 

Roxy

RT Recovery

I have no idea what day it is.  I have no idea what time it is.  I have no idea where my coffee cup went.

That's right, I am home from RT 2013.

I have some pictures to share.  The first day, I was so excited that I woke up at 4:30 am.  Much to my roommates' dismay, the trend continued.  I am an early riser and always get up ready to go.

 Samhain Publishing had a TON of signage out.  They even had these really cool clings on the elevators.  I might have taken a few pics with my new publisher. Don't judge me, but I may have kissed one or two.

 This is a shot of me with Lexi Blake/Sophie Oak.  I fell in love with this author when I found her first book under the Sophie Oak name.  Small Town Siren.  I found book two in the series, and then promptly emailed her and let her know that I was stalking her.  For some reason she responded rather than blocking me, and she is just the most fabulous person.  I was so glad to run into her again.

This was my embarrassing fangirl moment of the con.  Victoria Dahl was one of the first authors I read that let me know it was okay to be funny and sexy at the same time.  Her books and her female characters were strong and snarky and fabulous.  I hugged her.  It was great.

At that same book signing I also met Angie Fox!  She took such time to chat with me, I was amazed. Angie Fox is also one of my funny idols.  I was freaking out a bit when she handed me her card and TOTALLY forgot to get a picture.  She signed my book, and I love that she wrote all over the page for me.  Know that she is also awesome.

And now, for what you really want.  Here is a picture of one of the cover models wondering around the convention.  The Ellora's Cave Cavemen were there as well, but only stayed for a night and didn't really hang out and have fun with us like these guys did. Until I learned Charles Paz's name, I might have referred to him as the guy with shoulders bigger than his head. But don't tell him that. He is a great guy who worked hard to keep the energy up at the events.  Another cover model not pictured, is DeLonn Donovan.  He was my dancing buddy at the Ellora's Cave Disco.  I blame him for my busted knee.

I also am heartbroken that I don't have a picture of Dawn from Daydrmzzz (http://daydrmzzz.blogspot.com/).  Dawn and I met on Goodreads, and we touched base for just a couple hours in Chicago at the last RT.  She introduced me to some fabulous people, and I just had to hang on for the ride.  She also beat me with an evil stick, but don't worry.  It was totally consensual.  :D
 

My roommates were Mary Abshire aka Diane Thorne and Dani Morgan.  We were sad to see the week end.  It was an incredible experience, and I hope both of them are going to RT 2014.  New Orleans sounds like an absolute blast. 

Now I am off to do epic amounts of laundry, and drink even more epic amounts of coffee until my body recovers.  

Oh, and I suppose I should actually be writing, too!  I only wrote 3k the whole time I was away, so I have some editing and new word catch up to do.  Hopefully my body will be a little bit more motivated today. I yawned as I typed that.  

Thank you to all the people I met.  I am going through all the business cards and each time I add someone to twitter or mark their book on Goodreads, I am hit with another amazing memory.  

The romance community truly is a home away from home for me.  I am so glad I found you all, and can't thank you enough for the fabulous time.

Roxy

Getting Ready for the RT Convention!

The RT Booklovers Convention (http://www.rtconvention.com/) is my first official conference as an author.  I have been to a couple of other cons as a reader and had a blast.  Meaning, I got tons of free swag and fabulous conversation with some of my favorite authors.

Book cons for me are a complete escape from everyday life.  And as an added bonus I get to go as my alter-ego.  Roxy Mews is my pen name, but I find she is much more me, than I am most of the time.

I get to go out, talk about books, and chat with other authors and readers about what they have on their e-readers that they can't turn off. That's right, I am addicted to ebooks. My kindle goes everywhere with me.  It is overflowing with more books than I will probably ever read in a lifetime, and I still wait like a kid at Christmas for those Tuesday releases.

Although my book isn't out yet, I am taking some business cards and information about my book with me.  My cover was recently finalized and I will be handing out some postcards to give readers a heads up.

Even though I am going in a slightly different capacity this round, I will have a lot of the same prep.  Over the weekend I will be packing, making lists, realizing I forgot my underwear and starting over when I realize I don't have any room left in my suitcase.

For anyone going to RT, I have a few words of advice.

1. Don't worry about a big purse.  There are tons of totebags that you will be given through the days.  Carry one of those.  Authors will be wandering everywhere, and you never know what there will be to haul around.  Also, the totes are fab to get autographs on as a free souvenir.

2.  Bring permanent markers.  Seeing your favorite author's autograph in skinny, skipping pen is such a disappointment.  Keep markers in your totebag and be ready for those completely inappropriate fangirl moments.

3.  BYOB. This might not make me popular with the hotel staff, but if you are driving rather than flying in you can bring in your own alcohol, and save your money.  Those cash bar tabs add up pretty fast. Bringing in your own can allow a little extra cash for books.  BUT don't skip out on the bar totally!  A lot of shenanigans go down where the alcohol flows.  Make sure you don't miss out.

4.  Keep a small clutch or wristlet in your totebag.  This should have a bit of cash, your room key, and any necessities like medicine, glasses, or breathmints.  When you are ready to head for an official party, this makes it easy to drop your larger bag off at the room and hurry to the next event.

5.  Be ready to wait in line.  RT is a HUGE con. And it actually sold out this year.  Get in line for the big parties early, or make sure one of your group camps out to save you chairs.  The big parties have big swag, and you want to get to a table close to the action.

6. Be ready to throw that carefully planned agenda out the window.  Because if the author you go fangirl crazy for offers to take you to lunch, or if the publisher of your dreams wants to chat, GO WITH THEM! All the panels are wonderful, but the connections you make will be where you make the most impact.

Look for me at RT.  I will be one of the authors with a silk flower on her badge.  I can't wait to chat with all of you.

Roxy