Hi everyone –

I still feel like I’m on RT jet lag, but I have so much to share! LOL

First off, if you’ve never been to an RT Convention, here’s a little summary. It’s hosted by RT Book Review Magazine, and caters to authors, readers and aspiring authors. In short, it’s a total blast!!! There are plenty of panels and events, but still time to chat and meet internet friends as well as old friends you only get to see at conventions. Fun!

This year the event was held in Kansas City, Missouri. My only other trip to Missouri was for a trade show for my work. It was in St. Louis and during my stay 3 tornadoes touched down around the city… YIKES!!! Being a weather wimp from San Diego, I was hiding under the covers whimpering all night as the lightning flashed and the sideways rain smacked the hotel window! LOL

I’m happy to report, no tornadoes this time, but… We got SNOW!!! In May!!! *boggle* I was so excited that I videoed the magic. Yes, my dork flag was again waving SUPER high!!! LOL


Okay so besides the crazy snow in May, the conference itself was SOOOO much fun!!!

I got in to Kansas City on Tuesday night so that bright and early on Wednesday morning I could meet up and stuff goodies bags with fellow vampire authors: Laura Kaye, Laurie London, Caridad Pinero, Elisabeth Staab and Theresa Meyers! Our vampire game was a huge success with lots of fun vampire readers! J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday night was the Ellora’s Cave Disco Party! I had such a blast with my super fun roomies, Mary Leo and Chris Marie Green!!! J


Next up on Thursday, I got to meet lots of readers at the RT eBook and Indie signing! My posters of the Night Walker and Night Thief covers were gone in the first hour! Yow! J

And Thursday night was the big RT 30th Anniversary Ball… The Ball was sponsored by my publisher, Entangled Publishing, and I made new “Entangled” lyrics for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and sang! LOL Goofy and tons of FUN!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the big singing event we had lots of dancing and Entangled merriment…

Me and my pal, Boone Brux


And here I am with the fabulous, CJ Ellison!


The amazing lady behind Entangled Publishing, Liz Pelletier, with me and my roomie, Mary Leo!

After the Thursday night fun, I had a full day of panels and parties on Friday! Shew! J The Vampire Social was a huge highlight for me!!! I got to sign and meet readers with some of my favorite vampire authors!!! SQUEE!!! Here’s a pic of the goodies bag… See my name in there??? Yeah, I geeked out!!! LOL And then I got my own table with goodies and a perfect place to meet readers and chat. I had a blast! J


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Friday night was Heather Graham’s annual Vampire Ball… I didn’t see many vampires, but I did run into Deadpool!!! LOL


 

At this point, exhaustion was setting in, but my adrenaline from the fun of the HUGE book signing on Saturday pulled me through… Ready for more pictures? LOL Here we go…


I got to see my buddy Barbara Vey!


And my fabulous publicist Sarah Nicolas!


And my editor for Night Walker, Kerri-Leigh Grady!!! (She’s now the head of the Entangled Ever After and Flirt Lines!)


I also got to meet up with some fabulous readers too!!! J

050913_0425_RTConventio18.jpgMe&DeniseVanceFluhr

There’s RT in a nutshell… Shew!!! This was such a fun convention!!! Thanks again to everyone who came and said hello…

And if you’re still with me, something super cool happened on my way home from RT…

I was exhausted and already stressing about the money I spent at RT, silently hoping I sold a few books to help offset all the expenses. During the last leg of my flight from Denver to San Diego, I was in the window seat, reading my Kindle, thankfully distracted from my worries, when the captain came on and announced we were beginning our descent into San Diego. He said we had to switch off all electronics and buckle seat belts. I finished the page and turned off my Kindle.

Right at that moment, I glanced out the window and there was the most gorgeous rainbow!!! I’ve never seen a rainbow from above, while inside a plane, and I wish I could’ve taken a picture. Instead my eyes welled with tears. It was like the universe was letting me know everything was going to be okay. I instantly felt joy and peace fill me up when I needed it most.

I’m not doing the moment justice, but Wow. It was an amazing quiet moment at the end of an incredibly busy week.

Next year’s RT is going to be in New Orleans… I can hardly wait!!! Who wants to come on a vampire tour and a trip to the Café Du Monde with me??? WOOT!!!

Lisa J

28 Comments

  1. Jennifer May 8, 2013 at 10:28 pm

    I’m really going to try to make it to RT next year. If I can’t make the whole con, I’m going to try to get over there for the signing. 🙂 I’ve heard it’s a BLAST. I’m so glad you had such a good time 🙂

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 12:14 am

      YAY!!!! You will love RT… So many authors and readers all in one place! 🙂 It’s a blast!

      And it’s in New Orleans next year so BONUS fun!!!

      *HUGS*

      Lisa

      PS – I really hope I can swing it to come to your conference in February too! 🙂

  2. Angela Roquet May 8, 2013 at 10:31 pm

    Oh! So great! I wish I could have come for the whole week. Maybe next year in New Orleans! Maybe we’ll have better weather too. lol

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 12:15 am

      SO true! NO snow in New Orleans in May! LOL

      I hope you can make it too Angela!!! You’d have a blast!!! 🙂

      It was so fun to finally meet up in person too… Thanks for hunting me down!!!

      *HUGS*

      Lisa 🙂

  3. KL May 8, 2013 at 10:35 pm

    It was so fabulous getting to see you again, lady! What a blast!

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 12:16 am

      I loved seeing you too KL!!! You’re such a huge deal now… I can say I knew you way back when you edited Night Walker… * reminiscent sigh* LOL

      RT was definitely a blast! I hope you’ll be at next year’s in New Orleans too!!! *fingers crossed*

      Lisa 🙂

  4. Shelley Munro May 9, 2013 at 1:59 am

    That sounds like so much fun, Lisa.Connecting with other writers and readers is energizing, I think.
    Thanks for sharing. Maybe I’ll get there one day.

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 4:49 pm

      You should definitely come to RT sometime Shelley!!! It’s definitely energizing (as well as draining strangely enough! LOL Too much fun in a concentrated space of time! 😀 )

      Thanks for coming by!

      Lisa 🙂

  5. Tameri Etherton May 9, 2013 at 4:31 am

    Great pics! You had so much fun, wow! You know I’m there next year, and hopefully there won’t be any snow.

    I love the rainbow story. Funny how life has a way of sending you these sweet little messages just to let you know it’ll all be okay, just breathe and relax.

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      If it snows in New Orleans in May it might be the apocalypse!!! LOL

      And you’re right about those little signs right when you need them most… It was a beautiful moment! 🙂 Now if I could just figure out how to make them last! LOL Ah well… Baby steps!

      Thanks for coming by!

      Lisa 🙂

  6. Lynn Rush May 9, 2013 at 4:41 am

    Awesome pics. So wish I could have been there!!! Looks like great fun!!!

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 4:52 pm

      Next year you’ve gotta come Lynn!!! RT is SO much fun!!! Lots of readers and energy… 🙂

      Thanks for coming by!!!

      *HUGS*

      Lisa

  7. Thorne May 9, 2013 at 5:39 am

    I know why your posters went fast if you had that gorgeous man on the poster. Who is the male model for your book?

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 5:09 pm

      Oh I wish I knew who my cover models are… *dreamy sigh* The cover gods have been SUPER good to me for the Night Series!!! 🙂

      Thanks for coming by!

      Lisa 🙂

  8. V.S.Nelson May 9, 2013 at 7:14 am

    Amazing shots. So disappointed I couldn’t go this year… looking forward to the next RT. Great post Lisa and thanks for allowing us to share in the fun. V

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 5:10 pm

      I’m happy to share the fun!!! 🙂 And I hope next year you’ll be able to come to RT in New Orleans!!! It’ll be a blast! 🙂

      Thanks for coming by!

      Lisa

  9. Janet Wellington May 9, 2013 at 7:34 am

    GREEEEEEEEEEEAT post, Lisa! Thanks for sharing all the details–so fun!!! Hmm….I love New Orleans….last time I was there was for RWA National and did a night tour of the French Quarter and met with a Voodoo Priestess! I still have my personalized mojo bag. You’ve got me thinking and dreaming…

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 5:11 pm

      Hi Janet!

      New Orleans will always be special to me because it was a palm reader there who nudged me to write a book… I’m not sure I ever would have tried without her major prediction! LOL

      Can’t wait to go back!

      Hope to see you soon!

      Lisa 🙂

  10. Gina Conkle May 9, 2013 at 8:14 am

    Hi Lisa,
    Thanks for sharing your RT experience. Wow! I get the impression of high energy and fun plus more fans mixing with writers at this convention. That’s great that your posters are hanging in fans’ houses. That made me smile. So, happy for you…I have no doubt you sold lots of books and your fan base grew.

    And happy writing for what’s ahead!
    Gina

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 5:17 pm

      Hi Gina –

      Oh I hope you’re right!!! Meeting readers is definitely my favorite part of RT!!! I was on 2 panels 2 games and a party so I was hopping!!! LOL

      But readers always inspire me to keep on writing… 🙂

      I’m excited you’re going next year! YAY!!!

      Thanks for coming by!

      Lisa 🙂

  11. Linda Thomas-Sundstrom May 9, 2013 at 9:02 am

    What a riot. All that, plus SNOW in KC. I had a great time, too, with 3 panels and the Harlequin soiree. Yikes… we’re baaaack. Type type type.
    xo
    Linda

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 5:27 pm

      Hi Linda! 🙂

      Yes back to typing! I need to make headway on Night Child before my final edits for Moonlight, and the first round edits for Hunter’s Moon hit… Yikes!! LOL

      Great to see you!

      *HUGS*

      Lisa 🙂

  12. Rachel Firasek May 9, 2013 at 9:23 am

    I’ll be at RT next year! Woot! It looked like a blast.

    1. Lisa Kessler May 9, 2013 at 5:28 pm

      YAY!!!! Oh Rachel that’ll be a blast!!! 🙂

      Thanks for coming by!!!

      *HUGS*

      Lisa

  13. Celia Breslin May 12, 2013 at 9:14 pm

    New Orleans? Vampire Tour? This vampire author says hell yes, I’m in! 🙂

    1. Lisa Kessler May 12, 2013 at 9:54 pm

      WOOHOO!!!!

      We’ll have to make a plan early next year… I’ll start plotting now! LOL

      Lisa 🙂

  14. Hayson Manning May 21, 2013 at 7:53 am

    Looking forward to meeting you next year, Lisa. Shall be awesome in New Orleans.

    Thanks for posting. I do love your blog.

    Hayson

    1. Lisa Kessler May 21, 2013 at 3:37 pm

      Oh New Orleans RT is going to be a blast!!!

      And it’ll be so fun to meet you Hayson!

      Thanks for commenting!

      Lisa 🙂