Hi, I'm Lissa Matthews and no, you don't know me.

And among all the authors that will be here, that is likely going to be true! I am at my first con this weekend...in Cincinnati...Lori Foster Reader and Author Get Together. I am both excited to be here and intimidated. I will be like a fly on the wall, taking it all in, watching likely from the sidelines, meeting authors whose books I have read. For me that is a WOW! moment.

Eliza and I drove up today from North Carolina. It was long and rainy. Can you say Road Work Ahead? And how many times can you say it? Uh huh! Well, that's how many times we saw that sign. We drove through some very beautiful country, though... And at 9pm here, it looks like 8pm there...interesting.

This con was very affordable for me, which as I've said in a previous blog is the reason I cannot and won't be going to RT...that is just too far out of my budget range. And while yes, I know it's an investment in my writing, it also takes away other things from my family, sacrifices that they have to make in order for me to do it, and I just can't... My writing will have to pay for me to go, or I just won't.

But, I digress. I am looking forward to meeting fellow authors, publishers, learning about agents, visiting with readers, being away from home for a few days, no kids, no husband. And yet, I'm sleepy tired. My roommates are, too. It promises to be a busy weekend and I will learn some, take home lots to think about, and write. I will want to write. I have wanted to write since we started on the trip up here. I will feel inspired to keep trying even though there have been days lately where I have not wanted to keep trying at all. (Insert 'waiting sucks' here).

So, this will be good for me, inspiring and there will be people here that I will be in awe over, so I hope I don't make too big a fool of myself. grins... I am really quite shy though and won't be walking up to anyone and introducing myself. I won't be sitting in the bar hob-knobbing because well, one good drink and I'm pretty well out of it. (yes, go ahead and laugh now).

If you're here and I'm staring at you, I don't mean to, it's just...wow! If you're not here and I read your books, why the hell not?

Have a good weekend ya'll! And by the way...is there any other redneck out there that puts peanuts in their coke?

~lissa