This Weekend Rocked!

From the resounding kudos on the all loops, I dub RomantiCon the best of the best when it comes to reader’s conventions. The intimate setting and the relaxed atmosphere orchestrated by Ellora’s Cave combined to create a very special moment for readers, authors and industry people. We got to actually spend some time getting to know one another. The professionalism of the staff and the relaxed nature of the sessions made this a great time. I already eagerly look forward to next year.

Because I was having so much fun, I didn’t blog or tweet as much as I had indented as the weekend progressed, so you get the Monday morning quarterback version of the weekends events.
RomantiCon 2009
Hot Body and I rolled out of North Carolina at a painful 6:30 am Thursday morning. I needed proof to give to some friends that I could actually get up that early. I didn’t believe HB when he said Starbucks was open at that time. It made my eyes burn.

Nine hours later we rolled into the Quality Inn and the awesomeness began immediately. Jeania and Val checked us in and gave us registration bags filled with the best goodies. Books galore. (HB will be giving his up to a lucky blog member shortly.) They also gave each of us a really cool The Tarot of the Lotus Circle set.

The coolest part of that package wasn’t apparent at first, but the little convention book turned out to be the hit of the weekend. It had all the workshop handouts, schedules and locations for the weekend and places for notes.

The best part were the signature pages. It had a built in autograph book. Genius! It was the perfect icebreaker. Several ladies got the signature of every author, cover model and EC person in attendance. Authors were having readers sign the extra pages in the back. That groovy little book made running around and meeting people easy and exciting for even the shyest of the shy.

Thursday night we gathered and informally took pictures, chatted and caught up with friends we’d not seen in a while. The guys showed up- because what’s an EC party without a Caveman…or seven? We also got a chance to meet the newest young Hotties, Taylor and Angelo. Those two were an instant hit. Brain, Rodney and the rest of the guys were HOT, HOT, HOT as usual.

The workshops have received a ton of praise. I thought it out and I believe it’s because they weren’t set up as lectures with a short Q&A after. The EC crew intended our workshops to be interactive. Readers, publishers, editors and authors had discussions that were geared to the audience. Readers got a chance to sit in a room with publishers and authors and tell them exactly what they thought. And they were genuinely listened to! How’s that for cool?

The food was great. I believe the hotel staff stayed there 24/7 to make sure we had what we needed even when they had lost a few servers to illness. I know the bartender was there until 3am Thursday night and back to serve me coffee at 9am the next morning. I tipped her well.

Friday night rolls around and it was time for the Psychedelic Soiree. For those of you that weren’t there, Samantha and I sponsored the dance contest. Sam and I put up the cashola for the prizes, but Hot Body stole the show. He danced in as Austin Powers to the screams and laughter of the crowd. We expertly recreated a moment of the opening of the first Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery movie. I think. At least if felt like we nailed it. We were laughing so hard it probably looked more like three loons bouncing through the crowd. (If there’s video out there, I’ll pay handsomely)

Holly H. danced her cute little self into a hundred and fifty bucks worth of cash and EC gift certificates. Suzanne G. and Ruby Storm also got some spending money and a lovely lava lamp for their ability to shake their groove thangs. Congrats ladies. A special shout out to Chris Anson and Francesca Hawley for their ability to cut a rug. Sore feet were had by all.

Saturday was another day of great workshops and the meet the author sessions. We sat at big tables that welcomed readers to sit, get their books signed, and take a moment to really experience the authors. Not to mention the authors who were running around getting to know one another better and stealing each other’s chocolate.

The awards ceremony and sit-down dinner was up next. Again, we had great food, and the EC crew did a wonderful job of making this a very non-boring awards show. I mean the Cave men delivered the awards- shirtless and in a fedora. What more could you want?

Lots of fun awards were handed out including The Most Interesting Use of a Chocolate Chip Cookie. This was RomantiCon after all. Samantha won a Superstar award for Hot Heroes Who Love Heroes. Big surprise there.

After the awards we had a chance to ham it up with the models and get those much-needed photos of ourselves dressed up and looking pretty.

Sunday offered up more workshops and the book fair. I got to sit between M.A. Ellis and Aubrey Ross. What fun ladies they were. Because of the relaxed nature of the con, I felt like I recognized everyone that came by. (Even if one lovely reader believed that Samantha, HB and I were a…um… threesome. LOL Sorry Mr. Kane, you’ve been left out)

The weekend wound down with a wild session of bingo and pizza. It was another opportunity to chat, laugh and win more prizes. EC gave away so much stuff this weekend. The prize that got the most cheers at Bingo was the conference fee for next year.

Yep. There will be a next year. Jeania announced it yesterday. More good news-- Samantha and I will be sponsoring a dance contest again. Can’t wait to see what the theme is, so I can devise another outrageous costume for HB.

I can’t even begin to list all the great people I met this weekend. I would certainly leave someone out. I will say that I love my editor-- I love my publisher-- I love the wonderful, fun ladies that I share a genre with. But, most of all, I love the readers who use hard earned money and vacation time to come and see us. You have no idea what it means to us as authors. Bless ya. Kiss Kiss.


I’m tickled it was so easy to meet people here because it fits perfectly with The Cougar Challenge. It’s a new EC series based on a group of women that meet at RomantiCon, become immediate friends, and start a blog to share their love of younger men.

Seven of the wildest women of erotic romance pull out all the stops in a series about women who dare to take the challenge and experience the delights of sex with a younger man. Women who cast off the cloaks of conventionality and indulge their inner wild woman.

The authors: Samantha Kane, Mari Carr, Lynne Connolly, Desiree Holt, Dalton Diaz, Ciana Stone and Mari Freeman

Pop over and check out first posts on the Tempt the Cougar blog and get ready for the first book in the series, Play it Again Sam, by Samantha Kane.

Now for more prizes. I’ll have HB draw randomly from any comments on this blog and on the Tempt the Cougar blog. That’s two chances to win! The winner will get the Psychedelic registration bag filled with books and goodies from EC, Cerridwen Press and the Lotus Circle. I’m throwing in a print copy of Birthright (my book) to make it six books total.

Groovy Baby! I'll post a slide show with more pics on my web site later this week. I’m looking forward to next year.
~Mari


Adele and some fans!














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