Ain't No Party Like A Harlequin Party

I am dead woman walking this morning. Lord help me, I'm having fun - but it will be good to be home tomorrow!

Yesterday was filled with several publisher signings. This is where publishers supply the books, authors are on hand to sign them, and the best part? They're free! The frugal little Midwesterner in me does a happy dance just thinking about it. So far I have been the most impressed with Harlequin. They had several very new books on hand to give away - Brenda Novak, Stephanie Bond, Gayle Wilson etc. They also had these great posters hanging up behind each author displaying the cover of the book they were signing. It was so easy to see. No cutting around lines to figure out exactly what line you were standing in.

Least impressed? Avon. I think they decided to clean out their warehouse. Mostly old books - stuff from a couple of years ago. A lot of the books being signed were books I saw at RWA in Reno, which was 2 years ago. For example, Kathryn Smith was signing In The Night, which was four books ago. There was an Avon highlight though - I got to meet Beverly Jenkins, who is just the most lovely woman. But I expected nothing less from a fellow Michigan gal.

In the evening we hit the party circuit. The highlight of the night had to be the Harlequin party - which was incredible. Free food, free booze (woohoo!), a dessert table I wanted to lay on while cabana boys fed me delicacies, and a DJ pumping out the tunes. I'm telling you, you haven't lived until you've seen Nora Roberts busting a move. It was a great, great party and I met many lovely people.

Tonight is another party (more on this later) and the RITA ceremony, which I will likely not be attending. Besides the fact that I'm no longer on speaking terms with my feet, I don't have an invite. Probably for the best since I have to be at the airport obnoxiously early tomorrow.