Top Ten Things I Loved About RT 2015
(Clockwise, from left to right – Colleen Hoover, Sara Raasch, IW Gregorio, Brigid Kemmerer, Kimberly Derting, Liz Czukas – AKA Ellie Cahill, Jennifer Lynn Armentrout, Ann Aguirre)
Okay, I know I’ve been silent on the blog a lot this past week, but RT was WAY more intense and all-consuming than I expected. In all the best ways, though!! This conference was AMAZING in so many ways – it is so much more personal than BEA, and there’s A LOT more more interaction with the authors. That’s not to say that I didn’t love BEA, and I’m definitely going to be heading to that next year, but I would highly recommend RT if you’re looking for something different. Next year it’s in Vegas!
1. My Roommate
If it weren’t for RT, I never would have gotten to meet my roommate, Brandy! It’s always a little nerve-wracking when you share a room with a stranger – so it’s a huge relief when you discover that the person you’re paired with is fabulous! Even when we went our separate ways during the day, we would stay up late chatting. I definitely got lucky in the roommate department!
2. Hilarious Panels
3. Getting to Know New Authors Through Panels
4. Meeting a Client in Person
I’ve never gotten to meet any of the authors I’ve worked with in person before, so it was super exciting to finally get to do that! Chatting on the phone or online is great, but there’s something special about meeting face-to-face and talking about books and life in general. Plus, Laurie was super sweet to bring me signed copies of the books I’ve edited for her, so I have them all for my library!
5. Chatting with Authors
One of the best things about RT was that there were SO many authors that you would just meet up with randomly and get to chat with. For instance, I stood in front of Sara Raasch in line for coffee one day and chatted with her about her books. She was a really sweet person. And then, on the last day of the conference, I sat down in the lobby to charge my phone and ending up staying there for five hours, just talking to Erica Cameron and several other authors who came and went (like Kara Braden, Kate Brauning, LA Witt and Zoraida Córdova, just to name a few). It was so much fun!
6. Meeting New Bloggers
Of course, I was excited to meet lots of new bloggers at the conference (and meet back up with some old friends!). The first day, I attended the blogger conference that was hosted by Sarah at Smart Bitches Trashy Books and Jane at Dear Author, so I met lots of bloggers there – and then lots more throughout the week! I actually haven’t had time to go through all of my business cards yet (so I can’t remember who goes with which blogs), but one blogger who I know off the top of my head because I got to know her really well is Danielle from The Hollywood Billboard. (Later, I’ll have to let you know who else I met!)
7. Fun Events
There were lots of fun parties and events at RT! I didn’t attend them all, but I did head to several. From the Family Feud style YA “gameshow” to movie night to lots of different versions of bookish bingo – there was lots to do! And I even managed to put together a makeshift costume for the steampunk party (even though I’m not usually a costume person).
8. Publisher Parties
Yay for getting on publishers’ radar! I got invited to a few different publisher parties, which were really fun! (And, let’s face it, it makes us feel like we’ve made a name for ourselves in the blogging community when the publishers know who you are, right?)
9. Learning About Writing and Publishing
Not only were there tons of entertaining panels, there were also panels about the craft of writing and about the publishing business. These were all incredibly enlightening!!!
10. The Books!
I got a TON of books at RT! I naively thought that I wouldn’t get as many books at this conference as I did at BEA. Um, not true. I really tried hard not to pick up a bunch of books I won’t read, so I was being relatively picky – and I still ended up with over 60 books! The Avon/Harper party was the biggest, most amazing source of books – especially YA books! I picked up SO many at the huge signing event – and then I got even more free digital downloads! It was insane!!
Here’s what I got:
The Return by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Never Never by Colleen Hoover
The Longest Night and The Deepest Night by Kara Braden
The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre
Anomaly by Tonya Kuper
The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow
Dating the Undead by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe
A Promise Kept by Robin Lee Hatcher
His Kind of Trouble by Terri L. Austin
Asking for It by Lilah Pace
Starstruck by LA Witt
All Lined Up by Cora Carmack
Deeper by Robin York
Nowhere but Here by Katie McGarry
Wild by Sophie Jordan
Asa by Jay Crownover
Black Iris by Leah Rader
Loving Dallas by Caisey Quinn
Last Kiss by Jessica Clare and Jen Frederick
Vicious Cycle by Katie Ashley
Entreat Me by Grace Draven
The Bourbon Kings by JR Ward
Owning the Beast by Alexa Riley
Mind Magic by Poppy Denison
Moonlight on Nightingale Way by Samantha Young
Allure by Lea Nolan
Cursed Moon by Jaye Wells
A Book of Spirits and Thieves by Morgan Rhodes
Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
The Taking by Kimberly Derting
Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton
Jesse’s Girl by Miranda Kenneally
Across a Star Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund
Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Top Ten Clues You’re Clueless by Liz Czukas
How to Love by Katie Cotugno
Digital Downloads that I got from the Avon/Harper signing:
Stay With Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Sharing You by Molly McAdams
Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike
City Love by Susan Colasanti
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
Reboot by Amy Tintera
Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker
Get Even by Gretchen McNeil
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
Chase Me by Tessa Bailey
Better When He’s Bad by Jay Crownover
The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows
PLUS, I bought (books that I really wanted to buy anyway – this way I got them signed!)
The Heir by Keira Cass
End of Days by Susan Ee
Snow Like Ashes by Sarah Raasch
Confess by Colleen Hoover
Oh, and we got like three thumb drives filled with books as well – I don’t even know what’s on those yet, but I think I have enough books to last me a lifetime!
Have you been to any awesome events? Tell me about them!
Holy crap! That is a ton of books – and I’m glad to hear that RT is more personal. I kind of feel like I should have gone to that this year instead. Maybe next year? We’ll see what happens. Looking forward to seeing your full review!
It was really a great experience! So much fun – and really interactive. And, as far as the books went, I easily could have come home with double that – I was being picky!
Looks like so much fun! Thanks so much for sharing all these great pics. I’m glad you had such a fun time!!
It was really amazing! So glad I went!
Sometimes it sucks living international 🙂
Aw, so sorry you don’t have these types of events near you!
I’ve done the BEA thing, I think this is the next book even I should shoot for. You look like you had a ton of fun!
Yes! I enjoyed BEA, but this was much more personal and interactive. It IS a romance conference, so the focus is on romance books – but lots of different genres have romance in them!
Wow, that’s a lot of books. Were you flying home?
Glad you had so much fun and met lots of new people. It’s great to get out and network.
Yes, I actually brought a carry-on bag that I didn’t even need on the way there just so I could fill it with books on the way home. Then I had more books in my backpack and even more in my regular checked bag. My goal was not to have to ship any books home, though. (A lot of people just do that.)
If I lived in the USA this is the book con I would opt for. Sounds like you had an awesome time and thanks for sharing so I could participate vicariously.
It was so much fun!! Glad I could share!
Keep it sounded like you had heaps of fun! I wish we had some of these kinda events here in the AUS.
We are spoiled with these kind of things in the States, I have to admit!
I’m really hoping I can make it to RT one of these years – so many fabulous authors always go! Looks like you had a lovely time. Enjoy your new books! <3
Yes, you should definitely try to make it! It’s a fantastic experience!
Ooh it sounds like you had a blast. I used to review for Romantic Times, so I think it would be fun to make it to one of their conventions. I’ll probably still do BEA next year though since it’s Chicago and that’s way closer, even though Vegas would be awesome.
Yay for having a good roommate and meeting a client and all sorts of other awesome bloggers and authors.
And on a personal note- I SWEAR I will look at the link you sent me. I’ve been insanely busy; I’m barely online these days. haha
-Lauren
No worries! I’ve been crazy busy lately too – between RT and editing, I’ve been going a little crazy!
OMG I’m so jealous! It looks like you had a ton of fun 😀 and holy moly THAT BOOK HAUL *even more jealous that before*. Glad it was a good experience overall! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I really thought I wasn’t going to get that many books at this event – obviously, I was very wrong!
What a great time you had! I hope to go to RT next year (it wasn’t in this year’s budget) especially after seeing how much fun everyone had this year 🙂
YES! I am really hoping to go again next year too, so we’ll have to meet up there! It was AWESOME for information on the publishing world (both self- and traditional publishing). Definitely worth the money!
Did you play any of the impromptu card games going on in the lobby?
Missed those, but I heard all about it from Erica Cameron on Sunday – sounds like they had a blast!
I love Jaye Wells & Ann Aguirre. Can’t wait to see what you think of those books in particular.
Never heard of RT, so no real comments on that other than I’m glad you seem to have had a blast!
I haven’t read Wells yet, but I love Aguirre! Can’t wait to read their latest!
This sounds SO fun! I am glad you had such a great time too, and OMG publishing parties?!?!? I will totally pretend to not be insanely jealous 😉 Now you are making me want to go THERE next year hahah. Chicago verus Vegas is like, the ultimate battle! I guess we’ll see how BEA goes, maybe I will be up for the debauchery of Vegas next year 😉
I’m hoping to do both next year (seeing as how the Chicago one is a given) – so either way, I’ll hopefully finally get to meet you in person!! 🙂
Wooooo that’s a LOT of pretties *wipes drool off of chin* I’ve never attended RT but I’d love to do so, it sounds like a lot of fun 😀 I’m hitting up BEA this year and since it’s the last year in NYC it’ll probably be my last on, for a while at least >.< but seeing all the fun you had at RT is making me even more excited to go! Congrats on all your goodies and on having such a fun time^^ xx
Yeah, for me the move to Chicago is AWESOME, but I know that some people aren’t going to make it next year when it moves. Have you heard word on if BEA is heading back to NY in 2017?
I’m so jelly! It looks like you had an amazing time and got a ton of great books! Going to one of these events is def on my bucket list. And you’re super brave to room with a stranger (and lucky to get someone awesome)!
p.s. I recommend reading “Alice in Zombieland” by Gena S! It’s a FANTASTIC series!
I HAVE that book and I definitely need to push it WAY up on my TBR list! Will be getting to it very soon!
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