I spent the weekend at the Romantic Times Book convention in New Orleans. You can tell you spend way to much time in a city when it feels just like home anymore.
I have to say that the convention was a nightmare. I think it is the worst one that I have been to. I don't mean the convention itself. I have been to a few RT Conventions. I am just saying the one in New Orleans was terrible.
I first get there and trying to find out where you get your badge was a trick in itself. I saw nothing marked leading me one way or the other. So I did what any good reader would do. I asked someone. I asked three people before I found one that could at least say upstairs. I naturally got there after they went for lunch so there were blank tables and nothing marked registration. So I asked a few people, one of which was sitting at the table, is this where you get your badge. I once again heard, "I don't know."
Finally after getting stuff from the swag room. I was a little disappointed this year, I love magnets and pin but there were more paper products than anything else. I o have to admit that the rolling bag I got from Sylvia Day was awesome.
The biggest complain came saturday. We were a half hour late getting into the bppk signing. It was hard to find your favorite authors even with the guide that said what row they are in. People were standing around, trying to see the name in front of the author was almost an aroubic workout in some places. Wristbands where a good idea but the authors that needed to give out wristbands needed to be plaed else where so you could get from point A to point B or at least see the authors in that area.
Finally it came to checking out. I was looking forward the the events that happened after the signing. Those started at two thirty, the signing over at two. I didn't get to go to any of the events afterward even though I paid all the extra money to do so. No the social that started at 230, yeah I was still in line waiting to get my books checked under the little black light. In fact I was in line waiting to check out when that event ended and the next one started. I could have made it to the fantastic party if I wanted to walk in carrying my books. Believe me though when you stand in line over two hours to check out carrying thirty books the last think you want is to carry them around at a party. I didn't have a room at the convention hotel, the rooms sold out before i even knew they went on sale. so my 99 dollar ticket got me the exact same thing the person who paid 5 got.
I'm not sure I'm going to Dallas, the room is expensive and I'm not sure I want all that aggravation again.