It all started early Saturday morning with a phone call from my sister, Lizzy, at 4:45 a.m. (EDT). I awoke --- I use that term loosely --- mumbling to Lizzy that I wanted my 15 minutes. After about 20 minutes, I arose to shower and hurriedly got ready to embark on our adventure. The planned pick-up time was 6:00 a.m. I received a call from a very anxious Lizzy at 5:52 a.m. telling me we were late and to get my bum out of the house. Right. Now. I ran out the door fully clothed --- except for shoes and socks --- with my purse dangling from my arm. I dashed to my van, the door was locked. I bolted back into the house to click the clicky, then darted back out to retrieve my phone charger from the van --- still no shoes on. After running around my mother's van to find where I would be seated, I discovered I would be driving --- still no shoes on. Sitting in the driver's seat, the door wide open, a hoodie over my hair to protect it from the rain, I put on my shoes. The van was filled, our tummies were empty. Off to the golden arches we went.
Thirty minutes down the road, the excited chatter had ended. My mother, Penny, Lizzy and another sister, Jenny, were all asleep. Drooling on various surfaces. Many restroom breaks later and a 4 hour drive, we had arrived --- AWE.
After purchasing our tickets to enter, we waited.... Two. Hours. In line with hundreds of others. My mom was unaware of the time we would have to spend standing in line. (What did she think we were going to do for two hours?) My sister, Monica, met up with us while we were waiting in line. At some point on the trip, my mom asked, "Will James Patterson be there?" *** O_o *** In which I replied, "RT, Romantic Times. No James Patterson, but Anne Rice will be there." She replied with, "Who is that?" ***Shaking my head***
Again more chatter, this time with fellow enthusiast. While waiting in line, a map was handed out. Lizzy, Monica and I plotted our journey through what would surely be a PACKED room. When the doors opened, all thoughts of a map were over. We met many authors that day, my most memorable being Ilona and Gordon Andrews---SQUEE! I behaved exactly as expected. I babbled like an idiot. Meeting Sierra Dean was another favorite. She was very personable and down to earth. She gave me her business card and offered to guest post on The Reader's Edge. Besides the enjoyment I get out of reading her books --- they make me think long after they are read and reviewed --- her actions placed her on my auto-buy list. For life. Oh, and Chloe Neill. SHE LIKED MY SHIRT! There were many others. Quite a few were awkward due to my full-on fan girl mode. If I ever have the opportunity to meet a favorite author again, I vow never to prattle on like I'm the only person conversing. I had a list of 41 authors, and I was able to meet over half of them. I most regret not meeting Richelle Mead and Jeaniene Frost. Oh, another special meet was an author named Franny Billingsley. I have no clue what she writes or if I'll like it, but I am determined to read something of hers just because she is Franny with a Y.
Three hours later with sore, dry throats and tired feet, we left to return to Indiana, Monica following for a time. After feeding our bellies again at the reliable Cracker Barrel in Hammond, Indiana, we doggedly made our departure from Monica to stay over at the Econolodge in good ol' Merrillville, Indiana. There were many laughs had, mostly at each others expense. Many that are not appropriate for mention on this blog --- and my mom might issue a hit out for my demise. The ride home the next morning was fairly uneventful and quiet. More drooling ensued. The best part of it all was to be able to spend this great adventure with my mom and ALL my sisters. I wouldn't have had it any other way.
Thirty minutes down the road, the excited chatter had ended. My mother, Penny, Lizzy and another sister, Jenny, were all asleep. Drooling on various surfaces. Many restroom breaks later and a 4 hour drive, we had arrived --- AWE.
After purchasing our tickets to enter, we waited.... Two. Hours. In line with hundreds of others. My mom was unaware of the time we would have to spend standing in line. (What did she think we were going to do for two hours?) My sister, Monica, met up with us while we were waiting in line. At some point on the trip, my mom asked, "Will James Patterson be there?" *** O_o *** In which I replied, "RT, Romantic Times. No James Patterson, but Anne Rice will be there." She replied with, "Who is that?" ***Shaking my head***
Again more chatter, this time with fellow enthusiast. While waiting in line, a map was handed out. Lizzy, Monica and I plotted our journey through what would surely be a PACKED room. When the doors opened, all thoughts of a map were over. We met many authors that day, my most memorable being Ilona and Gordon Andrews---SQUEE! I behaved exactly as expected. I babbled like an idiot. Meeting Sierra Dean was another favorite. She was very personable and down to earth. She gave me her business card and offered to guest post on The Reader's Edge. Besides the enjoyment I get out of reading her books --- they make me think long after they are read and reviewed --- her actions placed her on my auto-buy list. For life. Oh, and Chloe Neill. SHE LIKED MY SHIRT! There were many others. Quite a few were awkward due to my full-on fan girl mode. If I ever have the opportunity to meet a favorite author again, I vow never to prattle on like I'm the only person conversing. I had a list of 41 authors, and I was able to meet over half of them. I most regret not meeting Richelle Mead and Jeaniene Frost. Oh, another special meet was an author named Franny Billingsley. I have no clue what she writes or if I'll like it, but I am determined to read something of hers just because she is Franny with a Y.
Three hours later with sore, dry throats and tired feet, we left to return to Indiana, Monica following for a time. After feeding our bellies again at the reliable Cracker Barrel in Hammond, Indiana, we doggedly made our departure from Monica to stay over at the Econolodge in good ol' Merrillville, Indiana. There were many laughs had, mostly at each others expense. Many that are not appropriate for mention on this blog --- and my mom might issue a hit out for my demise. The ride home the next morning was fairly uneventful and quiet. More drooling ensued. The best part of it all was to be able to spend this great adventure with my mom and ALL my sisters. I wouldn't have had it any other way.
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