Off to The Romance Novel Convention in Las Vegas!

Hey, y'all!
 
I've spent the last four years of my life writing and publishing...six full length novels...four short stories/novellas. I have two series that I write and self-publish, La Fleur de Love series and the Halos & Horns series, and a third anthology series that I contribute to as one of several authors, the Seasons of Love series. Lately, it seems I spend more time on my notebook promoting and networking than writing. It's a necessary evil, as all you self/indie publishers out there know.

A couple of times a year, as funding allows, I get to attend conferences and conventions.

I've been preparing for one particular Writer/Reader convention for the past several months: Romance Novel Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. After weeks of feeling as though it would never get here, it's here. I leave tomorrow morning, my first trip to Vegas on my first flight ever. I'm leaving from a smaller airport in Lake Charles, LA to meet my best friend and soul sister in Houston, then on to Vegas. This time tomorrow morning, we'll be there. I'll get to meet, in person, all the women I've been friending and connecting with on Facebook.

My first flight, you say? How can that be? Everyone flies in this day and age, right? Though I've attended several writers conventions over the past four years all throughout the south, I've always driven.  Driving has its advantages, ladies. You don't have to spend a small fortune shipping your swag and books and raffle baskets ahead of time to avoid over weight limit luggage. And I'm pretty sure I could drive to Vegas and back on less than what I'm paying for my flight and luggage fees.

But, instead, I decided to put on my big girl panties and take my first flight, the first leg of the flight over there alone. The flight home completely alone, as I'm staying two days longer than my friend. Have I been afraid to fly? It's not really the flying part that I find threatening, but rather the landing really hard part...sans landing gear. Strangely enough, the fact that this particular month is a high risk for terrorist activity hasn't weighed nearly as heavily on my mind as the possibility of the airline losing my luggage and me being stuck in Vegas with limited funds and the single change of clothes I packed in my carry-on. But the odds of that happening my very first flight must be low, right?

Really? Lower than having a set of monozygotic twins? That's identical twins, by the way, which occurs 3 times in every 1,000 births today, and at a much lower rate in 1980 when I had mine. Yes, I'm special that way.

Here's another phenomenon I want to tell you about. I'm going to Vegas with two friends. One, the soul sister I've known for 36 years. The other is a writer friend I've known for a couple of years. It seems the three of us have had a run of bad luck over the last couple of weeks.
 
     Me: Tripped over my own feet and slammed my forehead into a nearby doorjamb. Lucky right? Well, though I hit ONLY my head, it blackened both my eyes. One completely and the second only partially. I still see traces of it under one eye, though it's somewhat hide-able with good makeup.
 
     My soul sister: Two weeks ago discovered her husband had a heart problem and didn't know if she'd be able to make it. He had surgery a week ago and they put in a stent. It seems he's well enough for her to go on the trip.
 
     My author friend: Three weeks ago began having problems with a kidney stone and didn't know if she could make it. She passed the stone on her own a few days ago and will be able to make it.

What do you say? Do you think our run of bad luck is over with? They say it comes in threes...if that's the case, maybe we've had our share and good luck will follow us the entire time we're there. Hmmm...let's hope so.

Oh, by the way, did I mention that Jimmy Thomas, the top male model for romance books, is putting on this convention? They are having a Casanova contest! I'm including the convention link with his picture.

Maybe my luck is changing for the better already! :)


Find Lori on:
Facebook (Page): facebook.com/lorilegerauthor
email: lleger641@yahoo.com / Cajunflair@lorilegerauthor.com / lleger641@gmail.com
CajunflairPublishing@gmail.com

7 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. I meant to say 'have fun and pics please of the Casanova contest' but a typo made it sound rude. :) #redo

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  3. I will definitely post pics of every Casanova I see! No worries!
    Lori

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  4. You are going to have a fantastic time. Your luck has broken for sure! How I wish I were going, too. Happy first flight!!
    Hugs.

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  5. So jealous you are going without us! Maybe next year all BRA authors can go together. How fun would that be????!!!! Okay, so maybe they might have to roll out extra security :)

    Have fun, be safe, and enjoy your life. Notice that last word has "joy" built into it :)

    Christine

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  6. Have fun, Lori. Best of luck in the contest! Wish I was going too. Yes, Christine, we should totally do a Beach Read Authors Road Trip!

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  7. Thanks For Sharing..
    Dakota Jhonson has finally responded to rumors that she's a favorite to play Anastasia's role.
    Thats great watching her...
    Anastasia Steele

    ReplyDelete