I’m sitting here in my living room typing this up and trying to recover from my fabulous weekend spent in West Manchester, Ohio at the Lori Foster and Dianne Castell Reader/Writer Get Together. This was the 4th year for the event, my first and it brought together over 250 authors (published and epub), readers, future writers, editors and publishers. The event also raised money for the Conductive School of Learning, the Animal Adoption Foundation and our troops serving overseas.
The event started Friday evening. It was a chance to get to mingle, eat pizza, get books signed by the authors and just hang out. We also were able to check out and start dropping our tickets into the drawings for all the fabulous (and I do mean fabulous) gift baskets that were donated by authors, publishers, and even a couple of readers. I actually was able to win two baskets (YAY me!!) and I got to say it was like Christmas morning going through them. 
A couple of the raffle baskets contained eReaders and they of course were very popular. Also about 20 of the authors got together and had a drawing for a Kindle eReader that everyone got to participate in just by being there. We also had a pirate quiz for some prizes and a few door prizes were given away. Thanks to some very generous donations from publishers and authors we all received at least 3 books and Samhain Publishing gave all the attendees very nice bags for the event (Thank You Samhain!!!).
After dinner, a trivia event was held hosted by J.C. Wilder, Lauren Dane, Megan Hart and Anya Bast. We divided up into teams (well kinda people came and went as the event progressed) and had 4 categories to choose from, sort of a mini version of Jeopardy (but more fun). Pop Culture category was surprisingly the favorite of the evening. We also had General Trivia, Hero and Heroines and Books and Authors. Prizes were hands out throughout the night. After that everyone kind of scattered and did their own things.
Saturday was a big day for everyone. Breakfast was served and we spent some more time mingling with everyone. There was a small panel discussion and question session with a Border’s buyer, 3 epublishers, Michelle Buonfiglio of Romance By the Book and Barbara Vey of Publisher’s Weekly. Then we got down to the serious stuff–raffle basket giveaways, lunch and then more raffle basket giveaways. That afternoon there was a session open to the public and some of the authors sat up tables to meet and sell their books. Barnes & Noble also had a room set up to sell books of many of the authors in attendance. There was also a book exchange. Attendees were encouraged to bring books to trade. It was a bit of a madhouse, but I was still able to clear out some of my old books and pick up a few older titles that I missed. 
That evening several different group outings were scheduled from shopping at malls and bookstores to line-dancing (which unfortunately didn’t get to happen, but hopefully we will get to next year).
Sunday morning several choices for breakfast with the authors were set up. My friend and I went with Lauren Dane, Megan Hart and Anya Bast and had so much fun. (Sidenote to Lauren, Megan, Anya and Laura B.–I am so sorry for getting us a little lost going to Half Price Books. But, really it was my GPS’s fault *g*). Then it was time to say goodbye until next year.
I will be going next year. This was such an awesome event that was laid back, relaxed and just gave everyone a chance to hang out and have fun as well as raise money for some very deserving organizations. I got to see and catch up with some authors that I have met before and even met a few that I have wanting to meet (SQUEE–Lucy Monroe!!)
and I met some of my online book friends (it really is great to have a face to go with a name now). The money raised for the organizations was amazing. $525 plus supplies to send to the troops, $1064 for the animal shelter plus supplies and $4,552.50 for the Conductive School of Learning and that doesn’t include what B&N is donating from the book sales.
Lori and Dianne have already begun planning for next year’s event, which will be held June 5th-7th, 2009. I’m sure Lori will be posting information about the 2009 event as soon as she recovers from 2008’s event and gets more information on 2009’s.
This must have been a blast! I have been meaning to do a pondering on why there are never any romance events in NY or so it seems, when it’s the cradle of publishing, or whatever.
Devon–it was pretty overwhelming for my first year (I was like a sugar starved kid in a candy store) but it was still very relaxing. Several of the authros I talked to said they enjoyed this more than some other “bigger” events/conferences they go to because they can interact more with the readers.
The money goes to very worthwhile causes and next year that will be the Animal Shelter. There will also be another collection of short stories like Power of Love. I can’t wait to hear some totals for that. They sold alot at the event but locally the book is hard to find in bookstores.
Hey Laura! It was so great to meet you. You’ve done a wonderful recap here. I can’t wait until next year! 🙂
Ahhhhh sooooooooooo want/wanted to go! Maybe next year! Or if I stay in/around OH. Sounds like it was a fabulous time!
How cool was THAT! Sounds like a blast!
So – spill – what was in the baskets??
I second Gwen’s question.
Now if only I had any way to get to Ohio. *sigh*
Ah the baskets! Let’s see the first basket I won had a couple of ebooks and a couple of print books (and because I have now emptied them I don’t remember which books were in which basket), a Desparate Housewives Game and a The Sex Game, a quilted bookcover and some other stuff that I can’t remember now. I feel bad because I’m not 100% positive who the basket was from, but it was so nice and I love it! (okay–I wasn’t exactly paying attention and the people at my table told me that I won).
The second basket, which I swear weighed 50lbs was from Marcia James. It had 20 books, a cute pink stuffed fuzzy dog, beautiful metal and wooden picture frame bookends, a dog sweatshirt, a t-shirt with a character from her book (a chinese crested) a cd of her book At Her Command, a makeup bag, a cd holder that are lips and probably some stuff I’m missing.
Anne–you were on my must meet list!!! I can’t wait to see you next year!!!
Lime and Liv–if you can find a way to get there go!!!!! Really getting there is the biggest part, but once you get there it still very inexpensive and in case I haven’t mentioned this before…FUN!!!!
Oh I forgot to mention that The Sex Game was for 1 to 2 players. We had quite a laugh over that.
Wasn’t it a fantastic weekend??? And squee right back at you! Meeting readers and talking to them was the highlight of the weekend for me. And you were so darn sweet!
Mega hugs,
Lucy
Laura – LOL. 1 Player, huh? 😆
Wow, sounds like fun! Glad you had a great time, Laura! Thanks for sharing your experience and pictures with us.
It was so nice to meet you, Laura J. Hey, by the way, you DID meet Anne Rainey- she was in the bar when we were talking to Jacqueline Frank. She sat on my left and then we four were talking to Stephanie Burke! Oh that it too, too funny!
TGTBTU asked me to write up something about the get together too, but you did it so well that I’m bowing to your magnificence! Hopefully I will be able to see you again next year.
It’s great to place the “Laura J” with my “Laura K”. I’ve learned not to get too excited when they say “Laura” is the winner- we both wait for the initial!
Laura K. lol–that is so true about the contests! With my response to Anne I meant to say “see you again next year”, darn new nails!! heehee
and can you believe that Jacqueline!?!? We were being GOOD!!!!! And we were the ones to get yelled at. Maybe she yelled at us because we didn’t look as intimidating as the others.
I had a blast meeting everyone!
Gwen–we kept thinking WTF!?! We could see 2-4 players but 1-2? One girl made the comment calling it “menage a ME”!!
Uh, Lucy–you have to come back next year because I only brought about 1/2 of your books that I have for you to sign!! *g*
Andrea, maybe you can make it next year! I know I left out some of the fun stuff that happend.
Laura K – share your recap!! TGTBTU is a blog of many tastes, views, and opinions. As Syb says, “The more the merrier!”
🙂 I love this get together. I’ve been every year except for the year when the baby bratlet kept trying to come early. Didn’t want to be forever known as the author that went into labor at Lori & Dianne’s event.
😉
it was a blast! I loved meeting you.
Hi, Laura. It was wonderful meeting you at the get-together. We had so much fun! IMO this was the best one ever. Lori and I met with the hotel yesterday to get things going for ’09. We’re going to include a Saturday night dinner so we can all spend more time together on Sat night.
So sorry you got lost going to Half-Price Books. Had I known you were headed there I could have given you directions. Next year! 🙂
Thanks for coming to the event.
Hugs, Dianne
My sister won a basket; I did not. I’m happy to hear it will be at the same hotel, though. That hotel was luscious! (says the gal who rarely travels)