I’m with you on the dress up ball and cover model thing, too. LOL!

I wish I’d had more time to chat with you, but uhmm I did manage to party with Ann a bit. LOL

I’m so GLAD we finally got to meet! I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ole brain is still sloshing in pickling juice, but, great post. The hotel staff won’t have to pick too many boogers off the ceiling but there will be some. It’s good to know they’re not yours, Erin’s, mine, Beth’s, Mary’s, Kathy’s or any of the other cool ladies we laughed with.

But HelenKay, I’m making it my personal mission to get you into costume next year. I’ll even let you choose it! Don’t make me bring the lederhosen…

Angie, Beth & Cynthia - fabulous to meet you. I love putting faces together with people from online. Of course, I have to admit to not getting the Angie The Blogger and Angela The Editor connection until right this second. Clearly I need to work on my powers of observation.

Nora - I’ve seen you at signings. You have people lined up for 6 miles to have you sign your entire 1,000 book backlist (only a slight exaggeration there). That’s a different thing entirely. My hand aches just watching you. In fact, if I were you, I’d hit the alcohol BEFORE the signing not after. But I do need to hunt down Meg’s original post on authors at booksignings because it is both funny and all too true. Her overall point was exactly what you said - authors need to stop all the jerky and wacky behavior. Be grateful and courteous and never forget that readers are handing out anywhere from $6 to $26 for your books. Taking a few minutes to show appreciation is not much to ask. Hell, if anyone even pretends to have seen one of my books in a store I have to refrain from hugging them. Alcohol helps with that, too.

And, yes, the escalator/model thing was me. You try standing behind a guy with hair down to his butt and not give in to a little touch. It looked like a horse’s mane. I was oddly intrigued.

I found by doing this, I can actually make a connection with the reader in a couple of minutes we may have, rather than spending most of that time fumbling the book open, asking h/h name then how to spell it. Instead, I can ask how she’s doing, where she came from, if she’s having fun–or she can ask me or tell me whatever. We can chat for that couple of minutes.

I think the gist of what Meg’s saying is to make that connection. Not to be a snot, or aloof. The reader came to see YOU–be present. I couldn’t agree more. Don’t whine, don’t pout. Smile, connect, be gracious. Be grateful.

I’ve never iced down my hand (wanted to ). And I try not to make a big deal out of fingers cramping–but they can and do. Open and sign a few hundred books over two or three hours at a stretch, and it can wear on the hand. Do that night after night on tour for a couple of weeks, (add in the stock signings between events) and it starts hurting sooner each night.

I consider this a pretty wonderful problem to have. So this isn’t bitching about it. Just speaking to the physical reality. And my solution–one that works for me–is to do the job, make that connection with every reader who took the time to come see you. Then at the first opportunity when the event’s over, take alcohol internally.

I too, don’t do the costume ball/cover model thing. But I adore RT for the sheer fact that it’s all those people who love romance in one place and the energy is amazing.