…on Facebook? It’s where I’m having my My Way to Hell ARC contest–go see! All ya gotta do is post a hello to me and you’re entered.

Go here–http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dakota-Cassidy/131025590243379

Read the notes page for deets on the contest–post a comment–you’re entered. Easy cheesy, yes?

There’ll be lot’s more contests coming up–so take a peek!

DC

Holy Jesus and all twelve, people–what a con! Bar none, best evah RT for me. I also have video-so don’t be a lazy reader–you’ll want to hang around for the catastrophe that is me, accepting my RT award.

You will.

So don’t cheat! LOL

As I ice my cankles and cucumber slice my swollen eyes–let me reflect–

First–The Fans–Dudes, you’re some hardcore bunch! I had the most awesome time meeting, chatting, snarking, playing and hanging out with you. Seriously–the book fair rocked my sox off, and here are just a few special mentions. Now if I miss anyone, it isn’t because I don’t love you like a hooker loves a Caddy-drivin’ John. It’s just cuz I’m sooooo old. OLD. So, here goes–Nettie, who hung out and smoked with me (don’t judge, people, it’s stressful at RT and at least we weren’t selling our bodies for cash, right?), Melissa, who’s got a super laugh, Anni, who drove a bazillion hours to see a bunch of us authors and gave me a chocolate rose, Rebeckah (if I spelled that wrong, you crazy Aussie, it’s cuz I forget), who ain’t afraid to let her snark shine and keep an author in place, and Bad Barb who is one of the most supportive fans I know and who’s been in my life since the beginning of my career, and Shelly Bryce who I’ve known online for about a year now.

New to me authors who’re FAB and authors I fought not to gush over– –Heather Brewer, Devon (that’s Devauuuuuggghhn to you!)Monk (who damned well better be writing her fingers bloody right now), TJ (eek, your last name escapes me!), Kat Richardson, who I’ve known online for a bit, but finally had the chance to meet–ditto that to Carolyn Crane. Tori Carrington, the husband and wife team of writers who are the most ever gracious, fabulous people and never once got angry with the craziness that was my end of the table at the book fair. Ditto on that sentiment for the lovely Ally Carter who writes tres fantastique YA novels. Also, karen Rose. Nice, nice lady and I refrained from behaving like a tard because I so love her romantic suspense, serial killer books and I didn’t want her research to begin with THIS fan. LOLLOL

The morticians convention–That’s right. I said morticians. Only a bunch of romance writers could end up at a con with morticians. Someday, when I feel cleansed enough to share my bathroom story horror of dead people and in general total, full body blech-ery, I’ll tell you about Jenny the Mortician. Just not today. LMAO

The panels-Ohhhhh, did we have ourselves a panel or two. First, there was the Idol/Dress Your Ideal Hero/Good to be Bad Panel. Don’t ask. It was a little hinky in format before we began, but thanks to the brilliance of one Jackie Kessler and a little LA Banks, we worked it out. I was your host, Ryan Seacrest (only cuter and taller), LA was more Randy Jackson than Randy is himself, Jackie was the “I’m loopy like a crazy straw because I take sleep meds”, yet complimentary Paula Abul and Amanda Macyntire was Simon Cowell. Two lovelies, Eden Bradley and Caitlin Willows helped dress our hero, Charles Paz, Mr. Romance 2009.

OMG–we had an utter and total blast, folks! These women were so terrific and frickin’ funny. And if you ever thought I couldn’t get a crowd of people to sing the jeopardy theme song and clap while our hero changed into his hero costumes–you’d be sooooo wrong. LOLLOL. Also, a huge thanks to Gloria who really just wanted to see Charles in a codpiece so she could feed him peanut butter and jelly sammies and tuck him in. Naughty girl you, Gloria! Also, Gloria’s pal, Ruth. Darlin’, yer awesomeness, and one sharp cookie!

The Erotic Editors Panel--Oh, the debauchery to be had. Alas, I refrained from too much craziness because I truly wanted to highlight the brilliance of these women and their thoughts on the genre. Though, we DID have a banana… Most of all to Kelly Collins, the EIC at Elloras Cave. Bright, informed, super savvy lady with an open mind. She kept things really rolling for me as I was sort of asked to step in for the charming Renee Bernard at the last minute and wasn’t sure what to expect. Kelly’s comments created more questions for me to beat those poor women down for

Industry people who are tough-assed folks–you know, because they didn’t run away screaming from me First, Jim McCarthy who’s Mark Henry’s agent. Dude can so take a joke as well as give one back. He hung out with us. Snarked with us, talked not just industry but life in general with us. He wasn’t even afraid of me. As you all know, I’m a lot. Jim took my “a lot “and stuck his tongue out at it. Good people. Kim Castillio, who isn’t just a publicist, but a total pal.

Next, three lovely, young, vibrant, glowing of skin editors from Tor. If they weren’t such nice, youthful chicks, I’d hate them for their vibrant youth and rosy frickin’ cheeks. Whitney Ross, Melissa Frain, and Kristin Sevick. Now let me aside this with a thought–these women are so young when we mentioned the Trilogy of Terror Doll, they asked, “You mean like Chucky?” LOLLOL. And yet, these ladies are well-informed, smart women who know what they want in an MS, understand the trends of the YA and women’s fiction markets, and overall just impressed the shit out of me. Oh, and they can take a joke, too I enjoyed their company and their input in the writing world.

People I owe an apology to–Heather Osborne, also from Tor. Heather does NOT, I repeat does NOT edit sci-fi. She edits PARANORMAL ROMANCE, Dakota, you idiot! For a year now, anyone who’s asked about the few editor names I know in the NY editing world besides my own editor, I’ve never mentioned Heather because I really thought she was a SCI-FI editor. I spent an entire night trying to remember the names of people I’d misdirected. My mission? To make it up to Heather by finding her the “Twilight” of authors so she can be crazy rich and buy like Bora Bora so she might bask in the sun and frolic in the emerald waves and sandy beaches.

Pictures–First, let me say, I can’t tell you all how flattered and totally verklempt I was when two of my fans, and longtime con pals showed up dressed as Marty and Nina from the Accidental Series. The effort they put into these costumes was phenomenal and made me cry. Thus, I give you (do note the detail on Marty’s legs), Debi Murray as Nina and Rebecca Melson as Marty–

My RT Awards Acceptance Speech–Sigh… so then there’s this… what you read this whole freakin’ post for. Okay, so lemme give you some back ground on what happened so I can defend my possession by Lucille Ball. I’m an ex BQ, people. I don’t get frazzled or shook up. not in a bathing suit, not in an evening gown, and at one time in my perky tatered youth, not even naked. I can only tell you this, my BFF’s freaked me out and left me so pathetically in a puddle of my piss, I couldn’t speak. I was verklempt. I was honored. I was so touched my friend went to all the trouble they did. I WAS AN IDIOT. The first few seconds of the vid will explain the verklempt part–the last couple I’ll explain when you come back.

Go ahead. Watch my asshattery. You’ll all feel superior as you laugh and point. LOLLOL

Here we go–come back when you’re done, and yeah, just stick this URL in your browser. Youtube did not wish for me to upload this to the blog. Prolly cuz even THEY could sense my complete stupidity. LOLLOL — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXxYwSqQdq0

You back? ‘K, here’s what happened. I thought that daggone award was attached to what I later found out was the box it goes into. So when Jill said to me “Be careful” I thought, “Why? I’m not going to hurl the pretty glass at anyone.” The moment I thought that, it fell. LOLLOL

Either way, I was so honored and teary–then horrified and humiliated that I’m such a total tard. But a huge thanks goes to Jill Smith who’s the head reviewer at RT. She let my BFF’s plan this thing in advance of the awards ceremony, and to boot, she’s an awesome, awesome lady! Also to my BFF’s Renee George, Terri Smythe and Michele Bardsley, who made that award forever memorable

I had a terrific RT, and I hope to do it again next year. On that note, I leave you with this–Dude’s, after almost 25 years, I have another shiny! LOLLOLLOLLOL

Dakota