GayRomLit roundup

So, GayRomLit.

I have been to New Orleans. I have stayed in the Bourbon Orleans Hotel and encountered several of the ghosts, photographing one. I have eaten muffaletta at Johnny's. I have ridden a streetcar and a riverboat. I sold about 30 books. I met a bunch of terrific people. I went to Marie Leveau's Voodoo shop. I also got to go to the La Place Andouille festival, to eat andouille and gumbo.

There is much, much more to say about this. I'm not sure I want to, because I'm still not well.

We-- Joy, Cat and I--arrived late Thursday night and found ourselves in a number of predicaments, Kiernan Kelly and her husband Henry bailed us out of them. We promptly made plans to move OUT of the host hotel ASAP, because $200/night is too rich for my blood. (We spent Fri and Sat nights in a Motel 6 about 5miles away)

Friday was busy busy, with the move and then lunch with an author. EM Lynley is really awesome and Shari and Sadonna were terrific. We hiked through the quarter to Johnny's World Famous Po'Boys. I was dressed for the Riverboat signing, in something similar to what I wore for Outlanta. I know I ended up in a few tourists' pictures. The muffaletta was amazing. And then it all went south. We walked 2 blocks to the streetcar station to go to the riverboat. As we sat and waited, I became aware that I was feeling quite unwell. Despite unlacing my corset, I left my muffaletta in the weeds well away from the platform.

I made it to the riverboat and went immediately to the head. I stayed there most of the trip, emerging occasionally to sign books and retreating to leave more of the muffaletta, and then the beignets from breakfast, behind. I sold out of Glad Hands anyway. Angela Benedetti let me ride in her taxi and fed me anti-nausea meds. I may have offered sexual favors in return, but I'm kind of bleary on that. I need to hire Joy to actually BE Angelia Sparrow for me. She does it so much better than I do.

Accomplished final stage of move, got into more comfortable clothes and went back to hotel just in time for Ghost walking tour. That was good although I was all-over goosebumps the whole time.

Goosebumps tends to be my reaction to ghosts. I had at least half a dozen encounters with ghosts in the hotel, mostly the children who kept triggering the goosebumps. Also snapped a picture of one, accidentally, while taking a pic of Rachel Haimowitz. (with her camera) The balcony door kept opening and shutting by itself and the chandelier swung...in dead calm air.

Saturday was better. we got a later start, which included gingerale from the Winn-Dixie. Sold more books at the Amber Allure spotlight (Sold out of AA titles and Wild Passions) and had several ladies (some of color themselves) tell me how much they liked Kestrel on the Horizon, mostly because I had a black hero.

The girls went to The Gumbo Shop and brought me back Bread Pudding. We also walked around the corner to Marie Leveau's House of Voodoo. A Tree of Life pendant screamed at me and I bought it. A bratty Fairie Tarot deck tried to make Cat take it home and when I put it back on the shelf, it bit me.

The Hurricane party was good. Got some quality time with Cat Grant while waiting for someone to go in the pool.

Hung out until the wine and cheese. Tummy decided to accept some crackers and cheese and a few grapes. I fangirled all over Laura Braumbach. And i fell in love with Kris of Kris N Good Books. I hugged her a lot and kissed her and told her I loved her. I think I would have proposed if I'd had more than a mouthful of the wine. Tam and Kassa are a hoot as well.

This morning was the farewell brunch, and then we went in search of the best Andouille on the planet. My Iphone's GPS got us to the backside of La Place LA, only to find the hole-in-the-wall was closed for the Andouille festival. So we went to that!

An uneventful drive later, punctuated by discussions of love, human greatness and other such, brought us back to Memphis.

Final conclusions:
1) I need to hire someone to be Angelia Sparrow because I suck at networking, especially while ill. Playing well with others isn't my long suit to start.
2) I need to write more horror. I don't really believe in love well enough to write good romance.
3) Albuquerque is too darn far for this. If they do it in St. Louis, I'm there.
4) I do good swag. Not as elaborate as some, but still good.
5) Ghosts play merry hell with my personal energies.