Lucynda Storey-Erotic Romance Writer

Romantic Times ended its convention today with some small gatherings.  Most people checked out yesterday and left after the book fair or are leaving today.  A hearty few are staying for the pschic programs that ran from about 1 to 6 pm.  Laura took off for Corpus Christi at o’dark thirty, and Lizzie and I meandered our way down to breakfast where the staff, still managing to smile took good care of us.

Our hotel bill was slightly complicated, but David at the lobby desk stayed patient throughout as he separated the different charges here and there.  The elevators were quite crowed each time we attempted to use it, but overall the guests had good attitudes and just went with the flow.  We ran into one of the Mr. Romance contestants, Fred, who was waiting for an elevator.  He got drafted to help someone and by the time we got back down, he was in the same position, waiting for an elevator.

Cynthianna Appel was at RT and she came back to our room Sunday morning for a box to pack up her plastic cover stands.  Postage this year at RT was outrages.  Several authors decided to pay the extra luggage weight at the airlines check in counter because it was cheaper than mailing!

Fred didn’t win the competion, but Jason Santiago from Akron, OH did.

Jason escorted me for my 2 second appearance before the television camera on my ill-fated Friday morning media event.  He was a very nice man.

Fred did win the audience favorite and he was quite personable and willing to help when and where he could.

Lizzie and I hung out in the bar area of the hotel once we wrestled our bags downstairs and finished our time at RT chatting with Tina Gerow and her friend, Isabella.  There we heard distrubing news regarding The Publisher Who Shall Not Be Named.  Several authors have had their checks bounce, and some of the authors that attended the book signing were snubbed.  Shame on you TPWSNBN!  Not a positive way to grow your business.  As last year, and the year before, authors who were promised books for the book signing did not have them.  This could be, to be fair, anyone’s fault..TPTSNBN, RT or the bookseller selected for the book fair.  It could even be the fault of the various printing facilities around the country, but in this case…our bets are on the first.  They have the house track record for promising and not delivering.

There are several, several dissatisfied authors from that company who put money into RT for promotional purposes and who were disappointed on at least one if not more levels.  Frankly, RT is far too expensive and the ROI (return on investment) is not easily determined.

There were still several people headed out from RT today and I wish them smooth winds and blue skies.

Lucynda Storey