Big book signing 4/28

Loads of New England romance writers will be signing our books at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem MA on Sat. 4/28. Here are the deets:

Annual Book Fair for Literacy
Saturday, April 28
Hawthorne Inn
Salem, Massachusetts

General Public allowed in at 4:30
Authors from the world of Romance, Historical, Contemporary,
Paranormal, and Suspense
PARTICIPATING AUTHORS

Jessica Andersen

Gina Ardito

Judith Arnold

Caitlin Avery

Julia Rachel Barrett

Annette Blair

Linda Bleser

PatrickBurns

Jamie Cat Callan

Ruth Cardello

Susan Carlisle

Char Chaffin

L. E.Chambelain

Ashlyn Chase

Elizabeth Cheryl

Gail Cleare

Karenna Colcraft

Roland Comtois

Maxie Cooper

Crescent Moon Press

Marie Force

Karen Frisch

Pepper Goodrich

Marley Gibson

Diane M. Haynes

Michael Hauge

Kristan Higgins

Shirley Ann Howard

Hannah Howell

Christina James

Coralie Jensen

Arline Kay

Marne Ann Kirk

Meg Maguire

Mari Mancusi

Mia Marlow

Lara Nance

Cathryn Parry

Judi Phillips

Nina Pierce

Jo Ramsey

Teresa Roberts

Carol Smilgin

Amber Skyze

Barbara Wallace

Penny Watson

Samantha Wayland

Jennifer Wells

Back from RT convention

Despite my best efforts (almost got on the wrong plane) I'm home from the big, honkin' Romantic Times convention in Chicago.

I had an awesome time. Missed the late night stuff, but caught a few workshops. (I must be getting old...a few years ago it was the other way around!) One workshop I attended had Charlaine Harris on the panel and the subject was writing kick-ass heroines.

I had dinner with my Ellora's Cave publisher, Raelene Gorlinsky. Saw the IL home of my publisher Sourcebooks. They rented party busses and took us all out to Naperville. I was filmed for something there...not sure what will become of that little video, but I hope it gets lost in the back of a closet. I kept forgetting to look at the camera and kept looking over at my editor. Since it was supposed to be a message for my fans...Oops.

The food was bad and expensive, so I ate salads in the bar. My roomie was great (Cheryl Brooks.)

The best part was meeting the fans. I met a 'fan-girl' in the elevator. Her friend grabbed her elbow and shook it saying, "There she is. That's the author you were looking for!" Naturally, I turned around to see what author must be standing behind me. Surprised and tickled pink when there was no one there.

I sat next to Loretta Chase at the big book signing and was shocked to sell almost as much as she did. (Whaaaa?) In fact, I almost sold out of Strange Neighbors. I only had 2 left. I thought about buying them myself to make it a clean sweep, but decided that would be cheating.

But seriously, every time a reader said how much they loved my series and asked if there would be more soon...I grew another inch. I'm about ten feet tall now.
At least I feel like it.

With all the things in this business that can discourage a writer, the readers are what saves it. If any of you have thought about writing to tell an author you loved her book, but decided she's probably "too busy" to be bothered...you might just want to go ahead and send that email. Yeah, some of the biggies might have someone else reading their email for them, but us little guys will smile for the rest of the day.

Hugs,
Ash