Where I Found My Peeps! [Guest Post: Kayleigh Malcolm]

I’ve been fortunate enough to have attended a few book conventions over the years and at the risk of sounding completely bias…Romancing the Capital in Ottawa, Ontario hosted by Eve Langlais is by far my favourite.

Part of it might be because I’m much more involved the second time around. This year was a whirlwind of activity for me, which is awesome but the downside is I didn’t get a chance to sit in on events as much as I would have liked to. If I tried to write about everything that happened this year, we’d be here for hours. So this recap will be limited to my own direct experience.  

Officially RTC was on a Friday and Saturday, but this year Eve decided to kick start the festivities a bit on Thursday for the early birds. I worked with Kali Willows, Kacey Hammell and Stephanie Julian and we created Erotic Jeopardy. Answering questions in the form of a question is trickier than it sounds. Add in categories like “Toys”, “Positions”, “Sexy in Uniform”…. and everything got very funny very fast.  I didn’t have a voice by the end of it and my cheeks were sore from smiling and laughing, proof that the weekend had gotten off to a great start.  

The next morning kicked off with the many shades of LGBT romance panel with 'Nathan Burgoine, Elizabeth Lister, Kristine Cayne, Angela Stone and me. We aren’t an overly formal group so we let the almost full room lead the discussion. There were lots of questions revolving around genres, publishers, and tropes. We laughed a lot and had a couple serious moments around the realities of gay relationships. Shoulder checking before kissing your partner is still a reality, even in Canada. (That made me sad.)

Next, I helped out at Deb Cook/Claire Delicroix’s Dragons vs Knights event. She had five puzzles dumped out on tables and the participants had to put them together as a group. Deb handed out tickets for various accomplishments, finding a red piece, finding an eye, 15 tickets for a completed face. My duty was to hand out Lindt truffles. All that hard mental prowess needed to be rewarded….and I swear I handed out more than I ate. (I do admit to popping a couple myself) LoL

I escaped to my room after that and decompressed somewhat. The next couple hours, I spent stressing over my upcoming event. I’d decided to do a Wine and Chocolate tasting because that’s what I’m used to talking about. Of course getting in front of 40 people had me freaking out over everything. To be honest I didn’t sleep well for the three nights leading up to Friday as my brain replayed everything I needed to do and what might go wrong. (the curse of a creative imagination) Thankfully, my brain kicked into Product Consultant mode quickly as I moved everyone through each of the wines and chocolates. (More details here HERE) “Yeah Me” I didn’t spill any wine on anyone.

I am very much a natural introvert, so I was due for some more quiet time after that one. Dinner that night had a western theme. The food…oh my god, the cornbread… there was BBQ’ed yumminess. Music and dancing in one room and the second dining room was quieter and allowed for more conversations. It was a great balance. I’m not a big costume person myself but I love checking out everyone else.

Saturday dawned bright and early, there were events starting first thing but I was focused on the speed dating an author event hosted by Kali Willows and Kacey Hammell .  2 hours of non-stop conversations, meeting a new person every 2 minutes. It’s loud, hot, and crazy fun all rolled together for a fantastic event. It’s a complete blur in my mind now, but I still really enjoyed it.

After that there was time for a quick lunch and then we were off to set up for the Book signing. This part of RTC is free and open to the public and the people streamed in the moment the doors were opened.  As much fun as speed dating is, the book signing allows me more time to talk to people. I remember a lot more faces and conversations from that afternoon. 

Saturday night was the 80’s themed dinner. Everyone dressed up in their finest neon, lace,…and tin foil hats. You’d think that would be a strange combination but there is something I feel like I’ve forgotten about that evening…something important. Funny thing when I read Eve Langlais’ Reader Abduction there was a scene from Saturday night’s dinner that I don’t remember at all. But, then it couldn’t possibly have happened… it’s romantic fiction, right? I guess we’ll have to wait and see next year if anyone goes missing again. ;)

I’m already signed up for 2017 and I can’t wait. It’s already looking like it was be even better than this year! Registration is open and it looks like it’s going to sell out quickly.

Romancing the Capital 2017

 Thanks so much, Kayleigh! We're so lucky to live vicariously through you. Make sure to visit Kayleigh's Website, Like her on FB, and follow her on Twitter to keep up with her books, and all her conference adventures.  

Taking the good with the bad...

I had a boss a few years back that didn't take me very seriously. He would tell me to suck it up and do as he said. Same man would walk around singing "It's good to be king." Yeah. We didn't work well together.

But he did say one thing that I remember and even though he said it to be an ass, I took something from it.

Whenever I would propose an idea or ask for a new product line he would grin at me and hold out both of his hands.

"Shit in one hand, and wish in the other," he'd say. "See which one fills up the fastest."

Now, he may have meant that life throws more shit at you than grants you wishes. He may have also been implying my ideas were shit. But the reason I bring it up, is the idea of balance.

My job...made me want to balance heavy things against the back of my boss's skull at times. It also made me want to take charge. Because I have found telling people what to do instead of having to follow rules I don't agree with is more my speed.

While I had to deal with my big bad boss on a daily basis, I also learned how to stand up for myself and fight when my ideas were good.

But here's the thing, everyone has a boss. Everyone has someone they answer to. I found that out when I took my boss's job and realized it sucked balls. Now...I didn't go around singing it's good to be queen, but I better understand the mental break he had that caused his outbursts. 

I also took home a new understanding for his fecal metaphor. 

Wishes don't do anything, and shit piles up when you don't take action. Shit tends to happen even if you think you've got things under control.

There have been a lot of blogs that already covered the topic, but it's hitting me hard lately that my publisher, Samhain Publishing, is about to close it's doors. I could wish all I want that it's not real, and that someone is going to swoop in and make the email pop into my inbox saying it was all some horrible joke, but that's not reality. 

They are staying open to publish already finished books, and to keep selling items they have as assets. It gave me the opportunity to buy some of my books in paper that I wouldn't have been able to get otherwise. And I'm going to have a pre-sale for my upcoming release "Love Shack" in the next couple of weeks, because of the paperback stock I was able to acquire. (More details on that coming soon)

"They say when a door closes, another opens." Well...not always. But when a door slams shut on you, there are two options...

1. Hold out your two hands and do my former boss's shit vs. wish experiment. 

There's not much that will come of this, I've noticed. I've been burying my head in the sand for a little while now, and it's starting to smell. 

2. Grab a sledge hammer and break down a wall until you have a new door.

My publisher is closing. There's not a happy spin on that, and my books are going to be homeless when Samhain Publishing closes their virtual doors for good. Many of my compatriots are putting their books up for self-publication as they have their rights revert, some are submitting these stories to be published elsewhere, and others may end up disappearing all together. 

I'm not the type to go quietly into the night, but I'm not sure which wall to take my sledgehammer to yet. 

So I'm getting some heavy duty gloves to protect my hands from blisters by asking for advice from friends in the industry who have been there before. 

I'm warming up my muscles by continuing to write and promote the books I have control over.

And (have I sufficiently beat this metaphor into the ground yet?) I'm going to make sure I have the best tools available to make my new door. 

My experience in the work place helped me learn to take charge. My experience as an author lately helped me realize nothing is permanent. Time to grab my sledgehammer and figure out which wall to knock down next. 

I'm thinking I should make the door big enough for a Sasquatch to walk through. Yes, I may have a new book stomping through my brain. It may have left some seriously large footprints.

;)

~Roxy

To find Roxy's books with buy links and what she has coming up next check out her website at RoxyRocksMe.com

99 cent sale!

Hey, my lovelies! I'm camped out in my writing cave but I wanted to let you know about the HUGE sale I'm running on my latest Sons of Dusty Walker book, Zoe & Dylan. Only 99 cents, y'all! Yes, I might possibly have lost my mind. *side note: as if that ship hasn't already sailed* But anywho...if you haven't grabbed your copy yet make sure to do so before the 11th, since that's when it will be going back to $3.99. Also, today is the last day to score a $20 Amazon GC and my first Sons book, Dylan. To find out the deets head over to my Facebook page. But make sure to do it before the noon EST cut off. https://www.facebook.com/jodiredfordauthor/

                                                               http://amzn.to/21KOwPm

Dylan Walker is no stranger to challenges. Discovering he had a family he knew nothing about? Hell, piece of cake compared to his current dilemma—hustling his bride-to-be to the altar. There's zero chance of Zoe making an honest man out of him before year’s end, what with them juggling the demands of a new business and the constant hiccups foiling their upcoming nuptials. To make matters worse, their soon-to-be in-laws have become a regular fixture at the Red Creek homestead. Not exactly conducive to quality intimate time with his woman.

Solution? Whisk her away for some hot lovin’ guaranteed to set the bedsheets ablaze. Sweet talking Zoe into a little naughty nookie hooky is one thing. Persuading her to throw her wedding planner in the trash and elope instead? Not so fast, cowboy. But as the countdown to the big day draws near, Dylan and Zoe find out fate has one more surprise in store for them.

Shh! Takeover imminent...

Starting today, the fun April Fools For Love authors are taking over the world taking over the ARe Cafe!!

Fun posts with short story goodness (and badness--I have to admit, my mind went racing off into the gutter) PLUS GIVEAWAYS!

AFFL on ARE Cafe Short Stories Schedule (Note: Links will become good on the day listed.)

• May 2—Blog: Roxy Mews; Giveaway: Double Dare by Jodi Redford
  
• May 3—Blog: Me; Giveaway: When the Lights Go Out by Roxy Mews
  
• May 4—Blog: Kayleigh Malcolm; Giveaway: My Biting Serendipity
  
• May 5—Blog: Jodi Redford; Giveaway: Bottled Up by Roxy Mews
• May 6—Blog: Roxy Mews; Giveaway: Must Love Menage by Kayleigh Malcolm
  

And be sure to get your copy of ARe BESTSELLER Biting Serendipity: April Fools For Love 2015 before the price goes up May 9!

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