Bookmarked & Sexy 2019 (B&S19) have come and gone and now you get to hear what I got up to.........
So lets begin in Melbourne - I was packed and ready to go! Carry on only (I've already booked checked to bring my hail home), carry on weight on putting in car 6.5kg so feeling quite smug heading to the airport to be under Jetstar 7kg limit. Fast forward 2.5hrs I've arrived at the gate ready to board and Jetstar staff are weighing carry on - I'm not worried I know I'm under; EXCEPT i'M NOT!!!!! According to their scales I'm at 8.5kg and that's going to cost me.......$60 (I was informed by a very "helpful" NOT staff member if I'd paid at check-in it would only be $13). DAMMIT!!!!!!!
Checked into my hotel at 7pm (forgot about no daylight savings) and it's dark and humid - why does it get dark so early in QLD???
Bright and early I'm up and raring to get going. Hit B&S19 at 0930 with an empty bag, a lite of pick-ups, must buys and a purse with a budget (that's right folks A BUDGET). As with my last Con; I was still getting pre-order invoices the day before and had completely lost track of what I'd ordered and from who).
NAME DROP ALERT!!!
First stop ANN MICKAN; I read Book Boyfriend enroute on plane and absolutely LOVED it! Trust me peeps you'd all love this story. As I already had her book I really wanted this little beauty to caffinate while I read and I also wanted to thank her for writing my fantasy of a "real book boyfriend". She was so sweet and I can't wait to drink while I read more from her.
Now I was a bit worried as authors seemed to be dropping like flies in the previous weeks with quite a few needing to pull out of the event and I hoped that there would be enough to keep me amused........I need not have been concerned. Browsing from table to table picking up pre-orders (my empty bag quickly filled up) and chatting with all my fav aussie authors. It's so great to see how many wonderful Aussies are out there writing in our language when so many books I read are from USA.
After pre-orders were taken car of (and my list was both invaluable and inaccurate - THANK GOD Amalie Rose knew I had pre-ordered from her because I didn't know that lol) I also happily found a few new authors to me; whenever I meet a new author I always ask them to recommend their fav book they wrote - I find it's a fun way to choose which book to try first. Suzi Love has recommended a great historical "bodice ripper" I'm currently enjoying. My bag is full & I now have 4 other bags hanging off me; thank goodness for gym membership I closely resemble a library pack horse.
The absolute HIGHLIGHTS were meeting Aria Peyton (pause reading here and insert fangirl squeal), such a "celebrity" moment for me as I chatted about her books (and one sh's never got around to) picked up my hoard together with the wonderful swag bags made especially for the event by her friends. Another HIGHLIGHT was meeting Shandi Boyes who I've been a HUGE fan of for ages and may or may not have bought books from to give away (I can confirm nor deny nothing) - I love me some Master Chains. And final HIGHLIGHT was chatting with Leesa Bow who's books are wonderful to read and she's such a sweet person to chat books, etc. with I accidentally may have gone fangirl on her - oops!
But the Ginger Reading Ninja moves fast - 2hrs later I'm done and trudging back to hotel with 30kg - yes that's right 30kg of books various swag and 5 condoms hanging from my arms. (Aussie authors give away condoms as swag - why do USA authors not do this? It also prompts some interesting table conversations). Despite having booked and paid for checked luggage a quick online adjustment to up my limit is needed......
OOPS! But in my defense I was left unsupervised - I think next time I'll drive!
BOOKMARKED & SEXY 2021 HERE I COME!
