Greetings form RT, where the bar goes dead at about 430-5 so people can get dressed up for dinner, and the party doesn’t stop until well past midnight, no matter what time zone you’re in. I heard via Twitter that there were many people in the gym this morning from the RT conference crowd. I’m betting that gym will be a little more sparsely populated in the next few days, unless running with a hangover is your thing.
I know a few people wish they were here, and I can’t say that I blame you for that feeling. I’ve been looking forward to RT for awhile, and can’t wait for the Saturday YA day, and the panels I’m giving. But for all of you who aren’t here, I have a taste of RT for you.
This year, attendees get a pass to the Goody Bag Room, which is filled with books. Really, you walk in and take a deep breath, like it’s fall and someone has a wood fire burning. It’s New Book Smell, y’all. You’re allowed to select 9 books, plus a signed totebag to put them in, so off I went to build a Taste of RT giveaway package.
If you win, you’ll receive 12 books (nine from the goody room plus three additional books), including a signed ARC of The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen, romance novel trading cards, bookmarks, promo items, candy, and a selection of excerpt booklets. The books that are in the package include:
Please note: the copy of Outlander is a free promotional copy with a promo-oriented cover.
What do you have to do to win? Well, next year RT is in Chicago, and this year it’s in LA. Tell us where you think RT should be next year. Hellertown? Ellsworth? Key West? Make your case for your ideal place in the US (not like I have any control over this, obviously – this is all collective wishful thinking!) and I’ll select one winner at random to win. I have a postage-paid Priority mailbox with me, so I’ll send your items from Los Angeles as soon as I have your address.
Standard giveaway disclaimers apply: I’m not being compensated for this giveaway. Your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited. Entries valid only on website. Prune in the spring, cut down in the fall. I think Sarah MacLean’s next book should be titled “Thirteen Ways not to Hurl When Chasing an Earl.” NO! “Thirteen Ways to be a Hot Mess When Tracking Down a Marquess!”
Comments are open for just under 24 hours, and this entry is (I’m sorry!) open to US only (The postage is already paid for domestic post. Yes, I suck a lot).
Ready Set Go! Win a Taste of RT!
Romance + anywhere in Hawaii = I’ve died and gone to heaven!
Come up north to SF, please! 🙂
months96: do I have to wait 96 months for that to happen?
I would love for RT to be in Dallas or Austin. It would be close enough that I could drive and we have family there, so I could bring the kids.
Because it can’t really be international go to Paris, Texas. This way, RT can have the romance of the City of Love with the name.
Or on the same note: Rome, Georgia.
Being a Hungarian though I have to come up with Budapest, Georgia too 🙂
That is possibly the awesomest swag bag ever! So many title I’d love to read!
My vote is for Tuscon, AZ. I’ve always wanted to go there. The dessert, gorgeous scenery, etc. Perfect location.
Virginville, Pennsylvania. Because it’s funny (and appropriate, considering the innocence of all those Harlequin Presitige and period romance heroines). Also, I’ve only been to one city in the US, and saying NYC would be unoriginal.
Seattle is all well and good, its my hometown. But NYC should host RT. Attendees could tour all the great sites that the city has to offer. Broadway, Central Park. etc…
Not to mention that’s where i am living now…
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! We have a wonderful new convention center, The David L. Lawrence Convention Center. It is surrounded by hotels, and is very close to shopping and the Strip District.
Seattle, WA. Sure, it’s rainy, but the seafood is incredible and it’s just an awesome town all around.
Philadelphia! It’s the city of (brotherly) love! What could be better for RT?
Plus, it’s historic. And has pretty parks. And lots to do. And is only 40 miles from me. 🙂
San Francisco! Because I live there! Certainly a good enough reason to plan a whole conference around…
Thanks for the giveaway!
Someplace romantic like Savannah or New Orleans or Omaha (kidding) would be cool. Chicago works for me, though!
I think it shoud be in Jacksonville, FL. Why? I live in the Chicagoland area and next year will be my first time at RT, I have family in Jacksonville, FL—I can drag my niece who lives in Jacksonville and is a romance lover to her first RT convention and I can visist with my family who lives down there.
I’d have to say FL, either Orlando or Ft. Lauderdale. You’ve got one of the vacation capitals of the world, or sun, sand, beaches, hot guys, and night life. Close to either Daytona or Miami too- they’d get a huge crowd of spring breakers at their new YA stuff as well. It’s much more fun to go to a convention when you can turn it into an extended getaway and be surrounded by so much great stuff to do!
I’m jealous, Sarah… I wish I was at the RT convention too! Enjoy!
1. Chicago would be awesome because I’ve never been there, one of my favorite people whom I haven’t seen in YEARS lives there and I’d get to see the cool park, art museum, natural history museum, aquarium and all that architecture.
And if that doesn’t work 2. Key West because I live here and since I work in a library I don’t have much money or time for travel so that would be very nice for me. And people almost always have a good time here.
The Shenandoah Valley in Virginia…beautiful romantic resorts and getaways, breathtaking mountains, yet popular enough to have places big enough to hold big events like this! Lots of Civil War History, and only 2 hours away from Washington DC and Richmond!
Detroit, because, well, Detroit needs HELP, and what better way to help it then bring in a bunch of romance types! Plus, I could stay at my SIL’s (any number of them, most of them romance readers, even the shy librarian who pulls the naughty picture insert out of her purchases so she can pretend they’re something else!) I could probably get her to go, too. (she loaned me a whole office supply box full of stuff I’ve never read and am loving it).
So Detroit. Because hell, the whole state of Michigan needs help. And anyone who wants to visit can come up to my place in the swamp (it’s only a 4.5 hour drive north) and we can pretend large, strapping lumberjacks may appear at the door, any time! Heck, one might even be my husband, but sorry, I’m not sharing, he’s MY LUMBERJACK.
(speaking of which, does anyone know of any good lumberjack romances?) 🙂
Grand rapids, MI
It’s close to where I live and is the second largest city in Michigan so there is a ton if stuff to do and see if you aren’t completely exhausted from the excitement of the RT
I’ll definitely say New York City, because it’s where I live. Not to mention there are so many romance writeres in NYC. It would be easier to travel to that’s for sure. I will go one year to RT, maybe when it’s in NYC.
Austin, Texas because a ton of romance authors and readers partying on 6th Street would be an incredible thing to see. Tons of Shiner Boch, too. 🙂
New Orleans, LA. I mean, who doesn’t want to visit NOLA???? The food is fabulous, the city is always hopping, the bars are open all night, there’s voodoo, jazz, cities of the dead, the French Quarter (including Cafe du Monde, the best beignets and chicory coffee you will ever taste!), and the people are very friendly. It would be so much fun!
Atlantic City, NJ. Oh yeah… can’t you see it? The boardwalks full of romance folk, scaring all those perfectly normal gamblers with their talk of man titty?
Can we say someplace sunny and warm!!
In fact, if I was planning this (with a no budget limit). . . let’s plan a beach party! White tents, surf, life guards, cabana boys, food, food, food! Dress code – very casual!
Convention halls are so blah . . .
Finally someone mentioned Hawaii. I was beginning to wonder! My votes are for Hawaii or Seattle, my two favorite places to visit.
Minneapolis, baby! Anyone up for a side-trip to First Avenue? 😉
New Orleans! The history is awesome and the food and drinks are good too!
I would love to see NJ host that event. We are so close to PA and NY that no one does stuff like that in Jersey. We have Atlantic City, Ocean City, amd more.
How nice would it be for it to be in Miami? Not because I live in Miami, just because I imagine a conference about Romance should be in a hot place with lots of salsa. Excuse me. I need to go tweak my imagination now.
San Antonio because they could do it around Fiesta.
Perfect spot: nestled in the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. Today, the buzz in the Asheville Citizen-Times is that “The Hunger Games” will be shot here this summer. Woo Hoo!
Ocean City, MD. Why? Because it’s my favorite place in the whole US. The city itself has such a cool vibe, plus there’s the boardwalk, and they have a wonderful convention center along with a bazillion hotels.
Charlotte, NC
Cleveland Ohio because I live close enough to come to RT then. Theree is the convention cneter and lots of hotels.
I vote for Seattle. I’ve never really been there—drove through it with my family about 20 years ago—and I have a dear friend who lives there.
I think Chicago is a great choice! My number 2 choice is Denver simply for the beauty of the city.
Lima Ohio, because if there’s any city anywhere that needs some love, Lima’s it. (and it’s pronounced Lime-Ah)
And Kewpie Hamburgers’ burgers and malts are awesome.
I am going to say Mesquite Texas. We are close enough to do the Dallas shopping, Fort Worth museums, plus everything in between. But Mesquite has the rodeo. *big grin* Who doesn’t enjoy men in tight jeans and cowboy hats?
My first choice would be NYC because… Well, its NYC. There’s endless opportunity to find a place to hold that many people, lots of drama, flare, history, color…. And I could attend easily =)
However, if not there, I would love a city with the same feeling of drama, flare and intensity like Vegas or New Orleans.
I think that the next RT convention should be in a city or area where:
#1: cheaper airfare or travel costs are low.
#2: accommodations are reasonable & available. Also of varied types
#3: the convention site is
—-large enough for the group,
—-modern &/or laid out well for able & disabled visitors
—-not incredibly expensive
Bring it back to central U.S. for the following reasons…
So I could drive there myself (hate big city travel but if close I would do it for RT)
More people could attend centrally located… east or west coast boggles my mind… I would never of thought it would go L.A.
I am hoping to make Chicago:) I will never attend one in CA with my luck the big one would hit before the first social event
my word idea72 hmmm I could think of 72 locations better than this years choice