The Time After an RT Convention When I "Got Sex"

By Bonnie Vanak

I'm writing this blog post just before I leave for the Dominican Republic to tour poverty-stricken areas for the day job. In addition to being an author, I work for a large international charity and travel to developing countries to write stories about poor people so we can raise money to help them.

I'm leaving for DR, but my mind is on RT and Pittsburgh next month. I'm thinking about the booksigning and meeting readers, and getting Christine Feehan's newest release, partying at Heather Graham's vampire ball, my workshop with Cindy Cruciger, Sandra Hill and other panelists, greeting longtime bookseller friends like Lisa Fenton, seeing Diane, Chris and Leah from Dorchester, and old and new friends like authors Linnea Sinclair, Stacey Klemstein, Aleka Nakis, Lyn Armstrong, Cindy Holby, Renee Bernard, Marianne LaCroix, Erin McCarthy, Kathy Love, and fellow Nocturne authors Pam Palmer, Caridad Pineiro, Vivi Anna, and Patrice Michelle.

But I'll also be thinking about those Ellora's Cave pins.

Three years ago at RT, I went to the Ellora's Cave party as a new EC author. Blair Valentine, my evil twin, had just signed on for her first humorous erotic romance. I received a GOT SEX pin with Blair's name on it. I was so proud of that flashing marquee pin. After all, I had been an RT virgin only three years before and now I was flashing GOT SEX at everyone.

RT is scads of fun. Lots of parties, gorgeous costumes, fun people and cover models.

After that particular RT, I came home and almost immediately had to travel to Haiti for the day job. I didn't bother unpacking everything in the knapsack I had taken with me to the convention.

The trip was to northern Haiti, touring with a priest we help who wanted to build houses for people living in mud and stick homes. As the priest is driving myself and the photographer over winding, bumpy roads, I'm digging in my knapsack to show him the lovely Mass card I got at my aunt's memorial service.

And I whip out a card showing a shirtless CJ Hollenbach, showing off his impressive torso.

Beet red, I'm stuttering some lame excuse as the priest's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. "That is the Mass card?" he asks in broken English.

"Oh no, no, it's in here somewhere," I mutter, while Ben the photographer is snickering.

I start dumping stuff out, knowing it HAS to be in there, and suddenly there it is, flashing merrily away. My Ellora's Cave pin. It's asking GOT SEX? GOT SEX? GOT SEX?

I try to turn off the pin, but can't shut it off, it's like that pink Energizer bunny and keeps going and going and going. I dump everything back into my knapsack and start asking the priest questions about the housing.

All the time we're in the field, I'm carting about my backpack with the pin inside flashing GOT SEX?

So this is my advice to you, be it your first RT convention or your 25th: Have fun, relax and let go. Party, attend great workshops, make new friends and collect all the cool stuff you want. Trust me, there will be plenty of author promo items available.

But make sure when you get home to unpack everything and put it away. Otherwise, GOT SEX may just reach out and flash you when you least expect it.