Sunday

It was a very sad (and still exhausted) aztec who dragged her ass out of (a very comfortable) bed around thirty minutes past oh-dark-hundred along with Kristie(J) and SLWendy. Both of them and Rosie had ungodly early flights back home, so the plan was to vacate the room, check out downstairs and be in a taxi (along with Rosie’s roommate, L.B. Gregg) by 5:30am. Despite the fact that no bellperson was available (I don’t think the management of the Dolphin realized how many of the 2100 conference attendees were leaving before dawn…) we managed to drag ourselves and our possessions downstairs and to the front desk without incident.

There I stayed with the bigger suitcases while Wendy and Kristie got in line (yes, in line—did I mention a bunch of people checking out before dawn?) to check out—and managed to catch a greeting, a goodbye and a hug from Beth Williamson, who was also leaving.

Once Wendy and Kristie had straightened their hotel bills out, we took thirty seconds for a picture, and then it was time for schlepping books, boxes, backpack and weary body to the car for the half hour drive home—then crash for something like six hours straight.

Exhausted and sleepy aztec, Kristie(J) and SLWendy

In no particular order, all the things I forgot in previous days’ recaps (or, memorable moments throughout the conference):

Chatting with the lovely L.B. Gregg (still have a crush on you, missy!) during the first Blogger Bar Bash, about life and kids and books and… some good news I’m hoping to be able to share soon.

Stopping for a moment at Alyssa Day’s table during one of the signings and getting a signed bookplate for my copy of Atlantis Redeemed—while pouting at the fact that she didn’t have any handy ARCs for Atlantis Betrayed (I wonder how many writers I scared during these short four days…).

Walking from the Berkley signing to the lobby, talking with Vivian Arend, who is both gorgeous and cool—she didn’t even mind that I kept knocking off her hat every time I hugged her (yes, more than once).

Learning that SBSarah (aka Sarah Wendell) is letting her gorgeous black hair grow long in order to donate it to Locks of Love. I love this—I have done it every two years or so for about a decade now, and my daughter has done it twice as well. Also, watching her amazing video of the Literacy Autographing—many of you, I’m sure, have already seen it, but I can’t resist:

I actually forgot to mention before that I spent some time with Ann Aguirre in her room, after the Berkley signing on Friday, sharing in the excitement of some really good news (once again, details when I’m free to share them). By the way, Ann can dance like nobody’s business.

Having the lovely May give me a precious little doll/cell phone charm to commemorate having met.

Visiting the goody room, repeatedly, every day (greedy beast that I am!)

Finally, getting away without paying parking ($12 a day—which may not seem very expensive to some, but which I had not budgeted for) for all but one day—Friday—due to a combination of factors, including equipment breakdown.

Oh, and the books—pretty, shiny, wonderful, exciting, new books! Wanna see?

Most of the loot (holy shit!)

(Of course, this doesn’t show a few duplicate titles which I have already mailed out to my sweetie—look forward to more joint reviews!)

To console myself I drove out to my coworker’s house to pick up the lovely kitten—who, by the way, has conquered the new shiny book pile…

“All your books are belong to us”

…and got himself a name too!

Intrepid explorer and avid hunter, he’s been christened Pounce de León—Pounce for short. What do you guys think?

* * * * * * * * * *

Gratuitous Pounce pics:

“All your shorts are belong to us, too!”

(blurry) size comparison: Pounce and Alana

No fear

“I iz gorgeous, yes”

Yes, that is my shoe.

Being gorgeous is HARD work.