One of the main things I love about RT is the idea that it’s like a family reunion. You see these friends and favorite writers just once a year, but in some ways it’s almost like you’ve never been apart. Even after all those months without exchanging a word, you pick up right where you left off, ready to talk books again. Books! It’s the commonality that draws us together, a love of reading, a love for a story that captures you, binds you to characters so vivid they’re more real to you than your neighbor, to a world more genuine than your own sometimes. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you look like, where you’re from… We have this one thing together that connects us like soul sisters – soul siblings, for you guys – books. I may not know anything else about you, but I know this one thing. We love the same huge passion… books so real you forget they’re imagination.
I ran into friends right off. After hugs and catching up, the conversation turned to who’s writing what, how much we love their newest book, and that great idea soon out that we can’t wait to read. Time to learn and what better way than panels filled with amazing authors. It’s just sad that there were too many great panels on at the same hour; it made it hard to chose which one to attend. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. There were great reminders from each; that fiction is about emotion, that writing takes discipline, that characters’ flaws come from things that have shaped them, and that heroes, whether Bad Boys, Carpathians, or Dragons, must be willing to step up when called upon.
I feel like RT’s inspired me already, and it’s just day one. My favorite panel came at the end of the day from three great paranormal and fantasy writers; Christine Feehan, Lora Leigh, and C.L. Wilson, titled the Paranormal Soiree. Witty banter, great writing tips, catching up on their latest projects, and stories that made us all howl with laughter. It really doesn’t get better than that. RT is off to a really good start.
Guest blogger Kathie Firzlaff made a trip to Las Vegas to the RT Booklovers Convention to see sights, read the books, find the authors and have a good time! Kathie lives in Salt Lake City and is an aspiring writer.
