Casey and Nicole’s Literary Rant: AAD NOLA Recap

In which Casey rants about Authors After Dark

Casey Literary RantsNicole and I went to the Authors After Dark con in New Orleans a couple weeks ago. It was both really epic and really annoying but I’m only going to do a brief recap on the really epic parts (which aren’t in chronological order).

The one thing no one mentioned was just how much Bourbon Street stunk. Seriously! I think I’ve smelled road kill that’s baked on the side of the road for a couple of days that has smelled better than that street. There were times when I didn’t want to leave the hotel so I could save my nose from it.

Nicole here! Casey is so right…Bourbon St was gross. I was over it all the first night down there.  It’s all porn, too. As in…it’s not just a strip club on each block…try every other doorway is a strip joint! People use the fact that you can walk around with open containers (when you leave a bar/restaurant, they will pour your “adult” drink from a glass into a to-go cup…and you can take it with you to your next destination) as an excuse to be shit faced drunk and do things one would never really do anywhere else.  And I get being young and wanting to have a good time. I’m not really all that old people! But seriously?! It was just…wow.  

My stalking skills seemed to have abandoned me because it took me 24 hours to track down Jess Haines. (Must have been the stench from the street. Yeah, let’s go with that. *grin*) She had given me permission to fangirl scream and fling myself on her, so once I finally found her, I did exactly that. She hugged me back and said she loved me. Best. Moment. Ever.

Jaye Wells took a small group of us on a tour through the Garden District and showed us where scenes from Green Eyed Demon took place. As we looked at the reality, she told us about how she twisted it to fit in her fictional world. It was amazing! I really, really want to reread Green Eyed Demon now. (It also made me sad that the Sabina Kane series is over.) But what was even cooler was the fact that both she and Liliana Hart remembered me from RT. (We’d met briefly then, but I guess I’m just that memorable. *grin*)

I met Julie from Yummy Men and Kick Ass Chicks and she was pretty kick ass herself. She even gave me some Canadian Maple Syrup and let me tell you, this stuff is more addicting than crack! I may have to move up to Canada just for the maple syrup. I mean, it would totally make up for the frigid winters.

I did a live interview with the amazing Shayla Black, that lasted for just over an hour. *coughs…hey now, I helped LOL!* Oh my god, I love that woman. I tried really hard to be professional and not sit there and just fangirl all over her. Not sure just how successful I was at that, but oh well. She’s just that amazing. Also, I don’t care about any promises/deals she made with Sophie Oak years ago – SHOCK IS MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! ALL MINE!

No really, Casey did an amazing job with an interview, though she totally was trying to keep that inner fangirl at bay!

I was Melanie Card’s first fan girl, which has totally ruined her for all other fangirls. *grin* After I screamed all over her, she, Jade Lee (yes, the Jade Lee, there was some fangirl squeeing there, too) and I sat in the lobby for almost an hour talking about magic and nerds who got drunk/high and tried to outsmart calculators.

I finally tracked down Diana Rowland at the book signing, and introduced myself as Kara Gillian’s Dislocated Arm Twin Sister. Yeah, you read that right. Diana Rowland used me for research on dislocated arms for the next Kara Gillian book. When it comes out, I’m going to run around and tell everyone they need to read it for that reason alone.

Yep, I did all that and so much more. But as much fun as I had at Authors After Dark, I don’t think I’ll be going back next year (though Jackie will be there). I want to try other cons, like Olde City, New Blood that’s taking place next February in St. Augustine. It looks like it’ll be awesome. And Jess Haines will be there. I can scream and fling myself on her again. *grin*

In which Nicole rants about Authors After Dark

And now you get some of my thoughts he he.  I had a blast.  I really was looking forward to the event because so many awesome authors would be there as well as a lot of fellow blogger friends, whom I’d mainly only interacted with on Twitter. I got to meet Tori aka Smexys_sidekick from Smexybooks (I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Mandi several times already so it was fun to hang with her again), Jen from Red Hot Books, Monica from The Obscured Vixen, Pam and Sara from Wicked Lil Pixie (I had met Sara before she started with WLP through Jeaniene Frost’s fan forums nearly 2 years ago *G*) plus many others and got to see others I’ve met at other cons.  It was a blast to finally meet all these awesome ladies whom I’ve felt I’ve really known forever because we talk a lot on twitter and such.  It’s nice to be able to finally put faces with twitter IDs and avis.

I also got to meet lots of fun authors and catch up with other fabulous authors that I’ve met previously.  It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE Jeaniene Frost fan and was extremely active on her fan boards (I need to be better about getting back on there more often!) and there were several “Frosties”, including Eng aka Supermod, in attendance, and it was a blast to again meet people I’ve chatted with for so long online.  It was also ridiculously fun to get to see and hang out with Jeaniene again.  She is so sweet and a super person.  Another fab author I got to see again was Dakota Cassidy. Peeps, if you ever get the chance to meet Dakota…go. She is insanely funny, your abs will hurt from all the laughter.

One other author mention…I finally got to meet Allison Pang, who despite all my fangirl gushing on twitter and via Facebook/email, graciously agreed to meet up for an interview (stay tuned!).  You know lots of fangirl ensued and she is super tightlipped with the spoilers ha ha! She knew I would ask. My interview and review of her upcoming release, A Trace of Moonlight will be posted in the next couple of months, so not gonna spoil those for you here *wink*.

LE had the honor of featured blogger status at the event and since Jackie wasn’t able to go (BOOOO, still so sad over that!), I filled in and made sure that those responsibilities for the con were attended.  There were some special events for us and it was a lot of fun to get some smaller, more one on one time with other bloggers and featured authors.

All in all, AADNOLA was a lot of fun and  being in NOLA was pretty darn awesome.  Also, there were some things that happened in NOLA that just need to stay in NOLA ha ha! I definitely want to go back\. I spent so much time doing blogger and other con events and just hanging out with everyone that I didn’t get to see some of the areas/things I’d wanted to see.  And like Casey, I don’t plan on attending AAD Savannah in 2013.  While I had a blast, part of the lure was the fact it was in NOLA and at the moment I just can’t afford the registration fees.  But if you go, make sure to hunt down Jackie and introduce yourself!

 

About Casey 203 Articles
Casey is the founder of Heart Full of Ink, Director at Reading Until Dawn Con, and a full time cheese addict. She's been ranting and reviewing for Literary Escapism since 2010, and is part of the trio #3Bloggers1Series podcast. When she's not reading, looking for new books, or stalking authors online (waiting for more books), she can be found binge watching Netflix. But really, her life is all about DEM BOOKS!

9 Comments

  1. It was GREAT meeting you ladies!!! Nicole – so glad to finally have gotten to meet you, wish I’d gotten to spend more time with you :)
    Great recap (Bourbon Street staaaaaaaankkkk to holy HELL)

  2. Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun! Olde City, New Blood is going to be my first convention and I’m looking forward to it. Hope to see you there. :)

  3. Was it over an hour? I had so much fun I lost track of time. Ditto on the smell. Holy Hell! I won’t be at Savannah either it appears from the list, but I must investigate this St. Augustine one. That could be fun! I am going to Romcon in Colorado next Spring, maybe you can go to that one!
    As far as Shock, you’ll have to fight Sophie. And that Shock…there’s kind of a line up for him for some strange reason. :)

  4. Sounds fun except for the trash Savannah will be my first year but I know they will roll out the southern hospitality no stinky smells.

  5. I had so much fun in NOLA! Casey, you can fangirl all over me anytime you want to. ;)

    Can’t wait to see you guys in St. Augustine and Savannah!

    <3,
    -J

  6. @Spaz – It was GREAT meeting you too!

    @Sara – If I do end up going (which I really, REALLY want to!) then you should totally track me down. :)

    @Shayla – Yep, it was over an hour and I loved every minute. *grin* You totally need to look into Olde City, New Blood! It looks like it’s going to be so much fun. Plus, who doesn’t want to be in Florida during the winter? RomCon was the other con I’m really hoping to go to! Now that I know you’re going to be there, I’m sold. Maybe we can have another hour long interview there. *grin*
    Lol! Tell Sophie the next time I see her, we can duel it out. :P

    @Marcia – I hope you have fun in Savannah! Your nose will thank you for not subjecting it to NOLA. :)

    @Jess – You’re probably going to regret that after I scream/fling myself at you for the 5 billionth time in St. Augustine. :D

  7. Spaz!!!<3 you and it rocked to finally meet. I am really hoping to be able to go to St. Augustine in Feb. We'll see. I was supposed to see my fave band in concert and flew up to Chicago. BUT, due to weather, after 1st 3 bands, they had to call the rest of the show. If they reschedule when I can make it back up, I may end up spending $$ on the flight back to Chicago instead of going to FL. This band is on my bucket list to see and who knows when I may get another chance...

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