**Emerald City Author Event 2014 Wrap-up**

As y'all know, I recently left my family to fend for themselves for a weekend so I could go play in Seattle. Not only did I get a weekend away from 'mom' duties, but I got to have a girls' weekend with Robyn (@Robgirlbooks) AND I got the opportunity to meet some fabulously talented authors!!

To kick off my weekend of fun, Robyn took me to lunch at her favorite pizza joint in Tacoma. The pizza was fantastic but I can't remember the name of the place! She also took me to The Museum of Glass in Tacoma and Almond Roca Runoff Store (where I picked up some great chocolates for only $2!). Here's a few photos from The Museum of Glass:

This photo of from The Bridge of Glass - it's the ceiling!

Before we headed into Seattle, Robyn took me by some of the places which serve as inspiration for places in her books. That was wonderful! Since I'd been to Seattle/Tacoma before, it wasn't hard to envision the places she describes in her books (she does an amazing job with description) but it was neat actually seeing some of the places.

Okay, here's a funny story for y'all. We're driving in downtown Seattle looking for our hotel. We see it and pull into the parking garage and leave Robyn's car with valet. We go into the lobby and I tell her "this place is really swanky for what I'm paying." We get to the desk to check in and they don't have my reservation. I get a little worried, but I have my confirmation. So I get it out and give it to the nice guy, who keeps referring to me as "Miss". He looks at it for a few minutes and then says "ahem, it seems your reservation is at a different hotel, miss." Yeah, we were a block too far north. *haha* So we have to go have valet retrieve the car and then drive a block down to the hotel we're actually staying in. I will say only this...there was no marble floor and no votives burning in the lobby. ;) Here's a photo from our room:

Look, mom...no screens!

Yeah, we're on the 9th floor and our windows have no screens! Sorry the photo isn't that great...I don't have long arms! ;)

**Caution: Fangirling Ahead**

Okay, y'all know about all the books I bought while I was at the event. But I have to tell you about the incredible authors I met! I don't know what happened with my brain - actually, I think it came down to the fact that I was so freakin' nervous about meeting JA - but anywho, I totally forgot to take lots of photos! BUT I met Marata Eros, who was so generous and nice. She was great to talk to! Omigosh, she's on my list of favs and I haven't read her yet! And I met SC Stephens...I had to tell her about how I used Griffin as a Sidekick pick! I met Tillie Cole - love her accent! I met Joanna Wylde and I can't wait to read the Reapers series! I met Kristen Proby - she's so sweet! I got to talk to Carmen Jenner - I told her that my pal Michelle @Novels On the Run bragged on having met her - and she said "Oh, I love Michelle!" So Robyn smacked me in the head and snapped a photo especially for Michelle!

And I got to talk to Heidi Joy Tretheway. Y'all, she is just fabulously awesome!! I loved talking to her!! And I mentioned that my pal Naomi @Nomi's Paranormal Palace has introduced me to her books, so I had Robyn snap a photo for Naomi!

I also really enjoyed talking with Julie Kenner. She's a fellow Texan and just the sweetest lady!

But the author I was most excited/nervous to meet was, of course,

♥♥JA HUSS♥♥

Here she is signing ALL my books! :)

And we had to have a photo taken with Ford!

It was so amazing to finally get to meet JA! Y'all know she holds the distinction of being the author who I've reviewed most - since I've read and reviewed every book she's written! (well, fiction anyway) I'm going to Penned Con in September WITH JA, and I can't wait!

My only regret is that I didn't formally introduce Robyn and JA! (Sorry, Robyn!)

***

So, Robyn and I kept meaning to have someone take photos of us everywhere we went...and we kept forgetting. So on Sunday morning, we had a barista at Starbucks, of all places, take a photo of us on my final morning there.

I had such a grand time!! It was such a neat experience, not only getting to attend the event, but getting to hang out with Robyn! Robyn and I had a blast walking our legs off and talking our heads off! I introduced her to craft beer at Pike Brewery! And I introduced her to Death Cab for Cutie - I still can't believe she'd never heard of them! We stayed up late talking every night - just like teenagers having a sleepover. It was just soooo much FUN!!!


The Emerald City Author Event was hosted by Ginger-Read Reviews and Keep Calm & Read Romance. They did a wonderful job of organizing it. There were so many great authors there and everything ran very smoothly! Hopefully, I'll get to go again next year. :)