Romanticon 2012

By now you’ve probably read a dozen blogs on the Ellora’s Cave Publishing Romanticon so I’m not going to expand on the parties and giveaways, lap dancing and naughty photo ops. Instead I wanted to write about how Romanticon made me feel. Towards the end of that week one of my good friends and fellow Scribe, Ruby Storm said to me that I used to be so shy and quiet but this week she saw a big change in me. At the time I told her that it was my job as a midwife that had made me more outgoing and that is partly true but it’s not the whole story. I’m still ‘the quiet one’ externally at least. I watch people and listen and now and again my work mates are surprised when I zing them with the occasional comment or ask me what I am smiling about when I catch them in an innuendo. At home I don’t go out much I just go to work and come home to write, or read. I don’t have many friends and am single and if wasn’t for my job I could go a whole week without speaking to another person, in person that is. Most of my friends are out in the world, in touch only through the silken strands of the world wide web. This may sound rather lonely and I have to agree that sometimes it is but mostly, in the words of Jane Austen, I find myself quite content.

At other cons I have found myself watching the ‘cool kids’ and wishing I could be part of that crowd or seeing things go on and wish I was brave enough to do that. To join in. I rarely ever do though whether it’s shyness, or natural reserve or both.
Romanticon though, was different.

We were all the cool kids. Perhaps it helped that the whole hotel was ours and there was no one to offend. No need to worry about who would see you and what they would say or think. The atmosphere or the Con was relaxed, friendly, open… permissive. There was no divide between author and reader. Everyone was there for the same thing, the love of naughty fun where no one gets hurt. It felt safe.

I am not a good dancer but I danced like no one was watching every night. I danced with hot guys who although they were beautiful and amazing dancers themselves made me feel like I was Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing. Me, the girl who was always picked last in school dance class. I danced with girls too without giving it a second thought and got cheers and cat calls. I presented a workshop and stood in front of a room full of people and talked about dicks and porn without blushing (much) or worrying about what people thought. I posed for a sexy picture with nine of the cover models and giggled like a school girl while they did their best to make me feel comfortable. I did a book signing where people didn’t pass me by because my books were erotic romances, where I didn’t feel somehow less an author because they were ebooks first. When we left the hotel staff said it felt like Christmas was over.

I drank, I danced, I hugged, I laughed, I cried. Not once in the whole week did I worry about what others thought of me.

I heard someone describe Romanticon as a family reunion and yes it does have the feel of a big, boisterous family. Only this family won’t turn you away if you are a bit different. Once you attend then you are instantly adopted and I guarantee you will wish away the year until you can join them again.