Saturday, November 29, 2008

Wha??

I've made tentative plans to attend EPICon in Las Vegas next March. The New Year isn't even here yet, and I'm already racking up travel plans!

Still not sure about RWA or RT. They're both on the east coast this year, which means a long plane ride (aka murder on my knees) - whereas Vegas is just a hop, skip and a jump.

Frankly, I'm not even sure I'll be keeping my RWA membership. TPTB are talking about raising the dues another $10 a year. With the economy in such bad shape, I think a lot of people will have to drop their memberships, not that it'll matter to those in charge. I'm a bit disgusted by the RWA board's high-handed treatment of its members, especially its e-published members. I've had two books published, and a third coming up, and they still won't let me join their Published Author Network. There was only one panel devoted to e-publishing at the last RWA conference this past August in San Francisco. Why should I continue to fork over good money to an organization that treats me and the markets I write for like red-headed stepchildren?

The Romantic Times con would probably be a better choice for advancing my career, but like I said - east coast, long plane ride. And it's in Orlando, Florida, which I've never particularly wanted to visit. I don't give a flying watusi about Disney World, and besides, the humidity would probably do me in. I'll put a check in the 'maybe' column, but it'll take a lot of persuading to get me there.

8 comments:

Ironeyes said...

You have to do what is best for you. Your correct, the humidity in Florida is killer esp in August.

Cat Grant said...

Hi, Ironeyes. Thanks for commenting.

The RT con's in April, so maybe the humidity won't be that bad yet. I'm still pondering my options.

Angela Benedetti said...

I've been to Florida in the fall (flying in to get on a cruise ship) and the humidity was high enough to make this California native uncomfortable. That said, though, most conventions I've attended I pretty much stay in the hotel, or maybe make a couple of dashes per day between the hotel and the convention center, depending on how things are arranged. If you could get a room at the RT hotel and then just never leave.... [wry smile]

I'm thinking about EPICon too. :) We'll see. It'd be cool to meet you there, though. [wave]

Angie

Cat Grant said...

Hey, Angie! Or should I say, "Hello, fellow EPPIE finalist"? ;)

I'm still seriously considering RT, but only if I can con my husband or somebody else into coming with me. I've got bad knees, so I can't carry a lot of stuff or walk long distances. But from what other authors have told me, RT's great for promotion, so all the aggravation may be worth it.

Angela Benedetti said...

I know the feeling -- I've got arthritis in my knees, one bad enough that I use a cane when I leave the house, and WorldCon was pretty uncomfortable. :/ I'm better with the cane now (it takes time to build up the right muscles [laugh/flail]) and my next convention, whatever it is, will probably be better. I can't run around cons like I used to, though, nor stand around talking to people for more than a few minutes at a time (standing's worse than walking, oww!) so....

But yeah, I know what you mean. [leans on you] Even aside from the whole might-win-an-award thing :D I've never been to this sort of writer's convention, nor to any con as a published writer, so with EPICon in Vegas, I'd been thinking about trying to go anyway.

Angie

Cat Grant said...

Yeah, I hear ya re: arthritis in the knees. That's my problem too.

Still, I figure it might be easier to con my husband into going to Vegas with me than *shudder* muggy old Florida.

Angela Benedetti said...

Florida would definitely be out, for financial reasons. [nodnod] We're already planning a week or so in San Francisco in the summer (20 year anniversary of the weekend we first met in realspace) and we're iffy about going to WorldCon in Montreal, despite already having memberships, because the air fare is ridiculous. There's no way I could make a conference in Florida.

Even with Vegas, though, I'm not sure my husband would go. It'd be half the travel expenses if he doesn't, and he wouldn't be interested in the conference itself. And with the facility being way the heck away from the Strip, he'd have to take a cab to go wander around during the day, which would be another expense. I don't know -- we talked about it very briefly this morning before he left for work (while I was still boinging over making the finals, LOL!) and his going or not didn't come up. I'll have to ask when he gets home.

Angie

Cat Grant said...

We're in California, so Vegas is definitely closer and less expensive for us than Florida or Washington DC. Plus, hubby and I have been kicking around going to Vegas in the winter or spring for a couple of years now.

EPICon seems like a ready-made opportunity, but I'll give it a more thorough pondering once the holidays are over.