Weekend Update

Okay, this is actually a report of what I did last weekend. But once I got home and back to work, it took me a while to get this posted. I had started this blog entry sitting at the Columbus airport waiting for my flight home from the Lori Foster Reader/Writer Get Together.
I had a great weekend. I got to see friends, talk shop, relax, and reconnect with my tribe (writers, if you're curious, or maybe book people would be more accurate). Sometimes you have to give yourself a chance to refill the well (although personally I think my well has sprung a leak).
I flew out Thursday, with a brief lay over in Charlotte, where I ran into my friend Angie (found out she was there reading her update on Facebook). So we shared a taxi to the hotel, which took us longer than the flight from Charlotte (I saw an accident with a 5-7 mile backup as we were approaching the airport, traffic sign said to avoid 75 and take 275 instead- cabbie still decided to try taking 75).
After checking into the hotel, we went out for dinner and drinks. The hotel staff suggested the irish pub just down the street. It was awesome. The food was great, the live music was fun, and the wait staff all wore kilts. The chocolate creme brulee was divine. Back at the hotel, we ran into Larissa and Amy at the pub, and had a good time hanging out with them.
Friday morning I joined a group of women for breakfast at Bob Evans, and then on to Jungle Jim's, a foodie Mecca. That place is huge, and full of all sorts of foods from all over the world. Friday was when it formally started with registration and pizza for dinner, after which I hung out at the bar with Angie, Shiloh, Limecello, Angie's friend (who's name escapes me at the moment). At midnight, I was in my room sitting in bed... working on my synopsis, I even worked on it more when I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep.
Saturday was laid back and relaxing. They did the drawings for the gift baskets (which I didn't win), had the book signing, I sat in on Angie's talk about Carina press, and went out to dinner with Shiloh, Beth Williamson, friends of Shi's, and Marty and Chrissie from Samhain.
The next morning Shiloh and I had breakfast at Dianne Casteel's house, before she generously drove me to the airport.
And now for the pictures.

This is the entrance to Jungle Jims, the mammoth grocery, outside of Cincy.

The entire space was full of these displays, such as the flying pig...

and this horse & buggy

The entrances to the rest rooms were actual port-a-potties,

one of which was staged for pictures.

A shoe chair.

There was a huge section of beers and wines with some interesting selections,

such as Insanity Beer...

Ruination...

Mad Hatter Pale Ale

Monty Python's Holy Ale

and Werewolf Beer

This is my psychokitty drinking the water I was taking outside to water the plants on my deck. She must have been really thirsty. :)