Well, I got in late last night from my drive back from Tulsa. Today was spent unpacking, doing laundry, weeding through my emails, and putting away the books I brought back from the convention (as if my TBR pile wasn't big enough). Re-Conestoga: let me say straight out that there is no way I'll be able to list everyone and everything that was great about it. I'd need five posts to fit it all. That being said, I'm going to try and give a very condensed version ;-). 

Elsbeth Bloodgood, the program director of Conestoga, is awe-inspiringly efficient. I can't thank her enough for everything she did to help the Fangs, Fur and Fey panel track. Because we had back-to-back stuff scheduled, I didn't get to spend nearly enough time chatting with people. Authors I've met online, but finally got to see in person (yay!) were Jeanne Stein, Rachel Caine, Ilona Andrews, Marie Brennan, Dakota Cassidy, and Devon Monk. Authors I've met before and wished we could have talked longer were Mark Del Franco,  Rachel Vincent, Patrice Michelle, Steve Wedel, PC Cast, and Jeri Smith-Ready (I know I'm forgetting some people., so please forgive me! I'm still not caught up on my sleep).

I also got to meet Erin, one of the three Wonder Women who run my fansite, plus more members of Frost Fans, who were so sweet and enthusiastic, I felt tongue-tied while talking to them. I also met Jen Barnes and Dean Lorey, who I haven't chatted with online before, but I'll be stalking now, because they're smart and hilarious. Tiffany Trent gets another cyber-hug for bringing me cheesecake. Brian Kell and his lovely wife brought posters of my books, which was so cool (though my mother will probably try to steal them, since she's been nagging me that she wants one).

Weirdness before and after the event: My Tom-Tom / Hertz Neverlost GPS system got - kid you not! - lost. I swear, God watches out for me, because if Ilona hadn't ridden in the car with me, I'd still be driving around the hills of Tennessee, hearing Tom-Tom say such brilliant things as "Recalculating" and "Make a legal U-turn ahead" where there was no damn place to U-turn.

Friday night consisted of chatting with friends/readers at the bar for the FFF meet-and-greet, which was fabulous. Saturday, there was lunch at the bar with several people, including Allie, who I almost didn't recognize because of her new haircut. Then after the panels Saturday afternoon, there was author speed dating - what a fun time! After that, I got a chance to hang out with several great people at the New Release gathering, then there were Saturday night stories back in the hotel room with Melissa, Mark D, Jen B, Dean, Erin, Marie B, Patrice, Ilona, Brian and Diane K, and Sara B. Jen did a hilarious impersonation of a would-be murdering monkey's scream, Melissa regaled us with interesting "altercations" at a former job, I don't remember WHO told the story about the microwaved carrot (but it's burned on my brain!), then Ilona told my all-time favorite tale - which involved a dead cat, a live pig, criminally high heels, a body in the river, red mud, coal dust, a bad movie, and absent ice cream.

Sunday, we woke up early, packed, and - sadly - had to leave. I heard the remaining panels and events were great, though. All in all, it was an awesome time. The only thing I'd change would be to have a day where I could just sit around and chat with people. Ah, well. Maybe next time :-).

Here are some pictures people either sent me, or I copied from other sites (since my damn camera broke - again!!).

   Allie and me. Yes, I look a little pale in this, don't I?


  Mark Del Franco. Oh, yeah. He looks JUST like that without his shirt on ;-)

  Me and Erin, who was wearing her way cool FFF t-shirt!


 This one should be called "Vampire lovers unite!" :-) 


  Signing with Dakota Cassidy, Marie Brennan, Dean Lorey, Melissa Marr, & me

  Dean Lorey and Patrice Michelle.