Lori Foster/Dianne Castell Reader/Author Get Together '07

My photos are completely out of order and I'm not smart enough to change them, so bear with me, please - I'll get to them all, promise. This past weekend was the third annual Lori Foster/Dianne Castell Reader/Author Get Together; I think we have more fun each and every year. I seriously don't ever see myself going to any of the RT or RWA conventions, mainly because of the expense. It's hard for me to think of spending that much money on myself when I still have children who are still (mostly) in my care. Although I do have to admit to giving a visit to Pittsburgh in '08 a thought or two, just because it's close enough for me to drive. We'll see. I have two daughters graduating next summer too, one from high school and one from college, so it's a very big "we'll see."

This get together in Cincinnati is only two hours away for me, it's inexpensive, very casual, and always a great time. Friday night involved reacquainting yourself with everyone while final touches are put on setting things up. There was a pizza party, fun games with prizes, and a question/answer session with those authors from the Scamps & Vamps loop who were in attendance. Lots of laughs all around! Saturday morning we came down to breakfast and more casual time to talk and catch up, raffle drawings for 70 baskets, lunch with the 50+ authors in attendance revolving amongst the tables so readers could ask questions and authors could pass out their advertising goodies, and then a booksigning. Saturday night there were several forms of entertainment to choose from - movies, in-room board game parties, and a bunch of us went to Rodeo, a local country bar, for line dancing lessons which means there were even more laughs and fun. Some of us chose to sit on the sidelines and drink beer while we watched everyone else dance. Sunday morning brought different groups together for breakfast with favorite authors before everyone headed for the airports or the highway for home.

The event serves as a fundraiser, if you will, to benefit the YWCA Battered Women's Shelter and the AAF, which is a homeless animal shelter, as well as our ongoing troop project. I brought home a trunk full of boxes and bags of donations for the troops and will put up pics of the boxes of them once they are ready to be shipped. I haven't heard final numbers, but believe the shelter donation this year will be over $3,300, the animal shelter netted a few hundred dollars, I don't recall the exact amount, and I collected $225. for shopping and shipping for the troops!

The camera flashes were popping everywhere all weekend as people posed all over the place for pictures with friends, favorite authors and online reader and review groups.

I can't wait for next year! The women shown in the above pics are dear to me, each and every one. I only see most of them once a year, some less than that, some more, but they are all so very special.

This weekend meant another celebration for me - Tim and I celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary. Yes, I was in Cincinnati with friends, but he understood how much this trip means to me and we agreed to go to dinner together, alone, sometime soon. This picture of us was taken last month - please, I beg you, do not look at the picture any larger as it is not a good picture of Tim. He seriously looks like he's been out on a bender. He's (I think) a great-looking guy and this pic doesn't do him justice!

Thanks for stopping by! Anyone who has thought about coming to the get together next June, I beg you to do so - it's an excellent time!

Laurie

xo