A final post to sum up GRL 2015 for me. ( I recapped daily on fb so you can read those there). After 2014 I had my doubts if I wanted to do this again but when I heard San Diego I was like wow that is really cool. But I was nervous, I have had my moments last year and despite my appearence I was nervous scared and insecure for this year. When I read certain posts on fb I am kind of shocked. Yes of course there are always things happening no need to deny it and yes like at any meeting there are cliques. But for me GRL 2015 was more than amazing. Could things have been different, yes ofcourse I mean a room like at the complete opposite part of the hotel area , sheduling of panels, lots of free time. But does that matter? Because in the end you need to do it yourself. I had a blast this year I spent wonderful days in SD before the convention with my fellow reviewer and good friend Vicki, her husband Dave and my roommate Sid who I met for the first time after 7 years. (talk about nervous!). We had such a good time and saw all the gloriousness that the city has to offer. The first day of the con made me nervous , I had a little set back,  I was emotional and my insecurity got the better of me. Only in the evening I got some more control over my emotions again. ( a drink and dancing will do that 😉 ). For the few who know me well enough to see behind the smiles , thanks for the extra hugs ( and Sid sorry I chased you from the room 😉 ).  The best thing of con’s and grl in this case is the chance to meet up with fellow readers , authors you adore, new authors, old and new friends in my case blogger friends also. Despite as I mentioned before reading posts I trully believe there is no prejudice if you are old , young , thick or thin , have coloured skin or white , gay or straight , single or married etc. This is the place you can be yourself but you need to do it yourself ! Yes there are groups of very close friends but that doesn’t mean you cannot approach any of them or interact with them. I don’t belong to those groups (as far as I know ) but I still am proud to call several people who do very good friends of mine. No one and that is in both two years turned away when I approached them but again you need to make the move yourself also , a smile doesn’t cost anything …That being said going alone to this event depending on what kind of person you are is hard. Last year I was glad I had Vicki (and Dave), being alone is my biggest fear in things like this , not being liked , and I had my friend Andrew who lived at driving distance who picked me up at the airport and even came to me Sunday, because of how I was feeling, with whom I spend some glorious time with and still I felt alone and scared at moments and I am not what they call an introvert. ( hence the doubt of going this year) The talk about the so called big names speaking from my own position I havent bought one book by them this year simply because as a reader I also need to make choices as I am not rich and as I already have a book by them I choose different authors to add to my collection. Still they all signed my anthology with a smile and a kind word also the ones who dont have a story piece there , the beautiful anthology btw who generously is available for everyone there. But in the end it mostly comes down to yourself plain simple.

Back to the fantastic time I had this year , like I said spending a couple of days in beautiful Sunny SD was fantastic what a wonderful city, thankfully Sid and I clicked in rl as we do online ( makes it easier to share a room for a week lol) talk about prejeduce btw I am 18 years older , told you things like that don’t care , right 😉  I had a wonderful time meeting my blogger friends Lisa, Jay, Brandilyn, Eliza , Heather and Niky again and meeting Scott for the first time, gosh we have such a wonderful bloggers crew 🙂 Getting my hugs from authors I adore as Mary Calmes, Andrew Grey , Rhys Ford, Jacob Flores ( and his just as fabulous man Mike) , Amy Lane, T.J Klune, Rj Scott (and hubby) & Amber Kell ,to just name a few  ( talk about big names right 😉 ).

I was ecstatic to meet authors who I talk to online and call friends I cannot name everyone personally but to name a few Miss Alexa Land , you are it lady!. Ann Lister , You rock woman no doubt about it! The wonderful and kind Felice Stevens, Australia’s pride Miss’ Nic Starr & Rj Jones. Sjd Peterson , I love you woman! and the kind Sam McAuley. The wonderful A.E Via gosh that woman is beautiful. Lane Hayes who I adore as a person and as a writer, Poppy Denisson who does Dreamspinner proud 😉 Amelia Vaughn or should I say Kelly’s cc :D, the adorable and so sweet Tammy Smith , the hilarious Lori Witt , Miss Sara Alva who spent some time with us outside of the con , Lady you are beautiful kind and all kinds of amazing , Mister Zathyn Priest who not only is inspirational but also makes a fantastic Ginger Spice 😉 Mister Brandon Witt who was awesome as always and together with J.P Bowie two wonderful hosts for our diner with an author event , The beautiful miss Cate Ashwood, miss Melanie Hansen who signed my book last minute , my lunch date and good friend B.G Thomas , my friend Andrew Gordon who came to say hello 🙂 and definitely a personal highlight Mister Cody Kennedy who is beyond all kinds of awesome,  I could go on and on but….

Meeting old and new reader friends is always a blessing to name a few Tim, Amy, Denise, Jan, Stacey, Rebecca, Jules, Ochie, Marilyn, Ellen, Andi , Christy,my reviewers Jenna , Dennis and Alexander gosh I am so forgetting people!

A personal shout out to Vicki because without her and Dave , I wouldnt have seen anything of San Diego, Sid my first friend from the wiki , a wonderful roommate and such a dear friend <3

Rhys and Greg because the Friday evening rocked big time .Rhys you know I adore you and Greg you are unbelievable I dont like audiobooks but you sure make me want to go try them. (you already got me wanting to read a matter of time by miss Mary again).

In the end I can say I had a fantastic time, I listened to Q & A ‘s , Readings and panels, I drank wonderful wodka , orange with a bit of cranberry, danced my shoes off literarly, hugged and laughed.

Thanks to the wonderful organizers! Carol, Reese, Ethan, Teresa and J.P Bowie

Until we meet again 🙂

Hugs Dani