GRL 2013 – In Which I Shoot The Lights Out

Once again, GayRomLit has been an experience that will go down in the annals of history as one of the best yet. It seems year after year, the organizers of and participants in the event go all out to make sure the wait for the next retreat seems as if it’s an eternity away from happening. I’ve had the great honor of meeting Jackie and Lynn in person, as well as seeing Bruce again, which has been utterly amazing.

For those who might not have heard, GRL 2014 is going to be held in Chicago, not downtown but at a North-Suburban resort, though don’t ask me the name of the place because I haven’t a clue. ::doh!:: The place doesn’t matter, though, it’s the event, so start watching after the first of the year for information.

Highlights? Well, the entire event has been a highlight so far, but here’s a little rundown of some of the most memorable things that’ve happened.

Wednesday night was Max Vos’s release party for his new book P.O.W.. But this wasn’t just any release party. No, this was a release party at “Bliss”, where the drinks flowed, the company rocked, and the dancers were phenomenally sexy. I walked away from that one a little shorter on cash, thank you very much, but who cares, right? :-D

So, if you saw my Sunday Sneak Peek post, you might have seen that I moderated TJ Klune, Eric Arvin, and Jambrea Jo Jones’ Q&A Panel. You heard TJ and Eric got engaged, yes? If you didn’t know this yet, SURPRISE! TJ and Eric are engaged to be married! And there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, let me tell you. (I may have ugly-blubber-cried, but whatever. So was everyone else.) It was an amazingly memorable moment that I’m honored to have witnessed… and subsequently ruined. My life…

Okay, ruined may be harsh, but let me tell you what happened.

There was champagne involved. Of course there was, this was an engagement celebration, why wouldn’t there be champagne? TJ and Eric, being incredibly busy making with the kissing and gazing and adoring and loving, needed a little help with the opening of the bubbly. Who volunteers? Why, yours truly. Let me tell you a little bit about how that went:

TJ: “I can’t open this!”
Me: “No worries, honey, I’ve got it.” ::commences with the opening::
Joyfully Jay: “Lisa, be careful with the cork.”
Me: “No, seriously, sweetie, I’m good. I’ve got th…”

::BAM!!!!!::

The cork flies out and shatters a light fixture in the ceiling above my head! ::shame face:: So now TJ and Eric have the cork, and I have the foil to mark the occasion that I shot the freaking lights out.

And , boys and girls, that is the story of how I ruined one of the most romantic moments I’ve ever witnessed. ::bows:: Fortunately, they’ve forgiven me. At least they said so to my face. They may or may not have burned me in effigy in private. :-D There you have it: everything after that pales in comparison.

We’ve done more Q&As since then, had an author dinner at which I had the privilege of sitting with Belinda McBride and K.C. Burn, attending a fancy cocktail party where the women were gorgeous and the men were dressed to kill.

Tonight will be the masquerade ball, and then it’s home tomorrow, where I get to begin the countdown of days until Chicago.

I hope to see so many more of you there next year. Start saving now, it’s an event that is not to be missed!

Hugs,

Lisa