I could fill up all 15 reasons just by listing the names of friends with whom I danced, drank, laughed and hung out with, but that would be cheating.  (Besides, if I started to list them all, I'm afraid I'd forget to name someone and then I'd feel bad.)  So, in no particular order, here are the top 15 reasons why I had a blast at the RT Convention last week in Orlando.

1. Dancing, drinking, laughing and hanging out with good friends who flew/drove in from all over the country.

2. Getting Tweeted by Sarah of Smart Bitches Love Trashy Books. I actually learned something about Twitter, a service I previously scorned.  Jennif saw my picture and texted me immediately.  Technology - ain't it grand?

3. Acting in Comic-ula at the Vampire Ball hosted by Heather Graham and Helen Rosburg with Heather, Bryee-Anon, Jason, Shayne, Derek, Zhenia, Josh, Debbie, Caitlin, Helen, Ali, F.Paul, Juan, Dave, Roger, Harley, Alex, Beth, Mark, James & Terry. 

4. Dressing up in costumes.  License to be a goofball.

5. Actually selling copies of my books at the Wednesday Expo and meeting some new readers.  Almost made enough to cover my bar tab.

6. Meeting Mark's girlfriend Casey.  Knowing a good friend has met a woman he can give his heart to and finding out that she is a sweet, loving soul moves me to tears.

7. Getting to know some people better and meeting new people.

8. Laughing so hard over the split swimming cap and our other preparations to portray the synchronized swim team that I almost couldn't breathe.

9. Hearing good news from Gennita Low and Lori Armstrong!

10. Meeting JA Konrath/Jack Kilborn.  It would take three blogs to describe how funny this man can be.  He's also freaking smart and I learned a lot by listening to him.

11. Listening to Barry Eisler, F. Paul Wilson, Kathy Love and Erin McCarthy discuss sex from male and female perspectives.  The entire room was hilarious.  The cocktails probably had something to do with it.

12. Getting to take pictures of friends Mechele Armstrong and Marissa Alwin (aka Mo and Melissa) at the booksigning.  I knew that one day they'd all publish and it was great to see them there signing books.

13. Seeing little acts of kindness taking place all around me.  This includes the KICK-ASS job done by fellow members of Florida Romance Writers selling raffle tickets for gift baskets Friday night.  Almost $2400 were raised to donate to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

14. Going on a book buying binge at the bookfair on Saturday.  YEEEHAA!

15. Feeling like an author again and, more importantly, feeling like writing again.