Hi friends! Off schedule today but that’s okay. Today we have the very last author spotlight! Possibly ever! (AAD just didn’t happen for me this year and I dunno – I don’t really see it in the future either.) But! As you see we have last but not least, author Mia Watts visiting with us. She’s also got a question for all of you, so you know the drill!

Free bird at NOLA by Mia Watts

Raise your hand if you’re going to New Orleans this August for the Authors After Dark convention. Keep them raised if you’re secretly hoping to sneak out and explore some of NOLA’s voodoo district. Yeah, I thought so. You aren’t alone because I’m so gonna be there!

Stella Price (event coordinator and goddess of all things #AADNOLA) thoughtfully arranged for us to have our evenings free of panels. I’m not sure if I want to jump right in to voodoo territory, or work my way up through a beignets-chewing stroll in the central square, digging through street vendors. Or the cemetery! Now that’s something I could get into. Figuratively speaking. I have no desire to die while I’m there, even though we will be in prime Katrina timeframe (pack you water wings, y’all).

A haunted tour sounds like fun too. Except for the droning guide, “And over here, you’ll see the lady in white. Wave to her, wave to her. There ya go. She died of a broken heart (don’t they all?). Maybe I should just toured by myself so the spooks can just sneak up on me.

Don’t get me wrong. I have no interest in playing it loose with another culture’s religion. I respect it far too much for that. No one knows the power of another person’s faith and frankly, voodoo scares the crap out of me.

But then so does a progression of breast-flashing coeds. Thankfully, not the season for that.

Travel is one of my favorite things about going to conferences. Some move around the country and others stay still, but between the travel, the food and the company, I’m a sucker for the experience. This one allows us the added benefit of hanging out with other writers and readers, bloggers and reviewers. Are you going? You should be! Plan on it next year.

As you can see from that bit of tourist squee up there, writers don’t get out much. We’re solitary, writing in our living rooms or offices. We giggle at clever turns of phrases, love a good pun, are amazed with each other’s work and saddened by pirates. We do it all in the privacy of our homes, yet we’re united in craft and passion. Getting together is like a free-for-all field day with cookies and milk. Or rather lots and lots of coffee and wine. Yeah, that’s more like it.

So if you see us there, ignore our youthful exuberance for being “let out”. Have patience if one of us trips in our untried high heels. Smile and nod when we talk about formatting and margins, even if your eyes glaze over. If, after it’s all said and done, you still love us? You have a fan for life.