The Dazzlers Explain it All For You

Hey there, everyone! All caught up from yesterday's Mass O' Links? Great! 'Cause as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we have more for you today! Oh, not that many (okay, yes, really, that many), but still, things you don't want to miss.

First up, head over to Fictitious Musings where the first Dazzlers Only interview is large and in charge. (While there, don't forget to sign up for their Gratitude Giveaway.)

Then which authors My 5 Monkeys would like at her Thanksgiving dinner table.

Next, hit RT Book Reviews and see which series they're looking forward to.

Remember to cast your votes for your fave books in the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards. Yes, "Alien in the Family" is up for best science fiction, so please show it some Alien Collective love. And also remember to get entered to win one of five copies of "Alien Proliferation" over at the Alien Collective Virtual HQ.

In Person Reminder: I'll be in San Diego, at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore for their Holiday Party on Saturday, Dec. 10th, from 3pm-5pm. If you're in the Greater San Diego Metro Area, please come on by and get your bookie wookies signed by moi and the other awesome authors who will be there!

Now, for our TusCon recap. First off, yes, yes, more swag has come home just waiting for me to have a chance to parcel it off into prize packs and start the heralded ComboCon Contest (say it once, say it twice, say it three times). But I do owe y'all a recap. So here goes...

Got to panel with some very cool authors including Patricia Briggs, Jeff Mariotte, Marsheila Rockwell, Carol Berg, David Lee Summers, Emma Bull, Janni Lee Simner, Sam Sykes, and the Lovely Miss Yvonne Navarro. Plus there were tons of other awesome authors and artists there. And a good time was had by all. In particular, a good time was had at dinner. At a specific dinner, to be exact.

I give you: My Dinner With Patty.

Patty Briggs and her cool hubby, Mike, invited me and Marcy Rockwell to join them at dinner on Saturday night. Before you get too impressed, we went to the Denny's close to the conference hotel. But hey, still fun, right? Right. Most of the gang going walked over, but Marcy and I had panels later in the evening so we drove. We drove, but got there last. Hey, I had to go to the room and change shoes. These things happen.

As any of you who've met me at a con or a signing know, I tend to wear my favorite cowboy hat during in person events. My pink, sparkly cowboy hat. Don't believe me? Check out Extra Me! and call me a liar.

So Marcy and I trot into Denny's, me in my hat. We see Patty and company nowhere around. But before we can look for them, a waitress barrels up to us. "Ma'am," she snarls, "you can't come in here wearing that hat."

I stared. Marcy stared. "Excuse me?" I mean, what else do you say, right?

"You can't wear that hat in here!" She's dead serious. In fact, everyone around her -- busboy, other waitresses, customers -- all look dead serious, too.

Honestly, my first thought probably wasn't what everyone else would think. I'm from the Mean Streets, and my first thought was, 'What kind of gangs do you HAVE around here?' The only time I've ever been or seen someone tossed out because of headwear is due to gang signs.

Marcy and I exchange the classic WTF look. "Um, what? You're saying that I can't wear a cowboy hat in here?"

"That's right. It's DENNY'S POLICY." She's still snarling. The busboy is indicating he's ready to toss us out if we don't immediately comply and I take my hat off. Marcy and I exchange another WTF look. She's thinking there's no way in the world I'm exposing my hat hair to the world (true 'nuff). I'm thinking that we're not going to get to eat because I have no strong belief the restaurant is going to serve us due to my evil gang affiliations, no matter where the hat goes from here.

I turn back. "But it's a cowboy hat." I have nothing other than stating the obvious at this point. "You're saying I can't come in because I'm wearing a cowboy hat in TUCSON?"

At this point, I'm wondering if I can find the gang I supposedly belong to and get them to do some kind of protest here -- we of the Pink Sparkly Hat Gang will not be denied, sort of thing -- when the waitress starts laughing her head off.

"No, no! I'm just fooling with you. Your friend told me to do it." While she and the rest of the restaurant gang crack up, she leads me and Marcy back to where Patty, Mike and the others are. "She fell for it!" the waitress shouts to Patty. "You should have SEEN their faces!"

At this news, Patty and the others start busting their respective guts with laughter. Yes, it's true -- I was punk'd by Patty Briggs and a Denny's with the best actors on the planet working there. Patty's the coolest, isn't she? Ashton Kutcher's got NOTHING on Patty Briggs! And seriously, if any of those Denny's folks are reading this, you're wasting your talents -- head to Hollywood, pronto.

It was a really great con.

Love,
Gini