RomCon 14 :: Traveling with Peter, Day 3

After pimping the Chocolate Mangasm event everywhere he went, Peter will never be the same. He was broken up about missing Mimosa Madness on Saturday morning, but really, the guy obviously needed the break from being penis paraphernalia.

Peter supervised as Lynda Aicher and I prepped for our very busy day. I mean, this was work people. Lynda organized a family reunion for 99 of Peter's relatives. Two cousins got an extra special invited to play CandyMan that afternoon, while the rest of the pricks were packed into their luxury accommodations, ready for their coming out party at Chocolate Mangasm that night.

We packed Peter and poor, neglected Paul into the same hole in my rolling bag, and headed off to CandyMan. It's like Candyland...only with book covers. And colored condoms instead of gingerbread people. To keep Team Hot Button (the table group Lynda & I decided had to be our friends. They had no hope of escape from us) interested, we placed the tiny liquor bottles Peter procured from his field trip atop our book covers as an added bonus for landing on Desire Renewed or Bonds of Courage. Yes, we turned Candyland into a drinking game. Our superpowers transcend reality.

The cousins were slipped into the gift bags we raffled off. The winners seemed overjoyed to meet their new companion. I suggested they be named Pacey or Patrick in honor of my fave Dawson's Creek and General Hospital characters.

After the game, we helped set up for the Chocolate Mangasm event. Or maybe we just wanted to stop dragging around a suitcase filled with a hundred pounds of peckers. The other participating authors got their bushwhacker a little early since they'd be manning their own game table. (Naught scrabble, anyone?)

In a last ditch effort to get rid of every last perpendicular pickle, we went to the Stick Horses in Pants Improv show. And of course when they wanted suggestions from the audience, Peter stepped up to bat. He starred in one skit as Sister Mary Joseph's priceless relic. He ended up in handcuffs. This cat sure gets around!

With everyone in a post-comedy show glow, Chocolate Mangasm got off with a bang. At our table, we invited guests to claim their cock by dressing him in a condom...without using your hands. There were special prizes for style -- gift cards for particularly happy handjobs and bullets for those who had no trouble with their blow pop.

Thank goodness there was a bar. There is no way we would have unloaded every single swizzle stick without it! I'm just glad no one mistook Peter for a Twinkie and dipped him in the fondue!

I had a great time at RomCon - I just hope readers remember Happily Bedded Bliss, and not just Peter!

RomCon 14 :: Traveling With Peter, Day Two

RomCon is all about the parties! Friday started out with Bridal Shower Mania. Peter was up bright and early so he could attend. Now, I was all about this #talesofthetravellingdong thing when I could hide behind Twitter. But to take Peter in hand and attend a party? Who wants to be known as the cock chick?

I tossed him in my bag and hoped for the best. The group of authors hosting Bridal Shower Mania with me were a fun bunch, but I kept Peter under wraps. That is, until Suzanne Graham started the purse game. You know, the shower game where you divide into teams and try to collect twenty items on a list from your purses. Lipstick, tissues, nail file... vibrator anyone?

Peter rose to the occasion for that one. Slapped his suction cup right on the table and he started making friends for the rest of the party. We made sure to let everyone know they could take home one of Peter's 100 brothers from Chocolate Mangasm on Saturday night.

We headed to the next party, The Naked Hero. I thought Peter might be needed, but some things are better left to the imagination. At the Readers Crown luncheon. Romance Rekindled was nominated for best erotica, but didn't get the trophy. 

After that, Peter wanted to see more of Denver. But given the location of the hotel, the only field trip available was to the liquor store. Lynda Aicher & I grabbed some giveaways for the book signing that night, as well as some liquid courage.

Peter was much more interested in the pals Carrie Ann Ryan was passing out. Lynda Aicher brought Paul, Peter's brother, to the book signing, so I left him in the room. After all, she did arrange to bring his whole family here from China. 

I wonder what Peter has in mind for the final day of RomCon...

RomCon 14 :: Traveling With Peter, Day One

Most of the time, I attend conferences as Jenna Bayley-Burke. She's paying the bills, so she gets top billing. Fair enough, for now. But at RomCon I decided to just be Jenna, in whatever persuasion worked best at the moment - sexy contemporaries as Bayley-Burke or monogamous erotica as Allen.

And I may be biased, but Jenna Allen seemed to be the more popular of the two. Maybe because Romance Rekindled was nominated for a Readers Crown Award. Probably because of travelling companion, Peter.

Peter was a gift from the lovely Lynda Aicher, who imported 100 of his closest relatives for the Chocolate Mangasm event. I had to talk her into letting him travel in style with us, instead of in the luggage like his family. Hey, when you're used to freight class, Southwest Airlines seems like a G6.

He was much happier once we arrived in Denver and he could let it all hang out in our hotel room. So was Lynda. I think she spent the flight from Portland thinking he would make an appearance on the seat-back tray. I'll admit, I thought about it.

For everyone following the #RomCon14 hashtag on Twitter, Peter announced himself with "Denver, I am in you." He became an instant celebrity. At least with the crowd at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Peter checked out the RomCon swag table before heading to dinner. He found his Halloween costume  - "The doctor will see you now."