utopYA Con Survival Guide and Pre-Order Wants *grabby hands*

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm here to tell you about a lot of stuff going on! Authors with pre-orders and table goodies (and where you can find them), goodies I want personally, some pictures from last year, and a little tips section on what you might want to bring/wear to utopYA Con. Ready? Get those pens and notebooks, and let's get going!

First up, I'm sharing the link to the pre-order list hosted by the always awesome Maria Pease. You can check out what kind of deals/sales the authors are offering, and find some amazing swag.

Go HERE to visit Maria's blog page with the info.

Now, for some of the items I really, really want:

Preorder items:
GB7: Liz Long & Laura Howard - Liz is giving away a tote bag I have my eye on with every purchase. She'll be Thursday and Friday. Here's a pic of the design:

GB13: Mary Ting/M. Clarke & Alexandria Weis - Mary is giving away a tote bag when you pre-order a series (plus, it's buy three get one free). She also has a two-day table. Here's a picture of her totes:

Bella Roccaforte is giving away an original painting for every pre-order. You can find her at the Saturday ARMI signing. Here's a picture of one of them (each one is different):

Items in giveaways:
PT2: Carly Strickland & Amy Leigh Strickland - Raffling off this beautiful journal on Thursday:

GB20: Nadege Richards & Komali da Silva - Raffling this awesome game Thursday and Friday:

GB40: Christina Mercer is doing something different! You sign up to WIN her books via her Google Doc. She has a two-day table. Check it out here.

There are more! These are just a few of the ones that caught my eye. Get your pre-order on!

Here are a couple of tips from me to survive the con.

What you should pack clothing/personal wise:

• Well, there's a film premiere AND an awards ceremony, so you might want to pack a dress. This can range from a summer dress to a ball gown and includes everything in between. Some folks wore jeans. It's all about what you want your pictures to look like.
• For the daytime hours, dress comfortably and bring a jacket or sweater (sometimes the rooms get cold) unless you wanna step outside often (it's super hot outdoors). Most folks wear jeans and a nice shirt or a t-shirt. Again, this range is huge.
• Shoes are always a good idea (make sure they don't hurt your feet - you'll walk more than you think).
• Something steampunk for the Friday night karaoke (if you're dressing up).
• Curling iron if you use one (the hotel has hairdryers).
• Makeup if you wear it.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste (yeah, I didn't forget either of those last year...).
• Breath mints (you know, just in case).
• An extra (empty) suitcase for all the books you'll score!

What you should bring if you're an author:

• Books - Business wise, the rule of thumb is 1% of the total number of attendees - twice that for a new release.
• Swag - Stuff that's book themed that you can give away.
• Items - Stuff that's book themed that you can sell.
• A couple of good pens, and at least one sharpie.
• Something special for bloggers (they love prizes).
• Any raffle items you may have (see above).
• Table decor (including linens - those aren't provided).
• Something to set your books up on so they're showy.
• A big smile.
• A notebook for panel notes.

What you should bring if you're a book blogger:

• An idea/map of where the authors you want to visit will be sitting.
• A pen, and at least one sharpie (you know, just in case).
• Something to carry all your goodies in (see info about tote giveaways above - and you'll always have the one from utopYA con).
• Some way to post to your blog about all the awesomeness!
• Your outgoing side.
• A notebook for panel notes.

If you considered bringing an attitude, I'd suggest leaving that behind. You'll be shut down quickly. *grins*

A few survival tips to make it the best experience possible:

• Be sure and eat breakfast every day. I know the temptation to skip is there, but don't. You'll be out of energy before ten and won't have time to leave your table to grab something.
• When everyone breaks for lunch, GO.
• If you're approaching an author, just do it. Don't be shy, because they love, love, love meeting readers.
• Don't drink until you drop. I know you haven't been away from home without kids in a while, but just don't do it.
• Be a professional in everything you do and say. People are watching you, and news travels fast.
• Be kind. There's no room for cattiness. You'd be surprised how quickly you'll be shut down.
• Sleep! Get to bed at a reasonable hour. You'll be up early.
• Drink plenty of water. I know this sounds like a duh thing, but dehydration will kill your energy level as quickly as not eating.
• Get to know your fellow authors. If nothing else, read their interviews here on my blog so you'll recognize their faces (I have two year's worth on there, and many of them are repeat offenders).
• Attend the panels. Go to the sched app and set up your day(s). It's worth it.

Well, I hope these tips and tricks help you. Be sure and visit the other official bloggers this month for more tips and tricks!

Did this help at all? See you at utopYA!

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo