The Short Version
The Coastal Magic convention I’ve been talking about for the last nine months was even more fun than I expected. You should have been there. Why weren’t you there? Well, I did think about you while I was having all that fun. I managed to bring back enough swag to make two of you feel like you were there.
The Contest
As promised, I’m giving away a Coastal Magic convention swag bag. I’m also giving away a second bag that has all the same swag, a few different books and a few other things I added in for fun. Both bags include a ten dollar amazon.com gift card, contributed by the amazing Chudney, who also attended the con.
All you have to do to be entered to win is decide which bag to prefer and type either the word “pink” or “blue” in the comments. You can write other stuff too. 😉 Readers who provided questions before the con will start out with one entry! For another chance to win, tweet about the pink/blue giveaway and include my handle (@charleeallden) to make sure I see it.
A winner for each bag will be chosen by random number on Saturday the 22nd of February.
The Long Version
I had a total blast at Coastal Magic. It was just what I needed. Big enough to have lots of lovely authors to meet and small enough to be able to get to chat with them. The hotel was comfy and most (if not all) rooms had ocean views across the only stretch of beach that doesn’t allow cars. I felt bad for the northerners who were disappointed by the overcast, rainy weather; but it didn’t bother me a bit. I started out and finished each day by opening the sliding door and letting in the sound of the waves.
As one of the featured/registered bloggers I spent part of my time helping with preparations and keeping things going. It gave me plenty of time to meet the other bloggers in person (we’d been chatting online until then). They were all delightful! Best of all I finally got to meet our very own Trina in person. She was there representing her own blog, After Dark Rendezvous, and spending the weekend hanging out with her was a big part of what made it all so fun.
The first event we got to attend was the author/blogger speed dating. That went by in a big blur. A few authors stand out in my memory. Damon Suede and Sara Humphreys were seated together and they were both wonderful to chat with. Both warm and open and smart as whips. Damon has that knack for making you feel suddenly more interesting than you were five minutes before. While we were talking books, I learned that his novella, Horn Gate, is actually the story created by the characters in his October release Bad Idea. He plans to run the two series in parallel. I hadn’t heard about this link but love the concept. He also gave me a Bad Idea pin – a light bulb with a devil face and horns – which I find wickedly awesome.
Another pair of authors that burn bright in my memory of the event was CJ Ellison and Boone Brux. They asked me to choose a card from the table and then read it aloud for us all to answer. The questions were from a bridal shower game so I will leave you with your imagination to figure out what the questions were about. *wink* These two authors recently teamed up to write Death Times Two, a cross over between their paranormal series set in Alaska.
That was all day one! I have much more to tell you, so stay tuned for more post throughout the week and don’t forget the contest!
Smart Girls love SciFi 
Pink 🙂
Wow, I’ve heard so many great things about this conference. Wish I could have been there! Both swag bags look great, but I’ll pick blue, since it’s my favorite color.
jessicasubject.writer at gmail dot com
Wish you could have been there, too!
The Coastal Magic Convention sounds like a blast. And, the Author/blogger speed-dating event…what a scream. I know you must have had a ball participating in that! What caught my eye in the photo of the swag bags was the hot pink bookmark (?). So, if I as selected as winner, I would choose pink.
Hi! If you’re looking at the Romance Readers Rock item at the base of the bag, that is a bumper sticker. But there are also two pink-ish bookmarks next to it. One is a dragonfly and the other has a quote and pretty dangly beads. Good luck!
Pink! I wanted to attend but had knee surgery thay kept me from traveling. I plan to be there next year.
I hope the surgery went well. It will be great to have you there! And they are adding a dance floor for the character mingle so we can dance the night away. 😉
Make it blue!
Blue is my color!
Pink please! I so wanted to attend this con but had another commitments. Will definitely scope out the above suggestions listed. I love to read this blog. Always interesting books or authors to discover.
Thanks for saying, Liz. It always makes me giddy to hear that readers are enjoying the blog. Good luck!
Looking at both goody bags is like drooling at a bakery store window. I tried to see which books were in each bag but you very craftily made it so we can’t blow up the photos… (booooooooo) SO I will just have to say BLUE, because the top book looks like one of the authors I love to read and own.
I wasn’t trying to disguise them, honest! LOL If you use your browser’s zoom feature, the image is clear enough you should be able to read either authors or titles. Good luck!
BLUE – how amazing thank you.
Happy to share the fun!
Pink…but wow is all I can say…very amazing giveaway.
PINK….you’re awesome, great swag!
Awe, thanks. *blush* I threw in a few things, but credit for swag really goes to the amazing authors and bloggers who provided it! And of course credit to Chudney on the gift cards. Good luck!
Pink!
Blue!
Really miss not being able to attend conventions like these – sometimes living in the UK sucks!
You were missed!
Didn’t you just attend a con over on your side of the pond?
Blue Please
Sounds like a fun time. I really do need to get to a con again. I’d love the BLUE so my daughter will leave it alone.
This is a great starter or re-starter con. And there may be something closer to you like it. Reader events are cropping up everywhere!
Pink please. Thanks for a great giveaway.
It sounds like you had fun,
My pleasure! Good luck!
Blue is my choose.
I am feeling like PINK! Thanks for the opportunity!!!!
You are most welcome. Good luck!
Pink please.
Blue! I would love to visit a con one of these days! Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!!
I hope you get the chance!
Thanks for playing everyone! Winners are:
BONNIEGILL — pink
JESSICA E. SUBJECT — blue
Please send me your mailing address to smartgirlsscifi (at) gmail (dot) com.