Leigh's After AAD Giveaway

Leigh here. I am home from another fabulous Authors After Dark con. Of the six, this was my fourth (let me make sure - Suffern, Secaucus, Philly, Charlotte...yep, fourth), and the second time I majorly sponsored something. The first time around I provided nice insulated lunch bags (wish I could find mine), and this year I co-sponsored a lunch with some wonderful ladies.

I rode the mechanical bull at the Torquere Press welcome rodeo. I got a hug from Andrew Grey and shared a moment with Jenny Trout in the elevator. Good times.

I sat on many panels with some amazing authors. Recall is bad at the moment, but I can tell you I sat with the likes of Andrew Grey, Shoshanna Evers, Julia Talbot, B.A. Tortuga, Kiernan Kelly, T.C. Blue, Ann Mayburn, Louisa Bacio, Sahara Kelly, Alexandra Ivy, Jenn LeBlanc, Stella Price, and Opal Carew. Not all on one panel, mind you, but throughout the week. If I forgot your name, please forgive me. Still in recovery mode here.

I have to say, too, with each convention I attend where I sit on panels...it's getting better. I haven't mentioned this before on the blog, and I can't say how many people who read this blog know, but conventions and public events challenge me. As an introverted person, I find it takes work to sit in front of people and talk, especially about my work. I am not anti-social, if I were I wouldn't bother with cons at all. When I come to these events, I push myself out a bit more each time. When I ask a stranger at my table for dinner where she came from to attend, I consider that a victory for me. You can imagine what it's like being an author who must promote to make herself known.

So if I seemed standoffish or twitchy, it wasn't you. :-) If I do six more of these I'll be the life of the party.

That said, every year I attend RT or AAD I give away my swag bag and also include some of my stuff and a few extras. I have a nice haul this time around, including the following books:

• Spider by Jennifer Estep
• Release Me by J. Kenner
• Blush by Opal Carew
• Restless Heart by Emma Lang
• Slow Surrender by Cecilia Tan
• Awakened by Virna DePaul
• Turned by Virna DePaul

Typically I open the giveaway to US residents, but I decided to make this one international. There is no purchase necessary to win, but due to the nature of the prizes you must be 18+. The swag bag will include promotion from a variety of romance authors - paranormal, LGBT, contemporary, BDSM, erotic - and ranges from bookmarks and flats to little doo-dads. I ate all the chocolate, sorry, but I guess you can go to the store for that. Be aware, if you win and are international it will take a while for the prize to get there, depending on the current postal rates.

The only thing I would ask of the winner is to review all the books you receive as you read them, either on Goodreads or a blog or wherever you talk about books. I know the authors would appreciate it.

Okay, good luck. Many ways to enter.

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