I was there promoting Book Club Journeys, and while it was a lot of work, don’t worry, there was also play. I was able to sneak away a few times to meet a few of my favorite authors, like Kate Golden. Ask me about accidentally cutting in on that line! I ran into sisters Nicole and Lexi of Fantasy Fangirls, an incredible podcast dedicated to fantasy books. I made new friends too, like Cliché teas from Alaska. They offer delicious, high-quality teas with delightful and clever names. I realized the best place to meet people is on the stairs or at the bar. Speaking of, a special shout out to Rommel, the bartender at the Biltmore. At first I was thinking it must be weird seeing a sea of ballgowns and fairy wings in your bar, but then I remembered, it’s another day in Los Angeles.
The
Ripped Bodice, a famous queer-and female-owned romance-only bookstore, created a pop-up version of their store at the event, which was lucky for me, because it was on my list of must-visits while in Los Angeles. It’s nice when those appear in your hotel, eliminating the need for sitting in traffic. If only everything was that easy!
Honestly, there was no need to go to Hollywood proper, because we were privy to a fantastical red carpet cosplay event. Our favorite characters came to life and strutted their stuff down that runway to the cheers of the audience. I met witches, queens, fairies, dragon riders and dragons. One woman made me feel like I actually was seeing Danielle de Barbarac from Ever After in real life. I also met a lot of heroines, strong women who were creating their own amazing stories.
I went to LA alone, but I left with a bunch of new fierce friends. It made me realize, this is one of the reasons why I started Book Club Journeys. I wanted to create a safe space where like-minded people come together and celebrate what makes them happy—plus, of course, all the joy that comes from traveling to a place that is as magical as the story which inspires it. It’s not often you can step into the story.
Learn more about our newest
Book Club Journey, Outlander: Scotland.