The Los Angeles Convention Center is packed with romance writers and readers. It's a high-tech facility with an art-filled lobby and glass-walled pavilions. The crowd is buzzing. There are a number of other romance cover models working the crowds, flexing, posing for pictures, doling out hugs, and signing their autographs.
There are also dozens of author panels scheduled for the day too, and the line up is impressive.
This convention feels completely different from the last MaxSex convention. Instead of being the annoyed and disgruntled babysitter, I'm having fun this time.
I'm letting loose and enjoying every minute of this.
I'm enjoying the fans, the authors, and the outrageous swag. I'm enjoying the new books scheduled to hit the market, and hearing about the latest industry trends. The cynicism I had earlier has evaporated.
I wasn't joking when I said I felt like a new man after reading Lana's manuscript.
"Look at this," Lana says, smiling and waving something at us.
Logan and I both look over at her. She's standing at a table, holding a pink keychain pinched between her fingers, waving it around in the air to get our attention. It works. She gets our attention and we walk over to her.
At the key chain's tip, Lana is pressing a small knob that changes the message on the keychain with random spins.
"What is it?" I ask.
"It's a 'decision maker' keychain," she says. She looks amused. "This is one of the most clever author swag items I've ever seen."
"Kind of reminds me of one of those plastic magic eight balls that I had as a kid. I could ask it a yes or no question, and then flip it over to see the answer," Logan says. "A message would appear out of this dark purple solution and float to the screen."
"I think we should try it," Lana smiles. There's the hint of something devilish on her lips, and I think I know where she's going with this … and I like it.
"Okay, but you have to come up with the question," Logan adds.
I nod my head in agreement. "Yeah, your game, your question."
Lana thinks carefully for a moment and then grins. "Okay, fine. I've got it," she says. "Should all three of us go find a private room and … well you know?"
We huddle around the key chain as she presses on the knob and the messages spin, and spin, until finally landing on one. We look down and read its answer:
"Definitely not!"
"Well, that thing's no fun," I laugh. "Why does it have to be such a prude?"
"But you know … we don't need permission from a key chain," Logan grins, dropping his hint.
"You know something else? This is nice," Lana says, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "Real nice. I hope it stays this way."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Well, like I've noticed a change in you," she says, pointing at me. "You're different. You're fun. You're outgoing. You aren't the jaded man I first met. You've done a total 360. You're actually having fun at this convention!"
Logan laughs. "Thank God for that."
And then Lana continues. "And both of you are getting along. You two used to mix together about as well as oil and water, and I could forget about ever having you two in the same room unless I wanted to incite a riot! Don't you remember that?"
"Those days are over," Logan says, and I nod my head in agreement.
"That's definitely behind us," I say.
"Why all the fighting in the first place?" Lana asks. "I mean, what was the deal between you two anyways?"
I shrug. "That's just kind of how this business can be sometimes," I say. "It's cut throat, and competitive."
Logan chimes in. "This business can turn friends into enemies, and it's easy to lose perspective if you are so focused on numbers and competition."