I had NO clue that that was going to happen. None. And boy, was I shocked afterwards, to say the least. I’ve been a dancer most of my life, and am used to partnering and all that nice stuff, but WOW! that even surprised me.

At this point, I would say that EC didn’t do due diligence when they were hiring. I mean, these guys are Chippendale dancers – they’re going to do their Chip thing, and that’s that. I was laughing my butt off during the whole floor show because it seemed so hokey (I taped parts, too, so my friends at home could share in the mirth). The floor thing with the military stuff is part of the normal Chip show, and it’s just as silly there.

If someone was groped, or is in the future – please, PLEASE do something about it. No one should have their space violated in such a manner. The grope-ee should be reprimanded. End of story. I know that it’s hard to do sometimes, because I’ve had to do it several times in my life starting when I was still in middle school. You should tell someone.

I never saw elevator sex, not at all. Eeek! I don’t think I’d want to. I did, however, puzzle out strangeness and bad behavior from some guys that WEREN’T EC models at all. There was no group that was immune.

As for the rest – I’m new to the industry as a writer, but am a longtime reader, and I see so many signs that the romance industry (I’m calling it RI from now on) is splitting into parties. It almost reminds me of politics. There’s the conservative end, and the more liberal end. The new late Gen Xers/Gen Y authors have seen and experienced way different things in professional arenas than others before may have seen. I worked for an international touring performance group that frequently hosts micro erotic fiction contests in their newsletters and has bodypainted models at their parties. Corporate fetes in NYC have bikini/brief wearing go-gos at them, and no one bats an eye. These businesses do billions of dollars in trade a year, and aren’t in the porn industry.

Call it lax morals, or call it evolution. The boundary lines are changing, and there will be many that stand there and think that things are just flailing out of control. They’re not. For each author that loves RWA and it’s more formal environs, there is one that thinks RWA is absolutely the most boring thing ever, and can’t wait to get to RT. There’s not one view that’s more right than another, but one side will eventually win out and render the other obsolete or outmoded. Or, a whole other industry could be born, and there could just be wars between the sides. I think that’s what has happened, and it makes me sad.

I don’t think you guys are prudes. You have a different view. Both schools of thoughts are valid, but can there be a meeting point in the middle, without people judging others as being low, slutty, lacking in morals or breeding, or just plain bad?

I've seen men and women changing partners and going to each others' rooms in the middle of the night to swap. I saw key parties and men groping women in the elevators left and right. And THESE were supposed to be good, honest, decent, lawabiding men? Yeah, right. Away from home and the watchful eye of their communities, they became a different animal altogether.

How does swapping partners make them non-lawabiding or indecent or NOT good? Honesty I can’t speak for, becuase I have no idea what they were telling their partners.
What people do in their bedrooms is between them and their partner(s). If I want to read erotic romance, that’s for me to decide.

But how does it equate with a party that obviously got a little out of hand?

I’m so sorry your sister was injured so badly, but yes — thankful she’s alive. My thoughts are with you.

MyraLuz, I wasn’t in PA so I certainly can’t speak to anything that took place there — but I want to say I had no agenda in sharing my unpleasant RT experience here at Dear Author, and even hesitated after I counted on my fingers and realized the event took place eight years ago. The experience has remained pretty fresh in my mind. But I’d seen several people asking for people to come forward and share real experiences rather than heresay or rumors, and so I felt it was important that I do so. People should want to hear the truth, rather than rumors. Truth should also bring both “sides” closer together, rather than divide them further, and I think overall, that’s happened here. I appreciate Ms. Stacy and her post.

I’ve been gone from here because my sister was almost killed in a car accident. 9 broken ribs, a broken sternum, a fractured eye socket, broken nose, and various (bad) cuts and bruises everywhere. I just got to bring her home (to my house) and I’m still stunned that she survived.

I guess I now have much more important things to worry about than being called a liar, or being accused of blowing things out of proportion.

Lori

I think it’s about time the subtleties and diversities of each subgenre is differentiated in the overall marketing approach. Event organisers, as much as authors, publishers, and us readers (the consumers) have to play our parts in shaping the industry. I applaud you, Jane, for speaking out.

Add alcohol to ANY man’s agenda and chances are his inhibitions are gonna become skewed. If you throw in a horny woman who is eager to see and touch chiseled pecs, washboard abs and brawny shoulders…not to mention anything pulsing beneath the kiltie…and you’ve got the ingredients for trouble.

I attended RT in PA and I was at the EC party. Most of what happened has beenblown way the hell out of proportion, twisted and skewed and I think some people DO have an agenda where the whole thing is involved.

“I guess most of whatever was scandalous at RT (and remember, one person’s scandal is another’s entertainment) happened at the male model events — which, for obvious reasons, I skipped. Much to my dismay, I did not get groped once. And I neglected to grope anyone. The people I hung out with are like an extended family — we were at WHC together, we were at the Houma Writers Conf together, and at RT together. We’ll be at Thrillerfest and Heather Graham’s New Orleans Workshop together.

But I had great fun with the women I did meet who came in all ages, shapes, and sizes. Some were quite attractive, some were ready for assisted living. All were gracious. I can think of nothing bad to say about RT (except not getting groped).” FPW

Enough said. :-)

The spillover into public areas is definitely an area of concern, and I’m thrilled that RT will address this. Beyond the fact that such displays are in-your-face objectionable to many, it actually puts many women attendees at risk, and not from the models…from male observers who watch and think all the women attending are fair game based on the behaviour going on. Add alchohol, and these sorts start wanting to hit the models and manhandle the women. Testosterone can be an ugly thing.

By the same token, if things are happening during our event that we are unaware of that are objectionable and offensive (no matter who it is that is behaving badly male or female) then WE WILL take action moving forward. I promise and anyone who knows me knows I am a woman of my word.

I am grateful to her for coming forward (although I would have preferred her to do it privately but I understand the nature of blogging).

If you mean what you say about trying to make sure that everyone is safe, etc., and people see that you are serious, then, I think, they will feel comfortable coming to you privately. But if people feel rebuffed or judged or rebutted, even if it’s just by their own publisher, then they won’t. So you absolutely have the power to set that tone of safe confidences, and I think many people will be happy to see it working. I hope people get a chance to see this statement.

Obviously you will never be able to bring taste levels into complete alignment, and what you see as no problem in one event might be a problem for someone else (and vice versa), depending on expectations, experiences, and taste/tolerance. But again, if people feel comfortable saying their piece and really feel heard, I think that’s sometimes enough to assuage bad feelings before they build up and boil over.

As I am considering going to Orlando next year with my family, I appreciate the efforts to make it PG – at the least the public, visible events.

Thank you for posting, it is nice to see that concerns are being addressed in an effort to make the convention a place where everyone is comfortable and can focus on the positive.

I look forward to going to Orlando – if for no other reason than to see what the convention can be in a setting that benefits it.

The two conversations I had with Lori were to find out exactly what she saw so that I could address what she witnessed moving forward because we as an organization care. I only wish that Lori had come to us as it was happening so that we could have addressed the objectionable behavior as it was going on.

As I explained to Lori we were not aware of the incidents that she (and others) witnessed nor do we condone that behavior. Now that we are aware that a handful of people have been offensive we will put policies and measures in place to ensure that it does not happen moving forward.

As for Promotion Lane, I have to agree that X-rated items should NOT be offered in this forum although only a small handful of authors in the past have used them. But moving forward we will now monitor the items carefully. We are working on a form that will go out to all authors who want to place promotional items in this area that states all items MUST BE PG. This does not include book covers because if someone is promoting erotica the cover will pretty much be very sensual.

As I said to Lori WE WILL make major changes for next year. Lori said she hoped we were not changing things because of what she said. Well, we will make changes because of what she said because she raised some very serious issues. I am grateful to her for coming forward (although I would have preferred her to do it privately but I understand the nature of blogging).

Sometimes we (RT) are too close to the event and busy just trying to make everything run smoothly to see some of the other things going on in the hotel public spaces.

Because of the hotel fiasco I, along with all of my convention colleagues who worked tirelessly to make sure the workshops and events went as planned, never made it down to the lobby and the bar lounge in the evening. Had we witnessed any of what Lori and others saw we would have intervened.

Our intention is to bring authors together with fans and booksellers for the purpose of celebrating books -’ ALL BOOKS. Romance is definitely a part of our convention but we also celebrate all types of women’s fiction including mystery, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy and yes, erotica.

The fun parties that we have are for the fans and only one-’the EC Fantasy party– out of 25 is being deemed questionable which I attended and can say with all sincerity I DID NOT WITNESS any lewd behavior. Again if I had, it would have been addressed. I was with Janelle Taylor, Jennifer Blake and Bertrice Small whose 85-year-old husband was dancing up a storm having a great time. Bertrice, Jennifer and Janelle were also dancing. I was not. I was just observing everyone having a great time and saw NOTHING lewd or objectionable. Lori told me she was not there to witness what had been said but I WAS THERE and saw nothing that was described in some of the blogs.

We are a reader organization. We try to give readers an incentive to come to the BOOKLOVERS convention and they love the themed parties and dressing up. They love the Mr. Romance Competition and they love having the former Mr. Romance winners there, all of whom I can personally vouch for. Collectively they are sweet guys who have come to love the RT family. When they attend they help us in any way we need them and are always willing to assist as escorts for the ladies to get up on stage for the parties and the awards ceremony. The guys in question (as Lori stated) were NOT Mr. Romance contestants or former Mr. romance winners.

By the same token, if things are happening during our event that we are unaware of that are objectionable and offensive (no matter who it is that is behaving badly male or female) then WE WILL take action moving forward. I promise and anyone who knows me knows I am a woman of my word.

I regret that all of this negativity came out of what was otherwise a very successful convention. Dozens of devoted people worked extremely hard to make it such and I feel terrible that they are on the receiving end of the piercing accusations. They do not deserve it. I take full responsibility for not being on top of what was going on in the public spaces but it just was not possible. Next year we will have the public spaces supervised and will be ready to deal with things as they may occur.

As I said, there will be restriction on Promotion Lane next year and other than explicit cover there will not be offensive promo items on display nor will they be allowed at the Book Fair.

By Lori’s own admission there were many wonderful events, workshops and good old fashioned networking. Hundreds of readers and booksellers got to meet the authors which is the highlight of the convention for them.

It’s a shame that a few bad apples diminished all the good that went on at our convention. I know better for next year and there will be changes.

Sincerely,
Carol Stacy
Publisher of
Romantic Times BOOKrevies and Convention Organizer

I'm just glad that the RT people were more willing to listen, and to address possible problems. NOT saying they'll make major changes – but they are aware of concerns.

And maybe the fact that they are aware and if more people voice their concerns rationally it will be a first step to getting the convention to a place where people can begin focusing on the positive aspects instead of the negative …

Not saying they’re going to please everyone – because you can’t, but maybe they need to take a good look and make adjustments to the things that they can control – such as promotion alley and what is handed out.

Just my 2 cents.

SG

Anyway, I did NOT see sex in an elevator. I saw two people groping and carrying on, giving the image they wanted to have sex. Yes, the elevator was crowded and you could smell the sweat on the guy. He was definitely supposed to be a model, but whether one from RT or EC, I don't know. I don't know any of the models well enough to say.

Michelle said:

I have to ask a question about the sweat. I've seen a couple of people say they smelled sweat on a guy in an elevator and assumed they'd had sex. I'm not sure I get it. Because he smells of sweat he had sex? Has anyone stopped to think that maybe people were sweating because they'd been dancing?

Check it out. I never said he was sweaty because he’d had sex.
Don’t know where you got that.

I also never said anyone had an agenda.

Others have. Absurd as it sounds, some accused me of trying to steal attendees from RT. Course it was an anonymous person.

I think everyone should agree to disagree. This is a sinkhole of endless proportions. Those who maintain nothing was out of line, will never agree with those who saw inappropriate behavior, and vice versa.

I’m just glad that the RT people were more willing to listen, and to address possible problems. NOT saying they’ll make major changes – but they are aware of concerns.

Lori