Hi everyone! So this year’s GRL was even bigger and more amazing that last year, and that is saying a lot! Â I had a wonderful time and seeing everybody there just reminds me again how wonderful this community of ours really is. Â We are such a lucky group to have so many fabulous people to share our love of books and m/m romance along with us.
So last year I was really good and did detailed recaps, but based on how crummy I still feel post trip I am going to shorten it to my favorite highlights. Â I wish that I could really capture the feeling of GRL, why it is so magical. Â I am not sure I succeeded, but I have tried my best in the highlights below. Â I also have a great giveaway for you folks courtesy of the fabulous K.A. Mitchell!
I have included lots of pictures here, but you can see lots more on my Facebook page. Those are mostly in chronological order and well captioned so they will give you an even better sense of the goings on. Also, Madison Parker took almost a thousand pictures and posted them here so you should check those out as well. They are just gorgeous. Â (Oh, and all these pics here can be made bigger and clearer just by clicking. Some of the “gallery” ones show up particularly blurry but will clear up if you click on them.)
So here, in no particular order, are my highlights from GRL 2013…
Meeting Amy
You guys know I have four fabulous reviewers here and I am lucky enough to live close enough to Sammy and Melanie that I have gotten to meet them in person before. But GRL was the first time I got to meet Amy. And of course she is just as amazing and awesome in person as she is online. Â And yes, she really is as tall and gorgeous in real life as this picture makes her look! Sadly Crissy was unable to come at the last minute, but I am crossing my fingers to meet her next year.
Meeting Lisa
It is hard for me to believe that a few months ago I barely knew Lisa from The Novel Approach. We had chatted online and followed each other’s blogs, but I didn’t really get to know her until we worked on the Joyful Approach: Countdown to GRL together. And once we started talking, we never stopped. I chat with Lisa pretty much daily at this point and she is my go to person for advice, venting, and all around awesomeness. Â I laugh because Lisa and I are like good cop/bad cop. I say she is the angel on my shoulder because she is so ridiculously nice that whenever I worry I am being too hard lined about something, I check in with her. If Lisa says it’s ok, I know I am fine. And I am the devil on her shoulder because I am always telling her she needs to be tougher. So we make a great team!
Meeting her at GRL was such a thrill because she is even more awesome in person. We got along like chocolate and peanut butter and I feel like I have always known her. Â Seriously, I cried when I had to say goodbye to her for another year (but I am trying to convince her to come to RT…). Â So she is all around amazing, and if you are not following her blog, definitely check it out!
TJ and Eric Get Engaged
So yeah, this was pretty amazing. Â I was lucky enough to have a teeny tiny part of it and it really was one of the most heartwarming parts of GRL. Â As most of you know, Eric Arvin and TJ Klune kick started their relationship last year at GRL and this year TJ proposed. I actually learned about it about an hour before because I was moderating one of the earlier Q&As. Â TJ had some questions about the microphones and was talking to Kris Jacen and I about it and then just casually mentions he will need a hand held mike for his Q&A “because I am proposing to Eric.” Â I know that my eyes bugged out but I tried to play it cool. Â Then Kris and I looked at each other and sort of mouthed “HOLY SHIT!!” Â So I pride myself on being a good secret keeper, but I’ll have you know that was not an easy hour to keep my mouth shut. Â Though I will admit I told Michael Chulsky, “Trust me, you will want to stay for this next Q&A. It is going to be really good!”
I don’t know either man very well (though they are both lovely in person), but I cried along with everyone as I watched TJ propose. Â The love between these two guys is evident every time you see them together. Â Just in the way they look at each other, how they always are aware of where the other one is, of the little touches of reassurance or grabbing each other’s hands. Seriously, they are so sweet together and I wish them all the love in the world.
And after all the tears, the funniest part was at the end when Lisa was helping them open a champagne bottle. I had just asked her if she needed help, and literally as the words “I’ve got it” came out of her mouth, the cork shot in the air, hit the ceiling, and scared the crap out of everyone. I love the look on her face her and TJ jumping out of his chair.
P.S. You can watch their full Q&A, along with the proposal, here on YouTube.
Costume Parties
This year at GRL the parties were themed more extensively than in the past. And you know what that means… Dress Up! I know not everyone was excited about all the costumed events, but I thought it was so much fun. My friends and I had a great time leading up to GRL planning our outfits, shopping together online, and building up the anticipation of the events. Â I have to say, I was blown away by how fabulous everyone looked and how so many people got into the spirit of things. Â Here are some highlights from the three different nighttime parties: the Juke Joint Blacklight Party on Thursday, the Formal Night party on Friday, and the Masquerade Party on Saturday.
Meeting Authors
I am lucky because running the blog gives me a chance to interact with so many of my favorite authors on a regular basis. But nothing compares to meeting folks in person. I don’t think most of them have any idea how much we readers think of them as rock stars for their amazing writing and how it can capture our hearts.  This year I was particularly excited to meet two authors for the first time, Jordan Castillo Price and K.A. Mitchell. I am HUGE fans of both their work and was delighted to find how lovely both these ladies were in person.  K.A. in particular gave a wonderful keynote at the Writer’s Workshop and spent quite a bit of time talking and hanging out with me over the week. I confessed to her how many times in fact I have actually read Collision Course (an embarrassing number).  And as if she isn’t amazing enough, K.A. also donated a signed copy of  Red Hot Holiday for me to give away to one lucky commenter!  Here are some of my favorite author pictures from the weekend…
Charitable Events
This year there were two big events at GRL that raised money for Lost & Found Youth, a center for GBLT homeless teens in Atlanta. Â Between the Body Painting event and the Cock Walk Art show, we raised over $1000 for this amazing cause. Â Not only were the events fabulous, but it was wonderful for us all to be able to give back the community a little bit as got to hang out and enjoy ourselves so much at GRL. I would love to see this idea incorporated into future GRL events, maybe finding a local charity to sponsor each year.
Here are some highlights from the two events. Â In the body painting event, J.P. Barnaby invited friends to come and strip down and let us all paint them. Â Big kudos to Hank Edwards, Steve Leonard, Geoffrey Knight, and Jared Rackler to bearing it all along side the professionals for a good cause.
In the Cock Walk Art Show, people made assorted cock shaped crafts that were then given away in a raffle. In the meantime, Edmond Manning, Steve Leonard, and Mike Sulken entertained us by MC’ing the event, selling tickets, and creatively bending over to draw winning tickets out of a hat.
Roommates!
Last year I came to GRL basically knowing no one in real life and it is a testament to how open and wonderful GRL is that I quickly found a great group of folks. Â Early on I was lucky enough to meet Leigh Logan, Gyn Hobbs, and Alexander Gabriel, among others, and we spent most of the weekend together.
I had some much fun rooming with these guys this year, even though our room was an insane mess before too long. Between the 10 bottle bar, the 25 suitcases, and the teeny tiny bathroom sink and mirror we all had to crowd around to get ready, it was quite the adventure. Â But they are the absolute best and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Friends, New and Old!
You guys don’t need me to tell you that the best part of GRL is meeting and hanging out with people who share the same passion for GBLT romance that you do. Â As I said at the Newbie Meet and Greet, these are people who not only share our love of m/m romance, but love it so much that they are willing to travel, sometimes across the world, for a chance to spend a week celebrating that love with others.
This was my second year leading the Newbie event and I love getting a chance to share my excitement for GRL with new attendees. This year once again I got to meet some fabulous new folks who were just experiencing GRL for the first time.
And of course, there is nothing better than catching up with old friends and seeing the people who are your online family but you only get to see in person everyone once in a while.
After Hours Parties
So every night after the official evening event, they opened up the pub downstairs for an after hours party from 11-1 pm. Â I saved this one for last on my list because to me these parties encompassed so many of the things that are most wonderful about GRL. Â I have noted this many times, both this year and last, but the very best thing about GRL to me is how open and accepting everyone is. It is a place where you can let your guard down and be who you want without judgement. It is a place where you can say and do and talk about things that you often have to keep hidden at your life at home, or at the very least, be more reserved about. But at GRL, you are among not only friends, but people who truly get you and the things you love.
The other thing I often have noted (and I am sure you have seen in pictures) is that GRL’ers are touchers. Â I think there is something about people who are so comfortable reading and talking about sex and relationships, who are open to all kinds of different people, different sexualities, different interests. Â It makes them more open and free in a way I don’t find many other places. Â GRL folks love to hug and kiss and dance and grope and everyone is just so open and comfortable that it makes for such a liberating and amazing experience.
So as I said, our late night parties captured so many of these wonderful aspects of GRL. Â There is the fact that it was supposed to be a place for folks to hang out late at night when the bar closed, and on the first night it was immediately turned into a dance club (much thanks to Dalton and Travis for DJ’ing). Â I am sure that no one before us ever cleared out space in that little room and danced the night away, but some of my favorite memories are of us all crammed onto our makeshift dance floor grinding away. Â I love to dance and seldom get the chance to do it like I do at GRL, with total abandon and complete comfort.
These parties were like a cross section of GRL. There were the wild dancers on the floor and the quiet groups gathered to talk in the corners. There were young 20-somethings and older no longer 20-somethings all hanging out together. Â It is a place where you can dance on the tables in your black angel wings, or dance with your best girlfriends in the crowd and no one will judge you . Â It was a place where the last night, when my feet hurt so badly I literally couldn’t stand, that a friend got me a stool on the dance floor and I sat and danced on my butt all night while everyone gathered around.
I don’t know how to explain it exactly, but somehow these late nights just captured so much of the love, excitement, openness, freedom, and friendship that make GRL so special.
So that is my recap. I am not sure I really did it justice, but I tried. Â These were my highlights this year and I thank everyone who was once again so warm and friendly and welcoming. Â I hope that I will see you all there next year in Chicago, and that anyone who couldn’t make it this year will have a chance to come one day. Â xxoo
Giveaway
So as I mentioned, in addition to being supremely awesome for many other reasons, KA Mitchell is also amazing because she donated a signed copy of last year’s Carina holiday anthology, Red Hot Holiday, for me to give away to one lucky winner. Â I’d love to hear your favorite part of GRL if you attended, or even what you found most exciting from pictures and recaps if you weren’t. Or, of course, feel free to simply leave your name to enter.
For International folks, shipping the book will be cost prohibitive, but I am happy to give you an electronic copy of K.A.’s story Wish List from the anthology instead. Â So please note on your entry if you are U.S. or International.
Just leave a comment to win. The contest closes on Sunday, November 3rd at 11:59 pm EST.
- By entering the giveaway, youâre confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win.  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
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- Void where prohibited by law.
There were so many highlights for me. First getting Daniel there is one piece, I was under pain of death not to lose or break him! Getting to hug again the wonderful people I met last year. Being silly in the smoking shelter with Kelly, Jared, Travis, Dalton and who ever else was there! Meeting new friends who will be friends for life. The PRIDE parade before the start of GRL, Listening to so many wonderful authors read (I would never have the courage to do that!). Getting to sit next to Jeff Erno at the dine with an author. Being able to give KAM tea bags, the whole thing was one long highlight for me!
I’m upset that there is no way I can go next year, but in 2015 I’ll be back!
Oh, those are such great memories! I am glad you had such a good time as well. Â Sorry you can’t make it next year but hopefully we will see you in 2015!
Thank God I wasn’t under the same pain of death for Daniel because I took him out drinking with porn stars. ð
I truly think the biggest highlight for me this year, other than meeting new friends and seeing old ones again had to be the after parties. Not only because my friend Travis helped with the music, but because it seemed at those, people were able to be themselves even more so than during the actual events. It’s like, the main party was over and everyone let their hair down, so to speak. I hope this carries over into future GRL retreats.
Yes Mary, EXACTLY! That is precisely how I felt about those parties. It was like just a little capsule of all the great stuff about GRL. Being able to relax, and have fun, and be yourself, and cut loose. My favorite times of the event for sure. Â
I wish I could have been there – I thought that before and after seeing your pictures and reading about your favorite parts of GRL, I wish it even more! It looks like it was an amazing time, and I hope that I’ll be able to attend in the future.
We we very stressed about attending GRL as the date got closer. We are so glad we didn’t chicken out. Meeting everyone was such a wonderful thing. Everyone is so open, zany and exciting. Although meeting all the authors was a real treat we would have to say that top of our list was meeting and sharing dinner with Amy Lane and Deanna Wadsworth. Amy’s “Sidecare” is our most favorite book. And we wouldn’t be doing justice to the trip if we didn’t mention RJ Scott whose “The Christmas Throwaway” was the first M/M romance we ever read and started us out on this fantastic journey of reading. And then there is ZAM and TJ whose books we devore as they come out. So in closing; “Highlights?” don’t think there was any single one. We can truthfully say attending GRL was a highlight in our year all inclusive. Thanks everyone and see you in Chicago.
I wasn’t able to go. *sad panda* There were so many highlights from the pictures everyone shared, though. For me, the most exciting thing had to be Tj and Eric’s engagement…and Lisa with the champagne bottle…and Tj jumping out of his chair. LOL! But I also loved looking at the pics from the masquerade party. Such fun and such great costumes!
This was my first GRL and it was the best conference I’ve ever attended. I really enjoyed the Newbie Meet & Greet, so thank you so much for hosting it. It helped to know there were a lot of “virgins” there and, at my age, it was fun to be one again. *grin* I’d have to say the absolute highlight of the entire event was being present for TJ’s proposal to Eric. Awesome! But I also loved meeting all of the authors and then talking to them again everywhere I went. I had several conversations with TJ, Eric, Amy Lane, Tara Lain, Jo Peterson, Ethan Day, KA Mitchell, and more. Charlie Cochet was my roomie and I can’t even begin to say how wonderful she is and how excited I am by her future writing plans. All around, GRL was spectacular and unforgettable!
I am so glad you enjoyed the meet and greet! I love hosting it and it is so much fun to share my excitement with all the new folks. I am glad GRL was a great experience for you!
It was so nice of all you bloggers to keep us poor souls who didn’t make it updated. Â The best was the beautiful video of TJ proposing to Eric and the announcement that BOATK3 is done. Â Hoping to make it to next year’s fun! Â Thanks for the giveaway.
What a wonderful experience GRL was. It was my first and I was determined that I would go this year and I loved every minute of it. I was so anxious to meet all the friends I’d made on FB and authors that I love and finding out that everyone was even more fantastic in real life and making even more new friends was my highlight. The activities were fun but the people were all so wonderful. Where else could you find a group of that many people and not see one disagreement or sour face. All I ever saw was smiles, and heard was laughter. Having an extra few days was a bonus to see the lovely city of Atlanta and some of the great things that it has to offer a tourist. I love this genre that I’ve found which has enhanced my life so much.
Yes, one of the nicest parts about GRL (and in fact the m/m romance community in general) is how open and accepting everyone is. I am so glad it was a good experience for you!
Atlanta was my second GRL and, like last year, I had an absolute ball. Apart from catching up with old friends and new in person, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting some of favourite authors and discovering they’re just as wonderful as their writing! The masquerade ball was awesome fun and the costumes were amazing. I also thought the two book signing events were really well set out this year and I loved the booksellers room. That was a brilliant idea. TJ’s proposal was incredibly sweet and I’m glad we got to witness it. Most of all, I loved the sense of comraderie and inclusion. There is certainly no other event that I’ve ever known that attracts such an amazing group of people like GRL does.
Oh, and I’m one of the International folks ð
I REALLY want to go someday to GRL. My one concern is I would be going by myself, but you make it sound as though that is not as big a deal as one might think.
FWIW, I went my first year only knowing one person “in real life”. I had lots of online friends/acquaintances but I was still freaked out. Which is the reason I suggested the newbie meet and greet in the first place (which I somehow then ended up leading my first year, lol). But really, people are so warm and open it is unbelievable. I never felt unwelcome anywhere and it is like an instant connection b/c everyone you talk to loves the same stuff you love. So I’d definitely encourage you to give it a shot if you are able to make it work. It is really a great group of folks.
Not an attendee, but it remains a goal! I love all the updates that came in during the event and then its like it never ends when all these great post like yours relive it all again – I wanna go have fun too!!
This was my first GRL, thanks to you for the newbie meet & greet. Meeting you was wonderful, because you are as nice and fun in person as you appear to be here on-line. Everything about the GRL 2013 was fabulous…from the very first day, you didn’t feel like a stranger. Everyone was happy to meet you and bring you into the family. But for me THE highlight was TJ and Eric, I still tear up with emotions thinking about it. Can’t wait for next year!
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Aw, thanks so much Laurie and I am so glad you enjoyed the meet and greet. It is so fun to meet all the new folks and especially to meet readers! Glad you will be there next year!
It lokos like so much fun. So many smiles and love everywhere. I hope to attend one day!!!
Not my first con but my first GRL. It was fabulous. Full of highlights including one of my faves – meeting you! I was so thrilled I forgot to be mad at you for making me buy books all the time lol! You’re in trouble next time!!
LOL, thank you for forgiving me Mary! I know, I tell folks all the time I am like the crack dealer. Come here little girl, I have some book candy for you! But I will take full responsibility!
I am glad your GRL was wonderful!
I”m so bummed I didn’t get to go ð I love the camaraderie you shared, I can’t wait to go to GRL in the future.
tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com
I hoep you can make it in the future as well. Fortunately a lot of that same camaraderie is present online in our great community. But yes, experiencing it in person is definitely amazing.
I’ve never been to GRL andI don’t know if I ever will find the time to go. From the pictures above I think my favorite are the youtube video and the charitable event pictures. I’ve been following TJ and Eric on their youtube chan and absolutely adore them, they’re hilarious and sweet . Congrats to them on their engagement. The charitable event looked like fun and the body paint looked like fun to look at too.
I didn’t go to GRL, but I absolutely won’t rule it out for next year. I loved reading all the updates and blog posts about the goings-on. Yes, it’s hard to top that beautiful outpouring of love when TJ and Eric became engaged, but besides that, my favorite part has been seeing all the joy and love and fun I’ve see from all the attendees. How wonderful is it that it’s all because of a common love of these fantastic stories so many talented authors create!
So many things that were just amazing! Getting to meet some people, making some new friends, the author readings, and Q&A’s…I could go on. I never made it to the after parties, I wish I had. Perhaps next time.
And don’t forget making some rocking sets of cock themed bookends!
It really looks like such a wonderful event! I also like that there’s a strangely innocent feel to it that pop culture doesn’t let m/m have most of the time…even things like the Cock Art Walk seem to have a total sweetness to them, which is very appealing.
Yes that is an interesting observation Trix that I never really thought about. Despite the fact that all of us read/write about sex and talked about it all the time at GRL, the atmosphere is surprisingly sweet and non sexual. I mean, we could all lie in a bed together, or dance up against each other, or compliment how hot someone looks in their costume, and it was never more than sort of a sweet enjoyment of being together. It is nice to find that openness.
I am literally just sitting here grinning at my computer like an idiot. So amazing! I am determined to somehow go next year, especially as I won’t be able to go to my more local book con in June. This is just way too awesome to pass up for another year.
Sounds brilliant fun
Thank you for sharing your memories and photos! Â It looked like a fun time. Â Those of us who did not attend can live variously through this. Â And the video of TJ Klune and Eric Arvin was wonderful.
Great to see you again Julie! Â I’ve been to every GRL so far and I plan to continue for the foreseeable future. And next year I can avoid planes ð Â Such a great time to see friends new and old and from near and far and celebrate the books we love so much. Â
Great to see you too! And yes, you are lucky next year to have it so close!
Thank you so much for the GRL update! I am so sad I couldn’t go and doubt I’ll be able to go next week but I can always dream!