Well, actually, I was masquerading at the “Con” as a Paranormal Thriller writer. So the experience was less Alice In Wonderland than it sounds. Though I did see the Mad Hatter while I was there…
And there was this great group of kids rocking a Harry Potter theme. They’d vamped it up with a Gossip Girl flair. How cool is that! Tons of fans were showing their Star Wars luv, wearing awesome costumes. I even saw an killer R2D2 replica. There were so many amazing characters and aliens and creatures of the night. People roaming the halls and ballrooms and lobbies in full makeup and costume 24/7. It was a non-stop spectacle that I can’t describe in words. So, here are a few pics to get you in the mood ;o) Check out the rest at my blog and Facebook Dragon Con photo album .
Now, where was I? Right—me pretending to belong somewhere where folks let their imaginations take over and fly their freak flags with pride. Why? Because I’ve pretty much been doing that since last November, when I partnered with Dorchester to publish Dark Legacy—Book 1 in my Legacy series.
You know, me—the two-time Romantic Times Award winning Harlequin series author. A writer who started her commercial fiction career penning heart-warming family stories, then discovered that she loved what a good suspense plot did for her books. An author whose earliest memories are devouring fantasy novels like T.H. White’s Once and Future King and watching sci-fi movies and TV shows like Star Wars and Star Trek. A reader who’s been a paranormal romance fan since the genre took off.
But could I really pull off a mainstream suspense series that turned out to be a combination of all those loves: family drama (Dark Legacy’s twins hate each other almost as much as they hate the mad government scientists hunting them); psychic paranormal elements (my twins can control minds, and those nasty scientists are determined to use the sisters’ talents to weaponize daydreams); action and adventure sequences (both in reality and dreams); and spicy love scenes (ditto with the reality AND the hot and sexy dreams—yummy!).
Fast forward to DragonCon ‘09, and picture me pitching my tent as part of Georgia Fantasy Authors, raising my spooky freak flag and announcing to the world that my romantic suspense/paranormal romance/urban fantasy debut was ready to greet its public. Was I nervous? Sure—right up until I walked through DragonCon’s doors that first day.
Because once I was there, I found a welcoming home full of people indulging their own fantasies, dreams and passions. I talked to avid readers whose eyes lit up as they listened to the new and unusual and exciting things I’d crafted into Dark Legacy. I found myself talking with writers and fans who loved the paranormal and fantasy parts of my altered contemporary world, as much as my romance fans are digging the characters and relationships I’ve woven through the story. I spoke on panels filled with genre authors who’d been part of this scene for years, and I was welcomed by one and all.
It’s been a wild ride, crafting my new, outside-the-box series. Letting my imagination rule. Playing with an idea and giving it room to grow into what it was supposed to be. What a great journey! What an amazing destination, now that Dark Legacy’s on shelves, and I get to see readers smile and reach for it and ask when there’s going to be more. Both at DragonCon, and at every stop I’ve made on my Dark Legacy blog tour.
Will I write the sequel, 2010’s Secret Legacy, and as many more Legacy stories as Dorchester will buy? You bet! Oh, I’ll keep writing the classic romantic suspense I love, too. But there’s no going back, now that I’ve found a creative outlet for the more outlandish side of my imagination. I want it all. Classic romance and paranormal thrills. And why not, when there’s a whole world out there eager to celebrate both with me?
Will I find my way back to DragonCon next year, to celebrate how my psychotic, psychic twins and their lovers and wicked government scientists and ancient brotherhood of watchers belong right there, in the midst of the fun and fantasy and make-believe that thrive at the “Con?” I wouldn’t miss it for the world!
So tell me, what’s your fantasy? What’s your dream? If you could fly your freak flag and do something totally out of character, what would your destination be? I’m giving away two signed copies of Dark Legacy to lucky commenters today, so tell us what you think!
For more chances to win, check out my Dark Legacy Couture Necklace contest where to enter you get to read free Dark Legacy excerpts and chose your favorite. Dorchester’s also giving away a Kindle (, spotlighting three free digital downloads, including Dark Legacy!
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Dee
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 6:18 am:
To win the lottery and take a year off from life and explore Italy in depth.
Marisa
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 6:40 am:
Hi Anna! We’re so glad you could join us today! I’m right in the middle of reading Dark Legacy and I’m hooked! It’s such a departure from your previous books – the tone, the characters, the story arc – it’s both wonderful and amazing. I’m so curious as to how you ’switch’ gears between writing these exciting paranormal romantic suspense books and the Super Romance you write for Harlequin.
As for my freak flag, well…. doing something totally out of character would necessitate me doing something spontaneous. I like ‘planned’ spontaneity. So my fantasy would be to get up one morning, catch a cab to the airport, and buy a ticket to the next plane out; and hope like heck that it was going to Cleveland or Iowa but somewhere like Paris or Madrid!
Lucinda
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 6:42 am:
Hi Anna, sounds like DragonCon was a blast. I love going places where I meet people I wouldn’t ordinarily meet.
As for my fantasy and doing something totally out of character, I think I’d very much like to explore the Himalayas. Yes, that would be totally out of left field for me but something I dream about.
Dee
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 6:54 am:
Marisa, planned spontaneity sounds like something my sister would say. I remember this one time we went on an outing and Annemarie said she had everything planned out in an “orderly fun fashion”.
Marisa
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 7:10 am:
Dee, LOL! Your sister and I would get along just fine! But Anna’s got me thinking that I should be more courageous and daring – perhaps I’ll start small and wake up one morning and not even glance at my ‘to do’ list. Now that’s spontaneity!
Carol L
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 9:16 am:
Hi Anna,
Great post as usual. I’m planning on going to Dragon.con for next year though.
I’d LOVE to slip back in time to get a hold of a gorgeous Highlander who just happened to be crazy about me. lolol lol Researching can be a lot of fun, no
Carol L.
Lucky4750@
Anna DeStefano
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 9:29 am:
Dee–the lottery and Italy. My kind of dreams!
Marisa–planned spontenaity. EXACTLY what my departure into this “paranormal thirller” experience was meant to be. I wanted to cut loose and feel no boundaries holding me back, so I “scheduled” beginning this Legacy series into my overflowing Harlequin deadlines ;o) Two years of research and tweaking my proposal later, Dorchester was on board and I was off!!! I’m working on revisions for my April Atlanta Heroes for Superromance, but I have Secret Legacy just waiting for me to dive back into in a few weeks. Can’t wait to be spontaneous again, LOL!
Lucinda, I fee like exploring is what I get to do for a living, while I’m writing about other people and their exciting lives. Dark Legacy has been a dream to lose myself in! Literally…
Carol! I’d love to see you at D*C next year. Guess what! There are TONS of men dressed in kilts there… Waiting just for you ;o)
Thanks for coming out so early, ladies. I’m settling in with my revisions to hang all day!
Cara Powers
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 11:45 am:
I’m now officially stalking your blog posts to try to get a copy of Dark Legacy. My fantasy-to be able to write fantasy. I write science. Oh, for the creativity to create an entirely new world with maps, politics, magic!
Anna DeStefano
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 11:47 am:
Cara, I’m a senior tech writer who was penning 2-3 600 page technical manuals a year for a Fortune 500 corporation when I caught the bug to write fiction for a living. Embrace the fantasy!!!
Anna Patterson
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 12:57 pm:
Just came by for a look see and seeing what you are up to.
Fantasy can go into orbit sometimes, can’t it.
But what an adventure that program must have been to be there.
Thanks for sharing.
Anna
Jan
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 1:03 pm:
ANNA!!!!!!! Fancy seeing you here. How are you? I’ve missed you?
My fantasy would be to strike some kind of jackpot so that I could spend all my time doing what I want to do. Meaning I could work because I want to not because I have to.
And traveling to Scotland and Germany would be soooooo great.
And I could go to places like DragonCon with no worries.
Jan (your “covermodel” sistah!)
cyclops8
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 2:12 pm:
I think I would like to be more adventurous and not worry about nerves and consequences.
chey
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 2:26 pm:
My fantasy is to be more athletic and adventurous.
Pat Cochran
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 5:36 pm:
My fantasy: I, too, would love to be a lottery winner!
Just like Dee! I would love to travel but would always
come back to Houston. I would love to be able to give
funds to some of my favorite causes! Probably won’t
happen, but I can dream!
Pat Cochran
Anna DeStefano
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 6:18 pm:
Waving at Anna and Jan><
Cyclops, we all worry and have nerves and think about the consequences. That measn we're human–but sometimes, you have to just go for your dreams ;o)
Chey, athletic and adventurous–Rock On!!!!
Pat, you're a sweetheart ;o)
Dee
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 9:26 pm:
Maybe I’d make it a couple of years in Italy…to soak up culture, find my muse and just learn more about my heritage.
stacey smith
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 10:14 pm:
I would dream all sorts of thing from vampire to my trexie dreams of space ship travel to other planets and living in different worlds .
sasluvbooks@yahoo.com
Patricia Barraclough
on Sep 10th, 2009
@ 11:36 pm:
That is a hard one. It wouldn’t be too far into the weird. I like historical, so send me back to the Highlands of Scotland. Throw in a little Celtic magic and lets see what happens.
Good luck with the release of DARK LEGACY.