Guest Post: Kris Jacen ~ Missing Everyone This Year

Diverse Reader is so happy to welcome Kris Jacen to the blog today. She's been a part of this community for a long time and has shared her talent with us thankfully. She was all registered for GRL this year and BOOM real life hit. So, even though she can't be there this year she has stuff and things to say to everyone.

Missing everyone this year

In previous years, I’m one of the excited ones at this point. GRL is in just a few short weeks. Getting to see friends, meet new ones, hear about new books. It’s a wonderful few days that we all look forward to. There are countdowns everywhere.

This year I was all registered. Had my reading time slot, my lounge spots were set. I’m even part of an anthology with five other authors (Ann Lister, TL Travis, Lynn Michael, SJ York and Elle Keaton) where all our stories are set in or around a bookstore that we all wrote as something for GRL. But alas, real life has taken over and I now can’t attend.

A few survival tips from someone that’s been there a few times for everyone:

-          Keep hydrated! Especially this year in Albuquerque. We all think we drink enough water at conferences but then so many get run down as they’re trying to do everything and see everyone.

-          As much as this one is going to hurt, don’t try and do everything. There are so many amazing spotlights, events, authors and readers to see and talk with it’s hard to limit yourself but try so you don’t get the con crud to bring home.

-          Remember to eat. I know this should be a no-brainer but as someone that went over 34 hours during the first GRL without eating anything substantial, it’s necessary.

-          Take the time to just sit and enjoy being with everyone. Take a deep breath and a quiet moment or two to appreciate all and everyone around you will mean a lot when you look back at your GRL experience. Some of my best memories are the quiet times talking with one or two others.

I’m sad that I’ll miss seeing everyone this year. If you were looking forward to getting my signature on something, see TL Travis. She’ll have labels with my signature on them that you can stick in/on a book.

Kris Jacen grew up just north of Boston, Massachusetts, met her soldier in high school but didn’t marry him until almost ten years later. She moved around with him and their daughters (born in two different states thanks to the Army) for the first 19 years of their marriage (they celebrated their silver anniversary in 2018) before settling in western New York.

She has been the Editor in Chief and Formatting Director for ManLoveRomance Press and its imprints since January of 2008 and has never looked back. Working with the amazing authors at MLR has allowed her to both hone her editorial skills and indulge her inner fangirl. She also acts as editor, mentor and sounding-board for newcomers which lets her “pay-it-forward” and help authors realize their dreams.

You can find out more about Kris on her website www.krisjacen.com.

Amazon: smarturl.it/KrisJacen

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kris-jacen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kris.jacen

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1027160227461354/