Another event report: Lust in the City

I took a chance on another first-time event, Lust in the City, held in East Lansing, Michigan on Saturday, November 5. The organizer noted that Murphy's Law really applied to her experience in hosting the event: whatever could go wrong did. The big upset came three weeks before the event when the original venue canceled her contract in favor of a more profitable client.

(Yes, the organizer is working with a lawyer to get a full refund, because that venue beached the contract.)

The event was relocated to The Graduate Hotel. For someone unfamiliar with the city, the proper proved to be difficult to locate due to the lack of signage on the building or on the streets. Even the GPS on our cell phones couldn't locate the place. However, the property itself proved gracious and accommodating.

The new location, however, isn't centrally located within the Michigan State University campus, and the conference room used for the event wasn't where it would get any pedestrian traffic. The organizer's choice for the original location was calculated to take advantage of the university's female student population: "You know they're reading romance!" To counteract the lack of pedestrian traffic and lock in interested attendees, the organizer sold tickets for event admission with VIPs paying a bit more for some additional goodies and early access.

Most of the 152 people who bought tickets attended. The organizer reported the event was able to donate over $1,000 to a local charity for domestic and sexual abuse survivors.

Of the 17 authors registered to attend, four canceled at the last minute due to family emergencies. Those of us, including me, who were there took advantage of the empty tables and commandeered them. I was glad my friend, Cindra, and I had brought our paintings to sell.

The event kicked off with a small reception on Friday evening. The organizer had arranged for a cash bar and most of us indulged in a drink or two. It was relaxed and a lovely way to get to know some fellow authors. We discussed the event, our books and genres, and various other topics. I believe VIPs were also invited to the event, but few came.

Cindra and I did not stay at The Graduate (nor had we made reservations in the group block at the Kellogg Center, the original venue). We stayed at the Hyatt Place just a few miles away. Wonderful hotel. I will definitely consider Hyatt hotels for other events.

We spread out our wares over two tables. Unexpectedly good sales the weekend before and an anticipated delivery date for author copies to sell another two weeks away left me low on book inventory; however, we had more than enough paintings to fill the space. Cindra did quite well selling her paintings. I did better with book sales and sold only two paintings.

The event itself ran smoothly. There were no visible hiccups or problems other than the surprise of being forced to use valet parking unless one wanted to walk eight blocks to get a free parking space. The venue's staff were gracious, informative, and accommodating: The Graduate obviously prioritizes good customer service.

The organizer reviewed feedback from authors and attendees for next year's event. She will work on including free parking, breakfast for authors (and maybe VIPs), meet-and-greet panels, dinner, a light lunch for authors (and maybe VIPs), a photo booth, some event-specific vendors, and (possibly) an after-party with deejay. With this event specifically targeted toward authors and readers of romance, she's got a wide audience to work with. Romance is a genre known for its voracious readers and prolific writers.

I foresee a lot of potential with Lust in the City, as evidenced by the organizer's ability to sell tickets to attendees. Although I didn't come close to breaking even, I am hopeful that I'll do so next year as a returning author. Romance authors who are interested in the 2023 event can sign up here to indicate their interest: https://forms.gle/uB2xTYktLXzPSZ3DA . Those who'd like to sponsor the event and support its charible mission can do so here: https://forms.gle/Yigazhek1iCZEu8b6 .

I've already signed up to participate next year.