HC: M.J. O’Shea is here at TBG today on the GRL Blog Tour sharing her tips on how to survive GRL (trust her…she’s a pro by now), and giving away an eBook copy of one of her books!

MJ’s Rules for GRL

by M.J. O’Shea

Hi, this is MJ O’Shea 🙂 I wanted to talk about my ‘rules’ for experiencing GRL. So I’m guessing someone else will write a similar post from their perspective, but that’s okay. At least I think it is, haha. Everyone is very different, has fun a different way and has different goals in mind when they leave for a big conference like GRL where (nearly) anything can happen. So this is MY top five GRL experience rules.

1. The lobby is the center of the world. Spend a lot of free time there — really, I swear. Never in my LIFE have I spent so much time in the lobby of any hotel that I’ve stayed in. But the lobby at GRL, at least so far, has been a great an informal place to meet people, talk, hang out, maybe have a drink or two… relax in your bathrobe?? (just to be clear, that wasn’t me). If you want to talk to people, head to the lobby! There will usually be someone down there to meet.

2. Find Starbucks ASAP (or some decent coffee) — I don’t know about everyone, but it seems like a lot of people don’t exactly sleep much at GRL. There’s too many people to talk to, too much to see and do. Sleep isn’t high on the agenda. Coffee can only help. I think we walked the mile or so to Starbucks in Atlanta every day. It was SO worth it.

3. Bring Comfortable shoes — sounds like a no brainer, but really. Do it. Half the time I’m wearing a pair of converse or chunky flip flops under my dresses. As far as I know, nobody cares lol. Typically there’s a lot of walking a lot of standing and then there’s dancing too. Nothing’s as big of a buzzkill as getting somewhere only to have your feet hurt. I didn’t realize before the first year just how much I’d be on my feet. That was the last time I even brought dress shoes. (yes, I even had chunky flip flops under my dress last year for the formal night. I’m pretty sure nobody saw them. I got sparkly ones. They were super fancy 🙂 )

4. Branch Out — A lot of people have their crews, either from online or previous years, but there are new people too! This is a great time to be as much of a social butterfly as you’re comfortable being. You’ll make new friends who you can meet up with another year, and the experience will be completely different than it would’ve been if you didn’t meet them. Of course, have fun with your current friends, but I always try to make the point of finding new ones. I know I’ve met new people every year that I can’t imagine not knowing now.

5. Be nice! — I’m not going to lie. Our genre, and by extension GRL can get a bit like high school sometimes. Rumors can fly, people can get upset with each other, and whether the info is true or false, everyone hears pretty much everything in the small GRL environment (even if you don’t think they heard it, you can probably assume they have). The best policy is to be nice and friendly with whoever you speak to and vent in private if you absolutely need to. Everyone just wants to have a good time 🙂

I think that’s it from me, other than that, have fun:) If it’s a new experience or you just want it to be a little different this year, there are lots of opportunities to have a great time at GRL if you make the most of it. I hope to see you there!

Xoxo

MJ O’Shea

About Rising Sun

Castor Kovalenko, socialite and high ranking member of the Dragon Triad, is worried about his cousin, Lynx. He’s been missing for weeks and there have been rumors circling the city, rumors that he’s been taken hostage by the hacker thief Yoru Katana. Castor needs to find his cousin before it’s too late. He’s willing to do nearly anything to bring Lynx to safety.

Jaffa Sharp is trying to stay alive. It’s not easy when the only thing you’ve ever learned to do is steal. Even harder when he keeps running into one annoying Dragon prince who keeps trying to get him arrested.

When Castor uses Jaffa to get to his cousin and the thief Katana, they both learn that nothing is as it seemed, including Lynx and Katana himself. Castor and Jaffa soon become involved in a plot to take the city back from the villainous triads. They find themselves fighting the people they thought were their leaders — and fighting an attraction stronger than either of them have felt before. Nothing is certain in their precarious new world: Life, death, friend, enemy, and the most uncertain thing of all…love.

Available at: Loose Id, Amazon, All Romance eBooks & Barnes and Noble

About M.J. O’Shea

I’m Mj O’Shea:) I grew up, and still live, in sunny Washington state in a little old house. While I love to visit other places, I can’t imagine calling anywhere else home.

I spent my childhood writing stories. Sometime in my early teens, the stories turned to romance. Most of those were about me, my friends, and our favorite movie and pop stars. Hopefully, I’ve come a long way since then!!

When I’m not writing, I love to go to concerts, hang out with my friends, play the piano (and my other instruments), dance, cook, paint pictures, and of course read! I really, really like coffee and tea, nail polish and glittery sparkly things, headbands, hats, scarves and sunglasses!

I have two little dogs who sit with me when I write. Sometimes they come up with ideas for me too…when they’re not busy napping of course.

You can find MJ on her Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!

As part of this GRL Blog Tour, MJ has offered to give away an ebook copy of any of her books that are available at Loose Id or Dreamspinner Press to one lucky winner!

The giveaway starts now and will end next Thursday, May 15th, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST. After which the lucky winner will be randomly picked.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address and you’re in!

Make sure to follow the blog for the winner’s announcement post or check back next Friday, May 16th, 2014, to see if you’ve won!

Good luck!

Check out TBG’s GRL Blog Tour Schedule