Cookies and Lots of Wine - What You Need For Convention Season

Elizabeth Black writes in a wide variety of genres including erotica, erotic romance, and dark fiction. She lives on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and three cats. Visit her web site, her Facebook page, and her Amazon Author Page.

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It's convention season. I love going to conventions and especially staying in hotels. This year so far I have gone to the Roger Zelazny Memorial in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Anthocon in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I was going to Necon in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, but I had to pass on that one because all the money for the con went to our new car. My next convention isn't until October. I'm going to the Stanley Hotel Writers Retreat. Looking forward to staying in the hotel that inspired Stephen King to write "The Shining".

Here are some tips for staying in hotels and traveling for conventions.

1. Always have snacks handy as well as something non-alcoholic to drink. Hotels climate controls can dry you out so be well-hydrated. I always have a box of Pepperidge Farm cookies handy for when the munchies strike. 

2. Request a fridge in your room in advance so you may store things that are perishable or need to keep cool.

3. Have a pair of comfortable shoes handy to wear walking around the hotel. Many hotels do not allow guests to walk around barefoot.

4. Bring liquor. :)

5. Don't forget your razor, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, bottle opener, and cork screw. Those last two items are of special importance. If you forget something, don't worry. Most hotels have freebies for you.

6. If your clothes are wrinkled coming out of the suitcase and your room doesn't have an iron, hang the clothes on the shower rod or somewhere in the bathroom. Turn the shower on hot. Close the door. Let the steam build up for about 15 minutes. When you retrieve your clothes, the wrinkles should go away. You can always press down on the clothing with your hands and press out the wrinkles since they will likely be a bit damp with the steam.

7. If you run out of outlets, you may recharge your phone from the USB port on the back of the television. The TV needs to be on for this to work.

Those are a few of the important things you must do to make your convention stay in a hotel comfortable. Enjoy the con, buy lots of books, and have fun listening to the panelists talk.