I (Barely) Survived Readers Take Denver 2024

I wanted to share my experience with Readers Take Denver 2024, the horror show of reader/author signing events. I was a signing author at Readers Take Denver in both 2023 and 2024, and I felt that I needed to speak up despite the potential pushback.
Warning, this video includes a description of a severe mental health episode that I experienced due to the stress of the event.
Links:
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Who Am I?
I'm Kate, and I've been self-publishing since 2019. That first year, I had very limited reach. My top month was $88, and it wasn't nearly enough to pay the bills. After having to move back in with my mom, I knew something had to change. So, in 2020, I started a whole new genre using everything I knew about self-publishing and social media marketing. To my surprise, it worked, and over the course of the year I was able to make $50,000, get a house, and my husband was able to quit his job to stay at home full-time. Now, I teach others how they can utilize these skills to do well with their own work.
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[@RikkiPReads]

1) As a deaf viewer, thank you for the manually done captions. 2) Not even freakin' VidCon once owned by the Green brothers charged $14 for a beer, wtf. Actually, I think VidCon was open bar but... Playlist charged us featured creators if we didn't have extra drink tickets and it still wasn't $14 for a beer!

[@gabysa14]

Wanted to share that I can confirm readers were held at the door. I was directly and personally forced by Lisa (along with 1 other volunteer) to keep readers out of Adams 1 during Saturday signings for about 40 minutes while she went down the line screaming at everyone including us.

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It's not easy to speak out publicly about this sort of thing.

[@namastedown]

This is such a horror story. As someone with bipolar disorder, I know how scary an episode where time is just missing from you is. I hadn't heard of you before this video popped up on my feed, but I am now a supporter who will go read your books. So scary :(

[@sonriecarolina]

I’m not a lawyer or anything, but I feel like there must be a case for a class action lawsuit. Especially if they refuse to give refunds. Hopefully someone with the resources can get that started.

[@kirstencorby8465]

That's what I was thinking.

[@sillygo0oser]

Pretty sure initial talking to a lawyer is free too.

[@MsTinkerbelle87]

Deffo they all have a case, the lot! This shouldnt of happened, so unsafe!

[@lookingbehind6335]

You can guarantee the host had a no refund policy in the contract.

[@graceannreads]

This is horrible. I am so sorry you went through this. There seems to be a theme lately of people who don’t know how to run events thinking they can just do it and make a lot of money off of innocent people.

[@KateHallBiz]

It was horrible. And I feel so much worse for the readers who were excited for this vacation. At least for me it was a (hellish) work trip

[@KimberlyLetsGo]

It is a trend! I have watched other industries with creators experiencing the same horrible venue and host problems. I think the venues need to vet hosts better.

[@steffymuze]

How these event organizers think this awful behavior, and the resulting fallout, won't get talked about or put on blast in this day and age is just plain arrogant, stupid, and naive. Glad they get called out. Do better.

[@lilolmecj]

There was a fiber event somewhere which sounded very similarly dysfunctional! There was no place for vendors to drop off their stock anywhere close, no accommodation was made for the possibility of rain. It rained, and rained, and rained. There were no allowances made for people with mobility options. Many people who have mobility issues take up fiber arts because they are user friendly. And people paid the same fees as similar events, which were done professionally.

[@Humbco]

​@lilolmecj Yep I was thinking the same thing happened with that fiber fair😮

[@jswink3514]

I attended - but I'm a local and live by the Gaylord so I had the luxury of just leaving when things got bad. I didn't stay for any of the night events because I was just over it by 4pm everyday. Everything everyone is saying is true. I'm so sorry you had this experience. Thank you for sharing.

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you for your comment. It was such a horrible experience

[@KGNhite]

Sounds like the person who set it up wanted a way to make more money. We need to know who this author is that set it all up because I certainly don't want to support her. Actually, the more I think about it, it was a scam. Pay for things, don't get them. Items (drinks) donated to be offered for free to participants and end up getting charges ridiculous prices. Yeah, whoever set this up is trying to pull a scam. If no one gets refunded, she should honestly be investigated.

[@KateHallBiz]

If you check the readers take Denver website it has her name 😬

[@vincen71]

Leaving stuff unsecured like that in Denver is bonkers, we have massive theft problems. Everything about this convention sounds godawful!!

[@KGNhite]

​@@KateHallBiz I got the person's name. Apparently she blamed a bunch of other people and then gave an insincere "apology" for the whole thing. Yeah, no. Not acceptable.

[@KGNhite]

​@@vincen71I hope the author who set this all up haze zero people sign up for next year. And if she refuses to refund everyone then the other authors should file a lawsuit for potential fraud.

[@vincen71]

@@KGNhiteI’ve seen her responses on threads and am shocked! No accountability and she should be sued for accepting money for services that were not provided (like storage costs for the books that unpaid volunteers had to move and unpack?!)

[@tatekaylam]

My God! I have heard countless first-hand horror stories, and it scares me to go to my first signing now. I'm crying with you, for you, and everyone who endured this. Thank you for being brave and standing up for our community. You're beautiful and strong and we as a Community will come out the other side on this. Because that's what we do. We support each other like family. And I am so thankful to be part of it. And I will be checking out your TT course because I am utter rubbish at it. So thank you for that as well. All the love and the best. ❤❤❤ Author K. O'Kelly

[@KateHallBiz]

Most signings are NOT like this I promise

[@sassycatz4470]

Sounds like these people have no business running a convention. A lawsuit would take care of that. Only professionals should be handling this type of thing. People spent real money to be there, both travel and fees. I would be livid.

[@MAWmommyUT]

I was an attendee and as bad as it was for me it was a million times worse for authors. #RTD24survivor

[@KateHallBiz]

I feel like it was horrible for readers if only the fact that so many of yall were using vacation time for this too 😢

[@mildrumpus]

Good lord. Sounds like the bookish version of Fyre Festival. 👀

[@KateHallBiz]

It absolutely was, down to blaming the people who were working at the venue for the issues

[@TalesofaHobbyHopper]

Oh my gosh, I was describing this to my husband and he was like, "The book world's Fyre Festival?"

[@montananerd8244]

I’m a little relieved…I like to guess what videos about b4 I hit play & I saw Denver and paranormal books and worried it was the airport nonsense. But this must be in my feed because I do event planning at work & cannot get enough of niche event fails!

[@sharonbiggs8061]

Look up Wool & Folk. It’s eerily the same. I’m so sorry you went through this, Kate. How awful.

[@SelinaShaw]

@@sharonbiggs8061 I was thinking the same thing. professional conference/event coordinators exist for a reason, and they are worth every penny.

[@SandySaysRead]

"I just had to pretend I was okay." Oh, sister...that touched my heart. (I've sat in airports thinking, 'just gotta keep it together 30 more minutes and I'll be on the plane,' and the like.) I'm sorry you had to deal with this nightmare. I've been at bizarre conventions (on the author side of it), but nothing, nothing, nothing like this. I've also been to wonderful, amazing, conventions where, even if something goes sideways, the event organizer is on top of it to help and fix and solve...What a shame that this caused such heartache for you...and others...

[@abibliophobe2731]

I'm sorry you experienced this. What you described was dissociation. I used to have that happen a lot when I was processing and healing through some trauma. It still scares me that it used to happen so frequently. It's definitely a very scary thing to have happen especially when it's not something that has happened before. I think it's good you spoke out about this. ❤️

[@aliwinters7847]

I am so sorry to You and everyone else who went through all of this and more last weekend. There is no excuse for the way it was handled. Hugs. I hope everyone can heal and have a positive experience the next time they choose to go to a signing.

[@KateHallBiz]

I’ve had to pull out of all future signings (even the good ones) because of this experience.

[@BertaRS]

I'm so sorry you went through that horror. I read snippets of it all on threads but your video really brought home how terrible it was. I hope you can rest now and you feel better soon ❤

[@IzzysTravelDiaries]

In my country you have to have an event planner license which you get by attending a course. Otherwise you can't organise events. I actually have this license, so it's a pretty complex course.

[@StonedHunter]

That's such a good idea I wish we had that here.

[@lauragoodman7296]

I am so sorry for what you went through. Losing time like that is so scary. Never come across you as an author but gonna go look now because I really want to support after all you went through. Just wish I could give you the biggest hug. You're amazing for getting through it all and you need to take care of yourself. No one deserves to be treated like you all were ❤❤❤❤

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you so much 🥺

[@hollyroberdsauthor]

I will be giving you SO MANY more of the best hugs!!!! You are such a trooper. The whole things was massively overwhelming.

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you 🥹🥹🥹

[@astevenswrites]

Did not know about this event, but I guess there's no loss there. So sorry that your experience was so terrible. These sorts of events should be something that readers and authors alike look forward to and get energized by. So unfortunate that it sounds like it was mostly the opposite... Thanks for being willing to share your experience.

[@KateHallBiz]

Yup I’m glad you didn’t have to experience it because it was baaad

[@BookishMandy]

I’m so sorry this happened to you all. These coordinators should be so ashamed of themselves.

[@KateHallBiz]

I agree 😡

[@happily_ever_april]

i just want to give big virtual hugs to EVERYONE who went through that. it sounds like you all survived a trauma. please take care of yourselves and your mental health. RTD sounds like they are done for just based on the sheer number of authors pulling out of future events of theirs.

[@codyh4613]

If thats trauma then you all have pretty amazing lives.

[@LisaOliverauthor]

I am so sorry you went through this. Being able to meet readers and other authors is always supposed to be a happy and joyous time, and I am so very sorry to see you in such a state, just recounting your experience. I can't imagine what it must've been like on the day. You are so brave, sharing like this. Thank you and sending you huge cyber hugs.

[@lisabrijeski3425]

I’m so sorry that it was such a terrible ordeal for you. I have been reading so many authors that had a horrible time. Thank you so much for taking a stand and speaking the truth

[@airypersiflage]

Watching you get teary only 4 minutes in after hearing how excited you were broke my little heart. And I don't even know anything about this convention!

[@amberkissick6556]

Fellow #rtd24survivor I feel horrible the way so many people were treated. I was an attendee.

[@KateHallBiz]

I met so many attendees who cried with disappointment and sadness because of how they were treated. Just awful.

[@liasawa1532]

IMO you should all be seeking legal counsel. Since I am not an attorney (but have worked in the legal field for a period of years in the past), I cannot say what I truly think about what happened here. However, I can say that unless you all signed some sort of Iron-clad "hold harmless and indemnify clause" as a part of your agreement to attend (which might still be overcome if an expert legal firm were able to do so based on extenuating circumstances), then IMO you may well be able to recover for the contractual nightmare that appears to have occurred at this "event" (and I use the term loosely). I wish you the best...

[@Wh00000]

Having been part of event staff (working for a company that gets hired for that sort of thing) I have to say that it's fucking wild that they were pushing out VENDORS who were trying to clean up after the guests were pushed out. In my experience vendors would stay behind anywhere from a few minutes to close to an hour cleaning up and sometimes just chatting. That was time allotted for them to use for that purpose. It doesn't sound like the organizers of this event knew how to actually run an event of this size. Or any size.

[@Alanna1333]

As someone who works with planning conventions and large scale events like this the failures are both the event planners fault and the hotel event planners fault. This is insane. I’ve seen event go bad but never this bad.

[@bookishnerdbyannika]

I am so sorry that this happened! I’m sending virtual hugs to you and everyone who this happened to!

[@montananerd8244]

It is kind of normal for event rooms to need to close promptly at 5. Even if you have the room for the next day, the hotel gets busiest after 5, and if you dont pay for active use, no employees are staffed to it. If guests/vendors use a room, staff have to be checking on it. And it's illegal party prevention. The organizers are a-holes, but some of the expectations seem a bit high. If a conference is held in a space without lodging, tho, rules may be different. Ive been threatened with kicking out by hotel staff for not understanding vendor room lockdown & sneaking in to rearrange. Even if it's unlocked, if it's roped off & marked closed, it's a no go.

[@lizl9027]

I’m so sorry that happened! Thinking of you and hoping you feel better soon.

[@brandystbr]

Good for you for speaking out, this absolutely cannot be swept under the rug that management is currently trying to do. I am on threads and I’ve read how many other authors accounts of what happened. I’m so sorry that happened to you, you and the other authors did not deserve that treatment, and I’m sorry that you are feeling too traumatized to do any other reader events. This is one reason why I personally don’t do big reader events like this, my anxiety would be so high, plus I have mobility issues to where I can’t stand for how many hours. Is there anyway you and other authors can’t sue the management involved? Since books were stolen, and it was on them to make sure that didn’t happen.

[@KateHallBiz]

I believe a lawsuit is in progress 👀

[@YW2324]

Thank goodness 🙏🏻

[@johnjenkins9445]

Thank you Kate! Please hang in there sweet. In time, I hope a much better solution can be found to share your art and self with all your loving fans :)

[@booksvsmovies]

I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience at this convention and you were definitely treated poorly and deserve apologies from the organizers. But as someone who has worked and volunteered for festivals and conventions while it may seem like there was "nothing" happening after your scheduled time to be in the centre and therefore you should have been allowed to stay as long as you wanted the people who are working and volunteering at any given convention are working scheduled shifts with end times and they cannot leave until the last person in the centre leaves. If you let people stay as long as they want to your shift can go from 6 hours to 8 hours which when you've been working all day really isn't fun. Beyond that legally a lot of the times the permits conventions acquire to run specifically only allow the event to be run for specific time frames. Going over that time could mean being heavily fined by the city. This information definitely should have been communicated to you clearly (and politely) and well beforehand and time should have been allotted for people to break down their displays. But there is often very good reason why convention staff needs everybody out of a space at a certain time.

[@fernlikespossums]

yeah definatly but i think that it would have been good to make an extra hour for people to like. get their stuff togther (not the employees the organizers)

[@KateHallBiz]

The issue is that they were screaming at us to get out five minutes after the allotted end time and throwing people’s books. It was a nightmare

[@booksvsmovies]

@KateHallBiz yeah that's deffinetly horrendous and way out of line. Any convention worth a damn would have told all of its authors exactly when set up and take down would be weeks before the event even started. You are 100% right to be upset at how you were treated.

[@GreatGreebo]

Your video appeared in my recommendations so I clicked…. *Oh my!* It sounds like the book version of *Fyre Festival* . Nobody deserves to be treated this way (especially people who has paid to be there!). Hang in there.

[@quixoticquotient8041]

Sending you hugs. This is horrible that it happened to you and many others. Pls take care of yourself, take time to recover and know there are people who support you. I've never done a signing or book convention but I've tabled at my fair share of comic/anime/pop culture cons. There was only one that was a mess like RTD was. I can joke about it now but it was traumatizing. Pls don't let this stop you from doing more. Talk to your bookfam, research/ask which events are 3-5 years established and well run. You deserve to go to a signing event and have a positive experience. Thank you for making this video. You are a strong, beautiful, positive being. Take care. Love from California.❤❤❤

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you so much for this

[@mchjsosde]

Im so sorry. I was randomly recommended this video, don't know anything about this event or you but your experience makes me so sick. I see from your channel that you have had success in writing and I hope you're able to heal from this experience so you can actually enjoy the spoils of your success in the future

[@mchjsosde]

Also you did look amazing in that picture with the red shirt 😆 yes girl

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you!! For both comments 💖

[@morganleanderblake678]

I've been running a massive event in an expo center for years. The antics of this event are just heinously negligent planning.

[@agandmc1081]

What an awful and traumatizing experience. Thank you for being brave and sharing. Big hugs to you.

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you so much!

[@artphotognh]

I enjoy hearing about debacles like this, because I had to deal with many before retiring & escaping these nightmares. But your suffering had me in tears. It's a shame that standards for everything not only continue to degrade, but are reaching levels that exceed Idiocracy.

[@TheDarqProject]

Holy crap. This whole thing sounds like a nightmare.

[@RedVal91]

Wow, just wow. I am sorry this happened to all of you. I hope you all will be happy to hear that they have cancelled next year event (no reason to why on the message of their website, of course) and they have also erased their Facebook and Instagram accounts. I can only guess this is thanks to attendees and authors like you who have talk about the organization and the experience of visiting the event. Well done to all of you!

[@StonedHunter]

I'm so sorry y'all dealt with this. This is completely unacceptable and the fact someone got dropped from their agent for questioning the event runner is DISGUSTING. I hope they feel safe enough to come out and expose which agent it was so other authors know not to work with them.

[@BrittanyWrightAuthor]

I want to hug you and cry with you. You all deserved so much better. I wasn't there, but I know if I was, I would probably have left Friday. I have really bad anxiety as it is. Nobody should have gone through that. I'm always here if you need someone to talk to. *Hugs*

[@jenniferliang3166]

Sounds like the Fyre Festival of books

[@plicketyplunk]

Absolutely! What a nightmare😮

[@plicketyplunk]

Sometimes there is an upside to being a hermit. I could not have coped. You are much braver than I.😊❤

[@KateHallBiz]

I’m usually a hermit but I so rarely get to see my friends, so this event seemed like a great opportunity. It was not 😬

[@ravent3016]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience.

[@ThunderStruck1637]

I'm sorry this was so stressful for you. Thank you for your openness and vulnerability. Sending you hugs!

[@Douglasm101]

I dont know why i opted to watch a 30-min video, but i greatly respect your courage. Sometimes it's important to call out disgraceful, abusive, & selfish agendas. You did not hold back sharing your personal pain. This is real. Thanks for your honesty & for caring.

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you for watching! Even if I’m a little mortified at the number of people who’ve seen me cry on KZbin 😅

[@LauraBurtonAuthor]

It takes so much trust to attend these kinds of events. I'm so disappointed you experienced that nightmare. I would need a full month of isolation to recover. Hope you're okay.

[@thatgirlintexas9065]

Bless your heart ❤️. I am so sorry you had to go through this and this should not have happened. You definitely should file a complaint and request your money back. Now that I heard your story, I am hearing many more. I think you would have a bunch of support if you did. I hope you have a better week coming up and you heal from this trauma. ❤ You came up in my feed so I subscribed and now will look for your books.

[@Fyrsiel]

The way they were shoving people out of rooms with such hard deadlines makes me think they were renting those rooms by the hour or something, and they'd get charged extra if they went over time.

[@LilyEvans1996]

Can attendees get together and sue the event organizer

[@KateHallBiz]

If someone starts it I’d happily join in

[@brandycantrell3261]

Big hugs! I'm so sorry y'all had to go through that and I'm super glad that I didn't go.

[@montananerd8244]

I'm learning so much about creatives as salespeople.! So, i wasnt there but if i had been hotel staff, i would have said something similar to Rebecca, but not to be mean! That's a kind of jokey dark compliment that competitive vendors love. I have said similar things, but they were received by fellow vendors well! It means youre killing it! I dont even sell stuff, i give away education materials & convince ppl to get involved with public history & specialize in earned media, but i fully love, respect and want to destroy the organizations that overlap with us. It sounds terrible i guess, but most of us who sell/promote love it lol. Like i will recommend the other museums in town, theyre awesome, but i want more attention & participation than they get and i love racking up wins against them for funding, awards, media etc. I honestly thought you all were quite competitive, and it seems more collaborative. So the organizers definitely did a horrible job, but i think the hotel staff were likely just trying to enforce contracts signed by the organizers (there are often hard rules about when sales must end, i dont know why tho, but it's very common), and the organizers apparently communicated terribly & forced the hotel to do their dirty work. That plus event staff used to competitive salespeople explains a lot.

[@kdmccrite]

Appalling, disturbing, disgusting, and diabolical. I am so sorry you and other authors had to go through this experience. As an author myself who loves and values readers, I am really, really sorry they had to be subjected to such a dark event.

[@dixiechick6652]

Big hugs- experiences like this can stop us from doing things that we love. I wish you the best.

[@v.m.8472]

I wanted to attend but I am glad I didn’t have time! I live in Denver. The atmosphere here is generally fraught and things are generally chaotic and crowded.

[@KraftyAwareness]

This doesn’t surprise me one bit to be honest. I work in the convention industry since 2018 and I’ve worked with tech, medical, business, hobby, etc. People who start a convention unfortunately don’t do enough research AND don’t realize the amount of money it takes AND how much staff you really need to make a convention a success. They cut corners just so they don’t lose any money and in the end make EVERYONE suffer because of their greed.

[@mishalci4399]

Omg I hope you get to de stress and are feeling better now. What a nightmare, I send you good vibes and hugs! I want to support your work bc you seem nice but also I like fantasy❤. Ty for speaking up, it’s hard and scary I’ve had to do that before too, against ppl with power.

[@KateHallBiz]

💖💖💖

[@asdfghjklasdfghjkl321]

I'm not sure what I can do, but hopefully my view, like, and this comment helps with the algorithm 🥺❤️

[@KateHallBiz]

Thanks 🥹

[@thenovelcharacter]

The thing is no matter how famous the creators are, this type of behavior will keep people away. 100% they have shot themselves in the foot. I’ll never attend this event. I’m so sorry this happened to you, and all the attendees.

[@KateHallBiz]

Yuppp we can only hope it just doesn’t happen at all next year. I hope the event center won’t host them

[@BookWyrm1060]

i dont understand how they could have messed up so bad and then been like "it's not our fault". I'm sorry for the people who experience this in such a horrendous way - when it should have been one of fun, joy and good memories.

[@KateHallBiz]

Yeah the lack of accountability is really the big thing for me

[@KimberlyLetsGo]

O.M.G!!!!!! This is horrifying!!!! Please write the hotel/convention center PR folks and let them know what happened. Encourage others to do the same. There is no way that they should host Readers Take Denver or any other event they think they can 'manage' to host.

[@ChristinaBritton]

I'm so so damn sorry you and others had to go through this.❤

[@LuvGokunut]

Thank you for sharing your account of this disaster convention. I'm so sorry you and every other author and reader went through such an awful ordeal. But you have a new fan/subscriber now! And it looks like Readers Take Denver 2025 is cancelled, so that's something!

[@alexzitro5866]

As someone who worked that event on the hotel/convention side I can say, it was just as bad for us as it was for you. From miscommunication of the event organizers to last minute schedule changes to budget cuts and misalignment on all fronts I’m sorry for everyone involved in this experience it was not pleasant for anyone it seems.

[@KateHallBiz]

Yup an absolute sh*tshow

[@geewhizalison3068]

1. I’m sorry this happened, what a craptastic experience. 2. My guess is because of the stress, altitude, and dehydration that often occurs at high altitude - your body was having a physical response causing you to lose time.

[@tealbricks]

That sounds truly awful. I am so sorry that you experienced that.

[@operation_turtle]

how does a book event organize by first name and not default by last name like every public library and bookstore?

[@KateHallBiz]

You’d think a BOOK event would get that right haha

[@blackcatseye22]

Thank you for sharing your story.

[@melindamiller9515]

The whole thing was a money grab. They should have registration broken down alphabetically for all by last name, all items in bags. No communication between site and organizer. Taking advantage of volunteers is a sure way of not getting those volunteers again. I've never heard of such things at a conference, and I've been to many. I'd never go to that conference again! It's plain that minimal effort went into it with maximum money to get out by organizers with no thought of authors, customer base, or staff.

[@QueenCoco]

dang the book community has realy been through the ringer these past few months.

[@sugarveins]

i'm an aspiring author and currently living in denver. i guess i'll know to avoid this convention in the future.

[@jayfalcon-rw3qc]

I think part of the problem is they were supposed to officially end the event before their time slot ran out. Like, you book the room until 5pm but end the event at 4pm or sooner. The last hour or more should be for break down and cleanup

[@allisoneuph1]

Sending hugs!

[@CMinusMelendez]

They know the lawsuits are coming, but feel compelled to make a statement, that is why they take zero accountability.

[@rachelgalvan5128]

Hugs to you. Thank you for your bravery! 🫶

[@TimeTravelReads]

I'm so sorry for what you went through.

[@heyimsasa]

i'm really sorry you went through such a horrific ordeal and the fact that you and others couldn't speak up against her because she's a powerful force in the industry who could ruin your livelihood makes this even more sinister.

[@denisadellinger4543]

What a nightmare! They can deny stuff but they cannot take away your experience.

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you for this comment 🥺

[@brittanyphillips9157]

Sending you lots of love, I only heard of all this through Threads. Watching this video it seems pretty clear to me that this was extremely traumatizing for you. Don’t let anyone gaslight you into thinking it was less than it was 💕

[@KateHallBiz]

Thank you 💖💖💖

[@TangibleReads]

Glad you are ok

[@QueenPrism]

I saw the mark on your eye and thought that you had been physically assaulted, I checked your page and realized it was just a mark. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience, I'm glad no one hit you in the eye though.

[@KateHallBiz]

Yeah it’s just a birthmark haha but it was still pretty bad

[@alliedavidson4175]

So you mentioned 20book Vegas. I've been twice now, and already signed up for Author Nation 2024 (the new folks taking over). It would be fantastic if someone takes over RTD and consults with the organizers of 20book/Author Nation and uses that as a model of how a conference/convention can be beautifully organized. I'm so sorry this happened. I didn't go, but I've heard the horror stories. It sounds like a complete nightmare. At least it's been cancelled for 2025 and perhaps a group of folks can either take over or rebrand and make it a memorable and fun event.

[@catkinsanctuary]

I'm so sorry!!

[@BoReads]

Damn that sucks I'm sorry. My recommended was randomly flooded with this event or I wouldn't know. Steering clear from that.

[@lindameek8733]

Do you have a website to buy your books from, I had done alot of preorders, and could not even meet all the authors, I did get my preorders, I just picked them up without meeting them.

[@KateHallBiz]

Mine are all on Amazon but I also do signed books through my TT shop at AlexisPiercePNR (it’s down right now because I haven’t gotten more stock in since Denver)

[@jessicabridges4335]

Hugs. I didn’t go, but I feel for you all!

[@TheAdarkerglow]

Well, if it was a Scam or Fraud, I hope she's happy with the money she made, because I can't imagine there being a 'Next Year' with this kind of record, and if she's an author, her name is now tarnished, possibly beyond recovery. I'm really sorry for you and everyone who endured this mistreatment and harm.

[@acheartist]

I live in Colorado and am furious fraudsters have abused and used guests of our beautiful Mile High City in such a horrendous act. You asked for accountability and got nothing. I implore you to file a class action lawsuit and DEMAND accountability. On behalf of the State of Colorado, I apologize for your treatment and egregious reception. Please put contact info in your description box where we can lodge complaints.

[@punkinpiebeadyeye]

This is unbelievable. People just don’t have common decency anymore. 🥺

[@neist]

While toaster strudels aren't worth thousands of dollars, I have to admit they are pretty amazing. I'm sorry you had a difficult time. Hopefully, a few weeks out, the trauma is somewhat diminished.

[@tiffanyblue6894]

Im so sorry you went through that

[@marialeeper-uj8mr]

So glad I didn’t go.

[@jshain4117]

It looks like they completely deleted their social media accounts and cancelled next years event. I think the only way it should be brought back is if someone who actually knows how to run a convention and not just someone wanting to basically scam people.

[@lindameek8733]

I love Maggie Cole too, it was great to meet her

[@classicforreal]

And people wonder why I keep calling Colorado a shithole and Dry Florida

[@pbg624]

This sounds like a lawsuit and huge one at that.

[@skachor]

20:30 or so - them forcing you out without regard for your own belongings or readiness is inexcusable. I dont think standing up for yourself was in any way a bad thing. Pushy people bother me to no end, though.

[@uqox]

...I have to ask. I'm a science fiction and science fiction/paranormal romance fan. Are there well-run book conventions out there to attend? I'm getting such horror stories from some conventions I used to attend for several interests. Seriously, what is happening with these conventions???

[@KateHallBiz]

This one was OUTLANDISHLY bad. I highly recommend starting with smaller events because they’re usually a bit more manageable 💖