Damn It.

Due to my medical bills, the only convention I'll be attending next year is Coastal Magic in Daytona, FL.

Normally I don't talk about this, but one test, JUST ONE, cost me over $1400. That was the sleep test to see if I had sleep apnea (I do, but a mild case). If you don't believe that having a chronic disorder can cost you in more than pain, here you go. Aqua therapy will be an on-going thing, but something I can do on my own. The therapy for my shoulder is done, but I still have some work to do at home as I haven't got complete mobility back. But all of that cost me as well. Add in my prescriptions, doctor's visits, etc, and Dana has no convention budget left to speak of.

So, yeah. I'm totally bummed, but I'd already planned on skipping Lori Foster's Reader Author Convention (one of my favorites, too) due to Eldest Son graduating high school on the day that convention starts. So next year will be me playing catch-up, and I plan on enjoying the hell out of the one convention I'll be going to.

Don't worry, this is all stuff I can deal with, but it bites into my convention budget for next year big time. I'll be back in 2018's convention circuit. I plan on continuing my participation in both Coastal Magic and the Lori Foster's Reader Author Convention. I haven't decided about MBLU, and I won't until I attend it, so please don't ask. As for the larger conventions like RT and RWA, I may have to continue passing on them. Way too much money for me at the moment, and I don't want to promise you guys something I can't deliver.

I want everyone who is attending these cons next year to have a wonderful time, and to toss one back for me, okay? Even if it's just a cherry pepsi.

You all should know how much I love my wild cherry pepsi.

P.S.: The only cons I've mentioned that I haven't yet attended are MBLU and RWA. The others I have, and I've enjoyed all of them.