TARGET: TAMPA

Sponsored by Suzanne Brockmann & Ballantine Books
Produced by EMA

Note from Suz:  Join me as I celebrate the release of HOT TARGET with a weekend blast in Florida!  

I love having the opportunity to  get together with my readers, but while I'm on a book signing tour, I usually dash into town for a very brief stay, and then dash right out and onto the next store.  But I'm planning to do something different for the release of HOT TARGET!

Yes, I'll be going on tour, but it will only be a mini-tour, compared to trips of the past!  That's because I'm hoping that folks will be intrigued by the idea of traveling to Florida to spend a weekend in January with me, some special guest authors, and a bunch of fellow readers!  (Florida in January!?  What a GOOD idea!!!)

Here's the scoop:

When: 
Friday, January 14 through Sunday, January 16th, 2005
(With a special optional Monday "event" to be announced for those who want to stay and hang an extra day!  More on that below!)

Where:  
Clarion Tampa Westshore Hotel
5303 W. Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL  33609
Phone: (813) 289-1950    

Conference fee:  

What's included:
(Note:  Activities in the Saturday Only package are noted with an *)

With Suz:

Other Guests:

Social Life:

Fun & Games:

Sound like fun?  It's going to be!  Click HERE for our registration form!  

Special Bonus Deal:  First 90 readers to register and pay for the full weekend will receive their choice of a free, signed/personalized first edition of: THE ADMIRAL'S BRIDE or IDENTITY: UNKNOWN or GET LUCKY!

****Please note:  The Target: Tampa conference fee does not include cost of hotel room.  You must make hotel reservations separately!

Readers from Out of Town:

We've reserved a block of rooms at the Clarion Tampa Westshore Hotel, at the low, low price of $89.00 (plus tax) for a single/double room -- which includes breakfast!   (There's an additional charge of $15 for each extra person, limit 4 people per room!)  (Note:  a King Parlor Suite is $129 (plus tax) including breakfast.)  

This rockin' awesome-for-January-in-Florida rate is available starting Monday, January 10th through Thursday, January 24th for readers who want to stay for a longer vacation!

This cool hotel has:

Note:  There's a limited number of rooms available, so make your reservation soon by calling 800-353-9536 or 813-289-1950.  Make sure you request the HOT TARGET rate to get our special reduced price!  You can also fax your request to 813-286-2563. 

(Note for folks flying in and out:  Activities will start around noon on Friday, and kick into high gear on Friday night.  The party will continue until Sunday evening.  Monday's tentative event will end by 3:00 p.m., with optional casual hanging out on Monday evening.)

Delta is the official airline for Target Tampa. Call Delta at 1-800-241-6760 Monday-Sunday 8:00am-11:00pm Eastern to take advantage of discounts of 5%-10%.  There are extra discounts if you book 30 days or more prior to departure. Reference file number 208909A. 

Looking for a roommate? E-mail Sue at ssmallwood@atlantabev.com  and she will help match you up with a roommate for the weekend.

Readers from the Tampa area:

You don't need to stay overnight at the hotel to participate in the weekend of fun!  The hotel has lots of parking available -- registered attendees can just come in the morning and head home at night.  (But be sure to have a designated driver!)

Readers who've never attended an event like this before, and/or readers who are traveling solo:

Don't be shy!  We've got lots of activities planned to break the ice!  We'll also have a hospitality suite, manned with friendly volunteers, open during all "down times,"  where you can connect with other readers.  

Is Stan your favorite SEAL?  Are you a Sam Fan?  We'll have forms to fill out to match you with friends you've yet to meet!  We'll also have a low-tech bulletin board (remember the kind that actually has push pins?!?) to connect groups of readers who want to do sight-seeing, or go shopping or even hit the beach!  

We've also got a roommate matching service for people who want to save money by sharing a hotel room!  Email our hospitality guru, Sue ssmallwood@atlantabev.com  if you want to find a compatible roommate!

Optional Monday Event:

We're currently looking into the possibility of a Spec Ops speaker (perhaps a SEAL?) from the SOCOM Command to come over to the hotel and talk to us on Monday morning/early afternoon.  We may plan a lunch event, which may cost an additional $20 or so.  We'll post details here as soon as we have 'em!

Note from Suz:  So okay.  A conference fee.  I'm still a little nervous about that.  I've always tried to be inclusive with my reader events, and in my opinion, the best price is zero dollars!!!  But we've learned from past events that when you try to do events for free, well, you get what you pay for!  (The Bathroom booksigning comes to mind! LOL!)

When FLASHPOINT was released, we met at a hotel in Hurst, Texas, and made use of a free hotel conference room.  But it was limited in size, and the dinner party we had there left a lot to be desired.  (I also signed books until 4:00 a.m. that Saturday night -- and I'm sure many readers left with their books unsigned!!!  Ouch!)

TARGET: TAMPA is going to be less chaotic and much more fun.  There will be something like 400 percent more time for me to spend with readers!  That'll help.  We've also found a hotel with a large selection of different-sized meeting rooms, including a Hospitality Suite.  We've also hired a wonderful organization, EMA, who helped us find a hotel, set up registration, and will manage the entire weekend, leaving more time for the rest of us to have FUN!  That's one heck of a HUGE job, and that's one of the things we'll be paying for with that conference fee...

Along with one formal meal for the weekend attendees, and lots of party food and festive decorations for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, too!

Ballantine Books has generously agreed to help out and sponsor some of the costs of this weekend.  I'm picking up part of the tab, too -- it's my pleasure to help make this event happen!  

I hope you'll join me!  The west coast of Florida is one of my favorite places in the world.  I think you'll enjoy the blue skies and warm sunshine -- and the chance to talk about books and SEALs and books about SEALs...