October 27th is our annual pot-luck kick-off party (held 11:45 AM-3 PM in the Naperville Municipal Center). What do you get when you combine excited novelists and all sorts of comfort food with a pre-NaNo kick-off? Friendly conversation and lots of fun!

RSVP in this thread with what you're planning to bring to contribute to the festivities (e.g., main dish, side dish, salad, bread, dessert, drinks & cups). Prizes to contribute to the door prizes are also welcome. Do note if what you're bringing is veggie/non-veggie.

UPDATE: Those undecided: we could probably use some more main dishes

There will be our annual group photo complete with stuffed animals, so plan to bring your favorite stuffed animal (people can also plan to bring their stuffed animals to the write-ins).

We'll start off with an ice-breaker, enjoy the pot-luck lunch, take the group photo, have some chit-chat about NaNo, draw for the door prizes and finish off with some pre-NaNo games.

Attending (25 definite; 1 95% sure; 3 tentative)

• Tim (NewMexicoKid), bringingmeatless quiche (mushrooms, peppers, onions on one half; mushrooms, spinach and broccoli on the other half)
• Goddess_Astra - tray of cucumber sandwiches!
• stephsco - bringing a writer friend from Windy City RWA - side dish (perhaps a pasta salad or cooked vegetable type thing)
• KellyDuffWrites - drinks
• writerbeeme -veggie tray and rolls/bread with butter.
• DJRM -a dessert. It will probably be brownies or cookies.
• IcicleFerret - something (to be identified closer to the event).
• J. Leigh Bailey -desert scones
• PJ Raymond -a dessert/sweets
• samcadams - plates, napkins, and more
• prismaticjill42- hummus and veggies/pita
• Kathy B -plates/cups/napkins/flatware
• zora5128 - something hot (chili or wings)
• PerkyTexan -some kind of autumny dessert, and it will most likely have nuts.
• writertodd07 -fresh, home-made chocolate chip cookies,the kind grandma used to make (Very likely made by a real Grandma.) Let me know if you need some other kind of dish.
• ShiroXIX -more soda if we need it, ice, and some chips
• Leslie Hatch Gail -a Spinach Salad with Berries and Goat Cheese.
• Anastasia007 -a hot dish
• Jerseyjuke9-great cookies
• Me - n - Jesus- something (but will be late)
• Mochomito - dessert
• TRRDEDEAN - dessert and chips/dip
• Cee-Bee -

  I plan to come. Not sure yet whether Bart will accompany me. Also not sure what I'm bringing. Maybe a cheese tray.

• Toni Greathouse -tasty miniature morsels.

Tentative

• Squiddish -some prizes to contribute to the giveaways. ;)
• QuirkyChrissy -am 95% sure I will be there. Bringing something that isn't already on the list
• ReaderGirl621 - have no idea what to bring, but I will try to make it edible...
• laineywu172 -will try to bring something fruit-related to the party.

Door prizes

• A brand new 2018 NaNoWriMo t-shirt (2XL-they shrink up) donated by PJ Raymond
• NaNo 2018 poster
• Near Myths (our 2017 short story anthology)

WHAT PEOPLE ARE BRINGING (BY CATEGORY)
Main dishes

• Tim (NewMexicoKid), bringing meatless quiche (mushrooms, peppers, onions on one half; mushrooms, spinach and broccoli on the other half)
• Goddess_Astra - tray of cucumber sandwiches!
• zora5128 - something hot (chili or wings)
• prismaticjill42 - hummus and veggies/pita
• Anastasia007 - a hot dish
• samcadams - a main dish forcarnivores

Side dishes

• stephsco - bringing a writer friend from Windy City RWA - side dish (perhaps a pasta salad or cooked vegetable type thing)
• writerbeeme - veggie tray and rolls/bread with butter.
• Leslie Hatch Gail - a Spinach Salad with Berries and Goat Cheese.
• Cee-Bee - maybe a cheese tray

Desserts

• DJRM - a dessert. It will probably be brownies or cookies.
• J. Leigh Bailey - dessert scones
• PJ Raymond - a dessert/sweets
• PerkyTexan - some kind of autumny dessert, and it will most likely have nuts.
• writertodd07 - fresh, home-made chocolate chip cookies, the kind grandma used to make (Very likely made by a real Grandma.) Let me know if you need some other kind of dish.
• Jerseyjuke9 - great cookies
• Mochomito - dessert
• TRRDEDEAN - dessert
• Toni Greathouse -tasty miniature morsels.

Chips

• ShiroXIX - more soda if we need it, ice, and some chips
• TRRDEDEAN - chips/dip

Drinks

• KellyDuffWrites - drinks
• ShiroXIX - more soda if we need it, ice, and some chips

Cups, Plates, plasticware, napkins

• samcadams - plates, napkins, silverware
• Kathy B - plates/cups/napkins/flatware

Not yet decided

• IcicleFerret - something (to be identified closer to the event).
• Me - n - Jesus - something (but will be late)
• Squiddish - some prizes to contribute to the giveaways. ;)
• QuirkyChrissy - am 95% sure I will be there. Bringing something that isn't already on the list
• ReaderGirl621 - have no idea what to bring, but I will try to make it edible...
• laineywu172 -will try to bring something fruit-related to the party.

I'll be the first to RSVP....I can't wait!! And I'll bring another tray of cucumber sandwiches! <3 those always seem to be a big hit

I'm attending with a writer friend - also from Windy City Romance Writers. I will bring some type of side dish - perhaps a pasta salad or cooked vegetable type thing. i'll check back here closer to the date.

Count me in. I'll bring drinks.

I will be attending and I will bring aveggie tray and rolls/bread with butter.

I will be at the party and I will be the first person to volunteer to bring a dessert. It will probably be brownies or cookies.

I will try to be there ^_^ I've requested that Saturday off work! I'll see if we need anything closer to the party and fill in what's lacking.

Ill be there. Ill be bringing desert scones. :)

Hi, all.

I will be attending the NaNoWriMo kick-off on 10.27.18. I will more than likely bring a dessert/sweets.

See you then. Thanks.

Phyllis

P.S. I forgot to add that I have a brand new 2018 NaNoWriMo t-shirt (2XL-they shrink up) that I will also donate as one of the door prizes.

Thanks.

Phyllis

I will be there. I can't wait to kick off another NaNo season. I will bring plates, napkins, and whatever else we look to be short on. See you all there.

I'll be there, I will bring some hummus and veggies/pita.

Probably from the plates/cups/napkins/flatware category.

I'm planning on coming. I will bring something hot - maybe chili or wings.

Did someone say party?! I'm in! :)

I'll bring some kind of autumny dessert, and it will most likely have nuts. Because, why bother if you're not going to put nuts in it?

Count me in. I'll bring fresh, home-made chocolate chip cookies,the kind grandma used to make (Very likely made by a real Grandma.) Let me know if you need some other kind of dish.

I will absolutely come! I see we have one person bringing drinks, I can bring more soda if we need it, ice, and some chips.

Do stuffed robots count as stuffed animals?

ShiroXIX wrote:I will absolutely come! I see we have one person bringing drinks, I can bring more soda if we need it, ice, and some chips. Do stuffed robots count as stuffed animals?

Yes, they do (we've had people use a crumpled up piece of paper, a cup with a smiley face, and an actual warm sock as stuffed animals in the past ;-) ).

Attending with a Spinach Salad with Berries and Goat Cheese. And a little "rescued" Buddha figurine.

Wish I could be there, but my cousin's getting married that day--know that I'll be with you in spirit at least! <3

Looking forward to coming! Planning on bringing a hot dish! See you there!

David here. I will be. Ringing some delicious pastries. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Jersey Juke. I will be bringing some great cookies. Cant wait to meet everyone.

Not sure but I'll bring something. I'll be late. Coming after work.

RSVPing for a tentative appearance! I may not make it for the whole thing, BUT, I do have some prizes to contribute to the giveaways. ;) If I actually remember this time, unlike last time, you'll actually have them for the kick-off..... if not, for the TGIO! Haha.

I am 95% sure I will be there. Bringing something that isn't already on the list. Just not sure what yet!

I'm tentative. I have no idea what to bring, but I will try to make it edible...

Unfortunately I won't be able to make it because my son has a soccer game at the same time. But I will be at the TGIO!

Ill try to make it if I do, Ill bring desert

Hi, I'll be there.

I plan on bringing a desert and chips/dip.

Dave

AKA TRRDEDEAN

Would really like to come and if I do, will try to bring something fruit-related to the party. ^.^

I plan to come. Not sure yet whether Bart will accompany me. Also not sure what I'm bringing. Maybe a cheese tray.

I have crowned myself "Toni Queen of Tiny Sweet Treats" that said, I'm bring tasty miniature morsels.

Im so sorry for last minute but I will not be able to come (And I made wings too,,,) I have family emergency and have to babysit my grandson.

KarenTSL wrote:Im so sorry for last minute but I will not be able to come (And I made wings too,,,) I have family emergency and have to babysit my grandson.

So sorry to hear that, Karen. Hope the family emergency turns out okay.

Quiche made :-) (this photo taken before it settled down a bit). Meatless quiche, half portobello mushroom/spinach/monterey jack cheese/broccoli; half portobello mushroom/onion/green-red-yellow pepper

The 5% won out. Gotta finish some stuff at home so I can focus on NaNo starting on Thursday.

Thanks, everyone who was able to make it--I really enjoyed interacting with folks. You made it a great party and celebration of the upcoming NaNo season. Kudos!

Photos and videos from the event.