Con Preparation

After the release of Agents, Adepts, & Apprentices in time for FenCon and Archon the following weekend, I finally had time enough to get organized on the other things I feel I need for conventions: promotion material!

It feels odd to have to mention this, but often it isn't enough to have a book physically available at a convention. Yes, having a cupcake launch party will create interest (and some people did stop down to the Zumaya Publications table in the dealers room afterwards), but often you need to have some means of generating awareness. Just having signs posted around the convention (with pictures of the beautiful cover) before the party had people coming up to me later during the con saying things like "Oh, you're the cupcake lady! Is that the book?" "Sorry I missed the party, where can I check out the book?"

Fortunately, I had already prepared enough ahead of both conventions to have promo pens I could hand out for those times I wasn't at the table. Because I'm still a newbie with my smartphone and get easily frustrated with my fingers not hitting the right keys on the screen (how can people type so quickly on those things?), I decided to have stylus pens, which seemed to be popular. They've got my book title, my name and website on them just in case people decide to check out the book (and if people don't want to, they still have a good black ink pen with a useful stylus).

Unfortunately, I forgot to update my business cards with the new book title. And I didn't have time after approving the book cover to design and order cards for the new release. But I had time enough after Archon to fix that, and my new promo supplies have arrived. I'm trying VistaPrint this time for my paper promos, rather than the company I used in my previous blog post about promotion material. For some reason this year VistaPrint had a better selection of business card designs and an easier setup method for double-sided postcards. The stylus pens are from National Pen, which I've had good luck with over the years.

So now I'm all set for the next month's worth of conventions, library workshops and bookstore events. At some point I should probably add a banner, as a number of my other author friends have done, but that should wait until I see the new covers for the upcoming re-releases from Zumaya Publications. A banner would work for those conventions I drive to, but when I'm flying to a convention the weight limit for suitcases means I'd rather bring books than a banner. Maybe a custom designed tablecloth? Vistaprint immediately showed me what my postcard design would look like on a banner, a tablecloth, and a few other items. They all looked lovely and it was very tempting, but I don't know.

What are your go-to items for promotion? What attracts your attention?

Wrapping Up the Old Year, Planning for the New Year

The week in between Christmas and New Years is often a mixture of events, last minute things, and utter chaos.

For some of us, the excitement of the Doctor Who Christmas Special is starting to die down while the expectation of the Sherlock New Years Special is starting to rev up. For others, it's a time to travel, visiting family and friends plus a dash of anxiety about the weather and traffic.

It can also be a good time for introspection.

I've posted in the past that the day after New Years is usually my time to get my records in order for income tax time. It's also my time to update my webpage for what conventions and other appearances (young writers conferences, signings, and such) that I have scheduled so far in the next year, as well as think about what conventions I usually attend that maybe I should skip.

It's probably not news that conventions to small press authors are a means of promotion. (There are posts in this blog about it as well as book signings and other means.) Authors with traditional publishers have many ways of getting the word out about their books, established long ago by those publishing houses. Small presses have their own ways as well, and one of them is counting on their authors to promote themselves. Interviews in local newspapers, in blog posts, on podcasts are all good ways of getting the word about about yourself and your books. So are appearances at conventions. Participating on panels and having your book for sale at a dealer or an author table or a book signing is a plus on your promotion side. But when sales are down at a convention or the programming committee makes odd scheduling decisions, it's time to re-evaluate that convention.

And it's also time to consider which convention would work for a possible book launch party. Yes, the good news is that I've signed contracts with Zumaya Publications to re-release The Crystal Throne, Talking to Trees and a new expanded version of Agents & Adepts (now tentatively Agents, Adepts & Apprentices) with 22 stories (previously 16). Gloria Oliver and Christine Norris are also Zumaya authors so I know I'll be in good company. Expect to see blog posts about the new covers and publication release dates in 2017.

And now back to sorting receipts and rewatching the Sherlock trailer. And preparing for a young writers conference next week.

Book Signings, Book Fairs and Conventions

Long ago, it is said, publishers used to set up book signings for their authors at book stores. You still hear of them out in the wild, usually for authors with one of the large traditional publishers. Book signings for authors with a small press, however, are often hit or miss nowadays. Most times the big chain stores won't consider a signing for authors with a small press or self-published authors. Some independent book stores will, but then there can be other problems. I've heard stories of author tables hidden in the back of the store, lack of publicity before the event, lack of signs promoting the event, even the manager forgetting the event altogether. Some of these I've experienced myself, which makes me hesitant when a convention organizes an author signing at a bookstore the evening before the convention starts.

I know some authors have set up signings at places other than bookstores, usually a type of store or coffee shop mentioned in their book. Some of those nontraditional settings (bait shop, beauty parlor, toy shop) work out well, especially with good publicity beforehand.

Book fairs and author fests appeal to readers and can be a good venue for authors. The biggest I know of is Printers Row in downtown Chicago. In 2002 this was renamed Printers Row Lit Fest and run by the Chicago Tribune. It takes up five city blocks - down the center of Dearborn Street from Congress to Polk - in what used to be Chicago's bookmaking neighborhood. I shared a table there with several other authors from my publisher in 2003. It was fantastic to see all those readers filling the streets looking for books. Another large gathering of readers and authors is the Twin Cities Book Festival on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

Smaller author fests I've participated in have been set up at craft fairs, at college campuses, resorts, even in shopping malls. Success in terms of sales can depend on so many factors: publicity, the mix of genres by the authors, table spacing, what events are elsewhere in town that day, and, most importantly, the weather.

Science fiction and fantasy conventions are good places for readers and authors to meet. Some conventions will often offer their participating authors a signing time. If the signing tables are near main programming or the dealers room, signings will go well for the authors. Some conventions, though, have the signings off on another floor, which means only the dedicated fans will go looking. When you're an author with a small press, you need your books to be visible for impulse buyers as well as fans.

How have your book signings gone? Do you have any book fairs to suggest?

Preparing for Conventions

February is the start of convention season for me. January is when I start scheduling flights and making hotel reservations for upcoming conventions. And restocking promotional items such as pens, post cards and bookmarks for the freebie tables at conventions. I'm with a small press, so, unlike authors with a traditional big press, I can't count on book dealers at conventions having my books at their tables. That means I have to bring my books with me for book sellers in the dealers room to sell on consignment. So January is when I restock my book inventory as well.

If I'm lucky (and the convention is well organized), by late January I might begin to get panel topics for the February and March conventions and can start to prepare for panel discussions. For some topics I know those well enough and know the other panelists well enough that preparation is just a matter of having a few talking points to bring up and discuss. I've learned to have those written down beforehand so I don't suddenly draw a blank in mid-discussion and/or forget one. For other topics I might have a list (especially those panels on trends in YA or new titles/authors to know about). One of the advantages (or disadvantages) of being a librarian in my other job is that it's very easy for me to research a topic and come up with a useful list. Sometimes the list is long enough to be a handout that I can pass out to interested people at the end of the panel.

If I'll be doing any readings of my works at a convention, I usually decide on which pieces to read once I know how much time I'll have. Sometimes I'll be reading by myself, but other times I'll be part of a group reading, usually a Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading. I'll usually practice the reading a week or so before the convention to know if it will fit the time period and to spot where I might trip over a phrase.

How does one find a science fiction convention? There used to be several lists of conventions, both online and in science fiction magazines such as Analog and Asimov's. Those lists have slowly disappeared. My friend Lin Daniel has begun one at http://www.lindaniel.com/conventioncalendar/. You can leave it at all genre, or it can be broken down to categories like anime, filk, sf, or combinations of several genre.

There are other posts at this blog (several by Gloria Oliver) as to what can be seen at a convention and why authors should consider attending. Here's Gloria's top 5 reasons. Promotion is one good reason. Networking with other authors, as well as editors and publishers, is another. I usually find at least one or two panels that I'm quite happy to be in the audience and learn something new.

Do you attend conventions? What preparations do you make?

AllCon 2013 - Costumes Galore!

This past weekend I went to AllCon!
A new venue for me to hock books and my daughter her chain mail jewelry (ChibiChains)
So of course I had to take pics. :)

I LOVED this! Multi-generation Star Trek. 

Sebastian from Black Butler.

This guy made a great Colonel from the SF TV show who's name I've yet to be able to recall. Loved that he had an led light in the tube to the Molotov cocktail to make it appear lit. 

Amazon Athena? She was all glittery! Mean looking spear too.

Loved this one too! Jack Frost from Rise of the Guardians. Even to the frost on his hoodie. 

Cruella De Vil - she looked Fabulous!

Sand People!

Bucky! So cute..!

Sam and Dean Winchester! From the episode where they got sucked into the TV shows by the Trickster. These two did like 3 costume changes through the day (Couldn't get pics! Wah!) In the Medical Show, regular civies, and in their CSI costumes with the sunglasses from the same episode. I thought I saw Bobby Singer join them later in the day. Heh heh.

Sith Cheerleaders! The 501st was in attendance doing all sorts of panels, games for the kids, and more!

Bjoran Hogh Priestess outfit. Photo does not do it justice. Wah!

Iron Man was also in the house! He had working lights on the hand gauntlets too. Several incarnations of Tony Stark running around.

Though Pan Am only lasted 1 season, it obviously made an impression on some peeps out there. She looked great!

Louis from the Vampire Lestat.

A little vampire action too!

Incredible detail on this costume! Photo does not do it justice.

Look at those wings!

Is this not the cutest outfit ever? There were a lot of dolls. I heard there was even a costume contest for the dolls. I saw several wiz by that were utterly amazing! One had multicolored feathers wings and another 3 foot span dragon wings. Wish I'd been able to get pics!

My Little Pony was also heavily represented. 

Ack, wish it had focused better. I couldn't help but think of this as Star Wars ala The Wizard of OZ since the costume set up is in the same vein as the lion and the scarecrow. 

Yeah, I forgot to bring the good camera. It's amazing how the phone camera can do awesome one minute and not so much the next. :P

Costumes Galore! Another Fun Reason To Go To Convetions

One of the most fun parts of going to all the different types of conventions and things I go to is to wallow in the awesome creativity of fans!

This past weekend found me at the Dallas Comic Con Fan Days. Figured I'd share some of the awesomeness from there, and Animefest from September.

Gimbly's Father. What's supercool about this costume is that the hat and beard are all one piece and made of yarn! Click on it for a bigger version. Too darn cool. 

I loved this one because not only did it not take a lot to look like the character, but she had her pose and attitude correct which added to the whole ensemble to convince us of who she was. (Psst, Madeline from Burn Notice.)

Is this not the most awesome thing ever?! She looked fantastic! And she even had tail feathers out the back.

This wowed me with the super attention to detail. She looked awesome!

Here's another one. From Assassin's Creed. He looked fabulous!

Wished I'd caught his staff on the pic because it glowed. Great Loki and Hawkeye.

They do so make going to these things worthwhile. Woot!

Cosplay -- Dress-Up for Adults

Summer is almost a month gone already? Yikes! Used to be that summer dragged, but when I've got so much to do and have to be back at work Sept. 1, it flies! I've been working on various projects, including my Final Project for grad school, and I just didn't feel like writing a post on writing.

This past weekend was San Diego Comic Con. This is a media convention, rather than a literary one, so lots of TV and Movie people show up, from all your favorite geeky SF/F/H shows. It's a HUGE event, and someday maybe I'll go.

Maybe someday I'll be invited.

Either way, the internetz have been buzzing all weekend long with updates, tweets, and pics. One of the things about these cons is that people Cosplay. What's that? Costume Play. Otherwise known as Adult Dress Up. Remember all those people who dressed like wizards for the Harry Potter book releases, or the movies? They were sort of Cosplaying. Most people when they cosplay at a con usually try to do some kind of role play as the character they are dressed as. You get your Darth Vaders and your Mals from Firefly and your Anime characters. If they were giving out candy it would be just like Halloween. Some of these costumes are really well done and you can tell they took hours-- all a labor of love.

I've dressed up for cons. Wore a Greek Chiton to promote the Library of Athena series. Put on a Victorian shirt, vest, and some cool-looking pink goggles to play Steampunk. I own a Queen of Hearts costume, complete with freaky, teased up red wig (think the Tim Burton version).

But if I were going to really cosplay a character, I'd pick this one:

Professor River Song, from Doctor Who. She is one of my all-time favorite female SF heroines. River is just too cool for school. You can't see it in this picture, but she is wearing a old-west style belt and holster and carries a really big blaster. And wears a time vortex manipulator. And carries a journal that looks mysteriously like a TARDIS. And in the first episode we meet her in, she has a sonic screwdriver (Think Geek sells one, and me wants!) She is the only person not intimidated by the Doctor, and can give him a run for his money (she has Time Lord DNA, after all). 

I think it's the hair that draws me to her. I could totally do it. Don't you think? 

   

Hello, Sweetie

See you next month!

Top 5 Reasons To Go To Conventions

An awesome resource for fans and those wanting to get published are conventions. There are all types out there and some could be happening right in your own state, perhaps your own city. Some conventions are general in scope but plenty cater to specific genres or topics. But they all offer the same reasons to find them.

1) Belonging - Writing is a lonely thing, but a lot of writers are also social creatures. While social media helps with this, there's still nothing more awesome than being face to face in a room of your peers, being able to compare notes, exchange experiences, and knowing you aren't in this alone.

For readers this goes double, as you've now found a place where there are others that love the same books, the same authors, the same TV shows or movies, and you can gush with them in wild abandon and no one will look at you weird.

2) Networking - For authors, conventions are a great place to connect with others for the long term. You get to see others in the field and get seen by them as well. When sending queries, it helps to be able to say in the letter that you were happy to have met 'so and so' at 'blank' convention - shows there's already a connection between you. And if they remember you, so much the better. (As long as it's in a good way! :P)

For readers, it gives the chance to meet other fans and create long lasting friendships. Even better, you get to meet favorite authors and discover new ones, as well as get the skinny on what they are all up to. You can meet the person behind the things you love and enjoy.

Even if you're a wallflower (Like me!), you'll gain benefit from this. I found two of my publishers by just listening in on conversations. :P

3) Learning - Conventions are an awesome place to learn about the trade. There'll be panels with actual pros on all facets of the business of writing, publishing, and more. What pitfalls to avoid, how they got their start, what agencies or publishers are looking for, how not to put a foot in your mouth when trying to be discovered, and on and on!

As a reader, you can discover what books, shows, and movies authors you like love and why or why not. (They're fans too!) Discover sub genres you may not know about or hear about books you might not have come across and more.

4) Costumes - Almost every convention out there encourages people to wear costumes or has a costume contest. So not only does your mind get fed but so do your eyes. You will be wowed by the work and dedication that goes into many of the costumes you'll see. Amazing! If you'd like a peek at some, here are photos of some of the ones at this year's A-kon - an anime convention in June. I posted a bunch of pics from there at my blog.


5) Buying - If you're a shopper, conventions are also for you! Most have a Dealers' Room and some an Artist Alley, giving you unique gifts to buy for yourself or loved ones. They normally have books, but also toys, jewelry, comics, home made items, clothing, original art, and more. (I abstain from looking as much as possible - there's too much temptation! lol)


Whatever you're into, there's a convention out there for you. Why not give them a try and see if you enjoy what they have to offer? Have fun!

Conventions, Authors, and You!

We all hold certain images of what authors are and what it's like to be one (rightly or wrongly - I know I had some major doozies!), and one of the big things a lot of people assume is that there's no way to ever get to meet their favorite authors.

I'd like to set the story straight on that one. :P

Authors are out there! They're accessible! And so are other fans. People with the same interests and looking for others to share the excitement of the things they enjoy. And where can they all get together? Conventions! And there are a lot of them, going on just about everywhere. With panels, free goodies, signings, artists, and books books and books!

Today, I'll be spending the weekend over at ConDFW in Dallas, TX a Science Fiction and Fantasy convention. This will be their tenth year and they're still going strong. And it is but the first of more than a handful of other writing/book related conventions happening in Texas (and a more out there) for those who love science fiction and fantasy.

Whatever genre is your favorite, there's most likely a convention out there celebrating it. And even better than getting to see and listen to and even meet your favorite authors is the fact that while you're there, you're likely to learn about a whole lot of new ones to try out. (Inherent danger of these conventions is leaving with a bigger 'To Be Read' pile than you had when you came in.) :P

When I started attending conventions as a fan and later as a dealer and guest, I stumbled over all sorts of new authors for me to read. If not for conventions I probably would have never read the awesome writings of people like Rachel Caine, Martha Wells, Carole Nelson Douglas , A Lee Martinez, and many more.



At the conventions you can learn about the writing business, editing, have discussions on all sorts of topics, see artists actually creating, getting tips. There are normally also dances, parties, costume contests. Some of the conventions show movies and/or anime, have gaming, Live action role playing, game shows. It's just a great place to meet other like minded people. Make connections, friendships, have whole new worlds opened before your very eyes.



But best and most -- they're a total blast!

So if you're game, do a search to find your favorite author's website and see if they have an appearances page (I do!) to find out what conventions they'll be going to this year. One could very well be close to YOU!

Hope to see you there!


Gloria Oliver
Unveiling the Fantastic
http://www.gloriaoliver.com/