Good morning, Readers!
Image (from 2016) courtesy of thecomicbookden.ca. Click for link.
First of all, let me apologise for the lack of blogging this week. I fell so, so ill following ComicCon. I was bedridden for two days and didn't have the energy or wherewithal to even blog. I had some seriously awesome posts planned. Oh well. I'll post them next week, I guess!
The one thing I did want to mention this week was Ottawa ComicCon.
It was genuinely a wonderful time, as it always is, despite a rocky start.
What rocky start? Well, first of all, UPS failed to deliver the books I required for the convention, despite my leaving the cheque with a signed consent to leave the package at my door as instructed on the delivery notice. This presented a huge problem, as I don't have a car, and it was impossible for me to pick up the package at the depot. The package, incidentally, was a box of books. That's right. It was stock that I needed for ComicCon. You can probably understand how stressful that might have been.
Friends to the rescue.
After a long, difficult phone call with their customer service, it was decided that the best thing I could do was leave the parcel at the depot and hope that I had friends free first thing Friday morning to drive me to pick it up. Luckily, I did. Many, in fact, offered their aid and it was SO NICE. I've mentioned it before, but I honestly have the best friends anyone could ask for.
My friend Bill picked me up first thing Friday morning, drove me to the depot, and then drove me to the EY Centre so I could actually set up my books and be ready for the convention.
I also had to put on my brave face. I was exhausted from the stress of the day before, and experiencing that weird dullness you get when you've been hyper-stressed and the stress is removed. I call it a stress hangover. You know what I'm talking about, right? Anyway, I had a stress hangover.
Despite my feeling awful, the first day went exceptionally well. There were a large number of readers that dropped by the table. And someone who watched my live streams dropped by for a chat! That was a highlight, as I didn't expect it at all.
I'm so sorry, mate, I forgot to ask your name. I was really out of it. But I hope you know how much I appreciated you dropping by to say hello. Hopefully I'll have a chance to talk to you again. Hopefully I won't be quite so out of it, next time!
I sold well on day one. So well, in fact, that I was worried I'd run out of stock before the convention end. In all honesty, it doesn't say all that much, as I didn't have that much stock to begin with (it's a balancing act, being not the wealthiest and trying to have enough stock). But still, the worry was there.
It's a great problem to have, really.
The Amazing Flatmate had a table at the convention, but was out of town on a shopping trip for a show she's working on, and so couldn't be there Friday. I tried to do up her table as best I could, and manned both tables on Friday. It was great. She hand-paints shoes, and they are just the cutest things. I was very proud to stand behind that table, let me tell you.
Saturday, I was all over the place. I teach women's kickboxing and self-defence, and it was the first class of the term. I couldn't miss it. Thankfully, the Amazing Flatmate and our friend April continued to be amazing and watched my table for me while I taught (seriously, though. The best friends). I was there earlier than anticipated, and took over during the lunch hour.
Again, it was a fantastic day, with return readers coming to the table. Return readers, incidentally, are the best. It's so nice to see people who have enjoyed your work previously come back for more. It's incredibly flattering, and makes me feel like maybe it wasn't the worst decision of my life to attempt a career in fiction writing!
By mid-afternoon on day two, I was down to my last copy each of the two Seraphimé Saga books. Once again, a fantastic problem to have.
Day three was also wonderful! I'm having issues remembering it, though the stress hangover was finally done, and I had a lot of energy. It was a great day. Right at the end, my kung fu brother showed up for a chat. I hadn't seen him in a while and it was so good to catch up, even if only briefly. By that time, I had sold out of four titles: Ethan Cadfael: The Battle Prince, The Summer Bird, The Winter Wolf, and Sky Road Walker.
Wow!
Thanks everyone for a fantastic ComicCon. Thank you to everyone who dropped by my table for a chat, or to pick up a book. Thanks to my return readers (seriously, that's awesome of you), and to those who watch my live streams for stopping by. Honestly, I had a blast, despite the harsh start.
I couldn't have asked for a better convention. Thanks everyone!
I will be back to my regular blogging schedule next week. Thanks for bearing with me! I have a lot of work to catch up on, so I must dash.
Ciao!
The one thing I did want to mention this week was Ottawa ComicCon.
It was genuinely a wonderful time, as it always is, despite a rocky start.
What rocky start? Well, first of all, UPS failed to deliver the books I required for the convention, despite my leaving the cheque with a signed consent to leave the package at my door as instructed on the delivery notice. This presented a huge problem, as I don't have a car, and it was impossible for me to pick up the package at the depot. The package, incidentally, was a box of books. That's right. It was stock that I needed for ComicCon. You can probably understand how stressful that might have been.
Friends to the rescue.
After a long, difficult phone call with their customer service, it was decided that the best thing I could do was leave the parcel at the depot and hope that I had friends free first thing Friday morning to drive me to pick it up. Luckily, I did. Many, in fact, offered their aid and it was SO NICE. I've mentioned it before, but I honestly have the best friends anyone could ask for.
My friend Bill picked me up first thing Friday morning, drove me to the depot, and then drove me to the EY Centre so I could actually set up my books and be ready for the convention.
I also had to put on my brave face. I was exhausted from the stress of the day before, and experiencing that weird dullness you get when you've been hyper-stressed and the stress is removed. I call it a stress hangover. You know what I'm talking about, right? Anyway, I had a stress hangover.
Despite my feeling awful, the first day went exceptionally well. There were a large number of readers that dropped by the table. And someone who watched my live streams dropped by for a chat! That was a highlight, as I didn't expect it at all.
I'm so sorry, mate, I forgot to ask your name. I was really out of it. But I hope you know how much I appreciated you dropping by to say hello. Hopefully I'll have a chance to talk to you again. Hopefully I won't be quite so out of it, next time!
I sold well on day one. So well, in fact, that I was worried I'd run out of stock before the convention end. In all honesty, it doesn't say all that much, as I didn't have that much stock to begin with (it's a balancing act, being not the wealthiest and trying to have enough stock). But still, the worry was there.
It's a great problem to have, really.
The Amazing Flatmate had a table at the convention, but was out of town on a shopping trip for a show she's working on, and so couldn't be there Friday. I tried to do up her table as best I could, and manned both tables on Friday. It was great. She hand-paints shoes, and they are just the cutest things. I was very proud to stand behind that table, let me tell you.
Saturday, I was all over the place. I teach women's kickboxing and self-defence, and it was the first class of the term. I couldn't miss it. Thankfully, the Amazing Flatmate and our friend April continued to be amazing and watched my table for me while I taught (seriously, though. The best friends). I was there earlier than anticipated, and took over during the lunch hour.
Again, it was a fantastic day, with return readers coming to the table. Return readers, incidentally, are the best. It's so nice to see people who have enjoyed your work previously come back for more. It's incredibly flattering, and makes me feel like maybe it wasn't the worst decision of my life to attempt a career in fiction writing!
By mid-afternoon on day two, I was down to my last copy each of the two Seraphimé Saga books. Once again, a fantastic problem to have.
Day three was also wonderful! I'm having issues remembering it, though the stress hangover was finally done, and I had a lot of energy. It was a great day. Right at the end, my kung fu brother showed up for a chat. I hadn't seen him in a while and it was so good to catch up, even if only briefly. By that time, I had sold out of four titles: Ethan Cadfael: The Battle Prince, The Summer Bird, The Winter Wolf, and Sky Road Walker.
Wow!
Thanks everyone for a fantastic ComicCon. Thank you to everyone who dropped by my table for a chat, or to pick up a book. Thanks to my return readers (seriously, that's awesome of you), and to those who watch my live streams for stopping by. Honestly, I had a blast, despite the harsh start.
I couldn't have asked for a better convention. Thanks everyone!
I will be back to my regular blogging schedule next week. Thanks for bearing with me! I have a lot of work to catch up on, so I must dash.
Ciao!
RSS Feed