Moose Bees and the Other Side

… also know as fun with auto-complete on your phone. The title above was something I came up with one day when composing a gmail and at a loss for what to put as the subject line. Before you ask, no, I did not stick strictly to the center suggestion my phone gave me. I still try to use correct punctuation and capitalization in my email missives, which means punctuation frequently pops up as my center suggestion.

Still, that would be a fantastic band name, don’t you think?

Okay, enough silliness for now; it’s time for book news.

Writing on season 3 of The Adventures of Pigg and Woolfe is moving slowly currently. I’ve had too many mental distractions this month. It’s just that time of year. I have, however, been making plans for the serial. I’m doing research on self-publishing (read: annoying the crap out of my long-suffering author friends who’ve had some measure of success with self-publishing with questions about what to do or avoid), and hope to have the first episode available by February 2018.

I’ve worked up a rough sketch of the unifying imprint logo for the serial. Once I have a more polished version, I will scan it and share it here. I plan to work it into a kind of frame to use for each episode with a cartouche at the bottom to place the episode title. I will use colored line art relating to each individual episode for the single releases (ebook only) and have a black and white version to use as cover pages for the episodes in the annual omnibus (print) along with possible extra illustrations. This means the omnibus can double as an adult coloring book of sorts (some of the bonus material is intended for mature readers).

I’ve also been asking the people I know with experience about ACX and audiobooks. I’ve had several people at conventions express interest in listening to my books; and I do hold the audio rights. I know one thing I’ll have to do is redesign the cover art, since Audible requires a square cover rather than a rectangular one.

Now, if I can just find the TIME to execute these ideas.

Also, I’ve put a new video up on my Viksbelle channel on Youtube to promote my Take a Pirate Home for Christmas campaign. Check it out…and please subscribe to my channel (shameless begging here; I only have one subscriber, for cryin’ out loud).

 

It’s That Time of Year Again

Captain’s Log: HallowCon 2017

I will say right now that I thoroughly enjoyed my first attendance of HallowCon, and I will definitely add this convention to the list of those I regularly attend.

JoeDog McKeel’s first chairing of this con was a success despite all the last minute obstacles which popped up (mostly in the form of passive aggressive resistance from the hotel). Needless to say, HallowCon will be in a different location next year, as unwelcome as the convention and con-goers were made to feel.

I did not have a room at the hotel, being local and able to go home every night; so I will not go into detail on the complaints I heard from those who did book rooms. I will, however mention observations I made about the common areas.

First off, the lack of working electrical outlets along the hallway used for Author’s Alley was aggravating. These were working the day before the con started but not at all during the entire weekend. Thankfully, a working outlet was discovered in the breakfast area at the end of the hall, and a charging station could be set up for members and guests to keep their devices operational.

Some might say, “Who needs to be on their phone/tablet/laptop during a convention?” Please keep in mind, those of us there to sell our works/products often use our devices in tandem with card reading apps to allow us to make credit sales as well as cash sales.

The one other thing I found troubling about the venue was the lack of a handicap accessible bathroom stall in the restroom just off the lobby for common area use. How is that legal and up to code?

All that aside, the con was a blast and a much needed break from Mundania. Being a Halloween convention, there was no lack of cosplay and costuming. (The difference between those terms is whether a costume represents a specific character/creature or just a generic style of costume.) I made a few new friends and reconnected with some old ones.

There were also a few missed opportunities I wish I had taken.

Across the hallway and just a little catty-corner from my table spot was the author/media guest, Santiago Cirilo (Julio from season 4 of The Walking Dead). I never really tried to introduce myself or get to know him. I know I may come across as bold and outgoing sometimes, but I can find my introverted side taking dominance when faced with someone with genuine celebrity. I also allowed myself to be intimidated by his energy and exuberance. Still, what I observed of him leads me to believe he is a genuinely nice person. I hope he will forgive my shyness.

The Charity Auction this year benefitted the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. JoeDog and Donna McKeel chose this charity in honor of their granddaughter, who suffers from this condition. Joe added an additional 10% of the total funds raised by the auction to the donation. At the last report I heard, $1000 was raised just in the auction. I donated a full set of books.

As for the Con Suite, I must say this was the best food I’ve ever had at a convention.

My sales weren’t great, but they were better than at some conventions I attended earlier this year. I had a total of one customer, but she bought a full set of the series.

This marked my second time to attend a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the first time to see one with a shadow cast acting out the movie along with it. Quite the experience, I must say.

Yes, I did the Time Warp again.

This audience was a bit more raucous than the one I previously viewed it with at Chattacon a couple of years ago.

As expected, a large number of guests and con-goers departed early on Sunday. Some came from as far away as Mississippi to attend this con and had to be back to work Monday morning.

I’m looking forward to next year.

I’d like to give a quick shout out to Edwin Morgan. He was promoting/recruiting for the Catoosa County 2017 Film Festival which will be in Ringgold, GA December 1-3. I wish I could attend, but I’ve exhausted all my paid time off for this year. Hopefully, I’ll have some to spare for next year. Also, it was some of his brood who kept raiding the candy and pirate swag (plastic coins, Mardi Gras beads, and glass pebbles) I placed out as freebies. I received several thank you hugs from one of his daughters.

Don’t let the cute mini-Harley outfit fool ya; she’s a pirate at heart.

If you want to see more pics from the con, I have them up on FB here.

 

Please Stand By

I promise I will post a full report on HallowCon by this coming weekend. 11 hour work shifts and other concerns have had to take priority.

Also, for financial reasons, I will probably NOT be attending ConNooga in 2018. I WILL be at Chattacon; I already have a table reserved in the Dealer Hall. I just don’t think I’m going to be in a position to afford doing two cons that close together next year.