The Boston Comic Con Report

I spent most of this weekend at Boston Comic Com, my first ever con. It was basically amazing. I loved the energy, the costumes, the artists, the EVERYTHING.

me with Booster Gold and Skeets

I didn’t go to any panels (just not in the mood) but I talked to a lot of artists and fans. I love how at a con you don’t need a reason to talk to someone. Like, if you randomly start talking to a stranger on the bus about how he made his shoes, it’s a little weird, but not at a con! Here it’s one big happy family of geekery.

There weren’t tons of people dressed up, but people generally put a lot of effort into their costumes so they were all pretty fabulous. My favorites were when 2 or more people coordinated, and the best of these was the Flash’s Rogues Gallery (like 8 people). I unfortunately didn’t get a picture, but here is one someone else took. OMG IT WAS AMAZING for real.

Another con highlight was the young girl who was sitting in her father’s booth selling drawings of any superhero you liked for only $1—and you got a cup of cereal! Best deal of the con, frankly. I got a rather lovely Storm from her for my sketchbook.

The sketchbook was quite busy this weekend. I snagged a half-dozen sketches including a rather fabulous Cliff Chiang and the Maris Wicks you can see in this photo of my haul…

clockwise from Wonder Woman: signed Francis Manapul print; signed Michael Golden print; original Katie Cook watercolor (Jay Garrick Flash); signed Stephanie Buscema print (Batgirl); pile of $1 comics; original Kitty Pryde and Lockheed by Maris Wicks (among other sketchbook acquisitions); Flashbacca print by Ming Doyle.

One thing you might notice in that photo is that I have two sequential JLAs, 203 and 204. I randomly got 203 for $1 on Saturday because I like the Royal Flush Gang, but realized when I got home that it was Part 1 of a story arc. Sunday, I found 204/Part 2 in the $1 bins of a different vendor. CON MAGIC!

The one thing I really wanted but didn’t get was an original Francis Manapul. I adore his work, the Flash is among my favorite current comics, but the lines at his table were just too intimidating. So, I’m glad he kept busy, but I had to content myself with the quickly signed Wonder Woman print. Not that I’m complaining.

So overall, a fantastic first con experience. I can’t wait til next year!

Me + my fave Boba Fett. My head is really small in this picture for some reason.

 

rainbow madness

Sometimes I am not writing OR watching cartoons OR playing with my cat. I know, you’re all shocked. But SOMETIMES I do other things.

One of these other things is running, which I’ve recently taken up again after clearing up some old-lady knee problems (I hope). Now, at the encouragement of a friend and to give myself a bit more motivation, I am signed up for The Color Run, a 5K that involves people THROWING COLORS AT YOU so that at the end YOU ARE A RAINBOW.

RIGHT??? How amazing is that??

I am pretty excited. Of course, now this means I have to train, or whatever. 5K isn’t too far, right?

and moving right along

So Draft #2 is with betas (whose responses so far have been both very kind and very helpful) and I… have started Draft #1 of a new novel! Because it is what I do.

Like, really. I don’t know how not to write. After sending Draft #2 out to betas I sat back in my chair and went, “so now what? what do people do when they aren’t writing?” Then I stared at the wall for a little while, did some dishes, fed the cat, and started brainstorming for my new project.

I learned a lot from this last novel, mostly about how I work and what I need to do to succeed. Here’s hoping I can bring some of those skills forward to this new project. (Not that I’m done with the “previous” project. There will be at least one more revision.)

I’ve never juggled revising one project with first-drafting a new project, so we’ll see how this goes. Any tips much appreciated! :)

draft #2 completed!

This is me right now:

 

Gonna give it a once-over today and then send out to my charming beta readers. Eep!

I want to like your book

No, I still haven’t completed my second draft. Shhhh. 

~~~~

Last night I finished reading Rules of Civility by the fabulously-named Amor Towles. I loved it, and I am so glad that I loved it because I love Amor Towles. I know nothing about him except this quote but that’s enough.

I read a fair number of books because I like the person who wrote them. Sometimes it’s because I’m friends with the author, so obviously I like them and buy and read their book. Sometimes, though, I get a glimmer into a person’s mind and I am excited by what I see, like with Amor Towles, or someone is simply entertaining on the internet, like Delilah Dawson or Gail Carriger. If I then check out their books and go “oh hey this sounds cool,” it’s a sale.

So. There’s a lot of debate about the usefulness of having an online platform, but if I am your target audience it totally helps. Very simply, I like supporting people I like. Make me like you, and I’ll probably buy your first book. Write a good book, and I’ll probably buy your second.