THIS Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Kate Danley and I will be at Comikaze Expo 2013 in the LA Convention Center with Elvira, Stan Lee, the Munster mobile, and . . . MANY, MANY more guests and monsters and steampunk and gaming and Quidditch and FUN. Recalling what last year's was like, I'm already excited about the energy this event brings. Not sure how to qualify it except as something one feels when genuinely having a good time, and is pretty darn happy with what she or he sees and experiences. Multiply that by fifty thousand attendees and that spells 'success' to me.

Because nerd stuff, fantasy appreciation, those sort of things, can get too consumerist and media manipulated (you Must see the new film trailer unveiling; you Must attend that movie studio panel in case Johnny Depp shows up). Media cons become stressful. Comikaze, which is in its third year, has somehow hit the formula to keep it enjoyable, and that means for families as well as for nerds on the loose.

There's also the added energy of indies present, whether as actors, wee film studios, projects, Steampunk, comics, crafts people, Goth people, gamers, etc. Unlike corporate brands, indies are Excited about their thing. They meet and connect and more cool energy occurs. When we feel like a con will work for us, rather than us working for the con, we anticipate making things happen. This sort of thing isn't possible in a bloated event, full of corporate islands, major studio events, and too much stimuli.

Growth: I expect Comikaze to change, because that's the nature of such beasts, made up of all the different factors of who attends, who exhibits, who appears, and how the event itself will be run. But regardless, it's one of my best 'surprise' shows I've the pleasure to appear at and exhibit my books. Kate and I will be happy to spend our Halloweeeeen weekend, there. Table AA-1311, right near Stan Lee's Museum. :D We hope to see you! :)

Duarte Festival of Authors: Thank you to the organizers who were the most thoughtful and considerate I'd ever had the pleasure of working with, and Kate Danley would agree! Not only were we greeted with smooth registration and an incredible author's goodie bag (a tote bag, cookie, lunch container, pad o' paper, pencils, pen, and water), but a lunch voucher (meal + drink), from the food truck, assistance with unpacking the car, set-up, and the popping of my EZ Tent that I brought (!), timely panel summonings, volunteers to watch our tables, and AUTHOR ribbons!

The outdoor event was tree-covered, with good wind breakage from the Santa Ana winds. Attendance was mild (unlike past events, as some authors attested). I'm pretty sure book lovers were deterred by the forecast of high temps and high winds, so I really thank Duarte for such a well-organised effort. Am sleepy from my dose of sunshine and talking shop with Kate. Here's a pic of steamed pudding to celebrate a nicely done day!

Recipe, here:
http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/537103/how-to-make-spotted-dick

Things: Approved the new Dark Victorian event banner last night, 'n it's being shipped to me already. :-0 I am pretty pleased with myself with coming up with this nice image of Artifice and Jim---pleased enough that I'm thinking (as long as I don't wreck it, I hope!), of taking this lovely 3x7ft banner stand all the way to Phoenix Comic-Con 2014 in June. wooo!

And when I say 'wreck it', it's a retractable banner, and if not handled carefully I could jam it. Or fall on it, or it can fall on me, or I can accidentally kick a hole in it during the tizzy that is maintaining a table at a media convention. Event hijinks!

Regarding Sundark: An Elle Black Penny Dread's paper book, that needs a 2nd proof---interior illustrations (and the story itself) look excellent, the over-saturation on the colour cover, not so much (arrgh). Too much use of a percentage of 'dark' made the printer machine go 'whoopee!' and dump black into everything. But I've adjusted all such dark areas to lighter percentages on the cover file and have re-submitted. If my magicks work, 'twill be ready for Comikaze Expo, SOON.

Am behind on stuff I was planning before foot breakage and medications: a third promo card with Elle Black. I'll try and do that, and also get Charm School #1 and 2 issues ready for the digital formatter. Would a print version be ready by holidays? I would think so (scratches head). If I'd done this before (put together an actual graphic novellette), I'd know if this were a no-brainer or not. What is nice is seeing how great the POD printers can handle interior b/w artwork. Then it's just up to me to layout a graphic novel competently.

I'm not talking about the Charm School omnibus, but the series of 48pp volumes (1 and 2, 3 and 4, etc), that would lead up to the omnibus. I'm doing this more for giving new readers an entry point and letting people fill in ye olde floppy comics set (originally published with SLG Publishing).

And then of course, I must return my attention to the manuscripts, Poison Garden: An Elle Black Penny Dread is still hovering at whatever word count it was last, and Dark Victorian: Everlife needs setting up.

Events! (!!!) Doing Duarte Festival of Authors with the lovely Kate Danley tomorrow (!), then Comikaze Expo, first week of Nov with (TBA---I know who it is, but she hasn't said publicly yet ;) ), and Long Beach Comic-Con a week before Thanksgiving week with the most excellent children's illustrator and soon to have her own title published, Kim Dwinell, and my last event for the year, Loscon 2013, which I may actually appear as Just Me at my table, but I'm rather digging sharing my space with fellow writers and creators, it gives me a bathroom break! ;)

A Happy Fall to all~~~^v^

EVENT: Kate Danley (The Woodcutter, Queen Mab, Maggie MacKay: Magical Tracker series), and I will be at Duarte Festival of Authors 2013 this SAT with Books, boooooks! Come see us in the sunshine and watch me burst into flames! http://friendsoftheduartelibrary.com/festival.htm

Located just a bit past Pasadena, CA (USA), drop in by airship if you must, it will be my 2nd outdoors event so I've learned the lesson to *not* dress in full neo-Victorian in lovely Los Angeles weather. Dear Kate will be doing all the heavy lifting as I'm still Miz Hobble. She's just released two new titles, Queen Mab being the latest and my Sundark is still in the proofing stage (wah!). But I'll have me Dark Victorian books, so come SEE.

Childrens Activities Area, Panels, discussions, Talks, meet the authors, sunshine!