Tag Archives: Indiana Convention center

Appearances, Announcements, Blog, News

My Upcoming Book Signings and Conventions 2023

My book signings have been few and far between since the pandemic, but now I’m finally getting back into the swing of things! The next six months or so will be quite busy for me when it comes to conventions, and I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be back in my element (well, my other element). So, here’s a quick rundown of my upcoming appearances.

Local Author Fair – Eckhart Public Library in Auburn, IN
DATE: April 22, 2023.
TIME: 10am-2pm
LOCATION: Eckhart Public Library – Auburn, IN

I’ll be one of 15 local authors from northeast Indiana selling books at the Eckhart Public Library. I’ll also be part of the fiction writing panel (the other two are on nonfiction and poetry). The Brown House Foodmobile and Hoosier Mama food trucks will be there.

Learn more about the event on the library’s website.

Days of the Dead – All Monsters Attack 2: Chicago S.O.S.
DATE: May 7-9, 2023
TIME:          Friday: 5pm-10pm
                        Saturday: 11am-7pm
                        Sunday: 11am-4pm
LOCATION: Crowne Plaza Chicago Ohare Hotel & Conf Ctr. Rosemont, IL

I attended this upstart spin-off convention last fall as a con-goer, but this year I’ll be tabling there to promote Kaiju Ramen Magazine, a publication for which I edit and write. It’s a kaiju-focused con with a guest list that goes on for days. Check out the convention’s website for more details.

JAFAX
DATE: June 9-11, 2023
LOCATION: DeVos Place Convention Center – Grand Rapids, MI

My friend Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel is in the process of acquiring a table that he will share with me and our friends Tim and Becky Smith of the Redeemed Otaku podcast. This is an anime convention. I’ve never attended it before, so I don’t know what it’s like. Because we don’t have a table guaranteed, my attendance is uncertain, so stay tuned for more. Read more about the event on its website.

G-Fest XXVIII
DATE: July 14-16, 2023
LOCATION: Hyatt Regency O’Hare – Rosemont, IL

The biggest kaiju convention in North America returns to the Hyatt in Rosemont. I’ll be part of several panels on various subjects and attending many events. The details of the panels are still being worked out, so stay tuned! Learn more about the show at the G-FAN magazine website and the event’s new website.

Gen-Con 2023
DATE: Aug. 3-6, 2023
LOCATION: Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, IN

After taking a year off, I return to the “best four days in gaming” in Authors Avenue. I may also look into hosting some events. This is my flagship convention, and I can’t wait to see my Gen-Con friends again! Learn more about the event on its website.

The next few conventions are events I’m interested in attending or have been offered a spot by friends, but details are still being worked out. I’m including them so you know where I might be. Watch for updates!

-Ramencon (Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023)
-Bangor Comic and Toy Con 2023 (Oct. 13-15)
-Fantasticon Fort Wayne 2023 (Oct. 28-29, 2023)

Like I said, I’m gonna be busy!

I look forward to seeing all of you! Bring your books to be signed or come to buy some!

News, Appearances, Announcements

UPCOMING BOOK SIGNINGS: Gen-Con 2016 and National Library Week

You get two posts today, True Believers! A new story and an announcement.

I currently have two book signings scheduled for 2016 (more will probably be on the way). The first will be at the North Webster Community Public Library in North Webster, Indiana. It’ll be held April 11 3:30pm-6:30pm. It’s part of their celebration of National Library Week, which starts that day. I’ll have most, if not all, of my books with me, but I’ll be focusing on my newest ones, Ninjas and Talking Trees and 42: Discovering Faith Through Fandom. You can find out more on the library’s website.

The big one as usual, though, is Gen-Con. The “best four days in gaming” will be held at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium August 4-7 in Indianapolis, Indiana. I’ll be in Authors’ Avenue in the vendor’s hall, but you’ll probably also see me attending events and enjoying the con. I’ll hopefully have added one or two more titles to the long list of books I’ll be selling there. I can’t wait to see all my Gen-Con friends! You can find out more about the event on its website.

When I have other signings scheduled, I’ll be sure to let you know!

Blog

Gen-Con 2013, Day 2: Fear of Commitment

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(Continued from day 1).

Today has been busy, and yet not so. I cosplayed as Captain America. After exploring the exhibitors’ hall a bit, I went to my table. While there was more traffic than yesterday, I still encountered many uncommitted buyers. They still wanted to survey the area to see what else they could. Many promised to return tomorrow or Sunday.

At noon, I attended two writing seminars. The first was on cater building. One of the writers on the panel was a professor/writer who hosted a podcast that interviewed writers. I asked him if he needed more interviewees, but they were booked until December. Afterward, I might get in.

The second seminar was on networking (not name dropping). It was an informative panel. One of the writers present even showed up in a corset she was goaded into wearing!

When I returned, I met my favorite customer of the con so far. A young woman named Emmanuell. She was cosplaying as classic Uhura. My writer neighbor Ed had told her to wait for me because I wore my Capt. Kirk outfit yesterday (so he says… :P). She was a sweet girl, but disappointed nobody else in her group dressed up. She bought a copy of Pandora’s Box I told her to come to the Five Year Mission show tomorrow night, and she said she might (albeit in another costume).

Emmanuell and I.
Emmanuell and I.

I also met one of the reviewers who stopped yesterday while Eric watched my table. Two girls named Lyric and Lyssa (they have such awesome parents!) They work on their parents’ podcast, the Dwarven Tavern. I enjoyed talking with them and gave them free copies of all my books. They’ll interview me tomorrow.

By the way, a lady amateur director offered Capt. Charisma a movie role. 😐

My costume was a huge hit. Even at a con, with thousands of other cosplayers, I’m the most popular guy in the room. It helped I was a rare Cap cosplayer (so far). I was popular at my table and wandering the halls. A three-year-old boy named Connor especially loved me, so much so he warned me there was a Dalek down the hall (I shoulda said I’d kick its ton can keister).

I managed to arrive at my next event, a photography seminar at the Westin Hotel, only slightly late due to the many photo-ops. It was two hours long, but not as good as I was hoping. 🙁 It was at least informative.

My final event was a long HeroScape open play with custom figures. I played a game with Eric, who had the Wrecking Crew plus Lizard, and I had the original X-Men. I was cleaning his clock until he made a crazy comeback. But it didn’t compare to Darrin using the cheapest HeroScape army EVER! It shall not be spoken of again.

We left afterward. Sadly, when we reached the hotel and I undressed, I discovered the catch on my Cap costume zipper had broken. 🙁 If anyone knows how to fix it, please let me know!

On to day 3! The craziest of them all! Even more sleep deprivation!

(Continued in day 3).

Appearances, Announcements, News

Gen-Con 2013 is just around the corner!

genconbestfourdays

My BIGGEST signing of the year is nearly here!

You may remember that I went to Gen-Con last year. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Well, I’ll be returning this year. The convention is this weekend, August 15-18, in Indianapolis, Indiana. It’s being held at the Indiana Convention Center, just a hop, skip, and a jump from Lucas Oil Stadium (where the Colts play). I’ll be selling copies of my books–including Pandora’s Box–and promoting Children of the Wells in the vendors’ area all four days. The hours will 10am-6pm Thursday-Saturday (9am for VIGs Thursday) and 10am-4pm Sunday. I will be taking breaks to attend a few events and meet Walter Koenig (the original Chekhov!) and Peter Davison (the 5th Doctor!), but this year I’m bringing my friend Eric as an assistant, so he’ll be manning my table if I’m not there. (Thanks, Eric!)

By the way, I’ll be cosplaying as a different sci-fi/comic book hero each day of the convention. Who will they be? Come to Gen-Con to find out!

Gen Con Indy is the original, longest-running, best-attended, gaming convention in the world!

For more than 45 years, Gen Con Indy has set the trend in gaming and has broken attendance records. Last year, more than 134,775 turnstile and 41,000 unique attendees experienced Gen Con Indy.

Featuring game industry veterans, award-winning authors and artists, jaw-dropping costumes, thousands of events, a growing Family Fun Pavilion, and the newest games on the market, Gen Con truly is The Best Four Days in Gaming™!

Gen Con is more than just a convention, however. It’s a passion, a community, and a unique experience that keeps people coming back for decades.

Learn more about the convention at its website here.

See you there!

If I don’t, I’ll do my best to post daily updates!

News, Announcements

Gen-Con, Day 3

Day three at Gen-Con wasn’t quite as eventful for me. That’s not to say the convention had slowed down. Not at all! But since there was so much more going on, not as many people (surprisingly) were perusing the exhibitors’ hall.

My day started with me checking out the life-size Dalek the Who North America had on display. Then as I entered and walked by their booth (I arrived an hour before the hall opened), I had the privilege of meeting Nick Briggs, the producer of many Doctor Who audio dramas, but he’s most famous for providing the voice of the Daleks. I talked with him for a while and got a picture with him:

 

Here I am with Nick Briggs, the heart and soul (and voice) of the Daleks on “Doctor Who.”

It’s a good thing I saw him when I did because I heard he was swamped later.

Next, I went back to the table of what looked to be a Christian ministry that reached out to the nerd/geek subculture, specifically gamers. It’s called GameChurch. I had seen their table the day before at closing time, so nobody was there. I talked with their rep, Rich Clark, for a while, learning more about their ministry. I also got a free “Jesus Loves Gamers” T-shirt and their tracts and business cards. I was very happy to see someone reaching out to a subculture the Christian church generally ignores or shuns. I learned by the end of the weekend that there are several others, but they have different niches. More on that in part four.

I spent most of the day selling books. I met some cool cosplayers while I was there. Not all of them bought books, but they were awesome nonetheless. My favorites were a young family. The dad was dressed as Captain America and his toddler son was Bucky! Check it out:

 

The dad dressed as Captain America.

 

Here’s his little son dressed as Bucky, Cap’s sidekick.

Cap is one of my favorite comic book characters, so I was excited to see them. The mom was wearing homemade fairy wings she made with green yarn and a coat hanger. (See the gallery when it’s posted).

Then there was this interesting character:

 

The crazy “God-woman.”

Where do I begin with her? For one thing, she jokingly said she was “God” since that was what her hat said. (I’ve sadly forgotten her name. If you see this, “God,” leave a comment and let me know your real name). She said her friends at the bar got it for her ten years ago. She oozed snide confidence. Regardless, she was cool and bought a copy of Pandora’s Box, as you can see.

I went to another Michael A. Stackpole seminar that afternoon. This one was called “21 Ways to Kill Your Novel.” Unfortunately, not only did I get to it late, Mr. Stackpole wasn’t able to list of 21 items before his hour was up. I did get notes on what I missed from a woman who sat next to me.

After killing some time photographing cosplayers and exploring, I went to the Westin Hotel for a TV writing seminar. I spent some time reading Trigun in the manga library. Then I attended a seminar called “Writing for Television,” which was taught by prolific screenwriter George Strayton. You may not recognize his name, but you’ll know his many credits, which include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xena: Warrior Princess, and the new Star Trek movie, among others. Not only did I learn how to break into the TV writing business, I got some…interesting inside info on some very popular creators and shows in Hollywood. It was great.

Afterward, I decided I’d go to Gen-Con’s film festival, which was being held at the Westin. So, I went to a screening of an Australian superhero comedy called The Justice Squad. I went into it not knowing what to expect—and was pleasantly surprised. It was hilarious! A documentary film crew follows Australia’s only superhero team as they prepare for comic book tryouts, which is the ultimate prize for a superhero. I would describe it as The Office with superheroes. I met the director, David Lawrance, afterward. He said the American audience laughed more than the Australian one did, so he was pleased. I asked him what his favorite comic book was, and he said it was Watchmen by Alan Moore (because you all wanted to know that). The film isn’t on DVD yet, but he hopes to make it available soon. Here’s a photo of us:

 

I pose for the camera with David Lawrance, the director of the Australian superhero comedy, “The Justice Squad.” (I apologize for the photo’s poor quality).

He also has ideas for a sequel. Here’s the film’s IMDB page (ignore the low ratings), Facebook page, and trailer.

I left the Westin, navigated the Indiana Convention Center, and went back to the parking garage. Once again, I learned why I hate the things. I got lost, spending 10-15 minutes (maybe longer) wandering around trying to find my car. It wasn’t worth the hassle, I decided.

So ended day three.

TO BE CONTINUED…

NEXT TIME IN GEN-CON, DAY 4—I CHAT WITH A DALEK!

News, Appearances

Gen-Con, Prep Day and Day 1

It’s been nearly a week since Gen-Con, and only now am I sitting down to write about it. My apologies. I’ve been busy with some writing projects. I’m also trying to upload the photos I took at the convention.

Anyway…

For those who don’t know, Gen-Con is a gigantic four-day convention that’s been held in Indianapolis for the last 45 years. It started as a gathering for players of board games and roleplaying games, but it has expanded into science fiction, fantasy, anime, and everything in between. It’s all the same audience, after all. One of the latest editions was the Authors’ Avenue, a place where independent authors and publishers could sell their books to the thousands of attendees. I heard about it two years ago, but I didn’t go until this year.

It was the most exhausting and fun four days I’ve had in a long time.

The convention started Thursday (August 16), but I went a day early to set up my booth. I stayed with my college buddy/roommate Josh Smith, who lived only 20 minutes from the Indiana Convention Center, where the event was held. After a brief stop at his house at the end of a three-hour drive, I went to the ICC. I ended up parking in a parking garage across the street because I couldn’t find any other place to park. I quickly learned I am too much of a small city boy—I don’t like parking garages. They’re confusing and expensive. I’m not used to paying for parking, and even if I have to, it’s a few quarters in a meter. I spent almost as much on parking that week as a four-day pass to the convention cost!

Finding a spot, I hauled my two heavy boxes of books and other items to the convention center. This became a Herculean feat because I had no one to help me and I couldn’t figure out how to navigate the maze-like parking garage. Then when I got to the center, I couldn’t figure out where to go register. Thankfully, it wasn’t far. I did have to stand in line for a while, though.

It took me a while to find my table, but once I did, I went to town setting up. I also used this time to get to know my neighbors in my aisle. These included Edward J. Russell, who writes zombie fiction; Tammy Blackwell, who writes young adult urban fantasy (more Buffy the Vampire Slayer than Twilight); L. Douglas Rudder and his family, who write fantasy; and Lee Cherolis, the artist for the webcomic The Little Guardians. It was a great time to build some rapport.

Once I was set up, I explored the Crown Plaza hotel for a while. It’s a gorgeous place. It used to be a train station, and some of the passenger coaches are still there on display. Guests can even stay in them!

With that, I returned home.

Now, for day one…

I arrived at 9am to cater to the V.I.G.s (very important gamers), who got early access to the exhibitors’ hall. My first sale came not long after 10am. It was to this guy:

(Sadly, I’ve forgotten his name. I’m sorry! If you’re reading this, please leave a comment to remind me).

I also met Alyssa Weaver, the daughter of a longtime family friend. She and her boyfriend stopped by to buy a book. Here’s a photo of us:

Alyssa and I.

I made a few more sales before taking a break to meet one of the media guests of honor at the convention: Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Ironically, the autograph area was just around the corner from me. It took a little while to get through the line, but it was worth it. I even gave Mr. Wheaton copies of all my books.

I’m trying hard not to “nerd out.”

The hall closed at 6pm. I hadn’t signed up for any events that night, so I wandered around for a while, looking for something to do. I took a few photos of some amazing cosplayers, including one of a guy who built a working costume of a Dalek from Doctor Who.

I finished the day off by going to a room run by Nexus Gaming and participating in two video game tournaments, one for Super Smash Bros. Brawl and one for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I quickly learned I was very rusty at both games. It didn’t help that the former was hampered by large brackets, a power outage, and haphazard organization. The latter was small, but the characters I used were determined by drawing cards, so they were almost entirely random. I ended up wishing I had participated in the “Mega Man Mega Awesome Challenge” tournament. Players had to accomplish certain tasks while playing the classic Mega Man games (which I loved playing as a kid). These tasks included things like completing a level without firing a shot unless it was needed to advance. The bystanders got really into it, especially with the purple-haired Asian guy hosting the event, who gave commentary in a cliché Asian accent usually heard in bad martial arts movies. Hilarious!

Stay tuned for day two!

Also, I’ll be posting a full photo gallery of the event both here and on Facebook.

TO BE CONTINUED IN DAY 2!