I decided at the last minute to attend Motor City Comic Con today in Novi, MI. I had a table there last year to sell copies of The Magic of Eyri and while that was fun, it wasn't really worth it (for me) to spend that kind of money. So this time around, I burned 25 copies of the Magic of Eyri podcast to CD (the first 4 episodes) and took a pile of promo cards with me.

Oh, and my Ghostbuster costume.

Penguicon was my first time wearing a costume at a convention and I enjoyed it, and it was an easy way to get folks to talk to me (nothing beats a flashing backpack for an ice breaker).  I figured wearing it to Motor City would be just as fun--well, it was and more.  I probably got more pictures taken of me today than in the past two years. I'm not kidding (too much). it was great though--everytime someone asked for a photo, I either gave them a CD or a card (well, almost every time).

It was really cute when little kids would come up to me and ask to get their picture taken with me. Today, I realized why the guys and gals of the 501st (Star Wars costume-fan-group) do what they do: it's because of the kids. Really it is. It was great seeing how happy it made these kids just to get their picture taken with me, and I'm just a schmoe in a homemade costume, not some movie star.

But it wasn't just kids who wanted pictures, adults did too. Heck, the folks at the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers even asked me pose for a picture with one of their books--and I was also video taped for a public access show...although they asked me to be "in character" which threw me for a loop a bit. I made up some dialogue, but it was pretty dumb (saying how I was there to bust ghosts to pay the lease on Ecto 1, oy).

I visited Katie Cook's (katie_can_draw )'s table to say hi and ended up buying one of her mini water color sketches--I'm always amazed as to how she can make something so small look so awesome. That was one of only two things I bought this year, the other being a trade paperbback of the comic Planetary. The Ghostbuster costume made digging through boxes of comics a challenge, so I spent less (which is good).

There were lots of costume folks this year, including a large group of steampunk folks.

Earlier in the day, I spotted Michael Hogan in the celeb alley--Colonel Tigh from the Battlestar Galactica reboot. I considered going up and (jokingly) saying "We have the same last name, maybe we're related!". Well, later in the day I saw there was no one at his table so I walked up and introduced myself:

Me: "I just wanted to say hi, because I'm a Hogan too. I'm Dan."
MH (paraphrasing here): ::shakes my hand:: "That's great! Nice to meet you, Ben*" *yes, he misheard me and thought my name was Ben.
Me: "uh, actually.."
MH: "Y'know, when i was younger all my friends called me Ben...because of Ben Hogan, the golfer--"
Me: "I'm sorry, but my name is Daniel, not Ben."
MH: ::eyes widen, stands up::
Me: ::thinks MH is going to yell at me and split me in twain::
MH: "Daniel! Why, that's my brother's name!" ::shakes my hand again and places he other hand on top of mine for a much more sincere handshake::
Me: "Ha, small world, huh?"
MH: "Yes! I'll have to tell him I met you!"

He was very nice, which some might not expect given his hard edged character on BSG. Tigh is perhaps my favorite character on the show becuase he is so crazy and so interesting, so I'm really glad I went and did this. However, I felt kind of weird talking to him while wearing my Ghostbuster costume, but then I"m sure he's seen stuff like that before at conventions.

The other funny part about this conversation is that I have both an uncle and a cousin on the Hogan said named Michael. And I know another Michael Hogan, whom I'm not related to, that has a brother named Daniel. Weird, huh?

The big guest of honor this year was Carrie "I did other movies besides Star Wars" Fisher. I didn't get a chance to meet her, mainly because I didn't want to wait in a long line and also because I didn't want to shell out $40 for an autograph. A friend of mine who attened did and said Carrie looked great.

I gave out all my CDs, saw some old friends and now have a funny story to tell. All in all, a good day.

Motor City Comic Con was a successful adventure for me. I got to see some old friends I haven't seen in long while, sold 3 books, traded 2 and made some great contacts. Oh and Erik Estrada winked at me.

I was upset because my order of 500 promo cards did not arrive from Lulu.com by the time I left for the con, and they still haven't come yet! Looks like I'm gonna have to do something about this...Anyway, picked up Lovely Assistant Thursday night and headed down to Novi Friday morning. We grabbed a quick lunch at Twelve Oaks Mall before heading over to the Con to set up. Checking in was a breeze, thankfully. However, locating my table was a bit of a challenge. Lovely Assistant and I spent ten minutes walking around trying to find it before another artist said "You look like me ten minutes ago!" he then quickly pointed out that our table numbers were written in chalk on the floor under our table. D'oh.

Lovely Assistant and I at my table.

We set up the table and got to work trying to sell books. Thankfully we were across from the guys and girls of Comics Obscura, an indie comic done right here in Lansing. I had requested to be by them in my table form/contract and thankfully they were able to make that happen. Woo hoo! And to my right was artist/writer William Messner-Loebs, who I didn't know much about until Jay from Comics Obscura told me he worked on The Maxx--which I didn't really read, but I watched the cartoon of it on MTV religiously. After learning that, I chatted with Bill about it and sure enough he worked on cartoon a bit. Neat!

The Comics Obscura booth.

Didn't sell any copies on Friday, but Saturday I sold two (joking over dinner that my sales increased by "200%") and I sold one on Sunday. But I traded a couple of copies--I gave one to Tom Sullivan, the special effects genius behind Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2--too of my favorite films. I went up to him and said that I was a fan of his work and wanted to give him a copy of my book. He gladly accepted it and the people in line behind me were amused to see Tom getting an autograph for a change as I signed the book. I wanted to buy one of his prints (see photo) but he wouldn't have it: "No,no--it is my gift to you!" He's a very nice guy and is very appreciative of fans. I just think it is really cool that someone who worked on the Evil Dead series has a copy of my book.

My autographed Tom Sullivan print--I gave him a copy of The Magic of Eyri, so he gave me this.

My other trade was to Star Wars artist/Michigan native, Katie Cook (aka smarbaby ) We've talked a bit online prior to the Con and I told (warned) her I would stop by her table on Saturday. During one of my other visits to her table I asked her if she'd trade a sketch for a copy of the Magic of Eyri, and she had no problem with that. She did a great sketch of Boba Fett for me (see photo) and an amazing little sketch card drawing of Godzilla for Lovely Assistant (and she let me take one of her pre-made sketch cards too!). I am in awe of her skill, especially when I watched her do the sketch card of Godzilla and how it only took her a few seconds. Amazing. She had a big weekend herself, when she stopped by my table she told me that the 501st made her an honorary member. Very cool (I told her how jealous I was).

The sketch I got from Katie Cook in exchange for a copy of The Magic of Eyri. Neato!


The sketch card Katie Cook whipped up for Lovely Assistant. Awesome!


Another sketch card that Katie Cook let me have because she's super-cool.

Getting my book in the hands of people like Katie and Tom is a good thing and that is why I don't mind trading with them (or even just giving it to them--the trade part was a bonus). I should have given one to Bill as well or even Guy Davis (another comic book artist/Michigan native). Next time. But the mini-pins were a success, I only have 3 (out of 40) left. Not bad. And if I had put the rest on the massive freebie table at the front of the con, they would be gone. I got a lot of people to come up to my table and to talk to me because I had a sign that said "Free Buttons and Candy" (I gave out Air Heads, which I had Lovely Assistant cross out Air and write Eyr on each of 'em).

And my other bit of guerrilla marketing was that I had a couple proof copies of t-shirts with the cover art (and the website on the back) that I don't really wear, so I threw those on the freebie table as well. They were gone moments later. Bingo bango. All in all, it was a fun weekend. I sold books, which was nice considering I wasn't on panels or anything like that. I don't know yet if I'd do this again, because I had more than a few people look at my book and say 'OH! It's a novel...?" and were surprised I was there promoting it. Oh well. It certainly didn't hurt any to be there.

Bonus Pictures!


Cloud from Final Fantasy VII


Joey Pants left early on Saturday and didn't stick around all weekend :(




This Jawa costume was pretty great.


Vader telling me to stay off his lawn.

That's right kids, I'll be at Motor City Comic Con all weekend! I'll be a guest there and I'll be selling copies of The Magic of Eyri for a special Convention Only price. So if you're in the 'hood, swing by and say hi. I'll have free mini-pins and Air Heads candy at my table.

Learn more at: http://www.motorcityconventions.com/motor_city_comic_con/

In other news, my promo cards from lulu.com didn't come yesterday so I WON'T have them for this weekend. I'm all kinds of pissed off about that.  I only have about 50 cards left, which should be OK...but having a fresh batch of 500 would have been nice *grumble* I blame the pokey process that lulu.com uses for ordering said cards. They should really stream line it. Watch, I bet they'll show up today, but I won't be there to get 'em. Grrr. So I whipped up some proxy cards last night before getting on the road. They ain't that pretty, but it is better than nothing. Gotta make due "Adapt. Improvise. Overcome," as Dad likes to say.

My order of 40 mini-pins through CafePress is seven days late. I need these bad boys to give out at Motor City Comic Con next weekend. Needless today, when I got home today and they still weren't here (should have arrived on the 2nd according to my email) I was not a happy camper. But, one quick phone call to CafePress later and they have re-sent out my order and upgraded it to One Day Shipping. I should get this new batch by Tuesday. Phew. However, I'm never using their Economy Shipping again.

They also said that if I do in fact get the original order to just keep it as a "thank for shopping with us." Bully. That would be kind of nice, to have an extra 40 buttons to give out after this little fiasco. The original order was sent out on the 23rd of April and whenever I went to check the UPS tracking info, it said none was available. Grrr. Thankfully it looks as if this situation has been taken care of and it should all work out in the end.

The only other thing I gotta worry about is if my promo cards (all 500 of 'em) I ordered through Lulu.com get to me in time. I did tell them that I needed 'em by Thursday after I emailed them back about making a few changes, so hopefully I don't hit any snags there. If it came right down to it, I'd rather have the cards than the pins. They are more useful. But then, if I don't get my cards I can always improvise something at the last minute before leaving for the con. It'd be like taking your cousin to the prom: it wouldn't be pretty, but at least you wouldn't show up empty handed. While I like getting those cards through Lulu.com, the process through which you get them is a tad clunky.

First you order them. They, usually the next day or so, they email you and ask you what you want on them. You send back the info and then, usually a day or so, they email you back what they came up with a soft proof .PDF to approve. If you don't like it, you email them back and say 'hey, change this.' Up until this time, they used the same layout for me each time and it was great. But it looks as if they redid their design because the front and backs are different. Plus they put the link to my book on lulu on the front and back cover . While that's nice,  "www.magicofeyri.com" looks a heck of a lot better than "http://www.lulu.com/content/572500" and I don't want people to go right to my lulu page. I want them to go to my site, look around and hopefully get very convinced to buy the book.

Sigh. The joys of self-publishing.

In a little over a week I'll be at Motor City Comic Con (16th - 18th) trying to sell copies of The Magic of Eyri. I still haven't got my mini-pins from CafePress yet, and I'm getting very annoyed. I just better get 'em before next Thursday. The same goes for the new batch of promo cards I ordered from Lulu. Srsly. I'll be very angry if I don't get my promo materials in time for the Con.

In some other, much better news, I sold a few copies online over the past couple weeks. Three to be exact. This puts me at 117 copies sold. Neat. One was bought on Lulu and the other two through non-lulu channels. I know one was bought through Amazon because my ranking dipped a bit one day.

Guess who was added as a guest to the front page of the Motor City Comic Con website:


Neat! I'm also on the full guest page too, but I'm listed as a "Comic Creator," hehe. Oops. I guess they probably don't have a category for me to go in otherwise. Still, it is a bit of an honor to be listed on the same page as the dude who played Cameron in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. However, don't too excited about this--I am paying to be there. But still, this is cool. More Penguicon posts (and pictures!) later tonight.