the GOOD things that happened at the convention I went to

Some good stuff happened. Luckily, enough to eclipse out most of the bad stuff. I went as an artist this year rather than a writer. I took about 12 copies of Winterborn, my latest novel, and sold out. I sat next to a small press publisher who was looking for a graphic artist to illustrate a graphic novel. We talked, and he asked me to do a few pages on spec.

I took a portfolio this year and it got a LOT of attention. I sold a few prints and even caught the attention of the owner of Shroud Publishing. I've been trying for YEARS to get him to look at my portfolio. This year, he finally stopped by my table and flipped through it. It was great when he started mock-plotting cover layouts on a couple of of the prints!

On Friday night we ventured out into the private room parties and discovered the readings, and we got to hear Steven Shrewbury read. Hooooooly crap this guy has a voice--it's amazing! Watch this video..there's a second part, too. It's also during this very reading that I drowned my camera in a full cup of sweet tea vodka (during the second part, when he slams his fists on the table). Listen to how everybody shuts up the second he actually starts reading. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKosbVTofsU .

I also got to hear Kevin Lucia and Danny Evarts read, as well as Lon somebody, and a few other Shroud authors who ROCK. I ended up with about seven books crammed into the waistband of my pants (had to have both hands free for the drinks...LOL) before the end of the night. Some will end up reviewed here. Me and Andrew Wolter, king of the erotic gay tentacle horror story, hung out and played around all night. Last year we got into trouble a few times LOL, but this time we kept our noses clean.

All in all, it was probably the best CONtext yet. Save for the party incidents, of course. The networking was great this year, and seeing old friends and making new ones was fantastic.