Dragoncon In the Rearview Mirror
Sep 08, 2024 4:15 pm
I survived!
Dragoncon is over and is now at least 360 days in the future. But it was a wonderful busy convention. Here are some numbers for you:
- Steps: 90,166
- Miles: 37.21
- Books Sold: 120
- Panels: 7
We packed up at 5 PM on Monday and headed home. I had always planned on taking Tuesday off and unpacking, but.... yeah slight head cold, just enough that I had zero motivation, had me taking the week off.
But I got to see a TON of friends. I hung out with Matt Dinniman, James Hunter, Michael J. Allen, Jay Boyce, Ben Wolf, Jeff Hays, Katie Cross, Marisa Wolf, KC Ezell, and, and, and like I can't even say them all. But it was fun if absolutely exhausting. I cam up with some new sales ideas and ways to get books too people as well as knowing that my Nobel's Luck series is going to be amazeballs. I just need to finish it. My big push is going to be getting direct sales going so if you need Christmas presents for people, I can send you signed books (hint, hint).
I got a bit more done on the trilogy and here is the Lord cover. You will like Duncan. He is sweet, smart, and a lot clueless, but there is a ruthlessness hiding under his bland exterior.
Other than that I have one more convention this year and then I'll be heads down writing and trying to FINISH things. I'm starting to panic to be honest, so many books I need to write.
Don't forget Puppetmaster is available in audio! If you want to list to this in audio grab it now from my store!
Book Recommendations!
A small town guy from Earth and a sentient space ship? Sign me up! Get the book Hometown Space Pirate free now and find out just how far your dreams can take you .
The amazing Robert Ross has a new audiobook out by the just as spectacular Nick Podehl. I might also be working on my adjectives. But that doesn't change a thing. If you loved Sentinels of Creation or Paradigm 2045 you have to check out Argonauts of the Void: To Sail Beyond the Darkness. It is available exclusively at Audible and will pull you into the next part of the saga.
Currently there are three promo's that are going on that can get you free books. Check these out:
Get them while the offers are there and find your new weekend companion.
Weekly Micro Story
Crow
The solstice I was told my gift was so long ago, I barely remembered most of it. But the word the old woman whispered in my ear was still as clear as day.
"Crow," she said, a low slow sound that rang through my bones. I had asked no questions, just smiled and left. Others had people waiting for them, family, friends, onlookers. I had no one, and maybe it was for the best. Pa was the town drunk and my ma'd been dead since I was a wee one. I had no memory of her, but I knew I shared her black hair and pale blue eyes.
A few had asked my gift and shrugged when I told them. It was rude to ask, but not telling carried implications that I had no wish to shoulder. To my relief they all dismissed it. My power was a bird and useless one at that as they weren't even good for meat. I keep my head down and let them believe it.
Now here I was years later in a war I wasn't sure I believed in, fighting for a kingdom that had given me nothing, with people that cared little about me. Except for her. I don't know what her real name was, but now they called her Scythe. She didn't say not to, but I saw the flinch each time someone did and her shoulders sank a fraction more. She could only be a few years older than me, but wars were for the young, the old were dead or smart enough to avoid them.
"Are you ready?" her voice called out, high and clear over the rustle of people and animals.
"YES," the cry came from a thousand throats including mine. There was something about her, something I was willing to fight for, to die for. And it wasn't just that she saw more than most, but that she cared and tried, which was more than anyone else had ever done.
"Animals, go," she called and I smiled. My horde of crows had followed, ever faithful and so very smart. I was off to one side and I raised my hands, calling my horde, my friends, my family. The sky grew dark above me as they flew up gathering around me like a thunderstorm of vengeance.
"Go, collect eyes and bring them here," I said.
With a cacophony of caws they were gone, racing toward the battlefield, and already I could hear the screams as my crows collected what I asked for. Crow wasn't a power, it was a family, friends, and the ability to be what ever I needed for her.
~*~
This story is kinda maybe linked to the new fantasy series I'm thinking about called Harvest. We'll see if it links, but for now it seemed to work.
Mel
Schedule 2024:
Deep South Con - Oct 11-13th, Helen, GA <- last chance until 2025 to see me in person!!!
Remember find me here:
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If you are on Tiktok, it is kind of working. Nothing impressive posted there yet, but look for @meltodd_writer
