Biblionomics

For those of you that missed last week’s update, I was at NasFic. If you were not following on twitter, or Facebook, It was a spectacular time, and the ReConStruction crew should be proud of their efforts.

It is odd, but one of the first things out of people’s mouths when I get back from a convention is: Did you make any money?

Even stranger, what pops out is: No.

I am not sure of any other query in the world where the question is irrelevant because the answer is so grossly incorrect.

I went. I sold 10 books- as much as anything else on the table. If you count the plane ticket, meals, cost for membership to the con, and the rental car, I am significantly behind in dollars and cents. Yet, it was an extremely profitable trip. I have four new job leads, I have a lead on an agent, I met some really interesting people who, in turn, will tell others about the funny fat guy at the panel and his series of books. I have contacts with new publishers, new authors, and even new fans. Those last, most of all, are invaluable.

I met Andrew Fox, author of Fat White Vampire Blues (as well as the Bride of the Fat White Vampire and others.) I got to listen to how, after climbing up the ladder to the major presses Hurricane Katrina destroyed his life. With no home, no resources, and at least one small child at the time, he got up off the mat and is doing it again.

Samuel Montgomery-Blinn runs Bull Spec Magazine. It focuses on the Raleigh-Durham area right now, but he is looking to expand to become much more than a local publication, to a regional, and beyond. He’s riding herd over advertisers, authors, printers, and he’s got an awful lot of hats on while keeping up with a family, a full time job. Here’s something that should not be a secret: He’s doing a great job (go, get a subscription… quickly. Go!)

I also get updates telling me about local conventions, business opportunities (most of them from Nigeria) and sometimes I come across something like this:

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Rymfire eBooks seeking artists

We’re seeking amateur artists for upcoming covers, namely for the following horror eBooks:
“Revenant”… “State of Horror: Louisiana/Texas”… “State of Horror: New York/Pennsylvania”…

Also, we need a cover artist to do a series of fantasy eBook covers as well… e-mail us at rymfireebooks (at) gmail.com for further information!

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And I am glad to pass them on to other starving artists because I believe in no good deed going unpunished.

And I get to keep my finger on the pulse of the Geek community. Otherwise how would I know about the science fiction remake of Anna Karenina

Or how people will someday link to my facebook page from my tombstone (though I imagine that barring the download of my brain, updates will be somewhat more regular).

So I guess the answer should be: I am poorer in cash, and richer in spirit. I left with a head empty of ideas and pockets overflowing with script, and came back fuller, wiser, and with infant stories starting to toddle in my head. And that is worth more than gold… I hope… eventually.