First of all, con crud is real. If any of this post goes awry and doesn’t make sense, I blame it on the drugs.
Everything I was told about Raleigh being one of the biggest of the GalaxyCons lived up to expectations. There were SO MANY people. With it also being a 4-day event, it makes my feet hurt all over again thinking about it. I won’t do a blow-by-blow of setup and things of that nature, because I’ve covered that in previous posts. There were a couple of things that made this one, my fourth, more special than the others.
- This fantastic group of authors has really accepted me as one of their own. I’m not just some dude trying to sell books anymore; rather, I’m part of the family. They’re looking out for me, making sure my special dietary needs are met, helping me to avoid catastrophic mistakes. It’s a truly rare thing to feel this welcomed, and I hope I never take it for granted.
- Adding to that, we spent more time together outside of the convention setting, which I had yet to do. I got to learn so many fascinating things about everyone, like their pathways to publishing, personal stories, meeting some other family members, and so much more. In so many ways, it felt like a family vacation with a found family trope.
- The cosplay in Raleigh was incredible. There were many familiar characters, of course, but some real thought and planning went into them. Some of my favorite non-standard costumes I saw were Walt Disney, Joe Biden (complete with ice cream cone), Dark Helmet w/a Spaceball soldier, and Silent Bob (who was kind enough to pose for a photo with my book). Bob really committed to the bit, too: he never spoke a word. Pro move for a big con. Some of them were common cosplays with that one extra touch. I saw someone dressed in a Stitch onesie, but they added the polka dot bra on the head and the red cape. It was legendary.
Of course, we’re all there at the booth to sell our books, but it’s more than that. My favorite part of the process is connecting with people who love to read and finding them just the right book. Their faces light up when they find it and it makes me smile every time. Sometimes, it’s my book, many times it’s not, but I live for that joy that the printed word can bring to people. Some of the interactions I had with the readers who bought my book will be etched in my memory forever.
- One gentleman tapped my book on the name and said, “I think I’ve heard of this guy.” He checked his phone, turned it around showing the cover, and said, “Yeah, I had it on my wish list.” It was all I could do to keep my legs under me.
- A pair of younger people came up, one of whom seemed to have some auditory sensitivities. They had friendship bracelets from wrist to elbow on both arms, which, as they say, we love to see it. One of them commented on the purpleness of the cover and my outfit that day, and I explained it was a theme with The Duchess. The one with the headphones removed one of their friendship bracelets and handed it to me. They said, “It’s purple because your book is purple.” I will treasure it always.
- Another one was a rather excited young man who was cradling my book like a precious secret. His brother said he’d been wanting to read more, but nothing had really interested him until he found The Duchess.
There were many more wonderful interactions with readers, but those warmed my heart more than I can say. It’s one of the myriad reasons I’m so happy to be a part of this community. The vibe has the needle pinned to awesome, and it makes the time go by so quickly. I had to remind myself to stop and take it all in at times. Don’t focus on your feet or that your voice is cracking from talking to people, but use what my mom has always called your “mental camera” and savor those moments.
Now, back to trying to fight off this cold. If I can keep my head on straight, I’m going to attempt to work on some of my edits while I’m down and out. (UPDATE: It ended up being COVID–my first and hopefully last experience with it)