Clare C. Marshall's Blog, page 11

Hal-Con 2015 Post-Mortem

Hal-Con is over!! No more conventions this year for me. But, lots next year (I hope! ) I had a lot of fun this year, I sold lots, and everything is good. Special thanks to Jessie and my dad for helping me out at the table! ^^

Check out my other convention write-ups here:

– Edmonton Expo 2015

– When Words Collide 2015

– Calgary Comic Expo 2015

– Hal-Con 2014

– Keycon 2014

– Hal-Con 2013

– C4 Winnipeg 2013

– When Words Collide 2013

– KeyCon 2013

General Impressions

So, this Hal-Con was GREAT. Finally, they put all the vendors on one floor, in the big arena area. My table was right on the red carpet that marked the main thoroughfare, and even though I was at the back of the convention, I was on a corner and across from the main artist guests of the con. So, I had a good amount of traffic, extra space, and lots of opportunities for people to see me. And location, as I’ve discovered, makes or breaks your con success.

The convention centre is a complete maze–they’re supposedly building a new one somewhere–but move in was fairly painless (lots of volunteers to direct you). I wish the vendor hours were shorter. I did most of my sales earlier in the day, and by the end of Sunday, people were packing up an hour and a half early because all the attendees had cleared out. I was exhausted at the end. I even had moments where I wondered what city I was in. I suppose after a while, the cons blend together a bit. Though I will say, where last year it seemed like I was seeing the same people over and over again, this year I felt like I saw new people all the time. I think their attendance went up by about 2,000, making about 8,000 attendees? I await the final count. Still, it’s the largest con in Atlantic Canada.

Display

This is the first con where I had FIVE BOOKS!! FINALLY. Everyone fit nicely on the table, only had to move the button box backwards.

I had great neighbours–the Writers Fed of Nova Scotia. I never realized how many young people worked there. They were really great, very committed to educating and meeting writers and authors of all kinds. Unfortunately, because of a giant pillar, there was limited space for them to place their banner, and it ended up sort of on my side. Normally I wouldn’t mind, but with the banner so close, a lot of people mistook me as part of the Writer’s Federation. Nope, I’m my own thing! Couldn’t really be helped, and it’s not like I had a big back banner to better identify myself. My tall banner was working the corner LIKE A CHAMP. I have ordered a large horizontal banner now, and will premiere that at Calgary Expo 2016.

My poor banner. It’s still holding up, but got lopsided by Sunday. I took it down every night to avoid what happened last year.

Related to my display: I had a lot of success with standing up, and wearing my purple coat. I think that’s because it’s noticeable, and when I’m standing, I’m at eye level. Always a good thing to do when possible, but good here, as I didn’t have any front-facing banners immediately attracting customers. My FACE was a suitable substitute.

I think I may be onto something with the eye-level thing. It feels so weird that the table is so low, making the books low. Might be a worthy experiment–make something that my books can sit on that’s close to eye level, so they are immediately apparent to the passersby. Like a mini shelf that’s tall and not too heavy. NEXT TIME?!

Sales

I did very well at Hal-Con. Halifax is good for me, mostly because I’m from Nova Scotia, and 80% of the vendors are from Atlantic Canada. People come to this con to buy, and they buy local.

I completely sold out of Within. I’ve started bringing less copies of it to cons, but in hindsight, I should have brought more to Hal-Con since the book is set in Halifax. It’s also one that catches people’s eye. If they’re not picking up The Silver Spear or The Violet Fox, they’re picking up Within. Stars In Her Eyes is also eye-catching for its colouring, but mostly to anime fans. I won’t be reprinting Within until closer to Calgary Expo 2016, which is my first con of the new year.

By the end of Sunday, I only had one copy of The Silver Spear left. I probably could have sold it, but then I get home and I realize that someone has laid claim to it. So! Yes! Out of The Silver Spear too. I was good at calculating just how many I’d need to last me to the end of Hal-Con, but other than the copies out west in bookstores, I am totally out! So I’m looking into solutions for larger runs (but not too large), since I’ll definitely be needing those for next year as well.

Because I now have 2 books in 2 different series, I have started offering bundle prices at my table, which was a great success. People expressed that they wanted to ensure they could get the sequels, and the best way was to just buy them right then and there. So that’s something I’ll continue doing as I put out more books.

I sold more buttons this time, because I lowered the price. I only sold a few eBooks–almost all my sales were print books. People only bought the eBook if the print book wasn’t available, or if they’d bought the eBooks from me last year and wanted to continue their tradition.

I can take credit cards now!!

Yes. YES! One phone upgrade, now it’s super fast, and it doesn’t take a million hours to load a little credit card app. Twelve percent of my business was in credit cards, which is not too shabby considering the actual dollar amount. The Square app was very easy to use, no problems at all! Though if you do have the signature setting on, it’s a bit difficult for people wearing gloves as part of their cosplay who can’t easily take them off. Also, as I found out, it doesn’t take Visa debit. Ah well. About 3 people asked me if I did debit, but were understanding when I said that I did not. Maybe in the future, if I have cons every month!

Cool People

I’ve had a lot of people tell me in the past few weeks that they’re impressed with what I’m doing. It’s nice to hear, especially since some days I feel like I’m spinning my wheels. I’ve mentioned this before, but I work alone in a basement, so when I come out of my dark space and into society and I realize that there are people who are actually paying attention to the stuff I post, it’s gratifying. It was really nice to spend time around other creative people and not be stuck in a basement. Again, I’m reminded of how forward-facing I am; that I don’t often get a chance to look back at all I have done, which happens when I explain to others what I do.

I really like talking to people who are similar to me, who make their art their business–like Peter Chiykowski, who continues to grow and be amazing at innovating and driving people to his projects, and Adam Sigrist, a new friend of mine who has just launched his Kickstarter for a graphic novel project. I also took some time to wander around and visit the other artists to see what they’re up to. I’d love to do a collaboration someday. SOMEDAY. I also enjoyed meeting local Nova Scotian authors, and talking about what works for them.

Will I go back?

I really want to. Now that I’m based in Calgary, it’s expensive for me to just come for one con, even when I do well. I’m looking into applying for guest status and hoping that alleviates some of that cost. Overall, I found it to be well run, secure, and everyone is just the friendliest. I have quite a few returning customers who buy whatever I have that’s new, and I want to continue to be there for them. Also, it’s just a fun con that continues to grow. I can’t wait until it’s in the new centre. Probably not next year, but who knows?

Check out my other convention write-ups here:

– Edmonton Expo 2015

– When Words Collide 2015

– Calgary Comic Expo 2015

– Hal-Con 2014

– Keycon 2014

– Hal-Con 2013

– C4 Winnipeg 2013

– When Words Collide 2013

– KeyCon 2013

Edmonton Expo 2015 Post Mortem

Back from yet another con. Didn’t I just write one of these? It’s that time of year where all the cons are happening at once. If only this book were a time book and then I could be everywhere at once.

Read my past post-mortems/things-I-learned posts from previous cons here:

– When Words Collide 2015

– Calgary Comic Expo 2015

– Hal-Con 2014

– Keycon 2014

– Hal-Con 2013

– C4 Winnipeg 2013

– When Words Collide 2013

– KeyCon 2013

General Impressions

This was my first time to Edmonton, and despite what the Calgarians say, it’s a very nice place. The long residential streets lined with fall trees reminded me a bit of Halifax and Winnipeg, and downtown Edmonton is far more approachable than Calgary. I am fortunate to have relatives there so I was able to lodge for free, and my good friend Richard took me around and also helped me out a lot (yayy!) so I was thankful for that.

The Edmonton Expo has a pretty similar set up to the Calgary Expo, which isn’t a surprise, since they’re run by the same people. We had a bit of a trial actually finding the correct entrance for vendors, and had to walk around and around the centre a few times. Exercise! What’s nice is that you get a variety of vendors without the overwhelming stimuli of the Calgary Expo. Everyone was spaced out appropriately–I wasn’t directly competing with any other authors in my row. I was also between two people with very eye-catching displays/products, which meant that people stopped and lingered long enough to also check me out.

The Silver Spear

The Silver Spear delivery missed the Expo by about three days. Which is unfortunate because I probably would’ve sold a lot of them. I had the proof copy on the table to entice people to order, and it was usually the first thing people went for! It’s definitely my favourite cover. At least I was able to take some orders. I’ll have them at Hal-Con for sure

Display

The thing about travelling to conventions in other cities (and especially in other provinces) is that you’re limited by your luggage. I pack as much as I can into one suitcase when I’m travelling somewhat local to save on costs, and that means sacrificing some of the set-up pretties. I felt my display lacked something this time around. I definitely felt the absence of my button box: I couldn’t fit it in my suitcase or backpack. I brought what books I thought would sell, but since I was limiting myself, I felt my table looked empty compared to when I can load it up with however much I want.

A big thing I noticed is that almost everyone in my row had a banner hanging behind them. That’s something I desperately need now. My stand-alone banner isn’t cutting it by itself, especially when it’s only half visible most of the time. I need something to hang behind me. Granted, not every Expo has a space where I can do that, but at these big cons, there almost always is some kind of curtaining exactly for this purpose. So I’m shopping around for banners for next year.

Sales

I was somewhat disappointed in my sales for this con. I expected more. I think I was hampered by my location. By the time people found me, they were out of money–if they found me at all. In addition, Friday was super dead. They probably could’ve gotten away with just doing two days of the con.

The Violet Fox sold the most, as usual. Surprisingly I almost sold out of Within–not sure why that one caught everyone’s eye. Also surprisingly, the Sparkstone Saga sold very little. Usually Stars In Her Eyes and The Violet Fox are neck-and-neck. I think The Silver Spear‘s cover is just so strong, people gravitate towards that, and then buy The Violet Fox when they figure out that that’s the first one in the series.

Also, I had a couple of people recognize me from Calgary Expo, hurray, and approach me and say that they/their family member enjoyed one or more of my books!

Strange Questions

“So…are these books popular?”

“Does anyone actually buy these books?”

“Is anything on this table free?”

Yeah, this was a con of strange questions. And yes, those are actual questions asked by actual people.

Are these books popular? Depends on what you mean by that. Am I a bestselling author? No. Do people who read my books love them? Generally, yes! To the point that they recommend them to friends? Often, yes. It’s not uncommon for a person who has bought my book to drag a book-loving friend and make them buy their own copies. Becoming popular is a process. You just have to keep showing up. If you’re trying to gauge how good a book is by how popular it is, you’re not going to have an easy time, and I point you to recent past commercial successes that have been widely panned.

Also, you should make up your own mind about whether or not you’d like the book and use that to inform your purchasing decision…and not rely on “what’s popular.”

Does anyone actually buy these books? Obviously I wouldn’t be able to do conventions if I didn’t sell anything. This one probably insulted me more than the first question. Again, the girl was trying to (I think) make her purchasing decision based on other people’s past purchases. Yes, people buy my books. It would be easier if I had better distribution, but hey, it’s a process, I’m working on it.

Is anything on this table free? This one came from left field. I had to ask him to repeat the question. Bookmarks are free. My business card is free. He said he wanted something as a souvenir. Um, a souvenir…that’s a very specific word that gave me the creeps! I don’t think English is his first language, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. He took some bookmarks and moved on, and didn’t talk to anyone else in the row. WEIRD.

Taking Credit Cards!

…but not debit. You know, I thought I’d increase my sales by having credit as an option, but I think I lost $50 in potential sales because I didn’t take debit. Well, Square doesn’t do debit, sooo…yeah. The number of mobile payment processing companies that provide Canadians with readers seems to be pretty slim. To take debit, I’d have to have a whole separate machine, and pay some kind of monthly fee. So…no thanks.

Also, taking credit cards made me realize how much I need a much better phone! The app kind of ground everything to a halt on the device. Still worked, but it was slow. But that is a relatively easy thing to improve.

Will I Go Back?

I think so. It’s close enough and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg (maybe just an arm). Next time, I’ll try to get a better spot, and maybe drive up rather than take a bus, so I can have all the supplies I need, and a better banner!

WWC 2015 Post Mortem

Another When Words Collide complete! This is my third When Words Collide, and was drastically different than last year’s, which for some reason I did not do a write-up about. Everything about this con was a level-up. Different hotel. Better dealer’s room. More opportunities. More people–and more people who recognized me and my books. I haven’t seen some of my writer friends for a while, and so it was exciting to be back in the swing of the Calgary writing and publishing scene.

Read my past post-mortems/things-I-learned posts from previous cons here:

– Calgary Comic Expo 2015

– Hal-Con 2014

– Keycon 2014

– Hal-Con 2013

– C4 Winnipeg 2013

– When Words Collide 2013

– KeyCon 2013

General Impressions

I’m not sure whether it’s because I haven’t been in Calgary a while, and I’m suddenly back, but I had a lot of people asking me to hang out/go for business coffee. Some of this is 100% from my client work, and doesn’t necessarily have to do with Faery Ink Press. Some of it is from publishing friends, and we are getting better acquainted because there is something we can collaborate on/trade. Others are writers who want advice about independent publishing. Couple this with being on a ton of panels, and running the table, and I felt very in-demand this year! That’s not a bad thing.

In general, this year felt very different from previous years. WWC has been, for me, a chance to hang out with all my writing/publishing friends. Selling books is kind of a side effect of going. This year was more awesome since Brett and Sandra from ChiZine were there–I used to intern for them–and also Greg, who I don’t often get to hang out with in small groups. It was nice to catch up with them and talk about future projects. Having them next to me made me feel really good, because everyone’s books look awesome and talking silliness with them reminds me of why I got into this whole thing in the first place. Add in Hydra House and Fairwood Press and we were a very friendly, fun aisle to hang out in.

Like I said, I was on a lot of panels this year, including one with Brandon Mull. He looks pretty silly in this picture, while I look very frowny! That’s my thinking face. Also Brandon got to be Jillian Long for the panel.

After 6 different panels, I have to say I was a little brain-fried. Hopefully what I had to say was intelligent. Friday and Saturday I noticed people came up to me more, complimenting me on my diction. So that’s good! Sometimes I feel like there’s only so much I can say. Also, I don’t want to always refer to my own books as examples when I’m speaking–I tried to think of other examples when I was trying to give advice or explain concepts–that was most difficult come Sunday and all I could think was MUST GO TO BED SOON.

Taking Pre-Orders

Unfortunately I didn’t have The Silver Spear in time for WWC. But I WILL have it for Edmonton Expo next month, knock on wood, if the shipping gods are in my favour. So I printed these postcard coupons and gave them out to people who purchased the Violet Fox. I spread them out in front of me to look at all the time because they are oh so pretties.

So because I didn’t have the copies, I took pre-orders. This was far more successful than the last time I tried this. Probably because I had a lot of people being like WHERE IS THE SILVER SPEAR MUST HAVE IT and I was like UGHHHHH SOOOOOON, in the best possible way there is to say that, because I TOO want to hold it in my hands! Anyway, at the time of writing this, I’m just finalizing all the printing junk, so very, very soon, just a few more weeks until I can send out all the pre-orders!

Leveling Up, Socializing, & Opportunities

I had some conversations with a few people at my table that may lead to concrete opportunities in the future–though with these things, you just have to follow up, investigate to see if it’s worthwhile, or sometimes, things never come to pass. Other than that, some of my favourite moments of the con were the low-key hang-outs with Sandra, Brett, Chadwick, Sandra, and Greg. I also enjoyed getting to know Hayden Trenholm and his wife Liz over wine on Saturday! Oh, and meeting Sally Harding at the absinthe/rum party. She was very delightful.

As I mentioned before, Greg is the most positive, take-action, leadership-guy I know. When you speak, he gives you undivided attention. I don’t know if he’s ever been afraid in his life? He’s a big ball of inspiration to be around because he’s always focussed on what’s next, and wants to know what you’re working on too.

In particular, I liked what he said to a customer while he was sketching for them (paraphrased): “The people who have success, they’re the ones who just haven’t given up yet.” That’s so true in this business. I don’t sell the most amount of books, and there are things I could be doing more of or better, but I just try to improve the next time around. There’s a lot of things about publishing that are one- or two-years-ahead focussed (the amount of time it can traditionally take to produce one book), yet I like to think about ten or twenty years down the road, when I’ll have a whole ton of content that I can push (and who knows, employees?!!?! Proper distribution?? MORE AUTHORS??? Perhaps, we’ll see–keep buying, every little bit helps!). That keeps me going: keeping my eyes on a distant goal.

I also had an intense discussion with publisher Tod McCoy about reading times. Apparently in Seattle it’s acceptable to read for 20 minutes at a public reading. Here, you better only read for 5 minutes…10 minutes if you are a good reader, or a known author–else, people might start to get agitated. Or worse, you literally talk people out of buying. I promised him that I’d read for a long time if I ever came to Seattle. On a side note, Tod also mixes a mean drink.

I feel like I did a lot of socializing with my Winnipeg/Ontario friends rather than my local connections this time around. So if you wanted to talk to me and didn’t get the chance, I’ll see you in two weeks at IFWA. No matter who I talked to, I felt really lucky to be surrounded by good friends that make me feel like what I do matters.

These little things and others add up. It’s hard to explain or pinpoint, but this weekend I really felt like success was in my hands.

Sales

WWC isn’t really a sales con, it’s a con for networking. Plus, I didn’t have a new book out in time, so I knew about how much I’d make. I actually ended up selling more Violet Foxes than I expected–probably because I was talking up the Silver Spear. Stars In Her Eyes and Violet Fox generally sell about the same, with Violet Fox outselling by a handful. This time I only sold a handful of Stars! Though I did have a few people asking about the third book in the Sparkstone Saga, and that was super cool.

More people bought buttons than I expected. They’re a nice little souvenir. They’re a pure moneymaker at this point.

Display

This will be the last con I have four books–just when I’ve gotten used to displaying FOUR! Still haven’t gotten wooden shelves, but will soon. I’m definitely getting to a point where I need to strategically place everything because I’m running out of table space. I’ve started only bringing a couple of copies of Within and downplaying its display in favour of more room and prominence to The Violet Fox and the Sparkstone Saga.

I’m also happy to have my DOLLY!! It’s the perfect size for getting stuff everywhere, and everything fits perfectly on it!

As for my banner, we just propped it up in a corner out in the open, and it didn’t fall. That is a major win. The tape is holding!!

Book Social!

This year I did something different. A book social.

Leading up to the event, this gave me a lot of grief.

I was originally hoping to have some advance copies of The Silver Spear, but editing took longer than I anticipated–so no launch party. Instead, I decided instead of a sit-and-talk—I’d been doing so much of that—I wanted to do something fun. A short reading, a Q&A…and then games! Pin the flag on the castle, and a scavenger hunt. I was going to do trivia too, but I ran out of time. I bought some balloons and dollar store prizes. I knew I only had like five minutes to set up, and a giant room, so I did what I could with the resources I had.

The turn out was all right. But I consider it a success in that people came that I didn’t personally know. And I was extra grateful to the people who I did know who came! I think people enjoyed it? I could’ve made a lecture, I could’ve just ordered food from the hotel and ordered people to socialize…that just seems like a waste of an hour. If you want to talk to me, come to my table, or speak to me in the panels, or afterwards. I love when people come talk to me at the table!! I’d rather engage people with some interactivity at a social than make them listen to me talk, or leave them to linger awkwardly in a corner.

And you know? People bought books at the social–pre-orders, even. They wanted to know more about my stuff. They hadn’t even known about me a few days ago. So again, that’s a win.

The concept needs some work. It would be much better if I could bring my own food (it was order expensive hotel food or have nothing–and I have food allergies). I don’t think people were expecting me to make them play games, but no one objected–in fact, MORE people came in because they saw we were doing something different. Someday I’ll have a hotel room party…though those get crowded and you have to have free booze if you want people to show up, and it gets hot! I enjoyed ChiZine’s room parties when they did them: a short reading, and then booze until everyone goes to bed. Except my audience generally is under the drinking age…so virgin cocktails served by a fancy tuxedo person? Reading, then games, then more socializing. Perhaps next time.

Also, big thanks to Kate and to Jessica, for helping out at the social!

In Conclusion

Going to WWC, you’re bound to make opportunities for yourself. It’s a must-attend for any Calgary writer. Or Western writer. Because of its controlled size (650 people), you get to meet and socialize with Canada’s spec-fic writing and publishing elite. You will always come out the other side of the weekend invigorated. For as long as I’m able, I’ll be there.

Recently, I’ve been making silly excuses to myself about why I haven’t done an American con. I really want to visit Seattle! So I should do a Seattle con! After doing this con especially, I feel like I’m a step closer to being ready to take Faery Ink Press abroad.

As always, major thanks to Kate Larking, who makes my life easier. And to Randy McCharles and the volunteers, for making everything possible.

Read my past post-mortems/things-I-learned posts from previous cons here:

– Calgary Comic Expo 2015

– Hal-Con 2014

– Keycon 2014

– Hal-Con 2013

– C4 Winnipeg 2013

– When Words Collide 2013

– KeyCon 2013

Calgary Comic Expo Post Mortem

It’s over. My first Calgary Expo. I’m exhausted. Usually I come back from a convention rejuvenated or filled with creative energy, and although I have some of that, I’m mostly just filled with the overwhelming anxious sense of duty.

Read my past post-mortems/things-I-learned posts from previous cons here:

– Hal-Con 2014

– Keycon 2014

– Hal-Con 2013

– C4 Winnipeg 2013

– When Words Collide 2013

– KeyCon 2013

General Impressions

This is the most overstimulating con I’ve ever been to: Peter‘s words. It’s got this hectic energy. There is very little down time. Over 102,000 people attended. The Stampede grounds are big as is, and the BMO building was just jammed packed. I was in the Big Four Building, less trafficked but still buzzing. Friday was especially exhausting for me. Saturday when I ventured into the BMO to search for my friends’ booths it was just overwhelming. I was trying to find the EDGE booth and I had a general idea of where it was, as well as the booth number. But BAM colour there and OOH PRETTY DRESSES and OH ART and POSTERS and BOOKS? COMICS! and BAM MORE COLOUR. I had eye strain for two days.

This is the big leagues as far as cons go. Lots of sales. The Violet Fox sold lots, which is great, because the Silver Spear is coming out later this year!! I didn’t sell out of anything, though I got fairly low on Within copies, and I had to print more little eBooks mid-con. I brought more product than I thought I’d need, which is fine as I can use it for When Words Collide and the other conventions I’ll do this year. I think I’m coming to this con at a good point in Faery Ink Press’s life. I’ve got four books, with one more on the way, plus eBooks and buttons. This is a con where you put everything on the table.

Display

I think I’m starting to get the hang of attractively displaying my books, but for future large cons like this one, I’d like to take it to the next level. Especially for next year’s Calgary Expo. There are SO MANY vendors. In an artist alley setting like where I was, there’s not too much competition for attention. But in the bigger booth areas, there’s bigger displays and more visual noise all around. Future things to think about include: a second banner (free standing or hang-up), cardboard cutouts, table shelves (which Kel McDonald recommended, and are such a good idea!), and I’d like to have more “environmental” display items too. Kate brought a pretty mask to enhance the display. Lots of people complimented it! So props like that. I’ve even considered a vase of (fake) colourful flowers…but that could easily get cheesy. Anything to elevate my little booth space and transform it into a place of wonder.

Lil eBooks!

Here is another big improvement on my table display. A proper eBook sign!! No more confusion about what the lil eBooks are. The sign announces I have eBooks for sale, and then I kept them in a baggie in behind. This system worked way better than displaying them like business cards and I got more sales as a result.

On Thursday, I ran a $1 eBook promotion–all my eBooks were $1 each. I sold lots. People asked, isn’t that too cheap? To be honest, I’m happy whenever I make a sale, no matter how small the dollar amount. It means that one more person will enjoy my stories. And who knows, maybe next time they’ll come back and buy the next book at full price. Also, they’re cheap to print, there’s no extra hosting/maintaining cost on my end…so I still make money on the sale. Loss leadering (sort of!) for the win.

My Banner Didn’t Kill Anyone!

If you’ve been reading my previous con posts, you’ll have noticed my continued frustrations with my banner. When we set it up on Thursday, it fell within five minutes. Well, Kate to the rescue! She suggested taping it up to the metal supports. I’ve tried something similar before and it hadn’t worked, but I hadn’t tried it with the new Staples metal ends yet, so I was game. It worked!! We also set it up a little looser than before, so it wasn’t pulling so tight, and it never fell for the rest of the weekend. We still took it down at night, however–I’ve learned from my previous con that cleaning crews can accidentally damage stuff with their vacuums.

Swag

I had two types of bookmark, same as I did at Hal-Con. I also put out my business cards. I have none left. People took my business cards more than they took the bookmarks, because my business card is smaller. But people really like my bookmarks. A few people were surprised that they were free–probably because they’re so pretty. Kate and I chatted about having book-business cards. Cards with the book covers on them, and Faery Ink Press and/or book information on the back. This will be something to keep in mind for next year, especially with these huge cons–everyone is fighting for attention and I do want people to remember me and my books.

Sales Rhythm

Get up. Shower. Dress. Make-up. Fix make-up. Picture? Food. Make food for later. Pack up. Train. Arrive. Say hello. Coffee? Yes.

Then, you get into a sales groove, and that becomes your life for a while. It’s a little frightening how similar each conversation becomes. Are these your books? Yes. You’re the author? Yes. What are these books about? Are these books all in a series? My spiel is mostly the same every time, and I look for the tell-tale signs of interest: eyes lighting up, twitching of hands, body stance. If they touch the book, the hard part is done. Touching means interest, which means a very good chance of sale. Especially with The Violet Fox. People buy that on looks and touch alone.

You enter this semi-hypnotic, anxious state where the outside world falls away and the con becomes your life. I just spent four days doing this, and I guess a new week is beginning, but my body doesn’t know that. To my body I’ve just spent long, long days 100% focused on selling books. So there’s a recovery element, mentally and physically, to these larger cons.

That’s why I’m always happy to have people to help me…

Kate Larking, my assistant and author/marketer/bookseller in her own right, not only stayed with me, covered my table while I was breaking, and sold my books, she procured the cutest dolly EVER CREATED BY MAN. It’s the perfect size for my boxes!

Getting Noticed/Recognized

It’s still surprising and humbling to me how people who know very little about my books or me drop $50 at my booth. What if they buy all my books and hate them? I mean, out of four books, it’s possible they’d like one, and the reception for my work is generally positive, but…yeah. It’s a little scary sometimes to think about.

But!

I actually had people recognize me. From previous signings, from other cons–people who had read my books, loved them, and were wondering what was new or when The Silver Spear was coming out. And I have some potential opportunities for more signings, consignments, etc from this that I’ll follow up on. Yay!

Young People!

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of teenagers that attended. Hurray! Finally! My target audience. I was happy to sell to teens and their parents, and get the opportunity to chat with them. But I was also surprised by the number of parents who “screened” my books for their eleven- and twelve-year-olds. As soon as I mentioned that Within is a little more mature, I’d get, “Oh, no way.” No clarification was apparently needed for what I meant by mature (some disturbing content, violence, adult POV–if you’re wondering). No sex, they’d ask? No, no sex in anything, but some kissing. That’s fine.

I can understand the caution. I’m a stranger, selling strange books, in a strange place. I was just surprised that parents were censoring content for twelve-year-olds. I didn’t have that. I mean, on one hand, it’s not like I had bookstores nearby that I could spend my (or my parents’) money on. But they trusted me to make decisions about what I read–they didn’t need to approve purchases. The worst I’d get is a “You’re reading that?” Or, “You can buy that with your own money!” (The latter of which I did hear several times!)

Overall, though, parents let their kids decide if they wanted the book, or which book they wanted.

Fun People!

Jessica models The Violet Fox!

I was happy to see my writing and publishing friends. Overall I was in a good vendor row, everyone was friendly with each other. I was especially happy to meet Abby Howard, one of my fav comic artists! She drew me a faery kitty. She was sharing a table with Kel MacDonald and we got the opportunity to chat about various things. Hopefully I get the chance to see them again at other conventions! ^_^

Will I Go Back?

Yes, yes, yes! This is a major con and I was super happy to even get in. I’m guaranteed placement next year and have the option to upgrade to the BMO Building–which generally seems to have more traffic.

At least 10 people asked me if I was going to the Edmonton Expo. I said…no? But I’ve gone and applied anyway, even though I think vendor space is mostly sold out. So we’ll see!

Read my past post-mortems/things-I-learned posts from previous cons here:

– Hal-Con 2014

– Keycon 2014

– Hal-Con 2013

– C4 Winnipeg 2013

– When Words Collide 2013

– KeyCon 2013

Hal-Con 2014 Post-Mortem

With every con I learn something new. Often lots of things. I always come back rejuvenated. It’s not easy to keep the same level of discipline about a creative work, but going to conventions really makes me feel like what I’m doing matters. So THANK YOU to everyone who visited my table, bought my books, and/or just chatted with me. YAY.

I have done similar wrap-ups to other conventions I have attended. Reading them in order gives you an idea of my “evolution” as a publisher, but of course not necessary.

– Keycon 2014

– Hal-Con 2013

– C4 Winnipeg 2013

– When Words Collide 2014

– KeyCon 2014

General Impressions

Overall, I didn’t sell as much as I thought I would. Talking to other vendors on the floor, they expressed the same feelings. Even though the con was sold out (thousands of people), it seemed like I saw a lot of the same people wandering around the floor. I was on the second floor this year as opposed to the first floor–the first floor was mainly filled with game merchandise and the big booths. It was jam packed down there. Also, this year they didn’t have a free floor that was open to the public.

I had a decent amount of people who said they would buy my stuff from my website. I hope that they follow through! Unlike last year, I didn’t sell out of anything. My sales for The Violet Fox, Dreams In Her Head, and Stars In Her Eyes were all the same, with no clear stand-out–all did equally well! But I was left with only a handful of copies of Dreams In Her Head. I realize now that I should bring more of my newest book because that’s what returning customers wanted–what was new! Like last year, I had people overpaying for things deliberately, a sort of “tipping the artist” act which is very thoughtful and considerate.

Display

I really liked my display this year. Putting more books on the table, taking more time to consider how I wanted to stack them, it made me feel a lot more like a publisher than an author, which is really what I strive to convey. I had two different kinds of bookmarks, eBook cards, business cards, Silver Spear promo cards, and my buttons.

My books attract a lot of browsers. Even people casually walking by would slow down–especially for Stars In Her Eyes. Having the banner was a plus. People immediately take me extremely seriously. Not that I would expect any differently, but you teach people how you want to be treated. You don’t want people to think, “oh, that’s just another author hawking her wares.” You do want to make an impression. You should create an experience.

The question I still get asked the most is “Is all this one series?” I tried to separate the Sparkstone books and the Violet Fox stuff by putting swag and buttons between them, but that didn’t seem to matter. As I grow, I’ll have to make more signs and more of a separation between everything. Of course, even though I have signs, people will still ask questions, so there’s only so much I can really do here.

As I publish more books, I realize that I’ll have to become even more creative with my display. My series books are taking up more space. Eventually I’d like to have a really cool display that involves bookshelves, but transporting something like that would be a pain. And expensive. Adding an additional table is also costly. So we’ll have to see as we go! I’d love to also have one or two people dressed up as fairies or something and walk around the con, spreading the word. Or maybe some Violet Fox cosplaying? Again, all future stuff.

Buttons!

Because I noticed a lot of people gunning for the buttons last year on other tables, I decided to make some of my own! I had them made by Six Cent Press in Vancouver, and they were great to deal with, so I totally recommend them.

Admittedly I didn’t sell as many as I thought I would. The “RUN” button was really popular though, I think because it’s fairly generic–even if you’re not familiar with The Violet Fox, you can still buy and enjoy the button. So I may make more generic ones in the future. But still, people really enjoyed seeing them, and stopped at my table because of them, even if they didn’t buy anything.

Lil eBooks

People really just want to take those. I’ve got to get a glass display and only put out samples to prevent people from taking them. I don’t think anyone successfully took them, but I had to be really watchful 100% of the time whenever anyone picked them up, because almost all the time they thought they were info cards about the book. Info cards aren’t a bad idea actually, and a number of people expressed that they wanted something book-specific to take away so that they could remember the information, so they could buy it later at their convenience. But having eBook cards AND book info cards seems excessive and might confuse people even more. So I’m not sure how I’m going to move forward with that. Maybe if I have a rack of FREE SWAG things (bookmarks, business cards, etc) and then had the eBooks on the opposite side of the table?

In any case, I only sold maybe $30 worth of eBooks. They’re nice to have, everyone thinks they’re cute, I think they’re cute, and they’re good for people who don’t have enough cash to buy the print books or prefer reading digitally but still want to support the artist.

The Banner RETURNS!

So FINALLY I fixed my banner. It worked great. I went to Staples and bought their banner stuff, removed the old plastic stuff holding mine together, reattached everything, and voila, a banner was re-born. I even kept it up in the apartment for 5 days just to make sure it wasn’t going to fall down.

So, it worked great…for the first 2 days. On Sunday when we came in in the morning, it was crumpled in a corner. It hadn’t just fallen over–it looked like someone had knocked it down and shoved the pieces in the corner. I immediately notified the Hal-Con staff and they were really professional with me and great–they checked with security for any incident reports, and the cleaning staff. Turns out, when the cleaning people were shampooing the floor, they knocked it over with their machine, and then must have put it in the corner. It really bummed me out that they didn’t at least leave a note or something. It must have been some machine, it pretty much knocked all the metal bits off. All of it is reattachable and the banner itself was fine, but it’s a headache. For the rest of the day, I couldn’t get it to work properly. I need time to properly put it back together so that it won’t fall on people. SIGH.

Next time I buy a banner–a few years down the read–definitely getting a roll-up one. No question. They’re more expensive but the cheap banner has already caused me enough grief. Might as well pay for the nice stuff and save myself the headache.

Do you only take cash?

I didn’t get my Square stuff set up in time, so I only took cash. I maybe only lost 3 sales because of this. However, being on the second floor instead of the first floor probably affected this aspect of sales. As soon as you come in, the first floor is the place to go for browsing merchandise. A lot of money is dropped there. By the time you get to the second floor, you could be out of cash and only have plastic. So next year, I will be on top of this.

Peter’s Launch & Some Other Thoughts

I actually went out and did stuff this time! Peter Chiykowski (whose name I have to copy-paste every time so I don’t misspell it!) of Rock, Paper, Cynic fame is a friend of mine from King’s and he’s doing all kinds of cool stuff all the time. His book launch for H.M.S. Bad Idea was probably the best book launch I’ve ever been to. Book launches usually they involve a reading, some mingling, some food nomming, and book signing–they’re hard to make interesting unless you’re already a fan of the work. Doubly hard for comic books–how do you read from that?

Peter livened it up with music. He writes his comedic songs and performs them effortlessly. What a great way to tie different mediums together. He also made the event interactive: he encouraged people to write their own funny “bad ideas” on sticky notes, and place them in a large album, and share them. Peter is naturally charismatic and has a way of making everyone feel like they are part of the experience. The entire room had a down-to-earth feel, and everything that happened felt congruent with the Rock, Paper, Cynic brand. Basically, Peter is really successful because he has found a way to sell not just books and comics, but HIMSELF, and he can reflect himself in everything he does.

Making your stuff interactive is a great way to make your work accessible–this is something he said on the crowdfunding panel (which I also attended). That switched on a light in my head. It made me think about how I could increase that in what I do. Making books accessible isn’t as easy as making comics accessible. Comics have a big visual element: you can pretty much tell right away whether or not you’ll like them. Books, you can like the cover but not the words. Or vice-versa. I think I could definitely do a better job at making myself more accessible (and just doing more online things in general!).

Also, I should fold more of my talents into one thing as well. I’m always hesitant to show off my music because the fiddle can be loud and obnoxious and not as accessible as a guitar, but seeing how successful Peter made his event with his music, I am inspired to do the same with my next event. Music is actually a big part of the Sparkstone series. I have written a song to go along with The Silver Spear, and once I figure out a way to produce it (in a way that is high quality), I will definitely add this element to my presentations & share it around the interwebs.

Good People

Hal-Con has a great atmosphere for all types of artists. My table was next to BrainSlug, created by Andre-Guy Landry in Moncton–who was super nice and we chatted throughout the weekend. Also chatted with Adam Sigrist, who is an author of the fantasy “Hero”, available on Wattpad. Lots of great independent creators who are getting their stuff out there.

It was also nice to see old friends drop by to catch up. Managed to do a little catching up with Kat C. Healy of All Grown Up Books, my old roommate from Humber. It was like we had never parted. And of course, all my other school friends, it was fun to see them enjoying and partaking in the con too.

Will I go back?

Of course! It’s a long way to go for me now because I live out west, but Nova Scotia is my home. I really hope it doesn’t conflict with C4 next year because I’m ready to give that con another try.

Hal-Con 2014 Post-Mordem

With every con I learn something new. Often lots of things. I always come back rejuvenated. It’s not easy to keep the same level of discipline about a creative work, but going to conventions really makes me feel like what I’m doing matters. So THANK YOU to everyone who visited my table, bought my books, and/or just chatted with me. YAY.

I have done similar wrap-ups to other conventions I have attended. Reading them in order gives you an idea of my “evolution” as a publisher, but of course not necessary.

- Keycon 2014

- Hal-Con 2013

- C4 Winnipeg 2013

- When Words Collide 2014

- KeyCon 2014

General Impressions

Overall, I didn’t sell as much as I thought I would. Talking to other vendors on the floor, they expressed the same feelings. Even though the con was sold out (thousands of people), it seemed like I saw a lot of the same people wandering around the floor. I was on the second floor this year as opposed to the first floor–the first floor was mainly filled with game merchandise and the big booths. It was jam packed down there. Also, this year they didn’t have a free floor that was open to the public.

I had a decent amount of people who said they would buy my stuff from my website. I hope that they follow through! Unlike last year, I didn’t sell out of anything. My sales for The Violet Fox, Dreams In Her Head, and Stars In Her Eyes were all the same, with no clear stand-out–all did equally well! But I was left with only a handful of copies of Dreams In Her Head. I realize now that I should bring more of my newest book because that’s what returning customers wanted–what was new! Like last year, I had people overpaying for things deliberately, a sort of “tipping the artist” act which is very thoughtful and considerate.

Display

I really liked my display this year. Putting more books on the table, taking more time to consider how I wanted to stack them, it made me feel a lot more like a publisher than an author, which is really what I strive to convey. I had two different kinds of bookmarks, eBook cards, business cards, Silver Spear promo cards, and my buttons.

My books attract a lot of browsers. Even people casually walking by would slow down–especially for Stars In Her Eyes. Having the banner was a plus. People immediately take me extremely seriously. Not that I would expect any differently, but you teach people how you want to be treated. You don’t want people to think, “oh, that’s just another author hawking her wares.” You do want to make an impression. You should create an experience.

The question I still get asked the most is “Is all this one series?” I tried to separate the Sparkstone books and the Violet Fox stuff by putting swag and buttons between them, but that didn’t seem to matter. As I grow, I’ll have to make more signs and more of a separation between everything. Of course, even though I have signs, people will still ask questions, so there’s only so much I can really do here.

As I publish more books, I realize that I’ll have to become even more creative with my display. My series books are taking up more space. Eventually I’d like to have a really cool display that involves bookshelves, but transporting something like that would be a pain. And expensive. Adding an additional table is also costly. So we’ll have to see as we go! I’d love to also have one or two people dressed up as fairies or something and walk around the con, spreading the word. Or maybe some Violet Fox cosplaying? Again, all future stuff.

Buttons!

Because I noticed a lot of people gunning for the buttons last year on other tables, I decided to make some of my own! I had them made by Six Cent Press in Vancouver, and they were great to deal with, so I totally recommend them.

Admittedly I didn’t sell as many as I thought I would. The “RUN” button was really popular though, I think because it’s fairly generic–even if you’re not familiar with The Violet Fox, you can still buy and enjoy the button. So I may make more generic ones in the future. But still, people really enjoyed seeing them, and stopped at my table because of them, even if they didn’t buy anything.

Lil eBooks

People really just want to take those. I’ve got to get a glass display and only put out samples to prevent people from taking them. I don’t think anyone successfully took them, but I had to be really watchful 100% of the time whenever anyone picked them up, because almost all the time they thought they were info cards about the book. Info cards aren’t a bad idea actually, and a number of people expressed that they wanted something book-specific to take away so that they could remember the information, so they could buy it later at their convenience. But having eBook cards AND book info cards seems excessive and might confuse people even more. So I’m not sure how I’m going to move forward with that. Maybe if I have a rack of FREE SWAG things (bookmarks, business cards, etc) and then had the eBooks on the opposite side of the table?

In any case, I only sold maybe $30 worth of eBooks. They’re nice to have, everyone thinks they’re cute, I think they’re cute, and they’re good for people who don’t have enough cash to buy the print books or prefer reading digitally but still want to support the artist.

The Banner RETURNS!

So FINALLY I fixed my banner. It worked great. I went to Staples and bought their banner stuff, removed the old plastic stuff holding mine together, reattached everything, and voila, a banner was re-born. I even kept it up in the apartment for 5 days just to make sure it wasn’t going to fall down.

So, it worked great…for the first 2 days. On Sunday when we came in in the morning, it was crumpled in a corner. It hadn’t just fallen over–it looked like someone had knocked it down and shoved the pieces in the corner. I immediately notified the Hal-Con staff and they were really professional with me and great–they checked with security for any incident reports, and the cleaning staff. Turns out, when the cleaning people were shampooing the floor, they knocked it over with their machine, and then must have put it in the corner. It really bummed me out that they didn’t at least leave a note or something. It must have been some machine, it pretty much knocked all the metal bits off. All of it is reattachable and the banner itself was fine, but it’s a headache. For the rest of the day, I couldn’t get it to work properly. I need time to properly put it back together so that it won’t fall on people. SIGH.

Next time I buy a banner–a few years down the read–definitely getting a roll-up one. No question. They’re more expensive but the cheap banner has already caused me enough grief. Might as well pay for the nice stuff and save myself the headache.

Do you only take cash?

I didn’t get my Square stuff set up in time, so I only took cash. I maybe only lost 3 sales because of this. However, being on the second floor instead of the first floor probably affected this aspect of sales. As soon as you come in, the first floor is the place to go for browsing merchandise. A lot of money is dropped there. By the time you get to the second floor, you could be out of cash and only have plastic. So next year, I will be on top of this.

Peter’s Launch & Some Other Thoughts

I actually went out and did stuff this time! Peter Chiykowski (whose name I have to copy-paste every time so I don’t misspell it!) of Rock, Paper, Cynic fame is a friend of mine from King’s and he’s doing all kinds of cool stuff all the time. His book launch for H.M.S. Bad Idea was probably the best book launch I’ve ever been to. Book launches usually they involve a reading, some mingling, some food nomming, and book signing–they’re hard to make interesting unless you’re already a fan of the work. Doubly hard for comic books–how do you read from that?

Peter livened it up with music. He writes his comedic songs and performs them effortlessly. What a great way to tie different mediums together. He also made the event interactive: he encouraged people to write their own funny “bad ideas” on sticky notes, and place them in a large album, and share them. Peter is naturally charismatic and has a way of making everyone feel like they are part of the experience. The entire room had a down-to-earth feel, and everything that happened felt congruent with the Rock, Paper, Cynic brand. Basically, Peter is really successful because he has found a way to sell not just books and comics, but HIMSELF, and he can reflect himself in everything he does.

Making your stuff interactive is a great way to make your work accessible–this is something he said on the crowdfunding panel (which I also attended). That switched on a light in my head. It made me think about how I could increase that in what I do. Making books accessible isn’t as easy as making comics accessible. Comics have a big visual element: you can pretty much tell right away whether or not you’ll like them. Books, you can like the cover but not the words. Or vice-versa. I think I could definitely do a better job at making myself more accessible (and just doing more online things in general!).

Also, I should fold more of my talents into one thing as well. I’m always hesitant to show off my music because the fiddle can be loud and obnoxious and not as accessible as a guitar, but seeing how successful Peter made his event with his music, I am inspired to do the same with my next event. Music is actually a big part of the Sparkstone series. I have written a song to go along with The Silver Spear, and once I figure out a way to produce it (in a way that is high quality), I will definitely add this element to my presentations & share it around the interwebs.

Good People

Hal-Con has a great atmosphere for all types of artists. My table was next to BrainSlug, created by Andre-Guy Landry in Moncton–who was super nice and we chatted throughout the weekend. Also chatted with Adam Sigrist, who is an author of the fantasy “Hero”, available on Wattpad. Lots of great independent creators who are getting their stuff out there.

It was also nice to see old friends drop by to catch up. Managed to do a little catching up with Kat C. Healy of All Grown Up Books, my old roommate from Humber. It was like we had never parted. And of course, all my other school friends, it was fun to see them enjoying and partaking in the con too.

Will I go back?

Of course! It’s a long way to go for me now because I live out west, but Nova Scotia is my home. I really hope it doesn’t conflict with C4 next year because I’m ready to give that con another try.

Raise Your Spear: The Silver Spear Crowdfunding Campaign

A question I get a lot when I’m selling my books is, “How long have you been a writer?”

I remember stapling coloured paper together and writing stories as young as five. In elementary school, in grade 2, we all wrote stories and they were bound as books. There were words on every page, with lots of space to draw our own pictures to accompany the story. I remember my story being rather long compared to everyone else’s.

I think I was about eight-years-old when I first came up with the Violet Fox. Back then, it wasn’t called The Violet Fox. The story was simply called Freetor. I wrote maybe twenty pages of it by hand, double spaced, in my blue story binder that held all my half-finished short stories and novels.

I remember one day my mom found the binder lying around and read the first page of the first chapter. Run. That’s what instinct told me. She told me that it drew her in right away and she felt like she was reading a “real book.”

Of course the first page has changed dramatically from eight-years-old to twenty-something-years-old, but those sentences are still in there.

Now, The Violet Fox is one of my best-selling novels, and is getting a sequel: The Silver Spear.

But The Silver Spear needs a little help to get made.

>>Go to the campaign page on Indiegogo now!<<

About The Silver Spear

The Silver Spear is a sequel to The Violet Fox, and it takes place about a month later. Where The Violet Fox was very similar to Cinderella and Robin Hood and drew from those fairy tale elements, The Silver Spear takes Kiera Driscoll (our female protagonist) and Keegan Tramore (her love interest) across the land to recover an artefact that may or may not even exist: the Silver Spear of legend.

>>Learn more on the campaign page! <<

What do I need the money for?

I am raising $1,000 to cover the editorial cost of publishing the The Silver Spear. This will cover a structural edit and a copy edit from my editor as well as the fees from Indiegogo. If I surpass this goal, the extra money raised will go to the production costs–and if we surpass it by lot, I will be able to do a small offset run.

>>Go to the campaign page on Indiegogo now!<<

What Can I Do To Help?

If you’re unable to contribute, please talk about and share the campaign page with others who would be interested! Every little bit helps. You can share this link on Facebook or Twitter: http://igg.me/at/silverspear.

I’ll also be holding a number of contests to help promote the campaign. The first one starts September 22 and ends September 30. Whoever shares any of the pictures or links I post on Facebook or Twitter or other social media will be entered into a draw to win Faery Ink Press swag! But don’t worry, there will be more share contests, and multiple prizes to be won! Of course the REAL prize is knowing you’re helping an independent publisher make it in the big wide world…right…right? Haha, okay. Moving on.

There will be about two share contests per month. The more you share, the better, because it increases what’s called the GoGo Factor of the campaign, and gives it traction!

>>Go to the campaign page on Indiegogo now!<<

Thank you for your interest

I am very humbled and grateful to those who have contributed so far. I could not be where I am right now without the support of my friends and family. Because of your support and interest, I’m confident that I’ll be able to meet my goal.

The Silver Spear Cover Reveal

And here it is!!! Drumroll…

I CAN’T STOP LOOKING AT IT. Ah, this has gotta be my new fav cover. Dave really outdid himself this time. How much do I love this man? So much.

My dad’s reaction: “Oh, Life of Pi!” and “Is there a man sitting on a stool at the bottom?” (not sure where he got that?)

My mom’s reaction: “Where’s the spear?” (in the tiger’s mouth…)

The crowdfunding campaign for The Silver Spear starts September 13, 2014, and The Silver Spear will be released in Fall 2015. So stop by at Indiegogo within the next 60 days and order your copy–let’s make a book!!

The Violet Fox Blog Tour 2014

Since crowdfunding for the Silver Spear will begin on September 13, 2014, it’s only appropriate that The Violet Fox has a little go-around the blogosphere to spread the word about the anticipated sequel!

Helping me out with this blog tour is the very wonderful Kate Larking, my new marketing assistant.

If you’ve never heard of The Violet Fox, here’s the book:

THE VIOLET FOX

**oooh, ahh so pretties! It’s been around.***

Description:

Run.

That’s what instinct told me.

But in order to save the secrets of my people

and to protect my brother

I have to become the enemy.

There are two kinds of people in the land of Marlenia.

The Marlenians, who live on the surface,

and the Freetors, who are forced to live underground.

The war between them ended two hundred years ago, but the Freetors still fight for the right to live under the sun. Fifteen-year-old Kiera Driscoll embodies the Freetors’ hopes as the Violet Fox. In a violet cape and mask, she sneaks around Marlenia City stealing food and freeing her people from slavery.

Then the Elders task her with a secret mission: retrieve a stolen tome that contains the secrets of Freetor magic, something the Marlenians both fear and covet. Kiera must disguise herself as a noblewoman and infiltrate the Marlenian castle before the Freetor-hating Advisor finds out her real identity, before her brother is imprisoned because of the secrets he hides, and before she falls any more in love with the prince she’s supposed to hate.

More is happening in the castle than she realizes, and Kiera is faced with a difficult choice. Will she be loyal to her people and their fight for freedom, or will she be loyal to her heart?

***

I’m looking for as many blogs as possible to participate! Reviews, interviews, guest posts (limited spots available), or just good ol’ fashion book blast is fine with me. The blog tour will take place from September 12 to October 13, 2014.

Couple of things:

1. You don’t have to read the book to participate. But if you do, that’s great! I’m happy to provide you an e-copy (PDF, ePub, & mobi).

2. This blog tour is a build up to the crowdfunding campaign for The Violet Fox’s sequel, The Silver Spear, which starts on September 13. If you could mention the campaign, that would be great! We will send you all the details we have to help with that.

3. The Violet Fox’s book birthday is October 13! We will be having a celebration. More details on that closer to the day, but if you sign up you’ll be kept in the loop.

Do you want to review The Violet Fox? You will like this book if you enjoy:

1) Fairy tales & adventure (the story is Cinderella meets Robin Hood/Mask of Zorro)

2) Detailed fantasy worlds

3) Castle intrigue, where no one is who they seem! (dun dun dun…)

4) Female protagonists who KICK BUTT! (and other body parts)

5) Forbidden romance!! :O

If you want to participate in the blog tour, please use the handy sign-up form below, or email kate (at) faeryinkpress (dot) com. Or, you can comment on this blog post.

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DATES:

Sept 13:

Sept 14:

Sept 15:

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***

Thanks everyone, hope to hear from you soon!

~Clare~

What Type of Faery Are You?

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What type of faery are you? Take this quiz to find out!

You have been standing in a customer service line for a long time. You are near the front of the line. Someone cuts in front of you. What do you do?
Get angry and let that person know in no uncertain terms that he or she needs to wait in the back of the line, just like the rest of the us!
Ask the person why the just butted in front of you, and try to persuade the person that it’s better for him or her and the rest of the people waiting if he or she just goes to the back.
Whatever. I’ve already waited this long, what’s the difference one more person will make?
You leave. I can do this at home, online, right?

You attend a science fiction and fantasy convention. After registering, what is the first activity you want to do?
Find all my friends from last year!
Check out the dealer’s room. Must buy all the books (that I don’t already have!)...
Don my costume and immediately get into character (if you’re not already IN character…) It’s doubtful you’ll break character for the entire weekend.
Chat up all the artists to get tips on how to improve your own art.

You are writing a book. What is your approach?
Travel to a bunch of different places to get inspiration for settings.
Hole yourself away until it is done. Socializing is distracting.
Do a TON of research before writing the first word.
Write the scene as it comes to you, in whatever order it comes. Planning and research? I’ll do that later!

Congratulations, you just won a trip for two to an exotic destination. What is your first reaction?
A trip for...two? To...a place outside my home? Um...can I think about that for...a while…?
Gather all information you can about the exotic destination so you can make the most out of your trip!
This trip is just what I need to inspire me to finish my current art project!
I’m gonna have SO MANY ADVENTURES WITH MY BEST BUD!

If you had the day to yourself, what would you do?
I have every day to myself, and that’s exactly how I like it.
I would definitely find a way to get into trouble.
Time to work on my novel/art project!
Visit the library.

You have been asked by your local university to prepare a lecture on a topic you are an expert in. What do you do?
Prepare a well-researched, thoughtful presentation that highlights your knowledge and inspires the students.
Lectures are so stiff! Prepare an interactive presentation that incorporates theatrical and artistic elements so the students don’t get bored.
Wing it! Just say whatever you feel like in the moment...you don’t have to prepare anything if you’re an expert...right?
Presentation? Um...crowds aren’t really my thing...I don’t have to do this, right?

Pick a word to describe yourself:
Brave
Creative
Independent
Intelligent


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