Tag: (business) Conventions

Book Review: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to P-Con

Erin Penn 4 Comments

Amazon Cover

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to P-Con! (Anthology)

BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON

A funny thing happened on the way to P-Con: What do you get when science fiction and fantasy collide with convention chaos? A collection as unpredictable—and as fun—as the P-Con convention itself. The stories in this anthology support the operation of the P-Con Science Fiction & Fantasy annual convention. Purchases of this Kindle or Paperback go directly to the operating fund.

Inside these pages you’ll find:

  • A writer isekai’d into a world built from the very tropes he pens.
  • Superheroes (registered and unregistered) braving the most dangerous gauntlet of all: Texas’ Interstate 35.
  • Prophecies delivered over breakfast at Waffle House.
  • And road trips all the way: alien invasions, bumbling investigators, and mysteries that may never be untangled.

And yes … talking squirrels. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to the weird, wonderful spirit of P-Con, or science fiction and fantasy, these stories will make you laugh, cheer, and maybe wonder what’s really lurking behind the dealer’s table. Come for the convention. Stay for the chaos. And enjoy the ride along the way!

 

MY REVIEW

Full Disclosure – I wrote one of the stories in this anthology, so I might go a little nice, especially since I am at the con right now with all the people who wrote this charity anthology. But, well, I still loved it a lot. A fun theme, driving to the con, and handled differently by everyone. I loved the storms everyone hit; is it the same storm? (BTW – the storms were not listed as part of the theme, but if you have ever driven any time in the Texas, … yeah … storms out of nowhere.)

The best two stories are absurdist and farcical, but I think they best captured the lore and joy that is P-Con: #3 Waffle Master and #4 Tanks for the Pies. Now onward to short-one(ish) sentence reviews of the nine short stories, well seven short stories (10-20 pages) and two novelettes of over 50 pages each.

1. What a Way to GOH by Robert E. Hampson – Portal fantasy. I think it ran a little long, but villains are going to monolog. Exploration of tropes. Not my favorite story of the lot but I understand the reasons it is first. (One of the two long stories.)

2. Fear and Loathing on the Way to P-Con by Greg Radabaugh – Satire super spy alien abduction thriller.

3. Prophecy of the Waffle Master by Wally Waltner – Absurdist Urban Fantasy capturing a P-Con tradition in a single golden syrup moment. Best of the stories.

4, Tanks for the Pies by Lizz Yarbrough – First day of con fever fantasy crossed with friend shenanigans. Squirrels, pies, Lizz, and a tank – the world is not safe. Second best (and very close to the best) story.

5. The Story She Left Behind by Sandra L. Medlock – Ghost story wish-fulfillment of quiet voices getting their stories told.

6. The Scenic Route to Nuts by C.V. Walter – Light anime-touched science-fiction. Always help the strays.

7. Aliens among Us by Jesse M. Slater – Science Fiction about being out of place, sometimes the world is hostile, and sometimes you are exactly where you should be with those you love at your side.

8. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to P-Con or did it? by Stephen Patrick and David Rike – A comedic interlude of fools; a farce in the manner of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Not to my taste.

9. Teamup Road Trip by Erin Penn – Well, this one is mine. Superheroes driving from point A to point B, with some unexpected stops. I love the blurb the editor created for it “Superheroes braving the most dangerous gauntlet of all: Interstate 35.” (Second of the two long stories.)

Magical Words: Working the Crowd

Erin Penn

DragonCon 2018 – from Nerd Nation Magazine

It’s convention time again. ConCarolinas, ConGregate, DragonCon, and so forth. Which means selling books, which mean working the crowd.

You know, it’s very amusing watching people used to the solitary occupation of writing and editing, nearly all by nature introverts, figure out how to work a crowd.

Gail Z. Martin gave some excellent advice related to “Working the Crowd – How to Survive and Thrive Staffing a Booth”. At one time she was a corporate marketer, so her simple list of advice is sound. The Magical Word post was published August 24, 2016.

Item 1 – Wear comfortable shoes. Concrete floors are not kind to knees and the back.

Item 2 – Stand as much as you can. It give you energy, you are more visible, you will attract more people, and it is easier to talk. I (Erin) have been told to stand at work as it conveys a welcome; you are paying special attention to the person. It also matches body language with both people standing.

Item 3 – Try not to eat in your booth. Don’t NOT eat – get food, but if you have to eat at the table, keep it hidden. Half-eaten food disturbs people. And most people don’t like interrupting people who are eating.

Item 4 – Make the booth attractive. Swag, create levels, use banners behind to create depth.

Item 5 – Smile. At everyone. Invite them closer.

Item 6 – Use the person’s name – at cons, they come with name tags. Ask questions to engage them – what do they like to read, are they enjoying the con, how is the weather.

Item 7 – Hand them the merchandise. Studies show people are much more likely to buy something when they have handled it.

are just some of the twenty suggestions. Again the URL is: http://www.magicalwords.net/really-i-mean-it/working-the-crowd-how-to-survive-and-thrive-staffing-a-booth/

Editing Rant: All In Moderation

Erin Penn 2 Comments

Photo 18528834 © Jose Gil | Dreamstime.com
LOS ANGELES – JULY 5: Robot Chicken panel discussion at the 20008 Anime Expo at the LA Convention Center, July 5th, 2008 in Los Angeles. Cameron Baity, Chris McKay, Jeanette Moffat, Mike Fasolo, and Tim Root attended the discussion.

ConCarolinas.org is just around the corner – May 31 to June 2, 2024. Time to start prepping for all the crazy fun!

While I’m not a guest this year, I have been one at other conventions and I often end up being a moderator. You might think “How hard can it be? Being on a panel or a moderator. After all, it is just answering a bunch of questions, and writers are good with words.”

First, writers are good with WRITTEN words, coming up with them on the fly, nowhere near as easy. Second, being on stage means it is a performance, one the audience has paid to attend. As a panelist, a speaker has an obligation to put on a GOOD performance, which requires either experience or preparation or both. Being a moderator means not only performing but, also, directing this improv entertainment. Sounds like a lot of work to do for the hope of getting someone to buy a book, and you would be right.

Now, I personally love being a moderator – because I don’t like being the center of attention, but if I can make everyone else’s stars shine as brightly as possible, I’m having a great time. Below are suggestions on how to be a good moderator.

(1) Put together 5 to 7 questions. You may not get to all of them, you might not need more. But walk in with questions ready so there won’t be a lag for the audience. (if small panel – only a couple of writers, get 10 questions ready)

(2) keep a clock out. Start ON TIME. Watch the time. Rein people in to 5 min introduction (maybe with an introduction question).

(3) know how long the panel is and when it should end. Dragon panels are 1 hour, other cons 50 minutes.

(4) Stop 10 minutes early for audience questions (be prepared for none or to manage the audience – no more than one question per person until everyone has had a chance – for the long-winded “Thank you, but I see other hands.” (if a mike person isn’t walking around).

(5) Sit at one end of the panel so you can see all the panelists easily.

(6) Be aware you will pay more attention to the panelists closer to you. In other words, self-monitor for preference and time given to ALL panelists.

(7) If the GOH is on the panel, they are allowed to ramble – but don’t let them get boring. Remember you are to make everyone shine.

(8) If you got time, look over your panelists before hand to aim special questions at them. “I remember reading your book about superheroes and menopause, since we are talking fan reactions, what sort of response have you gotten specifically for that series.”

(9) Cut people off for the following reasons (a) ramble (reword then answer for brevity and move on, (b) being rude (panelists or audience), (c) interrupting (especially watch out for the quiet and younger panelists getting interrupted).

(10) do as little talking as you can – you are there to facilitate.

(11) draw out the shy, maybe by starting questions with them.

Magical Words: Less is More

Erin Penn

Photo by Laura Kapfer on Unsplash

ConCarolinas starts tomorrow, and I will be at the Mothership helping sell Falstaff Books or at panels learning how to write, edit, and sell books, because I want to make a career of this crazy business. Selling, of course, is the key. I can create forever, but to be a career, I need to make money at that. And like most authors, selling isn’t my strong suit.

But John G. Hartness is great, not only at selling, but explaining how selling works. In the March 7, 2016 Magical Words post, “Making Money Mondays – Less is More”, he explains how to pitch a book when hand-selling at a convention. (URL – http://www.magicalwords.net/john-hartness-2/making-money-mondays-less-is-more/)

Most writers jump into a long description, but people at a con are there to buy and buy a lot, so they need to buy quickly and move on to the next table. One needs to remember, you aren’t TELLING them a story, you want to make them PAY for it. Elevator pitch.

For example – Honestly, a novella erotic romance between a single mother and her landlord’s son. A Stella Gets Her Grove Back moment. (Honestly by Erin Penn is available on Amazon, by the way.)

Does that sound like something you want to read. Then pick it up on Amazon. Again, the URL is: https://www.amazon.com/Honestly-Erin-Penn-ebook/dp/B00CLJCW9K.

And that is an example of SELLING the story instead of TELLING the story.

Come by ConCarolina is you are in the North Carolina area Friday or Saturday (or Sunday, though I’ll be at the post office that day, *sob*) and buy some books. We’ll love to see you.