(Flickr image from StevenCloud)
Thank you for all the kind suggestions and feedback on my last post! HERE ARE SOME UPDATES on all those prospects that seemed so uncertain, just days ago.
February 12-13: Bazaar Bizarre, Cleveland OH
For about ten seconds I seriously entertained the idea of making a mad last-second dash to Cleveland, just because I’ve never exhibited in the Midwest before and I’d like to try this show out. But then I looked into the price of airfare and had second thoughts. The Bazaar Bizarre event in Northern California (at Maker Faire) sounds much more doable. I’ll definitely try for that one!
★ February 20: Long Beach One Day Comic Expo, Long Beach CA
This is just a one-day event, an easy drive down from Los Angeles. It’ll probably be low-key, but I don’t see any real reason to skip it. SEE YOU THERE
★ May 15-16: Renegade Craft Fair, Austin TX
I’ve put in the application! It’s a juried show, so I don’t know for sure if I’ll be accepted, but you guys have gotten me pretty jazzed about it. I’ve always had fun in Austin before, and it’d be neat to go back for a two-day show. HERE’S HOPING
★ May 22-23: Bazaar Bizarre at Maker Faire, San Mateo CA
Another juried show, but I’ll definitely be applying and it’d be super neat to be able to exhibit at Maker Faire. I think for Renegade and this event both I’ll need to step up my game and bring some awesome hand-made items to the fore! WHAT COULD THEY BE??? Suggestions welcome! What would be a neat hand-made Wondermark item?
★ May 28-31: World Steam Expo, Dearborn MI (tentative)
A very kind invitation from Eli at the Ann Arbor District Library to do a talk has greatly changed the potential landscape for this trip, and pending talks with the show organizers, I hope to work this out. Exciting!
★ June 4-6: Heroes Con, Charlotte NC
I know Heroes is a great show — I attended a few years ago, and I’m friends with Dustin. I had fun; it just turned out to be a much more expensive trip than I’d anticipated, so I was unsure if I’d be able to do it again. However, I know that a ton of my webcomics colleagues will be in attendance this year, so I’m hoping a good crowd will come out and bathe me in their riches! I’ll keep my eyes & ears open for ways to save on travel and lodging (suggestions welcome), and it’ll all work out. LET’S GIVE IT A GO
June 18-20: SupaNova, Sydney Australia
I was pleased to see a spirited response to the suggestion of a trip Down Under, though I’m still not certain that this is the show for me. I am, however, tremendously intrigued by the World Science Fiction Convention, held September 2-6 in Melbourne — if I’d be coming halfway around the world, a five-day show would be a great reason to do so. And dealer tables are way cheaper than SupaNova! Again, travel and lodging will have to be carefully considered, and I suppose I should figure out some way to somehow tie myself into the world of science fiction, but this could be really fun! Maybe I can even finagle my way into giving a talk?
AUSSIES: If you’d like to see me at this show, feel free to pester them to invite me! (This goes for everyone, anywhere, at any show, to be honest.)
July 31-August 1: Pan-Kinetic Expo, Vallejo CA
This one is still a “maybe” for now. It sounds like a really neat event, and the organizers seem like good people… but it’s the week after the San Diego Comic-Con and I may be clinically dead. So we’ll see.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS FROM YOU:
May 14-16, The Steampunk World’s Fair, Piscataway NJ
If I end up going to Austin that weekend, I wouldn’t be able to make it to New Jersey. I also have a restraining order against New Jersey after an experience that still causes me recurrent nightmares.
July 1-4, CONvergence, St. Paul MN
I’d love to come to St. Paul! There’s clearly a huge circuit of sci-fi/fantasy/literary conventions that I’ve had very little experience with. I’m not sure I belong there, but dangit if I won’t try to figure out a way to horn my way in. I’ll work on developing a panel program/lecture so I can weasel my way into these events. CONvergence programming staff, go ahead, put me on a thing — I won’t disappoint. (Or, Minnesotans: email them.)
July 30-August 1, SpoCon, Spokane WA
This intrigues me too! I’ve actually been to Spokane several times (my mom was born there, believe it or not) though I think the last time may have been when I was 12. Again, not totally sure if I’d fit the bill, and of course this is the same weekend as the aforementioned Pan-Kinetic Expo, but I’ll entertain any reasonable invitation from any programming committee. Is that weird? I’m starting to see a lot of the same old-timers on the same old con circuit, and I can’t help myself from thinking “Geez, get a job, dude. How many things have you made vs. places you just keep showing up?” So I don’t want to become a con weirdo. But I do like to travel, and I do like to meet people, and I do like to do strange things in front of crowds. I’m getting more excited by this lecture idea all the time. What would I talk about?
October 16-17, Armageddon Expo, Melbourne Australia
That weekend’s already spoken for, but heck if I lived in Melbourne I’d totally go to this. Poking around the website reveals sister shows in New Zealand, and after a brief burst of excitement that perhaps one might coincide with the aforementioned World Science Fiction Convention, I realized I wouldn’t be able to make it to either the Wellington or the Christchurch event. SORRY KIWIS. But I will see you sometime I hope!
September sometime, Mountain-Con, Salt Lake City UT
Hmm. I’ve already said I like traveling, and I enjoyed Utah the one time I was there, but this might be stretching a bit. No offense, Mountain-Con! If I was in the intermountain area I’d definitely consider it.
July 17-24, Circus City Festival, Peru IN
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