We had a great time at Horror Realm. We got to meet a ton of wonderful people, sales were good, we laughed ourselves stupid at the OWC panel, and generally had a very enjoyable time.
On a completely personal note, after a second read through of the new car’s owner’s manual, I was even able to set the cruise control! This came in quite handy as most of the trip was spent on the Ohio and then Pennsylvania Turnpikes.
And a note about that — I’m paying to use these roadways. Why the hell can’t I drive as fast as I want? That seems like some bullshit to me.
Listening To: On the off chance you haven’t seen the multiple posts linked from my Goodreads account, I’m making my way through the Murderbot series. It is amazing. Seriously. If you haven’t read it yet, you should really rectify that.
Currently Reading: The edits for Dark Workings of Wild Women. Look for it to be released later this year.
Current Obsession: Sleep. I’m so tired.
Dragon’s Roost Press News
We have a few months until our next convention. The time between now and then will be spent working on our upcoming releases. Keep an eye on the News from the Roost blog for further updates.
We are also working our way through the audio files of The Pleasure in Pain to see if any pickups are needed. This will be our first audiobook release and we are very excited.
This Week’s Rambling: Always Take Monday Off
Anyone who has seen me at a convention, especially one that I am speaking at and not just vending, may be surprised by the depths of my introversion. Being around a lot of people, like say, at a convention, takes a lot out of me. I mean a lot. So, in my continuing series of advice for those attending conventions, allow me to present some rules for Post Con behavior.
Always Take Monday Off — naturally, the actual day you take off will depend upon what day the convention ends and when your travel ends (more on this later). Just expect that after 2 - 5 days of being “on” you will need at least a day to recharge. Don’t just take the day off from your day job. Give yourself a day to do next to nothing. I arrived home Monday afternoon, but all I did on Tuesday was laundry and put away the convention material (after restocking). Beyond that it was nothing but listening to my audiobook. I didn’t even make dinner.
Plan Extra Travel Time — delayed flights, road work, who knows what might pop up? Always give yourself a little extra wiggle room when it comes to getting home. For example, I am always a bit worried about the potential for snow hampering travel so I plan in extra days on either end. The trip to Pittsburgh is a prime example. Including stops it takes about five hours for me to get from my house to the hotel where Horror Realm is held. Despite this, I always stay an extra night and leave on Monday instead of directly after the show ends Sunday evening. I know that I am going to be worn out and I don’t want to be driving in the dark when I’m knackered. I especially don’t want to be driving through a snowstorm when I’d rather be sleeping.
Don’t Be In Too Much Of A Rush To Leave — I’ve made some of my biggest sales after other vendors have started packing up their tables. You’ve paid for the space, why be in such a rush to leave it? They’ve got money and you’ve got merch and neither of you wants to go home with it.
Conversely, Don’t Wait For Ferris — I will admit that I have been known to pack up early. I used to hang around until the last possible moment, but if everyone else is packing up and all of the potential customers are gone, there is no shame in starting to break down. I usually start with the non-merchandise material like signage, just in case someone comes running in to make a final purchase. But I definitely don’t need Matthew Broderick telling me it’s time to go home.
Eat Well — Odds are you didn’t eat all that well or regularly while on the road. Plan on eating some fruits and vegetables. Take it slow, you don’t want to go into shock or anything.
Get Tested — A new addition to my post con procedure is to take a COVID test. I always spend a little time listening to my body to see if I have returned with the dreaded Con Crud, but now I play it especially safe.
Follow these steps and you’ll be ready to return to the really real world … well, maybe not ready but at least you’ll be able to.