Last weekend involved a lot of 'firsts' for me.
It was the first convention I'd attended; the first time I had met any of the friends made through writing and on social media during the past couple of years; the first time I'd signed a copy of
Dying Embers in person: and the first time I'd met R2D2.
I arrived early on the Saturday morning. I was immediately welcomed into the fold of
Satalyte Publishing by the great Stephen Ormsby, who had previously only existed to me either as a disembodied voice, a Facebook comment, or as the request for an edit. It came as quite a shock to see he was actually a living, breathing person! We made our way to the Satalyte booth, where I met Andrew McKiernan, a fellow Satalyte author promoting his own collection of short stories,
Last Year, When We Were Young.
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Andrew McKiernan, Stephen Ormsby and Martin Cosby on the Satalyte booth |
The crowds grew, and we watched any number of superheroes wandering by. Stephen polished his sales technique, showing me the ropes, and I began to learn the basics about what it really means to sell books. It's hard work! By the end of the Sunday, we were all exhausted, yet Stephen still had to drive all the way back to Melbourne. His enthusiasm and energy is both admirable and infectious.
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Signing a copy of Dying Embers |
Overall the weekend was a great success for Satalyte, and I certainly gained a lot of invaluable experience. I also met some key people, including Alan Baxter, who will be at the official launch of
Dying Embers at Gleebooks on Saturday June 28. More details
here.
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One of the more unusual visitors to the Satalyte booth... |
I must admit to being a little nervous about the launch, as that will be another and even bigger 'first' for me; but, once more, it will add to my experience, and at the same time I feel both privileged and excited. See you there if you can make it!