Blog Post No. 541
It’s actually happening and as I write this, I don’t know how I feel about it. This Saturday, I’m going to be in Chatham at the CKExpo with Christian for my first event since 2019. That’s just in a few days and I’m excited and nervous and feel pretty silly that something I used to do so regularly is affecting me so much. I’ll be wearing a mask the whole time (thanks for the N95, bro) and bringing a big bottle of sanitizer, and maybe a pack of wipes, I haven’t decided.
Blog No. 325
The Guelph GenreCon is done, and I’m going to talk about it (here, in just a few sentences) but I want to start with tomorrow’s reading! It’s tomorrow! I’m really excited about this one, even though I was overwhelmed with all kind of things running up to it (some also exciting like GenreCon and some really stupid). Either way, I feel like it was partially in cruise-control and partially being steered by Christian while I was running around, waving my arms, as if I were on fire. Then, in the last moment, when the other stuff calmed down and the reality sinking in that this reading was just days away, I started to focus and get to work. By then, there wasn’t much more to do. I’ve practiced my reading, made some facebook posts, and delivered some copies of Thinking Machine to Biblioasis. Not much more to do before tomorrow, now. One last thing about tomorrow’s reading. You should go. It’s got Elly Blake, Brittni Brinn, Christian (if you like that sort of thing) and me! And it’s in a really cool place and we will have coffee and timbits. Continue reading “One Down, Infinity to Go”
Blog No. 238
Blog No. 233
It turns out that last year, I only got half the Shock Stock experience. That thought is leaving me reeling since the last time I was completely wiped out. The convention is busy, hectic, and a bit wild, and it goes for three days. What I found out this year was that when the day’s events end, the evening’s parties start. Boy, do those Shock Stock people know how to party. Since the convention was in a hotel this year, and nearly everyone was staying in that hotel, as soon as the day was wrapped, the parties started. Official, unofficial, after, after-after, and after-after-after parties went way latter than I could last. The entire hotel was overrun. Continue reading “What Remains After Shock Stock”
Blog No. 232
Tomorrow morning, I’ll be on the road with Christian, heading for London, Ontario. We’ve been invited to be guests at Shock Stock, the three day horror convention. I’m getting really excited and not just because the three days away are also like a mini vacation (even though it’s a lot of work). There were some cool things last year and there are more cool things scheduled this year. Not only that, but I get to be part of the VIP stuff since I’m a guest. If it’s well attended, I should be able to sell a lot of books. (Seeing as that’s my primary reason for going). On average we do more than ten percent at most events. That is, selling a book to ten percent of the people who walk through the door. Some have been much more and even last year we did about that, but the attendance was way down. An event like this has the potential to be the biggest success yet. Continue reading “Shock Stock Take Two”
Blog No. 196
The last few weeks have been stuffed full of tasks needing my attention. More than writing or publishing, I’ve had work, family, and general domestic responsibilities come home to roost. I’m not sure if any one of them is worthy of being a blog post on its own, but perhaps together they can make up the approximation of one. As usual, I’m not necessarily sure where I’m going from here. It may just be a list of stuff I’ve been doing (not including all the slacking off I manage to fit in throughout the week. But that could be fun right? Continue reading “Multi-Topic (Because one wasn’t enough)”
Blog No. 186
Last weekend was my Birthday. Since I had the weekend off (it’s the slow time at work) I decided to see if my friend (whose birthday is a few days before mine, making him old) was free for me to go and visit. Many moons ago, when we were both in high school, we often had a double birthday bash. It was much easier back then because we lived in the same city, had the same group of friends, and both of us were childless and unmarried. It’s a bit challenging when he has moved to Toronto, has a wife, and is raising his six-month-old child. Challenging, but not impossible. Continue reading “Dinosaurs and Pirates”
Blog No. 183
The fun never ends in the world of Adventure Worlds. This week is no different. This weekend is likely going to be the first high point of the year (after the book launch that is). Christian and I are packing up his car and heading for London Ontario to spend three fabulous (likely rainy) days at Shock Stock. The three day horror convention is the largest event we’ve been a part of. It’s also the longest, furthest, and most expensive. Not only is the table a pretty penny, but we are staying in a hotel to boot (oh la, la). Add on some food, a few drinks, and the money we’re likely to spend on other people’s tables, and we’ll be lucky to break even. Continue reading “Lights, Camera, Sell some Books”
Blog No. 181
One of the banner images at the top of my page (the ones that change when you reload it) is a snow-scape taken from the balcony of my tiny apartment when I was living in London Ontario. It was several years ago now, and I was only there for eight months for school, but it was a very formative time in my life, so it’s really stuck with me. I even talk to people like I know London like the back of my hand, but, while I’m acquainted with the place, I realize I will never know it like someone who was born there or lives there. Still, I have the lay of the land and a few potent memories that stick out above the jumbled mess in my head. Continue reading “London Nerves”
Blog No. 179
All my April events are done and it was quite a ride. I’m shocked at how three little events, two of which I didn’t have any part in planning, can be so hectic. It’s only five days after the last event and the first one seems years in the past. The relentless cold and surprising number of attendants of the Fogolar Flea Market is a fading memory. Thankfully I have the pictures to rely go back to. The excitement and nervousness from the Phog reading, my second reading ever, is a fading shadow in the light of this moment. The reading at the Essex Railway Station is still fresh, but every moment, the details slip further into obscurity. Continue reading “Choo, Choo”
Ben Van Dongen 