Cincinnati ComicCon 2018, Y'All!

I didn't actually know I would be going this year. I didn't go last year and the year before, I got the worst rash of my life the day after. Fortunately, the year before THAT, I had a blast. Met Sean Astin and the kid that plays the Penguin in Gotham with my nieces, Elise and Melody, their brother Thomas, and mother Angie. We saw the cosplay of a gorilla in a camo combat suit, a delightful amount of fat Batgirls, and Captain Obvious.

I never buy anything and I always wonder when I'll be able to afford to buy hard copies of my books, print out big posters of my art, a few crocheted goodies and a booth to sit there for hours wondering what my first Con will be like on the other side of those collapsible tables. Someday, but my prospects are realistic. I can't deny that there will always be the joy of writing but a gargoyle can dream...

However, one thing is certain-- I always take a ton of pictures! One of the rare times in my life I even remember to take pictures. I didn't have this blog last time I went (I might have mentioned I'm still fairly new at the author gig) so this time, I can encourage people to add me on FB (Krista Gossett) and take a look. My album is mostly vendors but I shared my nephew's album, mostly cosplay, as well.

I'm just going to finish up with some musings.

Always feels good to be surrounded by my tribe though. We may not all appreciate all of the nerd and geek fandoms, but it's one of those events where people are encouraged to discover something new or  support an old favorite. I don't feel like I'm being judged or looked at for being weird-- we're all weird here and the eccentricities are embraced.

Even for someone who enjoys their own company, I can recommend any convention that falls under a real interest you have. I'd love to see a writing convention in Cincinnati. Really, there's only so much you can experience secondhand. Don't get me wrong; I love seeing the world through a computer screen. It's a great luxury but can't beat the sensory experience of actually being somewhere. 

Cincinnati didn't really have many nerd havens for a while. Sugoi-Con and ComicCon are fairly new (or at least much younger than me). Now that my younger nephew is into anime, I'd love to take him to Sugoi-Con sometime, not only a day pass but do it up, if I can-- all three days, hotel room, souvenirs and whatever seminars or screenings or dances he wants to do there. I got to do it when I was 23 and it's one of my fondest memories.

ComicCon though... After really embracing a purpose after design school, I like having this little daydream of a humble booth there. Of being debt-free, financially comfortable; well and good, but I want to do cons without expectation of even making back what I spend. I want the energy from it. I'm not too keen on the idea of fame but I definitely want to get people excited about my work and if it means using my weird face to push it, I'll take it.

Writers know there is a chance it will not take off. A great deal of them will get discouraged and quit when they face the setbacks of a lukewarm debut. I'm okay with my back door entrance to the party. I'm okay with being the indie rebel in a sea of gatekeepers. Those types have sometimes exploded into bigger things too. 

Still, there is nothing like it. I realized I'm a masochist for telling my stories. I'll take disappointment, endure the bitter taste and pop open my notebooks and laptop and keep going. I've always found that if you stick it out past the worst, it only feeds your work. I don't just dry-hump the ones that haven't taken off, I keep the ideas moving forward-- new projects, new material. That's the beauty of fiction-- you don't have to stand on it and push it with the same insistence. It takes one liked book in your library before you start selling the others by curiosity alone sometimes. So even if you do have those sensitive moments, you know that there's more waiting for you when you're ready for it.

I see a lot of returning vendors at the cons, people who enjoy the atmosphere and possibility just as I do. I'd love to form lasting memories and learn new ideas. Again, if you need a boost or a place to feel the energy of your favorite fandoms, absolutely search to see if you can start looking forward to annual conventions dedicated to it. It was $25 to get in on a Friday this year and I only 'shopped' with my camera. Gather up business cards and do some online shopping later, but do go for the energy! You won't regret it!