Captain Kirk Liked My Wings and Other Comic Con Austin Tales

Been toiling on revisions for FINDING PARIS, my contemporary road trip/mystery/romance that comes out in Spring 2015 from Balzer and Bray. Yes, I am revising in 2013 for a 2015 book! That is a good thing, people.

But this single-minded focus on top of holiday hoopla and other family things means that I have been a bad blogger and have not told you about Comic Con Austin, which occurred the weekend before Thanksgiving and at which I and the other Writing Ninjas of Texas hung out in costume, ate copious amounts of chocolate and fan-girled William Shatner, Norman Reedus and James Marsters and also met amazing fans and readers and other stellar humans. And supported a fabulous local Austin indie bookstore-- The Book Spot-- owned and run by Danny and Julie Woodfill, who sell books for us all weekend each year and who support books and literacy and local Texas authors in their wonderful shop in Round Rock. I can't thank them enough!

I love Comic Con! I really, really do. I know there are some who mock the fan experience, but I have to tell you that when Cory Putnam Oakes and I stood in line so she could get an autographed pic of William Shatner for her mother, who was/is a huge Trek fan, we were rather blasé at first. We were deep into publishing gossip and catching up and casting our eye rolls at the 60 something guy in full Enterprise regalia… UNTIL WE GOT UP CLOSE. Close enough to snap this contraband pic since technically you're not supposed to take pics if you're only paying for an autograph. (their rules, not mine)

And then-- and I am not exaggerating-- we were like two thirteen year old girls. I am telling you, it was crazy. I look at Cory and she looks at me and now we're squealing. And when Captain Kirk chatted us up and told us we looked really good (which he said TWICE), we squealed some more. And shook his hand. And stood there while he signed the picture and then spent the rest of the morning reliving the thrill. Yes! It was thrilling. I'm not going to lie to you. Captain Freaking Kirk. Liked our angel wings.
(in full disclosure, so did a lot of random guys in costume who asked us to pose for pics while we walked the convention floor. But whatever)

Here is what CAPTAIN KIRK said looked good:

And here are a few other pics from the weekend. You should go next year. You really should!

Zombie Kari Anne Holt

Mari Mancusi and friend

Me, my SWEET DEAD LIFE costume and TARDIS

This Ain't My First Rodeo, Predator

And it's Dread Pirate Roberts...

The Fates: PJ Hoover, Jessica Lee Anderson

Julie of Book Spot, Jessica Lee Anderson, Cory Oakes and friend

PJ Hoover and Mari Mancusi channeling her Mother of Dragons

The lovely Jo Whittemore and guess who

In Which I Tell about Austin Comic Con

Austin Comic Con was crazy, amazing, funny, and definitely an event I want to do again. Thanks to fearless leader PJ Hoover, the Writing Ninjas of Texas came, saw, conquered, and got great booth space overlooking the stuffed Tribble store and just behind the aisle where all the Buffy people were signing. If you are not a geek like me, this may sound trivial. Trust me when I say it is not. Thank you times a zillion to all the comic book, sci-fi, paranormal, steampunk and other fans that stopped by. A huge bow of thanks to Danny and Julie of Book Spot in Round Rock for selling books at the event and helping organize (including that contraband cooler of water and Diet Dr. Pepper... shhhh...). And to my fellow Ninja: PJ Hoover, Madeline Smoot, Jessica Lee Anderson, Mari Mancusi, Kari Anne Holt, Cory Oakes: You guys rock my world! I have seriously never had so much fun or laughed so hard for three days! (Even if I did have to wear my evil rusalka (Russian mermaid) costume for so many, many hours!)

And now for a little picture fest:

Me, zombie KA Holt, PJ Hoover, Mari Mancusi, Cory Oakes

Five minutes with James Marster -- aka Spike of Buffy -- and this autographed photo, courtesy of Peter Katz who knew what a ridiculous fan girl I am! (note my Baba Yaga chicken leg hut Tshirt)

Hanging out with my buddy R2D2

Me, Jo Whittemore, PJ Hoover, Danny and Julie, Cory Oakes, Mari Mancusi, and in the front: Jessica Lee Anderson, Madeline Smoot and KA Holt - best zombie ever!

Thanks to Danny and Julie of Book Spot!!

KA Holt, Cory Oakes, Madeline Smoot, me, PJ Hoover, Jessica Lee Anderson

Captain Jack Sparrow saying hi to Jessica Lee Anderson...

Kari Ann "Zombie" Holt is getting a bit peckish.... Jessica looks tasty...

Hello James Marsters.... You were quite gracious during our chat!

And over in Artists Alley, my favorite Austin literary duo and mentors: Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith!! (who were across the aisle from Peter Mayhew, otherwise known as Chewbacca!)