Last weekend, I went to New York Comic Con, which was also my first con of this type. I did two signings at the Orbit booth and on Saturday, I dressed up as a noble vampire from my series. On Sunday, I was part of an awesome panel with some truly great authors (Patricia Briggs, Alison Goodman, Kim Harrison, Jeaniene Frost, Marjorie M. Liu, Sabrina Benulis and me. You can watch some snippets from that panel here.) It was TONS of fun and a rather educational experience at the same time. Here are a few things I learned that I thought I would share.
1. Costume is a loose term. It could mean body paint and boxer-briefs or a contraption that requires stilts and a minder. It could also mean a headband with ears.
2. If you have issues with large crowds, being unable to move through them and lack of personal space, stay home.
3. Deodorant should be mandatory. It should be whatever is more mandatory than mandatory. And yet, it isn't. I think I now know what a dead body smells like.
4. You will wait in line for everything. Not just to see your favorite artist, author or celeb, but food, bathrooms and transportation.
5. People are really nice, very friendly and for the most part, willing to chat.
6. No matter how much you think you know about popular culture, chances are Comic Con will still make you feel a little dumb.
7. If you're wearing fangs, some men will ask you to bite them.
8. Even if you're not wearing fangs, some men will ask you to bite them.
9. You'll come away worn to the bone tired, but also oddly energized by the general enthusiasm for art, writing and fun.
10. Lastly, bring your own water! $4 for a bottle sucks.
Ultimately, I can't wait to go back. I met some great folks who came to the signings and loved getting to talk to all the readers. What a fun first con!
