Comic-Con Part Q

First, twelve pages today on the Jason book. I'm pretty happy with that considering that we're still fried from comicon.

I realized that we haven't even touched on all the movie stuff that was at comicon. There were premieres, and special viewings for all sorts of things. Why have we not touched upon it? Because the movie stuff was something to wade through to get to the art part of the con for us. It's not that movies aren't cool, they are. We love movies, but they are going to come to a theatre near us sometime soon. Seeing original artwork and talking to the actual artist is not something that we could do after comicon ended. The three that I'm aware of are: Stardust, Beowulf, and Coreline. They are not so accidentally all Neil Gaiman projects. Two based on his books and one he co-wrote the screenplay for. Why are we aware of those movies more than others? We've actually spoken with Neil, and he and I share an agent. You keep an eye out for projects that are by, or for, people you know.

Jon here: Laurell wanted me to mention other movie things. The big one that wasn't a Neil Gaiman project was: Iron Man. I thought it looked cool from the third hand bits I saw. Charles wasn't as impressed. Except for the car. He was definatly impressed with the car.

Speed Racer looked cool but disappointing to both of us. Charles and I spent a small amount of time on figuring out how to make a working Mach 5. Saw blades and hydraulic jacks and all.

Other than those two, all the movie stuff we saw was DVD releases of stuff we've already seen. Pirates 3 and 300.

There may have been more... But I didn't notice.
Jon Out.

Jon's right. We were swamped. We'll try to talk about the Q&A and the other things we did tomorrow.

More about Comic Con from Darla

Hi again! Okay, I got my picture! Whoo hoo! The artist was Diana Harlan Stein. And boy is it beautiful.

I will put up a pic of it soonest. In the meantime, I am uploading pictures from the convention. Including some of Sigmund who made the rounds. So check those out at the main website: http://www.laurellkhamilton.org in the Pictures under Convention Photos - Comic Con San Diego 2007 or just go here if that is all you want to see:

http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/Photos/ConventionPhotos/Top/default.htm

If you took pictures and would like to share, please send them to:
accounts@laurellkhamilton.org or via snail mail: LKH PO Box 190306 St. Louis, MO 63119.

Thanks!

Darla

Fun things at the con!

Okay, since I got an email asking about one of the funniest things, I think I will just share!

One gentleman came to the booth and asked when Ms. Blake was signing.
I said, oh you mean Laurell. He says no, I want Ms. Blake to sign my book.
I said, but Anita is the fictional character and Laurell is the writer. I know Laurell would be willing to sign, Anita is just going to be hard to get.

Turned out okay, we both laughed and he said, right I meant Ms. Hamilton.

Trips of the tongue are my specialty too!

Other con fun: I took Rachel to dinner at the Tin Fish on Saturday night. We were ordering and Rachel kept trying to pay for her own dinner, which was my treat as a gift for helping out in the booth. So the poor waiter is waiting and finally I just said " Hey, I am buying your dinner so I can take advantage of you later."

I thought the waiter was going to sprain something. Like his eyeballs!

Then there was the guy who almost got whiplash when Anne got excited in the booth and was jumping up and down. She was wearing a corset and he did such a fast double take he almost flipped over backwards! LOL!

Oh the fun!

Darla

We're home.

We're home. Yea! We had to spend one extra night in a hotel here in St. Louis because of possible adverse reactions to the spider spraying in the house that happened while we were at Comicon. So far, so good. Hopefully, I will not have some weird reaction to the minute residue, and the brown recluse spiders will be gone for good.

It was almost cruel and unusual punishment to be so close to home and not be able to sleep in our own bed last night. But we're home now. Jimmy and Phouka greeted us and we sorely missed our puppies. Pip and Sasquatch are still at the puppy hotel, we'll have to rescue them later today. After a throuagh greeting to the two dogs that are home, I went upstairs and changed. Changed out of the nice black jeans into a pair of blue that are not so nice, but they are comfy. Dropped the black t-shirt down the shute and put on one of my animal shirts. Badger today. It's from a site I get a lot of stuff from including the mug I'm holding in the new photo on the back of THE HARELQUIN, and the postcard. (www.badger.org.uk) They are trying to help save the badgers from a massive cull that the British goverment is talking about. The idea is that badgers give TB to cattle. More likely the badgers get it from the cattle, and carry it to the next herd. But in Ireland where they did a massive cull years back, the rate of tb among cattle is higher. The badger is now the largest carnivore in the British isles, sad to say. Are we going to loose him, too? Makes me sad just thinking about it.

I keep thinking about THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS. You know Badger, Ratty, and Mole. Ratty is endangered, but making a small come back. Mole is hanging in there, but Badger, smart, capbable, practicle, solid, depednable, Badger is in danger now. Now because he's not doing well, but because he's getting blamed for a problem with the British beef industry that might be solved better by more extensive testing of cattle. There are reports going back and forth on line on both sides of the questions. I am sympathetic to the farmers, they don't seem to say rancher over in England, but as with the wolves here in America being blamed for cattle deaths, my sympathies are with the wolves and the badgers. I love beef. I do. I really, really do, but it is one of the most destructive types of animal farming to the enviroment. Sigh. I'm beginning to think we may have to eat less beef in a sort of protest. Damnit. Can't we find a way to eat beef and not have people killing off our large carnivores? I stuck with the beef industry through the mad cow thing. I stuck with the beef industry through a lot of problems, but I cannot support the killing of my beloved badgers and our wolves. I just can't. I'm sorry. No steaks on our grocery list this week. Double, damn, sigh.

Frankly, I think wolves should be the national mammal of our country. They seem to personify what is best and wildest about America, and our struggle to have people and animals side by side.

Darla remembers a name!

Okay, how could I forget to say thank you to Sherrilyn Kenyon! Argh!

Sherrilyn is so much fun in person. Saw her several times at the booth with her son. She even lent me her fan. It was so cold in the morning when we were setting up, but by mid afternooon it was steaming!

Didn't get much of a chance to talk to her this time, but did get to say hi several times and gush over her comic preview pages. She signed stacks of posters for Kinley MacGregor (spelling here!). I snatched me one. Sometimes, I am such a fan girl.

Darla and Comic Con - hey gotta say thanks!

This was my first Comic Con. My first convention as a seller and not just a fan. So if it seems a bit jumbled, that is why. And I have so many folks I need to thank, not just want to, but need to. So I will do them in the order I sort of met them. Hope it makes sense. I am still kind of tired but if I wait to do this, I will keep putting it off. I know me that well.

I would have to start with Captain Stacey Chance and his website, book and video: http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/. May I suggest if you are afraid of flying that you check out this free course! Heck, it helped so much I slept on the flight home.
Not bad for someone who thought 90 Valium was not enough for two flights. And I didn’t need it! So thank you Captain Chance and the crews of both flights. Especially Captain Chuck and Captain Tom who were so nice and answered my questions with a smile! You made me feel so much better about my flight!

Thanks too to the folks who run Comic Con: Fay, Eddie, Sue, Beth, Vicki, the guys at Freeman on the loading dock and convention center staff. Some of you I didn’t get to see personally, just via email. Thanks for answering all my questions and making time to help us!

The staff at the Omni Hotel, especially those I never saw and got to say thanks to personally. You run a fine hotel and made the stay quite pleasant.

Okay, to the con itself! Thanks to everyone who stopped by. Even it if was just to say hi! It was so cool to put faces to names from the websites and board. I wish I had more time to chat with some of you. But Michelle, Mardy, Sunshine, Melissa, it was great to have time to chat with you and see you more than once! Jodi Israel, I am so sorry I lost your books! I swear I am going to replace them.

Erica Wedgewood, I won’t forget you work at Barnes and Noble in Montclair. I will be sending along some goodies to you!

To the kind gentlemen on the elevator who offered suggestions about my spraining my ankle on Friday. (Yes, I did it again, first thing before the convention opened on Friday I tripped and had to spend the day working on it, ouch!) You were right about what I should have done for it. If I didn’t say thank you then, I am now. I was so tired and in pain I truly wasn’t thinking well. But you were also very funny as well as sweet. So thank you very much. Do tell me how to sue myself though. That was truly amusing. Not sure if you were lawyers or doctors (do I owe you for a house call? Or is it a hotel call?)

So many names, and I don’t remember them all! Sorry. I may have to add later some more folks when I am less tired and the names resurface in my memory.

The convention would have been so much harder for me without the help of our booth mates: Mary, Derek, Anne Elizabeth (I am really looking forward to the release of your novel, do send me the release date!), Neil, Stephanie, Rachel. You made it more relaxing and your help was invaluable! We couldn’t have done it without you.

The IP Pavillion was filled with wonderful folks! Yes, I am going to say thank you to each of them and suggest everyone check out their comics and site. How better to say thank you? In addition to being very nice, some of them had the coolest stuff to browse through. Yes, I bought some stuff from them too.

Thanks to the guys over at Arsenic Lullaby Productions http://www.arseniclullabies.com/, especially Dan, for the loan of the box cutter. Note to self: next time don’t pack the box cutter in the boxes!

They guys over at Dreadfully Slick http://www.dreadfullyslick.com/info.html and Adhouse Books http://adhousebooks.com/. When our stuff slipped out of the booth and fell in to theirs, they never once complained, but brought it back cheerfully.

The Dreadfully Slick guys do the most amazing balloon sculptures. Still love the Star Trek Enterprise one. I even got a picture which will appear in the Gallery as soon as I have time.

Lastly, but far from least, Kevin Williams and Muley (who is both a puppet and a comic) http://muleyworld.inkedmonkey.com/. Who made me laugh even when I was tired and were highly entertaining! The caterpillar story for Muley is hilarious! I love Muley, even if he did throw me over for Anne Elizabeth on Saturday. ?

I got pictures of most of them with Sigmund who was wandering the con as much as possible. Pictures will follow on the main website: www.laurellkhamilton.org in the Gallery.

Jeannie Stein, thanks for the book! We got a chance too, to say thanks to the guys over at UnShelved for the comic. I got a lovely print, and now cannot think of the artist’s name! I had it a second ago, but had to ship it home so now I will have to wait till it arrives to name her. Rats! I hate when that happens.

I have some con shirts left over! Brett did us the most fantastic piece of artwork for the shirt. I will be putting those up in the coming weeks. I have to wait for them to come back so I can see what I have left. Once they are gone that is it for them! And the catalog will be made available. I left some at the house because so many folks asked for them who weren’t going. So look for those too.

It was fun, it was tiring, and some time, we hope to do it again. So thank you to everyone, thanks for the kindness and smiles when I needed them most. San Diego was lovely, what little I saw of it. But even the street vendors where nice.

Laurell's Comic-Con Report

Laurell here, at last. Why haven't I posted? Because I think it's taken me this long to recover from the shock that is Comic-Con. Why shock? This is a convention that dwarfs Dragoncon. Which I thought was pretty damn big. I have wandered around with Jon and Charles, trying to get my footing. I'll be okay for awhile, then feel very at sea. Ironically, the day I finally get up and go okay we can do this, is Saturday.

People have been talking about Saturday in hushed or horrorified tones the whole time. They talk about surviving Saturday. Surviving? That doesn't sound good. I've had two people recommend steel toed boots for today. I thought they were kidding, but they weren't. We've had a fight to get through the crowd already, how much worse can it be? Do not answer that. You'll scare me.

It's been wonderful, though, really, just big. Jon's blogged about all the wonderful artists and writers we're meeting. Putting a face to the comics that get us through our morning tea and coffee. Howard Taylor of Schlock Mercenary did a sketch of me. So fast and efficient that it reawakened my drawing envy again. Like the comic book art hasn't been doing that already.

The panel on Urban Fantasy was not only nice, but as I sat on a panel with five other writers that are now writing in a similar vein, looking out at a huge packed room of people; I had a thought. I said it outloud on mike. Who knew back in the late '80s when I was trying to sell Anita Blake's story, and getting rejected by everybody, that this genre would ever be this popular. Everyone on the panel that was working for a publisher that existed when I was trotting out GUILTY PLEASURES, all those years ago, rejected Anita. They all told me it wouldn't sell, and there was no market for it. I looked out at all the people and the writers with me on the panel, and thought, who would ever have guessed?

Thanks again for the lovely introduction from Mary Elizabeth Hart for that panel. She also works for Mysterious Galaxy the bookstore we usually do signings at when we are in San Diego. Hi to everyone there, and all you brave souls working your booth.

Heck, hi to all you guys manning, or womanning, your booths. You guys work hard. If you've never been to comic-con you can't understand how grueling the booth work is. We keep popping into our booth where Darla, Mary, Derek, Anne Elizabeth and everyone else at our booth, is working so hard.

We stop by depending on how my arm feels after our signings to sign the stuff you guys buy at our booth, and truthfully, if you have stuff and can't get into one of the four signings I'm dong. But, I am having to save my arm for the official signings so that the people who get tickets don't get disappointed. Our signing yesterday went over, but we stayed and did everyone in line. It made us a few minutes late to the next thingie we had, but we just couldn't leave you guys in line. That would so not be cool.

We got over to the fantasy art section and saw Ruth Thompson. She has some of the best beefcake fantasy around. Her angel prints are to drool for. In fact her original print of her Raphael hangs at the head of my stairs, so that I walk up towards his image every morning. You have your idea of angels, I have mine. Near his picture hangs the framed poster of Jean-Claude. Nothing like a little inspiration in the morning.

We also talked to Larry Elmore, who is one of the kings of fantasy art. Though he and I had a discussion that I'd like to see some lovely men to balance out his lovely women. He, and many of the artists, say that people don't buy beefcake as much as cheesecake. Come on folks, girls, secure men, buy some hunks so the artists will make more. I know that's my plan.

It has been amazing, and watching Jon and Charles both geek out at all the comics, artists, and everyone here has been really fun. Maybe I'll geek next year, if we loose our minds and agree to come back. I think Mary and Darla will mutiny if I suggest it.

Comic-Con Days 2 and 3 (Thursday and Friday) part 2.5

Crumbs! I completely forgot Jeffery Stevenson (Brat-halla) He actually stopped by the booth and said hey to us. How cool is that! He also had a copy of a side project that he's working on and we got a look at it.

I said it was blurry...

(Jon)

Comic-Con Days 2 and 3 (Thursday and Friday) part 2

Jon here: I'll try to sketch things out... It's a little blurry in my mind, but I'll do my best.
Ok, Thursday: Had the Urban Fantasy Panel and it was nice. The singing that followed was also nice. after the signing, we wondered around a little bit then got dinner. We also wondered around before the panel. In all the wondering we found Jennie Breeden of The Devil's Panties and got to talk to her for a while. Charles talked to her table mate at Stripteese. Talked breifly with Howard Tayler (Schlock Mercenary), Brad Guigar (Evil Inc.), Kristopher Straub (Starslip Crisis), Paul Taylor (Wapsi Square), Dave Kellett (Sheldon) and David Willis (Shortpacked!) at the Blank Label Comics Booth. Also saw Phil and Kaja Foglio (Girl Genius), and a nifty male (beefy) fairy calender at the Grim Visions booth, Thanks to Jennie for pointing us that way.

Firday was a busy day. We had a Two signings one for Marvel and one for Ballantine. Then we had a couple of private functions we got invited to and were up way to late.

Today we only have the one panel and then the signing. There is a business meeting also, but its more of a "Hi, how are you?" meeting. You can stop speculating about what it is about, right now. We'll tell you when something happens. 'K?

For those of you who haven't heard yet, there are still Comic-Con Exclusive T-Shirts available, so go and get them while they last.

Comic-Con Days 2 and 3 (Thursday and Friday) part I

I'm so tired right now I don't know what to write. I'll try again in the morning.

Comic-Con Preview Night and Fleened

Jon here.
So, here we are at Comic-Con San Diego/International, and we've just had Preview Night. This is the night were all the exhibitors get to see the booths without all the crowds.

it was cool. Crowded and very busy.

Today we have a panel and a signing. 2:00 pm panel Room 5AB and a signing immediately following. There is a lottery for line tickets that takes place earlier in the day. I'm sorry, but that's as much information as I have.

Also Visit Booth 2005 in the Independent Publishers Pavilion for the Exclusive Comic-Con T-Shirt, as well as other Merch.

On a final word. Laurell and I were cruising Preview Night and wound up talking to Howard Tayler and then we ran into Gary Tyrell of Fleen and he quoted us.

See everyone at Comic-Con!

Fear and Friendship

Tomorrow we fly to comic-con in San Diego. Ahhhh!

Sorry, but another flight after only two days home is sort of stressful.

There are bats outside my office windows. Bats swirling, turning, diving, eating insects so small that I can't even see them in the soft, blue, summer dusk. Watching them flutter across the sky reminds me of butterflies and swallows, and neither. They are just bats.

We're packed. Almost. We got to use the uber shower in the uber bathroom. That was good. I'm printing off the last forty or so pages of JASON to take with in case I actually calm down enough to work. I usually work very well on the plane, but I didn't do so well on the way to Tulsa.

Debbie Militello and her husband, Carl, were on the same flight as us. It was a happy accident. We got to visit while our flight kept getting delayed. Delayed for about an hour when it was all done. Southwest doesn't have assigned seating. So by the time Charles, Jon, and I got on the plan there were no seats together for Jon and myself. He is my comfort object, I mean what other man will let me leave nail imprints in his thigh or hand by the time we land?

Debbie and Carl gave up their seats together for us, for me. I didn't want to take them. Surely I'm a bigger grown up than this, right? But Debbie insisted and together we can be very much like the Warner Brother's gophers. "After you." "No, after you." "I insist, after you."

Once upon a time Debbie went with me to conventions. She is the only friend to see me totally loose it on a plan. Even Jon hasn't seen me this bad. I had a full blown panic attack once on a plane with Debbie. The kind of panic that might get me kicked off a plane now with the new regulations. Debbie talked me down and into our seats. I have gotten much better about flying, but she remembered. She's my friend.

So, thanks to Debbie and Carl, Jon and I got to sit together on the way to Tulsa. But by the time we got seated I'd panicked, convinced I would have to try to fly alone. So instead of reading, or working, I had to have Jon talk to me. About what? About anything. When I get this far gone, it doesn't matter really. He talked about cars, about weapons, about television, about . . . anything. I listened, retained almost none of it, but for the few minutes he said it, I'd ask questions. I really was listening, but it was like none of it could go onto long term memory for that trip. Long term memory was off line. Short term was fine, but that was it. I just needed a comforting voice, and someone to hold onto.

I'm trying to be braver than that tonight. I'm trying to steal myself to be braver than that tomorrow. No panicking. That is the rule. But, damn, there are times when that is a very hard rule to keep.

Con report Conestoga 11 part 2

Okay, more about Conestoga. First I got to see J. D. Bell for the first time in about eight years. He was a member of the writing workshop at NameThatCon that I attended, and from which my writing group formed. He was a wonderful writer. I told him the truth, that I'd been checking the shelves for years to see his books on the shelves. He didn't go into details but he thinks maybe soon he'll get there. It was a good surprise to see him after all this time. He said, he'd been watching my progress in the bookstores. I really do hope to see his books out in stores in a the next few years.

I realize looking at the last blog that it made it sound like I hadn't seen Debbie at all, but what I meant was that outside of writing group meetings and phone calls we hadn't gotten together much so we could simply talk.

We also met the artist John Picacio. His art was intriguing, beautiful, and thought provoking. We were particularly taken with his painting, 'Second Hunt.' He was also fun to talk to. A nice combo. There was a lot of wonderful art at the con. There were several pieces I wanted, but the new rule is that unless we know exactly where it's going to go, no buying more art until we've framed and hung what we already have. The same with collectible knickknacks. Sigh.

Charles intimated in his comments about Conestoga on the forum that I'd gotten a surprise about my first book, but he'd let me tell it. The surprise was in the art show. We'd determined that we would at least get to go through the art show and the dealers room once a piece. Sometimes at cons we don't even get that. But we had an hour or so to spare, so away we went. We turned the corner in the art show and there was the cover of my first book, NIGHTSEER. It was the original oil painting by Keith Birdsong (a great name isn't it?). Years ago, as in more than a decade I'd wanted that piece, but then I couldn't afford it, not even close. I think Keith got more for doing the cover than I got as advance for the entire book. I'd long ago made peace with never having that painting. Now, there it was in the art show. It was so unexpected that I just stood and stared.

It was enough money that I turned to Jon and said, "Should I?" He said, "I don't know what do you think," but he was nodding his head when he said it. I didn't get the sarcasm at the time. So I turned to Charles and asked the same question. Charles kind of looked at me and made his Scooby noise, he's very good at it. While I was still trying to talk myself into it, or out of it, Jon walked away. He went to pay for the painting. Charles stayed with me both to protect me from any would-be problems and to let me babble. I don't know what it was about suddenly seeing the painting but it was definitely a babbling moment for me.

Jon came back and said, "You're buying the painting."

I said, "Are you sure?"

He gave me 'the look'. The one he uses when I'm being particularly obtuse.

Charles said, "How could you not buy it," or something like that.

They were both right.

I have no idea why it stunned me so. Maybe because it was such a blast from the past. Maybe it was because it was something I wanted very much once and had to give up completely. Maybe it was because it represented something important to me that it will take me days to work out. But whatever the reasoning, it's sitting in my house now. Jon packed it within an inch of it's life. All the people in the art show that saw him pack it were impressed. Jon shares his mother's packing gene. I so don't have that skill set.

I know where I'll put the painting once it's framed. It will go on the stairs leading up to my office so I'll pass it every day, or maybe in the entry hall so it can be on the wall beside art from the first story I ever had in print. But I think the stairs to my office. To remind me, every day that once I couldn't have afforded it and now I can. That if something is meant to be, you get a second chance at it. Have patience. Never my best thing.

I also got to meet Keith Birdsong at long last. He didn't look like I had pictured him. He was hipper than I expected. (Do they say hipper anymore?) Cooler then. We talked about that long ago time and what we'd both been doing since. He'd been a beginning artist when I'd been a beginning writer. He signed the painting for me. Now it's sitting there waiting to be framed, waiting to be up on my wall, at long last.

Con Report: Conestoga 11

We're home and safe. Our plan to blog from the con just never materialized. Not sure why. Thanks to everyone who ran Conestoga and helped make Jon, Charles, and I, so welcome. Thanks to all the fans that came out to see us. A special thanks to the fans that said they'd come just because I'd be there, and it was their first con. I'm glad you had a good time. Conestoga was a good first con to come to. Not too large, not too small, well run, full of nice people.

We got to pet animals I'd never petted before. The charity was a wild animal rescue group, Safari’s Sanctuary, and they brought out their animals to let the guests see them. Reticulated and Burmese python, the first was a yellow albino; Fennec (small desert fox); albino baby raccoon; skunk both albino and regular; ring-tailed lemur (who helped with my audio podcast at Conestoga, you'll know what I mean when you hear it); alligator; and wolves. Yes, I said wolves.

It was amazing to be able to interact with the animals. I was struck by the different smells of the furred animals. The reptiles had the least natural odor. I'm always wanting to know what animals smell like, for the writing, and I think writing the wereanimals has made me more aware of that oft neglected sense; smell. The alligator felt smooth and wonderful. The snakes felt cool, and clean, and smooth, and strong. I like the bigger snakes more than the small ones, actually. The wolves were amazing to touch, and the lemur, too. But, honestly, my favorite was the Fennec. With it's huge ears and delicate triangular face, it looked like some sort of fairy creature. It's fur was the softest of any of the other animals, silky. It also stood on the shoulders of it's handler. I mean I've heard of a shoulder cat, or a shoulder bird, but a shoulder fox was new. These are all animals that were bought as pets, then, of course, the person couldn't keep take good enough care of them, or neglected or abused them in some way. Wild animals are best left in the wild.

We got to have dinner with one of best friends, Deborah Millitello and her husband, Carl, on Friday night. Debbie and I hadn't gotten to sit and talk in ages.

I must say that our sleep number beds at the hotel were more like insomnia numbers. One half of the bed Jon and I used deflated, the other half did not as the night wore on. Charles's bed inflated as the night wore on so he would start at forty something and it would be eighty something by morning. I think, perhaps, sleep number beds are not meant to be used and abused in a hotel where people tend to be very hard on things. Our experience has made us not a fan of the things.

Comic Con

With Laurell at Conestoga, I thought I would take the space to answer some questions we are getting about Comic Con in San Diego.

We are in the IP Pavillion, booth 2005 with Dabel Brothers Productions.

If you come by the booth wearing an Anita or Merry shirt, either from the fan club (http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/Goodies.html) or Cafe Shops (hhtp://www.cafeshops.com/lkhprem), we will have a little prize for you, until I run out. It may be a coupon for a discount on a purchase from the fan club, a free shirt, free duck, free Sigmund, free fan club membership or free jewelry. You will get to choose a slip out of the box and that will determine your prize.

I was going to have bookmarks for everyone that came by, but the printer had a catastrophe and I will not have them. Sorry! They just couldn't get them printed in time.

Yes, we will have shirts for sale: Brett Booth's: Jean-Claude, Anita Wearing Zombies Are Cool, and Anita Wearing I Vant To Peck Your Neck. We will also have a special limited edition Anita Blake Does Comic Con 2007 t-shirt with original artwork by Brett. We only ordered 2000 of them. So come by and get yours soonest!

We will have the fanged rubber duckie, Sigmund, Anita charms and silver fangs for sale. (You can see it all at http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/Goodies.html). It is also the debut of the full color catalog. You can get the Laurell cover for $5.00, it comes with a $2.00 coupon for your next purchase, get it for free if you spend $50 or more. Spend $100 or more and get the group cover for free. I have far fewer of the group covers, than the Laurell. The interior of the catalogs is the same, only the cover is different.

I did not ship all the catalogs since so many asked about getting one who were not going, so I will be putting them up on the website after we get back. If there are any special shirts left, I will make those available too.

Sigmund is going to make the rounds of the convention and we will post pictures of all the folks he got to see when we get back. So stop by and say Hi to Sigmund.

There will be line tickets for the signings. But no one explained how that was going to work, so you might ask when you check in and get your badge how that is being handled.

A little bird told us, okay it was her agent, that Sherrilyn Kenyon will also be attending. I know she has a signing on Friday at the Marvel Booth. So take a minute to say hi to her too! She really is cool.

This is the schedule as of now, we are trying to fit in some more signings. Please check with the sponsor of the signing on their requirements. SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE SEE COMIC CON PROGRAM BOOKLET FOR LATEST INFO.

Thursday July 26th
PANEL:
2:00-3:00 Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance: Sub-Genres Readers Love—Where are the borders between urban fantasy and paranormal romance? How did paranormal romance grow from a subgenre of romance to its current popular cross-genre status, and what does the future hold? Writers Laurell K. Hamilton (best-selling author of the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series), Jeanne Stein (Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles), Laura Anne Gilman (The Retrievers series), Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Takes a Holiday), Marjorie Liu (Soul Song), and Samantha Sommersby (Forbidden: The Awakening) talk about love and monsters. Moderator: Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 5AB

3:00-4:00 Signing

Friday July 27th
1:00-2:00 Signing at Marvel Booth
4:00-5:00 Signing at Ballantine Books Booth
9:00-10:00 PM Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Dinner (You must have a ticket). See below. All funds raised go to the CBLDF.


Saturday July 28th
PANEL:
12:15-1:15 Spotlight on Laurell K Hamilton—With two incredibly popular book series going stronger than ever (Anita Blake, 15 books, over 6 million copies in print; Merry Gentry, 5 books, over 1 million copies in print), Comic-Con special guest Laurell K. Hamilton is one of the most popular fiction authors working today. Laurell tells us what’s next for Anita, Merry, and herself in this exclusive event. Room 6CDEF

1:15-2:15 Signing


When we get back, the last of the Wolf Howl video will go up. But Jon is handling that so I don't know exactly when it will be up: http://www.youtube.com/user/jondgreen



Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has a special offer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dabel Brothers & The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund have a special offer for all of Laurell K. Hamilton's fans on this email list. On Friday, July 27, the CBLDF will be hosting a gala benefit with Laurell at a secret location in San Diego. The internet price for the event is $500, but the CBLDF has generously extended 10 tickets to readers of this list at half-price if you reserve your space before Monday, July 23. So you can meet Laurell, support a great cause, and do so at a discount, for being a loyal fan!

This reception is strictly limited to 25 attendees, who will spend an hour with Ms. Hamilton at a secret location in downtown San Diego. All attendees will be able to meet Ms. Hamilton, and to get two items signed while enjoying an open bar and gourmet hors d'oeuvres. Attendees will also receive a commemorative signed print, limited to 26 lettered pieces and only available through this event, as well as a one-year membership in the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Event details such as time and place will be emailed to you after your purchase.
"The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund works to defend the rights of readers everywhere to enjoy all kinds of comics, and we're thrilled to bring Ms. Hamilton out to support their very important work," says DBPro's Sales/Project Development Manager Derek Ruiz.

Laurell K. Hamilton is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of two series that mix mystery, fantasy, magic, horror and romance. Her Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels from Berkley Books began with Guilty Pleasures (now a hugely successful graphic novel from Marvel/Dabel Brothers - the first sexy paranormal comic ever!), and continues with the recently released The Harlequin, number fifteen in the series, in which Anita's complex personal and professional relationships with a master vampire and an alpha werewolf continue to evolve. There are now more than 6 million copies of Anita in print worldwide, in 16 languages. Hamilton's Ballantine series features Fey princess and private investigator, Merry Gentry and there are now five novels exceeding one million copies in print. Mistral's Kiss, the fifth in the series debuted this past December. Ms. Hamilton is thrilled to be attending her first Comic-Con. She lives in St. Louis County, Missouri with her husband, daughter, two pug and two part pug dogs.

To reserve your space, go to: http://cbldf.safeshopper.com/20/cat20.htm?119 and enter the code: LKHFAN in the memo blank to redeem this half-price offer.


That's what I know. If you have a question I haven't answered, accounts@laurellkhamilton.org, and I will try and find out for you.

Darla

Better

Just in case any of you are concerned the allergic reaction is already better. I knew it would be, if I could simply hold on and not do anything stupid, like scratching. The urge is still there, but it's less, and growing more so by the minute. I should probably have waited to blog until after I'd gotten all better then you might have gotten something more entertaining and less medical. Sorry about that.

Fear of flying and a little allergy

Tomorrow we fly out to Tulsa. Life would be soooo much easier if I could conquer my fear of flying.

To add to the fun I'm having an allergic reaction to something. It's a product I've used dozens of times, but this time my skin doesn't like it. I've added extra medicine to my already full regiem of meds for my allergies. If I don't scratch it won't turn into hives. If I can just ignore the burning, itching, painful sensation it will eventually go away. I know that. I've done this before. But it is never pleasant. Yes, that was an understatement. But getting all worked up about it never helps, so calm it is. But damn, it hurts. Another product off my shelves for good. Why have I not mentioned the product? Because it is an allergic reaction, and no fault of the product in question. If I put on my blog that I'm having a problem with this product then, well, I know how the Internet loves rumors. It's a lovely product, one I've enjoyed using. I know I am prone to allergies, and I won't harm the reputation of a good product by giving it's name here.

I'm going to put more supposedly soothing lotion on my skin. I'll be fine in a little while as long as I resist the temptation to rub or scratch. This, too, shall pass. Damnit.

Thirteen pages and about to fly away

Thirteen pages today on JASON. The muse is kicking, and of course, we are a day away from flying out to Tulsa for Conestoga. Have you noticed that my muse seems to always pick up speed just before I have to have some huge disruption in my schedule? Or is that just me?

I've done like a half dozen different businessy phone calls, which was where the afternoon went. Plus I tried to pick up my new glasses, and they didn't work. They were my computer glasses, but the visual was set for about ten to twelve inches away, my desk is a big desk, so it's more like between twenty and thirty inches away. The glasses worked great close, but bad double the distance. So, I won't have my new glasses for Conestoga, or probably for Comicon. Oh, well, my old ones work well enough for most things.

I'm off to bed. It has been a long week. Sleep and some cuddling sound just about perfect, though I have to admit it is one of those nights when those celebrities that have a full time massage therapist on call doesn't sound as stupid as it once did. Massage is like your emergency services when you need one, you really need one.

Enjoyment

One of my goals has been to actually enjoy some of my success. What does that mean? It means I want to have breakfast in the solarium. I want to actually use the hot tub, and the uber shower. I want to be in the exercise room long enough to do more than the treadmill, or a small weight work out. I want to sit on my garden bench which we bought last summer and I have yet to use. We have this amazingly gorgeous water garden just off the new brick patio. I want to sit out on it and enjoy a beautiful evening. It's a long list, and I've gotten to do none of it, but tonight Jon and I sat out on our patio and drank a cup of tea to end the day. It's a start.

The day had been hot and muggy, but the evening turned out to be cool and comfortable, a rarity in St. Louis. We tucked the child upstairs in bed, and sat out side in the beautiful summer evening. We watched the first stars push their way through the blue of the night sky. Watched that sky turn from blue to black. A bat flitted across the low cloud cover, so camouflaged that Jon and I weren't sure what we'd seen at first. It was the first bat Jon had ever seen. How do you know it's a bat and not a night flying bird? One; bats are much more flappy in their wing beats. Also it just moves like a bat and not a bird. Not all things that fly move the same. In fact, every bird seems to have it's special way of moving through the air.

The goldfinches have moved into the daylight garden. I watched their undulating flights back and forth to the sunflowers today. Goldfinches seem to carve musical notes in the air, as they fly. They twitter constantly back and forth to each other not a musical song, but terribly cheerful like a best friend who sings off key, but but never seems to realize it, until the very off key singing makes you smile because it is your friend. The birds yellow is so bright like sunshine made solid with the black wings and caps to set it off, so that they seem artificial in the contrast of colors. Perfectly drawn between dark and bright, miniature examples of how it feels sometimes to be us. The bright feathers that everyone sees, but it is the dark parts that make the brightness stand out. If they were all yellow would they be as eye-catching? I don't think so. You need the black to make the yellow glow.

Goldfinches all day, bats at night. It's a good yard. Tonight the patio; tomorrow the garden bench, or maybe the solarium.

A day in the life of

Nine pages on JASON this morning. Then a staff meeting after lunch. Then answering e-mails and working on the comic. There's so much stuff to do that we are having to organize the day more like a regular office to make sure everything gets handled. The staff meeting was mostly about comicon and the merchandise we are shipping, and will have at our booth that we are sharing with DBpro booth number 2005. We were going to be over by Marvel, but there was a mix up with the booth reservations, and now we are over in the independent publishing area.

We're waiting for the truck to pick of the merchandise as we write this. We're taking the comic book shirts, Jean-Claude, and both Anita shirts. We'll also have that comicon shirt with all new Brett Booth artwork. We're also taking some of the rubber duckies with the fangs, some penguins (gotta have our Sigmund), jewelery, and our catalog. It's our first. So if you're going to San Diego come visit our booth. It's a test to see if we really ever want to take this much merch to any convention ever again. Right now unless it goes really well I'm beginning to think less may be more.

Adopt a black dog

I managed to fix a computer problem on blogger all by myself. It's a small thing but it's nice to not have to yell for help at the small things. I'd like to save my tech staff for the big things, you know? First my cookie functionality was disabled. Fixed that. I've fixed that before. Then it couldn't display page and couldn't find the server. That's a bigger problem, but I just kept plugging away trying this and that, until here I am typing to all of you.

First cup of tea in hand. Very good. Dogs fed. Good. Dogs barking at something. I can't see anything. Less than peaceful. Pip has a very deep, big dog bark to match his black and scary exterior. Did you know that black dogs are less likely to be adopted than any other color from a shelter? What's wrong with black? It's one of my favorite colors. There was even an article on it in, I think, People Magazine, about a woman who's started a movement to get people to not over look the black dogs. When we chose Pip there was another puppy that was in the running. She, which I would have preferred, we already had two male dogs and only one other female, was also yellow. The color made no difference to me, but I was aware that black dogs don't always get adopted, so when they both passed their behavioral tests with flying colors I had to weigh on other issues. Two things swayed me. First, the female puppy was two weeks younger than Pip and nearly two inches taller at the shoulder. That is not a definite on how big she would have gotten, but still, we were already looking at pretty big puppies. Second, she was a golden yellow and I knew that was a color that people adopt faster. The only thing Pip had against him was that I wasn't sure how our two boys would react to a third boy. But in the end we took our big, black, puppy, home. The blond puppy found a home very quickly, as I knew she would. If we hadn't taken Pip he might still be there at the shelter and no matter how good a shelter is; and Granite City APA is pretty darn good which is one of the reasons they are one of our charities. That and the fact that they are one of the precious few no kill shelters in our area. But even Granite City is still a shelter. The dog still has no one to call their own. No home.

The thought of our big puppy behind a wire cage gazing out forlornly at the people that passed him by breaks my heart a little. But we didn't pass him by, we brought him home. He's our sixty pound lap dog. He's the only dog I've ever owned that feels naked without a bandanna tied around his neck, his neckerchiefs. He's not a perfect fit for us, or us for him. When I have him out he'll see some svelte, muscled jogger go by us, and he'll whine after them. He'd have probably done better with a more active owner. Though in the summer time the black fur builds up heat pretty fast. He's way too smart for us. He needs a job or a serious hobby. But then, we could have done without the male boxer mentality of wanting to boss all the other dogs around. Or his occasionally bad attitude towards strange dogs. We're all still a work in progress. My goal to get him more obedience work, and a hobby, as well as up my jogging skills. His goal to stop trying to be top dog, which is sort of hard since, well, he is. Though don't tell our oldendogger, Jimmy, he still thinks he's in charge.

Forcast: Optimistic

Better today. Did seven pages on JASON. Got past the scene I'd been struggling with. Figured out why I'd been having fits with it, but can't tell you guys because it would be way over sharing.

We're gearing up for the cons we're going to. Conestoga next weekend in Tulsa, OK. Comicon the week after that, in San Diego, CA. We're shipping merchandise to comicon, quite a bit of merch. Enough that Mary, Darla, Richard, Sherry, and even Trin have been packing things up for a few days now. Did I mention in the blog that we have catalogs? They'll be unveiled at comicon. We've got two different covers. The regular and the one that if you buy over a certain amount you can get that one instead. There's also a black and white version of THE FIRST DEATH, the Anita prequel comic, available at comicon. You can preorder it on e-bay already.

Oh, and we'll be at Nasfic, which is the World Science Fiction convention for the United States when the official World con is out of the country. Conveniently, Nasfic is in St. Louis, or just across the river in Collinsville, Illinois.

It's been a big week. We had the hardback of GUILTY PLEASURES with it's new short story come out. And THE FIRST DEATH, is out in all it's colored glory at the comic stores. The interior art is Wellington Alves, and the cover by Brett Booth. Jon's been very cute. He's been enjoying the fact that when he types his name at the Marvel sight both issues of FIRST DEATH come up under his name. (The short story in the back of the hardback was the first thing we collaborated on, but it isn't listed for him.) Part of our partnership as a couple seems to be me helping Jon be more focused and goal attaining, and him helping me remember to enjoy the process.

We checked on the forum and someone asked about a Richard poster. We will be doing a poster, eventually, but let us get back from comicon, and the new stuff that's coming out for that before we do something else new. The whole Richard poster is probably because I mentioned it in a blog because I got to see the art work. It's great art work, but let us and the Dabel team survive all the stuff we're already committed to before we add something new to do.

But yes, I am talking to Brett about doing pictures for us of the guys that don't appear until later in the books. Richard, because, well, third book. But I gave Brett a list of guys to choose from in his copious spare time. (Brett has about as much spare time as I do, which is none. But strangely, we do things in that down time we don't have. I write on new stuff to relax, and sometimes he draws different stuff to relax. Whatever works, right?) But anyway, would it drive you guys crazy to say that he sent me a pencil today of one of the guys that's even further into the comic book future?

My weekend to be sick

No work on JASON today. I was sick. Not with the same virus that Trinity and Jon had, but with something else. Sigh. I'm feeling better now, but we'll see about tomorrow. Which means my day off this week was today, and I will work tomorrow. I want to work at least a few hours. I left the action in a precarious spot. I'd like to at least finish the scene.

Oh, and for those keeping track. THE HARLEQUIN was number eight on the NEW YORK TIMES list, and now is number eighteen. Three weeks in the top ten was very cool. Four would have been even cooler, true, but being four weeks in the top twenty is pretty damn cool, too. Frankly, I don't always check the list religiously like some writers do. Why? Because it can play with your mind. It's the same reason I don't read most of the reviews. Good, or bad, on the wrong day it can disrupt my ability to write. It just messes with you. Since I am almost always in the middle of another book, or two, or a script, well, I can't really afford to be thrown off center by my own publicity. You can't believe that you are as wonderful as people say, or as bad as other's say. Write, do the interviews that come your way, concentrate on business, and don't let the winds of public opinion sway you too hard either way. All else is madness.

New Stuff

We have some new stuff to share! I will keep is short and sweet!

Here is a link to the ING interview.

http://comics.ign.com/articles/803/803762p1.html


Mayor Slay of St. Louis Poll
LOL! This was too fun!

http://www.mayorslay.com/polls/20070712Spirited.asp


The schedule of events for Conestoga and Comic Con are up! Please note they are subject to change and the con program booklet will be your best source.

http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/Laurell/LKHSightings.htm

Copyedits

The copy edits of A LICK OF FROST have gone out. Yea! Jon and I are both fried. I'm so tired that everything is funny or I keep getting weepy. The copy edits alone didn't reduced me to this, but let's just say it's been an interesting week in that Chinese sort of way. You know the old saying, "May you live in interesting times." It's a curse, and a blessing, but mostly a curse. (How many people watch Mr. Monk?)

I could say this week has been a learning experience. That's another way of saying that not everything went smoothly this week. I am praying that this weekend all of us are well. After two weeks in a row of one third of the family being poorly, it would be nice to all be well, or wellish. Jon still has a bit of cough, but the antibiotics have really helped. Let's hear it for modern medicine.

I'm signing off now. We're going to go to bed. A good night's sleep will help. And what will really help is that the only priority for me tomorrow morning is the new Anita book, JASON. Yeah, letting that be the first thing my imagination rolls over in the morning, rather than copy edits will be a very good thing.

CBLDF Presents: An Evening With Laurell K. Hamilton

Meet Laurell K. Hamilton, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, at an intimate reception during Comic-Con International benefitting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! Ms. Hamilton will be appearing a gala benefit reception limited to 25 attendees on Friday, July 27 at a secret location in downtown San Diego.

"The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund works to defend the rights of readers everywhere to enjoy all kinds of comics, and we're thrilled to bring Ms. Hamilton out to support their very important work," says DBPro's Sales/Project Development Manager Derek Ruiz.

All reception attendees will be able to meet Ms. Hamilton, and to get two items signed while enjoying an open bar and gourmet hors d'oeuvres. Attendees will also receive a commemorative signed print, limited to 26 lettered pieces and only available through this event, as well as a one-year membership in the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Tickets to this very special reception are $500, and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Laurell K. Hamilton is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of two series that mix mystery, fantasy, magic, horror and romance. Her Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels from Berkley Books began with Guilty Pleasures (now a hugely successful graphic novel from Marvel/Dabel Brothers - the first sexy paranormal comic ever!), and continues with the recently released The Harlequin, number fifteen in the series, in which Anita's complex personal and professional relationships with a master vampire and an alpha werewolf continue to evolve. There are now more than 6 million copies of Anita in print worldwide, in 16 languages. Hamilton's Ballantine series features Fey princess and private investigator, Merry Gentry and there are now five novels exceeding one million copies in print. Mistral's Kiss, the fifth in the series debuted this past December. Ms. Hamilton is thrilled to be attending her first Comic-Con. She lives in St. Louis County, Missouri with her husband, daughter, two pug and two part pug dogs.

To reserve your space, please visit http://www.cbldf.safeshopper.com the CBLDF website. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. For additional information, donations, and other inquiries call 800-99-CBLDF or visit www.cbldf.org

Favorite webcomics

Darla says that she gets asked a lot what are some of my favorite things to read, to watch, to listen to, etc . . . Well I thought we'd start with Jonathon's and my favorite webcomics.

Girl Genius by Phil and Kaja Foglio (Gaslamp fantasy; what does that mean? It's sort of steampunk but with more weird. This series has given me one of my new favorite phrases, "I'll be your mad boy.")

The Devil's Panties by Jennie Breeden (Is not Satanic porn. It's a semi-autobiographical strip about a webcommic artist. Whether going to a convention to promote her comic, or buying a house with her boyfriend, this series is just plain funny. Thanks to this comic I know to be on the look out for pirates bearing rum at Dragoncon.)

Schlock Mercenary by Howard Tayler ( I liked this one well enough that when he asked I did an introduction for his latest book. I thought I had blogged about that, but when I went back and looked, I had not. All you other artists and writers can thank Howard for this blog. I thought since I was catching up on Schlock I'd do the list.)

Irregular Webcomic by David Morgan-Mar (This is apparently his hobby, in his real life he is an astrophysicist. He does not draw. He uses Lego figurines and painted miniatures to do his strips. It gives hope to all of us who are drawing challenged.)

Sluggy Freelance by Pete Abrams (I actually met him once. He's the only one on the list I can say that about, for now. Jon made me add that part. Sluggy was one of the first webcomics I ever read. Warning: if you go back to the beginning of the Sluggy archives be prepared to have it suck your life away for days. The Christmas episodes with Bun-Bun trying to do in Santa, who Bun-Bun calls, "the fat man," are some of my favorites. Oh, who is Bun-Bun? Read the comic, I can't do all the work for you.)

Brat-halla by Jeffery Stevenson & Seth Damoose(This is one of the newst ones we've found, newest to us. It is the gods of Norse Mythology going through the hell that is middle school. Come on Norse dieties trapped in Junior high, need I say more?)

Evil Inc. by Brad Guigar (Wonder where all the super villains have gone? They're all working for Evil Inc. because when your evil pools it's resources there's more money to be had. You also have superheroes, of course. So call up, and have the receptionist, Lightning Lady say, "How may I harm you?", or my other favorite, "How may I misdirect your call?" Haven't any of us that have ever been stuck answering phones in corporate America fantasized about saying exactly that? I know, I did.)

Oh, I guess you guys didn't know that I once worked in corporate America. In an editorial department at a major corporation. Editorial didn't get much respect so we had no receptionist. Since I was the new girl, fresh out of college, I got phone duty. I didn't like it much, since I still had to do my real job and answer the phones at the same time. I was so bad at it that my boss 'talked' to me about my voice not being professional. So I practiced my phone voice, and maybe got too carried away. Here's what they told me to say, "Editorial department, this is Laurell, how may I help you." Put a lot of sultry into that statement, roll the name off your tongue like you're thinking dirty thoughts, and say, help, like you mean something entirely different. That's about how I ended up saying it. Like I said, I didn't enjoy doing it, but I did exactly what I was told to do. No one told me I couldn't use a sexy phone voice. Not my fault they didn't think of it. After a few days I got the voice down because men from other floors were finding excuses to come up to editorial and talk to us. After about the third or fourth man wandering about editorial for no reason my boss called me into her office. "Laurell, what are you saying to them?" I told her I was saying exactly what she told me to say. It would take her a day or so more to ask the right question. "Laurell, how are you saying it?" She finally asked me to demonstrate, then she told me, "Cut it out." Strangely, though, I was off phone duty after that.

Also Jon Reads the following:

Penny Arcade Gaming, Pop Culture, and Expletives.

Starslip Crisis Far future Sci-Fi. In a Museum.

Turn Signals on a Landraider Warhammer 40,000 Humor. Mostly centered on Frep and Kren

Still can't title anything, but here's the blog.

In answer to questions: Jon is still sick. He went to the doctor today and it is officially an upper respiratory infection requiring antibiotics. He's better, but his voice sounds a lot like Michael Dorn (Worf). Yes, we still have brown recluse spiders in the house. No more bites, knock on wood. We will be getting the house fumigated later this month when allergic girl (me) can be out of the house for five days and five nights. Yes, I am allergic to the stuff they use to get rid of the spiders. Of course, I am.

Went to the local comic shop today and we got to see and hold and gaze upon the hardback collection of the first six issues of the Anita Blake comic book with the added short story that Jon and I did together. Jon handed it to me, and he had signed it. "To Laurell, My turn now, love, Jonathon."

For years people have wanted Jon to sign my books at signings. He has been hesitant to do that since as he pointed out, he didn't write those books. But when fans said that it was the dedications in front that made them want him to sign it, he reluctantly agreed. He would only sign books where he was indeed mentioned in the dedication, which was our compromise with those who wanted him to sign, too. But this one, well, this one is our book. There is not a page of art or script that we didn't see and work with. Why did we have to buy a copy rather than get one sent free to us? Because we couldn't wait to see it. Jon wanted it in his hands the first day possible. I am sorry that the bookstores are not getting the hardback until the 18th of this month. That was a change in plan that I was not aware of, in future I will strive to be better informed.


Working on the comics has been a true education. Fun, frustrating, exhilarating, maddening, amazing, and it has renewed my spirit somehow. Part of that is watching Jon's excitement about all the firsts he's experiencing. I don't think I'd realized how jaded I'd become about my industry. You don't thrive in publishing without acquiring armor around your hopes and dreams. Jon reminded me that you aren't supposed to wear your armor all the time. So here's to enjoying the fruits of victory rather than simply preparing for the next fight.

ComicCon Schedule

ComicCon in San Diego California. July 26-29th.
For more info go to:http://www.comic-con.org/cci/
SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE SEE COMIC CON PROGRAM BOOKLET FOR LATEST. This is a preliminary schedule.

Thursday July 26th
2:00-3:00 Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance: Sub-Genres Readers Love—Where are the borders between urban fantasy and paranormal romance? How did paranormal romance grow from a subgenre of romance to its current popular cross-genre status, and what does the future hold? Writers Laurell K. Hamilton (best-selling author of the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series), Jeanne Stein (Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles), Laura Anne Gilman (The Retrievers series), Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Takes a Holiday), Marjorie Liu (Soul Song), and Samantha Sommersby (Forbidden: The Awakening) talk about love and monsters. Moderator: Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 5AB

3:00-4:00 Signing

Friday July 27th

1:00-2:00 Signing at Marvel Booth
4:00-5:00 Signing at Ballantine Books Booth
9:00-10:00 PM Comic Book League Defense Fund Dinner

Saturday July 28th
12:15-1:15 Spotlight on Laurell K Hamilton—With two incredibly popular book series going stronger than ever (Anita Blake, 15 books, over 6 million copies in print; Merry Gentry, 5 books, over 1 million copies in print), Comic-Con special guest Laurell K. Hamilton is one of the most popular fiction authors working today. Laurell tells us what’s next for Anita, Merry, and herself in this exclusive event. Room 6CDEF

1:15-2:15 Signing

If blogger would let me title my entries this one would have been, "Had a really good Orgazmo this weekend."

I reread the post from yesterday and gosh, it was gloomy. I am, at heart, a glass half empty kind of person. I have to work at being upbeat sometimes. So, I'll try to do better today.

We did have some fun this weekend. Charles came over and we all watched the movie ORGAZMO. No, I'm not making up the title. It's an early movie from the creators of South Park. But it's not at all a South Park movie. How to describe this movie without giving away the plot? It begins with a nice Mormon who knocks on the wrong door in Hollywood. It's a movie about pornography without any porn in it. It's a superhero movie. It is one of the least politically correct movies I've ever watched and damn near every minute of it is funny. It's one of those rare movies that repeat viewings do not diminish the jokes. And sharing it with friends who have not seen it, makes it all the more fun. Sit where you can see their faces, because watching the unsuspecting is really too fun. Charles loved it. Let me just be clear it is sooooo not Trinity safe. It is also soooo not for any friends that are easily offended. Leave your preconceptions at the door, buckle up, and enjoy the ride.

It still won't let me title the posts. Don't know why. I was going to call this one "Laurell falls down the rabbit hole" or something like that.

It's not been the weekend that Jon and I would have wished. He's still under the weather. Though it's down to a cough and no fever now. An improvement. Our romantic weekend was on the sick list just like my sweetie.

I often find solace in the writing when other things are not working out, but not this weekend. This weekend the book just sulked. Why? Well, the scene didn't work. It was such a cool scene, but it's doesn't go here. Jason, the character, finally pointed out the cool scene would make this less his book and more just another book in the series. I needed to stay on track for the plot. I mourn the scene, but he's right. So tomorrow I sit down at my desk with a clean slate, and I'll finish the scene so it matches the original intent of the book, and not the rabbit hole I fell down. Apparently, it didn't lead to Wonderland, and all I got was dirt in my hair from going too far down into the dark. (Yes, I am aware that American rabbits do not build underground burrows, or tunnels, like their European counterparts, but the reference is originally from ALICE IN WONDERLAND by Lewis Carroll, which is a British story.)

Guilty Pleasures Hardback Vol 1 and some suggestions.

With Laurell out for the weekend I thought I would take over the blog.

First, a quick note. The hardback Guilty Pleasures Volume 1 is in comic stores now. It will not be available at regular bookstores until the 18th. Not sure why, it is just that I was told that is how it is. Sorry! Had I known sooner I would have shared that info.

One of the things we get asked a lot is who do you read? Or who would you recommend? So I am going to offer suggestions! Please note they are in no specific order, just how they came in to my brain while I was typing. They are also folks I have actually read. There are a lot of authors I haven’t yet. Some are in my TBR pile.

I will skip folks like Stephen King, JK Rowling and Anne Rice, chiefly because I figure pretty much everyone knows who they are. So suggesting them is kind of redundant. But before I go on to the list, I will suggest if you find no one new to you on the list, try forum.laurellkhamilton.org. That is our message board. You do not have to belong to read. Go down to the Other Author section and you can see lists of who others suggest, some of the authors are kind enough to drop in and chat occasionally. If they claim they are the author on our forum, we are 99.99% sure that is really who it is.

If you’re not sure you want to part with your hard earned cash for an unknown, please talk to your local library. Many have discretionary funds for reader requests or can get it on loan from another library. You may have to ask for help locating some of them, as they seem to be spread out around the shelves.

We get asked a lot about stuff that is out of print or where you might be able to find a less expensive copy of a book, of course the biggies like Amazon.com and BN.com offer used books but if they don’t have what you want then I would suggest either of these: www.powells.com or www.abebooks.com. Both have a search feature that allows you to look for it, and if they don’t have it, put it on request. I have used both services and can give them a thumbs up!

Or try www.bookcrossing.com to see if one is free floating near you. It is a catch and release program for books. If that sounds strange it is not, really. It is an opportunity to offer up books you may not be reading to others to find. It is kind of a scavenger hunt for books. You might find one you like, or you can even release some books of your own. On to the suggestions!

Laurell (things Darla knows Laurell reads):
Robert B Parker (mysteries)
Nero Wolfe (mysteries)
Rett MacPherson (mysteries)
Sharon Shinn (fantasy)
Marella Sands (sci/fi fantasy)
Mark Tiedemann (sci/fi fantasy)
Mark Sumner (sci/fi fantasy)
Charolette’s Web - EB White
War for the Oaks – Emma Bull


Darla:
Talia Gryphon (paranormal)
CT Adams and Cathy Clamp (paranormal)
Charlaine Harris (paranormal/mystery)
MaryJanice Davidson (paranormal/mystery)
Jim Butcher (urban fantasy)
Sherrilyn Kenyon (paranormal)
Christine Feehan (paranormal)
Jenna Black (paranormal)
LA Banks (paranormal)
Christopher Golden (fantasy)
Glen Cook (fantasy specifically the Garret PI series)
PN Elrod (paranormal)
JG Passarella (fantasy)
Angela Knight (paranormal)
Anne Elizabeth (paranormal)
Whilhemina Baird (urban fantasy)
Tom Dietz- Davy Sullivan series (fairies)
Diana Gabaldon (paranormal)
Terri Brooks (fantasy)
Terry Pratchett (fantasy)
Carrie Vaughn (paranormal)
Tanya Huff (fantasy)
Holly Lisle (fantasy)
Mercedes Lackey (fantasy)
Octavia Butler (fantasy)
CJ Cherryh (sci/fi-fantasy)
Andre Norton (sci/fi- fantasy)

I am sure I am missing some folks. These are the most likely I am to reread when I have nothing new that looks interesting. I know there are a lot of others out there I haven’t gotten to yet. I am trying to read as much as I can. But it can be hard to find the time.
So hopefully, this will give you a few new folks to check out.

If you have a suggestion for someone not on my list, feel free to share! Books are not toasters. If you have one, you really don’t need a second. There are never enough books out there as far as I am concerned. So if you know something I might like, please pass it on!

Darla

For some reason it won't let me title this piece.

Trinity was sick with a bug last weekend. Well, this weekend it looks like Jon has it. He's tucked in bed with a fever, and I'll be joining him when I'm done with this. Just to show you that almost nothing goes to waste in my odd little mind . . . Waking up beside him this morning he was hotter than he should have been. The hell with touching the forehead, his entire body was hot to the touch. Fever heat is what first gave me the idea to make the lycanthrope's skin run hot close to the full moon. We haven't explored that as fully as we might. But it's based on the truth that most of the animals that the humans turn into run higher temps than we do. 101 to about 102.5 at the outside for a lot of the animals that I use for lycanthropy in my books. So cuddling up to them would feel like cuddling up to a person if they were running a fever of about the same degree. As long as they were in human form. Anyone that has dogs knows that they run hot to, but because of the insulation of the fur they don't feel that hot to the touch.

Jon should be fine by tomorrow, or Sunday at the latest since he's following Trin's symptoms pretty closely. She's at her father's this weekend. Well, happy and healthy. These summer bugs too shall pass.

On the writing front, I have fought the same scene for two days, and will fight it again tomorrow. I thought I'd fallen down the rabbit hole. Now I'm beginning to believe I'm trying to hamstring my plot and over think things, and I should probably have followed my rabbit hole all the way. You never know sometimes you just end up in the dark with a bunch of dirt in your hair, and sometimes you end up in Wonderland.

The hardback collection is on the shelves

I can't believe it is nearly 11:30 at night. The day has been incredibly busy. Good, but busy. I've had appointments and phone calls all day that have kept me from my desk until now.

Why am I writing this instead of following my husband up to bed and getting some well deserved sleep? Because today was the release of the Anita Blake hardback of the comics. At your local comic store and at your local bookstore the first six comic books of the Guilty Pleasures adaption is finally collected in one place at one time, and it's on the shelves. The hardback contains not only the complete first six issues, but a bonus short story. A brand new Anita adventure which was the first thing Jon and I collaborated on. It's probably the shortest Anita story I will ever write, and definitely the shortest mystery. I'd begun to wonder if I'd lost the knack of writing short. Every writer has a size that their muse likes best. I am thankful that my muse and I like novels, because it's a whole lot easier to make a living at novel length than short stories. But comics seem to hit a different spot for me than short stories. I like the art form. I like the collaboration between words and art. I ken it, a good old Scottish term.

I couldn't go up to bed without remarking this milestone of the first hardback from Marvel, DB Pro, and us. May it be the first of many.

Happy 4th of July, and a frustrating day at work

Did thirteen pages on the new book, and I know that most of it will have to hit the cutting room floor. I don't' usually know that so quickly, but I fell down the rabbit hole today, and got distracted from the main plot. I guess I had to get it out of my system, but I know that I have to back up and get rid of it. It reads well, but it just isn't needed, in fact it damages the plot, gives away too many surprises. Shit.

So, a day's worth of work, but no progress. I hate that.

Happy fourth of July to everyone. We're having a cook out with family and friends. This is Pip's least favorite holiday. He's phobic of thunder and fireworks. So we'll spend the evening with our sixty pound puppy shivering in our laps. His phobia is severe enough that I'm not sure we could actually leave him alone on this night. I'm not sure what he might do to relieve the nervous tension without us here. But tonight, we won't find out. We'll be home.

Enjoy the celebration. Be safe.

Congrats to Rosemary

Congrats to Rosemary Potter of Rosemary's Romance Books in Brisbane Australia for being Romantic Time's bookseller of the year. Jon and I have actually partied with Rosemary and her fellow Aussies. If we ever do get me on a plane all the way to Australia it will be, in no small part, due to Rosemary and company. No plans to go just yet, sorry gals. Though the stop off in Hawaii to rest before heading on the last leg to down under has it's appeal.

It was also at the RT convention Jon, Charles, and I, first realized that maybe there is more to a convention than just work. Okay, Jon and I realized it. Charles quickly discovered that he couldn't body guard and dance at the same time. Part of the fun we had at that con was due to Rosemary and Cherie, and the rest of you from Down Under. Also, that convention was in no small part fun thanks to the fans and forum members that came to see us in Florida.

We are going to try and socialize more at the conventions this summer. No promises, but it is nice to actually meet and greet with people enough to know who you are congratulating. Again, bravo to Rosemary.

Marvel.com Video Chat

Check out the following link: http://www.marvel.com/videos/Laurell_K.Hamilton_Chat for the video that Laurell Recorded at BEA.

New Tech

I did something unprecedented, I volunteered to buy new technology today. Usually you have to drag me kicking and screaming to change any tech that's working. What prompted this unheard of change on my part? That we've had two different people from two different publishing responsibilities remind us of things that need doing that Jon and I both thought we'd already done. It just slipped through the increasingly complex schedule. We discussed putting up a huge white board, but I realized I was being a big baby. I had to bite the electronic bullet and join the tech revolution if it would help me keep track of everything and save my wall space.

Jon has informed me dinner is ready, "Thunderbirds are go," was what he said, but I understood. I love our home. Where else can that be the cry that tells you dinner is ready.

I actually didn't get back to the blog until today. Sorry about that. I have used the phone once, and had the interesting experience of not being able to dial out, because it had the key lock on, and I could not remember how to turn it off. I knew there would be a learning curve and a lot of, "Jon, help," calls on my part, but it has a calender. It's just that the calender I want comes with way more buttons than I ever wanted to see on my phone. Even Jon can't figure out how to get the head set it comes with to work with it. It works with his phone, but not mine, how weird is that?

They're about to change the laws her in Missouri that while in a car you must use a headset or a bluetooth system that allows you to talk while driving, hands free. A good rule, but I'm fighting to stay ahead of the change over. Jon is going to have to get me a new headset or we go in and see if the store can get the one we have to work. You never know on new tech not everything goes into the manuals. I learned that little fact when I was an editor for Xerox, and helped put out the manuals that went with their tech. To make deadlines they'd leave out little details that they could catch on the next edition of the manual. It was more important to make deadlines than to get it right, or even working really. This is a trend that has continued in computers, I've noticed. Sadly. I resent being people's test audience for computer stuff. Remember the old days when they actually paid people to test beta rather than used their customers? Ah, the stone age of computers. The tech maybe getting better but the customer service seems to be suffering.

I'm sure I'll learn to use my phone, eventually. I'm sure I'll be able to access the nifty calender features which is why I bought the blasted thing, but today I am officially discouraged. I mean, what the hell was I thinking? I got the phone out in the store, and the clerk said, "Wow, way more tech than I could ever deal with," not a good sign.

Auction for Wild Canid Center

Laurell K Hamilton A Lick Of Frost Auction
As part of the post Wolf Howl, we always donate the portion Laurell read to be auctioned by the Sanctuary. So here is your chance to get the actual pages Laurell read from.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Laurell-K-Hamilton-LICK-OF-FROST-Manuscript-Anita-Book_W0QQitemZ130130619988QQihZ003QQcategoryZ29223QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemOr

eBay Item number: 130130619988
Ends July 8th.
All proceeds go to The Wild Canid Center.
Darla