Supernatural Underground

Comic Con NY 2010 - Part 2

Juliana already talked about Comic Con, but I didn't realize it until I'd written this post, so you get to hear a little more!

This past weekend, several Supernatural Underground authors met in New York City for the 2010 Comic Con (comic book convention). Though these conventions swarm with comic book fans, publishers, writers, and illustrators, they've expanded in recent years to include other aspects of the paranormal and fantasy worlds. Hollywood always shows up, and New York publishing is getting in the game. Harper Collins manned a couple of exhibitor booths, presented several panels, and sponsored book signings for a number of their sci-fi/fantasy and paranormal romance authors.

Friday afternoon, Jeaniene Frost moderated a lively panel titled Fighting Like Cats and Dogs: Shapeshifters and Paranormal Romance. On the panel were authors Juliana Stone, Marjorie M. Liu, Margaret Ronald, Jocelynn Drake, and me. Jeaniene's questions included: What mythology did you use behind your shifters? How do your weres/shifters balance their inner wildness with their human side? Do they have increased strength, heightened senses, a tendency to give fire hydrants a longing glance...? Werecats or werewolves, which do you think would make the stronger, sexier alpha protagonist, and why? The answers got a little catty--in a good way, of course!

The six of us signed books along Autograph Alley later that afternoon along with celebs like James Marsters (Spike on Buffy), Richard Hatch (the original Captain Apollo on the first Battlestar Gallactica) and Lou Ferrigno (the Incredible Hulk). While we were waiting for our time to sign, I stood in line for a pricey autograph of James Marsters and the chance to shake his hand and chat with him briefly. Jeaniene took the more direct (and cheaper) route and backed into him as he was walking behind the tables to leave. Next time, I'm sticking closer to Jeaniene.

When my publicist showed me my table assignment, I discovered, to my delight, that I was seated beside Lou Ferrigno. One of his poster stacks was at the edge of my signing space and he kindly asked if his posters were in my way. "Not at all." We chatted on and off during my signing hour and my editor took a picture of us together. Lou was charming.



After the signing, I returned to the Harper Collins exhibit booth and signed an additional box of books. While I was signing, a camera crew from Silver Cheese Productions stopped and asked if they could interview me. On the fly interviews are a little terrifying to someone who edits even an email five times, but of course I did it and I think it turned out pretty well, all things considered. Check it out at: http://www.blip.tv/file/4223742.

On Saturday, Jeaniene, Margaret, and I joined two Harper Collins editors on a panel spotlighting Harper's upcoming paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy releases. Afterward, I walked around the convention center, wandering among the hundreds of booths, entertained more by the costumed crowd than the exhibits. I saw everything from a true-to-size Chewbacca and Hellboy to vampires, demons, and dozens of anime characters I couldn't begin to identify.

NYCC was crowded, crazy, and a ton of fun!