AuthorCon V was my second AuthorCon! Three straight days of walking, chatting with a ton of authors, getting a huge pile of my books from home signed, donating to charity and buying an obscene amount of books. This was the CRAZIEST time I’ve ever had at any convention EVER. While this was only my second book convention, I used to habitually go to anime and comic conventions when I was younger, and no other con has ever been nearly as busy for me.
First of all, I had done my homework. After AuthorCon III I spent a lot of time reading indie horror and collecting books. I had BAGS of books with me to get signed!! Bless my patient husband who helped me carry around those heavy bags. I picked up a lot of books that have been on my TBR for months, along with some brand new or yet to be released books. I came significantly better prepared this year and bought a lot of books, way more than expected, but I picked up a lot of good ones. Every author I met with was so kind, and I got my first photo with an author. I also attended my first Gross Out. I had heard about it but missed it last year because I was so tired. I won’t say anything else about it, other than that we had a lot of fun!
We went to some non-bookish vendors like Ella Mingo and this other sticker place I wish I remember their name, but they were really great! I also got to me R.J. Roles wife Jessica and she was such a delight and so so sweet! I bought some stickers from her and I know she snuck a few extra in my bag. ♥
Nocturnal Reader Box Drama
The first author I had the pleasure of meeting and asking for a signature from was Tom Deady. I had brought along my copy of Haven, and when Deady opened the book to sign, likely because I have an older print of the book, he looked at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read and asked, “Where did you get this book?” I was caught off guard by the question, and in that second I couldn’t remember the exact name anymore, but I told him that it was from a book box several years ago. He responded, “It wasn’t The Nocturnal Readers’ Box, was it?” That was it! Yes.
So a little back story for those unfamiliar with this subscription box. The Nocturnal Readers’ Box (NRB) was a horror themed subscription book box that ran around 2017-2018 that shipped at least two books and some extra horror themed goodies. It was always on a waitlist, but I was lucky (or unlucky) enough to get a subscription in 2018, unaware of the trouble that was brewing. The box is infamous in the horror community for it’s dramatic downfall, there is quite a bit of information about it cataloged online, such as in this reddit thread.
I was pretty new to book subscription boxes at the time and had only just starting to get back into reading horror, so I was caught off guard once the passive aggressive, and then later aggressive emails started going out to all subscribers after boxes started shipping later and later. I had only been subscribed for three months at that point, and was one of the unlucky few that found that I had been billed another month after I had cancelled. I did eventually receive that fourth and final box around three months later and was glad to wash my hands of it.
And to me, that was all I knew until Deady told me that he had sent a few thousand copies to them that was paid out of pocket, and he never received payment. This is devastating for an indie author! I was shocked, I had known that subscribers had gotten screwed over, but I had no idea (though shouldn’t have been surprised) that authors, publishers, and vendors had gotten screwed over as well. I did feel like I owed him something, still do!
I ended up deep diving the NRB debacle later and found the entire can of worms, but I was surprised that I didn’t see Deady mentioned in any of the archives and reports. So despite inadvertently bringing up old scars, I’m still thankful that I got the opportunity to meet him and that he shared his story with me. I plan to buy and read more of his work in the future. ♥
Favorite Conversations
Judith Sonnet: I got to meet my most recent author idol, Judith Sonnet and I am in shambles, she was wonderful to talk to. I had recently read Spore Attic, and I had shared with Judith how trippy the writing was and how it reminded me of a first experience I had with an edible and we had a good laugh talking about the book.
Anton Cancre: My favorite conversation was easily with Anton Cancre, who gave me a juggalo tarot card reading and we had an awesome discussion about the Silent Hill series, and I got a free copy of their Silent Hill story analysis which I’m excited to read!
Kenzie Jennings & Rowan Hill: I had previously been an ARC reader for Kenzie Jenning’s A Woman Like Jo and after I posted my review, her and I became Facebook friends and chatted briefly about our careers in higher ed. This was months before AuthorCon but she recognized my face, and after connecting the dots she was so excited and even remembered the feedback I gave in my review, and she gave me a book recommendation based on books she knows I like – I was honestly so flattered!
Aron Beauregard: Aron was so stunned by how many books I was buying he gave me some discounts and tons of freebies. He was also the only author to directly offer a picture! I am an incredibly shy and anxious person and hadn’t quite worked up the courage to ask for pictures. I had to hype myself up to even talk with folks this year, last year at AuthorCon III I could barely even talk to authors I was so nervous. Aron was completely understanding and told me that he finds that many are nervous too, which is why he started offering. I took him up on the offer and I’m glad I did!
Candace Nola: I was surprised but so flattered that Candace actually recognized my husband and I from when we met her last year. She was incredibly kind and we had a good chat.
Christa Wojciechowski: Christa is a new to me author but when I was looking up the authors in attendance the night before AuthorCon, I took an interest in Oblivion Black and had planned to purchase it along with Popsicle. She was one of the first tables I found, and she had a great deal on the entire Sculptor trilogy, so I went ahead and picked up all 4 books she had at our table. I think I might have been one of her first customers that day, she was stunned! I had a good giggle, and I’m excited to read her books. She was very sweet and kind, and gave me a cute little pig squish toy to go with her books.
M. Ennenbach: I missed him at the Uncomfortably Dark table when I brought a Splatter Western poster to be signed, and by the time I met up with him I had already put the poster in my car. He gracious came with my husband and I to grab it and chatted with us along the way, and we had a fun cigarette break outside. He was a really cool dude to talk to!
Todd Keisling: I hadn’t read any of Todd’s books before, but I stopped by his table while waiting for another line nearby to clear up. I’m so happy I did! He had just released The Sundowner’s Dance which sounded so fascinating, and it came with these funny and unhinged pamphlets. He was really funny and my husband and I had a good time talking to him, and I’m excited to read some of his work!
Panels
I regret that I didn’t actually make it to any panels this year! Though there were some I was interested in, I had such a long list of authors that I wanted to meet that it ate all of our time.
Book Haul
This year I hauled 124 books, 3 chapbooks, and 3 comics. Of those the 3 chapbooks and 1 book were free from the authors which I really appreciated! I had picked up completed physical editions a few books that I had ARC read for. Admittedly, this year’s haul was a little unhinged, and the amount spent crossed into four digits. I was disappointed to find again maybe two books that look like they have AI covers only after getting home and taking a good look at them.
♥ Oblivion Black by Christa Wojciechowski
♥ Hierarchy of Needs by Christa Wojciechowski
♥ Darklands by Christa Wojciechowski
♥ Mestiza Blood by V. Castro
♥ The Pink Agave Motel by V. Castro
♥ Popsicle by Christa Wojciechowski
♥ Out of Aztlan by V. Castro
♥ The Better to Eat You With by Wesley Southard
♥ They Mostly Come At Night by Wesley Southard
♥ Cruel Summer by Wesley Southard
♥ Prophet’s Debt by Robert Creekmore
♥ Silent Key by Laurel Hightower
♥ The Devil’s Thrift Shop by Steven Pajak
♥ Discontinue If Death Ensues edited by Carol Gyzander
♥ Revenge Arc by Cat Voleur
♥ Mon Amour by Cat Voleur
♥ A Woman Like Jo: & Other Dark Pieces by Kenzie Jennings
♥ Full Immersion by Gemma Amor
♥ These Wounds We Make by Gemma Amor
♥ The Obituaries Issue #7: XXX by Aron Beauregard, Daniel J. Volpe, Kristopher Triana, & Wrath James White
♥ The Resurrectionist by Wrath James White
♥ Rabbit Hunt by Wrath James White
♥ Violência by Sultan Z. White
♥ Ex-Boogeyman by Kristopher Triana
♥ The Night Stockers by Kristopher Triana
♥ The Prettiest Girl in the Grave by Kristopher Triana
♥ Handyman by Aron Beauregard
♥ The Slob Collection by Aron Beauregard
♥ Benjamin by Aron Beauregard
♥ Wave of Filth by Aron Beauregard
♥ Nightmare Nirvana by Aron Beauregard
♥ Wet Market and Other Horrors by Aron Beauregard
♥ Saturday Mourning Cartoons by Aron Beauregard
♥ The Rat King by L.P. Hernandez
♥ Stargazers by L.P. Hernandez
♥ Brady by D.W. Hitz
♥ Sour Under the Flesh by Stuart Bray
♥ when the mockingbird sings by Stuart Bray & Jason Nickey
♥ Bloodtooth by D.W. Hitz
♥ We’ve Already Gone Too Far by MJ Mars
♥ Asinine Assassins by Weldon Burge
♥ The Eris Ridge Trail by Larry Hinkle
♥ Senseless by Ronald Malfi
♥ D7 by Philip Fracassi
♥ No One is Safe by Philip Fracassi
♥ Slimer by Harry Adam Knight
♥ Cold Moon Over Babylon by Michael McDowell
♥ The Opener of the Way by Robert Bloch
♥ The Secret Life of Insects by Bernardo Esquinca
♥ Lurkers Go to College by Kristopher Rufty
♥ Lucy by Kristopher Rufty
♥ Sister Funtime by Spencer Hamilton
♥ All Will Die by Kristopher Rufty
♥ Stump Juice by Kristopher Rufty
♥ I Will Devour You by Spencer Hamilton
♥ Black Hole Sundown by Brian Hodge
♥ The Ferryman by Christopher Golden
♥ Tell My Sorrows To the Stones by Christopher Golden
♥ The Sundowner’s Dance by Todd Keisling
♥ The Nightmare Girl by Jonathan Janz
♥ An Affront to Man by Judith Sonnet
♥ Every Night in the Bone Orchard by Judith Sonnet
♥ Low Blasphemy by Judith Sonnet
♥ The Home by Judith Sonnet
♥ Summer Never Ends by Judith Sonnet
♥ Edenville by Sam Rebelein
♥ The Poorly Made and Other Things by Sam Rebelein
♥ Fuck Them Kids by Timothy King
♥ Nightmares of Blood and Flesh by Anton Cancre
♥ Prolonged Torments Bound in the Worst of Evils by Anton Cancre
♥ In Search of the Libro Moolah by the K.D. Crew
♥ Christmas Eve Carnage 2: Sprinkles Lives by John Lynch
♥ The Warrior Retreat by John Lynch
♥ Christmas Eve Carnage by John Lynch
♥ The Ghosts of Poplar Valley by Besu Tadesse
♥ Devour the Rich edited by Juliet Rose
♥ I Found the Boogeyman Under My Brother’s Crib by Ben Farthing
♥ Sucking Chest Wound by Daniel J. Volpe
♥ Talia 2 by Daniel J. Volpe
♥ Left to You by Daniel J. Volpe
♥ For the Better by Daniel J. Volpe
♥ A gorgeous signed art print of Talia! This is now framed and hung on our wall.
♥ Red Station by Kenzie Jennings
♥ For a Few Souls More by Wile E. Young
♥ The Magpie Coffin by Wile E. Young
♥ Undead Folk by Katherine Silva
♥ Dead Folk by Katherine Silva
♥ Nothingland by Katherine Silva
♥ Borealis by Wile E. Young
♥ Scissor Me Timbers by Phrique
♥ Lube Me Up With Fry Grease by Phrique
♥ Nocturnal by Nature & Other Stories by Nick Roberts
♥ A Prisoner of Dreamland and Other Oneiric Terrors by Garrett Boatman
♥ Sleeper Train by Jay Bower & John Lynch
♥ Headless by Scott Cole
♥ Departures by Scott Cole
♥ Triple Axe by Scott Cole
♥ Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare
♥ The Rotting Room by Viggy Parr Hampton
♥ Too Much Vulgar by Viggy Parr Hampton
♥ The Burden of Life by Jay Bower
♥ Dead Blood: Complete Series by Jay Bower
♥ The Class Reunion by Sean McDonough
♥ No Fair Maidens from Earth to Mars by Rowan Hill
♥ Foxfire by Rowan Hill
♥ Spawn 2: More Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies edited by Deborah Sheldon
♥ Impulses of a Necrotic Heart and Other Afflictions by Red Lagoe
♥ In Excess of Dark by Red Lago
♥ Vanilla by Mona Kabbani
♥ Channels by Jason Nickey
♥ Rural Decay by Jason Nickey
♥ Past Due: Rural Decay II by Jason Nickey
♥ The Considerate Cannibal by Kimberley Nicole
♥ The Divine Flesh by Drew Huff
♥ My Name Isn’t Paul by Drew Huff
♥ Self-Made Monsters by Rebecca Cuthbert
♥ Screams From The Dark Ages edited by Heather Ann Larson
♥ Just a Girl: A Badass Women of Horror Anthology
♥ Strange Doses: A Collection of Weird by Jezzy Wolfe
♥ Violent Nights by Candace Nola
♥ Shadow Manor by Candace Nola
♥ Where Dreams Are Entombed by Chase Will
♥ Where Dreams Are Entombed: Creator by Chase Will
♥ Where Dreams Are En2mbed: Abstraction by Chase Will
♥ Pink Neon by Megan Stockton
♥ Bluejay by Megan Stockton
♥ Impulse by Megan Stockton
♥ …And Nobody Knows it but Me by Megan Stockton
…And to close out, some extra goodies that I got. A poster, a cute mothman hat from Ben Farthing, and some comic books from Shane McKenzie.
♥ Splatter Western poster
♥ Comic books from Shane McKenzie
♥ Mothman hat from Ben Farthing
♥ T-Shirts from Uncomfortably Dark and John Lynch
♥ Gig of the Damned Tote Bag
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