My most anticipated venture
Has come and gone. The Harrisburg Pop & Comic Con was unique from my local arts & crafts show, library, and bookstore signing experiences. Held in the Giant Expo Hall of the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex, the show ran for two days and included costume contests and light sabre duels as well as autograph and photo-ops with some of the voices behind nerd culture’s favorite characters.
This event, I debuted my “Birthright of Scars” coloring book and tested out a new setup that doubled my table space and allowed me to display more visuals and information.
I was fortunate to have a spot in the Pro-Comic writer’s aisle near the entrance. Those folks have been doing this long enough to be wearing tags that say “Guest” instead of “Vendor” and some of them shared with me their experiences over the last 7-12 years of doing cons.
I had a blast chatting with patrons about my books and anything they wanted to talk about.
Big thanks goes to Katilynn Coy, who took on the role of personal assistant and photographer. Kat was one of my earliest readers and fan of the “Birthright of Scars” duology who is eager to blog and promote local authors and provide press coverage for local indie bookstores and author events.
At this event, patrons took advantage of my signed book bundles, getting all three of my books at a steep discount and walking away with high quality character art prints, and bookmarks featuring my paintings of Disrel and Ambrosia.
At larger events, I typically run an exclusive giveaway through my author newsletter, and this con was no exception. Patrons who stopped by my table were eligible for a chance to win the “Birthright of Scars” duology in ebook format.
The best part… joining my author newsletter gave them the first 7 chapters of “Birthright of Scars: Rising” so they could start reading while they waited.
Overall, the Harrisburg Pop & Comic Con was an exciting new experience to check off my bucket list of local places to appear! Because it’s so close to home, there’s a chance I’ll go back in the future. But at present, I have a few other exciting things to try, and until I can figure out how to be two places at once, I’ll have to continue being choosey with my planned events for the upcoming year.
If you’re considering vending at the Harrisburg Pop Con, I will say that the hosts and staff are professional, friendly, and accommodating. This is a well-run event and they take great care of their people.
Look Who I met
My neighbor was Greg Spicka, Fantasy author of the Tomes of Auhere, a magical world that existed between Earth and Mars. He was a pleasure to chat with and since he’s a resident of the Gettysburg area, you’re bound to run into him at local craft fairs and book signings in South Central Pennsylvania.
His five book series is soon to become eight, and since he’s no stranger to writing (having published magazine articles as well as short thrillers and RPGs) there’s no telling what sort of series he’ll throw down next.
A row deeper into the convention, I met Randy Ellefson, Fantasy author, Composer, Guitarist, and World Building Coach.
Randy was really very pleasant to speak with and highly knowledgeable. I saw several patrons walking around with his “The Complete Art of Worldbuilding” Omnibus, and his entire display, from blue scale banners to fire-breathing backdrop is impressive.
Ellefson has been writing Fantasy since the 80’s, so you’re sure to learn a lot from him if you bump into him at an event. I certainly hope to get the chance to table next to him one day!
I had a fun surprise meeting Illustrator Joe Palumbo in person. I happened across an image of his convention setup while looking for tips and inspiration for my own backdrop months ahead of the Harrisburg Con and immediately recognized his booth while exploring after setup. Making a mental note, I hunted Joe down on Day 2 of the event to say Hello!
I found out he lives in the Lancaster, PA area and often shows in Reading. He was super nice and eager to talk all things oil painting, and he’s illustrated covers for several award winning and NYC Best Selling books.
Joe is also the director of Grandview art gallery in West Lawn, PA’s Wilson High School Administration Building. And he’s directed and produced a documentary film exploring how our stories intersect and connect. One of my favorite things about Joe’s work at a glance is the unique medium he oil paints on and offers reproductions of his work on, and the oil pastel appearance of his color blends.
If you’re looking for a gorgeous oil-painted fantasy or sci-fi book cover for your novel, Joe would be a fine artist to choose. His art style and skills make him capable of producing work featuring gorgeous interstellar ships, weapons and tech, as well as monsters, dragons, and other fantastical beasts.
I didn’t get many chances to pop out from behind my table and get photos with the amazing characters visiting this convention, but I did break the ice with this friendly Minute Man from the Fallout video game, who I will forever remember as Nuka Cola.
I also spotted an impressive Witcher stalking through the convention with his gorgeous white hair and dangerous looking swords crossed over his back, but he never came down my aisle and alas, I’d forgotten to bring a coin with me to toss.
One of the highlights of the Harrisburg Pop Con is guest R2-D2, who roams the convention throughout the day saying hello to patrons and vendors alike.
The full scale robot with all his moving parts and accurate sound effects is impressive to say the least. He was built by Eric Berry and his team at Hole in the Ground Productions.
Eric is an actor, prop, set & costume designer, creature actor & puppeteer, and diorama artist. Whew! Talk about craftsmanship.
He also accepts commissions, so if you need any weapons, tech, or original cosplay accessories, Eric is your OG.
I forgot to ask how much R2-D2 weighs, but I wasn’t sure if it’s impolite to ask a robot that question.
If you ever happen to pop into the Harrisburg Pop Con, keep your eyes peeled for the chirpy and bubbly-bee-poo droid. You just might be lucky enough to get your picture with him.