| My first priority in going there was to find a publisher for "Vampires, Inc." I had a special T-shirt made advertising that fact. My wife made up some table favors (with candy) for the tables at the Vampire Ball. I made special business cards. |
| At the 2008 (25th anniversary) Romantic Times Booklover's Convention in Pittsburgh April 16-20 |
| I also made up 50 excerpt booklets to hand out--a gutsy move since one normally does this only for novels in print or about to be released. They were well received and I only had a couple left at the end. And I did catch the eye of a couple publishers. Check out VAMPIRES, INC. on the Home Page for more info, and keep checking back for updates and news on the status of the novels. |
| (LEFT) Rick (with red-dyed hair) and brother Lance at the Faery Ball. (RIGHT) Best Costume finalists at the Faery Ball. Kevin Beard won. |
| The stunning Heather Graham at the Faery Ball |
| I attended several workshops and panels and learned some new promo ideas and techniques. One theme, one message, came through clearly at the convention: right now publishing is having a tough time. The big houses have cut back on print runs (because the bookstores aren't buying as much) and cutting back on the number of titles signed even from their staple authors. So, things are going to be rough for authors for a while at least. Nevertheless, many new small publishers are showing up, and they are far more optimistic. Signing with a smaller house is a good way to build your name and keep your creative juices flowing. And many of the smaller publishers go out of their way to promote their authors. |
| Cover Model Ryan Storm puts the bite on Stacey Perry |
| Rick, with attitude, at the Vampire Ball |