Reflections on Balticon 53, Article 1

Originally published May 31 2019 - This weekend I attended Balticon with guests of honor being Elizabeth Bear and Gregory Benford and artist guest Charles Vess, who did the illustrations for the 50th Anniversary edition of Ursula K. LeGuin’s Earthsea Collection, which came out last year.

This year I didn’t have a table at the con and E-Spec books allowed me space at their table. I expressed my appreciation by becoming a minion, volunteering at their book launch on Sunday evening, an event I love attending. The give a raffle ticket with every book sale and I donated a couple of my books to add to their offerings. A fan won them with a larger package and I autographed the books, one of which she already had, which is going to be a lovely gift for one of her friends.

I moderated three panels during the con: “You Can’t Shop at Target on Middle Earth”, “The Rise and Fall of Marvel on Netflix”, and “Monarchy and Empire in Speculative Fiction.”

I also served on three panels:  “How to be a Good Moderator,” a panel I moderated at Balticon a couple of years ago, “Fantasy –Isms: When Metaphors Go Bad” and “Doctor Who: The Whittaker/Chibnall Era So Far.”

I’ll talk about a number of those panel in subsequent articles. What I’d like to share in this introductory one are a few observation, which may help those new to a con who are now living the adventure of promoting what their brand.

There was an author sitting at a table in the Dealer’s Room, who will remain nameless. They had one book on their table and a lovely sheet of rave reviews for it, including one from Analog by author/reviewer Don Sakers. I went over to the table and said, “Great reviews.” The author didn’t quite smile, just gave me a nod. “Your first book?”

“No, my third.”

My turn to frown.

“You author books in other genres?”

Frown from author, “No.”

My eyes narrowing, “Why aren’t you selling them here then?” Look of confusion suggesting, I could do that?

Rule One. Promote your books, not just the latest. Looking back at his reviews I said, “You know Don Sakers is here.”

“He is?” Now the author smiled, transforming him. Rule Two: smile a lot while promoting your book(s).

When I saw Don the next day and told him one of the authors he’d reviewed was in the Dealer’s Room, he was delighted by my offer to introduce him, saying, “I loved that book.”

Last and really important thing, I noticed that author never seemed to be away from his table, which isn’t a bad thing, but he seemed to just be sitting there a bit too passively. Now, that might have just been my impression, but he’s this great book—so, I went up and asked, “Have you enjoyed being on any panels?”

He frowned. “Panels? I’m not on any.”

I blinked. Rule Three: When you are at a con like Balticon you can be on panels, or moderate panels and build your visibility. Members of the audience will come over and schmooze with you and often buy your book to get your autograph. Which is what I explain to him, with one basic extra bit of information to the rather “clueless” seems too harsh a word for this “uninitiated,” author. When you become a vendor at the Dealer’s Room, or even are planning to attend a con as an author, email Programming AT “Con’s web address,” and let them know you’d like to be on panels. Now, they might say no. But they don’t generally do that to a vendor in the Dealer’s Room. You know, vendors generally pay for the privilege of selling books at the con.

Now there was another table with a smiling author with one book. His table promoted the fact he’s on Youtube for Terrible Writing Advice. I asked him how many subscribers he has. “Two hundred and fifty thousand, for terrible writing advice… I mean the worst.”

I blinked. “And you’ve been plugging your book?”

“At the end of every episode. My marketing company handles the links for me.”

Uh huh. Smart, thinking I’m an idiot and had better check out his channel… and that I’m definitely an idiot.

“Selling solidly?”

“Every month without fail.”

I went to the panel he was on, which was basically the perennial session, “Marketing your Book.” His golden advice, now my Rule Four: Try Anything to build you brand to get noticed. You never know what’ll work.

On that note: Sleeping Beauties and Beasts, Hands of the Highmage, Book 4 has come out on Kindle and is available in paperback on Amazon.

Welcome to the world of Highmage's Plight, where magic vanquished science long ago -- and humanity is "on the ropes," even if twisted fairy tales are now their only hope.

Dare to Believe,

D.H. Aire.