Hello once again, faithful readers!
Congrats to my friends the Maedels on the birth of their beautiful, baby boy! An exciting time also draws nigh in my own life. But you want to hear about the mega-scifi-fantasy-horror convention that is Dragon*Con, so here it goes:
Fresh off my birthday, somewhat saddened I would be missing the opening Saturday of the college football season, I went down to Dragon*Con in Atlanta, Georgia over the Labor Day weekend. My main goal was to network for my long-time artist friend, Elvin Cintron (while doing a little on the side for myself, of course). Elvin is a naturalistic painter in the tradition of Alex Ross (www.alexrossart.com). The fact that currently he’s not painting full-time is a crime-one I intend to solve (See some Elvin’s work on my website, www.shaneberryhill.com. Click on ‘Shane’s Work’, ‘Click here to Learn More’, and then the cover of our e-comic, Surrealizations)!
Elvin was going to be drawing/doing signings at the Big City Comics booth. I knew he wouldn’t be able to get away to real any degree, so I offered to help him out (No jokes about my ugly mug being his public face!).
I was not fortunate enough to be a guest at Dragon*Con at this year (I served on a panel there in ’06 when ‘Outlaws released). So when I arrived Friday morning, I had to purchase a Dragon*Con badge in order to see the sights and meet and greet. Despite the grueling two-hours-twenty-minutes spent standing in a corral-style line to do so, my fellow Con attendees and I remained in good spirits. Even the usual, infamous “Con-funk” smell that seems to hang over such gatherings was absent. Kudos to you, Georgia, for your good hygiene! Californian Comic-Con goers, take note!
I made the rounds that day, once again checking in with the Eva Ink gang (www.evaink.com). Awesome, talented people there at Eva Ink from top to bottom! They’ve been especially kind to me. Not only are they generous with advice, but they always make a point to introduce me to other industry pros. Thanks, guys! You’re the best!
After shaking hands with Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, I took time to sit in on a “reading” by NY Times Bestselling author and self-proclaimed faerie princess, Alethia Kontis (complete with her famous traveling road show). Clever, clever lady, that ‘Le. Who but her would think to liven up a reading by dispending bubble-blowing kits and goodie bags to the crowd?
That night, Elvin and I went to the Hero Initiative (www.heroinitiative.org)-sponsored reception for Comic pros. I was able to have drinks and argue about Disney’s take-over of Marvel with such comic book luminaries as Michael Golden (evaink.com), David Peterson (www.mouseguard.net), and Darwyn Cooke (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwyn_Cooke). Of these, I spent the most time jawing with Mr. Cooke. Darwyn is one cocky, self-assured dude. In other words, he’s a guy after my own heart and I liked him instantly! This is not to say Darwyn doesn’t have a sense of humor about himself. He proved just that when, as a lark, he went prancing around Artist Alley Sunday evening in an adult-sized Winnie the Pooh costume! Now that’s comedy, folks! (Sidebar: Congratulations to Deane Trippe (www.deantrippe.com) on the new position at DC Comics! Today, Dean, DC. Tomorrow, the world!)
Now this would’ve been all well and good if, on my way out Friday night, I hadn’t stopped to ask a police officer where Simpson Street (the street where I parked my vehicle) lay (It’s easy to get turned around in those large hotels). Normally the boys in blue are always the best of help. But this time, the cop in question sent Elvin and I on a wild goose chase all over downtown Atlanta at darn near midnight. A half-hour later, when we finally found my truck by going in the exact opposite direction in which we had been sent, we were miffed to see our true destination had been a mere block away from the convention. We consoled ourselves by talking about all those calories we burned during our search.
After a bad night’s sleep on a lumpy, pull-out-couch-bed, I was up and at ‘em bright and early. While I snapped a photo of the crowd gathering to watch that morning’s costume parade, I sadly missed the show itself so that I could catch a panel on Comic Book Promotion featuring Renee Witterstaeter (www.evaink.com), Sean Taylor (www.taylorverse.com) and a plethora of other wise and talented people. While the parade would’ve been fun, it would’ve done nothing to advance my goals. Those are the hard choices you have to make, I guess 
Besides, I saw costumes aplenty during the three days I was there (If she hasn’t already, the Sass should soon post my pics on facebook for all to see).
Saturday afternoon, after a day full of still more networking, I listened to several editors from Tor, publisher of the Chance Fortune series (www.shaneberryhill.com), talk about what’s coming down the pipe. I introduced myself to one of the esteemed panelists and wound up signing and giving away the few books I’d brought with me. One young man in attendance was head-over-heels about the Chance Fortune series, and it did my heart well to know my work is being enjoyed out there in the great, wide world.
That night, Elvin and I were so bushed we regretfully had to pass on Eric Powell’s (www.thegoon.com) Hillbilly Hoe-down party. We shambled back to the hotel (without any car-hide-and-seek incidents, thankfully) like a couple of zombies and crashed early. My fatigue having at last caught up with me, I slept like a rock despite the metal coil-induced lumps sticking into my back.
Previously, I had planned on leaving for home on Saturday night. Instead, I hung around the next day so that comic pros Michael Golden, Jimmy Palmiotti (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Palmiotti), Joe Pruett (www.desperadopublishing.com), George Jeanty (www.kabalounge.com), Nathan Massengill (www.nathanmassengill.com), and Steve Scott (among others) could take a look at Elvin’s portfolio. I’m glad I did. Their advice proved invaluable. And by staying Sunday, I made what were probably the most promising contacts of the entire weekend (I also got to see Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, if only briefly. Now that was a fanboy moment if there ever was one!)
As great as Dragon*Con was (And it was big, productive, and fun!), the best moment of the weekend was when, my feet throbbing from the constant walking, my shoulders aching from bearing the strap of my carrying case, I called Sassy to inform her I was making my way to the truck to head home.
When I rolled in at 9 PM, the Sass was there awaiting me with open arms. It was a good reminder that, no matter how big our hopes and dreams are in life, the greatest of human endeavors is for us to love and care for one another.
FYI,
THE ADVENTURES OF CHANCE FORTUNE (Vol. 2): CHANCE FORTUNE IN THE SHADOW ZONE releases in paperback this November (Just in time for Christmas, hint, hint!)
My latest middle-grade novel, DRAGON ISLAND (a ‘stew’ of Godzilla movies, Japanese mythology, and the TV show LOST all cooked over the ‘fire’ of the coming-of-age novel) is with my agent and slated to go out to publishers the fall.
The work on my upcoming web-comic submission to the www.zudacomics.com comics competition continues. Look for ongoing news and previews in that regard (and all my projects) via my blog at www.shaneberryhill.com/blog/.
All my best,
Shane
www.shaneberryhill.com
