Still Here

So, then, we returned from the Phoenix Cactus Comicon on Sunday night to two answering machine messages. Dori was concerned that we were OK, since there hadn't been any posts recently. And M+D were looking to catch up, but figured that we were out doing something to blog about (aren't you keeping an eye on the Raised By Squirrels blog, too?).

We're still here. We're doing fine. January was just . . . well, just kind of was. It was dark. It was cold, though there was no more snow (but we still have better-than-expected snowpack). There was cleaning, there was just spending time inside. Not much to blog about.

The biggest news was the arrival of our comfy chairs for the fireplace room.



It may not be that exciting, but it's meant that we've been able to spend a couple evenings parked in front of the fire, with a stack of reading. In fact, that's where this blog entry is coming from now.

Last Friday morning, we headed to Albuquerque to catch the flight to Phoenix. With KSFR's stronger signal, we were able to catch the Santa Fe Radio Café on the trip, where we were alerted to Karl Moffat's blog and his stories about traveling around our state.

Like last year, we went to the con with Pete and Paul.

 

Originally, we had booked flights later in the day, in time to make it for setup and preview night at the show, but then decided, "let's take the whole day." That got us into Phoenix before noon. With time to make it to Ikea. Paul and his wife Beth had actually gone a road trip a few weeks back to Phoenix and to Ikea for the first time. But that just left him wanting more.

We did lunch there, and then kicked around the store for a bit, picking up a few things and scoping out some more. We would up in a cool little alternative kind of shopping plaza to visit a comic shop (whose name I'm not going to mention now, 'cause they took our books with the promise of seeing us at the show and we haven't heard back yet). Stopped by the terrific, brand-new Cartel Coffee Lab and a record (!) store. Then, an ill-fated trip to try and get more copies of Pete and Paul's comic printed. We checked in the hotel and made it just in time to set up the 7000 BC table.

Past Phoenix shows have been moderately successful, but a fun time. There's a good vibe at the show and the crowd, although not necessarily into indie comics, is positive. Pete and Paul are great to travel with and we always enjoy ourselves and welcome the break.



We headed off to Kinkos to get more copies of their book on Saturday morning, and still made it to the show just before it opened. As these things are, it was a blur. Engaging people walking by, talking to fellow creators, taking breaks and hitting the floor ourselves. Jamie arrived in the afternoon, on the way back from a trip to San Francisco. It passed in a fun whirlwind, though we were feeling the long day by the end. Dinner out, and then back for a self-publishing panel that didn't pass on a lot that was new, but got us all jazzed up and talking about better ways to sell.

Sunday is, traditionally, a dramatically slower day. At a con, the second day always is. But often, it seems necessary to do a two-day show to get people to take the one day more seriously. We walked in that morning, ready to go and determined to make more sales. We annexed a table that a neighbor one down had abdicated, and set the guys up doing sketches. It was raining and, though we've heard that rain drives Arizonans inside, I think that we got a fair number because of the weather. In any event, we ended Saturday an appreciable amount ahead of previous cons, but by the time we had to head out to catch our flight before the end of the show, we'd doubled our sales from last year.

We've returned to some mild weather, but a morning or two of painfully cold temperatures. Last night, we went to the opening of an exhibit Monica worked on and then, with a few co-workers, down the street to Manitou Galleires (notable for being the location where military personnel for the Manhattan Project checked in) for their opening, featuring a chocolate and wine pairing by Chocolatesmith. Then on to pizza.

Phoenix photos, except for the one of Pete, by Pete.