Comments on: PhilCon 2006 Wrapup

By: Theodore Krulik

Theodore Krulik — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:38:53 +0000

Hello David,

I’m very pleased you remembered me enough to include me in your blog. I enjoyed meeting you and discussing our books.
I’m new to blogging and would appreciate some pointers in setting up my own blog. Please get back to me when you can.

By: David Louis Edelman

David Louis Edelman — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 16:40:05 +0000

Thanks for that, Michael. I thought twice about griping about the dealers almost as soon as I published this blog post. Larry does seem to have a very good selection of new titles in general at every con I’ve been to, and I’ll make sure to contact him next time.

By: Michael Walsh

Michael Walsh — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 16:17:12 +0000

“Nobody in the dealer’s room was carrying Infoquake. I’ve just about given up on getting con dealers to carry my book. The only people on the programming they go out of their way to stock are the guests of honor. Hell, it doesn’t matter, I get a much better margin hand-selling them anyway.”

There’s essentially one dealer who specilizes in stocking new books: Larry smith – Bookseller. Selling books is good chunk of his income, so he really likes to sell books; pays the bills and all that.

If you can find a list of program participants on the Philcon web site, more power to you, ’cause a quick look reveals nada.

So what to do? Drop Larry a quick note telling him what conventions you’ll be at, and book info (title, isbn, etc). Best way to contact Larry is via his wife, Sally Kobee: sallykobee@hotmail.com

As for the rest of the book dealers, most of us carry few *new* books. I carry my own publications and an odd ball assortment of new/used/UK imports/and just weird.

Hope to see you at Capclave next year!

By: Hugh

Hugh — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 22:25:50 +0000

But Ohio’s not really red, is it? It’s kind of… purplish.

Actually, Ohio’s quite red, at least in the southwestern part of the state, which is where Dayton is (and Cincinnati, where I live). All the “blueness” of the state is up in the northeast, in and around Cleveland.

By: Matt Jarpe

Matt Jarpe — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:27:18 +0000

If it's a well organized con you're looking for I just have one word for you: Boskone

By: Soni

Soni — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 03:15:50 +0000

Re: places to live, I nominate western NC, specifically the Asheville area. It’s where I’m at now and although there’s a bit of a housing/cost of living boom centered on Asheville itself at the moment (for lots of reasons), it’s still quite reasonable to live here (I’m renting a very roomy one bedroom with hardwood floors for $425 plus electricity and phone, and it’s pretty cheap in the surrounding, more rural areas), it has a cool summer and short-and-only-occasionally-snowy winter, is known for its progressive politics and is very culturally rich and diverse (it’s been called both the Paris of the South and the SF of the East). Not to mention the fact that, being in the Blue Ridge, there are million dollar views from every supermarket parking lot and from where I’m at, 15 mins gets you into the heart of the Blue Ridge Parkway itself.

By: David Louis Edelman

David Louis Edelman — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 02:22:23 +0000

Hugh: Yeah, well, I suppose there isn’t really a perfect match. But Ohio’s not really red, is it? It’s kind of… purplish.

By “culturally relevant,” I meant a city where there’s some vestige of high culture. You know, restaurants other than Applebee’s. Movie theaters that show independent films. A literary scene. Decent museums…. Admittedly this is a very subjective measurement.

By: Hugh

Hugh — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 02:11:57 +0000

I believe the closest contenders were Portland, OR and Dayton, OH

Ah. Portland makes sense, though I doubt it’s “Very Cheap.” And Dayton is in a Red State.

And I have no clear idea what any of you mean by “Culturally Relevant.”

By: anghara

anghara — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 22:15:42 +0000

Nobody in the dealer’s room was carrying Infoquake. I’ve just about given up on getting con dealers to carry my book. The only people on the programming they go out of their way to stock are the guests of honor. Hell, it doesn’t matter, I get a much better margin hand-selling them anyw”ay.”

Been there, done THAT.

Try a cross-genre novel – or one that’s been marketed as cross genre – next. I have a handful of friends amongst con dealers who WILL have my stuff on hand but they don’t go to all the cons I go to, so that’s a haphazard thing to rely on, and many of the rest blink owlishly at the mention of Endeavour Award finalist “The Secrets of Jin Shei” and go, “Whaaaa….?”

By: David Louis Edelman

David Louis Edelman — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:09:42 +0000

I am way too uncool to have gotten around to fiddling with Second Life yet. I vaguely recall hearing something about it now that you mention it, but that’s the most I can say.