Roanoke Author Invasion!

This post is a few days late because I have a few looming deadlines (YIKES!). But this past weekend I attended Roanoke Author Invasion for the first time EVER!

I got there Friday to check in the hotel and there was an author dinner and we got to set up our tables. I set up my table with a few new things (no longer propping my books up against one another and more attractive signs). This was also the first time I had some other books at my table, I had Approaching Humanity at my table, first time I’ve had it in a while and I also had Temoli (anthology I’m featured in), Starting Over (anthology I’m featured in), and The Next Step Novella Collection (My newest book) on my table for the first time ever!

The day of the signing, I saw a few of my friends (Thanks JP, Whitney, and Rum for stopping by my table!), I had a few people who recognized me from comic con and checked out the newest additions to my table, I even had a reader of this blog stop by and buy a book (Hi Priscilla!) I also signed A LOT of bags, books, and miscellaneous things! Usually I have one book sell more than the others. This time I sold a few of each, 2 or 3 of 10 different books is not too bad.

I say 10 but initially it was 8. Because it was a family event, I didn’t display my horror stuff (those books are a little too mature for the kids). But I had people asking about them and I made sure to bring them.

Usually, I see a spike in my social media numbers from meeting others. This time I did not, it wasn’t because no one wanted to like or follow me. It turns out I was already friends with so many of them or I had already liked and followed and vice versa. Can’t say I’ve had that happen before.

I did meet a few of the authors (some for the first time and others for the first time in person) and sorry to those I did not meet.

I did buy two books

Silent Siren from L.B. Carter
She was at the table next to me and the first person I talked to while I was there. We talked about our books and her book Silent Siren sounded intriguing and I had to buy it
Here’s the blurb

Sea level is rising. Who will float? Who will drown?

Being a freak in high school is easy if you’re smart, doubly so when you’re found on a riverbank, mute, with green-tinted hair, a locket, and amnesia. Secretly, dread that she really is a freak silences Sirena. Her lips seal in a single memory:

Rena drowned her father, saying goodbye with a life-ending kiss.

Death in his parents’ organization forces Norton on his first mission to a podunk coastal town with his brother, where their colleague last made contact. To fulfill the client’s contract:

Nor must recover the specimen fabled to adapt life to climate change.

Thanks to homeschooling, Nor is unprepared for going undercover at a high school. The protective nature his training instilled goes awry when the damsel believes she’s not the one who needs saving. As the two dive into the murky depths of the past, they unearth someone—or someones—willing to kill to keep the truth silent. Can they discover their answers…

Before they go under?

You can buy Silent Siren on kindle and on paperback

I also bought The House from Jo Michaels
At the event, we had a lunch break. I didn’t want to be too long away from my table so I grabbed my food, sat alone, and planned to make a quick return to the event. Jo was NOT having that and told me I had to join the rest of the group for lunch. It ended up being fun and I’m glad I joined the group. Once we all went back to the event, she stopped by my table and bought a book.

To anyone at an event I’m at, if you are a vendor or fellow author and buy a book I will return the favor!

Towards the end of the event I stopped by her table and she was telling me about one of her books she thought I’d enjoy. While it sounded good, the cover for The House was catching my eye and I had to ask about it. Once she told me about it, I had to get it!

Here’s the blurb

Ever wonder what stories you’d hear if walls could talk?

What if those walls witnessed unimaginable horrors?

Inside these pages is the story of one such house. What it sees, the people it meets, and what happens when a terrified spirit is invited to stay.
Story 1 – The Butcher
Story 2 – Marna, Fred, and Kimberly McDade
Story 3 – Lacy Mae Ritter
Story 4 – Mark and Olivia Cullpepper
Story 5 – The Writer
The House is a collection of short stories that read like a novel and tie in with the Pen Pals and Serial Killers series. You’ll find a couple of those characters named, and discover how one grew the teeth he used on the women he captured later.

While The House may be read independently of the other books in the series, if you plan to read Intensification (story 3), do that first. This one contains spoilers for that tale.

You can buy The House on paperback and on kindle

Special thanks to everyone, if you’re new to my work then you should know this was only my second event that wasn’t a comic con. I love doing comic cons but it was nice doing an author specific event and I hope to do more! Thanks to all the authors I got to meet. I really do hope to see all of you again at future events! Most of you are friends with me on Facebook, feel free to tell me when you have an event and I’ll do my best to attend. If you want my schedule and come to one of my events I can do that too!

I really need to thank Liz Long, the one in charge of this event. She was great, offered help when needed, and put on an mazing event! Thank you Liz for having me and I am looking forward to RAI2020!