Winning the Internet This Week...animals too cool for you and Lucille

This has been floating around the internet for a while, but it too much fun.

Animals That Look Like They’re About To Drop The Hottest Album Of The Year.  

http://ismellsheep.tumblr.com/post/158074335717/pr1nceshawn-animals-that-look-like-theyre-about

Who are the best writers? Supernatural writers!

Winning the Internet this Week...for the love of dogs

More reasons to love dogs...

http://tumblrsbest.com/post/157409461426/itsagifnotagif-i-actually-have-so-much-love-for

ConCarolinas 2016 Recap

2016 Badge Artwork by Rich Molinelli

ConCarolinas 2016

June 3-5

Concord, NC

ConCarolinas is a general multi-genre multi-media convention. We call ourselves a sci-fi convention but in truth we cover all speculative fiction – science fiction, fantasy and horror. We host a variety of fandom related events and guests, including gaming, discussion panels, costume events, music events like SciFi Karaoke, concerts, a charity auction, a short film festival, SCA events, groups celebrating fandoms like Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who and many more. We have a Dealer Room with vendors selling unique fandom related items. At ConCarolinas you will find something for everyone!

One of my favorite things is waiting to see what CeeCee, the panther mascot, will look like each year. 2016 gave us Spock CeeCee by Rich Molinelli. You can check out all the CeeCee art work over the years link

This was my...fourth? year attending ConCarolinas. This is the largest SFF con in NC and it is only 70 minutes from my home. That's a win. Plus this was the first year my 15 year old daughter attended with me!

and yes, I forgot to flip the sign...

I was honored to attend as a guest blogger and editor again this year. But this was my first time having a table in the hallway. I wanted to answer people's blogging and or editing questions. The key to getting noticed and having people stop by your table is to be creative. So Holly and I recreated Lucy's advice stand from the Peanut comics. We rocked the idea, but the design...not so much...it was kind of flawed. Made of cardboard, two mop handles and duct tape, it spent more time flopping over than not. But I have learned from my mistakes and next time will be better!

There are always a wide varitey of panels. The great thing about ConCarolinas is the large literary tract with some great authors like Faith Hunter, Kalayna Price, Gail Martin, Ursula Vernon, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, David B. Coe...here is a complete list of guests link

It was wonderful seeing all my local NC literary friends. This year I was a slacker and didn't get many pics of me with them. Luckily my daughter took pics of the cosplay!

go to the ConCarolinas FB page to find some other cosplay pics

 

Me and Holly is a Star Wars craft

The highlight for Holly was meeting the comedy troupe The Pineapple Shaped Lamps (YouTube). They did a Batman's Day Off show (spoofing Ferris Bueller) We are now looking for a comedy troupe in our area for Holly to join :)

 

Yes, that is Aquaman!

I got to meet author Calandra Usher for the first time. I saw, but didn't get a pic of Nancy Northcott 

Baaart found some unicorn horns to wear!

Don't judge me!

I always love seeing the Unique Creations booth. She had a Deadpool bracelet...

I also found someone to make the cosplay dress I need. I'm not going to reveal it yet...but stay tuned! Hint: Dark Horse character.

My room was on the top floor! Freaks me out. The hotel is nice, but this year there was a problem with the A.C. in some of the panel rooms...there was one we called the oven. Totally not the Con's fault. This one is on Embassy Suites.

I love this convention. Thank you to Jada Diaz and her staff.

5 "loving" Sheep

NC Comicon 2015 Recap

Check out the facebook page for a ton of great pics.

This was my first time attending the NC Comicon. I had no idea what to expect. I took my 14 year old daughter (cosplaying Dean Winchester) and we didn't want to leave! First off it was much bigger than I thought it would be. Last I heard there were over 10,000 people attending. It was held in the Durham Convention Center and spanned three days and I was impressed with the venue. The con couldn't be contained in one place. There were three buildings and streets were blocked off so vendors could set up outside.

The big draw (heehee, see what I did there) were the two guests of honor. Gerard Way (The Umbrella Academy comic with Dark Horse and My Chemical Romance) and Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead artist) were both exclusive appearances to NC Comicon. There was a charge for signings/pic but all proceeds went to the Duke Children’s Hospital. They donated $15,703.

 

Big shout of thanks to the people involved in brining NC comic madness: Ultimate Comics founder Alan Gill, comic artist Tommy Lee Edwards, and coordinated by comic writer Brockton McKinney.

Then there were the costumes! Everyone there was smiling and happy to take pictures. Holly even found a Castiel to take a pic with. My favorites are the mash-up costumes. There was a Deadpool unicorn. I know, right?! Check out this gallery from The Variant website for some great shots.

I met many indie artist/writers as well as those who work for major publishers. It was amazing getting to talk with people passionate about their work.

Danny Quick owner/writer 4th Wall Productions

Eric Guerrero (Rage Gear Studios), Cliff Chiang (Paper Girls/Image Comics) 

I got to meet Dave Dwonch author of Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab at the Action Lab Entertainment booth. *waves at David* 

I also checked out the Valiant Comics booth and grabbed 5 of my favorite series.

If there is a comicon in your area take the time and go! I can't wait for NC Comicon 2016!

Click past the page break to see the cool people Baaart met...

Saying Goodbye to The Hollows and Book Signing in Raleigh, NC

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” ― Dr. Seuss

I keep telling myself this, and I believe it. I don't remember when I read book one, Dead Witch Walking. I think only three books were out at that time. I devoured them and waited every year for my next fix. Then one year I found out she was doing a signing near by and I haven't missed one since. Got the shirts, charms and freebies to prove it. So, yeah, I'm a fangirl. Thank you for that.

The Hollows was my first urban fantasy series and it sent me down the path to become one half of I Smell Sheep and starting my Devil in the Details Editing Services. And opening up so many different worlds I have had the pleasure of visiting through other authors. Thank you for that.

I experienced my first truly devastating character death with The Hollows. (As and adult, because I think every one my age or older dealt with the death of Old Yeller as a kid <G>). Only book lovers understand this feeling. And yes, thank you for that too.

It was a good time for the series to end. We know what happens when authors continue when their heart is no longer in it. I never felt cheated out of Kim's passion for her characters when I picked up the next Hollows book. Thank you for that.

Everyone who deserved it, got their happy ever after. Rachel ended up with my favorite character since book one and it was a squee worthy moment for me.

Thank you Kim Harrison and Rachel Morgan.

 -Sharon

Okay, enough of the sappy stuff! I went to Kim's signing at The Quail Ridge Book Store in Raleigh, NC on Sept 12 (duh!) As always it was a great time. Blogger Anna Cade, the cat herder and soup burner, met me there and well, you can guess what happens when you put two bloggers together at a book event...there might have been drooling on my part. Any way, here are the few tidbits I picked up during the signing some of which you might have heard about already.

* In Oct there will be a 16 page-ish short story coming out from Al's POV. She gave the title, and of course I couldn't remember it for the 10 seconds I waited to write it down.

*Jinx was created so Rachel wouldn't have to talk to herself to pass information to the reader.

*Ceri was created to introduce Rachel to the bad side of the elves.

*Ceri and Pierce left the series because their part was done and needed to go.

*The demon curses in the book were created using a Latin source book. The Elven curses were completely made up by Kim.

* The CW TV deal fell through, but they had plans to change too much about the story so this was for the best. Kim is still fielding offers for TV possibilities. 

*Kim says she is a heavy plotter, except for the last chapters. A Witch With No Name was suppose to end on a beach.

*Kim's new series starts out with a woman who is at the top of her game with a great life and a sexy man. Then bad decisions from her past come back to wreck havoc. As opposed to Rachel's life where her current (multiple, bless her heart) bad decisions wreck havoc. There is accelerated science that looks like magic in the new series. The main characters are Perry (I have no idea if I'm spelling this right) and Jack.

How to be a crazy book lady: Aurian

Hi, my name is Aurian, I live in Holland, and I am addicted to buying books. This is a good thing, as I am also addicted to reading. You will never find me without a book nearby, in my purse, and even in the bathroom to read in the tub. I still don’t like to read e-books, I prefer paperbacks.

check out Aurian's blog: Boeklogboek

Thinking back it is hard to believe I only discovered the internet about 10 years ago. I remember I joined a card club in the community center, and I wanted to practice a bit, as it had been years since I played it. But playing games was not all I discovered, I discovered online shops for second hand goods, books especially, and internet sites devoted to books and reading romance. First I only visited a Dutch site, Chasing Dreams, and I had so much fun talking with other booklovers, I could not do that in real life.

And then I discovered English language books, my favourite authors had written much more than was available in Dutch, and the world opened up for me. Nowadays I follow many blogs, I am on social media, and I write a blog myself. My book addiction has never been bigger, and I keep buying books by boxes at once. Or course I have enough books to read for the next 10 years, and I still can’t stop buying more and more.

I have a big floor to ceiling bookcase in my livingroom, new books stacked on top of my desk (also in the livingroom). Those two places hold my TBR. I also have a smaller bookcase filled with some of my favourite series/authors. I do switch those regularly.

What you don’t know, is that I am very much afraid of heights. And I cannot reach the top two bookshelves without standing on a ladder. So the books I probably won’t read are on those two shelves. But whenever my best friend is over, she will help me arrange them, or search for one I do want to read. And I love helping her arrange her amazing bookcases, which will be displayed in a later post.

All the other books I have read, are upstairs. In my spare bedroom, there are 5 bookcases, filled by genre. Near the window, some of my favourite Dutch fantasy series, my Bertrice Small books, Christine Feehan books, and the English Nora Roberts books I have read so far, and a shelf filled with anthologies.

Then a bookcase filled with big series, like two shelves of Anne McCaffrey books, one filled with JD Robb, and then my Sherrilyn Kenyon series, and some this and that, that doesn’t fit in bookcase 3 anymore.

Bookcase 3 is for all my paranormal romance/urban fantasy, and it is the fastest growing one.

Bookcase 4 is for contemporary / romantic suspense, and authors who write in multiple genres like Elizabeth Lowell, Catherine Coulter.

Bookcase 5 is filled with my historical romances.

My bedroom only has space for 2 bookcases, one for my favourite Dutch children’s books, which I read when sick or very tired. And one with my cozy mysteries. This one is getting filled up nicely as well.

And then I have a big attic, filled with boxes and more boxes of my Dutch books, comics, children’s books and some English YA. No pictures of the attic though ;)

If you look closely at the pictures of my biggest bookcase, you see some statues amongst the books. I also collect statues based on the art of the American artist Nene Thomas, and her calendars.

 

My house is not very big, but it is filled with books and I don’t think that will ever change.

If you want to see some close ups of Aurian's shelves click the read more link...