Seven Sounds Success & a Sojourn at Stately Wilson Manor

I'm so pleased that the group booksigning at Seven Sounds Brewing Company in Elizabeth City, NC, which I've been hollering about for quite a while, far exceeded my expectations. I sold quite a few books, as did friends David Niall Wilson and Patricia Lee Macomber (a.k.a. Trish). For me, some of these "non-traditional" book venues have really paid off.

Friday, September 6: Brugger and I hit the road early, drove most of the day, stopping only for lunch and a handful of geocaches. We arrived in Elizabeth City a tad early for setting up at Seven Sounds Brewing Company, so Ms. B. and I went walking and snagged the five stages of a very nice Adventure Lab Cache along the downtown waterfront. Once we completed that, we made our way back to the brewery, set up the book table, sank some pints (well, I did; Ms. B. opted for vino), and spewed all kinds of gross welcoming remarks to Dave and Trish when they arrived a short time later.

Trish Wilson (Patricia Lee Macomber) plotting
devious demises for unsuspecting victims

Author Elizabeth Broadbent had intended to participate in the event, but circumstances apparently conspired against her. Alas!

Come dinnertime, we picked up burgers from the Shipwrecked food truck, which was on hand for the event. I must tell you, their Hickory Gouda burger is an exquisite thing, and it was apparently their most popular of the evening. One of the owners told Brugger that it could been their only offering on the menu and still made a killing.

Near the end of the evening, friends Mike & Bridgette Brenmark, whom I'd met in person for the first time last month at NecronomiCon–Providence, came by, since they live in reasonable proximity. We shared a couple of drinks, and then Brugger and I headed over to Stately Wilson Manner just a few miles down the road. Spent a couple of joyous hours hooting, hollering, and drinking some of Dave's outstanding bourbon.

I've no idea what time it was, but at some point, we went to bed.

Saturday, September 7: We hung about for most of the morning, socializing with several of the 13 household house cats and drinking vats of coffee. Eventually, we headed out for brunch at nearby IHOP, which wasn't bad, although the service was painfully slow — apparently, not for the folks around us, but I wonder if our server recognized Dave; if so, I understand everything. We had talked about having Thai food for dinner, so I decided to offer my services and make Thai basil chicken, which is one of my staples. Brugger and I went shopping, picked up the goods, and I fixed the dinner. It were good.

Afterward, we watched Longlegs, which I found wonderfully weird, atmospheric as hell, and ultimately unsettling. It's one of Nicholas Cage's most intense, memorable performances ever.

Again, the evening ran pretty late. I zonked out for a bit on the couch, a condition that Dave termed "Markolepsy." I'll go with it.

Bridgette & Mike Brenmark with the scary folk

Brother Tomás

Sunday, September 8: Brugger and I didn't have a lot of time to hang around this morning, but Dave and I did manage to hash out some ideas for several upcoming projects we hope to pursue. No moss growing on old stones, and all that. Brugger and I hit the road about 10:30 a.m., stopped outside of Elizabeth City for some nibbles and coffee for breakfast, and then headed westward. A few geocaches, a so-so lunch at Cracker Barrel, which was not our first choice, but it was open, and we arrived home around 4:30 p.m. I'd missed out on my daily walk this morning, so, before I could collapse in a weary heap, I walked a couple of miles around nearby Lake Lanier.

Now I am ready to collapse in a weary heap. So, that's all for now, sayonara, and peace.

Ms. B. wrangling cats

Coupla scary old writers

A Busy Season

It's been a busy — and very successful — summer and early fall for promoting and selling my scary books. Some big venues and some not-so-big, but this year in particular, my book sales in what I'd call non-traditional outlets, such as local breweries, specialty shops, and festivals, have been healthy indeed. I've got a few more coming up for the fall season. This weekend, I'll be in Elizabeth City, NC, for a four-author booksigning event at Seven Sounds Brewing Company (see yesterday's post for details). On Saturday, September 21, I'm attending another multi-author event, hosted by Martinsville/Henry County Is for Book Lovers at the Spencer-Penn Centre, in Spencer, VA, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There will be lots of food and craft vendors as well, so there's plenty of fun even for folks who might be too scared to visit with the scary author. Ha-ha!

Next month — Saturday, October 5 — come visit my vendor booth at the 43rd Annual Martinsville Uptown Oktoberfest, in Uptown Martinsville, VA. I'll have plenty of scary books on hand — Fugue Devil: Resurgence, Deathrealm: Spirits, Gods of Moab, Blue Devil Island, West Virginia: Lair of the Mothman, and several others. Ms. B. may bring along some of her art journals, watercolor paintings, and other nice items for sale as well. Oktoberfest features a passel of vendors with artsy-craftsy things, foodz, a beer garden, and other goodies of all sorts. It runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.; admission is free.

In November, Ms. B. and I will be attending a somewhat belated Dark Shadows–themed Halloween event at Seaview Terrace (a.k.a. the Carey Mansion) in Newport, RI, which served as the exterior of Collinwood in the original Dark Shadows series. I've been to numerous Dark Shadows events, and I've visited Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, NY, and the Lockwood-Mathews mansion in Norwalk, CT, both of which appeared in House of Dark Shadows way back when, but I've never been to Seaview Terrace, so this will be a first. Ms. B. and I are both very much looking forward to it.

This Friday: Author Signing at Seven Sounds Brewing Co., Elizabeth City, NC

THIS FRIDAY! September 6, 2024, 5:00 p.m. EDT, at Seven Sounds Brewing Company in Elizabeth City, NC — a four-author booksigning event, featuring Elizabeth Broadbent, Patricia Lee Macomber, David Niall Wilson, and an old dude. To promote our work, the brewery will offer a unique brew matched with each author's featured book (mine is Fugue Devil: Resurgence — though they may want to leave off the "Resurgence" part, brew-wise!). Seven Sounds features both indoor and outdoor seating, and there will be food trucks and other vendors on hand with wares of many varieties.

In addition to Fugue Devil: Resurgence, I'll also have copies of Deathrealm: Spirits, The Monarchs (which is set in Elizabeth City), The Gods of Moab, Blue Devil Island, and others. If you're within traveling distance, please come see us!

Distant Early Warning: Multi-Author Booksigning in Elizabeth City, NC

Coming up on Friday, September 6, 2024, 5:00 p.m. EDT, at Seven Sounds Brewing Company in Elizabeth City, NC — a four-author booksigning event, featuring Elizabeth Broadbent, Patricia Lee Macomber, David Niall Wilson, and an old dude. To promote each author, the brewery will offer a unique brew matched with one of each author's featured works (my featured book is Fugue Devil: Resurgence, but they may wanna leave off the "Resurgence" part, brew-wise). Seven Sounds features both indoor and outdoor seating, and there will be food trucks and other vendors on hand with wares of many varieties.

In addition to Fugue Devil: Resurgence, I'll also have copies of Deathrealm: Spirits, The Monarchs (which is set in Elizabeth City), The Gods of Moab, Blue Devil Island, and others. Stay tuned for more details as the time draws nearer.