You should definitely try to get her to send an invite to him.

Smaller cons like that are the best. The more personal a con can feel, the more likely it is that people will want to go. Of course, this leads to a more crowded con, years down the road,  but that's the nature of the beast.

Oh man, I feel bad for that guy. I would hate to stand for so long, and sign so many things. Okay, maybe not the latter, really. It seems like that would be the best thing for an author/artist, to have someone bring in that many things, even all at once. Knowing that someone had collected that much, and wanted it all signed, seems like it would mean a lot. So, rewarding, probably worth the hand cramps. (Don't like thinking of those, though.)

Yep, Vader is going to be at Pittsburgh this year.  I heard he's really tall.  Ever notice that everyone in Star Wars is either really short or really tall?  I got to hug Chewie once and Darth Maul is a shorty but way scary in real life.

Pittsburgh Comicon is my favorite con by far.  Not too big for it's britches but not small either.  It's also very Independent friendly, which is good for those of us out there pushing out our stuff all by our lonesomes.

Renee is awesome and she's kept the con going despite some serious crap going down in her life.  I am rooting for her husband.  I think he's been terribly wronged.

Now that you mention it, I do realize it. I knew Maul was itsy, and always assumed Chewie was too, but I've never seen either of them outside of the internet. Definitely seems like something worth attending.

I've only gone to a couple cons, ACen being one, and it's huge, and this little dinky one called Ikasucon. I did notice that the smaller cons seem to be more independent friendly, to use your wording. Though, those are both anime cons, and therefore not the same thing at all. So, this comicon might be something I need to pop in on.

I don't know anything about her, or her husband, but I hope things turn out alright, whatever they are. Anyone who shows strength during times of great stress get my unwavering respect. For what it's worth.

Not hardly;  you can want to get your story out to people who will appreciate it, which to my mind counts as being in it for the art, without thinking "this is a way of making money".

Well, yeah, there's that, but if you're in it for the art, then shouldn't you also be willing to except that not everyone is going to view it the way you do? I don't know, the guy just seems out of it, to me.

LOL!  Might as well say....if you can come out to Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Comicon, I'll pay for your Motel 6 room and all you can eat Burger King all weekend! (So that should be about $50 for three days?)

Apparently none of us are above petty bribery to meet our sinister demands.

Oh and as I said, candy and David Prowse (Darth Vader himself man!)

Prowse is going to be at the Pittsburgh Comicon?! Oh crap. Crap. Seriously. Crap. I might have to drive over for that. (I'm putting way too many dates on my calender. Sheesh.)

But, hey, there's nothing wrong with bribery. It's blackmail  you have to look out for.

Under four hours away from my campus~ Score! Anyone else thinking of making it to this one?

Yes, it really is being there in person thing that makes the signing and the trip worthwhile.  I don't have as much attachment to books authors have signed and sent out or left for purchase.  There is just something really impersonal about it and I know if I was an author just signing stacks of books, I wouldn't feel that comfortable about it either.

I like the personal experience and there is the hope that Jim likes it too!

It's that personal element that makes trekking up to Chicago for the release worth it. I've seen signed books in stores before, and it's never even crossed my mind to purchase them. I don't know, it's everything you said, and more.

I've never been to a book signing/release before, so I have a question. If Jim is there, signing books before TC goes on sale, how would one get Jim to sign a copy of TC? If it's impossible, then wasn't the question a couple pages back, about what to bring to have him sign, a bit useless? (No offense to the originator of the question. I'm just effing confused here.)

Also, looks like I'll be pre-ordering my copy via  a store in Chicago that I've never visited. (I foresee getting lost in Chicago sometime in April.)

Hmmmm... yeah, I definitely don't want to go anywhere unsafe.  But I thought someone was saying there were some deserted passageways pretty close to 'normal' areas, that wouldn't be too iffy to go to look at.

Might even be worth it to make a group of it. I'm sure there are other people on the forum who would love to go play around in Chicago. Even the less safe areas.