Small convention this weekend. I sold about a dozen books (which is not bad for such a small convention). But that really wasn’t the exciting part. It comes down to the interactions: the long conversations at the table and the curiosity and support for what I do. When I’m deciding where to put my marketing effort in writing, I suspect I don’t always make the right choices, or at least not the most profitable ones, but I get a lot out of going to conventions. They keep me going. #CoSoWriters

Spring is definitely poking her head put of the leaves around here. How about where you are?

#CoSoWriters I’m selling my horror stories at a horror film festival this weekend and it’s been such a great experience! I think I want more opportunities like this—where the focus isn’t on books, but books fit in. Anyone found good pairings like that?

Is there anything that gives a writer more endorphins than getting a box of their new book in the mail? One of those moments that takes this thing that mostly lives just in my own brain and makes it very very real. #CoSoWriters

I was a queen bee two days in a row, y’all! I feel so smart! Any other fans of this New York Times word game?

This is one of my favorite trees on one of my favorite walks and I was so happy to get out into the sunshine and visit her today. I love how there’s a growth that looks like a hand so that I can imagine this tree is a very tall woman just standing and looking out at the river. Maybe she’s an Ent.

Got some great advice with my morning coffee. The coffee was good too.

Pro-tip: if you're going to make a delicious one-pot dish that moves your pan from the stovetop to the oven, when you pull that sucker out, put an oven mitt on the handle so you don't burn the heck out of your hand when you forget that pan was in the oven and go to move it. On the upside: delish! https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021201-one-pot-japanese-curry-chicken-and-rice #CoSoCooking

I don't really care about
Valentines Day but I do love old-school, bad-pun Valentines cards So, in case you've not seen them, I'm gonna suggest you go look at Matthew Lineham's Valentine art and enjoy a good giggle. https://www.mlinehamart.com/product/classic-80s-movies-valentine-s-day-card-pack-2020

The moment between the rain and the darkness. Fog and frogsong. Perfection.

Blogging today on defining yourself as a writer. Is it as simple as "a person who writes is a writer"? Or is there more to claiming that moniker? https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2024/02/still-writing-after-all-these-years.html #CoSoWriters

It’s funny because it’s true.

As the year flipped over, Sweetman and I got an electric car and so far I love it! (more details here: https://medium.com/@mirymom1/unexpected-joys-of-driving-an-electric-car-12f708d50c15)

How do you name your characters? We're exploring naming conventions for Open Book Blog Hop today. For me, it really varies from story to story. https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2024/02/naming-my-imaginary-friends-open-book.html #CoSoWriters

I love this part! When the proofs come and you get to see your story y’all formatted for publication and give it one last go over to make sure that nothing is out of place. #CoSoWriters

Got to participate in a fun panel about The Goonies, the classic 80s film that spoke to my heart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQgtSS_Ytgs Sean Astin was a cutie, even if he hadn't learned to act yet.

#CoSoWriters Do you use a pen name? If you write in multiple genres do you use different pen names for different genres? Open Book is talking why we do or don't use them today. (I don't. One of me is already more than I can keep up with.) https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2024/01/pen-name-or-not.html

Stole some "me time" today and watched THREE movies, some of the Invisible Man flicks I was talking about yesterday: The Invisible Man Returns (baby Vincent Price!), The Invisible Woman (invisibility rom-com), and Invisible Agent (wartime patriotism). So much fun!

I bought myself a little present. I’ve long been a fan of the original Invisible Man movie (as well as the classic book by HG Wells), and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the Abbott and Costello. But I’m very excited at the idea that there are four others that I’ve never even seen. Now all I need is a few hours to binge these! Do you enjoy old monster movies?

There was too much day in my day. And now that I'm to the "me time" I'm burnt. Bleaaaahhh!