This was a whirlwind of a show. We packed the night before (four bags for the books, art, table dressing and displays, clothes, food, toiletries, etc.) and were on a train from Manhattan to Boston before 7am on Friday. The convention center was a 20-minute walk from the train station. We got the table set up an hour before the show was to open to VIP attendees and we spent most of this enjoying the buffet at the Brazilian steak house across the street from the venue. The first day ran from 3pm to 9pm and then we walked half our bags 20-minutes in a different direction to an Airbnb where we made and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before crashing.
On Saturday, we found great restaurants for breakfast and dinner in an area that seemed to have very few options, at least compared to what I’m used to in Brooklyn. Lunch was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches behind the table at the show – it was nice not having to track down food during our breaks.
This was our first time selling our material in Boston and we were competing against many familiar, beloved franchises and fan art. But we came prepared to do the hard sell and we worked hard all weekend. Many nice people came over to the table when we got their attention to listen to us walk them through the various books and artwork. Thank you to everyone who supported us by following us online and buying a book. Utopian Musings is still our best seller, which is very encouraging as I’m currently working on turning the material into a series of graphic novels.
Tanima and I made more of an effort to enjoy the convention. We both took breaks to wander the floor and chat with our table neighbors, who were quite lovely. And Tanima attended a panel featuring David Tennant.
We had to check out of our Airbnb on Sunday morning and thankfully we had enough space beneath our table for all our luggage. To cut down on what we’re dragging around or taking with us on public transportation, I’m seeing if we can do without the standing banner. I recently redesigned the company’s text logo and printed some new t-shirts and a table runner. The runner folds up nicely and I like maximizing the space we have behind the table. Eventually, we may bring back the standing banner, or some kind of signage so returning customers can easily find us from down the aisle.
The last day of the show ended at 5pm and we had an hour and a half to pack up and get to the train station. The train was sold out, but Boston was the first stop on its route to D.C. We were able to sit together with our big bags stored overhead and we were home in Brooklyn around 11:30pm.