Inklings Author Fair

Now this is the stuff I absolutely LOVE!!  Getting up close and personal with the most important part of any author's life:  the READERS!  Check out some of the fun at the Inklings Author Fair in Yakima, WA.  This group ROCKED!

Here's me just chillin' with the bat before the action starts.  Little did I suspect the amazing day I was about to have.  It's just like Carson's days before all the madness, chaos and scary violence!  Without, of course, the scary violence.  Otherwise it was totally like one of his days.

The AMAZING Carson Dudley work ID tag shirt with hand drawn pic of the Parts promo cover, courtesy of James Dart and daughter Jessica.

This is Adam.  I HOPE he's a vampire.  Oh, sure, he's holding that cross, but you know, to my credit, I can't really SEE it from where I'm standing.

Meet Mrs. O.!  I like to say it "Mrs. OH!!"  She's a 5th grade teacher from the Wenatchee area and she's READY TO ROCK!  All I can say is, your class is pretty lucky.  AND safe!  :)

Hmm... I don't like the way Abigail is looking at me.  I'm hoping we're teaming up against the forces of darkness, but judging from the way she's eying my bald head with that bat I'm not entirely convinced we're on the same side.  Oh well.  You want your partners to be cautious, right?

Ryan is amazing... great taste in authors ;) and an aspiring artist!  Check out his rendition of the Chris Caprile cover.  Watch out, Cap!  You've got competition...

Gotta love these socks on T.J.'s little guy.  They're the OFFICIAL Frankenstein's monster socks, in honor of the upcoming book 3 "Parts" for the Graveyard Shift Series, in which mad science runs amok.  Or, maybe, he just likes 'em.  You be the judge!

Last but definitely NOT least... look out Buffy, here comes "Jade the Vampire Slayer"!  Whoa.  This chick knows her vampire hunting.  I feel safer already.  :)  Go Jade!!  I'm right behind you!!

"Parts" 24/7 Slogan Contest Winner!

HUGE thanks to everyone who submitted slogans for this contest!  We had 18 creative, insightful, crazy, hilarious, brutal and often delightfully ludicrous slogans to pick from, and brother it was tough - they were all fabulous.  But the Parts Kickstarter Planning Team got down to it last night and picked a winner... hey, we had to, we can't use 'em all!

Drum roll please...

CONGRATULATIONS JAMES DART!!  

James is the proud winner of the 24/7 Slogan Contest for Parts, Book 3 in the Graveyard Shift, the Adventures of Carson Dudley series!!  Here's the winning slogan:

"Fast service for those on the run!"

His tongue-in-cheek slogan will earn him a special place in the book's acknowledgements and will be slathered across all the 24/7 products soon to be featured in the Kickstarter Launch of Parts (October 17th, 2014), all available as backer reward!  The slogan will also see some play in the novel itself, as part of a minor plot line, and will most likely drop off the lips of Carson and some of the other characters.  Way to go, James!

If you didn't win it, don't fret... not only will there be MORE contests and creative opportunities to get involved with Parts, but some of the slogans were so good, they just might be cropping up in the book anyway.

I DO love to BITE into a good slogan...

24/7 Slogan Contest!

Calling all creative people with too much time on their hands who want to be in a book...

Here's your first chance to leave your mark on "Parts", book 3 in the series Graveyard Shift, the Adventures of Carson Dudley!

Everyone remember the 24/7 Mini-Mart?  Well... it needs a SLOGAN!  And that slogan will be IN THE BOOK!  Plus, it'll be slathered over all the merchandise we're cranking out for the upcoming Kickstarter campaign.  And you'll probably get some recognition online, in social media, in the book credits and be made famous worldwide as someone who can think of good slogans.  Sweet!

So whip out your creative-and-clever-hat and serve me up something I can use.  Slogans should be one sentence and need to be both funny and tongue-in-cheek references to the Graveyard Shift series.  Something like "Come on in for your next bite!" works well.  Remember, it's a catch phrase for a mini-mart AND a monster-whacking hideout.  Let the creative dogs of war loose and go for it.

You can leave your entries here in the comments or post them on my Facebook author's Page.

Good luck!