A bit of background. I've been talking with head honcho Christy about coming to the shop for a signing for about a year now -- so it's been built up -- and it was just a few months back that we finally got the details all ironed out. A date was picked! Travel was secured! Excitement built!
I drove down to MSP airport at 1am on Saturday, April 9. Got through security, got to my plane, boarded... and then... just as we were about to take off... we were waved back to the gate. It turns out there was a spoiler malfunction that had to be addressed. And then fixed. And then paperwork needed to be filed.
That took three hours. At one point, they asked all of the folks with connecting flights to disembark to speak with ticketing agents. While waiting in line, I also phoned the airline... and was told it looked like there was nothing. I could have chosen to go home at that point and scrubbed the signing, but I decided to double check. The ticketing agent in front of me was talking to two guys also heading to Indianapolis; she found a possible flight! Woo!
So we headed onward to Chicago. Where... that flight had no seats. Everything was oversold! I couldn't even get back to MN until the next day...!
But Chicago is only a few hours' drive from where I was going... so I rented a car and hit the road. It was GORGEOUS out! A great day for a drive! Only my anxiety of being late dampened things... but I made it. Only two hours late. There were costumed Ghostbusters on hand, a line of people, and plenty of books to sign -- and I had a fantastic time.
Certainly the most memorable trip to a signing ever...!
I want to thank the Christy, Mark, and Kyle for having me out, Circle City Ghostbusters for keeping things ghost-free, and all of the comics lovers who showed up! (Y'know, Kyle deserves an additional thanks for getting slimed.)
The store is a very keen place. A nice kids section, reading nooks!!! (which are my favorite part of every good bookstore) and an entire second story full of potential that they're already beginning to realize. If you're within a couple hours of Muncie, check it on out!
(I'll dig up some photos soon!)
This coming Saturday, I'll be in Bloomington at COMICCARD! It's a great one day show, and I look forward to it, and seeing fellow pros Otis Frampton, Dave Wheeler, and the great Larry Hama.
If you're in the Twin Cities, please come say hi! There will be comics, sketches, and -- here's something new -- buttons by my little sister! (Oooh, fancy!)
See some of you this Saturday!