Wondering, Wandering, and Writing - 3
AuthorCon V Recap
Hey there! I’m Amanda Headlee, and you’ve stumbled across my wildly wandering and sometimes wondering writings.
I’ve just returned home from being away for most of March. Surprisingly, my plants survived two and a half weeks without water. I took a chance and survived several nightmares of returning home to find my rare monstera and fern verigations shriveled to dust. Ok, ok… Truth be told, there was one casualty—a rabbit’s foot fern—unlucky, I know. The moment I touch this variety, they immediately wilt in my hands. This is the fifth attempt at growing this type of fern—probably the last. I don’t want to be known as a murderer of rabbit’s foot (or is that feet?).
The last bit of my time away ended with…
Scares that Care AuthorCon V!
The annual pilgrimage to Williamsburg, Virginia, was made last Thursday, and I stayed until this past Monday. Many books were sold, gin was consumed, laughter was abundant, and shenanigans were to be had.
Thursday drive was long, but I still squeezed in a trip to Okaeri Japanese Cafe in Centerville for their souffle pancakes and matcha lattes. This year, I destroyed the strawberries and cream variety (along with a matcha dorayaki).
After gorging on a literal mountain of pancakes, I continued the uneventful trek to the Double Tree hotel in Williamsburg. Several hours later, I arrived at the hotel to quickly unpack and get ready for the Spirited Giving event. The evening’s event was full of laughter and cheer, featuring readings by D.M. Guay, Rebecca Cuthbert, Jamie Flanagan, and Brian Keene. Then, things got really interesting with the first-ever live performance of the Midnight Pals by Bitter Karella, and it included Laurel Hightower, Todd Keisling, Wile E. Young, Stephen Kozeniewski, and Brian Keene playing…well, themselves. What could possibly go wrong? After the show, the rest of the evening was spent relaxing in the auditorium, reminiscing about old times, and swapping ghost stories and other strange tales.
Despite a spectacular failure at waking up early enough to work out (I tried, sort of…), Friday still kicked off with a peaceful breakfast among friends. Then, a few of us went on an adventure to wander around Jamestown, taking in the history, learning about the horrors of sea worms, and basking in the warmth of the glorious sun. The trip concluded at the Frothy Moon with a cool pint of hard cider before returning to the hotel to set up for the main event.
With a belly full of cider and a mysterious stick of beef jerky I unearthed from the depths of my purse, I set up my shared table with the incredibly talented Katherine Silva (seriously, if you haven’t read her work, what are you doing with your life? Go fix that here.) I absolutely adore Kat, and we had a great time catching up. Friday was a busy evening, and a lot of books were sold. The evening was capped at the bar before calling it a night at the early hour of 12:30 am.
Saturday started with another failed attempt at making it to the gym. Kat and I had a reading at 11:15 a.m., during which I read a tearjerking excerpt of Lark from the Strange New Moon anthology launched by French Press in January. Later in the afternoon, I joined the LGBTQIA+ Storytelling panel alongside Cat Voluer, Jamie Flanagan, Cassandra Celia, Jason Nickey, Dorian J. Sinnott, and Royal Poff. It was an incredibly enlightening experience where I had the chance to talk about asexuality in literature (or the glaring lack of it). I left that panel with ideas on how to bring more ACE/ARO/A-SPEC representation to the literary world. More books were sold throughout the day. The evening ended with another fantastic night hanging out with friends, and I was in bed by 12:30 am(ish).
Sunday, I… gave up on the gym entirely and let myself sleep in. The day flew by in a blur. I spent time catching up with readers, many of whom have become friends over the years. People were still buying books until the convention doors closed, which is always a good sign and makes the long days worthwhile. Kat packed up and headed home, but I stayed another night for one last dinner with friends. Afterward, we claimed the lobby seating by the fireplace for a few hours, and I was in bed by 9 pm.
I don’t know what is happening, but by 11 or 11:30 p.m., my brain checks out, my inner introvert starts plotting a revolt, and Mr. Sandman comes knocking. What happened to the 40s being the new 20s?!
In addition to selling many books and sharing drinks with many good friends, I had the opportunity to dive into several insightful conversations about defining your author brand. Those conversations couldn’t have come at a better time, as I’ve been reflecting on and refining my brand to take it to the next level. I’ll have more details to share soon, but in the meantime, I’m excited to introduce two new features in my newsletter:
A Wondering, Wandering, and Weird Fact – This is where I’ll share the latest bizarre fact I’ve discovered that I just can’t stop thinking about (because who doesn’t love a good weird fact?).
An Affirmation – In today’s world, we could all use a little boost, so I’ll include a positive affirmation to lift your spirits and support mental wellness as we close out every newsletter issue.
This was another successful AuthorCon, and I’m already looking forward to next year!
Consider donating to Scares that Care to help combat real-life monsters and support those impacted by cancer. You can read more about the charity here or donate here
Wondering, Wandering, and Weird Fact
From the Paws of Sprout the Horror Pup
The human I formerly called “mom” abandoned me for 3 days, 11 hours, and 24 minutes wth my utterly insufferable cousin, Sam. I am NOT amused. But at least Grammy and Grampy are decent humans — they shared their food with me while they ate their meals, unlike the human I formerly called “mom”, who insists I cannot be anywhere near her while she’s eating. The nerve!
Maybe enduring Sam’s obnoxious antics of tearing the insides out of his toys or constantly barking is worth it just for the extra snacks. Maybe…
The human formerly known as “mom” thought I’d be thrilled to be home this afternoon. Spoiler Alert: I am not. I’m still giving her the cold shoulder and do not intend to forgive her anytime soon. She left me, and now thinks I’ll just roll over and be happy? Not today, lady. Not today.
What My Eyes & Ears are Consuming
What I’m Reading:
Southern Cross by Vaughn A. Jackson
Halloween Nights: Tales of Autumn Frights edited by James A. Moore
What I’m Watching:
White Lotus - Season 3
Invincible - Season 3
Harley Quinn (HBO Max) - Season 5
What I’m Listening to:
National Park After Dark (podcast)
Let’s Learn Everything (podcast)
History for Weirdos (podcast)
Thanks for reading this issue of Wondering, Wandering, and Writing. The above newsletter was written late last night, and my brain was not up to par on edits to confidently publish right away. I think I now have a more polished version for your consumption. Nothing like early morning edits to start the day! Now it’s time for my morning Witch’s Brew (aka coffee and chocolate milk) and a little reading before diving into the workday.
Here’s a little affirmation to set the intention of the day:
I am open to learning and growing today, and I embrace new experiences with curiosity and enthusiasm.
In ink,
Amanda