Wencon... or - Success at a Pop Culture Convention

I attended Wencon last weekend as a vendor.
It was a Pop Culture Convention and very well attended.

Check it out! (read on)

You wouldn't think Wenatchee, Washington would be much of a place for such a convention,
but the city has a very progressive atmosphere.

I was told of the convention by Cheri Matthynssens, a fellow author.
She and I went together on a corner table. 

My table and Cheri's with her behind it.

Wenatchee is about a five and a half hour car drive from my home outside of Portland, Oregon, but I am not a driver. A toddle around town or an hour to a close location is okay with me, but after an hour I get sleepy and for everyone's safety on the road, I should pull over and nap. Since I usually nap for at least an hour, this would make a trip to Wenatchee about a ten hour drive. LOL So, I took the train!

I love the train. You can get up and walk around. You get to see the scenery and you meet new friends. I packed my bags and made sure I had plenty of munchies and lunch since there was not a dinning car on the trip. I had my music, which is a must. You have to have traveling tunes and a book to read, of course.

I smoozed with the conductors and people I met. Handed out promotional pens and gave them my elevator pitch for my books.

We encountered two mudslides, two downed trees and several waiting hours on a side track for delayed freight trains to make it past us in order to keep their schedules, so the trip on the train took just a hair's breadth short of twelve hours. Long trip even for an experienced train traveler such as myself.

But I got to see the restored Seattle train station. It is a beauty and such a vast improvement over the last time I was there, when they were trying to raise funds for the renovation, and half the station was barricaded with temporary plywood walls.

But on to Wencon...

I judge a good show, or convention, by three things...

How many folks I talk to...
Readers who actually stop and ask about a book, or let me give them my short spiel. 

The general interest in my books and...

If I manage to recoup my funds for the table in book sales.

I went all out on this show since I have had a few that were disappointing
in the past due to weather issues.
This show was in the Toyota Center - totally indoors. 

I paid to take out an ad in the program for the Books I brought.

I took two of my Amazon #1 Bestsellers - Shifting in The Realms and Farloft's Storybook.

The ad looked really nice.
I placed it on the table with the rest of my Free handouts,
bookmarks, coloring pages and Farloft stickers.

GREAT NEWS is...
I not only made the cost of my table, but I also paid for the ad! 

AND, I got to smooze with some really fun character too!

A Good Time was had by All.

After Wencon there was a day of fun, talking books with Cheri
and taking a stroll along the Columbia.

I even met a friend *grins*

Best Selfie Ever!

Later when Cheri's hubby got home we visiting Pybus for a bite to eat in the afternoon. 

Kind of like a mini Pike Street Market for those of you familiar with Seattle.

My hostess and host. He was our 'go-for', transport and cooks one mean breakfast!

Cheri had to go to Seattle on Monday, so I rode with her from Wentachee to the big city to catch the train home from there. I am an Excellent Rider. LOL We gabbed all the way and saw some really beautiful scenery through the Cascade range and over Blewett Pass.

I look forward to making the trip again next year!