I will be signing copies of my rodeo novel, The Texas Rodeo Murder, at King's Landing June 10 from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at 1427 S. Valley Mills Drive in Waco. I will also have a few copies of our steampunk mini-book, The Legend of the Bonnie Read by Prof. Steampunk and Lady Artamiss D'Cor. Maybe even a few of the Laws of Steampunkery by Prof. Steampunk.
Interesting story on how this one came about. A few weeks ago, one of my fellow instructors in the English Department stuck her head in my door and said, "Do you know a guy named Jamie at Bankston's comic book store?"
Well, of course, I did. Jamie had just gotten out of the service and was working there part-time when my two sons were little. They went in every Saturday afternoon to play board games there. Jamie ran those.
"He said he sent you a friend request on Facebook and wants to talk to you," she said, explaining that her son now went to Bankston's to play the board games.
So I confirmed the friend request, but didn't hear from Jamie for a couple of weeks. Then, one weekend, by wife and I decided to go see Guardians of the Galazy, Vol. 2 at the Hippodrome Theatre in downtown Waco. (If you have not been there, go! No more expensive than regular theater, historic building redone, GOOD FOOD that they serve to you at the table in the theatre! GO!)
We see a WWII sailor, soldier, and pinup-style girl with a victory roll in her hair down the street from us with a guy in a blue T-shirt guiding them. We've always loved the pinup girls, burlesque, WWII nose art, etc. so we commented on that and wondered if they were anybody we knew. But they got into a van and pulled off before we got there. As we're crossing the street, the van pulls to a stop, and the guy in the blue T-shirt jumps out and comes running at us.
I'm beginning to think about taking Defensive Stance #5 when I realize it is Jamie! Long story short, he said he'd run into my fellow instructor and wanted to contact me about being one of the authors at the Local Authors event King's Landing was having.
Apparently, Bankston's comic book store (Oh, and way more stuff--sports collectibles and memorabilia, sci-fi stuff...just go. It's worth it.) has expanded. Now they have King's Landing which has old school video games, anime stuff, RPG events, food, and even libations. Kind of a grown-up kids version of a cool place to hang out. My two grown boys (23 and 25) had mentioned it to me before, and my wife and I had been intending to go there one night to check it out but just hadn't made it.
Anyway, long blog. Sorry. But it was just too cool to run into Jamie and get invited to this local author's event. So, if you're not doing anything (heck, even if you are doing something) June 10, swing by King's Landing and say hi. Buy a book, get it signed. Play some old-time video games. Have a drink and some munchies and just chill. See you there!