Hello my Freaky Darlings,

I’m back from my amazing trip to Brighton for The World Horror Convention. I had the most amazing time and really didn’t want to come home. But since I am back, I thought I’d share some of the things I learnt from the experience.

1. Always carry a pen with you and one of those keep sake books they give away at these things. You never know who you’ll bump into and who’s autograph you’ll want to get. Having to hunt around for a pen just ruins the moment.
2. Go to as many of the launch parties as you can. There’s always free booze and it’ll earn you brownie points with the Authors and Publishers.
3. Go to some of the readings. It shows your support and once again all the brownie points add up. Plus you also want others to show up when it’s your turn to do a reading.
4. Hang out at the bar! That’s where a lot of the action happens. Buy a round of drinks or two or three. It’ll loosen tongues. It’s the whole brownie points thing again.
5. Be prepared to survive on very little sleep. You can sleep when you get home.
6. Get lots of photos taken – preferably ones where you don’t look like you’re drunk. Your publicist is going to want them when you get home. (Wish I’d known about this one)
7. Take loads of printed material about your book, so you can hand it out to everybody you speak to. I’m so glad I had my little postcards with me. I now have to have more printed.
8. When giving interviews during the Con, be careful about what you say. It could bite you in the arse. (I’m now waiting for mine to bite me.)

Do you have any survival tips to share for the next Convention? Were you there? Did you misbehave?

Have a creepy day!