We had a lovely time at Coastal Magic Con. It was a smaller con, which meant that we could actually sit and chat with people rather than hurry from one panel room to another. Both of our panels in Room A had the same excellent moderator. And we got to spend time with Jeaniene Frost and her wonderful sisters.
Thank you to the whole lot of you who came to our meet and greets and to the book fair. It was so lovely to meet and see all of you. For anyone still panicking about forgetting to pay for our books at the book fair – they were free. We know that most of you read in ebook, and since the bookstore sold out of our titles in the first few minutes, we brought copies to give away specifically so you could have something signed. So no need to worry, you didn’t forget to pay, and there is no need to Paypal us the money.
The graphic edition of Clean Sweep was by far the most popular item. We only brought 3 because they are kind of largish and heavy, so we went with smaller books to pack as many copies as we could, and they were gone almost immediately.
While on the panel, we met Shawntelle Madison, who is both a lovely person and very interesting to talk to. Her new book has a really cool premise. A family has been cursed, so each generation at least one of them will kind of fall back in time and nobody knows if they will return or survive. It’s coming out this fall from Harper Collins. She also has some cool urban fantasy titles about OCD werewolves. Hehe.
We also met Justin S. Leslie, who was super nice. He writes a variety of series, from urban fantasy to military Sci-Fi. Gordon also had a fun conversation with Rhys Everly, who writes m/m urban fantasy and contemporary romance.
All in all, it was lovely. The area was very beautiful, too. The Shores Resort and Spa Hotel sits right on the beach. I mean, right there. If it was any closer, the surf would be in your room. We had a patio room, and we just sat there and watched the ocean. 10 out of 10 stars.
We have lots of pictures, but I wanted to share this one. At the beginning of the signing, Jeaniene Frost came up and I showed her a picture one of the fans took while I was too animated on the panel. I looked slightly deranged. She whipped out her phone and told me she would take a pretty picture.
Unfortunately, she kept cracking me up. She took like ten and in all of them I was laughing and making weird faces. This is the only one I managed to keep a straight face in, so here it is, titled “Principal Ilona is not mad, just very disappointed.”
Now that the convention is over, we are jumping right back into writing. As much fun as conventions are, they are not putting words on the screen. So I will see you on Friday with the new Roman installment.
So glad you got to enjoy the patio and ocean! Heh on the story behind your photo from Janine. Yay on more writing. Coffee! Tea! Avante!
I’m posting here as well. You look truly happy. Jeaniene can be a rascal, but I’m glad she captured you both. See you later!
Nothing like a good dose of ocean. Perhaps a twilight beach walk.
Oops , that is the Gulf, not the ocean
Daytona Beach is on east of state so it was the ocean, in case it matters. Gulf or ocean it’s all beautiful.
I assumed Nancy was talking about her own location 😅
Sounds like a lovely time 🙂
Patio time for relaxing, convention time for work, and friend time for goofiness.
Thanks for sharing with us.
This past weekend was my first Coastal Magic Con and it was fantastic. I learned a great deal about writing from the Tere Michaels workshop Thursday morning as well as the panels I attended. I really appreciated how accommodating you both were in your unofficial meetups and how genuinely enthusiastic you were about sharing your creative process.
. . . and I’m very sorry that I almost ran into you in the hallway!
Seriously, this was a great weekend. I learned a lot about writing and discovered so many new authors. Between finishing my degree program and work, I’ve put writing on the back burner and I’ve been missing my creative outlet. This event lit a fire under me and I’m putting more writing and reading time in my daily schedule.
I think you look lovely “slightly deranged” or as I would call it, engaged. I definitely want to look at the Shawntelle Madison book. The concept sound fantastic.
+1
I’m interested in the OCD werewolves!
Getting a picture of yourself that you like is so hard for almost all of us. I have relatives and friends who are effortlessly photogenic, and they still don’t like looking at themselves. I love the pics in this post.
The Coastal Magic Con looked fun for all. It is always great to get away but there is no place like home.
Happy you enjoyed yourselves and maybe got some relaxation in? Nothing like the beach for that!
I just finished a reread of Hidden Legacy. There are a few instances where the narrator says “So-and-so had a strange expression.” I take this to mean that the narrator can’t figure out what their face means, but I’m honestly not entirely sure? I’m on the autism spectrum, so I often don’t know what a face means, and I’m not sure I’m interpreting this correctly (speaking of deranged faces and all).
Hi Kat,
When a narrator states that someone had a strange expression, it usually means that a) the narrator doesn’t know how to interpret the expression and is unsure of what the person is feeling or b) the expression is not the one the narrator was expecting in the context. Sometimes both.
For example, let’s say the narrator sees a cute cat and points it out to their friend. Their friend is psychic and realizes that the cat is a scary monster in disguise.
“Look at that cute kitten.”
I glanced at my friend. She had a strange expression on her face.
“What?”
“That’s not a cat.” My friend swallowed. “Run!”
So so glad you both had fun! I do wish I could have come, especially since it’s a small con. I had my fill of the gigantic conventions while I was still working.
That is a really cute couple photo, thanks for sharing it! Have a productive but pleasant week!
It sounds like you had a lovely time and a bit of a break. I am so glad for you. I could pretty, please ask you an England trip, but that would just give “terribly demanding horde” vibes.
Looking forward to, and loving, Romans story. <3
It’s great that you enjoyed the con despite being tired at the end. I look forward to the next Roman. I’m really enjoying it.
Yay so glad it was fun !
Roman may be one of my new favorites… sparking lots of rereads!!
It sounds absolutely lovely and seems you had a great time. As it is impossible for me to get to US and meet you in person right now I would love some zoom Q&A when you’ll feel like it 😉💚
ooo,I think I’m most excited about *This Wedding Is Doomed* from Shawntelle Madison and two other authors. 😂 I’ll get to the Erotica and Werewolves later.
thank you for always taking time to turn us onto new (for some a reminder about favorite) authors.
hooray for Peaceful wave watching. can’t wait for Roman(and Luther 🤞🤞) Friday.
Sounds like a good time was had by all. Yay!
And now you have a good pic to use when the BDH gets unruly.
I wasn’t there but it sounds like a pretty awesome convention! Would have loved to sit in and hear your panels and go to your meet and greet. I just wanted to say, Ilona and Gordon, you are so generous! How kind to bring books to just give a way to fans.
+100 I wasn’t there either but I agree, you two are the greatest!
Glad both of you had a great time. Get some more rest before getting back to Roman and others. 🙂
Why not smile for a pic? We love you!
I’m glad that you got to enjoy some patio time! I wasn’t able to attend, but I just want to offer you kudos for being so kind in meeting up with fans, both at the convention and outside of it. You both seem like genuinely lovely people and I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it.
It is also very nice of you to share the info about the other authors. 😊
Disappointed Principal Ilona cracked me up! I was wondering why you weren’t smiling until I read below it.
Loving Roman! 🤗
It was great to finally meet you and Gordon in person! Thank you so much for the signed book and for signing my tote bag.
I appreciate how approachable, patient, and kind you both are to the BDH. The highlight of the con for me (other than winning some of the raffles lol)
What lovely comments about the Coastal Magic Convention. This was my second year participating as a reader. I love the way authors and readers really get to hang out and get to know each other.
I love seeing all the pictures from your trip and especially your “serious” photo with the caption “Principal Ilona is not mad, just very disappointed”!
Lovely descriptions and beautiful pictures…I’m so glad a good time was had by all! I hope I can go next year.
It was also very nice and so generous of you to bring books to give away so fans would have something signable! You guys are the best and you really do spoil the BDH, that’s why we all love you! 🥰💕💕
So glad you guys had a great time!
Glad you had some fun! I so could use a little time staring at the ocean! Thank you for bringing books! I was not there but had I been I would have appreciated it very much! I love hearing about you and your author friends! I will check the book from the people you mentioned. Well not Jeaniene Frost I read her before I found you guys lol! Seriously though I do really appreciate how much you give to the BDH. Thank you.
Welcome back! Happy to hear that you both enjoyed yourselves!
I am jealous of your patio time! I love watching and listening to waves too. 😊
I love your books and reread them often. I’ve never been to a con, but now I really want to attend. I’ve never visited your website, but I will now. I’m also going to dig for the meaning of BDH.
Book Devouring Horde, the Ilona Andrews fandom 🙂
Glad you had a great time. As Isak Dinesen once wrote, “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.” 🌊
I am writing this down. what an absolutely perfect quote. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you enjoyed yourselves, Principal Ilona and Dean Gordon!
Thanks for the pics and recap for those of us who couldn’t make it!
What is m/m urban fantasy?
M/M stories are any story where men are involved in a romantic relationship with each other.
Urban fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction in which the narrative is set in a city.
So it’s fantasy set in an urban/contemporary environment with romantic elements between the two male protagonists 🙂.
They weren’t kidding when they named it *Coastal* Magic Con if you could see the surf right from your patio! Really happy to hear that you all had fun. Now I’m off to follow those links you’ve sprinkled throughout the post . . .
Glad you had a good time! You deserve it. Wish I could have gone.
I am so glad you have a great time there.
“If it was any closer, the surf would be in your room.”
Just wait ’til after this hurricane season. That might be literal.
Signed,
Someone who went to Seabreeze High School, across A1A from the beach.
(Julie)
You are such a lovely person, and so interesting. You and Gordon both. I wish I could have been at the conference but too far from California. I love everything you create together. Thank you.
The best kind of vacation — fun, at times vibrant, at times relaxing, people telling you that you make them happy with your work, good friends, new friends, good food, a patio at the seaside, and tax deductable work-related expenses. Gotta love that! Hope you had lots of surf-side downtime being peaceful and letting that seaside vibe soak in.
Sounds like a fun time. Also, happy to hear you got a change of scenery! Not sure about you but that be refreshing when life has been challenging.
Nice Pic you you and Gordan!
I’m glad everyone had a good time. The oceanside room sounds lovely. BDH would like the laughing photos too. I’ll have to check out the graphic novels. I haven’t gotten around to them yet.
It seems like it was a perfect break, leaving you ready to get back at it. I love that it was fun for everyone, and I’m sorry I wasn’t there.
Thank you for the author recommendations, we have to read something until your new books come out. 😉
Both of you are so GRACIOUS to your BDH.
It was an ABSOLUTE PLEASURE to meet HA on the patio!
You told me to write you here to ask about your signature plates that we (3 of us) can purchase and put on our Kindles.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR GENIUS WITH US!
Sooooo – you’re selling your home and becoming permanent guests of Shores Resort and Spa Hotel? 😉 Principal Ilona is BEAUTIFUL – I would do ANYTHING to please her!!! 😀
I’m sorry I had to miss it – broke my foot 😞 I have stayed there before – wonderful place.
So, do you think you two might make the Coastal Magic Con an annual thing? Or a biennial thing? I’d do my best to make it there next time. 😁🤞