A.S.Chambers' Christmas Rambling 2014

Fancy an alternative to the Queen's speech? Here's my very first Christmas Rambling which includes an excerpt from my upcoming book, "All Things Dark And Dangerous".

Preston Comic Con as seen by A.S.Chambers.

So, Saturday 25th September saw me at pedalling my wares in the Preston Guild Hall at the Preston Comic Con and I have to say that I had a mighty fine day.

From the outset I felt that the convention was going to be a success. I had signed books at a mini-con in the Harris Library earlier in the year and that small affair had been exceptional with minimal advertising, so I had a feeling that the good folks of Preston would rise to the challenge once again. I was not mistaken. Just as we were about to open, the word went round that there were 1500 people queueing outside. When the doors opened, it was as if Moses had let go of the Sea of Reeds; it was a torrent which did not let up until late in the afternoon.

The organisers seemed to have been on a roll. The guest list was well worth a look: Holly from Red Dwarf, Admiral Ackbar from Return of The Jedi and Peri from Doctor Who to name but three. Not only that, but they had chosen a most splendid venue. The Guild Hall was spacious and airy and the abundance of seating gave conventioneers plenty of time to rest before diving back into the fray. The local council had even chipped in by providing ample free parking for the day.

There was an all-round jovial atmosphere. Plenty of cos-players brightened up the day and visitors had come from all round the UK. I had one fan come to my stall who had travelled up from London!

In all, I had a fantastic day meeting fans old and new. It was great to be able to sign books on my home stamping ground rather than having to drive for far too long and feeling dead on my feet for the day.

I look forward to the next one.

A.S.Chambers is an author of horror and urban fantasy fiction.

He is the creator of Sam Spallucci: Investigator of the Paranormal and can be stalked in the following places:

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www.aschambers.co.uk

A Jolly NICE Time In Bedford!

A jolly NICE time in Bedford!

This was my first time down to the NICE comic con, organised by Close Encounters, and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

For starters the venue was nice and spacious. Some conventions can feel small, dark and cramped; the Corn Exchange was large and airy with plenty of room for both traders and eager shoppers.

The only slight drawback was the lack of on-site parking, but with a couple of multi-stories just around the corner and friendly NICE staff happily willing to look after my stock while I moved my car, this was easily sorted.

The NICE crew were exceptionally friendly and helpful. There was the overwhelming feeling that they really enjoyed being there and being part of the event. They came round at regular intervals with bottles of water (not something I've ever come across before) and were always chatty and interested in what the vendors were selling. One nice chap even brought me some food!

There was a great deal of stalls/artists at the venue along with a multitude of comics for sale. Most of the customers I spoke to seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves and wore satisfied smiles. I even managed to treat myself on the Sunday morning to a sketch from the talented Huy Trong.

Another thing which added character to the event was the amount of cosplay. True, there was not as much as I have seen at other events, but that which was there was great to see, from amateurs to professionals. It really added colour to the event. Some even posed with my latest book: "Sam Spallucci: Ghosts From The Past". I would love to see more of this next year.

So, without doubt, a great event. I look forward to heading down south once again next year and signing more of my books.

A.S.Chambers is an author of horror and urban fantasy fiction.

He is the creator of Sam Spallucci, investigator of the paranormal.

www.aschambers.co.uk

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