Wednesday, November 15, 2006

feeling all exclamation pointy



I just received my new business cards and postcards in the mail from Vistaprint - yay! I haven't had a business card in a while and I was starting to get embarrassed by scrawling my website down on scraps of paper for people. Luckily Kelly had sent Jim and I samples of her cards (she's so on the ball) and that was the beginning of our love affair with Vistaprint. Thanks, Kelly!

Speaking of businessy business, I have three really really fun things to report:

1) I've been invited to "appear" for the first time to promote Laini's Ladies and I feel very special! This Saturday there is a holiday open house shindig at Paddington Station in Ashland, Oregon, home of the famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Paddington Station is a terrific store, and they're putting us up for the night at a gorgeous Victorian B&B. Special, I tell you! (Stop by from 4 - 8:30 Saturday the 18th, if you're in the neighborhood.)

2) I found out today that my publisher is taking a booth at San Diego Comicon (the mack daddy of all comic book conventions) next summer (for the first time), and will be promoting Blackbringer there as a lead title. Yippeee! And no, Blackbringer is not a comic book, but "comic book convention" really does not convey the scope of Comicon. Jim and I have been several times to network and then to promote our graphic novel, The Drowned, and Comicon is a pop culture EXTRAVAGANZA encompassing books, movies, video games, toys, TV shows, and yes, comics. And because my book is fantasy, this is a really cool marketing niche, so, yay!

3) I got an email last week from the talented Lesley Riley asking if she could interview me for the new Artist to Artist feature in Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine. So cool!!!! (I know I'm abusing the exclamation points key today but I can't help myself.) If all goes as planned, that article, plus a special Laini's Ladies, will appear in the May/June issue.

21 comments:

Deirdre said...

This is all so exciting!!! And I love the business cards.

Anna Bartlett said...

Congratulations Laini! I tracked you down after buying a wonderful "talent" Laini's Lady from a wonderful bookshop in Brisbane, Australia and am really enjoying reading about your business and your progress. My lady hangs over my industrial sewing machine where I sew handpainted handbags - like a little guardian angel. Thank you - she means even more to me now that I 'know' you!

Deb R said...

Oooh, SO cool, all of these!! YAY, you!!

Will you remind us about the CPS article when it comes out? I still subscribe to their sister mag (Quilting Arts) but let my CPS sub lapse in my effort to break my magazine addiction, so I'll need to look for that one on the newsstands.

jennifer said...

Laini,
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these cards! I never thought of Vistaprint for mine! I must use them..They are beautiful!
Congrats on all the exclamation-y things going on with you!
Cheers! :)

Left-handed Trees... said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! (There, I was capital letters and exclamation pointy). Your cards are beautiful...it is so inspiring to see your dreams coming to fruition.
--D.--

kelly rae said...

and you DESERVE every single tidbit of success and recognition! i just got new and improved postcards and business cards, too. vista print as the BEST customer service on the phone, too!
congratulations, laini!!

Sustenance Scout said...

Love the cards and your ladies, too, Laini! I just saw two Laini's Ladies (including Addled Brain) in the Signals.com print catalog I always love to peruse. Best wishes for continued success...and lots more exclamation points!!

Anonymous said...

I hear San Diego Comicon is a lot of fun. You're going to meet every comic book geek in the country there!

Alex S said...

I think you should go in costume yourself to Comicon and in fact I am sewing up my own outfit for you to wear. (Its your b'day present this year so behave yourself accordingly and you can have it in your nutty little paws in just a bit over a month. Refuse to behave yourself and you will get a painting that I know you don't want but will feel pressured to hang nonetheless so as not to destroy the precious little fragments that remain of my fragile self-esteem.)

Kim G. said...

Hooray for you!! Thanks for sharing the details of your ventures - it's so inspiring and motivating for those of us cheering you from the sidelines. This good news is worth at least a few dozen exclamation points!!!! :)

Shesawriter said...

This is wonderful, Laini. Congrats, congrats, congrats!

liz elayne lamoreux said...

laini - so many good things! this makes me so happy to read all the adventures your creations and you are up to!!

Amber said...

That all sounds so wonderful! Yay!! I get so excited for you, it is almost lame. LOL! I just love that you are getting to live your passion, and make a life of it. It is so inspiring!

I LOVE Ashland. Oh, yes, I do. I went to high school only a few hours away, in Northern Cali. I have been to the SF countless times, and it is magical. If you can see a play at all while you are thre, please do! You will love it.

Will you be coming to my area at all for a book tour? Please tell me if you do. I would love to get my book signed. ;)

:)

~Michelle~ said...

Oooo, love the new business cards and postcards!

Yes, I am Jennifer's friend, Michelle :)

I saw some of your greeting cards in a shop in Gualla (Sonoma/Mendocino area) a couple months ago!

I love Laini's Ladies and congrats on going to Comicon! Sweet!

I am so happy you "got" my quote from Serenity. We love Firefly.

Cheers!

Darlene said...

What great news Laini...good for you :D

xxx darlene

Patry Francis said...

My business cards look so anemic next to yours, but that's okay, I can come here and look anytime I want.

So happy for all these wonderful things happening to you!

xxxxx said...

Hi Laini. Your two cards are beautiful! Isn't Vista Print such a great way to get our creations professionally printed at low cost :-) Congratulations on all the wonderful opportunities coming your way!

katie said...

Laini,
Congratulations on all the exciting opportunities that have come your way! I'll be watching for your interview in CPS, I can't wait to read it.

Anonymous said...

Very late in commenting--HURRAY! Everything sounds so exciting, and you deserve it...you are SOOOO INCREDIBLY TALENTED (looks I am abusing caps here, but oh, well, it's TRUE!)

Yesterday I was at B&N and I was imagining how thrilling it will be when I see your book there on the shelf. :)

paris parfait said...

Such wonderful news, all of it! And the biz cards are fantastic! And you're right about scribbling the website name on a piece of paper. Biz cards are a definite improvement!

Anonymous said...

nice cards! they look really fresh and original. i would recommend getting something like that printed on PrintsMadeEasy next time you're in need, the tools they have there for designing are much better than vista print in my humble opinion :D