My email to Old Navy

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in concern to the service I receiving calling the Old Navy card customer service line. I understand that they are technically a separate organization run by GE Money, but they are still representing your company and doing a great disservice to you.

I have a busy and ever-changing schedule and I missed a payment on my card. This has happened very few times in the last several years that I have had this store card. I usually pay off my balance in full as soon as I get the notice that it has posted to my account.
On Monday, August 31 at 10:48am, I got a call from a number I did not recognize. The woman on the phone at first did not identify herself, but I was able to discern soon enough that this was a collections call from Old Navy. I apologized for losing track of my payments, I don't use it so often that I know to check my statement every month and that sometimes I get email reminders and sometimes I don't- an issue I later found is tied to using MyCheckFree.com or the Old Navy site- as an aside, MyCheckFree.com is not nearly as easy to use as the Old Navy website but they are the only ones that send the reminder emails. I informed her that I would be paying the balance as soon as I got home from work. She was very demanding of my debit card number or my bank information, which I told her I was not comfortable giving over the phone. She was also very demanding of my work phone number and my home phone number, both of which I declined to tell her because I am not in my office during regular business hours (I teach college so my office hours are scattered throughout the week) and my home phone has no answering machine. She continued to press for these phone numbers after I repeatedly told her that I was not going to share them with her. The same thing with the debit/bank account information. We ended the phone call tersely and I immediately placed my payment, paying the balance in full, as soon as we hung up. I have been informed that it is illegal for collections people to ask for a person's work number, because they are not allowed to harass customers in their place of business.

Yesterday, about 3pm I went into the Old Navy store in the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville, TN. I did my "stuff and save" shopping and went to check out. My card was declined.
The sales person with whom I dealt, Drew, was amazing. He was very kind and did all he could to make the transaction work, and although he could not give me the 20% discount, he let me have the free bag and told me to come back after the card issue was resolved and he would see if he could retro the discount.

On my way out, I called the card service line about 3:45pm or so. I asked why my account was frozen. The woman I spoke to was polite until she saw that my account was delinquent. Then her demeanor changed. She was very disdainful to me and gave me a great deal of attitude, asking "When you don't pay your bill, what did you think would happen?"
I told her that I had paid my bill the previous morning and gotten a confirmation that Old Navy had received it. She scoffed at me and said that it took up to 48 hours for the payment to post from the back and that I would not be able to use my card again until then. I also told her that I had never been told that my account had been frozen.
There was not a point in this conversation from this point that this woman was kind or polite. She was barely civil and her attitude was incredibly nasty, I could tell with every word exactly what she thought of me and it was highly upsetting.
I ended the phone call, very upset. In the previous two days my contact with customer service people representing your company has been terrible.
And as I have said many times this week, I understand the company's position. The economy is tough, you need to make sure you get paid and that is totally fair. I messed up, I completely forgot about the purchases I had made at the end of June, I apologized and paid the bill immediately after I was notified that I was still outstanding. I did get an email about that late last week, but was waiting on Monday's paycheck to be sure I could pay the balance off in full.
But to be treated with such contempt is ridiculous, especially after I paid the bill in full. But to be treated with such scorn to begin with is just jaw-dropping. Had the positions been reversed, either of those customer service people would have been as angry as I am to be treated in such a manner.
At 4pm exactly, I called the card customer service line again to complain about my treatment. The gentleman who answered that call was kind and apologetic. He assured me that he would bring this up with the floor supervisor/manager but I haven't heard anything in reply from them, so, in light of my previous encounters, I highly doubt anything will be done about this issue.

I have loved Old Navy for 15 years, shopping there since 1994. 75% percent of my wardrobe is Old Navy clothes and at least 25% of my jewelry and accessories come from your store. I have had great service in all the stores I have ever visited, but if this is the kind of treatment I can expect to receive from the parent company, I would rather take my money elsewhere. I am at the very least going to stop using the Old Navy store card. It is paid off and it will remain unused from this point forward. I am still considering my further patronage of your company.

I am not sure what can be done about this from your side but I wanted you to be aware that your card services people are running off your customers.

~Sara Harvey

Not always an adventure

So, at last entry, I had just gotten back from carousing about the Music Row area, taking pictures, and generally being silly.
Over the last two weeks I have been using those pictures as reference when describing the witch's recording studio and the surrounding buildings. I needed to check these places out for myself because sometimes, looking at pictures is just no substitute! Especially since no one seems to really know where "Music Row" really is.
In addition to looking at all the pretty pictures I took, I also researched a lot about the O'Neill family. I found a great Geocities page that a guy put up in honor of his great-great-grandmother Mary O'Neill which was really fascinating. Accurate? No idea. But I liked the names and the stories so I went with it. It suited my needs for the narrative and really, even fiction based strongly in reality is still fiction. And for me as long as it feels authentic and works within the world of the tale it works, even if it isn't 100% accurate.

Crested 13,000 words yesterday which lands me in the middle of chapter five. Or about 2/3s through chapter five, I guess.
I mean I have an outline. Sorta. Diverged from it a while ago, though. Might want to check it to see where I am in relation and make sure I am not leaving something out that I had initially thought was important. Kind of like how when one is on a road trip and having fun just exploring, one might just check the map now and again to see how far it is to the next town and if one might get there in time for dinner.
Or perhaps that's just me....

A shiny new blog feature!

This poor neglected blog!
But I had an idea. Many people love to ask me about my ideas and how I work and etc. So I thought I might use this as a place to sort of live-blog writing my newest novel, the working title of which is "Music City."

So let's begin.
I'll keep this part brief and to the point:

• June- around the middle of June, late one night, lying in bed- my husband and I are dozing off and chatting. We are talking about book ideas. He says, sleepily, "You know what would be cool?" And proceeds to give me the most awesome idea kernal I have had in ages. A banshee comes to Nashville looking for a record deal.
• June- I write the prologue after another couple of rounds of brainstorming.
• July- At my parent's house, I dig through my bookshelf and find a stack of books on Irish lore and faeries and send them home to Nashville. Outlining is finished, detailed notes are made.
  
• July/August- This catches me up to last weekend when I must have spent 26 hours of time writing chapters one and two.

• Today, August 3rd 2009, Monday:

After finishing ch 2, which took Keela, our heroine, to Boston in a long flashback/interlude chock full of awesome backstory and foreshadowing, I realized that ch 3 begins back in Nashville at the door to the witch's recording studio. This may get a little murky in places, but bear with me. There is a witch in this story. And some Muses. Anywho, today, after class, I decided it was adventure time here at the House of Golden Leaves and my husband and I made a very short road trip over to Music Row.

Music Row, AKA Music Square W and Music Square E AKA 16th and 17th Avenues (No street in Nashville has only one name, that would be silly!) is not far from where I live but I had never been there. Many people think Broadway or Second Ave (downtown) is "Music Row" or even the area over by the Opryland Hotel. So finding some accurate images online was really gumming up my process. So I just hopped on over there to see for myself.

It's a gorgeous area of town, a very eclectic mix of old buildings, new buildings, homes, condos, recording studios, talent agencies, music publishers, beauty salons, a tattoo place, and a total dive bar. It's a perfect setting!
I took about 30 pictures, looking like a total tourist (at least I wasn't wearing a cowboy hat!). Both as general research about the feel and flavor of the neighborhood- like what kind of trees are there? How many? (Mostly maple and magnolia. Lots!) Architectural style, traffic, parking, etc.
I also narrowed my witch's house/recording studio to one of two buildings- one currently a Bank of America and the other a talent agent's office. There is a poll currently running on my LJ, do go and vote!
So, now I have a setting for the next segment. Sure, I could have gone on with the chapter without running over to Music Row, but I like to base my urban fantasies as close to reality as possible. People will believe in fae, in vampires, in whatever you tell them if you set them in a place they already know is real. Shaking up the disbelief factor in a story's foundation- for me and for this particular novel, the setting- really pushes the reader out of the nice little world that has been created for them.
Plus it was fun to wander around a part of town I had never seen before. I have only lived here for almost five years and I had never been down there! And it was a gorgeous evening, the humidity fell and the temperature came with it. Plus at 7pm no one is really out and about over there so there was minimal traffic and no one to fuss at us for being there.

Pictues were taken, summer evening was enjoyed, ideas are percolating. I'd have dipped into ch 3 but I bought a new phone at Costco (been wanting one with a real keyboard for a while now) and I spent far too long playing with the thing and um, lost some momentum.
But we can't write 5,000 words everyday. Or I suppose we could if we didn't have that pesky day job to fret about.
But for now, I open up comments on this post and bid you anon for a few days until I have something new to report. Look for posts anywhere from a couple times a week to once every two weeks as I sort out how I want to try and explain things, not to mention how much do you want to know.

Apex Bestsellers for April!

Apex Bestsellers - April:
1) The Convent of the Pure
2) I Remember the Future
3) The Next Fix

Woot!
#1 two months in a row! *HAPPY DANCE!*

Some string and bits of fluff

In news of the surreal, A Year and a Day is currently selling for $160+ on Amazon's marketplace!
o.O
For serious.
I had a hard time believing it myself. Could it be rumors of a reprint that has been driving the price up like this? No idea.
It is flattering, however.

Secondly, my newest work, The Convent of the Pure, is currently being featured as the Sunday Freebie over at Apex. They will take answers to the posted trivia question until Tuesday night and announce the winner on Wednesday.

And third, I am still stupidly spinning my wheels trying to come up with what to work on next. Putting together a couple of short pieces that were requested of me and then I will dive back into the idea pool for a new novel. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be delighted to hear them. Thusfar, been banging my head against the wall. Repeatedly.

Interview!

My co-Blogspot blogger, Rie over at Leaving Shangri-L.A., interviewed me for her blog this week!
It's all very exciting! You should go check it out!

Apex Stats for March

I am in some FINE company!

Apex Books Bestsellers:
1) The Convent of the Pure
2) Open Your Eyes
3) I Remember the Future: The Award-Winning Stories of Michael A. Burstein

Stats page can be found here.

Beginnings and endings (which are also beginnings)

Today.
Today is April the first and, no foolin', the release date for The Convent of the Pure. Also, I sent in the final draft for The Labyrinth of the Dead. We don't have a release date for it yet- it will depend on a variety of factors but is tentatively queued up for a slot either around Christmastime or early 2010.
It is really exhilarating to see a book on which you have worked so diligently see the light of day and go forth to make its way into the great wide world. It is also a special kind of magic finishing a work that has been on your plate since July 2008 and start it on its own path.
And I did both today.
I am a crazy thing! And just soaring!!
I sold more than 100 pre-orders, a great feat for a new author with a small press. It is all because I have caring people like you who want to exchange your hard-earned money for my hard-forged words.
I hope this bodes well for the future of Convent and the other two books in the trilogy.
So I am in a very tingly headspace, made all the more topsy-turvy with the announcement that Apex Online is not running my Amanda Palmer interview in the June edition, but instead creating an Amanda-fucking-Extravaganza in the blog section with 10 days of my interview questions and collected YouTube clips and etc. put together by Awesome Apex Frontman, Jason Sizemore (who also interviewed me in March).
What makes this extra shiny is that Neil Gaiman just posted a tweet about said interview!
I think you should check it out, too!
All the cool kids are doing it!

p.s. Don't forget to pick up your copy of The Convent of the Pure!
Stillwondering if you'd like it? Check out this AMAZING trailer, courtesey of Catherynne Valente and Abney Park!

About writing: That Coffee Shop Thing

What's up with all the writing in coffee shops?
I have to admit with full disclosure that I am one of those authors, the kind you see taking up a corner of the cafe with a mug and a plate of nibblies.
Or, you may not see me- I tend to be unobtrusive and wrapped up in my own little world. The coffee shop is a great environment for me because it provides two things: a steady supply of snacks and a convivial atmosphere away from dogs, laundry, TV, and the need to answer the phone.
Most of the time my husband is with me, "getting coffee" is a weekend ritual for us that will never be skipped unless we are away at a convention.
Depending on what cafe we plan to visit will set our schedule. Lately we've been going to Crema since Sam & Zoe's got sold and is getting all corporate and snotty. Crema isn't open on Sundays so we go there on Saturdays. If we haven't anything else planned for the weekend, we still might go over to Sam & Zoe's on Sunday (which is really the best day to go there in general as the awesome Baja Burrito [NOT to be confused with the inferior chain place Baja Fresh!] is also closed on Sundays and there is plenty of parking in the tiny lot they share).
At coffee, notebooks and/or laptops are opened and working commences for as long as the batteries hold out. (I am rather suddenly down to 45 minutes of juice on poor Pixie. *pout* Need new battery STAT!)
Usually we stick to our current works in progress, occasionally stopping for a coffee refill, another scone, or to read a sentence aloud to one another to make sure it sounds good.
The staff get to know us pretty quick, many of them already have copies of A Year and a Day and are usually thrilled to know I am working on my next published book in their cafe.
The ever-present hum of chatter and squeal of espresso machines is comforting and generally if people see that I'm working they tend to leave me alone.
I know there is a massive, writerly stereotype of the sorts of people who work in coffee shops, but unlike a lot of those types, my husband and I try to get read work done and don't care who sees us. It is a really nice break from home and the change of atmosphere is incredibly focusing.
And really, if writers around the world are doing it, there has got to be a reason why.
Now you know mine! ^_^

By popular demand!

So, I am told there aren't enough posts about my current progress with The Convent of the Pure.
Well, the next few days are being spent in release party prep. I have final arrangements to arrange- like securing prizes for the costume contest for example! (Currently looking at Tea for Two at the historic Hermitage Hotel as the first prize!)
Touching base with the Syrens of the South about their set and out of town guests coming over!
The release party happens on March 14 here in Nashville.
The following weekend is MidSouthCon and the weekend after THAT is my very first The Convent of the Pure signing!
Leading up to this, I have an interview published in this month's issue of Apex Magazine.
*phew!*
So, when does that leave me time to work on the edits for book two and the first draft of book three?
Good question!
The answer is: tomorrow.
I am hoping to get some time and work through the bulk of the edits tomorrow, perhaps over coffee and an awesome veggie burrito.
Wash. Rinse. Repeat on Saturday.
Things at the day job are winding up, we're on week nine of eleven of the quarter and then I will have two weeks of NOTHING TO DO BUT WRITE. Which will be made of win! Win and sleeping.
Better get to it, then!

THE CONVENT OF THE PURE reviewed!

From Publisher's Weekly, February 2nd 2009:

The Convent of the Pure Sara Harvey. Apex (www.apexbookcompany.com), $13.95 paper (137p) ISBN 978-0-9816390-9-3

Harvey (A Year and a Day) cobbles together gothic steampunk fantasy and fluffy lesbian erotica in this romantic, necromantic tale. Two years after Imogen Gyony's death, her spirit still frequently visits her lover, Portia. Both are Nephilim, born of a celestial and a mortal being and raised to be warriors in an age-old fight against the demonic forces out to destroy humanity. When demons capture Portia, she escapes with crossbow blazing and takes on the fiends one by one, determined to bring Imogen back from the dead and save her Nephilim chapter house from being taken over by demon-influenced mages. Readers who aren't put off by the cheesecake cover illustration of buff, busty Portia will appreciate the mix of heat, horror and humor. (Apr.)

2009 starts out well!

From the desk of the Apex Book Company blog today:

Apex Bestsellers of 2008

Best sellers of 2008:

1) I Remember the Future — Michael A. Burstein
2) Unwelcome Bodies — Jennifer Pelland
3) Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales — Fran Friel

December 2008 Bestsellers:

1) I Remember the Future — Michael A. Burstein
2) Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales — Fran Friel
3) The Convent of the Pure (pre-orders) — Sara M. Harvey

How awesome is that?

I hope to be one of the top 3 sellers for 2009! ^_^

In other news, the Arisia convention in Cambridge was a wonderful event! I sold 10 pre-orders of The Convent of the Pure, 8 copies of A Year and a Day, and a large handful of chapbooks.

Now, these are not huge numbers, but they are significant and mean that I just about broke even on my weekend. I was in the company of several other fine authors as we formed a collective that we lovingly call the Hot Chicks With Books!

This coming weekend I am staying more local and heading out to Chattacon in Chattanooga, TN, about 2 hours away from Nashville. I'll be judging the Masquerade and probably participating in the Syrens of the South burlesque show as a dresser and "pick-up girl."

I have also got the honeymoon scheduled but I am going to need to sell more books if I am going to afford all the Guinness Matt and I are going to want to drink!

A writing weekend of much success!

My husband and I both finished our books this weekend! Of course mine was a lot easier and begun not so long ago, but I finished up The Labyrinth of the Dead, the sequel novella to The Convent of the Pure. I also put down the first paragraph of the third and final (?) installation of the little novella series which is going to be called, The Tower of the Forgotten!
I also got to take a look at the interior artwork for the book. And WOW is all I can say!!
As soon as I can finagle some permission, I might be able to share a sneak peak with y'all.

My husband finished his 146k fantasy novel about a young man turned assassin to avenge his parents' deaths. There is a lot of intrigue, blood, sex, battle, gods, mages, and warring religious factions. And don't think I find this interesting or noteworthy simply because he's my husband. I fell in love with him because of his writing...his charm and good looks were also helpful in that.

And since were were so productive with writing so early on this weekend, we tackled painting our hallway and hanging some art! Tomorrow more art will be hung when the hallway has had time to dry completely. It is a lovely shade of golden-peach which complements the darker antique gold of the front room/kitchen and plays nicely against the pale blue-green of the bedroom.
Happiness abounds in our literary love-nook!

THE CONVENT OF THE PURE available for pre-order NOW!

From the desk of Jason Sizemore, editor-in-chief of Apex Publications:

I'm excited to announce that we're opening pre-orders for the next two books in our novella series. Remember, we're running a free shipping special so now is a great time to take advantage of some USPS savings!
Free shipping is currently available for ALL ORDERS over $25
Free limited edition short story chapbook is included with your pre-order!

Sara M. Harvey - THE CONVENT OF THE PURE

Secrets and illusions abound in a decaying convent wrapped in dark magic and scented with blood. Portia came to the convent with the ghost of Imogen, the lover she failed to protect in life. Now, the spell casting caste wants to make sure that neither she nor her spirit ever leave.

"The Convent of the Pure is a compelling blend of the numinous and the creepy, with a rich, atmospheric setting. I devoured it in a single sitting!"
– Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel's Dart)

Publication Date: April 1st

http://www.apexbookcompany.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=78

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Sara's Official Author's Site
http://www.saramharvey.com

Excerpts, artwork, photos, and event schedule!
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Shakes out the dust and scatters the tumbleweeds.

Goodness gracious, it's been since MAY that I have posted here.
Apologies, life is busy as usual.
Some small announcements, I have a short story to be included in the upcoming Dragons Composed anthology due out in Summer 2009 from Kerlak Publishing. My husband Matt's story has also been selected and we will be sharing a volume for the first time. I hope it won't be the last! This also marks Matt's publishing debut.

Secondly, I am working on another non-fiction assignment for Greenwood Press. This one is about the Fashion and Beauty industry.

And lastly, plans continue at a hectic pace as I gear up for the release of The Convent of the Pure early next year. In fact, on Friday I am heading up to Philadelphia for my first appearance to promote the book! I'll be at PhilCon from Friday til Sunday with my wonderful convention family.

That'll be my last convention of 2008, but my schedule starts up again in 2009 with Arisia and Chattacon in January.
Currently, my workload includes both the fashion industry chapters and the second novel in the series begun with The Convent of the Pure, called The Labyrinth of the Dead. There will be a third book in the series to finish off the story and after that I have to get back to my urban fantasy, To Shining Sea.
My agent (I have one now! Yay!) has high hopes for that one!

There is a lot going on in my life and now that things are moving forward with the writing, I have more to share with y'all.
So look for details to come soon!

Moving up in the world!

In addition to my Wkipedia entry, I have merited an entry on the Fandom News & World Report community on LiveJournal!

Shiny!

I can haz Wiki!

Mark this day in history, I now have a Wikipedia entry!

Bookmark it for all your Sara M. Harvey encyclopedic needs!

I've got all the luck this month!

There was some Suck but it looks like Awesome once more prevails.
Tomorrow I head over to Jack FM at noon to record my promo spots as Jack FM's Ordinary Listener of the Week.

I will prvide details as they come available to me. I know you can catch Jack FM online as a live feed and I will see if there is a schedule of spots. Also, there is going to be a very silly YouTube video in which I will strive for as much SHAMELESS PROMOTION as possible.

Now...what do I wear???

A new novel for you!

Hey there fair and gentle readers,
Great news!
Apex Books will be publishing my next work, a horror novella (that needs a title) about half-angel demon-hunters in a Steampunk universe.
Melissa Gay will be my artist for both the cover...and interior line art!

I am thrilled to pieces and just damn honored to join the ranks of such great authors such as Cherie Priest and Jen Pelland and Michael Burstein and Geoffry Gerard and Steven Savile and Lavie Tidhar and Brian Keene and way too many more to name!

Thanks everyone for all their love and support during this little whirlwind project of mine and look for it to be in print in Spring 2009.

We need a theme song....

Convention Report

Here it is, April, the fresh new spring of the year. And I have already been to 3 conventions in 2008. I had a back-to-back double-header of Arisia in Cambridge, MA and Chattacon in Chattanooga, TN one weekend after the other in January. I had the month of Februrary off where I ended up beginning a novella project that came to life because of events that transpired at those two conventions. Never underestimate the power of networking, even at your friend's after-hours birthday party, I'm just sayin'. Opportunities don't always happen during the 10am-10pm convention "day" and they might take a couple of months and several appearances later to really come together.

And that is how I ended up working for Apex Books. Which will be expounded upon in greater detail in a later post, I promise.

In March, I attended MidSouthCon in Memphis, TN for the first time. It has been a while since I was a first-timer at a con. Luckily my first con ever was a small and wonderfully supportive one here in Nashville, TN called Hypericon which happens in June. After that first weekend of being shown the ropes, I felt like this convention thing was old hat.

But here are some quick dos and don'ts of being at a convention for the first time, whether is it your first con ever or your first appearance at a particular con.

First off, make sure you and the con staff are clear on your status. Some cons have a distinction between a "guest" and a "panelist." To clarify, all guests are (usually) panelists, but not all panelitsts are always considered guests. Every convention has various Guests of Honor (in different fields like writing, art, costuming, webcomics, etc.), these are usually very important or very famous professionals within their industry and serve as a draw to people to attend that particular convention. (Example: Pi-Con in W. Springfield, MA enticed me to come visit because Jacqueline Carey was their Guest of Honor)

The Guests of Honor (or GOH in the vernacular) have all their expenses paid by the con: travel, lodging, convention membership and/or any miscellaneous fees, and sometimes even food (even if not in an "official" capacity, most GOHs get treated to a meal or two or three by the con or the staff or the fans). A GOH gets a whole page in the con book with their picture, a long bio, and often reviews of their work or an interview with them.

A regular guest is an industry professional, often listed with others of their ilk in the "also appearing" or "other guests" category. Guests get just a short bio in the con book which will be organized alphabetically and not by industry. Guests write their own bios and so can include anything they want. I talk briefly about my current novel, any upcoming or current writing projects I might have, a sentance or two about my costuming background, followed by a single senatnce that sums up my other interests and where I am from and then I usually end up mentioning my fiance and my two dogs. People tend to relate to other people with pets and relationships, makes one seem like a real person, more approachable and likable, or so those marketing and promotion books tell me. I do get people asking me what kind of dogs I have and when my wedding is taking place, so I suppose it works.

This is an example of one of my bios, this one comes from my Amazon.com blog:

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, Sara has traveled all over the country from her home state of California, all the way to New York City, and finally settling (for a little while anyway) in Nashville, Tennessee. She loves costuming and theatre as well as writing. She has a fantastic fiance, Matt, and a very dramatic dog, Guinevere.

It is brief, but with some fun style and panache to it. Hits the major bases and ends with a humorous and loving mention of family. My convention bio is similar but contains the titles, dates, and publishers of my books.

A panelist is someone who is knowledgable about a subject and not necessarily an industry professional. Many times a convention will have their GOHs and then everyone else is listed as a "panelist." Many conventions have their GOHS and everyone else is a "guest" (lower case). Some conventions have GOHS, guests, and panelists, the difference between "guest" and "panelist" being whether or not they are a professional in whatever field the panel is about.
One thing about being on a panel is finding the right balance between making yourself heard and hogging the time. Find that balance. Don't let the "big names" roll over you, you were asked to speak on that panel on that subject for a reason. If you never open your mouth, no one will know who you are! But always remember to let your fellow panelists speak...there are 3-6 people trying to express their opinions about a given topic and there is only ONE HOUR for everyone to get their points across. Be assertive, but considerate!

Another difference is that guests usually do not have to pay to attend the convention. They are a "guest of the convention." They still need to pay to travel to the con and for their own food and lodging. For the savvy con guest, this becomes a shiny tax deduction as it is a business expense.

Some cons, especially smaller ones, have rules about how many panels on which one must participate to earn a complimentary membership. Many cons allow guests to bring their own guest, usually a spouse, significant other, or other family member for free. Others allow a "guest of the guest" to attend for half-price, others require any additional people with the guest to pay the full convention membership price. Cons vary widely in this practice, so this is definitely a question to ask ahead of time.

But how does one go about getting involved in conventions?

I don't know how anyone else does it, but I just look them up and send them an introductory email and ask if I can come be a guest. I have some fiction published, plus I have a whopping load of costuming credentials including a mater's degree, a year of servitude in the Disney World costume shop, I teach fashion and costume at the college level and I have written several chapters on costume history. That is usually enough to get programming chairs drooling for my presence. After my first con, I had some experience so I could list at what other cons I had appeared and build myself a convention resume listing where I had appeared and what sort of topics I had spoken about. In other instances, I made friends who attended other cons and put in a good word for me. Elizabeth Donald is an ANGEL at this. And I have tried to turn around and show the love back to some good folks like Shane Moore and others. And on a couple of occasions, the programming folks or other staffers of other cons have seen me at one con and invited me to theirs.

In short (too late!), I have found that conventions have been my mainstay in terms of book sales and generating interest in me and my work and by that, new readers. My goal is to be able to make a career of writing, that is, to be able to generate enough income from selling books that I don't need to have an additional job unless I want one. I mean, fame and fortune are great, but more realistically, just being able to make a halfway-decent living with writing would be a dream come true.
So, if you are looking for a new angle or edge to further your budding career, try looking into some conventions. I'll see you there!