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PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon

PeoriaCon Andy Zach's First ComicCon
PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon

PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon: “C’mon, Andy,” you say. “You’ve been a comic paranormal animal author for three years! You’ve gone to four book conventions. Wouldn’t you go to a ComicCon first?”

PeoriaCon Andy Zach'd
Andy Zach reading from Zombie Turkeys with his zombie turkey hand puppet at PeoriaCon

Well, yes. You’re right. It only took me three years to realize it. You must consider the usual author learning curve. I was a project leader and Six Sigma Blackbelt for twenty years, not an author or a stinking marketeer!

Thanks to the Peoria Journal Star for the fine picture. I bought it, and you can too at the link from the above photo.

You can also read their report on the PeoriaCon here.

Now let me tell you my convention experience and why I waited three years to go to a comic con.

PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon – Why Now?

First, I didn’t know about comic cons. I figured I was a Fantasy/SF author, so I went to Chambanacon in November 2016. It was close and less expensive. The World ComicCon was five times more per table, plus hotel and travel. And it was crazy, like me.

Then at Chambanacon, I met author Rey who loves comic cons and recommended I go to one. I didn’t want to spend the money. According to my computations I’d need to sell a hundred books to break even, so I actually was reasonable by not going.

I liked Chambancon enough to return in 2017 and 2018. Then, at the urging of my Secret Supers editor Leslie McKie, I also attended Penned Con 2018.

PennedCon 2018

PennedCon was perhaps twice as big as Chambanacon and I got twice the traffic and twice the sales. But it cost four times as much and also included hotel expenses, so I lost money again. But I had fun with my assistant Tori.

Tori and Andy. Tori’s the good looking one.


PeoriaCon Andy Zach’s First ComicCon – What happened?

Then the PeoriaCon opportunity came. It was only a mile from my house! I had a blast, paid less than Chambanacon, and doubled my sales!

Speaking of sales, did you know Zombie Turkeys is on sale for only .99?

Since you’re a faithful blog reader, I’ll tell you how to get Zombie Turkeys for free. Subscribe to my newsletter through Book Cave.

PeoriaCon Andy Zach's
Get free Science Fiction & fantasy books for free and win $25.

If you’re already subscribed, just contact me and promise to review one of my books, and I’ll send you a copy for a review.

If you’ve never subscribed, then sign up here and get a short story, ‘A Phoenix Tale’.

Finally, join me and artist Ian Bristow tomorrow on Facebook as we reveal the ‘Secret Supers’ cover. Here’s a portion of the cover.

PeoriaCon Andy Zach's First ComicCon
One of four superheroes from Secret Supers. Preorder the book here.
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4 Best Fun Links from February to Now

Get free books here!

4 Best Fun Links – that’s a high mark to meet. Let’s start off with a bang. Free books for everyone! That includes my own, Zombie Turkeys.

Now for just regular free books from me, you can get them here.

You don’t know what books I have? Check my books page.

4 Best Fun Links – Your Second

Andy Zach’s Cover Artist Ian Bristow at work

Ian Bristow and I are collaborating on my next novel, Secret SupersThe cover reveal is this Friday. Check my Facebook page for more details.

Next, something silly.

4 Best Fun Links – Your Third

It’s time for some amazement. Enjoy!

Next bit of wonder for you follows.

More wonder follows.

You don’t believe zombies’ eyes glow red? Check out this picture of a flock of zombie turkeys at Navy Pier in Chicago, from Zombie Turkeys back cover.

If you’re not impressed by a 110,000,000 million year old tapetum, how about the current photos from Pluto?

Have you heard about the teen who built a fusion reactor? That’s my next link.

Finally, I have an 80 megapixel picture of the moon for you.


4 Best Fun Links – Your Fourth

Then we have these next fun links:

I also like this one.

I mention Paranormal Privateers. Here’s a chapter icon:

Have some more fun with this following cartoon.

Continuing with the funny theme in links, we have this one.


4 Best Fun Links – Your Last

Yes, I know this doesn’t add up to four links. I didn’t think you’d mind some extra.

I belong to the Sci Fi Rountable group on Facebook and weekly they ask for writers to contribute their best 100 word samples around a theme. This theme was character description.

My contribution from Paranormal Privateers follows.

“We’re in trouble,” General Figeroa said to the assembled team—paranormal patriots, John Smith’s capuchin ambassador, and the alien AI, Wilhelmina “Minnie” Wallace. 

She’d whipped up a portable droid, a golden metallic humanoid, obviously female. She made her robot an exact copy of Marilyn Monroe. She slouched in a chair at the table in a white dress. Her glowing blue diamond eyes captured everything for three hundred and sixty degrees around her. Her third eye, located where the occipital bone was, peered through shiny blond hair.

“What now?” Diane asked.

“Are you referring to my computed .019 percent probability of victory against my former overlords?” Minnie asked.

from ‘Paranormal Privateers’.

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Win 3 Free Books from Author Andy Zach

Win 3 Free Books from Author Andy Zach–how? The first book you can win is Paranormal Privateers. I describe the contest in my Facebook post below.

Here’s another hint on winning the book: who is this on the hoverboard?

Speaking of Paranormal Privateers, here’s another related item:

I just thought of a way to give another book away–become the 500th or 1000th person to like my Facebook page above, or my Zombie Turkeys page below:

All you have to do is send me a screen shot, like this next screen shot:

3 Free Books

Then I’ll look at my like count and if you’re 500 or 1,000, I’ll send you an ebook of your choice.

Here’s another ‘cool’ video from the Zombie Turkeys page:


Win 3 Free Books from Author Andy Zach – The Second Way

I feel guilty about this way. But it’s worth the guilt. This method can give you up to four books. My Life After Life Chronicles and my soon coming Secret SupersMy book launch date is March 29.

3 Free Books
Life After Life Chronicles

What is this magical, mystery method?

Nope, not creating a world-famous pop hit. Just review one of my books and post it on Amazon or Goodreads. Contact me when the review is posted and then I’ll send you a book of your choice

This means you’ll get four free books for four reviews.

Note you do not have to give a favorable review. Oddly, some people prefer to see some low rated reviews. Amazon cares about the number of reviews rather than the average score.

Some authors try to scam people and Amazon by bribing people with books on the condition they get good reviews. Other people try to making a living giving favorable reviews in exchange for money. I don’t want any of that!

As much as I hate 1 star reviews (I’ve gotten some!) I take solace in that everyone is different. Not everyone will like everything. Even CS Lewis, the author of the Narnia fantasy series, gets dozens of one star reviews.

I got a new review of Zombie Turkeys the other day. Let me give it as an example:

5.0 out of 5 stars

Love it

February 24, 2019

This book was really good. It kept me wondering what would happen next. Can’t wait to read the next one.

Win 3 Free Books from Author Andy Zach – The Third Way

Why is the clock ticking? It’s one week to my next free book drawing. I should say drawings, since I hold two drawings every month.

I let you pick which book you want and which format. (Print or ebook). My second book drawing is for my audiobooks.

How do you enter? Join my newsletter here by entering your email.

That’s it for now! Andy Zach, signing off!