A to Z Blog Challenge -- F is for Free Comic Book Day

Welcome to Day 6 of this year's A to Z Blog Challenge.

Do you love those scenes at Stuart's comic shop on The Big Bang Theory?

Have you already seen The Winter Soldier or have plans to see it as soon as possible?

When you have to reach for your flashlight, is it a Pirates of the Caribbean flashlight, or did you get it at Canadian Tire?

If you easily said yes to all three questions, then you already know that --   
  

F is for Free Comic Book Day

Free Comic Book Day takes place on the first Saturday of May, so this year's event rolls around on May 3rd.

It's been running for 12 years now, and my husband and I look forward to it as a highlight of our year. It works exectly as it sounds -- you go to your local comic book store, line up with the other graphic-novel-and-collectible-loving fans and help yourself to free comic books, designed to launch new lines to the public.

Stores often run sale promotions as well, and that's where I got my completely cool Harry Potter quidditch jersey last year.

Here are a few shots of my husband and me enjoying ourselves at several Free Comic Book Days over the years. My aunt and uncle joined us at one stop, as well!

Here in Halifax, we'll make sure to drop in to Giant Robot Comics, Quantum Frontier, Strange Adventures and Monster Comic Lounge.

Free Comic Book Day - May the 4th Be With You

To celebrate Free Comic Book Day, I'm hosting a giveaway that starts today and runs till the end of the month.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SAINT SANGUINUS features my Dark Ages vampire superhero, Peredur.

Last year, Free Comic Book Day was one of my favorite author events for 2012. This year, I have a special treat to go along with free copies of my book.

Toronto sculptor and illustrator Ted Heeley has created an illustrated version of Peredur for my Free Comic Book Day giveaway.

Six limited prints are up for grabs, along with six e-copies and six paperback copies of SAINT SANGUINUS.

Why six?

This blog turned six years old in February, and I'm celebrating six truly wonderful years by giving away six versions of each prize.

Enter through the Rafflecopter link, and good luck! 

Thursday Thirteen - 260 - 13 Highlights From My Amazing Year

1 – Having been born in the Year of the Dragon, 2012 turned out to be pretty freakin' fantastic for me, starting with the arrival of the hard copies of my debut release, SAINT SANGUINUS.

2 – My friend and fellow author Shawna Romkey gave me this first-ever moment: my first book signing during the Valentine's Hearts on Fire event for my writers' group at The Halifax Club. 

3 – In March, I attended the Women in Film and Television conference with my producer and friend Tara MacDonald, and our friend YA author Renee Pace.  

4 – Later in the spring, I attended a women's retreat at the Oak Island Inn with Tara and Shawna. A much-needed rest before a crazybusy summer.

 5 – WAY, way up at the tippy top of my joy this year: directing the book trailers for my Scorpius series. Produced by Tara MacDonald and shot by Caroline Ruyle. Best time I ever had on set.

 6 – This May I participated in Free Comic Book Day. Thanks to three local comic shops, I gave away free downloads of the e-book version of SAINT SANGUINUS, since it's a Dark Ages vampire superhero origin story. Many thanks to Giant Robot Comics, Quantum Frontier and Monster Comic Lounge.

 7 – The thrill of seeing your very own book for the first time never gets old! My second release BOUND BY DRAGONSFYRE arrived in the mail in early summer.

 8 – The book trailer for SAINT SANGUINUS won two awards!

9 – In August I signed copies of my Dark Ages vampire novel and my dark fantasy novel in the Indie Artist Alley at Fan Expo in Toronto. Many, many thanks to my friend Tara for helping me navigate this venue, and to my husband Brad who worked alongside me.

10 - Easily, the most amazing moment of this year came when I finally made contact with a friend whom my sister and I met almost 30 years ago. We met Rashid Kamalov during the 1984 Tall Ships event in Halifax, while the Iron Curtain was still firmly in place. After writing about him here on my blog many times, his email showed up in my spam folder in September, which I only looked at because of the Fan Expo contest I held.

Rashid is now my Facebook friend!

Here's what he wrote after reading the tale of our summer together which I told to readers here at A Piece of My Mind:

"Dear Juliа, thank you for the wonderful story about our meetings and for good memory about me. I carried in my heart warm feelings to Michelle and to you through all life. I am glad to know that you are well, we can email each other. It is so well you are here!" - Oct. 2, 2012 

11 – In October I attended my 10th writers' retreat with my writers' group. Already counting down the days until the next one.

12 – A few weeks later, I shared a table at Hal-Con with paranormal/sci-fi erotica author Lilly Cain. Signed more copies of my books and had a ball.

13 – To cap off the Dream Come True year, I went on my second trip to New York City, sat in the red booth at the Russian Tea Room and walked into the lobby of Radio City Music Hall to watch The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular.

That's my sister with me in the red booth, and my BFF at Radio City.

SO amazing.

I can't believe it sometimes!

Thank you to all my readers who have become friends over the years. You've made the world a much, much smaller place.

Here's to 2013! Hope you're off to a fantastic start.

Free Comic Book Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day! Huzzah!

If you are in the Halifax, Nova Scotia area I hope to see you at one of three comic shops as I stop in for the festivities.

Thanks to:

Giant Robot Comics

Quantum Frontier

Monster Comic Lounge

for inviting me along for the ride.

If you stop by, these three comic shops will be giving out coupons for a FREE download of my SAINT SANGUINUS ebook, exclusively for Free Comic Book Day.

A Dark Ages vampire superhero origin story, SAINT SANGUINUS is looking forward to hanging out with readers who like their heroes to be larger than life.