Puerto Rico Comic Con 2019: Books, Smiles, and Camaraderie

I’ve been going to the Puerto Rico Comic Con since 2014 and every year has been a wonderful adventure. The first year I had one book, one poetry collection, and my Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore were handmade by my family. Every year I meet more people and the genuine enthusiasm over what I do and how I do it is fuel to keep going and giving my best. 

This year I had 13 books and sold out of two of them. I also had the best year in terms of sales, with 118 books sold over the weekend. This happened with me being away from the booth most mornings while I was with Mom at the hospital and the Captain held down the fort at the con. Throughout the event, a LOT of people came by to offer support, see if she needed some help, and always asked me how Mom was doing and shared plenty of positive vibes I passed along to her. 

Over the weekend I saw a lot of new faces, but I also saw a lot of familiar faces and all of them made me smile so much. I truly do love writing and connecting with people and if this year has taught me anything, it’s that people who go to the Puerto Rico Comic Con want to connect with you. I talked to hundreds of people, offered advice to writers of all ages, and in true me form, I dedicated each book with my awful handwriting to capture the joy I experience at an event like this. 

Every year has a particular feel to it and this year, there was a LOT of joy and kindness. People who met me were genuinely thankful for me answering all the questions they had. Then there were the people I’ve been seeing since 2014. Among the nicest things someone said was that they had missed me last year and were happy to see me back at the PRCC. That meant a lot because it validated that at least to some people, seeing me and catching up is a highlight… which it already was for me, but to know the feeling is mutual… that’s quite wonderful to be honest. 

Another highlight for me was to see that Atlantic College from Puerto Rico held a contest to choose several artists to let them have a booth there. In front of me, 6 booths in a row had young, kind, and extremely talented artists showing off their art and as a creator, it was refreshing and lovely to see them have such a solid weekend. Some were a bit shy and learned to come out of their shell during the weekend, while other young artists glowed with enthusiasm. This is the type of effort I support 100% and if anyone from Atlantic reads this, I'd love to help out any way and who knows? Maybe we can collaborate one day, but I'll write more about this in an open letter soon. 

I also saw artists from the states who had taken a gamble on this show and time after time I heard how good of a show people were having and that they made their booth and covered their expenses before the halfway mark of Saturday. Some even sold out of inventory (see the pics below). I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, fans of the Puerto Rico Comic Con are some of the best because unlike other major US cities, San Juan and Puerto Rico in general for that matter aren’t spoiled with event after event after event. In addition, since autograph sessions are pre-sold, that means people have more to spend the day (or days) that they go. 

As per usual, cosplayers were showing off their skills and my highpoint was a magical unicorn (pictured below). I stood next to her and could not find one flaw in the craftsmanship of the suit and SO MANY of the cosplayers brought their A+ game. I wasn’t able to take as many pictures as I wanted, but definitely brought a smile to our faces and the Coraline and other Mother cosplay just had me grinning from ear to ear. 

As for the books, Only Human sold out early Sunday morning as did Black Tie Affair. I am always happy every time a book title sells well and I promised a ton of people that I’ll finish the Human Cycle for next year, so hold me to that. Given to Fly also sold pretty well as well and only left a handful of copies left over and everybody loved the concept of a boy who dreams about flying. I’ve already read some new reviews from readers and that’s also something that encourages more than people know. 

In terms of quirky stories, I got the visit from Eric AKA Average Joe on Instagram, a super nice guy who blogs and shares tips on how to save money and make more money. It took a couple of attempts, but we finally met and he was a super nice guy. Also kind enough to take a couple of books and I gifted him an extra one, not because he's always on the lookout for a deal, but because he passed by not once, or twice by the booth, but five times until we connected, so it was the least I could do. 

In addition, a fellow Puerto Rican with a comedy channel on YouTube called Alex Manuel also swung by. He was actually cosplaying as the ex-governor of Puerto Rico, Ricky Roselló and even took pics and recorded a get-well video for Mom. He passed by each day and asked how she was doing and like many other people, kept in touch after the con to see how things were going. If it wasn't clear by now, I think it's obvious that the fans of the Puerto Rico Comic Con are some of the nicest and most genuine in the world and although I always get a lot of love, this particular year was very special and people outdid themselves in offering love and support. 

So all in all, it was a lovely show and even with the challenges my family was facing, we had a great show, a lot of people sent love to Mom, and we even got some videos recorded by people in character. It was a weekend full of joy, happiness, kindness, quirkiness, geekness, support, and enthusiasm. Some people might say it was even a little bananas :) I’m thankful to each and every Geekrican that passed by my booth and all my fellow writers, artists, and creators. I’m proud to know you and call you friends y los quiero de todo corazón. 

Til next we get our Geek on. 

Peace, love, and maki rolls

Ps.: for more pictures from the comic con, check my facebook page.  

See you at the Atlanta Comic Con

In a year of a couple of firsts, I’ll also be having my first official event in Mainland US. This year will mark the second year of the Atlanta Comic Con and I can’t wait because it will be my first as an exhibitor. If there’s an abundance of anything in Atlanta, it’s big events and conventions, so I took a look and really gave some thought to what event would be a good fit for me and my works. After going to several events last year of several sizes, The Atlanta Comic Con feels like a great fit to who and how I am as an indie author.

Some people have asked me why I don’t do Dragon Con and although I could go into specifics, I think a better question would be why not the Atlanta Comic Con? 

It’s got great guests, a good location, accessible parking, and since it’s still in its early going, crowds are large but you can still have a conversation with people and that’s what I truly love about conventions: connections. My first convention was the Puerto Rico Comic Con in 2014 and I’ve come a long way in regards to the books I’ve published, the people I’ve met, and the milestones I’ve had… and evolution should be a constant, so this is my next step.

Let us also remember, being an indie author, it means that any and everything I do is down to what’s in the budget and since I have a day job as well, I needed something that fell into a very convenient spot, schedule-wise. It’s a 3-day event which is also much more my speed than the gauntlet that is the 5-day Dragon Con. And actually, last year I was on a panel at Dragon Con and I’d do that again in a heartbeat for any convention actually. It’s a lot of fun and it allows me to meet new people, which is always great fun. 

As for my lineup for the Atlanta Comic Con, here’s the rundown… is there a chance for this to change? Knowing me, you know it’s very possible and much more due to more books being available but what I put on this list is what’s going no matter what:

Only Human: Book 1 of the Human Cycle – Urban Fantasy - $20

Shadow of a Human: Book 2 of the Human Cycle – Urban Fantasy - $20

Given to Fly: Middle-grade fantasy - $15

Twenty Veinte: bilingual collection including essays, short stories, and poetry - $15

Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore: Middle-grade fantasy short stories - $15

Peace, Love & Maki Rolls: A guide to creative kindness – Nonfiction - $15

For Writing Out Loud – Nonfiction - $15

Between the Tides – Poetry - $10

Dark Strands – Poetry - $10

Captured Moments – Poetry - $10

Black Tie Affair – Poetry - $10

Roulette of Rhymes – Poetry - $10

Pensando en Metáforas – Poetry/Spanish - $10

In case you’re wondering, yes I’ll probably be offering combo pricing but haven’t finalized those. And actually, if you’re going to the event and would like to reserve copies of your books, orders over $50 will get a free poetry collection of your choosing. If you’re interested in that, feel free to contact me on my Facebook Author Page or other social media platforms. 

If you have any other question, by all means use the comment section down below. 

Peace, love, and maki rolls

JD

Guess who’s going to Puerto Rico Comic Con 2019?

THIS GUY!!!

Greetings fellow humans. So after a rocky 2018 that still saw the publication of not 1 but 3 books (For Writing Out Loud – Non-fiction / Peace, Love & Maki Rolls – Non-fiction / Given to Fly – middle-grade fantasy), I’m happy to report I’ll be returning for the 2019 edition of the Puerto Rico Comic Con. The plan is not only to take these new books but to bring more surprises, but until things are ready, I’ll keep hush hush about it. 

Still, it’ll be great to go back to the PRCC. Last year I went as a fan and although it was a wonderful experience, I still missed being there with my books to meet new readers of all ages. You see, when it comes to book events, I’m a big fan of this event because it’s what has set me on my path and allowed me to reach a wider audience. Every year has had surprises, from people showing me what they can do with the Blanc Comics, to people who come by on Friday and then swing by on Sunday to tell me they finished my book. It is by far one of the most rewarding experiences so I’m looking forward to setting new milestones and meeting new people. 

So what can you expect when you visit my booth? Well apart from my scruffy self wearing some curious socks, for sure I’ll have the 13 books I’ve published, including the ones I mentioned above. As always, I’ll happily sign and dedicate any book you purchase to you or anyone else you’re getting the book for.

Here’s the current lineup with individual book pricing:

Only Human: Book 1 of the Human Cycle – Urban Fantasy - $20

  

Shadow of a Human: Book 2 of the Human Cycle – Urban Fantasy - $20

Given to Fly: Middle-grade fantasy - $15

Twenty Veinte: bilingual collection with essays, short stories and poetry - $15

Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore: Middle-grade fantasy short stories - $15
  

Peace, Love & Maki Rolls: A guide to creative kindness – Nonfiction - $15

For Writing Out Loud – Nonfiction - $15

Between the Tides – Poetry - $10
 

Dark Strands – Poetry - $10
  

Captured Moments – Poetry - $10

 

Black Tie Affair – Poetry - $10

 

Roulette of Rhymes – Poetry - $10

Pensando en Metáforas – Poetry/Spanish - $10

Also, someone asked if I’d be offering combo pricing for multiple titles and it’s definitely something I’m considering. Will offer any info once it’s set in stone. 

Anyways, I look forward to seeing you back home and if you have any question, write me on any of my social media or leave a comment here. Much love and see ya soon.

Cheers,

JD  

An evening with JD Estrada

In march of this year, I did the first of 3 events I’ve done so far which have included “An Evening with JD Estrada”, my participation in the Puerto Rico Comic Con, and an event at Libros AC where I presented Shadow of a Human along with Twenty Veinte and my first Spanish poetry collection.

For “An Evening with JD Estrada”, I went to the Poet’s Passage in Old San Juan and wanted to do something a lot more casual and relaxed since I wasn’t presenting new material, but instead sharing my up to that moment published work.

It was relaxed, it was fun, it was different. My brother bought me a bottle of red wine and I did some wine sharing. After a brief intro, my book event started with me on the guitar lol. Not the easiest way to break the ice, but something I’d been wanting to do for so long because singing in public is something I’d only done twice before: in high school, singing a musicalized version of a poem and at my wedding, where I took an old song and gave it a new spin.

So to put it lightly, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing lol. Luckily it wasn’t too bad even though I probably committed mistakes on each and every song, but for my first public performance, not bad.

After that I proceeded to read poetry from all my works, including Only Human and the Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore. I wanted to show that even in my novel and my short story collections there is poetry in both and that as such, poetry is in my life and shall be in my work.

I did a short set list, 5 songs in total, read from all 5 books I’d published and enjoyed the company of friends, family, and some wonderful surprises in the form of friends I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Next week I’ll be posting all the videos I have of the event, but I wanted to say thank you to everyone who went and to everyone who supports me in all my random things.

Cheers and til next we see each other,

Peace, love, and maki rolls

Ps.:

Here are a couple of pics of the event, enjoy.