Book Signing #1 - The Adventure Begins with Coffee

Today I get to make the very exciting announcement: My first book signing has been scheduled! Saturday June 28th between 1 and 3 at Lo-Fi Coffee in Downtown Mesa. The exact address is 105 W. Main St., Mesa AZ 85201

Since I am new to this gig, I have a feeling that this event could be a pretty funny moment in time. However, I think my publisher, Tate Publishing, picked a wonderful first spot for me. Thank you Jim! (He would be my marketing contact and guy I order my books through)

This is a picture from the front the coffee shop, Lo-Fi Coffee, that will house my first book signing. I admit, I was leery since I had never heard of the place - and my publisher is based in Oklahoma. There is a bit of distance there so I doubt my marketer Jim stopped by on his way home from work.

I did a little bit of Internet searching and felt better - and being that this is my first signing - I decided I had better scope the place out. I wanted this to be good for the cafe and myself. I was NOT disappointed.

I met the owner Sam out front - quite unintentionally. I walked up and he was stepping out. He turned right around and opened the door for me as I went in and immediately went behind the counter and asked if he could help me. Sam and I had talked via a couple of emails the day before and was very personable as I said who I was and what I was there for.

I had learned from the reviews online that this was a pretty artist friendly joint. Pictures of concerts and artists working at different events was a pretty common thing for me to find online. This place felt like I had stepped back in time to the coffee shop I spent my college years almost living in. To be frank, I like the place already. They had books and board games available on the shelf in back and I am pretty sure the TV had an old school gaming system attached.

The picture to the left of this text is a picture I took after talking to Sam about his cafe, what other events went on, and him giving me a few ideas for setting things up. I am thinking I may besetting up by those red chairs - but I guess I will see what happens. Once my books come in I will have to see what sort of space requirements it will take. I have only seen one copy of my book at a time. I don't think I can comprehend what dozens of copies look like and the space they will take up in a given area, but I am excited to find out.

Speaking of books, though I didn't take a picture of them, there were other fantasy books by authors right there next to the display case with the food that is available for purchase. Sam has a friend who also work in printing and he is no stranger to the genre. At this point, I felt even better about the arrangement. In fact, I am going to try and reach out to those other authors through Sam's friend. Might as well start making writer friends that may want to go to Conventions with me.

Now I finally get to the part of this blog that I am sure many of you are thinking about: how is the coffee? I liked that I didn't really order off the menu and Sam still made a delicious drink for me. I wasn't trying to be a prima donna I just don't know what I like from a coffee menu. I did not have a traditional introduction to coffee and neither did I get some snobby 'triple machiatto fancy Italian name for a small' training. I started drinking coffee as a way of dealing with head aches and as a drink option that was not soda. I like the taste of caffeine, but do not get a buzz from it. My fiance and I will drink coffee in bed before passing out - we just like coffee.

So how did he magically figure it out? I told him what I drank at Dutch Bros, and he made his equivalent. For those curious I drink an ER-911 usually as a blended or iced coffee. Kind of like a slushy with enough caffeine to send normal people to the ER. (Probably how it got its name). I am glad to say Dutch Bros now has some competition for me. Given how close Lo-Fi Coffee is to the Natural History Museum that my family frequents and that it is one of the few places intelligent enough to be open on most Sundays I think the family will finally have a solid coffee choice when we go to downtown Mesa.

So I will be inviting everyone I know and many I don't to make this event successful. Lets makes the first signing a blow-out success!

~Matt

Hospitals in the Apocalypse

I had a family emergency yesterday and spent some time in the emergency room. Once the emergency was settled and everyone was waiting to be released, I was left with the zombie thoughts that invade my mind once I calm down. This thought process lead me to think of how I could defend a hospital from a zombie attack.

Quite frankly - a hospital is a flipping crap-shoot when it comes time for an apocalypse (yes my actual thoughts on this are even more expletive filled). Part of my inspiration comes from theoatmeal.com and its detailed documentary on the dangers (and stupidity) of a zombie apocalypse. Hospitals really have no reason to be considered a safe haven - especially once a bunch of flesh eating bastards are on the loose. Even worse if they start in the building. There are literally five different ways to access every section of the hospital, and the place is a maze. The damn labyrinth of Greek myth is easier to navigate than a hospital.

That is not even getting into the idea of barricading the main doors - that just wont be a viable option given the number of doors and walkways you are dealing with. It is little wonder that a single infected doofus can infect hundreds that then go out and infect the world - and you know the rest of the story.

Maybe that is why sesame street doesn't have a hospital - and I don't recall there being any strange winding hallways that lead back onto themselves. In fact sesame street can be secured with few barricades at all - if you take the maps located here. This only reinforces the idea that Sesame Street is a safe place to be in a zombie apocalypse.