Hello Emberverse!
Happy Easter to all who celebrate!
Guess what? We are Comic-Con bound!
No, not San Diego, sadly, but for the first time since before the COVID-19 shutdowns, we are heading back on the convention circuit!
If you’re new to Last Ember Press (LEP) and Around the Fire (ATF), take a look around. If you like what you see, consider hitting that button below to get us in your inbox!
Here’s a quick sneak peek at what you can expect this time Around the Fire:
We have signed up for two upcoming conventions so far in Waco, TX and Corpus Christi, TX. We wanted to get into one locally in our town, but upon emailing about the table, they promptly updated their website to state they were sold out. :(
But that’s okay, we’ll aim for that one next year.
There are two others we are considering as well, Bell County Comic Con in Belton, TX and Greater Austin Comic Con in Austin. We haven’t signed up for those yet, though.
Let’s talk about the two we did get into, though, the first one in just a month!
Central Texas Comic Con is a newer convention in its third year, but it seems to be doing pretty well.
Waco has been steadily growing over the past decade or so and brings a lot of traffic in. We’ve done multiple cons in that city in the past and it’s not too far of a drive for us (about 2 hours). So it was a no-brainer, especially after watching a couple of videos walking through the con.
We have a corner vendor booth (artist alley was sold out, and apparently we grabbed the last remaining corner booth as well as luck would have it).
This show takes place on April 27-28th. So if you’re in the area, come say hi!
Then in July, we have Corpus Christi Comic Con, a 3-day event on the coast!
You might remember me posting some pictures of a battleship at a beach a while back. That’s the same city, so we’ll be heading back down there in July. It’s about 2 and a half hours from us.
Corpus Christi Comic Con has been around for 7 years now, though it took a 2-year break during the pandemic. So this will be the 5th year for the show itself I believe.
This one takes place July 26-28th, a 3-day show. Again, if you’re in the Corpus area, come visit us at the con!
At both of these conventions, in addition to having all our Last Ember Press comics available, we’ll also have our Torch Knight Games puzzles, Diamond Fire Art diamond paintings and Loops ‘n’ Scoops Crochet plushies!
Birthday Bliss
My birthday was last week and I had a really nice low key one. Lisa and I got dinner and watched a movie and just enjoyed each others’ company. I had just gotten the procedure a few days prior, so some nice R&R was in order.
The weekend before that, we’d had a little gathering with my in-laws and my mother and played some games and ordered out. It was a fun night as well.
So all in all, I quite enjoyed my birthday this year. Thank you for all the birthday wishes on social and email, I really appreciate it. :)
Speaking of My Back…
As I mentioned, I did have that procedure on March 18th, the Medial Branch Block, which consisted of 6 injections along my spine, three on each side. It was a very quick procedure that only caused the initial pinch of the shots and an odd feeling as the numbing agent was injected.
But how am I feeling now?
Better, to be sure, but not quite as good as I had hoped.
I think the procedure was a success overall. The very next day I felt better. I was sore and swollen from the injections for several days, but aside from that, I had far less trouble going up and down stairs, for example.
I did find the pain in my lower back increasing by the end of each day, but icing it helped with that.
What I did notice was the pain didn’t radiate into my mid and upper back or down into my hips and legs as much as it had before. So that’s a definite plus.
The real test came this past Saturday when I helped Lisa and Lynne (her sister) set up at a market, then came home and actively played with my niece for a couple of hours. I honestly thought I’d be done in after all that.
To paint the picture, I carried and set up tables, helped set up the tent, then did some bending to help with the display. And at home, I was running around with my niece, sitting down and getting up as quickly as I could, that kind of thing.
When I woke up I was pretty stiff, but that’s always the case. After a shower, though, I realized I was not in nearly as much pain as I would have been (and had been during prior market setups) before the shots.
Normally, that kind of activity would have me extra swollen and sensitive for 2-3 days following. I’d be struggling to get upstairs and hurting no matter how I sat or laid. But this time, I had very little after effect of the day’s events.
Also, before the shots, I had to walk up the stairs one step at a time. Placing my left foot and bringing my right foot up to meet it on the same step, rinse and repeat. Now I’m walking up and down them normally for the first time in a long time.
So it definitely helped, but I was hoping to get the 75-95% relief a lot of people online boast. Mine currently varies between 25-60% less pain than before depending on the day and the activities of the day.
As I’m typing this, we’re a week removed from that setup and over the past few days, I’ve noticed the pain increasing and the relief decreasing. I’m still better, but I’m pretty sure we’ll have to keep trying other things.
I go in to see my pain specialist on April 19th, so we’ll see what that leads to.
Now…
Like all of you, I’m sure, I’d love to financially support a lot more Kickstarter projects than I’m able to. But what I CAN do for FREE is share them with all of you! Anything and everything helps get the word out as I know all too well. So here are some I thought you should know about this time around.
Dragon Grit #1 - Fantasy Western (With Dragons!)
A tough-as-nails ex-outlaw takes a risky escort job while being pursued by an old rival.
This latest project from Caleb Palmquist is a really cool mash-up. I love the concept so much I wish I’d thought of it! Here’s more about it:
Dragon Grit is a fantasy western comic book that takes place in an alternate version of the wild west, where people ride dragons instead of horses
This comic is inspired by classic westerns like Tombstone and True Grit, with a fantasy twist.
Ever since she cut ties with her old gang, Vera and her trusty fire dragon blaze have been making deliveries to remote locations out west along Star Routes. The world is changing, however, and as railroads make their way across the continent, the need for dragon mail carriers is diminishing.
Looking for new ways to make a buck, Vera agrees to help a young man named Robin escort his dying mist dragon Chanterelle on one final voyage across untamed wilderness to an ancient dragon graveyard. Unable to fly due to Chanterelle’s old age and bum wing, the party must make their way on foot, all while being pursued by a dangerous outlaw named Jack and his dragon Ruin.
The Kickstarter for Dragon Grit is LIVE now! Visit www.dragongrit.com to pledge for your copy and follow along on the campaign.
10th Anniversary C is for Cthulhu Hardcover & New Plush Toys
Nyarlathotep, Old Ones & Black Goat Lovecraftian Plush Toys + an Oversized, Expanded & Remastered Edition of The Lovecraft ABC Book!
Ten years of the C is for Cthulhu board book! Now, they’ve released this new edition along with new and returning plush toys and more. Already over $100k with a week to go!
Help us celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the release of the beloved C is for Cthulhu: The Lovecraft Alphabet Book with a brand new, remastered and expanded GIANT SIZED Hardcover Edition...
...Plus four delightful new additions to our line of creepy, yet cuddly Lovecraftian Plush Toys!
A decade ago, we rolled the dice and launched a humble little board book celebrating our love for the mythos of H.P. Lovecraft right here on Kickstarter.
Over the past decade, Lovecraft fans of all ages have welcomed our beloved C is for Cthulhu board books & plush toys into their homes.
White Ash 1-7 plus Lillian's 1st Time
The hit Urban Fantasy series returns with an all-new Lillian short story and a remastered version of Chapter 05
So happy to see this fantasy series return to the platform. I’m a big fan of this universe and can’t wait to read the next part of the story by Stickney and Hughes!
Welcome to White Ash, a small smudge of a mining community in Western Pennsylvania, where the secrets are buried even deeper than the coal under the mountain. If you’re a fan of Supernatural, Twin Peaks or Lord of the Rings, you’re going to love getting to know our mysterious town.
In Chapter One, we met Aleck who'd been counting down the hours till he could get the hell out of town and head off to college.
But an apparent accident at the coal mine stalled his exit, setting him down a life-altering path.
One that brought him into the orbit of the enigmatic Lillian Alden.
And from there, things got CRAZY (that's where all the fantasy elements come in) We can't really tell you too much without getting into heavy SPOILER TERRITORY.
Yesterday was the 26th consecutive episode of Friday Firsts, a most anticipated series I do on Only Good Comics. That’s 6 months of the show without missing a week! I’m pretty proud of it.
I talked about all the new books coming out from Ghost Machine, new creative teams and story arcs, Deadpool relaunching and more. Check it out if you like:
Last time, I showed you our Easter tree. Well, we’ve had a couple of fun egg hunts at the house for my niece and will have her official one with the whole family tomorrow.
Every year, we go to Lisa’s mom’s for dinner and games. I believe we’re having BBQ chicken and brisket with sides. A couple that are friends with my sister-in-law will be joining us. So, as usual, low key and nothing too big.
Considering how packed everyone’s schedules are these days with Lisa and Lynne doing markets and Lisa and I headed back to comic cons, these gatherings are the only time we get to just chill and enjoy each other’s company.
Easter used to be MUCH more involved for me. Believe it or not, in my 20s I played Jesus in the Easter play every year. Lol Can you imagine? I think I was pretty good actually, but the world may never know. haha
Okay, that’s enough of that before I embarrass myself further.
One additional note: We finally got printer issues sorted out for A Steampunk Carol and not only is it moving forward, but we just got proofs for the book yesterday and it’s ready to hit the printing press!
Once again, Happy Easter, and thanks for joining me for another chat Around the Fire!
Enjoy your weekend and stay toasty!
-Brant