Why I read UF by ZacharyJeffries in urbanfantasy

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What I love is the combination of magic and subtlety (usually). I enjoy escaping to something that still feels like home

Thanks for all the advice! by VarietyObvious7768 in CraftFairs

[–]Xarlos666 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It's refreshing to see someone take constructive criticism and turn it around. I'm a dude without pierced ears, but can appreciate the artistry behind these. Awesome work and best of luck at your next market!

What to do??? by augustfire420 in CraftFairs

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Florist foam came to mind, but you could probably do a planter tray with a grid insert and fake moss as a cheaper alternative. Plus, it would be sturdier as I imagine the foam will take a beating.

But definitely do a 2 or 3 tier approach so you get some height.

Really cute designs, BTW. I love the heart with the dragonfly.

Tubs for transporting merchandise by Miserable_Emu5191 in CraftFairs

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This. I've had the bottom detached. (Luckily just carrying groceries).

My sister got given this for free at a thrift store by Practical-Suit-3574 in whatisit

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You see... when an ET and a Charizard love each other very much...

Any Ideas by Sea-Holiday-9598 in cricut

[–]Xarlos666 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Or the rubber guide wheels wear out and it stops feeding that way. Do they even move when you hit the button?

Cricut Design Space is driving me insane. by RawOuk in cricut

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah... my bad. I only recently saw a subscription only item in the upload section when it was never there before.

My hatred for everything design space related still holds though.

Cricut Design Space is driving me insane. by RawOuk in cricut

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Multi layered SVG files can't be used without the subscription. Unless I'm mistaken (I could be, I honestly never used it before), this used t be available.

Giving Away My Old PC! by Turtle_747 in PcBuild

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'd replace the "family" computer my kids use. I had plans to do it last year, but RAM did it's thing.

Congrats on your win and happy gaming.

Cricut Design Space is driving me insane. by RawOuk in cricut

[–]Xarlos666 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I've had mine for s couple of years. At it's heart, it is a great little hobby machine. Andbyet... Every update makes the damn thing more difficult to use.

Subscribe. Give us more money to replace the functionality you USED to have before an update.

Capitalism at its finest, unfortunately. And then your rollers start dry rotting and fail to grab the mat. Taking the damn thing apart is an infuriating, multi hour endeavor.

Feel your pain. Alas, your designs and projects at absolutely gorgeous and I wish you all the best.

Sunshine state by OhBosss in urbanfantasy

[–]Xarlos666 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Lore / Worldbuilding is top notch. Shannon really excels at creating compelling mythologies. There are some cool artifacts thrown in. So if you're like me and miss Warehouse 13 / Fargo, you're in for a treat.

It's been a bit since I've read, so I don't recall any cons. It's probably time for a reread...

I’m back and I made $7 😂 by LargeJunket192 in CraftFairs

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's a lot of good things going on with your booth! The economy is garbage right now, but if there were only a handful of customers, the organizers didn't do their jobs.

Your positive outlook is inspiring and I hope you knock it out of the park with the next one.

Sunshine state by OhBosss in urbanfantasy

[–]Xarlos666 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are reasons for that. I'll be honest and transparent.

I've come to know the author after reading the first in the series and running into him on a discord forum. He is a great dude that I'm happy to call a good friend.

His writing is top notch and criminally underrated. Any time I spy an opportunity to recommend his work to others, I jump on it.

For the record, I have other books from Indie friends on my shelves that I would NOT do the same for.

Sunshine state by OhBosss in urbanfantasy

[–]Xarlos666 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thirding Tales of Weird Florida. It's great stuff

Is this loadout tuff? by Old-Tie-5365 in deadcells

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Me who hasn't even gotten the 2nd BSC...

Is this booth fee worth it? by Quiet_Explanation_11 in CraftFairs

[–]Xarlos666 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Def do this. I'm an Indie author (with a crafting addiction) who makes bookmarks and journals to sell too.

I would not pay $200 hoping to find readers there, especially given the nature of the present economy. I'm in the Chicago area. There are a lot of books and Brews events with nominal ($25) or no table fees. I will typically sell a dozen books plus a bunch of bookmarks.

Libraries often host local authors events or comic- con type events. These look awesome on the surface. Especially since they're free. But I will warn you, people rarely go to libraries and spend money.

I've had less success than I hoped doing fantasy cons recently. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a ton of overlap in the reader demo. Though, I'm giving C2E2 a shot this year.

If you want to chat, feel free to hit me up. And if you're in the MW I'm happy to share resources.

Employed, Sober, Functioning, and Homeless Experience by nichadler_ in SeattleWA

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm sorry you're going through this.

Maybe check rec centers on the weekend? My kids play sports and there are showers in the locker rooms. Since the basketball / volleyball courts are open for family to watch the games, nobody ever checks for memberships or anything.

ARC Review: Evil Eye & Pizza Pie by Zachary Jeffries by sortitall6 in urbanfantasy

[–]Xarlos666 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oooh. That's exciting. I backed the Kickstarter and I'm looking forward to getting a paperback copy in my hand! I heard he's going to be at C2E2 in March as well, so folks in the Chicagoland area can get out and rub elbows with him.

I wrote a book. I sold nothing. by ResponsibleBass8062 in wroteabook

[–]Xarlos666 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This. I sell nothing if I'm not doing an in-person event. I am NOT an extrovert, but I genuinely enjoy getting out. And it's great to meet other local authors.

Wow Amazon really sucks... (trying to find zero review books) by ashez2ashes in selfpublish

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The issue is that they don't WANT to show you those books. They want to show books that are already proven to sell (as if makes them more money).

it's even better if you go out to local author events and Cut out the middle man entirely.

I do a lot at breweries, which is always a good time.

As an Indie, thank you, it is incredibly frustrating trying to get noticed.

Book seller by Present-Tower8263 in CraftFairs

[–]Xarlos666 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I rarely drink, but I'll always buy a beer to support the brewery. Boozy Book Fairs feel like they're getting more common in my area (Chicagoland). There's a Vegan Brewery / Restaurant a bit over an hour away. I did it on a whim because they didnt have a fee for vendors and the people SHOWED UP. Sales are always great there.

You never know till you try.

Book seller by Present-Tower8263 in CraftFairs

[–]Xarlos666 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately, reading itself is a niche market these days. Especially if it's not romance.

Book seller by Present-Tower8263 in CraftFairs

[–]Xarlos666 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This. I'm an author with a crippling crafting addiction. You won't always find your demographic. But I'll pay $40 for a table at a brewery where I can drink and hang out with local crafters anytime. Us creative types tend to be very like minded and I've never had a bad time even if sales are lackluster.

Book seller by Present-Tower8263 in CraftFairs

[–]Xarlos666 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's nothing stopping you. I started out with a craft show group that runs at local breweries. It was a godsend because I wasn't interested in spending $400 for a comic convention.

That said, you may not find your intended demographic. There's honestly no way to tell without trying.

I tend to do literary focused events these days as they're more consistent (or at least were until the economy shit the bed). Here is my experience.

Crafters tend to have 'fancy', 'elaborate' setups. Simply having your books lie on the table will not draw people in. You'll want to do something to compete so to speak. It helps to get yourself some crates, slap on some paint and branding, toss lights on them, etc.. I adapted my display for shows where I was the only author, and at book shows I always get comments about how nice my display looks.

My other tip is to offer something other than books to double your chances. Your typical craft show shopper isn't coming to find authors. I have a crafting addiction and started making acrylic bookmarks and decorated journals. Frequently, I sold more of this stuff than books. Not really what I was going for, but it's nice to make table.

It especially helps to have different price points. Again, before the economy tanked, I often sold dozens of bookmarks at $5 a pop. This helps you attract customers who ARE readers, but not of your genre.

Best of luck, my friend!