Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

The key to packing for a trip to San Diego is weight. I always go out there with as little weight in my bags as possible because of the volume of materials I have to transport back home. And with the airlines charging extra for bags that exceed their weight standards, I'm very attentive as to how much I bring back in my suitcase.

If I've accumulated so many books that I know my bag will break the scale, I take advantage of the on-site UPS store at the San Diego Convention Center. Shipping UPS Ground from the con is an expensive option, but it is still cheaper than paying the airline. The disadvantage is that I have to wait a few days to get the box, so I'm careful to ship the materials I picked up for my collection and keep review materials with me. This system and has worked out very well.

That brings me to the problem of what to read on the way to the con. A hardcover book is out of the question for it's bulk as well as weight, but paperbacks are a nice option. Magazines are too, but a few of them in your carryon bag does add unwanted weight. My solution is the latest issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. The newsprint paper is light and at 112 pages, the issue will keep me entertained for a good portion of the flight. If you enjoy noir, mysteries, or crime fiction, try EQMM for your next flight.

Comic-Con San Diego 2010

I'm so happy to be returning to San Diego for Comic-Con July 22-25. The event as a whole is, as Galinda from Wicked said, "altogether quite impossible to describe." I've called it a gathering of 130,000 of my closest friends, and while that might speak to the sheer magnitude of the con, I don't want it to overshadow the amazing array of creative people that I look forward to visiting with each year.

Everywhere you turn, you're surrounded by an eclectic collection of creative minds. Whether nor not a particular booth strikes your fancy, you can't help but be inspired by the creative output. It's a recharge of the inspirational batteries and a kick in the butt to pursue your own endeavors.

I'm covering the con for Comics Buyer's Guide magazine. If you collect comics, are into comics history, or are looking for news and reviews you should definitely check out this magazine. You won't find it on a newsstand so ask for it at your local comics shop or stop by booth #1419 during the con, and I'll get you a copy. My column, "The O'Brien Factor," includes a round up of indie-small press comics reviews, news from the small presses, and other non-mainstream topics like podcasts, tidbits from cons, noir/pulp fiction news and events, and interviews with creators. I'm always looking for interesting topics for my column, so drop me a line if you have a book coming out, a con coming up, or can recommend a newsy story.

I'll be posting my con experiences on the CBG site and using my Twitter account @leaveittokaren, so check back often for updates!