News Update!

I’d like to thank everyone who has helped make FAITH & THE UNDEAD successful so far.  As I continue to market my first novel, the time has come to move onto my next work.

Now the part that is going to make people ‘unhappy’.  My next work is not Book Two, CRUSADES & THE UNDEAD.  However my next work is going to be another zombie piece that will be just as unique as FAITH & THE UNDEAD. As more information becomes available I will certainly be letting you know but I do believe everyone that has enjoyed my first novel will love my next one!

As things are changing in my writing so is my website.  Many of you follow the Trilogy of the Undead through this blog, but I will be suspending this one for a more rounded blog.

The new one can be reached at http://benjamincrogers.com.  Not only will this blog contain news and information about the Trilogy of the Undead, but it will also contain many of my shorter works and poetry!

Please take the time to visit and look around the new blog and I hope you find things to your enjoyment!

Origins Game Fair 2010 Blurb

ORIGINS GAME FAIR 2010

This past weekend Benjamin Rogers, author of FAITH & THE UNDEAD, and myself, publicist, attended Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio as an exhibitor for 3 days, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Friday’s arrival was a bit chaotic, but Steve Verdoliva held his promise and our badges were ready for us when we got there.  Michael Stackpool was walking by at the time and helped us with locating the table and setting up.  The Library was the area we were set up in, it had a couch and several tables on the sides, including a head table for the authors to sign at.  This is sort of when things fell apart on us.  The other authors were not staying the entire weekend.  They would pop in for a half hour and leave, bringing nothing to sell, just signing what people brought them.  Ben was the only author there the entire time, and was stuck in a corner with several empty tables.

The day dragged and bringing people into the area to meet Ben was worse than fighting off hordes of zombies.  So late in the day I decided we were moving.  We took the table and set up near the front of the library, on the edge of the aisle, right at the intersection, where instantly the contact with the crowd improved by 100%. 

Doc was most generous to send us supplies, so we had the Library of the Living Dead banners hanging in front and behind our table.  The table had business cards for Doc, Ben, and Grunge Bob Camo Pants as well as the other things promoting Ben’s book.  Overall we left the day feeling let down and treated poorly.

Saturday we decided we were going in and going to knock the crowds out, we were determined to have a better day.  Ben was selling his first book within the first half hour the doors were opened.  We stopped everyone and talked to them, it didn’t matter what they wanted to discuss, we discussed it.  Patrick showed up early in the day and was a wonderful addition to our area.  He brought business cards and a pamphlet he made up about his book because it was not in yet.  We included these in every sale we made.  He is an awesome guy and I was tickled meeting him. 

When the other authors stepped in to do their signings, they were watching us as we wooed the crowds.  It felt as if the big authors forgot what it was like to be small time and their envy became apparent when they would shout from the back of the area, “Hey!” to people passing by.  Whereas Ben, Patrick, and myself would step around the table and into the aisles talking to people, bringing them back to our table and having full on discussions about fast and slow zombies, military, and other topics related to the book.

I finally got to meet Andy who is the man in charge of Con on the Cob  in Hudson, Ohio in October.  I cannot say enough about Andy and his team.  They are wonderful people, we spent much time together over the weekend and Ben is signed up to be at their convention.  Between Andy and Curtis, there wasn’t anytime that went by were we were not joking around and having fun.  They made this convention really turn around for us. 

I also was put in touch with another author who had a vending area, Nick Valentino, who wrote the steam punk novel Thomas Riley.  He was wonderful to talk to and is working with me to set up other conventions as well.  We also had individual book stores and other people come up and want to set Ben up for signings, which is all in the works as you read this.

I arranged for Ben to do a reading that afternoon for one hour.  The three of us left the table and went upstairs, the worst fear happened, no one was there despite all the interest we had that morning.  We set up the video camera and the table for him to read and stood outside the door anyway.  We had one person show up and Ben put on his game face and did the reading.  In the middle of the hour, two others came in and joined us.  It was a great experience and they all bought his book in the end. 

We made friends with the two tables nearest us who were selling zombie games, Uber Goober Games and Battle Bunker Games.  The people were wonderful and we dubbed our area Zombie Corner.  We exchanged materials and assisted each other out by promoting Zombie Corner, which helped all three of our booths immensely.  I also found out about the media room, which was a new program for the convention.  I set up a time slot for Ben to be interviewed Sunday morning between two major media events. 

 

Sunday we were prepared for the typical final day of a convention which is normally very slow.  Ben and I barely got time to take restroom breaks we were so busy.  During his time in the media room, he sold a book to Erica, the lady in charge of the media program even.  People we had talked to all weekend came back and bought his books and took more cards.  We were swarmed and loving every minute of it.  It was his biggest sale day yet.  I confirmed the solid connections we made. We went home having sold 20 books and made many new networking connections.  It was a success!!! 

Thank you to all those that supported us through this time, we cannot say that enough.  Every fan, every connection, every friend, thank you very much.  We could not have done this without each and every one of you.

Technorati Tags: convention,books,signing,fans

Book Signing This Weekend!!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to remind you that I’ll be signing copies of FAITH & THE UNDEAD at Origins Game Fair at the Columbus, OH Convention Center this weekend!

I will be there 10-6 (Friday and Saturday) and 10-4 on Sunday!

If you get a chance stop on by! Meet up and coming authors like myself and Patrick D’Orazio!

Copies of the book will be available if you don’t already have yours!

See you there,

Ben

The first comments after a reading!

Thanks to the individual (you know who you are) that left these comments on Facebook for me!

I finished the book this morning and the long wait was well worth it. As I read the book, it was so easy to imagine the whole thiing coming to life in my head. The little teases throughout the book were wonderfu! My only disappointment…I have finished the book and have to wait for the next one to come out. BRAVO Ben and get that second book done!!!!

I’ll tell you that the second book is in the works. I’ve started and am making some progress. I’m learning a lesson on balancing between marketing FAITH & THE UNDEAD and working on the new novel entitled CRUSADES & THE UNDEAD!

Thanks,

Ben

FAITH & THE UNDEAD Now on Amazon

I’m pleased to announce that FAITH & THE UNDEAD is now for sale on Amazon.com!  You can click on the blue button to the right to order a copy of the book!

I truly hope you enjoy it and will leave an honest review on Amazon once you’ve finished reading it.

Other News:

I’d also like to announce that I will be doing some signings in the near future.  We have two confirmed at this point and they are:

Origins Game Fair –  June 25,26 & 27 (Columbus, OH)

Horror Realm – Sept. 16, 17, & 18 (Pittsburgh, PA)

My dear friend Beth is working on setting me up in some local bookstores and we are also looking into some other conventions in PA, WV, OH, and IN!

I just want to take a moment to thank all my friends and family for their support during the creation of this book!

Thank you all,

Ben

The time has come…

That’s right folks, eight months of hard work finally came to fruition yesterday while I was visiting MARCon here in Columbus.  Dr. Pus, my publisher, and I had a quick phone call and decided to release FAITH & UNDEAD for sale! 

For now the book is only available through Createspace, but will be available through Amazon in about a week and your local brick & mortar bookstores!

Click HERE to purchase FAITH & THE UNDEAD.  If you enjoy the story make sure to join the fan club by clicking on the button to the right!

 

disgust…

I won’t even capitalize the title.  This morning after reading this article.  Ignorance is perverted and disgusting.  Just because her family is from Lebanon does not mean they are linked to terrorists.

Way to go people.  Way to prove just how understanding and kind the American people are.  Between racists and the government who the hell needs enemies.

Rima Fakih’s belief in spirituality is what would make her perfect for The Home.

“”We are Muslim,” she said. “However, we appreciate and admire all faiths.””

This is what it means. folks.  Appreciate and admire.  Stop the ignorance.  Understand there are differences and that’s what makes it all special.

Have a good weekend!

Trilogy of the Undead Fan Club

You will have noticed a couple of new shinny buttons in the side bar of the site and are probably wondering what these are, a while back Ben announced he would be creating an exclusive Trilogy of the Undead Fan Club for those of you interested to join.

Why I hear you ask in these times of such frugalness with our money would we want to be separated from $7 of our hard earned cash, well my friend I can give you an answer.

Faith and the Undead is the first in an initial trilogy that follows the adventures of Frank Payens in a world that is being overrun by the undead, but this is no normal Zombie novel but a tome that delves into the very meaning of faith, it follows that eternal battle between good and evil; right and wrong.

Good, I hear you exclaim but why join the fan club?

I am one of the few who have had the pleasure of reading the advance copies of this story and I know you are in for a treat, you will join Frank in a whole new world, even a universe.

As with all worlds and universes there are always more stories to be told and the fan club will enable you to experience some of those stories much earlier than non-members, you will also have exclusive access, via a password, to the Trilogy of the Undead Fan Club area of the website that will hold special downloads, short stories, newsletter and even contests.

But wait it doesn’t end there.

As you read through the first book you will find yourself drawn to the members of THE HOME a modern day group of crusaders against the Zombie Hoard as they fight on your behalf against evil, but now you will be able to do your bit, your membership to the Trilogy of the Undead Fan Club also entitles you to your very own membership certificate (delivered digitally for you to print and frame), to carry your HOME ID Card and wear your very own HOME arm patch (card and patch delivered to your door via snail mail)

As a member of Trilogy of the Undead Fan Club you will get discounts on future patches (there is the plan to produce a new one for each book) and the all important sneak peeks at future novels.

So rather than ask why should I join you should be asking HOW do I join.

Just click on the button and you will be taken to a secure PayPal page where you can fill in your details (be careful with your name as this is what will appear on your certificate) and your Trilogy of the Undead Fan Club packet will be winging its way to you.   Inside that package will be some important instructions on how to obtain your password to the fan club portion of the website, so make sure you peruse the contents thoroughly!

I have always said ‘the best way to predict the future is to create it’ and that is what Ben has done here and by being a member of Undead Trilogy Fan Club you can be a part of it.

The long awaited book trailer!

Here it is folks!  The book trailer for FAITH & THE UNDEAD, which is now in the hands of the printers!  We should be receiving a printers proof this week and then (with fingers crossed) we can tell them to go to press!

Many thanks to my dear friend David Naughton-Shires at theimagedesigns for all his design help, artwork, and suggestions through this amazing process.  We abused email and skype to make sure that we pulled off this whole process.  I know on my part I’m truly proud of what we have accomplished.

Please enjoy the trailer and I hope you enjoy the book when it comes out!

 

The future, the fanclub, & and a title

So I’m at lunch right now and decided I should bring everybody up to date on this big news I’ve been talking about.  I’m going to break it down into three sections for everyone:

1) The future – I received word yesterday from Library of the Living Dead Press that they want the other two books in the Undead Trilogy.  Uh yeah, guess I’d better start writing!  I can honestly say I’m as giddy as a teenage schoolgirl that just got asked to prom!

2) The present – I will have further scoop by the end of this week about the fan club!  Trust me, it is worth it!  Now if the FedEx guy would just show up.  Also I will be posting a new background for FAITH & THE UNDEAD when this post is completed!  Make sure you check it out HERE!

3) The future part deux – I would like to officially announce the title of the second book in the Undead Trilogy.  CRUSADES & THE UNDEAD!

I hope this update covers everything.  If not I’ll have to post another!

Thanks,

Ben