Andrew Q. Gordon

I suspect most everyone who reads my blog knows I’ll be going to GRL (Gay Rom Lit) this year in Chicago as a Supporting Author. [That’s a fancy phrase for ‘relatively new author.] (Sorry, Fancy Nancy is ‘lil q’s new favorite and we say ‘that’s a fancy word for’ a lot these days as we try to expand her vocabulary)  Whew, talk about a digression, where was I? Oh yeah, GRL ’14 updates. Focus.

First, I was asked to be an “Honorary” member Team Prism’ Countdown to GRL ’14. Sounds glamorous, no? So of course I said yes. Turns out the honor really is all mine.  I get to run the anchor leg of their GRL Author Flash Fiction countdown.  So tomorrow my little story based on the picture prompt will be on the Prism Book Alliance Site.  I’ll post a link tomorrow, but here’s a link to the Prism Book Alliance site so you can check out the other pieces now if you like:

Now a couple other odds and ends:

I’ve spent the spring and summer wondered what to expect and more importantly what to bring. The dreaded “S” word—swag—has been on my mind since almost the moment I received confirmation that I snagged a Supporting Author slot.  After numerous conversations with fellow authors, people who’ve attended past GRLs as either an author or a reader (or both), I cobbled together a few things to bring. One hopes I did good.

First I had a drawstring bag made. I figured I could put the rest of the stuff I’m giving away inside the bag.  I’ve also opened it up to other authors who are not attending GRL, and a few took me up on the offer and send me things to include.

Next I had GRL ’14 M&Ms made up. I had extra made so I’ll have them at my signing table at the Supporting Author book signing on Thursday. If no one comes by, I’ll be eating a LOT of chocolate that weekend.

Then, even though M&M’s melt in your mouth and not your hand, before you pop them in your mouth, your hands need to be clean. To help with that, I’m including a hand sanitizer sprayer in the swag bag. Hopefully it will help folks not go home with the GRL crud like last year.  Sorry no picture. 🙁

I also spent some time trying to find a way to maybe get myself a bit better known.  To that end, I wrote a ‘prequel’ to the Last Grand Master that deals with Farrell’s first love, when he was seventeen. The event is mentioned in passing in the book and I thought this would be a good introduction to both the characters, the world and me as an author. The book will have a 25% off discount code in the back. The book is free and I’ll have it available at the signing table. Pick one up, get it signed and the code is in the back. It’s good on whatever price Dreamspinner is selling the book for at the time you use it. So, if DsP is having a GRL sale (And I’m told they are), this code is an additional 25% off the sale price.

Last—and this isn’t really swag—I’ll be bringing paperback copies of Ashes of Life and my newest release, A Closed Door, that I’ll have available for sale. Ashes of Life, is a free read that is available for download on my site or from the Goodreads MM Romance Group’s website.  But if you want it in Paperback, you can buy it at GRL.

The other book—A Closed Door—is a short story that was released on October 8, 2014 from Wayward Ink. I had a few paperback copies printed and will put them out for sale as well.

Okay, so now to deal with the rest of my GRL—what to wear, what to bring, and being social.  Yeah, nothing at all to worry about—right.

—AQG