Basement X

So, for the past 10 years, we have had a crime book festival organized here in Lyon, with some big names of the crime genre attending (Donald Westlake, Harlan Coben, Craig Johnson, Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly, Indridasson, PD James...).

For their 10th anniversary, they are having James Ellroy and alos Pelecanos, RJ Ellory and while I was browsing their website I noticed one of the guests will be no other than Warren Ellis!!!

So what I'm trying to say here is : who wants a comics signed by Warren Ellis? (assuming I can get him to sign said comics)

Festival is on 4th,5th and 6th of April.

http://www.quaisdupolar.com/en/the-fest ... t-authors/

BTW, I just finished reading Crooked Little Veins and it's great book.

Damn. I'll have to think about that. What comic, that is. Of course (but I'll gladly let the others skip ahead in line, since they've undoubtedly done more signing for you than I have).

Well, since this is not a comics event in any way, I'll take only one comic per member. Hope you'll understand that.

I may take a signed book, if I can ship one to you?

Farhan already got me sorted on the comics side.

If you can't ship it, I'll probably be able to find them here. Just let me know which one you want.

I'd actually just buy a copy of Gun Machine off Book Depository and have it shipped to you, I think.

That gives them a month to deliver it, should be doable.

Same old address?

Yep!

Done and sent good sir!

Those are some great crime fiction writers. I'm all set in the way of sigs and books but thanks for the offer. Hope you have fun at the festival and get a chance to talk to Ellis. My own experience with him was very positive.

I just realized that Lauren Beukes will be there too. She wrote the second arc of Fairest. I didn't even read it all but I'll still bring her the first issue of the arc for a sig.

I'm definitely getting my Wire DVDs signed by Pelecanos too.

I'm good for Ellis signatures thanks Arn. Thanks for asking though.

Do you go each year, by the way?

Yeah, each year. It's a great little festival.

wolf_2099 wrote:Done and sent good sir!

It's here and has been put safely out of Simon's reach.

Woohoo!

I ruled that con like a pro! I was prepared, relied on my NYCC veteran status and got all I wanted and more.

And what did you get, you may ask? Well don't bother asking, I'll tell you anyway:

Ellis had about NO line most of the time. I arrived 45 minutes before his signing, was second in line (behind a smelly old guy, the joy!!). At the booth, they told they didn't not know if he would sign due to an aching hand and also cause he was a bit of a "diva". 5 minutes before the signing started, the smelly guy told "It's busy,eh?". So I looked behind me and there were 15 people top. I wanted to laugh at smelly guy and tell him that's a tiny line for Warren Ellis but didn't do that cause I'm a polite person (also, he was big). Ellis arrived on time, signed the comics of the guy in front of me then it was my turn:
"Hello, will you sign multiple items?
-As long as you didn't bring a box
-No, just 2 books and a comic.
-Fine, give it here.
-Can you personalize them?
-As long as it is simple...
-Well, this one is for Nicolas.
- I know 2 ways of spelling Nicolas.
- O. It's N.I.C.O.L.A.S. This is for Cameron.
-Where I'm from, there are 3 different spelling for Cameron!
- (me stuttering, cause I'm taken aback) C.A.M.E.R.O.N.
And then I spelled my name for the last item, thanked him and was on my way.

Then I went in line for RJ Ellory and chatted a bit with him and got his latest signed. Moved on to the booth right next to him where Pelecanos (writer on The Wire and Treme) was signing so got one book signed.

Then went upstairs to catch a break. From upstairs, I noticed there was no line left for Warren Ellis, the guy was taking pics with his phone so I ran downstairs and got another comic signed by him (for me). From there I noticed Pelecanos has just 2 people waiting so I went back there and bought a book and got it signed for my brother.

That's when I noticed that the James Ellroy signing was winding down and the line wasn't that big so I ran there, got in the line just in the nick of time before being told I would be last. He signed "Blood's a rover" for me. Ellroy's sig is just a quick scratch on the book. I guess you do that you have to sign 100+ books in one hour. He called a "cool guy" or "good chap", can't remember, that was funny.

And by that time Lauren Beukes, who was just next to Ellroy, had arrived so I handed her Fairest #13 and she seemed really happy to sign it.

And with that done, my task was completed and I left the venue like a prince.

The score :

Gun Machine by Warren Ellis (x2, one for Cameron)
Moon Knight #1 by Warren Ellis (for a friend)
Global Frequency #7 by Warren Ellis
The Big Blowdown by George Pelecanos (x2, one for my bro)
Saints of New York by RJ Ellory
Blood's A Rover by James Ellroy
Fairest #13 by Lauren Beukes

Cameron, I will need a shipping address.

Nice haul! Sounds like the con was pretty fun, what other stuff did you do besides signatures?

And my signature is utter shite, I tried making it legible but just can't keep up with it. It's basically a "C" and then scribbles. Glad I don't have to sign stuff a lot x_x