San Diego Comic-Con buzzes with amazing cosplays, exciting announcements, packed halls and a special energy. Yet when I think about my favorite Comic-Con memories, I return to the conversations.
I love that first moment when someone approaches our booth and discovers the Seven Galaxies Chronicles for the first time. I get to introduce them to this vast Science-Fiction & Fantasy universe, explain how the different stories connect, and tell them about the creator behind it all. Hint: that’s me.
These introductions rarely remain formal for long. Before we know it, we’ve found a shared love of Science Fiction, Fantasy, books, movies, comics, animation, or unforgettable characters. Someone mentions a favorite story. I share one of mine. We compare worlds, laugh about the characters who refuse to follow their author’s plans, or discuss why certain stories stay with us long after we finish them.
That moment of connection is everything to me.
Some visitors come with a few questions and find themselves exploring a universe full of rich world building, quirky characters, and engaging stories. They want to know where to start,which characters they’ll meet, and where the journey will take them next. I love watching their curiosity grow as one question leads to another.
Then there are the readers who return the next day. And the day after that.
They come back with new questions about the books, the characters, the writing process, or my journey as the author and creator of these stories in the Seven Galaxies Chronicles. Sometimes they’ve already started reading the books or comics and they want to talk about what they discovered. Other times they bring friends or family members to introduce them to the stories and universe. These ongoing conversations become their own Comic-Con experiences, unfolding across several days.
I absolutely love seeing returning fans each year. Some have supported my work since the early days, when we had a small table. We reminisce about how much has changed. How the stories expanded. How the universe has grown from books to comics to animation. Just as they watched the Seven Galaxies Chronicles grow, I’ve had the privilege of watching their lives and families grow as well.
Over the years, I’ve enjoyed many precious, thoughtful, unexpected, and hilarious exchanges. Choosing just one favorite feels impossible. Some conversations last only a few minutes. Others continue throughout the entire convention. All of them remind me why I love sharing these stories.
Comic-Con gives us an opportunity to step into a place where imagination feels natural. We can talk freely about faraway galaxies, ancient powers, impossible creatures, flawed heroes, dangerous villains, and the stories that made us. For a few wonderful days, our shared love of stories brings us together.
I cannot wait to return this year. To welcome new readers into the Seven Galaxies Chronicles, and reunite with those who have traveled through these worlds with me before.
Most of all, I cannot wait for the conversations!