Awesome Con 2025: A Photo Blog

4/11/2025

When I got the email letting me know I'd been accepted as an exhibitor at Awesome Con 2025, I almost couldn't believe it. I had applied with zero hope of actually being chosen. As an indie author with a minuscule following, this was an absolute dream come true. It was an incredible, wonderful, and exhausting experience -- and I'm really hoping I get invited back next year!

My initial setup - Day One.

I got to the Convention Center super early on Friday. I probably should have had more chill, but this was my first time at Awesome Con and I didn't know what to expect. It was a loooong day.

My wonderful husband (and assistant) was able to come on Saturday and grab a pic of me at my booth. Yep, I know I look super dorky, but I got a lot of compliments on my table setup and color coordination.

Meeting Fellow Indie Authors!

Kait Disney-Leugers and her assistant. Her table was to my right. She's author of the Magic, Love, and Mischief series and also has a DnD romance out, which was quite popular amongst con-goers!

T.L. Price is author of the Exiled Elementals Series. She also has a new dragon series - The Celestial Dragon Riders - out. We sort of crossed paths at Imaginarium 2024, but she had the booth to my left at Awesome Con and I got to know her much better. She's also from the DMV and some of her books take place in DC, like mine!

Ryan G. Beaty's table was catty corner behind me. He and his wife were super friendly! He writes and releases entire series instead of putting out single books at a time, which I think is pretty impressive.

I have met Kim Alexander several times IRL now and she's always warm and pleasant and wonderful. She won't remember this, but she was the one who initially encouraged me to apply to Imaginarium 2024, so if you ever see me at a con, it's sorta cause of her.

Megan Mackie has done a lot of cons (she even wrote a book about it) - and I am so grateful to have met her. She had tons of fantastic advice for me and was also super rad to talk to.

Andrea Rose Washington had the booth across from me and gave me life at the end of Day One when she started dancing. (I was about ready to fall over from exhaustion and had no idea how I was going to make it through the next two days.) She writes science fiction and fantasy told from the POV of a Black woman - and one of her novels takes place in DC, too!

Altas Creed had the booth across and catty corner to me. He and I had sorta kinda met on Bluesky, but it was fantastic to get to know him IRL and I hope we cross paths again!