It’s been a while since I could write a post for “In My Mailbox”, the internet meme to showcase what new books you picked up! With over 250 books on my floor needing reading, you can imagine why I don’t get new books weekly! The meme is the baby of The Story Siren and a lot of fun!

On to this edition of “In My Mailbox”!

You know I love my small press and local authors and that I’ve got limited space. It’s gotten to the point where I only purchase dead-tree books where I absolutely love the story and want to own the collection or if I personally know the author and can thus get autographs of their awesome books to add to my collection.

It’s all about the collection, really.

Marscon is a fun literary based sci-fi and fantasy convention based in Williamsburg, VA. Their claim to fame is that the convention is more a weekend long party than anything else, and these people really make their party theme come to life. (This year was all about the 2012 end of the world!)

Marscon is also the first convention I attend for the convention season. One day I’d like to go to more conventions, but right now we primarily attend three. It’s just expensive.  Fun, but expensive.

I arrived at the convention with an agenda. That agenda: Find Peter Prellwitz. Give him a hug. Demand my copy of Twisted Tails VI. Get said book autographed.

After that, spend the rest of my Christmas money.

Let me tell you, The Leather Lair really called my name. Sadly, I did not get that much Christmas money.

Instead I bought another book, among other things. Let me tell you about this book. I saw it from across the room, sitting in front of the author. The cover art spoke to me. Called to me. I drifted over, picked it up, and knew I must have it. Unfortunately a previously planned engagement beckoned me away from the pretty, so I told the author I’d be back.

Yes, in my best Terminator voice. Come on, what do you take me for?

I actually really like this author a lot and own just about all his works. He said it was a thriller and I asked if it was like really scary or if it was the good brainy kind. Only my own brain might have friend and garbled my words. He made it sound like it was the good brainy kind.

All I know is the art looked amazing and made me wonder about the story and the back flap promised good stuff.

I was happy to note that the cover art came courtesy of the absolutely amazing Christina Yoder.  Seriously. She is magic.

So here’s my two literary scores for the weekend:

So what is “Twisted Tails VI”? It’s the sixth anthology under the name “Twisted Tails”, but this one is a little different. This one is all about “The Alien Connection”. There’s twelve short stories but really, it’s all about this one:

Note: I garbled the text so you can’t read it. Neener. Buy the book.

And why that short story? Well if you don’t know by now, then you aren’t following my links and shame on you. Pete used my name for a character. And the story is pretty awesome. Let’s just say… oh yeah. She’s me.

This is my blog. And my blog is all about me. Of course I’m going to feature something like that!

“Coven” comes to you by the great mind of Tony Ruggiero. Everything I’ve ever read of his has hooked me and made my brain think. I doubt this book will be anything short of the same very fulfilling read. There are just some authors you know you can trust. He says it’s “different”, but I know I can trust him to not let me down!

While there, I also scored two “crack chapters” of Leona Wisoker’s “Secrets of the Sands”. I’m offering them up. Check out how cool looking they are:

Here’s what I have to say about Leona: I met her at Marscon when she was giving massages for charity. Now she’s selling her books. The first paragraph of this crack chapter will be your doom. You can HEAR the background noise, she brings the world to life so well. The first chapter’s free, try to avoid the addiction.

–Lady O