How Comic Con Catapulted HEXED back into the Spotlight
Sometimes, making spontaneous decisions opens a treasure trove of new opportunities. MCM Comic Con 2025 was one of those moments. I applied late last year, but never thought for one second that I’d get selected. I’m just a local author from Colchester! I knew the selection process was tough. An author at the event told me he was rejected when he first applied. The second time, he was placed on a waiting list before finally being selected when a space became available. So, when I received the email from the content manager saying, ‘We’re excited to offer you a Writers Block table for our 2025 event’ I sat in shock for quite some time!
Having never attended Comic Con before, I didn’t know what to expect. Of course, I knew that people dressed up and well-known characters from comics, films and TV often appear to sign autographs on certain days. I didn’t realise there was a section for authors. Apparently, the Writers Block section is fairly new and seems to be expanding every year! It’s just wonderful how the event supports Indie authors as well as traditionally published authors, giving us the opportunity to showcase our work to a broader audience.
Rosie from The Book Guild advised me to choose an eye-catching tablecloth. I decided to go full-on with the display, opting for purples and scattering miniature keys in-between the books on the table with an aim to keep it on brand. I was proud of the display once my mum and I had finished working on it that Thursday afternoon. There we were, lost in this huge warehouse filled with hundreds of stands – some being set up, others still waiting for their holders. Tomorrow it would come alive.
I woke up around 4.45am – 5am over the following three days. All exhibitors had to arrive an hour before opening, not that any of us really did this! We ventured through our special entrance to ensure we were set up by 9/10am. All I needed to do was change into my 17th century peasant’s outfit, munch on a protein bar and wait patiently for the announcement that ‘MCM Comic Con is now open.’ The public swarmed through in waves, the majority dressed in various outfits ranging from anime, horror films, fantasy and some random outfits I couldn’t quite figure out – like a guy walking around with a baguette strapped to his back. Apparently, it’s from a video game – I never did find out which!
Over the three days, I met so many interesting people who stopped at my table. I was technically a salesperson, encouraging the public to purchase my book. However, when you love your product as much as an author does – all you’re doing is describing your book, you’re talking about your passion. And when the customer replies with, “Wow, that sounds really good!” or “I love the sound of it already!” you’ve sold your story to a new fan. So many people commented on the cover for Hexed, with one telling me that it drew her to my table straight away. Many of the authors in my section had to shout. We were located right beside Centre Stage featuring loud shows involving live music and plenty of audience participation! Probably explains why my voice sounds slightly croaky today! I sold nearly 50 out of the 100 books I brought with me, and I couldn’t be prouder. I realised it wasn’t just about the sales. It was about launching Hexed back into the spotlight again. Hundreds of people who paused at my table either bought a copy, snapped a photo to look Hexed up later, or filmed a video for their TikTok accounts. Since then, I have gained new followers and connected with some of the authors I met during the event.
My experience of MCM Comic Con 2025 was just incredible and I hope to get involved with next year’s event in 2026! Until then, I’ll be recovering my voice and working on my new novel!
