New #CMCon23 T-Shirt (& Other Stuff) Designs!
I’ve been teasing these for about a week or so, now — so I apologize for the delay. Sometimes technology and I have… ummm… issues, lol. BUT… we made up, and we have COOL NEW MERCH!! We’re keeping the original line logo design, since it’s kinda timeless. We’re also keeping the Rainbow and Diversity designs created in the last couple of years. Adding to those, I’m excited for you all to see the 2023 Annual Logo design, our book quote design, and our Reading Challenge design. I’m also really excited about all the new merch options that Spring (formerly TeeSpring) is offering – chief among them, masks!
We know from previous years that the shirts are comfy and the drinkwear is sturdy. I hope you all can find something you love that will help you prepare for and remember our 2023 weekend together.
You can click on the individual designs above, or just go to our “storefront” and scroll through everything we have to offer. As you continue to scroll, older items will be at the top, newer ones at the bottom, and more items will populate as you move down the page. (I’ve tried to separate them for easier scrolling, but they still get a little mixed up. Their search feature isn’t the greatest.) Be sure to check out the color options, and if you don’t see a size you need in one style of shirt, try another style. I tried to choose multiple styles to cover the widest range of sizes. Please note, I do not control what sizes are offered, if the size you need isn’t listed, I can’t change/add it. Hopefully another style will have what you need. ❤
I can’t wait to see everyone in their Coastal Magic finery, carrying their CMC water bottles, writing in their notebooks, and loading books into their brand new backpacks!! Yes — I got a little happy with the new products, lol!!
Enjoy!! 🙂
ICYMI: Recap of June & July (so far) #CMCon23 Featured Author Spotlights
In case you’ve missed it, our Coastal Magic Reading Challenge group has started their 2023 “season” (their self-appointed name for the length of each year’s challenge, from June through mid February) with a bang! We’ve also had a few Featured Blogger spotlight features go live, our first newsletter go out, and our first CMCChat was a fun discussion with a few of our authors.
I’m going to try to post at the start of each month from now on, so you all don’t miss out on any of the fun. For now, many of these things are still active on Facebook or other platforms, and you can still watch/comment/interact with other readers, and even the authors!
JUNE READING CHALLENGE SCHEDULE:
FB Spotlights:
Group Read: A Scot Mess by Caroline Lee
- Sunday, July 3rd at 8pm ET, via zoom
- Must be present to participate. This will not be recorded or broadcast.
Meet & Greet: Tawdra Kandle and Mara Wells
- Thursday, June 30th at 8pm ET, via zoom
JULY READING CHALLENGE SCHEDULE:
FB Spotlights:
- Julie Morgan – Tuesday 7/05
- Karen Rose – Thursday 7/07
- Mara Wells – Tuesday 7/12
- J.D. Monroe – Saturday 7/16
- Winnie Winkle, – Tuesday 7/19
- Maz Maddox – Thursday 7/21
- Kim Law – Tuesday 7/26
- Cecilia Dominic, – Thursday 7/28
- AE Via – Saturday 7/30
Reward Chats: (not broadcast or recorded)
- Melody Johnson: Tuesday, July 12th at 7pm ET
- Renee George: Tuesday, July 19th at 7pm ET
- Kiernan Kelly: Friday, July 22nd at 8pm ET
CMCChat: Working Hard For the Money! with David R Slayton, Deborah Blake, and Winnie Winkle, Author
- Watch in Coastal Magic Convention: Authors & Attendees or Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDYY-4bpg3o
- Thursday, July 14th at 8pm ET
Group Read: Love Bites by Cynthia St. Aubin
- Sunday, July 31st at 8pm ET, open to all via zoom
- Must be present to participate. This will not be recorded or broadcast.
Meet & Greet: Lucienne Diver and Karen Rose
- Friday, July 29th at 8pm ET, open to all via zoom
July 1, 2022 – Kait Ballenger on Book Loving Mamas
July 20, 2022 – Deborah Blake on Book Loving Mamas
July 22, 2022 – Sylvia McDaniel on Funk-N-Fiction (w/contest open through Aug 4)
Coastal Magic Merch Reminder: Rainbow & New Diversity Designs
Hello all!
Just wanted to take a quick minute to remind anyone who may be interested that Coastal Magic has merchandise for sale! Each item sends a little bit our way to use for towards things during the convention weekend. (And when I say a little bit, I do mean a little bit – but it all adds up!)
I do a couple of new designs for each year (more on that in a minute) but we have a couple of designs that I’d like to highlight specifically.
Last year I adjusted our CMCon logo to include rainbow colors, in support of Pride month and our LGBT+ community family. Those items are still available. This year I was asked to include a version with shades of color to represent diversity in recognition of Juneteenth. I hope this new addition serves as a way to show our appreciation of the incredible authors, readers, and stories that bring the richness of ethnic and cultural diversity to Coastal Magic. We are a stronger community thanks to the unique gifts we all bring to share.
The merch site we use doesn’t have a great search feature, but clicking on the graphics below should take you to the pages with the items in each collection. You can also click HERE, and scroll (patiently, pages load slowly, lol) through our entire current collection.
In July, I’ll be revealing the new designs for our 2023 Coastal Magic weekend. In recent years we’ve done three options each year — one “fancy” quote or saying, one logo design, and one for our reading challenge. The plan is to do all three for #CMCon23, as well. I’ll be sure to let everyone know when those are ready to go up, and older designs come down.
Coastal Magic Convention 2023 Featured Author Reveal & General Registration Begins!!
It’s time to start the #CMCon23 shenanigans!! “But it’s only June 1st”, you say? Correct! June 1st marks the start of our 11th annual event “season”, as it’s become known. Between now and our official event weekend, we’ll have reading challenges, online chats, games and contests, author spotlights, and all manner of bookish tomfoolery. 🙂
For right now, the most important information for you is…
1) OUR FEATURED AUTHOR LISTING IS LIVE!! I’ll be updating the page with fancy author graphics with bios and links to web pages throughout the day, but you can see the current listing on the page in text form HERE. I’ve still got a handfull of authors to add, and will do so as they finalize their own schedules and we get them settled in. Keep your eyes open for announcements about those authors in the next few weeks.
2) #CMCON23 GENERAL REGISTRATION IS OPEN!! We’re doing the two part registration again this year, just so that it will match up with all of the registrations that are transferring from last year (before we had to go virtual). I know it’s a bit of a chore to do both steps, but I really appreciate your patience one more time. Next year, when we don’t have to worry about anything transferring or matching up reports (that’s a “me” thing, lol), we’ll go back to the easy peasy, one-step process. ❤ For all the details, check our REGISTRATION page HERE. Can’t wait to see all of you!!
3) THE READING CHALLENGE HAS STARTED!! This group of readers/attendees just absolutely blows me away with their dedication to our event, and to our authors. Whether your goal is to read something by every author before the convention weekend, or just sample a few here and there… they’ll help you find your way. They’re so much fun. You can check out all the details fo the Reading Challenge on it’s own site HERE, and you can join the Reading Challenge FB group HERE. Happy Reading!!
4) THE PLAZA RESORT & SPA: I’ll be posting the link to our custom reservations page at our host hotel next week. We’ve got a discounted rate and some cool perks, so I hope you’ll be staying with us on site. I’ll be sure to make a big noise what that’s ready, so everyone can make their arrangements.
I’ll be posting this info to our social media outlets (including our Authors & Attendees Facebook group), and sending it out in a newsletter, so I apologize all of your inboxes are full of Coastal Magic info for the next day or two, lol!!
Feel free to share posts and links with your reader friends — we’d love to see you all by the beach!
#CMCon23 Save The Date!! (Hint: It’s Feb 23-26, 2023!!)
Well, we’ve managed to get through the first 10 years of bookish shenanigans… who’s up for a few more??
If you raised your hand, or said “me!”, I’ve got news for you! The 11th annual Coastal Magic Convention will be February 23-26, 2023. Mark your calendars and tag all your book buddies. After two years of virtual events, I’m so excited to be heading back to the beach next year. (Yeah, I know, that was supposed to be the gameplan THIS year… but I think we we’ve got a great chance of actually being able to DO it, this time.)
I’m sorry this announcement has been so delayed. Obviously we weren’t the only organization that had to cancel or postpone their in-person events the last couple of years. Right now, getting hotel space at a reasonable rate (event space and room rates), especially if your preferred dates are somewhat limited, is SUPER difficult. As much as the Hilton has been a fantastic home for us for many years… with so many changes, and so much competition, I just wasn’t able to reach an agreement with them. However… it’s not all sad news!!! Our new home has been one of my top choices every time I’ve looked for space for us. And they’ve just done a major facelift and refresher on the entire property, so I’m really loving the new feel of the place!
The Plaza Resort & Spa is only a few blocks north of our previous location, still right on the beach. There is dining on site, and lots of options within the immediate couple of blocks around the hotel. The event space is gorgeous, the hotel reps have been a delight, and I’m very, very excited to start making new memories in this lovely location!!
As a reminder — those of you who completed BOTH registration steps for the 2022 weekend (the form on EventBrite, and the payment through PayPal) will have their registration transferred to our 2023 event. You’re all set. Everyone received a notification of that from EventBrite back in February, but I’ll be sending a second email to confirm your intention to attend next year soon. There will be an announcement when those emails start to go out, so you’ll all know to watch for yours. 🙂
We’ll still be starting general registration for anyone who is NOT being transferred from this year on June 1st, as usual, along with opening up our group block for the hotel. We will also be doing our Featured Author Reveal — and I can’t wait to announce all the incredible authors who will be coming to hang out by the beach with us!!!
June will also be the start of this “season” of our Reading Challenge, and I’ll be sharing some of our plans for CMCChats, author spotlights, games and contests, and other fun stuff to look forward to!! Watch our Facebook Authors & Attendees group for some Q&A posts and/or live chats in early June. I’ll be around to answer as many of your questions as I can.
I hope you’re all as excited as I am to start our second decade together. 🙂
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