Slight deviations to my ‘CLOSED’ status

If you follow my site or social media, you’ve likely noticed that I occasionally take small steps away from my “nothing work-related” vow.

Conventions: I attended a couple of shows last year, sticking to those relatively close and within the same time zone. This hasn’t yet led to long-distance or frequent travel—but baby steps. :-)

Signatures: On rare occasions, I’ve agreed to sign items here in Manila. A few companies and facilitators have arranged this by following these steps:

• Use a FedEx shipping method that includes pre-paid return shipping.

• Provide three pre-printed return labels and three pre-filled commercial invoices (for customs), unfolded in a flat envelope inside the securely packed box before sealing.

• Once the package arrives, I unpack, sign, and repack using the same box and packing materials (to maintain consistent weight), then schedule a FedEx pickup—no need to leave my condo.

Note that I’m unable to accommodate one-book-at-a-time requests. If you’re interested in pursuing this, email me with details. For graded books, let me know if you’re a facilitator, working with one, or would like to inquire about using a facilitator here in the Philippines.

What’s Still Closed: My CLOSED status still applies to covers, interiors, commissions, long-distance convention travel, podcasts, interviews (print or virtual), virtual events, and no, I don’t have any original art pages tucked away. ;-)

— Mike (updated January 2025)