Penguicon Happenings

Here are a few photos from Penguicon. The crowds are gathering in the dealers' hall, and the gaming room. Next will come a few panel photos.

A few Photos from the Pallid Light Release Party

I'd like to thank everyone who attended the Pallid Light release party. While the book will probably not appear in stores until Feb., those who attended the party did get advanced copies. There are too many people to thank, but every one of them needs to be thanks. For the moment, the best I can do is general show of gratitude, with a special thanks to the zombie waitresses who were dead on their feet by the end of the day.

Now here are a few photos:

Strrange Happenings

Another update from ConFusion - where we miss Steve.

Things are getting busy. The crowd is growing, and the undead are walking the earth.






















First a group of Zombie Waitresses appear at ConFusion - seeming rather hungry. A handful of party flyers appeased them and they scattered to the four corners of the hotel.

Next, a young lad (Bill) dressed in convention ribbons appears. He has quite a collection.



















For those attending the convention, and wanting ribbons, I do have a few specialty ribbons. So catch me and get them while they are still around. As for the zombies, approach at your own risk. I understand they are trapping people in elevators, yelling: "Dinner Time!" when the doors close. I use the stairs.

Funapocalypse!

If you're near Troy, MI this Saturday, join in the fun at the Pallid Light release party!

Food!
Free books and magazines!
More fun!
Contests and Prizes!

---

Well, the poster below describes everything at the party. Most importantly, there will be zombie waitresses (special thanks to Vicki, Arica, Jackie, and Deborah).

I'll also be on a few panels (listed below):

Saturday 9:00 AM Rate Fail: Does it Matter How Much Writers Get Paid for Short Fiction?

A new market offers genre writers one-fifth of a cent per word, but considers it okay because it's the exposure that counts. Yet this is less than the pulps paid eighty years ago, even unadjusted for inflation. Minimum SFWA pro rates are 5 cents a word, and even that isn't a lot of money. Exposure versus payment? For The Luv versus Business? Does money equal quality? Authors discuss differing views on these questions.

Saturday 10:00 PM

Writers Contests for New Writers

Having deadlines is a great way for the new writer to be motivated to get short stories completed and sent out.

Release Party at ConFusion for Pallid Light: The Waking Dead

I'm quite delighted to announce I'll be both attending ConFusion convention this year, and at a release party for Pallid Light: The Waking Dead.

If you enjoy fiction, regardless of the genre, you should give Confusion a chance (follow this link). There are plenty of panels, events, parties, and guests to keep a person entertained for the weekend.

As for the Pallid Light release party, it takes place on Saturday, at 3:00 PM, (Jan. 23, 2010) in Troy, Michigan. There will be free drinks and food. I understand there will be some "zombie girls" roaming about. There will also be free books, and other giveaways.

Also, a few authors from several anthologies I've edited will be present (don't have a final list of names yet), so it is a good opportunity to grab their autographs, or chat with them. Of course, everyone is welcome to attend - including all authors.

Adding to the entertainment will be several readings, along with music and general fun.

If you get a chance to drop by, please do. Also, I'll be attending a few panels over the weekend, and doing a few signings.If you're there, please drop by and say "Hello!" (or another greeting of your choice).

Zombies Can't Read

As promised, a few more (near) real time updates from the ConClave convention. I did a wonderful panel on Dark Fiction -which connected nicely to The Anthology of Dark Wisdom: The Best of Dark Fiction anthology I recently edited (www.williamjoneswriter.com/?p=217).

The anthology will appear in bookstores in the next few weeks. Although there are some advanced copies here at the convention. I believe the first batch sold out today.

Later in the evening I had a reading with the writer Stewart Sternberg. Both of read sections from our "zombie" novels (in my case, Pallid Light), as the reading was titled "Zombies Can't Read, but We Can."

The audience was delightful. There was a bit of overflowing music from next door - Wild Cherry's "Funky Music," and Cheap Trick's "Surrender." Attempting to read over the blaring music and karaoke was quite a challenge, but I believe it went well. Naturally I was in a hurry to get here, so I left my hard copy of the novel at hone. This left me reading from a Netbook screen - from an older version of the anthology.

Again my thanks goes to the audience who were spirited, and enjoyed zombie fiction, which made the entire thing worth the effort. Below is a photo of the audience (unable to get everyone into the photo -the room was too wide), and below that is a zombie I encountered in the hallway.

Things to do on the Weekend

If you're a writer, then writing is a good thing to do on the weekend. :) The next best thing to do is visit ConClave and join in on the literary panels.

Starting Friday, Oct. 8th, I'll be at the convention. If you get a chance, drop by and say hello.

I'll be on a number of panels and attending several this weekend. It is my hope to post some updates, photos, and maybe more from the convention - for those who can't attend.

Starting Friday, 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm, I'll be on the Writing 101 panel Darwin Garrison, Merrie Haskell, Charles P. Zaglanis, Stewart Sternberg, M. Keaton.

My guess is this will be a great panel for new and experienced authors. A wide variety topics will be covered, and of course the more voices in the audience with additional knowledge makes the panel all the better.

On later that night, at 6:30-8:00, I'll be on the Zombiegeddon panel - an exploration of why the undead keep coming back in fiction. And a bit of fun with the apocalyptic/zombie genre of fiction.

I'll be joining Daniel J. Hogan, Charles P. Zaglanis, Stewart Sternberg.

Even if you're not a fan of this sub-genre, this panel is worth attending. I did a similar panel last year and it was a blast...riot...killer....

What I'd like to do is list all of the panels I'm on, but after looking at the list, it is around 14, and maybe 15 if you count one double booking. :) That would be too long of a list to go through. And, as there are many other important and fun panels, I'll point to the program book: PROGRAM BOOK

What I will try to do is attempt to take Twitter questions and comments, and post a bit of the panels (maybe some audio with permission) on Facebook and my blog.

Lastly, but equally as important, I'll have advance copies of The Anthology of Dark Wisdom: Best of Dark Fiction with me, and they will be available for sale at the con. A list of authors can be fond on this blog (here).

Hope to see a few of you there!

ConClave 34 Convention

As October 9th quickly approaches, I thought it best to mention the upcoming Conclave convention. I will be attending the convention, both for entertainment and as a panelist. Although the final panel list has not yet been released, I do know that there will be a number of enjoyable ones - for writers and fans of SF/Fantasy.

So why go to a convention? If you're a fan of genre fiction, it is a great place to meet people and discuss your favorite topics. You can also attend panels and join in on the discussions. Also, there is always something going on and something to do. Overall they can be great fun.

Now, if you're a writer, conventions are handy for meeting other writers, or editors. Usually there are a few panels dedicated to writing and publishing. Sit in on these and get information the easy way: by asking questions or jotting down notes.

This year at Conclave there will be the Writers Workshop - a three day workshop where a number of moderators, including me, comment upon submitted works. This is a great chance to meet with writers and editors one-on-one and ask a few questions.

There will also be panels covering the basics of freelance writing. Everything from manuscript formatting, to query letters, to submitting, finding markets, promoting, etc. will be discussed. Because the panels will be longer this year, much more can be covered.

Of course, there will be panels for experienced writers dealing with a variety of topics. I'll stop describing the panels and wait for this list appear on the website: ConClave 34

At the very least, drop by for a day and say hello to a few people. Hear some "inside buzz" and have a great time!

Oh, I nearly forgot - so I'm updating this post. There may be copies of the Dark Wisdom anthologies there (at least one). And a few of the authors appearing in the anthology will also be present.

Not speaking of computers. My drive recently crashed, and I lost a number of emails. So, if you've not heard from me, please re-send your email. Most everything else was restored. This technological hindrance did slow my writing pace, but for those who've been asking, here is another word count update. (I'm not really sure what that graphic means. Is the computer sticking it's tongue out at the potato? That is a potato, isn't it? Well, if I'm correct, my computer did just that - except I'm not a tuber. Hmmm. Some might disagree).

Convention Wrap-up

It seems that I didn't have as much free time to post about ConClave 33 this weekend. I'm certain that most of the other folks attending have covered the the convention on the Internet quite well, so I'll offer my thanks to everyone - attendees and panelists.

As usual, it is always nice to meet new people, and trap people in a room, forcing them to listen to my ramblings. I attended a number of enjoyable panels - not as many as I'd like. And I was on several (even a few I didn't know about) panels, all of which were great fun for me. So, in a seemingly cryptic order, I'll thank everyone on the panels who endured me:

Jody Harrow, Anne Zanoni, M. Keaton, Wanda DeAngelo, Freon, Merrie Haskell, Dave Kecha, Jim Hines, Steve Bucheit, Ferrel "Rick" Moore, Richard Tucholka, Charles, P. Zaglanis, Stewart Sternberg, Michelle Sagara West, Tiffany Aaron, and Daniel J. Hogan.

Hopefully, I've not overlooked anyone.

Additionally, and as always, it was great to meet all the people I've previously only known over the Internet, and thanks to those people who willingly returned to speak to me after encountering me at other conventions. I do think that Steve Bucheit needs special thanks for his heroic endurance at what had to be one of the strangest "dinners" he's ever had.

I'll confuse, the hours and lack of sleep from a convention can weigh heavy over the length of a weekend. Nonetheless, ConClave 33 was a thrill - as are all conventions. Sometimes there is a price to pay the next day or two for having too much fun. :)

ConClave 33 Convention

I've been a bit busy, so I haven't posted in a while. Now I'm off to a convention. I'll try to post to update those who cannot attend.

I'll be at ConClave 33 Convention in Romulus, Michigan, this weekend (Oct. 3rd - 5th). Weekend passes are available, and so are daily passes. So if you get a chance, drop by one day or several. There are plenty of panels, events, and much October happiness to be hand.

Here is a quite glimpse of my schedule (I don't have the overall convention schedule). If you're there, drop by and say hello.

Friday
7:00 - Writers Workshop (Writers are welcome to walk in with material)

Saturday

11:00 AM - Book signing for William Jones. William Jones will be autographing fans copies of his books. And talking about his new book Voodoo Virus. (I'll also have some giveaways such are cover sheets, bookmarks, bookcards, ribbons, and quite a few other things).

4:00 PM - Writer's Workshop Critiques (This is were a number of writers and editor comment upon submitted work - walk-ins are still welcome.

6:00 PM - H.P. Lovecraft Today: How Lovecraft's ideas and fiction have become larger than Lovecraft.

9:00 PM - The New Frontiers in Space: Fringe colonies, frontier planets, civil wars, and battling space ships - is this the new face of science fiction? Or is it science fantasy?

10:00 PM - Zombies and Survival Fiction: It seems like the undead are becoming more popular with every passing decade. Discover the thrill behind zombies and apocalyptic fiction.

Sunday

11:00 AM - "What?! You don't pick your own cover art?" (Yes, authors seldom get a chance to select their cover art - okay, authors almost never get a chance. This panel discusses the process.

1:00 PM -Writer's Workshop Wrap-Up (Questions & Answers, with some discussion on how to get published.)

Questions and Answers

I've been away a few days, and remiss in my postings. Does it seem like we always have too much to do and too little time? For some reason, I keep remembering the promise of decades past, and how technology will free up our time, and advancements will make us a world of leisure. Maybe I'm just in the wrong world. :)

Jeff Edwards, a writer and reviewer who occasionally posts here, took the time to interview me for Shroud: A Journal of Dark Fiction (#3). If you haven't read Shroud in the past, give it a shot. Not just because there is an interview with me in it, but because it is a slick magazine of dark fiction and art. It has 100+ pages of fiction, interviews, reviews - and a puzzle! For those of you who know me, I have some experience in the magazine business, and if you enjoy this venue, then support it.

So how did the interview go, you might wonder? Well, Jeff asked me questions, and I answered them. He thwarted my attempt to ask him questions, and let him provide the answers. He's too clever for that.

Also, I'll be interviewed live on BlogTalkRadio's Geekerati channel this September 8th, at 7:00pm Pacific time. The show will also be available as a podcast on iTunes at a later date (in case you miss it). Christian Lindke will be quizzing me about a few things, and I do know that "Cthulhu" be on the slate, as well as Pulp Cthulhu. Christian is a BTR critic and reviewer for several other sites (visit Cinerati). As for Geekerati, it is an Internet radio show dealing with popular culture, including films, novels, comic books, television, conventions, RPGs, pretty much everything "geek." :)

And, although I just put it in my convention link, I will be attending ConClave 33, October 3rd - 5th (Romulus, Michigan). This is a weekend convention, with panels and a dealer's room. However, it is possible to attend on single days as well. Simply show up at the hotel and get a one day pass. I'll be on several panels, and once the programming is finalized, I'll post it online - hope to see you there!

There are a few other interviews in progress. Once I'm given the approval, I'll post about them. Maybe it's best I don't saturate everyone with too much news. :)

Origins Award Semi-Finalist: Frontier Cthulhu

It was announced this week that the Chaosium anthology, Frontier Cthulhu: Ancient Horrors in the New World is on the semi-finalist list for the Origins award. This is an award that spans the gaming industry and fiction publishing. Having the anthology make the semi-finals is quite an honor and a tribute to all of the authors and the artist involved. For a table of contents and some of the author's thoughts on their stories, click here.

I'm also pleased to be a part of Hobby Games: The 100 Best, edited by James Lowder. This book is on the non-fiction semi-finals list. My part in the book was an essay on the WWII miniatures rules system Flames of War.

Below is a list of all semi-finalists. This group will be reduced to 5, and from those five a winner will be selection. The award ceremony is held at the Origins convention in Columbus, Ohio - June 26th - 29th:

PUBLICATION, FICTION
Astounding Hero Tales
Hero Games
Edited by James Lowder

Dragons of the Highlord Skies
Wizards of the Coast
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Duty Calls
Games Workshop
Sandy Mitchell

Fire at Will
Roc
Blaine Lee Pardoe

Flight From the Dark
Mongoose Publishing
Joe Dever

Frontier Cthulhu
Chaosium
Edited by William Jones

The Orc King
Wizards of the Coast
R.A. Salvatore

Ravenor Rogue
Games Workshop
Dan Abnett

“The Shae Mutiny,” (from No Quarter #11)
Privateer Press
Doug Seacat

The Time Curse
Margaret Weis Productions
James M. Ward

Another Great Convention

It seems to me that Penguicon is improving with age. That is not to say it was ever a poor convention. Instead, it simply gets better with each passing year. I'll admit there were some programming woes, and confusion, but in the overall scheme, it operated smoothly, and had a fantastic range of panels.

I would like to thank everyone I participated with in my schedule. With 14 hours of panels, the names are to vast to list again - I'll just touch upon a few. So with apologies to everyone not mention, thank you to all.

There were a few panels that had outstanding attendance - sometimes standing room only. Even the 5:00 pm Friday panel on Space Opera was brimming (normally a Friday evening panel has few attendees). That one was handled by M. Keaton and myself. Space opera is a grand topic, probably too large for one hour.

The "dystopia" panel was another one that was booming. Sarah Monette, Elizabeth Bear, Daniel J. Hogan, and myself were "in control." It seems people really do like dystopian fiction (but not dystopias). This was a panel I suggested, based on an earlier blog post about utopias and dystopias.

"There will be War" was held in a ballroom, with a considerable audience. For this one we had to use microphones. The panelists were M. Keaton, Tamora Pierce, John Scalzi, Elizabeth Bear, Sarah Monette, and myself. In the end, we decided, SF military is popular and so is war - in and out of fiction.

And perhaps the most emotional of the panels was on literacy. Tempers boiled, voices roared. What it did show is that literacy is an important issue too many people - even when they attend a convention for entertainment. Another standing room only event. This time those at the front of the room were Jeff DeLuzio, Tamora Pierce, M. Keaton, and me again. The basic question was: How much of a problem is illiteracy in the U.S. and around the world.

I had the luck to share a reading with Catherynne Valente and Cherie Priest. I was quite pleased to see a number of familiar faces in the audience. If you attend enough conventions, you start to recognize people. And later I did a similar panel with Keith Baker and M. Keaton. Hopefully the audience had as much fun as the panelists.

For those who are still undecided about attending conventions, give them a second thought. If you relax, you can have quite a bit of fun.

A special mention needs to go to those who attended the fiction workshop. There were a number of talented writers, with quite skilled material. And thanks goes to Michael "FREON" Andaluz, Anne Zanoni, Daniel J. Hogan, and Wanda DeAngelo.

A Busy Weekend at Penguicon 6.0

I'm off to another convention this weekend, and I have a few more that I need to add to my "wanderings" list. This time it is Penguicon 6.0. If you've never attended this convention, but you have the chance, do so. It is quite an experience.

Over the weekend I'll be in a number of panels. Please drop by and say hello, or attend and ask questions.

Friday, 18th April:

5:00 pm: Are the Space Monkeys Back Yet?
M Keaton, William Jones

[A panel on the resurgence of space opera fiction]

6:00 pm: Writing Workshop Part 1
Wanda DeAngelo, William Jones, M Keaton, Daniel J. Hogan, Michael "FREON"Andaluz, Anne Zanoni

[A writing workshop]

8:00 pm: How We Learned to Love the Dystopia
Sarah Monette, William Jones, Daniel J. Hogan, Elizabeth Bear

[Why are dystopian settings so popular today?]

9:00 pm: A Murder of Crows
William Jones, Catherynne Valente, Cherie Priest

[Meet the authors of dark fiction; speak to them; hear them speak; play with the lights]

Saturday, 19th April:

11:00 am: Blue Collar Writin'
Keith Baker, William Jones, M Keaton

[Playing the Game: Three writers, each with a background in both playing and writing for gaming, share a stage together. They might read, they might take questions, they might just tell horror stories of working with gaming companies.]

12:00 pm: Writing Workshop Part 2
Michael "FREON" Andaluz, Anne Zanoni, Daniel J. Hogan, Wanda DeAngelo, William Jones

[A writing workshop]

3:00 pm: There's Darkness in My Genre
Sarah Monette, William Jones, Catherynne Valente, Cherie Priest

[Horror elements increasingly creep into Sci-Fi and Fantasy, especially in the urban settings. Why? Is there something basic in the nature of horror itself that translates into all genres?]

5:00 pm: There will be War
William Jones, John Scalzi, M Keaton, Elizabeth Bear, Tamora Pierce

[Warfare in science fiction and fantasy and what attracts us to it, discussed by authors who've written a lot of words, and sold a lot of books, about it.]

7:00 pm: Johnny can't Read and Nobody Thinks it's a Problem
Jeff deLuzio, William Jones, M Keaton, Tamora Pierce, Lucy Snyder

[The dangers of illiteracy, the post-literate movement, and the dropping rate of child literacy. Should we care? What can we do?]

Sunday, 20th April

11:00 am: Writing Workshop Part 3
Wanda DeAngelo, William Jones, M Keaton, Michael "FREON" Andaluz,
Anne Zanoni

[A writing workshop]

12:00 pm: Writing in a Fixed Setting
Keith Baker, William Jones, M Keaton

[From gaming novels, movie adaptations and corporate series to the reader expectations of shared mythos such as HPL's Chthulu and Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, how do you write in a fixed world and still be original?]

2:00 pm: How has the Ease of Computer Animation Changed the Monster Movie?
Jeff deLuzio, William Jones, John Scalzi, Daniel J. Hogan

[Now that the monster can be on-stage early without looking cheesy or costing a fortune, have the basic tenets of visual horror changed? Does this bring the movie closer to written horror?]

2:00 pm: Sequencing the Genome of Fiction
William Jones, Catherine Devlin, Sarah Elkins, Matt Arnold

[What if we do for fiction what the Music Genome Project did for music? MGP culminated in Pandora.com, an Internet music station with automatic DJ that customizes itself to your tastes and introduces you to music you might like. What if we identify hundreds of attributes of a reader's emotional experience and apply these tags to a large enough collection of samples? In the Internet age, what if we can do better than just filtering the generically good from the bad? After the slide show presentation we'll have a brainstorming session where software expertise meets editorial know-how.]

For those wondering about the scheduling conflicts, I hope to see if things are sorted out by the time I arrive at the convention. Obviously, I cannot be in two places at one time - or maybe there is trick I'm not aware of yet.

A Return from a Wonderful Convention

I would like to thank James Allen, and everyone involved at CodCon XIII. It was a wonderful convention, I had the opportunity to speak with quite a few dedicated gamers and readers, and I had time to enjoy myself. Other than some minor highway construction (not unusual for the Chicago area), the trip was smooth. The convention was well organized, and the entertainment never stopped. To everyone I met, spoke with, and who joined in the games, I say, thank you very much. It was grand being the Guest of Honor.

And for anyone in the area, this is certainly a convention to consider visiting next year. There is a strong group at the College of DuPage (wonderful campus), who work very hard to make sure the convention occurs every year. For fans of gaming and fiction, I don't think anything else could be asked for.

CodCon Convention

This April 11th through the 13th is CodCon, a gaming convention sponsored by the Science Fiction/Fantasy Club of DuPage College. Among the entertaining events, there will be RPGs, video games tournaments, and many other things. It is held in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, so if your in the neighborhood, visit the convention.

I am the Guest of Honor this year. For those who enjoy RPGs, I'll be debuting the soon to be released Pulp Cthulhu RPG in a two-fisted action setting that starts with a "bang" (literally). I'll also be running a 1920s Call of Cthulhu adventure modified from The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson. And, I'll be hosting a para-military setting, near apocalyptic setting in the Call of Cthulhu universe. There are many other things to do beyond that, so visit the convention, or at least take a peek at the schedule.

Also, while at the convention, I'll be handing out limited edition "Pearson" cards. There are around 200 of these postcard sized items, each bearing a full color, glossy image of the cover of April release of The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson, with secret information on the back. And while speaking of Pearson and Pulp Cthulhu, here is an image from the "chapter" titled "Haunted Horror," from the book. It was sketched by Gwabryel, one of the artists presently illustrating Pulp Cthulhu. Anyone who visits me at CodCon, and can name this creature will win a prize (name of prize intentionally not mentioned). For those wondering, Rudolph Pearson is the one on the left.

Omegacon - Sunday

I think the convention came to a much better close than it did at opening. The early problems were addressed, and for the most part handled. This was the first Omegacon, so bugs are to be expected. For those interested, I'd suggest trying it next year. It does have nearly one of everything.

I had no panels on the last day, so I managed to prowl about. I regret that my camera malfunctioned, so I can only a couple of pictures. The rest, I'll try to summarize.

First, I need to mention the group of alien musicians who marched throughout the convention halls. While they didn't actually play their instruments, they did have a CD playing. Folks who put on shows such as this are often overlooked at conventions. But they do create a pleasant mood. If the events are the plot of the convention, then those who perform and entertain are the theme.

Also, Alan Dean Foster did drop by several times, and he kindly submitted to have his picture taken. I can't imagine that anyone reading this blog hasn't read his books. But if you haven't, do try them. He is a talented writer, and a very friendly man.

Overall, the fiction related panels at Omegacon seemed to be focused on writing. I was on panels such as "Reading like an Editor," "How to Edit Yourself" (related to writing, not speaking), "Marketing Your Book," and "Blogging."

I'm not sure how I ended up on the "Blogging" panel. I suspect it is because I am always telling writers to create blogs, and that was passed through the chain of command during scheduling. Yet, it was good to be with a group of others who also say the same thing about blogs. The panel had Joy Ward, Lou Anders (moderator), J. F. Lewis, Allen Gilbreath, and me. It seems that Lou Anders, editor at Pyr, strongly urges his writers to use blogs, and he had many valid reasons why. I'd say the most compelling argument produced by the panel was that blogs help writers connect with an audience, and build an audience.

From the above titles, it is obvious there was plenty of content for writers. Such panels are common at conventions. But I would have liked panels related to enjoying fiction, or discussing it. Much can be learned from hearing an author speak about her or his work. Or hearing two readers discuss their takes on a book. This is helpful for readers and writers. In fact, if you haven't tried it, give it a shot. Discuss a book with someone and see how that person responded to the book. And make sure to get out to a local convention.

Omegacon - Saturday

Since yesterday's post was rather long, I'll keep this one brief. There were a number of great panels, and many more people arriving. I'll try to summarize some of the panels I attended in future posts.

There was one strange thing that appeared in the middle of the convention. It seems to come from some other time or place. It looks very much like a police call box, but I suspect it isn't. There are a number of film and television fans at the convention, and this just happens to represent one of them. I figured most of you have seen Stormtroopers before - plenty of those around as well

Omegacon Friday

The convention is off to a bustling start. From what I've heard, there were 1700 pre-registrations. I've not idea how many walk-ins. Of course, with any convention this size, there are complications. The programs were a bit mixed -- and altered. Some rooms were changed last minute, and a program book wasn't included in the "goody bag." However, the folks running the convention responded quickly and re-organized.

To the right and above is a image of the registration line.

As I mentioned before, the dealer room is quite vast, and it would require too many pictures to convey the size, so I won't venture down that path. Instead, here are a couple of offerings.

To the left is an image of the far side of the convention hall. And the next image is of ESP -- turns out they were there as well. And across from the ESP booth is Marietta Publishing, the house that has produced quite a few Lovecraftian titles.


The first event of the day for me was the launch party for The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson. It was a great event, and I had the opportunity to meet quite a few nice people. But, I was unable to photograph anything. What I do have is the Books-A-Million display outside the launch party. The Pearson book is missing (not released yet), but they did have a nice display with Horrors Beyond 2 and High Seas Cthulhu.

Later in the day there was an autograph session. Because of some confusion, the Author Nook (launch room) was moved into the autographing room. This wasn't included in the program, so it resulted in a bit of confusion. Still, it was a busy afternoon -- and again, no photographs.

During the day, Alan Dean Foster dropped by. He is always pleasant to talk to, and he has quite a few interesting stories. Naturally, I had to ask a question about the original Aliens script (he wrote the novelization, and spoke with James Cameron about the film -- even suggested that Cameron should try a Lovecraftian film).

Around 6:00 pm, I was on a panel titled "How to Edit Yourself." This event was aimed at authors who had a chance to ask the panel of authors and editors about "self editing." Each panel member had quite a bit advice, and all of it useful -- for the audience and also for the panelists. It is a bit difficult to summarize an hour meeting, so I'll offer some lists on self editing (this should be humorous because I'm not editing this post):

* - Try not to edit while writing. Put the work aside for a period of time, and return to it to edit.

* - Do not become attached to any part of the writing. Sometimes writers need to part with their favorite sentences or paragraphs for the sake of the work.

* - Make sure everything in the story/novel plays a part in the work -- it should move the story forward.
* - If possible, find workshops or other people to read the work and offer comments. Even if the people are not "trained" writers, they can still provide useful input. When several people mention a problem in the same point in the story, it is possible there is something at that point in the story.

* - Read the work aloud. Yes, this is a common answer about editing, but it is still valid. While reading a novel can be a lengthy process, it isn't any longer than writing it. Reading aloud often catches problems that might be overlooked when reading "in the mind."

* - Make sure you read your work. This one sounds silly, but quite often writers produce a story/novel and more or less skim it rather than reading it.

* - Pay close attention to the opening -- the opening helps to sell a story/novel. If the editor isn't interested by the opening, then it is less likely the rest of the work will be read. Remember, readers in stores might not give a work more than a few paragraphs, so a strong opening is important.

* - Don't ignore the remainder of the work. A strong opening is great, but don't stop there. Organize the work, and keep the story moving forward.

Needless to say, there were quite a few other suggestions, and many good questions, but I can't cover all of them. Anyone who wants to add to this list, please feel free. Or if you have a question, ask. Most likely, a similar question was asked during the panel, so I can probably offer a broad answer based on several others' responses.

Omegacon -- The Start

At the moment, I'm in Birmingham, Alabama for the Omegacon convention. It is certainly one of the larger SF/F/H fiction and entertainment conventions in the U.S. The dealer room runs around 5,000 square feet, and events are scheduled 24 hours a day. If you're in the area, drop by the convention - it is certain to be great fun. If you're not able to attend, I'll post over the next three days events and pictures. At the very least, take a look at the website, forums, schedule, and guests at Omegacon.

Slated for me tomorrow is an interesting number of events:

Friday: 1:30 pm is the launch party for The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson. After the event, I'll offer up more details. For the moment, know that this is an event where authors talk about their books, and answer questions about the soon to be released or just released books.

What I will say is that those who attend will get a limited edition full color promo card, and a secret discount number if the book is purchased directly from Chaosium's website.

Friday 4:30 pm is a book signing. This one is pretty easy to figure out. I'll be in a room autographing books.

Friday 6:00 pm is "How to Edit Yourself." This is more about editing your own fiction rather than editing what you say in public. It is a topic is popular with writers, as knowing how much to edit and how to go about it can be more difficult than one might think.

Although the dealer's hall isn't open, I passed through it and found quite a stack of High Seas Cthulhu and Horrors Beyond 2 on the Books-a-Million retail shelf (they are also a sponsor for the convention, and have quite a display. The photo is from a distance, and the books are on the middle rack, 2nd shelf down from the top. It isn't wise to march into a retailer's area when the place is closed. Security isn't fond of that. So the picture is a bit blurry and far away.

As for other events, Richard Hatch, the actor from Battle Star Galactic (in both the original and new version) was nearby at dinner. And I've already ran into quite a few friends and familiar faces.