It's Convention TimeIt’s Convention Time

Well, here it is summer and science fiction and fantasy conventions are in full swing. I just attended ApolloCon last weekend in Houston with writer Guest of Honor (GOH) Catherine Asaro. I was on four panels ranging from the e-Book revolution, Frankenstein films of the last 100 years, the DC Comics 75th anniversary, and more. I saw people like A. Lee Martinez, Bill Crider, Lawrence Person, Katherine Eliska Kimbriel, Mel White, Rhonda Eudaly and Julia Mandalla (two of the Four Redheads of the Apocalypse), Lawrence Person, Stina Leicht, steampunker O. M. Grey who looked fabulous in her outfit, and many others.

There are several more conventions coming up on us and they feature a plethora of amazing guests. I plan to attend all the Texas conventions.

At the end of this week, July 9 – 12, there is Mythcon 41 in Dallas, which is a primarily academic convention which concentrates on various myths as well as the work of the Inklings (J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Charles Williams). This is sponsored by The Mythopoeic Society. Guest of Honor include (author) Tim Powers and (scholar) Janet Brennan Croft. Other guest will include A. Lee Martinez, Shanna Swendson, Will Clarke, Suzanne Frank, Lou Antonelli, and me

Following that is ArmadilloCon 32 in Austin. Guests this year include Rachel Caine (Author GOH), Cat Conrad (Artist GOH), Anne Sowards (Editor GOH), Elspeth Bloodgood (Fan GHO), Nancy Kress (Toastmaster), Ilona Andrews (Urban Fantasy Special Guest, and Michael Bishop (Steampunk Special Guest). One of the most fun conventions around with a heavy guest list of Texas writers and artists. I have never missed one and I don’t plan to start now.

Fencon VII is in Dallas September 17 – 19. This year’s Writer Guest is Spider Robinson and the late Jeanne Robinson . Music Guests of Honor: Jeff & Maya Bohnhoff, Fen Guests of Honor: Kevin Roche & Andrew Trembley, Artist Guest of Honor: John Picacio, Science Guest of Honor: John Randall, Toastmaster: Joe R. Lansdale, Special Guest: Jessica Wade, and Special Guest: Robert J. Sawyer. Again many writers and artists from Texas and Oklahoma and surrounding areas will be present.

Other not quite so near conventions include the North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFIC) which is held whenever the World Science Fiction Convention is not in the US. This year it will be held in Raleigh, NC. The NASFIC will be held August 5 – 8. Guests of Honor include Eric Flink (Writer), former San Antonian Brad Foster (Artist), Juanita Coulson (Fan), and Toni Weisskopf (Toastmaster). There should be many writers and editors there who decided not to trek to Australia.

The World Science Fiction Convention will be held this year September 2 – 6 in Melbourne, Australia (go to www.aussiecon4.org.au for details). Guests of Honor include Kim Stanley Robinson, Shaun Tan, and Robin Johnson. The WorldCon is always a fun way to spend your days and this year if you can make it into a nice long vacation, swing by New Zealand and see those Lord of the rings sites. Lots of writers and editors generally attend, though fewer go when it is a non-US WorldCom.

For the mystery fan, there is BoucherCon. This year it is BoucherCon by the Bay and it is in San Francisco October 14 – 17. Guests include Lee Child, Denise Mina, Laurie M. King, Eddie Muller, and Maddy Van Hertbruggen. Bouchercons are a tremendous amount of fun if you are a mystery fan with programming for virtually every style and a large number of accessible guests and editors.

The World Fantasy Convention is one of my favorite conventions with a heavy writer to fan ratio. This year’s show is in Columbus, OH October 28 – 30. This year’s Guests include Dennis McKiernan, Esther Friesner, David Hartwell, and Darrell K. Sweet.

And that does not include the comic related things like San Diego’s ComicCon (July 22 – 25) where roughly 150,000 people mingle and mix. My nephews will be there this year. I should have gone when I had the chance in the past. Not likely now that the crowd has reached these sizes. Or Dragon*Con (September 3 – 6) in Atlanta which has huge crowds also. Their guest lineup is magnificent with some big name writers, stars, and artists. Check them out.