ArmadilloCon 32 is coming up in just a few days, and so I thought I’d post a rundown of events I’ll be attending. This year is the Con’s first time at the Renaissance Hotel Austin, and they’ve got a lot of great guests lined up. If you’re in the Austin area the weekend of August 27th to the 29th, come on by.
Friday, August 27th
The ArmadilloCon Writer’s Workshop in the Hotel’s Main Room.
This is a closed event for registered students only. I’ll be on a few panels with other Workshop instructors, talking about the realities of publishing and the craft of writing. Afterwards, we’ll be breaking into groups to work on the students’ stories. Melissa Tyler and I will be coaching Team Tolkien.
Saturday, August 28th
Panel – The Limits of Research
I’ll be moderating a panel discussion on researching. Let’s face it, verisimilitude sells a story to your reader. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, your readers will know, and you can bet some reviewer on Amazon will call you on all your mistakes. So, how do you get started? And how do you integrate what you’ve researched into your stories? We’ll be going over these questions and others. Joining me on the panel are Jess Nevins, Martha Wells, Cary Osborne, Robert Jackson Bennett, and Melissa Tyler. We’ll be in the San Antonio Room from 10:00 to 11:00 am.
Panel – Writing Styles
I’ll be sitting on a panel with Steven Brust, Scott Lynch, Patrice Sarath, Nancy Kress, and Paul Benjamin, discussing the craft of writing and the mystery of the authorial voice. This ought to be a great panel, as it features some pretty amazing writers. We’ll be in the Sabine Room from 1:00 to 2:00 pm.
Group Signing
I’ll be in the Dealer’s Room from 3:00 to 4:00 pm signing copies of Dead City, Quarantined, Dead Set, and various anthologies. Joining me will be Howard Waldrop, Lawrence Person, Melanie Miller Fletcher, and Aaron Allston.
Sunday, August 29th
Panel – Worldbuilding: First Steps
We all love books with beautifully envisioned environments. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Larry Niven’s Ringworld, Piers Anthony’s Xanth series, and many others have helped to create a wonderful tradition of worldbuilding in SF and fantasy. With the help of Jayme Lynn Blaschke, Nancy Holzner, Steven Brust, and Mark Nelson I’ll be moderating a discussion on the craft of building worlds. We’ll discuss how to do it, why to do it, and who does it well. Join us in the Trinity Room from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.
Reading
I’m going to finish off the Con with a reading. This time around I’ll be reading my short story “Survivors,” from Dead Set. Join me in the Pecos Room from 2:00 to 2:30 pm.
Hope to see you there.
stina leicht
/ August 15, 2010psst. thursday night’s dinner is a closed event as well.
joemckinney
/ August 15, 2010Got it! Problem solved. And thanks…