I’m super duper excited to be a participating in the Origins Game Fair Author Library June 12-16, 2013. This will be my third year in a row, and I can’t wait to see my existing writer friends and make new ones! I’ll have a table in the Dealer Hall, so please drop by and say hello. If I’m not at my table, you can find me here:

Thursday

Noon – “Writing the Other” with Greg Wilson, Jennifer Brozek, Addie J. King

Friday

11am – “Women Writing Horror” with Jennifer Brozek, Kelly Swails, Jaym Gates

Noon – “How to Read Your Work Aloud” with Brad Beaulieu, Steven Saus, Donald J. Bingle

6:00pm – Group Reading with Maxwell Alexander Drake, Donald J. Bingle, Michael Stackpole

Saturday

10am – “Blending Genres” with Bryan Young, Janine Spendlove, Tracy Chowdery, Aaron Allston

Here’s the cover of this year’s souvenir anthology that will be available ONLY at the convention:

Only 400 copies will be printed!

Hope to see you there!

Sadly I won’t get to ramble on about being a writer much at SES this year, or lolita fashion, or how the Victorians got high, as the Great and Wise Panel Faeries didn’t choose any of my favorite panels. Instead I’ll be enlightening the masses regarding Steampunk fashion, literature, culture, etc. as the Second Lieutenant of the Airship Archon. We takes what we can gets. Looks like I’ll be in Salon A for much of the weekend, so I hope I’ll see you there!

I’ll be on the following panels:

Steampunk 320: Steampunk For Fun and Profit - Friday 5pm (Salon A)

Steampunk 101: Steampunk For Beginners - Saturday 2pm (Salon A)

Steampunk 220: Intermediate Steampunk – Sunday 10am (Salon A)

Other Airship Archon panels:

Make and Take – Friday 5pm (Salon C and D)

Charm, Swagger and Bravado: a Guide to Convention Confidence – Friday 7pm (Salon B)

From Disaster to Dashing: Dressing for Men - Saturday 12pm (Salon A)

Prominent Posteriors: The Art of the Bustle – Saturday 1pm (Salon A) My prominent posterior might make a showing at this one, wink wink!

Victorian Inebriation – Saturday 7pm (Salon A)

Prop and Costume Alchemy – Saturday 7pm (Salon C and D)

I’m really looking forward  to seeing Les Odalisques and my friends both new and old!

Millennicon is next weekend in Cincinnati, Ohio! Here’s where I’ll be:

FRIDAY

Steampunk: The Genre, 8pm, in Harrison

Writing by Committee, 10pm, in Taft

SATURDAY

Autographs, 3pm in the Hotel Lobby

Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading, 5pm, in Taft

Reading (with Steve Saus), 7pm, in MR1216

SIDEKICKS! LAUNCH PARTY!! 9pm, in room TBD

SUNDAY

Oh The Horror! 11am in Harrison

Steampunk 101, noon, in McKinley

See you there!

Ohayocon - January 18-20, Columbus, Ohio

Millennicon - March 15-17, Cincinnati, Ohio

Steampunk Empire Symposium – April 26- 28, Cincinnati, Ohio

Origins Game Fair, June 12-18, Columbus, Ohio

GenCon - August 15-18, Indianapolis, IN

Dragon*Con – August 30–Sept 2, Atlanta, GA

ConText 26 – September 27-29, Columbus, Ohio

TeslaCon 4 – Oct. 31 – Nov. 3, Madison, WI

There are two conventions I’d really like to attend, but won’t be able to unless I can find people to share rooms/rides with:

WisCon 37 – May 24-27, Madison, WI

CONvergence - July 4-7, Minneapolis, MN

So if you’re interested in riding/rooming with me for either of those please speak up!

My time is becoming very precious as I become involved in bigger and bigger writing and editing projects (YAY for projects but also boo for lack of free time). I’m also struggling to pay my ever-increasing health insurance premiums, and I need to do a better job of saving money this year in preparation for my impending joblessness. So there are very few conventions on this list that I can attend without a comped badge (mainly, writing conventions–or scifi conventions with writing tracks–that will be worth attending regardless of cost because of the networking and exposure they entail, even if I can only get on one or two panels). This means that, if I’m not offered a comped badge for some of the others, I won’t be able to attend. It’s not personal, it’s just math. The math of money and time and opportunity. :/

Ohayocon is the Midwest’s premiere anime convention. It’s a young convention, and by that I mean, the attendees are young. And they bring with them all the exuberance and enthusiasm of youth, so the convention is pretty fun. Also: an amazing dealer hall full of stuff from Japan or inspired by Japanese culture. I’ll be helping to present the following panels at Ohayocon this weekend:

Asian Ball-Joint Dolls – Friday 6:30 pm (Harrison)200

Zombies in Steampunk – Saturday 1:00 pm (Fairfeild A-B)300

Steampunk in Gaming  – Saturday 5:00 pm (Harrison)200

Steamlolita: Where Steampunk Meets Lolita – Sunday 11:30 am (Union A-B)280

I’m also planning to attend the Lolita Crush on Saturday morning, even though it’s going to be early! I’ve never been to a crush before so I’m super excite!

Other members of the Airship Archon will also be presenting the following panels on Steampunk:

Steampunk and Men’s Fashion – Friday 1:30 am  (Fairfeild A-B)300 [I'm not sure anyone will actually be awake for this one...yikes!]

How to Mod a Squirt Gun – Saturday 10:30 pm (Delaware D)150

A New Introduction to Steampunk – Saturday at Midnight (Delaware C)150

Steampunk on a Budget – Sunday 4:30 pm (Harrison)200

I hope I’ll see you there!

Please click through to read my official review over at Dr. Fantastique’s!

I really don’t have much to add. Thanks to everyone who came to my panel on Victorian drug use, especially those who laughed at my terrible jokes and came up to the front to talk to me afterward. It’s always nice to know your research and pre-panel anxiety have been appreciated. Makes it all worth it, really.

Here’s my flickr gallery if you’re looking for more photos. There’s also a TeslaCon flickr group.

I’m already looking forward to (and scheming for) next year!

Teslacon 3: A Trip to the Moon is this weekend! If you want to hang out in meatspace I’m guaranteed to be at the following panels:

SteamLolita: Where Steampunk Meets Lolita

Saturday    5:00 PM    Selanite Salon

Panelists:  Ashlyn Dempsey, Sally Ike, Sarah Hans

Description:  The ladies of the Airship Archon review the essentials of the Japanese fashion called Lolita and how it can be incorporated into your Steampunk look, complete with advice on where to shop.

High Times in the Victorian Era

Saturday    6:00 PM    Vernian Hall

Panelist:  Sarah Hans

Description:  The Victorians were not the prudish upright citizens the history books would have us believe! Explore the forbidden world of Victorian drug use, from opium to cocaine to cannabis. Alas, samples and instructions will NOT be provided. 18+ age restriction

Advanced Steampunk for Fun and Profit

Sunday    11:00 AM    Selanite Salon

Panelists:  Tony Ballard-Smoot, Sally Ike, Ashlyn Dempsey, Sarah Hans

Description:  This panel is for those who have been part of the Steampunk community for some time who are looking to turn their contacts and experience into cold, hard cash. Members of the Airship Archon and friends offer advice on how to turn your specific talents into fame and fortune.

This is my first time presenting “High Times in the Victorian Era,” and I’m really excited about it! The Airship Archon will also be presenting the following panels, which I will not be presenting, but which I guarantee will be delightful:

Victorian Inebriation

Friday    9:30 PM    Vernian Hall

Panelists: Ashlyn Dempsey, Steve Lickman

Description:  What types of alcoholic beverages were popular during the Victorian Era? Which ones are still popular today? Members of the Airship Archon will discuss the history and how-to of brewing your own beer, wine, mead, ale, and more! 18+ age restriction

From Distinguished to Disaster: Dressing men for all facets of the Steampunk lifestyle

Saturday    3:30 PM    Selanite Salon

Panelists:  Tony Ballard-Smoot, Aaron Ijams, Steve Lickman

Description:  The well-dressed gentlemen of the Airship Archon will discuss clothing and accessory options for the overlooked male gender, as well as discovering your personal style and places to look for inspiration and pieces.

Prop & Costume Alchemy: making one thing look like another

Sunday    9:00 AM    Vernian Hall

Panelists:  Tony Ballard-Smoot, Betty Lickman, Sally Ike, Ashlyn Dempsey

Description:  How to transform the look of plastic/wood/glass/fabric using spray paint. How to distress fabric & leather. Ideas on using junk to make fabulous creations! Examples and a material list will be provided.

Teslacon has long been my favorite convention, so I’m certain that this year will not disappoint. I hope to see you there!

I’m super excited about Context 25! Last year I got to talk to so many industry giants in such an intimate space and such a short amount of time that it was astounding. And this year they’re letting me do panels! Hooray! Here’s my schedule:

Friday 9pm: Doing Readings: Do’s and Don’ts – with Mike Resnick (squee!), Steven Saus (yay!), and Gordon Aubrecht

Friday 10pm: Flash Fiction Contest – Judges: me, Steven Saus, Jerry Robinette, and Gary Braunbeck

Saturday 11am: The Horror Genre, Women’s POV: with Raven Bower and Lucy Snyder

Saturday 10pm: Have Horror, Will Travel - with Christopher Shearer and Daniel Robichaud

Sunday 10am: Past, Present, or Future? – with Steven Zimmer and Bill Levy

I know a lot of you are attending Ohio Comic-Con and PandoraCon, but if you’re going to be at Context I hope you’ll enter the flash fiction contest. The details for the contest can be found here. There are categories for both amateurs and professionals, and fabulous prizes, plus you’ll get to read your work in front of Gary Braunbeck, an award-winning writer, and Steven Saus, a publisher. And now that I think about it, there’s also me, an up-and-coming editor. You never know what recognition or invitations this kind of public reading could garner you, so c’mon and enter, already!

Click here to read my official review of Chicon 7 at Doctor Fantastique’s Show of Wonders!

In case you can’t tell from the review, Chicon 7 was quite possibly the most fun I’ve ever had at a convention. It was expensive, but well worth the cost, not just in enjoyment and silly pictures with Jacqueline Carey, but also in contacts made and networking achieved. I found out that I’m a lot braver and more motivated than I ever thought when my writing career is in question. And that discovery was, frankly, priceless. If you’d like to see more pictures from this amazing, life-changing convention, click through to my flickr account.

So here’s my mostly-final-but-subject-to-change schedule for panels at Worldcon 70/Chicon 7:

Friday 1:30-3:00 pm The Steampunk Genre (Gold Coast)

Discussion of the literature/writing of the steampunk genre. What is steampunk? How did it began, and what ground has it already tread? Where is steampunk going in the future?

Panelists: Jay Lake, Michael Coorlim, Paul Genesse, S. J., Sarah Hans (OMG OMG Jay Lake is on a panel I’m moderating! Must not fangirl, must not fangirl…)

Friday 4:30-6:00 pm New Writers Session 2 (Addams)

A panel for new and debut authors to discuss their work and careers.

Panelists: Bill Housley, Jason Heller, M Todd Gallowglas, Nancy Fulda, Sarah Hans (I’ve never heard of any of these folks, and they’ve probably never heard of me, but I’m excited to meet them!)

Saturday 6:00-7:30 pm Feminism in Fantasy (Crystal C)

An examination of the role of feminism in fantasy, ranging from subverting the tropes of victimization to the rise of the kick-ass heroine.

Panelists: Joan D. Vinge, Julia Rios, Sandy Lindow, Sarah Hans, Valerie Estelle Frankel

Monday 10:30-11:00 am Steampunk and Cosplaying: Boon. Threat or Menace? (Grand Ballroom B)

Everybody’s seen the steampunk and cosplaying enthusiasts who’ve become a major part of SF conventions and fandom in general; is this new rise of organized costumers a benefit to SF fandom, or is it just a ephemeral trend that won’t amount to anything permanent?

Panelists: Elektra Hammond, Kevin Roche, Leigh Ann Hildebrand, Richard Dutcher, Sarah Hans

Why is it that Steampunk costuming panels are always on the last day of the con, in the morning, when I am LEAST inclined to get all gussied up? Someone should do something about that! Ah well, I’m grateful to be on so many panels at all. I was debating whether to wear Steampunk to the convention, because I like the idea of having a non-costuming con, but with so many Steampunk panels it looks like I’ll have to at least wear steamcasual outfits. I don’t want to go as all-out as I normally do at Steampunk conventions but…if I don’t, will I regret it? Packing enough Steampunk clothes for five days is going to be tough–I’m going to have to get really creative and rewear a lot of pieces, otherwise I’ll have too much luggage!

If you’re going to Worldcon I hope you’ll come to one of my panels and introduce yourself! Who’s going?