Millennicon is a small convention of only a few hundred people. Thanks to an anime convention scheduled on the same weekend, I suspect there might not have even been that many people present this year. It was quiet and mellow –  two qualities I don’t usually associate with conventions – and that was actually really nice. I often say I need a vacation from my hectic life; and well, for a about 24 hours, I got one!

For some people, the mellow atmosphere and low attendance would make this convention a “basement con” and not worth their time, but that’s not the case for me. I really like smaller conventions. I get to spend more time with my friends, participate in more panels, and really get to know the other convention attendees. I get to build relationships instead of flitting from event to event, lost in a sea of other geeks, my outfits unappreciated and my shy personality overlooked.

If you want to be constantly entertained, go to a big convention like Dragon*Con. If you want to be appreciated, especially if you, like me, have a shy streak, please try a smaller con like Millennicon. And you never know, you could meet a small-time short-story writer who will someday become A Very Big Deal, and then you can say you knew him/her back in the day!

Me, Steven Saus, and Elaine Blose reading from The Crimson Pact: Volume One (out now, only $5.00!)

I just got my Millennicon Schedule!

Saturday, March 19th, I have two evening panels:

4:00 Retrofuturism (with Captain Anthony LaGrange) in Taft

8:00 The Crimson Pact: Vol. 1 Reading (with Steve Saus) in MR 1216

I’m especially excited about that second one, as it will be my first reading of an excerpt from the anthology, and my very first time reading my own published work at a convention! Happy times!

I hope I’ll see some of you there!

Last night’s reading at AlsoGoods Gallery was great fun! I had forgotten how much of an adrenaline rush it is to read your own work in front of an audience and get a positive response! My ego definitely needed the boost. I also made new friends and contacts, heard some inspiring pieces by other authors, and got to have instrumental accompaniment to my first story, a horror piece, that I think really increased the Creepy Factor. Now I’m all spoiled and I want musical accompaniment all the time!

Here’s a picture of me reading, courtesy of my friend Christina:

I like this picture because it captures the vastness of the space and also the silliness of my facial expressions. It struck me last night that, for someone who writes horror, I’m awfully goofy.

I’ve had a couple of requests from people for me to post one of the stories I read last night, “It Wants,” a story about IBM’s Watson computer and post-apocalyptic Jeopardy. Yeah. Anyway, people really seemed to enjoy it and want to show it to their friends. I’m super-flattered and I want everyone to be able to read it, but at the same time I don’t want to post it publicly because the minute I do it’s considered “published” and no publisher will want to buy it later.

Originally I decided only to email the story  to anyone who attended the reading, but I changed my mind in the end and posted the story here. Enjoy!

Looks like this coming Saturday, February 19th, I’ll be reading a fiction piece at AlsoGoods Gallery, along with Joel Weston and Meaghan Lees.

This will be my first fiction reading in nearly ten years, so please come out and be amused by my frazzled nerves. The fiction costs $3, the stuttering is free! 😀

This past weekend was Ohayocon, a convention that, while local, has become one of the major anime conventions in the Midwest. While there I managed to have a fantastic time, hang out with lots of awesome people, win a costuming award, and buy a new top hat and a couple of Dragonball Z toys for some kids who have birthdays this weekend.

Here’s me in my Steampunk Catwoman cosplay, accompanied by Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.

We had a fancy photoshoot with The Enthusiasts so there will be better pictures soonish.

I’m probably adding Millennicon to this year’s convention schedule. More on that when I have specifics later this week.