It's time once again for my favorite science fiction convention of the year, Armadillocon, taking place in Austin this weekend. Once again, it's at the Austin Southpark Hotel, which used to be the Omni Southpark and Wyndham Southpark before that. It's always a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new and interesting folks. The convention's lousy with writers and one of the best things about the weekend is that everyone is so accessible--opportunities to just hang out and chat with the guests of honor, fans, other writers, artists, vendors etc. abound. I know the huge mega-conventions have become all the rage and squeezed out these smaller, regional events, but I'd rather spend my pennies in the dealers' room on new books than a fleeting encounter with Sigourney Weaver for an impersonal autograph. But that's just me.
If you're going to be there, drop by and introduce yourself. Here is my schedule for the weekend:
Friday, August 58 p.m. Ballroom E
Crowdfunding or Crowded Out?
Panelists: D.L. Young (moderator), Dantzel Cherry, Rhonda Eudaly, Jayme Lynn Blaschke
Brandon Sanderson recently shattered Kickstarter's record for raised capital for book publishing. Is this the start of something big, or does it herald the beginning of the end? Saturday, August 6
1 p.m. Ballroom E
Texas Weird: What Is It, and Why You Should Seek It Out
Panelists: Jayme Lynn Blaschke (moderator), Mark Finn, Tex Thompson, Rick Klaw, Derek Austin Johnson
Texas is its own place, and its SFF literature has its own unique flavor. We bring together a few experts and novices to talk about what it is and what you should be reading. 8 p.m. Southpark A
Religion and Nationalism in SFF
Panelists: Elizabeth Cobbe (moderator), Jon Black, Melanie Fletcher, Ehi Okosun, Jayme Lynn Blaschke In a world where we're seeing the rise of extremist nationalism, and the continual blur of church vs state, how has SFF addressed this issue in the past, and how can it address it now? Sunday, August 7
10 a.m. Ballroom D
Willie Siros: In Memoriam
Panelists: Scott A. Cupp (moderator), Patrice Sarath, Rick Klaw, Don Webb, Jayme Lynn Blaschke, John K Gibbons
The man, the books, the conventions, the legacy... 12 p.m. Ballroom D
Power Dynamics in Built Worlds
Panelists: S.G. Wilson (moderator), Eugene Fischer, Wayne Basta, Ehi Okosun, Jayme Lynn Blaschke
Who wields the power in our fictional worlds? Where does that power come from and how does it play out in plot and character arcs? What choices can creators make in their depiction of power to best show how their worlds work?
Chicken Ranch Central
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