I am pleased to announce that I am attending WorldCon this year for the first time in Chicago. This, for me, is mostly vacation, an excuse to hang out with new (and old) friends, and a way to drown myself in awesome stories. Thankfully, Kodama (my netbook) is extraordinarily portable and has a long battery life so I can still write on the road.

This year, I’m two panels and I also have a reading. In addition to these events, I will be spending some time as a booth volunteer for my friend Jason Sizemore from Apex Publications on Friday from Noon to 4 p.m.

Steve Jackson (from Steve Jackson Games) will also be at the convention along with a host of other people from the gaming industry including Matt Forbeck and Kenneth Hite. I’m looking forward to hanging out with some friendly faces.

Should be a great time for all!

Panels and Readings

Saturday, September 1st

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Grand Suite 3, Conquering Writer

Has your story fizzled out or hit a wall before completion? There are common reasons for this, and common solutions which work for most writers. Pros discuss their tips and tricks for getting a story back on track.

Eldon Thompson (Moderator), Gene Wolfe, Monica Valentinelli, Russell Davis, Tom King


Sunday, September 2nd

11:00 – 11:30 a.m., Dusable, Reading

I’ll be reading excerpts from “Tomorrow’s Precious Lambs” and “Tailfeather,” which were stories published through Apex Publications. I am strongly considering the addition of chocolate or some other confection, because really… what reading shouldn’t have some sugar?!?!

1:30 – 3:00 p.m., Grand Suite 3, The Ethics of Book Reviewing

Discussion on what are the ethics of book reviewing? What biases or conflicts of interests need to be divulged? What kinds of statements are not appropriate? Is it OK to review a book by a personal friend (or an enemy)?

Michael J. Lowrey (Moderator), Jo Walton, Michael Levy, Monica Valentinelli, Roland Green