Con-Version 23: Calgary's SF & F convention--2007

Today's Friday Feature is Con-Version 23. It was a blast! Held at the Radisson Hotel in Calgary August 10-12, 2007, the convention committee (volunteers from the CSFFS), chaired by the ever-competent and continually cheerful Kirstin Morrell, did an admirable job to make this convention a resounding success. Literary guest of honor was Jack McDevitt (Seeker, Omega, Odyssey, Ancient Shores) and the science guest of honor Calgary's own Rebecca Bradley, also a fantasy author (Lady Gil series), but there primarily for her expertise as an ethnoarcheologist, specializing in Egypt, and the Sudan. Features publisher was Brian Hades of Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing.

Kirstin kept me out of mischief by putting me on so many panels, I was literally running from one to the other...That's okay; I needed the exercize. And I still managed to find the Slave Auction (one winner pictured here with her prizes), Masquerade, Filking, swordfighting demo, and "Phantom of the Space Opera" show, which strangely resembled a twisted drug-induced version of several Star Trek shows in one...

Here are a few highlights of the con:

1. prior to the convention, a few of us explored Calgary and found ourselves at the Sushi Boat where I marvelled at all the little boats carrying sushi...(I don't get out much)... From left to right, Virginia O'Dine of Bundoran Press, Karl Johanson of Neo-Opsis Science Fiction Magazine, Nathalie Mallet, author of The Princes of the Cage and Dominic Maguire of Bundoran Press.

2. I met my Dragon Moon Press publisher, Gwen Gades, and EDGE Publisher Brian Hades again. After some money was exchanged, Brian promised not to sing. From left to right is Gwen Gades, Nina Munteanu, Nathalie Mallet, and Brian Hades in the back.

3. After doing a reading of "Darwin's Paradox" I rewarded those who had stayed to the bitter end by giving away an original work of art by illustrator, Teresa Young.

4. I had a great time serving on panels like this one on small press with Brian Hades and Janice of EDGE.

The best part of the con was meeting old friends again and making new ones. The Calgary community in general and the SF & F community, specifically, is a lively, warm and very welcoming one. I had the honor and pleasure of meeting for the first time great authors like Jack McDevitt, Nathalie Mallet, and Jennifer Rahn, in addition to new rising stars like Adria Laycraft (look out for her!) and first prize winner of the Robyn Herrington Memorial Short Story Contest, Calvin Jim. I also met my excellent editor, Tim Reynolds of Dragon Moon Press, for the first time. It was wonderful to visit with fellow SF Canada members like Marie Jakober, Allison Sinclair, Lynda Williams, Robert Runte, Karl Johanson and Virginia O'Dine as well as Canadian author Danita Maslan.

In the end, the sign of a good convention is sheer exhaustion...I guess Lynda beat me to it... Thanks, by the way to Jennifer Rahn and Nathalie Mallet for some of these pics...

Science Fiction & Fantasy Conventions

Today's Friday Feature is the website for Con-Version 23, Calgary's premiere science fiction and fantasy convention, run by Calgary's science fiction and fantasy society. It takes place at the Calgary Radisson Hotel on August 17-19, 2007, and yours truly will be participitating in the con by sitting on writing, publishing and science panels and possibly giving a reading of my new book, "Darwin's Paradox".

If you've never been to a science fiction & fantasy convention before, well...what can I say...First of all, you might like to check out this link to a rather amusing but candid look at a previous convention (also at Calgary) entitled: "Conversion: where geeks go to get laid." Conventions have, I suppose, a reputation to keep up...The article starts out this way:

"I went to ConVersion XIX looking for something I could understand, like what I saw in Trekkers. Somehow, I thought being able to recite most of Babylon 5 and the good Treks from memory would be sufficient to carry me through three days. It didn't. By the end of the weekend, I had only begun to understand what true science fiction and fantasy fandom was about."

Aside from the wonderful costuming, earnest role-playing and music-making in the halls and larger venues, panels often provide erudite and entertaining seminars and workshops for would-be and established writers and readers of the genre. Panels also explore current issues in science and technology. Media tie-ins with guest appearances of cast and crew of shows may also occur. Panels usually comprise of four to seven "experts" who have assembled to discuss topics ranging from "the advantages of e-book publishing" to "issues of global warming". Workshops on writing, swordplay, or costuming are also common. In short, each convention is a unique and evolving creature, as determined by its participants. Each convention provides opportunity for all who attend, with each attendee making his or her personal mark on the kind of convention it will prove to be. So, I don't really know what to expect when I attend Con Version 23 in two weeks. But I know I'll be enjoying myself. And I'll let you know how it goes.