Colliding at When Words Collide

I just returned from Calgary’s premiere-quality writer’s festival: When Words Collide, this year in the Carriage House Inn August 9-11. It’s just the third year of the con and the first year I’ve participated. Organizers describe the conference as “a festival for readers, writers, artists and publishers of commercial and literary fiction, including genre, YA, children’s books, and poetry.”

I bumped into the Chairman, Randy McCharles, who shared with me that this literary

Randy McCharles, Chair of WWC

conference, originally modelled after science fiction conventions, was conceived as a festival that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Which is part of its unique charm and success. This unassuming convention provides a friendly and accessible platform for professional writers, editors, novice writers and readers wishing to engage, learn and share. The festival provided over 190 hours of programming for readers, writers and publishers of all genres including science fiction and fantasy, mystery, non-fiction, screenwriting and poetry.

I’m not surprised that When Words Collide is growing in leaps and bounds with each passing year. For two years in a row this festival was nominated for the Aurora Award, Canada’s premiere award for excellence in literature of the fantastic. 2013 special guests included Patricia Briggs, Michaal Cassutt, David B. Coe and D.B, Jackson, Barbara Fradkin, Shirlee Smith Matheson and Jamis Paulson, Penguin Canada Editor Adrienne Kerr, Robert J. Sawyer, & Publisher Brian Hades of Edge Books and so many more cool literary folk.

Programming scheduled me to participate in eight super cool panels, two workshops, a reading, autograph session, and Blue-Pencil Café. That didn’t stop me from bumping into old friends in the Peanuts Sports Pub or while loitering in the spacious lobby.

Panels that I participated in spanned a wide

and topical range of subjects and issues Germaine to writers: anything from the burgeoning field of auditory books (where I shared my experience with Iambik's audiobooks of my Splintered Universe Trilogy), to topics like “Transhumanism”, “The Alien as Metaphor”, “Making the Everyday Fantastic”, “What Women Write”, to racism, sexism and homophobia in genre fiction—expertly moderated by Peter Halasz. Being a writing coach, I also participated in an editing panel moderated by Brian Hades, publisher of Edge Books, who received a call from a mystery guest during panel deliberations. I read from my newly released Natural Selection, a collection of short stories themed on the co-evolution of humanity with Nature and technology.

My two workshops “The Hero’s Journey” and “Self Editing” were well-attended and caused a small flurry over my writing guidebook The FictionWriter, which sold out right after my first workshop at The Sentry Box and the IFWA table, who were also selling my books.

My last activity was the Blue-Pencil Café, a one-on-one feedback coaching session for writers with a WIP. I enjoyed working with new writers on their interesting and imaginative writing projects.

Nina clutching the last copy of The Fiction Writer

This writer’s festival is possibly the best writer's event I have had the pleasure to attend. It’s sophisticated but not pretentious; it’s diverse but not too chaotic (embracing the singularity of stable chaos and “strange attractors”); it’s edifying but not stuffy; it’s international but still down-home; and it’s loads of fun. If you are a serious writer wishing to hone your craft, find a great writing community, and share experiences and your passion for words, this is a very cool place to do it.

Mark your calendar for WWC 2014 and think of “colliding”.

Rick and Di and special guest

The Fourth Annual Edition of When Words Collide will be August 8-10, 2014 at The Carriage House Inn, Calgary, AB. Special guests already booked include: Brandon Sanderson, Jacqueline Guest, Diana Gabaldon, D.J. McIntosh, Mark Leslie (Kobo Canada) and others.

I’ll be there too!

www.WhenWordsCollide.org.

Nina Munteanu is an ecologist and internationally published author of novels, short stories and essays. She coaches writers and teaches writing at George Brown College and the University of Toronto. For more about Nina’s coaching & workshops visit www.ninamunteanu.me. Visit www.ninamunteanu.ca for more about her writing.

Toulouse Goes to World Fantasy Convention, Calgary—2008: Part 1--Getting There

If I’d known that scoundrel would steal ALL the limelight with his insufferable charm and plain good looks, I’d have left Toulouse (pictured here with Karl Johanson of Neo-Opsis Science Fiction Magazine) at home…no I wouldn’t have. He’s just too cute.

Toulouse accompanied me on my over twenty hour drive to and from the World Fantasy Convention, held in Calgary, Alberta, this year. Hosted by toastmaster Tad Williams, this con featured guests of honor, David Morrell, Barbara Hambly, Tom Doherty and Todd Lockwood.

The World Fantasy Convention promised great things and delivered them. And I’m not just talking about that white chocolate cranberry-date-nut dip that had me loitering at the hospitality suite. Or all those midnight parties that served savory wine with salted almonds, sharp cheese and colorful conversation with interesting people like David Hartwell, Tor editor and impeccable dresser (gotta love those ties, David!) among many others. I’m not even talking about the hot tub that sprung a leak on the 18th floor at 1 am or the entertaining panels and readings, which rocked for both writer and reader.

What made the con great for me was seeing my old friends and meeting new people, all lovers of books and storytelling. Of course, as a professional writer marketing several projects, I’d come to “network”. I’d come to visit with and negotiate ongoing projects with my publisher/editors; I’d also come to meet new publishers and editors to promote my full range of long and short works.

…After parting with my very gracious co-drivers, Michael and Susan Walsh from Vancouver (fantasy and science fiction aficionados with a flair for appreciating good fiction no matter what form), I wandered the posh hotel corridors with a drink in one hand and Toulouse in the other, looking for mischief—er—adventure.

I was rudely eyeballing someone’s nametag on his chest, when I collided with the Prince George crowd that included authors, Lynda Williams (herself responsible for some pretty nasty intergalactic wars), Nathalie Mallet (who cages princes and kisses charming cats) and publisher Virginia O’Dine of Bundoran Press (rumored to have been somehow responsible for the hot tub fiasco).

I ran into the local crowd, like Randy McCharles (Convention Chair) and Jennifer Rahn, author of The Longevity Thesis, who was equally charmed by Toulouse's guile.

As I settled down to a wonderful conversation on art and artists with Bruce Taylor (Mr. Magic Realism), Toulouse just kept charming his way through the crowd right to the book fair, where Karl and Stephanie Johanson of Neo-Opsis Science Fiction Magazine offered him their own brand of mints. Bad mistake (never give children candy before an event).

Toulouse led me to the back where Anita Hades of Edge Books gave Toulouse her usual greeting (a feline move that was a cross between Sophie Marceau and Brigitte Helm; both she and Toulouse have French blood coursing through their veins, after all—c’est vrai!). I had a chance to catch up on life with Gwen Gades, my wonderful publisher at Dragon Moon Press; then, while Marie Bilodeau—another hot-blooded French writer—snagged me for a podcast interview with Edge, Toulouse slipped away into the oblivion of the bookish crowd. The sly cat!

I should have known that Toulouse would have followed his impeccable nose and end up at the bar adjacent to a fine Guinness beer. Of course, as Serendipity would have it, that’s where I met a very interesting person! More in Part 2...

Photos (from top to bottom):

Karl Johanson (editor, Neo-Opsis Science Fiction Magazine)

David Hartwell (editor, Tor)

Lynda Williams, Nina Munteanu (authors)

Nathalie Mallet (author)

Jennifer Rahn (author)

Anita Hades (Hades Publications)

Well, you know (our famous cat)!

Nina Munteanu is an ecologist and internationally published author of novels, short stories and essays. She coaches writers and teaches writing at George Brown College and the University of Toronto. For more about Nina’s coaching & workshops visit www.ninamunteanu.me. Visit www.ninamunteanu.ca for more about her writing.

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.