Once again I've let too much time pass between blog posts, and between the event I'm writing about and now. You know what? I barely have enough motivation to get out of bed some days. Each post that sees its way to publication here is a miracle!
Sunday at Ad Astra was a good time. I spoke on two panels, attended the Mental Health and Fandom panel that afternoon (not sure why I wasn't on that one, but whatever), and hung out and gave support to my friends.
I'd be remiss if I didn't also talk more about Saturday. That's even further back in my memory, but there were a few decent highlights: lunch with Sarah Water Raven and her minions; sitting at a table in the book signing room with Suzanne Church, who gave me valuable cane-related advice; attending my friend Elizabeth Hirst's Pop Seagull Publishing anthology launch, where I heard some very good stories from some very talented authors and even found a piece of cake with my name on it; being warned that describing the plot of my novel Evil might be offensive to religious people at the Inclusiveness in Fandom panel; discussing my Doctor Who epic Bane of the Doctor during the FanFiction panel. Good times.
Sunday started with a two-hour look at trailers for upcoming movies. We looked at the teaser for the new Star Wars movie, plus trailers for summer soon-to-be-blockbusters. Then we discussed our reactions to those trailers, which ones we thought might be cool(Avengers: Age of Ultron, Mad Max: Fury Road), which films we were cautiously optimistic about(Jurassic World, Terminator: Genysys), and which ones looked like they were going to suck huge, rancid monkey balls(Fantastic Four reboot, and a shitty-looking 'comedy' called Pixels starring Adam Sandler). It's a good ting we had a full two hours to work with!
My final panel as a pro panelist was another Doctor Who discussion (I'd been on one the day before focusing on 12th Doctor Peter Capaldi). This one was about show runners Stephen Moffat and Russel T. Davies and their differing styles, strengths and weaknesses. On both panels I was joined by my good friend David Clink, who provided many intelligent insights into Whodom.
Another good convention! Happy happy, joy joy.
Showing posts with label Ad Astra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ad Astra. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Ad Astra 2015 - Day Two: Personal Reflection
I'd like to quote Mark Twain, if I may: "I've lived through a lot of catastrophes in my life, some of which actually happened."
I offer that quote partly because quoting Mark Twain makes me seem infinitely smarter and wiser than I actually am. If I quoted from Plato, I might never get over myself. Mostly, though, it's relevant to my Saturday at Ad Astra. I dreaded 'going into battle' with the panelist I mentioned in my last post, whom I had to deal with in more than one panel yesterday. I thought of ways to score cheap points against this person, silly ways of dealing with them, or strategies wherein I could be the 'bigger man' and not let it bother me. Even though it totally would have bothered me.
And, like my friend and personal masseuse Mark Twain, I had nothing to worry about. We got along (not famously, but just enough), and by the end of the evening I went away with a deeper understanding of this person. I'm glad it turned out that way, but I am also grateful for this experience in general. I was genuinely scared to face this person again today - not because I was scared of them, but because I wasn't sure I could deal with it in a way that would leave me satisfied. This is a personal battle I've fought many times in the presence of difficult people, and I'd often come away feeling like a loser. "Don't let them bother you," people would say, but they'd always neglect to tell me how. When I went to do my panels yesterday evening, I was prepared to 'not be bothered'. Whatever happened, I would keep my cool and accept that I could not change this person, and scoring the cheap victories I'd imagined would only make things worse.
Did those panels go perfectly? No, not quite. I felt out of my depth in a couple of them, especially the one on romance in YA fiction. I'll write more about that later (because I have to catch a bus very soon!). However, I did come away from yesterday feeling satisfied. For me, it was a good start.
I offer that quote partly because quoting Mark Twain makes me seem infinitely smarter and wiser than I actually am. If I quoted from Plato, I might never get over myself. Mostly, though, it's relevant to my Saturday at Ad Astra. I dreaded 'going into battle' with the panelist I mentioned in my last post, whom I had to deal with in more than one panel yesterday. I thought of ways to score cheap points against this person, silly ways of dealing with them, or strategies wherein I could be the 'bigger man' and not let it bother me. Even though it totally would have bothered me.
And, like my friend and personal masseuse Mark Twain, I had nothing to worry about. We got along (not famously, but just enough), and by the end of the evening I went away with a deeper understanding of this person. I'm glad it turned out that way, but I am also grateful for this experience in general. I was genuinely scared to face this person again today - not because I was scared of them, but because I wasn't sure I could deal with it in a way that would leave me satisfied. This is a personal battle I've fought many times in the presence of difficult people, and I'd often come away feeling like a loser. "Don't let them bother you," people would say, but they'd always neglect to tell me how. When I went to do my panels yesterday evening, I was prepared to 'not be bothered'. Whatever happened, I would keep my cool and accept that I could not change this person, and scoring the cheap victories I'd imagined would only make things worse.
Did those panels go perfectly? No, not quite. I felt out of my depth in a couple of them, especially the one on romance in YA fiction. I'll write more about that later (because I have to catch a bus very soon!). However, I did come away from yesterday feeling satisfied. For me, it was a good start.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Ad Astra 2015 - Thoughts on the First Day
This one's completely in-the-moment, off the cuff. I usually write my posts out longhand first, but I'm winging this one for the sake of brevity and timeliness. As in, if I write it right now, there's a good chance I'll post it sometime close to when it happened! Fighting back against laziness and unmotivation, you know.
Yes, unmotivation. That's totally a word now. You're welcome.
Yesterday afternoon I made myself a pot roast in the crock pot, and ate a nice yummy bowlful before heading out to the Sheraton in Richmond Hill. I was concerned about timeliness, but that wasn't an issue at all. The trip was smooth and painless, and I got registered in no time at all. I went straight to the dealer's room to find friends, and find them I did! I had a lovely time chatting, catching up and making future plans. I also had to answer that inevitable question (and honestly, I should be damn grateful people are asking it): when are my ebooks going to come out in print? Not yet, I'm afraid. But perhaps sooner than even I would have thought...
Then came my first panel, Escape from Horror Remakes and the end of Neverending Sequels IV - Revenge of the Remakequel. Though I was optimistic and looking forward to a good bit of banter, I also had a small feeling of dread. There was someone on this panel who, based on their interactions with me in the past, I've concluded doesn't like me at all. The panel did nothing to disprove that notion. Indeed, this person had a go at me right from the start, and proceeded to dominate the panel. We've all had to deal with people who can't stand the sound of someone else's voice. The moderator tried repeatedly to include myself and one other panelist in the discussion, to very little avail. Not a pleasant experience.
I'm trying to learn from it. After all, people like that are everywhere - I've had more than a few bosses and one doctor who dominated me through sheer force of not listening. I have more panels with this person today. My goal is not to beat this person at their own game, but just to figure out how to deal with it without feeling like I'm being stomped on. I have an opportunity for personal growth. Best not waste it.
More catching up took place after the panel, and soon drinks came into the picture. Overall, a good first night.
Now it's Saturday, and I really need to get off the computer, throw myself together and get back to the Sheraton. I want to have lunch with friends, attend a book launch, and generally have a good time before my four panels this evening.
Here's my remaining schedule for the weekend:
Signing Sessions ◼ ◼
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Rooms: Richmond A, Richmond B
Why Are We Fighting the Same War? Inclusiveness from 1970 to Now ◼
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Room: Newmarket
Mummy is Hot for Edward Cullen: 50 shades of Monster Romance ◼ ◼ ◼
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Room: Oakridge
Someone Else's Playground: Flattery, Lawsuits and the Organization of Transformative Works and Culture ◼
Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Room: Newmarket
Favourite Doctor: Why Peter Capaldi is Awesome... Or Not ◼
Time: 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Room: Markham B
And on Sunday:
Summer Sci-Fi Trailer Park ◼
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Room: Richmond C & D
Russell T. Davis vs, Stephen Moffat - Female Doctors, Story Arcs and the Death of the Doctor ◼
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Room: Aurora
If all goes well, I'll post about the weekend as soon as I get home Sunday afternoon.
Yes, unmotivation. That's totally a word now. You're welcome.
Yesterday afternoon I made myself a pot roast in the crock pot, and ate a nice yummy bowlful before heading out to the Sheraton in Richmond Hill. I was concerned about timeliness, but that wasn't an issue at all. The trip was smooth and painless, and I got registered in no time at all. I went straight to the dealer's room to find friends, and find them I did! I had a lovely time chatting, catching up and making future plans. I also had to answer that inevitable question (and honestly, I should be damn grateful people are asking it): when are my ebooks going to come out in print? Not yet, I'm afraid. But perhaps sooner than even I would have thought...
Then came my first panel, Escape from Horror Remakes and the end of Neverending Sequels IV - Revenge of the Remakequel. Though I was optimistic and looking forward to a good bit of banter, I also had a small feeling of dread. There was someone on this panel who, based on their interactions with me in the past, I've concluded doesn't like me at all. The panel did nothing to disprove that notion. Indeed, this person had a go at me right from the start, and proceeded to dominate the panel. We've all had to deal with people who can't stand the sound of someone else's voice. The moderator tried repeatedly to include myself and one other panelist in the discussion, to very little avail. Not a pleasant experience.
I'm trying to learn from it. After all, people like that are everywhere - I've had more than a few bosses and one doctor who dominated me through sheer force of not listening. I have more panels with this person today. My goal is not to beat this person at their own game, but just to figure out how to deal with it without feeling like I'm being stomped on. I have an opportunity for personal growth. Best not waste it.
More catching up took place after the panel, and soon drinks came into the picture. Overall, a good first night.
Now it's Saturday, and I really need to get off the computer, throw myself together and get back to the Sheraton. I want to have lunch with friends, attend a book launch, and generally have a good time before my four panels this evening.
Here's my remaining schedule for the weekend:
Signing Sessions ◼ ◼
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Rooms: Richmond A, Richmond B
Why Are We Fighting the Same War? Inclusiveness from 1970 to Now ◼
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Room: Newmarket
Mummy is Hot for Edward Cullen: 50 shades of Monster Romance ◼ ◼ ◼
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Room: Oakridge
Someone Else's Playground: Flattery, Lawsuits and the Organization of Transformative Works and Culture ◼
Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Room: Newmarket
Favourite Doctor: Why Peter Capaldi is Awesome... Or Not ◼
Time: 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Room: Markham B
And on Sunday:
Summer Sci-Fi Trailer Park ◼
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Room: Richmond C & D
Russell T. Davis vs, Stephen Moffat - Female Doctors, Story Arcs and the Death of the Doctor ◼
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Room: Aurora
If all goes well, I'll post about the weekend as soon as I get home Sunday afternoon.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Ad Astra and Beyond
The con is over, and Post Fandom Depression has set in. Or rather it did, back when I started writing this bit. Better late than never, I say. And I say it a lot.
I've since returned to the real world, where Violet and I must do our taxes, and I'm back in the wonderful world of temping.
But back to Ad Astra. The last day was memorable. There was the Mental Health and Fandom panel, which was reasonably well attended. All of us had a lot to say, in a compassionate and healing environment. I will always be grateful to this panel and its participants.
Violet wanted me to get a picture or action figure of one of her fangirl crushes, like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine or Chris Evans as Captain America. Preferably shirtless. I was unable to find exactly what she was looking for, so I got her this action figure. I have no idea who the character is, but he's shirtless and ripped, and he's got a sword. Violet very nearly liked him. Ah, well. Next convention, my Love!
The last panel I attended before setting off home was about Star Trek; I sat in attendance, and my friend and fellow author Sarah Water Raven was on the panel. I have to say, it went much better than my Star Trek panel back at Reversed Polarity (though not as good as the one I did at GenreCon). No Uber-Nerds, for one thing. And some interesting ideas were put forth. Well worth my time!
After that, it was time to say goodbye to a few stragglers before catching the VIVA buses back home. I sat across from a dude who had a bag of barbecue-flavoured sunflower seeds, and the area all around him was littered with shells. He taught me how to eat sunflower seeds, which apparently I'd been doing wrong all these years. You don't eat the shells - you suck the flavour out of the shell, crack them and eat the seed within, then spit the shells away. Good to know. Too bad he didn't feel like cleaning up after himself.
Monday, April 7th, involved a ridiculous amount of telephone tag with my temp agency to get me accepted into a mailroom job. It worked out in the end, though, and I was working as early as Wednesday. I've been sticking labels onto envelopes, stuffing envelopes, and lifting heavy boxes full of papers that will eventually end up in envelopes. Not the most challenging of jobs, but work is work. They are a good bunch, which certainly helps. Plus, my contact at the temp agency took me out to lunch last week! That's never happened to me before! Wow.
I've managed to get back into my novel Zombie Jesus Day, about which I am ecstatic. At the same time, my enthusiasm for my Doctor Who fanfic Bane of the Doctor has cooled a bit. I've got two more episodes still to post, so I'm not particularly worried yet. BTW, the latest installment can be found here.
Finally, I got back the processed German tax forms from Revenue Canada. I sent them off by Xpress Post on Thursday - did you know it costs $61 to send something from Canada to Germany via Xpress Post? Well, it does. It will be worth it, however, when they pay me the option fee for Evil. Woo-hoo!
I've since returned to the real world, where Violet and I must do our taxes, and I'm back in the wonderful world of temping.
But back to Ad Astra. The last day was memorable. There was the Mental Health and Fandom panel, which was reasonably well attended. All of us had a lot to say, in a compassionate and healing environment. I will always be grateful to this panel and its participants.
The last panel I attended before setting off home was about Star Trek; I sat in attendance, and my friend and fellow author Sarah Water Raven was on the panel. I have to say, it went much better than my Star Trek panel back at Reversed Polarity (though not as good as the one I did at GenreCon). No Uber-Nerds, for one thing. And some interesting ideas were put forth. Well worth my time!
After that, it was time to say goodbye to a few stragglers before catching the VIVA buses back home. I sat across from a dude who had a bag of barbecue-flavoured sunflower seeds, and the area all around him was littered with shells. He taught me how to eat sunflower seeds, which apparently I'd been doing wrong all these years. You don't eat the shells - you suck the flavour out of the shell, crack them and eat the seed within, then spit the shells away. Good to know. Too bad he didn't feel like cleaning up after himself.
Monday, April 7th, involved a ridiculous amount of telephone tag with my temp agency to get me accepted into a mailroom job. It worked out in the end, though, and I was working as early as Wednesday. I've been sticking labels onto envelopes, stuffing envelopes, and lifting heavy boxes full of papers that will eventually end up in envelopes. Not the most challenging of jobs, but work is work. They are a good bunch, which certainly helps. Plus, my contact at the temp agency took me out to lunch last week! That's never happened to me before! Wow.
I've managed to get back into my novel Zombie Jesus Day, about which I am ecstatic. At the same time, my enthusiasm for my Doctor Who fanfic Bane of the Doctor has cooled a bit. I've got two more episodes still to post, so I'm not particularly worried yet. BTW, the latest installment can be found here.
Finally, I got back the processed German tax forms from Revenue Canada. I sent them off by Xpress Post on Thursday - did you know it costs $61 to send something from Canada to Germany via Xpress Post? Well, it does. It will be worth it, however, when they pay me the option fee for Evil. Woo-hoo!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Ad Astra 2014, So Far
Well, I've been having a great time! Friends everywhere, good panel discussions, and that wonderful feeling of acceptance and home. Lucky, lucky me.
My panels on self publishing and never-ending stories went very well, and sparked some good discussions among panelists and audience. I didn't say as much as I wanted to, and feel I'm not as assertive as I could be. Still, I made a few good points, and I'm pretty happy with the way the conversations went.
The book-signing period was a dismal failure in terms of book sales, but a roaring success in others. I autographed one of my The Five Demons You Meet In Hell flyers for a fan friend, and chatted with three of my closest friends. One of them, Sarah Water Raven, sold me a lovely painting she'd done (image to be uploaded soon, I promise), and we discussed plans for the cover of my next book, Apoca-Lynn. Another friend posed for a photo to be used in that cover - a lovely bit of serendipity or convenient happenstance that we were all in the right place at the right time to make that happen!
My reading was moderately attended, but everyone who was there wanted to be there and had a good time. I read from 5 Demons and gave a preview of Apoca-Lynn, and got a good reaction to both. I also had tea with a couple of friends and discussed writing, and the conversation turned to call centres. All of us had horror/hilarious stories to tell!
I ended the night at the launch party for Suzanne Church's latest novel, and had further good conversations with friends. I was sad to leave but had VIVA buses to catch, and got home just after midnight.
Today I have the Mental Health and Fandom panel. I'm looking forward to it. Off I go!
My panels on self publishing and never-ending stories went very well, and sparked some good discussions among panelists and audience. I didn't say as much as I wanted to, and feel I'm not as assertive as I could be. Still, I made a few good points, and I'm pretty happy with the way the conversations went.
The book-signing period was a dismal failure in terms of book sales, but a roaring success in others. I autographed one of my The Five Demons You Meet In Hell flyers for a fan friend, and chatted with three of my closest friends. One of them, Sarah Water Raven, sold me a lovely painting she'd done (image to be uploaded soon, I promise), and we discussed plans for the cover of my next book, Apoca-Lynn. Another friend posed for a photo to be used in that cover - a lovely bit of serendipity or convenient happenstance that we were all in the right place at the right time to make that happen!
My reading was moderately attended, but everyone who was there wanted to be there and had a good time. I read from 5 Demons and gave a preview of Apoca-Lynn, and got a good reaction to both. I also had tea with a couple of friends and discussed writing, and the conversation turned to call centres. All of us had horror/hilarious stories to tell!
I ended the night at the launch party for Suzanne Church's latest novel, and had further good conversations with friends. I was sad to leave but had VIVA buses to catch, and got home just after midnight.
Today I have the Mental Health and Fandom panel. I'm looking forward to it. Off I go!
Friday, April 4, 2014
Ad Astra, Revised
Sadly, my 10:00 AM panel on Canadian YA has been cancelled. Tomorrow morning I shall be forced to sleep in. Darn!
Here is my revised panel/reading/signing schedule:
Saturday
Author Signings – Richmond A – 2:00 PM
Advantages and Disadvantages in the Self-Publishing Game – Markham A – 3:00 PM
Never Ending Stories – Markham A – 7:00 PM
Reading – Oakridges – 9:30 PM
Sunday
Fandom Mental Health Forum – Richmond B – 1:00 PM
Yep, only 3 panels now. I shall endeavor to make the most of them.
What shall I read from? I need to keep plugging The Cupid War and The Five Demons You Meet In Hell, hopefully encourage a few sales. I'm also working on getting a new novel ready for a Smashwords publication - I could read a bit from that project, too. Again, I open the floor to suggestions/requests.
I'll figure it out. Looking forward to seeing lots of you tomorrow!
Here is my revised panel/reading/signing schedule:
Saturday
Author Signings – Richmond A – 2:00 PM
Advantages and Disadvantages in the Self-Publishing Game – Markham A – 3:00 PM
Never Ending Stories – Markham A – 7:00 PM
Reading – Oakridges – 9:30 PM
Sunday
Fandom Mental Health Forum – Richmond B – 1:00 PM
Yep, only 3 panels now. I shall endeavor to make the most of them.
What shall I read from? I need to keep plugging The Cupid War and The Five Demons You Meet In Hell, hopefully encourage a few sales. I'm also working on getting a new novel ready for a Smashwords publication - I could read a bit from that project, too. Again, I open the floor to suggestions/requests.
I'll figure it out. Looking forward to seeing lots of you tomorrow!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Ad Astra 2014 This Weekend
Well, I’m off to Ad Astra again this weekend. How many times have I been now? Almost every year since before my first book came out, so... a lot. Yes, definitely a lot. I'll be there Saturday and Sunday (April 5 & 6) with copies of Section K to sell and flyers of The Five Demons You Meet In Hell to hand out, four panels to speak on, one reading, and a signing, too. Haven't decided what to read from, yet. Requests?
They’ve moved again; I’d just got used to the last location, and loved that it was TTC accessible. Not so much the new location, I’m afraid, but that’s ok – it’s the Sheraton Parkway North, the same location Polaris has been in for the last several years. True, it will require the use of VIVA buses and the extra fare that goes with that, but it is a great hotel for a convention! Lots of space for the dealer’s room, plenty of rooms to host panels and readings... I have many happy memories of times spent in and around that hotel, although none of those memories involved actually staying there! One day, perhaps... when money is no longer an issue.
Here is my panel/reading/signing schedule for the convention:
Saturday
YA Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Canadian Style – Aurora – 10:00 AM
Author Signings – Richmond A – 2:00 PM
Advantages and Disadvantages in the Self-Publishing Game – Markham A – 3:00 PM
Never Ending Stories – Markham A – 7:00 PM
Reading – Oakridges – 9:30 PM
Sunday
Fandom Mental Health Forum – Richmond B – 1:00 PM
I'll be busy, but hopefully not too busy to spend quality time with my fandom friends. I look forward to seeing many of you at the con this weekend!
They’ve moved again; I’d just got used to the last location, and loved that it was TTC accessible. Not so much the new location, I’m afraid, but that’s ok – it’s the Sheraton Parkway North, the same location Polaris has been in for the last several years. True, it will require the use of VIVA buses and the extra fare that goes with that, but it is a great hotel for a convention! Lots of space for the dealer’s room, plenty of rooms to host panels and readings... I have many happy memories of times spent in and around that hotel, although none of those memories involved actually staying there! One day, perhaps... when money is no longer an issue.
Here is my panel/reading/signing schedule for the convention:
Saturday
YA Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Canadian Style – Aurora – 10:00 AM
Author Signings – Richmond A – 2:00 PM
Advantages and Disadvantages in the Self-Publishing Game – Markham A – 3:00 PM
Never Ending Stories – Markham A – 7:00 PM
Reading – Oakridges – 9:30 PM
Sunday
Fandom Mental Health Forum – Richmond B – 1:00 PM
I'll be busy, but hopefully not too busy to spend quality time with my fandom friends. I look forward to seeing many of you at the con this weekend!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
GenreCon Part 2: Saturday
Where we last left off, I was about to embark on a very busy afternoon at GenreCon. Two PM had me on the panel 50 Years of Doctor Who, followed by my reading, followed by The Basics of Writing Genre, followed by my signing. At that point I'd have an hour long break, and then I'd do Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Benedict Cumberbatch at seven. Whew!
The panels were well-attended. My reading and book signing were not. Nevertheless, I had an enjoyable time. And I sold a few books! One I sold for a dollar to my new friend Tristin; he'd been to all my panels and my reading that afternoon and the previous evening, so he totally deserved it.
For the Doctor Who panel, I sat between two panelists (Paul Neale & Dalek Dreadnaught) who had insider knowledge of the upcoming 50th Year Anniversary special. It was very tempting to ask for spoilers, let me tell you! We discussed the highs and lows of the last fifty years of the show, and our hopes for the upcoming adventures of the 12th Doctor.
Sarah Water Raven joined me for my reading, and brought a bunch of kick-ass flyers for my upcoming novel The Five Demons You Meet In Hell with her. She also joined me at my table in the dealer's room for my signing, and we both sold a couple of books. These things are more fun when shared with a friend!
The Basics of Writing Genre was well-attended, at least at first. Bestselling novelist Kelley Armstrong was scheduled to be on the panel, but she'd received the wrong information and thought the panel was on Sunday! When it was clear she wasn't coming, a few of her fans got up and left. The room was still 3/4ths full, however, and aspiring novelist Ed Mochrie and I rose to the occasion. It was Ed's first panel ever, too. Like, ever! Gosh, I remember what that was like, way back in the spring of 2006's Ad Astra. Ed brought a lot to the table, and we had a very good discussion with our audience.
Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Benedict Cumberbatch wouldn't have kept my wife Violet entertained for very long; most of the discussion was about the movie Star Trek Into Darkness, and not Benedict himself. Corrina McGill, Cory Albrecht and I talked about the film's strengths and flaws, of which there were many. A good friend of mine was kind enough to sit down with me a week or two back and list those flaws in alphabetical order, so I had plenty of material to draw upon. The majority of the audience (and panelists) seemed to have loved the film as much as I did, however, so a lot of that material was glossed over.
After the Star Trek panel, I headed to the hotel's restaurant with friends for dinner. The place was expensive but convenient, and the staff was just wonderful. One of the servers wore a suit identical to that of the 10th Doctor (by sheer coincidence!), and another one bought a copy of Section K.
The evening was very interesting; there was a dance, an epic card game, and room parties. And did I mention the genre-themed drinks? I had a TARDIS, vodka and some kind of blue juice that was quite yummy. Corrine invited me to the Cards Against Humanity game, and I volunteered to be a judge. The object of the game was to answer questions as rudely, inappropriately, or just plain horribly as possible using a selection of cards inscribed with various things. Hmm, I'm not explaining that very well... let me put it like this: in your selection of cards, you might have one that says kitten and another that says sandwich spread, and you might use them together if you got a fill-in-the-blank question like "A ______ makes a very good _______." Or you might use a card that says an adorable two-month-old baby with the question "What did you eat for breakfast?" Get the picture? And will you ever be able to get that picture out of your head? Sorry about that. Anyway, I took to the game like a butcher knife to a puppy's face - I just sank right in! Ooh, whoops. Did it again! I'm so evil.
And then, the fire alarm went off. Every hotel guest was evacuated to the parking lot, including all convention attendees and one very angry wedding party! They put forward their theories as to who was responsible for disrupting their happy nuptials, and came to two possible conclusions: the alarm had been triggered either by "some faggit" or "one of them cosplayers." Tempers ran hot, even though the temperature outside was very cold. I wished for my jacket, but I was one of the lucky ones - more than a few cosplayers were clad in little more than decorative underwear! The hotel staff moved us four times around the parking lot while the firefighters did their jobs, and we were finally allowed back in when the cause of the fire had been discovered a half-hour later. Turns out someone from the wedding party had lit a cigarette inside the hotel and set off the smoke detectors. Naturally, no apology was offered.
I missed my midnight panel on fanfiction due to the 'fire', so my programming responsibilities were finished for that day. I might have packed it in and gone to bed, but it turned out my night was just beginning...
GenreCon Part 3: Sunday Coming Soon!
The panels were well-attended. My reading and book signing were not. Nevertheless, I had an enjoyable time. And I sold a few books! One I sold for a dollar to my new friend Tristin; he'd been to all my panels and my reading that afternoon and the previous evening, so he totally deserved it.
For the Doctor Who panel, I sat between two panelists (Paul Neale & Dalek Dreadnaught) who had insider knowledge of the upcoming 50th Year Anniversary special. It was very tempting to ask for spoilers, let me tell you! We discussed the highs and lows of the last fifty years of the show, and our hopes for the upcoming adventures of the 12th Doctor.
The Basics of Writing Genre was well-attended, at least at first. Bestselling novelist Kelley Armstrong was scheduled to be on the panel, but she'd received the wrong information and thought the panel was on Sunday! When it was clear she wasn't coming, a few of her fans got up and left. The room was still 3/4ths full, however, and aspiring novelist Ed Mochrie and I rose to the occasion. It was Ed's first panel ever, too. Like, ever! Gosh, I remember what that was like, way back in the spring of 2006's Ad Astra. Ed brought a lot to the table, and we had a very good discussion with our audience.
Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Benedict Cumberbatch wouldn't have kept my wife Violet entertained for very long; most of the discussion was about the movie Star Trek Into Darkness, and not Benedict himself. Corrina McGill, Cory Albrecht and I talked about the film's strengths and flaws, of which there were many. A good friend of mine was kind enough to sit down with me a week or two back and list those flaws in alphabetical order, so I had plenty of material to draw upon. The majority of the audience (and panelists) seemed to have loved the film as much as I did, however, so a lot of that material was glossed over.
After the Star Trek panel, I headed to the hotel's restaurant with friends for dinner. The place was expensive but convenient, and the staff was just wonderful. One of the servers wore a suit identical to that of the 10th Doctor (by sheer coincidence!), and another one bought a copy of Section K.
And then, the fire alarm went off. Every hotel guest was evacuated to the parking lot, including all convention attendees and one very angry wedding party! They put forward their theories as to who was responsible for disrupting their happy nuptials, and came to two possible conclusions: the alarm had been triggered either by "some faggit" or "one of them cosplayers." Tempers ran hot, even though the temperature outside was very cold. I wished for my jacket, but I was one of the lucky ones - more than a few cosplayers were clad in little more than decorative underwear! The hotel staff moved us four times around the parking lot while the firefighters did their jobs, and we were finally allowed back in when the cause of the fire had been discovered a half-hour later. Turns out someone from the wedding party had lit a cigarette inside the hotel and set off the smoke detectors. Naturally, no apology was offered.
I missed my midnight panel on fanfiction due to the 'fire', so my programming responsibilities were finished for that day. I might have packed it in and gone to bed, but it turned out my night was just beginning...
GenreCon Part 3: Sunday Coming Soon!
Saturday, August 3, 2013
The world of work continues to confound me. Or, to put a more positive spin on my employment woes, the world of work continues to provide valuable material for me to draw upon for my fiction. I've had a couple of interviews; the first one seemed to go really well, but I didn't get the job. The second one also went very well. Does that mean I'm screwed?
Not necessarily, no. Only a negative, pessimistic, down-in-the-dumps person would think that! I am not that person. At least, not today.
I continue to write, but my speed and productivity have gone down. And, I seem to be suffering from rewriter's block. I'll do a post on that soon. And I've had another significant rejection to deal with. I'll blog about that soon, too. Nevertheless, I continue to advance the plot of Zombie Jesus Day. I'm keeping up with Toronto.com articles, and I'm always adding new reviews to Biblical Proportions. Here's the latest one.
I haven't been to a con since Ad Astra, which is sad. I do love them. For one reason or another I've missed a bunch of them this summer. I hope to make it to Can Con and SFContario in the fall. Of course, it's hard to get all gung-ho about promoting my stuff when I have so very little stuff left to promote... There I go, getting down again. It's hard not to, with depression on top of stressful circumstances. I need to turn things around, but it's going to take a lot of passion, energy, and hard work.
I still believe in the dream. I just wish I felt like the dream believed in me.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Ad Astra 2013
As always, I had a fantastic time at this year's Ad Astra convention. Saw good friends, sold some books, did some panels and spent some money on stuff I really didn't need but kinda wanted. And yet, I came away from this con with a heavy heart, and did not book a table for next year.Why not? Let me put it this way: if there was one word I could use to sum up the whole experience for me, however, it would be bittersweet. I had nothing new to sell, after all, and I had nothing on its way to publication to promote. It felt... like I was yesterday's news, making one last desperate attempt to get noticed before fading into irrelevancy.
Whoa. Got kinda dramatic there. That happens when I'm in one of my moods, a topic that will become even more relevant as this post continues.
Anyway, the con. I went down Friday evening to get registered, find my table, and attend a panel on ebook publishing that featured my good friend Sarah Water Raven (author of Detective Dochherty and the Demon's Tears). It was fun and insightful, but left me no wiser on how to boost sales on Closets(anyone? Pretty pleeze?).
Saturday was busy, with my first panel at 10 in the morning. My friend Monica Kuebler (of Burningeffigy Press, publisher of Section K) came early to run my table while I was away. The Changing Face of the Paranormal in YA featured myself, Kelley Armstrong, and moderator extraordinaire Amanda Sun. We covered a lot of YA paranormal ground, agreed that vampires have been done to undeath, and offered predictions on what the future of the genre might bring (hint - Angels!). I left feeling full of beans, metaphorically speaking, and thought I'd done a good job.I didn't have quite the same feeling coming out of my 3 PM panel, Demons, Werewolves and Necromancers. My fellow panelists were Jim Butcher, Andrew Pyper and Douglas Smith, three guys who really knew their stuff. I choked on a couple of questions, but managed to hold most of my own as the panel went on. Don't get me wrong, those guys are terrific and did not try to intimidate me in any way, shape or form. I just felt a little out of my depth, like a little kid surrounded by the grown-ups. Of course, the image of the big kid is not something I've ever tried to resist (quite the opposite, in fact).
That night, a large group gathered in one of the Consuites to watch that night's episode of Doctor Who. It was a lot of fun watching a favourite show in the company of so many fans. Space was very limited, however, so there was a lot of shuffling about on the floor to acquire a decent line of sight.
On Sunday I had another 10 AM panel, followed by another at 12. Monica could only come for Saturday, but my fellow vendors were more than happy to watch my table while I was out and about. My first panel was Bullying-TNG with Kari Maaren and Sgt. Pat Poitevin. We discussed the issue of bullying in broad and specific terms, identifying weaknesses in so-called 'zero tolerance' policies and exploring a variety of solutions. Sgt. Poitevin (husband of Sins of the Son author Linda Poitevin)is an RCMP officer who specializes in anti-bullying in schools, and he offered a lot of useful insight.
My final panel was Fandom Mental Health Forum, with Adrienne Everitt, Kate Daley and Brenda Shaw (told you my moods would be relevant again!). All of us were in agreement that the panel time of one hour wasn't nearly enough. We all had a lot to say, and things got very emotional. Naturally I managed to get a plug for The Cupid War in there, but I was reminded of how important it is for me to write even more about mood disorders.One thing about the con in general that needs to be said: the Timmies Girls were lifesavers! Three young ladies came around three times a day asking vendors if they wanted anything from Tim Hortons. Without their heroic efforts, many of us would have faced near-certain decaffeination.
The con was a good one for me; I sold more books than I thought I would, made some new friends, had lunch with some old ones, and did as much as I could with the time I had. Even so, I missed several panels, readings and parties that I otherwise would have loved to have attended. Some friends I caught only a glimpse of, and I'll have to wait for the next con to get another chance to see them. I'm not sure when that will be for me. I hope to attend Can Con in September, but time (and money) will tell. I still won't have anything new, nor an answer to the question of when will my next book come out. One thing is for certain, though - I am definitely not done with the fandom community. I guess I just really want to prove my worth. I know I don't have to, but that's where I'm at right now.
And, table or not, I will be back at Ad Astra next year.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Ad Astra... All Of A Sudden!
Ad Astra, one of my favourite conventions, begins tomorrow. And I only found out yesterday.
Well, that's not entirely true. I am, after all, signed up for a table and four panels. I'd just lost track of time, and before I knew it here it is!
Lucky my wife Violet reminded me yesterday - I'd have hated to have found out Sunday evening!
Below are my panels and times. I will be selling copies of my novels (and probably a few toys) at my table the rest of the weekend. Hope to see lots of you there!
Saturday 10 am Ellsemere West - Changing Face of the
Paranormal in YA Fiction
Amanda Sun (m), Kelley Armstrong, Timothy Carter
Characters of diversity, worlds built on non-western mythologies, and stories influenced by anime, manga and gaming culture are combining to create a new face of Young Adult Fiction. This panel explores the face of fantasy and the paranormal in YA and how it is changing. How does it differ from the fantasy books we grew up with? You’ll have to join the conversation to find out.
Saturday 3 pm Ellsemere East - Demons, Werewolves, and
Necromancers
Douglas Smith (m), Jim Butcher, Timothy Carter, Andrew Pyper
There are new trends forming in the paranormal genre. Traditionally ‘evil’ characters are turned into heroes. Paranormal fiction is expanding and so is the demographic of people who read it. How do you keep these new ideas from becoming cliché? What works and what doesn’t? Attend this panel to plumb the depths – and shallows – of the unknowable.
Sunday 10 am Arctic - Bullying- TNG
Kari Maaren (m), Timothy Carter, Sgt. Pat Poitevin
As SF and fantasy nerds, we were probably bullied as kids. With the advent of cyber-bullying, how do we begin bully-proofing our own nerdy kids? Not to mention the more subtle bullying we’ve become subject to as adults. In this panel, conceive and discuss effective strategies for dealing with the Biff Tannens of this brave, new world.
Sunday 12 pm Berczy B - Fandom Mental Health Forum
adrienne everitt (m), Timothy Carter, Kate Daley
Fans come together to discuss their struggles with mental illness and how the deal with it, both within Fandom and in real life. We will provide resources for getting help, as well as some worksheets to take away. This panel focuses on creating a safe environment for people to share successes and failures in dealing with mental illness. This panel is a non-professional peer support initiative and is not intended to replace professional/medical advice.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Can*Con 2012 - Friday
I have a lot to say, so I'm splitting this post into three parts - one for each day of the con.
Violet & I arrived by train Thursday afternoon and stayed over with my parents. It's been a long time since I got to spend quality time with them, and the convention provided a wonderful opportunity to kill two stones with one bird! My folks drove us to and from the hotel on Friday night, which was extremely kind; they live in Orleans, which is as far East of Ottawa as the hotel is West! They must love me or something(Awwww!!!). It was nice to show them what I do for an almost-living!
We arrived in time for the Paper Airplane Contest, hosted by my friend and fellow author Marie Bilodeau. But she was no friend to anyone that night, oh no... as judge of the contest, she was a living embodiment of fear itself! I still have nightmares(hold me). There were many impressive and flight-worthy airplanes made from paper that night. Mine was not one of them.
Nevertheless, the evening was a joy. To get the extra-special folding paper, Marie insisted we sing. I stood and gave a terrific rendition of the Lumberjack song, with Violet as my Best-Girl-By-My-Side. I also made friends with some kids, all of whom gave me their paper airplanes afterward. It may have been out of pity, but I prefer to think of it as a sweet gesture!
We didn't stay any later Friday night, preferring to save our energy for Saturday. The Saturday post is coming soon...
Friday, September 14, 2012
Out Of Print
You know how I said this month is looking pretty good for me? That was before I got the bad news. My books haven't been doing all that well, hence the decision on my publisher's part not to go ahead with another book from me. That was hard enough for me to take, but this new bad news is even worse.
My publisher has decided to let my first three novels go out of print. As of Monday morning, September 17, all remaining stock of Epoch, Evil, and Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters will be pulped and recycled. This is a huge blow to my writing career; it isn't over, but it is in serious trouble.
I was expecting this news for Soul Hunters. It's been out since 2005, and since 2006 the average sales have been less than twenty copies per year. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.
The decision to pulp Epoch and Evil, however, came as quite a shock. Epoch sold relatively well in its first couple of years; Evil, not so much. I had hoped this situation would improve as my Internet presence grew. Since Evil's publication, I've had lots of reviews and quite a few guest posts on numerous blogs. I've discovered the promotional possibilities to be had with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Goodreads and Amazon, to name just a few.
I've also kept up a regular presence on the convention circuit. I'm a regular attendee of Ad Astra and Polaris in Toronto, and a few others when I could. I was the guy with the cartoony leaflets, handing them out to anyone who'd take one, leaving them on chairs and tables, trying to get myself noticed.
I've been busy, worked hard, and had an extraordinary amount of help. To every person who has friended or followed me, or Liked my fan pages; to every blogger who reviewed me, interviewed me, or asked me to write a guest post; to everyone who posted comments on those blogs, or wrote critiques of my work on Goodreads and Amazon; to every convention organizer and volunteer who helped set me up with what I needed, worked me into the programming schedule; to every fan I met at the cons who bought a book from me, took one of my flyers, sought me out at my table, commented at one of my panels, befriended me, and generally made me feel welcome and accepted... I can't thank all of you enough. I am so grateful, and feel so lucky, to have met you, and I want to shake every one of your hands.
And yet... it wasn't enough. Not by a longshot. I tried to get the word out, and all of you stepped in and gave me a boost, but the word simply didn't spread far enough. My novels didn't earn the sales required to justify keeping Epoch and Evil on the shelves.
Thankfully I still have The Cupid War, and I will continue to fight for it. It will be a much harder fight, however, now that I'm no longer taking up as much shelf space. I still have my small press books: my ebook for children, Closets; and Section K, my sci/fi comedy for grown ups. And, of course, I'll keep writing. I still have hope, and a burning desire to write I'll keep going.
Maybe someday I'll sell those three novels to a new publisher. The rights have reverted to me, apart from those already sold. I really don't know what's going to happen with the digital versions of those books; I'll update when I do.
This isn't the end. It does, however, feel an awful lot like the beginning of the end. I wish I sounded more positive about this, but I'm not going to sugar-coat the situation, either. I'm in a bit of a funk, and I'm not going to snap out of it for anyone else's comfort. This is me, reeling from a blow delivered by a harsh reality, and I haven't managed to bounce back yet.
But I will.
My publisher has decided to let my first three novels go out of print. As of Monday morning, September 17, all remaining stock of Epoch, Evil, and Attack of the Intergalactic Soul Hunters will be pulped and recycled. This is a huge blow to my writing career; it isn't over, but it is in serious trouble.
I was expecting this news for Soul Hunters. It's been out since 2005, and since 2006 the average sales have been less than twenty copies per year. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.
I've also kept up a regular presence on the convention circuit. I'm a regular attendee of Ad Astra and Polaris in Toronto, and a few others when I could. I was the guy with the cartoony leaflets, handing them out to anyone who'd take one, leaving them on chairs and tables, trying to get myself noticed.
I've been busy, worked hard, and had an extraordinary amount of help. To every person who has friended or followed me, or Liked my fan pages; to every blogger who reviewed me, interviewed me, or asked me to write a guest post; to everyone who posted comments on those blogs, or wrote critiques of my work on Goodreads and Amazon; to every convention organizer and volunteer who helped set me up with what I needed, worked me into the programming schedule; to every fan I met at the cons who bought a book from me, took one of my flyers, sought me out at my table, commented at one of my panels, befriended me, and generally made me feel welcome and accepted... I can't thank all of you enough. I am so grateful, and feel so lucky, to have met you, and I want to shake every one of your hands.
Thankfully I still have The Cupid War, and I will continue to fight for it. It will be a much harder fight, however, now that I'm no longer taking up as much shelf space. I still have my small press books: my ebook for children, Closets; and Section K, my sci/fi comedy for grown ups. And, of course, I'll keep writing. I still have hope, and a burning desire to write I'll keep going.
Maybe someday I'll sell those three novels to a new publisher. The rights have reverted to me, apart from those already sold. I really don't know what's going to happen with the digital versions of those books; I'll update when I do.
This isn't the end. It does, however, feel an awful lot like the beginning of the end. I wish I sounded more positive about this, but I'm not going to sugar-coat the situation, either. I'm in a bit of a funk, and I'm not going to snap out of it for anyone else's comfort. This is me, reeling from a blow delivered by a harsh reality, and I haven't managed to bounce back yet.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Ad Astra 2012
Another fantastic convention has just passed, and as usual I'm in a state of mourning. Some of the happiest times for me over the last few years have been spent at cons, and this year's Ad Astra was one of the best.
That's not to say there were no problems; the con was held in a new hotel this year, a fact that brought its own unique issues. However, dealing with all those issues was, for me, part of the fun.
For instance, when I arrived Friday evening, I still wasn't entirely sure what my panel/reading schedule was. Unforeseen chaos had hit the programming team hard, reducing that team to only one very stressed but ultimately heroic person(under the circumstances, Adi, you did tremendously, and I'm sorry I never got to buy you that beer I'd promised). I had a reading that night with Gabrielle Harbowy, but our reading room (Salon 1) hadn't been assigned yet! Adi assigned us her own hotel room; Gabrielle and I read to our audience from the bed, making the reading informal yet fun. She read a devastatingly funny and clever story called Deserter(which anyone who has ever known a cat will appreciate) and I read from The Cupid War, and good times were had by all.
Saturday was my busiest day; five panels, mostly back-to-back, and the autograph session! My good friend Mike Bryant came to help me run my table; he had to spend several hours on his own that day while I was off being clever, including a three hour stint in the afternoon. He did remarkably, and I couldn't have done it without him.
Like my Friday night reading, most panels were held in hotel rooms(with the beds removed for extra space). This gave the panels a crowded bus/sardine-can feel, but it also made the experience more intimate. I did two panels dealing with the publishing industry, one panel on 2012 stories, and two panels that I'd been longing to be a part of for several years - Mental Health in Fandom, and the panel on writing for YA readers. Unlike in previous years, I never felt out of my depth or woefully unprepared.
That night Mike and I attended the Dragon Moon Press Launch for Leah Petersen's Fighting Gravity and Marie Bilodeau's Destiny's Fall. Marie is a friend I made at Ad Astra 2010; we've done several panels together over the last two years, including the 2012 panel this year. Time spent in her company is always a convention high point for me. 
I wasn't as familiar with Leah, which was hardly surprising; it was her first book, first book launch, and first reading! I think she acquitted herself with style, and I hope to get to know her over the next few cons.The Chizine party was next, but by that point I was exhausted. I stayed for one poem reading and one beer before heading home for some much-needed sleep.
Sunday was mellow. I had one panel that afternoon(Sequels: How Do They Work?), then I was free to interact with friends and sell a couple more books before calling it a weekend. My table's location wasn't the greatest; seven of us were squirreled away in a corner next to the pool. The phrase we heard most that weekend was, "I didn't know there was anyone back here!" Nevertheless, I sold 16 books in total, gained some new fans(this shout-out's for you, Amanda!), and generally had a good time.
On Monday I faced the usual post-con blues. I miss everybody, and wish my life could be like this all of the time. I'm booked for next year, and I have Polaris to look forward to this summer. Long live the cons, I say! And long live Ad Astra.
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