Cracking the GoH Barrier
I came to science fiction conventions relatively late in life -- in my 30s and not as a kid growing up with them -- but have made every attempt to catch up with "fannish" culture.
One of the most obvious things to anyone looking at a flyer for an upcoming con is that they have Guests of Honor, sometimes abbreviated as GoH. Typically there'll be a writer Goh and an artist GoH, although some will also honor a particularly active fan or a musical performer (known for what is called "filk" for reasons that can be learned here: https://fanlore.org/wiki/Filk). I have a friend who has been Costuming GoH.
And so several years ago I started quietly campaigning, a bit tongue in cheek, to various con runners that they should have a Movie Critic Guest of Honor. After Jar Jar Binks Must Die... and Other Observations about Science Fiction Movies came out in 2011 I thought someone might take me up on it, but no one did.
Until last week.
Ro-Con 3, which will be held July 21-23, is the third iteration of a convention in Hartford, Connecticut, and they have announced that I will be the "Media Critic Guest of Honor." What does that mean? Well for the GoH it means getting a free membership to the convention and a comped hotel room. As a panelist at cons I'm used to getting the membership, but the room will be nice, as will space in the dealer's room for my publisher. And as it's a week or so before my birthday, somebody better provide some cake. Or a round of drinks. I'm easy.
What does the con get out of it? They get to put the GoH on lots of panels. Often the person is someone who would not be expected to show up at the con -- this will be my first appearance at Ro-Con -- so for area fans it's a chance to meet someone they might not otherwise get to see. I don't imagine I have this huge fan base in Connecticut champing at the bit to see me at a con, but you never know. Certainly someone wondering if there will be lively discussions about SF movies and television will see my participation as an attraction.
So it will be a weekend where I can imagine what it's like to be a celebrity, sell and autograph some books, and generally have a lot of fun. And if you're in hailing distance of Hartford in July and have always wondered what a science fiction convention is like, here's an opportunity.
The Ro-Con 3 website can be found here: http://ro-con-2.blogspot.com/
#sfwa
One of the most obvious things to anyone looking at a flyer for an upcoming con is that they have Guests of Honor, sometimes abbreviated as GoH. Typically there'll be a writer Goh and an artist GoH, although some will also honor a particularly active fan or a musical performer (known for what is called "filk" for reasons that can be learned here: https://fanlore.org/wiki/Filk). I have a friend who has been Costuming GoH.
And so several years ago I started quietly campaigning, a bit tongue in cheek, to various con runners that they should have a Movie Critic Guest of Honor. After Jar Jar Binks Must Die... and Other Observations about Science Fiction Movies came out in 2011 I thought someone might take me up on it, but no one did.
Until last week.
Ro-Con 3, which will be held July 21-23, is the third iteration of a convention in Hartford, Connecticut, and they have announced that I will be the "Media Critic Guest of Honor." What does that mean? Well for the GoH it means getting a free membership to the convention and a comped hotel room. As a panelist at cons I'm used to getting the membership, but the room will be nice, as will space in the dealer's room for my publisher. And as it's a week or so before my birthday, somebody better provide some cake. Or a round of drinks. I'm easy.
What does the con get out of it? They get to put the GoH on lots of panels. Often the person is someone who would not be expected to show up at the con -- this will be my first appearance at Ro-Con -- so for area fans it's a chance to meet someone they might not otherwise get to see. I don't imagine I have this huge fan base in Connecticut champing at the bit to see me at a con, but you never know. Certainly someone wondering if there will be lively discussions about SF movies and television will see my participation as an attraction.
So it will be a weekend where I can imagine what it's like to be a celebrity, sell and autograph some books, and generally have a lot of fun. And if you're in hailing distance of Hartford in July and have always wondered what a science fiction convention is like, here's an opportunity.
The Ro-Con 3 website can be found here: http://ro-con-2.blogspot.com/
#sfwa
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