A year of two halves
It’s been a horribly long time since I wrote a post that wasn’t just a new Tea and Jeopardy episode. That’s because it’s been a horribly long time since I was in good health. I had major surgery at the beginning of April, suffered a post-operative infection that sent me back into hospital for more than twice the length of the original stay and since then it’s been one setback after another. The most recent has been a kidney infection that almost necessitated a third hospitalisation in as many months. It’s been all I can do to get those episodes out and try and keep a couple of things ticking over in the background.
In short, 2014 has been utter rubbish so far.
However, I am hopeful that the worst is behind me because, hell, if I don’t try and think that I might go crazy. More crazy. Whatever.
So I’m trying to look forwards and focus on the second half of the year which is full of Win on an epic scale. I want to tell you about it and then ask you a question.
So there are four events coming up and I am so excited about them it could be seen as uncouth. Here we go:
Nine Worlds Geekfest 8-10th August, London https://nineworlds.co.uk/
Oooooh yes! I loved the first Nine Worlds last year and this year I am looking forward to relaxing a little more as I won’t be running around like a mad thing running a Split Worlds game. I will be on two panels about podcasting:
Finding Your Voice
Friday 10.00am – 11.15am, Royal A
Whether you want to find out more about podcasting in general, or you’re thinking of starting your own podcast and want to peel back the skin and see what lies beneath, then this panel will be a great place to start. Join both seasoned and new podcasters as they discuss topics such as how to decide what your podcast will be about, who will be your audience, and how do you find, grow and, most importantly, keep that audience?
Speakers: Dave Probert, Emma Newman, Michaela Gray, AL Johnson
The Power of New Media
Sunday 11.45am – 1.00pm
This interactive roundtable panel follows on from Saturday’s talk about new media. Four podcasters will discuss and explore with the audience the growing power of new media and the rise of the everyman journalist.
Speakers: Barry Nugent, Emma Newman, Stephen Aryan, Scott Grandison
Loncon 3, 14th-18th August, London (Worldcon) http://www.loncon3.org/
This is a draft schedule, so it might change.
I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue
Thursday 22:00 – 23:00
The antidote to panel-games.
Two teams of fans/authors enjoy a battle of wits, and are given silly things to do by their chairman, Lee Harris.
Games include: One Song to the Tune of Another, Sound Charades and Mornington Crescent.
Lee Harris (M), Paul Cornell, Seanan McGuire, Emma Newman
Social Media and New Authors
Friday 11:00 – 12:00
In an age when publishers increasingly expect authors to market themselves online and at a time when Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook make the interaction between creators and readers much easier and faster, what should new (and old) authors learn about the emerging rules of engagement? How can you market yourself without becoming notorious for the wrong reasons? Is it ever a good idea to respond to a review? What conversations should you never, ever get into?
Wesley Chu (M), Julie Crisp, Max Gladstone, Emma Newman, Danie Ware
Medieval Languages and Distant Vistas: Using The Past in Games
Friday 20:00 – 21:00
Although we might not notice it, history plays a huge part in modern gaming. Not only historical games such as Medieval War, but worlds created using our perspective of ‘historical times’, fantasy landscapes where the people speak with odd, archaic accents or cast spells created in ancient tongues. Why is history so important to games, and how is it used? Should we take more historical care in the way we present these people, places and tongues, and what sort of potential does the recreation of the past have for gaming worlds?
Michael J. Martinez (M), Emma Newman, Ada Palmer, Mel Phillips, Lauren M. Roy, James Swallow
Welcome Party
Friday 21:00 – 23:00
If this is your first convention, or you’re just a bit worried about coming to such a big event, come along to our introductory mixer, where our hosts will find out what you want from Loncon and what your genre favourites are, answer your questions, and introduce you to fellow newbies. Come and start your convention here, and make some new friends.
Paul Cornell (M), Adam Christopher, Emma Newman, Gareth L Powell, Adrian Tchaikovsky
Fear and Writing workshop led by Emma Newman
Saturday 11:00 – 12:00
Are you struggling to write the first draft of your novel? Are you researching endlessly but not actually writing the book? Have you had a book in your head for years but been unable to start it? Do you have a drawer full of unfinished stories and manuscripts?
If so, I might be able to help. I’m running a workshop designed to help you explore the reasons why you’re not getting that book written with practical tasks designed to help you start and finish that manuscript lurking at the back of your mind.
So You Want To Be a Podcaster
Saturday 16:30 – 18:00
Everything you need to know about podcasting in one panel! What sort of microphone do you need? Which editing software is best? How should you plan and structure your show? How do you develop an audience? What are the differences between reading and podcasting fiction and non-fiction? Come, listen, learn — and then create.
Alasdair Stuart Mr (M), Elías Combarro, Gabrielle de Cuir, Emma Newman, Mur Lafferty
Writing Roleplaying Games
Sunday 12:00 – 13:30
Panel version – how to design an engaging TRPG.
Melinda Snodgrass (M), Colin Harvey, Helena Nash, Emma Newman, Marcus Rowland, Lauren M. Roy
At both Nine Worlds and Loncon I am hoping to arrange a Tea and Jeopardy meet up – details once the schedules have been finalised.
Fantasycon, September 5th – 7th 2014, The Royal York Hotel, York http://www.fantasycon2014.org/
No schedule details yet, but we will be performing a live version of the Tea and Jeopardy show. With real tea and cake! And peril!
Bristolcon, 25th October, Doubletree Hotel, Bristol http://www.bristolcon.org/
This is a very special event as it’s my first ever stint as a Guest of Honour! I love Bristolcon; it’s a perfectly formed one day convention that is friendly, interesting and just brilliant really. I am so damn chuffed to be GoH. In terms of my schedule, all I know at the moment is that at some point I will be interviewed by the splendid Gareth L. Powell.
And now for the question
After Worldcon last year, someone (I don’t remember who, sorry) wrote about how they didn’t feel they could approach authors in the bar, as we were all clumped in groups with friends and it was too intimidating to go and say hello.
I felt so sad when I read that, and worried that I had inadvertently put someone off coming over and saying hi. As someone who finds it practically impossible to approach people I’ve never met before and introduce myself, I understood the feeling.
I have also been thinking about how I can best help people – especially fledgling writers – at conventions. I get requests for help I simply cannot give in my normal working week as I don’t have enough time or mental space when I’m writing and sweating paying the bills, but at conventions I do have that time.
So, if you’re attending any of the above events, I wanted to ask if you might like to arrange a tea break with me, in which you, or you and a friend/s can meet up with me and have a nice cup of tea and a chat about whatever you like – be it writing, podcasting, The Split Worlds, living with anxiety, whatever – without any need to summon the courage to come and say hello out of the blue. That way I can give you my undivided attention, and we can both have a restorative cuppa between panels and other shenanigans.
If you would like that, leave a comment below letting me know which convention you are going to be at and when the final schedules come out, I’ll do my level best to arrange a mutually convenient time.
How does that sound?
