Convention Report: Fan Expo 2012

Usually Mondays on this blog are devoted to books, sometimes movies. But in my head, the theme is “Media Mondays”, so today I’m going to write about something media-related that hasn’t been featured on this blog before.

Photo by Louise K. (link at bottom of post)

I’m talking about a con — a science fiction/fantasy convention.

First, a brief primer on cons. There are two main types. The first is literature-oriented, focusing on books and book-related discussions. Guests tend to be authors and editors. The second is all about visual media — movies, TV, comics, anime/manga, gaming. Guests tend to be TV stars and comic book artists. This is the kind of con where people dress up in costume (cosplay). It’s much larger than the first kind.

I’ve been to both kinds over the years. The con I’m writing about today is of the second type — Fan Expo, an annual convention held in Toronto.

Friday Link: Who Gets to Be a Geek? Anyone Who Wants to Be

Who gets to claim the term “geek” (or “nerd”, depending on your definition)? Am I geeky enough? If I don’t watch anime or read comics/manga or do any kind of gaming or know much about computers or keep up with the latest SF/F TV shows (all true of me), am I still a geek?

Being an individual with a strong dose of self-criticism, I’ve sometimes asked myself these questions. So I was thrilled to read this piece by writer (and SFWA president) John Scalzi:

Geekdom is a nation with open borders. There are many affiliations and many doors into it. There are lit geeks, media geeks, comics geeks, anime and manga geeks. There are LARPers, cosplayers, furries, filkers, crafters, gamers and tabletoppers. There are goths and horror geeks and steampunkers and academics. There are nerd rockers and writers and artists and actors and fans. Some people love only one thing. Some people flit between fandoms. Some people are positively poly in their geek enthusiasms. Some people have been in geekdom since before they knew they were geeks. Some people are n00bs, trying out an aspect of geekdom to see if it fits. If it does, great. If it doesn’t then at least they tried it.

He’s writing in the context of criticizing another blog piece, which focuses on pretty girls coming into a con and parading around in outfits featuring characters they’re not familiar with. Or something. But the quotation above, and the rest of what he says in that vein, is the part that really resonates with me.

Go read the rest. You won’t regret it. (Unless you’re unusually sensitive to snark, and even then, bear with him, because it’s worth it. His posts where he’s arguing about something are so well constructed, they’re things of beauty.)

That’s it for this week. See you on Monday!

Weekly Roundup

Happy Friday to the blogosphere! Here are the best links I found on the Interwebs this week, for your reading pleasure…

Book News

Have I geeked out at you yet about SF&F writer Elizabeth Bear? No? I’ll have to do that, because she’s awesome. In the meantime, she has a new book out this week, Range of Ghosts. It’s epic fantasy inspired by Genghis Khan, and you can read about it in a Big Idea piece on John Scalzi’s blog.

General Geekery and Science

Somebody has re-created what Shakespeare’s works sounded like in the original pronunciation.

Scientists have figured out how to make cyborg snails (aka the mollusc militia).

The New York Times interviews scientist Rachel Graham,  the Jane Goodall of sharks.

Inspiration

Offbeat Home finds a Belgian B&B that belongs in a fantasy novel.

For Writers (and Interested Third Parties)

If you’re writing fantasy or science fiction, Juliette Wade offers some ways to approach measurements in your worldbuilding.

Deborah Biancotti points out that we are all running our own race.

Hope to see you back here on Monday, when I’ll be talking about Queen’s Man, the new science fiction release from KD Sarge at Turtleduck Press. Until then, happy weekend!

Weekly Roundup

We survived another week! (Almost. I am writing this on Thursday night.) Here’s what I’ve got for you this week…

books

What’s the difference between high fantasy and epic fantasy? Here’s one well-reasoned argument. And here’s another one based on the level of the stakes.

general geekery

Ever wondered what Harry Potter would look like as a girl? Now you can find out: Genderswapped Harry Potter characters.

inspiration

When I am 101 years old, I want to be like this paragliding great-grandmother.

Domythic Bliss had a wonderful series last week looking at mobile houses: Roma-inspired wagons, trucks, boats, and buses.

For writers (and interested third parties)

Kristen Lamb debunks the myth that Real Writers never struggle.

Ollin Morales writes about how chasing your writing dreams may not be enough — you also have to chase your other dreams.

If you’ve been reading too many blogs or books on writing craft and tearing your hair out because you don’t write like that, Tahereh Mafi has an awesome post on how there is no right way to write. She also talks with beautiful openness about being a debut novelist (a.k.a. a Real Writer), how it changes you and how it doesn’t.

(Can you tell the space I’m in with my writing this week?)

That’s all for now, folks. Happy Friday!

Weekly Roundup

Welcome to Friday, everybody!

Book News

This week I’ve been reading a discussion around female authors, particularly in SF&F — how they don’t get talked about as often as men, or reviewed as often. Cheryl Morgan blogs about the (lack of) teaching of women writers in school. If this makes you angry, you might be interested in Ian Sales’s round-up of SF novels that feature only female protagonists (lots more suggestions in the comments).

General Geekery and Science

Are you Team Gale or Team Peeta? How about Team Katniss?

The intersection of geekiness and crafting is a thing that fascinates me. Here, for example, are Mario Brothers quilts: http://www.themarysue.com/super-mario-bros-3-quilts/

Inspiration: Home Edition

If you’re looking for a hotel that makes you think of magic, check out these domythic getaways.

Did your grandmother own doilies? Mine did. Appreciating the needlework of our grandmothers (with photos of beautiful lacework).

Self-Care

Leo Babauta talks about breaking information addiction and other bad habits.

Weekly Roundup

Congratulations, we made it to another Friday!

book news

A couple of new books I’m looking forward to:

First, there’s a new Temeraire novel out! Crucible of Gold, the seventh book in Naomi Novik’s series about the Napoleonic Wars with dragons, came out in Canada and the US this week. How did I not hear about this earlier? I’ve read five of the six books so far and am super excited to see how the series continues.

Second, on a completely different note, poet Jenna Butler recently released a new book of poetry, Wells, about her grandmother’s descent into senility.

general geekery and science

The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence continues, and SETI wants your brainpower.

What sank the Titanic? An iceberg, yes. But why was the iceberg even there? High tides, say scientists.

smart people

Author China Miéville talks intelligently about the recent controversy over Hergé and racism and Tintin in the Congo (via).

for writers (and interested third parties)

Justine Musk writes about the art of being fearless.

Melissa Crytzer Fry warns of the dangers of writing outdoors for inspiration.

 

That’s it for this week. Come back on Monday to talk some more about books!

Weekly Roundup

book news

The micropress I’m a part of, Turtleduck Press, is gearing up for a new novel release next month. You can get a sneak peak at the main character, Joss, in a free short story called Fanged Bunny Slippers and on the latest blog post by his author, KD Sarge. (Previously in Joss news on this blog: Queen’s Man cover art revealed.)

general geekery and science

Some gorgeous book art (via Jennifer Crusie).

Science! A graphic from the BBC shows just how deep the ocean is and what to expect at each level (also via Crusie, who is a font of cool stuff).

Good article from Nerd Caliber on racism and cosplayers of color.

Linguistic geekery: why African click languages sound so odd to English speakers even though we click too (via Juliette Wade).

inspiring: home edition

Elaine Smothers blogs about beautiful and eco-friendly cob homes.

Goddess Leonie blogs about letting go of the old to make space for the new.

A blog devoted to myth- and fairy tale-inspired homes answers the question: why decorate your home that way? Favourite bit:

And for those of us who have to hide our dreaming souls during the work day, having a place to come to that is all about art and creativity and storytelling and wonder and imagination and myth and fairy tales (I get excited just writing all those words in a row) is essential to our well being.

for writers (and interested third parties)

Writer Unboxed has a great post on social media and the personas we create (by Porter Anderson).

Megan Crewe talks about her long and bumpy journey from her debut novel to her second (published) novel.

 

That’s all for now. Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday!

Weekly Roundup

Welcome to my first weekly roundup. This is where I share the neatest things that caught my eye recently, the things that made me smile or go “Wow” or made me think. Enjoy!

General Geekery and science

Doctor Who knitted gear: http://www.themarysue.com/sonic-screwdriver-scarves/

DIY polyhedra garlands: http://offbeathome.com/2012/02/make-math-geek-garlands-in-rainbow-colors

Scientists have regenerated a plant from a 30,000-year-old seed: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1134177–russians-regenerate-plant-from-30-000-year-old-frozen-burrow-of-ice-age-squirrel

Sleeping in two four-hour chunks may be proven by history to be more natural for humans: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16964783

Inspiring

Survivors of domestic abuse walk the runway (note: I’m not a big fan of high fashion and runway culture and all that, but this is pretty cool anyway): http://www.themarysue.com/survivors-walk-runway/

For the Writers (and interested third parties)

Jennifer Crusie on first person vs. third person (I know you’ve read a lot about point of view, but this one is really good): http://www.arghink.com/2012/02/19/lost-in-translation-first-to-third-and-back-again/

Justine Musk on how to find the big truth of your writing: http://justinemusk.com/2012/02/17/meaning-truth-novel-how-to-blog/

Kristen Lamb on when to write prologues (and when not to): http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/the-seven-deadly-sins-of-prologues/

Jody Hedlund on not succumbing to perfectionism: http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/2012/02/publication-perfection-not-required.html

Juliette Wade (and friends) on considerations for food, agriculture, and diet in your worldbuilding: http://talktoyouniverse.blogspot.com/2012/02/food-agriculture-and-diet-google.html

That’s all for this week, folks. I’ll see you back here on Monday!