#sci fi convention

[convergencecon]

Register for CONvergence 2025: That's How We Roll by MIDNIGHT on Wednesday, Jan 15 to save $40 off the door price!

CVG2025 4-day Badge prices increase after January 15! We really hope you can join us this year in Minneapolis for the most unique Minnesota celebration of science fiction, fantasy, gaming, cosplay, and more on July 3-6! Head to 👉🏽 cvgcon.org/register

[duckprintspress]

Upcoming Event: Boskone!

We’re coming up on Duck Prints Press’s next vending appearance – we’ll be back at the Westin Boston Seaport District, this time in the vendors room for Boskone on February 9th through 11th! Boskone is the flagship convention for the New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA), and special guests at this year’s convention include Ben Aaronovitch, Emily Hurst Pritchett, and John Scalzi. There’ll also be over 30 vendors, an author’s alley, an art show, and of course scads of cool panels!

One of the authors we work with, Tris Lawrence, will also be in attendance, participating in panels and signing books. You can check out her schedule here.

We’re really excited to be heading back to Boston again, and hopeful that we’ll see some familiar faces from Arisia and meet some new folks too. If you’re gonna be there, make sure you come and say hi!

[the5parkers-blog]

Tips For A Successful Cosplay

So you want to cosplay? Well, cosplay is for everyone! No matter your body-type, your gender identity, or race; you have the right to join in the fun. However, that also means that everyone has to struggle with the challenges of cosplaying. So, here are some things to remember when cosplaying! Wear Comfortable Shoes Wear comfortable shoes. Wear comfortable shoes. Seriously, wear comfortable…

[oldschoolfrp]

Games within games -- Illustration signed RoMc, from ad for Games Workshop's Games Day '83, Nov 5-6 at the Royal Horticultural Society's New Hall, London (as printed in White Dwarf 44, August 1983, also used on the event's printed program).

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Warhammer 40k: Gladius - Relics of War - Adepta Sororitas Convent by Kamila Szutenberg

[jellybracelet]

lmao even in 2006 people were lusting after jared's hands im deaddd

x

[heartbeetz]

I'm not really an April fools guy and also I'm not gonna be around much at all today anyway, but if you waaaant um. I'll do a little ask-based f/o takeover (since I've seen other people making that their April fools thing). But only as the car. Bc I miss writing him. You can send him random asks if you feel like it and I'll TRY to get around to them before tomorrow.

[judgeitbyitscover]

Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb

Cover art by Jeff Easley

Windwalker / TSR, February 1987

Even before the unscheduled murder of the world's most detestable cult author, Rubicon was destined to go down in fen history as the most outrageous fantasy convention ever. The great chronicler of the fantasy adventures of the noble Viking warrior, Tratyn Runewind, was suddenly no more. Appin dungannon was dead - a bullet through his hear and a spilled bottle of scotch at his side. Who hated him enough to kill him? The answer: Practically everyone.

James Owens Mega, creator of that deathless tome, Bimbos of the Death Sun, dons the roll of Dungeon Master, and solves this uproarious whodunit in the ultimate role-playing game climax.

[convergencecon]

From CONvergence's 2025 board of directors:

"This is a moment in time in which spaces like CONvergence are necessary."

[luninosity]

I realized I hadn’t posted this news here yet! So, here you go –

I’ll be on two author panels and doing a reading at this year’s RSM virtual convention, this weekend – September 21 & 22!

An online LGBTQ+ science fiction and fantasy convention, RSM is always free to attend. More information, including this year’s schedule, can be found here – they will ask you to register, but, again, free!

I’ll be on the Pleasures of Worldbuilding panel on Saturday at 10:30am (Pacific time – my time) and then in the Reading session at 1:30pm that same day; on Sunday I also got asked to join the Queer Horror panel (I suppose I do teach a Monsters course!) at 12:00pm. Come join us and say hi! :-)

[the5parkers-blog]

What Happens At A Science Fiction Convention?

I’ve been going to conventions for years. I used to hear them referred to as sci-fi conventions but really, it’s more than sci-fi. It’s about pop culture, fashion, history, movies, tv shows and just about everything else you can think of. And one of the hardest things has always been trying to explain to others what the heck these things called conventions are. Think about something you are…

[willtasker]

NYCC 2024: A (Redacted) Review

I had planned out NYCC months ago, back when they announced Hayley Atwell in the spring. Everything else in 2024 had the volume turned down after that announcement. And with time, they also announced some of the cast of Starship Troopers and then Rachael Leigh Cook.

I'm happy to say that everyone was wonderful, glowing even. Some maybe a little more than others but over all, this was by far the best year I had at a convention in terms of people just being... nice.

So foremost is that I overbooked myself. Five cast members from Starship Troopers was at the same table and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let that slip by. I had to go Thursday, as Dina Meyer ((see above)) was only there for one day only. She was an absolute sweetheart, despite trying to duck out to make her plane on time. I almost walked away before they called me back because I forgot to take this photo with her. "Give me some sass" is what I heard in my ear over the deafening crowd and ... well, its not my worst photo but certainly not my favorite either. But she has these huge, chonky glasses I wish she'd kept on for the photos.

Michael Ironside was incredible. I've been a fan of his for decades and despite having a voice like a gravel quarry and that constant sneer painted over his face, he was very funny and very warm. He noticeably perked up when I mentioned his performance in "Crime & Punishment In Suburbia" and how Roger Ebert said it was the best work of his career. He nodded in approval, "I'm glad someone saw that. The director is a a good friend of mine."

Casper Van Dien was ... actually exactly what I suspected. He was standing in front of his table, talking to everyone, pitching the new SST Extermination game. He's high energy, happy to see you, quick with a joke.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of time with either Seth Gilliam or Denise Richards. Seth was on his way out but seemed to be overly kind with everyone there? Does that make sense? Denise was rushing to get out because she had some sort of socialite appointment elsewhere in NYC but she was trying so hard to be accommodating and patient with people. I think she was aware of what her legacy is with men of a certain age. I purposely didn't take too long at her table - it was 7 pm and everyone was tired - and I think she appreciated the fact I didn't make a bad pass at her or stop the line for 5 minutes to show her art I had done in the hopes she'd follow my Instagram (witnessed both of these things happen in real time).

Now on to the main event:

I didn't know what to expect from Hayley. I'd never met anyone who had interacted with her, so I was a little pensive at first. I had brought two photos for her to sign - the one above I had blown up to an egregious size - but it was the other one that rang her bell.

The person running the cashbox passed my photos down and said "Hayley we have some very nice photos from this gentle..."

"This is from Howard's End!" Her eyes popped, a mix of genuine surprise and appreciation behind them.

We talked a little bit about her Margaret Schlegel versus the 1992 movie. She asked me a couple of small questions before we really hit it off on something I wouldn't expect: I told her how I found a lot of American television too "active" and how much comfort I found in rewatching not only Howard's End but just UK television in general. She sized me up quietly before agreeing, telling me she watches the same handful of shows over and over to unwind, as a comfort.

She signed the Howard's End photo first (not pictured here, I've determined it is a little too personal), then the above photo before going back to the first photo with "May I add a quote to this?"

I was left with words in my mouth for a second. I managed to say "Please!" once my brain rebooted and she said "I loved this character so much. And this quote." After we said our goodbyes - she's so effusive, high energy - I quietly found a corner of the convention hall to see she'd written "Only Connect" under her name and I sighed like an old dog sleeping on a cold kitchen floor.

I later had a photo op with her. I look pretty stiff and not my best but I've taken worse photos. She was extremely gentle with everyone in line, I think getting a sense that most everyone was having the same "Holy shit, thats Hayley Atwell" realization.

Finally, and certainly not the least of all...

Rachael Leigh Cook came out an hour late, wearing a cream colored sweater and necklace. Laugh as you must, gentle reader, but I'm absolutely going to my therapist this week to ask why a stranger like herself is so completely nice to everyone (but especially: why is she nice to me). She's the type who touches people on the hand or arm as they talk - she hugged the couple in front of me when they mentioned their engagement - and she has this natural ... I honestly don't know what to call it - grace? vibe? spirit? ... that makes the cold hearth of my soul blaze like a Christmas fireplace. I don't mean to suggest theres any sort of connection, simply that she gives off a vibe of generosity and familiarity that I've only ever felt with old girlfriends.

I thanked her for her performance in Stateside, which made her eyebrows go up like a Tex Avery cartoon, and complimented her on getting her character's diagnosis so wonderfully right. She listened to me, stopped writing, listened some more, would write some more. I'd hate to think I somehow overwhelmed her - I am often told I don't "play my cards" despite my being afraid I'm overplaying them - but she was sincere and gentle, her voice this almost ASMR tone. We took a selfie (THAT photo looks awful, I need to learn to not only pose in photos but not to cock my head away from the other person) and later a photo op (Which looks better! But like the one with Hayley, I look rigid compared to her practiced grace) where she invited me into her hooked arm with a "Hey you, wow, sharp dresser!" and straightened the front of my shirt with a pinch.

And finally! Mystery solved?

This is an update for @justrachaelleighcook - this photo was taken at Cannes! She'd not seen Anna in some time and the press (or whoever was behind the camera) asked for a photo together! "I've never seen this photo but I remember taking it because Bookies was running out of competition". So that dates this photo as 2002? (She'd also not heard Anna had been unwell of late and regarded what little I said with a bit of a furrowed brow.)

Needless to say I wish I had more time to talk to her but I'm forever aware theres a line of people behind me hoping for some time as well.

It was an exhausting two days at NYCC. I probably spent 15 hours there and of that, more than 13 hours was standing in lines. Overall, it was one of the - if not THE - smoothest and more effortless visits to a convention I've ever had. If any of them come back around, I'd love to meet them again. <3

[sintarija]

Please, please, please help me out and vote on the poll below! I'm really curious! (And need it for science.)

And reblogs are highly appreciated! ❤️❤️

You can vote even if you haven't visited any conventions! I just need the input on whether or not you noticed this happening in your region! :)

BTW feel free to share the name of the convention that used gen AI and the country/region you are from.

Again, reblogs are HIGHLY appreciated since I have a very small following and would like to reach as many people as possible.

[ghost-clowns]

Rory Week Day One! Star Wars or Star Trek?

[douglasbradburyverne]

A Klingon Barbie spotted at the Las Vegas Star Trek convention