I’m posting this a couple days earlier than usual because we’re off on an epic road trip tomorrow to Anaheim for WorldCon! This will be my third time (and the second time I’ve done the full con).
Marco is coming with me this time, and we are caravanning down with our friends Marvin (author M.D. Neu) and his husband Eric. I’m so excited to have him with me, and am hoping he can find some panels he’ll enjoy at the con.
We’ll have a LimFic table with a number of great author friends:
- M.D. Neu
- BJ Sikes
- G.B. Lindsey
- Kim Fielding
- John & Susan Ruff
and Kim and I will be previewing book two of the Chaos and Order series, Search for the Lost, in paperback only. The eBook releases on October 7th.
I’m on three panels this year, a first for me at WC:
Generative AI and Writing: Navigating Tool AI-ification, Friday 8/28, 1:30 PM, ACC North Room 252C
Writers have feelings and fears about Al seeping into our tools, bringing with it multifold biases and skills erosion. Like it or not, everyday writing software is being Al-ified. Is Grammarly now too Al-driven to trust? Is it okay to use LLMs for research or reverse outlining? The panel discusses the costs, concerns, and compromises being made when Al enters the frame – even with our unconscious engagement.
Queer Fantasy, Saturday 8/29, 12 PM, Hilton Manhattan Room
More fantasy books feature queer characters as our discussions about queer identity grows. What are some books that showcase the LGBTQIA+ community well? What are the trends as more SFF includes queer characters and culture?
Ships and Cities With Attitude: Place as Character, Monday 8/31, 10:30 AM, Hilton Huntington Room – Moderator
Some of the best speculative fiction out there imbues its setting with an attitude and personality all of its own. How do they accomplish this with and without going full Al? What are the best examples, and how can we apply it to our own work? Join these authors as they talk about the least lauded character: Place.
You can also find me at various points during the con at the SFWA table in the Dealer Hall for my new job as SFWA Events Coordinator.
If you are a SFWA member, be sure to come to SFWA’s private WorldCon reception at 4:30 in the Pacific C Ballroom at the Hilton – there will be a cash bar with beer, wine, and soda, along with a catered selection of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches with two options, Classic Grilled Cheese and Braised Short Rib, as well as no-cheese options, and a Tater Bar with two options – garlic & parmesan fries and herb-tossed tater tots. Come hang out with me and your fellow SFWA members and hear what SFWA will be up to over the next year.
Later that night, join renowned queer author Cecilia Tan and I as we host a queer science fiction party, also at the Hilton, in room 5-552 stating at 8 PM! Some of my books will be available for sale there, including Search for the Lost.
If you need to contact me at the con, reach out and I’ll give you my cell number.
And last but not least (or rather, first!), we’re going to Disneyland! I haven’t been since the nineties, when the California Adventure was just a parking lot. We’re going to see the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge attractions, which I have been dying to do for years. I miss the good old days, when Disney had one park, it cost $18 to get in, and you didn’t need to book in advance or get special additional passes to jump the line. And yes, I still remember E tickets!
But still, it will be good to go back, and to see the new attractions. California Adventure will have to wait for another trip, though!
That’s about it. We’re packing today and on the road by noon tomorrow. Hope to see a bunch of you there!