Sunday Six: Pictures of World Fantasy Con 2014

It may not look like much, but that little red thumb drive ate my whole summer and much of my fall. My contribution to this year's World Fantasy Con, held November 5-9 at the Hyatt in Crystal City, Virginia, was to format five of the six volumes of Unconventional Fantasy, an anthology celebrating forty years of World Fantasy Conventions contained on that thumb drive. In addition to the catalog of the con's Virgil Finlay art exhibit (which, fortunately, I did NOT have to format) the collection encompassed over two hundred stories and articles by people like Neil Gaiman, Patricia McKillip, Joyce Carol Oates and our writing Guest of Honor Guy Gavriel Kay, plus roughly three hundred paintings and photographs. The complete collection comprised over 900,000 words and 3,200 pages.

The con only produced enough thumb drives to supply one ach to con members. But if the project is nominated for any Major Awards (hint, hint) they plan to make it available to eligible Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award voters. (Buy those memberships now, folks. :-) )

Fortunately, there was alcohol at the end of the formatting tunnel. Lots of it. They don't call it "Bar Con" for nothing. The good times started November 5 with a scotch tasting hosted by WFC 2014 Writer Guest of Honor Guy Gavriel Kay (left) and Toastmaster Mary Robinette Kowal (right). I knew the scotch would be grand. What surprised me was I found an Islay scotch I really liked: Highland Park. It doesn't smell anything like moldy bandages! (User dodges rotten fruit hurled by the scotch fans on the blog.) Well, it's true!

There were also workshops led by some of the most honored names in the business. Jack Dann (right), author of The Memory Cathedral (about DaVinci) and The Rebel (which imagines the life of a James Dean who didn't die on Highway 1), led a November 6 workshop on alternate history featuring (from left to right) Joe Haldeman, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., and Janeen Webb.

Opening ceremonies November 6 featured World War I re-enactors reading "In Flanders Field" in honor of the centenary of "The War to End All Wars" and mini movie describing the wonders of that little red thumb drive. (I'm trying to persuade the con chairs to put it on You Tube. I'm proud of that blasted drive.)  Mary Robinette Kowal (seen at left dressed in a 1911-style gown) performed with her usual style. Afterwards, the con's honorees gathered for photos. Of the ones I took, I like this one best. From left to right: Mary (Toastmaster), 2014 World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Winners Chelsea Quinn Yarbro and Ellen Datlow, and Writer Guest of Honor Guy Gavriel Kay.

What would a con be without panels? Here Michelle Markey Butler (left), Scott H. Andrews, (center) and Elaine Isaak (who also writes as E.C. Ambrose) discuss "Guns, Gears and Wheels: Medieval Technology in Fantasy". I chose this picture to give you an idea of how well the panels were attended. Look at the crowd in that mirror!

For my sixth shot, I decided to give a shout-out to one of my favorite editors, Joshua Palmatier, seen here second from the right. In addition to being a talented writer under his own name and his pseudonym Benjamin Tate, Joshua has co-edited both The Modern Fae's Guide to Surviving Humanity and Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs. Aliens. Here he finds himself on a panel entitled "Place Matters: Geography and Fantasy". His fellow panelists are (from left to right): Max Gladstone, Robert V.S. Redick, Marie Brennan, Gregory A. Wilson and Siobhan Carroll.

All told, I had a grand time at the con. I saw good friends. I participated on and attended great panels. I ate well. I drank really well. The only fly in the ointment: guess who lost her thumb drive. Don't it figure. LOL

Jean Marie Ward

Jean Marie's Balticon Schedule

The merry month of May is about to get a little merrier. That's right folks, it's time for Balticon!

This year's con will run from Friday, May 23, all the way until Memorial Day Monday, May 26, at the Hunt Valley Inn, Hunt Valley, Maryland. Brandon Sanderson is our writer guest of honor, but he's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Unfortunately, as of Monday evening the con has neglected to post the rest of its guest list.  Or its final program.  (Insert headdesk here.)

But there will be lots of writers, artists, dances, parties, costume competitions and fun.  There will also be programming.  How do I know this when it's not on the web site?  Because they have posted a preliminary program! With parties! Here's my part in the festivities:

Friday

4 p.m.: Beyond Medieval History
A look at the challenges and possibilities of fantasy inspired by time periods other than medieval Europe. Jean Marie Ward (M), KT Bryski,Val Griswold-Ford, Tom Doyle and Joshua Palmatier (Chase)

6 p.m.: Writing the Economics of Magic
A discussion examining how to address economics when building a world in which magic is a major factor. Collin Earl, Brandon Sanderson, Jeffrey Lyman, Jean Marie Ward, Eric Hardenbrook (Salon C)

9-11 p.m.: Zombies Need Brains Launch Party
Celebrating the start of the new small press Zombies Need Brains and its first SF&F anthology Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs. Aliens. Come join us for some snacks, meet some of the authors contributing to the first anthology, and learn all about ZNB and what it hopes to do in the future! Joshua Palmatier (M), Gail Z. Martin, Jason Palmatier, Jean Marie Ward (Parlor 1026)

11 p.m.: Developing a Sense of Propriety
Advice from SF/F Fandom on how to avoid creepy behavior; how to tell your friend that his/her behavior is totally Uncool, instead of watching in silent horror; what's harassment and what else--while not harassment--is still unacceptable public behavior. Debi Chowdhury (M), Leona Wisoker, Don Sakers, Jean Marie Ward, Mildred Cady

Saturday

2 p.m.: Flipping the SF Archetypes
Maybe humanity isn't the good guy on the intergalactic playing field. Maybe the mad scientist is just a jerk, not an evil genius. Maybe... Scott Roche (M), T Jackson King, James Daniel Ross, Jean Marie Ward, Steven H. Wilson (Salon B)

4 p.m.: Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading
A buffet of short reads from some of today's most exciting women authors. Jean Marie Ward (M), Reesa Herberth, Elektra Hammond, Gail Z Martin, Michelle Moore, Kelly Harmon (Pimlico Room)

Sunday

7-10 p.m.: Dark Quest Books Launch Party
Those Bad-Ass Faeries are back in Dark Quest Book's all-new volume, It's Elemental, along with plenty of other great new titles. Come help the authors, editors, and the publisher celebrate the their spring releases, including Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Day Al-Mohamed, In All Directions by David Sherman, Beginning a Beginning by Danny Birt, Trouble on the Water, Consigned to the Sea, Tales from Rugosa Coven by Sarah Avery, as well as the anthology Trust and Treachery, and a special guest appearance by Hellfire Lounge 4: Reflections of Evil. Join us for food, fun, and as always PRIZES! Danielle Ackley-Mcphail (M), N.R. Brown, Keith DeCandido, Mike Mcphail, CJ Henderson, Phoebe Wray, L. Jagi Lamplighter, Judi Fleming, Danny Birt, Peter Prellwitz, Lee C. Hillman, Jeffrey Lyman, Neal Levin, James Daniel Ross, Jean Marie Ward (Con Suite)

Friday evening, you'll also be able to find me at the first part of Gail Z. Martin's and Jon Sprunk's Reign of Ash/Blood and Iron launch party in Parlor 1026, from five until my six o'clock panel. Gotta support my roomie, don't you know.  :-)

Regarding the Zombies Need Brains and Dark Quest launch parties, aspiring writers take note: the editors and publishers will be there. In particular, I know Joshua Palmatier, ZNB's publisher, is starting to pull together his next anthology and recently posted what he looks for in a story at the Magical Words blog.

Like I said, there are lots of reasons to head to Balticon this weekend. And then there's MEEEEEEE!

Happy Memorial Day, however you choose to spend it!

Jean Marie Ward

Jean Marie's Happy Dance

Bianca isn’t the only one with good news to share this week. Patricia Bray and Joshua Palmatier announced the table of contents for their new fantasy anthology, The Modern Fae’s Guide to Surviving Humanity, coming from DAW Tekno Books in March 2012. And the writers are:

Introduction by Patricia Bray and Joshua Palmatier

"We Will Not Be Undersold" by Seanan McGuire

"Changeling" by Susan Jett

"Water-Called" by Kari Sperring

"The Roots of Aston Quercus" by Juliet E. McKenna

"To Scratch an Itch" by Avery Shade

"Continuing Education" by Kristine Smith

"How To Be Human™" by Barbara Ashford

"How Much Salt" by April Steenburgh

"Hooked" by Anton Strout

"Crash" by S. C. Butler

"Fixed" by Jean Marie Ward

"A People Who Always Know" by Shannon Page & Jay Lake

"The Slaughtered Lamb" by Elizabeth Bear

"Corrupted" by Jim C. Hines

Yes! That’s me on that list! “Fixed” is the story of a teenaged cat shifter who gets taken to an animal shelter while wearing fur. Needless to say, he really REALLY doesn’t want to get “Fixed”.

Although you won’t be able to hold the book (or the pixels of the ebook version) in your hands until March, The Modern Fae’s Guide to Surviving Humanity is available for pre-order on a number of sites, including Amazon. Buy, buy, buy! In multiples, if you can. Patricia and Joshua were so much fun to work with, I’d love to do it again.

Meanwhile, I’m grinning from ear to ear.