Westercon Roundup

This was an odd weekend. Never before had I gone to a convention as an “author” only as a comic book artist and being an author with access to a green room and free food is in two words: freaking fantastic.  I did not table this Westercon, I was on panels and did the artshow.

Here we go.

Thursday: I attended to a panel on Mining on the Moon and learned about what resources were thought to be on the moon.

Then in the next room for my first panel with Alma Alexander, Anna Sheehan, Corry L. Lee, and Stephanie Weippert which was Whining vs. Angst: Fine Lines in Characterization We discussed how we go about writing characters.

Afterwards I had a nice time speaking to Stephanie Weippert and her husband for a few moments before I went to set up for the artshow.

Friday:
Introducing Your World which was about World building where we discussed the perils of info dumps. Also on the panel was Brenda Cooper, Elton Elliott Rhiannon Held, and Stephanie Weippert

then I had Dark Reflections with  M Todd Gallowglas Mike Shepherd Moscoe Richard A. Lovett  Ted Butler which was all about writing villains. This was my favorite of all my panels. I felt like I had the most opinions here.

Then I taught a Drawing comics class about Monsters. I thought I was teaching kids, but I ended up teaching adults. So that wasn’t as I had planned at all. Kids have no problem telling a group story, but the adults were definitely quieter.

Finally I ended the day at  From First Word to Finished Work

A panel for writers, from beginners to more experienced authors; we focus on the writing process, the importance of editing, and the creation of a final product. Erin Tidwell Gregory A. Wilson James C. Glass Mike Shepherd Moscoe

Saturday

So You Want to do Indy Comics?  Along with Steven Cox who is running a new gaming company iMage, I thought I was speaking about the ins and outs of running a webcomic, a small press or independent comic book publications company, but in fact the people who came just wanted to now how to get published.

My reading went fabulous. Richard A. Lovett seeing I was so nervous offered to attend. I admit I totally botched the introduction, but I felt I read well. I know I sold one book at least as a young man came up to me and told me he bought it. Richard suggested I go watch David Brin in order to see a master at work and he was right, I learned a lot watching David Brin.

Finally I had my autograph session which was fairly funny because I sat right next to Robin Hobb‘s huge line all the while I had four people. I didn’t feel bad about this, in fact I learned a lot watching her too.

I also learned quite a bit from listening to authors in the Green Room. Basically everyone I met was wonderful and down to Earth and willing to share their knowledge with a debut author. Especially since I am obviously anxious speaker.

Sunday, I went to another few panels–Archery for Authors and Artists and Urban Science–as well as David Brin’s autograph session. Then I picked up my artwork, stopped at Popeye’s chicken and headed home. Westercon was a wonderful experience.

Westercon is coming!

So July 5th – 8th, I am going to be at Westercon and I have received my schedule.

First of all, I’m going to have some drawings in the Art Show including this Sea Serpent along with seven other inked drawings.  I’m not worried about how my artwork will be received and I have done drawing comic classes before, but there all kinds of firsts with Westercon and I can’t even begin to say how nervous I am about this convention.

I will do my first panel discussions as well as my first reading.

So right now I am hoping I don’t forget how to read! I know I am reading from Other Systems. Part of me thinks I should read something from act 1: so maybe Chapter 6. Or maybe Chapter 26 since that is one of my favorite chapters.  (If anyone has an opinion let me know!)

I also am amazed to find that my autograph time is on primetime Saturday. While I have signed plenty of books at my booths, I’ve never had a scheduled autograph time.

Anyway, here is my schedule…. the other names are the folks on the discussions with me.

 

Thu Jul 5 4:00:pm	Thu Jul 5 5:00:pm	Whining vs. Angst: Fine Lines in Characterization
Cascade 3-4		Your contemplative character never seems to stop thinking and do something! Your action hero is coming through as a brainless Neanderthal. How do you round out characters without changing their essential purpose in the story or losing the reader’s sympathy? Creating original characters with interesting quirks walks a fine line between too much and too little. Getting it wrong can prevent the story from breaking into the Sold! category.
Alma Alexander Anna Sheehan Corry L. Lee Elizabeth Guizzetti Stephanie Weippert

Fri Jul 6 1:00:pm	Fri Jul 6 2:00:pm	Introducing Your World
Cascade 5		World building is great fun, but can also burden your reader with the amount of information you need to get across. How does one successfully build a world while weaving the information into the plot?
Brenda Cooper Elizabeth Guizzetti Elton Elliott Rhiannon Held Stephanie Weippert

Fri Jul 6 2:00:pm	Fri Jul 6 3:00:pm	Dark Reflections
Cascade 13		Why do we have a love for some villains and a loathing for those who do evil for evils sake? Do we see our own dark reflections mirrored and amplified? Do these characters do and say the things that we would never dare to?
Elizabeth Guizzetti M Todd Gallowglas Mike Shepherd Moscoe Richard A. Lovett Ted Butler

Fri Jul 6 4:00:pm	Fri Jul 6 5:00:pm	Drawing Comics Workshop: Monsters!
Olympic 2		A Step-by-step guide to design three comic book monsters(protagonist, antagonist, and sidekick) and create a 2-page story layout. Basic drawing, perspective and observation techniques will be covered. Learn how proportion can change a monster from cute to colossal. Materials and supplies are included.
Elizabeth Guizzetti

Fri Jul 6 7:00:pm	Fri Jul 6 8:00:pm	From First Word to Finished Work
Cascade 7-8		A panel for writers, from beginners to more experienced authors. We focus on the writing process, the importance of editing, and the creation of a final product.
Elizabeth Guizzetti Erin Tidwell Gregory A. Wilson James C. Glass Mike Shepherd Moscoe

Sat Jul 7 10:00:am	Sat Jul 7 11:00:am	From First Word to Finished Work
Cascade 3-4		A panel for writers, from beginners to more experienced authors; we focus on the writing process, the importance of editing, and the creation of a final product.
Anna Sheehan Elizabeth Guizzetti Janna Silverstein M Todd Gallowglas Muffy Morrigan

Sat Jul 7 12:00:pm	Sat Jul 7 1:00:pm	So You Want to do Indy Comics?
Cascade 2		The ins and outs of running a webcomic, a small press or independent comic book publications company. Discussion may include setting up a business, choosing a name, the importance of purchasing ISBN’s, doing your first convention, and getting your books into comic book stores.
Elizabeth Guizzetti iMage

Sat Jul 7 1:30:pm	Sat Jul 7 2:00:pm	A Reading by Elizabeth Guizzetti
Olympic 1		A reading of the works of Elizabeth Guizzetti
Elizabeth Guizzetti

Sat Jul 7 4:00:pm	Sat Jul 7 5:00:pm	An Autograph Session With Elizabeth Guizzetti
Autograph 2		Come get your favorite copies of Elizabeth Guizzetti’s works signed
Elizabeth Guizzetti