Con Artist

When I was a kid, I went to a couple of science-fiction conventions every year. (Disclave and Balticon, if you’re curious.) Once I left home for college, I fell out of that world. Then when I was working on Hubble in 1998 I went to WorldCon in Baltimore to work the Hubble booth they had there, and remembered just how much fun they are. It took me a few more years, but I started becoming a con-goer once again and it’s been great reconnecting.

This year is no exception. I just got back from Phoenix Comic Con (HUGE fun, and very hot, but fun. And hot.), and it looks like I’ll be heading west for two more: San Diego Comic Con, and HawaiiCon!

SDCC (the one you hear about on TV shows like Big Bang Theory) runs from July 24–27, and I’m scheduled for three panels (two I’m moderating, and one I’ll just sit in on and be a smartass as usual). I’ll post the details once the final schedule is up.

HawaiiCon I’m very excited about. Duh. It’s the first year for them, and they raised the money to get it going on KickStarter. Celebrity guests there include nearly the whole cast of Stargate Atlantis (my plan is to hang out with them and get them to dish on David Hewlett), Walter Koenig, Jane Espenson, and many more.

There will also be a strong science component, featuring lots of astronomy and astronomers. I plan on getting into as much trouble as I can with Bobak Ferdowsi. Again, when I have the detailed schedule, I’ll post it.

Also, if you’re on Twitter, the HawaiiCon Twitter feed is killing it. Follow them for a smile.

Apparently SDCC is already sold out—this happens pretty early every year—but there are still passes for HawaiiCon. If you’re a sci-fi nerd like me, and you’ve ever wanted to visit the Big Island, this sounds like a pretty good chance.

Mahalo!