Category Archives: science fiction conventions

May 27, 2014 · 6:58 pm

Another great MisCon

As always, going to Missoula for MisCon was an excellent experience. Not everything involved science fiction and writing. We  found the new Preston Wine Cellars store (and purchased some wine, though the port is no more, alas).

Because of the clear, sunny weather on the way over, I got some incredible pictures. Here’s a short sampler:

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(Hubby playing around with a sculpture)

Kootenai Falls.

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We ran up to Whitefish Lake when we got into town rather than check in, and I got some really nice shots of the lake, as well as a couple of folks flyboarding. I’d never heard of it before, so watching it was pretty fascinating.

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And because it was a clear, sunny, warm day, we actually were able to use the outdoor hotel pool.

On the way to the con from Whitefish, we spotted a buffalo bull who’d just gotten up from a wallow, still coated in dirt. It was right on the edge of the bison reserve, and there was no good place to pull over to take a picture. This is a theme which will be repeated.

At the con, I observed part of a plotting session using the Tarot, but had to bug out due to packing for leaving the next morning. I had fun in my panels, and I think my fellow panelists did too. I had to recruit help when it turned out that everyone else on one panel was out sick, and the audience was too big for one panelist. At least if that panelist is me. But I had amazing friends who popped in to join me, and we had a vigorous discussion.

The writing critiques went as well as critique sessions go. Relatively uneventful and interesting concepts. Hopefully, the critiqued writers go on to do something with their work.

The hosting hotel for MisCon, Ruby’s, doesn’t have a bar, but just up the street is an Irish sports bar, The Stone of Accord, that has a decent menu and a rather nice selection of single malts, both Scotch and Irish. I finally got up the nerve to fork out for the Macallen Cask Strength shot, and a rather nice choice it was. That ended up being the choice libation as a bunch of us sipped from our glasses (one savors the Cask Strength, not chugs it) and discussed writing topics from figuring out plots to marketing to archeology to this and that and other things.

Since I was staying in a neighboring hotel, I hiked over to the con every day and got to inhale the glorious scent from this lilac hedge along the parking lot:

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Of course, I swooned over pink and light lavender and dark lavender lilacs. There weren’t any dark purples or whites, alas. But the warm weather brought out the strong sweet perfume of the lilac blossoms, and I loved it every time I walked by.

Because hubby had to go back to work today, we left early on Monday to come back, missing the last day of the con. However, about thirty miles west of Spokane, right next to I-90, near a little snowmelt pond, we spotted a big moose circling round at a trot to catch a glimpse of something that had startled it. We giggled about “moose in the Palouse” the rest of the drive home.

I had this day off so I had time to rest and recover from driving all the way back. Sixteen more days.

Sixteen more days until I’m freelance again. Yay?

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May 20, 2014 · 8:52 pm

Miscon!

It’s almost Memorial Day, which means it’s time for one of my favorite cons…Miscon, in Missoula, Montana.

Here’s my schedule:

Joyce Reynolds-Ward
  • Fri 4:00 – 4:50 PM, Writers’ Workshop Meet and Greet, Containment Room (Upstairs)
  • Fri 5:00 – 5:50 PM, The Importance of Beta Readers, Upstairs 3 (Upstairs Programming 3)
  • Break Fri 5:50 – Sat 11:00
  • Sat 11:00 – 12:50 PM, Writers’ Workshop Great Hall, Great Hall (Upstairs)
  • Break Sat 12:50 – Sat 2:00
  • Sat 2:00 – 2:50 PM, Reading: Joyce Reynolds Ward, Upstairs 3 (Upstairs Programming 3)
  • Sat 3:00 – 3:50 PM, Realistically Surviving the Fall of Society, Upstairs 1 (Upstairs Programming 1)
  • Break Sat 3:50 – Sat 6:00
  • Sat 6:00 – 6:50 PM, Creating Conflict, Great Hall (Upstairs)
  • Break Sat 6:50 – Sun 10:00
  • Sun 10:00 – 10:50 AM, Author Book Signing, Containment Room (Upstairs)
  • Break Sun 10:50 – Sun 1:00
  • Sun 1:00 – 1:50 PM, Writing What You Don’t Know, Upstairs 3 (Upstairs Programming 3)
  • Break Sun 1:50 – Sun 4:00
  • Sun 4:00 – 4:50 PM, Brave New World?, Upstairs 1 (Upstairs Programming 1)

Hope to see some of you there!

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November 12, 2013 · 6:06 pm

Orycon 2013

With all the craziness of the past six weeks, I’ve been worried about getting sick before Orycon or wiped out badly after. Well, the first didn’t happen and so far (knocks on wood), the second isn’t too horrendous. If things stay that way, I’ll be quite grateful.

All that aside, this year’s Orycon was delightful. I had about three panels a day; one got cancelled on Sunday. For whatever reason, it seemed like one of those cons where I got the chance to participate in long, thoughtful conversations with my friends. Cons don’t always get to be like that, but when they do…it’s very sweet. I didn’t get to talk to everyone, but I did get to talk to a lot of fun people. And, well, stuff got done. Pleasantly so.

Science fiction conventions can be tough roller-coaster rides for the writer. It’s possible to find both despair and delight in the experience. I’ve had my share of the despair; this year, it was delight. Any con where I get to have mindful discussions with friends is a delight, and this year will be one of the con memories I’ll treasure.

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June 28, 2013 · 7:25 pm

My two cents on the recent sexism/ sf convention harassment controversy

Apologies in advance for all the rambling, but…it’s been a busy day and I’m tired, and I’m still pulling my thoughts together.

First of all, I want to give MAJOR props to the women who have spoken out on this issue, especially Elise Matthesen. Speaking out in the face of physical and psychological harassment is a huge thing, and she’s right. If we’re going to stop this sort of behavior at conventions, especially by people in positions of power, then we women damn well have to make formal reports when sexual harassment happens, no matter how powerful the person doing it is. Period. Full stop. No two ways about it.

I don’t have a lot of convention horror stories to share, for various reasons. Some of this may just be that I flick the verbal harassment back and ignore it. Another is that as a result of years spent around horses in various stages of training (as well as being a middle school teacher), I have a pretty firm set of boundaries/personal space and when they get violated, I’m vocal (and, if sufficiently threatened, well, I have heels, elbows and other stuff and I’m not afraid to use them). I do engage in horseplay occasionally with trusted friends (there’s one gentleman who likes to pick me up when we’re goofing around at parties, but–we’re both laughing and it never crosses my personal boundaries). And that’s the key. They’re trusted friends, with established relationships. If I don’t know someone who puts hands on me, um, well, y’know, I might decide you need to be treated like a recalcitrant stud colt who wants to put his lips and teeth on me. Doesn’t need to be big and dramatic, but I will make a correction. Don’t go there. You might not like the result. I have a Teacher Voice, and I work in middle school, so I’ve had lots of experience observing just how to stage a dramatic scene without worrying about how dignified I look. If you have any dignity, you won’t survive teaching in middle school. That’s just the way things roll.

But, in counterpoint–I have specific circles I run in and I don’t go to a lot of the big, popular cons. I don’t necessarily do a lot of parties because, hey, I have a day job with day job sleep habits so I tend to bug out of parties early. I’m older (55) and that probably puts me off limits. I also have a spouse who goes to conventions with me and I usually talk about him being in the hotel room waiting for me. Sometimes he even comes to panels. In any case, I cultivate the “very married” persona and privilege (which not everyone has as an option). Because I was a political activist in college and spent some time as a legislative intern, I’ve had experience in fending off creepy politicians and lobbyists cruising the cute interns (OMG, now there’s a snake pit for you–being a female legislative intern). As the same activist, I’ve also led more than a few meeting charges (my friends–male–used to feed me talking points, aim me, and have me lead point on some of our political meeting arguments, under the general principle that having the articulate, assertive woman who was young and attractive leading the charge would put our opponents off their arguments. It worked, for the most part.). So I am not afraid to speak out in my defense, even if it burns bridges (ouch!).

Because of the combination of these various elements, I’ve been very damn lucky at conventions. I know it, because that luck hasn’t always held in other settings. I’ve survived one rape (pre-writing, pre-convention era). I’ve been pursued by another rapist when going home from class. In the workplace, I’ve filed one formal complaint for sexism against a supervisor and informally complained about another supervisor (who was so awful that sexism and harassment were actually relatively minor parts of his utter awfulness). That’s recent history. Past history has not been so kind.

At my first job, at an isolated river resort in Southern Oregon (the owners have changed so there’s no need to call them out now), I was specifically directed by my boss (female) to let one of the boat pilots fondle me. In front of customers. Loudly and brazenly. This was in the mid-70s, BTW, so not a lot of recourse then. When I left at the end of my employment, the only pilot available was that one. Who fondled me all the way down the river.

I was young, powerless, and had no options, in an era where I had even less support than women who are the age I was then have now.

There were other incidents at other jobs but that was the worst. I had a stalker confront me at work and the boss took his side. I almost got fired over that.

So…yeah. Convention experiences have not been bad for me, but then again, that’s been a combination of circumstances that have skewed in my favor. Other women have not been as fortunate. And that is absolutely, totally, NOT RIGHT.

And that’s the bottom line. I don’t care how old, how powerful, or how privileged someone is. Age, power and privilege do not convey the right to violate other people’s personal boundaries and personal dignity. This should be social functioning 101.

Period.

We should have learned this lesson by now, damn it.

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May 27, 2013 · 7:07 pm

Short take: Back from Miscon

So we’re back from Missoula, in one piece, and as always my head is spinning with new ideas, connections, and places to go, people to see, things to develop. We had a lovely drive up through Sandpoint and Libby to Kalispell, then straight back today in one big drive.

Miscon is a lovely little science fiction convention in Missoula. I’ve participated as a critiquing author in their writers’ workshop for three years now. As always, I learned from doing my critiques–good for both the author I’m critiquing and for insights into my own process.

There were many, many conversations and much food for thought. I got pictures with both camera and iPhone. I got to play some more with my new iPhone, and I realized that I really really really need to find a business card scanner to upload card data into my contacts on the phone. But when I went to iTunes, I found something like 123 apps, most of them free, a few not. How to sort out which one’s the best for me? Don’t know, but I’m going to start working on it.

I’m still in the process of unpacking, and have things to muse upon in the blog. Amongst other things, I’m going to try to start to get back into blogging on a regular basis. I need to do this. Lots of things that need to be done…

Meanwhile, off to unpack. Pictures later.

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May 18, 2013 · 2:28 pm

Miscon schedule

Yay! Got my final Miscon schedule, and it looks like Great Fun. Miscon’s a lovely con and I always enjoy my time there.

Joyce Reynolds-Ward

  • Fri 1:00 – 1:50 PM, Big Bang Theory!, Great Hall (Upstairs)
  • Break Fri 1:50 – Fri 4:00
  • Fri 4:00 – 4:50 PM, Writers’ Workshop Meet and Greet, Containment Room (Upstairs)
  • Break Fri 4:50 – Sat 11:00
  • Sat 11:00 – 12:50 PM, Writers’ Workshop Great Hall, Great Hall (Upstairs)
  • Break Sat 12:50 – Sat 2:00
  • Sat 2:00 – 2:50 PM, Reading: Joyce Reynolds Ward, Upstairs Programming 3 (261)
  • Break Sat 2:50 – Sat 5:00
  • Sat 5:00 – 5:50 PM, One Person’s Freedom Fighter . . ., Upstairs Programming 1 (259)
  • Break Sat 5:50 – Sun 10:00
  • Sun 10:00 – 10:50 AM, The Role of Religion in Science Fiction/Fantasy, The Cave (Downstairs)
  • Break Sun 10:50 – Sun 2:00
  • Sun 2:00 – 2:50 PM, Gender Roles and Societal Change, Upstairs Programming 2 (260)

Getting excited about it now, thinking about my reading. A snippet from How Beer Saved the World and a snippet from Netwalker Uprising…both of which hopefully will come up on the Stanza on my lovely new phone (Never fear, I plan to bring hard copy as well…)

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November 5, 2012 · 8:37 am

Orycon: First Digestion

(Deliberate homage to E. R. Eddison, A Fish Dinner in Memison, for the title)

So I’m thinking big thinky thoughts about the past Orycon.  I had a good con, with my first significant participation in panelage there and the first time for Orycon’s Writer’s Workshop as a critiquing professional (I’ve been on the other end at Orycon and a critiquing pro at other cons).  Good stuff all around, even with a few glitches.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that the news about Alma Alexander’s River anthology earning a Finalist slot for the Epic Awards came out just before the con.  Or, at a panel with Ken Scholes, where Ken and I both had the happy moment of mentioning stories and had audience members suddenly squeeing about the Kewlness Of Teh Story.

The other piece, though, was that many of the panels I participated on had an eager and intensely satisfying audience participation, more so than panels I’ve been on before at other cons.  A function of the con attendance?  Co-panelists?  I’m not sure.  But at the end of each panel I felt like (and tried to remember to do it) applauding the audience for their participation was entirely appropriate.  I like panels much better when we hit that freewheeling riff between panelists and audience.  We had good energy fairly consistently and that is something that requires both sides to make it happen.

I also had good barcon time, yakking with friends and fellow writers.

What was meh for me, for the most part, was party time.  Oh, I had good conversations and I met some friends I hadn’t seen for a long time.  Nonetheless, I’m not sure if it’s me or what, but the parties just didn’t pop out.  Probably just me as I think some parties got livelier later on in the evening, after I’d gone home for the night.  I’m now an old lady who needs her down time, I guess.

But…there are some other Big Thoughts that came out of discussions and a certain particular incident at that con.  I’m not really ready to share those yet, except for a couple of nibbles.

First of all, maybe I really DO need to find a way to articulate how my particular perspective differs from a lot of my day job professional peers with regard to disability, coping strategies, and attitudes toward difference and othering.  Some of these thoughts sharpened during the panels on “Geek v Nerd v Freak” and “When does a society stop being civilized.”

That whole thing about “what is ‘civilized'” is also a big thought.

I also had to defend my choice to go indie from someone who told me he viewed indie pubbers as scabs.  The analogy….doesn’t fly for me, especially looking at the power dynamics.  I want to write more about that.

Finally, I really do need to make more time for writer socialization and interaction.  I don’t do enough of hanging out with my writing tribe, and it does affect how I think and process.  I feel like I’ve finally fought my way out of the cobwebs of the nastiness of the past year or so.  Sadly, I don’t get the same sort of positive jolt from my day job, even in parts of it I’m passionate about.  My perspective is just different enough that I find myself keeping quiet and–well–I’ve got to do some thinking.

Off to write now.

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November 1, 2012 · 9:48 am

Orycon Schedule–Final

Expect light connectivity from now on, between Orycon and parent conferences at work.

To Outline or Not to Outline, that is the question
Lincoln              Fri Nov 2 2:00pm-3:00pm
Some authors were taught to draw up outlines of their entire story arc
before fleshing out their writing.  Others have developed different
methods which serve them well. Experienced authors discuss what works for
them, when, and perhaps, why.
Karen Azinger, Dave Smeds, Joyce Reynolds-Ward

Joyce Reynolds Ward's Readings
Grant                Fri Nov 2 4:00pm-4:30pm

Joyce Reynolds-Ward

A touch of Farmer, a pinch of LeGuin
Morrison             Sat Nov 3 12:00pm-1:00pm
Panelists discuss their biggest influences and what books have changed the
recent landscape in SF/F/H literature.
Keffy R. M. Kehrli, Deborah J. Ross, Joyce Reynolds-Ward

Group 5 Fantasy Short Story/Novel Excerpt
WW2                  Sat Nov 3 1:00pm-2:00pm

Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Irene Radford

Can Dumbing Down be Reversed?
Ross Island          Sat Nov 3 3:00pm-4:00pm

Kristin Landon, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Arthur Bozlee, Rory Miller

Playing God: Apocalyptic storytelling
Hawthorne            Sat Nov 3 5:00pm-6:00pm
Writing the end times. Flood, plague, the degradation of moral values? How
to write a believable and satisfying end to your imaginary world.
Blake Hutchins, (*)Ken Scholes, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Bob Brown

Geeks v nerds v freaks
Madison              Sun Nov 4 12:00pm-1:00pm
To which do you aspire?  What are the differences and similarities, and to
what proportion are they found?  What function (or anti-function?) do we,
er, they, serve?
Annie Bellet, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, (*)Janet Freeman, Anthony Pryor

The Autistic Spectrum: is Autism really on the rise, or are diagnostics just getting better?
Hawthorne            Sun Nov 4 1:00pm-2:00pm

Kamila Miller, G. David Nordley, (*) Joyce Reynolds-Ward, 
Karen Black

At what point does society stop being civilized?
Madison              Sun Nov 4 2:00pm-3:00pm

(*)Rhiannon Louve, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Judith R. Conly

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October 20, 2012 · 10:51 pm

Orycon 2012 schedule–Nov. 2-4

Notice a little bit early, but if any of you are going to be at Orycon, do say hi!  Especially at my reading at 4 pm on Friday!  I think I might be giving something away for that one…and keep in mind, Friday I will be coming in directly from parent conferences.  Eiyiyi.  So I’ll probably still look teacherish.

Friday

To Outline or Not to Outline, that is the question Lincoln  Fri Nov 2  2:00pm-3:00pm

Some authors were taught to draw up outlines of their entire story arc before fleshing out their writing. Others have developed different methods which serve them well. Experienced authors discuss what works for them, when, and perhaps, why. Karen Azinger, Dave Smeds, Joyce Reynolds-Ward

Joyce Reynolds Ward’s Readings Grant Fri Nov 2 4:00pm-4:30pm Joyce Reynolds-Ward

Plus a Meet and Greet for Workshop participants.

Saturday

A touch of Farmer, a pinch of LeGuin Morrison Sat Nov 3 12:00pm-1:00pm

Panelists discuss their biggest influences and what books have changed the recent landscape in SF/F/H literature. Keffy R. M. Kehrli, Deborah J. Ross, Joyce Reynolds-Ward

Group 5 Fantasy Short Story/Novel Excerpt WW2 Sat Nov 3 1:00pm-2:00pm Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Irene Radford

Can Dumbing Down be Reversed? Ross Island Sat Nov 3 3:00pm-4:00pm Kristin Landon, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Arthur Bozlee, Rory Miller

Playing God: Apocalyptic storytelling Hawthorne Sat Nov 3 5:00pm-6:00pm Writing the end times. Flood, plague, the degradation of moral values? How to write a believable and satisfying end to your imaginary world. Blake Hutchins, (*)Ken Scholes, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Bob Brown

Sunday

Geeks v nerds v freaks Madison Sun Nov 4 12:00pm-1:00pm To which do you aspire? What are the differences and similarities, and to what proportion are they found? What function (or anti-function?) do we, er, they, serve? Annie Bellet, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, (*)Janet Freeman, Anthony Pryor

The Autistic Spectrum: is Autism really on the rise, or are diagnostics just getting better? Hawthorne Sun Nov 4 1:00pm-2:00pm Kamila Miller, G. David Nordley, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, (*)Janet Freeman, Karen Black

At what point does society stop being civilized? Madison Sun Nov 4 2:00pm-3:00pm (*)Rhiannon Louve, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, Judith R. Conly

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May 28, 2012 · 11:29 am

Back from Miscon

For a while there, I wasn’t certain that Miscon was going to happen, what with the complications of DS’s surgery and work stuff imploding around me.  But I got an airplane ticket instead of driving, DH stayed home with recuperating DS, and all worked out for the best.

This was a big year for Miscon.  Writer Guest of Honor was George R.R. Martin, which meant this little con in Missoula, Montana, exploded to be about 1500 attendees.  It worked out well and pleasantly so, nonetheless.   I know that Justin Barba and CthulhuBob as well as the rest of the fantastic Miscon staff worked their rears off (well, they still are, Monday’s the last day of Miscon).

Miscon is usually a bit of a relaxicon for me; a chance to unwind a little bit and anticipate the changes from school schedule to summer schedule.  There’s usually a pretty decent mix of small press writers and larger press writers and at least one opportunity for a dinner with other writers.  The SCA has a strong presence with sword-fighting demonstrations (this year they even brought a war horse) and classes.  Sunday afternoon there’s a BBQ on Ruby’s back lawn (Ruby’s is the con hotel and a very pleasant one setting, with the back lawn bordered by a lovely little creek).

I had some very fun and well-attended panels.  Several, like the Psychology of Evil panel, played to a packed room.  What really stood out was the interaction between the panel and the audience.  I don’t feel like the panelists dominated any of the panels I was on, but we had good interactions and participation from the audience.  Additionally I ended up chatting with several folks after each panel which was great.

Both Friday and Saturday night I ended up sitting in the coffee shop at Ruby’s and talking with friends into late hours.  We discovered a worthy competitor to The Eye of Argon in the purple prose category and had fun with the Corgi Attention Tribute Extraction Service.  And I met new friends as well as old friends.  Always good.

All in all, a pleasant and relaxing con.  I’m recharged and ready to get to work on writing now rather than waiting for two and a half weeks until school’s out.  Sweet.

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