RoberCon This Weekend!

I'm really looking forward to this weekend. I'm been invited to take part in my first Science Fiction convention: RoberCon 2014 in Binghamton, NY, September 27th and 28th. (It is called RoberCon because it takes place at the wonderful Roberson Museum and Science Center on Front Street.)

You can get all the info here: ROBERCON 2014

The author Guest of Honor is Laura Anne Gilman, and there will be a number of other authors, vendors, and fan groups. (Not to mention Cosplay, of course.) I wish I could got to ALL the panels, they are that cool. (Doctor Who! Star Wars!)

Here's where I'll be and what I'll be doing:

SATURDAY

11 A.M. Author Reading: Deborah Blake Susan Waters Room (second floor of mansion) Deborah Blake is the author of eight books on pagan practices (published through Llewellyn Books). Her paranormal romance series, Baba Yaga, launched in September, with the release of Wickedly Dangerous.

 

12 P.M.

From Your Mind to the Page: Making Your Ideas a Reality
Activity Lab (second floor of museum)
Presenters: Crystal Sarakas (moderator), Laura Anne Gilman, Joshua Palmatier, Deborah Blake
Lots of people come up with ideas for a story, but how do writers carry those to completion? We’ll talk with authors about the nitty-gritty of writing, from that first spark of an idea to seeing your idea in print and all the glamour and work in between.

SUNDAY

11 A.M.

By the Gods Above: Paganism in Genre Fiction and Media

Activity Lab (second floor of museum)
Presenters: Crystal Sarakas (moderator), April Steenburgh, Deborah Blake
Many books and genre television and movies feature witchcraft, magic and myths from around the world. For some, this is just fiction. For others, it’s the reflection of a serious religious path. How much of what you read and watch is “true” and what makes most pagans laugh out loud in amusement?

1 P.M.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World: Writers and Worldbuilding
Activity Lab (second floor of museum)
Presenters: Crystal Sarakas (moderator), Laura Anne Gilman, Joshua Palmatier, Deborah Blake, Jill Shultz
What are the rules of worldbuilding? What are some of our panelists’ favorite examples of worldbuilding done right? How much detail should you go into, and how do you make sure that the plot is central, and not the scenery?

3 P.M.

Women Writers: Their Influence and Future
Computer Lab (second floor of museum)
Presenters: Jill Shultz (moderator), Deborah Blake, Roberta Rogow, Laura Anne Gilman
From Mary Shelley to J.K. Rowling, women have profoundly influenced SF and fantasy. Yet according to the book review statistics, we’re still overlooked — and many casual readers believe women only write certain kinds of stories. We’ll bust some myths and add to your “to-be-read” pile.

 

 I hope that if you're in the area, you'll come see me, and join in all the fun! And if you see me wandering around the con, be sure to come up and say hi.

BOOK SIGNING! And Feline Friday

I don't do many book signings--there aren't too many places near me to do them, and I don't travel much. But my friend Rob Wandell has a fabulous Pagan/New Age/Cool Stuff shop in Binghamton, NY, about an hour away, and he's been asking me to come do one for years.

So if you live anywhere near upstate NY, I hope you'll join me next Satuday, the 10th, from 1-4 PM. I'll have copies of The Witch's Broom
as well as a few copies of my earlier books (including a couple of rare copies of the now-out-of-print Circle, Coven & Grove and Pagan Anthology). I might even bring a few pieces of my handcrafted gemstone jewelry!

Here is a link to the Facebook event page Imagicka Book Signing
The address is 75 Court Street, Binghamton NY

I hope you'll come by and say hello. There will be food, and cool things to look at in the shop, and well...ME.

What do you think--do you live close enough to come? If you are there, be sure to tell me I know you from here!

Magic the Cat says "Be there or else!"

Angus says, "SNACKS!"

I hope I get to meet a few of my online peeps. See you there!