Marcon 2015 schedule

Once again, I'll be a panelist at Marcon, the Columbus sci fi/geek/nerd convention. Here's my schedule:

Friday, 8:30pm: Care and Feeding of a Writer's Group. Myself and other panelists will discuss what it takes to find and maintain a writer's group that motivates you and aligns with your goals.

Saturday, 1:00pm: Ask The Editor. I'm really excited about this one. Marcon has given me 75 minutes, all by myself, to let you ask anything and everything you want to know about editing. How I chose manuscripts from the "slush pile" for a bestselling publisher, how to make an editor more likely to accept your story, how to work with an editor and what to look for when you're self-pubbing. Anything and everything you want to know about the wide world of editing!

Saturday, 5:30: Self-Publishing Your Novel. I'll be speaking mostly from the editor's end of the self-pubbing equation on this one.

If you're in town and headed for Marcon, I hope to see you at a panel, or just wandering the halls!

Marcon (semi) fitness

Several people have told me they've enjoyed reading my posts on writing and fitness over at Writer's Fun Zone. So I figured I'd post one over here.

As I mentioned in my last post, I attended MarCon this past weekend, where I got to meet up with friends, writers, and other fans. Cons are not the most health-conscious environment (which is like saying water tends to be on the wet side). My general experience is spending a weekend in a convention center with no sunlight, eating way too much at the Con Suite and/or food court, and suffering exhaustion from lack of sleep and overstimulation. So, not the hallmarks of fitness.

However, I did manage to limit the self-damage this time around. Exercise-wise, my weekend didn't start out great, because I had to miss my Friday karate class. Friday I mostly settled in and wandered around the con. However, I did maintain at least a little consciousness of what I was eating. I skipped the restaurant breakfast buffet on Saturday and Sunday, at least.

Saturday is normally a strength-training day. However, I was limited on workout time, because I had so much to do and so many people to see. So instead, I put together a brief interval training workout. I chose interval training because it's an effective workout in a short amount of time, and you can do intervals of just about any aerobic exercise.

DISCLAIMER: Talk to a doctor before you begin any exercise routine. Yeah, I did this, but that doesn't mean you should! I'm in no way a certified fitness expert. Please consult one if you're going to try this!

So here's the workout I put together. I'm easily bored and wanted something that worked my whole body, so I created a varied routine. I jotted down four sets of two exercises. I'd complete the first two exercise, rest, repeat those two, rest, then move to the next set. Here's what I did:

Warm up: jog down to gym from hotel room, stretch in gym

20 squat kicks with 10 lb. dumbbells
10 burpees

20 lunges w/knee lift and bicep curl, 10 lb. dumbbells (10 right, then 10 left)
20 tricep dips, raise up, toe touches

20 side lunges with shoulder press, 5 lb. dumbbells (10 right, then 10 left)
20 mountain climbers

20 alternating-arm back raises
20 reverse crunches, 8 lb. medicine ball (For the second set, I did 20 Russian Twists with the 8-lb ball, but I kept my feet on the ground unlike the badass woman in the demo video)

Cool-down: walk back up to room. The gym was in the basement and we were on the 7th floor, so it was a good length for a cool down. Then I stretched in my room.

The interval part of the workout took roughly 20 minutes, which is just about right for this type of workout. Then after a shower, I got on with the con! That little burst of exercise kept me wide awake for the rest of the day. I also made sure to poke my head out and walk in the sunshine a little each day.

Next time you're at a con, try and remember to take care of yourself. You'll feel much better on the drive home!

MarCon 49 Wrap-Up

I've still got some post-con grogginess, but I had a good time at MarCon this year. Here were my highlights:

I popped into Cindy Matthews' presentation, The First Five Pages. Matthews talked about how to get your manuscript moving fast, before your potential editor or agent has the chance to get bored.

I attended a fantastic workshop on Writing Law Enforcement, led by Griffin Barber and Alistair Kimble. Barber is a long-serving officer with the San Francisco Police Department, and Kimble is an FBI agent. (In addition, both are published in Eric Flint's 1632 Universe.) They gave us workshop attendees an interesting and informative rundown of the differences between local and federal law enforcement, the human side of their line of work, and some common misconceptions that pop up in TV, books, and movies. Because we were a small group, they took extra time and care to answer my very basic questions. Since I'm tackling my first mystery novel and one of my lead characters is a police officer, I wanted to ensure I got the details right, and Barber and Kimble did a great job filling in my mental blanks. They also handed out awesome swag:

Saturday I attended a workshop on Fairytales and Fantasy, featuring Karen Dollinger and Jillian Kuhlmann. Dollinger later spoke on a panel on the relevance of feminism, which turned out to be a lively but respectful discussion.

Today I attended a reading by Kuhlmann from her debut novel The Hidden Icon. That was followed by a reading of the short story "Good Thoughts" by Chuck Ebert. He has a story coming out soon, the details of which I'll post as soon as I get them.

Plus, I got to exchange brief hellos with Lucy Snyder, Denise Verrico and Gary Wedlund. (As well as other folks, but right now I'm suffering from Con-brain.) I was grateful to reconnect with old friends and learn so much new. See you at next MarCon.

A Good Swift Kick in the Pants

Yep, that's what I've been needing. I did a guest blog today on deadlines (will post a link to it when it goes live next week). What I've been lacking in my writing lately is urgency. I published Super Sargasso in a somewhat-timely fashion because I gave myself a deadline: it had to be available for sale by Marcon.

I used to hold myself accountable to a writing group. For various reasons, members sort of drifted from active participation in the group, which is a normal human thing that happens. But without that passionate group of writers pushing me every week, talking about what they were producing, etc., I let myself get lazy. Since Super Sargasso I've been afloat, picking around in little bits and pieces, writing guest blogs, slowly working on my next novel.

Well, no more. I've thrown two writing deadlines on myself.

1: I will have my second novel, Southpaw Junction, in fully polished glory in time for the Southeast Ohio Writers Conference. (Many thanks to my kick-ass writer friend Laura for the needed push on this one.)

2: I've just joined Columbus Creative Cooperative, and will have a reasonably polished section of my novel ready for critique in time for their July workshop.

Now I have a valuable tool in place to motivate me: public shame if I fail. So then, I should get to it.

Super Sargasso now available!

That's right, my new collection of stories, Super Sargasso, is now available to purchase at Smashwords. Links to purchase at Amazon coming soon!

And if you're at Marcon this weekend, be sure to attend my release party. I'll be reading my favorite story from the collection, Purse Dog Apocalypse. You can also purchase a signed copy of Slideways, and enter to win a free copy of Super Sargasso. Plus, free snacks and wine (wine only for those over 21, of course).

The party will take place Saturday evening, 8 to 10 p.m. More details as soon as I have them!

Super Sargasso cover!

So, here's the big news I've been holding off on. I'll be releasing my collection of offbeat horror stories, Super Sargasso, next weekend. The official launch party will take place at Marcon, so if you're attending, be sure to stop by. In addition to entering to win a free copy, I'll also be providing refreshments and reading my personal favorite story from the collection, "Purse Dog Apocalypse".

I'll post more details post-release. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the cover:

New guest post and Marcon news

Bit #1: My monthly guest blog at Writer's Fun Zone is up. This month's topic: writing outside.

Bit #2: In addition to the previously listed Marcon panels, I'll also be doing a reading and book signing. I will have copies of Slideways for sale, or bring your own and I'll sign it. In addition, I'll be having an exciting release party! More news on that soon.

Marcon 2013 schedule

I've gotten my schedule for Marcon this year. Like last year, it will once again be on Easter weekend, March 29-31 this year. According to the programming committee, they'll be switching back to Memorial Day weekend next year. Frankly, I'm conflicted. The con had better attendance when it was on Memorial Day, but then, last year was the first year they put it on the new weekend. Also, because I don't have Marcon this Memorial Day weekend, I'm able to attend Scorched Nuts, which I'm really psyched about. They do it that weekend annually, so next year I'll have to make a tough choice.

Anyway, on to the schedule:

SAT 02:30pm Union C: Literary--Good Gods and Goddesses!
SAT 05:30pm Knox: Education--There, Their, They're: The Lost Art of Spelling and Punctuation.
SUN 01:00pm Union C: Literary--Genre Mishmash

I'm also scheduled for a reading and autograph session, but the time for those hasn't been confirmed yet. Also this year, I'll be debuting a special surprise!

Writer's Fun Zone and Marcon

My latest post for Writer's Fun Zone is up. This month, I'm talking about the health dangers of too much sitting, a real issue for writers. I talk about how I switched to a standing workspace for this very reason, and how you can, too. In other news, I've submitted my panelist registration for Marcon. As soon as I get my schedule, I'll post it here. I'm really looking forward to it this year; hoping to show up to the con with a surprise. :)

My Marcon schedule

Once again, I'll be a panelist at Marcon, which is going on this weekend. Here's my schedule:

Friday 5:30pm Are You Bi-Speculative? Science Fiction vs. Fantasy
Saturday 10:00am Broad Universe reading (I'll be reading from my horror novelette, All Hope Lost
Saturday 2:30pm Reading (I'll be reading from my urban fantasy novel Southpaw Junction)
Saturday 7:00pm How to be Edited
Sunday 10:00am Young Adult Sci-fi and Fantasy

See you then.

News from Marcon

I returned this evening from Marcon, a popular sci fi/fantasy convention in Columbus, Ohio. Even though I live in town, we got a hotel room for a couple of reasons. First, this was my first year participating as a panelist, and I didn't want to have to worry about driving back forth; second, I decided to host a room party this year to honor the achievements of everyone in the Ohio Writers Network, in addition to my friend Chuck Ebert who also published a story this year.

The party, while moderately successful, was more effort than I expected. Between that, the panels, my reading, and an interview with NRR Radio, I felt like I had very little time to myself this weekend. I can't even imagine how I would have handled it if I hadn't had a room to retreat back to! I did learn several valuable lessons:

--If your party coincides with a much-more-popular party, you will get "party blocked"; a glut of inebriated geeks will clog the hallway, blocking passage to your room;

--Marcon staff members are possibly the most helpful, considerate and nurturing folks on the planet (along with the other members of Ohio Writers Network, of course); and

If you have short hair, black plastic-rimmed glasses and wear a suit with tennis shoes, sci fi geeks WILL think you are dressed as the Doctor, even if that is not your intent.

My favorite panel was Writing and the Rest of Life, which I got to share with Charlie Finlay, another Columbus author who I greatly admire. Plus, I got a chance to share my work with a geek crowd. Thankfully, I have tomorrow off from my day job, so I have a chance to decon-press.

Take care.