Me, M.A. Nichols, and Janci Patterson heading up the “Copying Someone else’s Process” panel without a moderator.

Well, it was an awesome convention these last two days. Let me rephrase that: it was an awesome “KHAAAAN!-vention.” Yes, I got to unleash my history nerd and fantasy nerd simultaneously and open the convention with a panel on the rise and fall of Genghis Khan’s empire. I learn so much about my own profession every time I do that, though it saddens me that in all my research, while I uncovered the names of many of the Khan’s personal enemies and rivals, I was unable to uncover even one whose name was Khiruq, Khurkh, Qirkh, or anything similarly suitable.

Highlights of the convention included getting to know much-more-famous author M Todd Gallowglass and attend his private writing workshop, which he hosts at random places and times throughout the convention (look for the weird flyers!) As well, I got to meet Jody Lynn Nye courtesy of Writers of the Future, and serve as a mentor to some writers even younger than me. I may share some of the thoughts that came to me in future blog posts. And for any new followers who may look at this blog after having heard or met me, I encourage you to click on the writing tag if you’d like to see my elaboration on any of those points.

I sold half my stock of ALL THINGS HUGE AND HIDEOUS at the con, and got to sit on two more panels devoted to writing process and asteroid colonization. All in all, it was a wonderfully successful con, and i look forward to coming back.

And as a final note, I would like to extend my public thanks to Joe Ficklin, a chair emeritus of LTUE and Provo resident. When I was too late to book a hotel room, he opened his home to me, and was kind enough on top of that to give me rides to and from the con each day, as well as ferrying me to and from the airport. As well, he headed up the filking each night, and I enjoyed getting to learn some of the old classics of fandom. It wouldn’t have been the same without him.