WFC

World Fantasy Con Programming Mess

World Fantasy Con 2016 Programming has been announced.

On the bright side, after some internet backlash, it looks like they’ve renamed the “Spicy Oriental Zeppelin Stories” panel. So, um, yay for that? But that particular panel name was a symptom of a bigger problem.

I first found out about this from Sarah Pinsker’s series of Tweets. Some of the problems she points out include:

  • A panel about “perversely alluring” freaks. (Panel description has since been slightly tweaked.)
  • “More mentions of Lovecraft in the program than all women or works by women COMBINED.”
  • Heavy programming emphasis on white men, particularly old/dead white men, to the exclusion of others.

Foz Meadows writes more about this mess. File770 also has a roundup of reactions.

I don’t know what was going on in the mind of Darrell Schweitzer and anyone else involved in putting this program together. But I can’t help thinking about the announcement late last year that the World Fantasy Award trophy would no longer feature the bust of H. P. Lovecraft.

And now we have five different panels that focus either directly or indirectly on Lovecraft.

It’s possible this is a coincidence. I believe Schweitzer is a strong Lovecraft fan, so his focus might just be indicative of his own narrow interests. But whether it was deliberate or not, it feels like backlash. A slap in the face of those who talked about how hurtful the Lovecraft trophy was, and all the reasons they wanted to see the award become more inclusive and welcoming to a broader range of fantasy and creators.

Wouldn’t it be great to see the World Fantasy Convention become equally welcoming instead of what feels like petulant doubling down?

It’s not something that just happens all by itself. If WFC wants to become more relevant, there needs to be conscious and deliberate effort to change direction. To look not just at fantasy from decades ago, but the brilliant, creative, exciting work being produced today.

I love the idea of a World Fantasy Convention. I’m utterly bored by another Whitedude Fantasy Convention.

Schweitzer allegedly said “there was no quota system or affirmative action in place” when asked about his programming choices. I get what he’s trying to say, but he’s wrong. Schweitzer’s own quota system is pretty obvious. It might not have been a conscious or deliberate quota, but the programming certainly meets its 90% works by men quota, and its 96% works by white people quota, and so on.

Gods, I’m so tired of the defensive “quota” bullshit. Nobody’s asking for quotas. But it would be nice if people would at least try to recognize their own biases. Sometimes that means yes, you need to actually step back and count. Count the number of women you’ve included in your programming, the number of people of color, and so on. Not because you’re supposed to include an arbitrary number of people from any given category, but to recognize whether your own unconscious choices are narrower than you realized.

While you’re at it, maybe reach out to ask others to look over your proposed program, and maybe help you catch whether what you think is a “harmless in-joke” is going to piss off and hurt a lot of people, making it very clear you don’t really want them as part of your convention.

It just seems better and easier to do that kind of work beforehand, you know?

Trying to Fix WFC’s Harassment Policy Problem

ETA: On 10/28, the following was posted on the WFC2015 Facebook Page:

On reflection, and with guidance, we have realized that our sincere attempt to do the right thing in this regard was inadequate. We focused too much on complying with the legal advice of Saratoga authorities and not enough on making certain that our members feel confident in their safety at the Convention. Since last year’s WFC policy was considered satisfactory and is considered to be comprehensive we are adopting it as an addition to the policy developed with the legal advice of the Saratoga authorities. The World Fantasy Board is reviewing the language for comprehensiveness. The corrected policy will be posted here and on our website as soon as that review is completed. We apologize for the misstep and are doing our utmost to make WFC 2015 both an enjoyable event and a safe environment.

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The 2015 World Fantasy Convention starts in just over a week, and they’ve just mailed out their final progress report. Natalie Luhrs was one of the first to note the inclusion of a harassment policy that manages to be, in my opinion, worse than no policy at all.

Luhrs’ thoughts are here. John Scalzi also weighed in, calling it an Egregious, Mealy-Mouthed Clump of Bullshit. There’s been much condemnation on Twitter, as well as on the WFC Facebook page.

Here’s the policy in question:

WFC 2015 Harassment Policy

Let me note up front that I don’t have experience running a convention. I do have experience dealing with sexual harassment and violence, and in working with conventions to build harassment policy. My guess from reading this is that the people who created this policy have conrunning experience, but don’t know a lot about dealing with sexual harassment. At least, I hope that’s the case, since the only other possibility I can come up with is intentional maliciousness. Because…

…this policy actively discourages people from reporting harassment.

  1. Victims of harassment and sexual violence should have the choice whether or not to report to the police. The convention has taken that choice away.
  2. This policy requires victims to trust that the police will take them seriously and respond to their complaints. Historically, police departments are not known for treating victims of sexual violence with respect. In addition, while I as a white male might feel relatively comfortable interacting with police, many women and people of color do not, and with valid reasons.
  3. The police will be determining if the conduct meets the legal definition of harassment to charge the offender. (I’m not a lawyer, but I thought that was the prosecutor’s decision.) What about behaviors that are clearly unacceptable, but might not meet the legal standards and be severe enough for the prosecutor to invest the time and money and resources in pressing charges?
  4. “No one wants to behave in a manner that draws Police attention.” I assume this was supposed to be a warning against would-be harassers, but it also feels like a warning to victims not to make a fuss and attract attention. Maybe that’s not the intention, but there’s a long history of silencing victims, and of attacking them for attracting attention.

But what about libel?

On Facebook, Chuck Rothman notes, “In New York State, ‘harassment’ is legally defined. Most harassment policies (including Comic Con’s) punish people for actions that are not harassment under NYS law. There is no doubt the NYS law needs updating, but the convention is not going to risk a libel lawsuit.”

This is, in a word, bullshit. To me, it smells a lot like Wikipedia lawyering. Has anyone ever filed a libel lawsuit over a convention’s harassment policy?

Even if this were a legitimate concern, which I don’t believe it is, then the solution is to take 30 seconds and rename this a “Convention Safety Policy.”

Dear WFC: Do you want to fix this?

Your convention starts in a week. I’m guessing your program books are already printed, and you’re scrambling with all of the last-minute work it takes to make such a huge convention happen. You’re stressed, overwhelmed, and everyone’s running on caffeine and adrenaline. And now all anyone is talking about is how messed-up your harassment policy is.

I figure you’ve got two choices here. You can double down and ignore the complaints. This has the advantage that you don’t have to do the work to fix the policy. The disadvantage is that it would feel like a big old “Fuck you” to a large number of people. It also puts any victims of harassment in a very, very bad spot. Keep in mind that, as Natalie Luhrs pointed out, “three of the last five World Fantasy Conventions had harassment incidents that were publicized: 2010, 2011, and 2013.” This doesn’t include incidents that weren’t publicized.

The other choice is to try to fix this. I know which choice I’m hoping for.

Can this actually be fixed?

Well, no. Not completely. You’ve pissed off a lot of people, and you’ve got nine days before the start of the convention. You can’t fix it. But you can work to make it better. Here are my suggestions, for what they’re worth.

  1. Listen to what people are saying. I know you feel defensive and attacked and unappreciated, but right now, you don’t have time for that.
  2. Find someone who has experience working with sexual harassment and conventions, and deputize them to get this mess fixed. Talk to conrunners from other conventions who’ve done a better job on this front.
  3. Grab a sample harassment policy from the Geek Feminism Wiki. If you’re worried about the boogeyman of a libel lawsuit, tweak the wording so it doesn’t say “harassment.” Get this posted to your website and printed up as an addendum to your program book. Send out a follow-up email/progress report with the new policy.
  4. Make sure all con staff are aware of the new policy and trained on how to respond. (Draw on the experiences and knowledge of the person from #2.)
  5. Apologize. Not a mealy-mouthed “We’re sorry you people chose to be offended,” but an apology that draws on #1 and recognizes why people are upset. You screwed up. Own it.

I’d also refer you to the Sexual Harassment Policy Starter Kit I posted a while back, with help from several experienced conrunners.

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I hope you’ll listen to the concerns and complaints of the community and take steps to try to make World Fantasy Con a better experience for everyone.

WFC Harassment Roundup

The World Fantasy Convention was held earlier this month. I wasn’t able to attend this year.

Let me repeat that. I wasn’t at WFC this year. What follows is based on online announcements from the con itself, a screenshot or two, and various blog posts and discussions. My main goal here is signal-boosting and hopefully helping more people to understand that this stuff matters. And also to vent my own frustrations…

This year’s WFC had problems. From accessibility trouble to the great fee-charging kaffeeklatch SNAFU and so much more. One of many concerns raised before the con was the lack of a sexual harassment policy. Their website originally said only:

“World Fantasy Convention 2013, as with any other predominantly adult gathering, will have a number of rules and regulations for the safety of attendees. These will be clearly stated in our Programme Guide, which will be given to each attendee when they register. In the meantime, we refer you to the UK’s Protection from Harassment Act 1997.” (Source)

This was tucked away in the FAQs, by the way.

A comment in the WFC Facebook group suggested people shouldn’t worry, because “…it is extremely unusual for this kind of behavior to take place at a World Fantasy Convention, as it is largely a professional-oriented event.” (Source)

In fairness, this comment doesn’t appear to have come directly from the convention board, but it does seem to capture their general attitude that we don’t have to worry about that sort of thing because we’re so professional!

Which is probably why someone programmed the following snarky announcement on the display boards in the lobby on Sunday morning:

“It’s Sunday. No one has lost their badge and no one has been harassed.” (Source)

That would have been a dickish thing to write even if it had been true. As should surprise nobody with half a brain, it was blatantly false.

  • “Myself and a friend were harassed on the Saturday night. We immediately put in a formal report with one of the red coats (the volunteer con staff)…” (Source)
  • “Two of my friends were harassed by a drunk man on Saturday night, making them feel incredibly uncomfortable. They compared notes and realized they should report it, and I helped them find someone to speak to. The organisers responded very well and quickly by taking down the information, but then the person in question was not, as far as they know, removed.” (Source)
  • “…it became clear that, despite protests to the contrary, people were being harassed in the bars by other con-goers. I was witness to two such incidents and heard about a third from one of the victims, who had put in a formal complaint.” (Source)

Afterward, the convention sent out a follow-up report which acknowledged:

“Regrettably, we learned of one small harassment incident that occurred on the Saturday night when an extremely drunken fan made a nuisance of himself in the hotel Lobby. Unfortunately, he was not reported to either of the professional Security guards who were on duty at the time or any member of the con committee. As a result, by the time we had found out about the incident and ascertained the details, the individual concerned (who was not attending the Awards Banquet) had apparently already left the convention. The person affected did not wish to pursue the matter with either the hotel or the police and, for legal reasons, we cannot publicly identify the individual responsible. However, after full consultation with the Hilton management and our Security team, we have passed the name of the nuisance-maker on to the organisers of next year’s World Fantasy Convention, who will decide on any appropriate action to take.” (Source)

Alex Dally Macfarlane does a nice job of shredding this one. Laura Lam also wrote a follow-up about this. If you’re not going to click over and read their takedowns, let me sum up.

What a bunch of minimizing, factually inaccurate, victim-blaming bullshit.

Cheryl Morgan has a post breaking down, to the best of her knowledge, who is responsible for the problems that plagued this years WFC:

“So my view on this complex mess is as follows. Steve Jones and his co-chairs are directly responsible for how the convention was run. The World Fantasy Board is responsible for having granted the convention to Jones in the first place (and they have enough experience of his behavior to have known what to expect). The Board is also responsible in that it has the power to set policy regarding how the convention should be run, and to select groups to run future conventions wisely.” (Source)

I don’t know how many people were sexually harassed at World Fantasy Con, nor do I know how many harassers there were. I do know that multiple instances have been publicly reported. I also know that these things tend to be under-reported, especially when an organization makes it clear they’re not really interested in taking such reports seriously, as this year’s WFC did from day one.

Here are a few tips for anyone who wants to run a convention that actually gives a damn about its members:

  1. Sexual harassment is a real thing, no matter how much you might want to shove your head in the sand and pretend otherwise. Create and publish a damn policy. Here are some links to sample policies you can use.
  2. Don’t use your public announcements board for passive-aggressive, shamelessly self-congratulatory lies.
  3. When someone reports having been harassed, you can worry about putting a stop to the harassment, or you can worry about minimizing things and covering your own ass. One of these options makes you an asshole. Choose the other one.
  4. Educate yourself so you don’t make asinine assumptions, like “professional” events being free of sexual harassment.

Any questions?

Thoughts on World Fantasy Con

I’ve been hearing a fair amount of frustration with this year’s World Fantasy Convention over various issues.

WFC was the first “world-level” convention I attended, more than a decade ago now. It was intimidating and overwhelming, but also fun and rewarding. Sadly, I won’t be at WFC in Brighton this month. Which could raise the question, “Why am I griping about a con I’m not even going to?”

I’d like to think this isn’t griping. (At least, not just griping.) I think the problems being pointed out are important to be aware of and talk about even for those of us who won’t be at this particular convention. Since a decent number of authors, fans, and conrunners check in on this blog from time to time, I figured it was worth a blog post. I’ve also tried to do some rumor-checking and dig up more information on the various complaints I’ve heard.

The point isn’t to bash the volunteers who’ve been working their asses off to make the convention happen. It’s to say hey, it sounds like there are a few problems here. Maybe some of them can be addressed before the con. Hopefully we can also address them at future conventions.

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WFC is charging £5 to attend Kaffeeklatsches and Book Clubs?

True.

I’ve had one kaffeeklatsche as an author, and there was no charge to attend. It was a lot of fun — a chance to hang out in a more informal setting, enjoy a few snacks and drinks, and just chat. In this case, the WFC website says they’re charging for two reasons.

  1. They’re passing along the hotel charge for biscuits and coffee.
  2. As a way to “prevent people taking advantage and reserving multiple slots and then simply not turning up.”

I know I would personally be very uncomfortable with people having to pay to come chat with me at a con. My understanding — and I could be wrong — is that most cons cover the expense for kaffeeklatsches the same way they cover other hotel expenses, bundling it into the cost of the convention instead of presenting this kind of add-on fees.

The only other thing I’ll say is that I know some authors have declined to do a kaffeeklatsche at WFC because of this.

I’d welcome thoughts and input on this one from folks with more experience.

Is WFC deliberately set up to be exclusive?

To some extent, yes.

Under the FAQ explaining why World Fantasy is so expensive, it says, “Unlike many other conventions — particularly World SF — the attraction of WFC is its very exclusivity.”

For the record, this makes the convention significantly less attractive for me. But I suppose your mileage may vary.

Comics will not be sold in the dealer’s room.

True.

While this does not seem to be specific to this particular World Fantasy Con, I agree with Cheryl Morgan that excluding comics because you’re a “literary” convention is a serious fail. I guess I have a very different definition of literature than whoever came up with this rule. I hope this is a policy the WFC Board will reconsider in the future.

Wait, most authors get only one panel or one reading, if anything?

I believe this is correct, though I haven’t found an official policy statement anywhere. It’s also in line with what I’ve seen at other world conventions. Given the number of pros in attendance, most of whom want to be involved with programming, well, there’s only so much room for everyone.

Were they really planning a panel called “Broads with Swords” about those new lady writers “embracing a once male-dominated” genre?

Yes.

While WFC certainly isn’t alone in spotlighting “Women in ______” panels, this one felt particularly clunky and painful. Just read Jess Haines’ post on this one.

What I don’t know is whether the WFC programming folks heard the feedback to this panel and have changed/removed it. Does anyone know if this is still on the schedule?

Is accessibility an issue at this location?

It originally sounded like this was a problem for at least some convention events. However, an update from the WFC Facebook Page states:

“After further discussions with the Hilton Brighton Metropole hotel, they have revealed that there **is** wheelchair access to the Chartwell room via a staff lift/elevator off of the main hotel lobby. We apologise for any confusion our earlier announcement may have caused.”

I don’t know if there are other issues, but hopefully the con is continuing to work to make the event as accessible as possible. (After all, it’s not like convention accessibility is a thing nobody’s ever talked about before.)

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Newbie support!

I also wanted to offer props to WFC for having a designated “Newbie Liaison” for people who are attending their first WFC, or their first convention period. I really like that the con is actively trying to create events and get-togethers for new people, and I’d love to see more conventions follow suit.

Convention Comp Policies

Most of the time, when I attend a convention and do programming, membership is comped (i.e., I don’t have to pay for a convention badge). This makes sense to me. Generally you have to do a minimum of 3 or so panels, but at that point you’re considered to be contributing to the con, just like someone who volunteers for X hours in exchange for a comped badge.

This isn’t always the case. Three examples come to mind.

1. World Fantasy Con. I was told I could do either a reading or a panel last year, and either way I was still paying the $100+ for con membership. For a world convention, where the majority of attendees are authors, you just can’t comp memberships to everyone who wants to do programming … nor can you put everyone who asks onto as many panels as they want. It’s the nature of the convention, and I get that.

2. Windycon. Their policy for years has been that authors pay for membership like everyone else. But if you do X number of panels, they’ll mail you a check several months later to reimburse your membership. I’ve asked about this policy, and it was blamed on “panelists who took their comp badges and then blew off their panels.” I’m … skeptical. Is this really such a huge problem? If so, then why aren’t other cons doing this? And why not just stop inviting those particular individuals to be on programming?

ETA:  My explanation above is quoted from an e-mail I received when I asked about Windycon’s policy, but I’m told that this is a vast oversimplification.

3. Penguicon. Program participants at Penguicon get a reduced rate. I believe it’s $25 this year. In some years, I’ve been told I could be a “nifty guest,” and got my membership comped for that, but I believe nifty status is pretty much up to the whim of whoever’s doing programming. I know of at least two authors who refuse to do programming at Penguicon for this reason, and I suspect there are more. Penguicon is a really fun con, but this aspect does make me a bit cranky.

I understand that panels can be publicity for authors, and we’re benefiting from exposure. At the same time, if I’m reading my Penguicon schedule correctly, I’m scheduled for eight panels, and the group signing, and a reading … and being told I’ll have to pay $25 for the privilege of working my ass off that weekend.

I generally enjoy doing panels. And they do help me sell a few books. But don’t pretend it isn’t work. And I find myself wondering … am I really so popular they want me on eight panels, or is this a result of other authors backing out?

I need to follow up with Penguicon’s programming staff about this, but I’m trying to sort out what’s fair. Should authors be content to pay for registration and settle for “exposure”? (I can tell you exactly what I’d say to a magazine or anthology that offered to pay me in exposure…) Or am I slipping into diva mode by expecting to be comped for my membership?

Discussion welcome, as always. I would especially love to hear from other authors and from folks who organize and run cons, to know what you think.

Editorial Boob

ETA: Based on suggestions in the comments, I will be contacting the major publishers to try to find out who to contact if you’ve experienced this sort of harassment from one of their employees.  I will publish that information as soon as I can.

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Yesterday I posted about the good that was WFC.  Today I wanted to talk about some of the bad and the ugly.

Over the course of the convention, I ended up talking to several different women about a particular editor from one of the major publishing houses.  Each one of these women, all of whom are writers, described how this editor would ogle their chests, give uninvited massages, or explicitly compliment them on their breasts.

The more I heard these stories and thought about them, the angrier I got.  Bad enough when a random creep at a con puts his hands on you without permission, or sits there leering at you.  What do you do, as a writer, when it’s an editor?  Someone who might be able to give you your big break, but could also ruin you, at least at this particular house?

(Gosh, it’s a good thing there’s no sexism in SF/F anymore, eh?)

And what do I do?  I didn’t witness this behavior first-hand.  Oh no, this guy was always perfectly civil around me.  Nor do I feel comfortable telling other people’s stories for them.  Meaning … what?  I just write a vague post about editors who sexually harass writers?

So far, only a few other options have come to mind.

1. I can point out the back up project.  The project does make a good point that, “it is unlikely that a woman who is already being followed around a con hotel by a strange guy will feel as comfortable asking another strange guy to walk with her to her car as she would asking another woman.”  But if you feel comfortable asking me for backup, I’ll say yes.  And if I see this behavior, I’ll do my best to challenge it.  (Hey, he’s not my editor.  The dude has zero power over me…)

2. I can point out that he has little real power over anyone else, either.  Editors are not as powerful as they think.  The truth is, if you’re a good writer, this guy isn’t your only option.  There are other editors looking for good books.  And ultimately, if your writing isn’t ready yet, then it doesn’t matter how much he looks and/or touches you; he’s not going to buy a book from you.  Either way, this individual has no actual power over you.

3. I can point out that you’re not alone.  I know sometimes this sort of thing can make you feel alone, but if you’ve been harassed by some guy at a con or elsewhere, I guarantee you’re not the only one he’s done it to.

I suspect this sort of thing is often overlooked because people tell themselves it’s not that bad.

I think it’s bad enough.  It’s an unforgivable abuse of one’s position as editor.  It’s an inexcusable way to behave toward others.  And it’s not something that anyone should have to put up with.

Thoughts and discussion are welcome, as always.

WFC 2010

I never know how to write up a con.  The long list of names is rather dry, and I obsess over whether or not I forgot someone.  A detailed blow-by-blow is a bit much for anyone who didn’t attend.  I could do a photo album, but that’s a lot for a blog post.  (I’ve posted pics on Facebook in the WFC album. A few are also up on Twitpic.)  So maybe I’ll just do a highlights reel.

Free book haul: Awesome.

Agents and Editors: Getting to meet Eddie and Jessie from JABberwocky?  Awesome.  Jessie came bearing contracts from France and a fan letter from Germany, which pushed the awesome up to eleven.

And I finally to meet Sheila Gilbert and Betsy Wolheim from DAW.  I spent many enjoyable hours with them and the rest of the DAW family, and oh yes, they spoiled me rotten 🙂

My Reading: I headed over about 15 minutes early and waited in the hallway, and all of these people kept showing up to wait with us.  After a while, I finally asked, “How many of you are here for my reading?”  I figured maybe Esther Friesner was doing a panel, or some other big name had something going on opposite my reading.

Everyone raised their hands.  We filled the freaking room!

And this was before everyone finished filtering in.  At the risk of overusing the word, it was indeed awesome.  My thanks to everyone who showed up!

Barcon: The bar frightened me.  So many authors and editors and agents and others packed together, spilling out into the passages…  I strayed into the edges of the bar scene once or twice, then fled screaming, the introversion circuits of my brain popping and sparking like a Mythbusters 4th of July experiment.

Avoiding Barcon: So I mostly dodged the bar and hung out elsewhere.  Had lovely lunches with Deanna Hoak and Marie Brennan.  Several nice chats with Laura Resnick.  Got to play a bit with the Buckell twins, who both gave me baby fistbumps before I left.  I loved these smaller conversations.

Mass Autographing: I missed most of the mass autographing, and I feel really bad about that.  The autographing was at 8:00.  But DAW had invited a few of us to dinner at 7:00, and the restaurant had lost the reservation, so it took 15-20 minutes just to get seated.  I apologize to anyone who was looking for me at the signing.  Please understand that I wanted to be there, and it’s all DAW’s fault.  They forced me to eat delicious lasagna.  I remember saying “Oh please stop giving me this wonderful chocolate and let us go to the signing“, but you know publishers…

The Voyage Home: All too soon, it was Sunday, time for Catherine Shaffer and I to head back so I could get home in time for Trick or Treating.  We were both exhausted, and had a very giggly drive in which we discussed everything from obscene puppetry to certain people’s plans to save the world to the fact that Doselle Young is an alien.  To thank me for driving, she treated me to White Castle.

Yeah.  Next time she can just walk 😛

This was a very different experience from my last WFC in 2002.  I actually knew people this time, and was known by even more, which is still a little disconcerting. I got to meet and talk to so many wonderful people.  Even though I’m completely exhausted, I wish I had been able to stay longer so I could have spent more time with everyone.

But hey, WFC in Toronto is just two years away….

World Fantasy Con

I’m off to World Fantasy Con this weekend.  This will be my first WFC since 2002, and I imagine it will be a very different experience this time around.  The best change isn’t that I’ve gone from bookless unknown to six-book goblin king (though that’s pretty cool too); the best part is that I’ve met so many wonderful people in the past eight years, and I’m really looking forward to seeing/meeting some of them in person.

I should warn you, though — I suck at names and faces.  If I take a second to stare at your badge, I’m not trying to decide whether or not you’re worth my time or anything like that.  I’m just trying to kick-start my brain and avoid making an ass of myself.  And if I only know you through your LiveJournal handle, please help me make that connection.  My brain cells thank you in advance.

The full program is available here.  My schedule is fairly short, and looks like so:

Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
Reading in Room 208
I’m planning to read/perform “The Creature in Your Neighborhood,” my muppet werewolf story from Strip Mauled.  It should be fun 🙂

Friday, 8:00 p.m. to whenever
Mass Autographing in the Regency Ballroom

Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Group booksigning at the OSU Bookstore
This is open to the public, and will feature thirty authors from the con.  Oh yes, you want to be there.  The Facebook event page with the full author listing is here.

I’ve also got meetings and meals scheduled with my editor, my publisher, and one of the agents from JABberwocky, which all feels so professional and businesslike.

I’ll be using ShinyNewPhone to try to post updates and pics on Twitter.

And that’s about it.  Looking forward to seeing and meeting people!