X-Con Review

David Belt Copyright 2013

I awoke late this Monday morning, following an exhausting weekend at X-Con in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. My back is complaining, my head is a bit fuzzy, and the morning caffeine just isn’t cutting it. But, oh, what a weekend!

The trip was a little under seven hours each way, a bit outside our comfort zone for travel to cons, however, we had received a special invite from Myst3ry, Inc. That’s right! Fred and Daphne were there with Scooby-Doo in the Mystery Machine. In addition to the invite was a commission for chainmail versions of the traditional scarves worn by the pair, so we happily accepted their invitation.

Myst3ry Inc

We chose to take a step outside of our normal comfort zone, and join the crew at X-Con… and what a crew! The staff at X-Con was amazing. I have become accustomed to what I considered the typical hectic-ness of con life. Very often, the people that are “in the know” are running around trying to get it done, and people who aren’t “in the know” are running around trying to find someone who is. It seems ridiculous from the outside looking in, but I’m used to it. Plus, I usually have a program that I stole from someone, because I didn’t one at registration. So, figuring out what is happening at most cons really isn’t that hard.

I never did get a program at X-Con, but I didn’t need one, nor did I ever have to track anyone down to find out what was happening. Two things kept me comfortably “in the know.” First was the attentive and knowledgeable staff. Every staff member, every volunteer, every person wearing a red shirt (that didn’t die in the first five minutes) knew exactly what was going at all times, and one such person would stop by our booth every few hours, just check up on us. I have never seen a staff for any con so well organized. The second innovative idea utilized at X-Con is one I realize, logistically, can’t be done everywhere, but they made excellent use of the resources at their disposal. They had an intercom system piped throughout the convention center that relayed current information on upcoming events. The very excited announcer would emphatically list the event, location, time, and name(s) of special guest(s) preceding each event at least twice (usually 30 and 15 minutes prior to each event). This was fantastic. I never had to leave my booth, never needed a program, yet I felt I was “in the know” at all times. This made a welcoming and secure feeling throughout the weekend.

While much of the content of the convention wasn’t entirely to my likely, there was certainly something there everyone, and I mean everyone…

There were more than 20 celebrity guests from TV and movies ranging from the original Star Wars Episode IV to the current TV show “Walking Dead,” a whole host of artists, writers, photographers, and post production specialists, games for all ages, including card, miniature, roleplaying and video gaming, and one of the best varieties of vendor wares I have seen.

Oh and did I mention things for all ages? The National Children’s Museum turned out with toys and activities for the littlest ones, two bounce houses kept primary school ages happy, and all gaming and activities were appropriate for all ages (I must confess, I did play with the Legos). Most importantly, all of these events ran throughout the entire duration of the con. There was never a time that there wasn’t something going on for every age.

All of the above was available to attendees for only $20 for the whole weekend. While day passes were not available, children 12 and under were free with a paying adult, and there was plenty for them to do.

A great variety of affordable fun, who could ask for more? Well, I can.

While X-Con was very well put together it was not without its own problems, the biggest of which occurred Thursday night during early setup. There was no one directing or coordinating the variety of vendors and other stage hands setting up booths and displays. It was quite amazing there were only a few problems due to miscommunication, which were all settled Friday morning before the show opened.

Another problem was logistical in nature. There was a large stage setup in the center of the main hall that doubled as the vendor’s room. My booth faced the stage, which gave me front row viewing of all the stage events. Sounds great, right? Wrong! The stage events included hours of wrestling, live steel medieval fighting (I did get to repair the fighter’s chainmail for these events), costume contests, and the Nerd Dating Game. All of which were quite loud and distracting, making interacting with customers rather difficult.

All in all, X-Con was great, and I would like to extend a hearty “Job well done” to director Robin Roberts and his wonderful staff. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you again next year!

Plot and Story …

Copyright 2013 by Paula S. Jordan

… Is there a difference?

Yes, it turns out, and untangling the two can be informative.

Ursula K. LeGuin Copyright © by Marian Wood Kolisch

Ursula K. LeGuin
Copyright © by Marian Wood Kolisch

“Plot,” says science fiction and writer-advice author Ansen Dibell, “is the things characters do, feel, think, or say, that make a difference in what comes afterward.” In other words, the skeleton a story is built on.

But what more is there in Story? And how and where do they connect?

Here’s Ursula LeGuin in her extraordinary book Steering the Craft:

I define story as a narrative of events (external or psychological) which moves through time or implies the passage of time, and which implies change.

I define plot as a form of story which uses action as its mode, usually in the form of conflict, and which closely and intricately connects one act to another, usually through a causal chain, ending in a climax.

The story is not in the plot, but in the telling. It is the telling that moves.

So “the telling” involves other elements assembled under an umbrella called Story made of conflict-based, action events assembled upon a skeleton called Plot.

But what are those elements? And how are they most effectively assembled?

Larry Brooks has an interesting take on the whole question. In his recent book, Story Engineering, he describes “the six core competencies of successful storytelling” as follows:

The four basic elements of the story …:

Larry Brooks

Larry Brooks

1) Concept – The first “what if “ question in a chain of such questions which, together, become your story.

2) Character – The protagonist. “We don’t need to like him,” Brooks says, “but we do need to root for him.” (Your faithful blogger would add ‘or her’ to each ‘him’ above.)

3) Theme – “What your story is illuminating about real life.”

4) Structure – The sequence of events, and the time-honored expectations and standards that apply.

And the two narrative skills required to effectively implement them:

5) Scene Execution – His functional definition of story is “a series of scenes with some connective tissue in place.” He has a lot to say about how to write the scenes effectively.

6) Writing Voice – The “coat of paint or … the “suit of clothes that delivers the story to the reader.” He recommends a “sparingly clever or sparsely eloquent” voice.

Other elements to add? I’m sure we can name some. But I think that’s a terrific start.

I am reading Mr. Brooks’s and Ms. LeGuin’s books now. His engineering and her artistry complement one another in very helpful ways.

Star Trek: Into Darkness

you must watch Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan before seeing the new movie.

We got to see this movie early thanks to free tickets acquired by the Columbus Area Boardgame Society (CABS).

I loved it, there’s a lot to discuss.

Not necessarily spoilers:
The engine room was filmed at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Labs.

You must watch Wrath of Khan before seeking this movie. Did I mention that?

I (heart) Kirk Spock Checkov Bones McCoy.

Also, short skirts are a bad design choice in fluctuating-gravity environments. It irritated me.

Lou Anders Is My Best Imaginary Friend

Lou Anders is the Editorial Director of Pyr Books. He is super smart and has Pyr into a fantastic publisher of wonderful speculative fiction. I am a huge podcast fan and Mr. Anders is frequently popping up as a guest on shows like Adventures In SciFi Publishing, Functional Nerds, and, for purposes of this blog post, The Roundtable Podcast.

I was listening to The Roundtable Podcast episode 36 wherein Mr. Anders said the following about what, for him, makes a good story.

A sympathetic protagonist overcomes a series of increasingly difficult obstacles in pursuit of a compelling goal.

He also gave an easy to understand MadLib for putting together your story.

When a ______  ______ encounters a _______ ______ they are forced to ______ in order to ______.

I am near the end of third draft revisions on my novel which is either the best or worse time to get this kind of formula. I listened to the episode last night and lay away trying to plug my characters into this.

My first dilemma is that I have always thought of the three sisters at the heart of the story as being co-leads, and while they are all important, lovely people, there can be only one. Let’s face it, my protagonist is Victoria. So, let’s see if I can do this.

When a frustrated inventor (banned from practicing science due to her gender)  encounters a series of devastating crises (zombie plague, dueling mad scientists, invading confederate soldiers) she is forced to break the law (building illegal scientific devices) in order to save her city and free herself from oppressive scientific regulations.

Man, that took 15 minutes of staring at the screen to finish. Can I do this with the other two sisters?

-20 minutes later-

No, I can’t.

The other two sisters have personalities and goals and arcs but their actions do not drive the story. How about that? I do not think that this means that I should cut down on the scenes with the other two, nor does it mean that they are less important. Perhaps it does mean that I should do a polish that makes some of Victoria’s actions and choices a bit crisper. Perhaps she is the one who articulates the overall goals and determines how and where the novel ends. I’ve been thinking of this book as the first of three so perhaps in book 2 it is sister 2 who is the protagonist and in book 3 it is sister 3. Victoria is no less important but, the others may need time to shine.

Lou Anders is a smart guy. Every time I hear him speak I learn something about story. Luckily for me, he is one of my best friends that I’ve never met.

My Least Favorite Day of the Year

Copyright 2013 David Belt

As of 12 May, 2013, my mother will have been dead for 17 years 3 months and 3 days.

As you might imagine, Mother’s Day is not one I spend in celebration, but rather, reflection and mourning. I write this to remind us all to be mindful of our neighbors and the tragedies that become their lives. Holidays are special days, but just because one does not celebrate on a holiday, that doesn’t make it any less special to them or to us.

During one such period of mourning and reflection, I wrote this song, defining my mother’s life and death:

What I Am Gonna Do Mama
By David Belt

The first day of school, I held my mama’s hand
Looked at the teacher, a big old scary man
I told my mama, “I don’t wanna go.”
“It’s awful scary here. Please don’t leave me alone.”

What am I gonna do Mama? What am I gonna do?
You have always been there for me, to see me on through
What am I gonna do Mama? What am I gonna do?
How am I gonna get by here, alone without you?

The last day of school, I held my mama’s hand
Told her I would join the service, gonna be like Dad
Through her tears she said, “I don’t want you to go.”
“It’s awful scary for me. Please don’t leave me alone.”

Well, what am I gonna do Mama? What am I gonna do?
You have always been there for me, to see me on through
What am I gonna do Mama? What am I gonna do?
How am I gonna get by there, alone without you?

I was overseas when I got the call.
Dad said, “I’m sorry, Son. Mama ain’t got long.”
Three flights and fourteen hours till I got to her bed.
She had already left this world when I held her hand and said…

What am I gonna do Mama? What am I gonna do?
You have always been there for me, to see me on through
What am I gonna do Mama? What am I gonna do?
How am I gonna get by here, alone without you?
How am I gonna get by here… alone… without you ?

TBR Campaign Initial Sort List

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snort! the intention of the TBR Topple Campaign is to *reduce* the number of books on the list. Let’s dive in and see what we shall see.

Alright, thanks for participating guys. I’m going to follow the lead of Lynn and effingrainbow and do an initial sort list. I counted the books I had photoed in the starter post, there were over 120.

Some titles on my NewShiny List. They’re here because I really like each author’s other works very much.

  • The Black Bottle, Anthony Huso — his first in the series, The Last Page, is my secret true love. I even read it *twice*. I’ve been putting it off because I don’t want to be disappointed in the second, I loved the first one so much.
  • Caliban’s War, James S.A. Corey — the first in this series called The Expanse, Leviathan Wakes is on a permanent Best Of list for me. I’ve been putting this one off because I know I’ll enjoy it. (??? I know, that makes sense, I know)
  • The Best of All Possible Worlds, Karen Lord — Have you read Redemption in Indigo?
  • Sword-Bound, Jennifer Roberson — Roberson is my high-water mark for excellent characterization. I bought this one when it came out but haven’t read it yet, I’m thinking I’ll give myself a real treat and re-read all the previous first. This one is like, #7, I think.
  • The Finder Library, vol. 1, by Carla Speed McNeil — I have this borrowed from the library. I normally am a slow reader, but graphic novels I read very slowly because I enjoy them so much. The Finder universe is *very* dense and there’s a lot to explore and take in. I’m going to purchase a copy for myself so that I can get this back to the library and stop worrying about spilling coffee on it.
  • Sister Mine, Nalo Hopkinson — I’ve told you how much I love Nalo Hopkinson’s stuff. However, I’m going to spread the jam,  so to speak, and leave this one for later.

Newer books that I haven’t read the authors before:

  • Zoo City, Lauren Beukes — this came to my attention with a recommended list from Cheryl Morgan, here.
  • Spin State, Chris Moriarty — another recommended via Cheryl Morgan.

Oldies Rediscovered. One of my hugest pleasures is to find older SF that has gone out of print and sort of forgotten. Many of these are in that pile:

  • Venus of Dreams, Pamela Seargent — wait! I think I have a second copy of this! back in a mo… Oh. Genius! I have also Child of Venus. Evidently this is a #1 and #2.
  • The Sardonyx Net, Elizabeth A. Lynn — I *do* have two copies of this. It was reprinted.
  • Vast, Linda Nagata — Everything about Linda Nagata looks cool.
  • The Many Coloured Land, by Julian May — another recc’d from Cheryl Morgan, just from email, I think.
  • To Reign in Hell, Steven Brust — Jonah wrote a song about it.
  • Wings of Wrath by C.S. Friedman — doh! This is a second, I need to pick up the first. DAW has done a real botch-job with all of her other ebook conversions so I’m not going to waste my money on the ebook.
  • Half the Day is Night, Maureen McHugh — Have you read China Mountain Zhang?
  • The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N. Macintyre — I really enjoyed Dreamsnake, and this one is supposed to become a movie starring some famous guy, maybe.
  • Intruder and The Faded Sun, both by C.J. Cherryh — Cherryh’s Foreigner series is highly lauded, and I’ve read that her later in the series (of about seventy) are easier to read. The Faded Sun is an omnibus, and somehow I picked up the idea that the Merovingen Nights (TM) shared world anthology are a tangential of this trilogy.

… I’m going to stop there. Clearly, that’s enough for now. heh!

 

 

 

Dino game: the verdict.

Meh.

Risk with Dino tokens. Rating: borrow from a friend.

The game functions with two players but is a little dull. I think it could handle another level of complexity. Perhaps one of the players playing the part of the carnivorous dinosaurs.

Suggestions: take out all the pieces and make your own game.

Or! Drill holes in the Dino Meeples and make a necklace.

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Il Vecchio Game

Here we are in lovely Tuscany, 1431, undermining the Medici.

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Il Vecchino is a new board game from Tasty Minstrel Games.

It’s a points accumulator game, but the half a dozen different ways to gain points keep you at your opponent’s throat, a la Medici.

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This game plays very well with two people. Allow two hours for the first game but subsequent 2-player games take about an hour.

There’s no card or rules defined aggressive actions (such as a “thief”). The game itself is aggressive, players strategizing a few moves ahead to occupy prime spots in Florence, or earning valuable Medici crests.

Highly recommended for you home library.

Plus, I won.

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Next up: dinosaur game!!!

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TBR Topple Campaign

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One solution for handling the TBR pile: read them all simultaneously.

Normally, I have a rather long list of books I intend to read, and things fall off the end as I add more to the beginning of that list, but things have gotten pretty out of hand as of late. My experience is that I want to read them all at the same time, paralyzed by indecision.

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The hallway

As–surely–I am not the only one with an overwhelming selection of Want To Reads, I wanted to propose a party of sorts for toppling these monster TBR piles.

 

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They’re starting to self-articulate and gain a consciousness, here in the kitchen:

Arrange for yourself some “me” time, about two hours, sometime over the next four weeks. (Between now and mid-June-ish). Take the kids to the day spa, send the dogs to Gramma’s, quit your job*, whatever it is in your life that you need to do to give yourself a couple of hours, uninterrupted.

Also, provide supplies for this reading event. Buy a case of cheesy-chips, make an entire thermos of Perfect Tea, program a playlist on the music-thingy. Whatevs.

 

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This is silly, here on my sewing machine. Wonder why I’m not getting any quilting done?

Now that the time and space have been arranged, choose a few from the TBR mountain. The intent is to explore, not to finish, ok? Maybe you have some books that look interesting but not normally your thing. Maybe you have some #2 of different trilogies–check them out and see if it’s worth finding book #1. Maybe you have a pile of guilt bomb lends or recommendations. Maybe your pile consists entirely of SUPERINCREDOAWSOMESAUCE and they all need to be read right now.  And so on. The “rules”:

  • these are not books to be committed to or finished right now. Maybe later but not right now.
  • we’re not expected to do a review for every book in that pile
  • explore the books. Read a chapter or two. Move on to the next.
  • yes, of course non-SF/F and ebooks and audio are all “allowed”

The blog post on your blog for this TBR Topple Campaign will run something like this:
List of the books, how and why they came to be on your pile. Initial Survey: is there a map? glossary? other “bonus” material? Read a chapter or two and tell us your first impressions of this book and/or author’s voice. Is this a book you’ll come back to or abandon? Is there an audio that maybe you’ll switch to if you’re an audio fictioneer? And so forth. Do this, and run your post before June 20. I’ll run my post over the weekend to kick things off.

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The books next to my reading chair. If you need a visual representation of “indecision”, that’s it there.

Of course, I’m certain that my to-read list will grow after reading all of your lists. Heh! Let’s see how it goes. If you would like a badge thingy, here is one:

topple*please don’t do that. “Quit your job” was offered as a funny exaggeration.