FOGcon!

Guest Post by Lynn Alden Kendall

Writing speculative fiction—fantasy, alternate history, and science fiction—entails imagining a world as well as a story. Perhaps that’s why SF/F writers and readers attend conventions like FOGcon: to immerse themselves in the world of speculative fiction.

FOGcon is a book-oriented SF/F convention held every March at the Walnut Creek Marriott near San Francisco. Organized and run by writers and fans of SF/F, FOGcon is an intimate, not-for-profit event that offers members a weekend of readings, panel discussions, writers’ workshops, and opportunities to mingle. Each year we choose a different theme and invite guests whose writing exemplifies the best work on that topic.

This year’s convention runs from March 8 – 10, and the theme is Law, Order, and Crime. The Honored Guests are Terry Bisson, Susan R. Matthews, and the late Anthony Boucher. (That’s right; in addition to honoring living writers, we always have an Honored Ghost.) The con is always held the weekend of the second Sunday in March—time-change weekend.

FOGcon, now in its third year, has already earned a reputation as a fascinating event where creative people gather. Last year, acclaimed author Nalo Hopkinson led a workshop where people uncovered their cultural secrets by playing games. We have hosted writing exercises with an instructor, meetups for people of color and for people on social media, and an annual participatory group world-building exercise. There is also a dealers’ room where you can buy books, jewelry, art prints—even get a massage.

The San Francisco Bay Area has been a mecca for writers since the days of Mark Twain, and FOGcon draws on the rich local culture of SF/F writers. As a community-led, book-focused convention, FOGcon resembles a salon where you can meet and mingle with other writers at every level of achievement from beginner to Nebula winner. You can discuss craft with professionals and learn from fans what works for them and what doesn’t. If you’re a new writer, FOGcon is an ideal place for your first dip into the speculative fiction pool.

Come to FOGcon if you want to:

  • Spend a weekend with knowledgeable readers and award-winning SF/F writers, engaging in passionate conversation about the books and ideas you love.
  • Take part in lively, informative panel discussions on the topics that interest you most, from fresh ideas about future societies to practical advice on the craft of writing and editing.
  • Stretch your authorial muscles by participating in world-building exercises and a 75-minute writing workout.
  • Learn from experts about copyright issues, effective ways to plan your writing, how to build suspense, and creating sympathetic protagonists on the wrong side of the law.
  • Listen to readings of new work by top writers in the field.

And those are just the official events—FOGcon offers plenty of informal fun as well, from spontaneous discussions (and plenty of free food) in the hospitality suite to karaoke, a game room, and meetups for people with special interests. Membership costs are less than a hundred dollars for the weekend, very low compared to commercial conventions. Moreover, our hotel offers free parking, a swimming pool, a good restaurant, a newly upgraded fitness center, and a free shuttle to downtown Walnut Creek, all for a superb convention rate.

Walnut Creek, east of San Francisco, is a charming small city distinguished by its superb restaurants (from cafes to sushi to four-star dining), excellent shopping, and a convenient location. If you’re interested in exploring wild California, Mount Diablo is just a few minutes away by car. A convenient commuter train just 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel can take you into San Francisco, one of the world’s most beautiful cities and an international center for food, arts, and culture.

Getting to the con is easy. You can drive to Walnut Creek—the hotel offers free parking—or fly into SFO or Oakland and take the BART train to Walnut Creek. (Yes, the hotel has a free shuttle from the Walnut Creek BART station.) Fly in on Thursday night and be part of the fun from the beginning.

Lynn Alden Kendall
http://www.lynnkendall.com

The greatest thing in the world is the Alphabet
as all knowledge is contained therein
except the wisdom of putting it together
from an old German bookplate

1 thought on “FOGcon!”

  1. Yes – Francesca, an informed article. I see far too many facile, hasty, knee-jerk, ungrammatical, and frankly pointless books, articles, blogs, and even Facebooks clogging up the already overfull shelves and airways. Wouldn’t it be good if someone could invent an app which could edit stuff to start with and either eliminate the rubbish, or select the quality? Now there’s a thought. But then someone did in 1984, didn’t they?
    Robin Hawdon

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