Posts Tagged ‘Conventions’

For your Nebula Awards Weekend Edification

No Comments » Written on April 24th, 2012 by Lawrence Schoen
Categories: News
Tags: Conventions, Memory, SFWA

The forty-seventh Nebula Awards Weekend is coming up in just a few weeks. In addition to the awards banquet and the massive author signing there will be various field trips and lectures.

I have the great pleasure and privilege of offering one of the lectures, drawing on my experience as a professor of cognitive psychology and my research in human memory. On Saturday, May 19th, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., I’ll be giving a talk entitled How to Remember Anything.

I’ll review some of the different types of memory, the four underlying principles that modulate most memory, and then discuss a few different mnemonic techniques and systems.

The typical limit of most people’s “short term memory” is seven items (plus or minus two). In the last few minutes of the presentation, I’ll load up everyone there with a list of twenty items — courtesy of an incredibly easy to use mnemonic system — that they’ll be able to hold on to for days and days.

Tags: Conventions, Memory, SFWA
Posted in News

Trek Trax Atlanta: Final Schedule

No Comments » Written on April 15th, 2012 by Lawrence Schoen
Categories: News
Tags: Conventions, Klingon

Coming up on Friday is Trek Trax Atlanta, and I’ll be there to speak about my experiences with Klingon.

As can happen in the current economy, preregistration sales weren’t as robust as anticipated, and the convention regretfully had to cancel the scheduled appearances of its top tier guests.

A side effect of this is that I’ve been bumped up a bit, and I take it as a personal challenge to provide just that much more value for the attendees so that no one feels too disappointed. It should still be a glorious convention!

With that in mind, here’s my new schedule from Friday, April 20th, through Sunday, April 22nd. Please note that there are additions and time changes from the previously posted preliminary schedule.

Friday, April 20th:
8:00 – 10:00 | Ashford | VIP Champagne Reception
An opportunity to mingle as we enjoy hors d’oeuvres, champagne, and Diet Coke.

10:00 – 11:00 | Centennial I | Twenty Years of Pimping the Klingon Language
Q&A and some strange tales of pushing the Klingon language for two decades.

Saturday, April 21st

1:00 – 2:00 | Centennial III-IV | The Sounds of Klingon
An interactive session with just a bit of spitting as we master some of the trickier sounds.

7:00 – 8:00 | Centennial III-IV | Ten Things Every Klingon Should Know How to Say… in Klingon!
Eric Koske and I instruct you in some essential Klingon phrases.

Sunday, April 22nd
10:00 – 11:00 | Centennial III-IV | Klingon Religion
Tony Roberts and I discuss religion, Klingon style!

2:30 – 3:30 | Centennial I | The 2012 Miss Klingon Empire Beauty Pageant
Join David Orange, Morgan Gendel, and me as we judge the event. Yeah, yeah, it’s a tough job…

When I’m not busy with the above, I’ll either be grabbing a bite in the hotel restaurant, sitting at a table selling the limited number of KLI books I can stuff into my carry-on bag, and just generally hanging out with anyone who wants to chat. With luck, there’ll be some Diet Coke nearbye too.

Tags: Conventions, Klingon
Posted in News

My Chicon buffalitos are here!

2 comments Written on March 31st, 2012 by Lawrence Schoen
Categories: News
Tags: Buffalito Wrangler, Conroyverse, Conventions

Even though Chicon 7, the 70th World Science Fiction Convention is still many months away, preparations are nonetheless underway.

Hadley Rille Books will be launching my third Amazing Conroy book (we’re still haggling over the words in the title, but you can be assured the first word will be Buffalito), and because it’s the Worldcon, they’re doing it up right!

Sure, we’ll have ribbons. But… everyone has ribbons. What everyone doesn’t have are plush buffalitos!

That’s right, you read it correctly. In celebration of the new books we’ll have an limited supply of adorable plush buffalo dogs (just like Barry, the plucky fellow who’s been riding on my shoulder at conventions for years).

I’m telling you about this now because the shipment just arrived (not sure whether from Gibrahl or Vermont). They currently contained in a large cardboard box, but seriously, how long can we expect that to hold them? They’re buffalitos after all!

Tags: Buffalito Wrangler, Conroyverse, Conventions
Posted in News

Trek Trax Atlanta: Preliminary Schedule

2 comments Written on March 23rd, 2012 by Lawrence Schoen
Categories: News
Tags: Conventions, Klingon

It’s been a few years since I’ve put in an appearance at a Klingon or Star Trek convention, but that’s all about to change. I’ll be talking the talk at Trek Trax Atlanta from Friday, April 20th, through Sunday, April 22nd. It’s been far too long since I’ve been back to Atlanta, and I’m looking forward to the trip.

Here then is my my pre-final schedule for this grand event. It may change, but I’m thinking it’s pretty solid:

Friday, April 20th:
10:00 – 11:00 | Centennial I | Twenty Years of Pimping the Klingon Language (M)
Q&A and some strange tales of pushing the Klingon language for two decades.

Saturday, April 21st

2:30 – 3:30 | Chastain | The Sounds of Klingon
An interactive session with just a bit of spitting as we master some of the trickier sounds.

7:00 – 8:00 | Chastain | Ten Things Every Klingon Should Know How to Say… in Klingon!
Eric Koske and I instruct you in some essential Klingon phrases.

Sunday, April 22nd
10:00 – 11:00 | Chastain | Klingon Religion
Tony Roberts and I discuss religion, Klingon style!

2:30 – 3:30 | Centennial I | The 2012 Miss Klingon Empire Beauty Pageant
Join Todd Bryant, David Orange, Spice Williams, and me as we judge the event. Yeah, yeah, it’s a tough job…

When I’m not busy with the above, they tell me there’ll table where I can sit and sell various materials from the KLI, chat with attendees, and generally hang out. With luck, there’ll be some Diet Coke nearbye too.

Tags: Conventions, Klingon
Posted in News

Lunacon 2012: No, THIS Is My Schedule!

No Comments » Written on March 13th, 2012 by Lawrence Schoen
Categories: News
Tags: Conventions

As is usually the case, there’s been some movement here and there on the schedule. The important thing is that it looks like everything is bolted down now, and we’re good to go. If you’re looking to find me at Lunacon, the following provides your prime stalking opportunities:

Friday, March 16th:
20:00 – 21:00 | Grand Ballroom ? |Meet the Pros
Grab a drink, have a nosh, and come say “howdy”

Saturday, March 17th
11:00 – 11:30 | Bartell | Reading
In honor of the recently released ERB film, I will likely read “A Buffalito Of Mars”

12:00 – 13:00 | William Odelle | Hadley Rille Press: Meet the Authors (M)
Terri-Lynne DeFino, Karin Rita Gastreich, and I share tales of this midwestern small press

13:00 – 14:00 | Westchester Assembly | Autographing
w/ Terri-Lynne DeFino, Karin Rita Gastreich

16:00 – 17:00 | Westchester Ballroom A1 | Neuroscience Fiction
w/ Lawrence Kramer, Linda Zimmermann, Shara Zoll (M)

Sunday, March 18th
12:00 – 13:00 | Elijah Budd | Creating Believable Fantasy Animals
w/ Karin Rita Gastreich (M), Robert J. Howe, Keira Sokolowski

13:00 – 15:00 | Grand Ballrom North | Charity Book Raffle (MC)
GoH Howard Tayler and I will vie for privilege of drawing your ticket? (sorry about the pun)

Still no sign of any programming for Barry. In past years, Mr. Shirt has threatened to put him on the schedule. I, in turn, have threatened to leave him sitting on podium in front of an empty room. Nothing good can come of this, I’m sure.

Tags: Conventions
Posted in News

Lunacon 2012: My Schedule!

No Comments » Written on March 11th, 2012 by Lawrence Schoen
Categories: News
Tags: Conventions

Despite rumors (started by me) that my stint last year as GoH had broken Lunacon, the fine folks at Programming have come through with a schedule. No doubt there will be some changes before the actual event (now less than a week away), but for your edification and amusement, here is where I think you can find me, at least as of right now.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my pre-final schedule for Lunacon 2012:

Friday, March 16th:
20:30 – 21:30 | Grand Ballroom ? |Meet the Pros
Grab a drink, have a nosh, and come say “howdy”

Saturday, March 17th
12:00 – 13:00 | William Odelle | Hadley Rille Press: Meet the Authors (M)
Terri-Lynne DeFino, Karin Rita Gastreich, and I share tales of this midwestern small press

13:00 – 14:00 | Westchester Assembly | Autographing
w/ Terri-Lynne DeFino, Karin Rita Gastreich

16:00 – 17:00 | Westchester Ballroom A1 | Neuroscience Fiction
w/ Lawrence Kramer, Linda Zimmermann, Shara Zoll (M)

Sunday, March 18th
10:00 – 10:30 | Bartell | Reading
In honor of the recently released ERB film, I will likely read “A Buffalito Of Mars”

12:00 – 13:00 | Elijah Budd | Creating Believable Fantasy Animals
w/ Karin Rita Gastreich (M), Robert J. Howe, Keira Sokolowski

13:00 – 15:00 | Grand Ballrom North | Charity Book Raffle (MC)
Will I draw your ticket? You’ll just have to come by and see

For good or ill, Barry believes he is the convention’s unofficial Plushie GoH (I’ve tried explaining it to him, but he just won’t listen — I doubt they’ll even have a badge for him). If you’d like to humor him, the odds are good that you can find him riding on my shoulder throughout most of the convention (at least when he’s not in the bar, drowning his sorrows in barbecue sauce). I would consider it a kindness if you’d stop and pose for a photograph with him.

Tags: Conventions
Posted in News

Three Things Make A Post (Because I’m Not Sleeping)

No Comments » Written on December 30th, 2011 by Lawrence Schoen
Categories: News
Tags: Appearance, Conventions, Klingon

I’ve recorded the last two episodes of DaHjaj Hol, the daily Klingon podcast that I’ve been doing since January 1st. They’ll go out into the world at dawn today and tomorrow.

It’s been an interesting experience, creating a snippet of Klingon every day for a year. I have no idea how large an audience I reached, or if they’ll continue to be used as a resource by people interested in the language (the entire series will remain available via this website).

For 2012 I think I’ll continue to post a Klingon podcast, but the format is likely to change to only once a week, and the content will probably be aimed more at an intermediate level. But nothing’s definite yet, it’s all in flux.

In other news, since I’m awake, I started thinking about conventions, and realized that I hadn’t yet booked my hotel for my first event of 2012. Happily, the fine folks at Lunacon made that very easy with their website links, and I’m now all set.

If you’re not acquainted with this convention, I would encourage you to check it out (and not just because I was their GoH last year). It’s an incredibly relaxing and enjoyable convention, the programming is always entertaining, the hotel grounds are gorgeous, and I always have a wonderful time.

I’m particularly glad to be heading back this year because the artist GoH is none other than Howard Tayler, the multi-Hugo nominated creator of Schlock Mercenary and one quarter of the podcast Writing Excuses. I love Howard like a brother, and I never get to see him enough (not that I expect to manage much time with him at Lunacon, as he’ll be busy doing that whole GoH thing).

This year it looks like there will be several other Hadley Rille authors present, and we’re trying to coax the programming team to give us a slot. No guarantees, but I’m hopeful. In any case, I hope to see you at Lunacon; it’s great fun!

My wife and I have no major plans for New Year’s Eve (in case you were wondering), other than a quiet night here at home. I generally avoid traveling on the last night of the year; in my experience there are just too many people on the road with a bit too much alcohol in their systems. Thanks, but we hit our drama quotient for the year and are not looking for any last minute additions.

If your own plans take you out and about, please keep yourselves safe. If you do feel the need/desire to imbibe, designate a driver for your group and treat this person well.

A lot of folk like to make various resolutions for the new year, things they’ll try to do better in the coming months, but I’ve never understood the appeal. As that little green guy said, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” That said, I have quite a bit that I intend to do in 2012. I could tell you about it now, but this post has already run on too long, and besides, why spoil the surprises?

Anyway… it’s now 4am. I think maybe I’ll try and grab another hour or two of sleep. Wish me luck!

Tags: Appearance, Conventions, Klingon
Posted in News

Enjoying Toronto

No Comments » Written on November 17th, 2011 by Lawrence Schoen
Categories: Gallery
Tags: Conventions

Valerie and I wandered around Toronto today, enjoying the St. Lawrence Market, an all-Canadian artists Craft Show, and some fine sushi at Ki.

Tomorrow we’ll manage to work in a bit more tourism in the morning, and then it’s to work for me as SFContario begins.

Meanwhile, he’s a photo of downtown Toronto with its wonderful blend of old architectural styles and new (and yes, that’s Valerie in the lower left corner taking the same photo).

Downtown Toronto