Well, I just wrapped up MarsCon yesterday, and I wanted to get some thoughts and experiences down to share while it's still fresh. First of all, I'd like to thank MarsCon once again for deciding to put my name forward as Author Guest of Honor for their "Gone Rogue" theme this year, and to apparently agree to it without much debate. I can't thank you enough, and I intend to see you all again next year! I had a gruelling panel schedule that I totally asked for, and I'm grateful once again that I was accommodated so well in this lunacy. I regret none of it.
Well...with one notable exception. Shortly after I arrived and was in the middle of experiencing delays setting up because so many wonderful people I hadn't seen in a long time wanted to say hello, Jason Carter arrived. I knew I had a table right next to him, and I'm a fan of Babylon 5 and of the character (Marcus) and the actor himself, but I don't enter into these things expecting the privilege of a load of extra interaction, and really one doesn't know someone until one meets them. Sometimes even then. But after a little bit of getting oriented, Jason simply began talking to those around him...and he turned out to be a lovely, approachable, and AUTHENTIC human being. We spent a fair amount of time talking when I was down at my table...so I suppose my only regret with my schedule was that I missed more such conversation and some of his events. But I look forward to the next time I get to see him and his wife at an event or wherever I might run into him (he'd apparently taken a selfie mere hours before with a fan who works at the Perkins I frequent, after his flight into town). I gave him a dedicated copy of my first book, which he described as a lovely gesture, and he was further grateful because there was apparently a dearth of books in the Albuquerque airport, so he had nothing to read. And I got his signature in the copy of my first book in which I collect signatures from people who have personally inspired me. I usually forget to bring it when I should. And he took a selfie with me (okay, Anton took it), which was the only sort of photograph I needed: a genuine photo with a genuine guy.
We did opening ceremonies with the other Guests of Honor, though we weren't really sure what to do, but I had asked ahead of time and had witnessed opening ceremonies before, so I basically recommended "a few suitable words" as any hobbit would recommend, and I figured he'd be fine (and of course he was). After that, I grabbed a quick bite, spent half an hour listening at his first event, then had two panels until after 11pm. My friends Rio and Cait were with me, with Cait filming from the audience, so I'm hoping to share that footage at some point...but stay tuned for how that will all take shape (separate posts on that). Rio Moraine and I went back and forth with Kathryn Sullivan and C.M. Alongi on the topic of story tropes. Rio and I knew paneling together would be just like when we hang out, and of course it was, but with a focus and a mission (besides keeping people entertained). We stuck around after T. Aaron Cisco came to relieve Kathryn and had an informal conversation for/with the audience, and Cait got some fun footage during those couple hours before we had to call it quits (panel photos courtesy of author Douglas Van Dyke/Dhea Loral). Some karaoke party action for me, then home, and back again the next morning.
Saturday was grueling, but in a good way. You can see from my previous post that a light discussion of the old Doctor Who began a full day of events, usually with a one-hour break in between, including a special, hour-long Guest of Honor reading and my usual round-robin reading that I host with other authors, The Indie Author Buffet. Incidentally, everyone did a great job at the reading according to private comments I received later (yes, Rio, you were mentioned, so take that from your first-time experience at it!).
Doug kindly stepped in when my only other panelist for A Pirate's Life For Me didn't show (get well, Patrick), and he helped keep the event in "panel" status rather than rendering it a mere presentation on my part. As a fellow gamer, DM, and novelist who is more prolific than I, I knew he'd have good stuff to contribute.
That was one of a pair of rogue-themed panels I had suggested, so I was pleased it didn't turn into a train wreck (or a flanking chain, since it was rogue themed...?) with just me up there. But the other one I suggested was my favorite that day: Why Are Rogues In Vogue? My friend, Sherry Merriam is a pretty good therapist, and I asked Rio to be on the panel after he commented offhandedly that he had thoughts on it. The discussion never got stale, out of balance, or stymied, and the audience was just as engaged as we were. I'm hoping the footage for that one--again, thanks, Doug, we owe you one--turns out well. We all felt pretty pleased with ourselves at the end that one.
A bit more pleasant conversation with Jason and his wife in between, a nice business/decompression dinner with Rio and Cait, one last panel about fanfic and spinoff-type moments in fiction with Kathryn Sullivan and Lisa Freitag, who discovered her inner fanfic junkie in the last two years, and then my friends all left. Then karaoke for me and other con friends until well past when that Daylight Savings Time clock kissed the 2:00am frog and turned it into the 3:00am prince who compels us night owls to consider eventually going to bed. Sunday was the last in a welcome chain of days that began with pleasant conversation with Jason Carter behind the tables, and I was lucky enough to catch most of his last event. A simple Q and A on a day when he was doubtless depleted, it was nevertheless a study in watching someone who routinely exhibits more talent and passionate, dedicated, and intuitive professionalism than he's aware. I always advise new panelists that the main thing they want to accomplish is to be some mixture of informative, insightful, and entertaining, and Jason is easily all of those in good, high measure. I was sad to duck out early for my last panel, even with his friendly encouragement, but we all soldiered on through the last hours and a light Sunday morning topic of dragons with C.M. Alongi and Kathryn Sullivan, where I was glad of my disclaimer about being the lightweight in the room on that subject.
Sincere farewells were uttered when Jason had to catch his plane, Rio and Cait had to leave, having done everything (and as well as) they'd hoped to do, and the remaining two Guests of Honor closed out the ceremonies in much more passive fashion than we'd opened with, and that was that. I always love doing MarsCon, which was my very first con when I had only an eBook, and I'm looking forward to going back next year to see Steven Brust and Emma Bull again (haven't paneled with them since Narrativity before Covid). Connections were made, plans were laid. Songs were sung, hands were wrung. Tales were told, books were sold. "I used to play bass for <<insert terrible band name here>>" jokes were perpetrated....no, I got nothing for that rhyme. Comment below with the end of that thought, and we'll work on the next thing together or something. Thanks again, MarsCon! Isil'zha!
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