Yes, I did sell some books, but mainly, I was there to meet fellow writers and fans!!
BasedCon 4 was held in western Michigan, Sept 6 -9. The founder, Rob Kroese, had invited me months earlier to be a panelist, and needless to say, I jumped at the chance! That gave me about half a year to worry, er rather prepare for the event. Confession time: One of the biggest obstacles I had to overcome in participating was my dislike --or rather, 'sheer terror'--of flying. But I did some prep work ahead of time with various anxiety-reducing apps and exercises, and I've got to say, they worked pretty well. Navigating the airports on the way there was quite smooth. Checking in at the hotel the night before went just fine. I've never been on such a long trip on my own, so this was a great opportunity for me to get outside my comfort zone. It seems that as my kids get older and more independent, I am also entering a new phase of my life, and it feels very good.
I found the con itself was very well organized—it's still small, so it wasn't too overwhelming for me. This is a new one that's been slowly building steam and attracting some very high-quality guests and discerning attendees and fans. Regarding the panels, I wasn’t quite sure what was expected of me. But after meeting some of the other authors, introducing myself, and getting to know them on Friday, I felt much better. Everybody was so laid-back and welcoming that I was quickly put at ease. The atmosphere was just like one big happy gathering of friends and family.
I think I did okay on my first panel, which was "Technology and Dystopias." I’d made some notes ahead of time, but I knew that I probably wouldn’t use them because these panels are basically structured like a conversation. You can’t memorize talking points—or at least you shouldn’t, I don't think—because you want to be able to respond organically to what the other panelists are saying and to the questions from the audience. So, from a technical standpoint, that was my approach, and I didn’t collapse or completely crash and burn, so by my criteria, that was a success.
The downtime between panels was spent lunching, browsing others' tables, or otherwise mingling, and again, I cannot express just how much fun this was. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent talking with folks. You have to remember that this was a gathering of introverts, and considering that, I think we all did quite well in our social interactions.
On Sunday, my contribution to the "Religion in World Building" panel was somewhat hampered by the fact that I was severely sleep-deprived and there was a shortage of coffee, so I wasn't as intellectually sharp as I normally am (ha, ha).
In any case, I thought the topic was interesting, and moderator Anne Lewis did a great job guiding the discussion. I remained conscious, if not entirely coherent. The footage—in fact, all the recordings of all the panels—is currently being edited, and I will provide links here when they are ready. If anybody wants to see those, I apologize ahead of time for my squeaky voice and rambling thoughts, but that's the real me, and I'm new to this.
So, in summary, it was a wonderful experience. It was like one big extended conversation, flowing around topics of censorship, emerging technology, changes in reader habits, and book markets. But first and foremost, there was the commitment from everyone to craft stories as well as they possibly could. Everybody I met was committed to turning out high-quality, entertaining stories, no matter what those stories were or in which genre. It was very inspiring and uplifting. Whether I'm on a panel or not next year, I will definitely be attending the next BasedCon!
The flight back to Portland was fraught with difficulties, and the less said about the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, the better. But all's well that ends well, and I did eventually make it safely home!
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UPDATE on Book Five: Stare at the Sun: I am expecting the edits back from my editor at any moment! I am confident I'll have it ready to publish by the middle of next month!! Further updates as we get closer to completion. It has taken a bit longer than I anticipated, but I believe it will be worth the wait!
The good news is that Book Six, "Shadowminds," is proceeding much faster. It will be a shorter novel, but it is fully outlined, with significant portions already drafted. So that one will actually be done, God willing, months ahead of my original publishing schedule! I am on track to completing the entire seven-part Beyond Cascadia series on my original timeline, and I want to thank everyone for their patience and support along the journey.
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