Origins Game Fair - 2014

June 11-15, 2014
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Columbus, Ohio, 43215, USA

Origins is only a few weeks away, and as with the past two years I'm on some panels and selling books as part of The Library. I'll probably even play some games again this year (I think I've actually played more games in two years of Origins than I did in my first ten years at Gen Con).

Here’s my schedule for seminars this year:

Thursday

Food in Fiction  (5:00 a.m.) - In Fantasy and Science Fiction, any food is usually in the background.  Most often it's presented as setting or set decoration and ignored by the viewer. Sometimes though, it seems to take on a life of its own and can even become the center of the plot.  This slideshow explores the fictional foods in television and film, highlighting both the good and the bad. 

Friday

History in Fiction  (12:00 p.m.) - It might make sense for you to create a detailed backstory to help you put the current events of your novel in context. Or perhaps you want to scratch the serial numbers off a real event so you can use it in your story. The authors on this panel will tell you how to get it done.  [with Dylan Birtolo, Jennifer Brozek, and John Helfers] 

Sunday

Making Old Tropes New  (Noon) - Boy-meets-girl, beauty and the beast, clandestine affairs with vampires. How can writers make old tropes new again?  [with Sheryl Nantus and John Helfers]

Origins is a blast, and somehow it seems to be small and personal while still being absolutely huge.  Stop by the seminars or the author's area in the dealer's room and say "Hi".

Gen Con 2014 Schedule

Gen Con Indy 2014 – August 14-17

The Gen Con website is now allowing people to sign up for events, so I thought it would be a good idea to post the events I'm running.

Sadly, I'm not part of the Writer’s Symposium this year, so my schedule is limited to my regular two events for Blackspoon Press and one for Medieval Cookery.  Of course I'm easily roped into conversations about these (or other) topics and have even set up impromptu unofficial seminars from time to time.

SEM1454435 – Real Medieval Feasts  Curious what medieval feasts were really like? Come learn about real feasts and medieval cuisine. Topics include: feast foods, common myths, and the strange things you can find in medieval cookbooks.
08/14/2013, 8:00 PM, Crowne Plaza : Pennsylvania Stn B

SEM1454436 – Build Your Own Language  Fictional worlds often include languages to make their setting more believable. This seminar will help you create your own language, suitable for adding color to a game or novel.
08/15/2013, 8:00 PM, Crowne Plaza : Grand Central A-C

SEM1454437 – Cook Like a Dwarf, Eat Like a Halfling  How do you write a cookbook for a culture that never existed but everyone knows? The authors of "A Dwarven Cookbook" talk about the origins of the recipes in their cookbooks..
08/16/2013, 2:00 PM, Crowne Plaza : Victoria Stn C/D

The registration site says there's only 1 ticket left (out of 50) for "Real Medieval Feasts" on Thursday evening, but don't let that stop you if you're interested in attending.  There's usually plenty of room - and if there's not then Gen Con will likely move me to a larger space.