Spend your money! Spend your money!

John Teehan and Merry Blacksmith Press has a table in the dealers room at Boskone, the New England Science Fiction Association convention being held this weekend in Boston. Here is a photo taken by John. "Texas & Other Planets" is for sale there (front row, second from left). If you are there, I highly recommend it.

Stalled

I began a new story a few days ago and typed up about seven pages of "Yankee Puja" when my carpal tunnel flared up real bad. It already was on the upswing, but the pace I set as I typed up the story really aggravated it, and I knew I had overdone it when my left thumb went paralyzed. Not numb, paralyzed, I couldn't move it. The application of a cold pack relieved the problem quickly, but I haven't typed anything for a few days.

I've ordered ten copies of "Zombie Writing" so I can take them to ConDFW this weekend, and they should arrive by the end of the day Thursday, according to the UPS tracking system. The folks from Yard Dog Press will be there selling copies of "Music for Four Hands", and Zane Melder with Edge Books will be there with copies of "Fantastic Texas" and "Texas & Other Planets".

ArmadilloCon 34

I have been invited to be a program participant at ArmadilloCon 34, to be held
July 27-29, 2012 at the Renaissance Hotel in Austin, Texas. It is in the same hotel as last year, but a month earlier than in 2011.

I have replied with my acceptance. I went to my first ArmadilloCon in 2004, then because of a conflict with my job schedule I couldn't go back until 2007. I've been a program participant since then.

By way of promotion, here's a little description from their email:

"ArmadilloCon is a long-running science fiction convention that covers a
wide spectrum of interests, with a particular emphasis on literature. This
year's guest lineup features Guest of Honor Anne Bishop, Editor Guest Liz
Gorinsky, Fan Guest Bill Parker, Toastmaster A. Lee Martinez, and Special
Guest Chloe Neill. The con will have readings, panel discussions, a
writers' workshop, autographings, gaming, an art show, filk, and more."

AggieCon 2012

I've accepted an invite to be a guest at AggieCon 2012,which will be taking place at the College Station Hilton March 23rd-25th. I attended in 2006 and 2007, but haven't been back since. I'm looking forward to it.

Schedule for ConDFW

I will be attending ConDFW Feb. 18 and 19. I have attended every one since 2003, which was the first con I ever attended. I am very pleased with my schedule, especially since I'm on an abbreviated time frame; I have to work until mid-day Saturday and then drive to Dallas. But I have four panels in two days, plus a reading and a signing. Excellent.

The days starts Saturday with a reading at 3 p.m. I share the hour with Melanie Fletcher and Linda Donahue - certainly two of the nicest people I know.

Then I segue into a signing at 4 p.m. with Rie Sheridan Rose and O.M. Grey - another pair of very pleasant people.

My first panel follows immediately at 5 p.m. in the Manchester Room. The topic is "Flying the Friendly Dirigible Skies: Steampunk Aviation" - a great choice in light of my story "Great White Ship" which is being published this spring by Daily Science Fiction. My fellow panelists include Cherie Priest, Martha Wells, Julie Barrett, and Shanna Swendson (moderator). The panel description is follows:

"One of the traditional views of the steampunk genre is the dirigible, or the zeppelin. In fact, it is often used to illustrate to modern audiences that they are in an alternate reality – if they see a dirigible, they know it’s not their world. For examples, look at Blade Runner (dirigible ads floating 24/7), Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Zeppelins docking with the Empire State Building), etc. So, let’s fly a floating flammable gas bag and see what the future really is!"

My panels on Sunday are as follows:

Churchill 11 a.m. - Escape from the Slush Pile. Chris Donahue, Michael Ashleigh Finn, Kevin Hosey, Jaye Wells. I am the moderator. "We bring back this popular panel from last year to tantalize people with mistakes and errors you should try not to do. Beware: someday you may end up here if you do not learn from your mistakes… Come and learn from our editors on what to avoid so you don’t end up on the slush pile."

Warwick 1 p.m. – Writers to Keep an Eye On… Cherie Priest, Rachel Caine, Michael Ashleigh Finn. I'm also moderating this one. "An annual discussion, our panelists have a lively discussion on who are the upwardly mobile in writing. Who has a good handle on writing? Who is a hack and won’t stick around long? Expect opinions to fly hot and heavy."

Manchester 3 p.m. – How to Fix Terrible Prose - Writing Seminar. Panelists: Mel White (moderator), Lou Antonelli, Adrian Simmons, Lee Martindale. "Ever wanted to find out how to fix terrible writing but never knew how to do it? Led by Mel White, this panel seeks to do group therapy – taking a piece of horrible writing and fixing it so it is a shining jewel of prose. Well, maybe not, but group participation is going to be requested, so good luck and have fun!"

Sympathy for Rotwang

Ardath Mayhar passes away

Ardath Mayhar died Wednesday. Word spread quickly throughout the genre literary community. I met her twice, in 2004 at the first FenCon in Dallas, and in 2008 when the Nebula Awards were held in Austin.
She had mobility problems in old age, and she was taken to FenCon by Joe Lansdale, who she called an "adopted grandson". We had a nice conversation. I remember she was especially impressed that I wrote on the side and worked full-time as a journalist. She said it was smart to have an "eating job".
When I learned that she was receiving the SFWA Author Emeritus Award in 2008, I called her and conducted an interview. I was proud for her, as a representative of East Texas, and I published the interview in my newspaper, the Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune. It was also published in her hometown paper, the Nacogdoches Sentinel.
When I saw her in April 2008, I noticed she seemed to be weaker than when I saw her in 2004. She passed away at 81.
Here is the text of her obituary from the Nacogdoches Sentinel"

Ardath Frances (Hurst) Mayhar died Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, in Nacogdoches, Texas. She was 81. Born Feb. 20, 1930, to Bert Hurst and Ardath Ellington, in Timpson, Texas, Ardath Mayhar is the author of more than 60 books ranging from science fiction, fantasy, horror and young adult to historical and westerns, with some work under the pseudonyms Frank Cannon, Frances Hurst and John Killdeer. She began her writing career as a poet when she was 19 and began publishing science fiction in 1979 after returning with her family to Texas from Oregon. She was nominated for the Mark Twain Readers Award, won the Balrog Award, was nominated for awards in almost every fiction genre, and won many awards for poetry. In 2008, she was chosen by the Science Fiction Writers of America as their author emeritus. Mayhar also owned and operated The View from Orbit Bookstore in Nacogdoches with her husband, Joe, until his death in 1999, after which she sold the store. Mayhar taught writing through the Writer's Digest school, provided book doctoring, and mentored numerous young authors. Until her health declined, Mayhar's reputation was such that she spoke regularly in the area, drawing large crowds to listen to her wit and wisdom. She is survived by two sons, James Mayhar and Frank Mayhar; two stepsons, Robert Mayhar and William Mayhar; grandchildren, Kai Mayhar, and Brad Mayhar; sister, Judy Corley; and brother, Joe Bert Hurst. A memorial service will be held later, with details pending at this time. Online condolences and memories may be offered at www.casonmonk-metcalf.com. Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.