Prompt: Sort of a con report for ConTemporal 2013, Day 2

I’ve been involved with running various aspects of science fiction conventions (“cons”) large and small for *mumble mumble* years. For the past two years, I’ve been making an effort to get out and simply enjoy *attending* many of the regional cons in the South. One of my most favorite activities has been participating in Allen Wold’s marvelous writing workshop. In this program, Allen and a small panel of published authors and editors talk about the importance of actually *beginning* your story, and how you can’t start improving it until you actually start writing it. So the challenge is to write a brief intro with a “hook” that will make the reader want to continue reading.

This is one of the things I was most looking forward to at ConTemporal this weekend. So when I started to talking with friends on the planning committee about the 11^th-hour help they needed, this was the one thing I asked to make time to attend. And the 1^st part of the workshop did not disappoint. A small group, and I enjoyed every story, from action fantasy to steampunk to erotica (!) to my own Blade-Runner-esque action SF. And I can’t wait to hear how much better we all sound after a day to edit into the 2^nd draft!

Otherwise, for having spent most of the rest of the day around the registration area, I feel like I have really *seen* a lot of the con, especially the marvelous costumes! The steampunk community really outdoes itself in this regard!

We were close enough to enjoy most of the music during the con, without being overwhelmed by the sound. I also enjoyed talking with members of the East Coast Pirate Crew about their work up and down the Eastern seaboard. And, of course, the gamboling Fool.

As I have attended more cons in the past couple of years, it’s been a pleasure to see so many familiar faces and to slowly get to know people better. I really enjoyed talking with a few small groups over the past couple of days.

I expect registration will be pretty slow tomorrow, so I’ll have time to go walk through the Makers’ Expo and the Bizarre Bazaar (aka “dealers’ room”). Most of the day will be spent chatting and saying goodbye…until next time.

Time writing:	20 minutes
June word count:	17,464