Blogger Confession: I love going to conventions but I hate planning for them! I have all these conventions booked but I haven’t prepped for them at all. How do you plan for a convention? Do you have a tried and true way of getting the most out of it?
One Day Blogging and Social Media Conference in Dallas, TX!
Date: September 15, 2012
Time: 9:00am to 5:00pm {Cocktail party to follow at 5:30pm}
Topics for Dallas include (that I am interested in):
SEO: Search Engine Optimization matters. Learn easy and effective techniques to building your sites ranking.
Design: Is your blog putting it’s best foot forward? We break it down- the good, the bad, the ugly and the fabulous. Small changes can have a huge impact.
Writer’s Workshop: A full 2 hour breakout for those interested in crafting excellent content. Nothing like sitting in a room with a bunch of writers who “get it”.
FenCon is a literary science fiction and fantasy convention with quite a lot of filk programming, some science programming, an outstanding collection of guests, an art show, a charity auction, a short story contest, a writers workshop, and members like you. FenCon is a production of the Dallas Future Society.
Bouchercon is the world mystery convention and has been taking place annually since 1970. It is open to anyone and is a place for fans, authors and professionals to gather and celebrate their love of the mystery genre. It is named for a famed mystery critic Anthony Boucher. During the convention there are panels and discussions and interviews with authors and people from the mystery community covering all parts of the genre. There are signing events for people to meet their favorite authors face-to-face and get books signed.
Bouchercon also has the Anthony Awards which are also named after Anthony Boucher. These are voted on by the attendees and given out during the convention.
The seventh annual Buns & Roses Romance Tea for Literacy will be held Sunday, October 14, 2012 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas.
I am sitting at Donna Grants table! I am super exited!
WHERE: Irving Convention Center 500 W Las Colinas Blvd Irving , TX (At intersection of 114 and NW Highway).
EVENT HOURS:
October 19-21, 2012 Friday 2pm-8pm, Saturday 11:00am – 7:00pm, Sunday 11:00am – 5:00pm.
This one is for pure fun! Here is a list of who I want to see:
BRUCE CAMPBELL, ROBERT ENGLUND, TOM FELTON, GINA TORRES, ALAN TUDYK, FELICIA DAY, SEAN ASTIN, STEVEN YEUN, LAUREN COHAN, EDDIE MCCLINTOCK, SAUL RUBINEK, and DONNIE DUNAGAN
Enjoy sharing meals with Eloisa James, Sarah MacLean, Jade Lee, Nikki Duncan, Cathy Maxwell, Heather Long, Winnie Griggs, Connie Cox and more… emceed by radio personality and author Candace Havens. Opportunities will abound to share your opinion about current book trends (Hot & Spicy versus. Sweet & Mild), best book care practices to keep your collection in top-notch condition (ABCs and 1-2-3s of books), where to buy and trade your books, what’s the best e-reader for you YOUR reading habit, learn about books and authors you possibly missed, how to get a book club going in your neck of the woods and so much more. Plus meals* are included as well as at least one margarita per day! After all, this is Texas and we practice margaRITA therapy!
I think I may be exhausted by Thanksgiving! I don’t have a plan of attack for most of these yet as the full schedules haven’t been announced. Do you live in a town that is full of conventions that you would like to attend? Do you plan ahead or just wing it? How do you make it if you decide not to get a hotel room and just drive from home? For those out-of-town: Do you arrive early? Try to connect with people going online before hand? How do you handle going alone?
This is my 4th year of doing conventions and I still don’t have this down to a science! I will admit that I am a little scared about Bouchercon as this is the mystery/thriller convention that I have been too! It is also the first conference where I am fairly sure that I won’t know anyone. I haven’t seen that any of my blogger friends are going and that is usually something I can depend on. I am arriving the day before to get situated in the hotel. I hope it is a blast because next year it is in New York and I think that would be fun!
© 2012, Geeky Bloggers Book Blog.
I’ve never been to a book convention. I need to put that on my “things real readers do” list and hop to it.
This is so awesome Felicia, I went to one this year, and am already having happy thoughts of going back next year.
Do wear comfy shoes, and think of the authors you are going to meet and which books you want to have signed by them. Bring those, and perhaps a blank note book for signatures! And a big enough bag for freebies and swag! Can’t forget that :)
WOW, you go to a lot of conventions! That is awesome, I really want to start doing that this upcoming year. Thanks so much for sharing these. And I like the new look.
Ali
Ali’s Bookshelf
Thanks (on the look)!
I do go to a LOT of conventions but I am lucky that I live in a town that has quite a few of them. I try to travel out of town for 2 a year. Next year I am torn on what those two will be.
Uggg Since I am going to three of these I feel tired and thats only half. I can’t wait to hear how Bouchercon goes. I am sure it’s anxious, going far and not knowing many people.. not sure if they are as crazy as the rom-com kind of folks but I bet you make fast friends anywhere. I was very jealous when you posted the author list. Go forth and bring back word!!! It will be great fun. What can I say, I am turning 40 and have all these live it up, seize the moment kind of thoughts right now.
I am a little anxious about Boucher but I am determined to have fun! I think it was the approaching of 40 that did it to me too. It was like it was just time to go out and explore!
I am tired just thinking about all those between now & Thanksgiving. Oh ya, a bit covetess too. I’m fixing to see what I can squeeze in.
We need to squeeze in dinner sometime in October :)
I so BADLY want to go to a million cons, but I have to watch my vacation time. I’m half-tempted to give up my beach vacation next year, since that frees up five days for me, but….BUT! It’s the beach, and it’s relaxing. I will live vicariously through you for these 2012 cons, and I plan to attend RT2013 ;) You should come. *nudge nudge wink wink*
This year I am very much stradling the vacation time limit. I lucked out that most of these only need about a day from me :)
Wow! Have fun :D
I plan on having a blast!
I’ve only been to one and you saw how lost I was in that one! LOL
I wanna go! Think of me while you are having fun and then go neener neener to my image. ;D
hehe I will have fun for both of us!
You are so lucky!!! And I’m so glad you’re doing this all!! This is the time in your life to go out and do it all!! And you’re so freaking lucky to live in Texas where all the writers seem to live! Readers and Ritas has always sounded so fun everytime Rachel Caine said she was doing it!!
I’m green over here and not b/c I’m a frog!!!
Rachel will be at FenCon! I have a couple of books I need her to sign plus she is just so darn sweet! I am lucky to leave near such a great reading and writing community!
Wow!
You go girl!
The mystery one in Cleveland sounds awesome.
Please please please let me know how it goes.
I don’t have the money for this year, but maybe next year.
Next year it is in New York. I will let you know how it goes–I am super excited about it :)
I hope you have fun at all those conventions. I’d love to hear what you learn Bloggy Boot Camp.
I am hoping to learn a ton about the general business of blogging. Since I am mostly around our group (which is awesome) it is going to be great to get some outside information that isn’t specific to the book industry.
Are you actually coming to the one in Cleveland Felicia? YOU’D BE SO CLOSE TO ME! I’m just a short 2 hour trip south, so maybe we could meet up!!!! That would be amazing. Also, I need to move to Texas, all the good stuff happens in Texas:)
Texas does rock the casbah at times. Our weather sucks though so we have that LOL
Trade lives with me!! Please!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
Have fun and rest up. :)
:) Are you kidding me? Your life rocks! You are my rock and roller!
That Bloggy Boot Camp looks good. Just checked their link…. they are coming no where near me.
Have fun. I hate that I’m missing RnR this year. It still is my favorite con.
They do Bloggy Boot Camp at 6 different places next year so maybe they will come closer. I am going to miss you at RnR–it is one of my favorites (much more laid back than most)