1sr JordanCon April 2009

[Caelan Arendor]

Esteemed audience, 

 

In 2009, we—the readers of The Wheel of Time series—were still deeply saddened by the tragic news of Robert Jordan’s untimely death. As far as I recall from his blog posts, he himself was optimistic that he would be able to overcome his illness with the help of newly developed medication, and he firmly believed that he would live to complete his monumental epic.

 

Sadly, fate dealt him and his family a cruel blow. Robert Jordan passed away on September 16, 2007, at the age of only 58.

 

When the idea was born—among his readership, his community, his family, and his publisher—to hold a convention in his honor, and when the date was finally set, there was no question for me: I simply had to undertake the long journey to be there in person.

 

Recently, the internet presented me with a summary of the events of that time, which I do not wish to withhold from you. Much of what was offered in Atlanta back then has unfortunately faded from my memory, which makes me all the more grateful that traces of that event could still be found.

What I was able to uncover with the help of AI, I would now like to make available to you here.

 

At the first Wheel of Time-focused convention in Atlanta — the very first JordanCon in April 2009 — the programming was centered on celebrating The Wheel of Time books and honoring Robert Jordan’s legacy.

Here’s what was discussed and highlighted at that inaugural event:

📚 Wheel of Time & Author-Focused Content

• Guest of Honor appearances: Harriet McDougal (Robert Jordan’s widow and editor) and other guests such as Brandon Sanderson and publisher Tom Doherty took part in discussions and panels.

• Literary discussions: Fans and guests talked about The Wheel of Time books, the writing process, themes in the series, and Jordan’s legacy.

📖 Exclusive Readings & Material

• One of the standout highlights was a recording played of Robert Jordan dictating part of the prologue to The Gathering Storm — new material that hadn’t been widely heard before.

• Q&A and signings: Attendees had opportunities to ask questions and engage with authors and editors about the series.

🎤 Panels and Conversations

• Although full panel schedules from 2009 aren’t extensively archived online, JordanCon conventions generally focus heavily on:

  • Discussions of lore and worldbuilding within The Wheel of Time.

  • Interviews and panels with experts or those close to the books (e.g., Team Jordan or editors).

  • Theories and fan interpretations about characters and events in the books.

🎉 Community and Fan Activities

• The event also included a costume contest, social gatherings, dances, and fan meet-ups, making it both a forum for discussion and a celebration of fandom.

Overall, the inaugural JordanCon was a blend of insightful literary discussions, exclusive readings related to The Wheel of Time, fan panels, author interactions, and community-building activities — all centered around the books and the people who love them.