This year, JordanCon is trying something new.  They put out a call to all JordanCon members, past and present, and asked for donated stories to compile into an anthology.  Twenty were selected to be featured in 2019's edition, entitled You Want Stories?

The list of authors is a great one, featuring Brandon Sanderson, our own Jason Denzel,  as well as well-known authors such as Seanan McGuire, and Charles E Gannon.  The others contributors are: Terry Beyer, Foster Bridget Cassidy,  David B. Coe, Blue Cole, Gerald L. Coleman, Milton J Davis, P. Andrew Floyd, John G. Hartness, Alexandra Hill, Robert A. Hilliard, Jr, Faith Hunter, David Alan Jones, Tim Lewis, Jana Oliver, Morgan Smith, and Sarah J. Sover.

I'm very happy to say that my offering was accepted! (Written under my pen name Foster Bridget Cassidy.)

The beautiful cover art is by Dan dos Santos, this year's JordanCon Artist Guest of Honor.

The anthology is available for pre-order now through April 8th, 2019.  The Con will have a limited supply to sell to those who have not pre-ordered, but there's no guarantee you will receive a copy.  The anthology can ONLY be picked up at JordanCon 11 (April 26th-28th, 2019).  The book WILL NOT be shipped anywhere.  That said, it is possible to have a friend pick up a copy for you.  Check out the details on JordanCon's website.

The net proceeds of the anthology will go to the Mayo Clinic.  Pre-order now to support some indie (and not-so-indie) authors and the Mayo Clinic!

You may know him as the guy with that excellent Rand al’Thor cosplay, but his name is Paul Bielaczyc and he is a JordanCon staple.  I got a chance to talk to Paul about JordanCon, being toastmaster, and his love of The Wheel of Time.

Ebony: First things, first: When did you start reading Wheel of Time?

Paul: I first picked it up my senior year of high school, and stopped reading at what I like to refer to as "The Hump." I feel like most people read a few chapters of a new book to see if they are hooked, and for Wheel of Time, that magical point is the end of Chapter 4. I know I got to that point, put the book down, and then life happened. And I know that speaking to many readers who tried reading the series, they got to the same point (I now tell people to go back and cross "The Hump").

I picked it up again the summer after my freshman year of college after seeing a display at the student bookstore for the release of The Path of Daggers. Another student pointed out how excited he was to read the next book in the series, and he encouraged me to pick it back up. So summer of 1999 is when I devoured the first 7 books of The Wheel of Time.

By the way, quitting at Chapter 4 stinks. Chapter 5 is nuts!! And the story doesn't really let up at all after that.

(Editor note: I actually did the same thing)

Ebony: What made you decide to cosplay as our favorite moody Ta'veren?

Paul: In Grad school I thought it would be cool to dress up as Rand al'Thor for Halloween. Not a single person knew who I was.

Many years later, I was apprenticing with an artist out in Kirby, WY, population 57. A young lady who modeled for the artist asked to see my art, which lead to showing off pictures of my costumes. When I clicked on the folder for that Halloween, the young lady was shocked. She looked up at me and said, "I know you! You're Rand al'Thor." I didn't follow.

She then pulled up Google Images, and when she searched for "Rand al'Thor," there I was, 6 out of the first 10 images on Google Search. She told me that The Wheel of Time was her favorite book series, and when she did a book report earlier that year, she used photos of me in her report.

A few years after that, I was working at my Artist table at Dragon*Con, when a young man walked by dressed as an Aiel. When I complimented his awesome WoT cosplay, he turned to me, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you, Car'a'carn." There I am, not in costume, but simply dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. I looked at him confused. To which he replied, "Your cosplay of Rand al'Thor is all over the internet. When I read the books, I picture you whenever Rand is brought up. You *are* The Dragon Reborn."

And that was the moment. I had to be the Lord Dragon.

And funny enough, many more years after that, when signing my copy of Memory of Light, a certain author by the name of Brandon Sanderson asked me, "I make this out to Rand, right?"

E: Do you do any other character cosplay?

P: Within The Wheel of Time, the only other cosplay that I have done is a Trolloc. Well, I also did a Grayman in year 3, and Moridin/"Just Rand" a few years ago, but nothing as impressive as the Trolloc.

Outside of that, the list is pretty insane. Ash Williams from Army of Darkness, Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil 4, Waldo, Link from all the Zeldas, a realistic Ice King from Adventure Time, CLU from Tron Legacy, Ander Elessedil from MTV's The Chronicles of Shannara, and probably a bunch of throw-away costumes that I wore once.

E: When did you first attend JordanCon?

P: My first JordanCon was year 2. (2009)

E: Aside from being the resident Lord Dragon, what other roles do you play at JordanCon?

P: My first year I was a simple sheepherder... I mean vendor. I then played some music on Saturday night, and I become the resident DJ for the Saturday Dance Party. I am also a Co-Director for the Art Show with April Moore, and the Dealer's Hall Director as well. Phew.

E: Did you get to have any say in the theme for JordanCon 2019 or did Jennifer Liang (JordanCon Director) and Aubree Pham (JordanCon 2018’s Toastmaster) just tell you what to do?

P: I did not. I was just as excited as everyone else when they announced it during Closing Ceremonies.

I'm sure that once the theme was settled on Shai'Con for 2019, those in charge figured that since I have been embracing The Dark Lord Dragon for the past 2 years, that it would be a good fit. And all I can say is, "Indeed."
 

E: What was your reaction to being asked to be Toastmaster for JordanCon 2019?

P: JordanCon has become family to me, and I wouldn't be a licensed Wheel of Time artist without JordanCon or Ta'veren Tees. So when they ask for my help, I'm usually ready to assist. And I'm pretty extroverted (if you didn't know).

The best moment though was while I already agreed to be Toastmaster when the announcement was made at Closing Ceremonies in 2018, I didn't know the theme. When they announced that, well, my darker side was very, very pleased. Oh crap, I guess that's another character cosplay I forgot to mention. But everyone will see that costume in 2019.

E: What can we expect from you as toastmaster?

P: Having someone bleep me constantly with the word "hot dog?" Thankfully Patrick Minze is really good at that.

I'm kidding. (Editor’s note: He is not kidding) I am hoping to have a few fun surprises for Opening Ceremonies, and otherwise be entertaining while informative. There is a happy balance of making sure that actual information is conveyed to the attendees (how Art Show or Charity bidding works, Weapons policy, etc.) while still making it fun and memorable.

I am asking people to come up with fun, twisted versions of their favorite characters, similar to my Dark Lord Dragon, to embrace the theme. Portal Stones exist in the series, and definitely are the windows to alternate universes. I really want to see how crazy and fun people can make their favorite characters this year. This year's theme, crossed with the idea of the Portal Stones, really allows for level of creativity and originality that I don't think we've seen in the first 10 years.

So obviously, as The Lord of Chaos and The Shai'aman, one can expect a little breaking of the Wheel and Pattern. That goes without saying really.

And next year is also the culmination of the Black Ajah mystery that has been going on now for 3 years. As a participant myself, I have no idea what is going on, other than to say that I'm sorry if actively encouraging people to be Darkest Timeline versions of themselves throws off the balance of the game.

But there definitely will be specialized badge ribbons for anyone that joins Team Shadow for 2019 (we can celebrate the Light in 2020).

E: What is your favorite JordanCon memory?

P: Man, that is a hard question to answer.

I think one of my favorite moments was the year when TWoTcast were the Toastmasters. Chip Moore and I came up with an idea for Opening Ceremonies a few weeks before the convention, and so spent multiple nights in my driveway working in the dark. But we thought recreating the climax to Lord of Chaos would be too much fun to pass up.

We built a man-sized chest out of insulation foam, and then carefully cut it apart, and pieced it together using just toothpicks. Chip (and a team of Red Ajah) dragged the over-sized chest out from backstage. And then, on cue, I burst out of the chest in full Rand Al'Thor get-up.

Of course, the speech I gave during the Costume Contest when I was dressed as "Just Rand" was really poignant and much more serious than most people expected from me. But then on the flip-side, the entire Rand on the Run Facebook Adventure.

So many memories.

E: What do you do for actual money? What is your "day job"?

P: So my day job is pretty unusual, or at least, was more unusual back when we started in 2002. Nowadays kids make a living posting the pictures to the Instagrams, so I guess our business isn't all that strange with how popular Cosplay has become. So my brother, sister, and I co-own Aradani Studios, which is known all over the world primarily for making prosthetic elf ears which are hand-painted to match your skintone. We do a variety of other prosthetics, horns, noses, and masks, but elf ears are what we are known for. My brother and I are both fantasy artists as well, my brother working in oils, acrylics, and digital painting, and I work primarily in charcoal, graphite, and pastel. We have both won awards across the country over our 16+ years in this career, and in 2006 I won the prestigious Chesley Award for my piece, Nightmare. And of course I am one of the 6 current licensed Wheel of Time artists. Thankfully, everywhere we sell our ears, we sell our artwork. But when someone asks how I pay my mortgage every month, it is definitely because of those ears.

Thanks to Paul for joining me. I am sure you can tell JordanCon will never be the same once Dark Lord Rand al’Thor is done with it. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

JordanCon tickets are currently $50 for the full three days.  The price goes up to $55 January 1, 2019.  Check out JordanCon’s website for more information.

Our friends at Wheel of Time Spoilers reached their milestone 100^th episode while attending JordanCon 10.  To celebrate this prestigious event, Seth and Patrick sat down with Jason Denzel, Brad Kane, and Wilson Grooms.

To listen to Episode 100, click here!

This episode, recorded live at JordanCon, delved into many topics.  Most importantly being the current status of The Wheel of Time television show.  During the Team Jordan panel at JordanCon, Jason asked Harriet McDougal of the show’s fate.  For those unable to attend that panel, Jason shares the basics here.

Wilson, who has been a big part of The Wheel of Time fandom, including helping Robert Jordan update his blog posts during his treatments, also shares some fond memories.  Wilson talks about Jordan’s love for reading, his days in the military, and the process of publishing The Wheel of Time stories.

For more from Wheel of Time Spoilers, you can check out their recent interview with Dragonmount, their website, or their new spin-off of sorts, Mistborn Spoilers.

This year marked the 10th anniversary of JordanCon.  It's truly amazing that the dedication and loyalty of so many Wheel of Time lovers has turned this convention with a modest beginning into a yearly pilgrimage for many fans.  The depth of love from all the people involved--from the staff, to the volunteers, to the attendees--is a testament to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series.

To celebrate the milestone of ten amazing years, during the opening ceremonies, a video overview was shown.  It highlighted Robert Jordan, his fight with amyloidosis, and the following years of JordanCon where his life and his life's work were/are celebrated.  After this played for the crowd of con-goers, I can pretty much guarantee there was not a dry eye.

You can view the video here.  Even without being surrounded by hundreds of other fans, this is still beautifully touching.  The song fit the theme of this year's JordanCon, SeanCon: the Return.  But the deeper meaning is there.  If you've ever had the privilege of attending a Wheel of Time related event, you know that meeting fellow fans is like a homecoming.  

This year’s JordanCon was epic in proportion, first because it was the tenth year of the convention (according to Jennifer Liang, everyone thought the first JordanCon would be the last JordanCon), and second because this year marks the 20^th anniversary of Dragonmount.

Arriving Thursday night was like coming home to a group of very good friends.  After checking into my hotel room around midnight, I headed down to the lobby and promptly began deep, philosophical discussions about The Wheel of Time series with none other than Paul Bielaczyc—though there was a moment when he got The Wheel of Time mixed up with HG Wells’ The Time Machine…. That, in a nutshell, is JordanCon.  Approach any person, say hello, and they’re your friend for life.

This year’s lineup of panels and guests was colossal.  If I had to list a negative part of the Con experience this year, it was that too many amazing panels happened simultaneously.  I had many difficult decisions to make, and I feel many other Con-goers had the same dilemma.

This year’s Toastmaster, and Empress—may she live forever—of the Seanchan’s glorious Return was Aubree Pham.  The Seanchan theme continued throughout the event, including a game in which members of the Low Blood were required to eliminate members of the High Blood.  Even the annual Saturday night dance party was the Homecoming: One Night in Falme. 

Naturally, the Author Guest of Honor for the year of Dragonmount’s 20^th birthday was Jason Denzel.  He attended many panels, hosted a Kaffeeklatsch, read a snippet of the next series he plans after the Mystic trilogy is finished, and talked at length with Matt Hatch of Theoryland about the origins of their respective websites—including an incident that happened at JordanCon 1 involving Brandon Sanderson’s newly finished, and unpublished copy of The Gathering Storm, Brandon’s credit card, and a Kinkos.

The Artist Guest of Honor was Stephanie Law.  Her artwork was spectacularly displayed in the vendor’s hall, and she dazzled attendees with a watercolor demo.  The highlight was the “Women in Illustration” panel, with other artists, Ariel Burgess, Melissa Gay, Amanda Makepeace, and Angela Sasser.  In another panel, Stephanie, Angela, and Ariel also helped explain Patreon—the ins and outs of the subscription service, and how to determine if it’s a worthwhile investment of your time and energy.

For me, personally, one of the best moments was being inducted as an Asha’man into Bill Nesbitt’s Black Tower.  I worked very hard on my Asha’man costume to be ready for the pinning ceremony.  But even better was the Wheel of Time discussion at the party afterward.  For more than an hour, there was a healthy debate over the nature of the Creator and the Dark One, and whether it was possible that Rand was actually the Creator.  The next day, I talked to Matt Hatch, and he solved the debate in less than a minute.  Though his presence at the party would have solved it quickly, as the Knights Radiant are fond of saying: “Journey before destination.”

For the Daes Dae’mar trivia contest, Dragonmount had an official team entry!  It consisted of myself, Verbal32, Keyholder21, Songstress, Hallia, Kathleen, and Leelou, plus four other friends we found along the way: Monica, Jeanine, Anna, and Natalie.  Through our valiant efforts, we tied for second place.  The dreaded Theresa Gray (Terez from Theoryland) determined our answers were subpar, so she awarded the other team, The Salty Wetlanders, second place, and awarded us third.  Naturally, the team Gap of Infinity—consisting of Theorylanders—won first place.  We’ll have to do a rematch next year.  So Dragonmounters, start your re-reads and be prepared!

And though Dragonmount’s birthday isn’t until September—Jenn Liang was very definitive of the month—we still celebrated!  We had as many people as possible crammed into a suite, and while everyone chatted and indulged in merry-making, we also had a Wheel of Time spelling bee.  We were doing okay until we got the word “Ta'maral'ailen.”  Jason couldn’t pronounce it.  Brandon couldn’t pronounce it.  Maria Simons (of Team Jordan fame), wasn’t in the room.  But we did have contestants successfully spell Tel’aran’hriod, Tarmon Gai’don, and Asmodean, to name a few (that last one was me).

I also had several opportunities to talk with Seth and Patrick from Wheel of Time Spoilers.  They even mentioned how they kicked off their newest podcast Mistborn Spoilers.  They’re starting at the very beginning of the first trilogy, so make sure to start while it’s new!

This was my fifth JordanCon, and it was the best of the bunch so far!  The guests were amazingly friendly and accessible.  The game hall had activities going nonstop.  Every corner of the hotel was filled with people who love The Wheel of Time as much as me.  If there’s such a thing as paradise on Earth, it’s JordanCon!

You can already order tickets for JordanCon 11: Shai’Con.  The Guest of Honor will be Brent Weeks, author of The Night Angel trilogy and the Lightbringer series.  The Artist Guest of Honor will be Dan dos Santos, well known in our circle for his ebook cover of the The Fires of Heaven, as well as the cover of Warbreaker.  The Toastmaster will be Paul Bielaczyc—which is self-explanatory since the theme is Shai’Con. 

If you missed out on the fun this year, don’t make the same mistake for next year!  I hope to see you all there!

You can see a collection of JordanCon pictures in the Dragonmount Gallery, or browse through the JordanCon Facebook group!

Only a week to go until JordanCon!  The convention, dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20^th through the 22^nd in Atlanta, Georgia. I’m very excited to see many of the authors this year, including Aaron-Michael Hall, the award-winning author of The Rise of Nazil series.

Q: Welcome Aaron-Michael! Your tag line says you are a writer of “diverse epic fantasy and science fantasy with an edge.” What does it mean to have an edge in your works and how do you incorporate it while writing?

Thank you for having me!

When I speak of an edge, it’s in reference to content that many would refer to as ‘dark fantasy’ or ‘grimdark.’ Although my epic fantasy series doesn’t fit in either of the aforementioned categories, those elements of darker fantasy are entrenched within the plot.

My Nazil series is intended for mature readers who aren’t nettled by some brutalities that are strictly used for characterization and integral to the plot. These grimmer aspects are interwoven into a richly detailed plot…they’re not used in place of the plot or to shock the reader.

Some of the harsher realities of Faélondul are grim, but the instances are few.

Q: You write your epic fantasy novels under Aaron-Michael Hall, and your science fantasy romance novels under Newland Moon.  Why do you feel it is important to keep these genres separate?

I felt that it is important to separate the genres due to the distinct differences in the novels. Although my writing style remains consistent, the depth and subject matter is disparate. For instance, when first published, The Rise of Nazil was 350k words. In comparison, Rites of Heirdron (book I of my science fantasy) is 70k words. I didn’t want my epic fantasy readers to expect the exact duplication in the differing genres. My science fantasy is compelling with the same multifaceted characterization that my readers love, but scaled to fit a shorter novel integrating a seamless merge of sci-fi and fantasy.

Q: Do you have a current project you’re working on that you’d like to tell us about?

Currently, I’m editing my second trilogy in the Nazil series, proofing the second novel in my Kurintor duology, and completing a new fantasy novel titled Tamesa that I’m co-authoring with Tom Fallwell. This will be Tom’s first year at JordanCon.

I wanted my newest release available for JordanCon this year. Kurintor Nyusi is a diverse high fantasy without my usual grimdark edge. It’ll be a great addition for fantasy fans and fits perfectly with JordanCon’s theme.

Q: For your epic fantasy series, you’ve created a whole language, called Mehlonii, and even had book trailers where this language is spoken. I think that’s incredible! Why did you develop this intricate part of your world and how big of a role does it take within the novels?

I’m asked that question often. J When I began writing the Nazil series, developing languages for the differing species and races was natural. I never asked: should I? Mehlonii (and a few other languages) developed along with the plot and characters. As the world grew, so did the divergent inhabitants and their languages.

On the Mehlonii page of my website, I also have the spoken dialogue from the novels organized by page number. When I updated The Rise of Nazil this year, I had to update the voice files, too. If anyone is curious about how Mehlonii sounds, they can visit my website: aaronmichaelhall.com/Mehlonii. I’ve enjoyed creating, writing, and speaking the language. Even my son knows a few key words.

The Mehlonii language isn’t overdone in the books. It’s in enhancement to the characters, cultures, and story. Mehlonii is an integral element bringing some of the fantastical back into epic fantasy.

Q: How much time/research/effort went into creating the Mehlonii language?

I’ve always loved languages and studied several in school. However, the prosodic, isochronal, lexical and regular stressors found in Amharic, Arabic, Latin, Hebrew, and Klingon (yes, Klingon) are favorites of mine. Some of the lexical stressors in Amharic, Arabic, and Klingon are similar in Mehlonii. It’s a melodious and prosodic (intonation, tone, stress, and rhythm) spoken language with some rougher stressors that are dependent upon phrasing.

Mehlonii is still evolving, and the dictionary continues to grow. I didn’t want to overcomplicate the language like some do. A language is supposed to make communication easier (and possible), not more difficult. The most simplistic language that I researched had merely 340 words. Taki Taki (also called Sranan) has an interesting origin and is a mix of several languages.

I listened to and researched hundreds of languages before developing more of my own. I knew how I wanted it to sound and what I needed it to do. In the end, it was more about my created cultures and how they appeared and sounded to me. At times, I’m writing and just speak a ‘word’ or phrase and something clicks. Then, I start googling after I’ve decided how to spell the word. It’s probably impossible to create something that doesn’t sound like anything else with the incalculable languages across the world. However, I endeavor to do just that, and I thoroughly enjoy the process.

Q: The world of Faélondul has many new species, including the Nazilians.  Can you explain a bit about what makes these species different?

One thing that I didn’t want to do was to have the same species and creatures found in most fantasies. I love elves, dragons, dwarfs, etc., I just don’t want to write about them. I introduce several different species and races throughout the series: Nazilians, Ohor, Syahndru, Z’brachieyn, Naidisians, Dessalonians, my lovable and formidable Desu Beasts, and a few others (You can see illustrations of some at my booths. I have commissioned a lot of artwork for my series).

The Nazilians are an intriguing and ordered species, guided by their deities and the Cha (priests) who speak for them. Their leader (the Zaxson), Draizeyn, is the ruler of Faélondul, and commands the formidable Chosen Guard. The Nazilian origin isn’t revealed until book II (Seed of Scorn), but the species is quite detailed in The Rise of Nazil.

Unlike the diverse human population, the Nazilians share like features: hair, eye, and skin color. Other than those distinct differences, they are much like humans. Howbeit, they are quite adept at reminding the humans of their place, which happens to be beneath them.  

Q: Some of your works are featured as “convention exclusive” items.  Will you be showcasing any of these at JordanCon this year?

Yes. I have three items that are only available at conventions: the Mehlonii Dictionary (with graphics and maps), The Guardians’ Rise (a graphic introduction to the Nazil series, including a prelude with custom artwork, insights into the series, character profiles with pictures, stats, favorite quotes, and over forty commissioned character concepts from all of my series), and a Faélondul coloring book.

With the updates to the first trilogy, I’m updating the dictionary and The Guardians’ Rise as well. They might not be ready before the convention, but I always have coloring books available. Although it’s titled Faélondul, I have characters from my science fantasy and my newest epic included in the coloring book.

Q: What is it about JordanCon that made you want to be a guest author?

The atmosphere at JordanCon is amazing. Of all of the conventions I’ve attended, JordanCon is my favorite. It’s not only the varied and talented creatives. The staff, volunteers, and attendees are exceptional as well. JordanCon delivers in every area seamlessly and is the perfect family event for fantasy lovers and fans. I’ve been telling everyone that this is the event to attend in Atlanta. They’ve even begun reading Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. It’s a win-win.

Q: Can you give us a sneak peek of which panels you’ll be on?

Absolutely! You can see me at the following panel discussions: Diversity in Brandon’s Works, Being Gratuitous, 3…2…1…Flash Fic!, possibly Urban Fantasy Hour, and Learn From My Mistakes (I signed up for this one, but I’m not certain if I was selected). I’d love to chat it up with everyone and have a great time! Of course, you can visit me at my vendor tables, too. I guarantee that you won’t be able to miss me. J

Q: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you or your works?

I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone this year. If you love epic fantasy with some fantastic characters doing amazing things (sometimes bad, too), come on over and have a chat with me. I create diverse novels with a host of characters and cultures. I’ll even have some sample chapters to give away, a few book giveaways, and I’m just fun to talk with! So, come on by and say hello. I won’t bite, unless I’m required to do so.

Also, I’ve updated my debut novel The Rise of Nazil. I’m bringing several extra copies if anyone who purchased it last year would like to trade with me. No strings. If you bring your book from last year, I’ll sign a new one for you. No charge. However, I have limited copies to give away. Those books are quite heavy.

Epic Fantasy authors Morgan Smith (Canada) and Tom Fallwell (Oklahoma) will be with me! It’s their first year attending, but it won’t be there last. Come by and chat with us!

Q: Thank you so much for talking with me Aaron-Michael!  I’m looking forward to hearing you talk about your novels.

Thank you for having me! I’m thrilled to have been included and can’t wait to meet you.

Faélondul Awaits!

For more on Aaron-Michael Hall, you can check out her website, or follow her on her social media outlets:

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Author's Database

JordanCon is just around the corner!  The convention, dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20^th through the 22^nd in Atlanta, Georgia.  This year, there are many authors that write across the large spectrum of speculative fiction.  But Sargon Donabed started with academic non-fiction focusing on folklore before starting to write his fantasy novels.  He also has a PhD in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations and is currently working on a MS in Anthrozoology/Animal Studies.

Q: Thank you for joining me, Sargon!  Your rich background in ancient and modern societies is impressive.  Does this knowledge give you a jumping off point for building your own fantasy worlds?

Thank you for the interview Mashiara. It’s very kind of you to offer me this opportunity for folks to get to know my work. To answer the question, yes. Only recently had I recognized that some of the (mostly minoritized and indigenous) communities I work with/on, are not only marginalized in their own regions, but also in fantasy literature. Noticing the palpable hunger for distinct perspectives on fantasy, especially through recent works in the field, has led me to rethink ways in which I could offer my reflections, through the imaginative process, on the struggles, triumphs, and simply the lives of those with less of a voice.

Q: What correlations do you see between fantasy tropes and mythology?  Do you think there any new ideas or is everything rehashed from old beliefs?

That is an interesting question. I suppose I see little or no difference. In a course I recently taught, my students began reading Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces then moved to Karen Armstrong’s A Short History of Myth. Campbell of course speaks of a holistic approach and refers to the heroic epic as the monomyth, reflective of human desires in all societies. Armstrong on the other hand shows the progression of the ways in which a changing human society described its place in the world, as it also explained the surrounding world. I think new ideas are always formed, but I do think they are necessarily directly created from old ideas. In other words, I do not believe things exist in a vacuum though I do see a holism to existence.

Q: You’re currently working on two fantasy series.  One, a retelling of Gilgamesh, is intended for a YA audience.  Can you tell us your plans for those stories?

I think I can. At least I hope so. So, the work is meant to be a traditional trilogy, though I am writing the second book first. Long story. In any case, book one Lineage of the Ancients is a fantasy steeped in Mesopotamian lore and set on a parallel world where the earth is an ecotopian paradise resplendent with ancient creatures and magical beings.  It blends historical fantasy and alternate history where Gilgamesh, King of the ancient city of Uruk in Mesopotamia and designer of civilization, died confronting Humbaba, beast of the cedar forest, while Enkidu, his semi-feral companion, survived. Thanks to Enkidu’s ingestion of the elixir of life, which in our version Gilgamesh found and lost, Enkidu and his particularly undomesticated brand of Mesopotamian culture lived on as a prevailing ethos (rather than a cradle of human civilization), governing the Near East and surrounding regions. A place where reverence for the natural world and the ancient deity Shakkan/Sumuqan, lord of the wild and its denizens, stands as patron.

Since I started with book two, I suppose I should speak of that first. Scion of the Ancients, shadows a brother and sister, Nem and Sina growing up along the New England coastal forests with their stalwart and respective feline and canine companions, a Bengal cat and kugsha-tamaskan mix, meet a shaggy unkempt and largely feral recluse who claims the children are of an ancient lineage through which they have been gifted with the power to meld – to transform or merge into animal state, able to interact with them and their communities. At least a child of the untamed has such abilities. A child of the hand maintains an innate ability, driven by the creative spark, to fashion objects of power. 

The children themselves have this primordial magic due to their relation to a prehistoric Mesopotamian lineage which includes an ability to meld, but only if they are able to procure a nasaru, a guardian/protector, who incidentally, have been hunted to extinction since the fall of ancient Assyria! This revelation coincides with the mysterious arrival of Taela, a peculiar young woman who speaks their native language (sort of) as well as seemingly communicate with their animal companions. But what is perhaps most mind boggling for the young siblings is why Taela insists on an audience with the famed King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, an ancient historical figure dead and buried over 4,000 years ago!

Q: Your other series is going to be high fantasy.  Why types of magic systems will this series include?

Well, here is an older elevator pitch.

Explaining anything to 8-year olds is taxing – try explaining they might be gods. Ancient races and deities enter human reality in this epic fantasy entitled Of Beasts and Mischief: The Unremembered Book One, at 100,000 words. The novel follows the travails of a teenage girl with an ability to ride souls and a young man problematically preoccupied with a not-so-forgotten myth as they investigate the origins of two furtive children with mystical abilities.

If I gave a bit more detail - The story centers on 4 major characters from distinct communities who have each received a summons from a winged messenger working for the confederation of Nirad with the great honor to participate in the Drasha, a contest/reenactment of the ancient rite of passage for initiates of a long dead mythical race. What the participants do not realize is the contest is real and the stakes are not only life and death, but also the very existence of all they hold dear. Their only clue to completing the Drasha unscathed is a book of fables for children entitled, The Unremembered.

Q: How do you balance your academic studies, your academic teaching, and your writing?

I don’t. Hell, half the time I fall into a new world, half asleep. It’s tough to be honest. I am still learning. But the academic job pays the bills for now. More important is a good balance for family life and play. Tough in the never-ending New England winters, but important none the less. I must say I would love a few years just swimming and enjoying the sun on a beach, surrounded by pristine nature. So, imagining that as a possibility always helps! Yoga, martial arts, soccer, hiking, time with friends and family, enjoying the good of the earth with a sense of reverence; those things are important.

Q: You’ve published many academic papers and articles.  When did your desire for writing fiction come about?

Money. I wanted to make lots of money. Like, sick money. You know the kind that Bieber has…? Legit joke. Beyond that… I suppose I recognized that fantasy literature had more of a profound effect on my writing, even as an academic, than any academic work I had ever written. From the academic side, I recall the impression left on me by Defending Middle-Earth: Tolkien: Myth and Modernity by Patrick Curry. If you have not read it, I suggest you do so. I was enamored by his sense of re-enchanting reality and the natural world against the machine of modernity. I love that. I think the wonder and hope that children inherently have can make us better creatures. Kinder, have more empathy. I think fantasy can teach this in a way other avenues can’t, or don't.

Q: Which fantasy authors have had an influence on your writing? 

Certainly, Robert Jordan. You’d had to have read my first monograph but, I top quoted one of my favorite lines about forging metal. I also thanked him in my intro. Plus, I entitled my first monograph Reforging a Forgotten History: Iraq and the Assyrians in the 20^th century. So much Perrin in there. And Rand. And Sanderson I suppose.  

Shout out to Tolkien of course. Tad Williams world of Osten Ard. Ray Feist’s Magician – Midkemia is a wonderfully rich and, I believe grounding (in an ongoing active sense) is the right term, world with Pug and Tomas. Robin Hobb’s Assassin work, Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman’s Dragonlance and Deathgate Cycle work is just splendid and were my entrance into fantasy literature. More recently I fell in love with Erickson and Esselmont’s Malazan works – dear God are they intricate and dense. Grittier than what I hope to offer but their depth is unparalleled in my opinion. For kids works, I adore the Fablehaven series of Brandon Mull, read and reread numerous times, and can’t wait to read it to my daughter. Of course, Riordan’s Percy et al have reinvigorated a classical mythological world for a modern audience and made me think it just might be possible to chat about Mesopotamia and Assyria in a way that would attract an audience. Time shall tell.

Q: Why did you decide to pick JordanCon to visit this year?

The intimacy of a small venue. By small I speak in comparison to DragonCon or something of the like. Last year I found staff and attendees to be affable in their general attitude and kind as well as generous in their opinions of their passions. Plus, I think it’s vital to honor master storytellers. If nothing else we are a race of beings in need of myths to inspire and comfort us, I think high fantasy at its best leaves room for goodness, and fills us with hope.

Q: Can you give us a sneak peek of which panels you’ll be on?

Sure. I shall be on the following: Writing in a Sub-Culture, Great Fight Scenes, What should we be reading? Additionally, when I spoke with Thom a while back, I thought it may be fun to talk about how to integrate RJ/WOT into an academic course/setting. From that, there was crafted a Teaching Robert Jordan panel – “Discussing the importance of narrative storytelling, myth, & fantasy to the greater world, and as a gateway to student learning.” I’m stoked about that one. Ordinarily I only get to talk to academics about the course, so I’m thrilled to be inspired by ideas from people immersed in RJ/WOT and fantasy in general. 

Q: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you or your works?

Hmmm. I suppose I am most proud of myself (you know the me who loves fantasy and JordanCon etc.) for sneaking in some concepts/quotes into my academic works from some of my favorite fantasy series. I would love more feedback to see if there are others out there interested in my work. I hope that one of the things I can ignite in the hearts (besides acid indigestion) of others is a deeper connection to our non-human animal companions, and the natural world in general. It is necessary that we change our way of interacting with the world around us. Begin to look at others as siblings, companions, fellow subjects in this magical world, this life.

Q: Thank you so much for talking with me.  I’m looking forward to hearing your expertise on folklore and mythology!

Thank you for the interview Mashiara.

To find out more about Sargon Donabed you can visit his website.

We are almost there!  JordanCon, the convention dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20^th through the 22^nd in Atlanta, Georgia.  Just two weeks away!  Today’s interview is with Paige L. Christie, author of the acclaimed The Legacies of Arnan series.

Q: Welcome, Paige!  How does your love of other cultures—specifically Middle Eastern and North African—shape The Legacies of Arnan series?

This is such a great question! In this series, most of influence from ELTAM (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco) is subtle – mostly in the dances and music mentioned. However, there is a good deal of influence from a different part of the world in the 2^nd novel – specifically Eastern Tibet, where I had the good fortune to be able to visit in the fall of 2016 as part of a women’s pilgrimage tour. Place, and how people relate to it, is a large part of how these influences come through.

Q: Draígon Weather, the first novel in the series, begins with Leiel’s mother being sacrificed to the monstrous Draígon.  How do you take this classic element and put a fresh spin on it?

The basic idea for Draigon Weather began with the question, “What if the woman tied to the rock waiting for the dragon to eat her, wanted to be there?” Why would that be? What would happen? Answering a question that flipped a trope, led to a trope-flipped story. More than that answer will spoil the book.

Q: This series is planned to be four books long.  Once completed, do you have another project you plan to work on?

Yes – I have a couple ideas rattling around. One is a rural urban fantasy, which sounds weird, but I’m a small-town woman and I know rural areas far better than I do cities. I don’t usually write in the ‘real world,’ so this one would be a departure for me, a new challenge.

Q: You’ve started each of your novels by participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).  How has this helped or hindered your writing journey?

Oh NaNoWriMo! Yes!  I have been writing stories since I was 7 years old, but I never thought I really had any stories that people would be interested in reading. So, I just wrote in the closet. Only a couple people in my life even knew it was a passion of mine. Then my friend, Ellen – also a closet writer – found out, and in 2014 she talked me into NaNoWriMo.

I had heard about it for years, but I never thought I could do it. But she insisted, and I caved, and I spent most of that November sleepless and in a daze, between fulltime work in retail and writing like I never had before. But come November 30^th, I had 50 thousand words of something that I thought had a lot of potential. Ellen and I made a pact -- and we both kept writing and finished our first drafts. Then the real work began: editing and re-writing and repeat until the work is not crap any more.

I am SO grateful to NaNoWriMo for the charts and community and tools that it gave me to encourage me to write every day, no matter how I was feeling. It taught me how to write no matter my mood, or how tired I was, or whether or not I thought what I was typing was crap. It taught me how to finish a long work. Ever since, I use it for a jumping off point to get a draft started. I have found I work best with deadlines and charts to keep me accountable, and NaNoWriMo is great for that. I am old enough to know that nothing I produce straight out of the event is worth a damn without a lot of follow up work, but I love the challenge. Plus NaNoWriMo is fun to say.

Q: For your writing habits, you say you never write in linear order.  How can you keep track of what you’ve already written and what is still left in your brain?

I love this question! Honestly, my brain is a pretty wacky, non-linear place. According to every ‘personality test’ I have ever taken, my personality and the way I process information is shared by about 1% of the world population. I really can’t have a direct thought for trying. Everything I do on my life, as my mother would say, “I go around Robin Hood’s Barn” to get to. So, I’ll be working on a scene and have an idea of how that connects to something I already wrote – go back to that scene and type a note – or an idea for a new scene – open a folder and make a note – then back to what I am working on and keep writing. Often, I’ll just change font size in the middle of writing a scene and leave notes to myself in the middle of what I am working on. Then I keep going once the new thought clears itself. It’s messy and convoluted and it works beautifully for my brain.

And truly, discovering Scrivener software was the greatest thing to ever happen to my writing. I can have all my scene written in whatever order works for me, color coded, keyworded, cross noted, and move them anywhere in the book on the fly, so the order I write them doesn’t matter at all.

I also use Aeon Timeline to keep my events and character ages organized, and that helps keep the story making sense.

Q: What is your biggest struggle with being an author?  Or more specifically, what part of the writing process do you find requires the most effort?

Starting. Just putting the first sentence of any new scene on the page is the most difficult thing for me. Even when I know what needs to happen, finding those first few words, the corner to peel back to access what needs to go into the scene – that’s what I struggle most with.

The thing that makes so many writers crazy, namely editing the raw draft, is my favorite thing. It’s also why I love to do in-depth beta reads for my writing partners.

Q: Writing is just one of the many jobs you currently have.  Do you wish you could write full time?

More than anything! I’ve been working-poor, with multiple jobs, for my whole life. I would love to write novels and stories and edit for a living. It’s the big dream, and I believe my books will get me there eventually. I don’t want to be a one-hit-wonder. I want my books to find their audience and endure. That’s a slower path, but I think it can unfold if I keep producing quality work. Having great writing partners, and a fabulous/dedicated editor/publisher is a huge part of that. I am extremely lucky!

Q: This is your first JordanCon.  What drew you to this convention?

I’ve attended DragonCon (and other cons in the region) for a couple decades as just a happy participant. I’ve wanted to get to JordanCon for years, but life never worked out to allow me the time. Then I met Richard Fife at DragonCon in 2017, and the more he talked about JordanCon, the more I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer. I love classic fantasy and sci-fi writing and the idea of being at convention where that was deeply appreciated was extremely appealing. I’m so excited!

Q: Can you give us a sneak peek of what panels you’ll be on?

I’ll be on 3 panels and doing a reading this year! I have lots of great thoughts about for all of them, and I can’t wait to meet my fellow panelists and share with the audience.

Friday April 20th
* 2:30pm - Writing in a Sub-Culture: Be it sea-faring, military, or nihlist punk-rock bands, it can be difficult writing in a sub-culture. Come get tips! (Conference Center)
* 4:00pm - Author Reading (Dogwood)

Saturday April 21st
* 10:00am - Myth and Monsters: The bump in the night is just the beginning! How mixing magic, mythology, monsters, and scenery create more than just a Friday night fright! (Maplewood A)

Sunday April 22nd
* 2:30pm - What SHOULD we be reading?: Come listen to some book suggestions from our Staff and Guests! (Maplewood A)

Q: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you or your works?

I’m an opinionated, cat loving, scotch-drinking, over-educated, belly dancer, Yankee redneck lover of chocolates who writes books my publisher classifies as “High Fantasy Meets High Noon.” If any of that sounds interesting, come meet me and check out my books!

Q: Thank you so much for talking with me!  I’m anxiously awaiting JordanCon, and the chance to meet you in person!

To find out more about Paige L. Christie, you can visit her website, or check out her Facebook or Twitter accounts.

JordanCon is fast approaching.  The convention, dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20^th through the 22^nd in Atlanta, Georgia.  In preparation for the convention, I wanted to highlight a few of the authors who will be attending this year.  Today’s author is Gerald L. Coleman, a sci-fi/fantasy author, poet, philosopher, and theologian. 

Q: Welcome, Gerald.  Can you start by explaining how all your writings connect?  Is there a thin line between your prose and your poetry, or do they both come from the same place inside you?

Hi, Mashiara, and thank you for the invitation to share here on Dragonmount. I spent many years popping in here, periodically, with the same question so many others had: WHEN IS THE NEXT WHEEL OF TIME BOOK COMING OUT?! Lol. It’s a real pleasure to be here discussing my own writing.

But, in answer to your question, they come from the same place. My poetry often makes its way into the novels and the kind of imaginative creativity necessary for writing the novels and short stories is also necessary for writing the poetry. They are, however, different enough that the process of writing one does often feel like I’m taking a break from the other. 

Q: In the collection Drawn To Marvel: Poems From The Comic Books, it looks like you combined your love of the fantastic with your love of poetry.  Can you share what themes you showed with your contribution?

That poem was a kind of ode to a younger me - an homage to that time in my life when escaping into the fantastiqué was everything to me. Comics and science fiction and fantasy were my escape. As I wrote in the poem:

i was that / shoe unlaced nerd / with luke cage and / iron fist tucked / under my arm

And as the theme of the poem relates, I was all those things before it was cool to carry stacks of comics around under your arm, or the newest Elric of Melniboné novel, wearing glasses, a t-shirt, and Chuck Taylors. Not to mention doing all that as an African-American kid.

Q: The Three Gifts Series—with two volumes currently available—is praised for adding originality to the often-used tropes of sci-fi and fantasy.  How are you able to keep your characters and world fresh?

As I’ve mentioned, I loved the fantastiqué. I was always reading and reading SFF. I read everything I could get my hands on from the Dragonriders of Pern, to The Faded Sun trilogy by C. J. Cherryh. I read The Black Company, the first Dungeon and Dragons novels with Drizzt Do’urden, Conan, Joel Rosenberg’s Guardians of the Flame series, Steven Brust’s Vlad Taltos series, and even the Myth Adventures series by Robert Lynn Asprin. I said that to point out that if you’re going to try to add something that you think is missing to a genre then you need to know that genre to its core. So, what I really try to do is write great, classic high fantasy. The missing element that I’ve added is me. As much as I loved all the great SFF I read, I was never in any of it. There were no heroes (or villains) in it that looked like me. I applauded Robert Jordan when he added the Seanchan and the Atha’an Miere.

So, in The Three Gifts there are black and brown folk at the center of the adventure. When you do that you add new elements of imagery, culture, attitude, and perspective to the classic formula of the genre. It adds a depth and flavor that is too often missing from so many other stories. You visit other places beyond the standard European castle and you get to see different lands with different customs and people with different priorities – but it all happens within the context of the classic fantasy story. The other thing I do is write women characters as whole human beings. They aren’t present in the story simply to serve the aims and character arcs of the male characters. They have agency and affect the plot.

So, I am trying to do two things: to write in the tradition of the fantasy stories I have loved so much, but to do it in a way that expands the form to include all the people who have been missing. Everyone should get to see themselves as the hero in these amazing stories.

Q: You had a short story featured in the Cyberfunk anthology The City.  For those who don’t know anything about the Cyberfunk genre, can you explain what it’s all about?

Cyberfunk is an attempt to address, in science fiction, what I address in fantasy. Most readers are likely familiar with Cyberpunk as a genre – think Philip K. Dick, Roger Zelany, Philip Jose Farmer. If those aren’t familiar, just picture Blade Runner or Altered Carbon on Netflix. What Cyberfunk does is place people of color, especially black folks, in the center of the story. The City is interesting in that the editors created this city in space with no past or history that its inhabitants are aware of, with various guidelines about technology, characters, and story and then allowed each author to create a story within the confines of that city. It was a blast to write my story, Hunter’s First Rule.

Q: You’re attending several conventions throughout the year.  What’s your favorite reason for making time to participate in conventions?

Obviously, there is the marketing aspect of it. As a writer, it’s important to get my work in front of readers. But, what I immediately found when I began attending Cons was that I enjoyed the celebration of our shared interest, the discussions, the fellowship, and most importantly, getting to know new people. I have met so many people I continue to be connected to through attending these Cons that it makes it so worthwhile whether you sell books or not.

Q: This will be your second year at JordanCon.  What brought you back?

Last year was a blast. I really had fun. I’ve been to a couple of Cons that really turned out to be too crowded, too noisy, unwelcoming to me personally, and felt like work. JordanCon was very different. I felt welcome by the staff, volunteers, and attendees – like they were actually happy to have me there. The discussions on the panels I participated on were incredibly fun. And I met some very cool people that I am still connected to. Of course, there is the fact that it’s dedicated to a fantasy series I spent nearly twenty years reading and enjoying. I think as long as JordanCon invites me to participate, it will be on my schedule.

Here’s a sweet moment from last year I’ll never forget. I was sitting at the Author’s Table for one of my one hour slots to sell and sign, When Night Falls. A lovely lady came over, smiled, said hello and picked up my book. She examined the cover and flipped through the inside. After giving it the once-over she placed it back on the table and said to me, “Don’t worry, one day they’ll be lined up out the door and around the block to get your book.” I thanked her, and we shared a warm smile before she made her way back into the main part of the hotel. It was only later that I realized that it had been Harriet McDougal (Tor editor and Jordan’s wife). It was like she’d spoken a prophecy over my novel like an Aes Sedai with the Talent of Foretelling, lol.

Q: Are you able to give us a sneak peek to which panels you’ll be on?

Sure!

Friday: Writing in a Sub-Culture 2:30 pm

Saturday: Dr. Who: The 13^th Doctor & Beyond 11:30 am

                 Remaking the Classics 1:00 pm

Sunday: Afrofuturism 1:00 pm

Q: What is your current writing project?

I am currently working on a classic science fiction novel (novella?). It’s about a young black girl on the cusp of adulthood, with certain abilities, who may have to save the galaxy – but first she has to save herself. Think Shuri from Black Panther meets Rey from Star Wars. I’m having great fun writing it. And then it’s on to Book Three in The Three Gifts series.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you or your works?

I always enjoyed the rousing, fun, action-packed kind of fantasy novels. So, when I sat down to write my series I really just wrote the kind of story I loved reading. If they enjoyed The Wheel of Time, I believe they’ll enjoy The Three Gifts. It’s been a real joy writing it for readers of the genre and I hope anyone who picks it up enjoys reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.

Finally, on a general note, when I began reading the genre as a kid reader reviews only mattered when it came to word of mouth – as in whether you told a friend about a book you’d read or not. But, given how the publishing industry has changed and given how we find new books has changed drastically (though word of mouth is still incredibly important), I’d like to encourage readers to really go and post reviews about the books they enjoyed. If they’ve read something that they enjoyed, going online to Barnes & Nobles, Amazon, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Goodreads, etc, is incredibly important. It’s actually one of the best things you can do, aside from buying the book, to help support authors that you enjoy. You will also encourage that author to keep writing in the face of a tough industry. So, go write those reviews! 

Q: Thanks so much for your time!  I’m looking forward to seeing you in just a few weeks!

Again, thank you so much for this opportunity to talk about writing and my favorite genres with this community. I never dreamed I’d find myself on Dragonmount. If you had told me all those years I was visiting the site, as I read through The Wheel of Time, that one day I’d be ON the site, I wouldn’t have believed you. So, I deeply appreciate it and I hope those who read the interview enjoy our interaction. Thanks for the great questions and I’m looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks!

“Suravye ninto manshima taishite!”

You can find out more about Gerald on his website, or follow him on Facebook or Twitter.

JordanCon is only a few weeks away.  The convention, dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20^th through the 22^nd in Atlanta, Georgia.  There are many new guest authors who will be visiting the convention for the very first time.  I wanted to introduce a few of them before we get to see them in person.  Today’s author is Tom Fallwell, an indie sci-fi/fantasy writer who gets his inspiration from decades of playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Q: Welcome, Tom.  Can you elaborate on how roleplaying games fueled your love of storytelling?

Hello and thanks. Yes, as a Dungeon Master playing D&D, I spent many hours creating adventures to take the players through. Early on, I learned that all I really needed was a basic plot, and the rest would be inspired according to how the players reacted to my descriptions and surprises. So, I learned to adlib to make the game more exciting. I loved being a DM for the players.

That ability is the essential part of how I write. I come up with a general idea or plot, then start writing, and it is how the story develops that inspires me. For instance, when I wrote A Whisper in the Shadows, the first book in my Rangers of Laerean trilogy, I was not anticipating the story to continue. Yet, when I wrote the ending for that book, I realized I was not finished, and over the course of the next two books, an entire mythos for the world I had created, Hir, evolved.

Q: For influences in your writing you’ve listed several amazing authors, such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Heinlein, and Isaac Asimov.  But who would you consider your favorite contemporary sci-fi/fantasy author?

Well, I’ve read so many that I truly enjoyed, but my reading for the past few years has been almost exclusively Indie Authors. In fact, I just finished reading a story by another guest coming to the con, Aaron-Michael Hall, and her new book, Kurintor Nyusi, has blown me away. I would have to say, as of right now, she is my favorite author. She is extremely talented and inspires me in many ways. There are so many authors, past and present, to love though. It is always difficult to choose one to be a favorite, at least, long term.

Q: Your trilogy—Rangers of Laerean—is set in the world of Hir, where a cataclysmic event caused the near destruction of the inhabitants.  How does this detailed history help shape the modern world and the role your characters take in defending the people?

Interesting question. I did sit down and create the world and a bit of history, before I ever started writing a story. I wanted a world with a rich history and lore, as it furnished me with inspiration for what I’m writing. You see, I’m almost a total panster. I do some plotting and planning, but very little, and I usually begin writing with nothing more than an opening scene in my head. I believe the character come so alive in my imagination, that they tell me the story to write. Having a world full of history and fantastic lore provides the fuel for my imagination to help bring the characters alive on the pages, as well as in my head.

Why the Rangers? Simply because my first love in fantasy is heroic-fantasy. The Rangers was inspired by my love of heroes, even tragic and not so goody ones. Heroes like Conan, Elric of Melniboné, Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, Paul Muad’Dib from Dune, and on and on. Heroes that suffered much, yet never gave up. That is what Baric, in the Rangers of Laerean, is to me. A steadfast hero.

Q: Can you share any details about your current writing project?

I’m currently working on two projects, and I’m hoping one will be coming out very soon. I’ve been co-authoring a story with Aaron-Michael Hall, entitled Tamesa. It’s a bit of a love story in a world that has been torn apart by men’s greed and lust for power. The world is different, as it could be described as a continent resting in a sea of vapors called the Mists of Entropy, which play a vital role in the story. Tamesa has never seen ships or seas. But the continent has been split in two by a fearsome disaster in the past, divided into the western kingdom of Mogaryn, ruled by the tyrant, and the eastern kingdom of Dahomey, ruled by a more benevolent ruler.

The main characters are opposites, it would seem at first. Tinshu is a young man struggling to live in Mogaryn, forced to steal and sometimes even kill just to survive. A’rehn, the woman he falls in love with, is from the other side of the great abysm that separates their worlds, and to him, her world is a paradise. She is well-educated and raised in a loving family, though it is far more complex that just that. The story involves them finding each other, and how they are destined to be involved in the one thing that can save their world from the evil in the west.

I’m also writing a science-fiction novel (my first) entitled Heart of the Valkyrie. The Valkyrie is an ancient spaceship that has biological components, and the crew are the main stars, one of which is a teenage girl with powerful psychic abilities. They find themselves on the run from a ruthless Empire in a desperate race to find the lost planet of mankind’s origins, Earth. I guess you would say it is a space opera, and it will be out later this year. I do have other sci-fi stories in mind as well, for the future. I’ve always loved fantasy and science-fiction, and everything in between.

Q: Are there aspects of writing you enjoy more than others?  Dialogue over description?  Characters over setting?

Characters. I’d have to say characters. I think any truly good story requires characters that the readers can identify with, get emotionally involved with, and care about. I call characters the essentia of a good novel. Without characters, it’s just another scenic landscape. Characters are what makes a story evolve and grow into a tale the reader will remember. To that end, dialogue is very important, and it must feel real. Not cliched or filled with tropes. I don’t want my character’s dialogue to sound like the old soap operas on TV. I want them to feel real.

Q: As an indie writer, what challenges do you face when publishing your works?  What do you find easy or appealing about this avenue?

As for the challenge, it is getting noticed. If you don’t have tons of cash laying around to spend on high quality advertising, like in magazines, or even radio and TV, then it’s very difficult. That is why I decided I need to go to JordanCon, and I’m very much hoping I get to meet a lot of readers.

What is easy and appealing about Indie Publishing, for me, is I don’t have to please some agent or publisher and compete with the thousands of manuscripts they likely see all the time. There are expenses, to be sure; cover art, editing, and so on. But when it comes to putting it out there, that part is easy. The thing is, whether my books are sold or not, I am still enjoying writing them, and if not read today, someone will read them the next day, or the next. I am completely happy being able to share them with others. Of course, becoming a best seller certainly would not be something I’d turn down, but until and when that happens, if ever, I’m having a lot of fun writing my stories.

Q: This is your first JordanCon.  What are you looking forward to about this convention?

Meeting people. Readers, artists, organizers, you name it. I’m very excited and looking forward to a lot of fun and some great conversations. Being able to talk to people who might be reading my books, hearing from those that have read them, and meeting new and interesting people.

Q: Are you able to give us a sneak peak to which panels you’ll be on?

I will be on one about Great Fight Scenes (I do love writing fight scenes), and one about Urban Fantasy. I haven’t yet written an urban story, though I do have some I’ve made a lot of notes on. I have many story ideas, so don’t plan to run out of ideas for a long time yet.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you or your works?

Well, I guess I would like them to know how much I’ve loved writing them. Being an ex-programmer, I can be a bit picky about things, so I really put a lot of effort into making my stories something readers can enjoy. I don’t try to write a lot and hope some are good. I try to make every book I write as good a story as it can be. I care about what I write.

Q: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us!  I’m looking forward to seeing you in just a few weeks!

Thank you, and the same goes for me. See you all at the con!

You can find out more about Tom on his website, or other social media outlets like, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

It’s that time again, time to purchase your membership for JordanCon 10!  This is a milestone year, and a celebration you don’t want to miss, including the 20th anniversary of Dragonmount.  If you've been waiting for a good year to attend, this is the best one yet. Come meet Team Jordan, discuss the intricacies of the Wheel of Time, learn new things about Robert Jordan, and take part in various contests and events. There's also panels on writing and the publishing business, with editor and literary agent guests in attendance. 

JordanCon 10 will take place April 20-22, 2018, at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia.

This year’s Author Guest of Honor is our own Jason Denzel, and the Artist Guest of Honor is the very talented Stephanie Law.  Aubree Pham, an integral member of The Wheel of Time fandom, will be serving as the Toastmaster.

Other exciting guests include Brandon Sanderson, and Team Jordan—Harriet McDougal, Maria Simons, and Alan Romanczuk.

JordanCon is an amazing way to interact with other fans of this wonderful series, as well as meet the amazing people who made it all possible.

Three-day memberships are $55 until March 25th.

Check out more at the JordanCon website or Facebook page.

Each year, the DeepSouthCon gives away three distinct awards to fans and professionals.  They are known as the Phoenix, the Rebel, and the Rubble.  Here's this year's winners:

The DeepSouthCon Awards have been awarded!

 

The Phoenix is given to the professional (writer, editor or artist) who has done the most for southern fandom. Today, it was awarded posthumously to to Eugie Foster, and to Jana Oliver. Both are authors local to Atlanta who have a considerable body of work and are frequent supporters of local conventions.

 

The Rebel is awarded to the fan who has done the most for southern fandom. Today, it was awarded to Bill Harrison, long time convention volunteer for multiple conventions in Atlanta, Tennessee and more, and to Pat Henry, the retired Chair of DragonCon.

 

North Carolina's governor, Pat McCrory was the winner of the Rubble awarded, which is given to the individual who has done the most TO the Southern Fandom.

In addition to this, awards have been incorporated into JordanCon.  These are the first ever to be given out to JordanCon professionals, fans, and volunteers.  Here are the winners:

The first Annual JordanCon Awards have been awarded!

 

Called the Hero of the Horn award, it is given out in three categories- the volunteers, professionals and organizations that have supported JordanCon.

 

This year, the Hero of the Horn was awarded to April Moore for all of her hard work as a volunteer, TarValon.net for its long-standing support and Brandon Sanderson as a professional for his dedication and support.

 

Congratulations to everyone, and thank you all!!!

One last announcement from the convention:

Harriet McDougal made a very mysterious announcement this evening at JordanCon. She has instructed the fandom to check Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time Google + page or Dragonmount on Wednesday (April 27, 2016) for information regarding the future of The Wheel of Time.

It's not too early to think about JordanCon.  The yearly convention, dedicated to our beloved Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time series, has already taken place for this year.  But 2016 is right around the corner.

It's already been announced that John Strangway will be the Toastmaster.  John is best known for his Steampunk Boba Fett, but within The Wheel of Time fandom, he's known for a magnificent Perrin Aybara cosplay and photo shoot.  

The Author Guests of Honor will be Catherine Asaro, author of more than twenty-five novels, including City of Bones, The Spacetime Pool, and Undercity.  More of Dr. Asaro's works can be found at her website.

The Artist Guest of Honor will be John Picacio, who won the Hugo Award for "Best Professional Artist" in 2012 and 2013.  You can see more of Mr. Picacio's work on his website.

And there's a chance that JordanCon will once again host the DeepSouthCon.

JordanCon will enter an emergency bid to host DeepSouthCon in 2016. This follows last month’s announcement that the previously scheduled convention, “ABC DSC”, taking place in Atlanta this May, has been cancelled.

 

DeepSouthCon is a traveling science fiction fan convention that travels the southeastern United States. It has the distinction of being the oldest literary convention in the region, and sponsors the Phoenix and Rebel awards.

 

JordanCon had the honor of hosting DeepSouthCon #51, during which the Phoenix was awarded to Robert Jordan, and the Rebel was awarded to Regina Kirby & M. Lee Rogers. JordanCon 8 will take place on April 22-24, 2016, at the Atlanta Marriot Perimeter Center in Atlanta, Georgia with Toastmaster John Strangeway. Guests of Honor will be author Catherine Asaro and artist John Picacio.

Buy your 3-day membership now for only $45!  The price will increase to $55 after January 3, 2016.  Pre-registration ends on March 27, 2016, but, you can still pay at the door for $65.

You can also reserve your hotel room at the Atlanta Marriott at Perimeter Center for the special price of $95 a night.  Click here for more information!

It'll be here before you know it; I hope to see you all there!

We had some amazing entries in the Costume Contest this year! The contestants were judged based on three criteria: accuracy, craftsmanship, and wow factor. Just in case you don't know how it works, each of the judges pick their Judge's Choice, and then rank the best of remaining entries with First, Second, and Third place.

This year's judges were Harriet McDougal, Saladin Ahmed, and Aubree Pham.

Harriet's Judge's Choice was Sarah Steamduck, clutching her book Steamduck" rel="external nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0984902813/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1429397746&sr=8-1&keywords=steamduck+learns+to+fly&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=51xryzWpaYL&ref=plSrch">Steamduck Learns to Fly.

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Saladin's Judge's Choice was Mat "I'm not a bloody Lady" Cauthon.

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Aubree's Judge's Choice was Kaladin and Shallan.

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They were all exceptional costumes!

And the traditional Third Place winner was the Female Trolloc.

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Second was Moiraine Damodred.

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And First Place was Paul Bielaczyc as the Ice King (from Adventure Time).

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Check out the other contestants here!." rel="external nofollow">http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/gallery/album/385-jordancon-2015/">here!.

JordanCon is off to a great start! The first day has come and gone, but Day 2 is already underway with plenty of panels and events to choose from.

First off, the Opening Ceremony was hosted by Peter B. Slayer.

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Of course, TWoTCast tired to hijack the event.

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As is tradition, Harriet McDougal was presented with gifts from the various fansites--this year Dragonmount and Ta'veren Tees had the honors. Ta'veren Tee's gift was a beautifully crafted stained glass window depicting the Dragon. It's gorgeous!

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Dragonmount's gift was the idea of member Nynaeve, the head of the Yellow Ajah in the White Tower Social Group. She put together a campaign to appeal to Wheel of Time fans all over the world to send in postcards to Harriet, expressing their love and respect for the series, and for Robert Jordan,. Postcards were collected from thirteen different countries!

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The highlight of the day, in my opinion, was sitting down with Author Guest of Honor, Saladin Ahmed, for the kaffeeklatsch. Harriet was also in attendance, which made it extra enjoyable. Mr. Ahmed was fascinating to listen to, and our conversation went in very interesting directions. Not only did he share his updates for the sequel to Throne of the Crescent Moon, but we also talked about the nature of the writing industry, and how race, religion, and gender play a part in it. I was so impressed by the end of the hour, and wished I had more time to speak with him and the other attendees.

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Today's schedule includes the Costume Contest--a fan favorite--and the Two Rivers Hoe Down dance in the evening. More on both of those later.

In less than a month, it will be time for JordanCon, a convention dedicated to The Wheel of Time series, and Robert Jordan's memory.  The Con will take place April 17-19, 2015, at the Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center, in Atlanta, Georgia.  This year's Toastmaster will be Peter B. Slayer—find out more about him, here.

This year's Guests of Honor are Saladin Ahmed, author of Throne of the Crescent Moon, as well as Todd Lockwood, esteemed illustrator of The Gathering Storm eBook cover, and with other works appearing in many mediums.

Dragonmount was able to host Mr. Ahmed for an author Q&A session a few years ago, where he spoke about his love for The Wheel of Time.

You can find out more about Mr. Ahmed and Mr. Lockwood by checking out their websites.

Other guests include:

Blue Cole

A.R. Cook

Jim Hodgson

Doctor Michael Livingston

James A Moore

Diana M. Pho

Charles R. Rutledge

Nancy Springer

Anthony Taylor

As well as Team Jordan—Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons—and other well-known guest, like Joe O'Hara and Jono Coulborn of tWoTcast, Isaac Stewart and Ben McSweeney, and author Todd McCaffrey, son of Anne McCaffrey.

You can get a complete, up-to-date list here.

Besides focusing on only The Wheel of Time, JordanCon has many other tracks, including Gaming, Writing, Workshops, Works of Brandon Sanderson, Swords and Sorcery, and Rivets and Robots.  The schedule has already been announced, so you can look here for more details about the tracks and panels.

There will also be a dealer's hall and JordanCon's yearly Art Show.  This is a great place to get tons of merchandise, or take home one-of-a-kind artwork.  Ta'veren Tees will have a booth, with this year's "Con of the Red Hand" shirt.

Another focus of JordanCon is charity events.  There will be a silent Charity Auction and a Seanchan Hold 'Em Poker Tournament, with proceeds going to the Mayo Clinic to help fund the study of amyloidosis.

And don't forget that there's a Costume Contest!  Each year, the audience is wowed by costumes within the Wheel of Time world, as well as other novels by Mr. Sanderson—perhaps there'll be some from Mr. Ahmed's novel this year.  Participation is free, but click here for more information on the rules of entry.  Even if you don't participate, it's a wonderful time to see creative costumes from our beloved series.

(2014's Winner: Catherine Turley dressed as Syl from The Stormlight Archives series)

Pre-registration for JordanCon is still going on.  You can purchase tickets for $55, up to April 1st, when pre-registration closes.  If you don't make it in time, tickets can still be purchased the day of.  Prices at the door will be $65 for all three days; or you can select days ala carte for:

Friday: $20

Saturday: $35

Sunday: $20

Saturday & Sunday: $50

I'm personally looking forward to this year's Con very much, and I hope to see all of you there, as well!

This year's JordanCon installment - Car'a'Con - wrapped on Sunday, to the mingled delight and dismay of the attendees. Dismay, of course, because a great weekend had ended. And delight because, once again, JordanCon had fully delivered on its promise and premise, wrapping con-goers in the welcoming and non-judgmental embrace of a fully geeked-out Wheel of Time communal experience. From the informative and lively Writer's Track sessions with published authors and publishing insiders to The Last Ever WoT Theory Panel, JordanCon 2012 was a true home run. I can't do the entire con justice, but for what it's worth, here are my top reactions to my first-ever con experience.

1) I'm a WoT Slacker

I've always viewed myself as a major WoT fan, and a fairly knowledgeable one. It took one of the con's opening sessions - the Daes Dae'mar trivia game - to rid me of that illusion.

With great fanfare, the con attendees who chose to take part in the trivia contest were divided into teams and told to choose team names, ready to do battle in a WoT Trivia Agni Kai (I'm an Avatar nut too. Deal with it). In this corner, Terez and the Tamyrlin's Know it Alls. Across the room, the Defenders of the Stone - a trivia group so serious that one member was Skyping in. One group called itself the Aelfinn, and had Maria sitting in with them. Another group was the Eelfinn. Corruption. And us - the dramatically named No Costume Is a Costume. (The name would make more sense if you read the fine print on the JordanCon program guides.)

I knew we were in trouble from the start - our team of five included two girlfriends who had never read any of the books - but I didn't quite realize how much trouble until the questions started rolling in. What is the Old Tongue name Moghedien used for Shaidar Haran? (Mia'cova). What is Gaidal Cain's weapon (I still say "Birgitte" is a better answer than "two swords"). Who was Rogosh Eagle-Eye's love? (Dunsinin). Even Terez' team got some of the questions wrong. No Costume? We were just glad to end the game with positive points.

So, uh, no, we didn't win. And I realized I know only slightly more WoT trivia than my hasn't-read-the-books girlfriend. So, congratulations, JordanCon - you just got me to do a reread in advance of A Memory of Light. Something to be proud of.

2) Meeting Online Friends in Person is Awesome...If They Recognize You

One of the primary attractions to JordanCon, for me, was the chance to finally meet, in the flesh, some people I've spent the past decade virtually hanging out with. Jason Denzel. The Liangs. Dwyn. Shendare. And there were surprises. I mean, I knew Jason was tall, but nobody mentioned that he was actually part stork. Jennifer not recognizing me immediately...or on slow prompting. (Come on, Jenn...how many guys with yarmulkes were you expecting? To be fair, Jenn is to "short" what Jason is to "tall", so she couldn't really see it, but still...I cried a little, on the inside). Dwyn was much more petite than I expected. You build up a picture of people in your head, and the force of their personalities makes you think of them as larger than life. Dwyn was barely life sized.

Seriously, though, meeting old friends, and making new ones, is what a con like this is really about, in my opinion, and JordanCon was uniquely well set up to make that happen. Daes Dae'mar, the Ji'e'toh competition, the Saturday night party, the open-gaming room, and the panels all provided real opportunities to interact with other WoT fans, and I had a blast doing it.

3) JordanCon Hates teh Jews; or Why is the Awesome Scheduled for Saturday?!?

OK, OK, I get it. Saturday is the weekend day, the day off, the day with the most attendees, and the day without either opening or closing ceremonies taking up time. But man, if knowing the con organizers can't get them to schedule Harriet McDougal's reading of the AMoL prologue for "not Saturday", what good is it, really?

So, yeah. Sadly, I had to miss the reading - which I heard was terrific - and most of the Saturday night party. I did manage to show up for the last hour of dancing Saturday night, and that was fun, if a bit embarassing. (In a room full of mediocre to bad dancers, shot through with occasional awesomeness, I was by far the most awkward dancer on the floor. The last time I'd actually danced to, well, dance music was in high school, more years ago than I care to think about...and I wasn't particularly good back then. I'm uncoordinated, arrhythmic, and apparently - according to my girlfriend, who laughed at me but still loves me, unaccountably - I make weird faces when I dance. Top that!) Any dance party that has the DJ screaming "I am the Lord of Chaos" at random times works for me. Plus, I got introduced to an awesome but decidedly NSFW love song to Ray Bradbury. Yes, that Ray Bradbury. Google it, if you're of age. Win all around.

4) The Writer's Track Had Some Serious Info for Aspiring Authors

Not going to be funny here at all (Yes, Barm, Luckers, I hear you. I wasn't funny anywhere else in this post. Got it. Be less predictable, dammit!) - the Writer's Track panels at JordanCon were extremely useful. Industry vets at every level, from Hugo and Campbell award winner Mary Robinette Kowal to behind the scenes folks like Peter Ahlstrom (Brandon Sanderson's assistant) to up-and-coming and successful self-published author Will Kenyon, shared valuable knowledge and insight about the writing and publishing process.

5) JordanCon's Blademasters Are Awesome, and I Am Not

Interesting side note: In college, I choreographed sword fights for stage and actually spent a little time in a fencing club. More relevant side note: That was way too long ago to make a difference when I decided to take part in the con's swordfighting tournament.

Armed with practice swords gifted by Robert Jordan himself, con attendees were paired up in mini brackets of four, with the winners of each bout facing off in a second round, and the winner of that second bout getting to challenge one of three Blademasters. Watching the random bouts was fun, in an "opening rounds of American Idol" kind of way - occasionally, someone who knew what they were doing would be involved, by pure luck, but most of the time it was completely untrained folks whacking each other with sticks. Awesome.

Watching the Blademaster bouts was awesome in a whole different way. Those guys really know what they are doing, and it was much like watching any other elite athlete - just stand back and appreciate it.

As for me, it didn't help that I got matched up with Stork Denzel himself. I didn't land a blow.

6) The Exhibitor Floor Rocked

There is some truly amazing art being done out there, in the fantasy realm in general and the WoT arena in particular, and despite not having the funds available to bring any of it home with me, it was a privilege to walk the room and see some of those beautiful works - a number of which were replicated on Ta'veren Tees. And meeting the son of the late Darrell K. Sweet, hearing him talk about his father's work, and examining the full size paintings from which the book covers were made was definitely memorable.

7) The Wrap Up

Bottom line - I drove from New York to Atlanta for this con, and it more than met my expectations. I'm looking forward to going again next year. In fact, I'm going to start working on my dance moves and fencing now.

Check out this press release for some exciting news:

ATLANTA LITERARY CONVENTION RECOGNIZED BY THE MAYO CLINIC

ROSWELL, GA, March 19, 2012—JordanCon is proud to announce that it is being recognized by the Mayo Clinic for its continued support of the clinic’s research on amyloidosis. The Mayo Clinic will be adding JordanCon to their electronic registration kiosks in their Hall of Benefactors.

 

Through an annual Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament and silent auction, JordanCon raises money for the Mayo Clinic’s amyloidosis research fund in honor of James Rigney, who wrote under the name Robert Jordan. Jordan died of complications related to amyloidosis in 2007. Amyloidosis is a rare disease in which proteins called amyloids build up in a person’s organs, and can affect the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, and gastrointestinal tract.

 

This year, JordanCon raised money by hosting an online raffle with the winners receiving the right to name a character in the Wheel of Time series, which was begun by Jordan and is being completed by author Brandon Sanderson. The Wheel of Time series is a bestselling series, with the last five books debuting at number one on the New York Times best sellers list and over 14 million copies in print worldwide. JordanCon is excited to donate ten percent of this year’s Art Show sales to the Mayo Clinic.

 

ABOUT JORDANCON:

JordanCon is an Atlanta-based fantasy literature convention founded in honor of the late author, Robert Jordan. Jordan was the author of the best-selling The Wheel of Time series. JordanCon features four tracks of simultaneous programming, an Art Show, a Dealers Hall, and charity events benefiting the Mayo Clinic. Past guests have included Harriet McDougal, Brandon Sanderson, David Wong, Jana G. Oliver, David B. Coe and Eugie Foster. This year’s guests include Hugo-award winning author Mary Robinette Kowal and artist Sam Weber. In 2012 JordanCon is being held April 20-22 at the Doubletree Hotel in Roswell, GA. For more information, contact: Jessica Nasca at mediarelations@jordancon.org

Since October, JordanCon, Inc. has been offering Wheel of Time fans a final opportunity to become a named character in the series. Fans who donate $10 will have their names entered into a drawing to be included in the final installment, A Memory of Light. The final number of names that will be drawn is determined by Brandon Sanderson as dictated by the needs of the story. The fundraiser is set to end on Thursday, Dec. 1st.

So far, the fundraiser has raised nearly $35,000. While most of the money raised will go towards offsetting JordanCon's operating costs for the next several years, ten percent is being donated to JordanCon's official charity, the Mayo Clinc's amyloidosis research fund.

JordanCon is a fantasy literature convention founded in honor of the late author, Robert Jordan. Jordan was the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time series. JordanCon features four tracks of simultaneous programming, a Dealers Hall, and charity events benefiting the Mayo Clinic. Past guests have included Harriet McDougal, Brandon Sanderson, David Wong, Jana G. Oliver, David B. Coe, and Eugie Foster.

New to JordanCon this year will be the Art Show featuring art from a variety of fantasy and sci fi artists. Guests this year will include author Mary Robinette Kowal, artist Sam Weber, and Toastmaster Melissa Craib Dombrowski.

As we previously reported, JordanCon is conducting a fundraiser drive to offset their operating costs. In exchange for contributing, participants are entered into a drawing for the chance to have their names used for a Wheel of Time character in the final novel, A Memory of Light. In addition to the drawing, JordanCon is also conducting an auction with the winner guaranteed a spot in the book. Please note: We had to relist our auction last Thursday, November 3rd, to comply with eBay's rules for fundraisers. Any bids made previously need to be resubmitted. This auction will run from November 1 to November 10 with the highest bidder winning a Wheel of Time character.

In addition to supporting JordanCon, a non-profit fantasy literature convention, ten percent of the auction proceeds will go towards the Mayo Clinic's amyloidosis research fund and be donated in Robert Jordan's memory.

WHAT IS JORDANCON?

www.JordanCon.org

JordanCon is a fantasy literature convention founded in honor of the late author, Robert Jordan. Jordan was the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time series. JordanCon features four tracks of simultaneous programming, a Dealers Hall, and charity events benefiting the Mayo Clinic. Past guests have included Harriet McDougal, Brandon Sanderson, David Wong, Jana G. Oliver, David B. Coe, and Eugie Foster.

New to JordanCon this year will be the Art Show featuring art from a variety of fantasy and sci fi artists. Guests this year will include author Mary Robinette Kowal, artist Sam Weber, and Toastmaster Melissa Craib Dombrowski.

Please note that JordanCon, Inc. has applied for tax-exempt status as a 501©3 corporation. While they are awaiting the final verdict from the IRS, they are allowed to begin soliciting donations. Their tax-exempt status will be retroactively applied to the day of the filing.

WHAT IS THE MAYO CLINIC?

www.MayoClinic.com

For more than 100 years, Mayo Clinic has inspired hope and contributed to health and well-being by providing the best care to every patient through integrated clinical practice, education, and research. Today, your generosity is at the heart of sustaining Mayo's mission.

As a not-for-profit organization, Mayo Clinic reinvests all earnings into improving patient care. Yet philanthropy provides essential support as we develop better methods to understand, predict, prevent, diagnose, and treat disease, and train the next generation of physicians and scientists. Mayo Clinic has more than 3,300 physicians, scientists, and researchers from every medical specialty. They work together with 46,000 allied health employees to care for more than half a million patients each year, from every U.S. state and many countries.

In 2006, Robert Jordan was diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, which is a rare blood disease where abnormal proteins form in the bone marrow and become deposited in the patient's heart. During his illness, Robert Jordan received treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and encouraged his fans to donate in support of the clinic. JordanCon is proud to continue to honor that request each year through various charitable fundraisers at the convention.

Q & A

If I donate, what happens to the money?

All funds received will go directly to JordanCon with 10% of the proceeds going to the Mayo Clinic.

May I participate in both?

Yes, you may participate in both the General Auction and the Drawing. Please note you cannot win more than one character named for you.

Please follow these instructions! In the notes section, include your full name and email address.

What are the rules for naming characters?

You may use your name or an appropriate name of your choice, but the author reserves the right to approve it or change it to fit the type of character created. A physical description of yourself may be used.

How long is the Fundraiser and when will winners be announced?

The drawing will run from October 1 to December 1, 2011, and winners will be announced at www.jordancon.org. The auction will begin on November 1 and end on November 10. We will announce the winner of the auction and the first name drawn by Brandon Sanderson. All future names drawn will be announced via Brandon’s website.

Can I be entered multiple times in the General Drawing by giving several donations?

Yes! For every $10 you donate, you name will be entered into the drawing. If you donate $100, your name will be entered 10 times. However, your name can only appear once in the story.

I am trying to donate to the General Auction or enter the Drawing, but have difficulties. Who do I contact?

You must contact eBay for issues regarding payments. They are our vendor handling all the transactions. If you are having an issue with the drawing, please contact jordancon@jordancon.org.

May I pay by check or cash?

At this time we are only able to accept credit card, debit, or PayPal as methods of donation.

Who is eligible to win?

All fans are eligible to win with the exception of members of JordanCon, Incorporated’s board of directors and their immediate families.

I have questions about my privacy.

All donors give consent to have their names published publicly. This is done to ensure fairness and so you may see that your name did go through before we randomly draw the winners for the Drawing. All winners, including the General Auction winner, further agree to allow us to use their names to announce them as the donors selected to be used in A Memory of Light, including use of their names in any publicity associated with The Wheel of Time in this regard.

Private information such as contact emails and phone numbers will be given to Brandon Sanderson in case he chooses to use additional names at a later time. All other copies will be destroyed.

What if I have more questions?

Please send them to jordancon@jordancon.org with a subject heading indicating your question.

The Robert Jordan estate, Brandon Sanderson, and JordanCon, Inc. are pleased to announce a joint effort to raise money for two incredible not-for-profit organizations and offer fans the chance to become a named character in the final installment of A Memory of Light. Fans will have two opportunities to participate in this fundraising effort.

The first option will be a highest-bidder auction through eBay’s eBay Giving Works. The highest bidder in this auction will be memorialized as a character (physical description, name within guidelines) in the final installment of The Wheel of Time. This auction will run from November 1 to November 10.

The second option is through a drawing. Fans who donate $10 will have their names entered into a drawing to be included in the final installment of A Memory of Light. The final number of names drawn is determined by Brandon Sanderson as dictated by the needs of the story. Donating is not a guarantee that you will be included.

The Mayo Clinic, a non-profit organization and premier medial research center; as well as JordanCon, a literary convention and non-profit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, are both set to benefit from this fundraiser.

WHAT IS JORDANCON?

www.JordanCon.org

JordanCon is a fantasy literature convention founded in honor of the late author, Robert Jordan. Jordan was the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time series. JordanCon features four tracks of simultaneous programming, a Dealers Hall, and charity events benefiting the Mayo Clinic. Past guests have included Harriet McDougal, Brandon Sanderson, David Wong, Jana G. Oliver, David B. Coe, and Eugie Foster.

New to JordanCon this year will be the Art Show featuring art from a variety of fantasy and sci fi artists. Guests this year will include author Mary Robinette Kowal, artist Sam Weber, and Toastmaster Melissa Craib Dombrowski.

Please note that JordanCon, Inc. has applied for tax-exempt status as a 501©3 corporation. While they are awaiting the final verdict from the IRS, they are allowed to begin soliciting donations. Their tax-exempt status will be retroactively applied to the day of the filing.

WHAT IS THE MAYO CLINIC?

www.MayoClinic.com

For more than 100 years, Mayo Clinic has inspired hope and contributed to health and well-being by providing the best care to every patient through integrated clinical practice, education, and research. Today, your generosity is at the heart of sustaining Mayo's mission.

As a not-for-profit organization, Mayo Clinic reinvests all earnings into improving patient care. Yet philanthropy provides essential support as we develop better methods to understand, predict, prevent, diagnose, and treat disease, and train the next generation of physicians and scientists. Mayo Clinic has more than 3,300 physicians, scientists, and researchers from every medical specialty. They work together with 46,000 allied health employees to care for more than half a million patients each year, from every U.S. state and many countries.

In 2006, Robert Jordan was diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, which is a rare blood disease where abnormal proteins form in the bone marrow and become deposited in the patient's heart. During his illness, Robert Jordan received treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and encouraged his fans to donate in support of the clinic. JordanCon is proud to continue to honor that request each year through various charitable fundraisers at the convention.

Q & A

If I donate, what happens to the money?

All funds received will go directly to JordanCon with 10% of the proceeds going to the Mayo Clinic.

May I participate in both?

Yes, you may participate in both the General Auction and the Drawing. Please note you cannot win more than one character named for you.

Please follow these instructions! In the notes section, include your full name and email address.

What are the rules for naming characters?

You may use your name or an appropriate name of your choice, but the author reserves the right to approve it or change it to fit the type of character created. A physical description of yourself may be used.

How long is the Fundraiser and when will winners be announced?

The drawing will run from October 1 to December 1, 2011, and winners will be announced at www.jordancon.org. The auction will begin on November 1 and end on November 10. We will announce the winner of the auction and the first name drawn by Brandon Sanderson. All future names drawn will be announced via Brandon’s website.

Can I be entered multiple times in the General Drawing by giving several donations?

Yes! For every $10 you donate, you name will be entered into the drawing. If you donate $100, your name will be entered 10 times. However, your name can only appear once in the story.

I am trying to donate to the General Auction or enter the Drawing, but have difficulties. Who do I contact?

You must contact eBay for issues regarding payments. They are our vendor handling all the transactions. If you are having an issue with the drawing, please contact jordancon@jordancon.org.

May I pay by check or cash?

At this time we are only able to accept credit card, debit, or PayPal as methods of donation.

Who is eligible to win?

All fans are eligible to win with the exception of members of JordanCon, Incorporated’s board of directors and their immediate families.

I have questions about my privacy.

All donors give consent to have their names published publicly. This is done to ensure fairness and so you may see that your name did go through before we randomly draw the winners for the Drawing. All winners, including the General Auction winner, further agree to allow us to use their names to announce them as the donors selected to be used in A Memory of Light, including use of their names in any publicity associated with The Wheel of Time in this regard.

Private information such as contact emails and phone numbers will be given to Brandon Sanderson in case he chooses to use additional names at a later time. All other copies will be destroyed.

What if I have more questions?

Please send them to jordancon@jordancon.org with a subject heading indicating your question.

This weekend, representatives of JordanCon will be attending FenCon/ DeepSouthCon 49 in Dallas, Texas. JordanCon is bidding to host the fifty-first DeepSouthCon in 2013 and the voting will take place at the annual business meeting of the Southern Fandom Confederation at that convention.

What is DeepSouthCon? DeepSouthCon is the South's regional fan convention. Each year it's hosted by a different southern city or convention. Previous DeepSouthCon guests have featured authors such as Larry Niven, Lois McMaster Bujold, Orson Scott Card and many more. Each year, DeepSouthCon awards the prestigious Phoenix and Rebel awards to the fans and professionals who have done the most to bring positive attention to the South, its fans, and the writers connected to this region. It also plays host to the annual Hearts Tournament of the Universe, a fun and social event.

JordanCon is thrilled at the possibility of hosting this unique event. As JordanCon was founded in honor of one of the most famous and successful fantasy writers in memory, it seems only natural that we host a DeepSouthCon. Additionally, DeepSouthCon has not been hosted in Atlanta, Georgia since 1988 and hasn't been in Georgia since 2000's "Son of the Beachcon" held on Jekyll Island. JordanCon feels it is past time for Georgia to take its turn hosting again.

To participate in the site selection for the 2013 DeepSouthCon you must be a registered member of Fencon/DeepSouthCon 49 and attend the business meeting at 10AM on Sunday, September 25th.

JordanCon 2012, "Car'a'con," will take place April 20-22 at the Doubletree Inn Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, GA. Guests will be Hugo award winning author Mary Robinette Kowal and Chesley award winning artist Sam Weber. Pre-reg for JordanCon 2012 is $45, discounted from $65 for the whole weekend.

JordanCon is pleased to announce its dates and initial guests for 2012's convention. JordanCon 4, "Car'a'con," will take place April 20-22 at the Doubletree Inn Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, GA.

JordanCon's Author Guest of Honor will be Mary Robinette Kowal, winner of the Campbell Award for Best New Writer and the 2011 Hugo for Best Short Story. Kowal's first novel, Shades of Milk and Honey, is available from Tor Books. Its sequel, Glamour in Glass, is forthcoming in April 2012. Additionally, Kowal is an award winning puppeteer who has worked on the hit TV show Lazytown.

New this year to JordanCon will be the Art Show. In honor of this, JordanCon will be having its first Artist Guest of Honor, Sam Weber. Weber is best known to Wheel of Time fans for his Chesley Award winning painting for the eBook edition of The Shadow Rising. Sam Weber's art, along with that of other fantasy and sci fi artists, will be on display at JordanCon.

Pre-reg for JordanCon 2012 is $45, discounted from $65 for the whole weekend. The host hotel is the Doubletree Inn Roswell, located an easy twenty minute drive from Atlanta, GA. JordanCon will be April 20-22, 2012. For more information, please visit www.jordancon.org

JordanCon, the only convention in the world dedicated to Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series is this weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. This year's Guest of Honor is fantasy author David B. Coe. Other attending authors are Brandon Sanderson, Jana Oliver, Jamie Chambers and the Hugo-nominated Eugie Foster. Joining them will be fan personalities Leigh Butler, Richard Fife, Matt Hatch, Linda Taglieri and our own Jason Denzel and Jennifer Liang.

Here are some links you may find useful, or at least interesting:

 

• JordanCon's official Facebook group.
  
• JordanCon tentative schedule
  
• JordanCon Progress Report
  
• At the door registration is $65. Single day memberships are available.
  

You can also check out our special JordanCon episode of "Wheel of Time Video News".

Kristen Nedopak and the rest of the video team will be at the convention, so you might get a chance to be on camera with them.

JordanCon, a three day fantasy literature convention founded in honor of the late Robert Jordan, just released the progress report for 2011. JordanCon takes place in Atlanta, GA each year and hundreds of Wheel of Time fans from around the world attend it.

A convention progress report is a document distributed a few months before the convention, that gives you important information about traveling and the location, as well as an idea of what kind of activities to expect when you get there.

Hello everyone!

 

I hope that 2011 finds all our friends healthy and happy. I'm very pleased to say that JordanCon 2011 planning is going very well. We have a great convention in store for you.

 

A couple notes:

 

We've designated Friday night as "Stormleader/ Tower Guard Night". In addition to our regular programming, we encourage you to wear your shirts if you were a signing volunteer in 2009 or 2010. We'll try to get a group photo with Brandon, Harriet and the rest of Team Jordan.

 

If you intend to throw a room party Friday or Saturday night, please email Jennifer at JordanCon@ageoflegends.net so we can ask the hotel to group all the party rooms together. Remember, we're not the only ones using the hotel that weekend and we want to be good neighbors. We ask that all room parties start no earlier than 9PM to allow everyone a chance to enjoy the scheduled JordanCon programming.

 

The HBO series A GAME OF THRONES, based on George R.R. Martin's A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series will be premiering on Sunday, April 17th. Since we know lots of WHEEL OF TIME fans are also fans of this series, we'll be throwing a watching party Sunday night after the official close of the convention. We'll either meet at the hotel bar, or rent a large

suite, depending on interest. Look for details in the JordanCon program.

 

You can download the JordanCon 2011 Progress Report here:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1UECAdPU-OJZdrnAllbZ3elTyinswE73PL4h0kWLihniPY3qLa-vEoa4THvhV&hl=en

 

See you in April!

 

--Jennifer Liang

JordanCon Chair

Pre-registration for JordanCon 2011 is currently open at the discounted rate of $45. Guests this year include authors David B. Coe and Eugie Foster. Our Toastmaster is Tor.com blogger Richard Fife. JordanCon will take place April 15-17, 2011 at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta, Georgia. You can find out more by visiting http://www.ageoflegends.net/. http://www.ageoflegends.net/