DRAGONMOUNT

Welcome to the latest installment of the Forum Roundup.  Here I aim to bring you the most interesting and noteworthy things to be found in the Dragonmount forums.    I've chosen to begin this week with a post from the Shayol Ghul Social Group, a question: who is your favorite villain of all time? Loki, Voldemort, Kanye West?  There is a huge list to choose from, each more dastardly than the last.  Give your opinion in the Shayol Ghul Social Group and see who is voted the winner.   Secondly is another probing question from the White Tower, this time asking for the reason that you joined Dragonmount or the White Tower Social Group.  Some answers are quite revealing and even surprising with some members having not even read The Wheel of Time series, some being part of the way through, and one member sighting the reason of "being bored." (Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.) You know who you are!    The White Tower and Warder Social Group are having a Reunion for anyone who is was, or is contemplating, being a member of their forum.  There are links to activities to draw your attention, including a Wheel of Time Guess Who game and a Scavenger Hunt.   We can mark the end of another successful JordanCon this week.  Dragonmount's Facebook and Twitter pages are the best places to see what has been happening, including the winners of the costume contest.  It looks to have been a superb event with fun had by all.  You can look at Mashiara Sedai's photo gallery of the event, here.

The White Tower and Warders Social Group is kicking of it's first ever Reunion. We'd like to invite all members--new and old--as well as anyone interesting in the Social Group in anyway. Everyone is welcome to join in the games and discussions. Our Keeper of the Chronicles, Daruya, has this to say: Please take a moment to check out our games--as well as some interesting discussions about the White Tower and Warder Social Group, now and then.

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. http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_229734.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_229734.jpg"> Saladin's Judge's Choice was Mat "I'm not a bloody Lady" Cauthon. http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_22360.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_22360.jpg"> Aubree's Judge's Choice was Kaladin and Shallan. http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_330739.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_330739.jpg"> They were all exceptional costumes! And the traditional Third Place winner was the Female Trolloc. http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_152871.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_152871.jpg"> Second was Moiraine Damodred. http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_471988.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_471988.jp"> And First Place was Paul Bielaczyc as the Ice King (from Adventure Time). http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_292215.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_292215.jpg"> 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. http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_770147.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_770147.jpg"> Of course, TWoTCast tired to hijack the event. http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_127777.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_127777.jpg"> 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! http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_626626.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_626626.jpg"> 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! http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_115269.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_115269.jpg"> 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. http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_385/med_gallery_6827_385_1161905.jpg" alt="med_gallery_6827_385_1161905.jpg"> 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.

This month's Fantasy Review is Peter Orullian's The Unremembered—the Author's Definitive Edition.  There will be slight spoilers below.   Synopsis: Tahn is a young man who lives the Hallows, an area full of farmers.  He and his sister and friends are taken by Vendanj, a warrior of the Order of Sheason, and Mira, a member of the Far, to Tillinghast to try and stop the weakening of the Veil—a barrier that keeps the Quiet away from the world of men.    Along the journey, each of the group's members discover their secret talents, and better understand why they were chosen for this quest.  Most of all, it's Tahn who's needed, because of his special gift to understand the Will—he cannot shoot his bow unless the Will allows him too.  However, that inability to choose who must live and who must die only adds to the burden he already bears.  Tahn's unremembered past may be the biggest burden of them all.   Pros: The characters are what make this story come alive.  Each one is well-rounded, with equal flaws and strengths.  I think the easiest way to talk about the story it to highlight each character.   Tahn—the protagonist—strikes me as such an interesting character, mostly for his flaws.  In the very beginning of the story, I love that he was unable to shoot the Bar'dyn, a monster that threatened his sister and her newborn child.  I think it sets a tone for his character through the novel, that there is some doubt in the reader's mind about his abilities.  Did he really refrain from shooting because of the Will?  Or is there something deeper inside him, a bit of fear and cowardice?  And as the journey progresses, he seems to make more mistakes, and one of those mistakes can mean the difference between him being the hero and being killed.   Wendra—Tahn's sister—is introduced to the reader in a time of fear and weakness, as a Bar'dyn is trying to steal her stillborn child.  Because of this, it seems she grows the most throughout the story.  When the group gets separated, and she takes a motherly role to Penit, she matures and finds her inner strength.  She goes through more danger than the others, and makes it through with her own cleverness and determination.  Along the journey, she discovers she has the power of song inside her, and that Vendanj meant her to train as a Maesteri.  But her love for Penit made her continue the quest instead of studying.   Penit is a young boy who was abandoned by his family of traveling performers.  He's taken in by Vendanj's group for unknown reasons.  Quick witted and clever, the boy's skill as a performer acts as a sort of comic relief for the characters.  He's sweet, and cared for by Wendra—but it seems like he has nothing but misery in store for his future.   Mira is a lovely woman of the Far, an elf-like race that is doomed to short life spans.  She sets out on this journey accompanying Vendanj and his rag-tag group, but is summoned home when her sister dies.  She and Tahn have chemistry between them, but the Far race is doomed to a short lifespan, and she knows there can be no future with Tahn.  This shadows her judgment, and she makes hard decisions—decisions with Tahn in mind rather than her people.  The Far race is particularly interesting as they guard the old Language, and that may be the key to everything.   Vendanj is a Sheason, a member of a warrior guild that is dedicated to protecting humanity.  They are able to access the Will—the magical force within the world.  Vendanj's mission is to find a person who can Render the Will and defeat the evil growing at Tillinghast.  As the journey with Tahn and his friends goes on, we see that this is not Vendanj's first attempt at this quest.  He is also haunted by a tragic past.  He serves at a guide and mentor to Tahn—who struggles with bending to the decisions of the Will.  Though quiet and aloof with the others, he is a dedicated man who will stop at nothing to see his mission successful.     Cons: The learning curve for this story is very high.  There's a ton of in-world terminology that is discussed but not explained.  This can make it difficult to stay focused, or to remember what exactly all the words mean.   There is a handy glossary in the back of the book with detailed entries on most of the in-world terms, but it's still tricky to go back and forth between the novel and the glossary so much at the beginning of the story.   The narrative also starts with the group already on route to Tillinghast, and much of how they got there is revealed later.  While this is a great way to get to the action immediately, the reader is left wondering how the group all came together.  Of course, patience pays off, and everything is recounted—but it can be difficult to hold off on getting answers right away.   Conclusion: This book was a wonderful read, and the start of what seems to be an exciting series.  The characters are very realistic with the way they handle the pressures thrust upon them, and their actions and motivations go hand-in-hand.  The multiple magic systems also piqued my curiosity, and I understand they will be explored more thoroughly in the next book—Trial of Intentions, which will be released May 26, 2015.  Tahn is definitely a flawed hero, and that makes his decisions in the story heavily weighed—he makes selfish decisions that cost lives.  I'm looking forward to the next book, and to what the future has in store for Tahn and the rest of his group.   My rating: 4/5     This book is available at Dragonmount's eBook store here.  When it is released, you can also purchase Trial of Intentions here.  You can also look at a Dragonmount exclusive interview with Mr. Orullian here.

I was very happy to be given a chance to interview Peter Orullian about the authoritative edition of his novel, The Unremembered.  The book—the first in the Vault of Heaven series—was action-packed, gripping, and a wonderful addition to the fantasy genre.   For more information on this anticipated series, please check out Mr. Orullian's website.       Q: This novel is very epic in scale and scope.  The world contains depth, history, and a sense of realism.  How much worldbuilding was needed for you to flesh out the past, present, and future of this world?   A: I did quite a bit of worldbuilding before I began to write. Of course, part of that was drawing a map. It sounds a little cliché, but there’s a real sense in which creating the geography can begin to help you conceptualize other elements of the world. And the map, itself, changes a lot during this phase.   I also put in place the creation mythology of the world, and much of its political and cultural structure. Beyond all that, I spent a lot of time on the magic systems.   But I also left a lot to the writing process. I know some writers architect everything in advance. Just as I know some who make it all up as they write. I fall about halfway between these. I build a good framework—something to work against—but I leave myself lots of canvas to paint as I go.   Q: We see a lot of heroes in the fantasy genre, but I don't think I've read one quite as flawed as Tahn.  Yet, at the same time, he's very sympathetic in his thinking.  The reader understands why he does what he does, even if they are the wrong decisions.  How were you able to keep his character balanced between being realistically flawed, but still likable?   A: Much of the answer is in your question. If readers understand why a character is making the choices he or she makes, your character stands a better chance of remaining sympathetic, even when those decisions are wrong. Or heartbreaking. Unexplained heroism reads like Dudley Do-Right. Senseless villainy is just Snidely Whiplash. On the other hand, understanding a character’s motivation goes a long way to keeping a reader invested in the outcomes of that character’s choices.   And I think this is how most of us are in real life. We make bad decisions, but not because we’re bad people (most of us, anyway). Those decisions are informed by the experiences of our lives. In other words, we wind up being the sum of our choices. That sounds terribly high-minded. But my point is that two people in the same situation can make very different decisions. If we were privy to the formative experiences of those two people, both decisions could make sense.   I think fiction works the same way. And when those formative experiences are dire, tragic things, the sympathy for the character escalates. So, in Tahn’s case, his life has been hard, particularly in his youth. The reader is slowly learning why. This continues in book two. And because most of us have difficulties in our lives, and stumble, I think we’re able to better identify with characters who do the same.    Q: Since music seems to be important in your life, it makes sense that one of the magic systems in the series would be music based.  Will we get to see more of the music in action as the series continues?     A: Absolutely. In The Unremembered you get just the first taste. In book two, Trial of Intentions, I turn the volume way up on the music magic. In fact, my character who possesses this ability goes to a place where she can train. She learns a lot about her gift and how to use it. And readers, likewise, get to see inside the music magic system, as she tests her ability in all kinds of battles.   I also start to reveal something I call “governing dynamics.” When I built my world, it made sense to me that all magic systems would have an underlying set of principles, much the way there are mechanical laws like gravity and magnetism.   The central principle upon which I frame all magic in my universe is called: Resonance. So far, I have five magic systems in my universe. And while each culture taps into Resonance (and related dynamics) in different ways, their magic systems are all built off the same principles. In some regards, it’s like quantum entanglement. But that’s a whole long different topic we can tackle another time.   In any case, the music magic system, which is one of the core systems, takes advantage of Resonance in some powerful ways. And in Trial of Intentions, I turn it up to eleven (that’s a Spinal Tap reference—sorry, couldn’t help myself).   Q: Mira's fear of having children is a sharp contrast to Wendra's maternal need to look after children.  Is this due to their difference in race—and Mira's inability to actually raise the child—or is it more a difference in personality?  Is there a statement to be made about the role of women, and mothers, within your world?   A: It’s really one of personality. The nature of Mira’s race—the Far—is that they die too young to every fully raise their own children. Many Far accept this well enough, given the promises they have in exchange for a shortened life. But Mira is hurt by the fact that she never got to know her birth mother. She doesn’t want that for any child she might have.   As for a statement on the role of women and/or mothers in my world, it’s not something I set out to do. I’ve no agenda. As I say, Mira’s feelings are personal. They’re formed out of her childhood experiences. They give context to choices she’s facing now, much the way we talked about making Tahn a realistic but flawed character.   Similarly, Wendra has had some traumatic experiences, as well. These experiences lend context to choices she makes.   But if I think about it, Mira and Wendra are both powerful women. One is a gifted fighter—crazy skilled. The other possesses an amazingly influential magic. These things define them as much as anything else. So, in the same way we were talking about Tahn above, for me, there are real-life corollaries. Women have differing feelings on the topic of motherhood—just as Mira and Wendra do. And those feelings are one aspect of who they are—just as Mira and Wendra each play a pivotal role in the overarching story of my series, bringing to bear their unique abilities to try and answer threats of war.    Q: Since this is the Author's Definitive Version, how does it differ from the previous version of the novel?   A: In several ways, actually. Without going into all the details as to why we’re doing an Author’s Definitive Edition, let me just say that writers and editors don’t always share the same vision for a book. For my part, I now have a different editor than I had when the original edition of The Unremembered was released.   As to how it’s different, first, it’s much shorter. I cut a lot. It’s uncommon for an Author’s Edition to be shorter. Usually the writer is adding words. And I did, too. But I started by trimming the book considerably. It helped pacing, among other things. Then, I took the opportunity to introduce some elements that would bring books one and two closer together. That wasn’t necessary, but I figured as long as I had the chance . . .   Working through the book, I brushed up dialogue here and there, removed exposition where I needed to, dropped in some Easter eggs, etc.   And then to the whole thing we’ve added epigraphs to each chapter, a glossary, an exclusive short story set in the universe—the POV character of which is a POV character in book two, and he’s inside the Bourne—and there are a few of the first chapters from Trial of Intentions, as well.   It’s not necessary to read the Author’s Edition of The Unremembered to transition into Trial of Intentions. If you’ve read the original, you’ll be just fine. And because of the editorial snafus prolonging the time between books one and two, I wrote Trial of Intentions as an entry point to the series. So, a reader could actually start the series with book two. All that said, if someone wants to start at the beginning, I recommend the Author’s Edition of The Unremembered. I think it’s a stronger book.   These next ones may contain spoilers, if that's all right.   Q: The theme of actions and consequences are visited several times in the novel.  Yet, Tahn's blemishes are removed before Tallinghast—the negative consequences of his choices essentially erased.  How will it affect him as he goes forward in the next book?  Will that lightness still reside in him, making Mira continue to take in any stains he makes?   A: Well, like you noted above, Tahn’s a flawed character. Or, said another way, he makes the best choice he can at any given time based on who he is and what he knows. So . . . he’s not done making heartbreaking decisions.   But he and Mira won’t always be side-by-side. And he wouldn’t let her do for him again what she did near Tillinghast, anyway.  In fact, early in book two, Tahn makes some very deliberate choices that fly in the face of what he “should” do. And he makes no apologies for it. Nor, if I’ve done my job, would anyone expect him to.   Q: Can you tell us if Penit did escape the Bar'dyn?   A: Nope. That’s one you’re going to have to read the next few books to find out.   Q: Were Sutter's visions of Mira a warning, or was it an unavoidable prophecy?   A: Well, Sutter sees the spirits of the dead before they die. But these aren’t prophecies. They’re not forgone conclusions. It’s kind of like the ghost of Christmas Future visiting Scrooge. Shadows of the future may be changed.   Q: Zephora and Mira have a few cryptic exchanges at Tillinghast.  Mira speaks of a covenant with him—or with the Quiet—and Zephora calls her an "oathbreaker," which would mean that the Far were the ones who broke the covenant.  Can you elaborate anymore on that and their relationship?       A: The gods who created the world left the Language of the Covenant for the people of Aeshau Vaal as a possible defense or weapon, should it ever be needed against the Quiet. The Covenant Tongue is insanely powerful. It’s the language that was used to frame the world.   The Far oath is to safeguard the Language of the Covenant until they reach the Age of Accountability—eighteen-years-old—which means they protect it during their years of stainlessness. The Far possess the godsgifts of exceptional speed and grace. In exchange for these gifts, and the promise that they will see their family in the next lift, the Far are able to defend and protect the Language of the Covenant without concern over the means whereby they do so. This is because they die before they can be held accountable for anything.  Before they’re blemished or stained in any way by their choices.   But Mira takes on the stain of one of Tahn’s choices. So, she’s effectively no longer Far. She’s effectively broken her oath.   There is, though, a deeper connection between the people of the Bourne and the people of the Eastlands. But I’ll leave that to your discovery in the next books.   Q: Vendanj states several times that he brought others to Tillinghast before Tahn.  What became of them?  Is it only Tahn's relationship with the Will that saved him from the Draethmorte?   A: Yeah, this is an important point. Tahn isn’t so much the “chose one” as he is the “next one.” Tillinghast is a difficult place to survive. The Velle we first encounter in the book talks to Vendanj about this, suggesting that those Vendanj had taken to Tillinghast before had perished or failed. Clearly, there was a need for another one to go to Tillinghast, which is where we enter the story with Tahn and the others, on their way to that place. But that’s as much as I’ll say there.   As to your second question, about what helped Tahn survive Tillinghast and the Draethmorte, the Will is certainly part of it. But that’s not the whole of it, either. And again, I’ll pause before giving it all away . . .       I'd like to thank Mr. Orullian for answering my questions.  It was an honor!   The Author's Definitive Edition of The Unremembered was rereleased on April 7.  It can be purchased at Dragonmount's eBook store here.  The second in the series— Trial of Intentions—will be available May 26, 2015, and can also be purchased here.

Welcome to another edition of the Forum Roundup, where I aim to bring you the brightest and most interesting items from the Dragonmount forums.    I must first apologize for my absence these last two weeks.  The first week was due to my 30th Birthday celebrations dragging me away from the computer; the second was no real fault of my own, rather a geographical problem.   I was led to believe that you can get a phone signal in the Sahara, but in the Lakes District area of the UK, there is no Wi-Fi, no phone signal, and worst of all no sun--only rain!  So I hope that you except my apologies and continue to enjoy this blog.   I will begin with something completely different and slightly unexpected from the Aiel Social Group: a discussion on the quality of life.  The main questions being asked are: What defines a good quality of life?  Is it health?  Happiness?  The money you make or the things that you achieve?  Answering these philosophical questions could take some soul searching and a great deal of time.  In my modest opinion--money is not a factor.  If you have a good quality of life, that is the thing that makes you happy.  By process of elimination that leaves health and the things that you achieve.  I would like to add in the people we surround ourselves with as another extremely important factor.  I may have just outlined a simple three point plan for the things that I need to change in my own life.  This can only lead to huge amounts of pondering and beard scratching.   "Cleveland Museum of Art - damaged Thinker" by Daderot   The next topic is from the Ogier Social Group, another brain teaser, albeit a bit less serious and potentially life changing.  This is a problem that all of us men have been in at some point: there are three beautiful women in love with you, and you can only chose one--happens to me all of the time!   "Rand's Wives" by Ariel Burgess   It's the three ladies in love with Rand that are the subject of this post and it has seen quite a heated debate over who the victor is: Min, Aviendha or Elayne.  In my opinion, Rand has no chance.  Whomever he chooses, he will not survive a day.  The choice should really between which way he would rather die: Min's daggers,  Aviendha's spear, or Elayne's balefire!   Staying with the Ogier Social Group, exceptional trees are the next topic they choose tackle (keeping within the Ogier theme).  There are some wonderful pictures of peoples favorites. This particular one is mine.   The Angel Oak in Charleston, South Carolina   This is a beautiful tree; it must be hundreds if not thousands of years old!  Take a look at the Ogier forum for some more tree hugging shenanigans.   Things take a dark twist here with the Shayol Ghul Social Group lowering the tone once again with, "Which Wheel of Time character would you kill?"  I think the people over in Shayol Ghul may need to sit down and talk about there feelings with a qualified person.  So who would I kill.... Galad, definitely Galad; he's just so smug and handsome and self righteous.  I would do it in the study, with the revolver... and the candlestick just to make sure.  That was quite therapeutic!     Don't forget to check out Dragonmount's Twitter and Facebook pages to keep up to date with everything Wheel of Time.

Greeting all! It is Thursday again meaning it is time for another installment of the Rotating Features blog! The dice have been been tossed and the featured topic has been chosen.   As promised, this week I am taking the easy way out and giving everyone a little glimpse behind the curtain. I probably should have wrote this blog earlier, but hey, life happens. So without further procrastination, here is a little bit about me.   I am, as many of you already know, from the United States of America. To be more specific, I was born and raised near Cincinnati, Ohio. As any good Ohio native, I am an avid fan of American football, so yeah, GO BUCKEYES!! At the tender age of 18-years-old, I finally ventured from the nest and decided to make out on my own by joining the United States Air Force.   I am still active duty military and have been stationed more than a few places, my favorite being Robins Air Force Base in beautiful middle Georgia. This is where I met some of my best friends as well as my wife and I would eventually like to retire there...one day. Currently I am stationed in South Korea, again, and while I do love the assignment, I still miss my family, the states, and of course the events like JordanCon I am unable to attend.   There are the basics, but it doesn't really tell you anything about me. To know me, you have to know music is my first passion. I have been playing guitar since I was four, over two decades, and I play bass guitar, drums, sing, and record. I actually brought everything I need to do some song writing and recording while I am out here. My musical tastes have changed some over the years, but I still love my metal music, but I also appreciate southern rock, classical, Spanish style guitar, and even just a sultry voice and a piano.   As far as literature, I am far behind many of you. Growing up I hated reading. It did not change until some deployments in the early 2000’s. I did not begin reading the Wheel of Time series until 2006 but was instantly hooked! I sped through the books, and was then left waiting like everyone else for Knife of Dreams to come out.   So other than play music and read, what do I do for fun? Well I will actually say live action role-playing (LARPing) was king of my free time for a while. Again, this was another thing I found out about in Georgia. I do like tabletop gaming, as well as video games. I also enjoy weight lifting and running. Making LARP weapons is another fun hobby, which has lead to some profit as well. Fishing has been the king of my time more recently. It will be interesting to fish here in Korea as I am unfamiliar with the fish, their behaviors, habits, etc. Should be a good challenge.   All in all, this is me in a nutshell. Just a regular dude who love football, fishing, rocking out, but is still a loud and proud geek too! Not much better than getting into a goodhearted argument with some close friend over whether David Tennant or Matt Smith was a better Doctor. Or just having a cup of tea with a pipe while wearing Cthulhu slippers.   As always I hope you enjoyed this installment of the Rotating Features blog. Until next time, this is Azeryn signing off to continue the daunting task of unpacking after adding a little bit too much Irish Cream to my tea.

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!

Greeting all! It is Thursday again meaning it is time for another installment of the Rotating Features blog! The dice have been been tossed and the featured topic has been chosen. If you have not already done so, mark April 17-19, 2015 on your calendars, JordanCon 7 approaches! Yes it is time for fans of The Wheel of Time to take over a hotel in Atlanta, Georgia for a weekend full of awesome panels, guest authors, old and newly met friends, as well as games! It is one of the few events I am truly saddened by the fact I must miss it. Honestly, it was one of the funnest conventions I have ever been to, and I have been to more than a few. What sets JordanCon aside from other conventions? My personal answer is the intimacy of the whole weekend. While I have had a few meets with celebrities at bigger conventions, they only chat with a fan for a few minutes before their security rushes them away, or until another fan completely freaks out over meeting them and forces said celebrity to leave. At JordanCon you can actually just have a conversation with many of the special guests randomly, and it's no big deal! The other thing I love about JordanCon is the attendees are all super friendly. I am serious on this one. I think this is because everyone there has one common love, and this is the wonderful writing of Robert Jordan Aside from the wonderful environment of the convention itself, there are always great panels and things to do all weekend for all types of fans. Want to talk about strictly Wheel of Time topics? You will be hard pressed to find an hour without something Wheel of Time related going on. Want to branch out and look at something different? Go to one of the horror or steampunk panels! Want to polish off some writing skill? There are multiple writing seminar panels throughout the weekend. Maybe you just want to vent a little rage or show off your skills with a weapon. Sign up for the Blademaster's tournament and earn your title! There are a ton of things to do at JordanCon. If it is your first JordanCon, or even if it isn't, I highly suggest the "Speed Friending" panel. It was actually a wonderful way to meet a bunch of fellow convention goers and they have great ways to break the ice. Last year it was, who is your least favorite Wheel of Time character, and yes, I stand by my opinion on Elayne being horrible. This year of course has a whole new set of panels and guests along with some old favorites. This year's Author Guest of Honor is Saladin Ahmed and the Artist Guest of honor is Todd Lockwood. There also a plethora of special guests and of course Harriet McDougal and some others from Team Jordan will be there as well.  The convention costs $55.00 for a pre-registered three day pass, the price is $65.00 for a three day pass at the door. You can find more details on purchasing admission, finding a hotel, what guests will attend as well as a schedule of the panels here at JordanCon 7 website. I highly encourage going to this convention if you have a chance. As always I hope you enjoyed this installment of the rotating feature blog. Sorry for my recent absence, I had to move half way around the world, literally! More on this in next week's blog where you will all learn a little about me! Until next week, this is Azeryn signing off to wonder around a foreign company looking for a spa with doctor fish!