This time last year, I was a seething mass of nerves and excitement as I prepared to be a guest at ArmadillioCon, Austin’s long running science fiction and fantasy literary convention. I had the honor of participating in panels on the use of music in fiction and writing for roleplaying games, as well as hosting a reading of my works.

Lonely without us…

What a difference a year makes. This year, of course, there is no mass gathering of wonderful weirdos on the south side of town. ArmadilloCon has gone virtual, with more limited offerings. I respect and appreciate their concern for attendees and guests. Of course it won’t be the same, (though “Free” offsets a little of the heartache) but I’m still excited.

So, what am I especially enthusiastic about this year?

• A reading by Usman T. Malik
• A panel and readings by four nominees for the Salam Award for Speculative Fiction in Pakistan
• The “Speculative Poetry for Speculative People” panel
• A screening of “All Hail the Popcorn King,” the Joe Landsdale documentary
• “Con Suite at Home! How to Throw a Great Party,” (Melissa Tolliver, the Queen of ArmadilloCon’s legendary Con Suite, gives tips on running a big party)

You can register for all this year’s virtual Con excitement here.

For all the Central Texas people, I know it’s not the same, but I hope you’ll join me in coming out to enjoy and show our support. Let’s give ArmadilloCon a solid foundation to come roaring back in 2021! For the rest of you, hey, this is a chance to check out what we’ve got!