Every Memorial Day weekend, hundreds of science fiction and fantasy fans descend on the Hunt Valley Marriott for Balticon, the annual Maryland Regional Science Fiction Convention. From Friday to Monday, they get to peruse the goods in the dealer’s room, pick up free books and ‘zines, and geek out with other fans of their favorite books, TV shows, and movies. What a lot of people don’t realize is that the event boasts a great writing track as well.
This year I moderated or participated in panels on:
- Getting Published 101
- Drowning in Ink
- Pros and Cons of Writing Groups
This was my fourth year attending Balticon, and my third year as a panelist. It’s so much fun for me to do this con, and at this point I’m enjoying the company of fellow panelists I’ve done presentations with repeatedly. I’ve learned a lot from folks like Jonathan Maberry, Joshua Bilmes, Trisha Wooldridge and Kelly Harmon. This year I also had a blast chatting with Brian Koscienski and Chris Pisano of Fortress Publishing, coauthors of Scary Tales of Scariness. Who would have thought that Pennsylvania and rural New York have so much in common?
I may not have been paying attention, but I don’t remember Balticon having a theme before, or having a ball. This year the event featured a Steampunk Ball, which meant the halls were full of people in supercool steampunk apparel (so was the dealer’s room!). I’m so in love with the aesthetic of steampunk that I have to start reading the fiction, which I guess is classified as Victorian alternate history.
However, my favorite take-away this year, by far, is the mini-catapult I bought for $20. It attaches to your wrist like a bracelet with a leather strap, and it’s powered by a rubber band or hair elastic. For ammo, lighter objects like mini-marshmallows are fun, but I’ve found that slightly heavier bits like raisins fly a lot farther!
Founder of The Writer’s Ally, Ally E. Machate is a bestselling book collaborator, award-winning editor, and expert publishing consultant who loves using her insider knowledge and experience with the publishing industry to lead serious authors toward success. She and her team live to help make great books happen, whether that means showing a writer how to improve a manuscript, get an agent, or self-publish; or coaching an author on growing her platform to sell more books. Since 1999, she has supported hundreds of authors on their publishing journey and takes pride in serving as their books’ best ally.
