Ask Me Stuff!
Clockwork Crown is out on Tuesday and I intend to be everywhere and Do All the Things. To that end, there are two opportunities next week where you can ask me questions.
I’ll be in reddit/Fantasy next Tuesday for an AMA (Ask Me Anything). A thread will start early in the morning and folks add questions throughout the day. In the afternoon and evening, I’ll hop on and answer things.
On Wednesday, I’ll take part in the Sword and Laser video show/podcast. They have started a topic on Goodreads where you can also pose questions for me. No need to wait–you can post your scintillating queries for me now.
Please participate! Have fun with it. Ask about my writing process or recipes or cats or cosplay or books. Whatever. I’m game.
Tips for Phoenix Comicon
Phoenix Comicon kicks off this Thursday and goes through Sunday. I’ll be attending every day; my panels and signings are listed online.
I’ve attended Phoenix Comicon for four years. The first two years, I was just another fan in the crowd. Last year I sat on panels for the first time (for the first time ever), though my book wasn’t out yet. This time, I am doing All the Things since The Clockwork Dagger is out. The Clockwork Crown will even on sale early at the Poisoned Pen event and at Mysterious Galaxy inside Phoenix Comicon!
![[Last year: Me and Rachel, all dressed up and ready for heat strokes!]](https://www.bethcato.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/PhoenixComiconSteampunked-e1402429318985.jpg)
[Last year: Me and Rachel, all dressed up and ready for heat strokes!]
– Saturday has the most going on, but it’s also the busiest. Introverts beware.
30,000+ people on Saturday. Imagine most of them trying to get to the basement exhibition hall, all at once. Yeah. It can be a 30 minute trek just to get down the stairs/escalators, and that’s in an intimate pack of costumed humanity, and then it’s hard to even look at the goodies for sale because it’s so busy.
If crowds get to you, go on Friday or Sunday. It’s still very busy, but it’s not quite as bad. Also, if you need alone space, going upstairs from the main level is a much quieter place. I speak from experience. My second year at the con, as just an attending fan, I had a panic attack and required about a 30 minute walk outside to calm down and face the cacophony again.
– Phone, internet, and messaging services are not reliable.
Last I heard, the convention center was working to improve this, but this must be mentioned as a precaution: service in past years has been BAD. Anywhere around the center was unreliable, but going downstairs to the exhibition hall meant entering an internet dead zone. A few years ago, this caused headaches for me as I kept messaging a friend to meet-up and didn’t know our messages kept failing. Vendors had huge problems if they used things like Square. Last year, I switched my phone to airplane mode most of the time so the battery wouldn’t suck dry in the search for a connection.
I really, really hope this isn’t as much an issue this year, but be prepared. If you’re splitting up from friends, arrange a time and location to meet. You know, like days of yore, before cell phones.
[Taco Guild – from left, chicken, lamb, duck]
It’s a convention center. It’s not fine dining. Expect meh food that’s expensive and requires a long wait in line. The one bright spot in past years has been the frozen yogurt stand, but even that has had long lines (with melting yogurt), and the toppings are pretty well pillaged by afternoon.
Bring snacks and a water bottle to continually fill. Heck, pack a lunch box. If you want to eat out, do some research. I use Yelp to look at menus and bookmark promising places. I have only been to a few places within walking distance, but I really liked La Piazza last year. Great salad and pizza. It’s a few blocks west of the con. Some of the best dining in the whole country is just a block away–namely, Pizzeria Bianco and Nobuo at Teeter House, though I haven’t tried them for myself. Someday…!
[Taco Guild’s amazing grilled romaine salad]
Speaking of walking or trekking outside…
– It’s hot outside. Phoenix is NOT cosplay friendly if you wear layers.
This is where I was stupid last year. I consider myself pretty well adapted to heat, but that heat is a whole lot worse when you’re in insulated boots, a long and tiered skirt, and a corset all day long. Plus, my steampunk costumes made using the bathroom very awkward (petticoats are EVIL), so I didn’t drink enough water. Even if you’re indoors most of the time, your body will be taxed because of the extreme heat. Drink fluids constantly. Be aware of how your body is responding to your environment. Give yourself permission to NOT be in cosplay all day long, every day.
This year, I will have a hotel room close by. I plan to wear more casual, geeky attire most of the time. I’ll save my steampunk gear for an evening or two.
– Those panel rooms are set to Freeze Your Tushy Off.
Here’s the bizarre contrast to the blazes furnaces of hell just outside the building. The panel rooms are smaller and the air conditioning blows right down on the audience. If you’re sensitive to cold, you might want to bring a light cardigan. Author Gini Koch is easily recognizable at conventions because she brings bright pink ear muffs to combat the chilly rooms. She’s a smart lady.
I hope that a few people find this advice helpful. Phoenix Comicon is a wonderful event, run by passionate fans. There’s a reason why I keep going back every year, and why it’s become such a draw for authors from all over the world. Be prepared, take care of yourself, and geek out!
Read MoreElevengeddon!
On Wednesday, eleven seventeen authors unite to sign books and generally goof off in advance of Phoenix Comicon. The big event happens at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona at 7pm. The Clockwork Crown will be on sale for the first time! Check out the full line-up in snazzy alphabetical order:
Stephen Blackmoore
Beth Cato
Wes Chu
Myke Cole
Delilah S. Dawson
Kevin Hearne
Jason Hough
Richard Kadrey
Michael Martinez
Brian McClellan
Naomi Novik
Andrea Phillips
Cherie Priest
Brian Staveley
Sam Sykes
Chuck Wendig
Django Wexler
If you’re not able to come, fear not! (Or maybe you should fear?) You can order books through Poisoned Pen and have them autographed and shipped to you!
Read MoreEnd of May News
First of all… look! A giveaway! It runs through Friday.
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Clockwork Dagger
by Beth Cato
Giveaway ends May 22, 2015.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
My publisher did a really nice post congratulating me on my Locus nomination. Awww.
Remember the #TwitterFiction I did last Wednesday? You can now read the whole event in a convenient Storify format!
SheKnows.com included The Clockwork Crown on their list of 15 most anticipated spring and summer books! Huzzah!
I’m at Kate Heartfield’s site to talk about Unlikely Influences: What Beth Cato Learned About Writing by Baking Cookies. I know. Feign surprise at the subject matter.
Do you want to know more about research books I used for The Clockwork Dagger series? Find out in Magic and World War I Medicine at Teresa Frohock’s Blog.
For a general overview on medicians, read Medicians in The Clockwork Dagger at David Walton’s blog.
I also had a post at SF Signal with Developing Miss Percival as a Sympathetic Villain.
I was interviewed by the East Valley Tribune about my books and Phoenix Comicon.
Whew. I think that’s it. Things are crazy here right now. My son finishes up his 4th grade year today. Tomorrow is my 15th anniversary. I’m trying to edit a few stories and work on promotional stuff for Crown‘s release. I only have a few days left to prepare for Phoenix Comicon.
YES. I CAN DO THIS. …Right?
#TwitterFiction LIVE
It’s time! Come over to my Twitter account, @BethCato, for two hours of poetry and story-starters. Reply, favorite, retweet–and, hopefully, enjoy!
Read More#TwitterFiction Tomorrow!
The #TwitterFiction Festival is ongoing through May 15th! My slot is tomorrow, Wednesday, from 11am-1pm Pacific Time (2pm-4pm Eastern). You can look up other time zones, too.
It’s very easy to follow along live. My Twitter account is public so you don’t need an account to read along. I’m doing two things: posting poems (with some repeated in graphic form), and also posting tweet-sized stories designed to act as story or creative prompts. Be inspired! Posts will go up every few minutes and the subjects are diverse.
The good news is that this is Twitter and if you can’t follow along live, that’s no big deal. The whole archive will be on @BethCato and will also be on TwitterFiction.com.
I hope some of you will follow along and retweet your favorites! I’m excited to see what will happen.
Read More
