Sasquan, the World Science Fiction convention of 2015, was held a couple of weeks ago — August 19 to 23 — in Spokane, Washington. Other than the Nebula awards weekend last year, this was the first SF convention I attended since the 1990s, and it was a lot of fun!

The convention ran Thursday through Sunday, though all of my scheduled events were on Thursday and Friday. I sat on two self-publishing panels, and had much to say on both. I was also on the military science fiction panel where I had less to say, as the focus was firmly on the past, with lots of discussion on early works in the field.

Then there was the Ditch Diggers Live Podcast! I was invited to participate in this only a couple of days before the convention, and I’m very happy I agreed to it, because it was a lot of fun. Mur Lafferty and Matt Wallace officiated, with Kate Elliott, Aliette de Bodard, Fonda Lee, and myself on the panel. We discussed ways to deal with some difficult and demoralizing situations that writers can face, involving publishers, payments, and such…but we did it in a role-playing-game format. I have no idea who, if anyone, heard the podcast, but people in the audience seemed to be having a good time.
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I’m planning to attend this year’s World Science Fiction convention, aka Sasquan, in Spokane, Washington. If you’re going to be there too, do say hello! All my official activities are on Thursday or Friday. Here’s my schedule:

THURSDAY

Panel: Self-publishing — How To Do It
11:00 – 11:45, Conference Theater 110 (CC)
Once your book is written, what next? Successful self-published authors explain how to go from manuscript to completed book, or ebook. (This panel discusses the sources, processes and procedures. Marketing and promotion are covered in a separate panel.)
Panelists: Stu Segal (M), Doug Farren, Nick Mamatas, Linda Nagata, H.M. Jones

Panel: From Starship Troopers to Honor Harrington and Beyond: The Past, Present, and Future of Military SF
13:00 – 13:45, Bays 111A (CC)
Military SF has had its heyday. Is the topic done? Where do we go from here?
Panelists: Greg Bear, William Dietz, Linda Nagata, Toni Weisskopf

Kaffe Klatche
14:00 – 14:45, 202A-KK1 (CC)
Join a panelist and up to 9 other fans for a small discussion. Coffee and snacks available for sale on the 2nd floor.
(I’ve never done a “Kaffe Klatche” before. Come talk to me!)

Autographing
With Paolo Bacigalupi, Ellen Datlow, Molly Gloss, Frog Jones, and Louise Marley
16:00 – 16:45, Exhibit Hall B (CC)

FRIDAY

Panel: Self-publishing — When to do it, When to Publish Traditionally
11:00 – 11:45, 401C (CC)
A discussion of the whys and whens of self-publishing versus traditional publishing. Timing, royalties, promotion and more. Panel will consist of successful self-published authors, self-published authors who have been picked up by major publishers, and publishing industry professionals.
Panelists: Stephen Segal (M), Taiyo Fujii, H.M. Jones, Linda Nagata

Reading
Friday 15:30 – 16:00, 301 (CC)
(Come to my reading! And by the way, what should I read?)