2012 Cons: Sirens and FogCon 2

[starlady]

I like cons, and I've had some great experiences at them--partly, I acknowledge, because I strive to be judicious in choosing which cons I attend. So in the hopes of luring people in to supporting two cons at which I personally have had a great time, and which I would like to support and see become entirely sustainable in the future, some info.

FogCon 2
The Bay Area's WisCon-style SFF con is back, yay! This year it's in the East Bay, on the shadowside (so it'll be warmer than San Francisco or the sunside of the East Bay). Guests of Honor are Nalo Hopkinson, Shelley Jackson, and Mary Shelley, and the theme is the body. The Walnut Creek Marriott, where it's held, is offering a very cheap room rate, and I'd like to encourage people who can to get a room for the weekend--the number one thing that makes hotels like cons is to what degree the con sells out its room bloc. I'd definitely be interested in splitting a room with people, because BARTing in and out every day is a drag and this will fundamentally be my spring break. So let me know if you'd like to talk about that!

Registration is $60 for adults until 1 November. (Even if you're not an avid con-goer, I encourage you to think about a day membership for Friday or Saturday, available at the door!)


Sirens 2012
Sirens will be moving to Stevenson, WA (outside Portland) for 2012. Next year's theme is Tales Retold, and the two confirmed Guests of Honor are Malinda Lo and Kate Bernheimer; the third will hopefully be announced by the time the website updates on 1 November. praetorianguard has a great post that gets at what I love about Sirens; I've rarely felt more instantly welcomed than I did when I first showed up in DEN to meet the shuttle a year ago, and I was uniformly impressed at the quality of discussions, both on and off the official programming. And yes, I'm brainstorming panel ideas for next year right now.

I hope people who've been thinking about going who can will attend. The registration fee is somewhat on the pricey side, but I'd like to note that it's subsidized by donations and that it includes four scrumptious meals, as well as more tea (and hopefully hot cocoa, next year) than you can shake a stick at, and a fetching conference T-shirt. If you use this link, you can register for $160 until 1 November.

Comments

[troisroyaumes]

Thanks for the heads-up; I just registered for FOGcon. So excited it's going to be on the East Bay this year! We could conceivably go to places in Oakland or Berkeley for dinner. Bwahahaha.

I'd be interested in splitting a room (it would just be me as S. can't make it).

[meloukhia]

I feel a little silly asking this but I'm getting confused by the Sirens registration, since, uh, presumably I need to register not just for the conference, but also a place to sleep? And I...don't see how to do that?

[starlady]

Nope, the hotel reservation has to be booked separately.

[meloukhia]

Yes, that is what I assumed! I just got...turned around and confused and wasn't sure if I needed to mention the con, or...yes. Well. You know.

[starlady]

It happens. It's Thursday after all.

[jesse_the_k]

Thanks so much for mentioning SIRENS! I'm kinda stunned that it's the first time I've heard about it, since it seems to share many qualities with WisCon, in particular the women writing. I reckon it's the snowpack in my ears.