The Shared Desk — Episode #005: Concerning Cons

Breaking well beyond the boundaries of an hour, The Shared Desk brings you another on-the-road recording. This time, Pip and Tee are in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas for FenCon VIII, and are joined by a rabble more of vile confederates:

• Gail Carriger
• Olivia M. Grey
• Odin1eye
• Beth Case
• Ash Robbins
• Machelle Grimes

The topic of the night — CONVENTIONS. Why do we pack up and head out for destinations unknown and why should authors consider paying them a visit? Join Tee & Pip poolside for this round table discussion on conventions from the author’s and the fan’s perspective.

00:00 — Introduction

• Are you sure you’re Philippa Ballantine?
• It was supposed to be a paperwork ceremony, but the neighbors had other ideas…
• Kick back for this hour-long extravaganza recorded in the great state of Texas!

02:28 — Concerning Cons (with Gail, Olivia, Ash, Machelle, Beth, and Odin)

• Introductions all around…
• Odin1eye
• Ash Robbins
• Machelle Grimes
• Gail Carriger
• Olivia M. Grey
• Beth Case (She shows up later…)
• So what brings our guests to FenCon and what did they expect?
• Odin gives his approval for FenCon’s Phineas & Ferb panel
• Speaking to Gail about experiencing a con from the GoH’s point-of-view
• Pip comes clean on how tough it was to “return to reality” after the Guest of Honor treatment.
• What do you as a potential guest offer to the cons?
• Tee shares a major faux pas that programmers can do to “enthusiastic” participants…
• SHOUT OUT TO BALTICON!!!
• A few words on Gail’s rack…
• Beth Case introduces herself. (She was late as she was playing with robots.)
• Ash is put on the spot: What could a newcomer bring to a con? (Let Tee tell you…)
• What is a Rite of Ascension for a Would-Be Author?
• The difference between Cons and Writers’ Conferences
• SHOUT OUT TO SIN!
• For Beth and Odin, what should the fans bring to the con? What would be considered good fan etiquette?
• “Fanboi” can happen to anyone…even Pip’s dad…
• Beth squees under peer pressure….and so begins spontaneous squeeing through the remainder of the podcast….
• Moments of fanboi happen, even with authors on meeting their heroes…
• Felicia Day makes Gail squee.
• Pip and Tee look ahead to ComiCon…and Tee gushes a bit over Jared Axelrod. (Easy to do.)
• Closing comments and promotions…with a SECOND SHOUT OUT TO BALTICON!!!
• breaks the ONE HOUR BARRIER!

59:15 — Writing Advice from Crazy Uncle Charlie

• If you’re going to break the one hour barrier, it might as well be with a Warlock Rock Star from Mars.
• Questions for Crazy Uncle Charlie
• From Olivia: What is your process for creating characters?
  
• From Machelle: Should I use an outline, or dive into writing a story?
• From Gail: Should I use a pseudonym?
• C.U.C. is a little distracted by the present company, but he soldiers on…
• What is it about Odin1eye that bothers C.U.C.?
• Pip tries to keep C.U.C. on track. She tries…and tries…and tries…

1:06:16 — The Wrap-Up