Howard's 2012 Appearance Schedule

This is the 30th installment of "Life, The Universe, and Everything: the Marion Brown Symposium on Science Fiction and Fantasy," known colloquially as "LTUE." It will be held in the Sorenson Center on the Utah Valley University campus, and Howard will be there with Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, and Mary Robinette Kowal of Writing Excuses. 

March 16-18: Lunacon in Rye Brook, NY

Howard is the Artist Guest of Honor! Other guests include John Ringo, Tamora Pierce, and Looney Labs. Howard has never been to Lunacon before and has no idea what to expect.

March 29-31: World Horror in Salt Lake City, UT

The UtahSF group is hosting World Horror for the second year in recent memory, and Mike Mignola is the Artist Guest of Honor. I cannot not be there. I don't know whether I'll be exhibiting, though.

April 1st: Utah's Biggest Liar in Orem, UT

This single-evening event is a contest for storytellers in the "tall tale" category, and for the second year in a row they've invited me to serve as the emcee. My favorite part is improvising additional lies as "evidence" supporting the story that just left the stage while the next storyteller prepares to come up. I haven't had a gig require me to be this swiftly prevaricative since I worked at Novell...

May 4-5: LDS Storymakers Conference in Provo, Utah  

This conference is packed with useful information about writing and the business of publishing, and is primarily geared towards LDS writers. Howard will be presenting on world-building, among other things. The conference also offers writing workshops and pitch opportunities with agents and editors, but registration is capped, but remains open for now...

May 25-28: World Steam Expo in Dearborn, Michigan

Look, if you're planning to be there you might run into me, but I'm not exhibiting. I'm just there to have fun, and to support some friends who have helped me out with my own convention stuff in the past. Of course, if you've got stuff for me to sign, I'll happily sign it. In costume, even.

June 15-17: DeepSouthCon in Huntsville, Alabama

Howard is the Artist Guest of Honor here, and is excited to hang out with lots of friends and barflies from Baen (DeepSouthCon 2012 is being chaired by Toni Weisskopf of Baen Books.) The Author Guest of Honor will be Lois McMaster Bujold. Howard will endeavor to keep his inner fanboy all the way on the inside.

August 16-19:  GenCon in Indianapolis, Indiana

 GenCon is touted as the best four days in gaming, and it is definitely packed with amazing events. Look for Howard at the Schlock Mercenary booth in the dealer's hall sitting alongside Tracy Hickman and Jim Zubkavich. Also, look for the Schlock Mercenary board game, and be sure to sign up early for Tracy Hickman's Killer Breakfast. 

August 30-Sept 3: ChiCon -- WorldCon 70 in Chicago, Illinois

WorldCon is the premier science fiction and fantasy event. It will have top talent from all over the world participating in presentations and panel discussions. The schedule and dealer's room assignments are still pending on this event. We'll publish more information as we have it.

November 2-4: Convolution in Burlingame, California

I'm the Artist Guest of Honor at this first-year convention (run by a bunch of seasoned con-folk, so I'm sure it'll be a first-class event) in the San Francisco Bay area. This is the same weekend as World Fantasy, so I will not be attempting a Genre Fiction World Con Hat Trick in 2012. I'll have to settle for two out of three (World Horror and WorldCon.)

 

Where I'm Not:

I'm completely booked for 2012. These ten events leave just enough room for me to launch a book, a board game, crank out a year of strips, and (hopefully) finish the materials for a second book launch late in the year. Thus, you're not going to see me alongside any of the cool kids at SDCC, ECCC, NYCC, or pretty much any "comic-con" event this year. I'm even missing CONduit in Salt Lake City this year! 

If you'd like me to be in your town for an event, 2013 is still mostly wide open. Guest of Honor gigs (the ones where the convention pays my travel and housing) take priority over everything else. Land me one of those, and I'll be there with my A-game and my shiniest boots.