June newsletter: MakerFaire, Noir at the Bar, ConTemporal, and the last week for Manly Wade Wellman Award nominations
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June newsletter: MakerFaire, Noir at the Bar, ConTemporal, and the last week for Manly Wade Wellman Award nominations
Posted on 2014-06-07 at 14:2 by montsamu
Vol 4. No 6. June 6, 2014: First, it was pretty amazing to see so many fantastic NC authors and fans at ConCarolinas last weekend. (And, OK, sure, those coming in from out of state as well!) June is a bit quieter in terms of readings, though (of course) there’s still plenty going on, from Maker Faire this weekend to ConTemporal to close out the month, and the first “Noir at the Bar” event on June 19 with a half-dozen (and counting) crime novelists holding court.
Looking further ahead, while there’s rumor and word of a D.B. Jackson signing at Quail Ridge Books in July, I don’t have the final details to pass along just yet. But! The “NEW” event listings include the annual “Can’t Stop the Serenity” charity screening of the Firefly movie in July and not one but two readings with John Scalzi in late August.
Meanwhile, new bullspec.com content (other than a few “Friday Quick Update” posts) since the last newsletter includes:
- The Exploding Spaceship Spring Event Reviews for Authors and The Exploding Spaceship Reviews The Moon King, Reign of Ash and Broken Homes
- The Hardest Part: Jen McConnel and The Hardest Part: Monica Byrne on The Girl in the Road
- Paul Kincaid’s From the Other Side, May 2014: Comics Unmasked exhibition, and new books from Nick Harkaway, Paul Cornell, Trudi Canavan, and Jeff VanderMeer
Lastly, I need to draw your attention to nominations for the 2014 Manly Wade Wellman Award, which have been extended through Friday, June 13. If you are or were a member of illogiCon, ConCarolinas, ConTemporal, or ConGregate, you are eligible to vote! If you haven’t, please fill out the registration form and I will get your e-ballot to you as soon as I can.
-Sam
UPCOMING EVENTS, JUNE 2014
NEW: 6-22 — Raleigh Little Theatre presents Noël Coward’s “Blithe Spirit” at Cantey V. Sutton Theatre. “ A novelist invites an eccentric medium and clairvoyant to his house to conduct a séance for research for his next book. The scheme backfires when he is haunted by the ghost of his temperamental first wife.” More info: http://raleighlittletheatre.org/shows/13-14/blithe.html
NEW: 7 (Saturday) — Maker Faire North Carolina at the NC Fairgrounds Exhibition Center. More info: http://www.makerfairenc.com/
NEW: 13 (Friday) 7 pm — Quail Ridge Books hosts Quail Ridge Books’ Teen Writers Collective Performs.
14 (Saturday) 11 am — McIntyre’s Books hosts Monica Byrne – The Girl in the Road.
NEW: 19 (Thursday) 6 pm — “Noir at the Bar” in Durham as “Seven gritty crime writers descend upon Downtown Durham to talk books, writing, and drinking at 106 Main. Join Grant Jerkins, Phillip Thompson, Steve Weddle, Eryk Pruitt, Charles Dodd White, Peter Farris and Chad Rohrbacher for a night so dangerous, you’re going to need a drink.” More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1529679923926165/
NEW: 20-22 (Friday to Sunday) — Heroes Convention in Charlotte, presented by Charlotte comics shop Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find, at the Charlotte Convention Center. More info: [embed]http://www.heroesonline.com/[/embed]
NEW-NEW: 21 (Saturday) — Free RPG Day at gaming stores across the Triangle (and beyond) including (at least) Durham’s Atomic Empire.
26-29 (Thursday to Sunday) — ConTemporal in Raleigh at the Hilton North Raleigh Midtown. “Join us for the Third Annual Extravaganza!” More info: http://contemporal.org/
27-28 (Friday and Saturday) — The High Country Festival of the Book in Downtown Boone, NC. More info: http://www.highcountryfestivalofthebook.com/
27-29 (Friday to Sunday) – LibertyCon, Chattanooga, TN. Guests include Pittsboro author David Drake and master of ceremonies Jim Minz. More info: http://www.libertycon.org/
JULY 2014
NEW-NEW: 7 (Monday) 7 pm — Flyleaf Books hosts Wilton Barnhardt discusses his novel Lookaway, Lookaway for the new paperback release. (Fiction.)
NEW-NEW: 8 (Tuesday) 6:30 pm — McIntyre’s Books hosts Wilton Barnhardt for the new paperback release of his novel Lookaway, Lookaway. (Fiction.)
NEW-NEW: 8 (Tuesday) 7 pm — The Barnes & Noble of Cary hosts Durham author Jay Posey for Morningside Fall, book two after his debut novel Three in his “The Legends of the Duskwalker” post-apocalyptic series. More info: [embed]http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/4708748[/embed]
10 (Thursday) 7:30 pm — Quail Ridge Books hosts Jeff VanderMeer for Authority, book 2 of The Southern Reach after Annihilation. VanderMeer has also recently released an award-winning writing/creative book, Wonderbook. More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1426122410996685/
NEW-NEW: 12 (Saturday) 6 to 9 pm — Chapel Hill Comics is having a big signing event to mark the sale of the store by long-time owner Andrew Neal. Participants include Ed Piskor, Jim Rugg, Tom Scioli, and Chris Pitzer.
NEW-NEW: 14 (Saturday) 7:30 pm — Asheville’s Malaprop’s Bookstore and Cafe hosts Jeff VanderMeer. More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/770086753036083/
11-13 (Friday to Sunday) — ConGregate in downtown Winston-Salem with guests of honor Larry Correia,Mark Poole, and Toni Weisskopf, as well as the presentation of the 2014 Manly Wade Wellman Award for North Carolina Science Fiction and Fantasy. More info: http://www.con-gregate.com/
NEW-NEW: 17 (Thursday) 7:30 pm — Quail Ridge Books hosts Lydia Netzer (author of Shine Shine Shine) for her new novel How to Tell Toledo from the Night Sky along with Anne Barnhill (Queen Elizabeth’s Daughter) and Barbara Claypole White (The In Between Hour) for a special “Women Writers Writing Women’s Stories” event. (Fiction.)
18-20 (Friday to Sunday) — MonsterCon in Greenville, SC with Angela Pritchett, Rich Sigfrit, Naomi Grossman, Cerina Vincent, Camden Toy, Sonya Thompson, Michael Carr, John G. Hartness, Rachael Hill, and many more guests. More info: http://www.monstercon.org/
18-20 (Friday to Sunday) — Raleigh’s PNC Arena plays host to Marvel Universe Live, a new live-action show. More info: http://www.thepncarena.com/events/detail/marvel-universe-live
19 (Saturday) 3 pm — Quail Ridge Books hosts Deborah Harkness for The Book of Life. More info: http://quailridgebooks.com/event/deborah-harkness-book-life
NEW-NEW: 21 (Monday) 7:30 pm — Quail Ridge Books hosts David B. Coe for his new novel (as D.B. Jackson) A Plunder of Souls, book 3 of his Thieftaker historical fantasy series.
NEW: 23 (Wednesday) 7:30 pm — Quail Ridge Books hosts Chris Bohjalian – ‘Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands’. (Fiction)
NEW: 27 (Sunday) 6 pm — The annual Raleigh NC Browncoats “Can’t Stop the Serenity” charity screening of Serenity, the Firefly movie, at the Raleighwood Cinema Grill. Doors open at 6 pm ahead of a costume contest and raffle prior to the screening at 8 pm. This event usually sells out in advance. More info: http://www.ncbrowncoats.com/
NEW-NEW: 29 (Tuesday) 7 pm — The Barnes & Noble of Cary hosts Durham author Mur Lafferty for Ghost Train to New Orleans, the second book in her “The Shambling Guides” series after last year’s The Shambling Guide to New York City. More info: [embed]http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/84527[/embed]
AUGUST 2014
4 — Regional author book release day for Familiars by Fred Chappell, a collection of poetry on the subject of cats (Louisiana State University Press).
NEW-NEW: 16 (Saturday) — Comics writer Charles Soule at at Ultimate Comics: “The writer of Letter 44, Superman Wonder Woman, Swamp Thing, Red Lanterns , She Hulk, Inhuman, 27, as well as the upcoming Death of Wolverine mini series will be in the store signing! Mark your calendar now! Don’t miss your chance to meet one of the newest superstars in comics!“
28 (Thursday) 7 pm — Flyleaf Books hosts Lev Grossman discusses his novel The Magician’s Land.
NEW: 28 (Thursday) 7:30 pm — Quail Ridge Books hosts John Scalzi for his forthcoming sf novel Lock In.
NEW: 29 (Friday) 7 pm — Flyleaf Books hosts John Scalzi for his forthcoming sf novel Lock In.
NEW-NEW: 30-31 (Sat-Sun) — “The First East Coast Cosplay-Centric Con” with guest StayXXXX. More info: [embed]http://cosplayamerica.com[/embed]
SEPTEMBER 2014
2 — Local author book release day for The Savior (The General) by Tony Daniel and David Drake (Baen, Sep 2) — “Sequel to The Heretic, Book 10 in the nationally best-selling General series.”
NEW-NEW: 11 (Thursday) 7 pm — The Regulator Bookshop hosts Stuart Rojstaczer, “The Mathematician’s Shiva”. (Fiction.)
NEW-NEW: 12 (Friday) 7:30 pm — Quail Ridge Books hosts Kim Harrison for The Witch with No Name, “the triumphant conclusion to Kim Harrison’s #1 New York Times bestselling Hollows series.”
NEW-NEW: 18 (Thursday) 7 pm — The Regulator Bookshop hosts John Darnielle, “Wolf in White Van”. (Fiction.)
OCTOBER 2014
NEW: 8 (Wednesday) 7 pm — Flyleaf Books hosts Marie Lu discusses her new young adult novel The Young Elites.
NEW: 25 (Saturday) — 2014 Geek Gala in Charlotte, hosted by The Charlotte Geeks. “The Geekiest Halloween Party in the Carolinas” with magicians, sketch comedy, music, costumes, a short film festival, games, etc. More info: [embed]http://www.geekgala.com/[/embed]
NEW-NEW: 24-26 (Friday to Sunday) — 24th annual South Carolina Writers’ Workshop (SCWW) conference at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort. More info: [embed]http://myscww.org/conference/[/embed]
NOVEMBER 2014
6-9 (Thursday to Sunday) – World Fantasy Con, Washington, DC with Guest of Honor Guy Gavriel Kay, Toastmaster Jane Yolen, and many, many more members including David Drake and Mark L. Van Name. More info: http://worldfantasy2014.org/
NEW: 14-16 (Friday to Sunday) — AtomaCon in North Charleston, SC; a “family-friendly” Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Science and Technology convention. Literary guest of honor: John Jackson Miller, author of Star Wars: Kenobi. At the Charleston Plaza Hotel. More info: [embed]http://www.AtomaCon.org/[/embed]
15-16 (Saturday and Sunday) — NC Comicon at the Durham Convention Center and Comiquest Film Festival at the Carolina Theatre of Durham. More info: http://nccomicon.com/
JANUARY 2015
9-11 (Friday to Sunday) illogiCon (“illogiCon iv: How Schrödington Got His Groove Back”) with guests of honor Jacqueline Carey and Chris Garcia at the Empassy Suites RDU. [Facebook Event]
FEBRUARY 2015
NEW: 27 to (March) 1 (Friday to Sunday) — MystiCon in Roanoke, VA with author guest of honor Alan Dean Foster, at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood. More info: [embed]http://mysticon-va.com/[/embed]
APRIL 2015
NEW: 24-26 (Friday to Sunday) — RavenCon 10 in Richmond, VA with writer guest of honor Allen Steele and special guest Lawrence M. Schoen. At the DoubleTree by Hilton Richmond Midlothian. More info: [embed]http://www.ravencon.com/[/embed]
OCTOBER 2015
8-11 (Thursday to Sunday) Bouchercon 2015 in Raleigh. Bouchercon is the annual World Mystery Convention, and this is the first Bouchercon ever (in its nearly 50-year history) to be held in the American South.
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