Dearest Patrick
I know you’ve hit San Diego Comic-Con the last couple years. Are you going to be doing it again? I finally got a badge for this year, but I haven’t had any luck discovering when/where your panels and signings are.
My boyfriend isn’t as lucky as me, and doesn’t have a badge. We live in the San Diego area though, are you don’t any events that *aren’t* at the convention? As much as I want to taunt him, he’ll be really sad if he misses your trip entirely.
Emily
Sorry about that, Emily. I normally like to post up my schedule earlier than this, but certain parts were only finalized just recently.
Here are my official events at the con itself
- Thursday, July 18
1:45-2:45 pm – Ode to Nerds – Room 6A
3:14-4:14 – Group signing with Ode to Nerds Panel – Sails Pavilion, AA09
- Sunday, July 21
3:00 pm – Signing in the autograph area – Sails Pavilion, AA06
I’ll also be hanging out at a couple booths in the dealer’s room because I think they’re cool and I like the people there.
Mysterious Galaxy – Booths 1119, 1121, and 1123
Geek Chic – Booths 4930 and 4932
Badali Jewelry – Booths 532 and 534
If you catch me at any one of these places, I will be obliged to give you my pot of gold. Or a hug. Or my signature. Or a surly poke in the eye.
It all depends on my blood sugar, really.
* * *
As for your boyfriend, Emily, I recommend taunting him a bit, just on general principals.
That said, I am doing a couple events that people can attend even if they don’t have a badge for ComicCon.
The coolest of these is wOOtstock.
- Thursday, July 18th – 7:00 PM
First off, if you don’t know what w00tstock is… well… you’re really behind the curve. Let me explain….
No, there’s too much. Let me sum up:
wOOtstock is a great geeky joyfest. There’s music, stories, humor, skits, presentations, more music, more humor…
Honestly? It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever been involved in.
These last two years, I’ve made appearances at wootstock, but I’ve always been a surprise guest.
But this year, I’m on the official list along with folks like Wil Wheaton, Garfunkel and Oats, Molly Lewis….
You can see more of the official names over here.
But what’s really cool about Wootstock is the guests that show up unannounced. There are a *lot* of these, because all manner of cool people are in town for Comic Con.
For example, last year just one of the surprise guests was Levar Burton, who showed up and sang the theme to Reading Rainbow with Wil. It was kinda awesome. I got misty.
And this year…. Man. Since I’m on the inside, I’ve heard some rumors of who might be showing up. It’s going to be awesome…
Anyway, I’ll be there on Thursday night, doing my small part in amongst the roiling sea of awesome geekery. I will also be making an announcement there. A special announcement.
And, after the show winds down, I’ll be hanging around afterwards with the rest of the cast, signing posters and anything else that people happen to have brought with them. So if you want to get some books signed, I’d be happy to do it there.
Wootstock 5.0 is at the Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave. Here’s the link to buy tickets, but I’d hurry – they’re very nearly sold out.
Also, a couple days after the convention, I’ll be doing a signing in San Diego.
- Tuesday, July 23 – 7 PM
Mysterious Galaxy Books
7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Suite #302,
San Diego, CA 92111
Facebook Event
* * *
Dear Lord Rothfuss, Master Namer, Grand Bard to the King
A few years ago, I attended Gencon, where you were guest of honor. I brought my copy of Name of the Wind (Which I had fallen in love with right off the shelf when it came out) to be signed by you. Unfortunately I never got to doing that because of first con overload and a fear of asking directions to things. I returned home to Maine with a regrettably unsigned book.
When Wise Man’s Fear came out, I was understandably excited therefore to learn that, while I couldn’t make any of your signings, Prairie Light in Iowa City, just south of Cornell where I was attending until this year, would have signed copies. I reserved one and happily purchased it, toting it around lovingly everywhere I went, completely absorbed in literary bliss as I read it. A lack of foresight would cause me to bring it to dinner and spill soy sauce on it. In my shame at damaging a prized treasure, and a book no less, I purchased a new, unsigned copy in repentance.
My questions for you are thus. Would it be at any time during this Gencon appropriate for me to ask you to sign them? If so, what would be the most appropriate time? I don’t want to be “that one guy” who interrupts your enjoyment of the con or unduly begs you to sign his books when you’d rather be doing something else. If you tell me you”d rather I didn’t ask you to sign them at any point during the con, I’ll respect that. I’ll probably stop by your booth and chat you up just because I’m a major fan, but I won’t push the issue. I just wanted to put the question out there to avoid possibly making an ass of myself at the convention itself.
Sincerely,
Shane
* * *
Dear Shane,
Generally speaking, when I’m at a convention, I’m there to make myself available. I spend a lot of time signing books, speaking on panels, etc etc.
So thanks for being careful and courteous, but generally speaking, if you find me at my booth, I’m there to sign books. Don’t be bashful.
Now, that said, there’s a big difference between me signing books at the booth, or at an autographing session, or after a reading. And… say… coming up to me in a restaurant. Or grabbing me in the hallway when I’m rushing somewhere. Or catching me in the bathroom.
Those situations, I’m generally less pleased to be asked for a signature.
Here’s my schedule for Gencon as it stands right now, that way you’ll have a much easier time catching me when I’m at the booth, doing a panel, etc.
GenCon Indy
Thursday, August 15th
12-1:45 Signing at the booth
2PM The Art of Storytelling – Moderator ICC Room 245
3PM Dynamic Characters ICC Room 245
5PM Literary Alchemy ICC Room 245
Friday, August 16th
10:30-11:45 Signing at the booth
7:30-9PM – An Evening with Pat Rothfuss – ICC Room 243
Saturday, August 17th
12 NOON Reading ICC room 244
2:00 – 4:00 pm: True Dungeon (Worldbuilders Auction)
4-6 Signing at the booth
Sunday, August 18
11-1 Signing at the booth
2-4 Signing at the booth
Two things:
1. If you really want the chance to hang out, ask me questions, hear my tells stories and read my stuff, come to the “Evening with Pat Rothfuss” event on Friday night.
2. You might also notice that up there in bold, I’m going do be doing a True Dungeon crawl with some of my author friends and some geeky fans, too.
Last year during Worldbuilders, we auctioned off most of the seats. But we left one open, and we’re auctioning it off now, along with a full pass to GenCon as well.
It’s going to be a good time. Here’s the link to the auction. (Note that it’s on the 17th, not the 7th. That was a typo.)
There will be more convention announcements soon, as well as other news.
And, believe it or not, we’re finally getting ready to post the results of the photo contest from *ages* ago. Seriously.
pat