A New Convention: Nerdcon Stories

Heya everybody,

Today’s blog is going to be really brief because I’m in Seattle, and I just have a few hours until my first panel here at Emerald City Comic Con. And after that I just have a couple hours before my show with Paul and Storm and Joel (As I mentioned in my previous blog.)

So this blog is just a quick heads up about something cool that’s happening.

For about a year now, I’ve been chatting with John and Hank green about setting up a convention. A convention that centers around our love of books and stories.

I could talk a lot about the convention. About what it is. About why I’m excited to be involved. About why it’s going to be cool.

Unfortunately, I’m really short on time right now. So I’m simply going to say this: It’s about stories. I’m excited to be involved. It’s going to be cool.

Here are other details you need sooner rather than later:

  • It’s happening October 9th & 10th.
  • It’s in Minneapolis.
  • There are only 3000 tickets available.

Now in some ways, 3000 people is a pretty big convention. But in other ways, it’s really not. Not considering the coolness of the guests we have coming in. Nightvale is going to be there. John and Hank Green are going to be there. We’ve got John Scalzi and Paulo Bacigalupi. We’ve got Holly Black and Jacqueline Carey. And many, many others.

I’m going to be there too. In case you hadn’t guessed.

You can see all of them on the website. And those are just the current folks we have confirmed. We’ve got more on the way.

The reason I’m writing this quick blog right now is so y’all have a chance to go over, look at the website, and grab your tickets if you want to come. Some of our guests have huge, rabid fanbases, and I’m expecting the 3000 badges to sell out pretty quickly.

So, if you live in Minneapolis. Or if you’re just really into cool things. You might want to head over to the website and grab a ticket before they’re all gone.

Here’s the link one more time. 

Best,

pat

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. By Pat35 Responses

35 Comments

  1. thomasmhewlett
    Posted March 27, 2015 at 4:55 PM | Permalink

    Never thought I’d say this but I wish I lived in Minneapolis.

    • Karissima
      Posted March 27, 2015 at 6:07 PM | Permalink

      Agreed.

  2. crookedmongoose
    Posted March 27, 2015 at 5:35 PM | Permalink

    I so wish this was something I could attend. My graduate research is all about stories and humans as storytelling animals (and gaming, and revolutions, and imprisonment, and how people tell different kinds of stories, and how social change is a matter of how certain stories are told) and this convention sounds like it would be absolutely amazing.

    I shall, instead, be all kinds of happy that it exists, even if I can’t be there! I look forward to hunting around for stories from people who attend. :)

    • EisforEnigma
      Posted March 28, 2015 at 1:00 AM | Permalink

      Oh, how I wish I could be as happy for those who get the chance to be the first to attend – instead I sit her utterly consumed by jealousy! Ah, such is life for a skint storytelling hobbyist.

      Your graduate research sounds utterly fascinating, Mongoose! I wish I had the courage to go back to school and study much the same. The reflection of culture and human experience in storytelling is just one of the many engrossing facets of the craft. If you’d ever care to share your findings, you’d have a willing ear and eye. :)

    • entropy
      Posted March 28, 2015 at 4:32 PM | Permalink

      Hey there,

      Working on my PhD at UCLA (1st year Information Studies) and I’m also interested in storytelling. My master’s work (in history) focused on identity, perception, and narratives, and my work at UCLA is geared towards narratives via social media. I’m hoping to figure out a way to incorporate some of my other passions (fantasy and sci-fi literature, Dungeons and Dragons, mmos, etc.) into my research work before I get to the dissertation stage. I would love to check out your work if you have anything you’re willing to share.

      I am registered for the event and would encourage you to do the same. If you haven’t been to a symposium or conference yet, you’d be amazed at how a few simple words can change the direction (or importance) of your research. So I would suggest that if you are able, fork over the money and consider it an education-related expense!

      • crookedmongoose
        Posted March 28, 2015 at 11:07 PM | Permalink

        Unfortunately (or fortunately), I’m already presenting at three conferences this year and I’m kind of tapped on travel. :(

        Your research sounds fascinating! Are you focusing on particular social media outlets? I’d love to hear more about your work. Have you checked out Walter Fisher or Eric Selbin yet? Fisher proposed a narrative/story-based theory of human communication back in the 80s and Selbin has a great book on the role of stories in resistance and revolution from a political science/history perspective – I cited both a bunch in a paper I just wrote about testimonies from women revolutionaries/prisoners in Chile and Argentina during the dictatorship periods.

        As for sci-fi/fantasy and gaming, there’s a little bit of fantastic stuff out there already (Daniel Mackay’s “Role-Playing Games: A New Performance Art” is really cool, plus there are a couple of ethnographies and some articles) and lots of room for more research! I’m actually finishing up a paper on the negotiation of morality in tabletop games (basically how players and GMs police or don’t police each other’s behavior, in-character versus out of character); if you think you might be interested in it, I’d be happy to send you a copy of it when it’s finished.

        • entropy
          Posted April 4, 2015 at 12:36 PM | Permalink

          I definitely love the research, but it can be a bit frustrating trying to ground it theoretically in my field; at the same time, however, once I have done so, working through information studies gives me a lot of leeway for what I can do. Since starting the PhD, I haven’t had much of a chance to work on my own research since I’m in the coursework phase, but I had originally been looking at Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube. Recently YikYak has caught my attention too and might be a really interesting addition.

          I think I’ve read some Selbin (on Latin American revolutions), but not Revolution, Rebellion, Resistence (it’s on my Amazon wishlist now though). I haven’t read any Fisher, but also added Human Communication as Narration to my wishlist. Thanks for the recommendations! I actually wrote a paper on Echeverria’s dirty war in Mexico that used a bit of Rogers Smith’s Stories of Peoplehood, but I’m guessing it would have been a much stronger paper with the Selbin (especially) and Fisher that you’ve suggested.

          Thanks also for the sci-fi/fantasy and gaming suggestions. I haven’t even looked into it yet, so any recommendations are appreciated. I’m not sure how exactly it will go over with my professors so I need to approach it carefully. I’d definitely love to read your paper when you’re done.

          I can be contacted at lukebohanon@ the-school-name-listed-in-my-above-comment dot edu or, if you use it, you can find me on Facebook. Also, if you somehow end up making it to the conference, let me know and maybe we can meet up for a beer or something.

  3. misskaitykat
    Posted March 27, 2015 at 6:08 PM | Permalink

    I just tried to register (I’m planning on flying up there!) but I get “Error code 504” each time (from mobile and computer). Does the fact that I use Apple products keep me from registering?

    • reldnahcire
      Posted March 27, 2015 at 8:05 PM | Permalink

      I just registered successfully from an Apple Laptop(Using Chrome browser). Don’t think that is your issue. I’d try again, perhaps you were too fast?

  4. Andi
    Posted March 27, 2015 at 7:05 PM | Permalink

    Are you accepting outside vendors?

  5. thewindsname
    Posted March 27, 2015 at 8:20 PM | Permalink

    Are there going to be any videos of the event online? That’s the only way I’d be able to experience it.

  6. Hibs
    Posted March 27, 2015 at 9:11 PM | Permalink

    Can’t make it.
    And my birthday is on Oct. 20.
    It would have been a perfect self-present.

    Going to go cry in a secluded corner now.

    But I hope everything works out smoothly, and that it is awesome and fun and nerdy and everything you want it to be. Amen.

    • cath
      Posted March 27, 2015 at 9:39 PM | Permalink

      Haha my birthday is 10/20 too and this is exactly what I was thinking! But then I remembered that I’m a destitute college student. Still, I’m super-excited to experience this vicariously and hopefully attend in the future!

  7. Krystallus
    Posted March 27, 2015 at 10:27 PM | Permalink

    PAT!!! Felurian and Death are facing off in the final round of the Suvudu cage match!

  8. luminol
    Posted March 27, 2015 at 10:46 PM | Permalink

    Finally a con I can attend! Can’t wait for this!!!!

  9. Posted March 27, 2015 at 10:57 PM | Permalink

    I am all kinds of excited about this. I’ve recently moved to Montréal which makes these kinds of conventions much more achievable for me (considering I used to live in Ireland). I’ve booked my ticket and my hotel already and I can’t EFFFING wait! Roll on October :)

  10. 3rdend
    Posted March 27, 2015 at 11:04 PM | Permalink

    Finally pat owns a boat to cross the river

  11. hauntedfaerie
    Posted March 28, 2015 at 12:12 AM | Permalink

    Nerdcon: Stories looks like the kind of convention my husband and I have always wished existed, and now it actually exists! We are lucky to live in Seattle, so we never really have to travel to go to really great nerdy things. Now it looks like we are going to Minneapolis in Oct! Just registered, so it’s all official!

  12. Quillan
    Posted March 28, 2015 at 1:01 AM | Permalink

    I want to be there. I can’t be there. I am broke. I love books. I write stories. I speak for many. Live stream panels?

  13. midobal
    Posted March 28, 2015 at 4:04 AM | Permalink

    I don’t know if you can talk to the one in charge of the web, but since you are one of the organizers you probably would like to know that the widget showing the guest list doesn’t work properly on Google Chrone (at least on Ubuntu). It only shows the begining of the image, not letting you neither see the picture nor read the name of the guest. It works fine on firefox though.

  14. Shadow14
    Posted March 28, 2015 at 2:48 PM | Permalink

    I am beyond excited that to attend. I love the focus on stories and kept thinking “ohh, I can’t wait to see this person” and then two seconds later I said the same thing about the person! As the guest list hasn’t been completely finalized I don’t suppose you could convince Jim Butcher to attend :)

    • Shadow14
      Posted March 28, 2015 at 2:49 PM | Permalink

      See so excited I can’t type. That should say “I’m beyond excited that I get to attend.”

  15. Holmelund
    Posted March 28, 2015 at 2:49 PM | Permalink

    I wish I could afford to go, but the plane ticket alone would be about 1000$

  16. 1999Brock
    Posted March 29, 2015 at 8:19 PM | Permalink

    Hi Pat, just wondering if there’s any chance you’ll be in the Raleigh, North Carolina area any time soon. We don’t get much traffic from nerdy celebrities (or celebrities in general, for that matter).
    Please? If you do, I’ll make you a pie. Or not, if you prefer. Some people don’t like pie.
    People who haven’t had mine. ;)

    Anyway, hope to see you. Have fun in Seattle!

  17. ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffu
    Posted March 30, 2015 at 1:00 AM | Permalink

    Hey there. I am still anxiously awaiting book three of the Kingkiller chronicles. I have been waiting for that book for a long time. Apparently people are liking it on facebook, giving it reviews on Amazon, etc. If there is some secret club that I have to join to read that book, please tell me what I have to do to join, because I want in. Thanks…

    • Holmelund
      Posted March 30, 2015 at 4:39 PM | Permalink

      Master Loren of the Archive would advice you to be patient.
      Auri would say that you should be patient as a Stone.

      The rest of us are as anxious as you to read book 3 and rest assured tha tPat will release it the moment it is perfect. I for one, would rather have a late but perfect book instaed of a soon but flawed one.
      :)

      • ACDragonMaster
        Posted April 2, 2015 at 11:46 PM | Permalink

        I should also note, at least we know it’s being worked on! Another fantasy series I follow (a Japanese series, in fact) had the latest book end on a horrible, HORRIBLE cliffhanger… and then months and months and MONTHS passed without a single peep on a release date for the next volume (usually these things got published at a rate of 1-2 a year). While meanwhile the author was still cranking out his other series at his usual breakneck pace…

        Turned out, in fact, that the author in question had some family issues come up that took precedence over his work. The reason why that particular series ended up being put on hold was (presumably) because his other major series was in the midst of being adapted into an animated tv series, so obviously that would take priority. Good to finally know what the heck was going on there, but boy was THAT an anxious wait of unknowing!

        Which is a long way of saying, at least we know it WILL be done. :|b

  18. ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffu
    Posted March 30, 2015 at 1:00 AM | Permalink

    sorry about the username. Please don’t take it personally. I really enjoyed your first 2 books, by the way. Thanks!

  19. toawoodring
    Posted March 30, 2015 at 2:26 AM | Permalink

    Glad you made it back to Seattle. Sad that ECCC gave you such a small room for the panel. Seriously… What were they thinking? My husbands a writer (‘The Never Hero” first book well received, and working on second) and we were looking forward to the panel, not just to see you(no offense, we love your work. I made him pick up your book and he loves your style. Your literary voice just carries the reader into your imagination. It’s amazing!) but actually for the discussion. Yet the line was so long that over an hour before the panel on Sunday they wouldn’t even let people join the line, and most people in line didn’t know what the panel was about, just that you where there. That wouldn’t be so bad, as it’s great that your getting the recognition you deserve, but the other rooms (3 times as big) were not even 1/3 full in most cases. What where the coordinators thinking?
    So my question: Do you know if they filmed the panel? We would love to still hear or see it.
    Thanks for coming to our beautiful city and we hope you make it back again soon.

  20. tryallthescience
    Posted March 30, 2015 at 10:29 PM | Permalink

    I got so excited about this convention once I looked through the list of authors that were going to be there that I had clicked through the entire website and started looking at tickets to Minneapolis before I realized I can’t go because I’m getting married on October 10th. I’m pretty excited to be getting married, but I’m still a tiny bit bummed that I can’t go.

  21. JJ_me
    Posted March 31, 2015 at 3:52 PM | Permalink

    I am so excited! A perfect Con for book lovers like my family. And how appropriate that my oldest daughter who got me started on your stories also got me started planning this trip for her… and a friend… and maybe a couple more tickets for me and my youngest daughter. Now we’re all going together. What a lovely family vacation!!!! Can’t wait to meet you :D

  22. caveolina
    Posted March 31, 2015 at 4:56 PM | Permalink

    Dear Pat,

    my husband and I attended your Reading at the LitCologne where you talked about your mum reading with you every day. That you had to read one chapter to make her reading further one. It’s just like we are reading with our son who started school last summer. Sometimes it s really hard because he’s frustrated if he dosn’ t get the words right in first place. But your Story encouraged us to carry on! Just thought you should now that. We really hope that he’ll love your Books as much as we do when he’s old enough to read them ;-)

  23. Manda
    Posted March 31, 2015 at 7:47 PM | Permalink

    Thank you so much for bringing this to Minneapolis! I enjoy quite a few of these authors and can’t wait to attend!

    I have a question regarding pie and baked goods in general. One of the commenters offered to make you a pie if you’re ever in their area. I live in St. Paul and make a damn good apple pie, but I wonder if this would be an awkward gift. Do you like receiving baked goods or does part of you worry that they’re filled with strychnine or cat hair?

    Also, pies are not extremely portable. You’re probably not going to eat the entire thing on the spot so what are you going to do with it? I guess you could share it with Scalzi. I hear he enjoys pie.

    I suppose this is a three part question. 1. Do you like receiving baked goods from fans? 2. Is pie a pain in the ass? 3. What are the best gifts to receive at a convention?

  24. cheyenne
    Posted June 6, 2015 at 12:19 AM | Permalink

    I first met Pat at a small library in Mpls or St Paul when I tracked him down to sign my 1st edition of the NOTW. There were about 15 people there unlike the crowds he attracts now. I’ve followed him since making sure I get signed copies of any books of his that get published.
    So I was so totally excited when I saw that THE Patrick Rothfuss was going to be in Mn in October. Not only that but there was going to be a whole convention going on around one of my favorite thing to do. READ. I talked to my daughter and told her she had to go with me because she loves reading the same type of books I do. It was going to be a great time. Tonight I went on the nerdcon site and learned that admission for one person is $100. Wow, I was shocked. This may be the normal admission price for these events but since I’ve never even considered going to one before I was taken by surprise. I’m very heartbroken now because there is no way I can swing $200 to spend on nerdcon.

Post a Reply to ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffu Cancel reply

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • RSS info

  • Visit Worldbuilders!

  • Our Store

  • Previous Posts

  • Archives



  • Bookmark this Blog!

    (IE and Firefox users only - Safari users, click Command-D)