Working under a deadline, plus the “real” job which pays for everything, leads to a frustrated writer forgetting to update his website.

On the plus side, I’ll be returning to FandomFest for a Saturday-only engagement this weekend. You may remember last year’s AAR of the event (most of you found this place due to said after action review), but I was promised a vastly superior time this year. And no Hotel of Pain. Plus, for entertainment, I was promised a pet Scalzi*. I’ve always wanted a Scalzi, so this should be fun.

My panel schedule is as follows:

• 11:30 AM — I Love the Craft of Lovecraft (Morrow Room)

One of our HP Lovecraft panels at Fandom Fest!  This one focuses upon the craft of the great author.  What is it about his writing that made him standout.  What kind of techniques is he most known for.

• 1:00 PM — The Basics of Book Reviewing (Taylor Room)

Did you ever want to know how a review is approached, from a viewer’s perspective?   This panel will reveal that and much more to you, in terms of the fundamentals of conducting a good book review.

• 4:00 PM — Taboos in Writing (Morrow Room)

Are there taboos that a writer should stay away from when creating a story?  If so, what are they?  Are some things appropriate for some occasions and not for others?  This panel brings you an open discussion about the areas that writers might be cautious about.

I’m not too sure about the H.P. Lovecraft panel (my knowledge of Lovecraft is that he was probably the second-most screwed over writer in history by his publisher), or the taboos one (are there really taboos still in writing today?), but the book review one should be fun. I may not be a professional book reviewer, but my review site gets a lot of hits (for some damned reason, most assuredly not because of anything I do) and I do know how to piss people off. So…. yeah, should be fun.

After that, I’ll be gone for another week. The beaches of South Carolina are calling my name. Can’t you hear them?

“No! Oh no! Run! Run away!”

Ah… refreshing. While there, I’ll be finishing up a few stories, prepping my Fourth Wall thing for the Cabin Goddess, finding out if I sold another short story or not, wrapping up another Heroes in Hell submission, and, oh yeah, drinking. I might even, you know, relax, since I should only be busy in the mornings.

No worries, kitties are taken care of. Both of them are going to be spoiled rotten by Sam by the time I get back.

And I’m off!

*note – I’m not really getting a pet John Scalzi. Too much of a mess, and his dietary habits would drive me to distraction. Coke Zero? Really? Why not just shoot up with Heroin Zero, for crying out loud?