FOGcon 2018 Report
The 2018 Friends of Genre convention (FOGcon 8) was held March 9-11 at the Walnut Creek Marriot in Walnut Creek CA. 190 memberships were sold, plus an additional 32 day passes. The theme was “Performance in SF&F”, with honored guests Andrea Hairston, Ada Palmer, and Thomas M. Disch (posthumously).
Programming included 74 participants and 55 slots, with panels on science, writing, publishing, literature, politics, and more, with titles such as “Short Stories that Stand Out From the Slush Pile”, “Glorious, Bonkers Romance”, “Good Grimdark Done Well by Marginalized People”, “Speculative Fiction, Science and the Sacred”, and “Cuddly Horrors from Outer Space”.
The dealer’s room was well appointed, with businesses such as Borderlands Books and Cargo Cult, goods like books, jewelry, and accessories, and services including massage.
The bar lounge was comfortable and often lively, suitable for working or mingling. Additional options included the affordable Unaward Lunch Banquet with 105 attendees (a buffet with delicious fare), a writing workshop, readings, a hospitality suite, and programming for children. Writers’ organization Codex held a dinner with over 30 attendees.
FOGcon 9 is scheduled for March 8-10, 2019, and the theme is “Friendship”. Honored guests have not yet been announced.
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