Capclave Calling
Posted on September 17, 2012 Posted by John Scalzi 20 Comments
A reminder to all and sundry that in just a little under a month from this very day, I will be in the Washington, DC area for the purpose of being the Author Guest of Honor at Capclave, a fine and lovely science fiction and fantasy convention in Gaithersburg. At said convention, I will do readings! Be on panels! Have a kaffeklatch! Do an interview/dialogue/rant-filled bellow fest with Editor Guest of Honor Nick Mamatas! Here’s the preliminary programming schedule.
(I’ll note the programming people did a fine job of putting me on interesting things, considering that when they sent me the schedule and asked me what I wanted to be on, my response was “bwuh?” It is to their credit that they put me on cool stuff, rather than having me be the sole member of a panel entitled “When Guests of Honor are Lazy and Uncommunicative: A Case Study.” Bless you, Capclave programming people. You are better people than I am. I mean, obviously. Also, I may ultimately show up on one or two more things; we’ll see.)
I’ve been looking forward to coming to Capclave for a while now. It’s got a strong crew of participants this year and has an excellent reputation as being a place where good conversation happens. My plan is simply not to lower their standards. Also, for those of you who care about these sorts of things, it’s my last scheduled appearance in the DC-Baltimore area for a while, so if you wanted to see me, this would be the time. This is also my last scheduled public appearance anywhere for 2012, I believe.
Coming back around to Nick Mamatas for a moment, I’ll note that a while back Nick had asked Capclave what their policy was regarding harassment; the con responded and Nick has posted the policy on his LiveJournal. I recommend folks wander over there and have a look. Both Nick and I have decided that, should anyone decide to go out of their way to be a harassing assbag, we will express our displeasure at that person quite publicly. So please, don’t be that person! Instead, be one of the awesome people who will make Capclave awesome yet again this year.
See you October 12 – 14!
Scalzi: My plan is simply not to lower their standards.
You’re ISO9000 qualified!
John, I see they’ve put me on a panel with you and Nick and as cool as that sounds, I now feel like that player just called up from single-A ball to sit on the bench at a major league game and watch how the pros do it. ;-) Or, put another way, I’m a little nervous!
I misread that as CopClave and wondered if you were doing a crime novel now.
Capclave will be a great place to meet up with John & Nick & others – it’s a smallish convention regardless of GoHs . The Capclave with the most attendees was with Harry Turtledove (387) and at #2 was Howard Waldrop (385). Will John become our new #1?
I have been flirting with attending a CapClave for more than 10 years now. Unfortunately distance and schedule seem to always get in the way. Plus, I’m afraid that if I attend it will constitute my third WSFA meeting and they will hit me up for membership dues.
I would cackle with evil glee at the sight of The Internets falling on some jerk’s head were they stupid enough to dare the wrath of Messers Scalzi & Mamatas. But a happy convention without ass-hattery would be a much more fun thing, so I hope that’s how it goes.
This will be my first CapClave–I’m really looking forward to it!
I don’t see “Scalzi and Mamatas wrestle in lucha libre masks and capes” anywhere on the program. Pass.
Hey Nick from the O.C. … not to worry, Capclave doesn’t count toward WSFA membership, so you’ll be safe. Heck even if you attend 3 WSFA meetings there’s no requirement to actually join. So, there’s go that excuse about not attending Capclave!
This is very heartening! Now, about that itinerary. . .?
A convention I can finally afford to go to! (Though I will have to get my copy of Redshirts back from the friend I lent it to well before then…)
I find that when I’m at CapClave I’m one of the younger folks (OK, so I’m 45 so I’m kidding… mostly), and the mix of genders is pretty even. So, I might be pretty naive when I say this, I think there’s a lot less harassing going on here than at other cons, though a policy is always good to have because one harrassing asshat is one too many.
I’ve missed the last couple of years, but this is one I plan on attending since you are GOH! May we bring a book for you to autograph?
I’m putting together a shopping list for the Capclave Green Room, John. Do you prefer Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines buttercream frosting with your Coke Zero?
As the head of said programming, I did consider putting you on everything, but resisted the temptation. Although many would get the joke, others would be upset when you didn’t show up on the “Here kitty kitty” panel. When you have time let me know which panels you want to be added.
I expect the “Online Presence” panel Jaime mentioned with you Nick and Morgan Keyes will be very interesting, even if it is an early panel. I hope that i’ll be able to slip away from my duties to see that one.
I’m planning to be there! It’s been a while since my last one (can’t remember when it was, but sometime before I left for college). But this summer my friends were all, “waah we missed gencon because we’re not in the midwest anymore. We should go to a local con.” And I was all “um, Capclave kicks gencon’s shiny overpriced butt.”
So yeah, that’s happening.
never been to a Con before. All the talk about them is making me consider going to this. Its kind of a haul from the Dulles, VA area. I’ll have to email them to see if I can just register for Saturday. I saw programming starting at 10:30 PM at night? Is it common to have stuff this late?
There will be a Saturday only rate. There is also a special rate for full time students and active military. Many conventions run until midnght. Some even have midnight panels. The later panels are often more adult in nature, but not always.
Check out the full list of program items. There is a lot at of interesting happenings Friday and Sunday as well.
The Gaithersburg Hilton has free parking.
I’ve been to every Capclave – it’s my local con! For a librarian whose chief interest in the SF world is the books, this is an excellent little convention. I recommend it, those of you on the fence! Plus, I’m very much looking forward to seeing Scalzi there. He’s always interesting. Thanks for coming, John!
so disappointed! Never heard of this one until now, but it’s the same weekend as the DCRG season opener. Next year, I guess.
Also, Monica, is your library hiring? my job ends in December and I’m looking for something permanent.