A Symposium Tale...

"Hey," I looked up from where I sat at our table in the Dealer's Room at LTUE (Life, the Universe, and Everything Symposium...).

"What's up?" I asked the diminutive person standing before me. The cute girl with sandy hair and sunglasses positioned with attitude on her head. Turns out she wasn't there to take candy from my customer-attracting stash of Cadbury's Mini Easter Eggs used to increase sales of my collection of short stories (candy which probably ate up all my book sales profits...). No, she had a simple question. 

"Can I draw your picture for a dollar?"

Now, I'm no celebrity, but I've been asked for my autograph on a number of occasions. Kids will sometimes ask cast members to sign the playbills after a show of which I am a cast member. And after those plays there are times when people want a picture taken with someone in the play--especially when we're dressed as a pirate, or Bob Cratchet. 

But I believe this was a first--the first time someone wanted to draw me. Before I could give my answer she told me who she was--a daughter of one of the fellow LTUE attendees. She then told me why she was using her extreme cuteness to persuade someone with such "frugal" tendencies.

"I want ten dollars so I can buy that video 'Christmas Dragon' and that's why I'm drawing people." She pointed across the aisle to where a vendor of locally produced action and fantasy videos hawked his wares. 

"Of course! I'd love for you to draw me," I said and retrieved my wallet. Halfway through the artistic process the young entrepreneur/artist asked, "Are you a nerd?"

"Yes, I am a nerd," I proudly proclaimed. After a quick adjustment to my representation, she handed me the finished product. I loved it, so much so, I recruited several of my friends to participate too. Soon, I watched an excited budding artist run to the video vender and purchase her well-earned prize. Just another little tale, one of many experiences that make the gathering of like minds so much fun. Personally, I think it's an amazing likeness.

Life, The Universe, And Everything...Unlike Winter (Apparently...) Is Coming!

LTUE Is Almost Here!

I don't know what it is, but I really like this conference that's coming up, Life, the Universe, and Everything, or LTUE for short. I guess it's not technically a conference (like Comic Con is a conference...), but more a symposium. Personally, I don't care what it's called because the name's not as important as what takes place.

My first experience with LTUE happened back in 2012. It was held at on the Utah Valley University campus and I took my teenage son. Both he and I were aspiring writers, but the main reason I took him was because students were admitted for free.

We attended some great panels, met some amazing authors and artists and had a fantastic time. One of the people I met was Blake Casselman and because of him I've been able to attend every Salt Lake Comic Con which allowed me to get to know so many other talented people. It's changed my life in many ways. See what attending a conference...ah, sorry, symposium can do?

This year I'm involved in five panels, three on Thursday and two on Saturday. I will also be at the book signing event Friday night at 8pm. Plus, Xchyler Publishing, who I like to call "my publisher," will also be at the event and if you're interested in getting published, PLEASE find us and check out what we do! As far as the rest of the symposium, here's the rest of my schedule:

Thursday, 2/12/15, 9am

Philip K. Dick as an example of adaptation: Blake Cassleman, Dan Wells, Oscar Bernie, Scott William Taylor, Scott R. Parkin (m)

Thursday, 2/12/15, 11am

Everything is Awesome!: The genius of the LEGO movie: James Ganiere, Tracy Mangum, Daniel Swenson (Revan), Scott William Taylor, Craig Nybo (m)

Thursday, 2/12/15, 2pm

Finding Your Muse: Anna del C. Dye, Fiona Ostler, Sandra Tayler, Scott William Taylor, M. M. Todd Gallowglas (m)

Saturday, 2/14/15, 9am

Learning From Failure: Al Carlisle, Tracy Hickman, Sandra Tayler, Scott William Taylor, Chas Hathaway (m)

Saturday, 2/14/15, 4pm

Publishing With A Small Press: Christine Haggerty, Adrienne Monson, Brett Peterson, J. D. Raisor, Scott William Taylor (m)

As you can see, I'm going to have SO much fun! Just look at those panels and the people I'll be with! Great stuff, there! If you're going, I hope you'll find me! A great deal of the fun is just seeing friends and getting to know new people! Remember, LTUE is coming!

Feast Or Famine? For Me...It's Time To Feast

You know how some people believe that when the planets align, something big is going to happen, or those who say, "When it rains, it pours?" Perhaps you don't know anyone like that. Perhaps you do. When I think about the first two months of 2015, my mind thinks of things like planets aligning and pouring rain.

I can't believe the things that are happening to me in the next couple of weeks--each one would be newsworthy on its own, but you add them together, it's almost overwhelming!

A few months ago I was informed a short story I submitted to Xchyler Publishing was selected for their upcoming anthology. This was special news to me because about two years ago Xchyler gave me my first break in the publishing game--a short story in Mechanized Masterpieces Steampunk Anthology, or MMSA for short. That, in turn, opened up many new doors for me and is still providing benefits to this day. The next edition comes out next month, Mechanize Masterpieces II, and this one's going to be a great book as well. I'll be sure to update my blog with the book release information. Again, a very exciting development.

Speaking of books, for the past several months I have been working to get a collection of short stories published. After months of edits and working here and there on the project, Speckled became available to the general public in both paperback and Kindle versions (you can find them: HERE...).

 Over the past two years I've gotten to know a lot of writers, many of them newly-published authors. I've read of their reactions to getting a box containing fresh, never before read copies of their published book in the mail and the incredible feeling they have as they open the box and see those beautiful books, all awaiting anxious readers (whether the readers knew it or not...). I can say with one-hundred percent certainty that those newly published authors were not exaggerating. It was a very cool thing to experience.

The reason I wanted to get my book done was the upcoming Salt Lake Comic Con FanX event happening at the end of January. Because of some wonderful people, I've been privileged enough to be a panelist at each of the past Salt Lake Comic Cons. This time, however, they chose to highlight me as a featured guest. That was a shock, a shock about which I am very happy. Many of my friends have been featured guests in the past, and for good reason. They've earned it. As for me, I'm working on it. I'm excited for the con that begins in less than a week.

Also at this year's FanX Comic Con Xchyler Publishing will have a table--the first time our publisher has had an official presence at this convention. I will be there with not only great writers, but great people.

Which brings me to the last of the cool things that seems to be converging--next month's Life, the Universe and Everything convention (or LTUE...) begins its thirty-third installment. I've gone twice before to LTUE, once in 2012 as a attendee and last year as a panelist. This time the cool people at LTUE highlighted me being a panelist. There are bigger conventions, but LTUE is the most affordable and one of the most fun events I've ever been to. It's a great place to really get to know the local talent as well as some of the biggest names in the business.

So there it is! Two books, two conferences all in the next couple of weeks. I'll be on panels aside amazing writers and talking to the best audiences that can be found anywhere.

It's a good thing I'm not in a play rehearsing five times a week or that I have a major project at work coming on-line at the beginning of February, because...well, that would be just nuts!