Got this flyer today during my regular visit to the Yarborough Branch.
Looks like fun. See y’all there.
Library sale in Austin featuring science fiction 8/18-8/23
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Category Archives: Events
It’s Armadillocon time again
Art by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
This coming weekend (July 25-27) is the 34th annual Armadillocon. It’ll be my 21st as a program contributor (every one since 1991 except for the two Relaxacons that followed the San Antonio World Science Fiction cons in 1997 and 2013 and 1998 which coincided with Comic-Con International).
I have two books that are making their initial appearances at ‘dillocon: The Apes of Wrath and Rayguns Over Texas. Numerous contributors to both exciting volumes will be in attendance as well. Be sure you embarrass each and everyone of them by asking for a signature and perhaps a pithy saying.
STAPLE 2014: Coffee, monsters, pulp, etc
This previous weekend was the 10th annual STAPLE, Austin’s independent media expo. As I have for the past seven years, I attended the festival. Sadly, I was only there on Saturday, though that didn’t stop me from getting some goodies, visiting some friends, and hopefully make some new ones.
One of the show’s pleasant surprises was the unexpected appearance of Shannon Wheeler. As long time readers know, Shannon and I go way back (chronicled here, here, and other places) so it was nice to catch up. We discussed the success of God Is Disappointed in You, the Too Much Coffee Man beer (yes, really!), his kids, and other stuff in our lives.
Then Shannon made me a very generous offer, he gave me the original of a Too Much Coffee Man strip!
Fantastic Fest wrap up Part II
As promised here’s a wrap up of the movies I screened at Fantastic Fest 2013.
Greatful Dead
Alongside the coverage here, I also wrote reviews about several of the movies for The Horn. The Japanese feature Greatful Dead, which enjoyed it’s world premiere at the Festival, fell in that category.
Greatful Dead (Gureitofuru deddo), the newest film from Japanese director Eiji Uchida (Last Days of the World), paints a darkly comic portrait of a disturbed young woman. The unsettling, but flawed, picture follows a descent into madness.
Nami (Kumi Takiuchi) grew up in a fractured household. Her mother (who cares more for poor foreign children than her own) abandons Nami and her older sister; her father spirals into depression and starts dating a beautiful younger woman; Nami’s older sister runs off with her boyfriend so she can have a “normal” life; and then her father commits suicide. All before she turns eighteen.
When she turns twenty, Nami inherits a sizable fortune, which enables her to engage fully in her secret life as voyeur. She prefers watching elderly men, who live alone with minimal contact with others. Nami calls these people “solitarians.”
Read the rest of my review at The Horn.
Fantastic Fest wrap up Part I
As promised here’s a wrap up of the movies I screened at Fantastic Fest 2013.
Borgman
Borgman, the subversive film by Alex van Warmerdam (The Last Days of Emma Blank), opens oddly as a priest and two men armed with guns hunts for the dirty, unshaven, and frail Camiel Borgman who lives underground. He and two other similar men narrowly escape the attackers.
From there things get weirder and more inexplicable as he befriends Marina and Richard, eventually living in their house as the gardener. Borgman wields psychological and sexual power over Marina. Others of similar temperament join with him as the dead bodies start to pile up.
The bloodless movie relies on subtlety and dark pervasive humor in a story riddled with fascinating ideas and concepts but little explanation. All characters save Borgman are very passive in their actions and reactions. Matter of fact, the moment characters begin to exhibit proactive traits, they are killed.
Though Borgman suffers from vagueness and lack of clear motivation, van Warmerdam crafted an intriguing and compelling movie, fueled largely by the mysterious lead.
Rayguns Over Texas WorldCon Notices
Cover by Rocky Kelley
Amazingly enough, the premiere of Rayguns Over Texas went off without a hitch at LoneStarCon 3.
Things started with two journalistic notices, pre-con.
Rayguns Over Texas Is a Reality!
Look what I just got!
You can get your copy through FACT or better yet tomorrow.
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Reception & Readings: Rayguns Over Texas
Offsite (Offsite)
Rick Klaw, Chris N. Brown, Jessica Reisman, Joe Lansdale, Josh Rountree, Lawrence Person, Stina Leicht, Mark Finn, Scott A. Cupp, Derek Johnson, Rhonda Eudaly, Sanford Allen, Matthew Bey and others.
This reception is the launch of Rayguns Over Texas, a new anthology edited by Rick Klaw and published by the Fan Association of Central Texas. Note: This event will be held at the central branch of San Antonio Public Library and is FREE to the public.
My WorldCon schedule
As regular readers of this blog know, the forthcoming LoneStarCon 3 (aka the 71st Annual World Science Fiction Convention) August 29-November 2 in San Antonio, features the premiere of my new anthology Rayguns Over Texas plus a slew of other amazing events and guests.
In my multi-faceted identities as an anthologist, pop culture critic, and geek curmudgeon, I’m a busy man at the con. Let’s take a gander at my Labor Day weekend, shall we?
Thursday, August 29
1 PM Kaffeeklatsch: Gregory Benford, Rick Klaw
Riverview (Riverwalk)
3 PM The Apes of Wrath!
007A (Convention Center)
Rick Klaw, Howard Waldrop, Scott A. Cupp, Mark Finn, Jess Nevins (and possibly some other surprise guests)
Join Rick Klaw and his cadre of authors as they discuss the idea of a literary ape anthology and how it all came to be.
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Reception & Readings: Rayguns Over Texas
Offsite (Offsite)
Rick Klaw, Chris N. Brown, Jessica Reisman, Joe Lansdale, Josh Rountree, Lawrence Person, Stina Leicht, Mark Finn, Scott A. Cupp, Derek Johnson, Rhonda Eudaly, Sanford Allen, Matthew Bey and others.
This reception is the launch of Rayguns Over Texas, a new anthology edited by Rick Klaw and published by the Fan Association of Central Texas. Note: This event will be held at the central branch of San Antonio Public Library and is FREE to the public.
Cover by Rocky Kelley
Continue reading
Hide your apes! Klaw is coming to San Francisco
This coming apetastic weekend I’ll be in San Francisco promoting The Apes of Wrath.
First on Saturday:
April Reading: Mary Robinette Kowal & Rick Klaw
Saturday, April 20th
Doors and cash bar opens at 6:00PM
Event begins at 7:00PM
Seating is limited; first come, first seated
Suggested $5-$10 donation at the door benefits Variety Children’s Charity of Northern California.
Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A with the audience, moderated by author Terry Bisson. Booksigning and schmoozing follows in the lounge, with books for sale courtesy of Borderlands Books. Podcasting courtesy of Rick Kleffel, The Agony Column.
and then on Sunday: Continue reading
Klaw in San Antonio on April 4
I am the guest speaker for The San Antonio Writers Guild‘s April meeting. The topic purports to be Apes & Rayguns: A Conversation with Acclaimed Editor Richard Klaw about the 21st Century Anthology, whatever that means. Since they call me an “editor/anthologist and essayist,” I’m guessing the talk will be about why whys and wherefores of anthology construction along with liberal ape mentions. Possibly even a few references to Texas science fiction.
The Thursday, April 4 meeting is open to the public, so I look forward to seeing all you San Antonio area people there.
The skinny:
April 4, 2013 at 7pm
Bethany Congregational Church
500 Pilgrim Dr
San Antonio, TX 78213