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ConDFW
Do any of you have suggestions for possible guests for ConDFW that--and this is important--you think would bring in lots of attendees to see them?
Normally we pay more attention to who we think would provide good panels, rather than numbers of attendees who'd show up just to see them, but after this most recent year when we ended up having to pay for function space at the hotel due to not making room block*, we really, really need to find a guest who will bring in the crowds. We had good luck in the past with Lois McMaster Bujold and Jim Butcher--someone on that level would be awesome.
They also need to live in the US or Canada, as our budget does not extend to international flights from anywhere else.
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* In part due to hotel shenanigans which were, while totally legal by the contract, not to our benefit.
Normally we pay more attention to who we think would provide good panels, rather than numbers of attendees who'd show up just to see them, but after this most recent year when we ended up having to pay for function space at the hotel due to not making room block*, we really, really need to find a guest who will bring in the crowds. We had good luck in the past with Lois McMaster Bujold and Jim Butcher--someone on that level would be awesome.
They also need to live in the US or Canada, as our budget does not extend to international flights from anywhere else.
If you're on Dreamwidth and looking at this post in my style, apologies for not having the comments worked out yet. I suggest reloading in your own style, the site style, or light style.
* In part due to hotel shenanigans which were, while totally legal by the contract, not to our benefit.
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George R.R. Martin
Brandon Sanderson
John Scalzi
Patrick Rothfuss (sp?) ?
I'm sad to admit that I think ladies would be less of a draw as of yet except for Bujold
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller?
C.J. Cherryh?
Maybe one of the successful paranormal romance/urban fantasists?
Patricia Briggs?
Ilona Andrews?
I don't seem to read most of the popular authors in the genre, it seems.
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(And the amusing bit: we had Sanderson a couple of years ago, Aggiecon (another convention in state) has Martin this month, Scalzi keeps turning us down, and I've been attempting to convince our guest officer to get Rothfuss. :D)
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Maybe go for sf marginals but geek heroes?:
Jonathan Coulton (who has not written books that I know of)
Wil Wheaton, who has written books and of course has the blogger and Star Trek credit
I bet Jim Hines would be a great guest, but he isn't that well known
Martha Wells is coming anyway, as far as her blog says, I believe.
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Briggs and Andrews are good suggestions. Cassie Alexander is a former Aggie with some ties to Cepheid and relatives in the Dallas area; I can put you in touch with her.
Hell, invite all of them and make it a big urban fantasy fest.
Scott Westerfeld draws big YA crowds and is originally from Dallas, IIRC. It might be fun to do a YA theme. Rosemary Clement-Moore is local-ish; Sherry Thomas lives in Austin and has a YA coming out later this year; "Sophie Jordan" is from Houston and is in my RWA chapter there; Rick Riordan is nearby. Maureen Johnson, Cassandra Clare, and Sarah Rees Brennan are all collaborating on a set of short stories set in Clare's world, and I think they're going on tour for it. Holly Black and Libba Bray (also from Dallas) are friends with them, and might be persuaded to show up.
Other: Lev Grossman, Jacqueline Carey, Charlaine Harris, Mary Doria Russell -- who should have a TV series starting up next year.
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