This year’s Octocon is now over and I have been seeing some very nice things being said on Twitter about it. So I thought I would create a thread where those people who attended the convention can talk about how it went. After all of the negativity last week I’m hoping we can hear something positive about the con for a change.
5 thoughts on “Octocon Reactions Thread”
Comments are closed.
The reaction so far has been fantastic. This was probably the best convention I’ve ever attended, even if I was running it at the same time! I learned a lot and I can’t wait to apply it all next year! 🙂
Once I’m a little less busy I’ll do my proper report on my blog more than likely. Usually I don’t do con reports, but so much cool stuff happened I’m not sure I can resist, despite the inevitable biases! 😀
Danielle
Great location, good facilities, funny and informative guests. Mike Carey was a lovely and articulate Guest of Honour, and says he plans to come back next year. Dave Lally was a fun Fan Guest of Honour as expected.
The Golden Blasters sf short film competition was an excellent idea and a fine addition to the convention. I’m delighted that the convention plans to build upon the event next year.
Terrible pity that Harry Harrison couldn’t make it, but these things happen, and panels were re-scheduled quickly. He sent an apologetic note that was read out at the closing ceremony.
The dealers room was rather quiet, but it seemed like the Games Room was popular from what I witnessed.
Overall I enjoyed the convention, and thought there was a good-natured buzz both on the panels and in the bar.
Oh, and free WiFi in the hotel!
Oh yes, free wifi made me happy, too. 🙂
This year the location for Octocon certainly helped make the event a good one- the food was great, the way we were separate from but right beside the rest of the hotel meant we were able to relax and take over without feeling like we were imposing on other hotel guests – and apparently there was free wifi – I didn’t get it as I brought no hardware to the hotel.
I was there to see RF Long launch her first print book The Scroll Thief -(http://www.rflong.com/ ) as well as meet old friends and new.
That was all very successful. I have added names to my friends lists online and caught up with people I haven’t seen since the last con. The panels all seemed to run on time and well. Here and there there were the usual issues, no moderator for a panel, or there was the panel that never happened (where a previous panel over ran due to technical difficulties so we pulled up chairs, ignored the lack of panelists and had the panel anyway). It was a shame the dealers room got smaller on Sunday and that more dealers didn’t turn up- I was all ready to spend money that day. Hmm, maybe it was just as well.
It was a shame Harry couldn’t come. The card made for him (of a stainless steel rat with a broken leg) was duly passed around and every one who came had a chance to send him a personal message.
The GOH -both of them- were great successes and indeed will return again. The auction and raffle were super, the prizes and items all raised good money and certainly I was left envious of people. But I did win the remote control dragonfly so I left a happy camper indeed.
Considering the awkward events leading up to the con the general sense was a relaxed and happy bunch of fandom out to have a good time and enjoy themselves. The usual naughty corner developed in the bar and laughter was heard all over the place.
More people would probably be good from the organisers point of view but there were just enough people to keep me content.
Certainly this years con was a success and a good place to build from for next year. For the first time ever I bought membership for next year on the day.
I was only able to attend Octocon on the Saturday, but it was fun.
I particularly enjoyed the two book launches I attended, i.e. Derek Gunn’s “Vampire Apocalypse [Fallout]”, and R.F. Long’s “The Scroll Thief”. They both had interesting experiences to recount regarding e-book publishing and physical book publishing.