For those who don’t know, JordanCon is dedicated to The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. It is a three day convention with panels for the books and tv show and much more. There is a general fantasy track, litrpg, sci-fic, Sanderson track, board gaming and so much more. JordanCon also holds a charity auction every year to give back to the Mayo Clinic and amyloidosis research to fund research to cure the disease that took our beloved Creator.
Many people at JordanCon are dedicated to getting as many ribbons as they can. While I usually spend a lot of time hunting them down, this year was my first year there as a professional.
A few weeks before JordanCon I got the confirmation that I would be selling in Authors Alley, my first ever in person sales event. I was nervous, excited and more than a little overwhelmed. Thankfully other authors that I knew, who had experience at cons, let me pick their brains and helped me feel more confident. John Harkness of Falstaff Books looked over my table and did some tweaks, Matt Zupka, my Chief Alpha Reader, manned my table when I had other commitments and kept me on an even keel all weekend and my friend Cisca Small came to the Con, pitched in, and hyped me up!
I networked with other authors, traded Ashes for Ashes with Ellie Raine, and found a new fantasy series to try. (If you ever see Falstaff Books at a Con, hit them up! John Harkness is amazing!!!)
As I wasn’t on any panels and a last minute addition to Authors Alley my name wasn’t in the shopping guide or on the website, so I was really worried that my table wouldn’t see much traffic. Boy, was I wrong! Saturday and Sunday were so busy I didn’t even have a chance to eat lunch!
Speaking of Saturday. One of the great things about The Wheel of Time community is all the fan groups. I am part of the Black Tower which focuses on giving back to the community, charitable works, and protecting others. Last year I was raised to Dedicated and this year I had the honor of being pinned as an Asha’man.
I got a great stack of books to read as I recover from con. I traded one of my books with the author next to me. Ellie Raine and her narrator, Christa Burton, were amazing! They were so supportive as I navigated my way through the event. It is really amazing how all the authors I was seated with were all about supporting each other, instead of competing. JordanCon really is a special event.
If you are differently abled it is a great small con. They have seating accommodations, people dedicated to accessibility and the Con Suite puts on a great spread. While the multitude and severity of my allergies makes it impossible for me to use the Con Suite I know many people get their meals through JordanCon. They do an amazing job at feeding so many people.
Even though Con Suite wasn't an option for me I found a great place that delivered gluten free food AND had options to avoid many other allergens.
I could go on and on about how amazing the con was. If you have any questions, DM me and I will answer them.
Jimmy and Jennifer Liang, the couple that runs JordanCon, are absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to go back.