Never Done A Con? Time To Take The Plunge!

We’re entering the home straight: Fantasycon looms in the near-future! To get us ready, we asked previous attendees to tell us about their first time, or any abiding memories from cons of yore—but for some, this is going to be their first time. Rachel Green shares her excitement.

In less than three weeks, I’ll be attending FantasyCon for the first time! Not only that, but this will be my first con ever!  

I’ve been reading and writing fantasy for as long as I can remember, but have never found a community of like-minded people to share my geeky love of epic new worlds with until now. I stumbled across the British Fantasy Society when looking for fantasy-specfic writer’s retreats online (of which there is a shocking dearth!). Once I made contact with the amazing people who run the BFS and then, by extension, many of its members, I knew I’d found my people!  

The BFS is made up of people who love fantasy, whether it be SFF, horror, epic, or romance (to name but a few!) and I’ve been welcomed into their online world with open arms. Every single person I’ve connected with has been kind and helpful, sharing their expertise and experience openly—something a baby writer like me could only dream of before finding them.  

What better way to connect with such wonderful people in real-life, I thought, than to travel up to Chester and join them at FantasyCon? So, without further ado, I promptly booked my ticket! 

As an added bonus, I’m currently querying my fantasy romance novel and have it on good authority that there will be fantasy-loving agents milling around the con. I fully intend to buy cake and/or Gregg’s pasties for any agent who will let me pitch my book to them in person for thirty seconds—where else could I get the opportunity to be so bold?!  

Happily, the lovely people at the BFS have also let me have a formal slot to give a reading from my book—with no bribery required! This will be the first time I’ve read City of Sunlight and Shadows in public, and to do so for an audience who love fantasy will be an incredible privilege and pleasure. I can’t wait!

Finally, if you’re in any doubt about whether to attend FantasyCon, think only of the Friday night entertainment… whether you love it or hate it, singing karaoke in front of an audience of total strangers, can only do wonders for your self-confidence! Come find me there… I’ll be the one singing off-key, with a glass of wine in my hand and a bloody great big smile on my face! 

Grab your ticket to Fantasycon here, or check out the programme.