Finally, the announcement many of you have been asking me about. And it’s always fun to quote myself on my own blog. 🙂

FOGcon, a new sf/f convention in San Francisco.

San Francisco, California — May 3, 2010 — Next March 11 marks the opening of the first Friends of Genre Convention (FOGcon). Award-winning authors Pat Murphy and Jeff VanderMeer will be among the Honored Guests at this reader-oriented con. The 2011 theme is “The City in Speculative Fiction.”

Both Honored Guests have published influential SF novels on the topic of cities. In The City, Not Long After, Murphy, who is a longtime resident of San Francisco, presents a shining vision of her home city, populated by ghosts and artists, creatively defending itself against invasion.

Jeff VanderMeer’s Ambergris novels chronicle a city of saints, madmen, and the annual Festival of Fresh Water Squid. His work has been compared to that of Borges and Nabokov. His teasingly post-modern stories explore the ways cities and individuals grow, thrive, and ultimately self-destruct.

“Each year we’ll explore a new theme related to speculative literature. Our goal is to build a literary-themed convention modeled after some of our favorite conventions, which include WisCon, ReaderCon, and Potlatch,” said Vylar Kaftan, convention chair. The convention is being produced in partnership with the Speculative Literature Foundation.

FOGcon is hoping to attract a diverse range of attendees, from committed SF fans to readers interested in exploring the world of speculative fiction. The convention hotel, the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, in San Francisco’s Nob Hill District, is offering the rate of $119/night to convention members.

To register for the con, go to http://fogcon.org/registration. Adult memberships are $55 until November 1; $65 from November 2, 2011, until February 1, 2011; and $75 at the door. Youth memberships (ages 11-17) are $45. Children through the age of 10 are free.

About FOGcon:

Friends of the Genre (FOGcon) is a literary-themed San Francisco SF/F con in the tradition of Wiscon and Readercon. Each year we’ll focus on a new theme in speculative fiction and invite Honored Guests ranging from writers to scientists to artists. We will build community, exchange ideas, and share our love for the literature of imagination.

The 2011 FOGcon will be held March 11-13, 2011. Confirmed Honored Guests are Pat Murphy and Jeff VanderMeer.

What I’m most excited about personally is the chance to build a new convention from the ground up, as well as the opportunity to build local community in the Bay Area.

Please help spread the word… and I hope to see you at FOGcon next March!