by Gabino Iglesias
A friend of yours shared something weird that caught your eye. Someone told you about it. You read an awesome blog post about the best chaos and creative mayhem in the history of ever. You only know it’s called BizarroCon, but you want to know more. I got you, boo. Here are the 5 Ws of the best time in the world (yeah, I shook them around a bit to better fit this post, but I’m a trained professional, so don’t worry about it):
What:
BizarroCon. We’re talking about the largest gathering of bizarro fiction writers, publishers, editors, artists, performers, and fans in the universe. Four days of panels, learning, performances, superb food, readings, love, creativity, partying, hugs, dancing, music, awards, New Bizarro Author Series presentations, art, and fun. Between the Wonderland Book Awards dinner, the Ultimate Bizarro Showdown, the hotel, the beer, the books, and the workshops, it’s impossible to do everything the convention has to offer, and yet we try every year because BizarroCon is like a four-day spa for your soul. And yes, we welcome all of you. Here’s where you can register: BIZARROCON REGISTRATION. The price of admission for the whole shebang gets you into the Friday night book celebration/performance mayhem, into, seated, and fed at the Saturday awards dinner, Saturday breakfast (the peppered bacon is no joke), and Sunday brunch.
When:
November 17-20, 2016.
Where:
At the awesome, artistic, and haunted McMenamin’s Edgefield (2126 S.W. Halsey St. in Troutdale, OR). Call them to check on rooms because they usually go on the first two days. There are also plenty of hotels in the area. Reach out to any member of the Bizarro Family if you need help or have any questions. You can reach me at gabinoiglesias@gmail.com if you need anything. You can also ask questions at the BizarroCon Facebook page HERE.
Who:
Like I said, BizarroCon is the go to place for bizarro fictions writers, artists, publishers, and fans. It’s also the best small press convention out there. Usually you’ll find folks in attendance from Eraserhead Press, Lazy Fascist Press, Deadite Press, Word Horde, Broken River Books, Ladybox Books, King Shot Press, Atlatl Press, Grindhouse Press, Sinister Grin Press, and many, many more. The bizarro community is welcoming and supporting and every BizarroCon rookie I’ve talked to expresses how comfortable they’ve felt. More than a convention, this is like a family reunion where you also learn from some of the best authors/publishers/editors in the game (i.e. John Skipp, Rose O’Keefe, Carlton Mellick III, Jeremy Robert Johnson, Laura Lee Bahr, Cody Goodfellow, Stephen Graham Jones, and many more). Here’s a list of those who have already registered.
Why:
Because we can. Because we need it. Because feeding off the creative energy at BizarroCon is sometimes enough to carry us through an entire year of bullshit. Because you can learn and exchange ideas while also partying and watching the craziest, more entertaining show ever (I’m talking about the Ultimate Bizarro Showdown, not the costume parties Ross E. Lockhart and I do in our room).
There you have it, folks. I hope to see in you in Portland. Schedule me in for a hug and some book talk.
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Gabino Iglesias is a writer, journalist, and book reviewer living in Austin, TX. He’s the author of Gutmouth, Hungry Darkness, Zero Saints, and a few other things no one will ever read. You can find him on Twitter at @Gabino_Iglesias
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