Doug BrotherofCats Dandridge

Really the coolest thing about returning to a seminar like this is seeing the people you’ve met at last year’s seminar.  I saw Scott Boone again this year at Dragon Con, after meeting him last year at Superstars.  He has given gave presentations two years in a row now about trademarks.  I met Scott in the Atlanta airport this year, the first returning attendee I saw.  Walking into the hotel I saw many familiar faces.  I will not name all of them in this blog.  That would just take too long.  Still, it was great to see all those people again, people with the same dream that I have, to become a selling writer who makes a living with their work.  They were where every one of the big names at the seminar had been, and were here to learn how to get to the same place they were now.  There are times between each session to talk with people, to set up projects (networking), and just to make new or renew old friendships.  Every day was an opportunity to have lunch or dinner with other attendees.  These were, for the most part, impromptu events, people just gathering at the front of the hotel and wandering out into the wilds of Colorado Springs to random restaraunts.  There was game night, gathering in the lobby to play all kinds of card and board games.  The theme of Superstars is that we are a tribe, there to help each other to get to where we all want to be.  And all of these activities contribute to that tribe building.  I am not sure I will attend Superstars every year.  While there is a lot to learn, two years has probably presented enough to work with.  But seeing the people is one reason for wanting to return.

Three attendees I saw at the last Dragon Con stand out as favorites.  I had lunch with Raphyel Jordan, at Dragon Con, as well as attending some events together.  That he wanted to hang out with an old fossil like me was something in his favor.  I only saw Travis Heerman in passing at the con, but seeing a familiar face while trying to fight through the crowd was somehow heartening, and I’m looking forward to seeing him at Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s Workshop on the Coast.  Same with the previously mentioned, Scott Boone, whom I saw at several panels at the Con.

Kevin Ikenberry would be a very interesting man even if he wasn’t a writer.  An ex-armor officer and currently a Lt. Colonel in Army Space Command, I have communicated with Kevin, including the exchange of guest blogs, for the past year. And sat with him at dinners with both Eric Flint and Toni Weisskopf.  Kevin has recently signed a publishing contract, and I see big things ahead for him.

Ramon Terrell is an actor and writer, who has had parts in Arrow, Supernatural, and Battlestar Galactica.  His series, Legend of Takashaniel, is being published by Kevin J Anderson’s Wordfire Press, and Ramon signed his contract at the seminar.  Another young man I expect big things from.

Alex Perez-Bergquist, writing under the name Alex P. Berg, has just has his Daggers & Steele Series featured on KOBO.  Another writer I expect we’ll be hearing a lot of in the future.

Quincy Allen is helping to put together a book bundle, which includes one of my books.  Something I have never done, and I have to thank Quincy for asking.  Quincy titles himself a cross genre author, which says a lot for his versatility.

As I said earlier, there were over a hundred attendees at Superstars this year, and I could write a book in trying to discuss all of them.  But, as I said in the first two posts of this series, meeting people is the biggest advantage of Superstars.  People who can help you.  People you can help.  It’s what tribe building is about.  And face to face time is important, still.  The internet is great, but you really feel like you know the person more from being in the same room with them.  I highly recommend Superstars Writing Seminars.  But if you can’t afford the trip to Colorado and the other expenses, at least travel to local Cons and try to interact with every writer you can.  It’s worth the effort.