DragonCon '08 Will Be in Atlanta Soon!!

Every year for the past twelve years, I have worked as volunteer staff at DragonCon. I have worked registration (2 years), security (2 years), the Tolkein track, the kids' track, the video track, the Science track (2 years), and this will be my 3rd year in the Sci-Fi Lit track. And every year I love it more than Christmas or my birthday or any other holiday.

This year, it's taking place August 29-September 1, and it's spread from the two locations it had when I started to FOUR hotels this year, up from the three we had last year. We have things going on at the Hyatt, Marriott, the Hilton, and the Sheraton! That's what it takes to accomodate over 30, 000 of our closest friends!

Some of my favorite people I've met at DragonCon include Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker,) Peter Davidson (Dr. Who,) Brad Dourif (the voice of Chucky and Doc on Deadwood, among other things,) Jason, Grant , Tango and Steve from Ghosthunters, authors Kevin J. Anderson, MaryJanice Davidson, Harlan Ellison, various Star Trek cast members, most of the cast of Firefly, and so many others.

This year, among the guests I'm anxious to see and hear are Gareth David Lloyd, who plays Yanto on Torchwood, Sean Astin, Adam Baldwin and Jewel Staite, James Marsters, the Ghost Hunters, Brad Dourif is back! yay!, Hayden Panatierre and, of course, the authors, including Sherrilyn Kenyon, Harry Turtledove, and the ever-controversial and entertaining John Ringo. And there are so many more!

Then there's all the wild costumes, the parade, the Dealer's Room, Art Exhibit, music groups (especially Emerald Rose and Jeff Ugly Shoes and the Cemetery Surfers, and maybe this year I'll actually get to see Voltaire's performance!) and the chance to hang out with all my other friends on and off staff that I rarely get to see the rest of the year.

Even if you don't work staff, DragonCon is a fabulous, fabulous deal. There's something going on 24 hours a day from noon Friday until about 5 PM Monday, and it's only $90 for admission to absolutely everything!

Of course, if you would like to volunteer, I think you still could get on staff for Security or Registration by contacting those directors at http://www.dragoncon.org. They do need people desperately, I hear. You'll work 25 hours over 4 days (for registration, you might could work some of it on Thursday,) but first time staffers only pay $25, and after that if you work your hours, you never have to pay again as long as you volunteer. Plus you get treated to the Dead Dog Party on the last day, for staffers only, with free food and entertainment, if you're not too dead on your feet to make it.

To learn more about DragonCon, just got to the web site listed below, and if there's any way you can get to Atlanta for it, it will be an experience like none you've ever had, guaranteed.