In the Age of Coronavirus, one of the hardest hit businesses this year is the convention industry, which first and foremost depends on social gathering in order to make money, and the more people you can squeeze into an exhibition hall the better. But with a global pandemic in full effect, a majority of con organizers have taken the safer approach of either canceling their shows this year, in the hopes that the health situation will improve in 2021, or have taken them online. San Diego Comic Con, Dragon Con, and New York Comic Con are just three of a growing number of shows that set up virtual counterparts to accommodate fans eager for some sort of convention experience.
So it is with this year’s SiouxperCon. Normally held at the Sioux Falls Convention Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, show runners have elected to shift the festivities over to the World Wide Web for 2020—and honestly, that works to SWC’s advantage. Given the expenses that would normally be involved in attending such an event—round-trip airfare, round-trip shipping of products, hotel rooms and other costs—SiouxperCon is normally a show we wouldn’t be able to go to. But by going virtual, they’ve made it possible for us to “be” there!
Actually, it’s not as much “us” as one of our authors: Richard C. White, writer of the fantasies For a Few Gold Pieces More and Harbinger of Darkness, the noir-fantasy collection Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase, and the nonfiction writers and gamers creative guide Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination. When I learned of SiouxperConline and that one of its major focuses is on gaming, it made all kinds of sense to me that in place of an SWC virtual vendor booth, I’d set it up so that Rich could be “in attendance” since he’s so good at promoting his books—especially Terra Incognito—and singing the praises of their awesome publisher!
So, on October 3–4, you’ll find Rich among the online attendees at SiouxperConline 2020. For more information on its guests, panels, and other attractions, visit the SiouxperConline website.
