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Signings

July 14th – Gini Koch – Touched by an Alien – Writer’s Workshop Wednesday at Scottsdale Borders Waterfront.  7 pm

July 28th – Carrie Vaughn signs Discord’s Apple - 7 pm Poisoned Pen – Carrie also has the succesful Kitty series about a werewolf who is also a radio host.

Sept 17th – Smart Chicks Kick It Tour with Melissa Marr, Alyson Noel, Kelley Armstrong, Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan, Kimberly Derting, and Becca Fitzpatrick.  Presented by the Poisoned Pen, 7 pm Scottsdale Public Library.

Sept 21st – Diana Gabaldon Launch Party for  The Exile, a graphic novel of the Outlander Series.  7 pm Scottsdale Center For the Arts.  Note that this is a ticketed event sponsored by The Poisoned Pen.

Conventions and Events

July 9-11, RandomCon Gaming Convention, Mesa, AZ

Sept 3-5, CopperCon 30 SF/F Convention, Mesa, AZ

Oct 8-10, RinCon Games, Tucson, AZ

May 14-16 – LepreCon 36 in Mesa, AZ.  Annual SF/F convention with an emphasis on art!  Guests include Artist Charles Vess, author George R. R. Martin, artist/author James A. Owen and musician/author Emma Bull.  Other attending participants include Melinda Snodgrass, Ian Tregillis, Sam Sykes, Adam Niswander and more.

May 27-30 – Phoenix ComiCon in Phoenix, AZ.  Tons of guests, lots of fun. Stan Lee, John Scalzi, Wil Wheaton Rock Band, and lots more.

Author signings for new books include:

Janni Lee Simner launches Thief Eyes

May 4th  – Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe.

May 5th - The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale.

June 1st  - Barnes and Noble Eastside , Summer reading kickoff event
5130 E. Broadway, Tucson, Arizona

June 19, 2 p.m. – Barnes and Noble Eastside Signing/reading
5130 E. Broadway, Tucson, Arizona

Aprilynne Pike launches Spells

May 20 – Changing Hands Bookstore

May 28-30 – Phoenix ComiCon (panels and signings)

June 8 – Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale

Sam Sykes – Book launch for Tome of the Undergates

May 12- Poisoned Pen

May 14 – Book Launch Party at LepreCon 36

May 28-30 – Phoenix ComiCon – panels and signings

The Tucson Festival of Books is this weekend.  I’ve set up a special page here at the AZSF Blog to try to summarize all that’s happening with the SF/F authors at the festival including signings at the Mysterious Galaxy and Leprecon, Inc. booths.   The festival website has a full searchable schedule as well as maps for the festival itself and for parking around the festival site.  Hope to see you there!

March 26-28, 2010 -Con-Nichiwa in Tucson, AZ – Anime Convention

May 14-16, 2010 – LepreCon 36 in Mesa, AZ – Annual SF/F Convention with an emphasis on Art.  Guests include Charles Vess, George R.R. Martin, James A. Owen, and Emma Bull.

May 27-30, 2010 – Phoenix ComiCon in Phoenix, AZ – Comics, TV, Science, and SF/F.

Sunday, Nov 8th – Leprecon, Inc.  Quarterly meeting – The next quarterly Leprecon, Inc. board meeting will be held on Sunday, Nov 8th at 3 pm at Coco’s Restaurant, 1525 W. Elliot Rd (Priest Drive and Elliot Road). For more information, contact Mike Willmoth at (480) 945-6890 or mwillmoth@earthlink.net   http://www.leprecon.org

Nov 13-15th – TusCon 36 – Annual Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention - Author Guest of Honor Westen Ochse, Fan Guest of Honor Liz Hansen, Special Guest Dr. Paul Carter, Toastmaster Ed Bryant   http://www.tusconscificon.com/

Saturday, Nov 15th – James A. Owen signs The Shadow Dragons. 5 pm at Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S McClintock Drive, Tempe, Arizona 85283   For more information call 480.730.0205.  http://www.changinghands.com

Monday, Nov 16th – Brandon Sanderson signs The Gathering Storm, the 12th book in The Wheel of Time 7:00 pm at the Scottsdale Public Library 3839 N Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ. For more information call (480) 947 2974.  http://www.poisonedpen.com

Thursday, Nov 19 – David Farland signs Chaosbound and John Brown signs Servant of a Dark God. 7:00 pm at The Poisoned Pen, 4014 N Goldwater Blvd. Suite 101, Scottsdale, AZ For more information call (480) 947 2974.   http://www.poisonedpen.com

October Conventions and events:

Oct 2-4 – LepreCon 35 - Phoenix Marriott Mesa in Mesa, AZ – A relaxacon to wind down from the summer convention season.  Hospitality suite and a small amount of programming.  $99 room rate S/D/T/Q & tax.

Oct 9-11 – RinCon ’09 – Tucson Convention Center, Tucson, AZ – Annual Tucson gaming convention.

Oct 15-18 – International Horror/SciFi Film Festival, Tempe, AZ – Annual Film Festival with Casper Van Diem (Starship Troopers), Judith O’Dea (Night of the Living Dead), and Marilyn Burns (Texas Chainsaw Massacre).

Oct 30-Nov 1st – Saboten-Con - Hilton Phoenix East/Mesa, Mesa, AZ – Annual Anime convention

Upcoming Signings with The Poisoned Pen

Sept 22 – Diana Gabaldon - book launch for Echo in the Bone . 6 pm at the Arizona Biltmore

Oct 3 – Poisoned Pen Birthday Party and book launch for Phoenix Noir with editor Patrick Millikin and contributors Diana Gabaldon, James Sallis, Jon Talton, Stella Pope-Duarte and others.  6 pm at the Poisoned Pen

Oct 7 – F. Paul Wilson signs Ground Zero at the Poisoned Pen – 7 pm

Oct 9 – Ghoulie Gals  group signing with Sarah Langan, Alex Sokoloff, Sarah Pinborough, and Rhodi Hawk at the Scottsdale Public Library- 7 pm

Oct 18 – The Big Read - Discuss Ray Bradbury’s Farenheit 451 with James Sallis and Brent Ghelfi at the Poisoned Pen at 2 pm

Oct 23 – Kris Neri signs High Crimes on the Magical Plane at the Poisoned Pen – 7 pm

Oct 28 – John Connolly signs The Gates at the Poisoned Pen – 7 pm

Nov 16 – Brandon Sanderson signs The Gathering Storm at the Scottsdale Public Library – 7 pm

Book signings at The Changings Hands bookstore in Tempe.

Oct 2 – Diana Gabaldon signs Echo in the Bone at 7 pm

Special talks at the Arizona Science Center are scheduled on Saturday and Sunday as follows:

May 2nd – National Astronomy Day special events including:

May 2nd – David Williams talk at Arizona Science Center  at 2:00pm,  “Water, Ice, or Methane Everywhere:  Latest Results from NASA’s Planetary Missions”.

May 3rd – Professor Lawrence Krauss will speak at the Arizona Science Center about “The Physics of Star Trek” at 12:30pm.

You can find out all about the free comics being provided by the publishers at the official Free Comic Book Day web site.

As usual, a lot of the local comic shops are having special sales and special guests.  I’ll try to highlight the ones I’ve found out about below:

Dave’s Comics, Chandler, AZ – - Grand Opening cancelled – see statement on their website.  Stan Lee at noon – Details on the Phoenix New Times event calendar. UPDATED: Now with Tricia Helfer, voice artist Debi Derryberry, and artist Ruth Thompson.

Atomic Comics – Various local comics writers and artists at their various stores plus Geoff Johns, Ethan Van Sciver, and Sterling Gates at their Mesa Superstore.  Full details here!

All About Books and Comics, Phoenix – Special discounts and a food drive.

Other comic shops in the Phoenix Metro area:

Ash Avenue Comics & Books – 810 S. Ash Ave., Tempe, AZ (480) 858-9447
Comic Zone – 5909 N Granite Reef Road, Scottsdale, AZ  (480) 483-2685
Drawn To Comics - 5757 W. Glendale Ave, Glendale AZ (623) 847-9090
Gregg’s Comics - 2722 S Alma School Rd # 8, Mesa, AZ   (480) 752-1881
Hero Comics – 3405 W. Thunderbird Rd. #1, Phoenix, AZ (602) 843-6320
Pop Culture Comics – 707 S Forest Ave, Tempe, AZ
Samurai Comics – 5024 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ  (480) 557-6640 and 10720 W. Indian School Rd. #61, Phoenix, AZ (623) 872-8886
Spazdog Comics – 21610 N. 35th Avenue Suite 162, Phoenix, AZ  (623)582-3240
Stalking Moon -  5930 W Greenway Rd Suite 23; Glendale (602)896-9992

Tucson Comic Shops

Charlie’s Comic Books – 5445 E. 22nd Street Suite #115, Tucson, AZ (520) 320-0279
Fantasy Comics – 2595 First Ave., Tucson, AZ  (520) 670-0100
Heroes & Villains – 4533 E. Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ (520) 321-4376
R-Galaxy – 2420 N Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ  (520) 322-0422

Links to info – Nerdvana report & links

Harkins Theatres – Main Page