Frequently Asked Questions

1. Basic Information

   1. What is ArmadilloCon?
      ArmadilloCon is a science fiction convention held annually in Austin, TX. The primary focus of the con is literary science fiction, but we also pay attention to art, media sf, and gaming. Every year dozens of professional writers, artists and editors attend the convention. Sometimes they come to make deals but more often they come to have fun.
   2. Who runs ArmadilloCon?
      ArmadilloCon is sponsored by The Fandom Association of Central Texas, Inc. (FACT), a nonprofit literary organization based in Austin. Each of ArmadilloCon's chairs or co-chairs is required to be a member of FACT. Many of the other people who work on the convention are members of FACT, but that is not a requirement. Most of the convention workers live in the greater Austin area, but there are also several workers from San Antonio, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, El Paso, and sometimes even from out of state.
   3. Is ArmadilloCon a "for-profit" convention?
      No. When an ArmadilloCon takes in more money than it cost to run the convention, this money is put into a fund to run future ArmadilloCons. No individual or organization gains material benefit from ArmadilloCon.

2. Attending ArmadilloCon

   1. Do I need to join FACT to attend ArmadilloCon?
      No.
   2. Do I have to be pregistered to attend ArmadilloCon?
      No. Memberships may be purchased at the door, although the cost is higher.
   3. May I buy a 1-day or 2-day membership at the door?
      Certainly. See our membership information page for prices.
   4. Maybe I preregister for a 1-day or 2-day membership?
      No. Only full-con memberships are available in advance. The advance cost of a 3-day membership is less than the cost of a 2-day at the door membership, and if bought before April it's the same price as a 1-day at-the-door membership.
   5. I just want to attend one event at the convention. Do I still have to pay?
      Yes.
   6. Is there a lower "dealers room only" membership rate?
      No.
   7. Is there a lower "gaming only" membership rate?
      No.

3. Etiquette

   1. I'm a writer and I'd like to be on programming (panels, readings, autographings, etc.) at ArmadilloCon. How do I go about it?
      Send us a letter stating your qualifications and how you'd like to be involved in programming. We'll only use writers on programming if they've published something in a professional market. If your greatest achievement is having a story or book under consideration at a publisher or magazine, you aren't ready to be on programming at ArmadilloCon.
   2. When may I approach an author about getting a book signed?
      It's easiest during a scheduled autographing, but most authors will also sign books after they're on a program item such as a reading or panel. It's inappropriate to corner an author at a meal or in the bathroom.
   3. Maybe I distribute flyers for another con here?
      Certainly.

4. Guests

   1. Why do you only have new and relatively obscure authors as Guest of Honor at ArmadilloCon?
      Since its very beginning, ArmadilloCon has bestowed the Guest of Honor position on innovative authors of cutting edge SF. We try to be the first to notice the rising stars of tomorrow. Our record has been fairly successful, since several past Guests of Honor have gone on to become popular and respected writers.
   2. Who has been Guest of Honor at ArmadilloCon?
      Catherine Asaro, Neal Barrett Jr., Pat Cadigan, Bradley Denton, Gardner Dozois, George Alec Effinger, William Gibson, Alexander Jablokov, K. W. Jeter, Gwyneth Jones, J. Gregory Keyes, Jonathan Lethem, George R. R. Martin, Elizabeth Moon, Chad Oliver, Mary Rosenblum, Lewis Shiner, Dan Simmons, John Sladek, Bruce Sterling, Sean Stewart, John Varley, Howard Waldrop, and Martha Wells

5. History

   1. When and where was the first ArmadilloCon?
      Spring of 1979 at the Villa Capri hotel. The Guest of Honor was John Varley.
   2. Who started ArmadilloCon?
      Willie Siros and Robert Taylor
   3. Where has ArmadilloCon been held?
      It's been held in the following hotels, many of which have since changed names or no longer exist: the Villa Capri, the Ramada Riverside, the Driskell, the Wyndham Southpark, the Red Lion, the Omni Southpark, and the Hilton North.
   4. What have been the guest lineups and chairs for all ArmadilloCons to date?
      
      ArmadilloCon 1 (1979) Chair: Willie Siros
      Guest of Honor: John Varley
      Fan Guest: Jeanne Gomoll
      Toastmaster: Howard Waldrop

      ArmadilloCon 2 (1980) Chair: Willie Siros
      Guest of Honor: Gardner Dozois
      Fan Guest: Harry O. Morris
      Toastmaster: Chad Oliver

      ArmadilloCon 3 (1981) Chair: Willie Siros
      Guest of Honor: Chad Oliver
      Fan Guest: Bob Wayne
      Toastmaster: Ed Bryant

      ArmadilloCon 4 (1982) Chair: Ed Scarborough
      Guests of Honor: George Alec Effinger and George R. R. Martin
      Fan Guest: Joe Pumilia
      Toastmaster: Ed Bryant

      ArmadilloCon 5 (1983) Chair: Ed Scarborough
      Guest of Honor: Howard Waldrop
      Fan Guest: Becky Matthews
      Toastmaster: Neal Barrett, Jr.

      ArmadilloCon 6 (1984) Chair: Ed Scarborough
      Guest of Honor: John Sladek
      Fans Guests: James Corrick and Gay Miller Corrick
      Toastmaster: Joe R. Lansdale
      Special Guest: Ellen Datlow

      ArmadilloCon 7 (1985)
      (relaxacon)

      ArmadilloCon 8 (1986) Chair: Robert Taylor
      Guest of Honor: William Gibson
      Editor Guest: Ellen Datlow
      Fan Guest: Debbie Notkin
      Toastmaster: Lewis Shiner

      ArmadilloCon 9 (1987) Chair: Fred Duarte, Jr.
      Guest of Honor: Bruce Sterling
      Artist Guest: J. R. Daniels
      Editor Guest: Beth Meacham
      Fan Guest: Mark Olson
      Toastmaster: Pat Cadigan

      ArmadilloCon 10 (1988) Chairs: Fred Duarte, Jr. and Karen Meschke
      Guest of Honor: K. W. Jeter
      Artist Guest: Brad W. Foster
      Editor Guest: Ginjer Buchanan
      Fan Guests: Jane Dennis and Scott Dennis
      Toastmaster: Lewis Shiner

      ArmadilloCon 11 (1989) Chair: Karen Meschke
      Guest of Honor: Lewis Shiner
      Artist Guest: Don Ivan Punchatz
      Editor Guest: Pat LoBrutto
      Fan Guest: Mike Glyer
      Toastmaster: Connie Willis
      Special Guests: William Gibson and Tom Maddox (sponsored by MCC)

      ArmadilloCon 12 (1990) Chair: Ed Graham
      Guest of Honor: Pat Cadigan
      Artist Guest: Jean Elizabeth Martin
      Editor Guest: Susan Allison
      Fan Guest: Debbie Hodgkinson
      Toastmaster: Melinda M. Snodgrass
      Special Guests: Vernor Vinge and Mark Stiegler (sponsored by MCC)

      ArmadilloCon 13 (1991) Chair: Casey Hamilton
      Guest of Honor: Dan Simmons
      Artist Guest: Dell Harris
      Editor Guest: Amy Stout
      Fan Guest: Pat Mueller
      Toastmistress: Emma Bull

      ArmadilloCon 14 (1992) Chairs: Lori Wolf and Fred Duarte, Jr.
      Guest of Honor: Neal Barrett, Jr.
      Artist Guest: Darrell K. Sweet
      Editor Guest: Gardner Dozois
      Fan Guest: Al Jackson
      Toastmaster: Kim Stanley Robinson

      ArmadilloCon 15 (1993) Chairs: Willie Siros and Lori Wolf
      Guest of Honor: Gwyneth Jones
      Artist Guest: Harry O. Morris
      Editor Guest: John Douglas
      Toastmaster: Michael Bishop

      ArmadilloCon 16 (1994) Chairs: Ed Graham and Casey Hamilton
      Guest of Honor: Elizabeth Moon
      Artist Guest: David Cherry
      Editor Guest: Gordon Van Gelder
      Fan Guest: Gregory Benford
      Toastmaster: Bradley Denton
      Special Guest: Guy Gavriel Kay

      ArmadilloCon 17 (1995) Chairs: Fred Duarte, Jr. and Dan Tolliver
      Guest of Honor: Alexander Jablokov
      Artist Guest: Vincent Di Fate
      Editor Guest: John Silbersack
      Fan Guests: Dick Smith and Leah Zeldes Smith
      Toastmaster: Terry Bisson

      ArmadilloCon 18 (1996) Chair: Dan Tolliver
      Guest of Honor: Jonathan Lethem
      Artist Guest: Bob Eggleton
      Editor Guest: Patrick Nielsen Hayden
      Fan Guests: Spike Parsons and Tom Becker
      Toastmaster: Mike Resnick

      ArmadilloCon 19 (1997) Chair: John Gibbons
      Guest of Honor: Mary Rosenblum

      ArmadilloCon 20 (1998) Chairs: A. T. Campbell, III and Lori Wolf
      Guest of Honor: Bradley Denton
      Artist Guest: Mitchell Bentley
      Editor Guest: David Hartwell
      Fan Guest: Peggy Ranson
      Toastmaster: Steven Gould
      Special Guest: Peter F. Hamilton (sponsored by ALAMO)

      ArmadilloCon 21 (1999) Chairs: Mona Gamboa and John Gibbons
      Guest of Honor: Sean Stewart
      Artist Guest: Wayne Barlowe
      Editor Guest: Shawna McCarthy
      Fan Guest: Harry Stubbs
      Toastmaster: William Browning Spencer
      Special Guest: Neil Gaiman (sponsored by ALAMO)

      ArmadilloCon 22 (2000) Chairs: John Gibbons and Dan Tolliver
      Guest of Honor: Catherine Asaro
      Artist Guest: Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz
      Editor Guest: Betsy Mitchell
      Fan Guest: Robert Taylor
      Toastmaster: Mary Doria Russell
      Special Guest: Kathleen Ann Goonan (sponsored by ALAMO)

      ArmadilloCon 23 (2001) Chairs: Renee Babcock and Lori Wolf
      Guest of Honor: J. Gregory Keyes
      Artist Guest: John Jude Palencar
      Editor Guest: Toni Weisskopf
      Fan Guest: Teddy Harvia
      Toastmaster: Walter Jon Williams
      Special Guest: Esther Friesner (sponsored by ALAMO)

      ArmadilloCon 24 (2002) Chairs: Renee Babcock and Charles Siros
      Guest of Honor: Martha Wells
      Artist Guests: Frank Cho and Scott Kurtz
      Editor Guest: Tom Doherty
      Fan Guests: Kurt Baty and Scott Bobo
      Toastmaster: Joe R. Lansdale
      Special Guest: Robin Hobb (sponsored by ALAMO)

6. Writers' Workshop

   1. Is the Writers' Workshop a competition?
      No. Each person who submits to the workshop will get an individualized critique. There is no competetion with the other participants, and there is no "winner".
   2. Who does the critiquing?
      All critiquing is done by published SF/F writers or editors with professional credentials.
   3. When may I submit a manuscript?
      All entries must be received by the posted deadline, which is several weeks before the con. No at-the-door submissions will be accepted.
   4. Can I still get a submission into the Writers' Workshop after the deadline has passed?
      No. The deadline was set to allow appropriate time to evaluate each submission.