OCTOBER 22-25

Edgfield Manor
2126 S.W. Halsey St.
Troutdale, OR 97060

 

The largest gathering of bizarro fiction authors on the planet!

"I can say without any doubt that if you are a Literary Freak, then BizarroCon is the gathering for you."  - Jess Gulbranson

"BizarroCon, it's like an enema for the soul..."  - Andersen Prunty

"I got drunk with Kevin L Donihe and he stole my wallet!"  - Jeff Burk

"Come! Let me steal your wallet!"  - Kevin L. Donihe

"If you attend only one gathering of America's strangest small press novelists, let it be this one!"  - Garrett Cook

Pricing

FULL WEEKEND PASS
(Price includes saturday awards dinner, saturday breakfast, and sunday brunch)

$50 (if paid before June 30th)
$60 (if paid before September 30th)
$70 (if paid before October 20th)
$80 (at the door)

SATURDAY-ONLY PASS
(includes saturday awards dinner)

$25 (if paid before October 20th)
$50 (at the door)

Get your BizarroCon pass now!

Full Membership Pass $50.00Saturday Only Pass $25.00

REASONS TO COME TO BIZARROCON:

Networking!

Meet other writers, editors, and readers of bizarro fiction.  Make new friends.  Pitch ideas to editors.  Last year so many projects were brainstormed that it was difficult to count.

(Eckhard Gerdes, Carlton Mellick III, Forrest Armstrong, Jeff Burk, Garrett Cook, Daniel Scott Buck, Gretchen and Andersen Prunty)

Readings!

There will be many readings by bizarro authors at BizarroCon.  If you like readings there will be plenty of them.  If you don't like readings, there are plenty of other things to do around Edgefield.  If you would like to have a reading, email us at bizarrocon@yahoo.com.  We will try to give a reading slot to everyone who wants one.

(Mykle Hansen, Bruce Taylor, Kevin L. Donihe, Daniel Scott Buck)

 

Workshops! Panels! Discussions!

All day Friday, there will be bizarro writing workshops and discussions on marketing and other important topics related to the business of bizarro writing. There will also be the meeting of the Bizarro Writer's Association where we discuss the future of bizarro fiction.  Come to BizarroCon and you will improve your skills as a bizarro writer and assist in the development of this burgeoning fiction movement.

(planning world domination over pitchers of beer)

Parties!

Really, BizarroCon is just one giant 4-day party.  There's nothing more fun than drinking with a group of people who share the same passion as you do.  This is where the weird impromptu events occur, such as pinky-wrestling tournaments, Prince Lemon dance-offs, and Kevin Donihe levitations.

(a bunch of bizarros)

The Bizarroest Hotel in the Northwest!

BizarroCon is at Edgefield Manor, one of the most interesting hotels in the country.  It is a historical building that has been restored by McMenamins brewing company.  The European style hotel has been described as a "Down the Rabbit Hole Experience," which is a perfect place for BizarroCon and The Wonderland Book Awards.  On the property, there is a brewery, winery, and distillery; there are 3 restaurants, 8 bars (including a whiskey and cigar bar), a pool hall, a movie theater, a 3-par golf course, a teahouse, a soaking pool, and a lot of surreal artwork covering the walls.  At the center of BizarroCon is the Ad House, a private 6 bedroom house on the property that will act as BizarroCon headquarters.

For more information, check out their website at:  http://kennedyschool.com/index.php?loc=3&id=30

Make reservations early, because rooms sell out fast.  We have a block of rooms reserved, so tell them you're with "BizarroCon."  If rooms are sold out before you get a chance to reserve one, try searching for other hotels in the area.  There are many hotels within a mile away from Edgefield.

(Edgefield Manor)

The Wonderland Book Awards!

Saturday night, in the banquet hall, will be the annual Wonderland Book Awards, honoring authors who have excelled in bizarro fiction.  Eat a nice dinner as the winners of best bizarro novel and best bizarro story collection of 2008 are announced.  Everyone attending BizarroCon will be allowed to vote for the winners of the Wonderland Book Awards.  To vote, you must be registered for BizarroCon (this includes those registered for the $25 Saturday-only pass).  Voting begins July 1^st and ends September 30^th.  Email your votes for best novel and best collection to bizarrocon@yahoo.com.   Nominees in each category will be posted here soon.

Last year's winners were "Dr. Identity" by D. Harlan Wilson in the novel category and  "13 Thorns" by Gina Ranalli and Gus Fink in the collection category.

(Rose O'Keefe, Gina Ranalli, and the G-Force 13)

The Ultimate Bizarro Showdown!

This is the biggest event at bizarrocon!  After the Wonderland Book Awards Dinner, the banquet hall is transformed into Bizarro Thunderdome!  20 authors enter, only one leaves victorious.  Each author gets 2 minutes to tell the weirdest story they can come up with to a drunk and impatient crowd.  After 2 minutes, if the story entertains the audience enough they are allowed to continue.  If their story fails they are fucking decapitated!  The distinguished bizarro judges will choose the top three readers.  Winners will receive fabulous prizes and bragging rights for a year.  Hosted by Prince Lemon himself, aka Jeremy Robert Johnson, the ultimate bizarro showdown is a showdown of ultimate awesomeness!  If you'd like to sign up for this competition or have questions about the event, contact Jeremy at jeremy@jeremyrobertjohnson.com.  There are only a limited number of spots available, so sign up now.

Last year's winner, Garrett Cook, will be returning to defend his title as ultimate bizarro champion.

(Jeremy Robert Johnson, Mykle Hansen, Garrett Cook, Mitch Maraude, Angela Molinar, and Kevin L. Donihe)

 

Foods!

Cost of admission will give you three free meals: The Saturday morning breakfast buffet, the Sunday bizarro brunch, and the Saturday Night Wonderland Book Awards Banquet.   The food is excellent.  The company is even better!  In addition to these bizarro eating events, the Edgefield Hotel contains a variety of restaurants from pizza to pub burgers to fine Northwest cuisine.

 

(bizarro brunch and the wonderland book awards banquet)

Bizarro Books!

BizarroCon will have the largest collection of bizarro books available for purchase.   Never before have so many bizarro books been available in one place.  Many of the titles will be on sale at the special convention price:  3 for $20.

(tons of bizarro books!)

 

Bizarro Beer!

Rose O'Keefe of Eraserhead Press is not only a bizarro publisher, she is also a micro-brewer of Bizarro Beer.  Every BizarroCon she brews up new batches of bizarro beer and names them after new bizarro book releases.  Come to the book release party Friday night for a bunch of delicious freshly brewed bizarro beer as well as readings from the newest bizarro books.

Last year's Apeshit IPA was one of the best beers we have ever tasted.  Ever!

(Bizarro Beers: Shark Hunting Hard Cider, Apeshit IPA, Kissing Bug Belgian Ale, Rampaging Fuckers IPA)

Basic summary of what to expect of the BizarroCon schedule:

THURSDAY:  Thursday night is mostly just about everyone arriving into town throughout the day.  For those who are waiting around for everyone to show up, it is a chance to get to know the new people and a chance to explore the many bars at Edgefield.  It all eventually ends in a party that goes on for much longer than it should.

FRIDAY:   Friday is filled with writing workshops and round table discussions.  This is the day we get down to business.  We help each other improve our craft of writing bizarro fiction, we brainstorm new book marketing techniques, and we plan the future of the bizarro genre.  All the important stuff.  At night, there is the Eraserhead Press party.

SATURDAY:   This day is all about readings.  There will be a breakfast in the morning and then there will be a series of readings and panels until 5pm.  Bizarro books and beer will be available all day.  Saturday night will be the Wonderland Book Awards Banquet, followed by the Ultimate Bizarro Showdown, then a party afterwards.

SUNDAY:   Another breakfast.  Readings and panels continue.  There might be a dead dog party of some kind that night.  Many people will be leaving throughout the day on Sunday, but if you can book your flight for Sunday night or Monday you should.

 

If you have any questions contact bizarrocon@yahoo.com

 

Detailed Schedule of Events

Thursday

Everyone show up and mingle. Explore Edgefield. Check into your room. Prepare for a crazy and busy weekend.

Friday

8:00—11:00 am: WRITER’S WORKSHOP: HOW TO WRITE HIGH CONCEPT BIZARRO (Carlton Mellick III)—People read bizarro books primarily for the outlandish, crazy ideas. Some books have ideas that are just so out there that readers can’t resist picking them up. This workshop focuses on how to write bizarro books that sell based on the ideas alone. Each student will come up with the most irresistibly strange idea for a book that they can, write a back cover description for it, then the class will critique the descriptions and decide which book ideas are worth their money. The most irresistible book descriptions are guaranteed publication by Eraserhead Press. (Location: The Barley Room)

11:30—2:30 pm: WRITER’S WORKSHOP: DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS: PREPARING FOR CRITICISM (Eckhard Gerdes)— This workshop will be designed to help every writer better defend his or her writing against reviewers and others. We need to identify our own weaknesses and develop cogent and coherent theories of defense that befuddle even the most acute academic into thinking that what we do intuitively is actually carefully planned and intentional. We’ll have everyone bring in negative reviews and criticism they have received in the past, and then find ways to pre-empt those strikes through interviews and promo materials and such, thus disarming the attackers. There are ways of disarming entire schools of attack, and in so doing we immunize ourselves against the critics. (Location: The Barley Room)

3:00—5:00 pm: BIZARRO WRITER’S ASSOCIATION MEETING—Come and drink some beers and help us plan the future of the Bizarro Genre. (Location: The Barley Room)

5:00—7:00 pm: DINNER BREAK

7:00—Midnight: ERASERHEAD PRESS TENTH ANNIVERSARY PARTY—Come and celebrate ten years of Eraserhead Press with a party of mind-blowing performances. Featuring the tentacled gun-slinging of Jordan Krall, the one man melody-machine that is Andrew GoldFarb, the sideburn master himself—Carlton Mellick III, Jeff Burk channeling William Shatner, and the final Meat Magick performance of Cameron Pierce. This will be a night to go down in history! (Location: The Ad House)

Saturday

9:00—10:30: BIZARRO BRUNCH & RAFFLE—Have an excellent gourmet brunch of Smoked Salmon Benedict and Fresh Vegetable Quiche. Enter a raffle to win free books, artwork, and other prizes. (Location: The Barley Room)

11:30—12:15 pm: GUERILLA MARKETING PANEL—(Carlton Mellick III, Chris Genoa, Mykle Hansen, Cameron Pierce, and Jeff Burk)—It’s dog-eat-dog in the publishing world right now. Come and learn some tricks of the trade to get people to read your book, stay relevant in a multi-media world, and survive. (Location: The Barley Room)

11:30—12:15 pm: READING BLOCK ONE—Andersen Prunty, J. W. Wargo, Michael Allen Rose, and Daniel Scott Buck. (Location: The Ad House)

12:30—1:15 pm: BIZARRO COMICS PANEL—(Cameron Pierce, Jeff Burk, Andrew Goldfarb, and Jason Pott)— A discussion about writing and illustrating comics, the comics industry, and Shark Vs. Badger, a new Eraserhead Press imprint dedicated to publishing bizarro comics. If you’ve ever dreamed of creating weird comics, or wonder why you should, you can’t miss this panel.
(Location: The Barley Room)

12:30—1:15 pm: READING BLOCK TWO—Mykle Hansen, Garrett Cook, Bradley Sands, and Steven Rage. (Location: The Ad House)

1:30—2:15 pm: GIVING SOUL TO YOUR WEIRD FICTION—(Jeremy Robert Johnson, Bruce Taylor, Kevin L. Donihe, Andersen Prunty, and Eckhard Gerdes)—Just because bizarro fiction is weird doesn’t mean it can’t affect and touch the reader. Come for a discussion on creating characters your reader will care about. (Location: The Barley Room)

1:30—2:15 pm: READING BLOCK THREE—Chris Genoa, David Argranoff, Nicole Cushing, and Gina Ranalli with Angie Molinar. (Location: The Ad House)

2:30—3:15 pm: DOING READINGS THAT SELL BOOKS—(Mykle Hansen, Cameron Pierce, Garrett Cook, Jeff Burk, and J. W. Wargo)— Bizarro fiction is like nothing else, so why shouldn’t bizarro readings be the same way? Learn how to create a legendary performance that will deliver the visceral experience of your fiction, build a cult following, and make money all at the same time. (Location: The Barley Room)

2:30—3:15 pm: READING BLOCK FOUR—Eckhard Gerdes, Forrest Armstrong, Bruce Taylor, and Kevin L. Donihe. (Location: The Ad House)

3:30—4:15 pm: MAKING YOUR READERS LAUGH—(Mykle Hansen, Chris Genoa, Andersen Prunty, Bradley Sands, and Eckhard Gerdes)—Everybody loves to laugh and there’s no debating bizarro has some of the funniest books out there. The masters of humorous bizarro sit down for a discussion on what makes books funny and how to make your book funnier. (Location: The Barley Room)

3:30—4:15 pm: READING BLOCK FIVE—Kevin Shamel, Eric Mays, David W. Barbee, and Patrick Wensink. (Location: The Ad House)

5:30—6:30 pm: WONDERLAND BOOK AWARDS DINNER—The Second Annual Wonderland Book Award for Best Novel and Best Collection. Come find out the winners and enjoy a Mexican buffet. (Location: The Ballroom)

7:00—10:00 pm: THE ULTIMATE BIZARRO SHOWDOWN—After the awards diner, bizarro authors compete to see who is indeed the weirdest of the weird. Each author must give the most unique and entertaining four minute reading performance of their lives or risk being yanked off stage by the drunk and annoyed audience members. Winners will be given snazzy prizes. Hosted by Jeremy Robert Johnson. Judges: Rose O’Keefe, Bruce Taylor, Eckhard Gerdes, and Gina Ranalli. (Location: The Ballroom)

11:00—Beyond: BIZARRO AFTER-PARTY—(Location: The Ad House)

2:00—3:00 am: LATE NIGHT WEIRD MOVIES—A selection of bizarro short films and cult movie trailers. Hosted by Mykle Hansen and Jeff Burk. (Location: The Ad House)

Sunday

10:00—Noon: CHURCH OF BLOODY MARY BREAKFAST—Nurse your hangover with a breakfast of sliced prosciutto, sweet coppa, sopressata, marinated fresh mozzarella, feta and provolone cheese, olives, marinated and pickled vegetables, assorted hearth baked breads, and bloody marys while we discuss the future of Bizarro Con. (Location: Mount Hood Room)

Noon—12:45: KEEPING BIZARRO CON ALIVE ALL YEAR LONG—Just because your time at Bizarro Con is ending doesn’t mean you can’t live in the spirit all year round. Let’s talk about organizing readings, other conventions, networking, and keeping connected, motivated, and productive all year round. (Location: Mount Hood Room)

1:00—1:45: THE BIZARRO BOOT CAMP—An experiment in writing workshops. One author will spend two weeks in Portland learning the publishing industry, writing and getting published on deadlines, live reading techniques, and much more. (Location: Mount Hood Room)

2:00—2:45: AN EXPERIMENT IN BIZARRO BRAIN-STORMING—We shall combine our sub-conscious idea fragments into masterpieces.
(Location: Mount Hood Room)

3:00—3:45: TBA—(Location: Mount Hood Room)

4:00—4:45: VIENNA SAUSAGE EATING CONTEST—You wanted it! You demanded it! Lets eat till we puke! (Location: Mount Hood Room)


Schedule Subject to Change