You’ll find answers to most of your questions on our event pages (see the menu to the left) and through discussions in our forums. We’ve also answered some of our most common questions below:

Where did the DragonCon info go? Is there still going to be a Wheel of Time track at DragonCon?

Yes, Jennifer Liang will still be running the Wheel of Time track at DragonCon. However, the track will soon have its own webpage through DragonCon. We will no longer provide track details on this website. For more information about DragonCon, visit their website at dragoncon.org. You can still post about DragonCon on our forums.

What, when, and where is JordanCon? How much is it? How do I register?

JordanCon is a fan-led convention honoring Robert Jordan, his Wheel of Time series, and other notable genre authors. The event is based in Atlanta, Georgia. JordanCon II will be held April 23-25, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. Pre-registration membership is available for $60 until April 3. At the door membership is $65, and eternal memberships are available for $500. We encourage you to pre-register online (Paypal, check, or money order). Credit cards are not accepted at JordanCon, so at the door registrations require check or cash payments. Membership costs do not include your hotel stay, so you will need to separately reserve and pay for your hotel room. We encourage you to reserve your room at the Crowne Plaza as soon as possible to ensure the group rate. We have a special hotel registration page for JordanCon members here.

What is JordanCon like? What can I expect?

During the day we offer multiple tracks (programming topics) with workshops, panels, book signings, and discussion groups. You can choose to attend any event from any track that you like according to your interests — your schedule is up to you. We offer break times that you can use for meals, relaxation, and visits to our Dealers Hall. In the evenings we have social events planned. On Friday night we will host a charity fundraiser poker tournament, and on Saturday night we will throw our Seanchan Homecoming Ball. The convention’s atmosphere is casual, fun, and friendly. It is a medium-sized convention, which means that it is large enough that we can provide quality programming and guests, yet small enough that you won’t be overwhelmed by crowds or long lines.

What types of programming tracks are available?

Each day offers multiple tracks to choose from. There is a Writers Workshop track devoted to creative writing workshops led by best-selling and award-winning authors. We have a World of the Wheel track which celebrates Jordan’s series with a variety of events including guest panels and a trivia contest. The Forum track is perfect for fans who want to discuss and speculate on the books from The Wheel of Time. The Workshop track teaches about Wheel of Time-influenced costuming, weapons, and dance. You can spend all of your time in one track that most interests you, or you can “mix and match” depending on the specific panels/workshops in the schedule.

What is the ball like? Am I supposed to wear a costume?

Saturday’s ball is a chance for all convention members and guests to mingle, dance, and enjoy entertainment. Most people wear Wheel of Time-influenced costumes, but many others wear cocktail attire, so come dressed in whatever you feel most comfortable in. We will hold a costume contest for the best Wheel of Time costumes, so be sure to wear your costume if you plan on entering the contest. We will also be holding a silent auction with unique Wheel of Time and genre-inspired prizes.

What are these charity events about? Where will the money be going?

In honor of Robert Jordan, who died in 2007 from cardiac amyloidosis, JordanCon raises funds for amyloidosis research at the Mayo Clinic, which is the facility where Jordan received his treatment. The first JordanCon raised over $3,000 for the Mayo Clinic, and we hope to raise even more this year. We will offer two fundraising opportunities during this year’s convention: the Seanchan Hold’Em Poker Tournament on Friday night and a silent auction during the Seanchan Homecoming Ball on Saturday night. You are not required to participate in these charity events, but we encourage you to support this worthy cause.

How much money do I need to bring for the convention?

We strongly encourage you to pre-register online before April 3 at the rate of $60. This will not only save you a little money in registration costs, but will give us a better attendance estimate. The convention hotel rate is $105 per night, so reserve your hotel room as soon as possible before our group block sells out. In addition to your membership, travel, and hotel expenses, you will need to plan for meals, snacks and drinks, merchandise, and charity events. There is an ATM in the hotel, as well as several nearby at various banks and stores.

Within a mile of the hotel, you will find restaurants to meet every budget, so you can plan for fast food options or moderately-priced restaurants. JordanCon will provide complimentary water in the meeting rooms.

If you are traveling from the airport, plan to spend money on a rental car or on the local MARTA train to get to the hotel. MARTA fares are $2 one way. The MARTA station near the hotel is 0.3 miles away, so you will probably want to spend the approximate $5 for the cab fare between the station and the hotel. If you are renting a car or commuting, self-parking at the hotel is complimentary, or you can use valet parking for $15/day. (Visit our travel and hotel page for more information.)

We hope all of our members will participate in our charity events, but you are not required to. The entry fee for the poker tournament will be $20. Last year, the silent auction’s winning bids ranged from $30 (for a Wheel of Time grab bag) to $1,000 (for an original manuscript page with editing notes from The Eye of the World). Please note that JordanCon does not accept credit card payments at the event, so you will need cash or check for any event expenses.

JordanCon also offers a Dealers Hall with genre-related goodies, such as jewelry, swords, Aes Sedai shawls, and books. Individual merchants will determine their payment options.

What is near the hotel? Are there any restaurants or grocery stores?

The JordanCon 2010 hotel location offers all ranges of food options within a mile of the hotel. The Crowne Plaza offers room service, a bar, a coffee shop (with Starbucks coffee), and three restaurants. Across the street is a large shopping mall (Perimeter Mall) with a food court and moderately-priced restaurants. You’ll also find fast food options, upscale restaurants, and casual chain restaurants all within a mile of the hotel. For snacks you can find a few things in the hotel gift shop, or you can travel less than a mile to nearby grocery stores (Publix and Super Target). For those who enjoy alcohol, there is a large discount warehouse a half mile away (Total Wine & More). Please note we are not endorsing any of these venues, only informing you of local options. The hotel concierge will be able to help you with directions and shopping/dining options.

Do I have to stay at the host hotel?

We encourage our convention members to stay at the host hotel for several reasons, but you can choose to stay at another hotel, a friend’s house, or commute from home. However, staying at the host hotel will allow you to easily return to your room during the day for down time and allows you to spend more time enjoying the convention rather than commuting. Plus, the Crowne Plaza offers great amenities including a sauna and indoor pool, room service, and fitness center. Our evening events and parties tend to go late into the night, so it is safer for you to stay on-site rather than driving after a night of revelry. Staying at the host hotel also helps both the convention and its members in the long run. We are able to negotiate better rates for our meeting rooms when we can promise the hotel a larger number of guests; this translates to cheaper membership costs for you. So, no, you do not have to stay at the host hotel, but we think you will have a better time if you do so. For more information, visit our travel page.

Do you offer discounts for volunteer work?

JordanCon is currently unable to offer discounts on membership for its volunteers, but we do offer great incentive prizes and recognition at an appreciation breakfast. Visit our volunteer page for more information.