Golden Grove Vol. 4 Issue 1

Contents Letter from the Editor 3

Story Prompt 4

Stories and Advancement Requirements 5

Upcoming Books from Misty 13

List of Fairs and Conventions 14

Submission Instructions 19

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Golden Grove Vol. 4 Issue 1

Letter From the Editor

Hi All,

Here we are at the beginning of another new year. I enjoyed a few days visiting the family and playing with my nieces in the snow. I also finally, finally started on my Voltron costume, the one I’ve been meaning to start for the last year. Maybe I’ll get it done this year, but I’m not putting any deadlines on it at this point. My big project for this year is working on fixing up my basement. That’s going to be a big enough project, but I’m hoping to get it finished this year.

I still need stories, poetry, artwork and book reviews to publish in Golden Grove. If you are thinking of doing more writing this year, consider sending me your work to have it published.

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Story Prompt The small child was curled up in the overstuffed arm chair asleep. The soft light from the lamp on the table beside the chair illuminated a circle of dark wood floor, the book that had fallen when the child passed out, and the lower part of the bookshelves on the wall behind the chair. The rest of the room was hidden in shadows. Across the room, through the open door, a light could be seen moving closer.

As always, if you would like any story published you can submit it to Golden Grove [email protected] with Golden Grove in the subject line.

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Stories and Advancement Requirements Companions

This piece of Mercedes Lackey fan fiction is licensed under Creative Commons.

Companions By Linda A. Malcor (Based on the Works of Mercedes Lackey)

Herald Kaylan Elderwood sat cross-legged on a bed of pine needles in a grove of evergreens in the Companions’ Field, his elbows resting on his knees and his palms pressed against the closed lids of his bright blue eyes. His shoulder-length, straight black hair, damp with sweat from the oppressive heat that always settled over Haven in the summer, hung in limp curtains from a center part. Not an ounce of fat showed anywhere on his lithe frame. Instead of Herald Whites he wore a dark gray uniform cut in the same pattern and tailored to fit him perfectly. As an assistant to the Equitation instructor, Herald Keren, he was the one inside the paddock with the Trainees every day, getting covered in dust and muck, while she stood in Whites, safely outside the fence, so he’d been assigned the type of uniform worn by Weaponsmaster Alberich. His partner-to-be, Herald-Trainee Yarik Rafton, took great pleasure in teasing him about how the students doing chores in the laundry were thrilled they didn’t have to scrub splatters of unknown origin out of his Whites.

Kaylan wasn’t thrilled about anything at the moment. His assignment for the afternoon had been to get his Fetching Gift to mesh with Yarik’s Gifts of Mindspeech and FarSight through their lifebond. Stones had more Mindspeech than Kaylan did, though he was a powerful enough Fetcher that he should have been able to take those stones and place them in a straight line at a Waystation three days’ ride from where they were. After more candlemarks of trying than he wanted to think about, he still hadn’t been able to get a specific stone in the Companions’ Field that Yarik was concentrating on to so much as jiggle. “This is impossible. Let’s just give up.”

Yarik, arms folded stubbornly across his chest, sat beside the depressed Herald, not quite touching him. Average in height and weight with curly brown hair and brown eyes, he was as plain as Kaylan was memorable. He wore the same gray uniform as all the other Trainees at the Heralds’ Collegium, which meant it was only approximately his size, well-worn and carefully mended. “Heralds don’t give up.”

Kaylan’s older cousin, Herald Jorge Elderwood, sat on the ground a few paces away from them. He leaned heavily against his Companion Tieg’s flank as the stallion lay unmoving behind him. His Whites blended with Tieg’s coat, giving the disconcerting impression in the dimming light

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Golden Grove Vol. 4 Issue 1 that his head was floating just above his Companion’s spine. His short once-black hair stuck out in all directions, as if he had spent several se’nnights in bed. Which he had. His unfocused eyes, identical to Kaylan’s in color, seemed out of place in his pale, scarred face. He braced his hands against the ground, as if trying to keep the world from spinning beneath him. “It’s not a problem with you two meshing. It’s impossible to tell where one of your auras stops and the other starts.”

Kaylan raised his head. “No offense, Jorge, but you don’t look like you could get two physical images to line up, let alone two auras.”

Yarik tousled his hair in a futile attempt to dry it. “Heralds Dirk and Kris make it look so easy.”

“Dirk and Kris both have Mindspeech,” Jorge said. “They work together like a fine-tuned machine. It’s all straightforward and logical for them. You two are trying to work with a lifebond, and logic has nothing to do with it.”

Kaylan sat a bit straighter and pushed his hair away from his face. “I miss Grandmother and Grandfather.”

Jorge snorted. “Tell me about it.”

“What do they have to do with anything?” Yarik asked.

Kaylan used his sleeve to wipe away the sweat that dribbled down his face. “Grandfather is really good at teaching people to work together.”

“And Grandmother would have me back in the saddle by now,” Jorge added.

“It’s only been six se’nnights, Jorge,” Kaylan reminded him. “You’ve seen enough head injuries from people falling off horses to know that some cracked skulls take longer to heal than others. And you didn’t just fall. You had a bandit try to bash your brains out.”

“Bandits,” Jorge growled, starting to rise. “More than one.”

Kaylan waved him back down just before he fell down. “You know what I mean. You took a lot of damage to your head. Healers can repair the fractures, but having your brains sloshed around like mop strands in a wash bucket is something even Mindhealers can’t do much about.”

Yarik jostled Kaylan with his shoulder. “When was the last time you swabbed a deck?”

Kaylan automatically jostled him back. “You think pirates are the only ones who use mops?”

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“Bah!” Jorge exclaimed. “How the two of you can stand to be practically on top of each other in this heat, I’ll never understand.”

Tieg turned his head, looked up and down at the spot where Jorge was leaning against him, and gave a snort.

Jorge glared at his Companion. “It’s not the same, and you know it.”

Tieg shook his head and stared off into the trees as if he were talking with someone.

Adele and Illysha, Kaylan thought. They’re probably down by the Terilee where it’s cooler.

“The sun’s setting. I should be getting myself back to bed.” Jorge sighed. “I’m sick of living in a cubicle that’s only slightly larger than a coffin.”

Kaylan hid a wince. Jorge’s room was the same size as that of every other Herald who spent most of his time out on Circuit. But his cousin’s description of his living quarters struck a little too close to the heart. I need to get him out of here. Suddenly an idea so crazy he would have sworn it came from Adele slipped through his mind. “Heyla! It’s nearly time for everyone who’s free to ride out on Mandatory Family Visits. Yarik and I were going to stay here because you couldn’t make the journey. But what if you could make it? Think you can ride if we tie you to Tieg’s saddle?”

“Huh?” Jorge asked.

“Huh?” Yarik echoed.

Tieg swiveled his head around until he was eye to eye with his Chosen.

Jorge crinkled his nose. “I know you aren’t going to carry me anywhere except back to my room unless I’m tied to your saddle.”

“You stuck me in a caravan to get me to Haven when I was too sick to ride,” Yarik ventured.

“You were almost dead and had never ridden a horse in your life. Plus, we’ll never get someone to loan us a caravan just to visit our family. Tied on, I think Jorge could do it.” Kaylan grinned wickedly at his cousin. “With a bowl in his hands so he doesn’t get Tieg’s coat dirty.”

“The only thing I’d do with a bowl is throw it at you.” Jorge pulled himself onto Tieg’s back.

Tieg winked at Kaylan as he stood up carefully.

Kaylan used his Fetching to steady Jorge.

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Jorge bristled. “Cut it out. I can mount my own Companion without your help. You may, however, Fetch my bags to the courtyard when it’s time to leave. I’m already packed.”

“You’re never unpacked.” Kaylan stood and helped Yarik to his feet. “It’s settled, then. We’ll come get you the morning after the final classes let out.” Jorge tried to nod but wound up clutching two fistfuls of Tieg’s mane to keep from falling off.

Tieg gave a long-suffering sigh and carefully wandered out of the grove.

* * *

Yarik felt Kaylan’s fingers press upward on his chin, gently closing his mouth once more.

“It really isn’t a good idea to leave your mouth open with this many horses around,” Kaylan advised. “Especially this time of year. You’re guaranteed to catch a fly.”

“You’d Fetch anything away from me before I could swallow it.”

“You have too much faith in my talents, little pirate.”

“Not when you’re from a family who can do that!” Yarik pointed at the Elderwood cousins who were riding half a dozen dazzlingly white stallions around an indoor ring, weaving in and out like ribbons on a Maypole.

Three horses circled sunwise around the ring and three widdershins. They rejoined in a single line, and in unison side-stepped to the far side of the arena and then back to where Kaylan and Yarik were leaning against the rail.

Kaylan had changed into his Whites for the journey, while Yarik still wore his Greys. That left the riders, in blue uniforms that matched their eyes, as the only splashes of color inside the massive building. The air was markedly cooler than it had been in Haven, and the scents of sawdust, horses, and well-oiled leather wafted on a pleasant breeze.

“And you’re all related?” Yarik asked.

Kaylan grinned. “We marry outside the family, but the children all come out looking the same. We gave up trying to keep track of the exact relationships a long time ago and just call everyone ‘cousin.’”

The stallions skipped halfway across the ring and took to the air, kicking out their hind legs in unison at the height of their jumps.

Yarik’s mouth fell open again.

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Kaylan obligingly closed it for him.

A stately man, his frosted black hair gathered at his neck with a black bow, joined them at the rail. Dressed in a black shirt, trews, and riding boots, he watched the practice with a critical eye. Tall and thin, with a rail-straight back, his eyes were also what Yarik had started to think of as “Elderwood blue.” His stern features could have belonged to Herald Alberic, but they lacked the Weaponsmaster’s scars.

Kaylan had introduced Yarik to him while Lady Elderwood, a comparatively soft woman in Healer’s Green with her silver hair coiled into a bun at the back of her head, had untied Jorge from Tieg’s saddle and directed a swarm of young men to help the injured Herald into the main house, which apparently involved sweeping him off his feet and carrying him up a maze of ramps and through a door wide enough to have belonged to a barn rather than to a noble family’s estate.

“Perhaps in Karsite speak I should,” Lord Elderwood said in perfect Karsite.

“Your friend looks as if I eat him will.”

Kaylan laughed and put a protective arm around Yarik. “Grandfather! Grandmother is far too busy with Jorge for you to give Yarik a heart attack!” he exclaimed in Valdemaran.

Lord Elderwood glanced sideways at the two of them. “So, young Yarik, what do you think of our dancing stallions?” he asked in their common tongue.

It took Yarik a couple of tries to find his voice. “I understand why my Companion is so jealous of them.”

Pride filled every wrinkle in Lord Elderwood’s face, making him appear ageless. “It does take a while for us to train Companions to dance like our stallions when Heralds need to travel with our show, especially if the Heralds don’t have Mindspeech. Too bad Kaylan’s Adele is a mare. She dances very well and would fit right in. She’s learned a lot from him.”

Yarik saw Kaylan flush at the praise. “How long did it take?”

Kaylan’s face turned bright red.

Lord Elderwood raised an eyebrow. “So? You didn’t tell him.”

“Adele slipped herself into the herd at least a year before she Chose me and tricked me into teaching her how to dance,” Kaylan admitted sheepishly.

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“That Adele is a crafty one.” Lord Elderwood studied the stallions as the riders dismounted, removed their horses’ tack and began to walk them around the ring to cool down. “She even had me fooled. I can’t keep track of the cousins, but I know every stallion, mare and foal on the estate as well as their lineage back three generations. I still don’t know how she did it.”

Kaylan released Yarik, gripped the top rail and braced one of his white boots against the bottom one. “Does Grandmother think she can help Jorge? The trip was really hard on him.”

“Life is hard on all Heralds.” Lord Elderwood stared straight into Kaylan’s eyes. “You were right to bring him home. Elderwoods should always return home.” With that, he strode away.

Yarik watched him go. “What did he mean by that?”

“He wants me to show you something,” Kaylan said. “Come with me.”

* * *

Kaylan knelt near the edge of the Wyrfen Woods before a granite stone inscribed with the names “Marc” and “Valeree.”

Row after row of similar markers stretched across a huge pasture, all of the plots small because all of the bodies had been cremated.

“Your parents?” Yarik guessed.

Kaylan nodded. “There’s a reason Grandfather speaks Karsite so well. He spent the better part of a year trying to find out where they’d been consigned to the Fires so he could bring their ashes home. We’re not sure these really are their ashes, but he believes they are, so we all agree with him.”

“I assume your father looked like you,” Yarik said.

Kaylan gave a small laugh. “He was an Elderwood.”

“What about your mother?”

“I don’t remember much about her,” Kaylan mused. “They ran a tavern in Karse, gathering information for Valdemar. They were rarely here. The family raised me.”

“What do you remember about her, though?” Yarik pressed.

“She was tall. A giant. Almost as tall as father.”

“I think, perhaps, you were little.”

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Golden Grove Vol. 4 Issue 1

Kaylan smiled. “Yes.” He took a deep breath. “Father found her serving on a merchant caravan when he was traveling with our dancing stallion show. I don’t think he knew where she came from. I don’t think she knew where she came from. The story changed every time anyone told it. She had straight dark hair and hazel eyes. She was very practical and efficient when she approached a task, but she could party harder than anyone I’ve ever known.”

“What were their Gifts?”

“Father’s main Gift was Fetching. Mother’s was Empathy. They both had Mindspeech. We don’t know what gave them away.”

“How old were you when they died?”

“Six.” Kaylan rose and faced Yarik, hugging himself. “Are you upset?”

Yarik’s brow creased. “Why would I be upset?”

“Because I can remember my parents, and you can’t remember yours.”

Yarik lay his hand on the spot where Kaylan’s arms crossed. “”I think it may be harder to know what you lost than to not remember what you had. And it’s not just your parents.” He gestured at the graveyard. “You’ve known many of the others, too.”

“Yes.” Kaylan stared at something over Yarik’s head.

“So you’re Kaylan’s partner!” a woman called.

Yarik glanced over his shoulder to see Lady Elderwood picking her way through the stones toward them. “Not yet,” he said with a grin. “But I’m working on it.”

“How’s Jorge?” Kaylan asked.

Lady Elderwood smiled. “A little confused about which way is up, but he should be able to get his feet back under him now that he’s here. The House of Healing in Haven just isn’t set up to heal an Elderwood.”

Kaylan grinned at Yarik’s puzzled look. “You’ll understand once I’m finally able to show you inside the manor. We’ve always had so many Heralds in the family everything is built to accommodate Companions. They can be with us all the time, if they please.”

“And being close to his Companion helps a Herald heal,” Yarik said in the tone of a student reciting a lesson.

Lady Elderwood studied Yarik as if she were measuring him for a new uniform.

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Golden Grove Vol. 4 Issue 1

“What do you two want for accommodations? A room for two Heralds? Two Heralds with two Companions? Separate rooms with or without Companions?”

Yarik froze. “Those are choices?”

“Why don’t you ask our ladies what they want?” Kaylan suggested.

Almost at once confusion flooded Yarik’s eyes. “Two Heralds . . . See me at din–?”

Kaylan laughed. “I honestly haven’t been making up stories about my family. We really are madder than a warren of Spring hares.”

Lady Elderwood smiled impishly. “Except we built our warren for Companions.”

Kaylan chuckled. “Some things need to be seen to be believed.” He waited for his grandmother to take his arm, then led them toward the house.

* * *

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Golden Grove Vol. 4 Issue 1

Upcoming Books from Misty

Choices – November 27, 2018. The twelfth Valdemar anthology. This one has a really nice story by Misty featuring Need just after the mage wars.

Eye Spy – July 9, 2019. According to Amazon “In this second installment of the Family Spies series, set in the bestselling world of Valdemar, the children of Heralds Mags and Amily must follow in their parents' footsteps to protect the realm.”

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Golden Grove Vol. 4 Issue 1

List of Fairs and Conventions Date Convention Location January 3-6 Super MagFest National Harbor, Maryland January 4-5 Shadowcon West Memphis, Arkansas January 4-5 Wizard World New Orleans, Louisiana January 4-10 Star Trek Cruise: Voyage III Miami, Florida January 5th Brunswick Games Day Brunswick, Maryland January 5th FlamingoCon Delray Beach, Florida January 5th North Dallas Toy Show Farmers Branch, Texas January 5th Clandestine Comics Timonium, Maryland January 5th Warner Robins Comic Con Warner Robins, Georgia January 10-13 Ichibancon 9 Concord, North Carolina January 11-13 AniMore Baltimore, Maryland January 11-13 GaFilk Atlanta, Georgia January 11-13 IllogiCon VIII Cary, North Carolina January 12th Eckman's Comic Show San Antonio, Texas January 12th Wizard Pub Crawl Charleston, South Carolina January 12-13 Congress of Gamers Rockville, Maryland January 12-13 Greensboro Comicon Greensboro, North Carolina January 12-13 Model Train Show Columbia, South Carolina January 13th Comic & Collectibles Show DeLand, Florida January 13th Jacksonville Anime Day Jacksonville, Florida January 18-19 Huntsville Comic Con Huntsville, Alabama January 18-20 Anthro Crossroads East Cary, North Carolina January 18-20 MarsCon Williamsburg, Virginia January 18-20 PAX South San Antonio, Texas January 18-20 SCARAB Columbia, South Carolina January 19th Anime Blues Winter Remix Southaven, Mississippi January 19th Hair Of The Dragon 8 Atlanta, Georgia January 19th Ocala Comic Fest Ocala, Florida January 19-20 BrickFair Birmingham, Alabama January 19-20 Brick Universe Louisville, Kentucky January 19-20 Central Florida Comic Con Lakeland, Florida January 19-20 Comic Book Connection Jacksonville, Florida January 19-20 Toy & Hobby Show Raleigh, North Carolina January 25-27 Chattacon 44 Chattanooga, Tennessee January 25-27 Days of the Dead Atlanta, Georgia January 25-27 HauntCon New Orleans, Louisiana January 25-27 Rocket City Gamefest Huntsville, Alabama January 25-27 Secret Mission Con Marietta, Georgia January 25-28 Colossalcon Cruise Cape Canaveral, Florida January 25-26 Vette City Con Bowling Green, Kentucky

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Golden Grove Vol. 4 Issue 1

January 26th BTL Collectibles Show Miami, Florida January 26th Comic Book Show Annandale, Virginia January 26th Frankfort Comic Con Frankfort, Kentucky January 26th Gasparilla Pirate Fest Tampa, Florida January 26th Knoxville Anime Day Knoxville, Tennessee January 26th SSA+S Toracon Sarasota, Florida January 26th Unicorn Pub Crawl Savannah, Georgia January 26th UnPub Mini Midlothian, Virginia January 26-27 Orlando Toy & Comic Con Orlando, Florida January 26-27 STCE's Comic Con Laredo, Texas January 27th Atlanta Comic Convention Atlanta , Georgia January 27th Virginia Comicon Fairfax, Virginia February 1-3 Star City Anime Roanoke, Virginia February 2nd FAST Blast 2 St. Louis, Missouri February 2nd North Dallas Toy Show Farmers Branch, Texas February 2nd Orlando Anime Day Orlando, Florida February 2-3 North Texas Comic Book Show Dallas, Texas February 3rd Clandestine Comics Glen Burnie, Maryland February 7-10 Game-O-Rama Atlanta, Georgia February 7-10 Rapier Jacksonville, Florida February 8-10 Farpoint 26 Timonium, Maryland February 8-10 KaiyoCon Daytona Beach, Florida February 8-10 Seishun-Con Atlanta, Georgia February 8-10 Vampire Diaries Con Nashville, Tennessee February 9th ArtCon Neosho, Missouri February 9th Con-Tagion Charlotte, North Carolina February 9th Hamil Fest St. Petersburg, Florida February 9th Pulp Adventure Con Fort Lauderdale, Florida February 9th Statesville Comic Con Statesville, North Carolina February 15-17 AnachroCon Atlanta, Georgia February 15-17 ConDFW Addison, Texas February 15-17 Katsucon National Harbor, Maryland February 15-17 Toy Soldier & Model Show Atlanta, Georgia February 15-17 Treasure Coast Pirate Fest Ft. Pierce, Florida February 15-17 Ushicon Round Rock, Texas February 15-17 Williamsburg Muster Williamsburg, Virginia February 15-18 Decepta Con Atlanta, Georgia February 15-18 NotCon at Sea Miami, Florida February 16th Most Excellent Party Atlanta, Georgia February 16th Scrum Con College Park, Maryland February 16th SyFy Street Festival Bartow, Florida February 16-17 Onyxcon Atlanta, Georgia February 17th Antique Toy Show Miami, Florida

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February 21-24 Concave 40 Bowling Green, Kentucky February 21-25 Walker Stalker Cruise Tampa, Florida February 22-24 ConNooga Chattanooga, Tennessee February 22-24 Kami-Con Birmingham, Alabama February 22-24 Mad Monster Party Charlotte, North Carolina February 22-24 MystiCon Roanoke, Virginia February 22-24 OwlCon Houston, Texas February 22-24 Pensacon Pensacola, Florida February 23rd BTL Collectibles Show Miami, Florida February 23rd Crawl Of Thrones Savannah, Georgia February 23rd Epic Game Day 1.5 Portsmouth, Virginia February 23-24 Captain's Comic Expo Charleston, SC February 23-24 Lubbock-Con Lubbock, Texas February 24th Comic Book Show Frederick, Maryland February 24th Toy & Comic Book Show Columbus, Georgia February 25-March 2 Con-Voluted Cruise Miami, Florida February 25-March 3 PrezCon Charlottesville, Virginia February 28-March 3 Coastal Magic Daytona Beach, Florida March 1-3 GAD-Con Aberdeen, Maryland March 1-3 Louisville Arcade Expo Louisville, Kentucky March 1-3 MACE West Asheville, North Carolina March 2nd AnniCon Anniston, Alabama March 2nd CalusaCon Fort Myers, Florida March 2nd Cardboard*Con Atlanta, Georgia March 2nd Crawl Of Thrones Savannah, Georgia March 2nd Marion Comic Con Marion, North Carolina March 2-3 AgamaCon Aiken, South Carolina March 2-3 Comic Con Revolution West Palm Beach, Florida March 2-3 Infinity Con 6 Lake City, Florida March 2-3 Toy & Comic Expo Parkersburg, West Virginia March 3rd Clandestine Comics Laurel, Maryland March 2-9 Senpai Cosplay Cruise Miami, Florida March 7-10 BermyCon Kingston, Bermuda March 8-10 Amelia Con Amelia Island, Florida March 8-10 CoastCon 42 Biloxi, Mississippi March 8-10 Retro JAX Jacksonville, Florida March 8-10 Salute To Supernatural Nashville, Tennessee March 8-10 Tennessee Game Days XIV Franklin, Tennessee March 8-10 Toylanta Atlanta, Georgia March 8-10 VisionCon Branson, Missouri March 9th Miami Comic Con Miami, Florida March 9th Mississippi Anime Festival Jackson, Mississippi March 9th SuperHero Pub Crawl Atlanta, Georgia

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Golden Grove Vol. 4 Issue 1

March 9th Women of Wonder Con Dallas, Texas March 9-10 Brick Universe Raleigh, North Carolina March 9-10 Comic & Pop Culture Expo Huntsville, Alabama March 9-10 FreeCon 15 Tallahassee, Florida March 9-10 Miami Comic Con Miami, Florida March 9-10 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Expo Atlanta, Georgia March 9-10 SC Comicon Greenville, South Carolina March 13-16 ICFA 40 Orlando, Florida March 14-17 All-Con Dallas, Texas March 15-17 Aselia Con Irving, Texas March 15-17 BFGcon Frederick, Maryland March 15-17 GAMExpo San Antonio, Texas March 15-17 KaiyoCon Daytona Beach, Florida March 15-17 Kigacon Newport News, Virginia March 15-17 MidSouthCon 37 Memphis, Tennessee March 15-17 Omni Fandom Expo Orlando, Florida March 15-17 Triad Anime Con Winston-Salem, North Carolina March 16th Clearwater Comic Con Clearwater, Florida March 16th Comic & Pop Culture Con Dyersburg, Tennessee March 16th Dixie Die-Cast & Toy Show Cartersville, Georgia March 16th Fandomonium Gainesville, Florida March 16th My-Con Orlando, Florida March 16th Watch The Sky Montreat, North Carolina March 16-17 Hill Country Comicon New Braunfels, Texas March 16-17 Infinity Con 6 Lake City, Florida March 16-17 Not Just Another Comic Con Little Rock, Arkansas March 16-17 River Region Comic Con Montgomery, Alabama March 16-17 SwampCon: Frontier Gainesville, Florida March 16-17 Toy & Hobby Show Raleigh, North Carolina March 20-24 Festival Of The Book Charlottesville, Virginia March 22-23 North Texas Teen Book Festival Irving, Texas March 22-24 AggieCon 49 College Station, Texas March 22-24 Collective Con Jacksonville, Florida March 22-24 FantaSci Raleigh, North Carolina March 22-24 Lexington Comic & Toy Con Lexington, Kentucky March 22-24 Metrotham Con Chattanooga, Tennessee March 22-24 Revelcon 30 Houston, Texas March 22-24 Shush Con Pawleys Island, South Carolina March 22-24 Spooky Empire Orlando, Florida March 22-24 Texas Pinball Festival Frisco, Texas March 22-24 BrickFair Charlotte, North Carolina March 23rd Gulf Coast Maker & Comic Con Seminole, Florida March 23rd Sequoyah-Con Canton, Georgia

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March 23rd Charlotte Comicon Concord, North Carolina March 23rd Steampunk Day: Carnevale Orlando, Florida March 28-31 Texas Furry Fiesta Dallas, Texas March 29-31 AtomiCon VII Durham, North Carolina March 29-31 CogCon Spring Revel Rolla, Missouri March 29-31 Planet Comicon Kansas City, Missouri March 29-31 (Re)Generation Who Rockville, Maryland March 30th AfroCon Tampa, Florida March 30th BTL Collectibles Show Miami, Florida March 30th FLPolyCon Lakeland, Florida March 30-31 Animazing Con Savannah, Georgia March 30-31 Playthrough Raleigh, North Carolina March 31st Clandestine Comics Laurel, Maryland April 5-7 AnimeCon Arkansas Little Rock, Arkansas April 5-7 221B Con Atlanta, Georgia April 5-7 LexiCon Lexington, Kentucky April 5-7 NashiCon Columbia, South Carolina April 5-7 RavenCon Williamsburg, Virginia April 5-7 Wizard World St. Louis, Missouri April 6th Mizuumi-Con San Antonio, Texas April 6th San Antonio Book Festival San Antonio, Texas April 6-7 CAFCON Morganton, North Carolina April 6-7 Comic Book Connection Jacksonville, Florida April 6-7 Hatsume Fair Delray Beach, Florida April 6-7 Savannah Comic Con Savannah, Georgia April 12th Wizard Prom Savannah, Georgia April 12-13 Cecil Con North East, Maryland April 12-13 South Campus Anime Fort Worth, Texas April 12-14 CyPhaCon Lake Charles, Louisiana April 12-14 El Paso Comic Con El Paso, Texas April 12-14 Kameha Con Irving, Texas April 12-14 Save vs Hunger Maryville, Tennessee April 12-14 Ultracon of South Florida Miami, Florida April 13th FarleyCon East Ridge, Tennessee April 13th Fusion Con New Port Richey, Florida April 13th Wizard Pub Crawl Savannah, Georgia April 13-14 Congress of Gamers Rockville, Maryland April 13-14 Daytona Beach Comic Con Daytona Beach, Florida April 13-14 TigerCon Valdosta, Georgia April 13-14 Toy & Hobby Show Charlotte, North Carolina

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Golden Grove Submission Instructions

Deadlines for submissions are the 10th day of December, March, June and September.

Poetry, stories, book reviews and advancement requirements should be submitted as Word document or a .txt file. Original artwork may be submitted in any digital format. If you would like help editing your stories please submit them well before the deadline and put 1st draft in the subject line.

All submissions should be sent to [email protected]

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