First, let me state that Mr. O & I & TFT are in no way affiliated with Llewellyn Worldwide, that is other than the fact that I have met some of their authors over the years & have bought a heck of a lot of the books, Tarot, & Oracle decks that they publish.
This is the 3rd year Llewellyn Worldwide have been providing a 10-day online conference called Llewellyncon (on Crowdcast) featuring their authors & Tarot/Oracle creators. I think it began because Covid limited creators’ ability to meet, greet, & teach their audiences, while encourage sales in person (at bookstores/book signings & at conventions & festivals). If this was indeed the rationale, then it’s something positive that sprouted from the pandemic! Many do not have bookstores in their areas where these creators visit, or they can’t afford to attend in-person conventions. This provides them with an opportunity they might not otherwise have.
So what else is there to like you ask?
First of all….it’s free! Totally free. Where else can you find free programming & access to creators like this all-in-one place for free? Plus, they have purchase incentives like a 30% off sale during the 10-day convention. And, they have giveaways, up to 5 copies of a title (usually a creator’s upcoming or latest material) from each (or most) of the presenters at the conference.
Though there can be technological glitches from time to time (often with oversea presenters), the tech works well. Their Crowdcast site is easy to navigate. And it keeps getting better. More authors are displaying Power Point presentations to enhance their brief talks.
Llewellyn used to close the chat while the creator was speaking. I don’t know whether the creators wanted it, the audience suggested it, or Llewellyn just decided to do it, but they opened up the chat during an entire session, so people can comment, post questions, network & talk to one another, & feel a real sense of community. Good call whoever decided to make this happen. They've even created a Facebook group for Llewellyncon2022, so attendees, presenters, etc. can carry more conversation.
There are 40 presenters…40!!! Topics are very diverse covering so many areas that I am sure there would be more than 1 session people would really want to see. I mean you don’t have to attend them all. This year, I do…but I am retired, LOL! I like to catch them live so I can participate in the chats to meet & network with others. But, if you miss a session (like I will have to during TFTs Sunday’s shows), you can watch recordings of the shows later at your convenience.
I have seen complaints that these sessions are too short or Llewellyn’s just trying to make a buck (well, duh), etc. I have no problem with a business trying to create more opportunities for financial growth in this manner. They are offering something for nothing in the hopes of a return on this investment of time & energy in putting Llewellyncon on every year. People come away a bit more informed & feeling a little more connected with the authors/creators they’ve come to support over the years. As for 30 minutes, I have found, (even from my former professional role as a librarian) that a good presenter can do a lot in 30 minutes! In a good session, time just seems to fly by! Sure, there are some that may not be so good at it & of course, we’d always like more from the presenters. But, then again, it IS free.
I hope that Llewellyn Worldwide & their authors/creators continue this tradition every year. I encourage everyone to go check out a session or two (Llewellyncon runs through June 23. Some may say “what a waste of a ½ hour”, while others may look at it this as an opportunity to explore topics they haven’t explored before, or that they have a strong, or a casual interest in. It’s also an opportunity to check out an author & find out what their latest book/creation is all about before deciding to purchase it. I love the cornucopia of topics they present. These little sessions help inspire hungry minds & spirits.
--Banshee