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Convention: A Gen X Coming of Age Novel
It’s 1994. Before smartphones, before streaming, before fandom ruled the world—there was ConCon.
Seventeen-year-old Aric is a shy, geeky kid from the Gulf Coast whose life is measured in dice rolls, mixtapes, and late-night RPG sessions. His one big goal is to turn ConCon ’94 into the weekend that finally changes everything.
He only wants three simple
A perfect first encounter with the mysterious Elf Girl he’s been quietly obsessed with for years.
An unforgettable weekend with his best friends, Noah and Blair.
And to do it all without getting killed by Snake, Elf Girl’s knife-happy boyfriend…or be grounded for life by his parents.
How hard could it be?
Funny, painful, and soaked in 90s nerd nostalgia, Convention is a Gen X coming-of-age novel for anyone who ever found their people at a Con, a game table, or the back of a comic shop.
Seventeen-year-old Aric is a shy, geeky kid from the Gulf Coast whose life is measured in dice rolls, mixtapes, and late-night RPG sessions. His one big goal is to turn ConCon ’94 into the weekend that finally changes everything.
He only wants three simple
A perfect first encounter with the mysterious Elf Girl he’s been quietly obsessed with for years.
An unforgettable weekend with his best friends, Noah and Blair.
And to do it all without getting killed by Snake, Elf Girl’s knife-happy boyfriend…or be grounded for life by his parents.
How hard could it be?
Funny, painful, and soaked in 90s nerd nostalgia, Convention is a Gen X coming-of-age novel for anyone who ever found their people at a Con, a game table, or the back of a comic shop.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2026
About the author
Joshua King
2 books4 followersJoshua King is the author of The Bone Letters, a supernatural historical thriller that blends eerie mystery, Civil War history, and something dark rising from the earth. He studied film at the University of Southern Mississippi and brings a cinematic eye to his fiction—creating vivid, unsettling worlds where the past never stays buried.
A lifelong lover of movies and history, Joshua lives in Mobile, Alabama, where the air is thick with stories and ghosts alike. The Bone Letters is his debut novel.
A lifelong lover of movies and history, Joshua lives in Mobile, Alabama, where the air is thick with stories and ghosts alike. The Bone Letters is his debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 9, 2026
Solid book by King. I don't typically read in this genre, but I had read King's first book and really enjoyed it so I thought I would give it a shot. I'm really glad I did.
If you grew up a the nerd world of the 80's and 90's, this book is for you. Full of nostalgia and highly relatable, King weaves a story that will have you cheering for Aric, moaning and laughing over his failures, and reminiscing over similar stories that every Gen X nerd knows well. It's a great read, highly recommend.
If you grew up a the nerd world of the 80's and 90's, this book is for you. Full of nostalgia and highly relatable, King weaves a story that will have you cheering for Aric, moaning and laughing over his failures, and reminiscing over similar stories that every Gen X nerd knows well. It's a great read, highly recommend.
February 26, 2026
While I have no stake in the argument over Trek or Wars, I can still wholeheartedly appreciate and enjoy a tale of friendship dripping in 90s nostalgia. This was an entertaining story of epic if not idealistic plans of teens, the pitfalls and bright spots along the way, and some life lessons realized through it all. As I was telling my parents about this story upon finishing, they said it sounded like something that would’ve been in an episode of Big Bang Theory!
Content info: teen sex discussion
Content info: teen sex discussion
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews