Wednesday, November 20th, 2013  I’ll be in Timonium, MD Thanksgiving Weekend for the last-ever Darkover Convention.
I don’t expect to have a table, but I’ll be carrying paperback copies of my novel and short stories from my publisher for you to touch and feel (or buy). 🙂
Here’s my schedule:
FRIDAY
4:00 – 5:00PM: Military SF – Why Should You Read It? – What does Military SF contribute to the SF genre? Is its contribution more than merely entertainment value? Are there stories or themes that Military SF tells better than other SF sub-genres? Discussion should include examples and recommendations.
7:00 – 8:00PM: “Show, don’t tell!” – This is an age-old piece of advice from writers. What the heck does it mean? Is it important for writers (including screenwriters and playwrights) to understand this advice? If so, why?
SATURDAY
10:00 – 11:00am: Katherine Kurtz: The Deryni Effect – When Ballantine began its Adult Fantasy line, Katherine Kurtz’s Deryni Rising was their first title by a modern Fantasy author. Authors and fans discuss why they think the Deryni series has been so popular and received such widespread acclaim.
12:00 – 1:00PM: Jaelle’s Memorial – Held in Atrium (Just Attending)
4:00 – 5:00PM: Autograph Session
5:00 PM – Broad Universe Reading with Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Margaret Carter, Meriah Crawford, Elektra Hammond, Erika Satifka, Vonnie Winslow Crist, Leona Wisoker, and Sarah Pinsker.
6:00 – 7:00PM: The “Woman with a Sword” Phenomenon – Take your pick: from Robert E. Howard’s “Red Sonya” (a 16th Century Russian warrior-woman) to Marvel’s “Red Sonja” (a swordswoman of the Hyborian Age); from C.L. Moore’s “Jirel of Joiry” (a wandering Fantasy swordswoman) to J.A. Pitts’s “Sara Beauhall” (a Urban Fantasy lesbian blacksmith) and Revolution’s “Charlie Matheson”. And it seems that dozens of new book covers feature pictures of sword-wielding, leather-clad women. Why the attraction? Is “the woman with a sword” motif a guaranteed “winning combination” for a writer or an artist?
SUNDAY
12:00 – 1:00PM: Short Stories vs. Novels: Does Size Matter? -How does “word count” affect the writer’s craft? Writers discuss different strategies and goals when writing short vs. long fiction. Pinsker(M), Ackley-McPhail, Crist, Harmon, Sonnier.
I hope to see you there! Please drop by and say hello if you’re around.
Also:
The Con Needs Volunteers!
If you can help out, see this Darkover Volunteer Page. Every hour you volunteer, can earn you a dollar off the admission to next year’s First Annual Chessiecon.
Tuesday, May 29th, 2012 I had a wonderful time at Balticon this year, as usual. I pulled in late yesterday and could barely keep my eyes open. Long nights (at late panels) and early mornings (on early panels!) conspired against me.
I made some new friends, and re-connected with others. That’s always the best part. A con is like one great, big multi-day party.
I finally got to meet Melissa of the My World…in words and pages blog. If you love to read, you should check it out. Her site is LOADED with information, reviews, links to books, interviews, etc. (Melissa’s on Twitter and Facebook, too.) Wish we could have spent more time together chatting.
D. H. Aire dropped by the Broad Universe table while I was there, and we talked about lots and lots of stuff — too much to mention. I need to pick up a copy of his Highmage’s Plight. (It sounds fascinating!) And, if you want, you can become a character in Aire’s book and take on a role in the Highmage’s Plight at the Web site. D. H. Aire is on Twitter and Facebook, too.
Much of my time was spent at the Broad Universe table in Artist Alley, which happened to be across the hallway from the artist, Robert Quill. (A nom de guerre? I’m thinking, yes.)
 Artiste Quill sold sketches and prints from his naughty and nice notebooks and commissioned one-of-a-kind artworks of con attendees, soliciting them with such enticements as, “I can draw you as your beautiful self…without your pants.”
I paraphrased the first part there, but not the second.
The pitch sounds so much better coming out of his mouth, with its tiny hint of (faux) accent, and accompanied by the quirk of an eyebrow. And “for only hundreds more” (another of his catch phrases) you could have your sketch colorized and matted. He really knows how to work it (as evidenced by the many teeny-boppers who flocked –and remained — at his booth).
Showmanship aside, he does terrific work. I especially loved his Medusa, a striking piece inspired by his leggy, gorgeous wife.
Steampunk, anyone?
Fellow Broad and steampunk author Emilie P. Bush also had a table in Artist’s Alley. Steamduck, illustrated by artist Kevin Petty, turned out to be pretty popular. Steamduck is part of the one and only steampunk children’s book out there. You should check it out.
There were book launches and knitting and the Steampunk Ball and so much more to talk about! I’m sure it will wind up in later posts.
Friday, May 25th, 2012  I have my preliminary Balticon Schedule…yay! The Con God’s were clairvoyant when they scheduled me lightly this year, knowing in advance that my foot injury would flare. So, lucky, lucky me: I’m only on three panels.
The cool thing is: I’ll be at the Con all four days, thanks to other commitments, so I’ll be around (either at the Broad Universe Information Table or in the Con Suite if you want to come hang out) pretty much from dawn to dusk every day.
And I’ll have books if anyone wants to purchase and not pay shipping fees. Yay!
Here’s my schedule:
Friday
5:00 p.m. – Swords & Sorcery – Salon B (50 minutes)
How Has It Evolved, panelists contrast New Swords & Sorcery to that of earlier decades.
Saturday
9:00 a.m. – The Back Story – Salon B
The experiences authors had that inspired them to write the novels they wrote.
Sunday
9:00 a.m. – Readings by Brand Gamblin, Mur Lafferty and Me. – The Chase Room
1:00 p.m. Broad Universe Reading – Salon B
Includes Readings by: Jean Marie Ward; Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Roxanne Bland, Emilie P. Bush, Elaine Corvidae, J. R. Blackwell, Trish J. Wooldridge, T.J. Perkins, S. J. Tucker, and me! Six-minute readings Rapid Fire readings from some amazing women/authors.
Update!
5:00 p.m. – Publishing Nightmares – Pimlico Room
Self explanatory! I’m moderating this one…
8:00 p.m. – Teen Writers Collaboration – Parlor 1041
Teens put their heads together to write a fantasy short story.
Stop by and say ‘hello!’ if you’re around.
Sunday
Wednesday, April 18th, 2012  The new Broad Universe podcast is available, this one focusing on “changelings and transformations.”
BroadPod “Rapid Fire Readings” feature five or six authors reading for five or six minutes each from their work.
Authors included in this month’s podcast are Carol Berg, E.F. Watkins, Daniele Ackley-McPhail and Anne Wilkes, and of course, me. I’ll be reading from Selk Skin Deep.
Selk Skin Deep was published in Bad Ass Fairies 3: In All Their Glory (an anthology of stories about fairies, which harkens back to their roots. You’ll find no Tinkerbelles in the bunch).
Selk Skin Deep was inspired by the true-live tragedy of the explosion on board the U.S.S. Forrestal, an aircraft carrier which exploded off the coast of Vietnam in 1967. My story is about Cade Owen, who joined the U.S. Navy trying to alleviate the boredom from his nearly immortal life. Cade is a selkie – a shape shifter who is both man and seal. In Selk Skin Deep he learns about sacrifice, and what it means to be human. It’s my tribute to U.S. Service Men and Women.
Listen to the Broad Universe Podcast here.
If you’re not into podcasts, I’ve made the first five pages of the story available via PDF. Here’s a link to the Selk Skin Deep excerpt.
Thursday, December 29th, 2011 
The latest Broad Pod Podcast is available.
The theme is about Faith and Fear and contains a snippet of me reading from “On the Path.” The podcast contains five authors reading about five minutes from their stories…just enough of a juicy tidbit to (we hope) get you interested in the rest.
You can download (or just listen to it) from here: http://broadpod.posterous.com/december-2011-faith-and-fear.
All previous Broad Universe Podcasts can be found on the BroadPod blog.
If you’re interested, you can find my previous BroadPod readings on the blog at:
Sunday, February 14th, 2010  How would you like a little romance with your science fiction, fantasy and horror?
The Broads over at Broad Universe are launching their “Rapid Fire Readings” into the PodVerse for your listening pleasure. A “rapid fire reading” or “RFR” is a session of five-to-seven authors each reading a five-minute section of a story they’ve written…just a little “taste” of what they’re up to.
The Broads have a full line-up of podcasts they’ll be doing this year, starting off with this one. Of course, the theme is romance.
Here’s the link to BroadProd.
[BTW: I stole this cupid graphic from CollegeCandy.com. I don’t read the site: I found the graphic via Google Images. Just wanted to give credit where credit is due…]
Friday, October 16th, 2009  I’ll be at Capclave tomorrow, reading from Blood Soup.
Capclave is hosted by the Washington, DC Science Fiction Association and promotes short fiction. Their motto is: Where reading is not extinct!
The convention tends to be small and literary, but enjoys participation from big names in the field. This year’s Guest of Honor is Harry Turtledove.
I’ll be reading with other members of Broad Universe, including Jean Marie Ward, Roxanne Bland, Victoria Janssen and Diane Arrelle. We’ll be doing a “Rapid Fire Reading.” Each of us will read for ten minutes or less from out works.
And, we’ll have chocolate.
If you’re in the Washington Area around 1 p.m., please join us. I’d love to meet you.
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Writers - Maryland Writer's Assn.
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