I can’t believe this already the second week in October. Time sure does fly, and I’ve been chock-a-block with activities for the last few weeks — from family trips (2!) to book festivals (2!) to house guests (2 + a dog!) and birthday parties (Q is 2!), I’ve been feeling the pressure from all sides for a while. And it’s not poised to let up, either. This weekend I’ll be spending three days at Capclave, which is Washington DC’s very own science fiction convention. Come see me there! Here’s my schedule:
October 12-14, 2012; Gaithersburg, Maryland
Information Here
Panels:
| Friday 5:00 pm: Popular Dystopias (Ends at: 5:55 pm) Panelists: Tom Doyle, Diana Peterfreund Why are so many dystopias being written, especially for YA? Is this a reaction to the current political economic situation? Why do people want to read about depressing circumstances? And what will be its effect on readers, especially younger readers? Should there be a counter-utopian trend? |
| Saturday 12:00 pm: The Future of YA (Ends at: 12:55 pm) Panelists: Warren Buff, Victoria Janssen, Sherin Nicole, Diana Peterfreund What is the next big trend in YA now that Vampires and Dystopian have had their big hits? Will the audience for YAs continue to build or has it overexpanded? As YA books get longer and more sophisticated, is there really a need for a separate YA label? |
| Saturday 4:00 pm: Young, Adult, or Both? (Ends at: 4:55 pm) Panelists: Andrew Fox, Ron Garner, Victoria Janssen (M), Morgan Keyes, Diana Peterfreund How does a YA differ from a children’s book or an adult book? How is the pacing, characterization, and language different or the same? Are there things you can do in one and not the other? Are these distinctions needed? And what about series like Harry Potter in which the children grow up? |
| Saturday 6:00 pm: Dressed for Success (Ends at: 6:55 pm) Panelists: Ron Garner, Laura Anne Gilman (M), Victoria Janssen, Diana Peterfreund How detailed should your clothing descriptions be in your story. Does the clothing have anything to do with the character. Does it describe them or allow them to certain things. Do the readers care? |
| Saturday 7:30 pm: Mass Signing (Ends at: 8:25 pm) Panelists: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Eric Choi, Brenda Clough, David Louis Edelman, Andrew Fox,Ron Garner, Morgan Keyes, Dave Klecha, Jonah Knight, Yoji Kondo (Eric Kotani), Dina Leacock,Edward M. Lerner, Craig Alan Loewen, James Maxey, Mike McPhail, James Morrow, Diana Peterfreund, Lawrence M. Schoen, Darrell Schweitzer, Alan Smale, Bud Sparhawk, Jean Marie Ward,Lawrence Watt-Evans This is the mass signing held before the presentation of the WSFA Small Press Award. |
| Sunday 12:00 pm: My First Time (Ends at: 12:55 pm) Panelists: Larry Hodges, Diana Peterfreund (M), Alan Smale Authors discuss their first science fiction and fantasy novels. Have those novels stood the test of time. Did they spur you to become a writer. |
| Sunday 1:00 pm: How Many Years in the Business Before They Stop Calling Me a New Writer?(Ends at: 1:55 pm) Panelists: Diana Peterfreund, Jamie Todd Rubin, Alan Smale Authors that have only been at it a couple years share their experiences and offer advice. How did they break into writing? How have they learned how to improve their craft? What would they have done differently if they had only known… |
