The Bard's Fire

Even as packing lists are being revised, a game of suitcase tetris is being played, anything with batteries is being charged, the indispensable DragonCon 2017 app goes lives, and the sound of dragonwings grows louder in my mind’s ear, my official Guest Information Sheet has arrived in my email.

As expected, there are a few changes from the preliminary schedule, all to the good. Behold.

Friday, September 1

1:00pm: Panel: Research: You Gotta Do It. Lee Martindale (M), Margaret S. McGraw, James Palmer, Elizabeth Moon, William Alan Webb. Write-up: “What are good sites for research? How much do you do before you write, or during?”

2:30pm: Reading. As I usually do, I’m planning to give those in attendance the choice of what they want to hear. But one of the choices may be the first chapter of Camino UnReal.

Saturday, September 2

1:00pm: Panel: Significant Short Stories. Larry Davis (M), Atlanta Radio Theatre Company, Lee Martindale, Amy J. Murphy, Lou Antonelli. The write-up: “Our panelists discuss short stories that made or are making a significant impact on the field.”

7:00pm: Dragon Con Guest of Honor Banquet. A lovely evening recognizing the Guests of Honor and recipients of the Eugie Foster Award for Short Fiction, the Julie Award, and the Hank Reinhardt Fandom Award. I’m quite pleased to be going this year.

Sunday, September 3

11:30am: Autograph Session. DragonCon autograph sessions are always fun, and a great opportunity to catch up with folks I wouldn’t otherwise see during the convention, meet new fans, and perhaps get copies of books into readers' hands. A schedule change has me in the lovely company of Gail Z. Martin, Elizabeth Moon, Amy J. Murphy, and Jody Lynn Nye.

8:30pm: Panel: Editors Speak Out. Nancy Knight (M), Claire M. Eddy, Kevin O. McLaughlin and James Minz. The write-up: “This panel provides an opportunity for editors to tell writers what they're looking for. They'll also answer questions from writers.” Looking forward to donning my editor’s hat in some very fine company.

Monday, September 4

11:30am: Panel: Ask Us Anything. Lee Martindale (M) John D. Ringo, Jane Yolen, Jerry Pournelle, Mercedes Lackey. The write-up: “Writers and authors gather to answer any questions you have that might not have been answered during the rest of the convention.”

The non-scheduled schedule – touching base with friends, meals in good company, panels I want to see, etc., is still being populated. Thursday evening, I’m helping one of the tracks train volunteers by being a designated practice wheelie. For the first time since I’ve been going to DragonCon, the BritTrack is in the Hilton, a hotel I can get to via the Habitrail system, and I’m hoping to catch some of the panels. Sunday night could find me party-hopping between the Spectrum Party and the 3rd Annual Doctor Who Ball. Visiting the Armory is also high on my list. And there’s likely other mischief I can get into.

Who am I kidding? Of *course*, there will be mischief. It’s DragonCon!