Hearing The Rustle of Dragon Wings

It’s that time of year again. Lists are being made. The BattleChariot is getting a good checking out. Electronics are being paired with their chargers are being tested. I’m banking a little extra sleep against upcoming nights of not nearly enough. And my tentative programming schedule has arrived. DragonCon is less than a month away!

Here’s what currently on my schedule:

Thursday, Aug 29

1:00pm - 3:30pm: Writing Killer Openings Workshop. No better way to kick off my DragonCon than by warping young writer minds and, hopefully, improving slush piles near and far. Live exercises, on-the-spot critiques by yours truly, and fun will be had by all. At last report, there were still spots available. Check it out at https://www.dragoncon.org/things-to-do/programming/workshops/#killer

The evening will be spent with friends from the Costuming Track.

Friday, Aug 30

10:00am - 12:30pm: Writing Killer Openings Workshop. No, you’re not seeing double. Last year, there were so many on the waiting list that, this year, it was decided to add a second session. Same as above, including there being spots still available and where to check it out.

2:30pm - 3:30pm: Why We Read. So many reasons, so little time to talk about why we pick up a book.

Saturday, Aug 31

1:00pm - 2:00pm: Edit, Edit, Edit--& Edit Some More. The “heavy lifting” begins after you type The End on the first draft. Seasoned pros talk about their approach to the revision process. Panelists: R.R. Virdi, Lee Martindale (M), Trisha J. Wooldridge, Patricia Briggs, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Clay and Susan Griffith

5:30pm - 6:30pm: Writing for Today's Savvy Audiences. How do you catch the attention of today’s more sophisticated readers and keep them coming back for more? Panelists: Jonathan Maberry, Cinda Williams Chima, John G. Hartness, Lee Martindale

7:00pm - 8:00pm: Reading. They’re turning me loose for an hour with an audience and my stories. Which story I’ll read hasn’t been decided yet.

Sunday, Sept 1

11:30am - 12:30pm: Who Needs Research? One writer’s casual toss-off of a minor detail can be the reason a reader stops reading if it’s wrong. There’s isn’t a genre out there where it doesn’t happen. We’ll discuss how to research and when to stop and start writing. Panelists: Lee Martindale, D.J. Butler, Marc Alan Edelheit, Declan Finn, John L. Flynn (M), K.N. Lee (M)

1:00pm - 2:00pm: 15-Minute Mentor Session: A chance for budding authors to talk one-on-one with a successful industry professional about business, promotion, the writing process, & career advice. Sign up in the Writer's Track. (Embassy C-D)

4:00pm - 5:00pm: Author Signing: Come by and say hello!

As I said above, this is going to be fun. And having all of Monday free (so far!) may give me a chance to catch a panel or two or catch up with friends. I definitely want to catch one of Tom Smith’s concerts some time during the weekend. And who knows what other mischief I might get into. It’s DragonCon, after all!