Well, for the third year in a row I am a panelist and moderator at CONQUEST 45, the local Kansas City Con on Friday May 23rd through Sunday May 25th. Well attended, with, as usual, a great lineup of guests and panelists, CONQUEST is the largest local Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror convention. And it’s always a blast, but also always hectic for locals like me, especially those of us who are members of the local fan club KacSFFS.
This year’s Guests of Honor are Glen Cook (Author GOH), David Lee Pancake (Artist GOH), Bridget Landry (Science GOH), Ray and Barbara Van Tillburg (Fan GOH), and also Caroline Spector (Toastmistress). Also attending (besides myself) are local professionals like Robin Wayne Bailey, Kij Johnson, Rich Horton , K.D. McEntire, Mark W. Tiedemann, Rob Chilson, Selina Rosen, Claire Ashgrove, Bradley Denton, H.G. Stratmann and Chris McKitterick. A full list can be found here.
Returning to downtown this year, CONQUEST 45 takes place at the Downtown Marriott, just off the famed Power and Light District, pretty much the center of Kansas City’s nightlife.
Room assignments are not final, but here’s the panels, panel descriptions and list of panelists in which I’ll be participating. As you’ll see, it’ll be a really hectic weekend for me. I also hope to have books on sale at Glen Cook’s dealer table, and we are working on a possible Raygun Chronicles party. When details on room assignments and the party are final, I’ll do another post, closer to the Con.
Here’s the schedule as it stands now:
Friday – May 23, 2014
Reading (Big Joe Turner A)
Friday 1400
Author/Editor Bryan Thomas Schmidt reads from his forthcoming epic fantasy series The Dawning Age.
SpecNoir (Count Basie Ballroom A)
Friday 1700
Speculative fiction and noir mix particularly well in many subgenres and forms. What is noir and what are some examples of who’s writing what and good reads out there?
Moderator: Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Panelists: Glen Cook, Mark W. Tiedemann
Raygun Chronicles Launch Party
Friday 2130 (Room 619)
Authors Todd Hunter and Robin Wayne Bailey join me to celebrate our pulp-style space opera anthology, Raygun Chronicles: Space Opera For A New Age. Party with snacks, drinks and giveaways.
Saturday – May 24th, 2014
Military Fantasy (Lester Young A)
Saturday 1000
What is it? Who’s writing it? How does it differ from high fantasy? What are some examples?
Moderator: Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Panelists: Glen Cook, Kij Johnson, Robin Wayne Bailey
What makes a hero/heroine? (Jay McShann A)
Saturday 1200
A discussion of what defines heroism today and what qualities we want to see in our heroes and heroines that make them heroic. And how are definitions evolving in the modern age.
Moderator: Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Panelists: Dennis Young, Gera Dean, Kij Johnson
Writing for younger audiences (Jay McShann B)
Saturday 1300
Writing for adults and writing for YA, MG and Children differ. Authors and Editors discuss the differences, the approaches, and fine examples.
Moderator: Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Panelists: Chris McKitterick, Deanna Sjolander, K. D. McEntire
KID’S READING: Bryan Thomas Schmidt (Big Joe Turner A)
Saturday 1500
Children’s author Bryan Thomas Schmidt reads from his chapter book series ABRAHAM LINCOLN DINOSAUR HUNTER, a humorous, action adventure, alternate history for all ages.
Self-Editing 101 For Writers With Finish The Story (Mary Lou Williams A/B)
Saturday 1600
Editorial team Bryan Thomas Schmidt and Claire Ashgrove discuss tips for basic editing of manuscripts, how to get perspective, common issues, and more.
Moderators/Panelists: Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Claire Ashgrove
Sunday – May 25th, 2014
GOH Interview: Glen Cook (Count Basie Ballroom A)
Sunday 1000
Come here me do a live SFFWRTCHT-style interview with the amazing Glen Cook. And you can ask questions, too!
Moderator: Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Panelist: Glen Cook
Editors are not the Enemy (Mary Lou Williams A/B)
Sunday 1100
What editors do, why it matters to writers, and why writers should consider them an asset not an enemy. An exploration of author-editor relationships.
Moderator: Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Panelists: Claire Ashgrove, Deanna Sjolander, Rich Horton, Selina Rosen
Self-Publishing — Taking the Leap! (Mary Lou Williams A/B)
Sunday 1300
Considering self-publishing your novel? It isn’t as easy as publishing a book and reaping the royalties, nor is it for every author. Discover pros and cons of the Indie market, tips to launching a successful book, and whether you’re prepared for the business demands.
Moderator: Claire Ashgrove
Panelists: Karin Gastreich, Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Brett Williams
Hope to see some of you there. Be sure to come by and say hello!
Bryan Thomas Schmidt is an author and editor of adult and children’s speculative fiction. His debut science fiction novel, The Worker Prince, received Honorable Mention on Barnes & Noble’s Year’s Best Science Fiction Releases of 2011, and was followed by two sequels The Returning and The Exodus (forthcoming). His children’s books include 102 More Hilarious Dinosaur Jokes For Kids and Abraham Lincoln: Dinosaur Hunter–Land Of Legends. Schmidt has edited edited anthologies Space Battles: Full Throttle Space Tales #6, Beyond The Sun, Raygun Chronicles: Space Opera For a New Age and, with Jennifer Brozek, coedited military high fantasy original anthology, Shattered Shields. Several more anthologies are under contract and forthcoming. Schmidt hosts #sffwrtcht (Science Fiction & Fantasy Writer’s Chat) Wednesdays at 9 pm ET on Twitter.