MyOryCon Schedule

Well, I am off Thursday for my second trip to OryCon in Portland, Oregon at the Lloyd Center Doubletree.  It’s a fun con with lots of friends in attendance and a fairly laid back atmosphere. Jennifer Brozek and I will be having our SHATTERED SHIELDS Book Launch in Suite 1570 Saturday night, too, and then we’ll attend SF AuthorFest at Powell’s Beaverton Sunday afternoon to sign along with contributors Wendy Wagner and Annie Bellett and a ton of authors.

Meanwhile, though, here’s where to find me at the Con. Hope to see some of you!

Fri Nov 7 2:00:pm
Fri Nov 7 3:00:pm
Hamilton
Revision: Path to Better Writing or Way to Never Finish?

Endless revisions can kill good writing, but everyone says polish your work. Besides, the first draft is usually bad, right? How to navigate through the apparent contradictions without going crazy.

(*)Bryan Thomas Schmidt, SD Perry, Bruce Taylor, Manny Frishberg, K.C. Ball



Fri Nov 7 3:00:pm
Fri Nov 7 3:30:pm
Grant
Bryan Thomas Schmidt Reading (30min)

Bryan Thomas Schmidt reads from his own works.

Bryan Thomas Schmidt



Fri Nov 7 4:00:pm
Fri Nov 7 5:00:pm
Hawthorne
Religion in Fantasy

Gods? Goddesses? Just pretend religion doesn’t exist?

(*)Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Devon Monk, Jack Whitsel, Joan Gaustad, Karen Azinger



Fri Nov 7 5:00:pm
Fri Nov 7 6:00:pm
Lincoln
I Quit My Job to Be a Writer! WHAT HAVE I DONE?

What the full-time writing life is like, how to stay focused when you’re all by yourself, the realities of making a living via the written word, and techniques for forcing yourself to get dressed and leave the house.

Richard A. Lovett, Matthew Hughes, (*)Mary Rosenblum, Mike Moscoe, Bryan Thomas Schmidt



Sat Nov 8 11:00:am
Sat Nov 8 12:00:pm
Morrison
Planners vs. Pantsers

Some writers have everything outlined and plotted before they put their fingers on the keyboard. Others insist on flying by the seat of their pants. If you’re one, come learn the techniques of the other, and why you should pay attention.

(*)Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Anna Sheehan, J. A. Pitts, Dean Wells, Steve Perry



Sat Nov 8 12:00:pm
Sat Nov 8 1:00:pm
Jefferson/Adams
Surviving the Edit

Sometimes it feels as if editors are out to crush your soul, when they’re really there to save the soul of your book (or they should be). Learn how to choose an editor, how to take your lumps–and when you should ignore what the editor says.

Colleen Anderson, SD Perry, (*)Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Jason V Brock



Sat Nov 8 4:00:pm
Sat Nov 8 5:00:pm
Madison
Social Media and the Modern Writer

Websites, Facebook fan pages, email lists, contests, twitter, tumblr, Pinterest, ads, blogs and that annoying thing called a “platform”: what works, what doesn’t, and why you need to care (spoiler: you do).

Theresa (Darklady) Reed, (*)Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Erik Wecks, MeiLin Miranda



Saturday Nov. 8 :00 pm     Shattered Shields/Baen Launch Party
Suite 1570                               Alcohol, soft drinks, snacks and more. Come win signed artwork and books or buy some. Join Jennifer Brozek, Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Wendy N. Wagner and Annie Bellett.

Sun Nov 9 1:00:pm
Sun Nov 9 2:00:pm
Hamilton
Crowdfund Your Project

You’ve got a book, a comic, a film, a game–something awesome! Your fans want it. How do you raise the funds to get it to them? Let them pre-order it via Kickstarter or the other crowdfunding sites. We’ll discuss best practices, when not to crowdfund, backer rewards people want, fulfillment nightmares and successes, and handling the haters (they gonna hate).

MeiLin Miranda, Erik Wecks, (*)Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Jake Richmond

My Agenda: OryCon 35 Nov. 8-10, 2013

OryCon 35 Launch party CoversWell, I’m off to Portland Thursday. My first time in Oregon. And I’m looking forward to it. While I was disappointed to not be included in ORYCON programming for the first time ever at a Con in three years, I do have two key events I’ll be a part of.

BOOK LAUNCH – Brenda Cooper/John A. Pitts/Bryan Thomas Schmidt

Saturday, November 9th @ 8:00 pm SUITE 1569, Portland Doubletree Presidential Suite

Brenda Cooper, John A. Pitts and I combine forces with publisher Patrick Swenson for a 3 book launch, THE party of Saturday night at OryCon. Beer, wine and snacks will be served. We will launch Brenda’s “The Diamond Deep,” book two of her terrific “Ruby’s Song” Scifi trilogy from PYR Books, John’s collection “Bravado’s House of Blues” from Fairwood (who published Beyond The Sun) and “Raygun Chronicles” my third anthology as editor, contemporary space opera in retro pulp style.

Join us if you dare!

THEN, on Sunday:

SCIFI AUTHORFEST 7 – Portland, OR

Sunday, November 10th @ 4:30pm Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. (800) 878-7323

A starfleet of science-fiction and fantasy authors descends for one galactic booksigning event. Attending authors include:
Camille Alexa
Claude Lalumiere
Alma Alexander
Patricia Briggs
Brenda Cooper
Diana Pharoah Francis
Jay Lake
David Levine
Louise Marley
Andy Mangels
Devon Monk
Mike Moscoe/Shepherd
Phyllis Irene Radford
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Dean Wesley Smith
Ken Scholes
Brent Weeks
Daniel H. Wilson
Anne Bishop
J.A. Pitts
Kay Kenyon
Rhiannon Held
Eldon Thompson
Adrian Phoenix
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Lilith Saintcrow
Ian Doescher
Steve Perry
Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Jason Hough
and the Cloud City Garrison of the 501st Imperial Legion

So  come on out and join us!

Book Day Two: The Returning Comes To Print!!!

Well, paperbacks are finally here, so this is Book Day 2 for the exciting sequel to The Worker Prince, which made Barnes & Noble Book Club’s Year’s Best Science Fiction Releases of 2011!  Mitch Bentley of Atomic Fly Studios did some of his best work ever on the cover. Sorry again for the delay, but we’re excited to bring it to you and hope you are too! You’ll love this book. Hugo/Nebula award winner Mike Resnick even blurbed it, as you see on the cover.

The Vertullians are free and have full citizenship but that doesn’t mean they’re accepted. Someone is sending assassins to kill and terrorize them, riling up the old enmity all over again, while Xalivar is back seeking revenge on Davi and all those who defied him. Davi, Farien and Yao reunite to investigate the murders, finding their lives and friendships threatened by what they discover.

Meanwhile, the new High Lord Councilor, Tarkanius, Lord Aron, and Davi find themselves fighting all over again to preserve the unity of the Borali Alliance, while even many of their allies and friends work against them to tear it apart. Davi and Tela find their future together threatened by difficulties with their relationship, and Miri’s adjusting to her new status as a non-royal. The action packed, emotional, exciting Davi Rhii story continues.

The Returning has romance, assassins, tension, both modern and classic science fiction notions, and very smooth writing. What more could you want? Bryan Thomas Schmidt keeps improving. As good as The Worker Prince WAS, The Returning is better.” – Mike Resnick, Author, StarshipIvory

The Returning blends themes of faith with classic space opera tropes and the result is a page-turning story that takes off like a rocket.” – Paul S. Kemp, Author, Star Wars: RiptideStar Wars: Deceived

“A fun space opera romp, complete with intrigues, treachery, dastardly villains, and flawed but moral heroes.” – Howard Andrew Jones, Author, The Desert Of SoulsPathfinder Tales: Plague Of Spells.

To celebrate, we have the books continuing at 33% off signed from this site only. YEP, including ebooks, which I sign through Kindlegraph (don’t worry, still works for Nook). And if you buy the book elsewhere, use the contact form to send me your address and I’ll mail you a signed bookplate for free.

 Trade paperback Special discount this week only! 


Ebook – MOBI/EPUB Special discount this week only! 

340 pp · ISBN 978‐0‐9840209‐4‐2 ·Trade Paperback · $14.99 tpb $7.99 Ebook  · Publication: June 14, 2012

Or buy it at Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Returning-Bryan-Thomas-Schmidt/dp/0984020942/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1341255149&sr=8-3

Or Barnes & Noble here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-returning-bryan-thomas-schmidt/1108892375?ean=9780984020942

Or Smashwords here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/175177

For interviews and more fun, check out the current Blog Tour.

Here’s what people said about the first book and links to reviews of book 2.

Praise for The Worker Prince:

“A significant new author in the field of space opera – Bryan is a fresh new imagination to watch out for!”— Grace Bridges, author of Faith Awakened and Legendary Space Pilgrims

“Retro-with-a-twist SF brimming with an infectious enthusiasm!” — Saladin Ahmed, author Throne Of the Crescent Moon

“If your reader’s heart longs for the Golden Age of Science Fiction–when good was good and bad was bad, and great characters fought against universal odds–then The Worker Prince is for you. Good, retro fun for the whole family.”— Jason Sanford, author Never Never StoriesInterzone

“I found myself thinking of stories that I read during my (misspent) youth, including Heinlein juveniles and the Jason January tales, as well as Star Trek and Star Wars.”— Redstone SF 

“A very well written book and a story very well told…where the heroes are heroes and the villains are villains. I would highly recommend it even if you are new to Sci-Fi.”—Ben Love, Call FM, Miami

Reviews:

http://functionalnerds.com/2012/06/review-the-returning-by-bryan-thomas-schmidt/

http://oddengine.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/review-the-returning-by-bryan-thomas-schmidt/

http://vantiltool.blogspot.com/2012/05/bryan-thomas-schmidt-publishes-second_02.html 

To find The Returning on Barnes & Noble’s website, click here.

To find The Returning on Amazon’s website, click here.

About Me:

Bryan Thomas Schmidt is the author of the space opera novels The Worker Prince, a Barnes & Noble Book Clubs Year’s Best SF Releases of 2011 Honorable Mention, and The Returning, the collection The North Star Serial, Part 1, and several short stories featured  in anthologies and magazines.  He edited the anthology Space Battles: Full Throttle Space Tales #6 for Flying Pen Press, headlined by Mike Resnick. As a freelance editor, he’s edited a novels and nonfiction.  He’s also the host of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Chat every Wednesday at 9 pm EST on Twitter under the hashtag #sffwrtcht. A frequent contributor to Adventures In SF PublishingGrasping For The Wind and SFSignal, he can be found online as @BryanThomasS on Twitter or via his website. Bryan is an affiliate member of the SFWA.

 

The Returning Blog Tour Schedule

It’s hard to believe it’s here. I get all emotional because of all the behind the scenes chaos I went through while writing it, but I’m about to be the author of two published novels and I’m thrilled and humbled at the same time. So you know what that means: another blog tour. Just last October, I was off promoting the novel I’d longed to write for 27 years, The Worker Prince. Now, it finally has a sequel, The Returning. It’s got another brilliant Mitch Bentley cover. More of the action and multi-layered plotting, larger-than-life characters and humor mixed with drama. It’s even got blurbs by three of my favorite writers, now also my friends.

It has everything, and you can find out for yourselves on June 19th! But right now, here’s the scoop on the tour and how you can preorder signed paperbacks or ebooks at 25% off on my store or at Barnes & Noble here.

The Vertullians are free and have full citizenship but that doesn’t mean they’re accepted. Someone is sending assassins to kill and terrorize them, riling up the old enmity all over again, while Xalivar is back seeking revenge on Davi and all those who defied him. Davi, Farien and Yao reunite to investigate the murders, finding their lives and friendships threatened by what they discover. Meanwhile, the new High Lord Councilor, Tarkanius, Lord Aron, and Davi find themselves fighting all over again to preserve the unity of the Borali Alliance, while even many of their allies and friends work against them to tear it apart. Davi and Tela find their future together threatened by difficulties with their relationship, and Miri’s adjusting to her new status as a non-royal. The action packed, emotional, exciting Davi Rhii story continues.

370 pp · ISBN 978-0-9840209-4-2 ·Trade Paperback · $14.99 tpb $5.99 Ebook  · Publication: June 19, 2012

“The Returning has romance, assassins, tension, both modern and classic science fiction notions, and very smooth writing. What more could you want? Bryan Thomas Schmidt keeps improving. As good as THE WORKER PRINCE WAS, THE RETURNING is better.” – Mike Resnick, Author, Starship, Ivory

“The Returning blends themes of faith with classic space opera tropes and the result is a page-turning story that takes off like a rocket.” – Paul S. Kemp, Author, Star Wars: Riptide, Star Wars: Deceived

“A fun space opera romp, complete with intrigues, treachery, dastardly villains, and flawed but moral heroes.” Howard Andrew Jones (Pathfinder: Plague Of Shadows, The Desert Of Souls) on THE RETURNING

To preorder your signed paperback for $11 + shipping, click here:

To preorder the ebook in whichever format you prefer, click here: (be sure and enter format desired in the box)

Preferred Format (epub/mobi)

To preorder from Barnes & Noble, click here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-returning-bryan-thomas-schmidt/1108892375?ean=9780984020942

And please visit these awesome blogs for more information including excerpts, interviews, guest posts and more all through June and July 2012! I’ll insert links as they become available as well as updating specific content which is still being determined.

THE RETURNING Blog Tour

Tuesday, May 29 Blog Tour Schedule & Book Release – www.bryanthomasschmidt.net/blog (You’re there now)
Wednesday, May 30 Functional Nerds Guest Post: Tools For Worldbuilding (Guest Post) 
Thursday, May 31 Anthony Cardno  Guest Post: How To Run a Blog Tour For A Sequel Without Spoiling Book 1
Friday, June 1 Gary W. Olson  Character Profile & Excerpt: Xalivar
Monday, June 4 SFSignal Guest Post: 15 Science Fiction and Fantasy Thrillers Worth Your Time
Tuesday, June 5  Andrew Reeves/Jaded Muse Video Blog: Boxes (What’s yours?)
Wednesday, June 6 Reader’s Realm Excerpt from Chapter 2/ Brad R. Torgersen Catching Up With Interview
Thursday, June 7  Linda Rodriguez Guest Post: 5 Tips On Social Media For Today’s Author
Friday, June 8 Linda Poitevin Guest Post: Approaching Book 2
Monday, June 11 Elizabeth S. Craig: Mystery Writing Is Murder, Special Write Tip Guest Post: Surprise v. Suspense / Review at Functional Nerds
Tuesday, June 12 Matthew Sanborn Smith/The One Thousand: Character Profile & Excerpt: Farien Noa
Wednesday, June 13 Leah Petersen 5 Minute Interview
Thursday, June 14 Mae Empson Character Profile Interview & Excerpt: Tela Tabansi
Friday, June 15 Joshua P. Simon Interview
Monday, June 18 Bibliophile Stalker Guest Post: Culture In World-building
Tuesday, June 19 Mary Pax Dialogue: Why I Love Space Opera / Book Day Post
Wednesday, June 20 Moses Siregar Guest Post: What Makes A Story Epic
Thursday, June 21 Jaleta Clegg Guest Post: Food in Borali System
Friday, June 22 To Be Read Interview & EBook Giveaway
Sunday, June 24 THE PLATFORM Internet Radio with John Rakestraw “Finding Your Imagination
Monday, June 25 Grasping For The Wind Turning The Tables: SFFWRTCHT Interviews Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Tuesday, June 26 Ray Gun Revival Short Interview & Character Profile & Excerpt: Yao Brahma
Wednesday, June 27 AISFP Blog Essay: The Importance of The Responsible Use Of History In Fiction: Steampunk/Jamie Todd Rubin Dialogue: Space Battles In The Golden Age & Beyond
Thursday, June 28 Oops! Glitch! Post postponed to tomorrow due to unexpected travel of host blogger.
Friday, June 29 K.D. Weiland Guest Post: The Most Important Rule Of Writing: Be True To Yourself
Saturday, June  30 Patty Jansen Guest Post: Can There Be Space Opera Without Science?
Monday July 2 FMW Podcast Interview (delayed due to editing issue)
Tuesday July 3 Book Day 2: Print Release!!!

The Blog Tour Resumes Friday, July 6, after the holiday with more fun!!!!

And if you missed the prior book’s blog tour, here’s that roundup.

I also did posts in my popular Write Tips series on Planning A Blog Tour and Preparing For A Blog Tour Even As You Write.

For specific info on this series, The Saga of Davi Rhii, click here.

For this book’s page, click here.

For The Worker Prince page, click here.

To order my debut novel, THE WORKER PRINCE, Book 1 in the  Saga Of Davi Rhii, use the links at the bottom:

 What if everything you thought you knew about  yourself  and the world turned out to be wrong?
 For Davi Rhii, Prince of the Boralian people, that  nightmare has become a reality. Freshly  graduated from  the prestigious Borali Military  Academy, now he’s discovered he was secretly  adopted and born a worker. Ancient enemies of  the Boralians, enslaved now for generations, the  workers of Vertullis live lives harder than Davi had  ever imagined. To make matters worse, Davi’s  discovered that the High Lord Councillor of the  Alliance, his uncle Xalivar, is responsible for years of abuse and suppression against the workers Davi now knows as his own people.

His quest to rediscover himself brings him into conflict with Xalivar and his friends and family, calling into question his cultural values and assumptions, and putting in jeopardy all he’s worked for his whole life. Davi’s never felt more confused and alone. Will he stand and watch the workers face continued mistreatment or turn his back on his loved ones and fight for what’s right? Whatever he decides is sure to change his life forever.

326 pp · ISBN 978‐0‐9840209‐0‐4 ·Trade Paperback · $14.95 tpb $4.99 Ebook  · Publication: October 4, 2011

The Worker Prince: Book 1 In The Saga of Davi Rhii  Trade paperback only   EPUB or MOBI — please specify in notes on order

Or you can order at Amazon here: The Worker Prince


Bryan Thomas Schmidt is the author of the space opera novels The Worker Prince, a Barnes & Noble Book Clubs Year’s Best SF Releases of 2011 Honorable Mention, andThe Returning, the collection The North Star Serial, Part 1, and has several short stories featured  in anthologies and magazines.  He edited the new anthology Space Battles: Full Throttle Space Tales #6 for Flying Pen Press, headlined by Mike Resnick. His children’s book 102 More Hilarious Dinosaur Jokes For Kids from Delabarre Publishing. As  a freelance editor, he’s edited a novels and nonfiction.  He’s also the host of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Chat every Wednesday at 9 pm EST on Twitter, where he interviews people like Mike Resnick, AC Crispin, Kevin J. Anderson and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. A frequent contributor to Adventures In SF PublishingGrasping For The Wind and SFSignal, he can be found online as @BryanThomasS on Twitter or via his website. Bryan is an affiliate member of the SFWA.

Conclave 36 Launch Report

Well, it’s Monday and I’m supposed to post, right?I know. It’s my usual day. Some of you come here looking for an interesting post to start your week, so here I am. I’ve been lying on bed post whirlwind Con Launch trip, trying to motivate myself to write and feeling overwhelmed. But I’ll do my best.

The Con itself brought many opportunities.

It began when I registered and dropped books with Larry Smith and Sally Kobee, the friendly dealers who graciously agreed to carry my books despite my ignorance of proper percentages and pretty much everything else. They had a huge table and I was honored to have them allow me any space. Thank goodness I finally had a few sales to give them something for their kindness! (Yes the photo is badly out of focus but stupid me forgot to take another in my rushing insanity of talking with readers so it’s the best I have. Apologies.) Sally and Larry frequent 36 cons a year and I remembered them from World Fantasy 2010 in Columbus.

 

1) My first panel as an Author. That was titled “The Death Of The American Author” and was supposed to cover the changing face of publishing, which we did. But we couldn’t decide if the title really was relevant to our beliefs about where publishing is going. My fellow panelists were new writer Gary W. Olson, whose debut novel is coming in December from Damnation, the same people who publish Realms Of Fantasy in its latest incarnation; Jim C. Hines, DAW author of seven fantasy novels about goblins, princesses and more; and L. Warren Douglas, author of 8 novels in the 90s and 2000s from Del Rey and other sources. To add to the pressure, Hines decided my first panel was the perfect spot to make me moderator. I, not wanting to fail to prove my mettle, took his challenge and rose to the occasion fairly successfully from what I could tell (and was later told). I don’t know that we solved any problems but the discussions was interesting.

After that, Hines, Olsen and I stayed put for the panel “Self Promotion and Marketing” with Hines moderating. This was an interesting discussion on self-promotion through social media, blogging, and other means as well as networking strategies and why it’s important at all to do it, but also to be true to yourself and your comfort zone. After all, bad publicity can be harmful and counter its opposite so working outside your comfort zone is not something to undertake without care.

Next, my first exposure to filk came with Seanan McGuire’s concert. The filk band Wild Mercy backed her. And unfortunately, late due to the panel, I then saw only about 20 minutes before my publisher texted to say he’d arrived with a shipment of my book, which I had not seen an actual final copy of yet. So naturally (and understandably to Seanan who later forgave me instantly upon hearing the reason), I rushed out the door to get my hands on those!

It was fun to meet Tim Ambrose, who’d accepted and suggested I make a series of my “North Star” space opera stories at Digital Dragon Magazine and

Next, on the free table, I discovered some real finds in great condition and snatched those up. These included Asimov and Leiber mint condition paperbacks from 1957 and A March 1967 and June 1968 issues of Analog featuring stories from the likes of Ben Bova, Harry Harrison and Poul Anderson and edited by John W. Campbell. Yes, that’s right, I said FREE!

Saturday began with “Keeping In Character,” a panel on techniques for characterization where Seanan nominated me to moderate, and so I again did. This panel had Emmy Jackson, a new fantasy novelist, Christian Klaver, and J. Warren Douglas on it in addition to Guest of Honor Seanan McGuire and myself, and devolved quickly with Mr. Douglas’ poorly chosen examples of points he tried to make which made the GOH wish to strangle him along with many attendees. To make matters worse, he proceeded then to continue trying to explain himself because “if we’d just understand him all would be fine.” Moderating such a situation is challenging to say the least but it did make for the most talked about panel at the Con, which I moderated, so I get that feather in my cap, I suppose.

Next, I had lunch with my publisher, Tim Ambrose and we discussed sequels, future projects, contracts and the con at a local middle eastern restaurant where our waitress vocalized her disappointment at my choice of Fish N Chip rather than middle eastern cuisine which 1) was what I was in the mood for and 2) would have meant choosing something I was unsure about and chancing dissatisfaction when Tim was paying and I was in dire need of my first meal of the day. So no thanks.

After that, I hung out in the dealer room a bit before joining Jim Hines, Emmy Jackson and Joe Ponepinto for a panel on “Writing Groups” wherein we gave insider tips on how to find a group, when you need a group, how groups operate, problems with groups, etc. Attending were such fun people as Charles Zaglanis and Christine Purcell from Elder Signs Press and Con security friend Laura (she and her husband Bill were a lot of laughs, especially the time I tested Bill’s security training by pick pocketing him).

Then it was rush back to my room and prepare time as I had a reading. I read through the passage again twice, ate a quick bite, and rushed back to the Con to await my most feared moment which then proceeded to go very well and wound up with everyone present except my unsupportive publisher (wink wink) buying a copy. I mean, gees, Tim, support your writers already… This led to my first autograph request, as opposed to earlier when I’d run through the Dealer Room signing every book in sight with the author’s name as a “courtesy” to future buyers. Despite Dealer’s complaints, I really do think those autographs were later a hit.

After that I hung out until Saladin (sal-uh-deen) Ahmed did a great reading from Chapter 3 of his forthcoming “Throne Of The Crescent Moon,” which he’d also read from at World Fantasy. And then hung with Saladin, Jim Hines, Christian Klaver, Tim Ambrose, and Seanan by the bar for a while. Here’s a picture of us pretending we actually like each other at Jim’s suggestion.

On Sunday, I pretty much hung out in the dealer room, after a nice breakfast with Charles Zaglanis and Christine Purcell, and spending time with Serena, my Brazilian website programmer, who came by just to see me and make sure I got to the airport. I think the city decided they’d had enough of my antics and wanted to be sure I left. Not sure. I do know that as soon as I got through security, they called my row and I had to bored so I was left little time for further mischief locally. And that was Conclave and the book launch of THE WORKER PRINCE, my novel debut.

A Book Day Thanks

We all have our Writer’s Journey and it’s different for everyone. Although I thought of this story idea in my teens, it wasn’t until 2008 that I actually began to seriously dream of being a published novelist. To be there three years later, is still unbelievable. Here’s the Acknowledgements from my first novel, reprinted here because these people all deserve so much thanks.  In this case, I just don’t have words.

Acknowledgements

The idea for this story came to me when I was a young, fifteen-year-old science fiction fan living in a small Kansas town where it sometimes felt like dreaming was the only way out.  Over the years, I lost my original notes, but the idea in my head and the names Xalivar and Sol stayed with me.

It took me twenty-five years to start writing it and I wrote daily through some of the toughest trials I’ve experienced in my life.  So this book you hold in your hand is a victory in many ways, and I’m very excited and proud of it and hope you’ll enjoy it and share it with others.

Thanks go first to Lost Genre Guild for inspiring me to try writing for Digital Dragon and to T.W. Ambrose for encouraging me to write more space opera stories, and then agreeing to publish them. An abridged version of the prologue to this novel first appeared in Digital Dragon’s May 2010 issue.

Secondly, thanks go to fellow authors like Blake Charlton, Ken Scholes, Jay Lake, Mike Resnick, Leon Metz, Jason Sanford, Moses Siregar and Grace Bridges who have supported, encouraged and advised me time and time again, no matter how silly my questions were or how many times they’d heard them before.  Special thanks to Blake and Grace for taking time to read and offer more specific advice to help me grow as a writer and to Mike Resnick for advice in figuring out this crazy business.

Thirdly, thanks to first readers and friends like Larry Thomson, Tim Pearse, Jeff Vaughn, David Melson, Todd Ward, Mike Wallace, Andrew Reeves, Chris Zylo Owens, and the members of the FCW-Basic Critique Group for actually seeming to enjoy my writing even in its roughest form and for giving me feedback which helped me to improve it greatly.

Fourthly, thanks to friends like Charlie Davidson, Aaron Zapata, Mark Dalbey, Nelson Jennings, and Greg Baerg, who, along with some of the guys above, have helped me escape from behind the desk and keyboard and laugh a little bit when I needed it.

Fifthly, thanks to Mitch Bentley for actually reading the book before creating the awesome cover art.  And thanks to Randy Streu, Jen Ambrose, Paul Conant and Darlene Oakley for their editing and advice, the El Paso Writer’s League for encouragement and fellowship, and Mike Wallace for the science of the Boralis solar system. Thanks also to Jeana Clark for the solar system map which brought it to life for me.

Thanks to you, the reader, for taking a chance on a new, unknown writer.  I hope you like it enough to come back for more.

Thanks to God for making me in His image and giving me the talent and inspiration to do this and continually opening the doors. I look forward to seeing what’s behind the next ones.

 

Let me add a few names of people who weren’t mentioned but would have been at this point if I wrote that today, including blurbers and others who’ve supported me so much: Mitchell Bentley (what a cover–sorry, I meant to add you in!!!!), Maurice Broaddus, Saladin Ahmed, Jaleta Clegg, David Lee Summers, my parents–Ramon & Glenda, whose thanks comes in the book’s dedication, Jamie Pearse, Sarah Hendrix, John H. Stevens, Kaolin Fire, Lee Gunter, Louis B. Shalako, Michelle Ristuccia, Shaun Farrell & Adventures In SF Publishing, Kevin J. Anderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Kat Richardson, Sam Sykes, Patrick Swenson, Eric Reynolds, Johne Cook, John DeNardo, Charles Tan, John Ottinger, Lyn Perry, Mike Ray/RedstoneSF, Anthony Cardno, David Rozansky, John A. Pitts, Brian Knight. I know I’m still forgetting someone, but at least this is a better list.

 


Bryan Thomas Schmidt is the author of the space opera novel The Worker Prince, the collection The North Star Serial, and has several short stories forthcoming in anthologies and magazines. He’s also the host ofScience Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Chat every Wednesday at 9 pm EST on Twitter, where he interviews people like Mike Resnick, AC Crispin, Kevin J. Anderson and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. He can be found online as @BryanThomasS on Twitter or via his website. Excerpts from The Worker Prince can be found on his blog.

My Conclave Schedule

Well this coming weekend, October 7-9, I go to Detroit, Michigan for my first Con as an Author Guest. The Con people have been very welcoming and helpful, even though it took a while to get in touch, including hooking me up with a dealer to sell my books for me (so a) I don’t have buy a dealer table and b) I don’t look silly with my one book, 2 anthologies). They offered me a reading, a membership discount, and a good price on a program book ad, which is prominently displayed. And they also put me on four interesting panels. So, for those who can make it or are otherwise curious, here’s my schedule:

ConClave XXXVI

Science Fiction Convention

October 7-9, 2011–Romulus, Michigan

Literary Guest of Honor

Seanan McGuire

Filk Guest(s) of Honor Wild Mercy
Fan Guest(s) of Honor Ray and Barb VanTilburg

Other expected attendees include: Jim C. Hines, Juanita Coulson, and more.

Friday, Oct. 7, 2011

5:00 pm – Dealer’s Room Setup/Supper

6:30-8:00 pm – Ballroom 5: The Death Of The American Author? (Panel)

Panelists: Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Jim C. Hines, Doug Lugthart, Gary W. Olsen

Ebooks. Anyone with a computer can format a novel and sell it on Amazon for download. What does this mean for the future of books, for the future of publishing? Why should it matter? Do we need to redefine what constitutes of literature? And will the democratizing of publishing redefine what is what it means to be a writer and a reader?

8:00-9:30 p.m. – Ballroom 5: Self-Promoting And Networking (Panel)

Panelists: Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Jim C. Hines, Gary W. Olsen

It’s not just about the promoting writing, it’s about promoting yourself, whether it’s in search of a new job, or keeping the one you have. What is your digital footprint? How can you clean it up? How can you get people to “like” you online? What are some do’s and don’ts for Twitter and Facebook? How can you build a circle of professional and personal contacts?

9:30-11:00 pm – Dealer’s Room (Signing, hanging, etc.)

 

Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011

10:00 a.m. – Dealer’s Room (Signing, hanging, etc.)

11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – Ballroom 5: Keeping In Character (Panel)

Panelists: Seanan McGuire, Doug Lugthart, Bryan Thomas Schmidt,
Emmy Jackson, Charles P. Zaglanis, Christian Klaver, Joe Ponepinto

All good stories center around character. If this is a truism of writing, then why is it so many authors seem to struggle with building believable characters and having them do believable things? What are some short-cuts for character building, and what are some of the absolute must-haves? What elevates a character from a stereotype to a memorable literary figure? How do you develop internal and external conflict? What about Point of View?

1:00-2:30 p.m. – Lunch Break

2:30-3:25 pm. – Dealer’s Room (Signing, hanging, etc.)

3:30-5:00 p.m. – Ballroom 5: Writing Groups (Panel)

Panelists: Bryan Thomas Schmidt, Emmy Jackson, Jim C. Hines, Joe Ponepinto

The good, the bad, the unattractive. The first part of this panel is a discussion on the group process as it applies to critiquing; panelists will discuss some of the basics, and then role-model the critique process by critiquing LIVE the work of someone present. Be ready for much crying and whining.

5:00-6:00 p.m. – Dinner Break

6:00-7:30 p.m. – Ballroom 6: Reading

7:30-9:00 p.m. – Ballroom 6: Saladin Ahmed Reading (attending)

9:00-11:00 p.m. – Dealer’s Room (Signing, hanging, etc.)

11:00 pm. -? – Party, Party, Party

 

Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011

10:00 – 11:45 a.m. – Dealer’s Room (Signing, hanging, etc.)

11:45-12:45 a.m. – Check out/Lunch

12:45-1:15 p.m. – Dealer’s Room (Signing briefly then pack up and head to airport)

 

They have gaming, filk concerts, and much more as well. Really looking forward to my first Con this year, especially go launch a book. It’s a privilege to get to go. So if you’re in the area, please come out!

 


Bryan Thomas Schmidt is the author of the space opera novel The Worker Prince, the collection The North Star Serial, and has several short stories forthcoming in anthologies and magazines. He’s also the host ofScience Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Chat every Wednesday at 9 pm EST on Twitter, where he interviews people like Mike Resnick, AC Crispin, Kevin J. Anderson and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. He can be found online as @BryanThomasS on Twitter or via his website. Excerpts from The Worker Prince can be found on his blog.