CONduit: Come See Me Talk about Writing!

On Thursday, I’m leaving Maine for a pilgrimage out to Utah. Salt Lake City, to be precise. I’ll be there through Monday, attending a science fiction convention: CONduit. It’s a con I used to go to when I lived in Utah, and I’m looking forward to going back. (For those of you who don’t know, a “con” is one of those conventions that celebrates geekdom to one extent or another. Sometimes comics, sometimes writing, sometimes movies, sometimes all of the above. This one is a regional “all of the above” flavor. There’ll be presentations on movies, writing, making costumes, and more. Yes, some people will be dressed up in costumes. Because people enjoy that. No, I won’t be dressed up. Because Utah has a lot of really good fantasy authors, there’s a pretty darned impressive array of presenters on the writing panels, including Dave Wolverton (Farland), L.E. Modesitt, Tracy Hickman, Dan Wells and more.) Of course, I won’t just be attending the con, I’ll also be presenting at the con, which sounds ever so much more Important and Official. Specifically, you can see me on the following panels:

Friday, May 27

4:00–Streamlining Your Fiction. How to know what stays and what goes to make your story as good as it can get? (Jessica Day George, Suzanne Vincent, Howard Tayler, Bryce Moore, Dave Wolverton)

5:00–How Not To Talk Down To Your Audience. How do you find the right balance between talking over your reader’s head and treating them like a child? Especially when they ARE children? (Jessica Day George, Dan Willis, Bryce Moore, Julie Wright, Kathleen Dalton-Woodbury)

Saturday, May 28

2:00–What A Kid Wants In A Story. Some adults have a tendency to talk down to kids. Some writers do it, too. Or they don’t know what a kid looks for in a book. Our panel “gets it.” Come hear more about this growing genre. (J. Scott Savage, Jason Shumate, Dene Low, LuAnn Staheli, Bryce Moore, Julie Wright, Jessica Day George)

4:25—Reading (I think–This reading might also be at 4:00. There’s some confusion still. In either case, I’ll be reading an excerpt from Vodnik.)

Sunday, May 29

10:00–What Makes A Successful Writing Group And What To Avoid. Some writing groups give lots of great praise but no concrete suggestions. Some seem to live for scathing, tear-you-down bromides but again, don’t give useful feedback. But others, oh, others manage to point out problems AND strengths in ways that challenge and inspire. How do you find one of that kind?(Robert J Defendi, Ann Chamberlin, LuAnn Staheli, Bryce Moore, Dave Wolverton, Chris Weston)

2:00–Potters of the Caribbean: The year in film. It’s the beginning of the summer film series. What films have we liked so far, which ones disappointed and what are we waiting anxiously for? (Bryce Moore, Blake Casselman)

5:00–Urban Fantasy. So, you drag yourself home after a long shift and mutter under your breath about the fairy dust sprinkled all over your now floating kitchen table. Your best friend calls to complain about her zombie boyfriend’s breath and a ghost laughs in your ear. In it. *Sigh* It’s gonna be one of THOSE nights. (Lesli Muir Lytle, Karen Hoover, Larry Correia, Bryce Moore, Carole Nelson Douglas)

So come on out and have a good time, learn something about writing, or just hang out. Hope to see you there!

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