Next convention

Looking forward to my first Ravencon in Richmond, Virginia, in two weeks, April 24-26. Here is my schedule:

Friday:

6 pm (Reading) Boardroom

7 pm (Opening Ceremony) Rooms E & F

10 pm (Panel) How and Why of Short Stories / Bon Air
The How and Why of Short Stories
Our panelists discuss why they write short stories, how they develop ideas and characters, tips on writing short stories, potential problems to avoid and what markets to target.
Warren Lapine
Lou Antonelli
Bud Sparhawk
Kristin Mehigan

Saturday:

10 am (Panel) Writing Dialogue / Anna
Panelists discuss writing convincing, interesting dialogue. What about accents, physical quirks, and differing vocabulary from character to character? How can you use physical beats and dialog tags to pace a conversation?
Lou Antonelli
Lawrence M. Schoen
Noah McBrayer Jones
Kate Paulk
Karen McCullough (M)

11 am (Panel) Tips for Aspiring Writers / Room F
If you’re a new writer or someone who’s thinking about taking the plunge into the world of fiction, getting started can be a bit intimidating. Now’s your chance to learn some tricks of the trade from our panel of published authors. They’ll share tips and answer your questions about getting your writing career off the ground.
Ellie Collins
Lou Antonelli
Paula S. Jordan (M)
CM Adams

1 pm (Signing) Dealer’s Room

9 pm (Panel) Plotting and Pacing a Short Story / Anna
Tony Ruggiero
Lou Antonelli
Kristin Mehigan

Sunday:

2 pm (Panel) Alternate History in Science Fiction & Fantasy / Room E
What if the South won the Civil War? What if the Chinese discovered the New World? Alternative History has become a sub-genre of its own. But how does an author keep it plausible?
Steve White
Lou Antonelli
Christopher Nuttall
Danielle Ackley-McPhail