Stellar Fest

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I’ll be paneling at Stellar Fest here in Atlanta the weekend of April 4, 5, 6, at the Sonesta Gwinnett Place. Check out the website for details. Below is my tentative schedule. Hope to see you there!

Through the Magic Door: The Appeal of Portal Fantasies             
Stories where people are transported to other worlds, parallel dimensions or into virtual games are becoming popular again. What is the appeal of those genre versus secondary world fantasies?
Friday 5:00pm – Other Worlds Two

Second Tier Science Fiction – 1970’s Edition         
How does a movie compete with the likes of Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Alien? Frankly, it doesn’t. Movies like Logan’s Run, Damnation Alley, Death Race 2000 and so many others were acknowledged, sometimes praised, and often viewed, but still relegated to “”second tier”” status. Join this panel as we try to breathe life back into these forgotten gems!
Saturday 11:00am – Other Worlds One

5/25/1977         
You settle into your seat with your popcorn and drink on May 25, 1977. The lights go down and, after the previews, the 20th Century Fox logo plays, the words “A longtime ago in a galaxy far, far away” appear, and you feel a thrill as you read the next words… Star Wars… Episode 1 The Phantom Menace….
Saturday 3:00pm – Star Wars Track

Sci-Fi in Rock Music                  
Rock and heavy metal are commonly filled with allusions to fantasy – Ronnie James Dio would fight a dragon on stage. But there are a number of rock and metal bands with some sci-fi themed songs and albums, beyond Rush’s 2112. Come learn about bands you may not know of and bring your favorite examples.  
Saturday 4:00pm – Other Worlds One

Is Classic Science Fiction Dead?  
Has the current trend of action, action, action erased the storytelling elements of sci-fi? Have the novels of Arthur C. Clarke, Issac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein been relegated to the forgotten heaps of time because of today’s sci-fi? Can a story, set in the future, without violence, survive and thrive…                
Sunday 3:00pm – Other Worlds One

Second Tier Science Fiction – 1980’s Edition         
How does a movie compete with the likes of Empire Strikes Back, E.T., and Terminator? Frankly, it doesn’t. Movies like Scanners, The Last Starfighter, Explorers and so many others were acknowledged, sometimes praised, and often viewed, but still relegated to “second tier” status. Join this panel as we try to breathe life back into these forgotten gems!                  
Sunday 4:00pm – Other Worlds One

CONjuration: From Fan to Pro

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Folks, come join me this weekend at CONjuration! I’ll be with The Story Plant, presenting a variety of “From Fan to Pro” sessions. Bring your original, creative idea and learn how to go from being a Fan to a Pro! Attend any session(s), workshop(s) or discussion(s) during CONjuration in the Story Plant room – at Sonesta Gwinnett Place hotel from November 15th-17th. Hope to see you there!

From Fan to Pro

9th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference

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It’s coming up fast! The 9th Annual Broadleaf Writers Conference is September 21-22 in downtown Decatur, Georgia, at the Decatur Library. Go to the website for full info and registration. This is a fun and illuminating weekend, where you’ll meet fellow writers and learn some great tips from experienced authors, agents, and editors.

I was one of the founding board members of the Broadleaf Writers Association, and I just can’t help sticking around and helping out with each year’s conference. Please come, say hi, and hang out with wordsmiths like you!