Amy Herring

Amy L. Herring (Louise Herring-Jones) writes speculative fiction, with a preference for historical fantasy and alternate mystery. Her stories, appearing in fourteen anthologies, include “The Poulterer’s Tale” in God Bless Us, Every One—Christmas Carols beyond Dickens (Voodoo Rumors Media). Amy coordinates the HSV Writers’ group in Huntsville, AL. Visit her online at http://www.louiseherring-jones.com.

David B. Coe/D. B. Jackson Enlightens Evolving Writers

David B. Coe/D. B. Jackson Enlightens Evolving Writers

Settled amidst his horde (enough tomes to incite any literate dragon’s envy), author and long-time Dragon Con regular David B. Coe revealed insights about his writing practices and career to aspiring students and alumni at Jody Lynn Nye’s Writers’ Workshop Friday morning. Coe described building a reputation in epic fantasy, publishing his first novel with TOR books in 1994 after… Read more →

Writing in the Time of COVID Part 2: Charles E. Gannon

Writing in the Time of COVID Part 2: Charles E. Gannon

Writing at any time can be daunting, sometimes rewarding, sometimes eminently frustrating. But what about writing in a pandemic with all the accompanying social, economic, political, and weather distractions in addition to health concerns? The Daily Dragon asked authors participating in the first virtual Dragon Con how they faced and survived these particular challenges and kept on writing—or not. Daily… Read more →

Back to Basics with Toni Weisskopf

Back to Basics with Toni Weisskopf

Baen Books Publisher Toni Weisskopf coached attendees and alumni of Jody Lynn Nye’s Dragon Con Writer’s Workshop on publishing basics Thursday afternoon of the first virtual Dragon Con. Embellished with science fiction and fantasy literary and art sidebars, she provided practical answers to writers’ questions during an online video chat.  Weisskopf said that after adjusting to the various crises and… Read more →

Writing in the Time of COVID Part 1: Van Allen Plexico and Alethea Kontis

Writing in the Time of COVID Part 1: Van Allen Plexico and Alethea Kontis

Writing at any time can be daunting, sometimes rewarding, sometimes eminently frustrating. But what about writing in a pandemic with all the accompanying social, economic, political, and weather distractions in addition to health concerns? The Daily Dragon asked authors participating in the first virtual Dragon Con how they faced and survived these particular challenges and kept on writing—or not. Daily… Read more →

Comedy IS Harder

SF Lit hosted a batch of writers notable for writing comedy, early enough on Monday morning that I hadn’t finished my coffee. Kathleen O’Shea David, John G. Hartness, Erin Michelle Sky, and Dave Schroeder debated how and when to get readers laughing. Toni Weisskopf moderated. David and Hartness exchanged comments on live performances, their physicality, and the need to inject… Read more →

Under the Covers: The Art of Cover Art

Cover artists Don Maitz and Don Dos Santos joined publisher Toni Weisskopf of(Baen Book) Sunday evening to discuss the making of cover art and final covers for SF Lit. Both Dons knew early on that they wanted to do covers. After finishing art school, to break into the field, they hit the pavement and showed their portfolios to publishing house… Read more →

Bestselling Series Authors Reveal “Keeping it Fresh” Strategies

Bestselling Series Authors Reveal “Keeping it Fresh” Strategies

Jim Butcher, Dave Weber, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Eric Flint shared tactics for keeping their long-running series fresh to a full house on Saturday afternoon in the Hyatt Regency VI–VII.  Steve Saffel moderated. The camaraderie was apparent in the commentary on the series represented: Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files (“affected every other writer in modern fantasy”) and Eric Flint’s 1632/Ring of Fire… Read more →

Author L.L. McKinney Urges Persistence

Author L.L. McKinney Urges Persistence

“Never give up,” author L.L. McKinney told writers hoping to publish during a Writers’ Track panel on Saturday. Her animated, provocative discussion prompted me to approach her for more sage advice. Daily Dragon (DD): Tell us about your work as an author. How would you describe your stories and novels? L.L. McKinney (LLM): I would say it’s fantasy with an… Read more →