On my way to the Westin Friday night, I spotted a pair of luminous sea creatures drifting among the crowd. I’m always awed by the wonderful costumes at Dragon Con, but these two were so unique, their use of LED lighting so captivating, that I had to stop and snap a picture. As usual for cosplayers at Dragon Con, Jessica… Read more →
On Sunday afternoon, I continued to pursue the goal of attending all 18 of the Hourly Writer’s Workshops on offer by Michael Stackpole and company, Hyatt Inman. The title of the first workshop (almost) inspired me to arrive with a tall tomato-juice-and-vodka drink complete with celery stir and veggie garnish UNTIL I grasped that wasn’t the “Bloody Mary” meant. The… Read more →
During the panel “From Myth to Magic” on Sunday at 1PM in Hyatt Embassy EF, Kaitlin Bevis, Elizabeth Donald, Bill Fawcett, Nancy Northcott, Jody Lynn Nye, and DL Wainright discussed how to creatively use myths, legends, and folklore while being respectful of original sources and cultures. Fawcett began the panel by asking each author to describe the advantages of incorporating… Read more →
Michael Stackpole presented Saturday’s first three hourly workshops, Hyatt Inman, all by his lonesome. I attended two of these workshops last year and marveled at the nuances he added to the same topics this go-around. Incredibly, he made them all pass by in a sprint when I had expected a marathon. (I even had plenty of java left for the… Read more →
A panel of talented Black creators shared advice about crafting compelling narratives in Monday’s “Enchanting Realms: Black Voices in Fantasy,” held in Hyatt Hanover AB at 10AM. Moderated by children’s author Christine H. Taylor-Butler, the panel featured commentary from Isabelle Hardesty, Sebastian A. Jones, Violette L. Meier, Glenn Parris, and L. Marie Wood. The panelists stress the value of drawing… Read more →
Michael Stackpole’s equally enlightened companions, including guest author Timothy Zahn, presented Dragon Con’s Writer’s Hourly Workshops on Saturday afternoon, Hyatt Inman. For those of you who read my first installment, excitement carried me over to the late afternoon and early evening sessions after a long morning of workshops and snack breaks. (I rationed my coffee.) Session highlights appear in vanishing… Read more →
One problem aspiring writers face is the overwhelming, and often contradictory, advice offered online. There’s no dearth of websites on writing and submitting, but how do you know which recommendations to follow? Should you remove every adjective and adverb? Use only said and no other dialogue tags? Create a social presence and gather a following before you try to sell… Read more →
Michael Stackpole and company presented the Dragon Con’s Writer’s Hourly Workshops beginning at 10AM to 6:30PM on Friday through Sunday, Hyatt Inman. More than a few brave souls, one of my best writing buddies and I included, took the plunge and sat in the first two rows for the entire series. As Stackpole said, if you sit in the front… Read more →
