I’ll be returning to Dragoncon for the first time in nearly 30 years! My last visit was as a fan, and I spent a glorious weekend there, having just discovered LARPing. This time, I’ll be attending as a professional and participating on a bunch of panels and book-related things.
Here’s my schedule!
Fantasy Gather
Friday, 8pm
Hanover C–E (Hyatt)
| Title: Awakening the Great Old Ones: Writing Modern Cthulhu Mythos Stories |
| Time: Sat 02:30 pm Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour) |
| Description: Our panel of experienced writers explore the enduring appeal of the Cthulhu Mythos. Discover how to craft unique creatures, intricate plots, and characters that feel at home in the Mythos while still pushing its boundaries. *A signing with all of these authors will take place following the panel. |
| Panelists: Kenneth Hite(M), Richard Lee Byers, Chris Jackson, James Palmer, Alex Shvartsman, Esther Friesner |
Title: Signing Showcase – Horror track |
| Time: Sat 04:00 pm Location: Overlook Westin (Length:1 Hour) |
| Description: Following the Awakening the Great Old Ones: Writing Modern Cthulhu Mythos Stories, the panelists will be featured in the Author Signings area. |
| Panelists: Kenneth Hite, Richard Lee Byers, Chris Jackson, James Palmer, Alex Shvartsman, Esther Friesner |
Title: Xenoarcheologists Present |
| Time: Sat 08:30 pm Location: Embassy AB Hyatt (Length:1 Hour) |
| Description: An esteemed panel of experts from many worlds and disciplines examines archeological finds to help determine what they are, and what they were used for. |
| Panelists: Alex Shvartsman, Jody Lynn Nye(M), Esther Friesner, R.R. Virdi, Doug Burbey, Stephen L Antczak |
Title: Many Tongues, 1 World: Using or Creating Languages in Literature |
| Time: Sun 01:00 pm Location: Embassy CD Hyatt (Length:1 Hour) |
| Description: We will be pulling in authors and a linguist to discuss using and creating languages for Fantasy settings. Sometimes they may pull from the real world, other times it might mean making things from scratch. |
| Panelists: Davis Ashura(M), Mera Rose, Mel Todd, Kevin McLaughlin, D.B. Jackson, Alex Shvartsman |
Title: Striking a Balance: Humor in UF |
| Time: Sun 07:00 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour) |
| Description: Our panel of authors will discuss the importance of humor in Urban Fantasy, and how they employ it in their work. Laughter guaranteed. |
| Panelists: R.J. Blain, Stacey Rourke, Richard Lee Byers, Alex Shvartsman, J. B. Garner, Jennifer Morris(M) |
Title: The Mission: Protecting Humanity |
| Time: Sun 08:30 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour) |
| Description: The role of many Urban Fantasy protagonists is protecting the human world from supernatural or magical threats, & sometimes those protectors are not completely human themselves. Our panel of authors discusses the difficulties this situation may present for the protagonist, the community, & humans. |
| Panelists: Patricia L. Briggs, Jim Butcher, Delilah S Dawson, Alex Shvartsman, Jeanne C Stein, Carol Malcolm(M) |
Alex Shvartsman's Speculative Fiction 