Reading at 9Pi-Con

Broad Universe, a nonprofit international organization of women and men dedicated to celebrating and promoting the work of women writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror, will be hosting one of their Rapid Fire Readings at the last Pi-Con at noon on Saturday, August 1, 2015.

A Rapid Fire Reading is group reading at a convention (or other venue) where a writer reads a five-minute snippet of her work as part of a group of other Level 1 Broad Universe members. You get to hear a variety of different genres and styles and have a chance to win a giveaway. It's a lot of fun.

Each reader reads for 5 minutes. I'll be reading from a short story that will be published this fall.

Other readers participating are:

Lisa Hawkridge

Kristi Petersen Schoonover

Jennifer Allis Provost

Morven Westfield

Roberta Rogow (going first so she can make it to another panel due to lack of functioning cloning mechanism)

Suzanne Reynolds Alpert

Angi Shearstone

Trisha J. Wooldridge

Author Justine Graykin won't be joining us this time because she'll have her own reading on Sunday, at 11:00 AM in Ellsworth. She'll also be having a release party for Awake Chimera at 8:00 PM on Friday night, sponsored by Broad Universe. Other Broad Universe authors will have their new releases on display. 

Look for the notices on the boards at Pi-Con. For more info on Justine, see her bio at http://pi-con.org/programming/programming-participants/

Short Story to be Published in Whittier Anthology

My short story "The Fortune Teller" will be in an upcoming anthology from Post Mortem Press. Snowbound — with Zombies, edited by Dave Goudsward, features tales of the supernatural inspired by the life and works of John Greenleaf Whittier.

I took my inspiration for "The Fortune Teller" from the poem Moll Pitcher, a 900-line poem Whittier wrote about a clairvoyant and fortune-teller from Lynn, Massachusetts. Born Mary Diamond around 1736, she was known for her accurate predictions, especially those concerning voyages by ship. A quote from Whittier's poem now adorns her gravestone in the West Lynn Burial Ground.

The book's official release will be Saturday September 26 at the Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill, MA from 1 PM to 3 PM.

Haverhill is celebrating its 375th anniversary this year, so it should be an exciting book launch. More on this as it becomes available.

Pi-Con Panel Schedule

The last Pi-Con will be held in Windsor Locks, Connecticut July 31-August 2, 2015.

Guest of Honor: Tanya Huff
Guest of Awesome: Vikki Ciaffone
Location: Sheraton Hotel at Bradley Airport, Windsor Locks, CT

I'll be on the following panels:

Paranormally Yours–Writing the Paranormal Tale or Novel

Friday, July 31, 2:00 PM
Debi Chowdhury, Susan Hanniford Crowley (M), Bianca D’Arc, Tanya Huff, Morven Westfield
The panelists will examine the many aspects of writing the paranormal tale from setting to character. What qualities are in every paranormal from sheer horror to paranormal romance that define the genre?

Building Strong Characters

Friday, July 31, 4:00 PM
Grant Carrington, William Freedman, Tanya Huff, Kristi Petersen Schoonover, Morven Westfield (M)
The panelists will discuss how hero, heroines, and villains must be of equal strength, while secondary characters must move the story forward. You’ll learn how to make your character strong, believable, memorable and beloved by readers.

The Day Job and Your Passion - What works for you?

Friday, July 31, 8:00 PM, in McLean
Ken Kingsgrave-Ernstein, Lisa Evans, Jennifer Pelland, Morven Westfield (M)
We all have to earn a living. Do we get a day job that earns a lot of money, in the hope that we can afford to retire early, or save up to take some time off? Or do we just do our creative stuff nights and weekends? What are the best jobs for inspiration? Is it better to have a job that doesn't use up most of your brain?

Building a Better Character

Saturday, August 1, 1:00 pm, in Ellsworth
Vikki Ciaffone, Tanya Huff, Morven Westfield, Trisha J. Wooldridge (M)
Whether you are creating characters for a novel, a play, a television series, or an RPG the person you are making should have a background that makes sense, motivations beyond the plot of your story and be a balanced, even if broken, human being (or whatever). Come and discuss how this is achieved.

The Evolution of the Vampire

Saturday, August 1, 5:00 PM, in Parsons
Susan Hanniford Crowley (M), Mario DiGiacomo, Heather Dawn, Morven Westfield
How have vampires changed in the media? A fun look at the large variety of vampires, from that first Nosferatu to young adult vampires in Vampire Academy and more. Come for the laughs to discuss all in fun. Don't forget your fangs!

Interpreting the Critique

Sunday, August 2, 10:00 AM, Ellsworth
Shuvom Ghose (M), Michael McAfee, Morven Westfield, Trisha J. Wooldridge
You've finished the draft and shared it with your beta readers or writers group. It comes back with edits and criticisms. How do you judge which are valid? When should you change something and when should you stick to your guns? How about when those criticisms come from a professional editor? How about when publication hinges on a particular change which your gut says is wrong? Do you trust yourself or your critic?