My 2020 Capclave Schedule

 

October isn’t just Halloween. It’s also Capclave, the Washington DC area’s hometown science fiction and fantasy convention. Like so many cons, they’ve gone virtual this year, but that doesn’t mean the guests or the programming are any less stellar. Guests of Honor from past Capclaves are returning to help the con celebrate its twenty-year anniversary—an anniversary like no other. You can check out the full schedule here.

But we know you’re all here for me. 😉 So I’ll make it easy on you. Check out these offerings:

 

Saturday, October17

1:30 PM

Panel: Magic – Obvious or Mysterious

Participants: Sarah Beth Durst, Charlotte Honigman, John Skovran, Carrie Vaughn, Jean Marie Ward (Moderator)

Some modern fantasy settings have the existence of magic and magical creatures known to the public—think True Blood or Poul Anderson’s Operation Chaos. Others have the magic secret such as Seanan McGuire’s Incryptid series or the TV show Supernatural. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach? Why might an author choose one or the other? Are some authors better than one or the other?

 

7:30 PM

Panel: Sharing a Universe

Participants: Iver Cooper, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Carrie Vaughn, Jean Marie Ward

Shared universes have been around for years. 1632 is its own cottage industry these days, and Wild Cards has experienced a rebirth. Panelists will discuss the advantages, disadvantages and what it takes to work in this type of writing. What is the appeal to authors and readers? Why do some shared universes work while others produced a handful of volumes and vanished? What caused Thieves World to turn dark and toxic, and how can other shared worlds avoid their fate?

 

Sunday

1:30 PM

Reading

 

Hope to see you in Capclave’s virtual panel rooms soon. Stay safe!

Jean Marie Ward reading

My Dragon Con 2020 Schedule

Dragon Con is going virtual this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the same wild mix of media stars, writers, artists, panels, gaming, costumes, performances, music and all the rest—even the blood drive! For everything that’s been awful about 2020, the year has given folks who wouldn’t normally make it to Atlanta over Labor Day a chance to share the fun. For free!

That’s right, Dragon Con is offering three free 24/7 streaming channels of live and pre-recorded programming at https://dragoncon.tv/virtual: Main Programming, Fan Programming and Classic Programming. In addition, each of their programming tracks will be offering a selection of live and pre-recorded programs on venues ranging from Facebook to YouTube and all the social media in between. For those of us who can’t imagine Labor Day without the camaraderie of the various hotel bars, there’s even a BarCon running on Discord. And all of that is also free.

 In addition, they’ve created the best virtual art show and vendors rooms I’ve seen so far. Artists, makers and dealers have been particularly hard hit by the loss of physical conventions. This is the perfect chance to show your love and support for the people who bring so much joy to the world.

For more details, head to https://dragoncon.org. The page is phenomenally easy to navigate. There’s even a link to a pdf of the Quick Start Guide we all live by at the RL con. Links to the individual track offerings can be found on p. 23.

 Or you can check out the feeds of your favorite Dragon Con participants. You can find me several places this weekend:

Friday, 7 PM

SF Literature Track

Reading: I’ll be reading from four of my science fictions: “The Wrong Refrigerator” (which has just been translated into Chinese for Science Fiction World. Squeeeeeee!), “The Wizard of Woodrow Park” from Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs. Aliens, “The Ellsberg Variations” from Lost Signals of the Terran Republic, and “Yesterday, I Will”, my shortest published work from the anthology of the same name. Check out how many times I can stumble over my own words. You’d think I’d never seen them before. Well, not for several months anyway. LOL

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173171899402965/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn6yQUcszuJFwMw1iLMnP-w

 Saturday, 2:30 PM

Alternate and Historical Fiction Track

Fact or Fiction AFHT Edition: AFHT’s historical fiction writers will refresh your memory on major historical events and goings on. Of course, not everyone can remember history as it truly happens. Is it fact? Is it fiction? Join our cast of unlucky souls who will determine which story is FACT and which is FICTION...
Panelists: Tony Ballard-Smoot, AJ Hartley, L. Jagi Lamplighter, Michael Martinez, Tamsin Silver, Jean Marie Ward
Moderators: Liz Carpenter, Alison Helfferich, Brett Gordon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DConAlternateHistoryTrack/

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzbMmPbV4bRnRdJ2zCYkPEA/featured

 Sunday, Noon

Writers Track

Mentoring Sessions: Four opportunities for me to share all the craziness I’ve experienced over a quarter century reporting on, writing for and editing in this strange business we call publishing

Sign-up Sheet: https://form.jotform.com/202435857025050

Mentoring Schedule: https://www.notion.so/Dragon-Con-Writers-Track-Mentoring-Schedule-9c72a7a124234eee9c2913e833c6c9e8

Sunday, 2:30 PM

Alternate & Historical Fiction Track

Quarantine Reads: A laid-back face-to-face with some of our favorite panelists discussing recently released and forthcoming alternate history and historical fiction books for the next year. What should you be reading to prepare for 2021?
Panelists: L. Jagi Lamplighter, Tamsin Silver, Jean Marie Ward
Moderators: Liz Carpenter, Alison Helfferich

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DConAlternateHistoryTrack/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzbMmPbV4bRnRdJ2zCYkPEA/featured

Sunday, 8 PM

Urban Fantasy Track—Live!

Gifts, Missing Mojo, and Murder: A Lucifer Fan Panel: A moderated fan-panel discussion over Season 5A of the hit show.

Panelists: Kevin Bachelder, Susan Griffith, Lisa Harrison, Wendy Hembrock, Jean Marie Ward

Moderator: Carol Malcolm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DCUrbanFantasy/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaz0h4NfjHCTTDka26gkVpA/

 

Can’t wait to see you there!

 

June 6, Then and Now

I don't do a lot of significant day posts, because frankly, I usually forget the day is significant until it's over. But today, as I read the news, I was struck with a correspondence I couldn't ignore. Today is the sixth of June, the anniversary of D-Day, the launch of Operation Overlord whose purpose was to retake western Europe from the racist, fascistic dictators and their minions who had devastated the world.

Last night people all over the US assembled in remembrance of those we have lost, especially those black lives we have lost, to injustice and systematic racism. In DC along #BlackLivesMatterWay, houses of worship rang their bells for 8 minutes 46 seconds in memory of George Floyd. In the same way, chaplains of all faiths--not just Christian, I say this as someone who knew people who were there--prepared the soldiers, sailors and marines about to land on the beaches of Normandy.

Today unknown thousands will assemble across the country to march toward a better tomorrow. Significantly, the Department of Defense has unilaterally ordered home the active duty forces ordered to DC and disarmed the National Guard in the area. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has reminded all military personnel in writing that the military's oath is to support and defend the Constitution and all Americans exercising their Constitutional rights.

Whatever happens today, it won't be the end. D-Day wasn't the end of World War II. Evil clutches its power with the desperation born of fear. Racists and tyrants are cowards at their core, terrified of being held accountable for their deeds. What's worse, evil never stays defeated. There's always a bully or would-be dictator awaiting their opportunity to strike. And tragically, the very forces we fought in Europe and elsewhere so many decades ago are still at work today. But I can't help looking at the parallels between that June 6, 76 years ago today, and hoping.

Hoping with all my heart.