My 2024 Capclave Schedule

Come one, come all to Capclave, DC’s hometown con. The festivities start Friday afternoon (September 27) and run all the way until 4 PM Sunday (September 29) at the Hilton Washington, DC/Rockville, MD, Meeting Center. I’ll be there, participating in the six great events listed below. Hope you’ll join me and share the fun

 

Friday

 

4 PM, Washington Theater

An Offline Discussion of Online Events (Ends at: 4:55 PM)

Participants: Andy Duncan, Morgan Hazelwood (M), Sarah Mitchell, Jean Marie Ward
Costs are rising, volunteers are hard to get, and people are firm in their beliefs. A few years removed from the rise of online and hybrid events, panelists discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and future of these events.

 

8 PM, Washington Theater

This One Time... (Ends at: 8:55 PM)

Participants: Morgan Hazelwood, Ian Randal Strock, Michael A. Ventrella, Jean Marie Ward (M)
It may not have been at band camp, but we are involved in stories our whole life. From a young age to the current day, something is almost always happening. Panelists tell brief funny stories from their life, career, and friends.

 

10 PM, Eisenhower

Hold My Beer (Ends at: 10:55 PM)

Participants: Danian Jerry, Jennifer R. Povey, Sheree Renée Thomas, Michael A. Ventrella, Jean Marie Ward (M)
Just when you thought the world couldn't get any stranger, this happened. A discussion of the current world. No topic off the table. Trigger Warning.

 

Saturday

 

7 PM, Mass Signing and Awards Ceremony (Ends at: 8:55 PM) Atrium

The annual gathering of Capclave attendees with presentation of the Guest of Honor Gifts, the WSFA Small Press Award, and the Baltimore Science Fiction Society's Amateur Writers Award.

 

Sunday

 

1 PM, Author Reading: Jean Marie Ward (Ends at: 1:25) Adams

 

2 PM, Companions, Pets, and More (Ends at 2:55 PM) Eisenhower

Participants: Jennifer Brinn, Randee Dawn (M), Matt Dinniman, Miguel O. Mitchell, Jean Marie Ward
Princess Donut, Lassie, and Big Dee each play a role in moving the plot forward. What is the role of the animal character? How do you convince readers of their animal nature even while they develop beyond the simple impulses of their origins.

My Dragon Con 2024 Schedule

Dragon Con is almost here, and I have I got a schedule for you. Look at those topics! Look at those participants! And if you haven’t yet bought a copy of my new collection of short stories, Dragons, Cats, and Formidable Femmes, you buy your own—and get it autographed—at the Fantasy Gather, Friday, August 30, from 8 until midnight. See you soon!

Title: Social Media. Friend, Enemy, or Frenemy?
Description: Some people whiz through social media platforms easily. Others struggle. This panel demystifies the process so that your promotional efforts are rewarding rather than overwhelming.
Panelists: Tyra Burton, Gail Z Martin, S. L. Rowland, Jean Marie Ward, Venessa Giunta(M), Theresa Glover
Time: Fri 01:00 pm
Location: Embassy EF Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: The House Doesn't Always Win: A SurrealEstate Fan Panel
Description: A moderated fan panel discussion over the first two seasons of the popular show.
Panelists: Jean Marie Ward, D.R. Perry, Lisa Harrison, Laura Beard Hayden, Rocky Shields, Carol Malcolm(M)
Time: Fri 05:30 pm
Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Fantasy Gather
Description: Fantasy writers at Dragon Con sell their current releases one-on-one
Panelists: Multiple authors
Time: Set-up 0700 pm, Event Fri 08:00 pm (Length: 4 Hours)
Location: International Ballroom

Title: Humor is Subjective: Everybody Laughs Differently
Description: What one person thinks is funny isn't always funny to someone else. Our panelists discuss times when their funny...wasn't. And how to get it right.
Panelists: Shami A Stovall, Benjamin Wallace, Jean Marie Ward(M), Kevin J. Anderson, Gini Koch
Time: Sat 05:30 pm
Location: Embassy AB Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Delphic Oracle
Description: Watch our panelists play a game similar to telephone, but so much more fun for the rest of us.
Panelists: Daniel Schinhofen, Gini Koch, Jean Marie Ward, J. B. Garner(M), Terry Maggert
Time: Sat 08:30 pm
Location: Embassy CD Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Herstorically Speaking: Women Who Changed the Tide of History
Description: From kevlar to alphabet blocks, signal flares to paper bags, the extraordinary work of women has helped create our modern world. We've collected a panel of experts to tell the stories and struggles of women throughout history that might have been left out of your history book.
Panelists: Esther Friesner, Mel Todd(M), Jean Marie Ward, Omisade Richardson, Jesse J. Holland
Time: Sun 11:30 am
Location: Macon Courtland Grand (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Historical Romance Novels: A Deep Dive into Our Craving for Love
Description: Nothing is truer than love. There are times when we need romantic gestures, longing looks & the sweetness of love in our lives. If love is on your mind, listen in & bring discussion points as our panelists discuss the sweeter side of romance & where they turn when their heart craves a gentle touch.
Panelists: Esther Friesner, Jean Marie Ward, Emily Myerscough(M), Nancy Northcott, Bethanne Kim
Time: Sun 01:00 pm
Location: Macon Courtland Grand (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Do the Classics Speak to the Current Generation of Fans
Description: Many of the classic works of science fiction were written in a time that was markedly different from the world we live in now. Our panelists will discuss if these works still have something to say to the fans of today.
Panelists: Bill Ritch, Jean Marie Ward (M), Ben Yalow, Storm Humbert, Robert J. Sawyer, Gray Rinehart, Alison Tracy
Time: Sun 04:00 pm
Location: Embassy AB Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Title: Win, Lose or Draw!
Description: Our traditional end of con contest where fans try to draw in order to make their team guess correctly!
Panelists: Jean Marie Ward(M)
Time: Mon 02:30 pm
Location: Embassy AB Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Forever Magpie

My parents are both vets, and I always visit their grave around the dates of their respective deaths. Yesterday's visit to commemorate my dad was particularly bittersweet, because I'm getting ready to publish my first collection of short stories, Dragons, Cats, & Formidable Femmes from Ginger Blue Publishing. Dad died before I published my first nonfiction book, and Mom died shortly after I published my first novel. They never got to see my writing take off.

But you know how it is. Even if you don't believe in an afterlife, you make believe to keep the connection with your loved ones alive. I always talk to my parents when I'm there. This time, I decided to leave a couple postcards featuring the pretty, shiny cover by the grave marker. Mother, especially, would have loved it. Her brother Pat nicknamed her "la gazza ladra"--"the thieving magpie"--for a reason. Mom could never resist anything sparkly. There was no danger of the cards turning into trash. It's a graveyard. Flowers and tributes are a given. The groundskeepers remove them on a regular schedule to keep the cemetery pristine.

I photographed one of the cards against Dad's side of the marker and wedged the card between the grass and tombstone to prevent it from annoying other visitors. Then I switched sides, photographed Mom's, and tried to position her card behind the grass next to the marble marker like I had Dad's.

The card whooshed down the side of the headstone and disappeared under the sod like I'd found the mail slot to the Underworld. I wouldn't have thought you could slide a knife blade between the marker and the dirt, much less seven inches of cardstock. I burst out laughing. "You're still a magpie! Well, wherever you are, Mom, just remember, pre-orders mean love."

Heading to Balticon

 

Thanks to Amy Kaplan, I’ll be back at Balticon this year. If you’re in Baltimore this Memorial Day weekend and want to sample some of the best #SF, #fantasy, & #horror around, check it out at the Renaissance Harbor Place Hotel. My schedule can be found here. I don’t have a signing, but I do have pre-order postcards featuring the lovely cover for my upcoming short story collection from Ginger Blue Publishing, which I’ll be happy to autograph. PSA for all the writers you like, not just me: Pre-orders = <3. More than the money, they boost our rankings at all points of sale, giving more people the chance to discover us. But there’s no commitment attached to the cards I sign. I just want everyone to see this gorgeous cover up close. :D