Sorry for the delay in posting this, but for those attending virtual ChessieCon this weekend, the below is my schedule. As mentioned earlier this year, I am Guest of Honor and so I shall be quite busy. Initially the convention was supposed to be in-person, but an unanticipated issue with the hotel forced the organizers to take the event virtual at the last minute. I will, however, return as Guest of Honor next year for an in-person event.

For the weekend of the convention until 11/30, use promo code CHESSIECON to receive 20% off all orders over $20 from the eSpec Store. This is a great way to celebrate Small-Business Saturday, not to mention update your library with eSpec titles released during the shut-down.

We will be launching several books this weekend. Well… a pre-launch, really,  for my novel Daire’s Devils, John L. French’s Chessie At Bay, and Robert E. Waters Eyes of the Wolf, all three of which will be officially releasing in the spring. For Daire’s Devils there will be a limited number of collectable hardcover editions available. There will be a chance to win prizes, for everyone who purchases one of the books launching, as with our in-person launch parties.

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Friday

6:00 P.M.     Zoom 1      Large Publishing Houses? Small Publishers? Self-publishing? Who to go with?

Do you need an editor (HINT: YES!)? Do you need an agent? If you self-publish, where does the funding come from? If you use a large publishing house, will you get screwed by a bad contract? If you choose a small publisher, will your story get tossed in the slush pile immediately because, like any other business, they need to make money? So many choices, but which one is right for you?

Presented by: Harrison Demchick (M), Danielle Ackley-McPhail, D H Aire, Aleksandr Poryshkin

7:30 P.M.     Zoom 1      Writing Without a Net

How do you write a story without an outline? Tips and tricks to pantsing a novel, novella, or short story.

Presented by: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, D H Aire, Scott Edelman (M), Intisar Khanani

Saturday

10:00 A.M.     Zoom 2     How Has Diversity Affected SF/F?

Scicence Fiction has diversified not only in its subject matter through the years, but also in its writing cast, portrayals of its protagonists, and even of its situationss and internal politics. What all has changed?

Presented by: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Elizabeth Schechter (M), J J Smith

11:30 A.M.     Zoom 1     Do Series Go On Too Long?

Television, movie, books: when has your story line jumped the shark?

Presented by: Danielle Ackley-McPhail (M), Elizabeth Corrigan, Linda Adams

2:30 P.M.      Zoom 3     Where Is the Indigenous American Fantasy?
Why is American fantasy so Eurocentric? If you believe our fantasists, American cities are populated with imported Romanian vampires, Russian werewolves, Celtic faeries, Nordic gods, Germanic witches, and the (very) occasional African god or Arabic djinn, but scarcely a homegrown magical being to be found. In fact, indigenous magical beings abound in the Americas and their stories of magic, wonder and horror are widely told by spoken and written word. North American mythology is rich with magical beings. Do these stories get adequate air time? Is it easier to imagine an Old World teeming with supernatural beings than to visualize a North America enchanted with indigenous mythical beings? Is it difficult to believe that we live in a naturally magical place? And if we did, what would it look like?

Presented by: J J Smith (M), Cathy Hird, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Elizabeth Schechter

5:30 P.M.     Zoom 1      Author Reading: Danielle Ackley-McPhail

Danielle will read from her work: “Mama Bear,” from the anthology “Bas-Ass Moms”. There will be a question and answer opportunity at the end of the reading.

Presented by: Danielle Ackley-McPhail

7:00 P.M.     Zoom 1     eSpec Book Launch

New Books, readings, and other wonderful stuff from our Guest of Honor’s publishing house.

Presented by: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, John L French, Robert E. Waters

10:00 P.M.     Zoom 1      Turkey Awards Presentation & Hallelujah Chorus

And we all find out just who wrote the worst, and how bad the worst actually is. Followed immediately by the Hallelujah Chorus

Presented by: Awards: Aleksandr Poryshkin, Danielle Ackley-McPhail. Chorus: Filthy Pierre

Sunday

11:30 A.M.     Zoom 1     Has Fantasy Lost Its Wonder?

How and why the stories of Wizards, Space Wizards, Alternative Worlds with magic, and/or psychic abilities may have done itself to death.

Presented by: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Linda Adams (M), Elizabeth Schechter (Note: ES may have to cut out early)