Lunacon

I’ve been very, very quiet this week, working hard on DARK VICTORY.  Part of the reason I’ve been hustling is because I’m going to be at cons the next two weekends.

This weekend: LUNACON.  One of my favorite regional cons, friendly, smart and thought-provoking attendees — please find me if you are going to be there!  I’ve got a busy schedule this year, and I’m looking forward to what looks like a really cool slate of panels:

Reading: Michele Lang
Saturday 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM 
(I’ll be reading from LADY LAZARUS) 

Creating Your Own Sandbox
Saturday 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
World-building in your sci-fi/fantasy writing. Geography, society, language… how detailed do you get?
Sam Butler [M], Michael D’Ambrosio, Teel James Glenn, Michele Lang

Writing Across Genre Lines
Saturday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Combining genres in one book gives an author enormous versatility. What makes a good cross-genre work and what do you call it when you’re done?
Roger MacBride Allen, Carole Bugge, Michele Lang, Jonathan Maberry

Writing in Series 
 Saturday 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
What are the special challenges and benefits of writing in a series?  How do you ensure that each books stands alone but still provides a cohesive narrative across multiple volumes?  How do you keep readers interested for the long haul?  
Marilyn Brahen [M], Marc Bilgrey, Charles Gannon, Michele Lang, Gail Z. Martin

Women in Male Dominated Fields
Saturday 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Despite women entering the workforce every day, some professions are still dominated by men, especially in the technical fields.  How do you handle being outnumbered in the workplace?  We think we’re moving past some of the gender stereotypes of the past, but what still lingers?  
Amy Chused, Bianca D’Arc, Michele Lang, Gail Z. Martin [M], Pamela Scoville

Book Promoting for the Broke
Sunday 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
How to sell your book on a limited promotion budget. Learn how to promote your book in an ever-changing world. No secrets here, just tips and tools to make you a better promoter, even without the big bucks.
Michele Lang [M], Jonathan Maberry, Gail Z. Martin, Stella Price

What’s in a Name 
Sunday 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
What you call someone, or something, can be evocative before you even get to describing them!   The agonizing process of choosing just the right name.  Do you use different methods for place names?  People?  Flora and fauna? 
Rosemary Edghill, Michele Lang [M], Neal Levin, Jeff Lyman

Dog-eared Delights 
Sunday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Whether a childhood favorite or a recent acquisition, what are the books we read again and again and again?   Why do we keep coming back to the same story when we know every page by heart?  Panelists will discuss and compare some of their most beloved titles and what makes them so special.
Mary Aileen Buss, Byron P. Connell [M], John Grant, Glenn Hauman, Michele Lang