Live Reading with Levi Jacobs

Panelists

Levi Jacobs

Moderator:

Virginia McClain

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The author of Beggar's Rebellion (a 2019 SPFBO finalist) reads aloud from one of his works and answers your questions!

Fantasy book series – How long should they be?

Panelists

Stephen Aryan, Megan Haskell, D.P. Woolliscroft

Moderator:

PS Livingstone

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We all know the power of three and many series fall into the trilogy category. But should it be a duology, a tetralogy or more?
What’s the benefit of series vs standalone books?

Scientifically plausible worlds

Panelists

Josh Foreman, Rose Foreman, Levi Jacobs, J.R.H. Lawless

Moderator:

A.M. Justice

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SFF is all about the greater possibilities of life, the what ifs and the what could bes. Incorporating the real with the fantastical, how do you create scientifically plausible worlds? What is it that makes us believe?

Contests – What can they do for you? 

Panelists

Sonya M. Black, Angela Boord, Lisa Cassidy, Rob Hayes, Levi Jacobs, Darian Smith, M.L. Wang, Alicia Wanstall-Burke

Moderator:

Virginia McClain

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This year’s SFPBO finalists come together to discuss what contests can (and can’t) do for your writing career.

Pantsers vs Plotters

Panelists

RJ Barker, Megan Haskell, Simon Kewin, Anna Smith Spark

Moderator:

D.P. Woolliscroft

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Organised, methodical and precise? Or more like a cat chasing a laser? Or are you somewhere in-between? How is a story brought together and what works for you?

Marketing your book

Panelists

Ashley Capes, Sophie Eminson, Chris Patterson, ML Spencer

Moderator:

Virginia McClain

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So, you’ve written a book. How do you get everyone else to know or care? Hear our panellists talk about the different ways to draw an audience.

Featured Artist Demo with Brit Caley

Panelists

Brit Caley

Moderator:

Virginia McClain

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Watch a live artist demo with Featured Artist Brit Caley! Ask questions, make requests, see art in the making!

Editing 

Panelists

Angela Boord, Monique L. Desir, A.M. Justice, Jess Lawrence

Moderator:

Sonya M. Black

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Everyone needs an editor, no matter if it’s your first book or your twentieth. What exactly does an editor do? What different levels of editing are there? Professional editors explain the value they add to your MS and why they’re better than software.

Reading with Carol Park

Panelists

Carol Park

Moderator:

Virginia McClain

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A live reading with author Carol Park!

Reading with PS Livingstone

Panelists

PS Livingstone

Moderator:

Erica Drayton

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A live reading with author PS Livingstone

Reading with Anna Smith Spark

Panelists

Anna Smith Spark

Moderator:

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A live reading with author Anna Smith Spark!

Reading with Justina Robson

Panelists

Justina Robson

Moderator:

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A live reading with author Justina Robson!

Reading with Michael McClung

Panelists

Michael McClung

Moderator:

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A live reading with author Michael McClung!

Diversity in creative worlds

Panelists

Sarah Chorn, A.K Faulkner, JC Kang, Intisar Khanani, Anna Smith Spark

Moderator:

PS Livingstone

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Our world is multicultural, filled with humans of all shapes, sizes, colours, creeds, abilities and orientations. Is this reflected in SFF today? How has the face of inclusion changed? And how do we achieve worlds that reflect the true nature of ours?

Handling death & romance

Panelists

Angela Boord, Anela Deen, Chris Patterson, Justina Robson

Moderator:

A.M Justice

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Love and loss are driving forces in life and literature. Who should fall head over heels and when is the right time to kill your darlings? Listen as our authors discuss how they make every first kiss and last gasp count in their storytelling.

Own voices vs Cultural adaptation

Panelists

Sarah Chorn, Anela Deen, Monique L. Desir, Justina Robson

Moderator:

JC Kang

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Every writer has a voice – theirs, their characters and the worlds they create. But that do these voices say to the reader? When writing about other cultures or incorporating pieces of them, how do you remain sensitive to the history and feelings of others while holding true to your vision?

Reading with Adrian Tchaikovsky

Panelists

Adrian Tchaikovsky

Moderator:

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A live reading with author Adrian Tchaikovsky!

Reading with A.M. Justice

Panelists

A.M. Justice

Moderator:

Virginia McClain

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A.M. Justice, author of the Woern Saga, reads aloud from her work and answers your questions!

What is genre & where do you sit?

Panelists

RJ Barker, A.F. Stewart, Adrian Tchaikovsky, D.P. Woolliscroft

Moderator:

Josh Foreman

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Epic, military, urban, paranormal, high, low, grimdark, noble bright, steampunk, gaslamp, sword & sorcery, sci-fi, YA … you get the idea. How is genre determined and how important is it?

Featured Artist Demo with Amy Gerardy

Panelists

Amy Gerardy

Moderator:

Virginia McClain

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Watch a live artist demo with Featured Artist Amy Gerardy! Ask questions, make requests, see art in the making!

Reading with RJ Barker

Panelists

RJ Barker

Moderator:

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A live reading with author RJ Barker!

Reading with Darian Smith

Panelists

Darian Smith

Moderator:

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A liver reading with author (and SPFBO finalist) Darian Smith!

Gender in SFF

Panelists

Angela Boord, Madeline Dyer, A.K. Faulkner, A.F. Stewart

Moderator:

A.M. Justice

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The last few years have seen a more rounded understanding of the role of gender in our society. SFF looks at different worlds and different times, where gender isn’t bound by our traditional notions. Our panellists discuss how an exploration of these issues in SFF helps us re-examine our own world.

Featured Artist Demo with So

Panelists

So MK

Moderator:

Virginia McClain

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Watch a live artist demo with Featured Artist So MK! Ask questions, make requests, see art in the making!

Illustrations – Book covers, maps & art

Panelists

Michael R. Baker, Josh Foreman, A.F. Stewart

Moderator:

Tita Berredo

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A picture is worth a thousand words. Illustrators discuss what artwork brings to writing and the steps they take to bring stories to life.

Reading with Virginia McClain

Panelists

Virginia McClain

Moderator:

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A live reading with author (and SPFBO finalist) Virginia McClain!

Reading with Alicia Wanstall-Burke

Panelists

Alicia Wanstall-Burke

Moderator:

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A live reading with author (and SPFBO finalist) Alicia Wanstall-Burke!

Magical systems in fantasy

Panelists

Justin Lee Anderson, Stephen Aryan, Carol A Park, Clayton Snyder 

Moderator:

Levi Jacobs

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Should there be rules to magic? How do you go about defining the guidelines of a magical system? How are these explained to the reader?

Reading with Trish Heinrich

Panelists

Trish Heinrich

Moderator:

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A live reading with author Trish Heinrich!

Curiosity as a narrative tool

Panelists

Ashley Capes, Madeline Dyer, Phil Williams, D.P. Woolliscroft

Moderator:

Phil Parker

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Where do stories come from? An estimated 3k thoughts go through our brains every hour. Our authors discuss how our natural curiosity turns into stories that make readers think.

Reading with Rob Hayes

Panelists

Rob J Hayes

Moderator:

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A live reading with author (and SPFBO finalist) Rob J Hayes!

Reading with Angela Boord

Panelists

Angela Boord

Moderator:

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A live reading with author (and SPFBO finalist) Angela Boord!

Writing fight sequences

Panelists

Lee C Conley, Damien Larkin, Patrick LeClerc, Anna Smith Spark, Adrian Tchaikovsky

Moderator:

M.L Wang

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Fight sequences make for exciting reading but writing a realistic one can be a tumultuous experience. Hear from experts on how to turn your scuffles into epic battles.

Superhero stories

Panelists

Michael Bailey, Karen Diem, Taylor Ellwood, Jeremy Flagg, Matt King

Moderator:

Trish Heinrich

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Who doesn’t love a superhero? The panel discusses the different types of superhero out there and what goes into creating one.