QuaranCon2020
Official Schedule
Times should display in your local Time Zone
Live Reading with Levi Jacobs
Panelists
Levi Jacobs
Moderator:
Virginia McClain
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
A live reading with author Carol Park!
Reading with PS Livingstone
Panelists
PS Livingstone
Moderator:
Erica Drayton
A live reading with author PS Livingstone
Reading with Anna Smith Spark
Panelists
Anna Smith Spark
Moderator:
A live reading with author Anna Smith Spark!
Reading with Justina Robson
Panelists
Justina Robson
Moderator:
A live reading with author Justina Robson!
Reading with Michael McClung
Panelists
Michael McClung
Moderator:
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
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
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
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:
A live reading with author Adrian Tchaikovsky!
Reading with A.M. Justice
Panelists
A.M. Justice
Moderator:
Virginia McClain
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
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
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:
A live reading with author RJ Barker!
Reading with Darian Smith
Panelists
Darian Smith
Moderator:
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
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
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
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:
A live reading with author (and SPFBO finalist) Virginia McClain!
Reading with Alicia Wanstall-Burke
Panelists
Alicia Wanstall-Burke
Moderator:
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
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:
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
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:
A live reading with author (and SPFBO finalist) Rob J Hayes!
Reading with Angela Boord
Panelists
Angela Boord
Moderator:
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
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
Who doesn’t love a superhero? The panel discusses the different types of superhero out there and what goes into creating one.