My Summer Schedule – 2012
on Jun 15 in Blog Post by johnhornor
At the end of this month, I’ll be attending FandomFest in Louisville, Kentucky. Also attending will be Bruce Campbell, John Rhys Davies and Sean Astin, some other pretty actors that used to be on either Buffy or Beverly Hills 90210. Actually, there’s a whole slew of television and movies personalities who’re gonna be there; head on over to the website and take a peek.
Here’s my schedule for Fandom Fest.
Friday 5:30 pm Beckham Room Zombie Apocalypse
Saturday 11:30 Jones Room Richard Kadrey Spotlight (M)
Saturday 2:30pm Beckham Room Major Press Publishing
Saturday 8:30 pm Jones Room Book Launch Event
Sunday 10am Jones Room Agents
If you notice the (M) next to my name, it means I’m moderating a Q&A session with Richard Kadrey, the author of the Metrophage, Butcher Bird and the Sandman Slim novels. If you have any questions you’d like me to ask him (or advice about how to moderate a Q&A since I’ve never done one before) please do so in the comments. PULEASE DO SO.
In mid July, I’m attending San Diego Comic Con. Yes. That one. 300,000 rabid fanboys and girls geekgasming over comics, spec fic, cosplay and of course, movie stars.
I’ll be doing a couple of book signings and one panel. Immediately after the panel, we’ll all be signing at the Mysterious Galaxy table. Here’s the scoop on the panel:
Not With A Bang, With A Bite, Thursday, 7/12/12, 1:15p.m. – 2:15p.m., Room: 6A
Great prophets, religious scriptures, and scientific evidence points to an apocalypse in 2012… but these authors envision the end of the world in the form of a zombie pandemic. With their decaying, disintegrating, and sometimes flesh-eating tendencies, zombies have lurked their way into science fiction and fantasy novels and are here to stay. Doomsday takes on a whole new meaning when losing limbs and lumbering across the earth are involved. Learn how to survive everything from zombie invasions to viral zombie infections from panelists: Jeyn Roberts (Dark Inside); Michael Spradlin (Blood Riders); Mira Grant (Blackout); Diana Rowland (Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues); Stephen Blackmoore (City of the Lost); Dana Fredsti (Plague Town); Susan Dennard (Something Strange and Deadly) and Max Brooks (World War Z), led by John Hornor Jacobs (This Dark Earth).
So, I need your help. You see, I’ll be moderating that panel, as well. I’m not good with moderation *rimshot*. If you’ll notice, we have a single hour and there are nine people on the panel. If I evenly divided the time between each speaker, that would only give each panelist 6.66 minutes to speak (coincidence? I think not) and that’s kinda laughable because Mira Grant aka Seanan McGuire is on the panel and, having been on panels with her before, she’s gonna need more than 6.66 minutes, I’ll tell ya that much. That girl will take up all the air in the room, if I let her.
So, I’ll have to forego any self-pimpery and ask only one major question and let each person answer it. I’m considering “Why zombies now?” Stacia Decker, my lovely agent, posed that question and I think it is wide enough for a lot of play. However, I’d love any more suggestions you might have. PLEASE PLEASE give me more suggestions. I’m fucking beggin’ you here. And of course, I’ll follow it up with “What are you working on now?”
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“Why zombies now?” is a good question. But on a panel full of writers, I want to know what the heck is next. Personally, think we’re ready for a new, original take on ghosts. Or killer faeries. Or giant bugs. What’s new a year from now?
What’s up with me? Finishing a couple of short stories (giant bug in one of them!) Working on a haunted house novel–with ghosts. Wait…
I think “Why have zombies stayed ‘hip’ when vampires and werewolves seem to come and go in waves of fad?” would an interesting question. It seems we’ve been reading about them and seeing them in film fairly consistently since the remake of dawn of the dead in 2004.
I’ve moderated at conferences before, but only for one speaker. 9 speakers will be a challenge. Just hit the high point for each speaker as quick as possible, emphasis on the high point in their career, because you only have an hour. The other thing is not being afraid to cut someone off if they’re going long. They are the stars, but you have control.
“Why Zombies Now?” is a good question, but perhaps a better question is “What are you bringing new to the table in your Zombie world? What makes it different?”
The zombie market is bloated, yet new zombie novels come out every day, so they’re obviously here to stay. Authors must bring something new to the table to keep the genre fresh and dynamic. Hope this helps.
I think Stacia’s got the right idea…one big question that can engender a lot of back and forth between the large group. Have a backup third question in mind just in case there’s time. You’ll also likely come up with at least one follow up just by listening to the conversation.
Big panel like that, it’s just as likely you’ll have one or two wallflowers that don’t say anything. I sat on one last year that had eight or nine panelists, and two of them didn’t say anything after “HI.”
And Hell, don’t forget to pimp yourself at least for a few seconds at the beginning. You’re up there too!
Thanks, everybody! This is all good stuff. I’ll have to think on everything and figure out how I’m gonna play it.