It is upon us, my friends. This weekend, Friday to Sunday, I will be at Phoenix Comicon, providing a valuable service to the community by being just the best darn author I can be.
Let’s see what I’m doing, shall we?
Sci-Fi Authors & Social Media – Authors today spend a lot of time online conversing with fans about their work and everything under the sun. How do they keep social media from taking over their lives, while making their online presence a good experience for them and their fans? Panelists: Cherie Priest,Jack Mangan,John Scalzi,Paul Cornell,Sam Sykes
When: Fri, 10:30-11:30AM (Room 122 Sci Fi)
This one is always a favorite of mine. For those of you who can’t make it, but really want to know what the secret of using social media to communicate is: don’t be a complete asshole. It’s much easier to interact with people if you actually like humanity. But maybe my esteemed co-panelists will have a different opinion.
The Dos and Don’ts of Epic Fantasy – Our panel of authors discuss the clichés and tropes inherent in epic fantasy, and how they avoid or change them in their own work. Panelists: James A Owen,Michael A. Stackpole,Sam Sykes
When: Fri, 4:30-5:30PM (Room 124B Sci Fi)
Do: write a good story.
Don’t: I’ll tell you when you get there.
The Big Idea – The Big Idea, a regular feature on “Whatever” (John Scalzi’s website), gives authors the chance to talk about the “big idea” that went into their novels. Join John and several of those authors for a look at their big ideas. Panelists: Cherie Priest,James A Owen,John Scalzi,Jordan Summers,Kevin Hearne,Sam Sykes
When: Sat, 10:30-11:30AM (Room 122 Sci Fi)
Oh my god, this is pretty much everyone here. This will be nuts. You need to see this one.
Poisoned Pen Signing with Scalzi at the Poisoned Pen – Saturday 5:00 pm
You will hate yourself if you miss this.
The Rules of Writing Magic – Everyone knows you can lose an arm apparating without proper focus. And that you’ll get yourself killed seeking beyond the Outer Gates. Explore how the rules of magic established years ago affect how authors will write magic for years to come. Panelists: Allyson James,James A Owen,Sam Sykes
When: Sun, 4:30-5:30PM (Room 124A Sci Fi)
This one, to be honest, I’m kind of tense about. Everyone who knows me knows that magic systems are one of my “things,” along with “world building” and “shaving.”
Hope to see you there!
If I don’t, I’m-a cut you.
Hi sam.
I just came from reading a review of TOME from the book smugglers. And I have to say I’m pretty suprised that even after the reviewers (and some commenters) pretty much spat hate flames at your book that you STILL have the link to that website? I don’t know, but there’s something weird and out of place about that.
Don’t get me wrong, it totally sucked to get that review and for awhile I was all kinds of upset about it. But it’s long been my mantra that the only bad review is a dishonest review. I readily condemn reviews that associate insidious ulterior motives to a book, or reviews that claim to have read a book when they obviously didn’t, or reviews that just plain aren’t fair. I couldn’t really turn my back on that stance and on my friends, the Smugglers, because they said something I didn’t agree with.
It did suck, of course, since they are pals of mine and I really did want them to like it. But it’d be hypocritical to condemn them for giving a fair review that turned out to be not in my favor.
I completly understand. It is hard to impress people nowadays and it dosen’t just go for books, it goes for any form of entertainment.Like for example, I know you really didn’t like pirates 4, but I did because it was just dumb fun and the theater.
Oh crap. I meant AT the theater. Sorry for that hiccup there