I don’t often go to conferences that require flying, unless I’m a headliner for the conference. But WorldCon is in San Jose, California, which means I can double-duty the trip by seeing some old associates and friends in Silicon Valley. In particular, I’ll be spending a day at Adobe (which I’ve been covering since Photoshop 1.0); their headquarters is walking distance from the convention center and the hotel where I’ll be staying. So I’ll be flying to California two days before the conference starts.
Of course, I’m also very much looking forward to being at WorldCon, where the whole point (for me) is seeing friends and making new ones. I’m scheduled to participate on two panels, one group reading and will have an autograph session at the SFWA table. If you’ll be at the con, please come by and say hello.
Here’s my Worldcon schedule:
Thursday, August 16th, 2:00 pm: How to Moderate a Panel
“Our panelists are all experienced at moderating in a variety of venues and styles… We will not only discuss what the moderator should be doing, but what the panelists and audience should expect.” Panelists: Janice Gelb (moderator), Wanda Kurtcu, Sam Scheiner and me.
Friday, August 17th, 11:00 am: Successfully Negotiating Book Contracts
“A publisher’s interest and an author’s are not always in perfect alignment. Enter the contract. Each clause in the contract exists for a reason. Which ones protect an author’s interest and which ones benefit the publisher? How do you ask for changes? What are the rights an author should be prepared to give up and which ones should you fight tooth and nail for. Hear from agents and other industry experts on how to survive your book contract negotiation with your skin, and your rights, intact.” I’ll be moderating this panel and sharing the microphone with Cat Rambo, Jennifer Goloboy, Amanda Bridgeman, Joshua Bilmes and Pablo Defendini
Saturday, August 18th, noon: Autographing
I’ll be autographing books at the SFWA table. I understand it will be near the Book Depot, which means you can buy The Winter Boy and Jo Joe there, and then walk over to have me sign them to you or to a loved one. (And, yes, please do stop to say hello other times. And if you have one of my books with you, I’ll be happy to sign them.)
Saturday, August 18th, 5:00 pm: Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading
“Broad Universe is a nonprofit international organization of women and men dedicated to celebrating and promoting the work of women writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror. In our Rapid-Fire Reading, members will read a few minutes of their works: just enough to whet your appetite. Come see how many genres we can jam into one group reading.” I’ll be reading from a novelette I finished recently: Beyond Our Hidden Stars.