ConGregate 4/DeepSouthCon 55 or Bust!

I’m looking forward to being a literary/scholarly guest this weekend at ConGregate 4/DeepSouthCon 55!

I’ll be on several panels and wearing my moderator hat. Here is my schedule.

JULY 14 • FRIDAY

5:00pm – 5:50pm: Writing in Multiple Tie-In Universes 

Moderator: Amy H. Sturgis

Guests: Alexandra Christian, Barbara Hambly, Melissa McArthur, Richard C.

Our panelists have written official novels for Star Wars, Star Trek, and Beauty and the Beast, as well as Sherlock Holmes pastiches. Given that they also write a lot of other fiction, the panelists discuss the differences between writing original fiction and writing for pre-existing franchises/worlds.

6:00pm – 6:50pm: Writing Sherlock Holmes and Other Icons

Moderator: Amy H. Sturgis

Guests: Nicole Givens Kurtz, Misty Massey, Melissa McArthur, J. Matthew Saunders

Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Superheroes… What are the challenges with writing these iconic characters? And if you change them, how do you make sure to capture their essence? When writing an iconic character, how do you determine what makes them iconic?  Is it Sherlock Holmes being a detective, or Bond working for MI-6?  What happens if Holmes is a demon, or Bond is set in a fantasy world?

JULY 15 • SATURDAY

9:30am – 10:20am: Mixing Historical Research with Genre Fiction 

Moderator: Amy H. Sturgis

Guests: Barbara Hambly, Kim Headlee, Tally Johnson, Linda Robertson

Given that historical fiction itself is a demanding genre requiring a lot of effort if one wants to do it right, our panelists discuss the challenges they’ve faced and choices they’ve made in blending historical work with the fantasy and mystery genres.

1:00pm – 1:50pm: Writing from Different Perspectives

Moderator: Amy H. Sturgis

Guests: Samantha Dunaway Bryant, Barbara Hambly, Larry N. Martin, Michael G. Williams

Authors often try to write about protagonists who are different from themselves. Our panelists discuss why they feel it is important to capture these characters’ perspectives; the challenges faced in trying to be authentic, respectful, and sensitive in their portrayal; and what they think about current debates and controversies about the importance of diversity, authenticity, and representation in fiction.