Nebula Conference 2018: Full Schedule

11:00am EDT

Pittsburgh Stroll

Take a walk Into to the city, with a focus on restaurants. We'll wind up in Market Square which has many restaurants and a farmers' market with even more dining choices every Thurdsday for lunch.

Speakers

Laurie Mann

Nebula Weekend Local Coordinator 2018, 2017, 1999, co-runner of Program for Pittsburgh's Confluence for 2018, chair of Smofcon 2017, co-chair of Smofcon 2012

Thursday May 17, 2018 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Registration - Grand Foyer Lobby

Social, Off-site tour

Company All welcome, family members too.

2:00pm EDT

Prepare for the Press Like a Pro

There's an art and a craft to conducting a good media interview. Preparation is key to conveying the message you want to present and getting your points across without letting the interviewer sidetrack you. Learn the same tricks corporate executives use for dealing with the press from a former media trainer for a major public relations firm. Participants will work on developing their key messages, using bridging techniques, and keeping cool under pressure. Depending on time/interest, there may be opportunity for a demonstration with a willing participant.

Moderators

Shanna Swendson

Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults and spends her spare time on knitting and music.

Thursday May 17, 2018 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Solo presentation

Company Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional, Agents, Art Directors, All welcome, Editors, family members too.

3:30pm EDT

Ignite Talks

Get snapshot talks on a variety of subjects, geared toward jumpstarting your brain. Presenters get 20 slides, which automatically advance every 15 seconds. The results are fast and fun presentation each of which lasts just 5 minutes.

http://www.ignitetalks.io/

Topics include:
Senses of Sailing - Rekka Jay
Poetry in Science (119 times) - Mary Soon Lee
How to Accurately Portray Mental Illness - Dr. Shana Feibel
Medieval European Swordsmanship - John Appel
how covers differ between countries and genres, and how readers interpret them - Claire Humphrey
Ghost Hunting - J.R. Dawson
The Emotions of Salvage Archaeology - Jason Sanford
SF and Rock and Roll - Larry Ivkovich
Elementary Particle Physics - Lesley L. Smith

Moderators

Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal is the author of the Lady Astronaut series and historical fantasy novels: The Glamourist Histories and Ghost Talkers. She’s the president of SFWA, a member of the award-winning podcast Writing Excuses and has received the Astounding Award for Best New Writer... Read More →

Speakers

John Appel

Author

John Appel volunteered to jump out of planes before he’d ever been in a plane; his friends and family say this sums up his approach to life pretty well. He writes science fiction and fantasy and the occasional tabletop RPG adventure. A lifelong Marylander, he lives in the Baltimore... Read More →

J. R. Dawson

Writer

Dawson (she/they) has been seen in places like The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Escape Pod, Lightspeed, and DSF. Her debut novel, The First Bright Thing, is now available from Tor. Find her at www.jrdawsonwriter.com and on twitter @j_r_dawson.

Dr. Shana Feibel

Psychiatrist, Lindner center of Hope, mason ohio

Claire Humphrey

Larry Ivkovich

Writer, Myself

I love talking about all things SF, both in literature and media, and enjoy discussing with other writers about their writing and publishing experiences. SF and Rock and Roll is a favorite niche subject of mine.My own speculative fiction has been published in over twenty online and... Read More →

Rekka Jay

Attendee, R J Theodore

SFF author of Peridot Shift and Phantom Traveler series. She/her. Early riser. Graphic designer by profession. Co-host of WE MAKE BOOKS podcast (wmbcast.com) with Kaelyn Considine of Parvus Press. Contributor to Glitter + Ashes anthology.

Mary Soon Lee

Author

Mary Soon Lee was born and raised in London, but now lives in Pittsburgh. She writes both fiction and poetry, and has won the Rhysling Award and the Elgin Award. Her two latest books are from opposite ends of the poetry spectrum: "Elemental Haiku," containing haiku for each element... Read More →

Jason Sanford

Author

Jason Sanford is an award-winning author of short stories, essays, and articles. A two-time finalist for the Nebula Award, Jason has published more than a dozen stories in the British SF magazine Interzone, which also devoted a special issue to his fiction. He has also published numerous... Read More →

Lesley L. Smith

Physicist & SF Author

By day, Lesley L. Smith is a Ph.D. physicist. By night, she's an M.F.A. author and a founder and editor of the speculative fiction ezine Electric Spec. Her speculative short fiction has appeared in a variety of venues including Analog Science Fiction and Fact. She's published seven... Read More →

Thursday May 17, 2018 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Marquis B

Expert Knowledge, Solo presentation

Company Agents, Art Directors, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional, Early Career Writers, family members too., Game Writers, All welcome

4:15pm EDT

The state of publishing in China

Learn about Chinese science fiction and the adaptation situations in China.

Speakers

Regina Kanyu Wang

International PR Manager, Storycom

Born in 1990, Regina Kanyu Wang is a writer from Shanghai and member of Shanghai Writers’ Association. She has been invited as a guest for Shanghai-Taipei Writing camp, Melon HK, Shanghai International Literary Week and Euro-Asia Economic Forum. She is a multi-winner of Xingyun... Read More →

Thursday May 17, 2018 4:15pm - 4:45pm EDT
Marquis B

Career Management, Solo presentation

Company family members too., Traditional, Agents, Early Career Writers, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Art Directors

9:00am EDT

Pittsburgh Stroll

This stroll will introduce you to moviemaking locations in Pittsburgh, especially The Dark Knight Rises (distance: about 2 miles) and some discussion of the books written in Pittsburgh

Speakers

Laurie Mann

Nebula Weekend Local Coordinator 2018, 2017, 1999, co-runner of Program for Pittsburgh's Confluence for 2018, chair of Smofcon 2017, co-chair of Smofcon 2012

Friday May 18, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Registration - Grand Foyer Lobby

Social, Off-site tour

Company family members too., All welcome

10:00am EDT

Support Squad Meetup

In recognition of those who give unfailing support to the writers in their lives, Gay Haldeman will host an intimate meet and greet with ever-patient significant others/partners/spouses. Light breakfast fare will be served.

Moderators

Gay Haldeman

retired, MIT

Gay Haldeman (Mary Gay Potter Haldeman) has two Masters degrees. She taught in the Writing Center at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for thirty years, specializing in English as a second language. Now she resides in Gainesville, Florida, where she manages science... Read More →

Friday May 18, 2018 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
SFWA's Hospitality Suite - 10th floor, Pittsburgh Room

SFWA function

Company family members too.

11:30am EDT

Makeup for Writers

You're at a con, you're exhausted and have to look like you're in top form. Learn tricks for femme, ace, masc, and everyone on the gender spectrum to spackle over the fatigue. This isn't about conforming to media stereotypes but about using a tool to look like the best version of you.

And if you're a nominee wanting a little extra sparkle... this is a hands-on workshop.

Moderators

Meg Frank

Speakers

Mary Robinette Kowal

Arkady Martine

Arkady Martine is speculative fiction writer and, as Dr. AnnaLinden Weller, a historian of the Byzantine Empire and a city planner. She is currently a policy advisor for the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, where she works on climate change mitigation... Read More →

Friday May 18, 2018 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Marquis C

Career Management, Solo presentation

Company Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional, Agents, Art Directors, All welcome, Editors, family members too.

11:30am EDT

An hour with Peter S. Beagle, SFWA's newest grandmaster

Patrick Rothfuss sits down with SFWA's newest grandmaster, Peter S. Beagle, and asks him all the questions.

Speakers

Peter Beagle

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is pleased to announce that Peter S. Beagle has been named the 34th Damon Knight Grand Master for his contributions to the literature of Science Fiction and Fantasy.The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is given by SFWA... Read More →

Patrick Rothfuss

Friday May 18, 2018 11:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Marquis A

Expert Knowledge, Solo presentation

Company Agents, Art Directors, Editors, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional, Early Career Writers, family members too., Game Writers, All welcome

2:00pm EDT

Building Safer, More Inclusive Spaces in Writing Groups

Writing groups, critique circles, and other creative communities are critical to building a writing practice. How do you form, nurture, and evolve an inclusive writing group? What do you do with problem members? Learn practical, actionable tips that you can apply to either starting or growing your writing group!

Speakers

Jane Pinckard

Attendee

Miyuki Jane Pinckard is a writer, critic, and educator who has studied the culture of video games for fifteen years. She's spoken about building safer, more inclusive spaces at conferences including the Game Developers Conference and the Queer Games Conference. She's served as Vice... Read More →

Friday May 18, 2018 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom - Salon 1

Career Management, Solo presentation

Company Agents, All welcome, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, family members too., Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

3:30pm EDT

The Joys and the Hazards of Writing #OwnVoices Fiction

"Write what you know" sounds easy, but is it always? #OwnVoices was created to celebrate the works of marginalized writers telling stories from their lived experience. But distilling experience into fiction comes with unique challenges and risks that we don't often get to talk about. Panelists discuss how to tap into your own life for stories without damaging themselves or their loved ones, the insights and liberations that can come from that experience, and the challenges of speaking for a community.

Speakers

Jaime O. Mayer

Attendee

SFF writer based out of the Seattle area. Korean American adoptee. Soaked in tea, would rather be knitting. Fountain pen obsessed. Fiction and nonfiction at/forthcoming: Cast of Wonders, Cicada Magazine, The Learned Fangirl, Invisible 3, and Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction... Read More →

Rebecca Roanhorse

Author

Rebecca Roanhorse is a Nebula/Hugo/Sturgeon/Locus Award Finalist for her short fiction and a 2017 Campbell Finalist. Her debut novel TRAIL OF LIGHTNING Book #1 in the SIXTH WORLD SERIES (Saga Press) drops June 26th, 2018. She lives in Northern New Mexico with her husband, daughter... Read More →

Karlo Yeager Rodriguez

Attendee, Author

Karlo Yeager Rodríguez is originally from the enchanting island of Puerto Rico, but moved to the Baltimore area some years ago where he now lives with his wife and one odd dog. His fiction has appeared in places like Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Seize the Press, Pseudopod, and khōréō. He... Read More →

Elsa Sjunneson

Attendee

Hugo, BFA and Aurora award winning editor Elsa Sjunneson is a Deafblind hurricane in a vintage dress. Her written work has appeared in CNN Opinion, Uncanny Magazine, Women of Marvel #1, and many other projects and venues. Being Seen, her debut memoir on media and disability releases... Read More →

K. M. Szpara

Author

K.M. Szpara is a queer and trans author who lives in Baltimore, MD, with a tiny dog. Kellan's debut alt-/near-future novel, DOCILE (Spring 2020, Tor.com Publishing), explores the snowballing debt crisis, consent, and privilege, and can be described as "really gay". He is the author... Read More →

Friday May 18, 2018 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Marquis C

Professional Development, Panel

Company Early Career Writers, Game Writers, Hybrid, Traditional, Agents, Editors, Indie, family members too.

5:00pm EDT

Local Beer Tasting Happy Hour

Join beer fans James J. Walton & Jim & Laurie Mann and try some local beer, cider and at least one kind of Wigle Whiskey.

Speakers

Laurie Mann

Nebula Weekend Local Coordinator 2018, 2017, 1999, co-runner of Program for Pittsburgh's Confluence for 2018, chair of Smofcon 2017, co-chair of Smofcon 2012

Friday May 18, 2018 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
SFWA's Hospitality Suite - 10th floor, Pittsburgh Room

Social

Company Agents, All welcome, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, family members too., Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

9:00am EDT

Pittsburgh Stroll

This stroll will focus on Pittsburgh history (distance: about 2 miles)

Speakers

Laurie Mann

Nebula Weekend Local Coordinator 2018, 2017, 1999, co-runner of Program for Pittsburgh's Confluence for 2018, chair of Smofcon 2017, co-chair of Smofcon 2012

Saturday May 19, 2018 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Registration - Grand Foyer Lobby

Social, Off-site tour

Company All welcome, family members too.

1:00pm EDT

Kickstarter Masterclass - registration required

Limited Capacity full
Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.

In this Masterclass, Margot Atwell from Kickstarter, will work with participants to fine tune their projects for maximum effect. Participants will receive material before the conference and do some work before the masterclass to prepare.

You must pre-register for this class.

To do so, add this to your schedule. When the class fills, additional names will go on the waitlist.

Speakers

Margot Atwell

Head of Publishing, Kickstarter

Margot Atwell is the Head of Publishing at Kickstarter, where she helps authors and publishers build community and find support for their creative projects. Previously, Margot was Publisher at Beaufort Books, an independent publisher of fiction and non-fiction books. Her first book, The... Read More →

Saturday May 19, 2018 1:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Three Rivers Room

Career Management, Workshop

Company Agents, All welcome, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, family members too., Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional

2:30pm EDT

Health and Happiness for Writers

This panel begins with the radical idea that writers do their best work when they're healthy, happy, and reasonably secure: when they are not living up (or down) to the stereotype of the starving, possibly addicted, probably self-destructive artist. We will discuss what makes for a good, and hopefully productive, writing life. How can we arrange our days . . . and years? How can we cultivate healthy and productive habits, and what does that mean, anyway? How do we deal with the problems and challenges of writing--lack of time, lack of money, the inevitable criticism and rejection? The panelists will share their (positive and negative) experiences creating lives for themselves that enable and support their writing, and hopefully give you some ideas for how you can think about and create your own writing life.

Moderators

Theodora Goss

Speakers

Lara Elena Donnelly

Lara Elena Donnelly is the author of the vintage-glam spy thriller Amberlough and it’s forthcoming sequels Armistice and Amnesty (Tor). Lara’s other work has appeared in venues including Strange Horizons, Escape Pod, Nightmare, and Uncanny. A graduate of the Clarion and Alpha... Read More →

Rekka Jay

Attendee, R J Theodore

Matthew Kressel

Full-stack developer, writer, Tyrell Corporation

Matthew Kressel is a three-time Nebula Award finalist and a World Fantasy Award finalist. His short fiction has appeared in many places, and his work has been translated into six languages. He is a full-stack developer, environmentalist, and cautious optimist. He co-hosts the Fantastic... Read More →

Erin Roberts

Attendee

Patrick Rothfuss

Saturday May 19, 2018 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
Marquis B

Professional Development, Panel

Company Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional, Agents, family members too., All welcome

9:00am EDT

Pittsburgh Stroll

This stroll will take you to see PNC Park, Heinz Field and Point State Park and talk about the sports history of Pittsburgh (distance: 3.5 miles).

Speakers

Laurie Mann

Nebula Weekend Local Coordinator 2018, 2017, 1999, co-runner of Program for Pittsburgh's Confluence for 2018, chair of Smofcon 2017, co-chair of Smofcon 2012

Sunday May 20, 2018 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Registration - Grand Foyer Lobby

Social, Solo presentation

Company family members too., All welcome

1:00pm EDT

Mass Autographing

Speakers

Michael Anderle

CEO, LMBPN Publishing

SFWA Member and Science Fiction and Fantasy Author and a bestselling top #100 Author on Amazon.com.Known for his bestselling Kurtherian Gambit series, Michael is also the co-creator of the Oriceran Universe and collaborates with well over a dozen other authors.His publishing company... Read More →

Charlie Jane Anders

Attendee

Charlie Jane Anders is the author of the forthcoming Victories Greater Than Death, the first book in a young adult trilogy. Plus an upcoming short story collection, Even Greater Mistakes. And a collection of essays about how to make up stories during tough times, called Never Say You Can't Survive. With Annalee Newitz, she co-hosts the Hugo Award-winning podc... Read More →

Alan Bailey

Creator/Producer/Co-host, Alan & Jeremy Vs Science Fiction

barbara barnett

Author

Barbara Barnett is the author of three books, including the award-winning The Apothecary’s Curse, a finalist for the prestigious Bram Stoker Award for a debut novel. As publisher and executive editor of Blog- critics (blogcritics.org), an Internet maga- zine of pop culture... Read More →

Sue Hollister Barr

Author, SFWA

My sci fi is adult, a touch raunchy/bohemian, and an eclectic mix of sentiment and dark humor. I need help getting my books sold. I can provide help with all aspects of wordsmithing from line-edits to story structure.

Peter Beagle

Jonathan Brazee

Writer

I am a retired Marine infantry colonel and now a full-time hybrid writer living in Colorado Springs with my wife Kiwi and twin pre-school-age girls, Danika Dawn and Darika Marie. I am a two-time Nebula Award Finalist, a two-time Dragon Award Finalist, and a USA Today Bestselling... Read More →

Vera Brook

Writer

Vera Brook is a neuroscientist turned science fiction & fantasy writer, braving the indie publishing route. Her debut novel, Sand Runner, was published in June 2017, and Cage Runner, book 2 in the series, followed in February 2018. She's also working on several short stories, but... Read More →

Michael Capobianco

Advisor, SFWA

Michael Capobianco has published two solo science fiction novels, Purlieu (Placeholder Press) and Burster (Bantam). He is co-author, with William Barton, of the controversial hardcore sf books Iris (Doubleday, Bantam, reprinted by Avon Eos), Alpha Centauri (Avon), Fellow Traveler... Read More →

Curtis Chen

Secretary, SFWA

Once a Silicon Valley software engineer, Curtis C. Chen (陳致宇) now writes stories and runs puzzle games near Portland, Oregon. He's the author of the Kangaroo series of funny science fiction spy thrillers and has written for the Realm originals Ninth Step Station, Machina, and... Read More →

Gwendolyn Clare

Neil Clarke

Editor, Clarkesworld Magazine

Neil Clarke (neil-clarke.com) is the editor of the Hugo and World Fantasy Award-winning Clarkesworld Magazine and several anthologies, including the Best Science Fiction of the Year series. He has been a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Editor (Short Form) eight times, won the... Read More →

Kaelyn Considine

Acquisitions Editit, Parvus Press

Michael Cooper

Sherrie Cronin

retired geophysicist and writer

I'm a former scientist from Houston and the author of six science fiction/fantasy novels. I am interested in ways to improve my writing and alternative approaches to marketing my newest project.

Beth Dawkins

Writer

David Day

Alyx Dellamonica

A.M. Dellamonica's first novel, Indigo Springs, won the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. Their fourth, A Daughter of No Nation, won the 2016 Prix Aurora for Best Novel. They have published over fifty short stories in Tor.com, Asimovs SF, and elsewhere, along... Read More →

Rob Dircks

Writer/Editor/Designer/Narrator/Producer, Goldfinch Publishing

Rob Dircks is the Audible bestselling author of Where the Hell is Tesla? The Wrong Unit, Don't Touch the Blue Stuff!, and a member of SFWA (Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America). His prior work includes the anti-self-help book Unleash the Sloth! 75 Ways to Reach Your Maximum... Read More →

Carrie DiRisio

Author

Carrie Ann DiRisio runs multiple popular social media accounts including @BroodingYAHero, and has worked for Serial Box Publishing. She is the author of the upcoming YA Parody novel BROODING YA HERO'S GUIDE TO ACHIEVING MAIN CHARACTER STATUS.Her speaking engagements include talks... Read More →

Lara Elena Donnelly

Gardner Dozois

Scott Edelman

Author

Rebecca Gomez Farrell

Attendee, The Gourmez

Rebecca Gomez Farrell’s replicator order is "Manhattan up, three cherries." Meerkat Press released her first novel, Wings Unseen. Her shorter works have been published nearly thirty times in magazines, anthologies, and websites that include Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Helios Quarterly... Read More →

Dr. Shana Feibel

Psychiatrist, Lindner center of Hope, mason ohio

Stephanie Fink

Susan Forest

Laksa Media Groups

Susan Forest writes SF, fantasy and horror, and is an award-winning fiction editor for Laksa Media. Her novel, Bursts of Fire, came out in 2019, to be followed by Flights of Marigolds. She has published over 25 short stories, contributes to When Words Collide, and has appeared at... Read More →

Luke Fredland

Todd French

Tina French

Sarah Gailey

Author

Hugo, Campbell, and Nebula award finalist Sarah Gailey lives and works in beautiful Portland, Oregon. Their nonfiction has been published by Mashable and the Boston Globe, and their fiction has been published internationally. They are a regular contributor for Tor.com and Barnes... Read More →

Laura Anne Gilman

d.y.m.k. productions

Relapsing Editor, Recurrent Novelist, Occasional Short Story Writer. Proud Hybrid. Never met a sub-genre she didn't flirt with.

Theodora Goss

Daryl Gregory

Writer

Daryl Gregory is an award-winning writer of genre-mixing novels, stories, and comics. His novels include Spoonbenders (upcoming from Knopf), Harrison Squared, Afterparty, Pandemonium, Raising Stony Mayhall, The Devil’s Alphabet, and the World Fantasy Award- winning short novel We... Read More →

A. J. Hackwith

Author

A. J. Hackwith is (almost) certainly not an ink witch in a hoodie. She’s a queer writer of fantasy and science fiction living in Seattle. THE LIBRARY OF THE UNWRITTEN, the first in her fantasy trilogy, is coming October 1 2019 with Ace. She also writes sci-fi romance as Ada Harper... Read More →

Joe Haldeman

writer, MIT

Joe Haldeman is an American science fiction author and combat veteran of Vietnam. He is best known for his 1974 novel The Forever War. That novel, and other of his works including, The Hemingway Hoax (1991) and Forever Peace (1997), have won major science fiction awards including... Read More →

Erin M. Hartshorn

SFWA Vice President

Erin M. Hartshorn did her graduate work in fish olfaction (and yes, she’s heard all of the jokes about how fish smell) before turning to words to make her living. Her freelance business makes others’ words look good through copyediting, proofreading, and indexing. Her fiction... Read More →

Merrie Haskell.

Author

Merrie Haskell’s novels are The Princess Curse, Handbook for Dragon Slayers and The Castle Behind Thorns. She won the Schneider Family Book Award (Middle Grades) and the DetCon1 Middle Grade Speculative Fiction award, and she was twice a finalist for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award... Read More →

Claire Humphrey

Larry Ivkovich

Writer, Myself

Rekka Jay

Attendee, R J Theodore

david jennings

Michael Jones

Jeffe Kennedy

Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning, best-selling author who writes fantasy with romantic elements and contemporary romance. She serves on the Board of Directors for SFWA as a Director at Large. Her most recent works include the high fantasy trilogy from Rebel Base books, The Chronicles... Read More →

John Kessel

Writer

Scott King

Attendee

Scott King is an author, board game photographer, and all around geek!

Ellen Klages

Writer, self

I write historical fiction for middle grade readers and SF/F for adults. I have won multiple awards in both fields. I love research. I have played poker every Tuesday night for 35 years. I collect lead civilians and other odd, old toys. I sometimes give ultraviolet tours of my dining... Read More →

Mary Robinette Kowal

Matthew Kressel

Full-stack developer, writer, Tyrell Corporation

Jamie Lackey

Jamie Lackey lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and their cats. She has had over 170 short stories published in places like Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Apex Magazine, and Escape Pod. Her debut novel, Left-Hand Gods, was published by Hadley Rille Books, and she’s created five successful... Read More →

Mur Lafferty

Writer

Mur Lafferty is a Hugo-award winning podcaster, a Hugo and Nebula award nominated writer, and co-editor of the first science fiction podcast, Escape Pod. She streams gaming and live podcasts on Twitch.

Fonda Lee

Author

Fonda Lee is the author of the epic modern fantasy Green Bone Saga, consisting of Jade City, Jade War, and Jade Legacy. She is a winner of the World Fantasy Award, the Locus Award, a four-time winner of the Aurora Award, and a finalist for the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award. The... Read More →

jennifer lee

I teach middle school math in Baltimore. I write literary fiction, science fiction and experimental short fiction. I have lived in Greece and hope to live there again in the future. I like all people except for the mean ones.

David D. Levine

David D. Levine is the author of Norton Award winning novel Arabella of Mars (Tor 2016), sequels Arabella and the Battle of Venus (Tor 2017) and Arabella the Traitor of Mars (Tor 2018), and over fifty science fiction and fantasy stories. His story “Tk’Tk’Tk” won the Hugo... Read More →

Beca Lewis

Author, Coach, The Shift Center

BECA LEWIS thinks the world is not what it looks like, so spends her time looking for what isn’t always visible. Addicted to reading from childhood, she thought that the worlds she read about were real. Now she asks, who says they are not? Beca writes and coaches on shifting the... Read More →

Sam Linton

I am a full-time pastor, corporate trainer, and a real estate investor. I always wanted to be a writer, and I wrote my first book in 2017 during NaNoWriMo. I had every intention of going the traditional publishing route until I discovered 20Booksto50K. Now, I am Indie all the way... Read More →

Kari Maaren

Author

Kari Maaren is a writer, cartoonist, musician, and academic whose first novel, the YA fantasy Weave a Circle Round, was published by Tor Books in 2017. It tied for the 2018 Copper Cylinder Award (YA category), was a finalist for the Andre Norton Nebula Award for Young Adult Science... Read More →

PJ Manney

author, PJ Manney

PJ Manney is the author of the P.K. Dick Award-nominated (R)EVOLUTION, book 1 in a trilogy with (ID)ENTITY, and the upcoming (CON)SCIENCE, out April 27, 2021. She also writes non-fiction and consults about emerging technology, future humans, empathy-building through storytelling... Read More →

Craig Martelle

Director, Craig Martelle, Inc

Craig Martelle has published well over 100 books and has sold over a million copies in his favorite genres of Science Fiction and Thrillers. He also runs the largest indie author conferences in the world along with the group that has changed innumerable authors’ lives for the better... Read More →

Kevin McLaughlin

Writer, Role of the Hero Publishing

Kevin McLaughlin is a USA Today bestselling author of science fiction and fantasy novels, with over thirty books published. He has been a speaker at DragonCon, the Nebula Conference, 20Books, WorldCon, Arisia, Boskone, and other events. He believes in giving back to the writing community... Read More →

Sam Miller

Sam J. Miller is the last in a long line of butchers, and the Nebula-Award-winning author of The Art of Starving (an NPR best of the year) and Blackfish City (a “Must Read” in Entertainment Weekly and O: The Oprah Winfrey Magazine). He lives in New York City, and at samjmille... Read More →

Terry Mixon

Author, Yowling Cat Press

#1 Bestselling Military Science Fiction author Terry Mixon served as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army 101st Airborne Division. He later worked alongside the flight controllers in the Mission Control Center at the NASA Johnson Space Center supporting the Space Shuttle... Read More →

Mr. Nibs

Author, Fallen Kitten Productions

Dave Palmer

Author, D. Thourson Palmer

I'm about bourbon, cooking, martial arts, my blind cat Lt. Commander Geordie La Forge, and also bourbon. I wrote Ours Is the Storm and the web serial RAZE.

Sarah Pinsker

Director at Large, SFWA

Cat Rambo

Jim Reid

I am a building contractor, a fiction writer, and a romantic lover. I'm gay and live in San Francisco. The Federation of Earth is a science-fiction novel about benevolent aliens coming to Earth to create a just planet where all sentient beings have equal rights and 70% of humans... Read More →

Kelly Robson

Writer, SFWA

Kelly Robson is an award-winning short fiction writer. In 2018, her story “A Human Stain” won the Nebula Award for Best Novelette, and in 2016, her novella “Waters of Versailles” won the Prix Aurora Award. She has also been a finalist for the Nebula, World Fantasy, Theodore... Read More →

Karlo Yeager Rodriguez

Attendee, Author

Patrick Rothfuss

Jason Sanford

Author

Lawrence M. Schoen

Author, Paper Golem LLC

Lawrence M. Schoen holds a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology, is a past Campbell, Hugo, and Nebula, nominee, twice won the Cóyotl award for best novel, founded the Klingon Language Institute, and occasionally does work as a hypnotherapist specializing in authors’ issues. His science... Read More →

Nancy Schrock

Writer

I'm the author of the recently published novel Incense Rising. I worked in industry as a chemist for 25 years then left the corporate world to pursue writing and teaching. I teach at the University of West Florida.

Elsa Sjunneson

Attendee

Alan P. Smale

In addition to singing bass with the Chromatics, this year’s Musical Guests of Honor, Alan Smale writes alternate and twisted history, and occasional pure SF and fantasy. His novella of a Roman invasion of ancient America, “A Clash of Eagles”, won the Sidewise Award for Alternate... Read More →

Lesley L. Smith

Physicist & SF Author

Rosemary Claire Smith

Writer

Rosemary Claire Smith worked as a field archaeologist and election lawyer before turning to writing alternate history, time-travel tales, hard science fiction, guest editorials and book review columns for Analog. She has also written fantasy, horror and yet more science fiction for... Read More →

Bud Sparhawk

CFO, SFWA, Inc

Michele Staffen

Jerome Stueart

Jerome is a writer whose work has appeared in Fantasy, Lightspeed's Queers Destroy Science Fiction, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, several Tesseracts anthologies and other magazines and journals. His 2016 self-illustrated collection of stories, The Angels of Our Better Beasts (ChiZine... Read More →

Shanna Swendson

Tom Sweterlitsch

Rebecca Thorne

Writer

R.K. Thorne writes science fiction and fantasy with strong romantic subplots and an all too frequent theme of baked goods. She's a full-time indie who works from the hills of Pennsylvania with her two gray cats at her side.

Tracy Townsend

Writer, English Instructor

Tracy Townsend is the author of The Nine, book one of the Thieves of Fate series (Pyr), a gaslamp fantasy debut set in a world where theology is a science, three sentient species live in an uneasy truce, and the fate of humanity rests on the shoulders of nine unsuspecting individuals... Read More →

Michael R. Underwood

Attendee

Michael R. Underwood is an author, podcaster, and publishing professional. Mike's books include space opera Annihilation Aria, the Ree Reyes Geekomancy books, the Stabby Award-finalist Genrenauts series, and Born to the Blade (written with Malka Older, Cassandra Khaw, and Marie Brennan... Read More →

Jamie Wahls

Martha Wells

Martha Wells has written many fantasy novels, including The Books of the Raksura series (beginning with The Cloud Roads), the Ile-Rien series (including The Death of the Necromancer) as well as YA fantasy novels, short stories, media tie-ins (for Star Wars and Stargate: Atlantis... Read More →

Fran Wilde

Author

Fran Wilde’s novels and short stories have been finalists for four Nebula awards, two Hugo Awards, and a World Fantasy Award. They include her Nebula/Andre Norton- and Compton Crook-winning debut novel, Updraft (Tor, 2015); its sequels, Cloudbound and Horizon; the double-starred... Read More →

Sheila Williams

Attendee, Asimov's

I'm a science fiction short story editor.

Connie Willis

writer

JY Yang

JY Yang is a Hugo/Nebula/Locus award finalist and the author of the Tensorate novellas from Tor.Com Publishing (The Red Threads of Fortune, The Black Tides of Heaven and the forthcoming The Descent of Monsters). A graduate of the Clarion West class of 2013, they live in Singapore... Read More →

Caroline M. Yoachim

Author

Hugo and three-time Nebula Award finalist Caroline M. Yoachim is a prolific author of short stories, appearing in Asimov’s, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Clarkesworld, and Lightspeed, among other places. Her work has been reprinted in multiple year’s best anthologies and translated... Read More →

Peter Zuckerman

Author, Journalist, Political Advocacy, Self

Sunday May 20, 2018 1:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom

SFWA function

Company Agents, All welcome, Art Directors, Early Career Writers, Editors, family members too., Game Writers, Hybrid, Indie, Traditional